Chapter 105: High Noon Arrives, Doom Descends

High Noon Arrives, Doom Descends

“Thank you, stopping here is fine. The mountain path is difficult.”

Creek Hill. A plain four-wheeled carriage stopped on the path at the foot of the mountain.

A man’s gentle voice came from inside the carriage. The coachman in front controlled the horses to a halt.

The carriage door opened, and a left foot stepped down onto the stone-paved road.

“Hey! Move aside!” Accompanied by the coachman’s shout and the horses’ whinnying, a carriage sped past from the side, splashing mud from its wheels onto the man’s high-top leather boots.

“Keep the change.” After getting out, the man handed a five-shilling silver coin to the coachman, looking towards the carriage that had stopped ahead.

The window of the noble carriage ahead opened. A thin man with a goatee, clutching his top hat, stuck his head out and looked towards the man who had just stepped out onto the roadside.

After the tall, thin noble clearly saw the man’s well-tailored clothes and the expensive gold watch on his wrist, he opened his carriage door, stepped down holding a silver-plated wooden cane, and apologized to the man standing by the road:

“Apologies, sir. My foolish coachman accidentally dirtied your boots... Are you heading to Deton Manor?”

“I’m fine, Your Excellency. If my shoes don’t get a little muddy, my butler will nag me again about not getting enough exercise.” Braque slightly lifted his hat brim with his right hand, smilingly acknowledging the noble before him.

“Yes, I am going to Deton Manor.”

“This witty gentleman is truly a model of magnanimity,” the noble man turned back, saw his daughter peeking out of the carriage window, seemingly curious about what happened, then looked back at the man before him and said, “There’s still some distance up the mountain. Would I have the honor of inviting this gentleman to join me in the carriage for the journey?”

The gentleman before him was well-dressed, elegant, and well-spoken. The noble man felt a slight inclination to get acquainted.

“No need, Your Excellency. I prefer walking up the mountain and breathing the natural air.” Braque shook his head, walked up to the noble man, and asked curiously:

“By the way, Your Excellency, may I ask why so many people are heading to Berren City’s Deton Manor?”

“I’ve already seen quite a few carriages going up the mountain.”

This work is hosted on mananovel.com

The noble man clasped his hands on the cane before him and said with a smile, “Just call me Hastings, sir. Are you newly arrived in Berren City? Deton Manor is holding an event recently. I was invited by a friend for a small gathering.”

“Oh... no wonder,” Braque nodded slightly, reached into his pocket, pulled out an exquisite handmade business card, and handed it to the Baron. “Forgot to introduce myself. My name is Braque, director of Bliss Shipping Company. If you have any sea or river shipping needs, you can contact me. I can offer you some discounts.”

“Haha, thank you, Mr. Braque. Then I won’t disturb you further. We’ll see each other inside the manor later. Don’t refuse a drink together.”

“Certainly.”

Hastings took the business card, returned to his carriage, instructed the coachman to continue up the mountain, while Braque continued walking uphill.

“Father, who was that? What happened?” Baron Hastings’ daughter asked curiously from inside the carriage.

“The carriage almost hit that gentleman, but fortunately, he was tolerant and kind, didn’t mind,” Baron Hastings said with a smile. “I intended to introduce you to him, but he seems to prefer walking.”

“Why do you always try to introduce me to strangers.” Amy Hastings shifted her bottom away from the Baron, looking annoyed.

“You’ve basically stayed home since graduating from the academy, not going out to socialize with friends. I’m just trying to help you meet more friends.” The Baron chuckled awkwardly.

“Hehe, you just find me annoying and want to marry me off quickly.” Amy snorted lightly, crossing her arms in front of her. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“Uh... hahaha...” The Baron tried to ease the awkwardness with laughter, saying, “That gentleman just now was charming, humorous, and cultured, a good person... I’m quite good at judging people.”

And a director of a shipping company. If he was unmarried, he would be the perfect candidate for a son-in-law—Baron Hastings kept this thought to himself.

