Theo and his group looked down at Langkter, who lay prostrated on the ground, with stunned expressions.

Even Billy and Mike were at a loss for words, looking at Theo and asking,

"Theo, what's up with Langkter?"

"Did you threaten him or something?"

Theo shook his head.

"Of course not. I have no idea what's going on."

The servants of the mansion were wide-eyed, staring at the scene before them.

Taylor moved quickly.

"Hahaha, Your Eminence, there are many eyes upon us. Theo here wouldn't want this either. Please, stand up."

Taylor helped Langkter to his feet.

Langkter spoke to Theo,

"I was so moved by the precious time the Great Warrior of Light has given me... If I have caused any discomfort, I apologize."

Theo nodded calmly,

"Yes, it was uncomfortable and awkward. Please, don't do it again."

Langkter bowed repeatedly,

"Yes, yes...! I'm sorry. I'll be careful."

Theo replied with a frown,

"Understood."

The reason for his frown was trivial.

It was because his inner self was cheering and shouting with joy.

'It was quiet for a while... it's been chaos again since drawing the Holy Sword.'

Being worshipped and praised by many from the Order seemed to make his inner self jump with joy.

However, Langkter, unaware of this, had turned pale.

He prostrated himself at Theo's feet once again,

"I'm truly sorry! I beg for the mercy of the Great Warrior of Light...!"

"..."

With a tired look, Theo glanced at Taylor.

Taylor helped Langkter stand up again.

Theo said,

"Our purpose in visiting this mansion is not to receive your reverence, but to have a meal."

Langkter nodded immediately,

"Yes...! We have a renowned chef waiting inside."

He pointed to the left,

"We have prepared a modest banquet hall. Please, let me guide you."

Theo and his group followed Langkter's lead to the banquet hall.

Servants filled the entrance to the banquet hall, bowing deeply to Theo and his group.

The Practitioners, receiving such treatment for the first time, looked delighted.

But Theo, accustomed to such treatment, remained unfazed.

'It'll be easier to talk once the servants clear out.'

Following the servants' guidance, Theo and his group took their designated seats in the banquet hall.

A servant stood behind each member of the group.

Langkter, pulling out a chair at the head of the table, said,

"The Great Warrior of Light may sit here."

"Thank you."

Theo graciously took his seat, then raised a hand.

Langkter approached Theo with a bow and asked,

"Please, if there's anything you wish, tell me."

He looked like a service worker catering to the upper echelons of society.

'He would have been hugely successful as a court eunuch, not just a priest.'

With that thought, Theo spoke in a low voice,

"The atmosphere is a bit too tense for a meal."

He implied that they should dismiss the servants to discuss secretive matters like [Turning White] and the betrayal of the Order.

Upon understanding Theo's real meaning, Langkter immediately ordered all the servants to leave.

Once the servants had left, Theo said,

"I'm hungry. Let's have our meal."

Langkter bowed and called towards the kitchen,

"Chef, please prepare the meal."

A booming voice responded from inside,

"Understood, Langkter sir!"

Soon, meals were served before all the guests.

Langkter's claim of having a skilled chef wasn't just bragging; the food was up to Theo's high standards.

Thus, for the rest of the party, the meal was exceptionally delicious.

Except for Theo and Taylor, who were accustomed to dignified dining manners, everyone else ate hurriedly.

Billy and Mike devoured their steaks whole.

Swish.

Billy wiped his blood-stained lips with his sleeve and said,

"Ah, this is delicious. Never had anything like this even when I was a Practitioner."

Hearing that, Langkter's shoulders twitched.

Regardless, Mike added,

"Seriously. Do the high ranks of the Order eat like this every day? Damn lucky... Mmm. I should eat my fill now."

Mike lifted his empty steak plate with his palm and looked at Langkter,

"Langkter, does this get refilled?"

Mike's expression and tone were quite friendly.

To Langkter, that was even more terrifying.

'These bastards... are they planning to bleed me dry?'

Billy and Mike seemed like they could stab him with the knives and forks in their hands at any moment.

Langkter managed his expression and replied,

"Of course. We've prepared plenty."

Mike laughed happily,

"Why the sudden formal speech? Just be like you used to, Langkter."

Billy was impressed,

"Oh, Mike, you bastard. You sounded a bit like Theo just now."

"Just a bit? That hurts my pride. Just you wait."

Ahem, hm-

Mike cleared his throat and stood up.

Then, he repeated what Theo had said earlier,

"The same goes for everyone else. Please treat me as you did before. Not as the Warrior of Light."

He then turned to the other members of the group.

"How about that, exactly the same?"

Unable to bear it any longer, Sara threw a metal cup at Mike.

Clang!

"Argh...!"

Mike bled from his forehead and collapsed with a thud.

Regardless of his fall, Sara said to Billy,

"Stop it, will you? Billy, Mike, I'm so embarrassed by you guys I can't even show my face."

"Uh-hm? Didn't you teach us that meal times should always be fun, Sara?"

"That's different from this."

Feeling like he had gained the upper hand, Billy responded with a triumphant tone,

"I don't get it. How is it any different? Explain it to me using the 5W1H[1]."

Then,

Whack! Smack!

Out of nowhere, two metal cups flew and hit Billy on the back of his head.

Adrienne and Britney had thrown them.

"I... will not forget this incident."

As he said that, Billy collapsed, bleeding from the back of his head.

Theo watched the whole scene with an indifferent gaze.

'This is f*cking chaos.'

He glanced briefly at Langkter.

Langkter, looking utterly flustered, was moving his eyes around with his mouth agape.

'Hmm, it seems like the Practitioners are more rowdy than he thought.'

Theo almost smiled at the thought, thinking it turned out rather well.

Theo said to Langkter,

"It seems like this is your first time witnessing such a scene."

"Ah... yes. I'm not accustomed to... such scenes... hahaha."

"Is that so."

"Yes... hahaha. I suppose this kind of meal atmosphere isn't... entirely bad."

As Langkter awkwardly scratched his head,

Theo, now expressionless, spoke,

"How much do you think I know?"

"..."

Langkter reflexively started to say something like 'What do you mean by that...' but seeing Theo's icy expression, he kept silent.

'He really knows everything.'

The implication in Theo's words was clear: confess your sins before I do.

Langkter recalled a vow he made a few hours ago.

The best course of action was to lay everything out openly and honestly, to make a good impression on Theo.

'Yes. Now is the time... for the gamble of my life.'

Langkter moistened his dry lips,

"For years, I've been using the group of Practitioners to conduct Angelification experiments. The goal is to maintain Angelic form while keeping human reasoning."

Swallowing his saliva, Langkter continued,

"The client for this experiment is someone from [Turning White] named Hyeon. I don't know their exact identity. I just assume it's a human woman."

Theo made no reply.

He simply looked at Langkter calmly.

Langkter was terrified of Theo's gaze, which was impossible to read and seemed to ask, "Is that all?"

Trying to escape that silent terror, Langkter continued to speak.

"There are several others within our headquarters who have connections with [Turning White], aside from myself. Among those holding a rank of Archbishop or higher, there are three. There could be more, but I am only aware of these three. Their names are..."

Langkter started to spill the names.

It's not that I chose to remain silent.

I was speechless.

'Hyeon... Why does her name come up here?'

Hyeon.

She was the half-sibling of the main character, Neike.

[1. raei: 5W1H: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How]