Azure Scepter

Page 46

Taking advantage of the brief break while drinking tea, she quickly used her willpower to discard those useless daydreams, then calmly awakened her rationality and rapidly analyzed and organized the information she had just learned, categorizing it into different sections:

"The plague spreads through food."

A special ritual can delay the onset of the disease.

Blood plague is not a terminal illness, but a curable one.

The cult is a tightly organized group, and there is indeed a mastermind behind it; the speculation is not wrong.

If Beaver Town is held, then there will be a military stronghold in the south, which must be opened up as soon as possible.

The Earl of Cohen's only son has died, and the Earl of Cohen is the sole heir to the Southern Dukedom. Therefore, the succession issue is likely to trigger new political turmoil in the Southern Dukedom, and we must find a way to deal with it in advance.

Of course, the above is only Bishop Vercingetor's side of the story. Therefore, if conditions permit, you should meet with Faudia as soon as possible, as she should have other information.

However, the Beaver Town incident was likely not part of the mastermind's plan, and this is a breakthrough.

By the time Edith put down her cup, she had a fairly complete and clear understanding of the situation and had come up with her next course of action.

She pulled her hood back up, and as the familiar pressure from the ends of her hair eased her, Edith said, "I apologize for my lapse in composure earlier. I hope you can forgive me—do you two have anything else to say?"

Hult and Bishop Vercingetor shook their heads in perfect unison, so much so that Hult even glanced at Vercingetor with a look of surprise.

“Your Highness, we will take our leave now,” said Bishop Vercingetorie.

Edith nodded.

Over the next hour, Princess Edith first ordered the castle steward to prepare a room for Hult and arrange for sufficient guards to protect his safety; then she sent someone to inform Granny Lor, who had been researching the plague but had made no progress, about the blood plague she had just learned; finally, she received several other visitors and methodically assigned their questions to the relevant personnel.

When she had completed all her planned goals for the day, the clock in the room had already pointed to the number 2.

"Your Highness, the room for rest has been prepared," the head maid in the castle reminded her.

Edith said softly, "You all go and rest first. I need to be alone for a while—don't leave anyone behind."

As the footsteps of the guards and servants outside the door gradually faded away, Edith slowly closed her eyes and carefully considered her actions that day, the gains and losses of these actions, and whether there was any room for improvement in these behaviors.

After confirming that there were no major problems, the princess let out a long sigh.

"Ugh..."

Edith opened her eyes.

She tried to clear her mind, but various calculations and thoughts kept flashing through her mind, and only then did she feel a tightness in her chest.

“You must hold on, Edith. You are a glorious paladin, the crown prince of the kingdom, and you will become a great man like Losevie’s ancestors.” She murmured to herself, “Do not betray your vows, do not betray your responsibilities, and do not betray the expectations of others. Cowardice is shameful.”

"Crack."

An unbearable pain shot through my left ring finger.

"Ouch—it hurts, it hurts..." Edith gasped, and she quickly took off the iron glove on her left hand.

At this moment, his ring finger was covered with dark bruises, and several scarlet wounds were bleeding from them, with pale bone fragments clearly visible.

She took out her holy symbol, intending to cast Holy Healing, but then she remembered that she had used up all her Holy Healing uses in the fierce battle. So she could only silently recite a prayer and cast "Healing Slander" on herself.

Under the influence of the divine magic, the wound healed quickly, and the holy and warm white light spots danced around like mischievous fairies in a story, illuminating the slightly dim room.

Edith stared blankly at the crystal chandelier above her head.

The dazzling crystal chandelier reflected a holy white light, illuminating every corner of the room. Amidst the layers of holy light, dust particles fluttered down like feathers, creating a dreamlike atmosphere shrouded in delicate gauze.

She suddenly thought of Trier, which Vercingetori had mentioned.

Edith's rationality tells her that such a perfect paladin does not exist, and his image is merely an image created by Vercingetorius based on his own interests and position; but on the other hand, she also realizes that she secretly yearns for the existence of such a hero.

