CA – Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Witchcraft was, in fact, a more complex art than either light magic or dark magic. Its principle was to utilize the different reactions produced between various materials to construct a new element, which was then used to achieve the witch's desired purpose.

Moreover, witchcraft heavily relied on a witch's innate talent and proficiency.

Compared to the more powerful and convenient dark magic, most witches today chose to study the latter. Aside from the witch clans themselves, the other races on the continent of Statu were actually quite unfamiliar with the existence of witchcraft.

So, when Tang Qiu asked Erin if she had a good solution for Karen's situation, Erin confidently thumped her chest and took on the task.

She thumped her chest loudly, and the job was done brilliantly.

Erin caught a glimpse of Tang Qiu walking toward her out of the corner of her eye. She set down the unused materials in her hand and quietly lifted her chin, looking like she was waiting for praise. She tried to get closer to the blonde bishop, but her steps halted under the gaze of the red-haired vampire beside her. Erin cleared her throat and pointed to the black vortex that had appeared on the wall. "You can go through now."

Tang Qiu looked the black vortex up and down, nodded, and smiled at Erin. "This is beyond my expectations." Without careful inspection, one would never notice anything unusual about the wall.

If witches were to focus on studying witchcraft, they might cause the Holy See even more trouble than if they focused on dark magic.

After all, light magic was the bane of darkness.

Having earned the blonde bishop's approval, Erin's eyes curved into crescents. Ignoring the red-haired vampire at the side, she sidled up to Tang Qiu and said, "So? Even though I'm a Black Witch, I'm still a little useful, right?"

She made a small gap with her thumb and forefinger.

Tang Qiu glanced over, then took Erin's hand and pulled her fingers farther apart, widening the gap. She said with a grin, "Very useful."

With that, she stepped into the black vortex. Erin watched her figure disappear into the swirl, then lowered her head and smiled to herself before following close behind.

Lucille didn't move but instead lowered her gaze to the Little Fur Ball that Erin had forgotten on the ground. The little creature woke from its slumber when Erin's presence suddenly vanished. It looked around in a daze and then silently began to crawl toward the black vortex.

A hand scooped it up just before it reached the vortex. Lucille pinched the Little Fur Ball by the scruff of its neck and, with a long stride, stepped into the black swirl.

Inside Karen's cell, Erin was turning her head, searching for the Little Fur Ball in the hood of her cloak. However, her hand came up empty. Just as she was feeling puzzled, Lucille emerged from the other side of the wall, and a small, gray furball came flying toward Erin.

With quick hands and sharp eyes, Erin caught the Little Fur Ball. Seeing the creature fall back into a deep sleep in her palm, she blinked and muttered softly, "Don't run off."

As she spoke, she stole a glance at Lucille. The red-haired vampire didn't seem as cold as before.

The Lucille of the past was truly so cold it was as if she only had eyes for the blonde bishop.

Although the forbidden technique had healed Karen's injuries, it hadn't allowed her to fully recover. Her body was still very weak, and being locked in the cell prevented her from using the Holy Water of Light to regain her strength quickly.

When Tang Qiu emerged from the black vortex, Karen was leaning against a corner, hugging her knees and staring blankly at her arm. Hearing a sound, she looked up in confusion. When she saw the blonde bishop, she froze. "...Bishop Grace?"

Tang Qiu nodded at her, walked over to check her condition, then took out a bottle of Holy Water of Light and handed it to her. She explained concisely, "Head Inquisitor Audrey wants to lock you up in the Inquisition. I'm here to get you out."

Karen took the Holy Water of Light but didn't drink it. Hearing Tang Qiu's words, she frowned and said in a low voice, "...Just because I'm Lisa's child, they want to lock me up?"

"I am a Holy Knight. My duty is to protect the personnel of the Holy See. I have never forgotten my mission. Is the Inquisition going to strip me of my status as a knight just because I am Lisa's child?" Karen's tone grew agitated.

The Inquisition punished members of the Holy See who had committed crimes. The knight's code did not permit Karen to betray the Holy See in any way. Being imprisoned by the Inquisition meant the Holy See considered her guilty, which for a Holy Knight was no different from being stripped of their knighthood.

Karen would rather sacrifice herself than bear this stigma.

Tang Qiu placed a hand on Karen's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Her voice was gentle as she said, "The sin belongs to Lisa. It has nothing to do with you."

"But the Inquisition will not tolerate the existence of anyone who might damage the Holy See's reputation," Tang Qiu sighed silently. "Even if you are an excellent Holy Knight."

There was nothing wrong with the Inquisition's mission to protect the honor of the Holy See, but no one could say how many power struggles were mixed in with it.

Besides, overcorrecting was never a good thing.

Karen lowered her head and sniffled, asking pitifully, "Does my existence damage the Holy See's reputation?"

From the moment the blonde bishop told her Lisa was her mother, Karen had been in a panic. Then, she was locked up here by the Inquisition. Her thoughts were a chaotic mess, and she was drowning in unease, anxiety, and apprehension. If the knight's code hadn't been so deeply ingrained in her mind, she might have already gone mad.

