CA – Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Vera had escaped, the other witches were dead, and the dark array had been destroyed. For the Holy See, this outcome was tantamount to successfully driving out the Black Witches. But Monica felt no satisfaction.
The witches' deaths had little to do with them. In fact, her own people hadn't killed a single witch and had nearly been wiped out, surviving only by a stroke of luck thanks to the werewolves... Monica's face was grim.
She had underestimated the abilities of these Black Witches. She never expected the monsters they could summon to have grown so powerful; they certainly hadn't reached this level twenty-some years ago.
With the threat of the monsters and Black Witches gone, the square was deserted and still. The atmosphere was silent and somber. Everyone was taking the opportunity to recover their physical and spiritual energy. The faint smell of blood in the air reminded some of the more timid and fragile clerics of their fallen companions, and their suppressed sobs were carried away by the wind.
Monica glanced at the dejected group of clerics, her brow furrowed. Because of the Holy See's exalted status, many people dreamed of wearing the pure white, noble robes of a cleric, wielding sacred light magic to be admired and envied by the masses, never once considering the responsibilities that came with the uniform.
The Holy See maintained order across the continent, ensuring that light covered the land and nipping any sign of darkness in the bud.
When Monica was a child, an elderly priest who had taught her once said that the Holy See accepted tens of thousands of Light Believers every year, but the actual number of clerics was less than that of an empire's army.
This was because the life of a cleric was perilous, and sacrifice was a common occurrence.
Besides having to guard against the werewolves, who were hostile to the Holy See, and the vampires, who coveted the blood of clerics, the Holy See lost half its members each year just from dealing with the dark forces that periodically emerged.
But that was something that happened in the Holy See of centuries past. In the present day, while many clerics still died each year, the number sacrificed in confrontations with dark forces was exceedingly small.
The quality of the Holy See's personnel had declined with each generation. As long as they were just saving people or casting light spells from behind a barrier, their weaknesses weren't exposed. But when faced with the Black Witches today, their fragile psyches, panicked emotions, faltering incantations, and clumsy attempts to flee all left Monica furious and deeply dissatisfied.
Perhaps sensing Monica's anger, the weeping from a moment ago ceased. The group grew even more cautious, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Tang Qiu didn't know what Monica was thinking, but she suspected that if this kept up, another cleric or two might collapse on the way back—frightened to death by Monica.
Just as she was about to speak and suggest they return to the Holy See first, the sound of something heavy being thrown to the ground came from behind her, followed by Eva's clear voice, "We ran into a Black Witch on the way. Is there an extra reward for killing her?"
Her words were clearly directed at Erin.
Erin froze, her hands clenching involuntarily at her sides. She stared blankly at the corpse of the white-robed witch lying on the ground, her throat dry. "...Dead?"
Eva nodded and exchanged a glance with Jillian, who now stood beside her in human form. "What's wrong?" she asked with a frown. "Should we have spared her? She was too fragile."
She shrugged.
Tang Qiu glanced over, said a word to Monica, and walked over to see what was happening. Upon learning that Eva and Jillian were werewolves, Monica's expression became extremely complicated, but ultimately, she chose to turn a blind eye.
Tang Qiu knelt and turned the corpse over. She looked down, a flicker of doubt crossing her face. Placing a hand on the side of the body's neck, she whispered an incantation. A faint white light enveloped her fingertips, and as it grew more brilliant, the stiff corpse slowly transformed into a scarecrow.
Eva: "..."
She uncrossed her arms, her face darkening as she muttered a curse. "Damn witches."
Erin breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief, but her brow quickly furrowed again. If Vera could use a scarecrow to cover her escape, she must have already reached safety.
She wouldn't be getting her Dark Key anytime soon.
Exposed by Tang Qiu's light magic, the scarecrow and its white robe suddenly burst into flames, burning away to nothing.
Eva was fuming over being tricked by the Black Witch. Jillian, however, glanced over at the group from the Holy See and suddenly spoke. "We encountered a sixth-generation vampire in the manor."
Tang Qiu stiffened, then turned her head impassively to look at her, waiting silently for her to continue.
"She's very skilled at concealment. Eva and I couldn't catch her." Jillian explained that they had been searching the manor for werewolves and hadn't expected to run into a sixth-generation vampire. Their surprise had cost them the best moment to give chase.
Hearing Jillian's description, Tang Qiu's tense nerves eased slightly. She had almost thought the sixth-generation vampire Jillian was talking about was Lucille.
Though Lucille was always aloof, her delicate features and unique aura were so striking that Tang Qiu believed even Monica would have remembered her.
If Jillian revealed Lucille was a vampire, she likely wouldn't be able to remain in the Bill Empire.
"Although we've killed the Black Witches here, it's obvious this manor holds other potential dangers." Tang Qiu guessed Jillian's motive for mentioning the vampire and played along. "I'll go discuss a departure time with the Priest."
