Chapter 24: Crazy Judy

“...Don’t mind the details,” Chen Xuan said, turning back to make a shushing gesture, lowering his voice. “An attitude is just a surface appearance; it doesn’t reflect the status of our guests in this shop.”

Liu Shuyue let out an "oh" that was laden with hidden meaning. Fortunately, she kept her voice within a range that only the two of them could hear.

“Long time no see.” Ignoring Liu Shuyue’s teasing, he nodded toward Joan of Arc. “I heard about you from General Gilles de Rais. He prayed to the Lord, willing to pay any price to save you, which is why I am here. What about your abilities? The shackles shouldn’t be able to restrain your Spirit Sword Art, right?”

Joan explained anxiously, “I don’t know what that wicked witch did to me. She pricked me with a needle, and I haven't been able to manifest the Spirit Sword Art since. If you encounter her, you must be extremely careful... Everything about her reeks of something sinister. She is a formidable opponent!”

“Her Qi meridians have been disrupted. You can tell, can’t you?” Liu Shuyue whispered, her voice audible only to him.

Chen Xuan had indeed noticed. Although the Joan before him shone like a golden flame, the trajectory of that flame was distorted and disjointed. According to his training in inner cultivation, no matter how one’s energy circulates, it should follow a path that is continuous, cyclical, and complete.

“Can it be cured?”

“Give her this.”

Chen Xuan suddenly felt his hand lifted by a soft touch as a round pill was placed into his palm. It looked far more sophisticated than anything he had brewed himself.

He handed the medicine to Joan. “Try taking this.”

Joan did not doubt him. Dragging the heavy iron ball, she moved slowly toward the edge of the cage. Since her hands were bound, she simply took the pill with her mouth.

Less than ten seconds later, white steam began to rise from the top of her head.

“What kind of medicine is this?” he asked curiously. “Why isn't it recorded in herbology?”

“Clear Meridian Pill. It’s not recorded because even I can’t refine it,” Liu Shuyue stated frankly. “This was brought from the sect; every one used is one less in existence.”

Chen Xuan immediately stopped asking. Things that were out of print were usually quite expensive.

“The Lord be praised, I feel... my strength has returned!” Joan whispered suddenly. She clenched her fists and pulled outward with force; the wooden shackles on her hands instantly shattered into pieces.

It seems that disrupted energy doesn't just affect one’s innate abilities; it also diminishes basic physical attributes like strength and reaction time... Chen Xuan thought thoughtfully. That witch clearly has some tricks up her sleeve.

After freeing her hands, she transformed her palm into a blade, coating it with the white light of the Spirit Sword Art, and with two swift strikes, she severed her leg irons and the iron lock on the cage door.

“Thank you, Envoy, for your rescue. I have no way to repay this great kindness.” Joan knelt on one knee before Chen Xuan. “If there is a next life, I am willing to be your knight and serve by your side forever.”

“Is this also... a surface appearance?” Liu Shuyue’s voice drifted over, sounding even softer this time, as if it were echoing directly inside his mind.

Chen Xuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He quickly pulled Joan up. “What are you saying? The Lord gave you your abilities so you wouldn't have to protect the Lord’s envoy. Let’s get out of here first; we can talk about the rest when we go back.”

Joan shook her head. “Forgive me, but I cannot agree. I must go to the palace immediately to destroy Crazy Judy. She has already mentally controlled His Majesty. Every day we leave her unchecked, our motherland risks falling into an abyss of no return.”

“In the eyes of others, you are the witch now!” A chill ran through Chen Xuan’s heart, and he couldn't help but have a bad premonition. “Even if you can find her, can you actually defeat her?”

“I was framed, not defeated in a fair fight. Of course, I might die at His Majesty’s hands, but if it saves France, I am willing to die!”

Seeing the utter sincerity on her face, Chen Xuan knew he couldn't persuade her. So that was why she said, "If there is a next life." She had likely already prepared herself to die.

While such resolve was admirable, it was a terrible loss for his business. If Joan died here, he would not only lose a customer, but his previous investments would become sunken costs. Most importantly, it would let Liu Shuyue witness his failure. That would further damage the shop’s reputation and shake the customers' confidence in the store manager—he would be a total loser.

The problem was, how to stop her? Her loyalty to her country was unquestionable; dying for it was no joke.

As Chen Xuan was struggling with this, a cold, low voice came from the other end of the corridor. “No need to go to the palace to find me. We can settle things right here.”

“Crazy... Judy!”

Joan’s eyes changed instantly. She stared toward the source of the voice, every word filled with rage.

