CA – Chapter 105
Chapter 105
With Reese providing cover using light magic, the Church’s forces finally managed to retreat without any further casualties.
However, after observing for a moment, Monica noticed that Tang Qiu was not among the retreating party.
She looked toward Rose Manor, now shrouded by the Blood Domain, her face unable to hide her worry. She frowned and said, “Grace couldn’t still be in there, could she?”
How long could a mere bishop last inside the domain of a third-generation vampire?
Even the bishop from the Cinico Church had fallen unconscious from excessive mental exhaustion while protecting the clerics in his squad, long before Mario could rescue him.
To say nothing of the blonde bishop who had only recently been promoted. Having not emerged from the Blood Domain after so long, her chances of survival were slim.
Monica’s heart grew heavy. As she watched the Holy Knights carry by corpse after corpse covered in white sheets, she felt as if a giant boulder was pressing on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
Monica gritted her teeth and said hatefully, “Damn Vampires…”
“We must report what happened here to the Central Church as soon as possible.” Monica turned to Reese, her voice tinged with anger as she said gravely, “We can’t let these dark forces run so rampant.”
Reese had just spotted Lisa among the wounded and was looking more closely. When she heard Monica’s words, she furrowed her brow imperceptibly and didn’t answer right away.
Monica waited for a moment, but no response came from Reese, which made her expression darken. “What are you hesitating for?”
She had suggested this to Reese once before but had received no answer then either.
Since its founding, the Holy See had promised the people of the Statu Continent that it would let the light shine eternally over the land, leaving no place for darkness to hide. Monica had always held this as her goal and firmly believed that the Church had not forgotten its promise, even though dark forces had been cropping up across the Statu Continent for the past century.
Reese understood Monica’s temper. She knew that if she didn’t give a satisfactory answer, Monica would fly off the handle again. Ever since seeing the tragic state of the Church’s forces, Monica had been on the verge of an outburst, and Reese didn’t want to argue with her right now.
“I was just considering how to report this to the Central Church.” Seeing Monica’s expression soften slightly, Reese’s lips curved into a faint smile that quickly vanished. She shook her head and said softly, “Can’t you be a little more patient?”
Monica stared silently at her feet, not truly satisfied with Reese’s answer, but she didn’t say anything more.
Although Reese could see that Monica was agitated, she didn’t actually know the real reason for her emotional state.
Monica’s sudden outburst was because she found Reese’s attitude far too calm. If a Cardinal of the Holy See appeared completely unconcerned that a third-generation vampire had set foot on the Statu Continent and killed many of the Church’s people, Monica couldn’t help but wonder if the Central Church shared this same cold indifference.
Mario had already directed the Holy Knights to rescue everyone. Reese lifted her gaze to the Blood Domain, her fingers slowly stroking her staff. After a moment of contemplation, she turned to Monica and said, “Let’s go. Back to the Church.”
Monica shook her head, her tone cold. “You go. I’m waiting for Grace.”
“Grace might not be in there. It’s dangerous for you to stay here alone.”
Unmoved, Monica said stubbornly, “I’m waiting for her right here.”
Reese watched her for a moment, then flicked her staff. A chain formed from the power of light suddenly appeared and wrapped around Monica. Stunned for a second, Monica’s face darkened as she glared at Reese and said angrily, “Let me go.”
Reese put away her staff, walked over, and, under Monica’s furious gaze, bent down slightly to scoop her up in her arms. She started walking toward the city’s teleportation array. In response to Monica’s glare, she said nonchalantly, “I’m just preventing you from disobeying a Cardinal’s order again.”
Back at the Bill Church, Monica had repeatedly refused Reese’s proposal to transfer her to the Central Church, and in the end, she had been bundled into a carriage in much the same way.
Monica’s face flushed red with anger. Not wanting to see Reese’s face, she simply closed her eyes.
The weight in her arms was substantial, causing Reese’s steps to slow involuntarily. She glanced down at Monica, who was sulking by herself, and for the first time, she brought up the topic of the Central Church. “Monica, sometimes the Church isn’t as wonderful as you imagine.”
Monica slowly opened her eyes and looked down at Reese’s golden hair draped over her, quietly waiting for her to continue.
However, Reese said nothing more on the way to the teleportation array. Monica wanted to ask more, but having missed the opportunity, she couldn’t find another chance to speak up.
Besides, she had a premonition that even if she did ask, Reese wouldn’t answer her.
Because she had asked countless times before and had never once received a reply.
When Tang Qiu returned to the Church after her werewolf form wore off, not much time had passed since Reese and the others had come back. Although Monica had been forcibly brought back by Reese, she had been worried sick about the lack of news concerning the blonde bishop.
Upon hearing of Tang Qiu’s return, she was the first to go out and greet her. Seeing that the blonde bishop was disheveled but not seriously injured, she breathed a small sigh of relief and asked, “Where have you been?”
