Volume 1 Chapter 608
by post_apiChapter 608: What Is True and What Is False!
In the darkness, Dorothy and Patricia moved slowly and carefully.
Even though they did not know how the masters of this "darkness" controlled it, it was still beneficial for them to keep their presence hidden.
After all, the Rod of Eden was a very big target…
As the "Lady of Light," Dorothy had to be very cautious.
As the two of them moved, they could also sense something when they got close to certain places…
There were others "rising up to resist."
When they ventured too close…
Dorothy and Patricia suddenly felt a wave of "Holy Light" energy.
Clearly, someone could no longer restrain themselves and had taken action.
And from the weak and desperate impression of that Holy Light energy, the two confirmed something once again…
Attacking this "darkness" was not a wise choice.
At least, those who did not initiate an attack did not encounter anything too terrifying.
Based on this judgment, Patricia and Dorothy safely reached the… staircase of the banquet hall.
"Shall we go up?"
Dorothy asked softly.
"I guess we don’t have a choice!"
Patricia shrugged casually.
The two of them continued to climb, with light illuminating only a half meter around them.
As they ascended the steps, they could not even see what the next three steps looked like.
Even though Patricia and Dorothy were quite brave, they could not help but feel a little chill creeping down their backs.
"I have a feeling we’re about to encounter some strange monster in the next moment…"
Especially with no sounds, and everything around was "dark" and "silent," yet it still made them feel…
There was something there after all.
Because it was almost certain that this darkness was being manipulated by someone.
So, whether it was just a psychological effect or not… Patricia and Dorothy both sensed that there seemed to be something "peering" at them.
Especially after climbing these steps, that feeling was becoming more and more pronounced.
This made Patricia and Dorothy feel increasingly anxious.
"This feeling is really terrible…"
Patricia mumbled, and soon she realized…
There were no more steps ahead.
In this sense of unease, she and Dorothy had already reached the top of the walkway.
Under the faint light, the scarlet carpet was embroidered with golden threads, creating a pattern of golden leaves and branches that symbolized purity.
The nearby railing was almost swallowed by darkness, and the white metal reflected light, giving the gentle Holy Light a hint of coldness.
After walking a short distance, they saw… the magnificent double wooden doors standing at the center of the banquet hall.
Now, they had become quite damaged.
One of the doors was missing a piece, and the adjacent wall showed fierce marks of loss, as if it had been struck by a powerful beast… even resembling a piece of flesh that had been torn away.
The other door was also opened inward, with several marks from slashes on it.
Seeing the state of the door, Patricia narrowed her eyes slightly.
A fight had taken place here not long ago… after all, just a few minutes before, before darkness fell, these doors were still intact.
So, the fight must have happened after the darkness arrived.
Moreover, it is very likely that it was the actions of the great Duke Dena Bennett that caused this.
However, these fluctuations were hidden… Only when the great Duke fought for his life did he break through the "darkness," allowing Patricia, Dorothy, and others to notice the battle happening.
Patricia even suspected that if it weren’t for Duke Bennett coming to the first floor, whether by choice or by force…
They might not have even known that Duke Bennett had died here!
Most importantly, even though they had arrived here… there were no "remnants" of the fight left behind.
There was no trace of magic essence or magical fluctuations at all.
It seemed that after being submerged in darkness, these traces were erased.
"It’s really strange and frightening…"
After Patricia said this, it seemed to respond to her words…
In the deep darkness behind the door, amidst the eerie silence, strange sounds suddenly emerged.
"Tap, tap, tap…"
It sounded like hurried footsteps!
Patricia tightened her grip on the Green Sky Star Heaven.
Dorothy also pressed her hand against her chest, ready to activate the Rod of Eden at any moment.
And soon…
A figure stepped out from the darkness behind the door!
A slightly flustered noble boy appeared before the two of them.
He looked at the light in front of him, seemingly startled for a moment.
Then, a joyful smile appeared.
"Your Holiness, Archbishop Hume Valentina… you are both safe!"
The boy who appeared on the third floor was none other than the young master of the Bennett family, who had met the two before and exchanged greetings!
He is also Dena Bennett’s nephew.
Seeing him, Patricia felt relieved.
"It’s you… Do you know what happened here?"
She asked this, hoping that the "local" could provide some useful clues.
As Patricia asked, the boy also shook his head with a wry smile.
"I… I don’t know either; I just suddenly found everything went dark…"
"The butler and the servants have also scattered…"
"I was saved by my uncle."
As he said this, Patricia nodded slightly, thinking to herself.
"So Dena Bennett acted to save his own descendant…"
As she thought this, the young master also began to ask the two of them.
"So, Your Holiness, Bishop Hume… what is the situation in the banquet hall?"
He asked with a rather worried expression.
Hearing his question, Patricia shook her head.
"Not very good. Even for us, we have only managed to make it this far… We cannot afford to be careless."
"Although I am not sure about the situation of those colleagues, many have already taken action, and I fear the situation is not good."
Patricia said this, and the young boy seemed to start thinking.
After a moment of hesitation, he seemed to have made a decision.
"I see, then I will take you two to my uncle first!"
As he said this, his tone suddenly became a bit urgent.
"I believe the colleagues below are definitely fine, but Her Holiness must not be put at risk… the other party may be after Her Holiness."
The eldest son of the Bennett family looked very serious.
"Please stay close to me… don’t get lost; I will take you to my uncle!"
Saying this, he turned to leave and stepped back through the broken door.
Patricia frowned slightly and was about to say something.
