CA - Chapter 240

Chapter 240

After the invitations were sent out, the Saintess began preparing for the upcoming coronation ceremony. She placed great importance on this ritual, personally overseeing every stage and ensuring that all roles were filled by trustworthy individuals.

As the days passed and the ceremony drew nearer, the members of the Holy See, influenced by the Saintess, began to feel a growing tension. The coronation of a new Pope was typically just a formality, but now, they found themselves looking forward to it with anticipation and even a hint of excitement.

Perhaps this ceremony would be different, after all. It was the grandest event the Holy See had held since sealing the Blood Demon and dispelling the darkness.

Of course, their excitement might have simply been because the host of this ceremony was so special.

Once the invitations were distributed, nearly everyone learned that the new Pope had invited the Elf Queen and the Wolf Race Clan Leader to attend her coronation.

Although the Holy See had been enemies with the werewolves and elves for over a thousand years, after the battle in the Shas Principality, they were no longer opposed to restoring friendly relations. After all, compared to the evil Black Witches and Vampires, the elves and werewolves no longer seemed so detestable.

If the Holy See wanted to secure its position on the Statu Continent, it couldn't do without the elves and werewolves as allies. This was a thought that had simultaneously occurred to all members of the Holy See who had participated in the battle of Shas Principality.

The coronation was set to take place in Light Square. A statue of the Light Goddess, over ten meters tall, stood at the forefront of the square. The bright sunlight draped over the statue like a golden veil, making it look sacred and solemn. A scarlet carpet stretched from the steps below the statue all the way to the entrance, flanked by Holy Knights in golden armor. They stood with their hands on the hilts of their swords, their expressions stern and majestic.

There was a large open space in front of the square. The left side was filled by the ranks of the Holy See, while the right was reserved for guests. In addition to the Elves and the Wolf Race, the three great empires of the Statu Continent had also received invitations and had all sent envoys. Even nations that hadn't been invited shamelessly showed up. After the battle in the Shas Principality, they had come to realize that the Holy See was an indispensable force in the fight against the powers of darkness.

The Saintess had anticipated this situation and had already set aside an area specifically for these people. What she hadn't expected was the sheer number of attendees; the space she had reserved was still not enough.

The seating arrangements had long been finalized, and there was no extra space to be found. The bishop in charge could only go to the Saintess for help. She hurried off to handle the matter, leaving the task of welcoming the guests to the various Red-robed Archbishops.

Delphine and her people were the first to appear at the entrance of Light Square. The Light Temple was hidden beneath the capital of the Holy See, so the aura of light here was several times stronger than elsewhere. The Elf Race was naturally drawn to the aura of light, and being enveloped by it, they felt not discomfort but a sense of lightness and ease.

However, their thousand-year-long feud with the Holy See was not so easily dispelled. Although they had once fought side by side, the elves were still rather aloof when faced with the smiling faces of the Holy See's personnel.

They had come for the new Pope, not for the Holy See. Every elf knew this deep down.

The Red-robed Archbishop assigned to receive the elves was the recently appointed Monica. She had spent some time with the Elf Race before, so they were more familiar with her. Upon seeing her, they all greeted her warmly, and one little elf even ran over and affectionately hugged her leg.

When Delphine saw Monica, the expression on her face softened. She gave a slight nod, looked at the Cardinal's robes Monica was wearing, and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Monica."

Monica reached out and stroked the little elf's head, a hint of a smile flashing in her green eyes. She said to Delphine, "Thank you."

She led the elves toward their designated viewing area. The mischievous little elf followed behind Monica, playing with her long golden hair, but she didn't get annoyed. After walking alongside Delphine for a while, Monica seemed to remember something. She suddenly stopped, bowed deeply to Delphine, and said in a solemn tone, "Your Majesty Queen Delphine, there is something I must thank you for."

Delphine looked at her, puzzled, and reached out to help her up. "What is it?" she asked curiously.

"The ointment the little elf gave me before worked very well." Monica touched her nose. As she recalled something, a subtle tenderness filled her green eyes. "Re... Um... My sister's scars have faded a lot."

"If possible, I hope you can give me some more."

Although Reese never treated those ugly scars as a big deal, they were a thorn in Monica's heart. Every time she saw them, she was reminded of the pain Reese had endured from using forbidden techniques, and her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a hand, the pain making it hard to breathe.

Even if the scars disappeared, the suffering Reese had gone through would not, but Monica just didn't want to see Reese covered in wounds.

"Of course. I'll have someone send some over after I return," Delphine said, glancing at Monica's hands and adding pointedly, "You've worked hard."

