CA - Chapter 139
Chapter 139
The new king of Edry was Charles II’s youngest son, the little Prince Berg, who had just turned five this year.
After Charles II’s death, no one had expected little Berg to inherit the throne. The other princes and princesses of the royal family were extremely dissatisfied but could do nothing about it.
After all, the real power in Edry had always been in the hands of Marshal Lucille.
The hundreds of thousands of troops stationed outside the city answered only to Lucille’s command.
For any other country, the ascension of a new king would certainly cause a period of turmoil, but for Edry, this was not a concern at all.
The nobles of Edry didn’t care whether Charles II, little Prince Berg, or anyone else sat on the throne, because it made no difference to them. As long as Marshal Lucille was present, all was peaceful in Edry.
The wide, clean streets bustled with people. Knights in silver-white armor stood guard at the intersections, patrolling the passersby and not letting a single suspicious figure slip past.
In a small tavern within the city, customers were scarce during the day. The establishment was quiet, with only a red-haired boy cleaning tables. When the curtain at the entrance was lifted, the boy habitually looked up, a brilliant smile already on his lips.
Two young women walked in from outside. The one in front was tall and dressed in a pure white cleric’s robe, the collar buttoned all the way to the top, completely covering her long, elegant neck. She wore a pair of silver long boots, and only her hands and face were exposed.
The cleric was young and beautiful. Her long golden hair cascaded smoothly down her back, and her pair of sky-blue eyes were clear and bright. Every gesture she made was filled with elegance.
The short-haired boy was stunned for a moment when he saw the cleric, then broke into an even more brilliant smile and called out, “Good morning, Your Excellency the Priest.”
Tang Qiu gave the boy a slight nod and said in a gentle tone, “Long time no see.”
Seeing that the cleric actually remembered him, the short-haired boy scratched his head, a little embarrassed. He wiped the table clean and said shyly, “…You can sit here.”
“Thank you.” Tang Qiu walked over, sat down, and casually ordered two glasses of fruit wine.
Erin sat across from Tang Qiu. She glanced at the boy’s jubilant back and remarked with feeling, “Priests are certainly popular.”
After returning to Edry, Tang Qiu had changed into an ordinary cleric’s robe and walked the streets without a concealing cloak. Following her all this way, Erin had received countless gazes of curiosity and admiration.
It made one feel both emotional and envious. If only she were a cleric, too.
Tang Qiu shook her head with a smile. “I can give you a cleric’s robe.”
Erin waved her hand in refusal and sighed, “Better not.” It would only be deceiving herself.
She took off her hood, and her long brown hair fell over her chest. A small ball of fur fell out with it, landing on Erin’s lap. It raised its head in a daze, staring blankly at Erin.
Erin picked up the little furball and placed it on the table, gently stroking its head.
The short-haired boy placed two glasses of pale green fruit wine on the table and then discreetly withdrew.
Tang Qiu lifted her glass and took a light sip. A sweet and sour taste spread through her mouth, the flavor of the alcohol masked by the heavy fruit aroma.
“What kind of mission are you commissioning from the mercenary squad?” Erin rested her chin on one hand, looking at Tang Qiu opposite her, and asked curiously, “Are you not planning to return to the Holy See?”
Before coming to the tavern, they had first gone to the mercenary guild. The tavern was just on the way, and they had only come in on Tang Qiu’s whim.
After rescuing Lucille, Erin had thought Tang Qiu would be in a hurry to return to the Holy See. She hadn’t expected her to choose to come to Edry.
“Just having the mercenary squad deliver a letter,” Tang Qiu said, gently swirling the pale green liquid in her glass, her tone nonchalant. “It’s not time to return to the Holy See yet.”
“But if you delay any longer, won’t it be more troublesome when you go back?” Although Erin didn’t know the current situation at the Holy See, she had heard Tang Qiu mention that summoning the bishops to the Central Church was the Pope’s command.
The Holy See had a strict hierarchy; defying the Pope’s order was a very serious matter.
Tang Qiu shook her head slightly. “It would be more troublesome to go back now.” She paused for a moment, then, as if remembering something, she looked up to meet Erin’s gaze and said, “Has there been any movement from the Black Witches?”