“Perhaps it’s precisely because it’s as beautiful as a dream that it’s so alluring,” Edith murmured to herself. “Reality is reality, and dust is the norm. In any case, I should be able to meet this person whom Vercingetorie lavishly praises soon.”

If only he were really as Vercingetori said... Edith added silently to herself.

The princess lowered her head and looked at the tea that had gone cold beside her, her face reflected on the calm water.

If it's true, can I meet the other person's expectations? — Definitely not.

Edith felt a silent unease, so she drank her tea in one gulp and began to think about some trivial practical problems.

"Fodia loves honey cake, I can prepare some tomorrow—I wonder what she's doing right now."

"So, what exactly are we doing right now?" Noe's slightly aggrieved voice echoed in Trier's mind.

Trier answered succinctly in his mind: "Dig graves."

At this moment, all was silent; not even the sound of insects could be heard. The crimson moonlight silently spilled onto the messy ground of the mass grave.

This is a mass grave near the city of Eraf. Due to the spread of the blood plague, the priests of the Church of Radiance have set up numerous anti-dead rituals here and have forbidden outsiders from entering. However, the patrolling church guards did not discover Trill, who came to dig up the graves, and the anti-dead rituals had no effect on Noi, who had already become a bound spirit.

—Terre is excavating the laboratory left behind by his past.

He raised the shovel, aimed briefly, and then plunged it forcefully into the soft, dark, humus-covered soil. Next, he pushed off the end of the bucket, increasing the depth of the shovel, and then, with a powerful twist of his waist, scooped up a clump of earth.

Noi followed suit, bending down to shovel as well. Then she protested, "Why didn't you let Fytia do it? She can shoot sonic booms with her longbow, so she can definitely dig faster."

“There are some things that are not suitable for her to know,” Trier said. “You don’t need to suggest using fossils as mud either. There are definitely countermeasures in the laboratory. Misusing divine magic and spells could very likely cause unknown consequences. We’ll just use the most primitive method to dig.”

“Damn the Inquisitor.” Sister Noy sighed silently. “If he had granted our request to visit St. Ser’s Chapel, we wouldn’t have had to do such a blasphemous thing in the middle of the night—by the light of day, it’s absurd for a paladin and a priest to be digging graves in a mass grave in the middle of the night!”

Chapter 84 The Necromancer's Legacy (Part 1)

“It’s certainly strange for paladins and nuns to be in a mass grave at midnight, but it’s quite fitting for necromancers and spirit binders to be digging graves there at midnight,” Trier told a lame joke, then shoveled up another handful of dirt.

Noi followed up with a shovel: "So you used necromancy just to make me grind diamonds, stand guard, and dig graves non-stop?"

"Hurry up and dig, don't slack off, we need to be back before morning." Trier's thoughts faltered, and he was rendered speechless by the question. He pondered for a long time, trying to find some counterexamples, but he sadly discovered that there seemed to be none... So he had no choice but to put on a stern face and forcefully give the order.

“Yes, Master.” Noi deliberately emphasized the word “Master,” then she pursed her lips and began to dig the grave in silence. Because she had rarely done physical labor in the past, her movements were extremely clumsy, but soon she seemed to find some kind of fun in this mechanical and monotonous action, and her digging efficiency suddenly increased, and became faster and faster.

"Ka...ka...ka..."

The rhythmic sound of shovels digging through the soil echoed through the mass grave. As time passed, the wooden handle of the shovel in Trier's hand became slick with sweat, and he wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

A cool night breeze swept by, bringing him a sense of comfort. As he watched Noy working harder and harder, his thoughts drifted back to a few hours earlier.

A few hours earlier, at the Sel Chapel west of Erlav.

The afterglow was cold and pale; the sun was already close to the horizon, and the withered tree in front of the chapel carried a sense of desolation in the blood-red sunset.

Dressed in a pristine white high priest's robe, Noy ascended the dilapidated gray stone steps and soon arrived at the entrance of the Saint Seil Chapel.

"Caw—" The crow on the withered branch cried out mournfully, then flapped its wings and flew into the sky, turning into a dark shadow.

