Chapter 222: The Fallen Nun
Although it sounded nice, Phield didn’t fully trust the catkin.
After all, she wasn’t one of his own Divine Chosen, nor was she enslaved by the Nightfall Domain. Phield kept his guard up—but he wouldn’t become timid either. In front of glittering gold coins, the potential threat of a weak catkin wasn’t worth mentioning.
"Ashina, we’re heading out. Bring ten greatsword warriors with us."
"We can’t just rob commoners and nobles without touching the church—that wouldn’t be fair," Phield thought to himself.
Deciding it was worth it, he strapped his longsword to his waist, casually grabbed a cloak from the rack, and turned to say, "I’ll leave Alice to you. I trust your ability."
"Ah? Nooo!" Forced to stay behind and look after Alice, Rosalia could only watch them leave with longing eyes. Frustrated, she grabbed Alice’s chest and squeezed hard, complaining, "It’s all your fault, you bad woman! Now I can’t go out and have fun!"
"Mm..."
Alice still hadn’t woken up, only letting out a faint, pained whimper.
"Uh... be gentler. You might end up working together in the future."
Phield covered his face. "I just hope when I come back, you haven’t squeezed them swollen. They’re already big enough."
The group headed to the outskirts. The land was vast and sparsely populated, crops swaying gently in the breeze, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Of course, it would’ve been better without the bloodstains on the ground.
A vagrant’s corpse lay there like a pile of torn garbage bags, scattered and grotesque.
"No soldiers patrolling anywhere. No wonder the locals are too scared to come out."
A flash of blue light appeared in Ashina’s hand as a giant wolf materialized, striding forward dominantly while keeping a vigilant watch over their surroundings.
"Eh? Your maid... is actually a Divine Chosen?!"
Sylvia stared in shock, stumbling back two steps. "I—I thought she was just your personal maid!"
"Didn’t I tell you? ...Actually, I guess I didn’t."
Thinking about it, Phield realized he had never revealed that he had a Divine Chosen to Sylvia.
"And she’s a wolfkin... no wonder I keep feeling a chill down my back."
Sylvia instinctively stepped back again, the racial pressure making her feel fear from the depths of her being.
"The scent of cowardice... it’s addictive."
Ashina sniffed lightly, a blush appearing on her pale face as she revealed a mischievous smile. "Catkin, I’ve got my eyes on you."
"That cowardly smell—Sylvia, did you wet yourself again?"
Phield’s gaze instinctively dropped downward.
"I did not!" Sylvia crossed her arms defensively and stomped her foot. "You actually dare keep a wolfkin Divine Chosen by your side? You’re human—you can’t even form contracts with beastkin! Aren’t you afraid of dying? Wolfkin are a brutal race, obsessed with killing and plundering!"
In reality, he had already formed a contract—Phield just didn’t want to reveal that secret.
"Nightfall Domain is a very inclusive, modern town... village. And I’m a very tolerant person. You’re welcome to visit anytime."
Ashina nodded eagerly with a smile. "You won’t find a place more harmonious in the entire Empire. Don’t worry—I won’t eat you. Most wolfkin don’t eat people at all."
"What do you mean ’most’?!"
"I don’t believe it. You’re trying to trick a catkin again. If I go, I’ll definitely be tied up and bullied—and you’ll steal my divine artifact!" Sylvia shook her head firmly.
Phield snapped his fingers. "Suit yourself. Nightfall Domain isn’t fully built yet anyway. Let’s keep moving."
"Don’t you guys think this is kind of scary?"
Sylvia clutched her dagger tightly in front of her chest, looking small and helpless.
"A Divine Chosen afraid of monsters? Wait—then how did you conclude the monastery is dangerous?" Phield narrowed his eyes with a smile. "Don’t tell me you got scared off by the monsters?"
"I—I didn’t!" Sylvia snapped, though her eyes shifted guiltily. "And catgirls are naturally sensitive creatures. It’s normal to get nervous, okay?"
"You’re an assassin. The kind who kills without blinking. At least act a little cool."
"Killing people and killing monsters are two different things. And they might be ghosts. Also, if you don’t blink, your eyes will dry out."
Following Sylvia, they arrived at the outskirts of the monastery, only to find the path blocked by military barricades and sharpened stakes.
"This is the Holy Light Monastery. Looks like the army has sealed the entrance. I’ll go check if there’s another way in."
After scanning the area, Sylvia turned into a shadow and swiftly slipped toward the nearby military camp.
"When it comes to serious matters, she’s actually pretty reliable."
Phield nodded in approval.
"My lord, there’s unusual activity in that camp. I think Sylvia will come back empty-handed."
Ashina’s perception was sharp—her crimson eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.
Sure enough, Sylvia rushed back at high speed.
"Phield—the soldiers in the camp have all been killed. You need to see this."
There was clear shock in her eyes, her fur standing on end.
"Got it. Move."
They quickly slipped into the camp—and were instantly stunned by the gruesome scene.
Severed limbs were everywhere.
A woman in a nun’s habit stood among the corpses. Her face was deathly pale, her body covered in dark, swollen tumors and viscous slime. The tumors twisted into grotesque shapes, subtly writhing in ways that made them impossible to look at directly.
Occasionally, indescribable fluids dripped onto the ground.
The ghost nun turned her pale eyes toward Phield, an eerie and terrifying light shining within them.
"That’s horrifying... as expected of a world like this."
Even though he was used to corrupted creatures, Phield still felt a chill. Why were all the monsters here so twisted?
The ghost nun’s head creaked as it turned, her throat producing wet, bubbling sounds.
"I can feel... joy."
"Fuck, that’s disgusting."
Phield drew the The Silver Iris Longsword, his expression full of disgust. "Give back the beautiful nun, you monster."
The previously rigid creature suddenly reacted as if injected with stimulants upon seeing the The Silver Iris Longsword. Violence surged in its eyes. The black tumors burst open, sprouting claws as the ghost nun lunged forward with overwhelming pressure.
Ashina waved her hand, and Drakewolf charged straight ahead, slamming the ghost nun into the ground with a single strike.
The foul, sticky substances on the nun’s body writhed like living things, trying to crawl onto Drakewolf.
"Sizzle—"
Now evolved to the second tier, Drakewolf had gained more diverse combat methods. A deep, azure dragon flame erupted from between its scales, as if it were clad in blazing armor.
The flame wasn’t hot—instead, it felt like being plunged into an ancient glacier, as if it could freeze the soul itself.
With a sharp hiss, the slime instantly turned to dust, and the ghost nun was reduced to nothingness.
"A—a living divine artifact!"