Chapter 835: Ran Chi and the Wolf Clan's Bond

Chapter 835: Ran Chi and the Wolf Clan's Bond

"Meow."

The big gray cat pawed at Ran Chi's hand, urging him to continue feeding it without stopping.

"Alright, hold on," Ran Chi said, playing with it one-handed while reaching for the almost empty confectionery box on the coffee table.

"It seems to really like this pastry. I'll ask Secretary Nera to send a few more boxes back with you later."

Violet watched with interest as the gray cat nestled in Ran Chi's arms.

The distance between them had shortened significantly since their first meeting, and Secretary Nera often updated her on Professor Landry's teaching at the Abbey. Through these reports, Violet learned of Professor Landry's character and his sincere attitude towards his students, making it hard for her not to appreciate him.

"Meow?"

Talia the Cat suddenly snapped out of her daze, realizing something.

How did she actually turn into a cat and start playing with Ran Chi?

She had become so engrossed that she almost fell asleep comfortably! But now that the situation had come to this, it would be more embarrassing to suddenly snap out of it. So, the big gray cat forced itself to endure its uneasiness and continued to act coquettishly while accepting Ran Chi's feeding.

"Alright, I've adjusted my mood. It's about time we talked about serious matters."

Violet was also soothed by the cat's appearance.

"You came to see me today, Professor Landry, and it seems like you have something important to discuss. Is there a problem?" she asked.

The warm candlelight intertwined with the cool moonlight, creating a surreal atmosphere.

The fragrant scent in the air grew stronger, intoxicating the cat and making it feel blissful.

Raising its head, its gaze met Violet's through the flickering light.

"Before that, I have one last question. I'm curious as to why you and Mr. Julius were arguing earlier."

Ran Chi bluntly asked Violet for information.

He hadn't expected such a significant disagreement between the Divine Generals.

This indicated that at least one of the Sixth Divine General, Aquamarine Violet, and the Tenth Divine General, Red Jasper Julius, was not under control. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been such a clear dispute.

According to the Ice Maiden's secret teachings about Advanced Divine Spells and the legends of the Moon Goddess and the Wolf Witch, the Sixth Divine General, Aquamarine Violet, should be an uncontrollable target for the vampires.

This was also the reason why, during the Blood Moon Cataclysm Era, the vampires wanted to exterminate the Wolf Clan, as they always posed a threat to the vampires' racial survival.

"Don't bother asking, I won't tell you."

Violet didn't beat around the bush and directly refused to answer the question.

The issue involved the internal affairs of the Divine Generals, and she couldn't disclose such matters to Professor Landry.

"So, do you two often argue like this?"

Ran Chi asked again.

In fact, Violet's response already indicated that the earlier dispute wasn't a simple personal conflict.

Instead, Violet and Julius had a significant disagreement on a more significant matter.

However, this indirectly confirmed that the probability of the Tenth Divine General, Julius, being controlled by the vampires was low. If he were under Duke Lashar's mind control, he should have acted more discreetly, like the Ninth Divine General, Marquis Ryan, to avoid detection by other uncontrolled Divine Generals, rather than actively seeking out a familiar face like Violet to argue with and arouse her suspicions.

Additionally, according to the former Mafia Boss Barton, the Third Divine General, Serpentine Agate Gait, the Seventh Divine General, Blood Jasper Philip, and the Tenth Divine General, Red Jasper Julius, were all from the Radical Faction. The vampires didn't need to waste effort and take risks trying to control them; they would naturally agree to go to war.

"Let me think... Every time I discuss official matters with Heston, Julius becomes inexplicably irritable. Although he can't beat Heston, he often challenges him, which frustrates Heston."

Violet herself didn't know why she was sharing this with Professor Landry. Perhaps it was because they had just been discussing this topic.

Or maybe it was because Professor Landry was like a psychologist, and students believed that confiding in him could easily untangle their emotional knots.

"..."

Ran Chi paused for a moment, deep in thought, with the pastry still in his hand.

Initially, he wanted to understand if the Tenth Divine General, Julius, had been acting abnormally lately and, combined with the intelligence he had gathered in the Empire, try to deduce the reason for his potential conflict with Violet. Now, it seemed like a complex issue had been simplified.

