Henwell looks visibly shaken as he respectfully tells Ashiburn, “Before we reached Tule City, we were ambushed by experts from this organization. They didn’t just gather a large band of thugs—they also brought five Grand Knights.“
”We fought bravely and lost many brothers. In the end, we killed two of them and severely wounded another. The last two, seeing the situation was hopeless, broke through with the injured companion and escaped.”
Henwell pauses for a mont.
Ashiburn imdiately presses, “And then? They disappeared?”
Good! As long as you care about that.
Henwell continues, “No, I have so tracking skills and kept their trail the whole ti. After two days, I cornered them in a dead-end. But by then, I had no guards left. I wasn’t confident taking on those bandits alone. They were cautious too and didn’t dare fight . So they began negotiating.“
”They said they didn’t want to kill but wanted to beco a mole inside the church. They promised abundant extraordinary resources to help rise faster within the church。 And in return, I’d pass information to them.”
Ashiburn asks, “Did you agree?”
Henwell nods. “Forgive , Archbishop! I needed a way out at that mont, so I played along. I have the respect of Archbishop Atwood and have fought alongside church knights.”
”I would never betray the church! I believe this matter is very serious, which is why I ca to inform you. I fear soone may already be infiltrating the church.”
Ashiburn paces a few steps, then sighs deeply. “You did well. But you should have agreed to their terms. This could be a great opportunity for us!”
Henwell looks puzzled. “I did agree at the ti, and they believed . They said they would contact again later.”
Ashiburn is stunned for a mont, then excitedly asks, “Impossible! They’re usually so cautious. How could they let you join so easily?”
Henwell hesitates for a mont, then drops to one knee before Ashiburn. “Forgive , Archbishop! The truth is, I was born into that organization. As a child, I was sold as a slave to the Veil Organization. I spent several years in their training camp called Forge Furnace. Later, they made a gladiator.”
”By a stroke of luck, I managed to escape. The Bloodhorn Arena manager in the Kingdom of Billie is actually a mber of the Veil Organization. I once tried to investigate these groups, which drew their attention. Since then, they’ve been targeting my forces constantly.”
”One major reason I ford the Peace Haven army was to take revenge on this organization. Many of my generals are actually childhood friends who escaped from the Forge Furnace camp with !”
”Now that my power has grown, the Veil Organization sees as useful and wants to pull back in. I’ve resisted fiercely, but they’ve sent assassins multiple tis. It’s only because my army is strong that I’ve survived.”
”At first, I thought their goal was just to harm the Vorry Kingdom. After this recent incident, I realize their true aim is to infiltrate the church. I believe I cannot let this go unchecked, so I’m telling you everything, Archbishop. Please forgive . I truly had no choice back then but to learn killing under the Veil Organization’s control.”
Ashiburn listens to Henwell’s incredible story, stunned for a long mont before excitedly pulling him up.
“What’s your na again? Right—Henwell! You did very well! You bear no guilt, it was all when you were just a child! So you’re saying that if you pledged loyalty to the Veil Organization, they would trust and accept you?”
Henwell hurriedly explains, “Archbishop, you see clearly. I have absolutely no intention of joining the Veil Organization. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have told you all this…”
Ashiburn laughs heartily, patting Henwell on the shoulder. “Haha… Henwell, relax. I know you’re a good man. You’d never betray us. But I an, hypothetically! If the church needed you to infiltrate the Veil Organization, could you gain their trust?”
Henwell thinks for a mont, then cautiously asks, “Sir, do you an… I beco a double agent? Pretend to join the Veil Organization but actually feed intelligence back to the church?”
Ashiburn quickly nods, “Yes, yes! That’s exactly what I an! So, what do you think? Could you gain their trust?”
Henwell thinks for a mont. “The Veil Organization is tightly structured and extrely secretive. They’ll definitely scrutinize thoroughly. They’ll want to confirm that I can actually provide the church’s intelligence. Only by proving myself as a genuine traitor to the church will they see my value and trust .”
Ashiburn waves his hand. “Don’t worry about that. We’ll make sure you receive credible intelligence to pass along. That way, the Veil will get a taste of success and trust you more.”
Henwell looks troubled. “But sir, this will harm the church’s interests and might even cost so church mbers their lives. Please forgive , but that’s hard for to accept. I can fight for the church, I can mobilize my army. I will do everything possible to battle the Veil Organization!”
Ashiburn sighs deeply. “Ah, child, your loyalty, courage, kindness, and integrity are admirable. But you’re still young and don’t fully understand this organization.”
”The Veil has existed for many years. For thousands of years, the church and other forces have fought tirelessly to drive them here. But because of this land’s unique nature, it’s impossible to completely wipe out the Veil remnants.”
”They lurk in the shadows like a venomous snake, constantly threatening the continent’s safety. We’ve tried sending spies before, but without exception, all have failed.”
”Now, there’s a rare opportunity. Your experience and identity give us new hope. If you learn enough about the Veil from within, we can dismantle them from the inside. Even if we can’t destroy them completely, we’ll deal a significant blow.”
”This is not the work of one or two people, it’s humanity’s collective mission, a great responsibility. Every sacrifice will be aningful. On behalf of the church and humanity, I ask you to accept this difficult task.”
With that, Archbishop Ashiburn bows deeply to Henwell.
Henwell awkwardly helps him up. “Archbishop, what are you doing? I’ll accept, of course!”
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