The Princess And The Lord-Chapter 1400: Silent Entry

"Lory, wake up!"

Lory jolted upright on her seat, eyes wide, and for a second she forgot where she was, but then the monotone voice from afar and murmured sounds around her snapped her back to reality.

Lory lowered her hoodie, then straightened her back and fixed her posture. "Sorry, I fell asleep," Lory whispered while rubbing her tired eyes, then looked around and was grateful that no one was paying attention to her.

"I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay awake with this boring, long speech." Fargo slouched in his chair while staring at the stage absentmindedly.

"How long has he been talking?" Lory checked her watch.

"Almost an hour..." Fargo yawned widely behind his facemask.

This morning, Lory and Fargo deliberately attended a speech event delivered by Alexander Behrenn, which was held at Angel Boulevard as the opening event of a festival to honor the saint.

The event was held magnificently with a large stage and big screen, and was attended by thousands of people like a music concert, only less exciting.

Curious about what Alexander Behrenn wanted to say, Lory and Fargo attended the event along with thousands of other Wellington residents. However, who would have thought that his speech was so long that Lory fell asleep on Fargo’s shoulder?

"I don’t remember Dad ever giving a speech this long," Lory complained softly.

"Are you kidding me? Your dad’s longest speech was only fifteen minutes. Because if he were wise enough to know that if it went on longer, his twins would fall asleep out of boredom, especially Luc." Fargo reminisces with a slight chuckle.

"Yes, and now he takes a leisure time to sleep as much as he can, like a debt collector collecting his debt." Lory pursed her lips.

Hearing that, Fargo chuckled lightly, "He can be petty sometimes."

A wilted little smile spread across Lory’s face, then she said, "Let’s make him work to the bones when he wakes up".

"Agree!" Fargo patted Lory’s head.

After ten minutes that felt like a decade to Lory, Alexander raised his hands solemnly and welcomed the Saintess to give a speech.

The air pulsed with energy as the crowd cheered.

Lory and Fargo exchanged glances with expressions of interest, and even their drowsiness and boredom were swept away by it. The saintess went up to the podium accompanied by her knight in shining armor, Salvo De Rova, and together they looked like a couple straight out of the fairy tales.

"Good morning, everyone, it’s a true honor to be with all of you today. Coming together in a very special time like today shows me the deeper meaning of why we are all here together, united!" The saintess take a deep breath as she try to control her emotion, she glance at Salvo and smile then continue "In the worl that moves so fast, we finaly understood that power not belong to only one but to everyone, my power not only belong to me but to share to everyone who need it — who wants it, thus let’s hold our hands together, renewed your sense of faith, and your believed in your own hands and my hands. Together we will welcome a new world of the world belongs to us!"

A wave of cheers rises like a tide — shouts, whistles, screams of excitement blending into a roaring wall of sound. Hands shoot into the air, waving, clapping as they shout the Saintess’ names with pure joy.

The saintess then clasped her hands in front of her chest as she began to speak, "To commemorate this day, I will give my assistant to some of you. For you who are the true believers of the way of the Saint, please come forward!"

With eyes wide and heart pounding, they stepped forward, almost instinctively, as they were drawn by the surge of faith and emotion. Their face lit up with anticipation, a mix of awe and urgency as they moved through the crowd, eager to receive the saintess’ blessing.

The waves of people start pressing and shifting with unpredictable force. Fargo wrapped his arms around Lory’s shoulder, then fought the current of people, pushing them away before they finally managed to get out.

Only after they got away from the crazy Lory and Fargo leaned against the wall in a small alley while exhausted.

Lory lowered her hoodie while taking a deep breath. "That was crazy, we almost died crushed there, did they not think about the safety of the people there?" Lory exasperatedly said.

Fargo lowered his hoodie and then threw away his already ruined facemask. "I don’t think they care about it."

"Do you think no one will pick up this news tomorrow?" Lory could already imagine how many people got hurt due to the chaos that happened.

Fargo gives Lory an incredulous look, "Complain to S.A.I.N.T. organization — here, in Wellington city — really?" Fargo tilted his head and smirked.

Lory was taken aback and then realized who actually controlled this country, she clicked her tongue and sighed resignedly, "Yeah, you’re right."

Fargo darted his eyes around him, then gave a small tug on Lory’s arms. "Let’s see the situation, I want to see how she healed them with my own eyes."

"How? We cannot get close, they check everyone who asks for the saintess’ blessing," Lory frowned.

"Follow me!" Fargo signed her to follow him immediately, Lory took long strides behind Fargo.

Fargo pried open the the look of a shabby apartment building, after that he made sure the floor was empty, only then he beckoned Lory with his index finger to enter and together they snuck into the storeroom of a small cafe.

Since the buildings in Wellington tend to be close to each other, they sneak from one cafe to another, conducting breaking and entering multiple times untill they arrive at the cafe that is closest to where the Saintess is performing her service, but because too many people watching, they need to go somewhere that provide a better view.