Before the Black Witches obtained the Godhead, they had been causing chaos all over the continent. However, after getting their hands on it, they had quieted down.
Of course, the Black Witches’ silence could also be the calm before the storm.
Tang Qiu still had a vivid memory of those bizarre arrays that had vanished without a trace.
At the mention of the Black Witches, Erin’s face filled with worry. She stroked the little furball and sighed faintly. “No. Elder Noah never does anything she isn’t sure of. She’s probably still planning something.”
As she spoke, she slapped the table in frustration and wailed, “The Dark Key! We have to get the key back.”
Tang Qiu frowned. “Who has the Dark Key?”
“Vera.” Erin paused, then added, “Assuming she hasn’t given it to someone else.”
Vera was a Garcia Witch, so it was very likely the Dark Key was no longer in her possession. Moreover, they didn’t even know Vera’s whereabouts right now. Tang Qiu rested her chin on her hand and lowered her gaze slightly; she had no good solution for this either.
Tang Qiu and Erin didn’t stay in the tavern for long. Someone from the mercenary guild across the street came to find Tang Qiu and inform her that the mission she had posted had been accepted. Tang Qiu gave the person a few instructions and promptly paid the fee.
By commissioning the mission through the mercenary guild, Tang Qiu didn’t have to interact with the mercenary squad directly, and thus wouldn’t expose her identity.
She needed to get in touch with Delia, because she needed to learn Evan’s current location and situation from her.
Tang Qiu already had a few plans in mind for how to kill a third-generation vampire, and Delia could be considered the most crucial part of the plan.
There was only one chance. It had to be flawless, leaving Evan no opportunity to escape.
For commoners, the night was a time to rest after a long day of labor. But for the nobility, the night was just the beginning of their day. They reveled tirelessly in banquets of all sizes.
The noble circles also had their factions. Unless it was a particularly important banquet where the nobles would gather together, they would otherwise enjoy themselves within their own circles.
But tonight, the nobles of Edry had gathered together in a rare occurrence. Although the banquet hall was already overflowing with people, no one wanted to leave.
Because this banquet was hosted by Marshal Lucille.
Half of the people at the banquet were there for Marshal Lucille, while the other half… were there for a golden-haired priest.
The nobles who frequented various banquets all remembered the beautiful and noble golden-haired priest who had appeared in Edry a few years ago. She was eloquent and gentle, kind to everyone. She was not stingy in helping others solve their troubles, yet she maintained an appropriate distance from everyone.
It wasn’t just the inexperienced young men and women who admired her; even some noble ladies enjoyed conversing with her.
When the golden-haired priest left without a word, the entire nobility of Edry had been dejected for a long time.
Anna was late due to some matters. As soon as she entered the banquet hall, her gaze was drawn to the crowd gathered in circles by the dance floor. She walked to a nearby table, picked up two glasses of wine, and then headed toward the crowd.
Even surrounded by so many people, the golden-haired priest remained at ease, a perfect smile on her face as she naturally exchanged pleasantries with those around her.
Anna coughed loudly. Seeing others look toward her, she curved her lips and said, “I’d like to catch up with Priest Grace.”
As she spoke, she winked at Tang Qiu.
Tang Qiu said a few quiet words to the nobles beside her, then stepped out of the circle, took the glass of wine Anna offered, and followed her to a quiet corner nearby.
“Long time no see.” Tang Qiu swirled the wine in the glass and said softly to Anna.
Melodious music began to play, and people gradually entered the dance floor. Anna glanced at the dance floor, then lifted her skirt with one hand and curtsied slightly, extending an invitation to the golden-haired priest. “Care to dance?”
Tang Qiu smiled and shook her head, politely declining, “I’m not a very good dancer.”
Anna sighed with regret. “What if Marshal Lucille were to invite you?”
Tang Qiu rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think seriously, and said with a smile, “I don’t think she enjoys dancing on occasions like this.”
