Gospel of Blood

If you were to ask which city is the most famous on the Star-Moon Peninsula, it would undoubtedly be the capital of the Crescent Kingdom, Lutecia.

As one of the oldest cities in the Western Yunette Region, Lutecia was already one of the many capitals of the ancient Bloodborne Kingdoms during the era of the Bloodborne Royalty. Around eleven hundred years ago, at the founding of the Yunette Empire, it even served briefly as the imperial capital.

Nine hundred years ago, the Yunette Empire faced a succession crisis, splitting the nation into the Eastern Yunette Empire and the Western Yunette Empire.

The Eastern Yunette Empire soon perished in a catastrophe, transforming into the monster-infested Eastern Yunette Blacklands.

The Western Yunette Empire persisted but experienced its own history of division, destruction, and rebirth…

The Crescent Kingdom was established during the fragmentation of the Western Yunette Empire.

After the east-west split of the Yunette Empire, the Valois family, with the empire’s weakening royal power, seized the opportunity to claim power and independence. The family’s founder took control of nearly a third of the northwestern territory, declaring independence and crowning himself king, creating what is now the Crescent Kingdom.

Naturally, Lutecia became the capital of the Crescent Kingdom.

Because of this history, even today, the residents of the Crescent Kingdom pride themselves on being the purest Yunette descendants, engaging in fierce disputes with the reconstituted Western Yunette Empire over the rightful Yunette legacy.

The nobility of Myria rarely recorded history, but the Holy Court had the good habit of doing so, allowing Charlotte to thoroughly understand the past of this world.

Of course, even the Holy Court’s detailed records only began with the founding of the Yunette Empire.

As for the earlier Blood Moon Era, perhaps due to certain taboos or a genuine lack of documentation, much of it has been passed down as oral legend.

Maybe some long-lived species like elves and dragons still remember those times. But humans are humans, and they are not the same as those long-lived beings. Elves and dragons, who have always looked down on short-lived species, would not be interested in human history.

Regarding the even earlier Mythical Age and Elven Age, even the records of elves and dragons might have buried many details in the past…

After all, even dragons, who live longer than elves, can only live up to about 1,700 to 1,800 years, far from being able to remember events from over two thousand years ago.

The only ones who might serve as walking historical books of myth are the ancient bloodbornes that have survived from those ancient times.

Unfortunately, relying on these creatures, who spend most of their time sleeping in coffins, might sometimes be less reliable than seeking out ancient ruins for murals…

But enough of that, back to the present.

Lutecia, the capital of the Crescent Kingdom, is located in the kingdom’s central region, about a half-month journey from Castell.

With less than a month until the central council meeting, Charlotte minimized visits to noble lords and stayed only briefly at each stop to ensure a timely arrival.

The journey went smoothly, with over a hundred fully armed armored knights escorting them. No one dared to provoke Charlotte. Even any bandits or robbers along the way would cautiously avoid the Castell convoy.

After about twenty days, Charlotte finally saw the towering walls of Lutecia, the capital of the Crescent Kingdom.

Those were indeed tall walls… The massive gates, nearly twenty meters high, constructed from sturdy stone and iron components, stood like giants, proclaiming the kingdom’s authority to all who passed by.

The shimmering moat was very wide, likely over fifty meters, connecting to the Kaina River that circled Lutecia, even allowing for boat traffic.

As the capital of the Crescent Kingdom, Lutecia was much more prosperous than Northport, reportedly having a population close to a million, second only to the Holy City of the Theocracy.

On the main road leading to the city gates, the traffic of carriages, pedestrians, travelers, and merchant caravans was incessant, even busier than Northport’s busiest docks.

Charlotte’s grand convoy drew significant attention as it rolled into such a bustling scene.

The Castell family convoy was quite conspicuous. Twenty lavishly decorated carriages and over a hundred fully armed knights in armor attracted countless gazes, showcasing the splendor of a great noble family.

Nearby pedestrians, travelers, and small caravans all made way, allowing the Castell convoy to proceed unhindered.

Of course, they only made way.

Unlike in the north, where people might stop and salute or curiously gaze, here, there were few who did so. Most merchant caravans and travelers merely glanced at the armored knights a few more times before moving away, paying no further attention.

This was quite normal. Lutecia was full of nobles, large and small, visible everywhere. You could throw a brick on the main street and likely hit a baron or viscount, so the awe of nobility wasn’t as deep-rooted as in other places.

Carriage convoys as luxurious as the Castell family’s were common in Lutecia. Even outside the city gates, Charlotte saw several.

Charlotte even suspected that what truly made people move aside was the sight of the more than a hundred imposing armored knights escorting them.

Moreover, not all convoys yielded to the Castell family convoy.

Some carriages, clearly marked with noble crests, did not give way, including several heavily laden merchant caravans.

These convoys, often escorted by knights, displayed signs of noble backing, and Charlotte even recognized the crests of several prominent kingdom families she had studied.

Unlike the pedestrians, those in the convoys only curiously glanced at the luxurious carriages of the Castell family and the unfamiliar family crest before losing interest.

The knights escorting the convoys, however, couldn’t help but keep their eyes on Charlotte’s escort, or more precisely, on the high-quality equipment of the Castell knights. The extraordinary knights’ gazes especially lingered on the knights around Charlotte’s carriage, their faces showing surprise.