The Saint-Sel Chapel is located in a remote area and is severely lacking in maintenance. It stands alone on a small hill near a mass grave, like an old man in his twilight years, like a gravedigger. The chapel's stone walls are full of cracks, and the rampant fissures are filled with vines that spread freely like tumors.

Trier followed behind Neu, looking at the dilapidated chapel before him, and couldn't help but frown.

According to his vision, this should be a dilapidated, haunted house, and the entrance to his laboratory should be hidden in the basement of the house—when was this chapel built?

“Saint Seir is a lower-ranking subordinate deity of the Radiant Pantheon, the protector of hybrid humans and the patron of travelers. He is a newly ascended deity in the last thousand years, and therefore very interested in interfering in mortal affairs.” Seemingly noticing Trill’s frown, Noy, who was walking in front, suddenly turned around and explained, “It is said that he also serves as a Radiant Envoy.”

Trier asked directly, "When was this church built?"

“It was built eight years ago with funding from Earl Cohen, the ruler of the Earldom of Harlan. Don’t worry, they won’t refuse our request to visit,” Noy said with a faint smile, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear with her fingertip. “—I’m going to knock on the door.”

Trier nodded.

"Knock, knock, knock." The metal door knocker struck the rotten wooden door, the dull knocking echoing in the courtyard.

Soon, the door slowly opened, and a half-elf priest with pointed ears appeared silently behind it like a shadow.

“High Priest Noy?” He looked surprised at first, then opened the door very warmly. “May Saint Sel bless you. Did you travel from Riften Valley? The blood plague there is said to be very serious right now, and Beaver Town nearby has become a dead zone! Traveling in these times is a dangerous business.”

“The journey is indeed not always smooth sailing,” Noy said gently. “My companions and I have traveled a long way and are now very tired. I wonder if Saint-Sel’s servants would be willing to take shelter from weary travelers?”

The half-elf priest flashed a bright smile: "Of course!"

However, at that moment, heavy footsteps echoed through the dilapidated church, and Trier noticed that the half-elf priest's smile froze briefly.

A large, hairy hand landed on the half-elf priest's shoulder, and then an extremely tall figure took the half-elf's place.

Trier narrowed his eyes slightly; he smelled a bloody stench mixed with the scent of incense.

From the darkness, a bald man with extremely pale skin emerged. His face was stern, his brows were bare, and his two slightly menacing pale blue eyes coldly scanned Neu and Trier.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I'm afraid we can't offer you lodging here tonight."

"Judge, this is Lord Noi..." the half-elf priest explained anxiously.

The fierce judge waved his hand: "I know, she is Noi, the regional high priest of Rendingfang Valley, and she is also the acting head of the local inquisition—High Priest Noi. Please forgive me, this place is too simple, it is not appropriate for someone of your high status to condescend to rest here."

“We are all servants of the Radiance, and worldly pleasures are meaningless to us—as long as we have two beds to sleep in, my companions and I are perfectly content.” Noy blinked his scarlet eyes. “We are indeed exhausted; I’m so tired I feel like my soul is leaving my body.”

—Spirit binding is indeed considered an out-of-body experience. Trier thought to himself.

The tall judge pushed open the door and came out. His towering figure, like that of an owl or bear, cast a long, ghostly shadow of darkness. His cold blue eyes slowly rolled as he looked down at Noy: "I won't keep you in suspense any longer—Bishop Vercingetorius has entrusted me with the interrogation of a group of cultists connected to the blood plague. This is classified information, and I hope you can understand."

“Whether or not someone is allowed to stay overnight in the church should be decided by the local priest.” Noe did not back down. At this moment, she abandoned her feigned weakness and stared at the judge’s eyes with extreme force. “Moreover, bloodshed in the church is a highly sacrilegious thing.”

Noy looked at the half-elf priest in the chapel, while the half-elf priest looked at Trier, bewildered.

Trier quietly surveyed the mass grave below the chapel, seemingly unconcerned about the conflict unfolding before him.

—He was thinking about his next course of action.

