Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The Pope trembled with excitement, oblivious to the crown that had slipped from his head.

He had done it, truly done it… He had brought the Paladin back into the world, restored to life.

Luo Ci sat in the chair, swinging her legs, and exclaimed in surprise, "So, it was Ash you wanted to summon?"

The Pope raised his arms high, declaring ecstatically, "Tremble! Despair, creatures of darkness, for your doom is at hand!"

In this medieval continent ruled by vampires, he—he alone—had brought back the light.

Light would shine even brighter in the darkness, and all would sing his praises.

To him, fear of light was an instinct for dark creatures. Though he had been awed by that black wolf in the black market, it was undeniably a high-level monster. All dark creatures feared the light, and this child, being a vampire—a dark species—should now be trembling in terror.

Yet, to his surprise, the child remained casually seated, swinging her short legs, and even waved at the Paladin. "Look, he's your believer."

The Paladin lowered his head, his empty eye sockets behind the mask sweeping over the scene before turning away.

Slowly, he shook his head.

Even with fragmented memories, he knew the Pope's actions were not those of a true believer of the Holy Temple.

He was more akin to a follower of demons.

The Pope's smile froze, his arms still raised stiffly in a comical pose.

He panicked—this scene was nothing like what he had imagined.

The Paladin drove his greatsword into the ground with one hand and placed the other over his chest, kneeling before the child.

What was happening?

Why would the Paladin assume such a humble posture...? How...?

This wasn't supposed to happen.

The Pope: "..."

Luo Ci pondered for a few seconds before patting Ash's shoulder with her small hand. The undead were keenly attuned to their master's will and prioritized their master's desires, but she didn’t want Ash to completely lose his own thoughts. She hoped he could make his own decisions. "Do what you wish. I believe in you."

The little black fur ball lazily lifted a front paw and yawned. This was precisely why he rarely interacted with other races—he despised such tangled, convoluted relationships, like a knotted skein. However, he had heard that the Paladin was a decisive and straightforward individual, especially after becoming undead, having shed many unnecessary emotions. Perhaps he could better discern the current situation.

Ash slowly raised his lowered head, his armor clanking as he tightened his grip on the greatsword. As he stepped toward the Pope, the blade dragged a deep groove into the dungeon floor.

Under the Pope's horrified gaze, the greatsword slowly pointed in his direction.

The aura was like an insurmountable, towering snow-capped mountain. The light crystal on the crown shattered instantly.

The illuminated emblem on the scepter lost its luster in an instant.

"No, no, no..."

The Pope's hands trembled as he scrambled to pick up the shattered crystal fragments, but no matter how he tried, they wouldn't piece back together.

No, this wasn’t how it was supposed to be... The Paladin was supposed to deal with the dark creatures, wasn’t he? Something must have gone wrong.

He fell to his knees, babbling incoherently, "My lord, I am your believer... We are inseparable..."

Ash tilted his head slightly, the mask lowering with the motion, allowing the Pope to finally see the mark within the hollow eye sockets—the same as the one on the child's finger.

This... this was...

The Pope: "!!!"

"I... am... no longer... the Paladin... but... my master's... kin..." Only his bond with his master could be called inseparable.

The Pope collapsed as if all strength had been drained from him in an instant.

The extreme highs and lows, the overwhelming shock—his mind broke in an instant.

The Paladin raised his greatsword high and swung it toward the wooden chair at the center of the magic circle. The skeleton crumbled to dust in the blink of an eye, leaving only an empty white robe behind.

Luo Ci said "Huh?" curiously and hopped down from the chair, trotting over to the robe. She lifted it with her staff, lifting a corner.

Blinking in confusion, she asked, "Where did he go?"

"That robe was just another one of his avatars. His true body was likely the skeleton on the chair." Fariel glanced at the pile of sand on the chair and the dark buds entwined around the bones. "Judging by the dungeon's environment, this was originally a Dark Elves' cavern."

"I've heard of the Dark Elves." Luo Ci's ears perked up.

During basic classes at the magic academy, their Elf Mentor had taught them stories about the elves—elves were born from the Mother Tree, and most accepted the natural cycle of buds blooming and withering. However, a rare few could not bear the withering of the Mother Tree's buds.

These elves fell to darkness, becoming the Dark Elves. They stole the Mother Tree's buds, attempting to freeze them in eternal bloom.

