https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-361-Lanchi-Comes-Across-a-Young-Lady-in-Need-of-Assistance/12584526/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-363-Lanchi-s-Emotional-Investment-in-Sigrid/12584528/
Chapter 362: Cardinal Lanchi's Protection
Chapter 362: Cardinal Lanchi's Protection
The tense atmosphere in the concourse of Rock Junction Station hung heavy, like a sheet of ice about to shatter.
A sudden sound from behind the queued passengers was like a heavy stone thrown onto the fragile ice, causing a ripple of echoes!
Everyone was pushed aside by a newly arrived group of Knights of Obliteration, and as they stepped back, their gazes turned towards the source of the sound.
From the path that the crowd had parted, a young man in a dark gray suit slowly emerged. His slender figure was slightly slender, with a straight nose, thin lips, and well-defined features that appeared even more quiet and indifferent under the lights, yet he exuded an unpredictable air.
The only puzzling thing was that he wore a single handcuff on his left hand, and the other end of the handcuff was locked to a fair-haired woman with purple eyes and a bowed head, who showed no sign of resistance. She was being escorted like a dangerous criminal.
Soon, without the need for the Knights of Obliteration to clear the way, the people around them instinctively sensed a danger emanating from the young man in gray, and they naturally stepped aside, unsure themselves why they were doing so.
The man in gray seemed to be in no hurry, but with each step, he subtly altered the atmosphere in the station. The tension and chaos gradually transformed into an orderly calm under his guidance.
As he finally reached the front of the crowd and stood before the two noble girls and the priests, the noble girls and the accompanying Knights of Obliteration couldn't help but tense up.
Compared to the common folk, the priests of the Obliteration Branch were even more afraid of the Scion of Obliteration.
Or perhaps they were simply more aware of what kind of person he was.
The calm yet dangerous aura he exuded was not an illusion. A single wrong word in his presence could lead to unforeseen consequences.
"Why is it so chaotic here?"
The young man's voice rang out again, this time clearer than before, and even more inscrutable.
"Your Eminence Lanchi."
The high priest quickly bowed to the arriving youth in gray, and compared to the two noble ladies they had just captured, it was more important to show respect and deference to the Scion of Obliteration, the most dangerous person at the moment, and to report on the situation.
"We found a suspected fugitive whom you are pursuing and wanted to bring her to the Temple of the Knights of Obliteration to await your investigation. It took quite some time to convince them."
There was a hint of self-importance in his tone.
Hearing the high priest address the young man as Lanchi, Sybeline's heart leaped into her throat.
The young man before her, with his light gray hair and refined appearance, exuded an indescribable sense of safety. But the fear the priests of the Obliteration Branch had shown towards him made it clear that he was an extremely dangerous individual.
Her luck was truly awful. Not only had she been inexplicably stopped by the Obliteration Branch today, but she had also encountered the last person she wanted to meet so soon.
Sybeline even suspected that there might be a spy within the Church of the Goddess of Fate, but that didn't quite add up either. If there was a spy, the Scion of Obliteration could have had her arrested in the Northwest Province instead of going through the trouble of luring her to the Box Mountain Province.
She could only keep her gaze on the Scion of Obliteration, afraid to miss any detail that might signal a crucial change, but she dared not meet his eyes, fearing that this dangerous enemy would see right through her in such a situation.
The young man's gaze swept over Sybeline and Mishula, calm and deep, exuding an aura of authority that demanded respect and attention.
During the brief moment while they awaited the Scion of Obliteration's scrutiny, Sybeline could feel the cold sweat on her palms. Despite her efforts to control her breathing and appear calm, her heart was pounding like a drum, desperately trying to quell the panic that threatened to overwhelm her in this worst-case scenario.
"Let them go."
The young man's voice was devoid of any emotion as he spoke matter-of-factly.
He glanced at the materials in the high priest's hand.
Obviously, the two girls were students on their way to the Royal Magic Academy of Protoroth, and the tall one seemed to have been suspected by the high priest of being Sigrid, hence their detention.
The high priest was taken aback.
Not only the high priest, but even Sybeline and Mishula showed surprise at his words.
They never expected that after the arrival of this even more dangerous individual, the first thing he would do was decisively set them free.
"She is my prey, you have the wrong person."
The young man in gray lifted his handcuffed left hand, and the powerless girl beside him was pulled up by her wrist.
The high priest was filled with bewilderment, but soon understood the situation and became hesitant.
"But..."
The high priest's eyes seemed to be pleading with the Scion of Obliteration to understand the situation—
He had already offended these two countesses to some extent. Rather than letting them go, it would be better to sever all ties and ensure that Count Milford would not cast his vote in the wrong direction!
"Instead of recounting your incompetence that led to this fiasco, it would be better to spend this time executing the next task to make up for your mistakes. The grand cause of Lord Askesan cannot afford any of your blunders."
The young man's expression held a hint of displeasure, but it was not due to ignorance of the situation; it was because he was in control.
His gaze seemed to pierce through everything, not just physical barriers but also mental defenses.
"Yes, my lord."
Under such scrutiny, the high priest finally realized his own vulnerability and stepped aside.
"Are you the daughters of the House of Milford?"
After a moment, the gray-robed youth took a few steps closer to Sybeline and Mishula, and those simple steps felt like a giant boulder dropping into Sybeline's heart, stirring up waves of emotion.
Far from relaxing her guard because of the young man's earlier words, she felt even more confused and fearful due to the day's inexplicable events and changes.
"Yes."
Sybeline nodded calmly, hiding her true feelings.
"Sorry for scaring you. Once you get to the capital, focus on your studies and forget about these unpleasant events."
The young man's tone softened as he addressed the two noble ladies.
Then he turned to the high priest who had stopped them earlier,
"Apologize to the ladies. What if Count Milford's crucial vote causes Lord Askesan to lose the election? How will you take responsibility for that?"
"..."
Hearing this, the high priest lowered his head, clenching his teeth tightly. The veins on his forehead twitched slightly, and despite the ill intentions he held towards these haughty young ladies, he dared not show it on his face.
Finally, the high priest took a deep breath and regained his initial posture, bowing deeply to Sybeline and Mishula.
"My apologies, ladies. Please be magnanimous and overlook this misunderstanding for the sake of Lord Anello."
"..."
Neither Sybeline nor Mishula responded or thanked the Scion of Obliteration.
After he had paved the way for them, they glanced at him and quickly walked away from the checkpoint.
They climbed stairs and walked through corridors until they reached the brand-new Platform Three. Only then did Sybeline's tense heart relax again.
This place was already under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Army, which meant they had left the northern blockade and could travel south at any time. Even the priests of the Obliteration Branch had no right to cross the Protorth Defense Bureau and make arrests here.
It felt like a sense of relief after a dangerous fall, a mix of thrill, liberation, and survival.
"Sister, why did the Scion of Obliteration help us?"
Mishula pursed her lips, unable to fathom why the most feared person in the Northwest Province would let them go so easily.
Sybeline shook her head, her eyes filled with complexity as she sat on the spacious bench on the platform, waiting for the noon train that was yet to arrive.
There were already too many things she couldn't understand.
Of course, she wouldn't thank the notoriously infamous Scion of Obliteration, Anello, but there was an indescribable sense of familiarity about him, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
It was this feeling that truly made Sybeline sense danger and confusion, and she even began to doubt herself, wondering if she was becoming unable to distinguish between friends and foes.
Mishula noticed her sister's deep reservations and didn't ask further questions. She quietly sat by her side, waiting for the train that had not yet arrived.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
