Chapter 171 : The Saintess and the Empresses, Past and Present

Sophia was not at the state banquet at this moment.

She had just received news that undead puppets had reappeared in the western district.

And that these three undead puppets were very strong,

Suspected to be the three missing Vice-Captains from the list.

This matter was very troublesome.

She couldn’t pretend that everything was fine and continue to chat and laugh with Cardinal Rosso and the dignitaries of the Papal State at the banquet.

Because she could also faintly feel,

That tonight’s events would gradually escalate.

Rather than waiting to be caught off guard,

It would be better for her to take the initiative and expose it.

Sophia hated being questioned,

Especially when she knew the answer.

She wasn’t good at lying,

And couldn’t hide her thoughts in front of equally observant dignitaries.

This was her greatest weakness as a monarch,

Being unable to hide her emotions well.

Although she had learned to do so over time,

Many things are innate,

And cannot be changed from the root.

However,

Since she intended to expose it,

She was also considering how to explain the situation to Rosso and the others.

Right now, the numerous Cateline nobles and Papal State dignitaries in the Cateline Palace,

As well as the ambassadors from the Bal Empire and the Kingdom of Ireland to Cateline, were basically all inside the Cateline Palace.

If she made this situation public,

Then in the coming days, the entire human population of the Western Continent would know roughly what happened in Saint Catherinesburg tonight.

Her speech had to be of a high caliber.

It had to express the suddenness of tonight’s events,

Show that the Cateline Kingdom was previously unaware,

And yet also demonstrate the Cateline Kingdom’s confidence and composure in handling the matter.

It also had to express slight regret to the Papal State,

And apologize to the envoys attending the Cateline state banquet tonight for not being able to enjoy themselves fully.

In every aspect,

She had to do it well.

This speech was also a key part of tonight’s events.

Sophia paced in circles in the snow outside the Cateline Palace.

Since the distinguished guests would not be coming out,

And were all inside the Cateline Palace,

Even if she stayed here for a while, no one would notice.

Everyone probably thought she was just late.

But the host of a banquet being late would not cause much dissatisfaction,

Moreover, she would explain the reason shortly.

Sophia was mentally rehearsing her speech.

A short while later,

Another adjutant from the Cateline Kingdom’s intelligence department arrived at her side.

“Your Majesty,

Intelligence from Theresa.

She says Hall Faxtius and Christine are by the lakeside outside the city.

They are in danger,

And she hopes Your Majesty can dispatch more people to protect them.

Right now, on the entire Holy Train’s missing list,

Besides them,

And Lov, Archbishop Malik, Marquis Eaton, and Pinalie,

Everyone else can be confirmed dead…”

They were afraid that all the missing people were dead,

Like a roll call of death.

But when Sophia heard this news,

She immediately connected Christine with her sister.

That lake was the entrance to the Ice Imperial Tomb.

‘No,

Does Christine have designs on my sister tonight?

Why is she at that location with Hall?’

The more Sophia thought, the more anxious she became.

So she decided to go to the Cateline Palace and explain the situation tonight.

Then immediately go find Hall and Christine.

To see what they were up to.

“Vice-Captain Lucy,

Why are we here tonight?”

“There are undead puppets here.

We must clear them out,

To prevent the disaster from spreading.”

“Did the Judgment Division know about this already?”

“Yes…”

“Then why…”

At this moment,

It was 7:10 PM.

In the western district of Saint Catherinesburg.

Himan, Vice-Captain Lucy, and several elite members from the core of the White Knights were present.

Himan and Vice-Captain Lucy were together in the northern part of the western district.

The other core members were divided into teams of three and dispersed at various important intersections nearby.

But this situation,

Couldn’t help but make Himan ask why.

Vice-Captain Lucy had specifically sought her out in the afternoon,

Interrupting her conversation with Maria.

Then she said there was an important mission,

But they didn’t act immediately.

