CA – Chapter 36
Chapter 36
The scream was so tragic it felt like a blow to everyone’s heart. The nerves that had just relaxed were instantly taut again. Monica walked over quickly, her face expressionless. Tang Qiu frowned, took out her Light Staff, and followed behind her.
Monica approached the ruins, her eyes fixed on the dilapidated wall. A light flame appeared silently around her, flying past the wall. A black shadow emerged with the flame, nimbly dodging its pursuit and landing on a bare tree trunk, the corner of its mouth still stained with blood.
Lola casually wiped the corner of her mouth, her crimson eyes sizing up Monica from head to toe, her gaze filled with the excitement of seeing prey.
“A vampire…” Monica stopped in her tracks, estimating the distance between herself and Lola. Her expression grew solemn.
Although she held her staff, chanting a spell still required time.
Lola licked her lips, bending slightly into an attack stance, intending to snatch this prey and enjoy it before the others could surround her.
A Light Barrier appeared in front of Monica without warning. Tang Qiu maintained a safe distance from Lola and, when Monica looked back at her, she brandished her staff with a smile and teased, “Remember to keep your distance when facing a vampire, Priest Monica.”
The coldness on Monica’s face melted slightly as she replied softly, “I was careless.”
With the Light Barrier buying time, another priest hurried over, standing by Tang Qiu’s side on high alert, her staff already raised and aimed at Lola.
Even Eva and Jillian, at Erin’s urging, were slowly making their way over.
Having lost the best opportunity, Lola slowly straightened up. Her gaze shifted from Monica to Tang Qiu. She caressed her lips, let out a low chuckle, and after memorizing the blonde cleric’s face, she turned and leaped from the tree trunk.
Light spells of varying power flew toward Lola’s back from all directions. However, after the white light faded, the spot was empty.
Monica went behind the ruined wall and saw Cecia lying on the ground, no longer breathing. Her face changed as she demanded, “…Why were you two here?”
She looked at Linda, who was sitting on the ground, clutching her neck with a panicked expression.
Blood seeped through her fingers. Monica, her face grim, cast a healing spell on her.
The clerics who had gathered around stared at Cecia’s body in shock, unable to process it for a long time. A cleric who had seen Cecia call Linda away earlier whispered to Monica, “I saw it. Priest Cecia called Linda over.”
Monica’s cold gaze fell upon her, and the cleric flinched and lowered her head.
Tang Qiu walked over and glanced at Cecia’s body. Cecia’s ashen face was a mask of terror and pain. However, her staff was not by her side. It seemed the vampire had gotten close to her, leaving her no chance to react or fight back.
She walked over to Linda and extended a hand, saying softly, “Get up first.”
Linda glanced at her, then took her hand and was pulled to her feet. With Lola gone, she slowly regained her composure and began to speak according to their plan. “We came here because Priest Cecia said she had something to tell me.”
She lowered her hand, revealing the very obvious teeth marks on her neck. “But when I got here, she was already down.”
“I wanted to go back for help, but that vampire was hiding nearby.” Linda lowered her head, her body trembling as if still in the grip of fear. “She wanted to drain my blood, too.”
Linda’s fear was not an act. She was genuinely afraid of Lola. Although Lola had helped her kill many people and saved her numerous times—and she owed her current achievements in the Holy See, even her Light Staff, to Lola—she knew Lola was an insatiable vampire.
No matter how many clerics she provided, Lola was never satisfied. Every time Lola pinned her down to drink her blood, Linda felt like she was hovering on the edge of death.
Cecia was dead, so no one knew what she had wanted to say to Linda. However, it was common in the Holy See for a priest to call their attendant cleric aside to talk.
The series of events at Rose Manor had left Monica mentally exhausted. She waved a hand at the clerics behind her, signaling for them to take Cecia’s body back, and then said in a deep voice, “Back to the Holy See.”
The clerics breathed a collective sigh of relief. None of them wanted to stay here any longer.
Linda also let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. As she relaxed, the wound on her neck was pulled, and the pain made her face turn pale, tears welling up in her eyes.
