While Tang Qiu and Delphine were talking inside the treehouse, Karen and Mario stood guard outside with expressionless faces. Their eyes were fixed on the treehouse door, their nerves stretched taut like a fully drawn bowstring.

More and more elves appeared around them, and the curious, probing, or hostile gazes made even the seasoned Mario’s heart sink.

After what felt like an eternity, the treehouse door was finally pushed open. The blonde bishop and Delphine walked out one after the other. Both looked as composed as ever, with faint smiles on their faces, as if they had spent the entire afternoon simply reminiscing.

Mario’s gaze shifted between the blonde bishop and Delphine before he discreetly looked away. He stood silently to the side, his head slightly bowed, lost in thought.

Karen breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Tang Qiu emerge. She walked over to stand protectively by Tang Qiu’s side.

After bidding Delphine farewell, Tang Qiu led Karen over to Mario and said softly, “Let’s go.”

Mario grunted in acknowledgment and followed behind Tang Qiu with his head lowered.

After leaving the Elf Race’s territory, Mario looked up at the blonde bishop walking ahead of him. He hesitated for a moment before asking, “Bishop Grace, I was wondering what the Elf Queen’s thoughts are on the Pope’s proposal?”

Tang Qiu’s steps faltered. Mario, thinking she was displeased with his question, frowned and explained, “Archbishop Reese was worried you would be reprimanded for failing the Pope’s mission, so she asked me to send word back promptly.”

That way, Reese could make preparations in advance, lest the blonde bishop be sent right back to the Inquisition after just getting out.

Tang Qiu knew Mario had misunderstood. She shook her head with a helpless smile and said, “I was actually just thinking about how to answer you.”

Mario frowned. “Did the Elf Queen not give an answer?”

“The Elf Race will not cooperate with the Holy See, but they are willing to fight against the Black Witches.” Tang Qiu glanced back in the direction of the elves and said with a smile, “The fact that they’re willing to fight the Black Witches is enough, don’t you think?”

Mario was stunned. “This… Then what about the Pope…”

“The Pope doesn’t actually care that much whether the Elf Race and the Wolf Race are willing to form an alliance,” Tang Qiu said calmly as she walked toward the carriage. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent me.”

If the Pope had been sincere, Cambecus would be standing here right now, not her.

Sending a bishop as an envoy to negotiate with the Elf Queen and the Wolf Race Patriarch? That was far too disrespectful to both races.

By the time they returned to the Holy See from the Elf Race’s territory, it was still early. Tang Qiu changed out of her conspicuous bishop’s robes and into a simple cleric’s uniform, then threw on a large cloak. She carefully pulled the hood up before leaping out the window and disappearing from the manor.

Avoiding pedestrians and patrolling knights, Tang Qiu left the main city and headed for the wilderness. Due to the influence of the Dark Formations, only half of the Gosse Empire’s hundred-plus cities remained. The common people were gathered in these cities for protection, while more than half of the empire’s territory was overrun by monsters. Wandering monsters could be seen everywhere in the wild.

The scent of fresh flesh and blood made the hungry monsters stop in their tracks. They turned to stare at the traveling Tang Qiu, a ghostly light flickering in their eye sockets. Their mouths opened and closed, letting out low growls, and their hands had already evolved into sharp, black claws.

They drooled, but none of them took a step toward Tang Qiu.

The powerful aura of light surrounding her made them fearful, and their instincts kept them from approaching.

Tang Qiu paused for a moment, turning her head slightly to glance at the surrounding monsters. Her lips moved, and a dazzling flame of light descended from the sky. The monsters were reduced to ashes without even a chance to scream.

This was the advantage of light.

Monsters that human knights struggled to kill in endless numbers could be wiped out in large swaths by Holy See personnel with just a movement of their lips or a wave of their staff.

At any time, the Holy See was the main force against the powers of darkness. This was an indisputable fact.

Tang Qiu followed the direction of the densest dark aura and soon found the Dark Formation closest to the main city. Erin had been in the vicinity and came forward to greet her when she appeared.

“Have you figured out a way to break it?” Tang Qiu took off her hood, her long, snow-white hair falling over her chest. She approached the Dark Formation, her eyes fixed on the black vortex above the blood-colored swamp as she asked with a frown.

From time to time, monsters would crawl out of the vortex, only to be grabbed and torn to shreds by a skeleton standing guard nearby. The bodies of the monsters were piled up behind the skeleton, forming a mound almost as high as a mountain.

Tang Qiu glanced over and, with a wave of her hand, a flame of light descended, clearing away the pile of monster corpses.

Erin stood beside Tang Qiu, rubbing her red eyes and saying wearily, “No.”

“The formation is constantly evolving. Elder Noah must be controlling these Dark Formations scattered across the continent through the main formation in Witch City.”

Thanks to Erin’s research and suppression, the Dark Formation before them was already evolving much more slowly than those elsewhere. Erin had heard that in some countries, skeletons even more powerful than monsters had begun to appear.

Tang Qiu glanced at Erin and said with a frown, “You should go back and rest.”

