Chapter 63
Chapter 63: Return to Temperance
“Little Celi! I was so worried! Where did you go? What about those two brothers who went looking for you? Didn’t you run into them?”
“I got swept away by the crowd and lost my way. A kind gentleman gave me directions… There were two brothers looking for me? I didn’t see them—we probably just missed each other…”
Funise was held tightly by Charlotte, so she could only reluctantly use the hastily fabricated lies to deflect her questions with difficulty.
After returning to the external space from Cessia’s “crimson chamber,” Funise found an inconspicuous alley corner to emerge from, then pretended to look around nervously as she made her way back to the vicinity of the crime scene. Charlotte had sharp ears—as soon as she heard the sound of women’s leather shoes on stone bricks, she immediately got up and rushed out of the cordon, tightly embracing the bewildered-looking Funise half a street away.
The preliminary scene investigation had ended, and Roy was doing some handover work with investigators from the private police company.
According to the city council’s opinion, the Temperance Institute should cooperate with them on this case. Funise believed Joseph’s efforts were behind this—otherwise the Temperance Institute probably wouldn’t even have qualified to approach the scene.
This case involved supernatural abilities, so handing it to the Temperance Institute was the most appropriate choice.
However, Funise still wasn’t clear about Joseph’s actual attitude toward the branch that remained in the Georgeson District. His decisions and actions seemed contradictory, but everyone knew this former count was far from being a confused old man.
“It’s not that your sister doesn’t care about you, but the case is right in front of us… Otherwise I definitely would have gone to look for you myself…” Charlotte pulled on Funise’s arm pitifully, doing her utmost to explain.
Actually, Charlotte really didn’t need to do this—how could Funise not understand?
Through that layer of crimson, Funise could see the outside scene clearly, but Charlotte on the outside wouldn’t necessarily know what was happening inside.
That bottle of liquid treated as crime scene evidence—Funise was too embarrassed to mention it, and could only pray that the girl in the alchemy testing lab would see through it but not expose it. After all, without using supernatural means, alchemy techniques alone couldn’t easily detect who that bottle of liquid belonged to.
“I know, Sister Charlotte. After all, you’re police and detectives—solving cases should come first. That’s Sister Charlotte’s job.” Funise took Charlotte’s hand and gently swayed it in front of her, her voice sweet and coquettish. “I’m fine. I was lucky to meet a kind gentleman who helped with directions. Besides, didn’t Sister Charlotte send two brothers to look for me instead? I know Sister Charlotte cares about me a lot.”
Charlotte couldn’t withstand this offensive at all, her sea-blue eyes filling with tears. “You’re so understanding, little Celi…”
Funise was a bit dumbfounded.
She never expected that casually acting spoiled could nearly make this proud, sun-bright adopted daughter cry. This would have been unimaginable for Sera in the past.
“Police? Detectives? Little Charlotte, what exactly have you been teaching this child… Uh, though the job description doesn’t seem that different…” Roy walked over from the side, having inadvertently overheard Funise and Charlotte’s conversation. When he looked down and saw the well-behaved Funise standing in front of Charlotte, this guy unexpectedly paused, his expression and tone becoming awkward. “Hiss—no wonder you said this child is eye-catching… Now I’m curious how anyone could manage to lose her?”
Charlotte didn’t answer, just turned back to glare at him fiercely.
Who would have thought that such a tall, burly man would be made trembling and disheartened by Charlotte’s single glance, slinking away dejectedly as if he were still the thin, weak boy from over ten years ago who would silently endure when others were mean to him or bullied him.
It seemed that aside from his height, nothing else had changed at all.
Only imitating Sera’s exterior without grasping Sera’s inner essence and spirit—inadequate!
However, Roy wasn’t wrong either. The Temperance Institute only seemed similar to police and detectives.
Although investigating cases and catching criminals was their most common work, the Temperance Institute was ultimately one of the Seven Institutes of the Church, essentially a sacred institution that followed the teachings of Archangel Raguel to advocate justice and maintain order, belonging to legitimate clergy.
Now those hired private police had taken over the scene, with Roy serving as the Temperance Institute’s representative to assist in the investigation. Charlotte had nothing to do here for the time being.
She took Funise through the remaining journey, finally stopping in front of a symmetrical two-story building painted white and gilded. Raguel’s symbolic sculpture hung under the eaves, and the golden cross that was the Kabbalah doctrine’s distinctive symbol was suspended high at the top.
“Temperance”—above the grand oak doors carved with mythological reliefs, this brief yet profound word was prominently engraved in Kabbalah script.
The original meaning of this word represented a virtue—patiently enduring pressure and maintaining self-control, staying disciplined.
But Archangel Raguel’s identity and duties gave this word new meaning. He was the angel representing discipline and justice, redemption and vengeance. He monitored all angels in heaven, evaluating and judging whether those winged messengers’ good deeds met the Lord’s requirements.
The Temperance Institute among the Seven Institutes of Virtue was the Church’s enforcement agency, and in the Church’s view, Kabbalah doctrine was the only law.
Just as when the Last Judgment descended, Raguel would separate those faithful to God from those who didn’t believe in God—sheep from goats, the righteous from sinners. He granted the former redemption and forgiveness, the latter vengeance and destruction.
Seeing these familiar and nostalgic elements, Funise realized she had reached her destination.
Before her was the Temperance Institute’s branch in the Georgeson District of Greycloud Fortress, headed by Michel Rossetti as branch director, gathering a large group of enforcement officers and agents dispatched from the Kingdom of Colenzo—a product of compromise between Joseph and the Pope.
A year ago, Funise never imagined she would have the chance to see the cross standing under these dark clouds.
“This is it, little Celi.” Charlotte put her hands on her hips, looking quite proud. “Pretty impressive where your sister works, right?”
“Uh, mm.” Funise smiled wryly.
She didn’t think this was anything worth showing off. Believers in the doctrine and followers of the Lord should keep honor in their hearts, not display it with agitation and vanity.
Moreover, this honor itself belonged to the Temperance Institute, to the Church.
Funise didn’t know whether she should criticize Charlotte. She felt like there were still many things she hadn’t had time to teach this girl as a senior enforcement officer.
But now she was “Celi,” just a pitiful girl “Sister Charlotte” had rescued from a great fire.
The gap in identity made Funise feel a wave of loss and powerlessness.
But this wasn’t the time for self-pity, because she would soon return to the Temperance Institute as “Celi,” at least during her time in Greycloud Fortress.
She had brought some bad news for Branch Director Michel, as well as some good news that wasn’t free.
And the current Greycloud Fortress branch of the Temperance Institute desperately needed this good news.
Michel wouldn’t refuse her.