Secrets: Priestess

Chapter 204: Inducement
The crimson moon hangs in the sky.

Under the moonlight, Tessa, who had changed back to her original appearance, followed the secret code of the witch sect and came to the door of an ordinary house.

The door opened automatically, and Tessa saw the transparent silk thread connected to the door.

She pretended not to see the silk threads that were floating and swaying like tentacles and walked straight into the house. At the end of the silk threads was a woman in a white robe with noble temperament.

This woman turned out to be Tessa's guide after she joined the Witch Cult. She was also her superior, Sequence 5 "Witch of Pain" Timalia.

Dimalia smiled broadly, her smile filled with charm: "Tessa, it's really not easy to see you... If I hadn't used the family code to meet you this time, would you have continued to ignore me?"

Tessa's expression was indifferent, and she asked simply, "A new mission?"

Dimaria swayed her charming figure, her beautiful eyes gleaming with water as she looked at Tessa with affection. She said, "Last time I asked you to investigate the relationship between Alicia and the Negan family. How far have you come?"

Tessa's dark eyes were emotionless, and she didn't avoid the other person's gaze. She said calmly, "There is indeed a connection between the two. According to the information I found, many members of the Negan family have the contact information of Alicia's spiritual messenger, including Duke Negan. But I'm not sure whether Alicia is contacting Duke Negan on behalf of the Church of Evernight."

"You're so efficient! You even managed to infiltrate the Negan family. No wonder Lady Panatia values ​​you so highly." Dimalia pouted slightly and sighed with a hint of jealousy, "But... this mission is canceled."

Tessa didn't react to this, she just said, "Okay."

Dimalia was surprised: "You don't even ask why it was cancelled?"

Tessa glanced at Dimalia and was about to turn around and leave. Before turning around, she said coldly, "What does it have to do with me?"

"Hey, don't go yet. I haven't finished explaining anything yet..." Dimalia reluctantly restrained her completely ineffective coquettishness in front of the other party and sighed helplessly: "Alicia is an ally. If you happen to run into her, don't hurt each other by mistake."

"Allies..." Tessa murmured softly.

Seeing this, Dimalia smiled: "Why? Are you curious about why they became our ally?"

Tessa's voice was icy: "So what if they're allies?"

Dimaria remembered how the man before her had become so aggressive that he even attacked his allies, the Aurora Society, and said helplessly, "Don't do anything rash. Besides, Alicia is a Sequence 5 Beyonder. If a conflict breaks out, you'll be the one who loses."

Tessa ignored Dimalia's "kind" reminder and still insisted: "As long as she doesn't bother me."

On the other side, Dimalia said so, but she was really scared in her heart - Tessa was not only crazy and cruel, but also had an evil nature, and she must be hiding many secrets. Even she, the "pain", felt uneasy when she came into contact with her.

In order not to disrupt the family's plan, Dimalia restrained her desire to tease the other party and took the initiative to explain to Tessa:

"Although Alicia is a new ally, the people who brought her here are related to the family's plans in Backlund, and this matter also involves the fundamental interests of Master Panatia. If you continue to act crazy in such a matter, Master Panatia will really deal with you!"

"You would never want to try Lady Panatia's methods!"

Facing Dimalia's warning, Tessa finally said something that reassured her: "I will take the initiative to avoid Alicia."

This unsatisfactory response made Timalia feel relieved. Although Tessa's tone was still unyielding, at least there was a promise here.

Dimalia continued, "Lady Panatia asked me to tell you that you should be patient for now. Once the Backlund incident is resolved, she will take you back to the family."

After a long silence, Tessa, who stood there like a puppet, muffledly said, "Don't you need me to do anything?"

"You still have a conscience." Dimalia glanced at Tessa coquettishly and said, "It's no wonder that Master Panatia values ​​you so much. However... Master Panatia doesn't have any instructions."

Dimalia thought for a moment and then said, "If you really want to help, help divert the attention of the Nighthawks, especially the Red Gloves Squad, led by Dunn Smith."