“As long as the other person is charming, humorous, cultured, and a good person, you would agree to me dating them?” Amy looked at the Baron and asked.

“Of course.” The Baron nodded slightly.

“Even if it’s a woman?” Amy pressed.

Baron Hastings: “?”

His daughter previously showed no interest in Deton Manor, even advising him not to go.

He himself only came for social obligations during events. But this time, not only did his daughter not stop him, she even asked if that young lady from the Roswell family would be there.

The noble circle in Berren City was small. Baron Hastings certainly knew Lady Roswell attended almost every time, though he couldn’t strike up a conversation himself.

This time, his daughter asked if a woman was acceptable...

A drop of cold sweat trickled down Baron Hastings’ forehead.

“My dear daughter, Father wants to ask a question,” Baron Hastings looked at his daughter, his voice trembling slightly, “You haven’t fallen for that Lady Roswell, have you?”

“Hehe.” Amy turned her face away, looking out the window, ignoring her father.

She didn’t know Lady Roswell at all. The person she wanted to see was the girl who had stepped out of the Roswell family carriage earlier, the one who brought her the cure.

What happened to Ciel...

She didn’t come to the graduation ceremony either...

Ever since that tea party, Ciel seemed to have disappeared. She had her servant look for her in Clock Tower Alley but couldn’t find her; it seemed she had moved away.

The next time they met was when Ciel arrived in the Roswell family carriage to deliver the holy water.

Ciel...

She must have been kidnapped by that Roswell young lady! Forced by her power and unable to leave!

I need to find Ciel, ask her clearly.

If it’s true, she could run away with Ciel to Ansu, without telling anyone...

The naive Amy didn’t know that Ansu was the Roswell family’s home base.

...

Creek Hill, Deton Manor, Card Room.

“Mmm... hmm... hmm...” Adele lay sprawled on the chip table, humming boredly.

Card games were fun at first, but after playing for several hours, even Adele felt somewhat tired now.

Not to mention, Adele hadn’t eaten anything since morning—she didn’t dare eat anything from Deton Manor, afraid of being poisoned by cultists.

Turning her head towards Ciel, Adele’s cheek pressed against the table, slightly distorted. She lay there, looking pitifully at Ciel.

She knew very well that looking at Avena was useless; Avena would just treat her like air. Only looking at Ciel would work.

Seemingly sensing Adele’s resentful gaze, Ciel looked towards Adele. The system screen flashed before her eyes, displaying the time “12:58”.

“Hungry?” Ciel asked with a smile.

“Yes! Thank you! Sorry...” Adele sat up straight, nodded vigorously, then slumped down again.

Adele, limited to saying “Yes,” “Thank you,” and “Sorry,” had exhausted her skill cooldown in one go.

-

“It’s alright, just wait a few more minutes, and we’ll leave.” Ciel comforted Adele, then turned back to the card table.

They were playing Klondike solitaire, a single-player card game requiring great patience. Ciel, already distracted, was clearly falling behind Avena’s progress.

Avena, too, was currently distracted.

Avena could clearly sense that Ciel was stalling.

Ciel was stalling for time, delaying until the arrival time of the Divine Advent Church Bishop she mentioned earlier.

1:01 PM.

What did she want to do by stalling until that time?

Were the people from the organization behind Ciel planning something?

Avena continued flipping cards calmly, playing along with Ciel’s act.

As the time drew closer minute by minute, Avena methodically completed her solitaire game.

Using the motion of adjusting her glasses, she subtly checked the time.

13:0...

As she put down her hand to pick up another card, she already felt her palms sweating from nervousness.

Even Nia had stood up and moved beside Avena, seemingly leaning over to watch the cards, but actually providing close protection.

Avena slowly placed down a card, silently counting the time.

Just then, Ciel, who had appeared completely normal until now, let the card in her hand flutter slowly to the ground.

Avena, who had been secretly watching Ciel, felt her heart skip a beat. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ciel supporting herself on the table with her right hand, slowly bending down to pick up the card lying on the carpet with her left hand.