“True, she can’t dance either,” Anna muttered under her breath. Then she raised her glass and gently clinked it against Tang Qiu’s, saying in a wistful tone, “I heard from the Marshal that you are now a Bishop of the Gosse Empire. Congratulations.”
As she spoke, she stole a glance toward the terrace. Two knights stood guard there, blocking any nobles who tried to approach. Lucille was there.
“…The Marshal must be waiting for you to go over now.” Anna leaned in slightly, close to Tang Qiu’s ear, and whispered, “Don’t be fooled by her cold face now. When she was little, she was actually very clingy.”
“My grandfather told me all this. My grandfather was a knight to the Marshal’s mother.”
Anna took a sip of wine, a cunning smile on her face.
Tang Qiu merely chuckled at Anna’s revelation and said, “I know.”
No one knew better than her just how “clingy” Lucille could be.
Seeing the tenderness in Tang Qiu’s eyes when she mentioned Lucille, Anna raised an eyebrow. “Has the Marshal ever told you about her mother?”
“She’s mentioned her, but not much.”
“Although it would be better for the Marshal to tell you this herself,” Anna said hesitantly, “given her personality, she probably wouldn’t want to talk about these things.”
“Oh?” Tang Qiu glanced at her, a half-smile on her face. “So you’ll be the one to tell me?”
Anna gave a dry laugh and muttered under her breath, “It was my grandfather’s idea. He said that once the Marshal found a lover, I should tell them these things.”
Lucille had been raised by Anna’s grandfather, who was of great significance to her. Since it was his wish, Tang Qiu’s curiosity was piqued. She asked, “What is it?”
Anna organized her thoughts for a moment before slowly saying, “It’s about what happened during the time the Marshal was turned into a vampire…”
When creating offspring, vampires always adhered to one rule: the subject of the Embrace could not be a child.
Children’s minds were active and naive, and they often had trouble controlling their own power. Before their personalities matured, they could bring trouble to their clan.
They were not easy to control.
Lucille was only ten years old when she was transformed from a human into a vampire. She had no idea what a vampire was. The instinct to drink blood controlled her, and her immense power nearly led her to slaughter the entire palace.
She didn’t know how to control herself, nor did she understand why she would suddenly lose consciousness and become a monster that only wanted to drink blood.
Lucille’s mother, the princess of Edry at the time, was injured by Lucille while she was in that state of delirium. She eventually died from excessive blood loss.
Having killed her own mother, the ten-year-old Lucille nearly broke down. She fled the palace, fled Edry, and wandered outside for nearly a decade before returning.
When she came back, she had become the person she was now—cold, detached, disgusted by blood, and disgusted with herself.
When Anna was little, she was terrified of getting close to Lucille, because she was always so lifeless, the coldness around her as tangible and bone-chilling as ice.
It only got better after she grew up. And as they spent more time together, Anna gradually discovered Lucille’s true personality. Just as her grandfather had said, Lucille was actually a very gentle person.
After Anna finished speaking, the atmosphere turned silent. Tang Qiu caressed the glass in her hand, her head slightly bowed, making her expression unreadable.
The silence stretched on for a while, and Anna began to feel uneasy. She licked her lips, glancing at Tang Qiu from time to time, her heart pounding.
“You’re telling me all this…” Tang Qiu looked up at Anna, a smile playing on her lips. “Are you hoping I’ll pity her more because of it?”
Anna coughed dryly, avoiding Tang Qiu’s gaze. “…You figured it out.”
Her grandfather thought a tragic past would evoke pity in the other person’s heart, but Anna knew Tang Qiu. This person didn’t seem like someone who would be influenced by such external things.
Her grandfather had been clever his whole life, but he never anticipated that Lucille would find an even cleverer lover.
This simply wouldn’t work.
A lavishly dressed young lady walked over, her eyes fixed on the golden-haired priest’s face. She asked politely, “Excuse me, are you Priest Grace?”
Seeing someone approach Tang Qiu, Anna felt a wave of relief. She voluntarily stepped aside to make way for the young lady.
The young lady looked at the cleric’s robe Tang Qiu was wearing with some confusion. She sized Tang Qiu up again, and just as she was about to introduce herself, she heard the golden-haired priest call out her name with a smile.
