Gospel of Blood

Upon hearing Duke West’s words, the Starfall nobles were taken aback.

While many nobles were indeed swayed by the Dukes during the secret mission to Castell, the notion that the Countess of Castell would collude with bloodbornes seemed far-fetched.

After all, even the nobles most opposed to Charlotte’s succession had to admit that she was officially recognized as a Saintess by the Archbishop of the Crescent Diocese. Furthermore, rumors of her conflicts with bloodbornes after inheriting her domain were widely known.

However, upon seeing the documents presented by Duke West, they couldn’t deny the possibility that his claims might be true.

The documents were secret agreements between the Castell family and the Bloodborne. The cover displayed intricate magical patterns, recognizable as strict contractual inscriptions. Beneath these inscriptions were the emblems of the Castell family and the Nez Clan, signifying a sworn agreement.

Even those angry at the Duke’s accusations were shocked when they saw the documents, realizing they were likely authentic.

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?”

Asked the stunned parliament nobles.

Count Stafford’s expression changed as he quickly grabbed the documents. Though his face went through several changes, he finally gritted his teeth and said,

“This is just a contract, it doesn’t prove the Duke’s claims are true!”

Duke West sneered.

“You mean that without violating the terms, only the parties involved can see the details of these secret documents?”

He then looked at the silent Charlotte.

“Since that’s the case, why doesn’t Countess Castell break the contract seal and show everyone what agreements she made with the bloodbornes? Let’s see if what I said is true or false!”

All eyes turned to Charlotte, who remained calm. She looked around and said,

“Indeed, I have signed a contract with the Starfall’s Nez Clan.”

Her admission caused an uproar among the nobles.

“Signed a contract? It’s true?!”

“God above! Duke West was right?”

“Blasphemy! She doesn’t deserve to be called a Saintess of the Holy Court!”

In the banquet hall, the nobles were shocked, and even Bishop Campbell seemed furious.

However, Charlotte remained calm. She gracefully sipped tea from a crystal cup, then looked at the documents and said,

“But the contract I signed with the Nez Clan is not a treasonous treaty, it’s a peace agreement to avoid war in Starfall.”

She flashed a light from her hand, breaking the seal on the document.

Handing it to Count Stafford, she said,

“Speaker, since the Duke wants everyone to see it, let them see it.”

Count Stafford instinctively took it.

After reading the contents, he was surprised.

“What does it say, Lord Speaker? Is it the treasonous terms the Duke mentioned?”

Asked the curious nobles.

Count Stafford shook his head and said,

“You should see for yourselves.”

The nobles, after reading the parchment, were equally astonished.

“A peace treaty? Really?”

“Not just a peace treaty, it favors our kingdom with many restrictions on the bloodbornes…”

“It looks more like a coercive agreement against the bloodbornes…”

A peace treaty? Coercive agreement?

Hearing the discussions, Duke West was stunned.

He snatched the document and quickly read it. His face turned incredulous as he read terms like:

“Prohibiting bloodbornes from using mind control illegally…”

“Prohibiting bloodbornes from slaughtering civilians indiscriminately…”

“Prohibiting the illegal keeping of blood thralls…”

“This… this can’t be!”

Duke West was bewildered.

Charlotte remained calm, seemingly having anticipated this.

Time goes back to before Charlotte departs from the Nez stronghold.

“Your Majesty, how should our Nez Clan proceed now that you intend to support Countess Castell as Queen of Starfall?”

Asked Bardock.

Charlotte replied.

“You want to know my plans for the Nez Clan? Bloodbornes have a poor reputation in the human world, but it wasn’t always this way.”

Bardock sighed.

“You mean the Mythic Era? I still miss those days. Back then, humans even saw bloodbornes as allies with extraordinary powers. Bloodbornes protected humans, and humans provided blood, cooperating to fight elves and Gods until…”

“Until the bloodbornes grew too powerful and ambitious. While bloodbornes are immortal, humans are not, and the gap widened.”

Charlotte continued.

“My own ‘fall’ led to abandoning cooperation with humans, opting instead for asymmetric dominance, ultimately causing the two races to part ways.”

Charlotte recounted the historical insights she gathered from various texts and memories.

Bardock remained silent.

She sighed.

“That was the wrong approach. Humans are not weak, they are potent and resilient. I created bloodbornes not to dominate but to protect. In the Mythic Era, bloodbornes thrived with human support. The rise to prominence was due to willing human transformation into bloodbornes, and human blood powered our strength. Bloodbornes’ downfall was not just from betrayal but from losing our foundation. Now, in an age where Gods wane and mortals dominate, bloodbornes must collaborate to survive.”

Bardock nodded.

“I understand, Your Majesty. However, many in the Nez Clan might not see it this way…”

Charlotte chuckled lightly.

“What they care about is nothing more than the ‘power’ in their hands. They will eventually realize that maintaining high-pressure rule through fear cannot eradicate hidden dangers and will ultimately lead to rebellion when the balance of power shifts. Only genuine ‘recognition’ from the heart, born of both kindness and authority, brings the most stable ‘power’.”

“They themselves have experienced this, after all… their initial rebellion was due to the ‘True Ancestor’s’ high-pressure rule and the fear ‘She’ instilled.”