Before six o’clock,

They were just making preparations at the assembly point.

They only arrived here half an hour ago.

But even so,

They did not act immediately.

They were just at the important intersections,

And had not yet advanced inside.

Himan didn’t understand.

She knew Vice-Captain Lucy had received the intelligence at four o’clock.

Since they knew there were still undead puppets active here,

Why did they delay until now?

Moreover,

In the depths of the intersection they were guarding, there was already an unignorable sound of explosions.

It seemed a fierce battle had broken out.

Some Cateline agents had just passed by her,

Himan was about to offer her assistance,

But was stopped by Vice-Captain Lucy.

She stated that they must hold their posts.

Why?

As a member of the White Knights,

There were heretics not far away.

Was she supposed to not take the initiative?

Just wait here?

And waiting here would only lead to two outcomes.

Either the heretics inside broke through the Cateline agents,

Or the Cateline agents dealt with all the heretics,

And they would have done nothing from start to finish.

But Vice-Captain Lucy did not explain,

So Himan did not press further.

A short while later,

Theresa passed by Himan.

Himan stopped Theresa to ask about the situation,

And Theresa glanced at Vice-Captain Lucy.

Thinking that Her Majesty would explain the events of tonight to everyone later anyway,

She informed Himan that the three Vice-Captains had been turned into undead puppets.

Himan was aghast.

The three Vice-Captains served under the three Archbishops.

Unbelievable.

Even she and Maria had survived, yet the Vice-Captains, with an average level of ninety, were turned into undead puppets.

Could it be that a Vampire Prince was really present that day?

If Hall had reconciled with the Cult of the Living and Dead through the vampires to protect himself…

But…

Did it come at such a great cost?

In her mind, these events were naturally connected.

She even thought that it was because of the great sacrifice of the three Vice-Captains being turned into undead puppets that they were able to survive until now.

In that case…

Himan felt she had to go.

At least to let the three Vice-Captains rest in peace.

“Vice-Captain Lucy, please allow me to go with Marquis Theresa to the front to fight those heretics who were once clergy.”

Lucy was reluctant to agree.

As the Vice-Captain of the White Knights, exterminating heretics was their duty.

But tonight’s situation was all under the Cardinal’s orders, which only required them to suppress the scope of the undead puppets’ rampage to the western district.

It wasn’t that they were forbidden from directly helping the Cateline Kingdom.

Because Marshal Lov has long been leading the Cateline elite cavalry to garrison the northern lands, they were using this opportunity to test the current strength of Catherinesburg.

She was a member of the Cavendish family and prioritized orders from her own family…

If Himan went, she would not be at ease with Himan’s safety if she wasn’t by her side.

But to refuse Himan in front of Theresa now, she needed a reasonable excuse.

“Then I’ll go too. But Marquis Theresa, frankly,

You didn’t manage to find all the undead puppets this afternoon. Can you guarantee that there won’t be any stragglers this time?”

Lucy said, “The rest of you, continue to guard the major intersections to prevent the spread of the undead disaster.”

This was a compromise.

Theresa did not haggle.

So Himan and Lucy went with her.

“The bait has been set out, but it seems there aren’t many fish on the hook. You’re not doing a very good job.”

“Does Your Highness Yerona have any advice to offer?”

“I am an outsider. My task is only to open the Ice Imperial Tomb. Do you really expect me to kill Elizabeth with my own hands?”

“If you don’t, how can you prove your loyalty to the throne?”

“And you? Are you loyal to the throne?”

Saint Catherinesburg, at the edge of the western district.

Yerona and the leader of the Cult of the Living and Dead stood in the shadows on high ground.

Their gazes were fixed on the agents moving through the darkness with torches. If they were to strike now,

It would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to the forces sent to clear them out from Saint Catherinesburg.

But that was not the key.

“Today, during the day, Morris died, and the Papal State’s Marquis Yabolun also died. Their bodies were discovered at noon, but the person who discovered the bodies and the person who killed them are clearly not the same…”

“What does that represent?”

