Chapter 3: Vampire Encounter (Part 3)

The magnificent and grandiose Prime Minister's residence still stood there, though it now bore more signs of wear and dust than before. However, this did not diminish its imposing aura; rather, it added a sense of desolation and steadiness to it.

The residence still belonged to Duke Murak, but the Duke had long since been replaced by his daughter, who was known for her elegance, competence, and grace, hailed as the youngest and most capable pillar of the nation. As Asa stood across the street, looking at this long-familiar building through the bustling crowd, he found himself lost in thought.

In his otherwise deliberately peaceful and free life, this mansion had been the backdrop for almost all the grand events that had shaped his life: his love, his coming-of-age, his struggles, his sacrifices, his persistence, his pain, and his sorrow... everything was connected to this place. Every visit to this mansion had left a different emotional mark on him, but all had been memorable and life-changing.

"What are you doing? Why are you in a daze? Hurry up if you're going. Prime Minister Murak is in there now, after the emperor's tour, she handles all her affairs here," Talice pushed Asa from behind.

The Temple Knight, wishing not to draw attention, had followed Asa's advice to dress in disguise. She tied her golden hair up and wore male warrior attire. Her usually unassuming appearance now made her look strikingly handsome and imposing, and with her tall frame, Asa, even with a quick glance, couldn't immediately tell she was a woman. The group now looked like ordinary travelers, two men and two women.

Having discovered the Cardinal's coercion of the Queen and turned the Temple Knight into a useful ally, there was no time to waste. Asa quickly brought Ruya here, intending to take her to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the relocation of the Elves to Airi.

However, upon reaching the mansion, Asa realized he was unsure how to approach this person. He frowned and sighed, then wrapped the knife Talice had given him a few days ago and handed it to Ruya. "I won't go in. You should go alone."

"Why?" Ruya asked, surprised, taking the package.

"This is a good opportunity for you to practice. Just give my knife to the guard at the entrance, and they'll let you in to see the Prime Minister. As for Airi and the Whispering Forest, you should know how to talk to her about that."

"But I don't know what to say…" Ruya hesitated. She hadn't had much experience in dealing with people, and now she was being asked to negotiate a major matter with a nation's prime minister, which felt like too much.

Asa patted her shoulder lightly. "Don't worry. The Elf request isn't too much. She'll agree."

With Asa's encouragement, Ruya reluctantly carried the package and walked alone to the front of the Prime Minister's residence. After handing the knife to the guard, who took it inside, Ruya was soon escorted in.

"You're strange. Didn't you say you'd bring her in earlier? Why aren't you going in now?" Talice asked, looking at Asa curiously. "I saw you staring across the street earlier. Are you worried that someone in the Prime Minister's residence can see through your disguise?"

Asa smiled but didn't answer. Instead, Jessica, the Dark Elf, scoffed. "You think he was worried about experts? What's with your good judgment, Temple Knight?"

Talice shot a glare at Jessica but then asked, "So what was he worried about?"

"Didn't you see his expression earlier? It was as soft as a virgin boy looking at his first love's house. A poor virgin, bound by moral beliefs, probably can't understand such feelings… He spent some time in this city. The Prime Minister was once a young, blooming girl. He let that little elf take his weapon inside. Is that a token of trust? Can't you guess the story? He just doesn't know how to face someone who's no longer the person he remembers."

"Really?" Talice widened her eyes, scrutinizing Asa like she was seeing him for the first time. "He… can kill without blinking… and uses necromantic magic… but he can have feelings? I don't believe it."

"Just because someone can kill doesn't mean they're a mindless killing machine. Not everyone who disagrees with your god's teachings is heartless," Jessica retorted, her tone bitter. "Temple Knights always think that people are just symbols defined by doctrine. Hmph, I remember Christian…" She trailed off, lost in thought.

Talice seemed about to respond but fell silent, seemingly reflecting on something.

Asa, too, was silent, surprised by Jessica's perceptiveness. He had never shared his history in this city with her, yet this Dark Elf, who seemed to have more of a physical connection with him than a spiritual one, had figured it out with a mere glance.

Jessica rolled her eyes at Asa. "What's with that look? Do you think I'm just a symbol of lust in your eyes?"

"Of course not…" Asa quickly shook his head. "I'm just… surprised you figured that out."

"Then just say you're a little jealous," Jessica replied indifferently, looking at the mansion in the distance.

Asa studied her for a moment, almost as if seeing her for the first time. Her loose nomadic attire completely concealed the once alluring curves of her body, and her face was barely visible. For some reason, Asa felt her back was more captivating than when she was completely exposed.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Ruya was led to the study by the guards, where she finally met Prime Minister Murak, known for her youth and capability. The Prime Minister, Elaine Murak, was a beautiful and elegant woman who carried the dignity and authority of a national leader without any diminishment due to her appearance. Even Ruya, who generally harbored little fondness for humans, felt a sense of respect upon meeting her.