Although the ointment made from the ground white fruits was very effective, it could only be ground with stone, making it a very laborious task.

Monica touched her own fingers and shook her head slightly, saying nothing. Compared to the suffering Reese had endured, her little bit of hard work was nothing at all.

Monica led the elves to their seats. Just then, Vogt arrived with the Wolf Race. The elves and werewolves were seated next to each other. Monica and Vogt led their people to their spots, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then left.

Faye and Delphine had known each other for years and didn't need to make polite small talk. They chatted idly about matters within their clans when a sudden commotion caught their ears. Faye turned her head to look, her brow slightly furrowed.

Seeing her frown, Delphine also looked over curiously and exclaimed in surprise, "Black Witches?"

At the entrance of Light Square, a very strange group was standing there. Four or five red-robed witches, leading dozens of young witches, were being blocked at the entrance. The patrolling squad of Holy Knights was already heading in their direction.

The Holy See's ranks on the other side also began to stir, with some even drawing their staves. Their overreaction couldn't be blamed; the battle in the Shas Principality had just ended not long ago, and upon seeing Black Witches, their subconscious reaction was to hurl spells at them.

Besides, what were the Black Witches doing here? This was the new Pope's coronation ceremony. Were they here to cause trouble?

"What are they doing here?" Delphine had the same question. She asked Faye beside her curiously.

Faye frowned and said, "Elder Winnie of the Morgan Family wanted to attend Grace's coronation. She once asked me for the time and place."

The status of the Black Witches was, after all, a sensitive one, and Tang Qiu had been extremely busy and hard to contact at the time. So, Faye had suggested that Elder Winnie could hide among their Wolf Race contingent and come along, but Elder Winnie hadn't responded at the time.

Faye had thought they had given up on the idea. Who would have thought they would try to force their way in like this?

Worried that a fight between the Holy See and the Black Witches would disrupt Tang Qiu's coronation, Faye gave a meaningful look to Fanny beside her, signaling her to temporarily lead the Black Witches away. Fanny nodded and walked expressionlessly toward the Black Witches.

Tang Qiu, who was adjusting her clothes at a side entrance, heard the commotion outside. She glanced over and asked, "What happened?"

Jennifer went out to take a look, a flash of astonishment on her face. She returned with a frown and replied, "It's the Black Witches." But how did they get in?

Tang Qiu raised an eyebrow in surprise. She walked over to Jennifer's side and glanced outside. Elder Winnie remained calm even while surrounded by the Holy Knights, showing no signs of aggression, but she had no intention of leaving either.

Tang Qiu shook her head slightly. She raised the staff in her hand and pointed it in the direction of the Black Witches. A ray of golden light shot out, enveloping the group and pushing back the surrounding Holy Knights.

Fanny, who was halfway there, stopped in her tracks when she saw Tang Qiu take action and turned back.

Tang Qiu turned to Karen, who was sitting nearby, excitedly playing with her sword, and said, "Take them over to Clan Leader Faye."

Karen, who had just been promoted to Captain of the Pope's personal Knight Guard a few days ago, beamed with a brilliant smile, unable to hide her excitement. She grabbed her sword and ran out. Fortunately, she remembered her new status and made a point to slow her pace and appear more composed once she was outside.

Jennifer was speechless as she watched Karen's back. She averted her gaze with a look of disdain and, while inspecting the papal robes on Tang Qiu, asked, "Is it alright to let them in?"

The entire Shas Principality had been annihilated because of the Black Witches, and the dark arrays they had created had caused the tragic deaths of countless innocent humans. Jennifer had absolutely no favorable feelings toward them.

Tang Qiu casually twirled her staff. Hearing Jennifer's words, she shook her head and said, "It's fine."

Only a few young witches from the Anderson and Garcia families remained. Elder Winnie bringing them here might be for her own reasons; after all, the minds of these young witches were not yet fully formed.

However, with the Blood Demon resealed, the Garcia family's contract would continue to be passed down through the bloodlines of those young witches. She wondered if a similar tragedy might occur again in the future.

Regarding this Garcia contract, Tang Qiu honestly had no good ideas. She could only hope that after finding Erin, she could get some information from Wolf Fang through her.

Karen stepped forward and rescued Elder Winnie and the others from the circle of Holy Knights. As the captain of the new Pope's Knight Guard, she represented Tang Qiu. The Holy Knights retreated, clearing a path for Winnie's group.