The reason was simple: many of Charlotte’s knights were also extraordinary individuals, including several who had achieved advanced tiers.

Among the nobility of Myria, it’s common to gauge and respond according to status. To make a strong impression on this journey to the capital and to avoid trouble from those who couldn’t see the big picture, Charlotte had brought her most elite personal knights and their best armor.

She was attending the council and negotiations as a victor and a newly appointed vassal, and she had no intention of being low-key from the start.

After taking a glance at the exterior of Lutecia, Charlotte let down the carriage curtain and waited to enter the city.

However, just as the Castell convoy was about to cross the stone bridge over the moat, the sound of galloping horses mixed with screams and curses came from the side and rear of the convoy.

Charlotte felt the carriage come to a slight stop, and heard her coachman cursing.

Frowning, she lifted the curtain again and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“Countess, it’s cavalry! We were about to get on the bridge, but suddenly some cavalry cut into our line and rushed ahead!”

The coachman responded angrily.

“Cavalry?”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

She looked out the window and saw two rows of fully armed knights wearing gray cloaks overtaking the Castell convoy to take the lead on the stone bridge leading to the city gate, cutting in front of them.

They rode arrogantly, not caring about the pedestrians they knocked over in their path. The screams were from those hit by the riders, and there were still cries of pain, indicating injuries.

The knights seemed indifferent, not even glancing at the fallen pedestrians, crudely instructing others to move them to the side.

Several knights blocking the Castell convoy even whistled provocatively at Charlotte’s escort knights, making mocking gestures that infuriated them.

At the front of the convoy, Baron Sharon, the captain of the guard, was conversing with what was clearly the leader of the rival knights.

The leader’s attitude was haughty, only becoming somewhat serious when looking at the Castell knights.

When Charlotte noticed the noble crest on the other leader’s chest, she was momentarily surprised.

It was no wonder; she was very familiar with that crest, having dealt with it recently.

It was the crest of the Gaston family, identical to that of Count Gaston’s family, who had been turned into her blood thrall.

The only difference was the Gaston crest had a gold border, whereas Count Gaston’s crest had a silver border.

Charlotte intended to use her magic to eavesdrop on their conversation, but before she could, Baron Sharon finished talking and rode over to her.

“What happened?”

Charlotte asked.

“Countess, it’s the Gaston Duchy’s cavalry. They said their family members are entering the city.”

Baron Sharon replied with a grim expression.

“Family members? Not the Duke himself?”

Charlotte’s interest was piqued.

“I’m not sure. They didn’t specify, only demanded we move aside.”

Baron Sharon said, shaking his head.

“Tsk, such arrogance.”

Charlotte clicked her tongue.

Baron Sharon hesitated.

“Countess, should we…”

“Never mind, let them go first. Send someone to check on those who were hit. Bring the accompanying priests, make sure no one is seriously hurt.”

Charlotte instructed.

The Duke of Gaston was one of the nine dukes of the kingdom. Such blatant behavior likely indicated an important member of the Gaston family, if not the Duke himself.

While Charlotte didn’t plan to be low-key, she also didn’t intend to make enemies with other high nobles before understanding the situation.

Being cut off was just a minor inconvenience. Charlotte didn’t mind waiting a bit longer.

Shortly after, Baron Sharon returned and reported on the injured pedestrians.

“The injuries are not severe, no life-threatening wounds. The cavalry seemed to have held back. Our priests are treating them, and they should recover after a few days of rest.”

Charlotte nodded slightly.

“Alright, good.”

At this point, the Gaston convoy approached under the escort of their knights.

Their convoy was even more impressive than Castell’s, with grand, luxurious carriages and dragon-scaled horses pulling them.

Just as Charlotte thought the Gaston convoy would head straight into the city, it stopped near the Castell convoy.

A young, flippant voice came from the most luxurious carriage closest to Charlotte’s.

“The Black Northern Hawk… Castell family?”

Charlotte looked over and saw a handsome young noble around twenty, seated inside the carriage.

Flanked by two scantily clad, beautiful maids with slightly pointed ears, indicating their half-elf lineage, they held wine cups and peeled fruits.

Seeing Charlotte look back, the young noble’s eyes flashed with amazement, but he quickly regained his composure.

Whistling, he grinned.

“You must be Charlotte de Castell? The Pearl of Borde, the Holy Court’s unrecognized Saintess?”

Not waiting for Charlotte to respond, he continued.

“Well, it seems rumors can be true. The Pearl of Borde… I thought it was just hype. But seeing you today, hehe, you’re indeed worthy of the title, even the Pearl of the Crescent Kingdom and Western Yunette.”

“With looks like yours, you must have elven blood? Such beauty, yet you vow celibacy to the Gods. Tsk, what a pity… such a waste.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha…”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, intending to ask his identity, but the young noble had already drawn his curtain and continued forward amidst laughter.

In a cloud of dust, the Gaston convoy entered the city under knight escort, with even the guards at the gate saluting them respectfully, only straightening up after the convoy passed.

“Let’s go too.”

Charlotte said.

The armored knights, disgruntled by the Gaston convoy, grumbled a few curses and then escorted Charlotte’s convoy toward the city gate.

However, just as the Castell convoy was about to cross the stone bridge, they were stopped by the gate guards.

“Which family do you belong to? No armed knights are allowed in the capital without permission!”

The fully armed guards at the gate demanded sternly, eyeing the Castell crest.

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