CA – Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Cardinal Reese was Monica's twin sister.
After returning to the church, Tang Qiu casually blended into a circle of clerics and, in just a few words, coaxed out the details of Reese's identity.
In their youth, Reese and Monica were both Light Believers in the Bill Empire's church. Due to their outstanding aptitude, they were both selected to enter the Central Church. However, in the end, only Reese was taken, while Monica was left behind, where she remains to this day.
Reese rose through the ranks at the Central Church like a fish in water, quickly becoming a Red-robed Archbishop. Meanwhile, Monica, after more than a decade in the Bill Empire's church, was still just a priest.
Twin sisters with the same starting point, yet vastly different fates.
According to a cleric who had been at the church for over ten years, the relationship between Reese and Monica was extremely poor. Monica's stagnation as a mere priest was entirely due to her sister's intentional suppression.
And Monica never bothered to hide her dislike and hostility toward Reese. Every time Cardinal Reese visited the Bill Empire, the atmosphere in the church would grow tense from Monica's cold aura.
Gossip was always the most captivating thing, and even Tang Qiu was listening intently until Jennifer appeared. She looked at them with cold eyes and said with displeasure, "What are you talking about?"
The clerics spreading the gossip sheepishly fell silent, and the crowd slowly dispersed, leaving only Tang Qiu standing in place.
Jennifer glared at the innocent-looking golden-haired cleric and said in a low voice, "Priest Monica hates it when people talk about her behind her back. Can't you use your head?"
Tang Qiu said, "...I was just listening quietly."
"Listening isn't allowed either!"
Tang Qiu sighed. "Alright." She had heard everything anyway.
Jennifer snorted coldly and turned to leave. After a few steps, she noticed Tang Qiu hadn't followed, so she turned back with a frown. "What are you still standing there for? Let's go."
Tang Qiu looked at her in confusion. "Go where?"
Jennifer paused for a moment, her expression darkening. "We're going into the city to treat the wounded. Didn't Linda tell you?"
Tang Qiu blinked, thoughtfully providing an excuse for Linda. "Maybe she didn't know I was back yet."
After returning, she had been wandering around the church eavesdropping on gossip and had even run into Linda once. It was impossible for Linda not to know she was back.
However, Tang Qiu already understood Linda's character, so she wasn't surprised by such petty actions.
Jennifer was very angry. "She's at it again."
Tang Qiu comforted her, "It's fine, maybe she really forgot."
Jennifer shot her a sideways glance and asked quizzically, "Aren't you angry?" It seemed their reactions were reversed.
"I'm fine."
Before she transmigrated, she had clawed her way up from a minor role with only a few seconds of screen time to a top-tier actress. She had encountered people like this far too many times. Confronting them head-on would only put her at a disadvantage.
The best counterattack was to take away the very thing they schemed so hard to obtain.
Tang Qiu had her own way of dealing with Linda, so she wouldn't complain to Jennifer. Seeing the frankness in her eyes and the gentle smile still on her face, which didn't seem feigned, Jennifer's expression softened slightly. She thought for a moment and offered a defense for Linda, "Actually, she just values the position of priest too much."
"She's not a bad person at heart."
Not bad? Tang Qiu smiled and nodded, but in reality, she didn't take Jennifer's words to heart.
Because she never got to know a person through the words of others; that was highly unreliable.
The church's clerics had arrived just in time last night. When the monsters, unable to break into the royal palace, began to attack the nearby citizens, it was the clerics who stood at the forefront, saving countless lives.
However, there were still many injured citizens.
Tang Qiu followed Jennifer to the most heavily damaged main street. The buildings on both sides of the street had all collapsed, and the ground was covered in dark red bloodstains. The injured were carried out by knights and placed in a cleared open space.
"Sister Cleric, please save me." The hem of her pure white skirt was grabbed by a small, mud-covered hand. A teenage girl looked pleadingly at the golden-haired cleric. Her face was grimy, but her eyes were still bright. Her right leg had been injured by a monster, and her pants were so soaked in blood that their original color was unrecognizable.