The table blocked Ciel’s movements entirely.

Out of sight from everyone, amidst the noisy card room, Ciel slowly opened her mouth, uttering a string of words impossible for a human tongue and throat to produce.

“******.”

Blood threads extended from Ciel’s fingertips, burrowing into the carpet, activating the now dark red blood clots beneath.

...

Braque, his shoes muddy, walked all the way to the manor entrance. From afar, he saw four attendants, two male and two female, standing by the door to greet him.

All brothers and sisters?

Braque walked forward slowly. The four individuals bowed their heads respectfully, their bodies trembling uncontrollably with excitement.

They restrained themselves, not directly calling out “Lord Bishop.”

“Lead the way.” Braque said with a smile, following the four individuals ahead into the manor.

Entering the front hall and turning right, Braque passed through the crowd mingling with champagne glasses and followed them into the reception hall.

The people exchanging chips in the reception hall were gone. The attendants led him to the next room, stopped, and slowly pushed open the door to the underground sanctuary.

Isn’t this a bit... too smooth?

“Do you normally have four people waiting outside?” Braque asked.

“Lord Bishop, we were waiting for you...” A maid wearing a red chip mask replied respectfully.

Waiting for me?

Priestess Kitty?

She investigated my background? How did she find out?

“Where is the priestess? Where is she?” Braque asked with a slight frown.

“Priestess Kitty is inside the sanctuary. The ‘banquet’ is all prepared, just awaiting your arrival...” A nearby attendant with a green chip mask replied.

“Lead the way.” Braque felt a slight anger rise within him, watching the four church attendants enter the hidden corridor.

Braque stepped into the corridor. His figure swapped places with the white shadow before him. When his form solidified again, he was already wearing a set of white, ornate church robes, a white mask covering his face.

Four white shadows instantly rushed towards the four attendants, directly entering their bodies. With a piercing shriek in their minds, all four fainted simultaneously.

When they woke up, they would completely forget what happened today... They had seen his face from afar earlier. To prevent his disguised identity from being exposed due to minor incidents, he had to be cautious.

Priestess Kitty... investigating him? Preparing a banquet in advance...

He knew Priestess Kitty was particularly eager for recognition, but he never expected she would dare violate church law to investigate a superior...

If Kitty couldn’t provide a satisfactory explanation, her life would end here today.

He descended the steps one by one, white shadows accompanying him.

Soon, he stood before the wooden door.

Inside... why was it so noisy.

How many people were in there.

Braque felt the chaotic buzzing in his mind, suppressed his displeasure, and controlled the white shadow behind him to push open the wooden door.

Instantly, the entire sanctuary fell silent.

He looked at the hundreds of cultists kneeling before him, and the few people who quickly walked towards him with lowered heads, his frown deepening.

Braque stepped into the sanctuary. The white shadow closed the wooden door behind him.

Kitty hurried forward, bowed deeply before the Bishop, and said, “Lord Bishop, Kitty has awaited you here for a long time. Your instructions have all been prepared by your subordinate.”

Kitty inwardly thought: This Lord Bishop is quite punctual. Said 1:01 PM, and not a minute late.

Just this Bishop, why does he feel... like his emotional fluctuations are extremely intense...

Indeed half-mad.

“What are you talking about.” Braque’s eyes narrowed beneath the mask. The potion could no longer suppress his emotions. “You dare investigate me? What ritual are you talking about?”

The white shadow behind Braque lunged forward, punching Kitty squarely in the face. Kitty spat out a mouthful of blood, flew backward, and crashed to the ground.

Georgine, who had been following Kitty excitedly, showed a hint of confusion on her face after hearing the Bishop’s voice.

Is this... some kind of transcendent potion? Changed the voice? And significantly taller too... No, the gender changed as well, right?

Wasn’t the Bishop supposed to be female?

-

Kitty, lying on the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her nose was bent sideways, even her front teeth felt loose, but she could only curse her bad luck inwardly.

