New Calendar 1453, October 18th.
As the moon set, the morning mist was quickly pierced and dispelled by the sunlight.
People breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of each other to begin a new day.
The door to Modi's Arcane Forge was pushed open with a creak, and the brass bell hanging from the lintel gave two weak, muffled rings.
Sophie strode in with a swagger.
Logically, she should have been full of energy now that the sun was out.
However, her steps were unsteady, her shoulders slumped weakly, and several stray locks of hair poked out awkwardly from the top of her head, bobbing with every step.
She also had dark circles under her eyes.
At least she didn't have a stiff neck today.
“Sa... Saintess? What happened to you?” Modi scrambled to his feet. “Did you not sleep well?”
Could it be that she had engaged in an exhausting spiritual communion with the great New Moon Lady in her meditations last night for the sake of the sect’s survival?
Modi silently filled in the blanks with his own imagination.
“It’s nothing important...”
Sophie waved her hand dismissively.
“Hurry up and open a ritual room for me.”
“Ah, that room is yours from now on.” Modi immediately produced a key.
Sophie took the key and wobbled toward the ritual room.
Her thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to last night.
Rewind about ten hours.
At the inn.
Everything was normal when they first went to sleep.
Kaila lay flat on the right side of the bed, while Sophie occupied the left. They stayed on their own sides, the backs of their hands barely touching.
The problem arose in the middle of the night.
Sophie had woken up in a daze.
She had already forgotten what woke her, but when she did, she felt something was very wrong.
The curtains were drawn and it was pitch black, but her innate vampire night vision allowed her to see through the darkness with ease.
She, Sophie.
Was currently clinging to Kaila in an extremely ungraceful and presumptuous koala-like pose.
Her right leg was unceremoniously draped over Kaila’s slender thigh, pinning it down.
Her left arm was hooked around the nun’s neck, tightly hugging her shoulder, and her face was pressed against Kaila’s chest at a bizarre, obtuse angle.
——Undoubtedly, the case was solved. This was the culprit behind her daily stiff necks!
Was her body’s sleeping posture really this bad?
Sophie instinctively felt a sense of dread.
Even more terrifyingly, Kaila was sitting up.
She hadn't been sleeping at all.
Those eyes, which remained bright even in the darkness, were quietly staring at her without blinking.
The two of them locked eyes in the dark.
I-it’s the middle of the night, why aren't you sleeping?
Sophie’s sleepiness was instantly frightened away.
There was no anger in Kaila’s gaze, no bashfulness, not even a ripple of emotion.
She just looked at Sophie calmly, as if looking at a barnacle growing on her own body.
“You... you’re awake.” Sophie stammered, attempting to untangle her limbs.
“You slept for three hours, twenty-six minutes, and fifty-three seconds.”
Kaila paused.
“The sun isn't up yet. You can sleep a little longer.”
Sophie’s brain short-circuited.
Why is there a timer?
Has she been counting from the very beginning?
T-this isn't right, is it?
Had the Hero not slept at all from the start?
“Oh... okay.”
She wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say for a moment.
Finally, Sophie rolled to the other side of the bed like a dying loach.
She lay flat, her hands obediently folded over her lower abdomen.
Sophie didn't dare move.
Closing her eyes, she counted sheep, counted gold coins, and counted witches, trying to drift back to sleep.
But she couldn't.
To check if Kaila had fallen asleep, Sophie had secretly squinted her eyes and peeked back three times over the next few hours.
The first time, Kaila had her eyes open, staring straight at her.
The second time, Kaila had turned her head slightly, staring straight at her.
The third time, Kaila was propping her chin up with one hand, lying on her side, staring straight at her.
Although Sophie had learned to read Kaila’s micro-expressions during their time together...
Right now, she couldn't tell what the Hero was thinking at all.
It was terrifying, truly.
Sophie hadn't slept well the entire night.
Furthermore, she was certain Kaila knew she was faking sleep.
Because when the first ray of morning light pierced through the gap in the curtains, Kaila stood up punctually. Leaving behind a sentence, “I have a commission to complete; you sleep a bit longer,” she pushed the door open and left decisively.
One of the world’s unsolved mysteries: What is a girl thinking?
What was she thinking while she was watching me?
The Hero wouldn't happen to have some hidden, gloomy personality trait, would she?
“Sigh.”
Sophie let out a heavy sigh.
She stood before the ritual table, casually tossed the materials into the magic circle, and performed the ritual.
After a burst of light, five cups of warm potion emitting a strange aroma appeared on the circle.
Sophie picked up one cup and drained it in one go.
【Log: You have consumed [Lesser Thistle Leaf Tea], Fatigue -100%】
Sophie straightened up and slapped her cheeks with both hands, confirming she was now full of energy.
Stowing away her otherworldly super-coffee, Sophie left the room.
She walked up to Modi.
“Let’s talk business. How did you handle that farce at the abandoned theater yesterday evening?”
Modi gave a sheepish smile.
“I am truly sorry for causing the Saintess displeasure, but please believe that everyone simply has different philosophies. We are all single-mindedly serving the sect...”
“Different philosophies?”