Yerona chatted casually.

She was actually quite surprised by the deaths of Morris and Yabolun.

But since these two pawns died prematurely, it meant that Sophia’s side was one step ahead.

Good, she thought it was very good.

“It represents that the Papal State’s Judgment Division and the Papal State’s Yabolun are not on the same side.”

The leader of the Cult of the Living and Dead, having said this, suddenly added, “Your Highness Yerona, do you remember what happened in West Town of the Bal Empire over a month ago?”

“I hadn’t even awakened at that time. Samigina took that opportunity to dig me out of the ice cave… The King of Xia’s capital is not in Fort North, is it because of…?”

“Indeed, it was because of the events in West Town.”

The purple-robed Cult leader slowly said, “I won’t hide it from Your Highness Yerona any longer.

At that time, there was a special holy item of at least level one in West Town. As a result, because Christine performed a blessing there, a divine revelation descended. It was… a white feather, if I’m not mistaken.”

He was a survivor from the time the first generation of the Cult of the Living and Dead was exterminated by the combined forces of the Salvation Church and the Cateline Kingdom.

He had seen Hall’s and Christine’s power and methods.

And now, he had a secret ally within the Salvation Church.

Since he had already left the headquarters of the Cult of the Living and Dead and come to Saint Catherinesburg, he now had to win Yerona’s help.

At the same time, he revealed his biggest trump card.

“Your Highness Yerona, don’t you want to break free from Samigina’s control?

Tonight, as long as we enter the Ice Imperial Tomb and obtain that white feather…”

“White feather?”

Yerona was very puzzled.

She had only been awake for over a month and was having a hard time keeping up with the pace of this era.

“That’s right. You’ve seen Christine’s weapon. That sword is called [Starfall Blade]. I don’t need to elaborate on its grade. And I think the reason she can summon that sword is because she obtained a holy item in West Town. That holy item very likely belonged to her before she lost her memory…”

The purple-robed Cult leader simply explained everything.

About Christine being the Angel of the Salvation Church, and a few years ago, the matter involving the Salvation Church’s [Holy Son] and [Angel], as well as the Cateline Kingdom’s forces represented by Elizabeth.

“I learned from someone that there is a white feather that Christine lost in the Cateline Kingdom, but he searched many places and couldn’t find it. So it must be in the Ice Imperial Tomb now. After we get inside, compared to Elizabeth’s death and her body, I would rather obtain that white feather…”

“What does that have to do with me breaking free from Samigina’s control?”

“The holy artifact of the [Angel] can allow one to obtain that white feather.”

“The divine attribute of the [Angel] is unparalleled. As long as you obtain it, the necromancy can no longer bind you.”

“Is that so? Who told you this?”

Yerona seemed to be thinking.

She did not reveal her attitude.

She was the one with the most choices tonight.

Whether to help Sophia, or the Cult of the Living and Dead, or neither, was up to her.

“I can’t say for now. You will know later, Your Majesty.”

“Oh, interesting. It seems you also want to break free from Samigina.”

“I just want revenge on the [Holy Son] and the [Angel].”

“Hehe…”

Yerona said nothing.

The purple-robed Cult leader on the other side said, “We can start moving, Your Majesty Yerona. Before the Judgment Division does.”

Hall and Christine were still sitting on a bench in a secluded part of the city lake.

They were both certain that the Judgment Division and the Cult of the Living and Dead would come.

It wouldn’t be good to be distracted by the three Vice-Captains who appeared in the western district.

During this time, Hall was also searching through the memories he had recalled, thinking about how Elizabeth had broken through the encirclement in the past.

Those sword techniques and skills kept appearing in his mind, which was a way to enhance his own strength.

But soon, they did not wait for the people from the Judgment Division and the Cult of the Living and Dead, but instead for that white-haired Empress.

