Chapter 1577: Chapter 1577

Miss Capet's gains were not merely of the mind. As she spoke, she extended her right hand, inviting Jenkins to observe the green light swirling within her palm.

"This advancement is incredibly significant for me," she explained. "I feel my grasp on my Soul Trait Ability has become much more refined."

Likely due to her bloodline, Miss Capet's Soul Trait Ability was also green, and her Soul Emblem took the form of a leek. Trusting Jenkins, she told him the name of her ability was "Merciful Wish." For animals, as long as they were still breathing, she could sustain their life for three hours. For plants, a simple blessing was enough to allow them to grow in much harsher environments.

While this upgrade hadn't resulted in a qualitative change, it had expanded the ability's effective range beyond a single target and extended the duration of its life-sustaining effect.

Hearing Miss Capet share so much, Jenkins decided to reveal his own soul ability—the green one, of course—and admitted that his Soul Trait Ability had evolved many times. This was highly unusual; a Soul Trait Ability was intrinsically linked to the essence of one's soul and body, and the vast majority of Enchanters were not even aware such an ability could evolve.

Miss Capet was fascinated at first, but then a flicker of recognition crossed her face, as if she had heard the term "Life Source" somewhere before. She promised to keep his secret and offered to help him investigate when she had the time. Since it was a life-type ability, she suggested that more information might be found within the Church of All Things and Nature.

Soon, they navigated the courtyard without incident and entered the building. A crimson mist still pervaded the interior, and compared to their last visit, the hallway's decor had grown even more twisted and malevolent. It was impossible to tell if a maze-lock or a curse was warping this land, but it could very well be both. In any case, even if the Countess and the cursed ones were completely eliminated, this place would remain uninhabitable for a very long time.

Jenkins suspected the Countess could barely maintain the maze-lock anymore. The proof was in the endless waves of animated suits of armor and cursed monstrosities that threw themselves in their path. The last time they were here, the Countess could manipulate the corridors at will. Her failure to do so now was certainly not because she wanted to teach them a lesson first.

She coveted the three numbered items more than anyone. Obstructing the very people who were "delivering" them would be utterly counterproductive. The source of thɪs content is novel⚑fire.net

As she spoke, Jenkins pressed his palm against the wall. A wave of frost spread from his hand, following a trail of fresh blood down the corridor. It instantly froze two mosquito-faced monsters in formal attire lurking around the corner. Jenkins strode forward and shattered the two ice sculptures with a sharp crack of his cane.

"Yes," he replied. "My two months in Ruen were very fruitful."

He took a step back as he spoke, narrowly dodging a metal spear that shot out from around the corner.

"I've heard people say that you were just an ordinary person half a year ago, yet in less than a year, you've become a level-five Enchanter. It's truly remarkable."

Miss Capet's voice was tinged with admiration. She placed a pinch of blue powder in her palm and blew it forward. As the powder drifted through the air, crackling arcs of electricity danced between the motes.

A suit of armor that leaped out from an adjacent hallway ran straight into the cloud of swirling powder and was immediately paralyzed by the electric charge.

"I've just been lucky," Jenkins said modestly.

He seized the opportunity, circling behind the kneeling armor. Just as it began to rise, he thrust his cane into the seam at its waist. Flames surged from the tip, flowing into the armor's interior and triggering a small explosion that blew it apart from the inside.

The sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor behind them; the noise had drawn more monsters from the intersecting paths. Jenkins and Miss Capet broke into a run, taking a left turn at the end of the hall. Before long, they saw the door to the banquet hall.

They threw the door open, slipped inside, and slammed it shut, leaving their dogged pursuers locked outside.

Only then did they have a moment to turn and survey the banquet hall. Everything was just as they had left it. The long table, draped in a pristine white cloth, was laden with an array of vibrant, tempting food. The Countess, beautiful to the point of being unsettling, sat serenely at the head of the table. Behind her hung the massive oil painting depicting the God of Lies slaying a vampiric creature.

"You've arrived on time, as expected," she said. "Please, sit."

She rested her cheek on her right hand, toying with a scarlet silk handkerchief, a picture of weary elegance. To ensure the strand of hair he carried would be effective, Jenkins pulled out a chair not at the far end of the table, but in the middle. He shot Miss Capet a look, reminding her to be careful, then took the iron canister from his back.

It contained a portion of B-01-2-8100, the "Elements' Blood," the bulkiest of the three items the Countess had demanded.

Of the three items the Countess had requested, Jenkins carried the large canister of Elements' Blood, while Miss Capet had the "Sacred Blood-stained Cloth" and the "Bloodsucking Fangs." The "Vampire Buster" was currently wrapped within the cloth to prevent the Countess from sensing its aura.

The strand of hair he had acquired at the banquet last night was now wound tightly around a large black button on his coat. He had deliberately chosen a coat with oversized buttons, making the hair all but invisible unless someone pried the button open and looked at it from the side.

The distance between Jenkins and the Countess was now well within the hair's effective range. It would only take two minutes for it to work its magic completely. Jenkins preferred to stall for those two minutes rather than risk being countered by attempting some dramatic, last-minute gambit.

"It seems you've brought everything I asked for. Excellent," the Countess stated. "Now, place the Bloodsucking Fangs and the Sacred Blood-stained Cloth on the table as well. Once I've verified their authenticity, I will let you leave. I will also keep my promise and provide the Church with the necessary assistance to eliminate these cursed ones."

Miss Capet remained still, understanding that Jenkins was leading this operation.

"We'll have to wait a moment for that," Jenkins began, initiating his stall. "The Church agreed to your terms, but not without asking for something in return. Your threat is one thing, but on the other hand, the Church wants to know: who is the one providing you with information from behind the scenes?"