CA – Chapter 62
Chapter 62
The Shas Church escorted Monica’s group of clerics and the Light Believers to the Central Church. Mentioning Monica’s death was merely incidental; their main purpose was to request aid from the Central Church, hoping they would send people to help them expel the vampires within the Shas Principality.
Anthony wanted the Central Church to focus all its attention on the vampires in the Shas Principality, hoping to gloss over Monica’s matter.
If Monica were just a minor priest without the identity of Reese’s twin sister, Anthony wouldn't even have needed to report it to the Central Church. With his status, he could have easily covered it up.
But the problem was that Monica’s background was not simple, and this time she was assisting Reese in escorting the Light Believers. If he said nothing and she just mysteriously disappeared in the Shas Principality, his collusion with the vampires would surely be exposed if Reese were to investigate.
Anthony was backed by Cardinal Cambecus, and anyone who had spent time at the Central Church knew he and Reese did not get along.
If Reese wanted to cut down one of Cambecus’s factions in the Church, she would definitely use this opportunity to strike at him, regardless of whether her relationship with her twin sister was as bad as the rumors claimed.
Anthony dared not overlook this point, so he chose to blame the vampires for Monica’s death and report it to the Central Church, precisely to deny Reese any opportunity to exploit the situation.
This woman was the youngest Cardinal in the Church’s history for several centuries. Her rise to this position was inseparable from her ruthlessness, in addition to having a powerful backer.
So many people coveted the position of Cardinal, yet she had managed to forcefully push aside competitors who had been rooted in the Church for nearly a hundred years, both in terms of seniority and influence, and firmly secured a seat for herself.
Anthony had no desire to be targeted by Reese.
The priest sent by the Shas Church was Anthony’s confidant. Upon arriving at the Central Church, she focused all the attention on the vampires within the Shas Principality, only mentioning Monica’s matter in passing.
The people at the Central Church wouldn't take the death of a minor priest to heart. Besides, most people only knew that Reese had a twin sister in the Bill Church; they didn't even know her name.
The Central Church sent someone to report to Reese about the Light Believers. On the way, they met a cleric from the Bill Church and incidentally passed on the news of Monica’s death in the Shas Principality.
But aside from the fact that she had been killed, there was no other information.
When Tang Qiu opened the door and saw Jennifer, her heart sank. Jennifer’s eyes were slightly red, and she looked distraught. Tang Qiu stepped aside to let her in and asked in a grave tone, “What happened to Priest Monica?”
Jennifer walked in without even closing the door. She gripped Tang Qiu’s sleeves tightly, her expression panicked and her voice trembling. “Priest Monica was killed in the Shas Principality.”
Monica was the backbone of the Bill Church. The clerics there trusted and relied on her, which was why Jennifer was so panicked.
Tang Qiu closed the door behind her. Her brows were tightly furrowed, but she remained calm enough to ask, “Have you seen the body?”
Jennifer froze for a moment, then shook her head. “No.”
The blonde priest’s composure had a calming effect on Jennifer. She slowly settled down, though her face was still pale. “I heard the news from the Central Church.” She then told Tang Qiu about how the Shas Church had escorted the Light Believers to the Central Church.
The Shas Principality had never been very peaceful. Erin had also been captured there; the Black Witches and vampires were rampant in that region.
Although Monica was a priest, her light magic was actually quite strong. As long as she didn't encounter a red-robed witch or get ambushed by vampires at close range, she should have been able to hold them off for a while and find a chance to escape.
Besides, why were all the Light Believers unharmed, while she and the clerics from the Bill Church were all killed?
A flicker of light crossed Tang Qiu’s eyes. She looked up at Jennifer and asked in a low voice, “Does Archbishop Reese know?”
Jennifer frowned. “I’m not sure, but the person from the Central Church was on their way to see her.”
Glancing at the dark night outside the window, Tang Qiu lowered her gaze slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she said softly, “Let’s wait and see for now.”
She wanted to see Reese’s reaction.
On a night filled with worries, time always seemed to pass slowly. Once Jennifer’s emotions stabilized, she left Tang Qiu’s room.
Tang Qiu saw Jennifer out, then walked to the balcony and opened the window. Lucille leaped in from outside, bringing a chill with her.