"The Dark Elves tried to bring forth the Nature Goddess to answer their prayers, but their magic wasn’t strong enough to activate the circle. The summoning failed, and the ritual cost them their lives."

Kevin, having regained some strength, leaned on his sword and stood up from the chair. From the notes in the skeleton's pocket, he deduced the truth. "The young Pope stumbled into the Dark Elves' cavern by chance. By then, the cavern was empty, save for the magical buds. The Mother Tree's buds held immense vitality, infused with years of Dark Magic by the Dark Elves. He fused his body with the buds, gaining longevity while his avatars acted in the outside world."

The Pope had lived so long that he feared forgetting, so he recorded everything in his notes.

Luo Ci had no interest in the Pope's past psychology. Her short legs carried her to a cabinet, where she gazed up at the shelves, eyes shining with greed for the magical materials.

These were likely collected by the Dark Elves, but since most were Dark Magic materials and the Pope had only dabbled in Dark Magic, he didn’t know how to use them. They had simply piled up in the cabinet—now a treasure trove for them.

Standing on tiptoe, Luo Ci pulled down a black jar. Opening it, she found it filled with slimy, egg-like creatures resembling slimes. These were probably the rare black silkworms Auntie Tilise had mentioned—excellent for facial masks but hard to find. Shaking the jar, she grinned. Auntie Tilise would love these.

Kevin, meanwhile, found a suitable artifact in another chest. Sacred-tier artifacts were rare treasures, and this one matched his attributes perfectly.

Luo Ci discovered a beautiful jeweled box. Inside lay a gemstone necklace, its red and black gems dazzling, thrumming with chaotic magic. Even those unfamiliar with magic could see the dark, chain-like mist winding around it—a clear sign of a cursed artifact.

She placed the necklace around the little black fur ball's neck. Though the small gray fur ball and Da Fa's forms were distinct, their neck areas were hard to distinguish. Still, the necklace's brilliance complemented Fariel's eyes perfectly. "Our Da Fa is so pretty!" she praised with a smile.

"Mrrp..." The little black fur ball lifted a paw to fiddle with the necklace. Luo Ci picked him up, cuddling and nuzzling him, mussing his freshly cleaned fur. His tail, however, swayed happily.

The more they searched, the more treasures they uncovered—proof that this had indeed been a Dark Elves' cavern. Among the finds were carrion mites for potion-making, siren's petal-scales growing on half a human face, a fragment of a demon's bone from a millennium ago, broad leaves from a Barbaphia treant, and a Dark Elves' magical cauldron for brewing...

Luo Ci's eyes sparkled as she loaded the treasures into her magic ring, already planning their distribution: the carrion mites for Uncle Ya Pan, the flower scales for Uncle Felatumo, the demon bone for Uncle Violet...

She didn’t forget to call Jia Xide over to join the scavenging. Jia Xide, still dazed from shock, had grown up in the Polaris region hearing tales of the Paladin.

If there was anything true in the church, it was the church's stained-glass depictions. As the legends went, the Paladin—who had led the Holy Temple, slain countless demons, and brought it glory—was an undefeated myth, a legend in human history. Jia Xide had always revered the Paladin but never imagined he would see him in person...

Even if this was just a summoned phantom...

His idol stood before him. Overwhelmed, Jia Xide stood frozen for a long moment before pressing his hands together in prayer. Only after finishing did he recall recent events, realizing the Pope's threat was gone. Tugging Kevin's sleeve, he whispered, "The Pope called forth the Paladin's spirit. Why did the Paladin turn on him?"

Kevin fell silent.

He glanced at the painfully oblivious Jia Xide.

What illusion? From the fact that they, the would-be sacrifices, were still unharmed, it was clear the summoning ritual had failed completely. Moreover, the Paladin shared the same mark as the youngling, clearly indicating some kind of bond of kinship. But seeing Jia Xide still reeling from shock and confusion, Kevin—uncharacteristically kind—chose not to voice these thoughts.

Luo Ci, thoroughly satisfied, was busy inventorying their loot when, not long after, the Cardinal and a group of believers, lured by the holy light, stormed into the underground dungeon.

Such light had been recorded once before in the history of Kamusokis—a thousand years ago, the year the Paladin had appeared.

