Elvie searched throughout Ashen City for any sign of Leon.
She refused to believe what Chris had said, yet his unwavering confidence left her feeling confused.
Her master had always treated her so well… how could he be that kind of person?
She wanted to find her master and ask him directly, face to face.
At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a figure in a black robe carrying an unconscious child.
In a few swift steps, the figure disappeared around the corner.
A Cultist?
Elvie immediately thought of the recent strange disappearances in the city and instinctively followed.
This time, the Cultist seemed to be in a rush and hadn’t erased the traces of their magic, making it very easy for Elvie to track him.
Soon, she realized he was heading out of the city.
Elvie instantly suspected that following him might lead her to the Cult’s lair.
To avoid alerting him, she kept a cautious distance.
Before long, the Cultist suddenly stopped, cautiously scanning his surroundings.
Luckily, Elvie had concealed herself well and hidden her aura, so she wasn’t discovered.
After confirming no one was nearby, the Cultist entered an abandoned inn by the roadside.
Seeing him disappear inside, Elvie could no longer hold back and was about to follow him in.
Suddenly, a hand appeared abruptly in front of her, blocking her way.
Elvie quickly dodged to the side, drawing the sword at her waist.
When she recognized the newcomer, her expression instantly turned cold.
“Chris? You’re tailing me?”
The young girl’s voice was icy.
“Hey, Miss Elvie, don’t jump to conclusions. We’ve been staking out this Cult nest for a while now.”
Chris shrugged and turned to reveal knights hiding not far behind him.
“You?”
Elvie frowned.
“What’s with that look? We’re part of Ashen City’s Knight Order after all. With all the trouble the Cultists have caused recently, how could we just stand by?”
Chris said indignantly.
“So why did you stop me?”
Elvie ignored Chris’s clumsy act.
She had always disliked him.
“Come on, going in there alone is a death sentence. From what I know, there are two bishop-level Cult leaders inside.”
Seeing Elvie still ignoring him, Chris continued without irritation, “I know you hate the Cultists, Miss Elvie, and I could use some credit…”
“Working together?”
Chris extended his hand toward Elvie.
She gave him a cold glance, ignoring the offered hand, and said coolly, “What’s your plan?”
“Simple.”
Chris snapped his fingers without embarrassment.
“From my observations these past few days, the Cultists seem to be conducting some kind of dark ritual. That’s why they’ve captured so many people as sacrifices. Our best chance to strike is when the ritual starts…”
“At that time, one bishop will be conducting the ritual, while the other acts as his protector. Leave the protector to me; you go disrupt the ritual.”
“How do you know all this?”
Elvie was a little surprised after hearing Chris’s plan.
“Cough, cough, we have a mole inside.”
Chris coughed awkwardly twice.
Of course, this plan was originally arranged by Leon, but a few minutes ago he had suddenly added a protector to make it more convincing.
Just as he finished speaking, the ground suddenly shook, and a low humming filled the air.
“The ritual has begun…”
Chris shouted, but before he finished, a golden figure flashed past him and dashed into the inn.
“Tch… full of righteous spirit as always.”
Chris watched Elvie’s retreating back and muttered, “Wonder how she’ll react…”
“A bit exciting, really.”
Grinning, Chris spoke slowly to the knights beside him, “What are you waiting for? Go protect Miss Elvie, or the employer’s going to be mad.”
The knights then charged into the inn, the clashing of metal echoing from within.
Once inside, Chris immediately spotted Elvie darting about like a headless chicken.
He squinted and kicked away a wooden board in a corner.
A crimson light burst through from beneath.
“There’s an Underground Chamber down here! They’re below!”
Elvie was the quickest to react.
The moment the red light appeared, she moved to the entrance and leapt down.
Just before landing, wind elements swirled around her feet, softening the impact.
Steadying herself, Elvie’s gaze immediately swept over the chamber, noticing dozens of people bound and tied up, and a sacrificial altar at the center.
The air reeked faintly of blood.
Red crystal powder emitted a chilling glow in the dim chamber.
Twisted skeletal arms and rotting flesh littered the altar’s surroundings.
Even Elvie felt a wave of nausea at the grisly scene.
Covering her mouth and nose, she fixed her eyes on the black-robed figure standing in the center of the altar.
“Save me… I don’t want to die…”
“Lady Elvie, please save us…”
The bound captives saw Elvie as a lifeline, crying and pleading for the young knight to rescue them.
Suddenly, someone in a corner exploded into a cloud of blood mist that surged toward the black-robed figure on the altar.
This brutal and bloody scene ignited a deep fear of death in the captives.
They screamed for mercy, begging the black-robed man to spare them.
No one wanted to be the next victim.
Elvie’s pupils contracted sharply.
The blood before her reminded her of the moment she witnessed her mother’s death.
Back then, she was a powerless child, but now…
Clenching her teeth, the girl surged forward toward the altar, wind elements propelling her as she swung her longsword at the black-robed man’s head.
Bang!
A figure suddenly appeared before her, blocking her sword with a small dagger.
Elvie immediately used the opponent’s strength to pull back, clearly sensing that the other’s power far surpassed her own.
“Take care of this woman. Stick to the original plan.”
Chris appeared out of nowhere, drawing his longsword and charging the woman who had just held the dagger.
For a moment, the two clashed evenly.
Elvie knew this was the best choice, so she seized the opportunity to rush toward the altar while the assassin was distracted.
The black-robed figure was absorbing the blood-colored mist, motionless.
Without hesitation, Elvie swung her sword to interrupt the ritual.
The black-robed man staggered away from Elvie’s attack, and his hood slipped down, revealing a pale face.
Elvie, who was about to press the advantage, froze at the sight.
Her golden hair, stirred by the wind, slowly fell back behind her.
After a moment, she raised her head slowly, locking eyes with the man before her.
Her lips moved slightly.
“Ma… Master?”