As Miss Annette walked through the garden, she realized that the lively sounds in the manor had disappeared, and even the chirping of insects on a summer night was gone. Approaching the mansion slightly, she saw the guests who had attended the outdoor banquet lying on the ground, unconscious, but temporarily out of danger.
It seemed there was no longer any need for the mask.
Xia De used Blood Echo again to observe and found that every person was covered in blood-colored patterns, while he and Miss Annette were not. This world was truly very dangerous for ordinary people.
“Although the ritual hasn’t fully begun, its power has already started to affect the surroundings. This was beyond the expectations of the Association and the Orthodox Church, but it’s also good; we won’t have to avoid ordinary people when we fight.”
Miss Annette explained.
The closer they got to the mansion, the more they could smell a sweet, fishy scent in the air. When they truly reached the outer perimeter of the mansion, they even saw that the vines originally clinging to the walls had grown strange, blood-red flowers. Miss Annette even picked two of them casually, claiming they were rare transcendent materials.
While Xia De was hiding behind the hedge, “contemplating life” and waiting for things to end, the mansion was not peaceful either. Although Mrs. Lasoya of Mercury Blood was unexpectedly trapped by the doctor and others, and the man in the wine-red suit was looking for Xia De for “revenge,” besides this organization, the Cultists of the evil god Blood Feast Lord had also entered Lakeview Manor. Moreover, the main part of the evil god’s descent ritual was actually handled by the Cultists; Mercury Blood merely provided assistance.
One side craved the evil god’s item, while the other craved the evil god’s descent; it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
The Ring Arcanists of the Orthodox Church first made contact with the Cultists, who, seeing that things were going badly, triggered the ritual early.
Dr. Schneider, on the other hand, was a step ahead and directly contacted Mrs. Lasoya, as he only knew this gender-unknown individual was a member of Mercury Blood.
Due to this unexpected event, Dr. Schneider was now in the banquet hall on the third floor of the mansion, encountering Mrs. Lasoya, while the Orthodox Church’s team was on the lower floors, engaging the Cultists. Priest Augustus and Miss Louisa, who followed, were forced to remain on the third floor because they wanted to find the doctor.
Miss Annette leaving the mansion was not to escape the battle, but because she possessed a Document-level relic that required two Ring Arcanists to use.
“Are we going to use this relic to defeat Mrs. Lasoya?”
Hurrying along, Xia De asked the female Diviner about the plan.
“Of course not. We are going to use this relic to determine the nodes of the evil god’s descent ritual and destroy those main nodes. Otherwise, once the evil god descends, even if we defeat many people, we won’t be able to escape. The appearance of the Blood Feast Lord will destroy the entire Tobesk. Every time this evil god appears, it will surely initiate a Blood Feast, devouring at least an entire City.”
Miss Annette seemed quite familiar with the layout of Lakeview Manor’s mansion. She led Xia De through the special entrance and exit passage for kitchen vegetables at the back of the mansion, entering the building. Then, using the small staircase used by servants, they bypassed the currently unknown first and second floors and went directly to the third floor.
From the stairwell to the corridor, in the increasingly dense blood mist, the splendid passage looked as if it were adorned with gold, but in reality, it was just the elegant gas lamp shades on the walls, deliberately scattering such light. A red carpet stretched from one end of the corridor to the other, and exquisite and expensive portrait oil paintings hung on the walls.
All the doors were made of yellow solid wood, and together with the smooth floor tiles and the wall tiles lining the corridor, they showcased the owner’s wealth.
It was extremely quiet here, as if no one was present. Xia De instinctively felt danger; in the silence of the third floor, something indescribable seemed to be lurking in the shadows, peeking at the people in the light. This feeling of danger was even more terrifying than the man in the wine-red formal suit.
Even though the Blood Feast Lord had not yet appeared, its power was already unconsciously affecting mortals.
“The evil god’s descent ritual is being held on the third floor, so the manor owner, Young Clown, who was deceived by the Cultists, had everyone on the third floor leave beforehand. Now the Church’s Ring Arcanists are downstairs; the five great Orthodox Churches in the Tobesk Grand Diocese all have Ring Arcanists above the Ten Ring. Although they don’t know the ritual has been activated early, according to past practice, they will arrive within fifteen minutes.”
Tobesk City is the capital of the Delarion Kingdom, one of the largest human kingdoms. This is a true Grand Diocese, even garrisoned by a Thirteen Ring Sorcerer, who is the “Steel Right Hand,” Sari Pirot, under the Orthodox God Lady of Creation, an old gentleman over fifty years old.
“So, how much time is left until the ritual officially takes effect?”
Xia De asked.
“Seven minutes.”
“Huh?”
He blinked, suspecting he had misheard, but Miss Annette confirmed he hadn’t:
“Yes, our luck is very bad. Now, only we can stop the ritual. But fortunately, Mercury Blood and the Cultists are both being held up, so no one will obstruct our actions; we are safe.”
She noticed Xia De stopping:
“Detective, are you scared?”
Xia De shook his head:
“I’m just surprised. Why have we become the saviors? Rationally speaking, this is the Church’s mission.”
Miss Annette’s purple eyes showed a smile, and she didn’t show a trace of fear:
“They were deliberately entangled, and the other side didn’t expect there to be academy-faction Ring Arcanists. Detective, we live in this City, we live in this world; we are a part of it. Some things can be avoided, but some cannot. The evil god summoned by the ritual does not appear in the form of a saint by relying on human vessels, but as its true body... This is a disaster; no one can escape.”
“I know. Since I came with you, I naturally won’t escape.”
The Diviner showed a gentle smile:
“If it weren’t for something of this level, we would certainly run away. This time, we truly can’t escape. But don’t worry, we are just doing what we can. We were unluckily pushed to the forefront. Now, only we can move freely. Although it sounds dangerous, it’s actually very safe. The Ring Arcanist team of the Orthodox Church is undertaking the most dangerous mission.”
She stomped her high heel, which had its heel knocked off, gesturing towards the people fighting downstairs.
Xia De looked at her feet. Because she was wearing a mask, this action was particularly noticeable, so the annoyed woman slapped him.
In the fashion of this era, ladies could even have their evening dresses cut to expose a small part of their back, but exposing legs was something only prostitutes would do. And staring at ladies’ feet was naturally a very impolite behavior.
