NOVEL NEXT Chapter 126: Divine Envoy
In the history of the Bloodline clans, there are a total of six great clans.
The Clan of Royal Authority, Kilari.
The Dark Clan, Shedite.
The Observation Clan, Nais.
The Blood and Flesh Clan, Harcos.
The Wildness Clan, Vadret.
And, the Spirit Clan, Salem.
Among them, except for the Clan of Royal Authority Kilari which has vanished and the "Fallen" clan Shedite allied with demons, the other four great clans have their own Bloodline Dukes.
No, to be more precise, except for the Shedite clan, the other great Bloodline clans, including the Bloodline of Royal Authority, were originally established by the Bloodline Demigods who followed the Blood True Ancestor in history.
At least, in Charlotte's memory, this is so.
Two thousand years have passed, and the long years have buried many things into history.
Those renowned Bloodline myths in history have either disappeared or fallen.
Even in Charlotte's consciousness world, where the Crimson Star Sea represents the bloodline of blood clans, only two "suns" symbolizing "myth" remain.
And these two should be the Wildness Clan, Vadret, and the Spirit Clan, Salem, which Charlotte plans to visit.
As to why it's said "should," it's because this is merely a reasonable inference by Charlotte.
When Charlotte first crossed over, she could feel four "suns" in the Crimson Star Sea of her consciousness world.
Two of them have "disappeared" with the return of the Nais Clan and Harcos Clan. According to the strict Bloodline hierarchy, these remaining ones naturally represent the "suns" of the Bloodline Dukes of Vadret and Salem clans.
This also matches Charlotte's vague bloodline sensory connections.
After successfully ascending to a True God, the sensing brought by the remaining two "suns" in the Crimson Star Sea became even stronger, and after Charlotte approached the regions where the Harcos and Salem clans are active, this sensing became stronger.
However, sensing is merely sensing, Charlotte still cannot directly target or perform "Divine Descent" towards them like with other blood clans using the bloodline connection of the Crimson Star Sea.
Moreover, these bloodlines in the territories ruled by the two great Bloodline clans seem to be protected by some kind of mysterious power.
After entering the Xi Younai Empire, Charlotte was somewhat surprised to find that while she could locate these Bloodlines, she couldn't summon them directly into her spiritual world like she once did with Sebastian.
Even though she is now a True God.
"This is the power of a Divine Domain."
Charlotte concluded.
Demigods are also myths, and the only ones who could obstruct a True God's gaze are demigods.
Evidently, unlike the Nais and Harcos clans that have lost divine protection, the Vadret and Salem clans, holding sway in Coria Kingdom and infiltrating the Yonette Empire, still have "deity" protection.
Yet, Charlotte knows very little about the Bloodline demigods of these two great clans.
Charlotte searched through historical texts and indirectly asked other Bloodlines, but surprisingly, no one, including "old antiques" like Albrecht and Badak, knew the real names of the two Bloodline Princes who protect the Vadret and Salem clans.
It's as if... some force intentionally obscured their existence.
But they do exist.
The ability to hold sway over a kingdom and stand on equal footing with the "Unified Continent" Holy Royal Court to some extent is in itself evidence.
"Guardian's Staff, you... don't know the names of the Princes currently ruling the Vadret and Salem clans, do you?"
On a hillside outside the new Yonette City, capital of the Xi Younai Empire, Charlotte, dressed as a noble lady, looked at the city at the foot of the hill and asked.
In Charlotte's sensing, there were plenty of Bloodlines gathered in the new Yonette City, even with the aura of the Legendary present, indicating it was most likely the core stronghold of the two great clans in the Xi Younai Empire.
"True Ancestor Your Majesty, the Vadret and Salem clans have always been the most mysterious among the six great Bloodline clans. Their relationships with other clans are not very harmonious, and even within the Royal Court, there is little information about the Bloodline Demigods they follow."
The Guardian's Staff, dressed like an old butler, answered respectfully.
"Oh? Even the Church's interiors don't know? You've been opposing each other for so many years?"
Charlotte was genuinely surprised this time.
The Guardian's Staff shook his head:
"No, the princes behind these two great clans are very low-key, yet their power is unfathomable. In the historical documents of the Church, there's only a record of when the Holy Legion besieged the Coria Kingdom, the leading deities of the legion were forced to retreat by them, but... no other information was left."
"Not even their names?"
Charlotte was taken aback.
The Guardian's Staff hesitated for a moment, then shook his head:
"No, the texts were left by mortals, and ordinary followers have not seen the appearances of the princes from these two great clans. The myths of the Royal Court have seen them, but no detailed records were left behind."
"Generally, within the Church, they are directly referred to as Duke Harcos and Duke Salem, as for internally within these two great Bloodline clans... I am not sure about the Salem clan, as they master the Spirit Path, generally, there's little secret information that leaks, but on the Harcos clan's side, it is said that they uniformly refer to their Prince as Your Majesty or Divine Envoy."