The pain was so intense that the girl was on the verge of fainting. She held on by a thread of will, looking hopefully at the cleric before her. Then, she saw the golden-haired cleric bend down slightly, her fair, slender fingers pressing against her forehead. A pleasant and gentle voice reached her ears, "Don't be afraid."
White light swirled around Tang Qiu's fingertips. She softly chanted an incantation, and a healing spell descended upon the girl.
The girl felt the pain lessen immediately. A look of surprise flashed in her eyes, but it quickly dimmed again. She touched her leg and asked, "Will I become a cripple?"
If she became a cripple, she wouldn't be able to sell flowers for money anymore.
Tang Qiu squatted down, tore away the pants stuck to the girl's leg, and looked at the already healed wound. She carefully applied another healing spell to remove the crooked, ugly scar. Then she took out a cloak and draped it over the girl, saying softly, "No, you won't. You'll still be as beautiful as ever."
The golden-haired cleric's gentle whisper made the girl lower her head shyly. She touched her face and said in a small voice, "Thank you."
"The Light Goddess will bless you."
After handing the girl over to a nearby knight for resettlement, Tang Qiu healed several more injured people. This entire street was filled with casualties, and Jennifer and the other clerics were busy as well. After healing the person before her and patiently calming his emotions, Tang Qiu watched a knight lead him away. She straightened up to stretch her stiff back and waist. Her gaze fell upon a building that seemed somewhat intact amidst the ruins, and she paused. Looking closely, she saw five words written on it: Mark's Grocery Store.
The originally shabby storefront stood out in contrast to the surrounding rubble.
As Tang Qiu was staring at the grocery store in a slight daze, a dark figure appeared from nowhere, poked her in the back, and whispered, "Grace."
Erin's voice... Tang Qiu turned around and looked at the fully-equipped Erin in confusion. "Why are you here?"
The last time they parted, Erin had said she needed to find some helpers and would be very busy. Why was she back so soon?
"Something's happened." Seeing patrolling knights pass by from time to time, Erin simply lay on the ground, pretending to be one of the wounded, and spoke to Tang Qiu in a low voice. "The Dark Feast is going to happen ahead of schedule."
Tang Qiu was somewhat surprised. "Have you found the Black Witches' hiding place?"
"In Vandent."
Tang Qiu frowned at the unfamiliar name; she still wasn't very familiar with the Bill Empire.
Erin gave a brief introduction of the place. "Vandent used to be a prosperous city in the Bill Empire, but now it's an empty, dead city. The dark aura there is very strong, making it a favorite place for Black Witches."
Thirty years ago, the Black Death suddenly broke out in Vandent. The epidemic couldn't be controlled, and the entire city's population died out. The stench of corpses nearly spread to the capital, forcing the king to order the city to be burned down. The stench dissipated, but the city was reduced to ruins.
"I have a feeling they're hiding there." Erin's tone was anxious. "Can you find another cleric to join us?"
The possibility of the Dark Feast happening early had caught her off guard. She hadn't found a suitable assistant yet, so she was starting to panic.
Tang Qiu placed her hands on Erin's shoulders, gazed into her gray eyes, and soothed her, "Don't worry."
She lowered her eyes in thought, and an idea came to her. She leaned close to Erin's ear and asked in a low voice, "Are there any monsters active near Vandent?"
Erin shook her head. "No."
"Create a few monsters to harass the knights guarding the area. You can leave the matter of the cleric to me."
Erin was taken aback. "...Will skeleton rats do?"
Tang Qiu: "..."
Erin was a little embarrassed. "Those don't require human organs."
...Even if a skeleton rat ran up to a knight's feet, it was questionable whether it would even be identified as a monster, okay?
Tang Qiu stared at Erin without blinking. Erin guiltily averted her gaze, her mind racing. Finally, she thought of a suitable monster. "Black crows!"
Those could be summoned without human organs.
Tang Qiu smiled and patted her on the shoulder, saying softly, "Then hurry up and get it done."
"...Are you sure you can really add another cleric to our team?"
Tang Qiu's tone was mysterious, and the smile on her lips was meaningful. "I'll give you a surprise."
Erin had rushed over and now rushed away. To save time, she gritted her teeth and used several teleportation scrolls. As she summoned the black crows, her heart was still bleeding from the expense.