The Prime Minister's expression seemed to carry suppressed impatience and other unreadable emotions. After Ruya entered, the Prime Minister dismissed the guards and scribes, instructing them to keep everyone else away.

Once they were alone, the Prime Minister took a deep breath, trying to maintain a calm voice as she looked at Ruya. "Did he send you to find me?"

"He?" Ruya thought for a moment before sitting down at the desk, nodding. "Yes."

"Where is he now? In Orford?" The Prime Minister asked seemingly casually. She sat at the desk, her fingers and eyes fixated on a dark, rough knife on the desk.

"No, he's outside," Ruya answered.

"Outside? Why doesn't he come in himself?" The Prime Minister's expression shifted for a moment, showing surprise, but it quickly faded as she sighed and said, "He still can't face me… I suppose you're here on official business? Please, tell me what you need."

Ruya hesitated, realizing that things were going even more smoothly than Asa had predicted. After thinking about what Elder Lloyd had instructed her to say, she spoke. "Prime Minister Murak, we Elves wish to migrate back to the Whispering Forest, and the Whispering Forest is located in your country's Airi. So, we would like…"

The negotiations went smoothly. What Elder Lloyd had requested was simply a decree from the local human authorities to refrain from disturbing the Whispering Forest, which was easily granted. The Prime Minister, a disciple of Theodorus, had special connections, and with her help, the necessary powers were swiftly put into motion. A decree was quickly sent to Airi. As for the official recognition of the Whispering Forest' sovereignty, a more delicate matter tied to the empire's reputation and standing, that would require further discussions between Elder Lloyd and Ruya in the future.

"Thank you, Prime Minister, for your help. The Elf clan will always remember your friendship. I will always remember you as well," Ruya stood up and nodded in gratitude to the Prime Minister in front of her. It wasn't just for the help she had given; the young Prime Minister's calm and capable demeanor, mixed with a certain warmth, made Ruya feel that in this brief time, she had learned a lot from her, gaining much more than expected.

The Prime Minister waved her hand, dismissing the thanks. "No need to thank me, no rush. Please, sit down, let's talk," she said, her eyes briefly scanning Ruya's face before smiling warmly. "Although you've disguised yourself, I can still tell you're beautiful... What is your relationship with him? Lovers?"

"No, I have nothing to do with him... How could I have anything to do with such a despicable man?" Ruya's face showed undisguised disgust. "His mistress is an evil, depraved Dark Elf, and if it weren't for this mission, I would never, under any circumstances, walk beside him..."

"Oh? What happened?" The Prime Minister's face showed surprise. "Could you tell me more about this? In detail... How did you meet him, and how did he end up with a Dark Elf? I wasn't aware of this..."

"It happened like this," Ruya began. "I first met him a little over a year ago when he broke into our sacred site, the Whispering Forest, and stole our sacred artifact, the World Tree's leaf. At that time..."

The Prime Minister's expression shifted slightly, but she focused intently on listening.

Outside the Prime Minister's residence, in a narrow alley across the street, Asa, who had been growing impatient, suddenly realized something. "Damn, I forgot to tell her not to speak too freely. Once the business is done, she should hurry and come out. If she's taking this long, it must be..."

"You only just realized this now?" The Dark Elf, hiding in the shadow of the alley, scoffed. "It's only natural that a clueless fool would spill everything to someone they haven't seen in a long time. Don't worry, that innocent little bunny won't say anything too inappropriate. She's just reporting things as they are..."

"Sigh..." Asa shook his head, feeling that his headache had at least doubled.

"What are you two talking about?" The Temple Knight, who was standing at the outer edge of the street, distanced herself from the Dark Elf and turned to ask. She, too, was growing impatient. Over the past while, no less than ten women had given her flirtatious looks, and one Duchess had even stopped her carriage to send someone to invite her to ride along.

The Elf girl had left some time ago, and Elaine was still lost in thought, reflecting on the earlier conversation.

In the midst of the tiring work and official duties, it had been a long time since such an emotional stir had occurred. There was a feeling of nostalgia, reminiscence, and unexpected emotions. The Elf girl had left a deep impression on her, being both strikingly pure and, in a way, eager to share everything she knew. After telling her story in great detail, Ruya had suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Prime Minister, that man says you are old acquaintances. Are you friends? What kind of friends?"

"Just ordinary friends." The Prime Minister smiled, her eyes glinting with a playful and ambiguous light. "By the way, little girl, I must remind you, in the future, don't be so blunt when you speak. Think more carefully about what you're saying, who you're speaking to, and what others might think of your words. The person you're talking about might not appreciate the way you're talking about them."

Ruya looked at her with a puzzled expression, unsure of what the Prime Minister meant.

