CA – Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The biting cold of winter had just arrived, the snow not yet blanketing the continent of Statu. In the capital of the Gosse Empire, the Holy See was set ablaze on a silent, full-moon night. None of the priests or clerics on duty saw the next day’s sun.
The charred corpses of the clerics instantly threw the city into a state of lockdown. The Holy See had tens of millions of followers across the Statu continent, spread throughout every nation. Regardless of the Gosse Empire’s own attitude toward the Holy See, it dared not treat this matter lightly.
The city was under martial law. Armored knights patrolled the streets, searching for any suspicious individuals. The city gates were shut, forbidding anyone from leaving. But before all this, a group had already departed overnight, just before the knights arrived. Among them was the still-bewildered Tang Qiu, who had just transmigrated.
The cold wind on her face did nothing to clear her chaotic thoughts. She had spent years navigating the entertainment industry, rising from a mere extra to an award-winning actress through countless hardships. She had obtained money and status, but before she could truly enjoy life, she had simply gone to sleep and woken up in this unfamiliar Western world.
The Holy See, priests, empires, knights… Tang Qiu tightened the cloak around her and raised a hand to touch her heavily concealed neck. Her heart was only now beginning to slow its frantic pace. When she had opened her eyes to find herself in a strange environment surrounded by fire, she had been truly terrified.
She had been a hair's breadth away from dying on the spot.
A priest who had escaped death, an unfamiliar environment, a bewildered flight, and unknown dangers… Tang Qiu felt like a blade of grass about to be crushed by the heavy weight of life.
Aside from a pretty face, she couldn't seem to find any other advantages in this new body.
The small group Tang Qiu was with was a mercenary squad. Their hurried departure had nothing to do with the incident at the Holy See; they were simply on a tight schedule for a mission they had accepted. As for why Tang Qiu was here… she glanced sideways at the person walking beside her, who was just as thoroughly cloaked as she was.
Sensing Tang Qiu’s gaze, Erin turned to look at her. Though shivering from the cold, she grinned. “Relax, Grace. You’ve already escaped.”
Grace was the name engraved on a nameplate Tang Qiu had found on her person.
“Why did I have to escape?” Tang Qiu sighed. In truth, she was also asking herself this question.
She had woken up in the middle of a blazing fire. After managing to escape, still shaken, she had run into Erin. Seeing her disheveled state, Erin had insisted the area was dangerous and, despite her confusion, had dragged her along to join the mercenary squad and flee overnight.
By the time Tang Qiu had calmed down enough to think, she had no idea what kind of path she had been set upon.
“The Holy See where you lived just suffered a massacre. If the culprits find out you were lucky enough to survive, it would be too dangerous for you to stay there,” Erin said, rubbing her nose before letting out a sneeze. She looked rather sickly.
Tang Qiu glanced at her and asked tentatively, “We don’t know each other, do we?” She had no memories of the body’s original owner.
Erin looked at her in surprise. Just as Tang Qiu was frowning, wondering if she should use the all-purpose excuse of amnesia, Erin replied with a puzzled expression, “No, we don’t.”
Tang Qiu: “…”
“I just felt sorry for you,” Erin explained, then asked curiously, “Speaking of which, did you see the culprits?”
Tang Qiu shook her head, her eyes downcast as she said softly, “I was asleep. When I woke up, the Holy See was already a sea of flames.”
The mercenary squad they had joined was heading to Eyu Forest. After asking what kind of place Eyu Forest was, Tang Qiu stated firmly that she had no intention of continuing with them.
She was still unfamiliar with this world and had no desire to venture into such a perilous place.
As it happened, Erin had no plans to go to Eyu Forest either. She had only brought Tang Qiu along with the mercenary squad to successfully leave the Gosse Empire, as mercenaries didn't need an entry/exit permit issued by the count's manor to leave the city.
After bidding farewell to the mercenaries, the two continued their journey together. Erin took out a map and pointed. “Another day’s walk and we’ll reach Edry.” She pointed to the most prominent outline on the map, right next to Edry. “The Bill Empire. That’s our destination.”
Our… Tang Qiu momentarily ignored the fact that Erin had also arranged her destination for her and leaned in for a look. “You live there?”
Erin put the map away and winked at Tang Qiu, her gray eyes sparkling with the playful gesture. “Of course not. I’m a bard, I have no fixed home. I just want to wander the continent.”
“Oh?”
“I know, you’re a priest. You’ve dedicated your entire life to the Light Goddess. You could never understand my grand ideal of pursuing freedom.”