"Divine Envoy?"
Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
The term Divine Envoy is usually used to refer to a deity's messenger, but the Bloodline Prince is already a deity, so calling them as such seems a bit odd.
A deity being referred to as a Divine Envoy only has two situations: either... the other party is not a "deity," or the other party has an even more powerful "True God" they follow...
"True Ancestor Your Majesty, could it be... that the myths followed by these two Bloodline clans have changed?"
Seeing Charlotte deep in thought, Guardian's Staff asked.
Charlotte paused slightly, truly unsure of how to answer for a moment.
She genuinely did not know what the situation was with these last two great clans.
All she could confirm is that the power of these two clans was far superior to other clans, as were the myths they followed, thus allowing them to dominate.
She could probably guess that the Bloodline Princes of the Harcos Clan and the Salem Clan were likely legion commanders or other followers "promoted" during her second crossing, similar to Haral.
But as for who specifically, in this era, with no information having been passed down, she couldn't be sure.
However, the fact that no information has been passed down is peculiar in itself.
Considering the exalted status of these two clans, Charlotte estimated that the myth behind them is likely still active in the world, at least... not completely asleep or having departed from the Mireya Continent.
"Has there been a change? We'll know once we take a look."
She didn't directly answer but spoke ambiguously.
The Guardian's Staff seemed deep in thought.
And at this moment, a resounding dragon's roar approached from afar to near.
A sudden impulse struck Charlotte, prompting her thoughts to move slightly.
She looked toward the horizon and saw a majestic black dragon approaching from afar, circling around them once before descending from the sky, causing gusts of wind to rise.
The tall figure gradually shrank, eventually transforming into a human form. Then... a black-haired, red-eyed girl respectfully bowed to Charlotte:
"True Ancestor, Your Majesty!"
It was the black dragon Odosia.
Since their farewell at North Port, Odosia had been searching for the remaining location of the Ancient Hall under Charlotte's command, and during this visit to the remaining two Bloodline clans, this black dragon was also sent as Charlotte's vanguard.
Long before Charlotte traveled to the Church Authority Country, Odosia had already been active in the areas where the two clans were located for quite some time.
However, during this meeting, Charlotte noticed significant changes in Odosia.
First, its power.
When Charlotte first "subdued" it, the black dragon had not long recovered from its injuries, with greatly reduced power, but now, having been out of contact for several months, its aura had been restored to the peak of legendary status.
No...
It was not only the peak of legendary status, but Charlotte even faintly sensed an active presence of the Laws from it, signs of igniting Divine Fire.
Moreover, even Odosia's eyes and bearing had undergone subtle changes. If it previously gave off a high and aloof atmosphere to discourage strangers, now it exuded a sense of longstanding dignity and profoundness beyond the mortal realm.
Charlotte's heart stirred slightly:
"Odosia, have your memories... restored?"
A touch of emotion flashed across Odosia's scarlet pupils, followed by another respectful bow to Charlotte:
"It is all thanks to Your protection. Odosia is fortunate not to disappoint and has brought the high-ranking members of both clans, awaiting your audience."
Brought here?
For an audience...?
Charlotte was momentarily stunned and then couldn't help but look in the direction where numerous "red dots" had gathered in New Yonette City, and a rather outrageous speculation arose in her heart.
Of course, nothing showed on her face.
"Oh? In the city?"
Charlotte asked nonchalantly.
"Exactly so."
Odosia respectfully answered.
"Lead the way."
Charlotte said.
——
Under Odosia's guidance, Charlotte boarded a carriage and entered New Yonette City.
They traveled unimpeded and eventually stopped in front of a luxurious estate.
It was now nightfall.
Most of New Yonette City's areas had also plunged into darkness.
Yet the estate before them remained brightly lit.
And at the entrance of the estate, the road was nearly filled with "nobles" clad in black robes, standing respectfully, craning their necks in anticipation.
Upon seeing Odosia, they all saluted:
"Divine Envoy, My Lord..."
Divine Envoy... My Lord?
From the carriage, observing everything, Charlotte's heart skipped a beat.
Although she hadn't alighted from the carriage yet, she easily sensed through her perception that the several hundred black-clad "nobles" gathered at the estate's entrance were unmistakably all bloodlines.
Odosia seemed accustomed to these bloodlines' manner of addressing her. She nodded slightly, then turned and respectfully opened the carriage door.
"Your Majesty, we have arrived."
She said.
Charlotte composed her wavering emotions and then, with Odosia's light assistance, elegantly stepped down from the carriage.
At the sight of Charlotte, the bloodlines immediately quieted down.
The few bloodlines with powerful auras at the forefront stepped forward, led by a beautiful bloodline girl and a handsome bloodline youth, and respectfully saluted Charlotte:
"Anthea White Vardlat, Salem Della, representing the Elder Councils of the Vadret Clan and the Salem Clan, pay homage... to the Great True Ancestor, Your Majesty!"