Chapter 73: The Final Movement

Chloe Raina held her breath, her gaze fixed on the Order Knight who seemed to have returned from the depths of hell.

What more could she possibly want now? Was she intending to stop Chloe Raina from settling scores with the Central Curia?

Constantine collapsed weakly, already breathless from exhaustion.

Alice stepped forward, gently helping her to her feet. She took Constantine’s wrist, leading her towards Chloe Raina.

“Alice… you…”

Constantine stared at Alice, her eyes wide with astonishment.

She had intended to arrest Alice and execute her, even parading her through the streets. If it had been Chloe Raina, she certainly wouldn’t have kicked her while she was down, but she would have kept her distance from Constantine.

Yet, Alice was now repaying enmity with kindness.

“Thank you for standing by Alena until the very end,” Alice stated, her voice soft.

Constantine remained silent. When she finally tried to speak again, tears were already welling in her eyes.

“So, Alena’s death truly had nothing to do with you?”

“I can vouch for her; it had nothing to do with her.”

Wuxu raised her hand, and Una nodded vigorously in agreement.

“I believe Lord Alexei would never betray Lady Alena!”

“Those Cardinals lied to me?”

Constantine gazed at her drooping right hand, her voice laced with indignation.

“Why don’t you confront them and find out?”

Chloe Raina stepped forward, her gaze cool as she looked down at Constantine.

“Yes, that’s why I’m coming with you all.”

Fury ignited in Constantine’s eyes, but Chloe Raina, quite maliciously, felt a surge of delight.

Between Angelica and Constantine, either one could level the Central Curia, and now both were under Chloe Raina’s command.

“Let’s go! Blow up the Curia’s nest!” Una declared indignantly.

“As a former Chief Inquisitor, don’t you find it strange to say such a thing?”

Alice’s eyes curved slightly, a look of exasperation on her face.

“The Curia is full of hypocrites. I will burn them in the name of God.”

Constantine caught sight of Angelica, her eyes narrowing. “Why are you still here?”

Angelica hugged Chloe Raina, her two soft mounds cushioning Chloe Raina’s head.

‘So comfortable, more please!’

Chloe Raina’s eyes narrowed into slits, a mischievous grin on her face.

“I am Chloe Raina’s person now, and I obey her every command.”

Angelica rubbed her face against Chloe Raina’s repeatedly. Beside them, Alice’s temper flared, and she reached out, pushing Angelica away.

“Get lost!”

Constantine leaned back in her chair, her face having regained its color.

“Suit yourself, but I still detest you.”

“Just because I killed a few of your subordinates? Please, I’m merely an assassin, while you’re a butcher,” Angelica retorted mercilessly.

“That was not my intention.”

Constantine lifted her gaze, staring at Angelica with displeasure.

The two women were at daggers drawn, on the verge of a fight.

Chloe Raina quickly stepped between them.

“Calm down! Everyone, the past is behind us. Now, we have a common goal.”

“Chloe Raina is right; arguing further won’t help,” Wuxu said coldly.

“Fine, I need to settle scores with those Curia bastards first.”

Constantine averted her gaze, looking out the window towards the direction of the Central Curia.

“I’ll listen to Chloe Raina.”

Angelica obediently returned to her seat, her legs together like a high school girl awaiting instruction.

“Don’t keep saying ‘Chloe Raina, Chloe Raina.’ I met her first,” Alice grumbled unhappily.

“Lady Aloy is mine!” Una exclaimed, jumping to Chloe Raina’s side and hugging her arm.

Chloe Raina wiped a bead of sweat from her brow, feeling as if she were in the midst of a battle royale.

****

Not long after, Chloe Raina’s squad finally sprang into action. Wuxu contacted the Eledis Empire, while the others accompanied Chloe Raina to the Central Curia to rescue Anna.

Chloe Raina changed into a brand-new purple gown, reportedly a princess’s child-sized dress.

However, Alice nearly burst out laughing upon learning it was children’s wear. ‘Damn it, your figure is almost the same as mine!’

On the bright side, Chloe Raina’s chest had grown even larger, her bodice visibly straining at the seams.

They found a small path to leave the Prince’s Palace, and Chloe Raina finally saw the long-awaited sunlight again.

Although only a few hours had passed, it felt like decades to Chloe Raina.

Outside the Prince’s Palace, chaos reigned—steps, mansions, and streets were teeming with well-equipped guards.

Nobles gathered in clusters, discussing the murder that had occurred during the wedding.

Count Cliff and his cronies were nowhere to be seen, having undoubtedly scurried off to some dark corner to plot their wicked schemes.

This was exactly what Chloe Raina feared: her journey to the Curia might also be part of Count Cliff’s accursed plan.

‘They’re just a bunch of street rats; Chloe Raina isn’t afraid.’

What Chloe Raina feared was the boat.

Since Corfu Island, where the Central Curia was located, had no land connection to the rest of Jeannagos, they had no choice but to travel by boat.

“So… so dizzy!”

Chloe Raina clutched the railing tightly, her stomach churning, feeling as if something was about to erupt from her throat.

“Surely no one still gets seasick, right?”

Alice glanced at Chloe Raina, her expression stern.

“Of course not, I’m just a little nervous,” Chloe Raina retorted angrily.

Constantine rose from the deck, a sword in her hand, her eyes resolute.

“We’ve arrived.”

The dock held numerous boats, some emblazoned with red crosses, the symbol of the Holy Church.

Many people, handcuffed, slowly disembarked from the red-crossed boats, with priests whipping their backs from behind.

“They’re just like slaves,” Chloe Raina murmured.

“They are heretics coming for judgment. I would have suffered the same fate,” Alice said, shaking her head helplessly.

“Thanks to me.”

Angelica stood with one hand on her hip, the other pointing towards a distant, spired building.

“Is that the Central Curia?”

“It is! Una used to love coming here the most. Look, there’s even the ‘True Cross’ symbolizing the Holy Church on top!”

Una’s eyes sparkled as she pointed at the cross.

Chloe Raina followed Una’s finger, her gaze settling on a wooden cross perched atop the spire.

A chill of fear rose within Chloe Raina. She felt as though the cross possessed a magical power that repelled her.

As if sensing her discomfort, Alice intertwined her hand with Chloe Raina’s. The soft touch slightly lessened the fear in Chloe Raina’s heart.

“The True Cross has a lethal effect on vampires. You’d best keep your distance from it.”

“Understood!”

Chloe Raina nodded, no longer looking at the cross.

The boat finally approached the dock. Chloe Raina sprinted off the boat at a hundred-meter dash speed; she truly didn’t want to stay on board for another second.

“Excuse me, are you here on a pilgrimage?”

A nun approached, her hands clasped together, a smile on her face.

“Uh, I suppose so…?”

‘Could it be that they could rescue Anna without bloodshed under the guise of pilgrimage?’

Chloe Raina felt smug about her brilliant idea.

“Call out my dear colleagues.”

Alice slowly ascended the wooden steps. She had changed into a monk’s robe, but her usual absurdity and humor had vanished. Now, she resembled a noble saintess.

However, her appearance completely disrupted Chloe Raina’s plan!

“Lo… Lord Alexei?!”

The nun’s face instantly changed. She scurried away, abandoning all pretense of dignity.

“Is this how your Holy Church treats pilgrims?”

“You’re not a pilgrim.”

“Hey, Una is very fond of pilgrims.”

Angelica and Constantine flanked Chloe Raina, while Una followed closely behind her.

“It seems we’ll have to face them head-on.”

Chloe Raina bit her lip, her crimson eyes fixed on the distant True Cross.

The music had reached its final movement.