But the entire floor was packed with people who were eager to watch the saintess perform her miracle workjust like them. Suddenly, Fargo caught a staircase that seemed to lead to the third floor, unfortunately, there was a signboard hanging on the door saying: For staff only.

Unfazed by that, Fargo leaned toward one of the waiters behind the bar and whispered to the man.

Shortly after, the waiter left and returned with a middle-aged man who turned out to be the manager. Fargo slipped a roll of money into the man’s hands, and the manager gave a slight approving nod. Fargo and Lory exchanged a smile and then went up to the third floor.

"You know I hate corrupt people, but of course, sometimes they make our lives easier," Lory smiled ironically.

"And that’s how the problem arises," Fargo replied.

"Yup!" If the table was turned and this happened in Harland, the ones in danger would be her and Lucas.

Fargo opened the door on the third floor that was used as a place to store used cardboard boxes and plants, from there they saw more clearly how the saintess performed her power.

The people who accepted the Saintess’ aides were shimmered wth emotion, their lips curling into a joyful smile. Meanwhile, the saintess smiled gently, and a bright golden light shone, and instantly the man’s amputated leg gradually grew into a complete leg.

The man was overjoyed; he stood up in disbelief as he felt the sensation in his feet. The man looked at the Saintess with teary eyes, then fell on his knees. He clasped his hands and bowed his head solemnly as tears streamed down his face, as he incessantly chanted praises and gratefulness for the Saintess.

"What do you think?" Fargo watched in disbelief, he didn’t know whether to laugh or be afraid of this situation.

Lory leaned against the metal railing while propping her chin up. "It’s like watching the birth of a new faith, I wonder what the heads of other religions would think?"

Fargo leaned at the railing beside Lory and let out a cold sneer. "Didn’t you hear what Alexander said? He said that we originally believed the same thing that all gods have the same source, and the differences between religions happen because of the differences in human perception." Fargo must praise how quick-witted Alexander Behrenn is.

"Is that so? No wonder no other religion says anything bad about the saintess," Lory smiled wryly.

"And don’t forget Alexander Behrenn is a savvy politician, I believe he would’ve given some benefit to those religious leaders so they would shit up," Fargo said.

"Well, nothing can’t be solved with a few million Roms, right?!" Lory snorted in disdain.

"Anyway what do you think about the saintess power, the girl could grew freaking leg!" even when he saw it with his own eyes he still find it fascinating.

"Well, it does look like some kind of miracle." Lory has to admit the saintess’ power is no less than a miracle.

Fargo sneers, "I know, but you know what they said, if it looks too good to be true..."

"Maybe it is..." Lory’s eyes fixed on the angelic smile of the Saintess, "I really want to talk to her, perhaps I should ask her to heal me..." Lory ponder.

"Hold your thoughts, we have to find Stephan and Miss Shawn first!" Fargo checked his watch then looked at Lory, "After this the festival will start and the Saintess is scheduled to visit several hospitals and slums, meanwhile Alexander Behrenn will entertain the religious leaders and other foreign ambassadors outside the Elysium, so everyone attention will be spread between the Saintess and Alexander Behrenn, so this will be a chance for anyone to sneak in," Fargo’s expression deepen as he calculated their moves.

Lory snapped back from her thought. She checked the watch on her wrist, then nodded, "Okay, I’ve seen enough, let’s go!"

Elysium is the headquarters of the S.A.I.N.T. organization, a massive building built like a fortress protected by modern technology and advanced spells, not to mention the Paladins and guards who are constantly patrolling.

There is no way they can enter the place through normal routes, from the information they got, the only way is through the sewer system, meaning it’s going to be shit*y trip.

Using her water gift, Lory froze the water from the drainpipes for a minute so they could sneak inside, but no matter how good Lory’s power is, she couldn’t dispel the thick, putrid mix of rot and chemicals from assaulting their nostril.

"Why doesn’t this mask work?" Fargo complained about the half-transparent mask that covered his nose and mouth.

"Keep moving, Fargo, the sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can use the cleansing spell to save us from this stench." Lory pushed Fargo’s back to force him to quicken his pace.

"Of course, even if the enemy can’t see us, they will smell us." Fargo made a note in his head to file a complaint to N.I.M.S. about their invention cause it is not working!

Fargo and Lory moved through the storm drain tunnel, the dimmed light from the flashlight attached to their chest danced across the slick concrete and rustic ladder, illuminating colonies of mold and the occasional glint of rat eyes watching from the shadows.

"God, I hate rats." Lory’s face scrunches up in disgust when one of the rats hits the side of her boots.

"Don’t worry, Lory, we’re almost there!" Fargo looked up, then pulled the stairs down. Lory covered one ear as the screeching sound of rusted metal hit her ears.

"Let’s go up, it should take us to the Elysium basement." Fargo climbs the stairs while Lory follows behind him. Fargo then pushes the hatch slowly, he peeks to make sure no one is around before slowly pushes away the heavy metal hatch.

They arrived at the maintenance corridor, dimly lit by flickering fluorescent lamps. The hum of distant machines and the muffled thud of footsteps incited them that they were inside now.

Now the real challenge has begun.