Gospel of Blood

As one of the main areas where the Blood Demon Cult is active, sacrificial incidents of evil rituals are not uncommon in the Crescent Kingdom.

Every year, various regions experience one or two such incidents. Even the Holy Court has grown accustomed to this.

It’s unavoidable. The world is vast, and despite the church’s strong influence, it cannot cover every corner. There will always be people who, for various reasons, choose to embrace the darkness.

Cultists are a perpetual problem. This is a consensus shared by both nobles and the church.

Of course, while it’s accepted that cultists can’t be completely eradicated, severe crackdowns are still necessary. At the very least, the church cannot allow its core areas to become havens for cultists. Every time cultists emerge, they face intense retaliation from the church.

The recent Blood Demon Cult incident in the capital, Lutecia, occurred in the outer city’s slums.

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t a particularly severe incident. It involved ordinary people who had been seduced by the Blood Demon Cult, hoping to gain extraordinary power through blood sacrifices.

One of the staff members at the Castell shop was among those seduced, voluntarily worshipping the Blood Demon Archduke and participating in the blood sacrifice to gain power.

The blood sacrifice was somewhat successful. The cultists involved did gain power, receiving extraordinary abilities from the Evil God.

Of course, as a “quasi-Evil God”, Charlotte knew from Sebastian’s description that the so-called extraordinary abilities were likely just bloodborne powers bestowed by a subordinate of the Shedite Clan, turning them into blood servants or blood thralls.

This sacrifice was quickly exposed.

Though the Blood Demon Cultists chose a chaotic slum, it was still the capital of the Crescent Kingdom, with the highest quantity and quality of Demon Hunters.

The church didn’t even need to mobilize the Inquisition; a Demon Hunter squad stationed in the outer city was sufficient to resolve the Blood Demon incident.

The incident’s strength and difficulty were comparable to a peasant rebellion in ancient China, swiftly suppressed by local police.

The incident alarmed the king and caused a stir primarily because of its timing.

The upcoming Central Conference targets Prince Philip, the Third Prince. Prince Philip has become the object of attack by almost the entire noble council, not only for breaking rules openly but also due to his connections with the Blood Demon Cult.

Regardless of how many noble families can guarantee they have no ties with the Blood Demon Cult, suppressing the cult is politically correct in the Crescent Kingdom. Even King Louis V, who detests the church’s interference in royal affairs, has been resolute in combating the Blood Demon Cult.

If the Central Conference determines that Prince Philip indeed has ties with the Blood Demon Cult, his political career is finished.

However, there’s a significant difference between the prince’s own downfall and being associated with the cult.

The latter could suggest the royal family’s involvement with the Blood Demon Cult, which is unacceptable to the king, as it would undermine the royal authority.

Charlotte could imagine King Louis V’s fury over this. This incident not only provides ammunition to the nobles but also to the church, undermining his efforts to strengthen royal authority against noble and church power.

The Central Conference could easily turn into an event where nobles and the church unite to pressure King Louis V. In such a critical period, another Blood Demon Cult incident in the capital would be deeply annoying for the king, like swallowing a fly.

Given his anger, it’s no surprise the king ordered a thorough investigation of the entire capital.

Reflecting on her own experience entering the city, Charlotte’s suspicions grew.

She asked Sebastian.

“So, you originally arranged for the city guards to welcome us, didn’t you?”

“Yes, Master. I had to assist with the shop’s inspection, so I requested the city guards to greet you. But it seems they failed.”

Charlotte chuckled.

“Heh, they more than failed…”

“Master, did something else happen?”

Sebastian asked, sensing something more.

Charlotte nodded and recounted their entry experience.

Sebastian frowned upon hearing it.

“Not recognizing your identity? That’s impossible! I informed the city officials about your arrival, the gate guards should have recognized your crest!”

“It sounds like the guards were changed at the last minute, possibly to target us.”

Sebastian suggested, puzzled.

“But why? What benefit does it bring? Aside from causing embarrassment…”

Charlotte clicked her tongue.

“That would depend on whether they denied our identity entirely. Who knows how the situation could have developed? Intrigues often unfold in layers, possibly affecting the Central Conference.”

“So… did someone ultimately assist us?”

Sebastian asked.

Charlotte nodded slightly.

“Probably.”

She then asked.

“Sebastian, what do you know about the Gaston Duchy?”

“The Gaston Duchy? They are one of the kingdom’s nine major duchies, known for their neutral stance…”

“Did the Gaston family intervene?”

Sebastian inquired.

Charlotte nodded, confirming her suspicion.

She had sensed the Gaston convoy’s involvement through her heightened perception. Without their subtle help, entering the city might have been much more complicated.

However, Charlotte didn’t dwell on it. As a key participant in the Central Conference, she was certain of her entry into the capital. Any difficulties were mere side plots.

Nevertheless, minor incidents can accumulate into significant conflicts. A single dispute can create lifelong enemies, especially among honor-bound nobles.

But one thing was clear to Charlotte: from the moment she entered the capital, she was already entangled in the power struggles of the Crescent Kingdom.

“Master, do we need to alter our plans?”

Sebastian asked.

“Alter? Why? We stick to the original plan: express loyalty, expand our business network, and lay low while keeping Prince Philip down. Unless provoked, we don’t need to engage further.”

Sebastian pondered.

“You mean maintaining neutrality during the Central Conference?”

“Precisely. We aim to remain neutral between the nobles, royal family, and the church while ensuring Prince Philip’s downfall. I have no intention of diving into the Crescent’s power struggles, at least not now.”

Sebastian warned.

“Master, that might be difficult. Taking down Prince Philip might attract the king’s scrutiny, and you have a visible connection to the church…”

“We won’t know until we try.”

Charlotte said with a smile. She glanced at the sky.

“It’s getting late. Make arrangements, I need to rest early tonight.”

“The conference is in four days, and our arrival will soon be known. I expect we’ll be busy starting tomorrow…”

…

However, Charlotte miscalculated.

The day after settling in the capital, no visitors came to the estate.

It was as if everyone had forgotten about the Castell family.