“Your Majesty?”

He was taken aback.

He thought, it was 7:40 now. According to the normal procedure, the opening of the state banquet had just ended.

“Christine, what are you doing here? Hall, you know this is the entrance to the Ice Imperial Tomb, right?”

Sophia could not remain calm when it came to Elizabeth’s matter.

Especially today, with all the events happening one after another.

Her bad premonition was getting stronger and stronger.

“I followed Hall here. It is Your Majesty who should not be here.”

Christine said faintly.

“You will come with me into the Ice Imperial Tomb now.”

Sophia no longer hid it and directly extended a hand to Christine.

Hall now felt the atmosphere was a bit tense.

And what was worse, he saw that Christine was stunned.

With the Saintess Candidate’s temperament, she should not be stunned by anything.

He understood.

Hall understood in an instant.

Christine would certainly not be stunned by Sophia’s action.

Christine, like him, probably…

Had remembered something…

…

That’s right.

Christine had indeed remembered something.

Heavy rain, the street, the lake, her, Hall, Elizabeth.

But she could feel that her past self was very calm.

The atmosphere had gradually become tense.

“Christine, if you don’t act against Elizabeth, Elizabeth will act against Hall.”

Such a voice sounded again.

‘Is it really like that?

Is it because Elizabeth wanted to harm Hall?’

Before she could think further.

The world spun, and she didn’t know how much time had passed.

In the same place, on a dark night.

It was snowing, just like now.

“This is…”

Christine could see that her past self, looking almost identical to her present self, was confronting a white-haired girl who was almost a carbon copy of Sophia.

—Elizabeth.

Several years must have passed since her first memory fragment.

But it was only Christine and Elizabeth.

In that night, it was only her and Elizabeth from that time.

The two of them faced each other, without an umbrella.

Heavy snow fell on their shoulders, the tips of their hair, their faces.

Because it was so late, there was no one else here.

“Wait… could it be…”

Recalling this, Christine had originally thought that she had harmed Elizabeth in her first dream.

In that scene where her past self was holding the [Starfall Feather] and saying “don’t”.

But she had a strong premonition that it was here…

Here…

Soon, the Elizabeth in her memory extended a hand to her.

Just like Sophia’s invitation to her tonight.

The two images gradually merged between illusion and reality.

She heard Elizabeth say to her past self, “Christine, you are very dangerous.”

“You are also very dangerous, Elizabeth. What on earth is wrong with you? Do you really want to kill Hall? Have you gone mad?”

“What are you talking about, Christine? It’s just the two of us tonight. Who is it that really wants to kill Hall?”

“If I could, I would only think you are superfluous.”

In that night.

The blonde girl answered the white-haired girl so calmly.

“You think everyone is superfluous. Only you and your sister are worthy of being by Hall’s side. Isn’t that so?”

Elizabeth’s counterattack was also quite calm.

Just a moment’s memory was enough to see that this older sister was completely different from her younger sister, Sophia.

More like Yerona.

But Yerona would have a playful, faint smile. Elizabeth would not.

“Isn’t that so?”

The blonde girl’s last three words.

Instead, she threw the question back at the other party.

“You can’t do it. Just you and your sister, you can’t do it. Without me, Hall’s ideals cannot be achieved. Even so, you want to act against me?”

“Enough of that, Elizabeth. Hall’s ideals are enough for me and my sister to complete. I’ve warned you many times not to get close to Hall. But now that you’ve hidden Hall, I won’t be polite! Where is Hall?”

“Christine, I won’t tell you where he is. If I let you two continue at this pace, things will get out of control… You and your sister don’t have that kind of ability.”

“Don’t act like you know us, Elizabeth… You can’t understand, and you can’t judge us. The bloodline of the Saintess of Eternal Winter is not enough for you to judge us. I’ll ask you one more time, where is Hall?”

From Christine’s current perspective, she couldn’t imagine her past self speaking to Elizabeth in such a slightly impatient tone.