She wanted to remind him that she had just seen his uncle, Dena Bennett, with Dorothy in the banquet hall below.
Although Patricia had considered the possibility that she might have recognized him wrongly,
she felt that the chance was small!
The bigger chance was that he did not know this—after all, this "darkness" could hide everything!
And after that brief glimpse…
Even if Dena Bennett was not dead, he was likely badly injured and too busy to take care of himself…
He probably still did not know this.
But just as Patricia was about to speak, Dorothy suddenly grabbed her.
Dorothy grasped Patricia’s wrist and looked at her, shaking her head.
Then, Dorothy pulled Patricia along, keeping up with her steps.
Just as Patricia felt confused…
She suddenly felt something in her palm as Dorothy quickly drew a simple magic rune with her finger.
Although Dorothy’s extraordinary power is only to control magical creatures, her knowledge, under Lolth’s guidance, is not lacking.
She is also clear about the meanings of some magic runes used in spells and magical circles.
As the Great Sage, Patricia naturally recognized what was being drawn.
"The magic rune ‘Lightless’… is used in spells for concealment, to remove the light of magic and magic circles…"
"What does that mean?"
She felt a bit confused.
But this confusion did not last for two seconds; Patricia suddenly understood!
Because… the young master of the Bennett family in front of her…
Was not surrounded by the power of Holy Light!
From the moment he approached the two of them, he walked directly out of the "darkness."
He never used "Holy Light" to resist this darkness!
It seemed that she was somehow guided to subconsciously ignore these!
This made Patricia feel a chill in her heart.
This young master of the Bennett family is strange!
The other party might not be unaware of Dena Bennett’s situation…
But thinks that neither she nor Dorothy knows!
He seems to be luring both herself and Dorothy somewhere.
It’s just that Patricia doesn’t know yet that he is being consumed and controlled by this darkness…
Or was he already a part of a plan prepared by the puppeteer?
Although the Bennett family has a solid background in the Holy Lieto Empire, Patricia just witnessed a cardinal explode into a projection of a Demon God!
Her purpose for coming this time is to expose the people from the Wizard Association mixed in with The Church of Light…
So, Patricia has no trust in The Church of Light’s self-proclaimed "loyalty."
However…
Patricia was quite annoyed.
She had not realized that this could be a trap!
It was Dorothy who reminded her!
Indeed, she had been too careless!
Thinking this, Patricia quietly tapped Dorothy’s hand, signaling that she understood.
Then, she looked at Dorothy and gave her a look that said, "I will find a way."
Meanwhile, as she looked around…
Patricia noticed that she and Dorothy had followed that guy to "behind the door"…
The darkness surrounding them was becoming more solid.
The walls of the hallway, painted in a light golden color, were becoming more and more indistinct.
The road beneath seemed to grow narrower.
But Patricia knew that now was not the time to take action…
Once she acted, her fate would likely be the same as Dena Bennett’s!
Even if she could endure, what if it made the other party "realize" the Rod of Eden, or think they had found the Lady of Light?
With the arrival of this "young master," Patricia could make a simple judgment…
That these "dark forces" were not as they appeared… full of secrets.
At the very least, the other party’s "rules" should not allow this hidden mastermind to know everyone’s identity, location, and status without limits while making it impossible for a legend-level expert to see anyone without risking their life.
Not even in the "Divine Kingdom" of the gods was this so absurd.
So, she guessed that there must be some "variables" in this—if the other party wanted to achieve their goal, they would surely show a flaw.
At that time, whether it was a good change or a bad change, for Patricia…
It would be the same, the best moment to act!
And at the same time… on the first floor of the Bennett clan’s castle.
In the hallway, Kanor and Lalea walked with lanterns, while hurried footsteps followed behind them.
"Wait, wait!"
The two turned around to look behind them.
In the dark, a pale-faced chef, rushing as if he were escaping, approached the two.
"Chef… wait for me…"
"This place is so scary—please take me with you!"
"Your lantern seems to chase away the darkness… You can protect me, right?"
"Please, I beg you!"
He spoke in a panic.
Lalea frowned slightly.
She realized that the other person did not have any extraordinary energy.
At the same time, she recognized this guy; she had seen him a few times in the kitchen.
However, the situation was very complicated, and she and Kanor were there to "cause trouble."
Lalea did not want to drag along someone who would complicate things further.
Even if she knew that he was an ordinary person, he would be powerless to resist the darkness.
However, taking him along didn’t guarantee his safety; it might even put him in more danger.
Moreover, as the princess of the United Kingdom of South Sotua, Lalea was not exactly a kind-hearted character.
She had heard far too many stories of ordinary people caught in extraordinary powers and becoming mere pawns; she had seen quite a few as well.
Letting him fend for himself was the most reasonable choice.
However, Lalea had not yet spoken to send him away.
Suddenly, Kanor revealed a kind expression.
"Alright."
The little girl smiled and waved her hand.
"Come here, stand a little closer to me."
Listening to Kanor’s words, Lalea only showed a slight surprise and then remained silent.
After all, among the two of them now, Kanor was in charge.
The little girl decided to be a good person… so Lalea didn’t oppose her.
She wasn’t surprised that Kanor was this kind of person—this little girl was clearly taught well by Lolth, that succubus.
All the way, Kanor was sometimes difficult, but she always had her principles.
"Ignoring someone in danger" might not be something she allowed herself to do.
However, Lalea was still mistaken.
Watching the chef happily approach Kanor, Lalea didn’t have time to warn him herself.
But suddenly, Kanor raised her hand, and the flowing, mercury-like metal quickly engulfed the chef!