CA – Chapter 126
Chapter 126
It was late in the night by the time Reese left. Tang Qiu finished the tea in front of her before standing up to stretch her stiff body. Although she hadn't gotten enough rest these past few days, she didn't feel the least bit tired.
She picked up the book Reese had been looking at, walked to the bed, and sat down. She flipped through a few pages with interest. There were faint creases on the pages, and the marks weren't new; they looked as if Lucille had left them.
Tang Qiu browsed through all the pages with creases. Just as she was getting engrossed, a hand suddenly snatched the book away.
Lucille stored the book in her Space Gem. Seeing Tang Qiu look up at her, she said with a composed expression, “The content is boring. There’s nothing to see.”
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, “I think it’s very practical.” She paused, then asked curiously, “Which technique did you learn from the book?”
Lucille was silent for a moment before taking an exquisite little box from her Space Gem and handing it to Tang Qiu.
The box was beautifully wrapped, clearly with a lot of thought put into it.
Giving such exquisite gifts was indeed the most common method for nobles to please their lovers.
Tang Qiu took the box, placed it on her lap, and began to carefully unwrap it, a smile unconsciously forming on her lips. Although she often received gifts, this was the first one from Lucille.
As she unwrapped the gift, Lucille moved past her to lean against the headboard. Though her face was calm, her peripheral vision was constantly observing Tang Qiu’s reaction.
The box was carefully opened, revealing a ruby necklace lying quietly inside. It was surrounded by flower petals, but because some time had passed, the petals were no longer fresh.
Lucille had prepared this gift long ago but had never found the right opportunity to give it to the blonde bishop. She stared at the less-than-vibrant petals in the box, her brow slightly furrowed.
Tang Qiu picked up the ruby necklace to examine it and said with some regret, “It’s a pity the Holy See doesn’t allow us to wear these things.”
The Holy See permitted defensive accessories but not purely decorative ones.
Lucille pressed her lips together, saying nothing.
Tang Qiu glanced at Lucille, her gaze lingering on her fair, slender neck for a moment. She blinked and said softly, “But you can wear it.”
Lucille didn’t particularly like wearing such accessories either. She frowned, about to refuse, but when she saw Tang Qiu approaching with the necklace, she swallowed her words.
Tang Qiu swept Lucille’s red hair back, then lowered her head and skillfully undid the buttons on her top. Four or five buttons were undone in moments, revealing the snow-white undergarment beneath.
Do you need to unbutton my shirt just to put on a necklace?
Lucille looked up at Tang Qiu. A smile played on Tang Qiu’s lips as she carefully fastened the necklace for Lucille. Its length was perfect; the ruby hung just above her chest, making the skin there appear even fairer and more delicate.
Tang Qiu licked her lips, her gaze lingering on Lucille’s chest as she praised in a low voice, “Beautiful.”
Her burning gaze and deliberately low, ambiguous tone instantly aroused Lucille’s “appetite.” She reached out, grabbed Tang Qiu’s wrist, and pulled her on top of her. Then, she wrapped an arm around her waist, tilted her head up, and bit down on her collar.
The collar was torn open, revealing a faint, reddish bite mark on the side of the blonde bishop’s fair neck. It was from when Lucille had fed while they were waiting for her transformation to end after leaving the temple.
Lucille buried her face in the side of Tang Qiu’s neck, her sharp fangs slowly piercing the soft skin. Because she always released a bit of venom to ease the pain when she fed, Tang Qiu felt only a slight sting, followed by a numbing sensation spreading through her body and a heat rising from deep within.
This small amount of venom wouldn't normally affect her, but in bed, it was enough to ignite the fire between them.
Tang Qiu’s breathing grew heavier. She tilted her head back slightly, her fingers unfastening the rest of Lucille’s buttons. Her warm palm rested on Lucille’s lower back, caressing it gently.
The sweet blood and gentle caresses made Lucille feel lost in pleasure. The hand on Tang Qiu’s back tightened. Just as she was about to press her down onto the bed, a night breeze blew into the room from the slightly open window. Lucille smelled something. She lifted her head from Tang Qiu’s neck and frowned unhappily at the window.
