Warhammer Divine Throne

Carrying Mogiana and running wildly, on Francois’ orders, Laine didn’t encounter anyone along the way. He followed the corridor along the castle wall to the valley behind the castle, and before he could kneel down to pray, the thick fog dispersed.

Ten minutes later, the fourth floor of the Lake Fairy Tower, the bedroom.

Laine sat at the head of the bed, and Mogiana leaned against his chest, her dainty jade feet peeking out from under her nightdress. Laine whispered, ”The Lady doesn’t seem to be around?”

”Perhaps... the Lady doesn’t want to see me.” Mogiana gently shook her head, the white nightdress outlining her alluring figure, but it couldn’t hide her pale complexion and the black patterns brought by the curse. The Lake God Witch murmured, ”Without the Potion Chalice, the reincarnation of the next Lake God Witch will be very troublesome... It’s my responsibility. If the Lady wants to punish me, even if it’s death, I will accept it.”

Laine’s expression was unpredictable, his face showing a mix of hesitation and frustration. He gently placed Mogiana on the bed, then stood up himself.

Mogiana’s face turned pale, her lips trembling, unable to move. She said despondently, ”It’s okay, to die here, I’ve already accepted it. It’s my fault to the Lady... uh, uh!”

The black cracks were still spreading, breaking through the seal Laine had set once more. The poison of the Blade of Profanity and the power of the curse were spreading toward Mogiana’s heart. Laine once again infused spiritual energy, forcing the black cracks back to her waist, but this was only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. The power of the curse had already penetrated deep into her body, ready to erupt at any moment.

What to do, should I really watch Mogiana die in front of me? Laine was restless inside, he actually had a way out. Before, Veronica had also been poisoned, and he detoxified her using internal infusion, but Mogiana was different. She’s the Lake God Witch! She couldn’t be desecrated casually! Doing this would be taking advantage of her in her vulnerable state! It didn’t align with the moral boundaries he’d set for himself.

But still, would he just watch Mogiana die before him?

”My Champion, although Mogiana has made mistakes, I am still willing to give her another chance, a chance that you’ve earned for her. What to do should be your decision.”

The words of the Lake Fairy suddenly resounded in Laine’s heart, and the Divine Chosen Champion hastily asked, ”But, that means I have to...”

”Why don’t you ask her opinion? How do you know she’s unwilling?” The voice of the Lake Fairy continued: ”I still need a mortal world representative. If we lose Mogiana and the Potion Chalice, the Lake God Witch’s legacy will be severed. She has no choice, and neither do I.”

”Understood.” Laine finally nodded. At the same time, Mogiana, lying on the bed, received the command. A look of astonishment flashed on her face, but in the end, she closed her eyes.

The Lake God Witch gently nodded to Laine, she agreed.

... Mist envelops ...

In Brittania, at the top of the tower of the Cursed City Musillon, Akhan raised his Magic Staff, pointing it at Manfred’s face, his voice laden with heavy pressure: ”Manfred! You have disappointed the master once again!”

The Vampire Count showed no remorse for his failure. He opened his mouth and confronted Akhan: ”Your plan was incomplete, Akhan. You didn’t tell me that Brittania actually has a Holy Grail Knight who can dispel magic! And your tree spirit allies are unreliable. They claimed their Ancient Tree Spirit Liquid could completely control the Lake God Witch’s every move, but when the ritual reached the critical moment, she still had a bit of magic power left!”

”Manfred! Is this your first day dealing with Casters? As a Great Wizard proficient in Undead Magic and Death Magic, don’t you yourself understand? Mogiana is the Divine Chosen Grand Mage of the Sky Element and Life Element of the Holy Sanctuary! Wouldn’t she have some way out? It’s you! You’ve been too careless!” Akhan’s voice was tinged with anger and regret. The Witch Demon King walked up to Manfred, drew his sharp sword, and warned Manfred: ”You’ve missed such a great opportunity, and what’s more foolish, you’ve given up the pursuit!”

”I didn’t give up!” Manfred’s roar resounded, and in the dark and deep environment, he angrily pushed away the decayed, withered shell of the Witch Demon King, immediately turning and striding toward the window sill: ”At that time, it was obvious that a more powerful enemy was coming to support. If I didn’t retreat, I would be surrounded! Even killed!”

”So? Don’t forget, Manfred, all vampires are the master’s vassals! So are you! We are all the servants of the master!” Akhan continued: ”Only by maintaining loyalty to the master, or you will be destroyed by the master!”

”...” Manfred remained silent; indeed, all vampires are servants and henchmen of Nagash, the Master of the Undead. This was destined from the moment the progenitors of vampires drank Nagash’s potion and became vampires. Vampires cannot defy Nagash, which is why Manfred serves Akhan.

But the cunning Manfred, his loyalty is not absolute; in other words, he is absolutely not loyal.

Loyalty not absolute is absolutely disloyal.

The Vampire Count didn’t care if Nagash was resurrected. He came here only because he couldn’t resist Nagash’s power, and he wouldn’t sacrifice himself for Nagash. In his heart, what he cared about was only himself.

”Manfred, are you listening?” Akhan’s voice continued, the Witch Demon King having put away his momentary anger and loss of composure, returning to his scholarly tone: ”You didn’t manage to recapture Mogiana, even though you’ve extracted enough magic power for the Nine Volumes, your mission is only half complete, it’s time to complete the remaining half.”

Manfred turned around, his face pale as marble, with the moonlight reflecting off his head, illuminating the room: ”Then what should I do?”

”We must recapture the Lake God Witch and offer her as a sacrifice to the master!” Akhan moved, stepping to the window: ”The master’s resurrection requires nine sacrifices... or eight. That’s the bottom line.”

”Ah, ah, ah~ She’s already disappeared into the forest, how should we trace her whereabouts?” Manfred also calmed down, at least in front of Akhan — Nagash’s most loyal servant, the Vampire Count wouldn’t reveal his true thoughts.

”...” Akhan attempted to divine Mogiana’s whereabouts, but this time he failed. The Lake God Witch’s path was obscured by thick mist, unclear: ”My curse failed, perhaps the Lake Jade Pool has already protected Mogiana.”

”What about the Potion Chalice? Where did you place it?” Akhan suddenly asked.

”I placed it in the Sharp-Top Palace, under Earl Ocasen’s supervision. The energy within it is too strong; I thought it better for it to be far from us,” Manfred said.

”Wise decision. Too close, and the Potion Chalice would weaken our power...” Akhan muttered: ”Laine Macado, Laine Macado, once again he foiled my plan. In that case, we shall first destroy his domain, and obliterate all he holds dear!”

”Order the second squad of Blood Knights to set out, cross Charon Forest, and raid Baron Gene’s Domain! Send Anak, tell him to bring back Laine Macado’s head for me! Immediately!”

”Yes!” A team of thirteen Blood Knights set out under the Witch Demon King’s orders, they would cross Charon Forest overnight and attack Gene Earl’s Domain: ”Advance! Blood Castle Knights!”