Tang Qiu had already prepared an explanation for Monica’s question. While drinking Holy Water of Light, she replied, “I was inside Rose Manor. When the third-generation vampire appeared, I was protecting Jennifer’s squad as they escaped the Blood Domain and was forced into the manor by the vampires within.”
When she had raised the light barrier for Jennifer and the others, Jennifer must have known she was nearby, so Tang Qiu wasn’t afraid of her story being exposed.
Monica didn’t doubt Tang Qiu’s words, but she was curious as to how she had escaped.
Tang Qiu knew what Monica was wondering without having to think. After drinking a bottle of Holy Water of Light, her tense nerves relaxed considerably. As she walked into the Church with Monica, she explained, “An elf was trapped in the manor with me. The elf broke the Blood Domain, and I escaped during the chaos.”
Hearing the word “elf,” Monica frowned. “Why are the elves out and about?” Elves rarely set foot outside their own territory.
The Church’s records only mentioned three instances of elves entering the Statu Continent, all of which were attempts to attack the Church’s nations alongside the werewolves, and all of which ended in failure.
Tang Qiu didn’t intend to say much about Delphine, so she just shook her head. “I don’t know either.” She immediately changed the subject, looking at the clerics rushing back and forth around them. Her tone grew solemn. “Are the Church’s losses severe?”
Monica glanced at her, then looked away slightly. “Quite severe,” she said in a low voice. “The Gosse Church lost nearly a third of its people, including four priests. Only half of the Holy Knights are left.” As for the number of clerics and other knights, it was too high for Monica to bear saying.
The forces brought by the bishop of the Cinico Church also suffered many casualties. However, there was one strange thing. When Mario broke through the Blood Domain to rescue people, he was surprised to find that the clerics from their church who had been captured were all lying outside the manor. Aside from being unconscious, they were completely unharmed.
This was very strange, but what was even stranger was that after they woke up, they had no idea how they had gotten there.
The number of casualties caused Tang Qiu’s brow to furrow tightly. She paused her steps, turned to Monica, and asked, “Where is Cardinal Reese?”
“In your manor,” Monica replied. Then, as if remembering something, she added to Tang Qiu, who was about to turn and head for the manor, “By the way, a Holy Knight named Karen is seriously injured. Jennifer said that if you came back, I should tell you.”
Karen… Tang Qiu froze for a moment. A trace of worry flashed in her sky-blue eyes. She pursed her lips and changed her plan to see Reese first.
In Karen’s room, three priests were continuously casting healing spells on her. The room was filled with the power of light, and the bedsheets were practically soaked with Holy Water of Light. However, the effect was minimal, barely suppressing the power of darkness eroding her body.
When Tang Qiu arrived, two of the three priests casting healing spells had already stopped. The only one still persisting was Lisa.
A priest saw Tang Qiu and turned to bow slightly. Tang Qiu nodded at the priest, then glanced at the person on the bed, her heart sinking.
Karen lay on the bed, devoid of life. Her brilliant blonde hair had turned dull, and her fair skin had a grayish pallor. If not for the faint rise and fall of her chest, anyone would have thought she was already a cold corpse.
Tang Qiu walked to the bedside, reached out to touch Karen’s face, then looked down at her bare arm. Her expression darkened. “Have you asked Cardinal Reese to take a look?” she asked in a low voice.
A Cardinal’s healing spells were more powerful.
A priest answered, “Cardinal Reese has seen her and used a healing spell, but she said it can only maintain her current state.”
“Cardinal Reese said that the power of darkness has already corroded Karen’s internal organs. And because she’s a Holy Knight without much of the power of light to protect her body, so…”
In truth, Reese’s original words had not been so tactful. After casting a single healing spell on Karen, she had bluntly said there was no point in wasting any more energy.
When Priest Lisa begged her to cast it a few more times, she refused, calling it a waste of time.
Tang Qiu was silent for a moment, then nodded. She reached over and pulled the blanket up to Karen’s chest, covering her bare right arm.
Suddenly, there was a crisp snap from the side. Lisa, losing control of her emotions, angrily threw her staff to the ground. It broke in two and flew under the bed.
Tang Qiu frowned at her. Just as she was about to have the other two priests lead Lisa out, Lisa’s knees gave way, and she knelt by the bed, collapsing onto Karen’s body and sobbing painfully.
“You…” Tang Qiu looked down at Lisa, seeing her completely enveloped in an aura of grief and despair. Her lips moved, but she didn’t continue.
She had never expected Lisa’s feelings for Karen to be so deep.
“Karen…” Lisa clutched Karen’s cold hand, her entire focus on Karen alone, completely oblivious to the presence of Tang Qiu and the others. With her head bowed, tears streamed down her face as she murmured, “Don’t be afraid. Mom will definitely save you.”
Tang Qiu, who had been about to leave, stopped dead in her tracks. She turned her head and stared at Lisa in utter astonishment.
…Karen was Lisa’s daughter?
Get instant access to all the chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment