Gospel of Blood

“Sir Bertrand de Chevalier, I believe I’ve told you not to act against the Castell family before the Central Council meeting!”

“I know you used to be the Third Prince’s steward, loyal to him and resentful towards the Castell family, but even revenge has its timing!”

“With the meeting imminent, everyone is watching the Castell family. For the plan to succeed, we must keep a low profile these days!”

“Fortunately, I noticed something was wrong when I entered the city yesterday. Otherwise, if you had taken further action, everything would have fallen apart!”

Richard scolded sternly, looking dissatisfied.

Charlotte listened for a while before realizing he was referring to the difficulties she encountered with the gate guards when entering the city yesterday.

It seemed there were further plots that had been thwarted. This somewhat matched her and Sebastian’s speculations, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

What surprised her was Richard de Gaston’s identity. The duke’s son was involved with the Blood Demon Cult and was even a high-ranking member!

With the enhanced perception from the blood divine power and divine possession, Charlotte vaguely sensed a flaw in his aura.

Despite his good disguise, the faint trace of a bloodborne aura indicated to Charlotte that he, like Bertrand, had already been embraced.

Of course, the ducal family always had extraordinary items, so Richard likely had some tool to conceal his aura, which explained why Charlotte didn’t recognize him yesterday.

Richard continued his reprimand.

“Sir Bertrand de Chevalier, Lord Albrecht wants me to tell you he doesn’t want to see this happen again! He needs a compliant descendant, not a rebellious one. He can grant you immortality, but he can also take it back!”

“Do you understand?”

His voice was cold, filled with warning.

Charlotte remained expressionless.

She sighed, appearing regretful, and replied in a hoarse, old voice.

“Lord Richard, I was impulsive. From now on, I will cooperate with the Apostle and not act alone.”

Hearing her words, Richard’s expression softened slightly.

He nodded and said,

“Good. The ritual is imminent. We cannot afford to lose the big picture for small gains. Once our Lord’s sacrificial ritual succeeds, not only the Castell family, but the entire Crescent Kingdom will fall into our Lord’s embrace, and even the Holy Court will be heavily damaged!”

A sacrificial ritual targeting the kingdom and the church?

Could it be… they plan to sacrifice the royal family, priests, and nobles attending the Central Meeting?

Charlotte thought.

Richard continued.

“As for the Castell family… you should stop targeting them. The Cult has already secretly reported her to the Church. The Church will deal with her.”

“Perhaps the God behind her can help her hide, but the Holy Court is not so easily deceived. Her presence can help us divert some of the Church’s attention.”

“The Grand Inquisitor and the Hunter Cardinal have gone to the North, and other Cardinals are dispersed. Currently, only Archbishop Charles is in Lutecia, making this our best opportunity…”

Charlotte: …

It seems the Blood Demon Cult doesn’t know what’s happening within the Church and isn’t aware that the Grand Inquisitor and Hunter Cardinal never left.

It’s understandable. When the Church’s three leaders “tested” her, no one else was present, and the Church is a no-go zone for the Blood Demon Cult, so it’s normal they don’t know the internal news.

It seems the Grand Inquisitor and Hunter Cardinal’s interest in her is not just because of her importance but also to counter the Blood Demon Cult.

However the Blood Demon Cult is unaware that the Church has already discovered their plans.

Charlotte pondered, then said seriously.

“I will be cautious and stop targeting the Castell family.”

Richard nodded slightly.

“I hope you keep your word. Our ritual is right under the Church’s nose. Above us is the Royal Plaza and the Council Hall, and nearby is Lutecia Cathedral. The closer we get to the final stage, the more cautious we must be. The newly appointed Crescent Archbishop is not an easy opponent!”

Then, the young noble began to offer promises.

“Sir Bertrand, Lord Albrecht is always fair in his rewards and punishments. Do your job well, and you will be rewarded. After this ritual, Crescent will experience a power vacuum. The Apostle will not forget your contribution. You will have a place in the future Blood-soaked Court…”

Blood-soaked Court?

Is the Blood Demon Cult trying to emulate the Coria Kingdom, attempting to overthrow Crescent’s rule and secretly control it?

Charlotte pondered and guessed the Blood Demon Cult’s sacrificial ritual. It was similar to their historical operation when they overthrew the Crescent Kingdom, recorded in the Church’s archives.

If her guess was correct, they planned to sacrifice some nobles during the Central Council meeting and turn others into bloodborne.

Which nobles would be sacrificed and which would become bloodborne… depended on their stance. The Church’s control over the nobles was limited, and many had secret ties with the Blood Demon Cult.

Charlotte thought, then showed a joyful expression.

“Please rest assured, Lord Richard. I will not let the Cult down and will complete the task assigned by the Apostle!”

Richard nodded in satisfaction.

After a few more instructions, the Dark Apostle’s envoy left.

Alone, Charlotte narrowed her eyes and began to communicate with the Gospel of Blood.

The Gospel of Blood could resonate with scattered pages of the Gospel within a certain distance. If Bertrand had indeed collected pages, she might sense them!

In the ancient castle, the Gospel of Blood shone brightly, and Charlotte felt a familiar call from not far away.

Found it!

She thought, relieved.