“What’s wrong?” Tang Qiu asked, her expression languid as she toyed with the ruby on Lucille’s chest.
Before Lucille could answer, a dull thud came from outside the window, as if something had fallen to the ground.
Tang Qiu froze for a moment. She pulled her hand out from under Lucille’s clothes, the intoxication in her eyes gradually fading, replaced by clarity. She asked Lucille in a low voice, “Who’s outside?”
Lucille reluctantly let go of Tang Qiu, her face dark. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. She didn’t answer, but she also didn’t stop Tang Qiu from going to check.
Tang Qiu straightened her disheveled clothes and walked to the window, opening it fully. There were a few trees outside her window used for shade in the summer, and Kama was hanging from one of them.
From the dirt on her clothes, it wasn't hard to guess that the thud had been her falling from the tree.
Kama’s eyes lit up when she saw Tang Qiu. She climbed down from the tree, came to the window, and stood on her tiptoes, resting her arms on the sill and grinning at Tang Qiu with a face full of innocence.
Before returning to the Holy See, I settled Erin and Kama at Lucille’s manor. How did she get here?
Tang Qiu frowned. She went out the door and patted the dirt off Kama’s clothes, then looked around. As expected, she found the person who had brought Kama here.
Lola stood in the shadows, shrugging helplessly at Tang Qiu. “Erin asked me to bring her,” she sighed in a low voice. “The kid wouldn’t stop crying, and she kept following Erin around while crying. Erin couldn’t take it anymore, so she had me bring her over.”
After seeing Tang Qiu, Kama stopped crying and stood beside her, looking very well-behaved.
Tang Qiu led Kama back to the room. Lucille had already tidied her clothes and was leaning against the bed, reading a book. She glanced up as they entered. The coldness in her gaze frightened Kama, who quietly hugged Tang Qiu’s leg.
“You need to be careful here. Don’t run around.” Tang Qiu walked to the table and touched the teapot Reese had left. The tea was still warm. She poured a cup for Kama and said with a smile, “It might be dangerous for you to stay here.”
Kama was curiously examining the cup in her hands. Hearing Tang Qiu’s words, she looked up at her in confusion.
Tang Qiu reached out and stroked Kama’s hair. “This is the Holy See,” she said softly. “If you run around, you might get captured.” She thought for a moment and explained, “Because you’re rather special.”
A child with silver hair and golden eyes found in the temple could easily be associated with the legendary God Race Descendants. Tang Qiu didn’t know if the Holy See would be interested, but it was always better to be cautious.
Kama blinked and nodded seriously.
After seeing the blonde bishop, Kama seemed to feel a sense of security. Not only was she no longer afraid of Lucille, but she also became curious about everything in the room. After putting down the cup, she looked here and there, her face filled with unconcealable surprise.
Tang Qiu sat in a chair, resting her chin on her hand and watching Kama for a while. A thought occurred to her. She took out the white stone Kama had given her in the temple and asked, “What exactly is this?”
Kama, who was hugging the bedpost and secretly observing Lucille, looked back, ran over, touched the stone, and then pointed at the blonde bishop.
Tang Qiu frowned, pondered for a moment, and said tentatively, “You think this belongs to me?”
Kama smiled and nodded.
“…Why?” Tang Qiu asked, looking down at the stone, her brow furrowed in confusion.
Kama scrunched up her little face and thought for a moment, then finally mimicked Lola’s earlier shrug and shook her head.
Tang Qiu shook her head with a helpless smile. She rubbed the stone, feeling the faint aura of light on it. “Where in the temple did you find this stone?” The stone was found on the statue, but it seemed more like Kama had deliberately hidden it there.
Kama waved her hands.
Tang Qiu was taken aback. “Not in the temple?”
It was too difficult for a child who couldn’t speak to gesture where she had found the stone. Kama struggled for a moment, then could only push the stone towards Tang Qiu, indicating for her to put it away.