Was it possible...? Had the Paladin truly returned to Kamusokis?

The believers immediately began searching the church, soon discovering the hidden door leading to the inner sanctum. Everyone was astonished—how could such a massive cavern exist beneath the church? Had the Pope built it? But why?

As they speculated, the moment they truly saw the Paladin in the dark dungeon, all other thoughts vanished. Without hesitation, they dropped to their knees. Even though the Paladin's figure wavered like a mirage and soon disappeared, it was enough to bring them to tears of joy.

They couldn’t be mistaken—that was the Paladin.

After a thousand years, they had actually witnessed the Paladin’s presence. For these believers, it was the greatest honor.

A miracle!

The Cardinal, however, felt a sudden dread. He furtively scanned the surroundings—where was the Pope?

Once the Paladin’s figure vanished, the crowd’s attention returned to the dark dungeon, where they noticed the ravenous ghouls snarling and lunging. The sight terrified them, filling them with horror and confusion. How could such monsters exist beneath a holy church?

At that moment, Kevin stepped forward and explained the full story to the believers pouring into the dungeon.

Their first reaction was disbelief—after all, they had been brainwashed by the Pope and were now devout followers. But the evidence was undeniable: the underground dungeon, the ghouls, the sinister ritual circle on the floor, and the Pope’s own personal journals as proof...

And then there was the Paladin’s appearance...

Perhaps he had come to personally deal with the Pope, this heretic!

When they realized that the vampires they had feared for so long were actually ghouls created by the Pope, and that the man they had worshipped was the true shadow looming over them, the believers erupted in unbridled fury. Their blood boiled with rage, and believers brandishing torches cornered the Cardinal, shouting accusations and demands.

The Cardinal clutched his head, claiming ignorance, but the enraged crowd refused to accept his excuses.

The commotion in the church drew the attention of many outside, and news of the dungeon’s horrors quickly spread among the residents of Kamusokis.

Outrage spread like wildfire.

The dungeon was damning evidence—after all, who would believe the Pope knew nothing about such a massive cavern beneath the church?

In truth, the cavern had been built by the Dark Elves, but in the eyes of the people, it was the Pope’s doing.

Like all the other evidence, it was attributed to him.

Not just the believers—the furious residents of Kamusokis took up pitchforks and torches, determined to burn the church to the ground.

Once a symbol of glory, the church now swayed like a leaf in a storm, about to be engulfed by the tide of the people’s wrath.

Before long, minstrels would surely sing of the day's events to every corner of the ancient continent.

Luo Ci finally managed to squeeze out with Jia Xide and the others, just in time to see Kaleyn leading the dragon knights in maintaining order. Fire drakes, blue water drakes, and green wind drakes circled overhead, their wings beating powerfully.

Kaleyn noticed the child and, surprised to see them involved, gently patted his drake’s head. The drake descended, and he dismounted, approaching them. "What happened inside?"

Kevin recounted the events.

Luo Ci tilted his head curiously. "Why is Kaleyn handling order in Kamusokis? Doesn’t the city’s lord manage things?"

The child’s round, pinkish irises sparkled with innocent curiosity, like a kitten’s. Kaleyn’s stern expression softened, and he pinched the child’s cheek. "The lord of Kamusokis is a worthless coward who only cares about indulgence. He long ago surrendered authority to the church and the Dragon Association. As for the Dragon Association, I’ve already locked them up. So, it falls to us to handle this."

He paused thoughtfully. "Kamusokis is isolated—one of the rare places on the continent not under vampire dominion. That’s likely why the Pope chose to expand his influence here."

Luo Ci nodded. "Oh, I see."

Kaleyn took the Pope’s notes, skimming through them effortlessly. "I understand the situation now. Leave the aftermath to me."

As an inspector, he had dealt with numerous similar cases. Kaleyn ordered the dragon knights to arrest all church clergy, vowing to reveal the truth to the public, gradually calming the public's rage.

Amid the chaos engulfing Kamusokis, no one noticed a Chimera flying in from the Dark Forest.

With a winged steed, their travel efficiency was incomparable to their journey here. The wind-controlling Chimera called up a gale, crossing the Yotunheim Gulf in less than half a day. They even arrived in time for afternoon tea in the Duchy of Horton before three o’clock.

Hungry, the group found a restaurant.