Talia was also startled. She lifted her cat head, looked at Ran Chi who had stopped feeding her, and then glanced at Violet, who had just calmly spoken about their relationship.

As a master of love, Talia understood.

It was a case of loving and hating at the same time.

It was impossible for Julius not to have feelings for Violet.

Unfortunately, the Sixth Divine General, Violet, was unexpectedly insensitive when it came to emotions. She treated both the emotionally obvious Tenth Divine General, Julius, and the emotionally ambiguous First Divine General, Heston, as mere friends and colleagues.

"So, what do you think of Heston?"

Ran Chi resumed feeding the gray cat and asked Violet.

"Heston... He's my best friend and the most trustworthy person I know. Since he was young, he's been determined to become a leader for the people, ensuring that the Empire would never again experience a day like the Blood Bath."

Violet's eyes seemed to travel back in time.

When she first met the indigo-haired boy at the orphanage, she was certain this guy was extraordinary.

Initially, Violet, who was only slightly weaker than Heston, thought she was of average ability.

Later, when she compared herself with others, she realized how strong she was.

It was just that Heston's talent was so monstrous that Violet mistakenly believed that being weaker than him meant being weaker than everyone else.

"Oh, I met Mr. Heston today too. Thanks to him, I was able to get out of a tricky situation. Before meeting him, I never would've imagined that the First Divine General is actually a gentle, cheerful young man with a bit of recklessness. Of course, I mean no offense, it's just...amazing."

Ran Chi spoke, stroking the cat.

As Violet said, the information she gathered from various sources aligned with what Ran Chi knew. Heston was now the people's favorite, but also a thorn in the side of many of the Empire's old aristocracy.

For Emperor St. Baldur, Heston was a sharp sword to keep those aristocrats in check.

Heston's inherent kindness and gentle demeanor made it difficult for conflicts to truly escalate, and the outcomes often favored Emperor St. Baldur.

Despite this, Emperor St. Baldur still held suspicions towards the First Divine General. He favored Duke Dax more, using Heston's personality to his advantage. Many people felt indignant on Heston's behalf, but they dared not speak up, fearing the news would reach His Majesty.

"He's always been this out-of-tune, but he's also a great friend. In all these years, I've never seen him lose his temper or act impetuously, let alone do something as ungraceful as cursing a woman."

Violet laughed, her words carrying a hint of mockery.

Ran Chi could tell that Violet's ridicule wasn't directed at Heston but at Julius, whom she didn't mention at all.

She was still holding a grudge, not fully forgiving Julius for his earlier confrontation.

"I heard from Secretary Nera that you've known the First Divine General, Heston, for almost twenty years. So, you must know him well."

Ran Chi nodded in understanding.

Violet was tight-lipped about any intelligence related to the Divine Generals' official duties. Her words were carefully chosen, strictly separating public and private matters.

At most, Ran Chi could only learn about some anecdotes she knew about other Divine Generals.

"Heston and I met shortly after the Blood Moon Riot at the orphanage. I didn't want the Empire's tragedy to happen again."

Violet's eyes reflected sadness, still resisting the memories of the riot on the National Festival day twenty years ago.

The riot that day had not only killed many nobles but also countless civilians who perished in the conflict, either killed on the spot or during the battles with the nobles' estate guards. Thus, there were many more orphans.

Heston, of commoner origins, lost his parents that day and luckily escaped to the Moon Goddess Abbey's orphanage, saving his life.

"..."

Ran Chi remained silent.

Violet, too, had experienced the Blood Moon Riot firsthand, but being in the Holy Church of Saint Asteri, she received more protection.

"But it's fine now. Twenty years have passed, and the times have changed. The new National Festival is approaching, and there won't be a riot like twenty years ago. Even though Krythia isn't in a good state now, it won't be as chaotic and cruel as it was back then. The lessons and changes brought about by the bloodshed have brought the people and the aristocracy much closer to equality."

Violet shook her head, concluding the topic.

She then turned her gaze to Professor Landry, waiting for him to speak.

Today, Professor Landry had requested a private meeting with her.

