CA – Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Yelena and Jane spent a day and a night in Hades Town, and upon their return, they truly brought Tang Qiu a surprise: they had discovered traces of a Black Witch.
A withered branch lay quietly in the center of the table. A round Light Ball hopped onto it and spun around, then suddenly began to shake violently. Two seconds later, it exploded, and its aura of light dissipated.
A flicker of joy passed through Yelena's eyes. She turned to Jane happily and said, "I told you it was tainted with a dark aura."
They had also tested it with light magic in Hades Town, but the reaction hadn't been as strong as with Tang Qiu's Light Ball.
The strength of light magic was directly related to a priest's affinity for the aura of light. Yelena and Jane were the type who could sense the aura of light, whereas Tang Qiu... was the type who carried the aura of light within herself.
The latter's talent was something the former could only envy.
Tang Qiu looked down at the withered branch, lost in thought. The Black Witch discovered by the knights in Hades Town was Erin, but during the time she had spent with Erin, her light magic had clearly been ineffective against her.
Could there be other Black Witches in Hades Town?
Originally, because she knew Erin's identity and that her final destination was the Bill Empire, Tang Qiu had guessed that Erin would surely find a way to leave Edry. Therefore, she only needed to wait patiently for a while, and the Black Witch would leave on her own, indirectly fulfilling Charles II's request. As a result, Tang Qiu hadn't paid much attention to the matter of the Black Witch.
She was more concerned about who had murdered the residents of Hades Town and Fenlin Town. The bodies bore no dark aura; instead, they were covered in scratches and tears, wounds somewhat similar to those on the priests' corpses she had seen when she awoke in the Holy See.
It was just that the priests' deaths had been even more horrifying.
But now, a new Black Witch had appeared. Tang Qiu raised a hand to her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Seeing Tang Qiu's silence, Yelena, who was already somewhat displeased that she hadn't accompanied them to Hades Town, grew even more dissatisfied. She frowned and said, "Grace, did you discover anything yesterday?"
Tang Qiu lowered her hand, seemingly oblivious to Yelena's aggressive tone. She smiled, nodded, and said softly, "Yesterday, Marshal Lucille captured a monster in Fenlin Town, suspected of slaughtering the villagers."
Jane asked in surprise, "Was it a demonic creature?"
Tang Qiu shook her head. "It had no dark aura, so it probably wasn't a demonic creature."
"Then what was it?"
Tang Qiu was also perplexed. "I don't know."
The monster's appearance was too strange. If Tang Qiu had to give an answer, she would say it was perhaps a mutant from a failed gene-splicing experiment.
But she knew it was impossible for something like that to appear in a Western fantasy world.
Lucille had already taken the monster's corpse away, so Tang Qiu had no way to study it. She could only see if she might have a chance to get some information from Anna in the future.
Although Tang Qiu said the monster that slaughtered the town's residents was not a demonic creature, Yelena and Jane hadn't seen it with their own eyes and weren't entirely convinced. With Black Witches appearing in Edry, how could the murders not be related to them?
After all, Black Witches were capable of any evil, and they had a particular fondness for fresh blood.
Unlike vampires, who fed on blood, they simply used it to make their dark magic look more vibrant.
Marquis Davis soon learned that Yelena had found a clue about the Black Witch. He returned from his meeting with Charles II and found Tang Qiu and the others, his expression grave. He suggested they go to Hades Town the next day to follow the clue and find the Black Witch, to drive her out of Edry as soon as possible.
"His Majesty the King is very anxious, especially after losing his subjects in Fenlin." Davis's tone was sorrowful. "Edry cannot withstand another blow."
Tang Qiu studied Davis's expression, not quite believing his words.
From the first moment she saw Charles II, she knew he was not the kind of king who, as Davis claimed, cared for his people. Foolish, ill-tempered, and cowardly-that was the label Tang Qiu had attached to Charles II.
Although she hadn't been in Edry for long, she had already sensed the conflict between King Charles II and Lucille.
At the banquet, it was clear that Edry's current nobility was divided into two factions: one that favored Lucille, like Lady Anna, and another that favored Charles II, like Davis.
Moreover, it seemed Charles II was still unaware of the monster they had captured in Fenlin yesterday. Otherwise, being so protective of his own life, why would he be so fixated on just the Black Witch?
Various thoughts flashed through Tang Qiu's mind. Following Yelena and Jane's lead, she bowed slightly to accept Davis's request, her long golden hair swinging in a graceful arc with the movement.
"Black Witches are cruel and cunning. His Majesty the King is concerned for your safety and has specifically ordered Marshal Lucille to assist you." Davis adjusted his cravat, trying to make his image more handsome and astute. "Marshal Lucille is a high-level swordsman. She will protect you well."
"Of course, if any real danger arises, you must still prioritize your own safety."
By the time they returned from Marquis Davis's, the sky had completely darkened. Tang Qiu declined Yelena and Jane's invitation and went straight back to her room.