After their time together, Jia Xide and Kevin were communicating much more smoothly.

Jia Xide, finally catching on, suddenly exclaimed through mouthfuls, "I think the person who ordered the Holy Knights to stop us and accuse us of harboring dark creatures was probably the Pope too."

Kevin: "?"

Jia Xide: "He must have deliberately stirred conflict with the Holy Order to gain our trust and lure us in."

Kevin: "You’re only realizing this now?"

Jia Xide pounded his chest in frustration, regretting his delayed epiphany.

Luo Ci absentmindedly poked at the oversized blue velvet donut on his plate—this restaurant’s donuts were so large, a 12-inch one could double as a necklace.

Perhaps because the establishment specialized in oversized portions, everything from plates to dishes was bigger than usual. Their signature dish—the multi-layered meat taco—was so filling, one was enough to satisfy even the heartiest appetite.

Yet he had ordered over two hundred of them for Da Fa.

While the child struggled with his donut, the black wolf effortlessly devoured the tacos, not a single drop of grease staining his elegant muzzle.

Arriving at the palace of the Duchy of Horton, they settled into the same rooms as before. Fariel noticed the child hanging his head, seemingly in low spirits. In the room, Fariel habitually enlarged his form, his massive frame making the spacious quarters feel cramped—every inch filled.

This way, no matter where the child wandered, he’d always return to Fariel’s side. The wolf relished this closeness.

Of course, in this form, the gemstone necklace the child had given him no longer fit, so Fariel carefully placed it on the dresser.

The gift reminded him of his own hoard of gems and crystals—he’d have to show them to the child someday, maybe even give them all to him.

Luo Ci sat on a small chair, chin in hands, as the giant wolf nuzzled and licked his cheek. The child poked the wolf’s nose but didn’t leap into his embrace as usual. The wolf tilted his head, puzzled.

"What’s on your mind?"

Luo Ci mumbled, "Even after all these years, so many believers still love and follow Ash... But now he’s just an undead..."

Hearing his name, the Paladin slowly lifted his visor. The child whispered, "I was wondering if there’s a way to make him not undead anymore..."

Childish words—returning the dead to life was as impossible as the Dark Elves’ attempt to summon a nonexistent nature goddess. Yet Fariel understood the sentiment. So did Ash, who shambled forward and placed a heavy gauntlet atop the child’s soft, snow-white hair.

"Now... is... good..."

Though only snippets came back to him, Ash didn't find his past life particularly worth reminiscing about—what stuck with him more was the heaviness and duty of those times. Perhaps it was also because, as an undead now, he couldn't experience what you'd call emotions, which made him feel that being with his master was the best.

Fariel also wanted to comfort the downcast little one. After some thought, he pushed his huge front paw into the child's embrace. The plump paw pad was almost ten times bigger than the little one, far larger than the paw of the biggest ice bear on the Midgard Continent.

A single swipe of this paw could collapse and destroy an entire prince's palace, yet the giant wolf moved with remarkable gentleness, lightly placing his front paw beside the child—an invitation to be petted.

Back when he was a little black fur ball, the little one had loved squishing his paws.

Sure enough, the child's attention was soon drawn to the paw pad.

Luo Ci hadn't seen the big paw in a long time. Compared to the small paw, the thick, massive one felt totally different to him.

The little one sat his bottom on the paw pad, wrapping both chubby hands tightly around it. The bouncy feel made him keep kneading and squeezing.

"Purr..." The giant wolf's tail swayed behind him. The child lying on his paw pad was like a soft, weightless puff of white fluff. Though he appeared relaxed, he was actually hyper-focused—the slightest shift of his front paw would send the little one tumbling, so his nerves remained taut.

Yet the child's kneading of his paw pad was as soothing as having his back groomed, though it was also a test of endurance and torment for him.

Before he knew it, the little one, hugging the giant wolf's enormous paw, began to droop his eyelids. The wolf let out a relieved huff.

Ash smoothed out the messy bedding, while the giant wolf gently picked up the curled-up child with his teeth and placed him on the bed, then draped the blanket over him with his teeth.

Late at night, Luo Ci slept deeply, vaguely sensing discomfort in his back—especially near his shoulder blades, where the pain hurt like hell.

His side-curled body unconsciously shifted into a prone position. He whimpered softly in his sleep but never woke.