Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

The galloping carriage whizzed past her, whizzing past her nose, the noise and dust jolting the dazed female knight out of her reverie.

Karen wiped her face, removing any dust that might be there, and turned back to Lyle, pouting. "Lord Lyle, why didn't you stop that carriage? This is the main street!"

“That’s a royal carriage. See the griffin emblem? That’s not under our jurisdiction.”

"But that's absolutely wrong. Even if he owns the whole street, what if he hits someone!"

“The residents around here are used to walking on both sides of the main street, but you would swagger around in the middle. If I don’t pull you back, you’ll get hurt.”

"Hmph, Mr. Lyle, you might as well not have pulled me along and let me crash that car over."

Looking at the petite Karen, Lyle mentally estimated that at that speed, Karen would probably fly about twenty meters after the collision. "No need. This level of justice doesn't require you to die in the line of duty. In the church, would that be considered suicide?"

Karen stomped her foot in anger.

"Lord Lyle, the Holy Light is invincible! As long as I deploy the Holy Light projection in time, my armor will protect me well!"

This girl probably doesn't understand physics; there's really no difference between a piece of rotten meat and a piece of rotten meat in a tin can.

"Let's continue talking about vampires. I'm more curious about their weaknesses. Are they like the legends say, such as being afraid of sunlight, dreading garlic, and dying from being pierced through the heart by a wooden stake?"

Karen was unhappy with the change of topic, but as a teacher of holy light, she still managed to provide an answer in time.

"For low-level vampires, those things can indeed be weaknesses, because the earliest vampires were quite weak. They would become weak or even die if they didn't drink blood. Sunlight would burn them, and their hearts were still a weakness. They didn't need birch stumps. In fact, as an important blood-supplying organ, the heart still functioned in low-level vampires. Decapitation or piercing their hearts could kill them. They were like rats hiding in the dark, only doing shameful things."

"However, as the intake of blood increases, the degree of vampire's corruption also changes. Their bodies darken, and blood becomes their only body part. Ordinary attacks are ineffective. Intermediate vampires will use a small amount of dark magic to manipulate blood. The power of sunlight weakens again, only burning their skin, but the pain still exists. The dark power also gives them handsome faces that can seduce mortals. They are venomous snakes, manipulating those unfortunate puppets from behind the scenes. At this time, the justice of holy light is the most effective weapon."

"As the true enemies of the Church, high-ranking vampires can only be contended with by powerful Crusader knights. They call themselves the Blood Clan and have a hierarchical system based on nobility. They are not afraid of sunlight; under the sun, their bodies develop a protective layer, and some lurk in their food—human society—only truly exposed under sunlight. Their strength is comparable to the Holy Light, with ghostly speed and beastly power. Please do not worry, Lord Lyle. Blood Clans are very rare here, after all, the Church of Dawn is right here, and the Holy Light will protect everyone. But in those countries rejected by the Holy Light, these creatures are like a rampant plague. Lord Lyle, no blood clan member is innocent. Their power is obtained by sacrificing the blood of the unfortunate. Moreover, blood clans develop their own groups, leading those who have gone astray to depravity and become beasts like themselves."

Are all vampires raised through killing?

"Vampires are nothing but a mass of filthy, dark blood. Their beautiful skin is merely a gentle disguise. They are the incurable disease of humanity and the Holy Light."

"So, does that mean a vampire is trapped in an eternal hunt for blood? I mean, without end?"

Karen's gaze faltered, but she still answered Lyle's question.

“During my studies, my mentor, the Evangelist Schudman, was a monk who studied vampires and believed that studying vampires could end this betrayal forever.”

"On the day I was about to join the paladins, the church captured a... vampire with a sliver of reason. My mentor immediately began research on it, and I participated as an accompanying recorder."

"He was a vampire who looked like a scholar, wearing an old black robe. After it was stripped off, his thin body was like a dried corpse. He pulled out his own teeth and tried to fight his thirst for blood. My thoughts went against my will. Enemies don't deserve pity, but I did feel sorry for him at the time."

“He was strapped to the torture bed, his eyes were cloudy but occasionally lucid, and I was certain he didn’t have much time left. When Professor Schuderman approached him, he said something.”

