Because Father Bertrand had been by the Sheriff's side all of yesterday, and during the recent incident, Father Bertrand was here as well, so it was certain that Father Bertrand was not that controller.
“According to the timeline, he indeed can't be the controller. But we also can't be sure that there's only one controller,” Angel said, then changed the direction of the conversation, “Of course, judging by Father Bertrand's behavior these past two days, and his reverence for death, just as you said, I don't think he's the controller either. But–”
“His behavior was very strange, as if he knows something.”
Earlier, when Angel had heard the scream, he was the first to rush to the scene of the crime. When he returned, he found Father Bertrand still in the Watchtower, looking at the site of the incident with a very grave expression.
This gravity even made Angel feel the despair in his heart.
It was this feeling that led Angel to believe that although Father Bertrand might not be the controller, he definitely knew some inside information.
There was also something Angel was very concerned about, yet he hadn't told Alex.
Angel always had a premonition, or perhaps it was a wizard's innate intuition, that Alex, like him an “outsider,” was very likely the reason for the existence of this cage.
If this conjecture wasn't wrong, then a question mark needed to be placed by the people around Alex.
Especially Father Bertrand, who had rescued Alex, adopted him, and was devoted to brainwashing him with Holy Scripture.
After a long silence, Alex finally nodded, “Father Bertrand may indeed know something. However, based on my understanding of Father Bertrand, if he doesn't want to talk, no one can get an answer from him.”
“That might not be the case, given that the situation has clearly changed now. He might also become a victim,” Angel said.
Angel's words suddenly reminded Alex of something Father Bertrand had said to him: At least, the Church of Cruachan will be safe under the protection of the Father God.
Did this mean that staying in the Church of Cruachan would be safe?
Did Father Bertrand say this on purpose, or was it unintentional?
Why?
Eventually, Alex nodded, “I'll find an opportunity to try and get some information out of Father Bertrand.”
Nightfall had faded, and a new day dawned in the morning light of Dawnlight.
What should have been a hopeful morning was thoroughly shrouded in gloom by the murder that had occurred the previous night in Gust Town.
Gust Town, larger even than Gru Town, had a population nearing ten thousand.
With so many people, under normal circumstances, the death of one or two individuals would only cause a fraction to panic; for many others, they might feel lucky or simply indifferent, not taking other people's misfortunes to heart at all.
But with a succession of deaths, these victims, irrespective of their identity, status, residence, showed no disparity in standing.
No one could be sure that if the serial killer continued, they wouldn't become one of the unlucky ones.
Because of this, nearly everyone in Gust Town began to feel anxious.
However, those fraught with anxiety could be divided into several categories.
The vast majority, powerless to resist, still had to live their lives, so they did what they usually did, only keeping their anxiety buried within.
An exceedingly small portion had their lives disrupted by anxiety. Some of them stayed at home trembling and dared not move; some went to church to recite the Holy Scripture, praying for divine salvation; and some sought the protection of the Knight's guard at the Sheriff's office.
All the above were still considered good responses. There was a portion of the populace who thought they had made a good choice, unaware that they were beginning to walk towards the Abyss.
Alex stood at the top of the church, looking towards the end of the street, where over a dozen people, with luggage in tow, were heading out of town.
Without a doubt, this group had chosen to leave Gust Town. They hoped to avoid the fate of being murdered by distancing themselves.
But what they didn't realize was that leaving didn't represent hope; rather, it signified true despair.