The principal's office fell silent for a moment, only interrupted by the faint sound of Ran Chi stroking the cat's back.

"Do you feel that some of the Divine Generals have changed recently?"

After a moment of silence, he finally asked.

In truth, Violet's highly probing words carried a high risk, even though she was unlikely to be controlled by the vampires. She was still a Divine General of the Krythia Empire.

However, after their conversation, Ran Chi felt it was worth trying to communicate with Violet.

Even if he couldn't bring Violet into their fold, he needed to gain her assistance as much as possible, at the very least, to prevent her from becoming an enemy.

The actions of the Rotten Bishop in Brillada worried both Ran Chi and Talia, as the arrival of the Rotten Bishop at the Blood Moon City during the National Festival would undoubtedly put immense pressure on them.

"How...you too..."

Violet's lips parted in surprise at Ran Chi's words, but she trailed off, deep in thought.

"Me?"

Ran Chi observed Violet's expression.

It seemed that someone had asked her a similar question before Ran Chi brought it up today.

"Did Princess Alykxia ask you this question?"

Ran Chi probed further.

"Not her, but you can assume she did," Violet replied, fixing her gaze on Ran Chi, as if studying him.

Ran Chi continued to stroke the cat, silent.

Talia's lack of reaction indicated that Violet's words were not a lie.

Upon careful deduction, assuming Violet's statement was true, her words could also imply that—perhaps someone else who knew the truth had approached Violet, and Violet was aware of their connection to Princess Alykxia.

Such a person, who knew both the changes among the Divine Generals and had a connection to Princess Alykxia, was highly likely to be a member of the Silver Moon Renaissance.

The fact that they approached Violet indicated their intention to recruit her, and they had probably already revealed their Silver Moon Renaissance identity to her.

Violet didn't spell it out, as her position prevented her from doing so. Otherwise, she would leave evidence of sheltering a Silver Moon Renaissance member.

"Are you a member of the Silver Moon Renaissance? Or when you asked me to find the Silver Moon Renaissance and hand them over to you, was it actually to protect their members?"

Ran Chi decided to be direct and asked Violet.

He now recalled their first conversation, where Violet had emphasized handing over any Silver Moon Renaissance members she found. According to Red Falcon Nicola's logic, this could be less about deep hatred for the Silver Moon Renaissance and more about a protective measure.

As long as Violet was a companion, many problems would be easily solved.

Currently, there were still three people whose identities were unknown.

According to the most distinctive traits in the intelligence, Number Four was someone who hadn't returned to Brillada in the past month, Number Eight was the person who would fall silent and avoid the topic when mentioning Professor Landry, and Number Nine was the one who could obtain most of the intelligence for a price. Moreover, all three of them knew Princess Alykxia.

This member, who had once laid her cards on the table with Violet, obviously trusted Violet very much and was even willing to gamble her life in Violet's hands.

First of all, Violet couldn't be Number Four because when Ran Chi had just arrived in Brillada a month ago, Violet had already received him at Saint Kreinti Convent.

The only possibility was that she was either Number Eight or Number Nine.

However.

Violet quickly provided the answer.

"I'm not, but I won't deny that I'll protect them."

She didn't refuse to answer Professor Landry's question.

To some extent, Professor Landry had asked to this point, and the information he himself revealed was even more.

"So it's not..."

Ran Chi silently petted the gray cat in his arms.

Talia Cat didn't move at all, indicating that what Violet said was still the truth.

Where were Numbers Four, Eight, and Nine?

The promising news that was about to be found had fallen through, leaving him with a sense of disappointment as if he had missed an opportunity. The only thing worth celebrating was that he hadn't lost the bet either, as Violet's attitude was friendly towards them, leaving room for negotiation.

"Then, Professor Landry, are you a member of the Silver Moon Reform Society? Do you also have a Sacred Rank Communication Magic Card?"

Violet asked Ran Chi calmly.

After letting the professor ask so many questions, it was her turn to ask a few.

"It's hard for me to answer your question, but you can guess."

Ran Chi responded with the usual rhetoric he used when leading.

"I understand."

Violet understood upon hearing this.