"Come to think of it, Dunn Smith was that guy's former captain in Tingen..." Feeling Tessa's sudden, cold gaze, Dimalia wisely stopped talking and changed the subject, "Anyway, if you can attract these people's attention, you're helping Master Panatia."

Tessa suppressed her cold murderous intent and, for the first time in tonight's conversation, proactively asked, "Dunn Smith is just a 'nightmare'. How could he possibly be causing trouble for Ms. Despair?"

"Your information is out of date. Dunn Smith has been promoted to Sequence 6 Requiem Master. Of course, Sequence 6 alone wouldn't pose a problem to Lady Panatia, but this man carries the Emblem of Night... and not just one."

Emblem of Night...

With Alicia's authority, Tessa naturally knew what this meant, but at this moment, she frowned and asked Dimalia: "Emblem of the Night? What is this?"

Dimalia warned seriously:

"That's a method only possessed by the demigods of the Church of Night. Those who hold the Emblem of Night can borrow the power of those demigods of Night and can even call upon them remotely."

"So I just asked you to distract Dunn Smith."

"Instead of asking you to assassinate Dunn Smith."

……

A carriage galloped in the moonlight.

Sitting in the carriage was a man wearing a double-breasted pure black clergy robe. The man had dark golden hair and deep facial features like a classical sculpture.

Diagonally opposite the man sat a woman who was also wearing a black clerical robe. Even though she was sitting upright, it still couldn't hide her tall figure.

The two of them are like devout believers.

"Alicia, you're in such a mess." The man sighed, his deep blue, almost black eyes gazing at the woman. The woman looked back at the man, frowning and complaining, "Ince, I've lost so much on this trip, it's even impacted the foundation of my advancement. Not only did I lose my Nighthawk identity and my Gatekeeper Beyonder trait, I also lost all of my Beyonder traits except for the Apostle of Desire."

The two people in the speeding carriage were none other than Ince Zangwill, the Fallen who had betrayed the Church of Evernight.

And the demon lurking in the Church of Evernight, Alicia Andrellad.

"I warned you before not to rely on the power of the church's holy relics." Ince Zangwill spoke gently, like a priest preaching, "Who was it that caused the holy relics to betray you?"

Alicia gritted her teeth with a gloomy expression and said, "I don't know. My memories right now stop at the moment I tried to track down the owner of the 'Life Painting'... I can't recall anything after that because I haven't regained any spiritual power! But I can confirm that the Holy Coffin has betrayed me!"

"The Holy Coffin..." Ince Zangwill murmured.

"Could it be... that woman?"

Ince Zangwill stroked the pure bone sword on his knees, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "At that time, he was clearly dead..."

Ince Zangwill asked, "Then, who is 'Alicia' who appeared in St. Samuel's Church? Do you have any idea?"

"I don't know..." Alicia calmed down her anger and fragilely asked Ince Zangwill for help. "I've never been this weak... Ince, I need your help."

"Alicia, we are old friends. You don't need to deceive me with this false image." Ince Zangwill smiled slightly. "I will help you. It was you who used the power of the 'Apostle of Desire' to awaken my true heart when I failed to advance. This is how I became the 'Night Watcher' today. I have always been grateful to you."

Alicia put away her previous disguise, a mad smile playing on her lips. "In that case, how about you give me the 'Sword of the Goddess' as a reward? I have already lost most of the Beyonder characteristics of the 'Abyss' Path. This Sword of the Goddess will allow me to become a 'Night Watcher' like you."

"If you want it, I can give it to you." Ince Zangwill said unexpectedly.

Alicia looked at him in slight surprise, then reached out and picked up the pure bone sword that was resting on Ince Zangwill's lap.

Ince Zangwill didn't really stop him, but simply said gently, "But I'm afraid you're reluctant to give up the 'Abyss' path. You let your sister eat your father's body and devour your father's Beyonder characteristic, but you've preserved your mother's 'Demon' Beyonder characteristic very well..."