"Light Chaser, does Christ really exist?"

Christ, the Son of Man, the right hand of the Father, the embodiment of holiness.

Lyle also raised a question, "Karen, I also want to ask, are the Father and Christ the Lords you serve?"

"Yes and no. Our Lord is the holy light, the light of hope in the heavens, not the sun, but a more distant existence. Even in the darkness, His light shines eternally, but He is not a star. The Lord is in heaven and also in our hearts. Whether it is the Father or Christ, they are all manifestations or incarnations of the Lord."

"At the time, this is how the mentor answered. Because he was the first vampire to inquire about the existence of the Lord, he explained the connection between them in detail."

"In response, the vampire also told his story, as well as the legend known as the vampire's ultimate fate, a legend filled with immense fear."

"Above the vampire clan, above vampire dukes, princes, and progenitors."

"Antichrist".

"They believe that vampires are the opposite of the Holy Light, and that their power, like Dracula's, comes from the blood of Christ, the Son of Man, and the dark side of it."

"They believe that they are the embodiment of divine blood, and that thirst for blood is just the divine blood within them urging them to evolve into the dark side of the gods, the Antichrist."

"A dark god walks on the earth, just as the gods created mankind and made them the masters of the earth. The Antichrist is the next new god. His appearance signifies the end of the human era and the beginning of the vampire era as a new human."

"I don't know what that feeling was like. I was completely bewitched at the time, immersed in the fear he described about the future. Even now, thinking about it still makes me feel uneasy."

"The mentor purified the vampire who was laughing maniacally the next second when I was scared. Christ exists, so why can't the Antichrist exist? He appeared here to determine whether their race has a future. He got the result he wanted. Soon, the church wiped out the vampire clan that he once existed and began to hunt down vampires."

"To this day, this remains my fear."

“Professor Shudeman disappeared shortly after that.”

Chapter 81 Levis

Tonight, Ariana is dressed in white, wearing a loose, puffy dress that resembles a fashionable bathrobe with lace trim. Her right elbow is resting on the table, supporting her chin, while her left hand holds up several manuscripts with gray stains on the back. The papers are so decayed that they look as if they were just dug out of a grave.

That was sheet music, and Lyle could barely make out the old-fashioned notes on it.

"Sfield's final piece, a composer who used to like to depict death, he would never again sing the praises of the 'Lady Raven'."

Is it very precious?

"In my eyes, yes, although he himself discards these things like trash, it doesn't diminish their place in the hearts of us listeners. I was probably stunned with joy for about twenty minutes after getting it, and it will be the closing song of my next concert."

"I'm really looking forward to it."

The gaze that had been fixed on the manuscript paper shifted over here.

"The location is the central theater of the City of Hesitation, and the time is the next Red Loss Month. Do you want to come? Plague Doctor."

The red moon here is full on the fifteenth of each month and wanes at the beginning and end of the month. That is, about three or four days later at the end of the month, if the investigation into the vampires in Nalania goes smoothly, Lyle might be able to accept her invitation.

"I'm so sorry, Ariana, I'll be going on a long trip for a while and I'm afraid I won't be able to make it. I'm deeply sorry about that." (This is from after I found a way of life in your songs.)

"Hmm." Ariana replied, her tone a mixture of regret and politeness, without looking in their direction again.

"Ariana, I saw Beatrice in Blood Rose." Since Beatrice has already found out, it's better to inform Ariana first. The smuggling with William won't be exposed yet. The best way to cover up the lie is to tell part of the truth.

In the "Beatles" section, Ariana's manuscript was gently set down; in the "Bloody Rose" section, the manuscript was slammed onto the table with a force beyond ordinary measure. I saw with my own eyes that several fragments flew off poor Mr. Sfield's last manuscript, hopefully not the written parts.

"..."

“That’s not a suitable place for you, Epidemic Doctor. At least it shouldn’t be a place for someone as obsessed with money as you.”

"That's something I discovered shortly after I went in; I really couldn't afford the expenses there. But, what I want to ask is, Ariana, I don't know, but regarding Beatrice, do you know if your sister is..."

