The Chanting Nun

An unexpected turn of events?

And it was related to her?

Seeing Ronan's awkward expression, Olivia felt that things might be going south. A hint of wariness instinctively flickered in her eyes.

"Deacon Ronan, please stop beating around the bush. What exactly happened?"

Ronan gave a bitter smile. "Alright, here’s the thing. A Chanting Nun found out that you were here to assist me. Her name is Melanie Mills. Do you know of her?"

A Chanting Nun?

Olivia's expression shifted slightly. The position of a chanting nun was above that of a deaconess, corresponding to a priest, who ranked above a deacon. They were considered mid-level figures within the church and held significant authority.

Olivia couldn't help but ask, "I've heard of her, but why... why would she take notice of me?"

Facing the nun's confused gaze, Ronan weighed his words and spoke slowly. "Melanie is currently in charge of a case involving the Bloody Sickle heretics, and it seems to be giving her quite a headache. As for you, not long ago, you had a confrontation with the Bloody Sickle and killed a vampire who was about to undergo a second advancement, right?"

Olivia understood. She now knew how she had ended up on a Chanting Nun's radar.

"Once Melanie heard you were coming, she wanted to... well, as for the specifics, maybe you should just talk to her yourself. She's in my office right now." Ronan spread his hands.

"Alright." Olivia had no way to refuse.

She was only a novice nun, while the rank of a Chanting Nun was far above hers. If such a person truly wanted her to do something, she could only comply; there was no room for resistance.

Following Ronan into the office, Olivia met Melanie.

A crystal lamp equipped with a lighting talisman hung overhead, emitting a bright yet soft incandescent white light. It blended with the crimson moonlight streaming through the window, creating a pale pinkish hue in the room.

Melanie Mills stood by the window. She wore a nun's habit and a cowl—the standard attire for all nuns.

Hearing the sound of their entry, Melanie turned around. She had long, pale purple hair and bright, emerald-like eyes. Her facial features were quite sharp, naturally giving off an air of dignity.

"I'll leave you two to talk." Having brought her there, Ronan excused himself for the time being.

Melanie said with a smile, "You must be Olivia Melianne. Did Ronan tell you why I was looking for you?"

"He mentioned a few things, but not in detail. I still don't know specifically what you require of me, Your Excellency."

"I see. That fellow Ronan never explains things clearly." Melanie shrugged, then personally began to explain the situation to Olivia.

She first introduced herself and the matter she was currently handling, which was the part Ronan had already mentioned.

She continued, "Those people from the Bloody Sickle are incredibly cunning. They are very difficult to find while hiding in the shadows. If they were willing to stay hidden forever, I wouldn't even bother with them. But they just can't stay still; they appear from time to time to commit bloody atrocities. You've encountered these heretics before, so I think you understand just how bloodthirsty they are. I must find them as soon as possible; those wretches belong on the stake. Searching for them is a massive headache, but fortunately, I found you."

"What can I do?" Olivia felt a sense of impending trouble.

She was just a novice nun, a mere Initiate. She felt she still needed time to grow.

Melanie gave a slight smile. "I hope you can act as bait to lure the Bloody Sickle out."

Olivia's face instantly paled.

Bait?

That was hardly a reassuring role. If one wasn't careful, the bait would be swallowed whole by the prey.

"I don't think I can lure the Bloody Sickle out, even if I did kill Ashley Hewitt."

"No, you can. It's precisely because you killed Ashley Hewitt that the Bloody Sickle will inevitably hold a grudge against you. Because Ashley Hewitt was a transcendent who had almost become a Sensate."

Melanie told Olivia that for an organization like the Bloody Sickle, the birth of a Sensate was not as easy as one might imagine. Therefore, Ashley's death was an extremely significant loss to them, and they would feel compelled to do something about it.

Seeking revenge against the person who killed Ashley was almost a certainty!

"Trust me, Olivia. These heretical organizations hold the worst grudges, so you will definitely make excellent bait," Melanie said with certainty.

Olivia didn't care whether she would make good bait or not.

Her lips twitched. "I'm only an Initiate. My safety..."

"Don't worry." Melanie patted Olivia on the shoulder. "As a Chanting Nun, I can take responsibility for your safety."

"Can I refuse?"

"No."

"Alright then."

Since things had reached this point, Olivia was helpless. Even if Melanie didn't show a particularly forceful attitude, her status as a Chanting Nun was enough to make refusal impossible.

"What specifically do I need to do?" Olivia asked.

Melanie smiled. "Actually, what you need to do is very simple. Just continue doing what you were originally going to do with Ronan. I will be hidden on your person. The moment someone attacks you, I can immediately strike and take them down."

"Hidden on my person?" Olivia didn't understand the meaning of those words for a moment.

"It's my transcendent ability. I can shrink myself. When the time comes, you can just put me in your pocket," Melanie explained with a smile. "Didn't I say it? I can take responsibility for your safety. Since I'll be hidden on your person, I think you should understand that you won't be in any real danger."

Put her in a pocket?

A living human being could become that small?

Olivia couldn't help but be startled and instinctively asked, "Is that a Priest's ability or an Arbiter's?"

"Neither." Melanie shook her head, then placed a finger to her lips. "Don't ask too much about that. Your rank isn't high enough to know such things yet."

Olivia could only remain silent.

However, a guess surfaced in her mind.

An Ascetic?

Of course, she wasn't a hundred percent sure. Although most people in the church followed the orthodox paths, it wasn't impossible to follow some unorthodox ones. For example, there were transcendents on the Swordsman or Cavalry paths within the church as well.

'Magic mirror, magic mirror, do you know which transcendent path allows one to shrink their body?'

Olivia asked directly in her heart.