“Yes. In our sect, some are clouds and some are water, but they are all people who care for the sect. There are no traitors,” Modi said immediately.
“The low-level cultists who were originally wavering no longer doubt your identity after seeing your incredibly sweet performance. As for Lady Elizabeth...”
“She allowed her maid to openly attempt an assassination of the sect's bishop candidate during a sacred gathering. That is an unforgivable act of blasphemy. If she doesn't want to be torn to shreds by the angry cultists, she must pay the price.”
Modi leaned down and opened a drawer behind the counter.
Accompanied by a dull clink of metal, Modi respectfully pushed an exquisite dark red velvet pouch toward Sophie.
“To appease the public anger and to buy back the life of her troublemaking maid, she spent a large sum of money as development funds for the sect. And this...”
Modi untied the pouch and poured its contents onto the table.
Clink, clink.
A pile of golden coins, shimmering with a charming luster and embossed with the Twin Towers insignia, scattered across the counter.
“This is an apology gift presented to you personally by Lady Elizabeth. A full fifty Gold Suns.” There was an unmistakable hint of envy in Modi’s voice.
Fifty Gold Suns!
In that instant, Sophie’s eyes widened.
The Hero had given her three Silver Moons yesterday, which meant the Hero’s daily income was about six Silver Moons.
She had worked so hard.
But hard work was no match for a rich lady feeding me soft rice.
It’s okay, Lady Hero, I’ll take money from the rich ladies to support you.
Sophie snatched the small pouch without hesitation.
“What a fat cat...”
If she had known, she shouldn't have just let the maid take one swing; she should have taken a few more.
Wait, no, then her vampire identity would have been exposed.
What a pity, what a pity.
With this money, she could completely arm herself with a very nice set of magical equipment.
“However, Saintess, do not celebrate too early. That woman Elizabeth has not given up. She still wants to challenge your position.”
Sophie was still feeling the warmth of the Gold Suns when she heard this and tilted her head.
“Challenge?”
“Yes.” Modi nodded, his expression solemn.
“Although Elizabeth used money to buy the silence of the cultists, she will never give up the fight for the position of Bishop. While the combat power you displayed yesterday was impressive, the Moon Goddess is still a deity who leans toward the mastery of magic.”
“Elizabeth’s level with incantations isn't high, but she is an expert at rituals.”
Modi took a deep breath and said seriously.
“She has proposed a public ritual duel to be held today at noon before the altar in the abandoned theater. This will determine who is the most qualified to be the true Great Bishop of the New Moon Sect.”
Ritual duel.
Those words echoed through the shop.
In the world of magic, rituals were not exactly obscure.
Communicating with the Abyss, refining potions, casting high-tier spells, borrowing power from the unspeakable...
The complexity of a ritual, the ratio of materials, the construction of mana circuits—any minor error could lead to a backlash or even invite uncontrollable disasters.
For the vast majority of commoner cultists who couldn't even read, this was a domain akin to that of the gods. And as a noble, the ancient knowledge and magical foundation Elizabeth possessed were absolutely not to be underestimated.
“Furthermore, Elizabeth... possesses some ancient rituals,” Modi said worriedly.
Though he had felt the residual mana after Sophie’s rituals, he had never actually seen Sophie perform one.
Modi stared intently into Sophie’s eyes, trying to find any sign of panic.
To his surprise, Sophie merely shrugged.
“Then let her come.”
Ancient rituals?
How ancient?
“By the way, is she putting up any money this time? A little wager for fun?” Sophie asked suddenly.
“Eh?” Modi failed to react.
“Talking about money ruins the mood, but since she wants to have a fair match with me, then tell her to bring out another fifty Gold Suns.”
Sophie said happily.
“As long as she can pay, she can challenge me as many times as she wants.”
The cold seat of the Bishop had turned into warm Gold Suns.
Sophie had a weak stomach; she just loved eating soft rice.
Lady Hero, I’ll eat soft rice to support you.
“Ah... alright.” Modi was clearly taken aback by Sophie’s enthusiasm.
With a slight flick of his finger, a Message spell was sent out with his thought.
“Elizabeth has agreed. She will put up fifty Gold Suns and wait for you, Saintess, at the theater under the witness of everyone.”
...
A few hours of busy time flew by in a flash.
“Splash.”
Sophie clutched her chest, suppressing the intense wave of rejection from her stomach as she corked the last bottle of Low-tier Supplement and tossed it into her player inventory.
The continuous high-intensity bloodletting made her steps feel a bit floaty.
She pushed open the heavy ironwood door and headed straight for the hidden compartment behind Modi’s counter.
Expertly picking the lock, she grabbed a bottle of holy water Modi had just consecrated, pulled the stopper, and tilted her head back to gulp it down.
Gulp, gulp, gulp—
Pure divine power flowed down her throat, and the feeling of weakness vanished. Sophie let out a satisfied burp.
“Alright, I’m back in the game.”
“Time for business. That fat cat’s fifty Gold Suns are calling my name.” She casually tossed the empty crystal bottle to Modi and swaggered toward the front of the shop.
