Masked Knight

The bell rang!

The sound of metallic ringing brought a murderous aura to the Temple. The Holy Knights fell into a square phalanx formation at the ancient Temple square without making any racket. They all had a solemn expression looking upwards at the Temple Shrine.

A row of old men with white fluttering robes stood at the front of the Temple. Some were tall, some were short. Some were fat, some were thin. However, they all had a majestic presence. Standing in the middle was a man with a silver mask. This was the religious leader of the Elder Council, the Chief Elder, Prometheus!

"In the name of God, this continent shall always be ruled under God’s glory! Believe my words and be free of worry! Believe my words and be eternal!" Prometheus’ sweet voice reverberated in the sky. Brilliant magical light spread out from his hands as he stood above the Temple glowing with a sacred light, like a God.

"I shall be crowned Pontiff in the name of God. I shall lead you to spread the light all over the earth. Your swords shall obey my commands. Those who blaspheme against God shall receive the cruelest punishment!" Prometheus’ words suddenly became stern.

Immediately after that, two servants dressed in gray robes brought a well-made and exquisite crown.

Prometheus took two steps forward and slowly knelt down on one knee. Both his hands were placed on his chest. The crown was then placed on his head.

"Long live the Pontiff!" Thousands of people shouted in unison.

"Long live God!"

"Long live God’s glory!"

The Holy Knight’s expressions brightened as they looked at their leader with absolute piety.

On that day, the Chief Elder of the Temple's Elders Council, Prometheus, had officially been crowned the Second Pontiff in God’s Temple.

Unlike the grand occasion during the coronation of the first Pontiff from hundreds of years ago, the coronation this time was not attended by the representatives of the Roland kingdoms.

The now-Pontiff, Prometheus, soon announced the renaming of the Roland Continent Calendar to Sacred Calendar. This year was also known as the start of the Sacred Calendar.

However, many years later, the historians would call this year the ‘Year of Darkness’.

That very day would also be known as the ‘Advent of Darkness’.

...

Rody gently stroked Mouse’s face with his hand. Mouse sighed and laughed bitterly. "Don’t I look laughable right now?"

Rody shook his head quietly.

Mouse looked sad as she said, "I cannot feel even a little bit of magic. I feel as though I am dead."

Rody forced a laugh. "It is fine. You can still move and walk, just like an ordinary person."

"But I am a sorcerer!" Mouse’s eyes were red. "If I am going to be like this forever, I might as well die!" She sighed faintly. "I grew up practicing sorcery. Is my lifetime effort now completely wasted?"

Rody bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead. He smiled and said, "Alright. Everything will work out fine. Do you still remember the time we met at the northwestern grassland of the Empire?"

Hearing about the Northwestern grassland, Mouse’s eyes looked tender as she softly said, "Of course I remember. How could I forget?"

Rody nodded. "Do you remember the first time we met? After defeating me, I became unconscious and even lost my warrior’s powers. I only recovered after ten days. Your magic had only been absorbed by their sorcery. It will slowly recover over time."

Mouse nodded her head gently. Although she did not really believe it, she had relaxed a little.

Rody laughed and said, "Besides that, even without magic, so what? In the future, you will be by my side. I will be the one dealing with everything. Didn’t you also lose your magic from the red dragon blood poison when we were hunted at the Northwest? Didn’t I properly protect you during that entire time?"

Mouse finally showed a sweet smile. She remembered the escape during her time at the Northwest. Rody kept calling her a fool. Feeling affectionate, she could not help but move over and nibble Rody’s ear.

Rody’s heart stirred. He felt Mouse’s sweet breath at his ears. His was touched and he turned to embrace her and planted a kiss on her.

The two of them lazed in the cabin for a long time until they heard a knock on the door. Seth’s voice entered from outside. "I am not trying to bother you but there is something. Rody, you should come out."

Seth opened the door and saw the red-faced Mouse. He laughed and said, "I know that it is not appropriate to say this right now but Black Veil, we will probably see land tomorrow. You…can you change me back to a man? I do not want to dress like this. Surely the people of the Empire would not want to see their Duke of the Tulip Family turn into a woman."

Mouse was left in the cabin to concoct a magic potion so that a way to turn Seth back into a man could be found. Rody left the cabin and went onto the deck.

It was already nighttime. The ship was not large. It was not a warship but a merchant ship that Mark had obtained at the port.

As King Sauron did not want to let Rody and the others return, he would naturally not prepare any ships at the port. Rody had also expected that King Sauron would not have such good intentions. When he was planning for the return home, he had already been looking for a way to contact the Empire.

The merchant’s ship was actually a refurbished Imperial Navy ship that secretly came to assist.

That day, Old Mark was carrying the unconscious Rody, and was leading the injured Mouse, Nedis, Concubine Ruolan and Seth. He had cautiously approached the port. He had expected that the army from the Sauron Kingdom would intercept them, but King Sauron did not want to attack them directly. Even Sith had relied on the Temple's help to kill Rody. All these were so as not to give the Radiant Empire any excuse for a fall out with them. Even the port pretended to have prepared a ship for Rody to return to the empire.