Tang Qiu turned her head and glanced curiously at the wound on Linda’s neck. A flash of surprise crossed her eyes. Compared to this mangled, torn-looking wound, the bite mark on her own wrist was practically negligible.
She rubbed her wrist, her expression a little strange.
On the way back to the Holy See, Erin, urged by Eva, came to part ways with Tang Qiu’s group. Tang Qiu, who was happy to separate the werewolves from the Holy See, readily agreed. After watching them leave, she scanned her surroundings but couldn’t find any sign of Lucille.
Guessing that Lucille had probably already left, Tang Qiu shook her head slightly and returned to the group of clerics.
After leaving Rose Manor, they encountered a team of priests sent by Reese on their way back to the Holy See. The three priests and ten clerics were all Reese’s attendants. They were from the Central Church, and although they wore the same cleric robes, their expressions betrayed a lofty arrogance.
Reese’s attendant priest, Mario, looked at them expressionlessly and said coldly, “Archbishop Reese sent me to meet you.”
Monica lifted her chin, her tone hard and sarcastic. “To collect our bodies?”
Mario said flatly, “Archbishop Reese was very worried about you. She wanted to confirm you were not in danger.”
Monica snorted coldly and walked past him without another word. The priests and clerics behind her followed with their heads bowed.
As Tang Qiu passed by Mario, he stopped her. She looked at him, her eyes full of questions.
Mario sized her up, then let her go, saying expressionlessly, “Archbishop Reese asked me to confirm your safety.”
She subconsciously glanced at Monica. Monica met her gaze for a moment, then coldly looked away and walked on without turning back.
Tang Qiu: “…”
The favorability she had just built up was probably reset to zero.
Monica dared to ignore the attendant priest of Archbishop Reese, but Tang Qiu could not. Her surprise lasted only a moment before she calmly accepted Reese’s “concern” and thanked him politely. “I hope you can convey my gratitude for me, Lord Priest.”
“Archbishop Reese hopes you will thank her in person.”
Tang Qiu’s smile didn’t waver as she nodded calmly. “Of course.”
Countless clerics in the Holy See secretly hoped for an invitation from Archbishop Reese. Those who overheard the conversation between Tang Qiu and Mario began to look at her differently.
Archbishop Reese came to stay at the Bill Church for a period every year. When she left, besides taking a few talented Light Believers with her, she would occasionally select a few clerics to be transferred to the Central Church.
Although the clerics didn’t dare to openly curry favor with Archbishop Reese because of Monica, quite a few pledged their allegiance in secret.
Who wouldn’t want to go to the Central Church? Even if you remained a minor cleric, your status would be completely different.
Gazes filled with envy, jealousy, and other complex emotions focused on Tang Qiu, so intense they could have burned holes in her. Tang Qiu, however, feigned ignorance. With her eyes lowered, she followed the cleric in front of her, her mind somewhat distracted.
An invitation from Archbishop Reese… If she could, she would really rather avoid it.
After returning to the Holy See, Tang Qiu went to her room to change her clothes, then followed Mario to Reese’s room.
Reese had her own exclusive room here. Bishop Ralph had given her his own bedroom, which had been redecorated to a degree of luxury and comfort that rivaled the manor of a marquis in the Bill Empire.
Monica had once reported Reese to the Central Church for extravagance and abuse of power over this matter. However, the complaint was like a stone sinking into the sea, and Reese continued to flaunt herself before her.
After Tang Qiu entered Reese’s room, Mario gently closed the door from the outside. Reese’s bedroom was made by knocking down the walls of three rooms and redesigning the space. The floor was tiled in glittering gold, the walls were inlaid with various rubies and sapphires, and in the center of the room was a sculpture of a rose bush carved from gemstones.
Tang Qiu walked on the soft carpet, circled the rose bush, and stopped before a crystal screen. She called out questioningly, “Archbishop Reese?”
Reese’s smiling voice came from within. “Grace? Come in.”
Tang Qiu glanced at the steam rising from above the crystal screen, frowned slightly, and ducked her head as she walked in.