The person before her was indeed the Bishop. She felt the same sensation from him as she did with Georgine earlier—the inability to generate offensive intent.

Now, Kitty could only resign herself to having encountered a mad Bishop.

She had to find a way to slip away quickly.

“Cough, cough...” Kitty acted heavily injured, coughing up blood. She knelt on the ground and said, “Your humble servant has completed everything according to your instructions. Is there anything this lowly servant did incorrectly?”

Braque was both shocked and furious. He looked at Kitty kneeling nearby. He could clearly sense that Kitty had humbled herself extremely, and there wasn’t a single lie in her words.

Who?

Who was impersonating him?

Or perhaps, another Bishop came before him?

No... wrong...

Drip—

A drop of blood landed on Braque’s mask.

He slowly raised his hand, wiped the blood off the mask. Braque looked up towards the sanctuary’s dome.

Above the dark dome, in the area untouched by the torchlight, something terrifying, evil seemed to be surging.

The moment he looked towards that darkness, Braque felt the spiritual alarm explode in his mind.

“Radiance Bishop” Braque abruptly raised his hand!

A white shadow shot straight towards the dome, then exploded violently like a holy light bomb, illuminating the entire stone dome with pure light!

Simultaneously, it illuminated the blood threads above, seemingly alive, coiling and twisting overhead. The entire dome resembled a giant heart, pulsating rhythmically with the writhing blood lines.

At this moment, many believers were disturbed by the holy light above. They raised their heads one after another, expecting to witness a miracle.

But the instant they saw the blood threads above, strange howls began to echo in the minds of many.

No... wrong...

Braque’s eyes widened, his scalp tingling.

Kitty, kneeling before him, had also looked up and seen the terrifying blood array above. Reacting even faster than Braque, the white shadow on her body had already lunged towards the wooden door behind the Bishop, about to break out.

“Schlick—”

A blood thread pierced down from the dome, entering directly through the top of Kitty’s head, straight into her heart, dragging her struggling body slowly upwards.

Countless blood lines began to descend from above, hoisting up corpse after corpse. During the process, many bodies were sucked dry into mummies, completely losing all signs of life.

Wrong... Wrong!!!

The white shadows behind Braque shot out violently. Two rushed towards the rear door, four lunged towards the gradually coalescing dark red vortex overhead.

He had to destroy this terrifying ritual array before it fully formed! If not! At least he could escape using “Shadow Shift”!

Schlick—

The white shadow rushing towards the rear door, upon reaching the edge of the blood array overhead, had a large chunk of its torso torn off by something unknown. Intense pain, seemingly transmitted from the spiritual body, almost made Braque scream.

He quickly moved away from the door, looking up in horror at the gradually forming blood vortex.

Almost everyone was dragged towards the top, their flesh and blood offered as sacrifice, channeled through the complex web of blood threads above into the central dark vortex.

A speck of starlight drifted out from the seemingly bottomless vortex.

Braque’s mind went blank.

All whispers, fears, pains seemed to vanish, leaving only a familiar warmth, like flesh and blood merging.

Mother Goddess... above...

Braque knelt on the ground, looking up in terror at the vortex above.

The starlight entered Kitty’s suspended, mutilated body. Her body rotted and swelled, lumps of flesh piling up, slowly solidifying into a terrifying blood cocoon.

The cocoon shell hardened bit by bit, pulsating as if alive. Through the translucent shell, under the remaining holy light, one could glimpse the beautiful, ultimate life being nurtured within.

Crack—

The blood cocoon cracked open bit by bit. A figure slowly floated down from above, the multiple pairs of insect wings on its back flapping, emitting a wail-like buzz.

“Divine Servant... Milord...” Braque’s heart began to tremble with excitement. He looked at the inhuman figure before him, his emotions bordering on frenzy.

Under his gaze, the “Divine Servant” slowly raised its head, looking towards the dome.

Its gaze seemed to pierce through the hanging corpses and the terrifying blood array above, through the stone dome, towards the existence above the dome.

