Gospel of Blood

“You… you… you really are the Saintess of the Divine Lord?!”

Feeling the holy power of his staff being rapidly suppressed and dissipated, Bishop Campbell’s expression was one of shock.

He looked incredulously at the girl sitting high on the throne, his face full of astonishment.

Then… he saw Charlotte gently rise from her throne.

“The holy light indeed judges evil, but… It only judges those who have truly betrayed.”

The girl said calmly as she looked at the panicked Bishop Campbell.

As soon as her words fell, the nobles in the hall saw the sacred staff in Bishop Campbell’s hand once again emit a dazzling holy light.

The light was so brilliant that the “knight” who had been charging towards Bishop Campbell halted abruptly, quickly taking a step back as if fearing to be affected by the blinding radiance.

Then… the nobles saw the holy light shine down on Bishop Campbell.

The white holy light shimmered, gradually gathering into a phantom sword above Bishop Campbell’s head.

The nobles who were familiar with the Holy Court were stunned, their expressions incredulous.

The Sword of Judgment!

This was the effect of the legendary spell of holy light judgment that Bishop Campbell had intended to invoke using his sacred staff.

However, the holy light was not judging someone else, but Bishop Campbell himself!

Next, the crowd heard the girl’s soft sigh from the front.

“Bishop Campbell, the holy light… finds you guilty.”

Bishop Campbell was completely stunned.

He looked up in disbelief at the Sword of Judgment hanging above his head, his expression blank.

Of course, his stupor quickly turned into terror.

“No… No… I… I repent! I repent to the holy light! I shouldn’t have…”

However… it was already too late.

The brilliance of the Sword of Judgment spread, and the holy flames burned fiercely, enveloping Bishop Campbell in platinum light.

The crowd heard the bishop’s shrill screams within the holy light, the fierce flames of judgment rapidly spreading over his body.

The “flame” burned for a full ten seconds before gradually extinguishing, and when the holy light faded, Bishop Campbell’s figure had disappeared, leaving only a pile of ashes on the floor.

Silence.

A deathly silence.

The nobles of Starfall Kingdom stood in shock, staring at the spot where Bishop Campbell had been, utterly stunned by what had just transpired.

Dead… dead?

The highest cleric of the Starfall Kingdom, a Bishop of the Holy Court, had died just like that?

And… he died under the holy light’s judgment?

The nobles were dazed, seemingly unable to comprehend what had just happened.

They swallowed, shifting their gaze from the pile of ashes to the calm expression on Charlotte’s face, filled with reverence.

There had always been much debate among the public about whether Charlotte de Castell was truly a Saintess of the Holy Court.

Despite various legends and the comments from the Archbishop of the Crescent Diocese, honestly, many people, especially the nobles, were still skeptical.

But now…

Whether it was Bishop Campbell’s final exclamation or the events witnessed by the Starfall nobles, everything confirmed the girl’s identity.

To interrupt a legendary divine spell cast by a bishop-level cleric with just a “command” and to directly use a legendary holy spell to judge a fallen cleric, there was no doubt… the girl was indeed a true Saintess!

Realizing this, the Starfall nobles had mixed reactions.

The nobles from the Parliament faction were pleased, the neutrals were awestruck, while those who often collaborated with bloodbornes, the Lilac faction nobles, were filled with fear.

Even the disguised “knights” Albrecht and Yurst looked different.

Seeing their ancestor able to interrupt the holy light’s absolute suppression of bloodbornes and even use the Holy Court’s spell to kill a bishop, their expressions hidden under their helmets were extremely complicated.

They were not bloodbornes who had never seen myths.

As third and fourth-generation bloodbornes, they knew very well that even the princes of various clans could only be suppressed by the holy light, let alone take control like their True Ancestor.

This… was the true power of their ancestor?

Albrecht and Yurst subconsciously swallowed, looking at Charlotte with even more reverence.

Only the black cat Nice, who had followed Charlotte into the banquet hall and sneaked onto the table to gorge himself during the commotion, remained calm.

Seeing the dazed expressions of everyone, and the reverent looks of the two bloodbornes, he lazily yawned, showing a “what’s the big deal” expression.

Others might not know, but he had personally verified at the cost of his freedom, knowing the secret of their True Ancestor.

Forget the Holy Court’s spell.

Their True Ancestor could almost counteract any divine spell, anyone who tried to use divine spell against their True Ancestor was just asking for trouble!

Nice’s judgment was correct.

Charlotte had indeed stopped Bishop Campbell’s legendary spell through divine ritual counter and then reversed the control.

However, what Nice didn’t know was that although Charlotte appeared calm, she was not as unaffected as she seemed.

She had indeed modified the spell judgment, but… she hadn’t altered the holy light’s verdict on Bishop Campbell.

Honestly, Charlotte originally only intended to stop the spell, but when she controlled Bishop Campbell’s legendary spell through divine ritual counter, she suddenly had a whim and felt a certain impulse from the “holy light.”

Bishop Campbell was a high-ranking cleric of the Holy Court, Charlotte never thought the holy light would judge him.

She simply went with the flow under that “whim”, changing the judgment target of the holy light to him, and what happened next… was entirely the holy light’s decision.

In other words, Charlotte was telling the truth: it was indeed the “holy light” that judged Bishop Campbell guilty and directly “purified” him.

Charlotte was equally surprised by this.

Although the holy light of the Holy Court has always been harsh in judging “heretics”, it has been quite lenient towards its own believers, especially the clergy.

Otherwise, many corrupt clergy wouldn’t have been able to continue their unchallenged reign within the Holy Court.

For Bishop Campbell to be judged by the holy light, it indicated that in the eyes of the holy light, he was truly guilty of severe crimes.