The young lady’s eyes lit up, and her cheeks grew warm. She lowered her head shyly. “I thought I had mistaken you for someone else.”
The young lady was a noble from the Bill Empire. She had spoken with Tang Qiu a few times at banquets in the Bill Empire, so Tang Qiu had some impression of her.
Anna departed, looking back every few steps. She handed her wine glass to a nearby maid and then walked toward the terrace.
Lucille was leaning against the railing, her gaze fixed on the golden-haired priest in the banquet hall. Anna walked up beside her, internally debating whether to tell Lucille about her conversation with Tang Qiu.
While she was still hesitating, Lucille spoke first. “What did you say to Grace?”
Lucille glanced at Anna, saw her anxious expression, and frowned. “Meddling,” she said coolly.
Anna peeked at Lucille and saw that she wasn’t angry. The weight in her heart slowly lifted. She couldn’t help but defend herself, “My grandfather told me to do it. If you’re angry, go curse him at his grave.”
Lucille was speechless.
“Besides, you were going to have to tell Grace these things sooner or later.”
Lucille gazed at the golden-haired priest, who was chatting and laughing with the young lady, and said faintly, “It’s not important.”
The relationship between her and Tang Qiu didn’t need to be bound by such things. Pity, compassion—she didn’t need them.
Love didn’t need to be mixed with such useless things.
Anna saw Lucille staring in the direction of the golden-haired priest and followed her gaze. The young lady seemed to be very fond of the priest; her face was bashful as she spoke, her eyes sparkling.
They said something, and the young lady suddenly pursed her lips and smiled. She then took out a beautifully wrapped box from her Space Gem and handed it to the golden-haired priest.
The “worldly-wise” Anna clicked her tongue and shook her head in lament. “That’s an invitation.”
Another one smitten.
But then again…
“Who wouldn’t want a lover as gentle and beautiful as Grace?” Anna clutched her chest and sighed, “I want one too.”
Lucille was speechless.
The pressure in the air beside her suddenly dropped. Anna came to her senses and quietly shifted two steps to the side. The night wind blowing in from the window made her shiver involuntarily.
She stood quietly, looking down at her feet.
Lucille snorted coldly and strode away from the terrace.
After Lucille left, Anna patted her chest. A jealous woman was terrifying, but a jealous Marshal was even more so.
After seeing off the reluctant young lady, Tang Qiu looked down to study the box in her hand. Just as she was about to put it into her Space Gem, a fair hand pressed down on the box.
Tang Qiu looked up and saw Lucille. She smiled faintly. “I was just about to look for you.”
Lucille looked down at the box, her voice as cold as her expression. “What is this?”
“…A gemstone?” Tang Qiu shrugged. “If you’re curious, you can open it and see when we get back.”
Lucille pursed her lips and withdrew her hand from the box. Tang Qiu glanced at her, licked her lips, and took a step closer to Lucille. She whispered in her ear, “I have something to give you.”
Lucille’s eyes flickered. She silently took her hand and led her to the terrace.
Anna was no longer there. Lucille gestured for the knights to stand guard outside, then led Tang Qiu to the innermost part of the terrace.
The terrace was Lucille’s private domain, and this was Tang Qiu’s first time here. She glanced around, and just as she was about to find a place to sit, an arm suddenly wrapped around her waist. Lucille embraced her from behind and said in a low voice, “Don’t pay any mind to what Anna told you.”
Tang Qiu turned her head, trying to see Lucille’s expression, but she was held too tightly to succeed. She blinked, then raised her hand to grasp Lucille’s wrist. Her golden hair slowly turned white under the moonlight. Caught completely off guard, Lucille was pulled away by a great force and then pressed against a cabinet.
Lucille was stunned for a moment. Her gaze swept over Tang Qiu’s hair, and a look of understanding flashed across her face. Although Tang Qiu had told her that her seal was broken, this was the first time she had seen Tang Qiu control her transformation herself.
She subconsciously looked at the top of Tang Qiu’s head and her hand moved down from her lower back to feel around.
Tang Qiu’s expression was peculiar. “What are you doing?”
