Chapter 70: 68: Speaking with the Gods

After leaving the Tempest Church, Irene didn’t go straight back to the Fischer residence; instead, she went directly from the North City to Nasir’s East City, where the poor lived.

Today, her spirituality had nearly run out, and she couldn’t continue to eavesdrop using the “Secret Ear Technique,” so she could only set out to do other things.

“Madam Irene, hello.”

“Thank you very much, Madam Irene.”

“Madam Irene, it’s a real joy to see you.”

The poor continuously greeted her, and Irene responded with practiced calm.

She had come here time and again. How many times had it been?

She could no longer remember.

For ten long years, the East City District had undoubtedly become a region she was incredibly familiar with; almost every person here knew her.

The East City District was filled with shanty wooden homes where people struggled to live above the breadline. Originally, many children maintained their livelihood through theft and begging, but now they had all become members of the orphanage.

Her shoes stepped on the muddy ground without concern for the filth as she calmly arrived beside the wooden hut where Grandma Narda lived. Narda’s eldest son, Moore, the leader of the biggest gang of thieves in Nasir, bowed his head in respect.

“Madam Irene, you’ve come again. Are you looking for something from my mother?” he asked.

Irene shook her head and said calmly,

“No, it’s you I’m after this time. You’ve had your subordinates investigate the Isaac family matters for so long; surely there must be some findings?”

The elderly woman’s eldest son, Moore, was short and thin with a fiery temper, but he held utmost respect for his mother and Irene. He never got angry with the two of them and was almost willing to do whatever they said.

“Actually, there has been a new discovery lately. It’s that Lady Isaac’s son has been missing for a few days now; at least, people watching outside haven’t seen him during this period.”

He paused for a moment, bent over slightly, and continued, “Of course, he could also be sick and has been resting at home all this time. Apart from this information, there’s no other news worth reporting.”

“Understood.”

Irene nodded her head, intending to leave, but Moore hesitated and stopped her respectfully and apologetically,

“Oh, right, Madam Irene, why don’t you take a look at my mother? I think her condition has been somewhat off recently.”

Of course, Irene would not mind such a request, so she entered the hut and looked at Grandma Narda, who was sitting inside eating beans. The old lady was extremely happy to see Irene, and they chuckled and chatted for a while.

Irene also noticed that Grandma Narda’s mental state was off, she was lucid, even somewhat excited, and she wouldn’t stop talking.

After checking, she found out that Grandma Narda wasn’t sick; rather, she was too exhilarated from the health and strength gained through extraordinary power.

“It’s fine, she’s just too happy, probably because you three are so filial,” Irene said to Moore as she left.

“Is that so.”

Moore sighed with relief. He thought something was wrong with his mother, but now he could rest easy.

In his eyes, Madam Irene was practically a messenger sent by the gods. Meeting her was a divine blessing, an incredible stroke of luck for him and his mother!

“Actually, my mother is getting old, and I’m afraid she won’t be with us much longer. My brothers and I are already prepared for this,” Moore said with a sincere smile and earnestly added,

“But even if there’s not much time left, we still hope she can be happy. Madam Irene, you’ve given her a beautiful, painless later life. For us, this is an immense kindness you’ve performed.”

Irene smiled faintly and responded serenely, “It’s all part of my duty; the power bestowed upon me by God should be used to cure people.”

Moore continued to smile and said, “Yes, I believe the Lord of Salvation is also watching and affirming your actions. He will bless you, Madam Irene, to live to a hundred.”

Irene was momentarily startled but managed a forced smile.

Afterward, she still didn’t go straight home but went to the town’s orphanage to check on the children’s health and education. She didn’t return home until the sky gradually darkened.

Even though Irene was very tired, she didn’t go to sleep but instead checked on the servants and guards, and the progress of various jobs.

Because she was too busy with life, she didn’t have dinner with her family and just casually ate something by herself.

Before going to bed, Irene knelt in the basement, calmly looking up at the black transparent bottle, recalling that moment in the past.

She would never forget the experience of that night.

“Will you forgive me, my Lord?”

“I reported the Isaac family, so they will be investigated by the Tempest Church, and the mysterious rare artifact you want might be taken away…”

“But I had no other choice, the Fischer family is still too weak, and it is simply a suicide mission to single-handedly oppose the Extraordinary Exponent of the Sea God Cult.”

“Please, forgive my willfulness…”

She was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, “Actually, I also, I feel very tired.”

“There are just too many things to do in ten years, and they keep on coming without end, it’s simply impossible to have a day when everything is done.”

“But the Fischer family is still weak, just like Chris when he was in my arms, fragile and easily broken, I must always protect the entire family.”

“But I have occasionally thought about escaping, leaving everything behind, even abandoning Chris, and starting a new life alone away from Nasir.”

Irene was silent for a while, then shook her head and said:

“But that would be too selfish, that person could never be me.”

There was no response in the basement, whether it was the so-called punishment or the consolation that was never supposed to be there, there was no sign of either appearing.

Irene suddenly showed a helpless, resigned smile; Byrne and Chris must still think that I spend all my time praying in the basement.

God, you hear everything deep within my heart.

“At first, I thought I feared nothing, believing it was a matter of pride to sacrifice for my family, and I truly felt fulfilled when offering my life.”

“But as the Fischer family continued to grow and Chris gradually became older, as everything started to become more regular… I couldn’t help but fantasize about what the future Fischer family would be like.

She gently touched her dyed black hair, which in reality had long since turned white, constantly reminding the girl of her ever-depleting lifespan, lacking a future.

“In the quiet of the night, I felt an immense fear, with tears streaming down my face, I understood that it was because of greater expectations that I feared the near end of the future even more.”

“I don’t want to die.”

She slowly changed her posture, no longer kneeling but sitting on the ground, bowed her head, hugged her legs, and let out a sigh.

“I’ve checked many books, trying to find a way to restore my lifespan, but it seems, there really is no way…”

“I so wish to live on.”

The next morning, Irene immediately had Guards Captain Theo act as a coachman and took her to the streets near the Isaac family so she could continue to monitor them with the “Secret Ear Technique” from inside the carriage.

The Guards Captain Theo also held great respect for Irene, who managed the family affairs so orderly.

He once thought she would not be as capable and mature as Lucius, but now he fully understood how strong and wise she was, lacking only experience.

After a night’s rest, her Spirituality fully replenished, Irene sat in the carriage, calmly using her Spirituality to activate the “Secret Ear Technique” and continued monitoring the situation with the Isaac family.

After a long time of monitoring, just when Irene was about to run out of all her Spirituality, a sentence spoken by Lady Isaac left her utterly astonished.

“We have two more days left, let’s reconfirm the route for leaving Nasir and the East Coast after the ritual is completed.”

“At that time, with Nasir devastated with heavy casualties, the Tempest Church bishop will have to focus on disaster relief on one hand and search for our traces on the sea on the other, they most likely won’t be able to find us.”

Two days?

Irene swallowed, feeling a strong sense of unease from the deepest part of her heart.

The last two days?