A long black dress perfectly showcased Lucille’s excellent figure. Her long red hair was casually braided and hung down her back.
Tang Qiu had noticed that Lucille only wore dresses when she was hungry. Normally, she was dressed in sharp, dashing knight’s attire.
Lucille leaned against the railing, her dark red eyes fixed on Tang Qiu’s face. A crimson tide swirled in their depths, but she did nothing, merely asking faintly, “What happened?”
“Monica might be dead.” Tang Qiu walked to the cabinet in the corner, poured a glass of ice water, and took a sip before speaking in a calm voice.
Lucille looked at the glass in her hand and frowned slightly. “How did she die?”
Tang Qiu rubbed the side of the glass, her fingers quickly growing cold from the ice water. She slowly shook her head. “It’s not clear yet.”
There were still many suspicious points. Monica had taken many clerics and Holy Knights with her when she left, all of them from the Bill Church. Now they had all perished in the Shas Principality. How could the Bill Church possibly accept this without a reasonable explanation?
Especially given Monica’s unusual status in the Bill Church.
However, the Bill Empire and the Shas Principality were quite far apart. If the Central Church didn't intervene, the matter would likely be dropped in the end.
Therefore, everything still depended on Reese’s intentions—whether it was to uncover the truth or… to avenge Monica.
Night dominated the sky, and daylight was slow to arrive. A sudden knock on the door made Tang Qiu, who was practicing light magic, pause. She glanced toward the bed. Lucille, who had been sitting up and reading, closed her book, walked to the balcony, placed her hands on the railing, and leaped nimbly out the window.
It was Mario outside the door. As Tang Qiu stepped aside, she discreetly sized him up. Seeing his expression was as placid as ever, her brows furrowed slightly.
Mario didn't enter. Instead, he relayed Reese’s order to Tang Qiu with a blank expression. “Your escort mission is complete. You may return to the Bill Church.”
Tang Qiu was taken aback, a subtle change in her eyes. She frowned and met Mario’s gaze. Seeing him turn to leave after speaking, she subconsciously called out to him, probing, “What about Archbishop Reese?”
She had imagined how Reese might react, but she never expected her to act as if nothing had happened.
Mario glanced at her and replied in a low voice, “Archbishop Reese is returning to the Central Church.”
“…Then how will the matter with the Shas Church be handled?” Reese’s reaction threw Tang Qiu’s plans into disarray. She had thought Reese would go personally to confirm Monica’s death.
“The Central Church will handle it.” After saying this, Mario glanced at the blonde priest before him. He noticed that the deep look in her sky-blue eyes made them seem less clear than before. After a moment of silence, he unexpectedly revealed more information to Tang Qiu. “The one who created the Blood Domain in the Shas Principality is a fourth-generation vampire. Archbishop Reese has sent me to lead a group of priests to help the Shas Church with the expulsion.”
“Bishop Ralph will also hurry to the Shas Principality as soon as possible.”
A fourth-generation vampire… Tang Qiu was a little surprised. If it was a fourth-generation vampire, then Monica indeed wouldn't have been able to escape. She pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Can I go with you?”
Although she didn't know why Mario had suddenly told her all this, it didn't stop her from seizing the opportunity. She wanted to go to the Shas Principality to personally confirm Monica’s safety.
Mario looked at her calmly for a moment before saying in a low voice, “As you wish. But if you get caught, no one will come to save you.”
A slight smile touched Tang Qiu’s lips as she nodded. “Alright.”
Going to the Shas Principality meant facing a fourth-generation vampire and her numerous descendants. It wasn't suitable for clerics to tag along. Although Jennifer desperately wanted to go and investigate Monica’s situation, she had to consider her own strength and could only return to the Bill Church with the others, disappointed, to await news.
The Shas Principality bordered the Gru Empire. By using a teleportation array and forgoing slow horse-drawn carriages, Tang Qiu and Mario reached the Shas Church in just one day.
Mario had brought dozens of priests from the Central Church, and the guarding Holy Knights had been replaced with higher-level Holy Knights. Before the group entered the Shas Church, Anthony came out to greet them with the priests and clerics from his church.
When he scanned the group and saw they were all priests, he felt a sense of relief. But when his gaze fell on Mario at the front, his expression stiffened for a moment.