Tang Qiu frowned but could only put the stone away for now. As she did, Kama ran back to the bedpost and tilted her head to observe Lucille. At first, Lucille just kept her head down, reading and ignoring her. But Kama’s expression, as if she had something to say, forced Lucille to spare her a sliver of attention.
Tang Qiu also noticed her focus on Lucille. She walked over, her gaze shifting between Lucille and Kama. She bent down and asked Kama, “What is it?”
Kama tentatively held her hand out to Lucille. Lucille glanced at her sideways before coldly looking away again.
Kama lowered her hand, her face full of disappointment.
Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow. Just as she was about to say something, Lola suddenly jumped in through the window. She leaned against the window frame with her arms crossed, her crimson eyes fixed on the blonde bishop. She lifted her chin slightly and said, “When are you taking that little knight you gave me?”
The “little knight” she referred to was Karen. Before going to the Mentos Desert, Tang Qiu had asked Erin to get Karen out and hand her over to Lola for protection.
Tang Qiu glanced at the sky outside. It was still some time before dawn. She reached out, pulled Lucille up, and said with a smile, “How about now?”
Perfect timing to take Kama back.
In Tang Qiu’s manor, only the half where Reese lived was patrolled by Holy Knights. The area where Tang Qiu lived had no guards. The four of them jumped over the high wall and took a hidden path to Lucille’s manor.
After Lola took Kama away, Erin had gone back to her room to sleep. In the empty courtyard, Karen was sitting under the eaves, polishing the golden longsword that lay across her lap. Shadows obscured her expression, and the silvery moonlight added a touch of coldness to the late night.
The sound of footsteps caught Karen’s attention. She looked up and was stunned to see the blonde bishop smiling at her in the darkness. Her expression shifted slightly. She sheathed her golden longsword, stood up, and walked over to the blonde bishop. She opened her mouth and said in a low voice, “…Bishop Grace.”
Lucille gestured for Lola to take Kama away, then turned and left as well, giving Tang Qiu and Karen a chance to talk alone.
Karen’s injuries had fully healed, but Lisa’s death had hit her hard. The young girl seemed to have grown up overnight, though the price was steep.
The blonde girl who had been full of curiosity and hope for the future when she first left Eden now had a trace of gloom in her eyes.
Tang Qiu reached out and brushed a fallen leaf from Karen’s shoulder. “Did Lola and Erin scare you?” she asked with a smile.
“…It was okay,” Karen answered cautiously. It would be a lie to say she hadn’t been scared. Although she had been living here for some time, she had been constantly wary of Lola. Fortunately, Lola often went out to hunt and wasn’t always at the manor, which reduced Karen’s interactions with her.
A Vampire and the Black Witch who had rescued her… If not for this opportunity, she could never have imagined the blonde bishop associating with such people.
This was a violation of the Holy See’s rules, but Karen’s own existence was a violation of the rules. She felt she had no right to say anything.
The blonde bishop knew the inner workings of the Holy See far better than she did. In her time with the bishop, she had come to know that she was someone truly worth following, even if she could no longer follow Tang Qiu as a Holy Knight.
At this thought, Karen felt a pang of sadness. She looked down at the golden longsword at her waist.
Tang Qiu keenly sensed Karen’s low spirits. Seeing her stroking the longsword at her waist reluctantly, she knew what she was worried about. Her gaze softened, and she said with a smile, “Do you want to come back to the Holy See with me in a bit?”
Karen was stunned. She looked up, her eyes already moist. “Can I still return to the Holy See?” she asked carefully.
Tang Qiu nodded and took a silver mask from her Space Gem, handing it to Karen. “You’ll just have to endure some hardship,” she sighed. With the Inquisition watching, Karen certainly couldn’t appear openly.
Karen took the mask and put it on. The cool touch made her slowly exhale. A weight lifted from her heart. A slight smile touched her lips as she said softly, “This has nothing to do with you, Bishop Grace.”
It’s all the fault of this dark Holy See.
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