Gospel of Blood

In the cramped space, Eleanor was curled up tightly, her hands clasped around her legs, her bruised body shivering under her thin clothing.

Her eyes were vacant, and she didn’t dare make eye contact with anyone.

If Charlotte hadn’t seen this woman at the Duke of Moonshield’s banquet, recognizing her as her niece, the Duchess of Borde, it would have been hard to connect this trembling, pitiful woman with the dazzling noblewoman she once saw at the event.

The scars on Eleanor’s body, clearly not from a single day, pointed directly to her abuser’s identity—As a high-ranking duchess and the wife of a royal family member, who else but her husband, Prince Philip, could have both the capability and the audacity to inflict such cruelty?

None of the nobles present were fools; they quickly understood this, and their expressions subtly changed.

Charlotte’s face darkened as she coldly cursed.

“What a scum!”

No one disputed Charlotte’s judgment.

Their gazes towards Eleanor were filled with solemnity, anger, and pity.

“Lady Eleanor, Lady Eleanor?”

She tried calling out a few times.

At the sound of her voice, Eleanor trembled slightly but did not respond, curling up even more in the corner.

Seeing her dull, lifeless eyes, Charlotte frowned.

“She…”

“She must have suffered significant mental trauma. There are traces of mental magic on her soul, indicating an attempt to enslave her mind, though it appears unsuccessful.”

“If my judgment is correct, it was an attempt at mental domination.”

Count Yurst explained.

Viscount Leon-Castell’s eyes widened.

“Mental domination?! The… bloodborne’s?!”

Count Yurst nodded.

“Yes, it is indeed mental domination from a bloodborne, likely the work of the Blood Demon Cult.”

“However, the caster was not a true bloodborne, so the mental domination wasn’t fully successful, but it has deeply affected her soul…”

“Mental domination… not a true bloodborne… does this mean the Third Prince is involved with the Blood Demon Cult?!”

The Old Viscount’s eyes widened in shock.

Count Yurst sneered and said,

“This isn’t surprising. There are quite a few fools among the Crescent nobles secretly involved with the Blood Demon Cult. These naive individuals think that those fallen bloodbornes abide by the same rules as other bloodbornes, not realizing that even among bloodbornes, there are different factions and beliefs.”

Hearing Count Yurst’s words, Viscount Leon-Castell and Vincent pondered deeply.

Charlotte, after a moment of contemplation, stepped forward to Eleanor’s side.

“Lady Eleanor?”

She called again.

Eleanor remained unresponsive, curling even more into herself.

Charlotte sighed inwardly, cupped Eleanor’s face with her hands, and knelt down, subtly channeling her magic, using a softer tone.

“Eleanor, look at me. I am Charlotte.”

Hearing her words, Eleanor trembled slightly and slowly lifted her head.

Their eyes met, and Charlotte’s pupils quickly turned crimson, releasing a calming spell.

“Eleanor, don’t be afraid. The scum who abused you is no longer here.”

Gentle magic flowed from Charlotte’s hands into Eleanor, healing her damaged soul with soothing energy.

Finally, Eleanor responded.

Her vacant eyes gradually regained focus, reflecting the beautiful figure of the girl before her.

“Cha… Charlotte…?”

Eleanor timidly spoke.

Her eyes sparkled more, and her pale face slowly regained color.

“Charlotte!”

Eleanor called out, then buried her face in the girl’s arms, crying.

…

After using magic to comfort Eleanor’s soul, Charlotte summoned a maid to take her to rest.

The Duchess’ physical and emotional wounds wouldn’t heal in a day; she needed proper care over time.

After leaving the tent, Viscount Leon-Castell and Vincent both wore grim expressions.

“Although my father has often warned me of the Third Prince’s cruelty, saying he would not make a wise ruler, I never imagined he would treat his own wife like this…”

“How can the kingdom’s nobles still support someone like him? What are they thinking?”

Vincent said, recalling everything they had just seen.

Viscount Leon-Castell glanced at him and shook his head.

“The Third Prince’s violent nature is no secret, but his recklessness is also well-known.”

“He is not the primary heir to the throne, his foundation is much weaker than the Second Prince’s, and he lacks deep cunning. Perhaps some nobles think supporting such a prince makes him easier to control.”

“Foolish thinking!”

Vincent cursed.

The Old Viscount sighed but did not disagree.

He, too, was angry at the Third Prince’s actions that violated both moral and noble boundaries.

They did not continue discussing the Third Prince.

Some actions can be excused, but others cannot, and the Third Prince had clearly crossed a line. They knew that once today’s events spread, the Third Prince would be finished.

…

Eleanor’s plight dampened Charlotte’s joy from their victory. Though she wasn’t close to this ‘niece’, empathy made it hard not to be affected by her suffering.

However, after ensuring Eleanor was settled, Charlotte quickly composed herself.

Although this battle was won and the outcome of the Borde-Castell war was decided, there were still many matters to handle, including negotiations and wrap-ups.

A major upheaval in the Crescent Kingdom’s upper echelons was imminent.

After finishing the post-battle affairs, Charlotte finally had time to speak with Count Yurst alone.

This time, she wasn’t just the Countess of Castell but also acting as the “True Ancestor’s Envoy.”

“Praise the Great True Ancestor of Blood! Countess, may I know if the True Ancestor is satisfied with our support?”

In the reception hall of the Count’s mansion, Count Yurst, now dressed in noble attire, smiled and elegantly made the sign of the Thorny Rose over his chest, looking expectantly at Charlotte.

His gesture was so practiced it seemed he had rehearsed it countless times, even more fluently than Charlotte herself.