Since there was no denial, it was considered an implicit acknowledgment.

"Then, as you said, someone else had also said similar words to you before. Who was it?"

Ran Chi asked again.

"Of course, I can't tell you, but you can make a guess."

Violet smiled and responded with the exact same rhetoric.

If Professor Landry wasn't a truly reliable member of the Silver Moon Reform Society, then by directly confirming to Professor Landry the information about that person's membership in the Silver Moon Reform Society, she would have put Princess Alykxia and her companions in danger.

Moreover, in Violet's understanding, the principle of the Silver Moon Reform Society itself was to maintain an alliance with mutual privacy.

This level of security ensured that even if one of the members were harmed, it wouldn't jeopardize the others.

"Sigh, that's what a leader does."

Ran Chi said helplessly.

He could imagine that Alykxia had once tried hard to win over Violet, but since Alykxia and Violet didn't have a long-standing familiarity, she failed to successfully pull Violet into their alliance before she was controlled.

Alliances were subtle matters that required a long time of understanding and attempts. If they were too adventurous and radical, it might harm the other companions instead.

Violet's current attitude couldn't be said to be one of complete trust, as she still maintained a distance, emphasizing the boundaries, and could only say that she wouldn't harm them.

"Since you've found me again, even at the risk of talking about these matters, has the situation become urgent? Or are you about to take action as well?"

Through the Empire's intelligence department, Violet clearly understood that the Silver Moon Reform Society had been lying low in Brillada recently.

This indicated that they were either preparing to stay hidden for a while to avoid the spotlight or were about to launch their final revolutionary action.

Professor Landry's actions spoke volumes, and the latter possibility was more likely.

"Chancellor Violet, since you're willing to protect the Silver Moon Reform Society, can you help us deal with the vampires? They are not only our ultimate eradication target but also the greatest threat to the Empire at present. You should know that in ancient legends, vampires and werewolves have always been archenemies, and they will come to eliminate you, their greatest heart's bane, one day."

Ran Chi sincerely bowed and requested to Violet.

At this point, he would lower his head and do his utmost to increase the chances of victory by even the slightest margin.

"Can you tell me more about the situation you know?"

Violet didn't agree, nor did she rush to refuse. Instead, she asked him for more details.

"The root cause of the Kreinti Empire's turmoil is the vampires. Of course, there may be some ambitious individuals within the Kreinti Empire itself. The vampires have dealt with the anti-war faction, which, in turn, has pleased the pro-war faction. Now, it seems that the Kreinti Empire possesses an extremely high war cohesion... If my prediction is correct, the vampires are about to finish off the uncontrollable pro-war faction in the hidden struggle, and the pro-war faction will eventually find a way to settle scores with the vampires."

Ran Chi pondered and continued, "The awakening of the Third Ancestor, Duke Lashar, deep beneath the Kreinti Empire, is the fundamental driving force behind all of this.

Duke Lashar's ability, Blood Heart Control, is challenging to use in direct combat but is the most troublesome in terms of strategy. The heavier the enemy's negative emotions, the easier it is for Duke Lashar to find their mental weakness and complete mind control and forced domination."

"..."

Violet listened to Ran Chi's words in silence, lightly tapping the armrest of the sofa, and fell into deduction and deep thought.

The Kreinti Empire had the strength to rival the entire Kingdom United Parliament Alliance, but as a colossal entity, its internal voices had always been divided, especially regarding the war, as not all Divine Generals agreed.

In this battle, almost all the War Gods were involved, and even the Kingdom's Joint Council couldn't decipher how the Kreth Empire managed to unite the War Gods.

If it was the intervention of a ninth-rank ancient vampire with a power akin to a ninth-rank epic spell, then everything would make sense.

"Professor Landry... How did you find out about all this?"

Violet, aware that Landry might not reveal such secrets, couldn't help but ask.

Even the members of Princess Alexi's side didn't have as comprehensive and detailed information as Professor Landry, and they couldn't provide any evidence to support this vague speculation.

Perhaps Professor Landry was the one who was closer to the Silver Moon Reformation's prophetic role.

