CA – Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Monica had always harbored a trace of distrust for Tang Qiu, suspecting that she and Reese were secretly colluding. She thought the news of Black Witches in Vandent was something Tang Qiu had fabricated. As for the purpose… seeing Reese, who was overjoyed just watching her run around anxiously while being kept in the dark, was there any other purpose needed?
Monica stared expressionlessly at the blonde priest before her, trying to find a flaw, a sign of guilt… However, to her disappointment, the blonde priest was as gentle and composed as ever.
Monica was the first to lose her composure. “You’re saying there are Black Witches in Vandent?”
“Yes, at least three of them are in hiding.” In truth, Tang Qiu felt the number was likely four or five.
“Did you see them with your own eyes?”
“No, we only saw the doubles they left behind in Vandent.”
A Black Witch’s double could take countless forms and wasn’t easily discernible. Monica frowned, not quite believing her words.
As if not noticing the suspicion in Monica’s eyes, Tang Qiu spoke at a calm, unhurried pace, “I’ve encountered this Black Witch before in Edry, which is why I was able to recognize her double at a glance.”
“She set up a dark formation in Edry, creating a large number of demonic creatures to slaughter the city’s inhabitants in an attempt to seize control. She just failed in the end.”
News of the massacre in Edry had already reached the Bill Empire, and Monica had heard of it.
Her expression turned grave. “Are you saying she has come to the Bill Empire with the same intention?”
To protect the reputation of the Holy See, Monica certainly couldn’t let the Black Witch’s scheme succeed.
“What generation Black Witch is she?”
“Probably third generation, a white-robed witch.”
Monica looked Tang Qiu up and down. “…Did you drive away the Black Witch in Edry?” Dealing with a third-generation witch required at least the power of a Priest.
Tang Qiu shook her head slightly. Something seemed to cross her mind, a flicker in her eyes, but she replied naturally, “The mercenary squad I was with at the time drove her away.”
“Oh?”
“There was someone in the squad who was very good at finding where Black Witches hide.” Tang Qiu figured Erin would be good at that.
“They came with me to the Bill Empire. I can ask them for help.”
Monica was very interested in the person Tang Qiu mentioned who was skilled at tracking Black Witches, but hearing her words, a hint of displeasure appeared on her face. “Ask a mercenary squad for help?”
The Holy See needed to ask a mercenary squad for help to deal with dark creatures? Did the Holy See’s reputation mean nothing anymore?
Tang Qiu tactfully rephrased her words. “It would be hiring the mercenary squad to scout for us. After all, Black Witches are extremely cunning.”
“Everything the Holy See does is to protect the Light Believers of the Bill Empire.”
This was said quite skillfully, and Monica’s expression softened. She looked at Tang Qiu with a subtle gaze, but in the end, the Holy See’s reputation won out. “Dealing with a third-generation witch requires dispatching a Priest. I need to report to the Bishop.”
Monica always put the Holy See first. She would rather trust Tang Qiu, even if it meant being led around in circles by Reese again, than question Tang Qiu and let a Black Witch ruin the Holy See’s reputation.
Seeing that she had persuaded Monica, the smile on Tang Qiu’s lips became much more sincere. “I’ll go contact the mercenary squad.”
Monica glanced at her and instructed, “Don’t say anything unnecessary. Their mission is only to confirm the Black Witches’ location.”
Tang Qiu nodded. “I know.”
One needed to confirm the witches’ location, the other needed a priest to cover her identity. Tang Qiu blinked. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, wasn’t it?
After leaving Monica’s room, Tang Qiu ran into Linda on her way back. Linda smiled at her and spoke softly, “I heard you discovered Black Witches in Vandent?”
Tang Qiu stopped, her red lips curling slightly. Her voice was gentle. “It was just good luck.”
“Your luck is always so good.” Linda lifted her chin slightly, her voice soft and delicate, but her words were anything but. “I just wonder how long it will last.”
Tang Qiu replied good-naturedly, “My luck is probably good because I’m rather favored by the Light Goddess.” She thought for a moment, then added in a soft, comforting tone, “As long as you pray piously, the Light Goddess will favor you too.”
She brushed past Linda’s shoulder, her tone still gentle, but her eyes were filled with indifference. “After all, you’re so kind-hearted.”
The soft, delicate voice was laced with faint sarcasm.
Linda turned, her face expressionless as she stared at Tang Qiu’s back. Her eyes darkened, and she only looked away coldly after Tang Qiu’s figure had disappeared from view.
After returning to her room, Tang Qiu took out the letter Erin had sent. She opened it and scanned it quickly, her brows arching slightly as a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.
The letter was a plea for help. Because Erin hadn’t yet found a suitable assistant, she had set her sights on the Holy Knights.
The Holy Knights were specially trained by the Holy See to guard priests. Their main purpose was to ensure the priests’ safety. Even if Tang Qiu could deploy a few more to accompany them to Vandent, it still offered no real guarantee for Erin’s safety.
Tang Qiu folded the letter and destroyed it. Although she couldn’t help Erin find an assistant, she could find one for herself.
