Gospel of Blood

“What? Viscount Laval is in hibernation?”

Hearing the explanation from Layton, the head of the Mercenaries' Association, Sebastian looked surprised.

“Yes, Mr. Sebastian, you know Viscount Laval's race is unique. Beings like him often undergo hibernations lasting years, even decades. A few years ago, sensing he was about to break through in power, Viscount Laval temporarily resigned from his honorary position and went to find a place to hibernate.”

President Layton answered.

“A few years ago? Exactly when?”

Charlotte felt a slight stir in her heart.

“If I recall correctly, it was seven years ago. It was quite sudden, as Viscount Laval had never mentioned he would hibernate.”

President Layton recalled.

Seven years ago?

That timing was rather intriguing; it coincided with the year when the mining workshop was infiltrated.

“Did Laval mention where he was going?”

Sebastian asked.

President Layton shook his head.

“No, the location of their hibernation is extremely important to them. Viscount Laval didn’t disclose it before he left.”

After saying this, he asked.

“Countess, Mr. Sebastian, is there something you need from Viscount Laval? If necessary, you can leave a message at the association. Viscount Laval did say he would return after waking up, but exactly when that will be is unknown. As you know, his race... their sense of time is quite, uh, unique, on par with dragons.”

“There’s no need to leave a message, but if you hear anything about Laval, please send someone to inform the Count’s estate.”

Charlotte shook her head and said.

The hibernation of a bloodborne is indeed quite unpredictable, sometimes lasting a few months, sometimes decades, or even centuries. Knowing that Viscount Laval was hibernating meant he was unlikely to be available for a meeting.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have the Mercenaries' Association keep an eye out for any news.

Additionally...

“Sir Layton, have there been any new bloodbornes in the county in recent years?”

Charlotte asked.

They had come to find Viscount Laval to learn about the bloodbornes. Since he wasn’t available, perhaps the Mercenaries' Association could provide some useful information.

Even though the Mercenaries' Association in Castell had declined along with the shrinking of the Violet Forest, it remained a network with extensive connections.

“Bloodbornes, huh…”

President Layton frowned as he thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“That... I’m not quite sure. Bloodborne activities are always very secretive. Someone like Viscount Laval is quite the exception. However…”

“However what?”

Sebastian felt a slight stir.

“However, in recent years, Castell has indeed seen an influx of many unfamiliar extraordinary individuals. Most of them are very low-key and mysterious, which does align somewhat with the behavior of bloodbornes.”

“As for more details, we don’t know much. The Mercenaries' Association respects the privacy of its clients and doesn’t pry too much into their affairs, so our information is limited.”

President Layton said.

Quite a few unfamiliar extraordinary individuals?

Charlotte's eyebrow twitched.

Extraordinaries aren't exactly common, especially those who have stepped into the numbered tiers.

Although the Mercenaries' Association couldn’t provide precise intelligence, given the infiltration of Castell’s mining workshop, Charlotte could infer that these so-called unfamiliar extraordinary individuals were likely members of the Nez bloodborne clan.

She began to piece together a rough timeline in her mind.

About seven years ago, the Nez clan set their sights on Castell, successfully infiltrating the Castell silver mine and winning over several local nobles. Their goal appeared to be to orchestrate some plan, one that required a significant amount of mithril.

Additionally, there might have been a black dragon beneath the Castell silver mine. The connection between this dragon and the Nez clan was unclear, but it was likely that the Nez clan controlled the dragon’s power.

Dragons are born at the Starry Sky tier, and after a few years of growth, they reach the Silver Moon tier. Based on Noah's descriptions, the dragon in the mine wasn’t a hatchling, it was at least a juvenile or even a young adult.

In other words, the Nez clan’s highest combat power could potentially be at the Blazing Sun tier!

With this realization, Charlotte's expression grew serious.

It wasn’t that she was intimidated by the bloodbornes’ strength, but rather that she was thinking of deeper implications.

Despite the many days that had passed, she hadn’t received any reports from nobles about bloodbornes, indicating the Nez clan’s infiltration was both hidden and powerful. Their control over Castell seemed almost determined.

From this perspective, the Nez clan’s infiltration of Castell likely wasn’t just an action by a high-ranking bloodborne within the clan but part of a systematic plan.

In other words, she might be facing the entire Nez clan!

This was troubling.

While Charlotte's powers as a True Ancestor gave her a significant edge over other bloodbornes, and she had the cheat-like ability of True Ancestor's Liberation, she wasn’t ready to face an entire clan.

Unlike the Blood Demon Cult, which was hunted by the Holy Court and forced into hiding, the Nez clan was more akin to a well-organized secret society.

Their organizational capacity and operational efficiency far surpassed that of the Blood Demon Cult, capable of challenging even the Holy Court within their territories.

Of course, this was the worst-case scenario.

Given that Castell was nominally under the Holy Court’s domain, Charlotte surmised that the Nez clan wouldn’t make too much of a scene.

As for Viscount Laval of the Mercenaries' Association...

To be honest, his sudden decision to hibernate at this critical moment suggested that he might have known something in advance and chose to avoid trouble by going into hibernation.

“Master, it seems... Laval knew something beforehand and chose to flee. I know him well, despite his elegance, he avoids trouble. He probably caught wind of the Nez clan’s plans and feared they would target him, so he found an excuse to hide.”

Sebastian's solemn voice resonated in Charlotte's mind, clearly having reached the same conclusion.

Charlotte glanced at him, noting the unprecedented seriousness in the Flame Elf's expression.

“Master…”

His voice continued in her mind.

“Bloodbornes have a strong sense of territoriality. In the underground world, Laval is a notable bloodborne noble in the North. If he sensed a significant threat, he wouldn’t have fled unless it was severe.”