But how would Old Mark dare to board that ship? He did not appear at all but instead secretly found the other ship that was there to give support and hence left the Sauron Kingdom.

At that moment, everyone, from the deckhands to the captain of the ship, was officers of the Radiant Empire Navy. As they were afraid that the Roland people still had more tricks, they avoided the main shipping routes and took a big detour as they returned to the Empire.

The sea breeze at night was relatively strong. The sail of the mast was billowed high, producing a whirling sound as the ship sailed under the bright starry sky.

Rody took a deep breath. He looked at the open sea. The gloomy feeling of the past few days gradually relaxed.

At that moment, he heard a faint sigh.

A pretty figure stood at the bow of the ship. Her pretty hair flew up from the breeze. The slender figure leaned on the railings.

Seeing the slender figure, Rody felt a little guilty and he gently walked over.

She heard the footsteps behind her and immediately knew who it was. However, she did not look back and continued looking at the stars.

"I…You…" Rody stood behind her. For a moment, he did not know what to say.

Nedis turned around and laughed. Her face looked charming and beautiful. "Did you forget how to speak?"

Rody looked at the charming face in close proximity and whispered, "I want to…thank you." He gently coughed and then continued, "Had you not saved me that day, I would have…"

"Are you talking about killing Sith?" Nedis stopped smiling, sadness filled her eyes. "I don't want to hear you say those words."

"Then what do you want me to say?"

Nedis quietly looked at Rody for a while. Her gaze made Rody panic and, unable to look into her eyes, he lowered his eyes.

Nedis laughed bitterly and said, "That day, I had not planned to follow you to cross over. I also no longer plan to appear...Do you know? Even now, I cannot get myself to forgive you!"

Her gaze became colder. "When you escaped that day, you were only concerned for Mouse. You did not even realize that I was not beside you! You had neglected me…At that time, I really wanted to just let you die!" Her voice was filled with deep hatred. But, she soon smiled. "Unfortunately, I have human feelings even though I am a vampire. When I saw you in danger, I could not help coming forward."

Rody quietly listened to her finish. He then said, "I still want to thank you…Also, I am sorry."

"Sorry?" Nedis sneered. "Why are you sorry?"

"For a lot of things!" Rody replied. "A lot of things! You should understand!"

Nedis’s eyes were bitter. She murmured, "Yes…I understand…I should understand…"

Rody sighed in relief. "When I get off the boat, I will return to the Imperial Capital. What about you?"

Nedis’s eyes gradually turned moist as she shook her head. "I do not know. Maybe I will go to Westwood…Ah, maybe not because it is the Tulip Family’s fief."

Rody’s heart felt inexplicable pain and remained silent.

Nedis suddenly laughed. Although she laughed, her gaze was cold. "Don’t worry. I will not bother you. I am not like your other women…I…" She gritted her teeth and raised her head. She then loudly shouted, "Rody! You bastard! I admit I love you! Yes! I, Nedis, a vampire, has fallen in love with a human! But I am different from other women! I will not tolerate sharing a man with others!"

Rody quietly listened and did not speak.

Nedis’s eyes were brimming with tears, but she was still smiling. "Did you think I would be like Mouse and Miss Nicole? There is even that little girl Diane! Do you think I would be just like a stupid, silly girl who would stay by your side? And give up everything to wait for you to shower me with your pitiful love?"

She seemingly used all her strength as she said, "I will not!"

Rody still did not speak and just quietly watched her.

Nedis forcefully wiped her tears and bit her lips. She suddenly asked, "Rody, answer me honestly…"

"Say it." Rody sighed.

Nedis’s voice trembled. "At the Dwarven Kingdom, all those days we spent together, were you, even if it was just a little, were you attracted to me?"

Rody froze for a moment. His heart was filled with complicated feelings. His lips moved as he was about to speak.

Nedis suddenly forcefully rushed over into Rody’s arms and ruthlessly kissed him.

Rody was muddleheaded and seemingly wanted to push Nedis away. However, he only extended his hand a little before giving her a light hug.

Nedis’s lips were soft and had a salty taste from the tears.

After some time, Nedis gently raised her head and said, "You…Don’t answer me…Just leave me with some good memories."

Finally, she rushed away from Rody’s arms and went back into the cabin without looking back.

The breeze blew. Nedis’s back was seemingly weightless. Rody’s heart was in pain as he shouted, "I had!"

Nedis turned stiff. She turned her head and laughed before leaving.

Rody looked at the starry sky unable to sort out his feelings. He subconsciously let out a long sigh.

Nedis also did not go far. After turning the corner she leaned on the cabin. It felt as though all her energy was sapped. She bit her lip and spared no effort to control herself, not daring to look back at Rody since she was afraid that she would want to rush back into his arms.

She murmured, "The most remote thing in the world is me standing in front of you, but you do not know that I love you. The most painful thing is when you know I love you, but you do not love me." She bit her own lip until blood started to flow out.

"So, my own blood is salty." The smiling face under the moon was poignant.

The ones distressed in love did not know they were being watched by a man.

Old Mark stood on the mast and let out a weird smile at them.

"Ah…these young people. Should an old man like me go out and help them solve their problems?"