Alicia glanced fearfully at the quill in Ince Zangwill's pocket. "Did it tell you?"

"More than that." Ince Zangwill shook his head slightly. He pulled out another piece of parchment from his pocket and opened it on the empty seat next to him.

Alicia was stunned for a moment, then revealed her ecstasy, because the parchment contained the formula for the Sequence 4 "Devil" potion that she had always dreamed of!

"You actually got it?" Alicia sighed sincerely at this moment, and then asked, "What about the promotion ceremony? This is the reward we agreed on. At this point, do you think you want to break your promise?"

Ince Zangwill looked at the "Goddess Sword" held in Alicia's hand and said slowly:
"I know you possess the secret method to switch between the two different paths. I can also give you this pure bone sword, so that you can hope to gain the power of the 'Night Watcher'... But I cannot give you the 'Devil' promotion ceremony for the time being."

"Or, if you return the 'Sword of the Goddess' to me, I will give you the 'Devil' promotion ceremony now..."

The decision given by Ince Zangwill made Alicia squint her eyes. This kind of words and deeds that could induce others was something she was very good at. Her two most proud works were "Beth Lyonness" and "Ince Zangwill" in front of her.

Unexpectedly, the tide turned, and now Ince Zangwill had seized upon his desires...

Alicia did not actively resist this inducement. She also wanted to rationally choose the "Devil" promotion ceremony, but she was more greedy for the power of the "Sword of the Goddess"!

Not to mention the difficulty of the "devil" promotion ceremony, the main ingredients of the potion formula gave Alicia a headache. They were extraordinary materials that only existed in legends and were extinct in modern times!
If she really wanted to advance by taking potions, Alicia felt that her hope was slim.

But if she uses the "Sword of the Goddess", her future will be brighter!
As long as she digests the Beyonder properties contained in the "Goddess's Sword" and is given enough time, she will most likely be able to successfully master this power, reach the realm of demigod and half-human, and become a Sequence 4 "Night Watcher"!
And because of the power of the demigod...

Alicia knows the information about several existing "devils". Compared to slowly searching for materials to prepare potions, she prefers to hunt "devils" and directly obtain their extraordinary characteristics!
"Or, you can use the secret method to exchange with me for the Devil's promotion ceremony." Ince Zangwill added.

But Alicia didn't respond to the other party's offer. She just held the pure bone sword in her hand and asked, "Tell me, you are using the Devil's promotion ritual to hang me up. What do you want me to do?"

"As someone who once lurked in the church, you know that the Church of Darkness is relentless in its pursuit of me, and this is causing me great distress."

Defecting with a Level 0 Sealed Artifact, killing the Nighthawks to seize the Holy Artifact... Even Alicia, who had personally unleashed the inner desires of this "devil," was amazed by Ince Zangwill's actions.

It would be strange if the Church of Evernight didn't die and continued to bite Ince Zangwill...

Alicia chuckled and said, "I thought you were enjoying this process of chasing and counter-killing. Besides...with it, how could the Church of Evernight catch up with you?"

"Enjoy it..." Ince Zangwill's calm face suddenly broke into a grin. "Yes... As expected of you, you're my guide. I enjoy this journey of arranging the fate of others."

Ince Zangwill regained his composure and said gently, "However, I currently need to stay in Backlund for a long time... I don't want anything unexpected to happen during this time."

"So, I need you to help me attract the attention of the Church of Night."

Staying in Backlund for a long time... Alicia suddenly looked at Ince Zangwill: "You were invited too? You joined them too?"

Ince Zangwill nodded and said, "Yes, Alicia. You see... our goals are the same. When this grand and wonderful show comes to an end, you and I will both get what we want."

The galloping carriage disappeared into the darkness, just like the darkness before a grand curtain is drawn.

……

At daybreak, Claire, who had been searching for Tessa in vain, was concentrating on thinking about how to create the two magical items commissioned by the Fool. At this moment, Tessa unexpectedly came up to her in the form of Alicia.

(End of this chapter)