Leaving the side hall and returning in a spare evening gown with the help of a maid, Charlotte finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the Great Priest was amiable, kindhearted, and very friendly, Charlotte, for so unknown reason, always felt restless in his presence.
It was completely different from the feeling she had when she was with Dean Lawuer at the Church Hospital. She had spent quite so ti with Lawuer and had never felt this way.
It might have been because the Great Priest was a High Tier priest, which made her, a young Bloodline, feel guilty; or perhaps his offer to drink milk subconsciously reminded her of that crazy old hag at ho, giving her a bit of PTSD.
In any case, after leaving the side hall, Charlotte felt much more relaxed and her entire deanor eased considerably.
The rest of the banquet beca uninteresting to her. Having tasted various delicacies, the girl was no longer hungry, and she used her indisposition as an excuse not to attend the dance that followed.
In fact, even if Charlotte had attended, it’s likely that, given her proclamation at the beginning of the evening, no young noble would dare invite her to dance for fear of a misunderstanding by the Church.
The only ones who might dare to ask would probably be the Duke himself and the Great Priest.
But the old Duke was of a venerable age and probably would not stoop to do so, and the Great Priest had gone to rest.
Sebastian, on the other hand, was looking on eagerly from a distance, obviously wanting to do sothing. But after so hesitation, he ended up inconspicuously in the corner.
Charlotte was pleased by this—He was still sensible. With no one daring to approach her, if he, as the president of the Rose Association, had rashly co forward, it would have clearly indicated a problem.
With no one inviting her, Charlotte was happy to be alone and went to blow off so steam on the outdoor viewing platform.
After all, she had never danced a social dance before; even in her original mories, due to age and restrictions on going out, she hadn’t learned much.
But the Black Cat Nisi appeared at so point, unusually enthusiastic as if he had switched souls. He fetched milk and fruit for the young girl.
"Weren’t you busy chatting and boasting with Dean Lawuer and others? Why have you co to find again?"
The girl glanced curiously at Nisi.
"ow! What are you saying? You are my current owner. After I finished the matters of the Church, of course, I had to co and find you."
Black Cat Nisi said righteously.
Charlotte nodded slightly and her gaze slipped over the crowd:
"Where are Dean Lawuer and the others?"
"They’ve left. There was another case at the Church Hospital, and Kara went with them."
Nisi explained.
"Captain Kara? What happened?"
Charlotte’s heart stirred, thinking of the knightly identity of Kara.
"Yes, there has been another Blood Demon case after being quiet for just under two weeks."
Nisi let out a sigh.
"A Blood Demon case? Where?"
The glass held by Charlotte paused mid-air.
"It is a family in the Outer City District, a fallen noble family. I’m not too clear on the details, but it’s said they were almost entirely wiped out, and three daughters have gone missing. Only one servant survived and is currently being treated at the Church Hospital."
Nisi stated solemnly.
"Wiped out, missing..."
Charlotte’s gaze sharpened.
She waited for Nisi to continue, but noticed he did not, instead looking at her as if wishing to say more.
Charlotte was surprised but soon caught on, her expression darkening:
"You’re not asking if this has anything to do with , are you?"
"Cough cough cough... How could that be! You have a grudge against the Blood Demon Church! It’s just that..."
Nisi hesitated.
Charlotte’s expression turned cold:
"Speak up."
Swallowing hard, Nisi said:
"At the scene... there was your Holy Emblem."
Holy Emblem?
Charlotte was briefly taken aback.
But she quickly realized:
"The thorny rose?"
Nisi nodded.
Charlotte frowned.
She knew that both Nisi and Sebastian thought of her as a resurrected Evil God, and they had even started to associate the thorny rose as her symbol.
Although it was just a pattern she had copied from a furniture carving, combined with the personal information in the Blood Holy Scripture, the thorny rose symbol had indeed established so mysterious connection with her, becoming her emblem.
Charlotte even suspected that if one day she really beca a deity, this pattern might indeed turn into a true Holy Emblem!
And now, this symbol appeared at the scene of a Blood Demon case, which was sowhat intriguing.
"Was it a Sacrificial Array?"
The girl asked.
"No, it’s not. This ti is different from the one at Castel Manor. It’s similar to the other Blood Demon cases from the past half year, where other people were killed and the underage daughters disappeared..."
"The Church has always suspected the Blood Demon Church has not given up and plans to continue with the Fla Demon summoning."
"However, the symbol left at the end of this Blood Demon case changed from the mark of the Blood Demon Church to... the thorny rose."
Nisi explained.
After speaking, it hesitated and then looked at the young girl:
"Miss Charlotte, do you think... could the Blood Demon Church have discovered your resurgence and is deliberately probing?"
My resurgence?
No, that was really just a furniture pattern...