“You really didn't listen to a word I said, did you?” A figure in a black robe slowly emerged from the shadows. “If you truly want to save your beloved France, you should have died long ago to pave the way for His Majesty, King Charles, instead of clinging to life like this, making those big figures above feel so uneasy.”

Chen Xuan finally saw the witch’s appearance. Most of her face was hidden beneath a hood, revealing only a few strands of hair on her forehead and a pair of pitch-black eyes. Under the light of the torches, her hair reflected a sharp, vibrant red, as if stained with blood.

Not only that, but she also wore a lip ring, with a thin silver chain extending from her lower lip to her earlobe, and her ears were pierced with numerous shimmering ornaments. In the era of witch hunts, this getup would be considered scandalous. Yet, even so, she hadn't been tied up and burned as a witch—the disparity in treatment compared to Joan was quite stark.

“That is only—a lie you fabricated!”

Joan paused mid-stride. Chen Xuan looked at her and caught a flicker of self-doubt.

“You should be able to tell whether I’m speaking the truth or not, shouldn’t you? After all, you are the Savior blessed by the Lord,” Judy said dismissively. “The suspicion and exclusion from the high nobility haven't been a one-day affair... After all, who wants to see a France led by a woman? The English army is no longer unstoppable as it was before. If you keep performing, wouldn't all the glory of the restoration be monopolized by you alone? His Majesty is the same... he doesn't say it aloud, but in his heart, he worries about one fact: if all the invaders are driven back to Britain, then he and his army will forever be separated by a great Saintess.”

“I don’t deny that some nobles don’t like me... but His Majesty’s character could never be as narrow-minded as you say!” Joan couldn't help but retort. “It is you who seduced him with evil sorcery! You are the culprit who has brought ruin to the court!”

Judy shrugged. “What if I told you I don’t know the first thing about your so-called evil magic?”

“What—” Joan froze.

“Yes, you feel it, don’t you...” The witch chuckled. “My appearance just happened to provide them with a choice—a choice to get rid of the Saintess without dirtying their own hands. All the evil will be borne by me. When they investigate later, they only need to claim they were bewitched by a witch and hang me to execute me.”

“You mean... you call yourself Crazy Judy, dress like a witch, and interfere in military and political affairs... all just so that after I am eliminated, you can be killed as the mastermind?” Joan couldn't believe her ears. “I don’t understand... why go to such lengths?”

“The reason is the same as yours—I love France deeply!” Judy tilted her head and grinned, her distorted smile looking like that of a madwoman. “My sacrifice is insignificant if it can put this country on the right track. You know? When I told His Majesty this plan, he approved it immediately. If it weren't for his pushing behind the scenes, how could your trial have proceeded so smoothly?”

Joan turned pale.

“What are they saying? Can you translate for me a little?” Liu Shuyue complained in a low, dissatisfied voice.

“Um... it’s complicated...” Chen Xuan stopped mid-sentence because he saw the witch’s gaze had shifted toward him.

“As for you... attempting to seize the abilities of others, not hesitating to disrupt the natural flow of time—you are the evil one who fills the world with chaos and sin,” Judy’s tone was icy. “You have two choices: either surrender and accept judgment, or be buried here forever!”

Chen Xuan finally realized where that sense of disharmony had come from earlier. The things the witch said to Joan were entirely based on history that would only happen after Joan’s death... as if she had personally witnessed the events that were yet to come. If this could be explained by a witch’s divination magic, the latter half of her statement completely transcended the constraints of the era!

The words "seizing the abilities of others" made his heart jump. This at least meant that the other party knew of the existence of "abilities" and could potentially plunder them! But the Ability Shop was all about fair trade, which was a far cry from her accusations.

Now that he thought about it, he had overlooked a question. That was the name "Crazy Judy." In French, "Judy" (Jeudi) meant Thursday... If it wasn't a coincidence, could it be that this person hadn't taken naming herself seriously at all, but just picked something that sounded right?

“What is she saying now?” Liu Shuyue asked.

“She said... she wants to kill me, at any cost,” Chen Xuan said, his lips barely moving. “It seems this battle is unavoidable. You’ll help me, right?”

“Mm-hmm...” she hummed. “But talisman magic isn't suited for a direct confrontation. She shouldn't have discovered me yet. To catch her off guard, I need a few minutes to prepare, so you’ll have to handle the start on your own.”

Chen Xuan blinked. Ah? Why didn't you say so earlier?

“It seems you don't intend to surrender, then...” Crazy Judy—Crazy Thursday raised her staff and pointed it straight at Chen Xuan.

The staff was hollow, and apart from a pitch-black opening, there was nothing inside; it looked just like a gun...

Wait, what do you mean "looked like"!

Chen Xuan felt the hairs on his entire body stand up! That was clearly a gun!

“—Bang!”