However, based on the “evidence” Charlotte had gathered, aside from collaborating with the elven bloodborne from Luna Island, Bishop Campbell’s crimes weren’t severe enough to warrant the death penalty.

Especially considering the influence he represented—the authority of the Theocracy.

But when Charlotte’s gaze fell upon the pile of ashes in the hall, her eyes slightly narrowed.

Charlotte was no stranger to the holy light’s judgment.

In fact, back in Borde, the church often held trials for heretics, and Charlotte had personally witnessed those unlucky ones burned to ashes by the holy light.

However, the ashes before her now were completely different from what she remembered. They appeared more pale and finely crushed, like thoroughly pulverized bone ash.

These ashes… were not quite like those left after the holy light’s judgment in the past. Instead, they resembled the ashes left behind by the deaths of the elven bloodborne Alec and Campel.

Realizing this, Charlotte was startled by her own thoughts.

Could it be that… Bishop Campbell, like those elven bloodborne, was not truly alive but rather a puppet?

As this thought crossed her mind, Charlotte’s expression grew solemn.

“Look… look quickly!”

“Light… it’s the holy light! It’s a blessing of the holy light!”

The exclamations of the nobles interrupted Charlotte’s thoughts.

She looked up to see platinum light particles falling from the sky.

The particles were dreamlike and radiant, filled with divine power, unmistakably the holy power of the Creator God.

Seeing the holy light falling like snow, Albrecht and Yulster turned pale, quickly stepping back and taking the opportunity to hide while everyone’s attention was on the holy light.

But Charlotte couldn’t evade it.

The holy light descended upon her, specifically targeting her.

The snow-like holy light landed on her, bringing a stabbing pain, and along with it, the ancient text of the Gospel of Blood appeared in her vision.

【The Gospel of Blood detects an ongoing divine ritual—】

【Ritual Name: Divine Favor】

【Recipient: True Ancestor of Blood – Charlotte de Castell】

【Performer: Creator God’s Genesis Arbiter】

【Ritual Effect: The inherent divine spell of the Creator God’s supreme artifact, the Genesis Arbiter, bestows the blessing of the Creator God onto His favored…】

【Interception Probability: 100%】

【Do you wish to intercept?】

Charlotte: …?

Seeing the ancient text in her vision, Charlotte was momentarily stunned, reading it several times before comprehending its meaning, her expression turning peculiar.

A divine spell named “Divine Favor” was clearly a ritual to bestow divine blessing.

Considering the description of the ritual’s effects, it was evident that Charlotte had received the affirmation from the Creator God, being bestowed with the divine blessing by the supreme artifact of the Creator God, something only saints, divine offspring, and holy individuals possessed.

“A Divine Favor! It’s the legendary Divine Favor! By the God, I can’t believe I’m witnessing a Divine Favor with my own eyes!”

“This… this is the affirmation of the God! This is a divine blessing!”

“Praise the Holy! It must be the righteous judgment of Her Highness the Saintess that earned the God’s appreciation and recognition!”

“Long live Her Majesty the Queen! Long live Her Highness the Saintess!”

Some nobles, who also held clerical positions, recognized the origin of the holy light. Their faces were filled with excitement, their gazes towards Charlotte increasingly fervent.

As for the two disguised knights… they were utterly shocked.

Even as well-experienced Legendary Bloodborne, Albrecht was now in a daze, questioning his own identity and purpose.

It was unfathomable—the True Ancestor of Blood receiving the divine blessing of the Creator God!

Even Nice, who had been sneaking milk at the table, spat out the milk directly, spraying the servant standing on the opposite.

Raising his head, he looked dumbfounded at the holy light enveloping Charlotte, with an expression as if seeing a ghost.

Charlotte: …

Oh no.

This time…

She was truly being recognized as the Saintess of the Creator God…

The shimmering Holy Light descended, the dense divine power burning Charlotte’s body and soul like flames.

Although being a Demigod meant that such “burning” would no longer harm her, the pain was relentless.

For ordinary people, the favor of the Creator God was a blessing, but for Charlotte, a bloodborne, it was poison. Charlotte didn’t understand why this was happening, but she knew she couldn’t accept the divine blessing as ordinary people did.

Taking a deep breath, she silently decided to intercept.

In the next moment, the Gospel of Blood radiated light, intercepting all the descending holy light.

Then… it was absorbed by the Gospel of Blood.

But what the nobles witnessed was a different scene.

They saw the radiant holy light eagerly pouring into Charlotte, disappearing, while Charlotte began to radiate a gentle glow.

The falling light particles lasted for a full half minute. With the final particle absorbed by Charlotte, the hall returned to normal.

The nobles stared at Charlotte, their expressions numb from the series of shocks.

Charlotte stood calmly in place.

The intercepted holy light was so intense that even with the protection of the Gospel of Blood, the pain was undiminished. Fortunately, it was all over, and the burning pain subsided.

Although she didn’t “receive” the divine blessing, the intercepted holy light was absorbed by the Gospel of Blood.

Charlotte could feel the massive divine power being frantically converted by the Gospel. Simultaneously, the Gospel of Blood seemed to benefit, with some of its damaged areas appearing to be partially repaired.

However, now wasn’t the time to check the status of the Gospel of Blood.

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte looked at the stunned Duke West and Viscount Camden, and commanded.

“Take them away.”

Albrecht and Yurst, startled, quickly obeyed and acted respectfully.

Duke West and Viscount Camden did not resist.

In the hall, regardless of faction—whether parliament, neutral, or the lilac faction—the nobles’ gazes towards Charlotte were now filled with reverence and without a hint of disrespect or doubt.