In the highest small room of the cathedral, Bishop Fiona sat by the window, looking down through the carved lattice at everything happening in the chapel below.
Sunlight streamed through the stained glass, casting colorful patches of light on the floor.
Dong—Dong—
The bell for worship rang, echoing through the cathedral.
A middle-aged man knelt in the center of the hall, facing the statue of the Pope. Tears streamed down his face as he prayed with his eyes tightly shut.
An angel nun placed her fingertip on his head and recited a blessing prayer.
The man trembled, prostrating himself with his forehead pressed to the ground.
“I am grateful to the Holy Church for granting me shelter and hope! I am grateful to the Holy Church!”
At the cathedral entrance, more people lined up, waiting to receive the Church’s baptism. With the defenses of the border towns shattered, more and more people gathered in the imperial capital, offering all their piety in exchange for the Holy Church’s protection.
The tide of faith rose higher and higher.
A white dove with clipped wings perched on Fiona’s finger. She stroked its head gently, then placed it into a cage.
“What about that human named Lin Shu? How is she doing now?” she asked.
The attendant behind her bowed slightly and replied respectfully, “For the first couple of days, she kept trying to avoid studying the church’s rules, but now she’s much better. She hasn’t asked to go out, either. She’s very well-behaved.”
“Your Grace, she’s over there.”
Fiona looked in the direction the attendant indicated and indeed saw Lin Shu on the second floor.
Lin Shu was leaning against the railing, also watching the crowd below praying and receiving baptism. She had tied up her black hair and wore the white robe of the Holy Church.
Though wearing the same clothes, her aura was completely different from that of the other angel nuns.
She stared quietly at the people below, her expression blank, revealing no emotion.
“I’ve left her waiting for so long, and she hasn’t come to see me. Should I say she has patience, or is she just obedient?”
Fiona smiled faintly.
“Your Grace, there’s one more thing. That wolf tribe demon hunting captain has been a bit restless, I hear.”
“Oh?”
“Although she’s participating in the extermination of the monsters, she’s been secretly investigating the traces and origins of the monster outbreaks. And the direction of her investigation has already started to edge toward us.”
“Did she learn something from Lin Shu?” Fiona’s smile faded.
“Then should we…?” The attendant immediately gave a meaningful look.
“Notify the demon hunting corps. Use the pretext of an inquiry to restrict her movements first. Don’t allow her to return to the imperial capital.”
After giving the order, she stood up slowly.
“I’ll go talk to Lin Shu later. After all, it’s been a long time since we last met.”
As Fiona walked out of the small room, she ran straight into “Sophia.”
The other immediately clasped her hands together and placed them on her chest in salute.
“Your Grace.”
Then she raised a hand to the side of her face and gently lifted. The human face instantly fell away.
Underneath that mask was not Sefina, but the face of a stranger nun.
“How have things been lately?” Fiona asked casually.
“Lin Shu comes to see me, but she doesn’t make any intimate moves, and her words are neither warm nor cold. She told me she would dissolve the contract with Captain Hati. But she mentioned an incident from the past, and I couldn’t answer it.”
The nun’s eyes flickered. She paused and whispered, “Has she… already figured out that I’m a fake?”
Fiona glanced at her, showing no panic but instead laughing.
“Even if she has, it doesn’t matter. The fact that she’s still quietly staying put shows exactly that she cares about that Blood Clan member and doesn’t dare act rashly.”
“That also means our cards are still good.”
The nun looked utterly confused.
“In that case, why don’t we just take her into custody directly?”
Fiona shook her head.
“Since the key has merged with her, we can’t mistreat her. If we use force, she’ll only fight to the death. Better to wash her brain clean, apply both kindness and authority, and make her willingly obey us.”
“The human heart is fragile. Take away what they treasure, push them into the abyss of despair.”
As she spoke, she looked again at the crowd in the chapel below, her smile deepening.
“When they have nowhere left to go, offer them a little warmth, and many humans will obediently comply.”
The bishop paid no further attention to the nun and left directly.
She walked down the hall, descending flight after flight of stairs to the lowest level of the cathedral.
Here, sunlight never reached, and the air in the passage was icy cold.
At the end of the passage, several angel guards stood watch.
Seeing the bishop, they saluted in unison and then pushed open the heavy door behind them.
Beyond the door, in the center of a spacious underground chamber, a purple-haired Blood Clan member was bound to a cross by layers of chains.
Sefina.
Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful, as if she were merely asleep.
“Your Grace, this vampire shows no abnormalities, and the seal shows no signs of loosening,” the guarding angel reported.
Fiona walked up to the cross and studied Sefina’s calm face.
“A human who returned from the Demonic Race, accompanied by a disguised vampire, and the demon hunting captain is so close to her. Oh, and she’s also the one chosen by the Creator God.”
Fiona let out a laugh.
“She really has many identities.”
She turned to instruct the angels: “Lin Shu has realized the one beside her is a fake. Strengthen your defenses and don’t give her any chance to rescue the prisoner.”
As she prepared to return and was halfway back, she suddenly stopped.
Lin Shu stood not far ahead in the passage.
In her hand, she held a gun meant for Sacred Race guards, its muzzle aimed at Fiona’s forehead.
Seeing this, the angel guards quickly shut the door.
Whoosh! They all drew their sidearms and aimed at Lin Shu.
Lin Shu tightened her grip on the gun.
She had waited several days and finally saw Sophia go to see the bishop.
She had long anticipated that after the fake Sophia reported, as long as Sefina was still imprisoned in this cathedral, Fiona would personally come to check.
Before entering, Lin Shu had already taken down the guards at the stairwell and confiscated one of their guns.
Although she had only prepared three spells today, she had readied ones for attack, defense, and escape.
Lin Shu spoke.
“Sefina is behind that door, isn’t she?”
The bishop smiled.
“Isn’t it that we haven’t seen each other for a long time? Shouldn’t we have a good chat?”
Her tone was teasing.
“In human etiquette, pointing a gun at someone while speaking is very rude, don’t you think? Besides, do you think a Sacred Race gun can hurt me?”
The bishop walked slowly toward Lin Shu, her pace unhurried, as if confident that Lin Shu wouldn’t fire.
“Then what about this?”
Lin Shu revealed her other hand, where magical energy was condensing, emitting a hum.
“Times have changed, Miss Lin Shu.” The bishop stopped. “In the past, you could complete commissions using magic, but now, magic is no longer a means to protect people.”
“Now it’s different. As long as all humans and the Sacred Race believe in the Holy Church, they naturally receive the protection and stability they desire.”
“So stop dwelling on your little spells.”
“What are you after?” Lin Shu asked.
Fiona smiled and sighed lightly.
“A long time ago, you met my sister, didn’t you? Too bad she didn’t know how to treat guests back then. Her methods were too rough, and she scared you away. So this time, I followed her advice and treated you well, giving you the highest courtesy.”
“She’s also looking forward to seeing you—at tomorrow’s ceremony.”
She took another half step closer.
“What I want to say is that you only have one choice now.”
“Even if you pull the trigger right now, you can’t save that vampire. The seal on her can only be undone by the Pope himself.”
“So, follow us. You will become the chosen one, second only to the Pope, above all others. Your statue will stand in every cathedral on the continent. You can obtain all the power and wealth of the Sacred Race’s domain.”
As she spoke, Fiona slowly unfolded her holy wings behind her.
She reached out and, little by little, pressed down the gun muzzle that Lin Shu had aimed at her.
“The Pope wants you to become her personal familiar.”
“If you agree, whatever person you want—whatever else you desire—we can give it to you.”