Erin hadn’t had a proper rest in who knows how long. Her black robes were covered in dust and mud, and her already thin frame looked even more frail. Perhaps it was an illusion, but even the little furball perched on her head seemed to have shrunk, looking utterly pitiful.

“I’m fine.” Erin yawned. She looked drained, but her eyes were somewhat bright. “I like studying these formations.”

She paused, then asked with concern, “When will the Holy See dispatch the Cardinals to deal with these Dark Formations?”

Just sending some priests and Holy Knights to exterminate monsters wouldn’t solve the root of the problem.

“I don’t know.” Tang Qiu shrugged. “The situation in the Holy See is complicated. But they should take action after the Holy Son comes out of seclusion, I suppose.”

Erin looked completely bewildered. “If they delay any longer, the monsters created by the Dark Formations will be even harder to deal with.”

“The most urgent task is to destroy the main formation in Witch City.”

Of course, Tang Qiu knew what the most urgent task was. However, Witch City was the territory of the Black Witches. Aside from the Holy See, no one could guarantee they could destroy the formation while fending off the Black Witches.

But the only person in the Holy See with the authority to give that order was the Pope himself.

Standing near the Dark Formation, Tang Qiu could clearly feel the power of light within her being suppressed. She observed the Dark Formation carefully for a while, then, as if remembering something, she scanned her surroundings and asked Erin beside her, “Has Lucille been here?”

Before they parted that morning, Lucille had clearly said she was going to check on the Dark Formation.

Erin, who was taking a moment to feed the little furball, replied without looking up, “She was here, with Lola. I sent them to catch a few monsters for me nearby.”

Just as Tang Qiu was about to ask for details, the sound of two heavy objects hitting the ground suddenly interrupted her. A familiar aura appeared beside her. She turned to see Lucille wiping her hands with a handkerchief. Noticing Tang Qiu’s gaze, she looked up slightly, opened her hand for Tang Qiu to see, and said with a frown, “There’s blood.”

Tang Qiu glanced down and cast a cleaning spell on her hand.

Lucille’s expression softened, and she casually tossed the handkerchief aside.

As soon as they returned, Erin deftly tucked the little furball into her hood, then got up and ran to the tightly bound monsters, muttering to herself, “Has it evolved again?”

Lola, with her arms crossed, watched Erin’s earnest examination and thought for a moment before saying, “This is the monster with the strongest dark aura we found elsewhere.”

Erin scratched her head. “It seems the situation is more severe in other places.”

A monster of this strength would probably require a coordinated siege by a team of human knights to kill. Erin sighed inwardly; the situation was truly getting worse and worse.

Tang Qiu walked over to the monster and looked it over, stroking her chin as she muttered to herself, “…It seems we have to make the Holy See feel the threat from the Black Witches.”

Lucille came to her side and said calmly, “Let’s use that Cardinal’s life to warn the Holy See.”

She glanced at the blood-colored swamp in the center of the Dark Formation. “Throw him in there and let the Holy See see the power of this formation.”

If a Cardinal was devoured by a Dark Formation, the Pope probably wouldn’t be able to sit still anymore.

Of course, Lucille didn’t care whether he could sit still or not. In any case, Cambecus would not be returning to the Holy See alive.

She would not spare anyone who threatened Tang Qiu’s life.

Lucille’s proposal was very much to Tang Qiu’s liking. A small smile played on her lips as she said, “Cambecus should feel honored to be of some use even after his death.”

Lucille looked at the faint smile on Tang Qiu’s lips, her gaze deepening. She licked her lips, her throat suddenly feeling a little dry.

Having not eaten all day while helping Erin catch monsters, Lola stretched, drawing everyone’s attention. “I’m hungry. I’m going to find some prey.”

As she spoke, something occurred to her. She looked at Tang Qiu and asked, licking her lips, “Can you give me a priest?”

She still preferred the blood of clerics. Ever since Tang Qiu became the Bishop of the Gosse Church, she hadn’t caught a cleric to feed on in a long time.

Tang Qiu glanced at her and said with a smile, “No.”

Lola clicked her tongue, somewhat displeased. “I won’t kill them.”

“But you’ll cause a panic.”

The Gangrel vampires Lucille had brought with her all went to the wilderness to feed and weren’t as picky about their food as Lola. That was why the list of fears for the common people of the Gosse Empire hadn’t grown to include vampires.

Lola pouted. Her gaze shifted to Lucille, only to find her staring at the blonde bishop, completely oblivious to the conversation between her and Tang Qiu.

Lola: “…”

This vampire who forgets her comrades the moment delicious food is around.

Lola rolled her eyes. She was about to turn and leave when another thought stopped her. She looked at Tang Qiu, her red lips curling into a teasing smile. “By the way, did you know Lucille can grow a tail?”

“It’s quite similar to you werewolves.”

Lucille, who had been staring blankly at Tang Qiu, instantly snapped back to reality. She glared coldly at Lola, her cool voice laced with a hint of anger. “Lola.”

Lola shrugged. “Why are you angry? It’s a fact.”

Seeing Lucille’s glare intensify, she wisely shut her mouth. Her figure flickered and vanished into the darkness.