Tang Qiu: “…You’re right.”
She touched her arm through her clothes. During their time traveling together, Tang Qiu had gathered a fair amount of information from Erin and the mercenaries. When priests joined the Holy See, a Mark of Light was engraved on their arm. This mark was permanent and lasted a lifetime. Those who abandoned their faith in the Light would suffer a backlash from the mark.
Although Tang Qiu didn't yet know what this backlash entailed, she could guess it was associated with words like death and suffering.
“It’s so cold.” Erin was half a head shorter than Tang Qiu and not in the best of health. The slightest drop in temperature made her shiver, her lips turning purple. She reached out to tug on Tang Qiu’s cloak, gesturing with her hands. “Give me that ball.”
Tang Qiu pulled her cloak back, took out her staff, and recited a simple incantation. A Light Ball landed in Erin’s hands. It was just a novice-level spell with little offensive power.
She had learned this little spell from the introductory magic book that every priest in the Holy See carried. When Erin discovered the Light Ball emitted heat, she constantly pestered Tang Qiu to make one for her to warm her hands.
Erin cupped the Light Ball contentedly. A sideways glance at the staff in Tang Qiu’s hand prompted an envious remark. “That staff looks very valuable.”
Tang Qiu stroked the light gem on the staff, her expression a little strange. After accepting the reality of her transmigration, she had carefully inspected her belongings. Although the original owner was just a minor priest, she surprisingly carried three Space Gems.
They contained light magic spellbooks of various levels, as well as light gems, holy water, and more. Even Tang Qiu, who knew little about this world, understood that these were not things a minor priest could possibly obtain. Yet here they were, in her possession, in such vast quantities that even she, a novice at appraising such things, was astonished.
A minor priest who had escaped death with a new soul and a hoard of unexplained assets—Tang Qiu, practically branded with the words “culprit’s accomplice,” was very glad she had mindlessly run off with Erin.
After leaving the Gosse Empire and avoiding Eyu Forest, the closest place was Hades Town in Edry. Tang Qiu’s Space Gems contained everything but food and water, and the bread and water Erin had were nearly gone. They had to enter the town to restock.
As a faint glimmer of dawn appeared in the sky, an endless queue had already formed at the entrance to Hades Town. Knights in armor, holding longswords, stood guard, strictly searching everyone entering the town. Tang Qiu and Erin were in that line.
Edry was a very small country, so small that even the Holy See didn't bother to cultivate believers there. However, the Gosse Empire had tried to annex it several times, and failed each time.
Though small, Edry’s military strength was formidable.
“What’s going on? Has the Dark God descended? Even Edry isn’t safe anymore…” Erin muttered, craning her neck. Over the people in front, she could vaguely see several bodies covered in white cloths lying by the side of the street.
The peaceful and harmonious town had been plunged into panic by several disfigured corpses.
Some of the people in line were town residents, and Erin could overhear their conversations from behind.
“Heavens, such a cruel and bloody method. Monsters must have snuck in again.”
“So cruel. The Baker family were such good people…” A villager who knew the deceased couldn't help but cover her mouth, shaking her head and sighing. “What will happen to his poor five-year-old son?”
“Their faces were all scratched up. Do these monsters eat human flesh raw?”
After listening for a moment, Erin nudged Tang Qiu’s shoulder. She was about to speak but saw that Tang Qiu was intently studying a notice board nearby. She sidled up and asked curiously, “What are you looking at?”
Tang Qiu reached up and peeled the parchment off the board, replying perfunctorily, “Nothing.” She rolled up the parchment and tucked it into her sleeve.
The brown-haired, gray-eyed girl was a little displeased with her action. “We’re companions, yet you’re keeping secrets from me?”
“It’s really nothing.” Tang Qiu paused and met her gaze. Her sky-blue eyes were clear and bright. When she looked at you with such innocence, no one could bear to press her further. Even Erin was no exception. She mumbled something and dropped the subject.
Tang Qiu thoughtfully touched her own face. It seemed a pretty face did have its uses.
After successfully entering the town, the two first went to a general store to buy a large amount of long-lasting food. Their second stop was the Mercenary Guild, hoping to repeat their previous tactic and hitch a ride with another mercenary squad to leave Edry.
Unfortunately, their luck wasn't very good. There were no available mercenary squads at the moment.
Erin and Tang Qiu left the Mercenary Guild one after the other. The warm sunlight brought more pedestrians onto the otherwise empty streets. “Let’s stay here for a few days and check back later.”