Jillian raised an eyebrow. Watching the blonde cleric's retreating back, she remarked faintly, "It's rare to find a cleric who isn't so annoying."
Eva shot her a sideways glance, disagreeing. "They're all just as annoying."
They had already been in Vandent for a day and a night. Dawn was just breaking, but the light was still dim. An occasional cold wind swept through, making Rose Manor feel even more grim and desolate. Everyone wanted to leave as soon as possible. The clerics, drinking Holy Water of Light to restore their spiritual energy, kept stealing glances at Monica.
Linda was among them, but her gaze didn't linger on Monica. Instead, she stared intently at the blonde cleric standing beside her. Compared to their own exhausted and bedraggled appearances, the blonde cleric was as radiant as ever, her robes still spotless.
She clutched her injured arm, remaining silent.
"Linda." Cecia walked up behind Linda and said in a low voice, "Come with me."
Linda glanced back at Cecia, her eyes flickering. She stood, and after a moment's thought, said softly to a nearby cleric, "Priest Cecia needs to speak with me. I'll be back in a moment."
The cleric gave her a blank look and nodded, not understanding the situation.
Linda gave her a small smile, then glanced at Cecia's retreating back and followed. Her downcast eyes concealed the chill within them.
Cecia led Linda to some nearby ruins. Using a wall to block the others' view, she said to Linda, her tone one of exasperated disappointment, "Do you have any idea what a good opportunity you just missed?"
She was so disappointed in Linda for only focusing on fleeing that she couldn't resist pulling her aside to reprimand her.
"If Priest Monica had seen you show some composure and courage, the vacant Priest position would have been yours, Linda."
Linda lowered her head, her voice dejected. "I'm sorry to have disappointed you, Priest Cecia."
Cecia frowned at her, lecturing in a solemn tone, "Panic causes one to miss opportunities. You must remain calm at all times."
"Don't be discouraged." Seeing Linda's head still bowed, Cecia's heart softened. She reached out and patted her on the shoulder, comforting her, "Stay alert on the way back. Let Priest Monica see you at your best."
Linda, moved, raised her arms to embrace Cecia, thanking her in a gentle voice, "Thank you so much, Priest Cecia."
A dark figure suddenly appeared silently behind Cecia. She leaned against the wall, her crimson eyes narrowed, her gaze falling on Linda's face. Her red lips curved slightly as her tongue darted out to lick the corner of her mouth.
Linda continued to speak words of praise to Cecia in a respectful tone, but her gaze was perfectly calm as it met that of the brown-haired vampire who had suddenly appeared.
"Such touching camaraderie." The vampire let out a low laugh, raising a hand to press on Cecia's shoulder. Her pale, slender fingers rubbed heavily against the side of her face.
The cold touch and unfamiliar voice startled Cecia. Her eyes widened as she demanded, "Who's there?"
She tried to turn around but was held fast by Linda. A body pressed against her back, and arms wrapped intimately around her waist. The cold presence felt like a venomous snake coiling around her, and the cloying, hair-raising sensation made her ask in a panic, "Linda, what's happening?"
Linda leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Priest Cecia, please remain calm." After speaking, she slowly released her grip.
Cecia spun around at once, but only saw a flash of brown hair. Her collar was roughly torn open, and a sudden, sharp pain in the side of her neck made her open her mouth to scream. But the vampire behind her was prepared; her mouth was clamped shut, and she couldn't make a sound.
Linda clutched her arm, her expression cold as she looked away.
After an unknown amount of time, the brown-haired vampire casually tossed aside the breathless Cecia. She tilted her head back slightly, an expression of enjoyment on her face. Her tongue licked the blood from her lips, and her crimson eyes narrowed as if savoring the aftertaste.
"...Didn't you say this time's prey was a cleric with a strong aura of light?" The brown-haired vampire glanced at Cecia's body, her lips curling. "But a Priest's blood is quite delicious too."
Linda frowned and said flatly, "That cleric isn't easy to lure over."
Feeling that enough time had passed, she said to the brown-haired vampire in a low voice, "In a moment, I'll scream to get everyone's attention. Then you throw Cecia's body out and leave. You have to let them see your shadow."
The brown-haired vampire raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. Instead, she began walking towards her step by step with malicious intent.
Linda watched her warily. "What are you doing, Lola."
Lola touched her lips and said with a low laugh, "I'm not full yet, of course."
"You drained all her blood. Isn't that enough?"
Lola had already restrained Linda. Seeing the unconcealable terror on her face, she gave a slight smile, tore open the collar of her cleric's robes, and lowered her head coldly, saying rather ruthlessly, "When you make a deal with a vampire, you should always be prepared to be fed on."
Pain drained the color from Linda's face. There was no need to act. A terrified scream erupted from her, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the square.
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