Passing through the teleportation circle, the dim light of the lanterns once again filled her vision.
Inside the abandoned theater, the atmosphere of fanaticism and restlessness was even stronger than yesterday.
Today, there was no distinction between burlap clothes and silk robes; almost all the cultists were huddled in the front rows of the audience seats.
Pair after pair of eyes stared intently at the stage.
They would witness the birth of a new Bishop.
And in the center of that dilapidated stage, Elizabeth stood tall and proud.
Half a step behind her, the red-haired maid—the one Sophie had briefly controlled, nearly causing a disaster—was gripping her sword hilt tightly. Her gaze looked as if she wanted to poke ten thousand holes through Sophie.
Besides them, two ritual bases covered in dense and strangely complex runes had been added to the stage.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
Elizabeth partially covered her mouth with a jewel-encrusted folding fan, her mockery evident.
She extended a long, pale finger, pointing toward the silver hexagram before her.
“This is a ritual I spent a great deal of effort uncovering from the ancient scriptures.” Elizabeth’s tone carried a condescending sense of charity. “Since Bishop Modi insists on calling you a Saintess, I assume you won't be unfamiliar with something so basic, right?”
She paused, her folding fan tapping gently against her palm.
“Great Saintess, do you know how to use it?”
Standing behind Sophie, Modi’s face immediately darkened.
His cane slammed heavily onto the floor.
“Elizabeth! You are doing this on purpose!” Modi accused her bluntly. “Although the Saintess is blessed by the deity, she hasn't been in the mortal world for long! You bring out an ancient relic that only exists in fragments within the sect’s ancient records—you are clearly using your noble heritage to bully her! This ritual base has been lost for hundreds of years; who even knows how to guide the mana anymore?”
“Bully her?”
Elizabeth lowered her fan.
“Lord Bishop, you’ve been in the sect for so long, do you still not understand? The world of rituals is cruel. Foundation, noble bloodlines, and profound knowledge—these are absolute manifestations of strength. Furthermore...”
Elizabeth slowly turned her head, looking at the two silver ritual circles with infatuation.
“What we are competing in today is who can reconstruct it completely, who can complete it with higher quality, and whose guiding technique is more refined.”
The mockery on her face deepened.
“And what I’ve brought out today is merely one of the most common, ordinary little rituals from the era when the great Moon Goddess still walked the earth. Lord Bishop, are you trying to say that the supreme Moon Goddess also enjoyed bullying people?”
Modi was speechless.
With her invoking the Moon Goddess, he really couldn't argue.
Unless he was questioning the glory of the divine era.
Modi’s face turned from pale to a deep flush, his thin lips trembling. He could only turn his worried gaze toward Sophie.
“Saintess, you don't need to pay attention to her shameless provocation. I will exercise my authority as Bishop and order her to immediately change it to a fair, modern ritual...”
But Sophie merely waved her hand carelessly.
She wasn't listening to Modi’s rambling at all.
She looked at the ritual bases on the stage, a hint of nostalgia appearing in her expression.
The Moon Rite.
It really has been a long time. I wonder if that dummy Little Yue finally managed to complete this ritual on her own in the end.
Though judging by the result—the world being cursed into this ghostly state—she must have mostly finished it.
“No need for all that. I accept the challenge.”
Sophie made a gesture for gold coins.
“As long as you’ve brought the fifty Gold Suns for the wager, I won't be stingy about giving you a lesson.”
Elizabeth froze.
She had expected Sophie to be angry, to panic, or even to try and bluff her way through using that playing-dumb routine from yesterday.
But she had never, ever imagined that the first thing out of the other’s mouth would be such an extreme craving for those vulgar gold coins!
And the second sentence that followed was such a blatant provocation that completely disregarded her.
Giving her a lesson?
By Cain’s boots! What kind of abyssal joke was this!
Can you even read this ritual as a low-tier vampire? She herself had spent an entire night studying the fragments of the ancient scriptures just to learn how to operate it.
“Boring posturing.”
Elizabeth let out a cold sneer, the killing intent in her eyes undisguised.
She didn't waste any more words and simply snapped her fingers.
The red-haired maid standing in the corner understood immediately. She lifted a heavy leather pouch and with a swing of her arm, threw it heavily onto the empty space at the edge of the stage.
Clink—
The crisp, pleasant sound of metal clashing came through the leather bag. It was the beautiful note unique to Gold Suns.
A smile visibly appeared on Sophie’s face.
That was some very satisfying feedback.
“I won't be polite then.”
She strode forward, walking onto the stage with a slow, leisurely pace that suggested she was in complete control.
After tossing her own bag containing fifty gold coins onto the stage.
Sophie turned around and said seriously, “Then let’s not waste time. Let’s begin now.”
To be honest, Sophie was actually quite curious right now.
The Moon Rite itself didn't provide many extra bonuses; it was just that the operational techniques were incredibly tedious and the required material ratios were insane.
Looking at Elizabeth’s posture, she was clearly just doing this to show off her skills.
“But exactly how proficient are you with this ritual?”
Sophie thought silently.
“To dare use a ritual I created to deal with me?”
Rate on N.U.