Lucille… Tang Qiu rubbed her wrist, her eyes downcast in thought. Accompanying the people from the Holy See to deal with Black Witches… there was no telling what might happen along the way.
Therefore, Tang Qiu felt she also needed a “bodyguard.”
Not only to protect her, but also to safeguard her other identity.
“The payment can’t be for nothing…” Tang Qiu muttered to herself as she pulled a wide cloak over herself.
When Tang Qiu arrived at Lucille’s manor, Lucille was sitting in the middle of the courtyard having afternoon tea, the same book of poetry from last time in her hand. She showed no surprise at her arrival.
A maid brought another chair for Tang Qiu. She took off her cloak, handed it to the maid, and sat down. Basking in the warm sunlight, she sighed with some emotion, “If only priests had time to enjoy afternoon tea.”
However, priests at the bottom of the hierarchy could only toil away while watching the Red-robed Archbishops enjoy their leisurely lives.
“You could come to Edry.” Lucille turned her head to look at the blonde priest, her tone nonchalant. “I’ll grant you a title.”
A small smile touched Tang Qiu’s lips. She pulled up her sleeve to show Lucille the mark of light on her arm and sighed, “Can you find a way to get rid of this?”
Lucille glanced at her fair, slender forearm and the blue veins beneath the skin. Her eyes darkened as she replied in a low voice, “…No.”
As if she hadn’t noticed Lucille’s burning gaze, Tang Qiu casually pulled her sleeve back down and said with a smile, “Then it seems I’ll have to regretfully give up on a title in Edry.”
Lucille averted her gaze, looking down at the book in her hands. A moment later, she closed it and set it aside. She glanced at the blonde priest who was enjoying the sunlight, her head bowed as she curiously examined the cup in her hands.
From Lucille’s angle, the priest’s long, slightly curled eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath her eyes. But she knew that when the priest looked up, the gentle warmth contained within those sky-blue eyes, as clear as the heavens, was warmer than the sun itself.
This person radiated a warm aura, just like her body temperature, just like her blood, which made Lucille unconsciously addicted.
Lucille’s gaze was completely undisguised. After being stared at for a while, Tang Qiu couldn’t take it anymore and looked up to meet her eyes helplessly. “What is it?”
“…Nothing.” Lucille picked up her book again and looked down at it.
Tang Qiu: “…”
She decided to get straight to the point. “Actually, I came here to tell you something.”
Lucille didn’t look up, merely giving a faint “mm.”
Tang Qiu didn’t mind Lucille’s attitude. She rubbed the exquisitely patterned cup in her hand and organized her thoughts. “The Holy See has discovered Black Witches in Vandent. I need to follow a Priest to drive them out of the Bill Empire.”
“Black Witches?”
Seeing Lucille frown, she knew what she wanted to ask and nodded. “The same one who appeared in Edry.”
Lucille rubbed the pages of the book, her eyes gradually turning icy. That Black Witch owed Edry thousands of lives…
“I’ll go with you.”
Tang Qiu raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t even brought up the topic, yet Lucille had proposed it herself. She hadn’t expected Lucille to care so much about Edry… However, she needed to make Lucille understand what her main task would be on this trip to Vandent.
“I can take you with me.” The blonde priest leaned forward slightly, the back of her hand gently touching Lucille’s cheek, signaling for her to look over. “But your primary mission is to protect my safety.”
Lucille froze for a moment, silently gazing at Tang Qiu, who was now so close.
Tang Qiu lowered her hand and said with a grin, “Isn’t it a vampire’s responsibility to protect their blood thrall?”
Lucille felt that what the blonde priest said wasn’t right, but she had no desire to refute it. After all, the words “blood thrall” were unexpectedly satisfying to her. Even the little bit of greed that had just sprouted in her heart was stirred once more by this title, making her feel a little restless.
Blood thrall. The blonde priest had said it herself.
“…Then what is the blood thrall’s responsibility?” Lucille’s voice was a little deep. She had already put down her book, and her fingers had grasped the blonde priest’s wrist.
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow. She leaned back slowly into her chair, extended her hand, and said with a soft, alluring smile, “I can let you satisfy your craving.”
She had to give this vampire a little taste of sweetness to make their relationship more stable. After all, she could only rely on Lucille to hide her werewolf identity.
On the fair wrist was a bite mark that had already faded. Lucille stared at it for a moment, then slowly lowered her head. She brought Tang Qiu’s wrist to her lips, and her sharp fangs pierced the soft skin as she freely enjoyed the “afternoon tea” the blonde priest had offered.
The pain made Tang Qiu frown slightly, but seeing Lucille’s engrossed expression, her brow slowly relaxed. Lucille’s long red hair cascaded onto her arm, tickling her slightly. She thought for a moment, then raised her other hand to gently stroke Lucille’s hair.
Lucille, in the middle of feeding, looked up at Tang Qiu in confusion.
Tang Qiu softly explained her somewhat strange behavior, “The color of your hair is beautiful.” She truly meant it; she wasn’t just making an excuse.
Lucille slowly lowered her gaze. She stopped drinking blood and, while licking the bloodstains on Tang Qiu’s wrist clean, said in a cool voice, “Because it’s the same color as blood, I don’t like it.”
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