Mario was Reese’s attendant priest, her confidant. Anthony had dealt with Mario back when he was at the Central Church. The man’s talent and strength were formidable; in fact, with his power, Mario could have been promoted to bishop long ago, but he seemed to have no desire for it.
Why was he sent here? Anthony had his doubts, but he showed none of it on his face. He exchanged pleasantries with Mario naturally, then led them into the church and personally arranged their accommodations.
Yet he didn't mention a single word about the Blood Domain.
Tang Qiu blended in with the group of priests. While Anthony and Mario were exchanging pleasantries, she carefully observed him, then glanced at the people behind him. Only two priests stood there. She didn't know if the rest hadn't come out, or if they had been seriously injured by vampires as he claimed.
However, just by observing the atmosphere in the Shas Church, Tang Qiu couldn't detect even a hint of gravity from them regarding the Blood Domain.
After arranging their accommodations, Anthony made an excuse and left. Tang Qiu came out of her room and wandered around the church for a bit, trying to inquire about Monica from the clerics there.
Many people had seen Monica arrive at the Shas Church with the Light Believers, so it was easy for Tang Qiu to gather information.
This included the fact that Monica had left the Light Believers there and taken her people to find Anthony and the others, who were supposedly expelling vampires at the time.
But later, Anthony and his group returned, while Monica and her people were never heard from again.
As for how Anthony knew Monica and the others had died in the Blood Domain, it was because they had received word that the vampires had captured a group of clerics to be devoured at a blood feast.
Anthony had tried to lead a rescue mission, but not only did he fail, he also lost several clerics and priests from the Shas Church in the process.
The information she gathered was more or less the same as what the people from the Shas Church had reported to the Central Church. Tang Qiu tried asking two more people, but the answers were all similar, so she could only return to her room for the time being.
The sky was growing dark. Tang Qiu stood by the window, gazing at the moon in the night sky, which was already becoming quite round. She was pinching an ice-blue fruit in her hand, lost in her thoughts.
A cold breeze swept past, lifting a strand of hair by her cheek. Lucille leaped in through the window, wiping blood from her palm with a handkerchief, her expression cold. She said faintly, “There is indeed a fourth-generation vampire in the Blood Domain.”
Tang Qiu frowned slightly. Seeing the unconcealable disgust in Lucille’s eyes as she stared at her own palm, Tang Qiu thought for a moment, then took her hand. She took the handkerchief and began to wipe it carefully for her. “Any news about Monica?”
Tang Qiu’s head was lowered, her exquisite, perfect profile exposed to Lucille’s view. The moonlight behind her enveloped her, making her long golden hair shine even more brightly in the silvery light. The sight of her gently wiping the bloodstains from her hand made Lucille’s heart suddenly beat a little faster. Her palm curled slightly, and she averted her gaze, saying softly, “…That’s enough.”
The feeling of disgust she'd had just a moment ago had now eased somewhat.
She pulled her hand back and answered Tang Qiu’s earlier question. “No news of Monica.”
Tang Qiu didn't notice Lucille’s subtle abnormality. She folded the handkerchief and set it aside. Thinking of the information she'd gathered today, she asked, “Then have you heard if they held a blood feast?”
According to the news from the Shas Church, Monica and her group might have been food prepared for a vampire blood feast. However, she needed to confirm whether this blood feast actually existed.
Tang Qiu stared at Lucille without blinking, waiting for her answer. When she saw her nod, her heart sank, and the possibility of Monica and the others still being alive diminished a little more.
However, Lucille’s next words made Tang Qiu raise her eyebrows in surprise.
“There is indeed a blood feast, but it hasn’t been held yet.” Seeing the slight change in Tang Qiu’s expression, Lucille added, “The blood feast is scheduled for two days from now.”
Two days from now… Tang Qiu thought of something and subconsciously glanced at the moon outside. Lucille followed her gaze and said softly, “That day happens to be the full moon.”
After spending some time in the werewolf territory, Tang Qiu now knew what would happen to her on the night of a full moon. She toyed with the ice-blue fruit she had been holding and nodded thoughtfully. “We can’t drag it out until then.”
Although she had the fruit Jemma gave her that could suppress her estrus period, Tang Qiu hadn't tested it yet, so she didn't dare risk waiting until that day.