But, if both Sebastian and Nisi treat as an Evil God, perhaps the Blood Demon Church also believes an Evil God related to the Bloodline has reawakened in Bold City, so they might be taking action...
Thinking this, Charlotte’s expression grew serious.
The Blood Demon Church likely was indeed targeting her.
Or rather, they were targeting the existence symbolized by the thorny rose.
Only, she did not know what their purpose was.
But no matter what, considering the strange connection that had ford between herself and the thorny rose emblem, Charlotte had a feeling deep down that she couldn’t just ignore this matter.
Was the incident in the Outer City District...
Charlotte thoughtfully considered a good candidate for investigating this matter.
"I understand, I will have soone look into this."
The girl nodded slightly and said indifferently.
Nisi was sowhat puzzled:
"Have soone investigate? Do you have other hands in the Outer City District?"
But it quickly realized sothing and almost instantly leapt to its feet:
"Wait! You’re not thinking of having Sebastian look into this, are you?!"
"Great Miss Charlotte! That guy Sebastian is the most notorious gang leader in Bold City! He’s full of secrets!"
"This guy... not only betrayed Moon God Island, but he’s also said to have offended so major powers in the dark! He’s a walking bundle of trouble!"
"Not to ntion, it was he who..."
Charlotte gave Nisi a cold glance, and it imdiately stopped talking, not finishing the sentence.
The girl then sipped her milk and said indifferently:
"Everyone has secrets, he has his, and so do I."
Saying this, she turned her gaze onto Nisi, her eyes full of deep aning:
"Don’t you have any?"
"?"
Nisi was stupefied for a mont, but its eyes soon dodged, looking away:
"ow! What are you talking about! What secrets could I have! I’m just a little cat that can talk and has a few small skills! ow ow ow~!"
"Oh? Small skills, like the Contract Divine Skill and Dark Summoning Technique?"
Charlotte looked at it askance.
Nisi instantly felt guilty.
"Tell , how did you, a major figure of the Church, co to know Sebastian? And how long have you known each other?"
The girl looked at the black cat with a smile.
But Nisi’s scalp tingled at the sight of the girl’s radiant smile:
"Cough cough... Probably a long ti? I guess... it was at a party where we first t?"
Poor black cat had arrived intending to probe the girl for information about the Blood Demon case and also inquire how she knew Sebastian.
Yet, in just a few words, it found itself being "interrogated."
"Forget it, if you don’t want to say, don’t."
Seeing the hemming and hawing black cat, Charlotte didn’t press further.
She tapped her goblet lightly, her words full of implication:
"In the future, when you’re ready to talk, we can talk then."
"Alright, I’m a bit tired. You go find other pretty sisters to cozy up to."
Having said this, the girl gave the order to leave.
Nisi: ...
Its expression gradually turned awkward.
But seeing the girl’s indifferent look, it soon realized sothing else and beca conflicted again.
Nisi understood Charlotte’s aning.
When it could lay out its story openly and honestly, that’s when the girl would truly accept it, not just as a servant bound by a forced contract.
Nisi hesitated.
After a mont of indecision, it sighed and bowed respectfully to Charlotte:
"Great Owner Charlotte, as you said, everyone has their secrets, and Nisi has its own difficulties."
"However, having signed a contract with you, Nisi naturally couldn’t betray you."
"Then... Nisi shall take its leave first."
Watching the black cat go, Charlotte let out a small sigh.
The secrets that Nisi held seed even more nurous than she had imagined.
It looked like it would be a long road to truly win over this creature.
...
The birthday party at the Duke Mansion continued into the late night.
After the banquet, the Duke Mansion offered to retain the guests, having prepared rooms for them to stay.
However, after all that had happened, Charlotte didn’t feel like staying at the Duke Mansion any longer.
She politely declined the invitation and chose to return to Castel Manor.
Upon seeing their master, the old servant Casimodo seed to have a lot he wanted to say, presumably about the proclamation she had made at the party.
Charlotte had a hunch that the word had likely already spread within the Duke Mansion.
In the end, however, the old servant refrained from asking and dutifully hastened the carriage.
In the dead of night, the bustling and lively Bold City beca eerily quiet, losing the clamor of the day.
The carriage moved through the darkness, heading towards the western district of the city.
The black cat Nisi lay in the corner of the carriage fast asleep, smacking its lips occasionally and chuckling in its sleep, seemingly in the throes of a pleasant dream.
Charlotte leaned against the window, enjoying the moonlight outside.
She felt a bit thirsty; perhaps the night’s empowering effect was triggering her blood addiction again.
However, just then, the carriage suddenly slowed down, and the driver Casimodo knocked on the window.
"What’s the matter?"
Charlotte felt a stir within her.
"Master..."
The driving Casimodo wore a serious expression, leaned back slightly, and whispered through the window:
"There’s a carriage... following us."
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