But she seemed to understand herself.

Understand that her past self seemed to have other thoughts.

What was her past self thinking when she was talking to Elizabeth back then?

And why did Hall disappear at that time?

Causing her to go look for him…

“Will you come with me to the Ice Imperial Tomb now, Christine?”

Again, an almost identical line.

The words and gestures of the past Elizabeth and the present Sophia overlapped.

And Christine’s answer to the sisters was the same.

“Alright, I’ll go with you.”

“I’m going too.”

Hall immediately stood up after Christine replied to Sophia.

His thought was to follow.

There was no other way.

Even if it was extremely dangerous, he couldn’t just watch from the outside as Sophia and Christine went in.

And if the people from the Cult of the Living and Dead and the Judgment Division were also going into the Ice Imperial Tomb later, it would be difficult for him to use his “cheats” alone.

After going in, at least the few of them could help each other use their cheats. They could all use them together.

They absolutely could not be separated too far.

“Hall, are you sure?”

Sophia looked at him with some hesitation.

After all, she vaguely knew about the grudges between her sister, Christine, and Hall.

Although she wanted to judge Christine, she definitely did not want to put Hall in a difficult position.

“Hall, perhaps you shouldn’t go in?”

Christine wanted to solve it herself. Back then, she had gone with Elizabeth alone.

Now, she also wanted to go alone.

“I’m sure. I’ll go with you, in case the Cult of the Living and Dead and the Judgment Division cause trouble. If you think it’s not appropriate for me to interfere in girls’ matters, after I enter the Ice Imperial Tomb, I won’t enter the space where Her Majesty Elizabeth is. I’ll wait in the ice passage.”

“Alright then…”

Seeing Hall’s insistent expression and gaze, Sophia could only nod slightly.

Christine thought for a moment and did not object.

She knew that if she insisted further, she couldn’t convince Hall, so the three of them would go in together.

Then Sophia took Hall’s hand with one hand and Christine’s with the other, leading them to jump directly into the icy lake.

The bone-chilling cold receded from the two as Sophia’s body glowed faintly, and then the lake surface began to freeze.

A heart-pounding, eerie blue light could be seen emerging from the bottom of the lake.

As if some ancient door was opening.

“It has begun.”

“Vice-Chief Eaton, what do we do next? Do we break the ice and go in directly?”

“Not so fast. Wait for another wave of people. Wait for the people from the Cult of the Living and Dead to arrive.”

Eaton had been observing the lake’s surface from a distance all this time.

The elites of the Judgment Division were also lying in wait.

They were not quite sure what Sophia, Christine, and Hall were talking about.

But they were certain that they had already gone in.

The Ice Imperial Tomb was not easy to enter. The Judgment Division had gathered intelligence for a thousand years and knew how the Saintess of Eternal Winter entered the Ice Imperial Tomb.

But no one had the guts to attack and follow the Saintess of Eternal Winter in this place. Tonight, the Judgment Division naturally wanted to wait for the people from the Cult of the Living and Dead to go in before they did.

Moreover, their reason for wanting to execute Elizabeth was not that simple.

The reason for the execution would be “Elizabeth’s body was manipulated by necromancy and became a heretic. To prevent Her Majesty Sophia from making a mistake due to old feelings, they had to reluctantly kill the older sister on behalf of Her Majesty Sophia.”

This was the perfect solution.

It was also the style of Judgment Division Five. They disdained to cooperate with heretical organizations like the Cult of the Living and Dead, unlike Yabolun.

Tonight, both the people from the Cult of the Living and Dead and Elizabeth had to die.

They would achieve two goals at once, completing two missions.

Soon, Eaton received new information.

“Vice-Chief, it seems Hela… has really arrived…”

In an instant, the other end of the magic communication device seemed to be obstructed by something, and the message was cut off unclearly.

And the magic communication device they used was by no means low-level.