It would be best for her to confirm tomorrow whether Monica was still in the Blood Domain.
Having made up her mind, Tang Qiu leaned in close to Lucille’s ear and whispered a few words.
The warm breath tickled her ear. Lucille turned her head to look intently at the blonde priest who was so close. When Tang Qiu finished speaking and looked up at her questioningly, she nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
Anthony, perhaps already aware of the exact time of the blood feast, kept stalling. When faced with Mario’s request to scout the area near the Blood Domain, he would either play the victim by claiming the church was short-staffed or simply disappear.
In short, he tried every possible way to interfere.
The number of people in the Shas Church was indeed off. Unable to find Anthony, Mario simply grabbed someone from the church, ordered him to lead the way, and headed for the city where the Blood Domain was located with only the people he had brought from the Central Church.
Tang Qiu was among them. She rode on horseback in the procession of priests. Beneath her black cloak, her right hand toyed with the ring on her left ring finger, her gaze occasionally sweeping over Mario ahead, looking somewhat nonchalant.
There was a teleportation array in the city leading to the Blood Domain. Not long after Mario, Tang Qiu, and the others arrived near the Blood Domain, Anthony rushed over with two attendant priests.
Ignoring Anthony’s attempts to dissuade him, Mario led his people directly to the entrance of the Blood Domain. A vampire who sensed the aura of light came out to investigate and was trapped by a prepared light magic spell.
Anthony watched the captured vampire, his brow furrowing imperceptibly.
Mario pressed his staff against the vampire’s throat and asked in a low voice, “Are there still people from the Church being held inside the Blood Domain?”
The vampire was only a seventh-generation. A continuous stream of light energy emanated from the staff. He leaned his head back in fear, his voice trembling. “I-I don’t know.”
A light arrow pierced the vampire’s throat. The vampire’s eyes widened for an instant as the power of light rampaged through his body, then suddenly exploded, blowing him to pieces.
A barrier of light appeared in front of everyone, blocking the flying pieces of flesh. Mario raised his staff, looked at the blood-red mist before them, and said in a deep voice, “Fall back. We’re breaking the Blood Domain’s barrier.”
The priests behind him retreated to a safe distance, then raised their staves in unison and began chanting. A dense concentration of light power gathered in the area, suppressing the blood-red mist for a moment, though it instantly recovered.
Anthony watched Mario at the front of the priest contingent, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. He gave a look to the attendant priests behind him, signaling for them to join the chanting.
As for himself, he continued to stand aside and watch. He had already claimed on the day Mario’s group arrived that he had exhausted too much of his light power while trying to rescue the people from the Bill Church, and that his spiritual energy had been damaged, rendering him temporarily unable to use light magic.
The powerful light magic created a huge disturbance, drawing more and more vampires out of the Blood Domain to investigate. The Holy Knights stood guard in front of the priests, fighting the vampires that charged at them, and the scene descended into chaos.
Standing at the very back of the group of priests, Tang Qiu slowly stopped her chanting. She glanced at the situation ahead, then quietly slipped away from the group. Using the cover of buildings, she took a detour and stepped into the Blood Domain from a spot no one noticed.
The power of darkness within the Blood Domain was quite dense. Tang Qiu could clearly feel her own power of light being suppressed. She twisted the ring on her ring finger, which was used to conceal her light aura, and scanned her surroundings.
A vampire appeared in her line of sight. The vampire looked at her, unable to sense any aura from her body. A trace of confusion flashed in its eyes as it strode over, intending to ask her identity.
However, halfway there, a hand suddenly clamped down on its shoulder. A sharp pain shot through its neck, followed by its chest. Its vision went black, and it lost consciousness.
Lucille casually tossed aside the head she was holding, then walked to Tang Qiu’s side. She wrapped an arm around her waist, and in a flash, the two of them vanished from the spot.
More and more vampires poured out of the Blood Domain. The corners of Anthony’s mouth slowly curled up. Mario was Reese’s most trusted confidant. If he died here, it would be excellent news for Archbishop Cambecus.
With this thought, he began to search for Mario’s figure. However, after looking for a long time, he couldn't find him. Anthony frowned, searched again in disbelief, and his face gradually darkened.
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