After all, she was only eighteen and had only truly set foot on this continent a few months after leaving Eden.

Fortunately, the blonde bishop's appearance slowly stabilized Karen's anxious emotions.

Tang Qiu tidied the messy hair at the side of Karen's face. Seeing the girl looking at her earnestly, she said with a smile, "Although the Inquisition may think so, I do not agree."

"You are a very competent Holy Knight."

Seeing that Karen's intense emotions were gradually calming, Tang Qiu beckoned to Erin behind her. Erin placed the Little Fur Ball in her hood, then walked over and crouched beside Tang Qiu. With a small knife, she cut a few strands of hair from the side of Karen's face and carefully stored them away.

Then she held Karen's chin, carefully observing her facial features.

Karen looked at Erin with a blank expression. After being released, she asked Tang Qiu in confusion, "Who is she?"

Tang Qiu pulled Erin over to introduce her to Karen. "A Black Witch, Erin."

Erin shook her head to correct her. "A good Black Witch, not a bad one."

Karen: "..."

They couldn't stay in the cell for too long. After getting what Erin needed, the three of them left. Using the black vortex to return to the small manor, Tang Qiu turned to Erin and asked, "What's the success rate?"

Erin thought for a moment before answering, "Ninety percent."

Tang Qiu nodded. Before she could speak, Erin continued, "But we'll have to avoid your Holy See's Head Inquisitor. She might notice something is off."

If they wanted to avoid Audrey... Tang Qiu raised a hand to her chin and mused, "I'll think of a way."

Erin returned to her room to work on her witchcraft. The night had grown completely dark. Tang Qiu and Lucille also went back to their room, but they did not rest.

Tang Qiu was leaning against a large desk, holding a cup of still-steaming water, staring absently at the night outside through a half-open gap in the window.

Sensing Lucille approaching her, she suddenly spoke. "How is the situation with the Divine Ruins?"

If she wanted to divert Audrey's attention from Karen, she would have to rely on the Divine Ruins.

Lucille walked in front of Tang Qiu, reached out, and gently took the hand she had resting on the desk, trapping her between herself and the table. She rested her forehead on Tang Qiu's shoulder, inhaling her scent. Her voice was as cool as the night. "No change."

Lucille's closeness made Tang Qiu pause for a moment, but then the corners of her lips curled up slightly. She put down her cup, wrapped an arm around Lucille's waist, and gave it a light squeeze. She leaned in and whispered softly in her ear, "Are you hungry?"

Lucille didn't answer but licked her lips, then raised her head and kissed the corner of Tang Qiu's mouth. The soft touch made her eyes darken slightly. Her lips slowly shifted until they completely covered the blonde bishop's.

A hint of a smile flashed in Tang Qiu's eyes. She parted her lips slightly, intending to meet Lucille's kiss, but the softness on her lips suddenly withdrew. She subconsciously pursued it, only to be dodged again.

"...Are you deliberately seducing me?" Tang Qiu gave Lucille a peculiar look. The hand on her waist tightened slightly, attempting to reverse their positions.

But how could the strength of a delicate cleric compare to that of a vampire? So, Tang Qiu failed.

Though she failed, Tang Qiu only chuckled lightly. She let go and simply sat on the desk, wrapping her legs around Lucille's waist to pull her closer. She leaned forward, her tone deliberately slow, and the atmosphere instantly became ambiguous and heated. "Let's see if you can satisfy me... or if I can satisfy you?"

One would satisfy the body, the other would satisfy hunger. It was a win-win situation.

Lucille accepted Tang Qiu's "proposal." She put her arms around her back and, because she still had her wits about her, patiently began to unfasten the buttons on Tang Qiu's robes.

Ever since she had torn another bishop's robe last time, Lucille had been "scolded" by Tang Qiu. Now, as long as she retained a shred of reason, she would no longer violently rip the collar open.

The bishop's robes had quite a few buttons, and undoing them took time. While Lucille was concentrating on the buttons, Tang Qiu's hand had already slipped under the hem of Lucille's clothes, her feet dangling leisurely on either side of her body.

The touch of a warm palm against her waist made Lucille's hands pause. She looked up at Tang Qiu and said in a low voice, "Is it alright if we don't sleep tonight?"

Tang Qiu blinked, then pulled her hand out from under Lucille's clothes and instead pinched her chin. "Are you threatening me?" she asked, incredulous.

The mere thought of a passionate all-nighter made her back ache.

She had no such intention.

"...No." Lucille captured her hand and brought it to her lips for a kiss. She thought for a moment and said, "I thought you didn't want to sleep tonight."

Hence why she was teasing her like this.

Lucille pressed her lips together, slid her hand into Tang Qiu's open robes, and tilted her head up slightly, directly sealing her lips and the rebuttal she had yet to voice.

Get instant access to all the chapters now.

Previous Table of Contents Next