It seems that the plan to go directly to the laboratory through the church has been blocked. A forceful demand for entry might succeed, but it seems a bit too reckless.

Suddenly, another rough female voice came from inside the church: "That's nice of you. The sanctuary of St. Ser's should be provided for clergy. You use your power to find a place for your mistress to live. Look at how weak she is, really..."

As the rough female voice continued to rang out, a woman taller than the judge stepped forward. Her face was covered with hideous blue tattoos, and the trapezius muscles on her neck exuded explosive power.

"Shut up!" the tall judge snapped. The next moment, he punched the barbarian hard in the chest, then lowered his head apologetically. "Jalbe is a barbarian from the Great Swamp. She's not quite used to the civilized world yet. I apologize to you both on her behalf."

“I’m not making this up.” The barbarian curled his lip. “These days are really strange. Ghosts and corpses can walk in the sunlight, and priests can openly stroll around with their lovers. As my grandfather would say, it’s like donkeys riding on humans.”

Noy suddenly smiled, blinked happily, and then leaned slightly forward to point at Trier: "He is a great paladin, and can also be considered a priest."

After saying that, Noe hid behind Trier.

"A paladin?" The inquisitor froze, his eyes widening instinctively. His brow ridges, devoid of eyebrows, arched upwards, making him look particularly comical. "Ah, but... I'm sorry, Your Excellency, it's truly not appropriate for the two of you to be here right now..."

Trier turned his head and said gently and slowly, "I understand, then we won't bother you any longer."

After saying that, he took out five golden dragons from his backpack and handed them to the half-elf priest.

"With the blood plague raging now, I hope this small contribution can help those who are suffering."

"Five gold dragons!?" The half-elf priest stared blankly at the gold coins in his hand, looking around in bewilderment. "That's too much..."

“This is a bribe!” the female barbarian barked, her eyes narrowing with a hint of threat. “Don’t think money can corrupt our faith.”

The judge patted the barbarian hard on the back, and the barbarian cried out in pain.

Trier remained calm: "No, I'm not asking for anything in return; this is unconditional help—by the way, do you have a map of this area?"

The half-elf priest breathed a sigh of relief, and a bright smile returned to his face: "Your Excellency, please wait a moment, I'll go get the map right away."

Five minutes later, Trier, with a map in hand, and Noy arrived at the foot of the hill where St. Ser's Chapel is located.

“Trier, they have a big problem,” Neu said softly. “No normal judge wouldn’t react like this. They might also be here for your treasure.”

Trier took out the map and nodded approvingly.

The map was very well made; the standard ruler and meticulous drawing style reminded Trier of military maps. After observing it for a moment, he used the Saint-Sel Chapel as a base point to construct in his mind the spatial location of the laboratory that should theoretically exist.

"The next step is verification," he thought.

So he gave the order in Noe's mind.

—To become invisible, and then, through a spirit form, to pass through the church walls and explore the church's basement.

Chapter 85 The Necromancer's Legacy (Part Two)

As a necromancy master, Trill used his superb skills to eliminate almost all the possible drawbacks of a spirit when he transformed Noi into a spirit bondage. At the same time, he also granted Noi the ability to freely switch between spirit and physical form.

Considering that Noy in his spirit form would most likely need to perform stealth and combat, he also added supernatural abilities to Noy in his spirit form, such as "advanced invisibility" that could be switched at will, as well as the ability to share his senses.

Therefore, after giving the order to Neu to infiltrate the church's underground, Trier found a shady spot at the foot of the mountain.

He didn't rush to activate sensory sharing. Instead, he first set up a few simple traps near the shadows. Then, he drew his longsword and, after confirming that everything was ready, slowly activated sensory sharing with Noy.

"Woooo..."

A piercing sound, like the wailing of a vengeful ghost, shattered the tranquility at the foot of the mountain.

Trier slowly raised his palm, and a sharp wind of death appeared out of thin air, then transformed into some kind of elusive, hidden connection, which he gently clenched.

The next moment, Trier's vision went dark as glaring blood-red specks quickly filled his field of vision.

Cold, excited.