The orange glow of the kerosene lamp dispelled the chill in the room. Tang Qiu sat at the table, flipping through a thick spellbook. Beside her was an uncorked bottle of Holy Water of Light. A faint white light lingered at her fingertips, and the aura of light filled the entire room.
If Yelena and Jane saw Tang Qiu so casually opening a bottle of Holy Water to practice light magic, they would surely be both heartbroken and envious.
For priests without background or support, Holy Water of Light was an extremely precious item. When they practiced light magic, they would only pour out a tiny amount, and they would feel terrible if any was wasted.
What Tang Qiu was doing was an outrageous waste.
Having read the priest's handbook countless times, Tang Qiu was becoming more and more proficient in the methods of practicing light magic. This body of hers was very receptive to the element of light, which was evident from the speed at which she learned spells.
However, whether a priest's light magic was strong or weak depended on how much of the light element they could command.
Higher-level light spells required mobilizing more of the light element.
The Pope, for instance, was said to be able to use Forbidden Techniques with a range at least as large as the Bill Empire. That was why, although the three great empires were beginning to grow dissatisfied with the Holy See, no one dared to openly defy it.
That was the Pope's authority.
The book in her hands gradually reached its final page. Tang Qiu silently memorized the incantation, her gaze falling on the yellowed page as she drifted into a slight daze. She had been focusing on practicing from the beginner's spellbook. Perhaps it was because the original owner of this body had already learned all the spells, which was why she encountered no obstacles in her practice.
However, Tang Qiu's gaze shifted to another book, and her brow furrowed slightly. When she tried to practice the light magic from the intermediate spellbook, she was met with obstacles at every turn.
It felt like something was missing.
Tang Qiu slowly closed the book. The Holy Water of Light beside her quietly replenished the light element in the room. Silvery moonlight streamed through the window, and specks of it tried to land on Tang Qiu, only to be blocked by a shadow of darkness. In the end, they could only give up and keep her lamplight company.
Time passed quietly. Dark clouds obscured the starry sky and the crescent moon, and the night grew deeper. Lucille leaned against the window, a long black dress showcasing her fine figure while also allowing her to almost merge with the darkness.
She held a white handkerchief and was wiping the back of her hand over and over again. If Tang Qiu were here, she would have recognized it as the hand that had been stained with the monster's blood.
"Care for a glass of 'Dark Night Sinking'?" Anna stood at the doorway, far from Lucille, holding a glass of red liquid and gesturing with it.
Lucille didn't even raise her head, merely warning in a cold voice, "I wouldn't mind if Edry lost a subject named Anna."
Anna drew her hand back and gave a dry cough, joking, "I'm sure King Charles wouldn't mind either."
Seeing that Lucille was still willing to talk to her, she breathed a sigh of relief and said with a serious expression, "Are you really going to Hades Town?"
Lucille didn't answer.
"But recently, haven't you been..." Anna spread her hands, searching for a tactful phrase, "...not in a very good mood?"
It was no secret in Edry that Lucille's "mood" would turn sour periodically. When their Marshal was in a bad mood, she would refuse all banquets and never show her face, as if she had vanished from the face of the earth.
According to reliable rumors, someone had once seen Marshal Lucille during this period. She had a pale, sickly appearance, completely different from the powerful and aloof figure who usually appeared before the public.
Therefore, "someone" believed this was Lucille's period of weakness, which led to the order to escort the priests to Hades Town.
Lucille's hand didn't stop wiping, but she spoke coolly, "If the lead actor doesn't take the stage, how can the play conclude?"
Anna was a little worried, but she knew Lucille's temper. In the end, she could only say in a deliberately lighthearted tone, "Then can you spare Grace?"
Lucille paused. "Why?"
"I've never had a priest as a lover. I'd like to try."
Lucille: "..."
Lucille's knights escorted Tang Qiu, Yelena, and the others to Hades Town. Knights in silver armor cleared the path ahead, while swordsmen in golden armor guarded the rear. Sitting in her carriage, Tang Qiu listened to the uniform sound of hooves and footsteps outside, feeling a bit emotional. She had never experienced such pageantry before her transmigration.
Yelena and Jane shared a carriage, while Tang Qiu had one all to herself. Judging by the specifications, her carriage was larger and more ornate.
According to the knight who relayed the message, this was a special arrangement made for her by Anna.
Tang Qiu recalled the "welcoming gift" she had received at the banquet and was suddenly reminded of Anna's ulterior motives. Pursuing a priest... wasn't that challenge a bit too difficult?
She pulled the window open a little and tilted her head to look toward the very front. Riding alone, at least ten meters ahead of the vanguard knights, was Lucille. A trace of doubt appeared in Tang Qiu's sky-blue eyes.
She had noticed since before they set out that today's Lucille was even more unapproachable than usual.
And even the usually frivolous and playful Anna had fallen silent.
The atmosphere was too unusual. Tang Qiu closed the window, tapped her fingers on her knee, and fell into deep thought.
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