CA – Chapter 76
Chapter 76
A few days after Linda's body was discovered, the Church found Anthony's.
His cause of death was similar to Linda's; he had also been killed by a vampire.
Seeing Anthony's corpse brought Monica not satisfaction, but a headache. It wasn't because she thought Anthony didn't deserve to die, but because she was worried that so many vampires were secretly present in the Bill Empire.
She had initially wanted to have Jonas summon the blond priest to discuss how to strengthen the capital's defenses, but she quickly suppressed the thought.
She was not unaware of the blond priest's recent dealings with Reese.
Although Tang Qiu had already revealed her plans to her, Monica still felt a bit uneasy. There was also the matter of colluding with vampires. Though she hadn't asked, it didn't mean she was without her doubts.
Monica put down her quill, leaned back in her chair, and gazed at the empty meeting room with a somewhat lonely expression. She, too, had once strived to go to the Central Church—not for any other reason than to see what charm it held that could make Reese turn a blade on her.
But in the end, she never made it. Monica lowered her gaze slightly. The sunlight shone in from behind her, yet it seemed unable to dispel the darkness surrounding her. She sat alone in the shadows like a statue.
Monica had intended to send Anthony's body to the Inquisition, but in the end, Archbishop Cambecus sent people to take it away. Monica was, after all, only a priest and had no intention of fighting over the ownership of a corpse, so she let them take it.
After staying at the Bill Church for two months, Cambecus finally showed signs of leaving. Monica 'thoughtfully' had a carriage and guards prepared for Archbishop Cambecus, and she prepared a set for Reese as well.
Reese saw through her intention to drive them out. Instead of retorting, she accepted it directly. Not only did she set her departure for the day after Cambecus's, but she also planned to take the blond priest with her.
Having long been prepared for this, Monica said nothing upon hearing the news. She simply had Jonas give a Space Gem to Tang Qiu before burying herself in church affairs again.
With the departure time set, Tang Qiu no longer needed to handle church duties. She had a rare day off and decided to stay in her room to practice light magic. However, the clerics who came by from time to time to bid her farewell made her abandon that idea.
After seeing off one person after another, Tang Qiu glanced at the sky outside, stood up, and poured herself a glass of water. Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door. She walked over, opened it, and looked at the person outside, her gaze much gentler than before.
She stepped aside slightly, gesturing for Jennifer to enter, and said with a smile, "I was just about to look for you."
Jennifer entered with her head lowered and said faintly, "What for?"
Tang Qiu shrugged. "Just to chat."
Jennifer walked to the table and sat down. Though she tried her best to hide it, her low spirits were still apparent. "Are you leaving?"
Tang Qiu placed the untouched glass of water in front of Jennifer and said softly, "I leave tomorrow."
Jennifer took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I hope everything goes smoothly for you at the Central Church."
"Thank you." Tang Qiu sat down opposite her, studying Jennifer for a moment before saying thoughtfully, "Cleric Jennifer, if the opportunity arises, would you be willing to stay by my side?"
After she went to the Gosse Empire, she would need attendant priests. Rather than going through the trouble of selecting a few priests whose temperaments she couldn't grasp right away, it was better to choose someone she was familiar with.
Jennifer froze for a moment, then looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Tang Qiu didn't mention that she was going to the Gosse Empire. Instead, she teased with a smile, "I think you seem reluctant to see me go."
Jennifer frowned, her tone becoming stiff. "You're overthinking it." Feeling that her reply lacked conviction, she added, "After you leave, a priest position will open up in the Church. I'll likely be promoted. Why would I be reluctant to see you go?"
As Jennifer made her excuses, Tang Qiu watched her quietly with a smile playing on her lips. Only after she finished did Tang Qiu say softly, "You'll definitely be promoted to priest."
Jennifer paused and said nothing. The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. Tang Qiu had been feeling thirsty, so she stood up to pour another glass of water. Just as the water filled half the glass, she heard Jennifer's voice from behind her. "If there's a chance, I'll consider it."
Without giving Tang Qiu time to respond, she stood up, opened the door, and left. When Tang Qiu turned around, holding her glass, she could only see Jennifer's retreating back.
She tilted her head back and took a sip of water, shaking her head slightly, but a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes.
Eden was located in the country of the Holy See. Enhancing her Power of Light there would certainly take a considerable amount of time, and it wouldn't be possible to go out freely as she could now. Moreover, the environment of the Holy See's country was not suitable for a vampire's survival.
Therefore, she was bound to be separated from Lucille for some time.
Night fell quietly. Tang Qiu donned a wide cloak and left through the Church's back door, avoiding pedestrians on the main roads and taking a small path to Lucille's manor.
Lucille was sitting in a chair, reading a book. It was as if she knew Tang Qiu would come; two cups were set on the table, and the refreshing aroma of tea filled the room.