Tang Qiu glanced at her without a word. Leaving Edry didn't necessarily require traveling with a mercenary squad. After all, getting an entry/exit permit just took some time.
But Erin seemed to have no intention of going through official channels.
Erin took out some silver coins, calculating how to save on lodging fees, while Tang Qiu tilted her head and listened quietly. Just then, a squad of knights came over to maintain order. Seeing them approach, Erin straightened up and fell silent. She pulled her hood down to cover her face and moved closer to Tang Qiu.
“Clear the streets! Marshal Lucille is returning to the city!”
As the knight’s voice faded, the city gates swung open. Cavalrymen marched in silent, uniform steps along the street. Behind them was a procession of horses, led by a tall, black steed. The woman on its back was the Marshal Lucille the knight had mentioned.
“That woman is the pillar of Edry.”
Seeing that the knights were far away, Erin leaned in to whisper to Tang Qiu again. “Without her, Edry would have been swallowed by the Bill Empire long ago.”
Tang Qiu looked up at the procession with some curiosity. From this distance, she could only see Lucille’s brilliant red hair shining in the sun and her somewhat dazzling silver armor.
“I heard her power is even greater than Charles II’s.” Charles II was the king of Edry.
Tang Qiu turned to study Erin for a moment and said with a smile, “You know so much.”
Erin blinked. “I am an all-knowing bard, after all.”
As they spoke, Lucille rode up on her horse. Now that she was closer, Tang Qiu saw that not only was Lucille wearing armor, but her face was also covered by a veil, leaving only her eyes visible.
She casually swung her riding crop, surrounded by a large entourage, living up to the impressive title of “Edry’s noblest woman.”
Erin watched Lucille’s back recede into the distance, marveling at her pageantry. She turned to speak to Tang Qiu, but when she did, she found the space beside her empty. Tang Qiu, who had been standing there just a moment ago, had vanished.
“…Grace?”
Erin called out twice, her expression turning grim. She hugged her shoulders, wrapping herself tighter, and glanced back at the entrance of the Mercenary Guild. The hall inside was bustling with people coming and going through multiple exits. Trying to find someone in there was not a wise decision.
“Ah, damn it.” Erin tightened her cloak again, this time covering her hands as well. Noticing that the patrolling knights on the street seemed to sense something and were frequently looking in her direction, she hesitated for a moment before ducking into the Mercenary Guild.
Not long after Erin left, a squad of knights arrived at the spot where she had been standing. Some remained there, while others entered the Mercenary Guild to search.
Tang Qiu, who had slipped away while Erin was distracted, emerged from another exit of the guild. Hiding nearby, she had witnessed Erin’s departure.
Their journey from the Gosse Empire had been relatively harmonious. Since their destinations were the same, they had naturally traveled together. Erin’s presence had given the still-bewildered Tang Qiu a chance to adjust to this new world; all she had to do was be careful not to reveal her true self.
However, after entering Edry, Tang Qiu had begun to consider parting ways with Erin. Her intuition told her this person was somewhat dangerous.
And Erin’s recent behavior had just confirmed Tang Qiu’s intuition.
A normal person, upon seeing a priest standing outside a burning Holy See, would not have the first instinct to help her flee, let alone leave the Gosse Empire overnight. It was suspicious, no matter how you looked at it.
After a thorough search of the Mercenary Guild yielded no sign of Erin, a patrol of knights spotted Tang Qiu and stopped her, asking bluntly, “Where is your companion?”
There were only a few outsiders in town wearing cloaks and hoods, making them easy to remember.
“I have no companion.” Tang Qiu met the knight’s suspicious gaze and calmly lowered her hood. Her long, golden hair cascaded over her chest, looking holy and noble under the sunlight. “Sir Knight, I am actually a Light Believer.”
She pulled the hidden parchment from her sleeve and handed it to the knight with an elegant gesture and a warm smile. “I hope my faith can be of some help to Edry.”
The parchment was an official notice from Charles II, seeking priests, swordsmen, and mercenary squads.
The moment Tang Qiu revealed her identity, the knight’s expression softened considerably. Half of his suspicion vanished instantly. When he saw her face and bearing, the other half disappeared as well. It was common knowledge that the priests of the Holy See, both male and female, were exceptionally beautiful.
The knight led her to Edry’s main city. Along the way, Tang Qiu casually inquired about Erin’s identity. Without much hesitation, the knight replied with a look of disgust, “She’s a Black Witch.”
The continent of Statu revered the Light. Darkness was only permitted to exist underground, and witches who practiced dark magic were beings who could not see the light of day.
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