“Mother Goddess... Milady.”

A bloody slit opened on the Divine Servant’s face, seemingly calling out to some entity above.

Mother Goddess Milady?!

Braque looked up in astonishment towards the dome above.

Who was above the stone dome?

Who was up there, worthy of being called Mother Goddess by the Divine Servant Milord?!

The blood array couldn’t have been drawn and triggered out of thin air. Someone must be nearby, performing this ritual!

Priestess Kitty’s earlier words flashed through Braque’s mind.

No... It wasn’t someone impersonating him, nor someone impersonating a Bishop...

The person who instructed them, who made them complete these rituals...

Was the Mother Goddess’s proxy! The Mother Goddess’s human vessel!

It was the Saintess!!!

“I... understand, Mother...” The Divine Servant seemed to have received instructions, its gaze slowly turning towards Braque before it.

A blood thread emerged from its slit, continuously splitting, burrowing towards Braque’s body.

Braque knelt devoutly on the ground, arms outstretched, watching the spreading fleshy tendrils, raised his head madly, shouting:

“Mother Goddess above!!! Urgh!!!”

The fleshy tendrils burrowed into his body, gradually draining him inch by inch.

The distant Divine Servant, sensing the transmitted, immense flesh and blood energy, bulged with lumps of flesh once more.

It began its second cocooning.

...

Creek Hill, Deton Manor, Card Room.

“I win.” Ciel smiled, placing the last card onto the pile, then looked towards Adele beside her and said, “Let’s go, let’s head back to the city for something to eat.”

Adele: “!”

Avena: “?”

Hearing Ciel’s words, Adele practically jumped to her feet. Normally, she slept early and ate regular meals. Having missed breakfast and lunch today, she was already dizzy with hunger.

Avena, however, was filled with confusion.

Her earlier distraction caused her to lose the solitaire game, but... the change she expected hadn’t occurred at all?

Or did something happen that she just didn’t notice?

They walked out of the card room, through the corridor to the front hall. Just as they were about to pass through the main door and step outside the manor, an anomaly occurred.

-

The horses in the stables went berserk, dragging carriages wildly, causing chaos in the stable area.

A faint spiritual alarm gradually sounded in Nia’s mind, progressively drowning out the original potion whispers.

Nia abruptly raised her hand, seemingly sending out some signal. A warhorse clad in silver armor charged out from the stables, pulling a carriage, and stopped before them.

“Quick, get in the carriage, Miss Avena, there’s danger!” Nia urged Avena in a low voice, directly lifting her into the carriage.

Adele beside them was also scared enough to jump into the carriage, turned her head towards Ciel, and shouted, “Hmm hmm hmm!!!”

“Get in, quickly!” Avena extended her hand out of the carriage, urging Ciel anxiously.

At this moment, not only Nia, but even Avena and other transcendents nearby heard the terrifying spiritual alarm.

But Ciel stopped in her tracks, seemingly pausing to listen to something.

Panicked transcendents had already started running towards the main gate from behind. Ciel extended her right hand, grasped Avena’s soft small hand, and after being pulled into the carriage, turned back towards the underground area behind them, and gently snapped her left fingers.

Snap—

The sound of the snap echoed beside Avena’s ear.

Immediately following was an even more terrifying aura, like a landslide or tsunami, emanating from Deton Manor behind them. Even the ground began to tremble.

“Whinnyyyy!!!” The warhorse let out a tragic whinny. Under Nia’s control, it pulled the carriage violently down the mountain path, the carriage beginning to bump violently.

Through the transparent carriage glass, the three saw the terrifying earthquake-like scene behind them.

Avena was now almost certain... Ciel did all this.

Just then, amidst the chaos, Ciel saw a familiar figure, her pupils constricting slightly.

Protect her—

Ciel only had time to issue one final command to the spiritual being via consciousness before leaving... She was the one who absolutely could not linger here.

