CA - Chapter 206
Chapter 206
After finally confirming the Tzimisce clan's hiding place, Delphine and Patricia rushed to the Wolf Race overnight, while Tang Qiu and Lucille returned to the Gosse Empire.
When they got back, Reese and Lola had also just returned. The four of them met, exchanged information, and then went their separate ways. Tang Qiu and Lucille returned to Lucille's manor in the Gosse Empire, a place they hadn't been to in a long time.
After darkness descended, the maids who had always tended to the manor had run off somewhere. The once neatly trimmed garden had become overgrown, and the bedroom, long untouched, was covered in a thick layer of dust.
Tang Qiu used a cleaning spell on the bedroom to tidy up a bit. She took off her cloak and placed it on a rack. Her arm was a little sore; she tried to move it, but the ache didn't ease, making her frown.
“…Are you injured?” Lucille glanced over, walked to her, and lifted her arm. She looked down at it carefully, her brow furrowing. “It seems some power of darkness has invaded it.”
As a third-generation elder, and a vampire who had broken through the third-generation limit at that, Eden's dark magic was even more formidable than that of a red-robed witch.
However, Tang Qiu's own power of light was strong enough that the blow hadn't caused any substantial damage.
Lucille raised a hand and gently rubbed Tang Qiu's arm, wisps of black energy merging into her palm. “Why didn't you let me summon Elder Teresa?”
She held the summoning scroll for the Gangrel's third-generation elder, which she had prepared specifically to deal with Eden.
Several major clans in the Blood Domain were already dissatisfied with the Tzimisce, but since none of their search parties had managed to find the Tzimisce's hiding place, they had yet to make a move.
The soreness in her arm had already eased. Tang Qiu led Lucille to the bed and lay down. The soft mattress allowed her tense mind to slowly relax. She adjusted her position to lie on Lucille's lap, her eyes half-closed, her voice soft and tinged with laziness. “Summoning Teresa is too dangerous.”
Lucille ran her hand through Tang Qiu's golden hair, her gaze fixed on her face. The iciness around her slowly melted like the first snow meeting the warm sun. “Why?”
“Eden broke through,” Tang Qiu sighed inwardly. “You should know better than I what that means for the vampires.”
Lucille's brow furrowed, and she fell silent.
Although Eden hadn't broken through directly to the second generation, he had broken the “law” that had firmly restricted vampires for thousands, even tens of thousands, of years.
This was news that could drive the entire vampire race into a frenzy.
Eden wasn't a hybrid; he was a true-born vampire.
No one could resist the temptation of becoming stronger, especially not the vampires, who were restricted from ever climbing another step higher, even until death.
Tang Qiu didn't dare gamble on how Teresa or any other vampire would react upon discovering Eden's breakthrough at a time like this.
Perhaps… their allies would turn into enemies, and their situation would become even more difficult.
“Never underestimate a person's greed,” Tang Qiu said seriously, opening her eyes to look at Lucille. “Especially when it comes to vampires, who may seem normal but are actually just a hair's breadth away from madness.”
Countless vampires had chosen endless slumber out of boredom and despair.
Lucille leaned down and kissed the corner of Tang Qiu's lips, saying softly, “Then let's just ignore them.”
Vampires never had principles or rules; betrayal was merely a matter of a passing thought. Not involving other vampires might even save them some trouble.
They had been so busy, and moments of intimacy like this were too few. Tang Qiu turned over and wrapped her arms around Lucille's slender waist. “It's been a long time since you returned to the fourth generation. How come you haven't touched the bottleneck for a breakthrough yet?”
Even Lola's aura was growing stronger by the day, thanks to the good food she'd been having lately.
Tang Qiu closed her eyes, a deep smile in her voice as a thought occurred to her. “Is it because I haven't been feeding you enough lately, leaving you hungry?”
A flicker of amusement crossed Lucille's dark red eyes before she composed herself. She stroked Tang Qiu's hair, her voice cool. “What do you think?”
“I don't think so,” Tang Qiu defended herself. “You're clearly very satisfied every time.”
The corners of Lucille's mouth lifted slightly. Even in the dim light, the softness in her eyes was visible. The hand on Tang Qiu's hair moved down, gently covering her eyes. “Go to sleep.”
She was clearly exhausted, yet she was still forcing herself to tease her.
Tang Qiu nuzzled against Lucille's arm, a lovely curve forming on her lips. She closed her eyes, and soon, her breathing grew steady and even.
With her Wolf Race constitution, Tang Qiu's spiritual energy was restored to its peak state after a single night's rest.
The Holy Son was dead, and Gabriel had most likely returned to his own territory. Tang Qiu and Reese had never imagined that in the end, Gabriel would turn out to be the greatest threat.
Gabriel's successful escape meant that the news of the Holy Son's death could no longer be suppressed. Just as Tang Qiu and Reese had predicted, within a mere three days, the news spread throughout the entire Holy See, known by everyone from the Red-robed Archbishops down to the priests and believers.
The first-in-line successor to the papacy was dead. For the Holy See, which was in the midst of suppressing the darkness, this was a devastating blow.
To stabilize the panicked populace, the Pope would have to make an appearance to offer reassurance. But if the Pope couldn't come out... then a new Pope would have to be confirmed.