"Is she a high-ranking vampire, or a member of the bloodline?" She leaned her head back in her chair, looking at the dazzling light from the crystal chandelier of the Cup of Extravagance. "After Helena and me, she also went her own way. Beatrice disappeared in the castle where she lived. My sister and I searched for her for a long time. On the third day before we were about to face the cruel reality, Beatrice returned to us after receiving the Embrace."

"Her changes are insignificant compared to our concern for her."

Even vampires who feed on human blood?

Ariana paused for a moment, then said, “Plague Doctor, your sense of justice is admirable, especially in a world like this. I can’t do what you do, blessing everyone I see. My sister is far more important to me than anyone else. I’m not sure if Beatrice has hurt anyone, but I love her. If I had to choose, I would choose Beatrice.”

"In my memory of Beatrice, she was a good child. Although her words and actions were somewhat controversial and she liked to play pranks, she was my family."

"Moreover, in my memory, Beatrice has never harmed anyone because of her bloodlust, although the number of people she has persecuted for other reasons may be quite large."

"Beatle's talent is the blood of intoxication. In addition to the enhancement of her charm, it also has another effect: Beatrice can quench her thirst by consuming alcohol, which is what she does most often at home. Her drunken appearance is also quite cute."

This seems to be good news; that girl with the malicious smile might really be an oddity among vampires.

Lyle walked toward the teleportation array in Andrei's courtyard; he had an even more important mission tonight.

Before closing the door, Lyle spoke his last words to the quiet Ariana.

"What if Beatrice really did something behind your back, what if she hadn't been able to control her bloodlust?"

Ariana stood up from the chair, her arms crossed in front of her waist.

"I believe in her; she has never let us down."

……

“My Lord Physician.” Grape poked her head out of her pocket; her cooperation might be needed for tonight’s work.

We followed the portal to the City of Wandering.

Nighttime was Andrei's time, and the number of other races on the streets had decreased significantly. He confirmed the equipment in his cane and bag, carrying Medusa and the Talent Ball, and also had Light Bat Grapes in his pocket.

"This is all I have left, I hope there's nothing wrong with it."

They knocked on the carved door in front of them.

Mr. Echer was waiting at Twilight Memories, where the members were whispering among themselves. As Lyle arrived, they all offered their blessings. Tonight was the appointed hunting time, and Lyle was going to Levisel to find his Sword Dance Mandala.

Mr. Irian pulled a portal out of the void. His technique reminded Lyle of the Scholar. He wondered if high-level spellcasters all had similar habits.

Echel greeted Mr. Reed, "Tin Can, aren't you going back to check on things?"

"No need, Derya's rule is as solid as iron."

"If you don't go see Lina, whom you miss, she probably doesn't know how you're doing. Reed..."

“What good would it do to tell her? Why should we make our offspring worry about us? Now that things have turned out this way, we shouldn’t intrude on their lives anymore.”

"...I'll ask Kayla about Deria for you."

"Let's go, Lyle, let's begin the hunt."

……

Step out of the portal.

Moonlight pierced through the dense branches, carving a trail of light across the dappled grass.

A tree, a huge tree.

Intertwined vines entwined the branches, and the huge trunk, fifty square meters in diameter, blocked out the sky, like a giant redwood. The density of the branches and leaves even blocked out the light. This was an unexpected primeval forest. Lyle found himself standing on a protruding rock, with a mountain range below and an endless plain in the far distance. In front of him was a vast primeval forest.

The Scandinavian Mountains.

Echer led Lyle deep into the jungle.

The dense shrubs reached chest height, their overhead shadows blocking out the moonlight; only the glowing moss clinging to the tree trunks provided any light.

Echer refused the light from the light-bat grapes.

He walked through the darkness, skillfully navigating the sprawling, unruly plants.

Even with Echel leading the way, Lyle struggled to move forward. The vegetation was too dense, with only slightly bent blades of grass guiding his tracks. The serrated leaves scraped against Lyle's black coat, and compared to the silent Echel, Lyle felt as clumsy as a bear.

This self-deprecating remark was quickly met with ridicule from Echel.

"The bears in Leviathan are much smarter than you."

As he ventured deeper into the dense forest, surrounded by the same plants, Lyle looked around and saw no difference. Echel became his only compass.

After going deeper and deeper, Lyle had completely lost his way.

Echer stopped and asked a question.