Under Ciel’s command, the spiritual being had already restrained its terrifying internal fluctuations to the utmost. But this sacrifice included an additional third-tier Bishop—even Ciel didn’t know what would happen when sacrificing a third-tier Bishop. She could only guarantee the summoned spiritual being wouldn’t attack anyone other than cultists.

The carriage gradually moved further away. Creek Hill behind them seemed to erupt in some kind of riot, birds and beasts fleeing madly in panic.

...

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Berren City’s Clock Tower Alley, “Missionary” Uris, listening to the “Ascetic’s” report in the inn, abruptly raised her head, her sightless eyes gazing towards Creek Hill.

Her vision seemed to penetrate all walls and obstacles. In her field of darkness, a terrifying, enormous phantom was unfurling eight pairs of giant insect wings in the distance, kneeling towards a certain direction.

This apocalyptic scene almost stopped Uris’s heart for several beats. The terrifying, blurry phantom before her eyes almost made her recall the incident she encountered when her eyes were still intact...

“Quick! Are there materials for the Psychic Holy Ritual in the Clock Tower church?! I need to contact the Holy See immediately!!!” Uris snapped her head towards the “Ascetic,” completely unaware that blood tears were already streaming down her own face from her eyes.

“Yes... Yes! There’s one last set of materials left, hidden away unused!” The “Ascetic,” seemingly sensing something too, quickly stood up and led Uris towards the Clock Tower church.

That’s... Divine Advent Church’s thing... The Divine Advent Church! Hiding in Berren City?!

That commotion, their Holy See is hidden just outside Berren City?!

Did they really awaken the Mother Goddess?!

No no no! They are just heretics, they don’t have a Saintess! How did they communicate with a deity!

The Divine Advent Church... also has a Saintess now?

The first heretical Saintess has appeared?!

Uris’s mind was continuously occupied by horrifying thoughts, almost shaking her faith. At this moment, she could only pray the Church of the Savior Goddess Holy See would quickly dispatch a Bishop... no, a powerhouse of Archbishop rank or higher!

...

“Father! Father!”

Crowds surged, rubble fell. Deton Manor, previously peaceful, now seemed struck by a terrifying earthquake. People stampeded towards the entrance.

Amy had reached the entrance first, but remembering her father was still inside, pushed back against the tide into the front hall, anxiously calling her father’s name.

“Amy!” Amidst the chaos, Baron Hastings seemed to hear Amy’s call. He struggled through the crowd and saw Amy hiding beside a huge pillar, avoiding the stampede.

And above Amy’s head, the precariously swaying giant crystal chandelier.

“Amy!!!” Baron Hastings rushed madly towards Amy. He leaped forward forcefully, unable to push her away in time, fell heavily in front of Amy, struggled up, directly embraced Amy, and shielded her with his own body underneath.

The swaying chandelier, after emitting a piercing screech of metal fatigue, plummeted directly down.

Lying on the ground, Amy’s gaze went past Baron Hastings’ shoulder. Her eyes widened as she watched the giant crystal chandelier draw closer and closer...

Am I... going to die?

Didn’t find Ciel, she shouldn’t be here... It’s really good she’s not here...

Father, I’m sorry...

Voom—

A slight buzzing sounded in Amy’s mind. Accompanying the buzz was the crystal chandelier hovering less than a meter above her in mid-air.

A flickering white shadow, its shape unclear, held the massive crystal chandelier suspended in the air.

The terrifying white shadow’s face turned slightly, looking down at the terrified Amy lying on the ground, tilting its head quizzically.

A buzzing, blurry murmur, blocking out all surrounding noise, echoed in Amy’s mind.

“You... can see... me?”

The white shadow looked at Amy, who faced it directly without any adverse effect, then looked up towards the direction Ciel had departed, its thoughts momentarily confused.

The next second, darkness swept over Amy’s vision.

When she woke up again, she was lying in a field. Beside her lay Baron Hastings, unconscious from excessive fright.

And beside her hand was a strange cloth bag, seemingly containing something...