Gabriel's goal had always been the latter. Seriously injuring the Pope and killing the Holy Son were merely means for him to legitimately ascend to the position.
Because of the Holy Son's death, the operation to suppress the darkness was forced to a halt. Gabriel bypassed the Pope and ordered all Red-robed Archbishops and Bishops to return to the Central Church.
The Gosse Church also received this order. Tang Qiu rested one hand on the table, her eyes lowered as she toyed with her staff, seemingly absent-minded but actually lost in thought.
Sitting opposite her, Reese glanced at Tang Qiu, a smile playing on her lips. “Are you worried?”
With the Holy Son finally eliminated, most of the gloom hanging over Reese had dissipated. She had become leisurely again, and the rose tea on the table bubbled with steam.
Tang Qiu looked up to meet Reese's gaze, smiled, and said softly, “I saw the Pope's condition when I was with the Holy Daughter. I don't think he can control Gabriel anymore.”
This time, everyone, including the bishops, had been summoned to the Central Church. Tang Qiu had a feeling that Gabriel didn't want to wait any longer; he intended to use this opportunity to seize power directly.
Reese took a sip of her tea, frowning. “Gabriel has vampires backing him, which certainly makes things difficult... However, he values his reputation. If the Pope is determined to stall him, he won't be able to get his way so quickly.”
The question was what choice the Pope would make after learning of the Holy Son's death.
Actually, after the Holy Son's death, the second in line for the papacy was the Holy Daughter... But the Holy Daughter usually kept a low profile in the Holy See. Most people's impression of her was more like an assistant to the Holy Son, or an attendant who helped the Pope with church affairs.
She had too few supporters.
Tang Qiu placed her staff on the table with a soft clink. Frowning, she was about to say something when footsteps suddenly sounded at the door.
Mario hurried in, head bowed, and said, “Someone from the Central Church is here. It's a priest attendant to the Holy Daughter.”
Tang Qiu and Reese exchanged a look. Tang Qiu asked, puzzled, “The order to return to the Central Church arrived the day before yesterday. Why would the Holy Daughter send a priest over now?”
Reese narrowed her eyes and nodded at Mario. “Let her in.”
Mario acknowledged with a low voice and went out to relay the message. As Tang Qiu watched his back disappear, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Reese was still sitting there with no intention of hiding. She raised an eyebrow. “No need to hide?” Reese was still technically a “missing person.”
Reese shook her head. “No need.” The priest attendants by the Holy Daughter's side were all people she knew inside and out, the type who would never betray her, so there was no need for Reese to hide.
Mario led the Holy Daughter's attendant priest in and then left. The priest bowed to Tang Qiu. When she looked up, she only paused for a moment upon seeing Reese before quickly regaining her composure. “Bishop Grace, Her Highness the Holy Daughter invites you to the Central Church to receive the Light Baptism.”
“Light Baptism?”
The priest took out a pure white staff inlaid with red gems and a set of Red-robed Archbishop's vestments from her Space Gem. She raised them with both hands and respectfully presented them to Tang Qiu, saying in a solemn voice, “Darkness has descended, and the Holy See has fallen into crisis. Both Archbishop Cambecus and Archbishop Reese have been harmed by the black witches. The Pope is both furious and deeply saddened. As pillars of the Holy See, the Red-robed Archbishops are of extraordinary importance.”
“The Pope is aware that you have always been greatly trusted by Archbishop Reese and have made significant contributions to suppressing the forces of darkness. Therefore, he intends to select you to succeed to the position of Red-robed Archbishop.”
Her words were clearly prepared in advance. After reciting them with her head lowered, she didn't give Tang Qiu time to react. She placed the items on the table and then took out a letter of appointment. This time, however, she didn't hand it to Tang Qiu, but to Reese.
Reese was staring down at the Red-robed Archbishop's staff, lost in thought. Seeing the parchment held out to her, she hesitated for a moment before reaching out to take it.
It contained a few very official sentences, the content of which was what the priest had just said. Reese scanned it quickly, her gaze focusing on the seal at the end.
The seal was not the Holy Daughter's, but the Pope's... Reese's lips curved into a playful smile. “A Red-robed Archbishop…”
She handed the parchment to Tang Qiu, saying with a grin, “This gift is a bit sudden.”
It was indeed quite sudden... Tang Qiu took the parchment, glanced down at it, and asked in a calm tone, “Whose order is this?”
The priest kept her head bowed and answered respectfully, “The Pope's order.” After delivering everything, she didn't linger. “Her Highness the Holy Daughter awaits you both at the Central Church.”
With that, she gave a slight bow and turned to leave.
The staff on the table shimmered with a faint red light, the power of light condensed around it forming a stark contrast with Tang Qiu's own bishop's staff.
Tang Qiu casually set the parchment aside, picked up the staff to examine it for a few moments, then looked up at Reese and asked, “What do you make of it?”
She didn't believe it was the Pope's order.
“It's Phoenix,” Reese said with absolute certainty. “The Pope would never give the position of Red-robed Archbishop to you.”
In the Central Church, the only person who might give the position of Red-robed Archbishop to Tang Qiu was the Holy Daughter.
To think she still had the ability to accomplish this at a time like this... and Gabriel didn't even try to stop it... It was a bit strange.
“I'll go back with you.” Reese stroked her chin and smiled sweetly. “I want to see what she's up to.”
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