Chapter 72: Awakening
“Save us!”
“Your Excellency! Save us!”
After the massive explosion, a large number of citizens from the vicinity of the Temple District rushed toward the temple, hoping to find some protection in the face of disaster.
Followers were the foundation of the gods. They needed the faith of their followers to maintain their power. The way to completely destroy a god was to disband their church; otherwise, they would always make a comeback. They might disperse their divine power among their offspring, waiting for the right moment to devour and replace them, or they might simply resurrect through one of their chosen ones. Such things had happened countless times in the history of the multiverse. Some succeeded, reascending to their divine thrones and continuing to look down upon all living beings. Others failed, never to be resurrected again, completely disappearing into the river of time.
Both good and evil gods did this. The good gods were just a little gentler in their methods. Followers were the lambs that the gods shepherded in the world.
At this moment, the Bishop of the Temple of Justice was organizing his people to calm the citizens and lead them into the temple in an orderly fashion.
Bishop William’s brow was tightly furrowed. He stared at the blood-red sky, feeling the incredibly powerful magical fluctuations, and was secretly alarmed.
“What happened over there? Did a legendary battle break out?”
“Although I don’t know the identities of the two sides, we can’t let them bring the flames of war into the city!”
Having made up his mind, he roared at the equally stunned knights around him, “Send men over there! We can’t let the battle reach the city!”
“At all costs!”
“Shining Knights! Prepare to move out immediately!”
Several knights immediately stood at attention, saluted, and then quickly ran to the rear to assemble.
“I wonder how many of these warriors will come back alive…”
Watching their retreating backs, Bishop William sighed, shook his head in pain, and said to the priest beside him, “Send someone to notify the other temples! We can’t let our warriors be the only ones to sacrifice themselves!”
“Yes, Your Excellency!”
As the young priest left, Bishop William also slowly walked toward his room in the rear of the temple. He looked at the armor that had been set aside for a long time and was silent for a long while. He somewhat clumsily put on the full plate armor, then moved his shoulders, sighed, and said, “I hope it’s not that person…”
Otherwise, things will become very difficult.
“Your Excellency!”
A shout from outside interrupted William’s thoughts. He picked up the warhammer from the weapon rack, walked out of the room with a steady gait, and looked calmly at the somewhat flustered young priest. He said in a low voice, “Do not panic. What has happened?”
Infected by the Bishop’s calm demeanor, the young priest took a deep breath and said, “Your Excellency! Someone has arrived with an injured person!”
An injured person? Just have someone else handle it.
Seeing the Bishop’s frowning expression, he quickly explained, “They came in Captain Elena’s carriage! And the driver is holding the Captain’s token!”
What’s going on? Why would Elena give her token to the driver and not be present herself? Did something happen to her?
“What is the condition of the injured person? Tell me as we walk.”
The priest led the way, quickly explaining, “The situation is very urgent. The injured person has lost her right arm, and her multiple wounds are still bleeding heavily.”
“If she weren’t a high-level Professional, she wouldn’t have lasted this long!”
A high-level Professional?
William frowned and instructed another priest he encountered to take charge of the situation at the front of the temple. He himself followed the priest and quickly arrived at a small room in the rear of the temple.
“Why here?”
Why not treat her in the main hall? There’s plenty of holy water there.
The young priest found it difficult to speak. He said, conflicted, “That person’s identity… seems to be a bit special…”
“Special?”
“Yes! She seems to be a high-level assassin…”
An assassin!? From an evil alignment?
With some thoughts in mind, William didn’t press the priest further and nodded. After knocking, he walked directly into the room.
“Your Excellency! I am Wyder Barde, the butler of the Duke Bell’s estate. We came here today…”
“Alright! Let’s skip the pleasantries.”
Curtly interrupting Wyder’s practiced opening, William’s gaze fell on the unconscious Lilith in the center of the group. He observed her for a moment, then looked at the carriage driver.
“What were Captain Elena’s instructions?”
The driver was a little nervous. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and recited, as if from memory, “Lady Elena said…”
“Heal her. Don’t worry about her identity. She was injured while saving someone.”
…An assassin saving someone?
William’s brow, which had been furrowed since he entered, relaxed slightly. Then he heard the driver continue, “Her Ladyship also said…”
“I’m going to check on the situation over there first. Bishop William, you protect the citizens.”
Nodding slightly, Bishop William sighed and walked forward to observe the woman with the scarred face. Even while unconscious, Lilith exuded a dangerous, “keep-away” aura… but surprisingly, not much of an evil feeling.
“Sigh…”
“I trust in Lady Elena’s noble character.”
William took out a cloth pouch from his coat, from which he took a pre-weighed 100 grams of diamond dust and a sealed bottle of high-concentration holy water. Pouring the powder into the holy water, William began to chant loudly as he poured the mixture over Lilith’s blood-soaked body.
“Regenerate!”
[Regenerate · 7th Circle: The target’s severed body members (fingers, legs, tails, and so on), if any, are restored. Broken bones and mangled organs are also restored.]
[It can also restore a large number of hit points, remove the target’s exhaustion, and remove all bruises and scars.]
The holy water on Lilith’s body began to glow. Then, the large and small wounds on her body began to heal rapidly, and her pained expression began to soften.
“She will wake up soon. I must go now.”
Breathing a little wearily, Bishop William nodded to the others and quickly left the room.
Wyder respectfully saw William out, then turned to look at Lilith… only to find that the spot where she had been lying was empty.
“What!? Ah!”
The next moment, he saw Lilith appear like a demon behind the carriage driver, one hand gripping his neck, while the flesh of her other arm was slowly growing back. This terrifying scene nearly sent the seventy-year-old Wyder to his grave.
“Cough, cough, hmm? Cough, cough…”
Lilith’s voice was still low, but it was no longer as hoarse as before, more like the voice of a mature, confident woman. She cleared her throat a few times, then continued to ask weakly, “Where am I? Where is Shelley?”
Her voice didn’t matter. He was in danger now.
“My lady! Please don’t be alarmed. We are in the Temple of Justice. You are safe.”
“Master Shelley and Lady Elena have already rushed over there.”
What!? What is he doing there!?
“Why did he go!?”
“Master Shelley went after a woman with brown hair…”
The Queen of the Half-Elves? Then that’s fine… But no! It’s too dangerous there!
She was about to let go and give chase when her body went limp, and she fell to the ground.
“My lady, Lady Elena instructed that you should rest well after you wake up…”
Rest? Are you kidding me?
Pushing away Wyder’s outstretched hand, Lilith forced herself to her feet, and the next moment, with all her might, she vanished from their sight.
“My lady! You need to rest! My lady!”
“My lady!”
**
Appearing on a warhorse in the temple, Lilith heard the shouts from the room, sighed, and said in a low voice, “How can I rest…”
“The enemy has…”