Tang Qiu was a little surprised. She took off her cloak, set it aside, and sat down opposite Lucille. She picked up the cup in front of her, sniffed it, and praised, "Your skills have improved."
Lucille put down her book, glanced up at her, and asked, "Is the time set?" Tang Qiu had previously mentioned to her that she might be going to the Central Church.
Tang Qiu nodded. "I leave tomorrow."
Lucille lowered her eyes and was silent for a moment before asking with a frown, "Will you be staying at the Central Church the whole time?"
"No." Tang Qiu explained Reese's proposal, then thought for a moment and said, "I'll probably be in Eden for about one or two months." The light elements in Eden were rich; if she focused on her training, she felt it wouldn't take too long to reach the level of a bishop.
After all, this body had a natural talent for comprehending light elements.
"Do you know that the Gosse Empire intends to rebuild Rose Manor?" Besides telling Lucille her departure time, Tang Qiu's main purpose for this visit was to discuss this matter.
Lucille paused, then frowned. "Lola mentioned something about it two days ago, but she didn't know much."
"Reese said Rose Manor might have some connection to the Church." Tang Qiu took a sip of tea, her eyes deepening. "She suspects someone in the Church is colluding with vampires."
This kind of collusion was different from her relationship with Lucille. Back then, the Rose Manor in the Bill Empire had ultimately caused the people of an entire city to perish in a sea of fire.
Lucille's eyes turned cold. "What is the Church's objective?" If this were true, the Church's reputation would surely plummet.
Tang Qiu shook her head. "I don't know either." She paused. "It still needs to be investigated."
"After you go to the Central Church, Lola and I will head to the Gosse Empire first."
Rose Manor was one of the few things that interested Lucille, and from Tang Qiu's observations, she was quite persistent about it. Tang Qiu nodded, slowly placed her cup on the table, and after a moment's thought, asked, "Has the little green sprout you found in the ruins of the Rose Manor in Vandent grown?"
Lucille shook her head. "No." It was still the same as when she had planted it.
Tang Qiu rested her chin on one hand, a rare trace of languor showing in her expression. "Why are you so persistent about Rose Manor?"
Seeing Lucille remain silent, she added in a light tone, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it now. I'm just a little curious."
"There's nothing that can't be said." Lucille stated something that astonished Tang Qiu in a flat tone, "My mother was at Rose Manor when she had me. It was the same for Lola's mother."
Tang Qiu dazedly lowered her hand, her eyes widening slightly. Although Lucille's words sounded simple, when she connected them to how she and Lola were different from other vampires, along with the mystery of Rose Manor, her heart suddenly began to beat a little faster.
Seeing her in a daze, Lucille seemed to recall something and said, "I told you some things when you transformed into a werewolf. You might have forgotten."
"I am a monster. I was never embraced; I was born a vampire." Lucille paused. "But not a normal vampire."
Normal vampires were different from her. Without blood, a normal vampire would weaken and fall into a deep slumber, but she wouldn't. Her power would only diminish slowly.
Before she met the blond priest, her abilities had dropped to the level of a sixth-generation due to starvation. Although she had gradually recovered to the fifth-generation level after meeting her, she had not yet reached her peak state.
Before meeting the blond priest, she had let herself starve not only because she detested blood, but also because she wanted to see if she, too, could fall into a deep slumber like a normal vampire if she just let herself weaken.
Lucille's words confirmed Tang Qiu's suspicions, leaving her momentarily speechless. Lucille's biological father was actually a vampire... She lowered her gaze, staring at the clear grain of the table, forcing herself to calm down from this shocking news.
Vampires were supposed to be incapable of reproduction. She was surprised by Lucille's identity, but what truly threw her thoughts into disarray was whether Lucille's birth was an accident or... an intentional design.
After all, there was also Lola, another such 'accident'.
Tang Qiu looked up and stared intently at Lucille, the smile on her face fading slightly. Seeing Lucille's stiff expression, she paused, swallowing the words on the tip of her tongue. She reached out and took the back of Lucille's hand, comforting her, "You're not a monster. Don't call yourself that."
Lucille looked up to meet her gaze, and the warmth on the back of her hand gradually seeped into her own.
Tang Qiu squeezed Lucille's fingers and asked seriously, "Did your mother ever tell you anything?"
Lucille shook her head. "No, she only told me to stay away from Rose Manor." That was why she had never been tempted to investigate, even when Rose Manor was at its peak prevalence.
Tang Qiu's brows furrowed. "Then..."
"I'm fine." Lucille turned her hand over and clasped Tang Qiu's, her fingers habitually stroking Tang Qiu's wrist for a moment. She said calmly, "I want to know the truth now, too."
All along, she had never believed she was merely an accident.
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment