Chapter 217: Fall and the Struggling Heart

Bishop Gordon East’s heart sank completely.

“Quick! Prepare to evacuate the cathedral!”

He immediately issued a series of orders, his voice fast and urgent: “Seal all entrances and exits first! Have the clergy defend the cathedral to the death! Martyr yourselves for the Holy Light!”

“Then, you and I will leave through the secret passage immediately. Once we are out of the city, head at full speed toward the church station in Count Karl’s territory! We must get the news of the rebellion in Norvigel out!”

“Yes! I will escort you even at the cost of my life!” The knight bowed deeply and turned to leave.

“Wait, there is one more thing!” Bishop Gordon called out sharply, staring at his trusted knight with deep, dark eyes.

“We... will split up. I will go to activate the secret passage mechanism first. You, go immediately to my private study upstairs, open the hidden compartment behind the third bookshelf on the left... take those secret letters with red wax seals and the secret ledgers, and burn them immediately!”

“Remember! Burn them on the spot! You must not leave a single trace of writing!” Bishop Gordon urged once more.

Hearing this, the knight immediately realized what they were and said solemnly, “Understood! Lord Bishop!”

After all instructions were given, the knight turned and hurried away.

However, just as his hand touched the doorknob...

“Oh my~”

A lazy, sweet, and slightly playful laugh rang out in the room without warning.

“Ansu was right, there really are quite a few unexpected gains~”

“Such important secret letters, what could be written inside? Could you let me see them?”

Under the horrified gazes of Bishop Gordon and the paladin, the shadows in the corner of the office rippled like water.

Following that, a mysterious girl with sharp eyes and a playful smile on her lips appeared before them.

“You, you are—!” Bishop Gordon’s eyes widened.

“Lord Bishop, be careful!” the paladin roared, immediately drawing the cross sword from his waist.

He swung the sword forward, the blade instantly bursting with a blinding, searing holy light—a powerful force forged from faith and years of ascetic practice, enough to make an ordinary black mage tremble.

However, in the next second.

Mana surged, and the paladin’s head rolled onto the floor.

Crimson, warm blood splattered across Bishop Gordon’s face.

Celia smiled faintly, her gaze passing over the headless corpse of the paladin as it slowly collapsed, fixing her eyes on the bishop.

Bishop Gordon’s pupils shrank. He could clearly feel a mana so vast it was terrifying locking onto him.

His fat body couldn’t stop trembling, but the instinct for survival still drove him to try and break free.

“In the name of the Holy Light... protect my body!”

Bishop Gordon roared, using all his energy to trigger a bright, brilliant holy shield.

After briefly dispersing the dark power, he slammed open the door, wanting to call for help—

However, the sight outside the door made his blood run cold.

The hall was devoid of the guarding clergy and guards, nor were there any clergy members anxiously discussing things; there was only deathly silence and a scent of blood so thick it wouldn't dissipate.

The exquisite carpet was soaked in dark red, and blood was splattered everywhere on the walls. All the church personnel were now lying in pools of blood in various states of collapse, silent and still.

At the same time, silent black-robed figures were cruising through the cathedral like ghosts, as if death itself had descended.

The entire cathedral had already been completely slaughtered by them... Bishop Gordon’s legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

After a moment.

From the direction of the stairs came steady, clear footsteps.

A young man with messy black hair and dark green eyes slowly stepped up the blood-stained stairs to the third floor.

A friendly and gentle smile played on his cheeks as he quietly gazed at the stunned Bishop Gordon standing at the doorway.

It was Ansu.

“Are you Bishop Gordon?”

The other party did not answer. Ansu’s gaze bypassed the pale-faced bishop in white robes and landed on Celia.

“I heard there are secret letters? And some secret ledgers?”

“Yes!” Celia nodded with a giggle, her eyes full of curiosity. “I love peeking into people’s privacy the most. Come on, let’s go upstairs and take a look~”

Ansu smiled and nodded, walking toward the study upstairs along the stairs with Celia.

“By the way, bring Bishop Gordon up too.”

Elder Matthew’s figure appeared behind Bishop Gordon in an instant. He snorted coldly and grabbed the man’s fat body.

“Damn! Why is this bishop so fat? He’s like a pig! You can tell he’s been eating well...”

Because Bishop Gordon’s weight was too much, Elder Matthew kicked him in the rear with disdain, driving the rolling and crawling bishop toward the upper floor.

“Move! Be quick about it!”

...

At the same time the Norvigel Cathedral fell into the shadows.

In a noble manor in the center of the city, Freya stood alone before a floor-to-ceiling window, silently watching the scenes unfolding in the distance.

As far as her eyes could see, the streets had become a microcosm of hell.

A clergyman in tattered holy robes was cornered by a group of prisoners who had spent all their bullets and turned into a violent mob.

They looped a rough rope around his neck and, amidst roars filled with hatred, dragged him along and hung him from a street lamp post that was already leaning sideways.

That hanging body was still twitching feebly, like a tattered doll in the wind.

Not far from the street lamp, corpses were already piled like mountains.

City guard soldiers with broken armor, clergy with blood-stained robes...

Furthermore, innocent casualties had begun to appear in the riot.

Some wolf and bear-born demihumans, their battle instincts fully triggered by the blood, burst through the doors of residential houses with bloodshot eyes; cries, pleas for mercy, and roars mixed together.

A mage with blackened eyes, his body emitting a foul black aura and his behavior maddened, began to release magic indiscriminately at his surroundings, killing at random.

More and more mages and demihumans were losing control, and everything in the city began to develop in an uncontrollable direction.

Norvigel... what happened to it?

It clearly shouldn't be like this...

Freya’s fingertips dug deep into her palms, nearly piercing her delicate skin.

Finally, her gaze slowly turned toward the cathedral, which was now shrouded in a dense, foul darkness that made the soul shudder.

The darkness was like a giant beast, devouring the cathedral and this northern city...

But she was powerless.

Was all of this... Lord Ansu’s command?

This thought was like a thorny vine, suddenly tightening around her heart.

But why... why would Lord Ansu do this?

It’s impossible for this to be an order from Lord Ansu! He isn't that kind of person!

Freya’s eyes trembled violently. Within her, it felt as if two personalities were repeatedly tearing at her...

One voice said: Lord Ansu must have his reasons! Chaos is just a means; he is doing this to save more people in the end! To save the whole world!

Another voice said: Enough! There’s a limit to self-deception! Lord Ansu has already fallen into darkness! He was long ago bewitched by that evil and malicious witch!

He forgot his original intent long ago! Ansu just likes the darkness; he is willing to fall, willing to associate with those despicable cultists!

After all, when has he ever truly looked at you and Celia as equals?

These words were like sharp thorns, stabbing ruthlessly into Freya’s increasingly desperate heart.

When has he ever truly looked at me and Celia as equals...

Freya suddenly closed her eyes and clutched her head, trying hard to push these noisy, clamoring voices out of her mind.

No! I believe in Lord Ansu!

It must be that evil witch who has been bewitching him from the side!

All the bad things were done by her! Lord Ansu is innocent!!

Lord Ansu won’t betray me. The one he cares about more is clearly me! He promised me, he promised me...

In this struggle, who knew how much time had passed...

Suddenly, Freya slowly opened her bloodshot eyes.

She looked toward the cathedral shrouded in darkness once more.

I...

I need to go find Lord Ansu!