An oval-shaped bathtub came into view. Reese, wearing a simple cleric’s robe, sat on the edge of the tub, idly tossing rose petals into the water. A faint mist swirled around her, and her beautiful face, framed by the steam, had a somewhat dreamlike quality.
Tang Qiu stopped, her expression surprised. She had thought the decorations outside were extravagant enough, but she hadn’t expected such a bathtub in the inner room.
She discreetly took a sniff and lowered her eyes to look at the clear water in the tub. A rich aura of light surrounded her, sweeping away her fatigue.
The tub seemed to be filled with Holy Water of Light.
No wonder Monica’s face darkened every time she saw Reese. It was bad enough having someone you disliked constantly in your sight, but for them to be living so luxuriously on your own turf—it would be strange if she wasn’t furious.
“I heard you had quite a thrilling time,” Reese said, tossing the petals in her hand aside and looking at Tang Qiu with a smile. “Were you injured?”
Tang Qiu shook her head slightly and replied with a smile, “Thank you for your concern, Your Excellency. I was not injured.”
“That’s a bit of a pity.”
Tang Qiu looked at her questioningly.
Reese shrugged and said nonchalantly, “I was thinking of demonstrating the healing arts of a Red-robed Archbishop for you.”
“That is truly a shame,” Tang Qiu said softly. “I’m sure the other injured clerics would have loved to witness it as well.”
“But I have no interest in them.”
Tang Qiu’s smile faltered. She looked up, studying Reese with a probing gaze. Reese let her look, still nonchalant, her smile unwavering. “What? Are you moved?”
Tang Qiu’s lips curved into a slight smile. “Indeed, I am very moved.” She truly couldn’t fathom what this person was thinking.
Reese rose from the edge of the tub, reached for a scarlet cloak hanging on a rack, and draped it over her shoulders. A corner of the cloak dipped into the water. She descended the steps and stood before Tang Qiu, leaning in slightly. In a voice as pleasant as a nightingale’s, she gently extended an invitation. “Would you like to come with me to the Central Church?”
Tang Qiu: “…”
Seeing Tang Qiu seriously considering it, the smile on Reese’s lips deepened. She leaned close to the blonde cleric’s ear and said in a deliberately ambiguous tone, “If it’s a difficult decision, you can stay here for a night. We can discuss this matter in depth.”
Tang Qiu: “?”
Just as she was struggling to find a suitable reason to refuse Reese, a glint appeared in Tang Qiu’s eyes. She raised a hand to push Reese away and said in a serious and solemn tone, “Please allow me to refuse.”
Reese raised an eyebrow. “You’re refusing?” She touched her chin and said teasingly, “Are you refusing the first proposal or the second?”
Tang Qiu cleared her throat. “Both.”
It was impossible for her to go to the Central Church right now. She still hadn’t figured out the issue with her werewolf transformation or who her original body’s potential enemies were.
Entering the Central Church would only put her in a more dangerous situation.
As for Reese’s second proposal… Tang Qiu admitted that Reese was a beauty who was pleasing even to her eyes, but this beauty had thorns, and she had no desire to provoke her.
She would rather face the ice-cold Monica than the smiling Reese.
Reese nodded, crossing her arms and staring at her without blinking, wanting to see what reason she could come up with to refuse.
“As a faithful believer of the Light Goddess, I have long sworn to dedicate myself to her. Therefore, please allow me to refuse your somewhat absurd proposal.”
Reese knew the “absurd” part referred to the second proposal. She chuckled but didn’t get angry. “By entering the Central Church, you can get even closer to your Light Goddess.”
“But I am not yet ready to approach her,” Tang Qiu said, choosing her words carefully. “Every Light Believer wants to present their most perfect self to the Light Goddess. I feel that I am still too weak and need to continue training here.”
“I believe that Priest Monica… will be an excellent guide.”
At the mention of Monica, the smile on Reese’s face faded slightly. She stared at Tang Qiu with an unreadable expression for a while, then her lips curved. “I didn’t realize you were such a devout Light Believer.”