“The Nez clan’s plan might be bigger than we thought. The banquet the day after tomorrow... may not be as peaceful as anticipated.”

Charlotte nodded slightly.

Sebastian was right.

If the Nez clan had grand schemes, the banquet she planned might indeed be part of their scheme.

Charlotte had intended to use the banquet to distinguish friend from foe, ideally dealing with the traitorous nobles in one go.

But now, it seemed that the conspirators might see the banquet similarly.

If the Nez clan could infiltrate Castell’s nobility to control the silver mine…

So, with her as the young countess returning to the territory, what could be more convenient for controlling the North than by controlling her, the Lord of Castell?

Charlotte could almost foresee that if the Nez clan was truly determined to take over Castell, then at this banquet, they would likely make a move against her.

“Doesn't matter. If soldiers come, we fight them; if water comes, we block it with earth. If they plan to strike at me during the banquet, it might actually be an opportunity.”

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Charlotte replied in her mind.

Since she would inevitably have to confront the Nez clan, it would be more advantageous to fight on her own territory rather than in theirs.

After chatting with President Layton of the Mercenaries' Association for a bit longer and confirming they couldn't get any more information, Charlotte decided to leave.

“Sir Layton, if there’s any useful information in the future, Castell is always willing to reward you. Consider this an advance payment.”

Charlotte said.

She gave Sebastian a look, and he immediately understood, retrieving a pouch of gleaming gems from the storage space and placing it on the table.

Seeing the gems, President Layton became even more enthusiastic.

“Of course, the Mercenaries' Association is happy to serve you!”

Leaving the gems behind, Charlotte stood to take her leave, but as they exited the VIP room, they saw a receptionist hurrying over to whisper something to President Layton.

Layton’s expression turned visibly peculiar.

“A commission for an auction? That castle? Are you sure?”

The receptionist nodded vigorously.

Layton’s expression grew even more intricate.

Charlotte felt a stir in her heart.

“Sir Layton, is something the matter?”

“Countess…”

Layton looked at Charlotte with a peculiar expression.

“It seems you are truly favored by the Gods. As soon as you mentioned it, we received information possibly related to bloodbornes.”

“Oh? What information?”

Charlotte’s interest was piqued.

“Have you heard of Spire Castle?”

Layton asked.

“Spire Castle?”

“Yes, Spire Castle. It’s an old castle on the southwestern border of Castell County. It’s been abandoned for a long time, so not many people know about it anymore. It’s said to be held by a fallen noble family.”

“Because it’s on the border between Violet and Castell, its ownership has always been unclear. The nobles who lived there in the past allegedly pledged allegiance to both Violet and Borde.”

“However, rumors say that a very ancient bloodborne once lived there…”

Layton’s expression became even more peculiar.

“Just now, someone came in to commission the association to auction off Spire Castle and the surrounding lands…”

“By the way, the person who made the commission is a registered bloodborne mercenary, and like you, they are also inquiring about other bloodbornes…”

A bloodborne mercenary?

Charlotte felt a stir and inexplicably thought of two figures, one large and one small.

She had been asking about others and had forgotten that there were bloodbornes registered as mercenaries in the association!

Unlike other parts of the Crescent Kingdom, the more open North allowed bloodbornes to register as underground mercenaries openly.

Charlotte’s interest was immediately piqued.

“Interesting... Sir Layton, what kind of person is the commissioner?”

Layton bowed apologetically.

“Well... Countess, although we just accepted your commission, the guild has its principles. If the client wishes to remain anonymous, we cannot disclose their information.”

“To be honest... telling you they’re bloodborne is already overstepping our boundaries.”

Charlotte felt a stir.

“Oh? So what do you mean?”

Layton smiled.

“While we can’t disclose information, we can facilitate a meeting. No one in Castell is wealthier than you. If you’re interested in buying the castle…”

Charlotte gave the old president a peculiar look, thinking he was quite the talent.

Persuading her to buy a castle?

It not only provided her with information but also completed a commission and potentially earned a middleman’s fee—a triple win.

However, she was indeed somewhat interested.

“Sir Layton, how much is Spire Castle worth?”

Layton took the documents from the receptionist, adjusted his monocle, and respectfully answered.

“The castle, along with fifty hectares of forest land, considering the remote location and the castle’s state of disrepair, is estimated to be worth around one million gold tana. But the exact price depends on the seller’s expectations and urgency.”

“Land on the Castell border with some territorial disputes with Violet… alright, no need for an auction. Let the seller name a price, but I want to meet them first. After all, a castle is not a small expense.”

Charlotte said.

One million gold tana was not a small sum.

Honestly, Charlotte wasn’t particularly eager to buy the castle. She mainly wanted to meet the seller.

Since she was already here and the seller was also inquiring about bloodbornes, there might be some valuable information to discover.

Not to mention... the identity of a bloodborne mercenary reminded her of the two who attacked her that day.

“Oh, and don’t reveal my identity to them.”

Charlotte added.

...

At the Mercenaries' Association reception.

The bloodborne girl Agnes paced nervously back and forth.

When the receptionist returned, she eagerly stepped forward.

“How did it go? What did President Layton say?”

The receptionist smiled.

“Miss Agnes, you’re in luck. A VIP client of the association was just meeting with the president. Upon learning of your commission, they were very interested and want to meet with you.”

“Would you like to meet them?”

Is someone willing to buy directly?

Agnes’ eyes lit up.

She was eager to sell the castle quickly and had planned to auction it off for that reason. But if she could find a buyer directly, that would be even better.

“Of course! I’d be happy to meet them!”

She answered without hesitation.

A wealthy patron!

This time, she had encountered a wealthy patron!

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