After Erin left, Tang Qiu continued to treat the next wounded person. It wasn't until the sky grew dark that she returned to the church with the withdrawing clerics. Having used too many healing spells during the day, all the clerics, including Jennifer, were exhausted. They all went back to their rooms to rest.
Tang Qiu also went back to rest for a while and studied a map of the Bill Empire. Feeling that Erin should have completed her task by now, she got up, left her room, and walked down the long corridor in search of Monica.
Monica handled most of the church's affairs and was usually in the meeting room next to the main hall. This time was no exception.
When Tang Qiu entered through the doorway, Monica glanced up at her. Her expression was icy, with an added touch of hostility that wasn't there before. She lowered her head to look at the letter in her hand, acting as if she hadn't seen the golden-haired cleric at all.
Tang Qiu was puzzled by Monica's obvious hostility. Previously, Monica had been merely cold toward her, but there was still a hint of concern. Now, it was outright animosity.
The change was a bit abrupt. Tang Qiu frowned, unable to figure it out.
"Priest Monica, there's something I need to tell you."
Without looking up, Monica interrupted coldly, "Go find Bishop Ralph."
Tang Qiu blinked. "Bishop Ralph isn't here."
"Then go find Reese." Monica snorted, sneering, "Aren't you two together?"
"Go back to your Central Church sooner rather than later. You're not welcome in the Bill Empire."
Tang Qiu was taken aback. Her eyes shifted slightly, and she immediately understood the reason for Monica's change in attitude. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I'm a cleric from Sevia. This is the first time I've met Cardinal Reese."
Monica didn't speak, but her eyes clearly told Tang Qiu that she didn't believe a word she said.
Looking into Monica's emerald eyes reminded Tang Qiu of Reese's faintly teasing gaze. She sighed helplessly. It seemed there was no peace to be had.
"What did Reese send you here for?"
Monica stared at Tang Qiu expressionlessly, her gaze fixed on those beautiful, sky-blue eyes. They were clear, without a trace of shadow, and even after her cold words, they still held a faint gentleness. The person before her seemed to only make people feel warmth.
Monica's anger inexplicably dissipated by half. She lowered her head and continued reading her letter.
But just then, Tang Qiu spoke. "This has nothing to do with Cardinal Reese. Actually, I discovered something unusual in a small town last night."
She had used the church's teleportation array yesterday, a fact that could be easily discovered with a little investigation.
"I was concerned about the 6th generation vampire that Cleric Jennifer encountered and wanted to search for its whereabouts. But near Vandent, I thought I saw the figure of a monster."
Monica frowned upon hearing the first part of the sentence, about to scold her for such a dangerous act, but she paused when she heard the latter part.
She looked at the composed Tang Qiu with a mixture of belief and disbelief, frowning. "Did Reese tell you to say that?"
Tang Qiu: "..."
What on earth had Cardinal Reese done to make Monica so wary?
Just as Tang Qiu was trying to figure out how to convince Monica, a cleric suddenly entered from the doorway and handed Monica an urgent letter. "It's from the knight squadron."
Monica opened the letter and skimmed through it. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes. She put the parchment down, looked up at Tang Qiu, and said slowly, "Monsters have indeed appeared in Vandent."
When dark creatures appeared in the empire, the news was usually sent directly to the church.
Tang Qiu lowered her eyes, her voice tinged with just the right amount of concern. "The monster that attacked the palace hasn't been fully investigated yet. If monsters infiltrate the capital and harm the empire's citizens, the king will surely be displeased with the church."
It would be more than displeasure; it would damage the church's reputation. Monica knew the gravity of the situation, and her expression became solemn.
Tang Qiu finally stated her purpose. "I can go to Vandent to investigate the situation."
Monica pondered for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. "You may choose four clerics and eight Holy Knights to go with you."
"Understood."
Having achieved her goal, Tang Qiu left the meeting room. In the dim corridor, she looked up at the dark night outside the window and fell into deep thought. Erin was desperate to stop the Dark Feast, but Tang Qiu had never really paid it much mind.
Because, for her at the time, participating in stopping something like the Dark Feast held no benefit for her.
But things were different now. Because the Dark Feast... this could become part of a cleric's qualifications...
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