Winnie nodded at Karen and expressionlessly led the young witches behind her. The aura of light in Light Square was particularly dense, causing some of the young witches to sneeze. But this minor discomfort couldn't suppress their curiosity. They looked left and right, finding everything novel.

It wasn't strange for the elves and werewolves to attend the new Pope's coronation, but the Black Witches... The gazes of the Holy See members involuntarily followed the backs of the Black Witches.

Bruce, who was waiting at the entrance for the envoy from Edry, was just as curious as most of the Holy See members, staring intently at the Black Witches. He didn't stop until a hand gently tapped his shoulder and a smiling voice sounded from behind him, "Excuse me, could you let us pass a little more quickly?"

"Our Marshal is in a hurry."

Bruce turned around, first sizing up the speaker, then extending his hand in a business-like manner. "Show me your invitation."

Anna, dressed in knight's attire with her hair tied back neatly, took out the invitation and handed it to Bruce with a smile. "We are from Edry."

Hearing the word "Edry" finally roused Bruce's interest. After Tang Qiu became Pope, her every move was under scrutiny. The day after she personally wrote and sent an invitation to Edry, everyone in the Holy See had memorized the name of this rather obscure little country.

Why this small nation received the same treatment as the three great empires was a question on everyone's mind.

The party from Edry consisted of only a few dozen people, and aside from Anna and the two women behind her, the rest were guards.

Bruce's attention was primarily focused on the "Marshal" Anna had mentioned. This person was also dressed in knight's attire, her long red hair tied back with a ribbon of the same color. Her skin was very pale, and for some reason, there were faint red cracks on her neck and the side of her face. Bruce frowned, his gaze shifting upward, and met a pair of cold, dark red eyes.

Bruce was startled and subconsciously took a step back. "Vam-vampire..."

Lucille frowned. She coolly averted her gaze, her eyes scanning the square as if searching for something.

Bruce suddenly felt the invitation in his hand grow hot. His eyes darted around, and just as he was considering whether to send someone to confirm with Tang Qiu, he looked up and met Lola's gaze.

Lola sized him up with great interest, her tongue darting out to lick her lips, her crimson eyes filled with malice.

Bruce: "..."

Their group blocking the entrance soon caught Reese's attention. She wasn't surprised to see Lucille. She walked over, dismissed Bruce, and then led them to the spot Tang Qiu had already reserved for them.

Their numbers were few, but the auras of Lucille and Lola were too powerful. They were quickly identified by the members of the Holy See who looked over. The crowd had yet to recover from the sight of the Black Witches, and now they saw two vampires. The people of the Holy See exchanged glances, unsure of what expression to wear.

In the Holy See, colluding with vampires or Black Witches was against the rules, but... everyone looked at Reese, then at the Saintess. They both acted as if nothing was amiss, so the rules... were probably not being followed today.

Tang Qiu had not yet entered the square, so Lucille gave up her search after a quick scan. She walked alone at the front, her expression cold, but the aura around her was not as harsh as before.

Reese watched Lucille's back, a thoughtful expression on her face. She glanced at Lola beside her and asked, "Why do I feel like her aura has gotten stronger again?"

It wasn't just stronger; it was excessively strong. Lucille's aura hadn't been this terrifying before.

Lola was busy scanning the Holy See's ranks for a target. Licking her lips, she answered distractedly, "She's a second-generation now, of course she's strong."

"Second-generation?" Reese was surprised. She studied Lucille for a moment, then clicked her tongue and sighed, shaking her head. "She's already a second-generation, so why are you still stuck at fourth-generation?"

"So useless, after I fed you so much prey."

How much bishop's blood had she provided for Lola? Even Gabriel's blood had ended up in her stomach, but her strength hadn't seemed to increase for a long time.

Lola was displeased by Reese's words. "It's not like I get to feed on a Red-robed Archbishop every day like she does." And now, that Red-robed Archbishop had become the Pope.

Lola was incredibly envious of Lucille. How many vampires in the entire Blood Domain had ever tasted a Pope's blood? If she weren't afraid of Lucille hitting her, she would want to taste the Pope's blood too.

Besides, her strength had already improved quickly enough. It was just that after the fourth generation, no matter how much blood she drank, her progress had slowed down.

Reese shot her a sidelong glance. Seeing that she still looked like she was searching for prey, she narrowed her eyes. She raised her right hand to twist the ring on her left index finger, her red lips curling slightly as she warned in a soft voice, "Hide your fangs, little dog. Be quiet today, and don't go out barking."

Lola's lip-licking motion paused. She pouted and unenthusiastically averted her gaze.

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