Tang Qiu flattered her, “I cannot compare to you, Archbishop Reese.”
“I don’t believe in the Light Goddess.” Seeing Tang Qiu look up in surprise, Reese added with a low laugh, “Just kidding.”
Her tone didn’t sound like she was joking. After leaving Reese’s room, Tang Qiu recalled the dark undercurrent swirling in Reese’s eyes when she said that, and her brows slowly furrowed.
Mario watched Tang Qiu’s back until she disappeared before pushing the door open and entering, waiting respectfully on the other side of the crystal screen.
Reese was fiddling with the roses that had been sitting out for a day and were no longer fresh. Hearing the footsteps, she didn’t look up, just smiled faintly. “She refused. You won’t be enjoying any amorous bliss tonight.”
Mario lowered his head and said, “She is loyal to the Light Goddess.”
Reese caressed a petal, noncommittal about Mario’s assessment of the blonde cleric.
In the conference room.
Monica was writing something on paper with a quill. There was a soft knock on the door, and her attendant cleric, Jonas, walked in. “Grace has left Archbishop Reese’s room.”
Monica’s hand paused slightly. She looked up and asked, “Are you sure?”
Jonas nodded. “I saw it with my own eyes.”
Monica thoughtfully put down her quill, propped her chin on her clasped hands, and lowered her eyes, lost in thought.
Jonas peeked at the parchment on Monica’s desk and saw that she was writing a priest recommendation letter. He thought for a moment and asked, “Have you already chosen a candidate for priest?”
Monica didn’t speak, merely picking up the quill and drawing a circle around Grace’s name.
Jonas’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously. He had been the one to recommend the blonde cleric in the first place, and he hadn’t expected her to truly win Monica’s favor. He thought of Cecia, who had died in Vandent, and asked curiously, “Then have you decided on the other priest candidate?”
Cecia’s death had opened up another priest position.
Monica tapped the desk with her quill and asked with a frown, “Linda or Jennifer, which one would you recommend?”
These two had been the candidates before the blonde cleric appeared.
Jonas said cautiously, “I think Cleric Linda is more outstanding.”
Linda’s qualifications were among the best of the clerics in the Holy See. After all, she had been awarded a Light Staff.
Jennifer was at a disadvantage in this regard.
Monica looked down at the other two uncircled names, pondered for a moment, then raised her hand and slowly circled one of them.
The Holy See had lost many Holy Knights and clerics in Vandent this time. After returning, Monica sent a team of Holy Knights into Rose Manor to retrieve their bodies.
After the Holy Knights cleared the area, only monsters and the bodies of three Black Witches remained at Rose Manor. The Holy Knights threw them into a pile and set them on fire, leaving only after the flames grew large.
With the Holy Knights’ withdrawal from Vandent, the place returned to its former desolation. The fire at Rose Manor didn’t spread, as a sudden downpour extinguished the flames.
After the fire died out, the dark night once again enveloped the manor. A gentle breeze blew, and the ashes on the ground were swept together, slowly coalescing into a human figure. The shadow first surveyed its surroundings, then bent down and began to dig through the pile of bodies, stopping only when it saw the ashen-faced Laurel at the very bottom.
Laurel lay there like a corpse, but unlike the other bodies, she hadn’t decayed. However, the fire had reached her, leaving half of her face a bloody, mangled mess.
The black shadow tore some flesh from Laurel’s face, caught some rainwater in its hand, mixed them together, and summoned a dark fire to ignite it. Red smoke condensed before it, forming a series of images.
If Tang Qiu had been there, she would have recognized the scenes flashing in the smoke: the time when she, Lucille, and Erin were talking to Laurel in Rose Manor.
The shadow watched quietly, then said in a low voice, “A cleric, a vampire…” It stared at the disguised Erin and said, enunciating each syllable, “Erin Anderson.”
“That little lunatic.”
The red smoke was scattered by the wind. The shadow withdrew its gaze, summoned several skeletons, and commanded them to pick up the bodies of Laurel and the other two Black Witches before sinking into the ground.
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