Chu Yan suddenly recalled that there was a matter he had yet to address, which came to mind when he descended the stairs today and once again encountered the several Asian nuns bound in restraint.
What could have led to their current predicament?
Surely, their typical state of "experiencing divine revelations" does not entail binding themselves and secluding themselves within a room, does it?
"Shanoya, what is the situation with these individuals?"
It was only upon mentioning Shanoya, who had come down the stairs with him, that she became aware of her oversight.
After awakening, Chu Yan had been preoccupied with his nighttime training, neglecting the fact that these nuns also required his attention.
One could only say that it was still not too late.
If they had waited until the executioner lady arrived, discovering the dire treatment of the church's clergy would have posed a significant issue!
"Ahem... these nuns were bound by Omiya. While you were unconscious, we hoped they could assist you; healing magic is an essential skill for nearly all clergy, far more reliable than we forbidden ones."
Upon hearing this, Chu Yan immediately grasped the situation, stating, "So, they refused to cooperate, and you resorted to binding them as leverage?"
Shanoya's expression was complex as she shook her head, speaking cautiously, "Not entirely. Initially, we intended to coerce them into assessing your condition. However, when Omiya burst into the room, she discovered these nuns 'stealing' something..."
Stealing?
Chu Yan was perplexed, momentarily at a loss, and pressed further, "What do you mean? They confine themselves in a room—what could they possibly 'steal'? The castle lacks any valuable items, does it not?"
In the past, the lord's castle might have harbored numerous treasures, but following the passing of the former lord, his descendants fled in fear of the dreadful environment here.
All valuable possessions had been removed, and even any "leftover goods" had been sold off by the subsequent Dead Sea aristocrats to traveling merchants.
Chu Yan had only managed to acquire that journal thanks to a certain elven merchant.
"Chu Yan, you have overlooked a significant factor—the array known for its miraculous powers, which suppresses forbidden forces to prevent them from spiraling out of control."
Shanoya meticulously recounted the events of that moment.
The instant Omiya entered the room, she found the nuns kneeling on the bed, hands clasped, engaged in some form of prayer ritual.
Within this ritual, a familiar power was slowly converging within these nuns.
Each forbidden one imprisoned in the Dead Sea, though they had never witnessed the true form of that array, sensed it as an invisible law imprinted here, and they were well acquainted with its power.
There was no possibility of mistaking it!
These nuns were absorbing and pilfering the array's power!
The regular exchanges of personnel were merely because the previous group of nuns had filled their capacity, necessitating the arrival of fresh faces to continue the process.
Like dock workers, they repeated the cycles of loading, unloading, and shifting shifts.
And this process had persisted for many years!
Even a thousand-mile dam can collapse under the pressure of an ant hole, and this array, renowned for its miracles, was indeed being depleted by the church.
Realizing this, the forbidden ones swiftly bound them to interrupt their absorption ritual.
As for compelling them to heal Chu Yan, that was a threat to their very lives; if they refused to heal, they would face execution.
Chu Yan rubbed his temples, a certain realization dawning on him as he exclaimed, "Previously, during the barbecue gathering, Omiya mentioned that the power of the array was diminishing, causing your recovery times to be longer than before. Has the prolonged 'theft' by these nuns led to the array's weakening?!"
Seeing that he had grasped the crux of the matter, Shanoya nodded, saying, "Indeed, this is likely a directive from the church's higher-ups; we are powerless to make a decision and must rely on you."
Though she stated this, Shanoya understood that Chu Yan faced a considerable dilemma.
To eliminate these nuns outright would mean opposing the church.
Yet, to spare them would be tantamount to betraying oneself.
The ongoing depletion of the array's power directly impacted the forbidden ones.
Chu Yan began to feel a headache coming on; he merely wished to enjoy life as a simple person, hoping to savor his time on the borders of the Dead Sea.
There would be plenty of time to become acquainted with the sisters of Pure Abyss, but before the joyous times could commence, church troubles were already surfacing...
Despite his frustrations, Chu Yan's stance remained unchanged; he resolutely declared, "Fortunately, I am a Dragonborn, not merely a member of the kingdom's human race, so I am not beholden to the church's dictates."
Yet, it must be noted that the church still constituted a formidable entity in this world. While the Dragonborn were not their vassals, they could not audaciously assert authority over them.
"What do you intend to do with these nuns, Chu Yan?"
"When in doubt, the best strategy is to delay and see if another opportunity arises... By the way, when is the nuns' next shift change?"
"Janet mentioned it occurs roughly every six months."
"Six months—time, in a sense, is rather ample."
As long as they securely confined these nuns, they could maintain peace for the next six months without the executioner lady discovering them when she came to assess the situation.
Avoiding the issue may be shameful, but regrettably, there was currently no way to confront it directly.
Shanoya sighed, saying, "However, once the six-month period arrives, the situation will become exceedingly troublesome. If the church learns of the nuns succumbing to forbidden powers and being treated in this manner, there will be no room for leniency."
Chu Yan scratched his head, sighing in agreement, "We'll take it step by step; the weakening of the array has nearly dragged me down as well."
"Speaking of which, without the array, what will happen to you? Shanoya, you didn't have the array before, did you?"
Could it be that enduring this would be a matter of gritting one's teeth? This thought was somewhat foolish, yet Chu Yan still held onto a sliver of hope.
"Without the array, our power would grow increasingly volatile; it would be akin to a forest fire out of control, this strengthening would persist until the 'woods' were entirely consumed."
"Very well, we shall take our time over the next six months to devise a solution."
Chu Yan understood simply that those powers categorized as forbidden could still be somewhat contained during their "flame" phase; even a small mishap could extinguish it. Yet, once the "fire" grew, it would spread rapidly.
The brilliance of the array lay in its ability to suppress uncontrolled tendencies while simultaneously ensuring that the forbidden ones' powers remained potent without diminishing their strength.
...
"Thanks to Lady Isa's assistance, we were able to successfully bring back this out-of-control nun."
One of the clergy members bowed in gratitude to the Dragonborn knight.
The proud and graceful knight nodded lightly, her gaze falling upon the large iron cage beside her.
This cage was a prized possession, possessing formidable control properties, and was among the renowned relics in the church's treasury.
Inside the cage rested a coffin, intricately carved with images of the Holy Mother and a cross, also a control-type artifact.
Within this coffin was sealed a powerful nun exhibiting signs of corruption and loss of control.
Isa remarked, "I truly did not expect to be summoned here merely to assist your church in resolving such a matter. Why has she lost control?"
The leading clergy member bowed his head apologetically, saying, "I apologize; the church is currently investigating this matter. We hope, Lady Isa, that you can keep this a secret for us."