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Chapter 163: Cardinal Lanchi's Task
Chapter 163: Cardinal Lanchi's Task
On the third floor corridor of Lichtenstein Castle, Cardinal Lanchi and Bishop Hyberlian stood outside the grand bedroom that once belonged to the castle's master. Lanchi knocked twice gently on the massive door.
"Lanchi?" came a voice from within.
"It's me," Lanchi replied as he turned the door handle and pushed open the door.
A faint, dazzling light escaped from the crack between the door and the frame, piercing through the dimly lit corridor.
Lanchi and Hyberlian stepped into the room, and their eyes were immediately drawn to the vast chamber that resembled the heart of an ancient castle. The walls were adorned with countless carvings and intricate details, like the pages of an open history book, inviting one to explore the stories behind the rich colors and delicate lines.
A marble fireplace blazed with a robust and fervent flame, while deep brown curtains draped over the windows, obscuring the night beyond and adding to the room's air of secrecy, as if some unspeakable ritual were taking place.
At the center of the room, surrounded by four pillars, were the three familiar figures.
The three clergy members, now adept in their skills, wore masks as they meticulously worked on a desiccated corpse, their concentration intense.
"If all the soft tissues of the prey, including the internal organs, are dehydrated and dried, we'll need to apply more force during the dissection. Don't hold back; go ahead and use strength; you won't ruin the specimen," instructed Fred, standing beside them.
"Stop... Please stop..."
The emaciated corpse, pale as ancient parchment, twitched and writhed in agony—a horrifying sight.
The clergy members' tools moved across the corpse, sometimes gently and sometimes forcefully, each action eliciting weak, piercing sounds from Count Palokas.
The high-frequency noises mingled with the scraping of blades against dry, tough skin.
"Hmm, there's no bloody smell," Lanchi remarked in surprise.
"Have you ever wondered why that is?" Hyberlian finally broke her silence, looking up at Lanchi.
The two of them first sought out Fred, who was still instructing the clergy members using his hunter profession skills.
According to Lanchi's training plan, after this session, the three clergy members would return to the mortal world, well-versed in dissection, be it human or beast.
After observing for a while, Lanchi waited until the busy individuals paused their work and turned their attention to him before asking, "Everyone, is the werewolf among you?"
If the werewolf wasn't present, he could head up to the fourth floor's iron casting room to inquire with the young master of the chamber of commerce and his escort siblings.
"It's me," Fred promptly nodded and replied, meeting Lanchi's gaze.
He knew Lanchi was looking for him for a reason.
"Fred, do you actually possess the abilities of a werewolf?" Lanchi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him as he appraised Fred.
On their way here, Hyberlian had mentioned that even in her shadow world information panel, there was no explicit indication that she was the "Witch."
However, based on the information from the sealed magic book they found in the castle, she was indeed the witch of this shadow world, being a half-demon.
The demon features had been perfectly concealed by the 'Transformation Technique: Human' that they acquired previously, and only those who entered with her and the two betrayers from the Revivalists, who knew her identity beforehand, were aware of her half-demon heritage.
Since the "Witch" identity wasn't bestowed by the shadow world but innate, then the "Werewolf"...
"Most likely the same reason," Fred replied. "I went to the library and looked through some ancient books, and I finally understand why I get slightly enhanced at night."
Fred had finally figured out something that had puzzled him for a long time even in the mortal world.
Although he was not of wolf lineage, there seemed to be a slight regression in his bloodline, and even in the mortal realm, he would gain enhanced strength under moonlight, along with full attribute boosts and higher regenerative abilities.
"When I was younger, my hair was black, but as my rank increased, it turned grayish-white, and that's when I started to awaken more traits similar to the so-called wolf tribe."
Fred explained to Lanchi and Hyberlian.
In a sense, he was now half-wolf.
However, even before he awakened these wolf-like traits, he already possessed an incredibly powerful regenerative ability.
If it were nighttime, he would be confident in taking on any same-ranked vampire in a one-on-one fight.
After a brief conversation, Lanchi turned to Fred and asked, "Fred, I'm sorry, but could I trouble you to come with me for a moment?"
"No problem," Fred readily agreed.
...
Fred gave the three clergy members a quick rundown of the subsequent dissection steps, and then he left the bedroom with Lanchi and Hyberlian.
Their footsteps once again broke the silence in the third-floor corridor, echoing through the cold stone walls and hallways.
"How can I help?" Fred asked.
"I've received the latest intelligence," Lanchi began. "Beneath the wine cellar in this castle, there's a sealed vampire viscount. We need the blood of a witch and a werewolf to unseal him. We have to go and rescue him."
Lanchi wore an expression of urgency, as if the life of the viscount depended on their haste.
Fred nodded in understanding.
That explained everything, and no more words were needed. Lanchi's eyes spoke volumes, and Fred could read them clearly.
"Fred, before we entered the shadow world, we were talking about the academic delegation from the Kingdom of Yarloran, and how they would be causing a lot of trouble for the president. According to estimates, they should be arriving at the Academy of Ikelite in the next couple of days for a two-week academic visit. The shadow world will end in four days, and by then, we can help the president out."
As the three of them descended the stairs, their conversation continued, each step heavy like the beat of a drum.
The dark staircase seemed like a gateway to the unknown, and each flickering candle flame offered a warm, helping hand, dispelling the shadows.
Their usual student council duties in the old humanities building at the Academy of Ikelite were often this leisurely.
"Absolutely," Fred affirmed.
"Moreover, there's a hidden elite Revivalist among the Yarloran Kingdom's team, tasked with killing Hyberlian and sabotaging the trust between our two nations. This is a serious malicious incident that no one else is aware of yet, and to protect the safety of our informant, we can't report it to the kingdom just yet. We have to create an 'accident' to capture that criminal," Lanchi continued, his voice filled with the weight of his responsibility.
Hearing Lanchi's words, Hyberlian paused for a moment, a sense of deja vu washing over her.
She recalled the intelligence revealed by the priestess Sticella—there was a highly dangerous individual who wanted to stage an 'accident' to kill her within the school grounds.
It seemed that this time, their plans aligned with Lanchi's.
Lanchi thought so too.
So, which 'accident' would be more unexpected?!
(End of Chapter)
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