“Fear and oppression may bring temporary submission and can be used as a stopgap measure, but they are not long-term solutions. Once the positions are reversed, rebellion is inevitable. No matter who it is, even I cannot guarantee that I will always remain powerful.”

“Unless you truly intend to eradicate all potentially threatening existences, learning how to coexist with others is the proper way.”

“Your Majesty, what do you intend to do then?”

Bardock asked.

Charlotte thought for a moment and replied.

“Draft a contract, not in my name, but in the name of Countess Castell. No… since Castell has already had a territorial agreement with the Nez Clan about the Roman Duchy, let’s modify that agreement.”

“I remember there are backups of vow contracts. If I’m not mistaken, the elven bloodborne probably intended to use this as leverage. We might as well take this opportunity to modify the source contract.”

“Of course, it won’t be an overly restrictive agreement, just one to curb those who are too reckless… After all, I don’t intend to rule the bloodborne with an iron fist.”

“With the source contract changed, even those collaborating with the elven bloodborne will be unable to do anything.”

…

The Red Palace, Banquet Hall.

After reading through the supposed treason agreement, the Starfall nobles had mixed expressions.

While it seemed fantastical that the Holy Court’s Saintess would sign a treaty with the bloodbornes, considering similar cases like the Coria Kingdom, it was not entirely incomprehensible.

The Holy Court is not omnipotent.

They do not have the ability to completely eradicate every bloodborne everywhere.

Moreover, this agreement could not be called treasonous, many of its terms were very beneficial to the people of Starfall.

Humanity’s greatest fear of the bloodborne is their unexpected innate abilities, and these things… were restricted in the treaty.

Of course, it wouldn’t be accurate to say there were no terms favorable to the bloodborne either. Some terms allowed the bloodborne to operate in the human world and even obtain noble titles.

This is an astonishing agreement, almost denying the Church’s decree that the bloodborne, as an “evil race”, must be purified.

Although there seemed to be a compromise with the bloodborne for peaceful coexistence, considering Starfall’s history of being ruled by the bloodborne and many noble families’ overt and covert ties with the Bloodborne, it was not unacceptable.

More precisely, it fit Starfall’s current situation well and was very feasible.

The only thing that puzzled the Starfall nobles was why, if the bloodborne had the ability to seize control of Starfall, they would still make concessions.

Yes, concessions.

To sign such a document, not only the Holy Court compromised but also the bloodborne.

“Intrigue! This is all her intrigue! Everyone! Don’t be deceived by her! How could the bloodbornes agree to such an agreement?”

Duke West raised his head and stared intently at Charlotte on the throne, shouting sharply.

Seeing the slightly panicked and weak Duke West, Charlotte chuckled lightly and said,

“Your Grace, you claim I signed an agreement with the bloodborne and then say this agreement is impossible. Don’t you think you are contradicting yourself?”

Duke West was momentarily speechless.

He pressed his lips together, about to retort, but then the voice of an attendant announced from the entrance of the banquet hall.

“Duke Aecia… has arrived!”

Duke Aecia?

Duke Aecia actually came?!

The nobles in the banquet hall were stunned.

They all turned to the entrance to see a lavishly dressed nobleman entering surrounded by attendants.

It was a middle-aged nobleman of about forty with a stern face.

Richard Aecia.

One of the seven fief dukes of the Starfall Kingdom, the first head of the Aecia family, and the nephew of the former King Edward III, jointly nominated by the two Lilac families as the heir to the throne.

As soon as he appeared, his powerful presence overshadowed almost everyone. As a seasoned extraordinary of the Blazing Sun tier, his fame surpassed even Duke West’s.

Seeing Duke Aecia, duke West was momentarily taken aback, then slightly relaxed.

He looked at Charlotte again, his expression regaining composure, and sneered.

“Countess Castell, you indeed have your methods, able to modify agreements. However, all things leave traces. Even if you modified the contract, Duke Aecia has already preserved evidence of your crimes!”

With that, he turned and bowed to Duke Aecia.

“Duke Aecia, you’ve come at the right time. Countess Castell has tampered with evidence of collusion with the bloodborne. To expose her, we need the remaining evidence you have.”

Listening to Duke West, duke Aecia did not respond.

He did not even glance at him but walked straight past as if Duke West were air.

Duke West’s expression was somewhat awkward.

Addressing another duke with the title “Your Grace” was already enough to humble himself, but he still did not receive a response. Even he felt a bit humiliated at this moment.

A flash of anger crossed Duke West’s face, but it quickly faded. He took a deep breath and stepped aside.

‘Calm down. Now is not the time for anger. Although Duke Aecia ignored him, anyone could see that he was there for Countess Castell.’

Thinking this, duke West looked at Charlotte on the throne. Everyone’s eyes shifted between the two of them.

Under the nobles’ watchful eyes, Duke Aecia approached Charlotte.

For a moment, all eyes were on the two contenders for the throne.

Charlotte remained calm.

She glanced at him and said with a smile.

“Your Grace, welcome to my banquet.”

The nobles turned to look at Duke Aecia.

Duke Aecia had already approached Charlotte.

In expressions of surprise, bewilderment, and astonishment, the always silent Duke Aecia suddenly knelt on one knee and performed a submissive bow to Charlotte, saying respectfully,

“Richard Aecia, at your service, Your Majesty.”