"Well, as for this..." The Prime Minister picked up the knife on the table and smiled. "I'll keep this here. You tell him, if he wants it, he has to come and get it himself." She raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Remember, it has to be him, personally, to come and get it."

Would he come?

The Prime Minister sat alone in her study, playing with the long-forgotten weapon, the touch of the blade slowly bringing memories from a past life to surface in her mind. Her expression shifted from smiles to wistful contemplation...

"Cardinal Jarvis is here," a voice interrupted her thoughts, snapping her back to the present. She hurriedly put the knife back into the desk drawer.

"Good day, Prime Minister," the Cardinal entered with his sunlit smile and voice. In truth, he had been visiting frequently lately, half to discuss matters related to the Magic Academy and half to chat.

Elaine didn't mind his visits. Honestly, it was difficult to be repelled by a man who seemed so perfect. In the midst of all the tiring work, it was nice to have someone to talk to for a brief moment, and politically speaking, she preferred him to remain distracted rather than focusing solely on acquiring the Magic Academy.

But today, at this moment, she felt strangely unsettled.

Jarvis was dressed as usual in his knightly attire, and it seemed almost unnatural for someone so young to wear the traditional priestly robes. He also never seemed to bring any attendants, always coming alone.

As soon as he sat at the table, he seemed to notice something off with Elaine's expression and frowned. "What's wrong? Is the Prime Minister not in a good mood today? Or are you not welcoming me?"

"No, it's nothing..." Elaine forced a smile.

Suddenly, Jarvis's expression changed, a look of confusion on his face as he scanned the room. Then he asked, "Has the Queen ever been here?"

"No, why do you ask?" Elaine was surprised.

The Cardinal didn't answer immediately. He frowned and closed his eyes, as if thinking deeply or sensing something. After a brief pause, his eyes snapped open, and his gaze locked onto the drawer where the knife was hidden, as if he could see through the thick wood.

"Is something wrong, Cardinal?" Elaine asked, trying to keep her expression neutral.

Jarvis smiled, the brilliance returning to his face. "Prime Minister, could you take out the thing you have hidden in the drawer?"

Elaine hesitated, but after a brief moment of silence, she opened the drawer and took out the knife. She knew that while others might not feel the dark aura emanating from the weapon, the priests skilled in white magic would likely sense it. She handed the blade to Jarvis, saying calmly, "This is something my friend left here. There's really nothing special about it..."

But Jarvis seemed not to hear her words. As soon as he saw the knife, a strange expression crossed his face—shock, confusion, thoughtfulness, and a variety of conflicting emotions played out in rapid succession. Finally, he laughed aloud.

Elaine stared at him, baffled. She couldn't understand what was so funny about this weapon, which emitted a faint aura of darkness. What was even more surprising was that she saw something in Jarvis that she hadn't seen before.

The Cardinal was still laughing, his eyes glued to the knife, as though he had just seen the most unbelievable and laughable thing in the world. The young, handsome priest, who had smiled before and spoken wittily, now seemed entirely different. This wild, almost mad laughter seemed more genuine than anything she had seen from him before.

A strange fear crept into Elaine's heart, along with an uncanny sense of familiarity, as though she had seen this before, or seen this person somewhere.

"Prime Minister, do you believe in fate?" Jarvis's laughter suddenly stopped. He looked at Elaine.

Though a smile still lingered on his lips, his eyes had become sharp and filled with an intensity she had never seen before. It wasn't directed at her, and there was no malice, but Elaine felt a sense of confusion and subtle fear, without shrinking back. She cautiously responded, "Cardinal, have you lost faith in the Lord? Do you believe in fate?"

"No. The Lord gives us the courage to choose and move forward, but doesn't tell us whether fate exists. Whether fate exists or not depends on whether we have the courage to face it," Jarvis's voice rose, revealing an almost frenzied passion. "I never believed in fate, but today, here, I do."

"I thought things that had happened were gone, never to return. But today, I find that it seems to have come full circle. I thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity. I will face my old opponent again, almost under the same circumstances, and I will fight for what I lost once more." The Cardinal spoke as if to himself, then turned to Elaine with a smile, slowly and deliberately saying, "Don't worry, this time, I will not lose."

Ignoring Elaine's confusion and doubt, Jarvis finished his strange speech and turned to leave the Prime Minister's residence. His steps were swift and forceful, like a general heading to a battle he was determined to win.

In the Magic Academy, Jarvis' room, the Cardinal quickly finished writing a letter and rolled it up into a small, peculiar scroll.

The scroll glowed with a blue light, an exquisitely crafted teleportation scroll—an extremely rare magical item, one that even Celestials didn't possess.

Once the letter disappeared into the air, Jarvis called for a priest and sent a message, "Go and summon Lord Rodhart here, and remember, only him."