Chapter 24: The Shepherd

The first faint light of dawn struggled to pierce the night sky that enveloped Twilight Town.

Bai Jin leaned against the carriage carrying the cocoon that enveloped Lilith, her blood-stained novice nun’s habit clinging wrinkledly to her body.

She had barely slept all night, following Director Emma and the townspeople to comfort the frightened women and children, and to care for the children who had been eroded by the death energy.

The most exhausting part was transporting Lilith back.
Looking at the cocoon on the carriage, which writhed as if breathing, her body couldn’t help but feel a heavy sense of fatigue.

Bai Jin reached out and caressed the translucent membrane, looking at the small, unclothed figure curled up inside.

The contract between the two of them once again tightly bound their souls.
A pure life force was continuously transmitted, allowing Bai Jin’s exhausted body to barely muster some energy.

The church was just ahead.
A vast procession escorted Lilith’s carriage, moving forward silently.

These ordinary people, who had not come into contact with supernatural powers, were all startled when they first saw Lilith in this state.

But fortunately, Louise explained to them that it was a miracle of the Holy Blood, that it had saved Lilith’s life.

So everyone believed it without a doubt and spontaneously escorted her, which made Bai Jin not know whether to laugh or cry.

Just then, screams from the nuns came from inside the main chapel of the church.

Bai Jin and the others immediately rushed in.

“It moved! It moved again!”

“By the Holy Blood! What is this?!”

Under the white statue of the god, two huge, dark-red cocoons, identical to Lilith’s, were throbbing violently.

The knotted blood vessels on their surfaces bulged.
Under the viscous, translucent membrane, two humanoid silhouettes were clearly visible.

A thick, bloody smell, mixed with a terrifying pressure of life, permeated the sacred hall.

“This is…”
All the nuns in the church were so horrified they couldn’t speak.

“Thump! Thump!”

Two dull cracking sounds rang out almost simultaneously!
Viscous blood plasma and shattered membrane splattered everywhere.

In the horrified gazes of the nuns, two naked figures struggled to sit up, then slowly stood.

The one on the left was slender, his skin a sickly pale, his face handsome but his eyes cold.

His short golden hair was wet with mucus, sticking to his head.
With a wave of his hand, the mucus all over his body began to grow.

A long, white robe enveloped his body, and his style instantly changed from a perverted naked man to a pious priest.

The one on the right was as burly as a bear, his dark brown skin covered with ferocious dark-red scars.
His muscles were knotted, full of a wild sense of power.

He let out a low roar, shaking off the filth on his body.
A set of ferocious armor made of biological leather, with many bone spurs sticking out from the edges, also grew on his body.

The nuns were terrified by this unknown situation and all screamed.

“Silence!”
The voice of the golden-haired man in the white robe was not loud, but it contained a strange power that instantly suppressed all sounds.

His gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Bai Jin.
After all, among everyone present, only Bai Jin exuded a rich life aura.

“My name is Abraham, a Shepherd of the Holy Blood Royal Court!”

The fierce and burly one followed in a booming voice, “Cain, a Sin-Blood Hunter, descending upon this place by the will of the Holy Blood, to thoroughly investigate the heretic attack and the Saintess’s safety!”

They both saw the cocoon on the carriage and exchanged a glance.

Abraham walked up to Bai Jin, his gaze scrutinizing.
“You are not a believer of this town. State your identity and explain the current situation.”

Bai Jin was surprised.
‘How did he know I wasn’t a believer at a glance? Is there some kind of detection method between contractors of the Holy Blood?’

Bai Jin forced herself to endure the fatigue of her body and straightened her back.
“My name is Bai Jin, Lady Lilith’s attendant nun.”

“Attendant nun?”
Cain sneered and also walked over, a bloody, murderous aura rushing towards her.

“A newcomer of unknown origin. Last night’s events seem to be deeply related to you, huh?”

Bai Jin did not back down, meeting the other’s scrutinizing gaze.
“As for my identity, Lady Lilith has her own considerations. As for what happened last night…”

She raised her right hand, her will moving slightly.

「Holy Blood Contract · Blood Blade」

A faint crimson light lit up in her palm, the aura of life force being forcibly drawn out.

Although it was far from as skilled and powerful as Lilith’s, a blood blade the length of her forearm did indeed form in her hand.

“This is the contractual power granted to me by Her Holiness the Saintess, ordering me to accompany her to face the enemy.”

An intense burning pain instantly swept through her entire body.
Bai Jin endured it, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead, and her face turned a few shades paler.

But she held the crimson blood blade firmly, proving her identity and ability.

A hint of surprise flashed in Abraham’s eyes.
The aura of the person in front of him was clearly that of a contractor who had just signed a contract.
The total amount of life force flowing in her body was not much.

But this life force faintly carried a trace of the aura of the Holy Blood’s divine power?
This was definitely not something an ordinary believer or contractor could possess!

It was as if she were a Saintess, a person branded by the Holy Blood to have such pure life force!

‘Could she have some kind of connection with the Saintess?’
Abraham calmly suppressed his sense of oppression.

He swept his gaze over the people around him again and let out a sneer.

“Heh, a land barren of faith. I really don’t know why Her Holiness the Saintess would hide here.”

“Everyone related to last night’s events, follow me. The will of the Holy Blood cannot be disobeyed!”

“Including that Miss Louise from the Merchant’s Contract Alliance.”

Louise, who was yawning and looking at her Merchant’s Contract outside the church door, immediately turned her gaze over when she heard her name mentioned.

“I can cooperate with you, but you’ll have to pay extra~”

Abraham spread his hands.
“I have to say, every one of you is so greedy for money, Miss Louise.”

Bai Jin frowned.
She couldn’t quite understand the words of the white-robed priest.

‘Every one? Are there many Louises? Or does Louise have many sisters?’

The group was taken to the church refectory.
The tables and chairs here were just right for a meeting.

Bai Jin recounted the events of last night in detail from her own perspective, from the attack of the two members of the God-Burying Society to Louise’s intervention at the end.

“Miss Louise.”
After listening, Abraham asked the still-absentminded Louise, “Is what this Sister Bai Jin said the truth?”

Louise put away her Merchant’s Contract, stood up, and bowed slightly.
“Mr. Shepherd, the situation last night was urgent. I only know what happened after Sister Bai Jin came to ask for help.”

“As for the identity and motive of the strong members of the God-Burying Society, the information I have is limited. I can only make guesses.”

Abraham and Cain exchanged glances.
They were clear about Louise’s identity and the background of the Merchant’s Contract Alliance.
What she said was highly credible.

‘After all, it cost Gold Contracts…’

“The power to sever contracts… The core of the God-Burying Society went so far as to expose their identity, their target being Her Holiness the Saintess. This is definitely not an accidental robbery or a test!”

“Hmph, those rats in the gutter. They probably wanted to test the Saintess’s importance to our Lord.”
Cain’s eyes were fierce, and he interjected in a booming voice.

“Everything they do is to cut off the foundation of the Holy Blood’s revival!”
This speculation made the atmosphere even more solemn.

“This matter is of no small importance. It must be reported to the Royal Court immediately.”
Abraham made a decision.

“Cain, you are in charge of guarding Her Holiness the Saintess. I will immediately establish a contract with the Royal Court to report. As for you…”

He looked at Bai Jin, his tone still flat, but his gaze softened.
“Attendant nun Bai Jin, before Her Holiness the Saintess recovers, do your duty.”