"I'm not entirely sure about the principle, but after so many journeys, I can roughly confirm that this is a revelation from the Goddess of Fate. Perhaps She believes that I made a vow with Her, so She broke the rules and interfered with my destiny, allowing me to see things that mortals shouldn't."

Ran Chi's gaze seemed to return to the end of the Blood Moon Calamity era, countless ages ago.

He didn't know the final outcome of the Black Sun Lord either.

Perhaps after the Black Sun Lord met Tamisha, they embarked on a tumultuous journey together.

Normally, Ran Chi wouldn't casually share these secret intelligence, to avoid alerting the enemy and exposing himself. But with the decisive battle against the vampires imminent, Violet was the only ally he could rely on, so he had to inform this wolf witch as much as possible.

"I believe you."

Violet believed that the Goddess of Fate could make such things happen.

When she was found last time, she had already leaned towards the Silver Moon Reformation, only lacking a convincing reason and more detailed background.

More importantly, she admired Professor Landry's sincerity and his determination to find her at this critical moment, without any pretense.

His belief had transcended the personal and was now a matter of the highest mission.

The divine interference described by Professor Landry was more like a high-level future sight combined with a spiritual illusion, presented in a way he could better accept, without harming his brain.

With a medium, the Goddess of Fate could very well make this happen.

If one were to enter the Hall of Fate, touch the statue, all conditions would be met, and Professor Landry's detailed account would make sense. Violet, as the High Priestess of the Moon, knew the nature and power of each deity better than anyone.

"From our perspective, vampires are more like hypothetical enemies... But more and more signs are indicating that what you say is true."

Violet spoke with a heavy tone, then looked up at Ran Chi again.

"So, how can I help you without violating the principles of the High Priestess and the War Gods? I don't want to know too much about your information, as it might not be good for both of us."

She asked Ran Chi.

As the Sixth War God, she could only be considered an ally, which was better for both sides.

After all, their ultimate stances might still differ.

"If you see any vampires trying to escape and disrupt Brillada City, please help stop them. Ignore everything and eliminate them, even if it means fighting other War Gods. We must get rid of them."

Ran Chi once again pleaded with Violet.

If Violet, an ally from outside the Silver Moon Reformation, could make such a promise, it would be more than enough.

On National Day, all War Gods had to participate in the blessing ceremony, and none of them could act for two hours.

The best-case scenario for Ran Chi and his group was for all War Gods to participate in the blessing ceremony as usual.

This would ensure that during the assault on Blood Moon City, there would be no attack from the War Gods controlled by Duke Lashar.

There was no need to take the risk of asking Violet to abandon her post and take another risk, which might cause more War Gods to also stop performing the blessing ceremony.

"Alright. I won't tell any other War God about today's conversation. You can rest assured."

Violet agreed decisively.

Assuming Professor Landry's intelligence was true, every other War God could be potentially controlled.

"Thank you, Miss Violet."

Ran Chi thanked her while holding Talia.

She always spoke the truth.

Not only was it a testament to her sincerity, but it also proved her integrity, making Ran Chi, who had been testing her with Talia, feel guilty.

"Sigh... If you can eradicate the vampires, we won't know who to thank. This should be the duty of our twelve War Gods to protect the empire."

Violet sighed and smiled.

She stood up formally and extended her hand to Professor Landry.

"..."

Ran Chi looked at Violet's palm and didn't shake hands with her. Instead, he lightly touched her palm with his fist.

"Do you understand the wolf clan's etiquette?"

Violet's eyes widened in surprise.

She thought Professor Landry would shake hands with her as per convention.

In fact, the wolf clan preferred to bump fists to express their alliance.

She had only read about it in ancient books in the Moon Temple; modern people wouldn't know, and she never had the chance to try it herself.

"I have other wolf friends too."

Ran Chi smiled.

"No wonder. After everything is over, you must introduce them to me. I've never met any other reversionary kin besides Elsa in my life."

Violet was slightly stunned and then smiled, extending her clenched fist to Ran Chi as a test.

Anyone who could befriend a wolf clan couldn't be a bad person.

The wolf clan always trusted their instincts.

"No problem. It's a deal."

Ran Chi seriously bumped fists with Violet, making a promise.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end