CHAPTER 176: | OFFICIATING THE INVASION

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  Noticing the morale of her subordinates drop at the heretic's words, Sera sighed as she unconsciously withdrew her sword then cursed internally. 'I didn't expect that these heretics of the Evernight Cult had hidden such powerful individuals from the public... how weird, how weird to stumble on this now.'

  Sera needed to reevaluate her view of this so-called Evernight cult because someone who could plan this was someone not so simple as to allow one of their strongest cards to be an agent to figure out their information, how cunning, how cunning.

  She gritted her teeth at this realization as she smirked then whispered internally. 'How cunning of their cult leader to come up with such a devious strategy, but the Holy See is not something to be trifled with that a mere semi-emperor is enough to investigate us.'

  Her gaze didn't leave the woman as Solia's spiritual gaze met her straight in the eye, then a powerful wave of murderous intent washed through Sera, pressing down at her shoulder like an invisible weight.

  But Sera didn't even flinch, she too was one of the semi-emperors of the Holy See and a respected Head Templar ranked in the ninth rank of the Templars ranking, so how could such a thick murderous intent scare her shitless?

  Sera stared at her as her pupils sharpened as she too released her own murderous intent that had been tempered by the lives of heretics that she had decapitated, as it repelled Solia's own murderous intent and they've come into a standstill.

  Solia readied her swords as her grip tightened, the hilts of her swords creaking under her fingers, and Sera witnessing it smirked then put her right foot forward, clenched her sword as she stared at her opponent's face then whispered softly. "I am here to catch heretics within our current capabilities, but I see that fighting with you would be pointless at this rate since we're inside the bustling capital capital, so how about we withdraw from here?"

  Instead of a reply, Sera was shocked as she received a blade instead, but she merely sighed and casually blocked her attack as a powerful wind blew through the entire tavern, sending everything inside of it flying away.

  As a streak of line carved through the wall, then in the next second the line exploded as Solia whispered coldly. "Script of Nothingness: Flash of the Silver Moon."

  Sera's expression hardened at this moment as she realized yet again that her earlier arrogance was nothing but asking for a deathwish, since this woman before her wasn't someone that she could carelessly treat, but before she could think further, the echo of the explosion rang in her ears like a drum.

  'How weird that power could hide in plain sight.' Sera asked internally, but knowing that she would get to nowhere she asked yet again but now her resolve was firm. "Do you truly wish for us to stake everything we've got, oh veiled witch?"

  Solia laughed at her words then sheathed her blade since her goal was already achieved in this clash, the metallic click of her swords returning to their sheath was satisfying in the tense atmosphere, as she stared at Sera then smirked before she softly whispered. "Then will you leave now? Now is not the time for me to trouble you, so please order your men to retreat."

  Sera nodded her head then looked at her subordinates pathetically sprawling on the floors like rats in the gutters as she sighed then commanded them. "All of you, retreat..."

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  At her commands, all of the Templars got up from the ground then grabbed their weapons as they've dejectedly left the tavern, leaving Sera alone with the heretics as Sera stared at Solia for the last time then said sarcastically. "I didn't expect that cultists that love to exhibit themselves naked in broad daylight would dress in such a saintly clothing."

  Solia hearing her comments chuckled at her words then said softly. "Hehehe, I too had never had thought that my pure and educated mistress would love her followers to commit such a perverse act."

  Sera shook her head then exited the tavern as she mused. 'Hmm, dealing with this cult would be difficult if there are more powerful figures as such as that witch, even when the Holy See had powerhouses in the champion or semi-emperors a fight of such scales would still be difficult.'

  Solia smirked as she read Sera's intent since the moment they had met, so all of the thoughts that Sera mused were read by her, like she was unfolding pages of a book, so all of the information that she needed to estimate how powerful the Holy See was already at her grasp.

  So she didn't see the need to continue loitering at this place as she said softly. "I wanted to enjoy myself in this capital for a while, but it's a shame that it is time for us to return."

  Tellus nodded as he controlled his limbs that were cut earlier to disintegrate then rejoin his form, and without a care he grabbed Solia by the waist then put her hand onto his shoulder.

  But before he could take a single step Tellus frowned at her smell, as the pungent mix of sweat and booze could be smelt from the drunk solia, before he slowly walked out of the tavern, leaving the bystanders flabbergasted as he softly whispered to Solia's ear. "You stink, Solia... didn't I tell you earlier to drink in moderation, but..."

  Tellus couldn't help but sigh as he continued. "You don't listen to the advice of someone who's wise, don't you?"

  Solia couldn't help but burst into laughter as the silent streets were filled with her laughter, she couldn't believe it that this fool was talking about who's wise when both of them wasn't, how funny, how funny.

  So she laughed then said in a boisterous manner. "Hehe, isn't it funny that the both of us isn't the wisest of the bunch but always end up together in every mission? Isn't it funny that you, someone who always proclaimed yourself to be wise, is slowly turning more and more like a worrywart mother nagging at her child in every opportunity, Tellus?"

  Tellus shook his head at her remarks then took off from the ground as his form shifted into a dragon that momentarily appeared in the sky above the imperial palace, startling the common people with a gust that rustled the rooftops, but in the next moment he vanished from sight as he used the sand that made his body to reflect light, confusing the eyes that stared at him to see nothing but an empty air.

  Then he muttered softly before his form vanished in the next moment. "Hmmm, maybe I'm worrying too much, but can you blame a man who's in love with a woman as beautiful as you?"

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  ~ ? ~ West of the Lahaina Empire — In the Kingdom of Loika — In the middle of nowhere ~ ? ~

  Alister after killing the sentient crystal shortly returned to the church, saying things like the sun was too hot or is it just me? something along those lines to laze around, lounging in his throne like a dead-weight, as a naked follower was feeding him with a grape drizzled with honey, as he savored the juicy explosion of sweetness on his tongue with delight.

  Samantha on the other hand was seated at her desk as she read the reports of the spies that she planted in the empire, she smiled then flicked her fingers as a beautiful maiden with blood red eyes and blonde hair appeared right beside her, like a faint shimmer in the air like moonlight.

  Samantha smiled at Anastasia speedy arrival then she stared at her mountainous chest that could hold the entire world in them, then into hers which was as ordinary as it can be, not too massive nor too flat like the vast plains, just the right amount for her petite body, as she sighed at their tantamount difference, and a twinge of jealousy soured her mood.

  "Haaa... why did yours get even bigger when you've become my savant? But mine didn't when I become the empress of the night?"

  Anastasia, oblivious to her Messiah's words, was left dumbfounded as she reported. "Messiah, the sisters are ready, so please guide us to the light."

  Samantha sighed at her oblivious savant, as she lifted her hand and all of her followers present in the room turned their heads at her as they've waited for her words. And Samantha noticing it smiled. "Then let us officiate our invasion to the Empire for the glory of the goddess!"