“…You don’t look any different from before.” Lucille’s hand did not retract.
Tang Qiu leaned in, her fingers pinching Lucille’s chin, her tone teasing. “There are some changes. Want to try them out?”
Lucille didn’t speak, but she licked her lips, and a bloody hue began to surge in her dark red eyes.
The liveliness of the banquet hall seemed to be isolated outside. The terrace was quiet, with only the occasional rustle of clothing, which was quickly masked by the whistling night wind.
Breathing began to quicken. Tang Qiu undid Lucille’s dress. The light on the terrace was dim, and a large expanse of fair skin was exposed to Tang Qiu’s view, causing her eyes to narrow slightly. She lowered her head to kiss Lucille’s shoulder, teasing with a smile, “If someone were to burst in, would they be more surprised that a priest like me was flirting with someone, or that their Marshal Lucille could have such an ‘obedient’ side?”
“No one will come in.” Lucille lowered her head and bit down on Tang Qiu’s arm. The sweet blood slightly eased her restless emotions.
Tang Qiu smiled faintly. She used her knee to part Lucille’s legs and held her face with both hands, gently kissing her lips. The faint scent of blood spread in her mouth.
Lucille’s hands were wrapped around Tang Qiu’s back, concentrating on the kiss, until something fluffy brushed against her leg. The strange sensation made her body stiffen.
She opened her eyes, wanting to look down to see what it was, but her chin was held firmly, preventing her from moving.
The fluffy thing wrapped around her calf. Lucille vaguely guessed what it was. She moved her hand downward, wanting to confirm her suspicion, but her hands were caught by Tang Qiu.
“Don’t move,” Tang Qiu whispered, nibbling on Lucille’s ear.
The tail slowly crept up from Lucille’s calf. Lucille’s stiff body gradually softened. A flush spread across her fair face as she leaned against the cabinet, panting, her gaze on Tang Qiu exceptionally fervent.
“Look at my hand.” Tang Qiu held her right hand up before Lucille’s eyes, her tone suggestive. “The nails can be retracted now.”
Her fingers were long and slender; the sharp claws from her werewolf transformation had disappeared.
Lucille stared at her for a moment, then suddenly lowered her head and took her fingers into her mouth.
Tang Qiu paused, the smile on her lips slowly deepening.
The banquet hall went from lively to quiet. The night gradually faded, and the first light of dawn appeared in the east.
Tang Qiu lay on a chaise lounge with her arms around Lucille. Her fluffy white tail was wrapped around Lucille’s leg, its tip occasionally patting it.
Lucille looked down, studying Tang Qiu’s tail, occasionally reaching out to touch it. Although her expression remained cool, judging by how frequently she reached out, she was very satisfied with how the tail felt.
“Stop touching it, it feels a little strange.” Tang Qiu swatted Lucille’s hand away with her tail. She covered her mouth and yawned, saying distractedly.
Suddenly having a tail, while it could be used for amorous fun at certain times, was something Tang Qiu hadn’t quite gotten used to yet.
She held Lucille for a while, then remembered something. She took a box out of her Space Gem and placed it on Lucille’s body. “For you.”
She had followed Lucille to the terrace just to give her this, but who knew…
A faint smile hung on Tang Qiu’s face. She stroked Lucille’s hair, urging her to open it.
Lucille let go of Tang Qiu’s tail, opened the box for a look, and then silently closed it again. “…You bought this?”
“Do you like it?”
When she and Erin went to the mercenary guild today, they passed by a shop, and she had bought it on a whim.
Lucille was silent for a moment, then hummed in agreement.
Tang Qiu’s lips curved. “Try it on.”
Lucille refused. “I don’t want to wear it.”
Tang Qiu kindly suggested, “I can help you change.”
Lucille expressionlessly put the box into her Space Gem, her actions serving as her answer.
If Tang Qiu hadn’t handed her the box herself, she would have suspected it was a prank by Anna.
Why were there so many strange shops in Edry?
Seeing her put the box away, Tang Qiu sighed with some regret. She had spent a long time choosing that cool and sexy dress.
Lucille would definitely look beautiful in it.
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