Chapter 923: Chapter 755: Arrival_3

“Sister Teresa.”

Teresa turned around to see who had spoken.

Princess Fiona wore an impeccable smile as she handed over a glass of red wine.

Her posture was still graceful and serene: “This turn of events truly caught me by surprise. I never suspected Sister Teresa’s identity to be so deeply hidden. In the past, it was I who treated you negligently as an elder sister. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”

Teresa cast an unreadable glance at her, then reached out to take the glass of wine, lifting a smile herself.

To declare allegiance to the Holy Court so decisively at such a crucial moment, regardless of the reasons behind it, Third Princess Fiona of the Saint Vlaro Royal Family was indisputably a figure of great resolve.

Even now, although she knew she had been played by Teresa, Fiona was able to quickly realign herself, carrying a smile as she approached for conversation.

The reason was simple–to survive better.

Teresa did not refuse Fiona’s gesture of goodwill. She drank the glass of wine, noticing Fiona’s apparent look of relief.

Their relationship was restored at the ball.

At least, on the surface.

…

…

One night was all it took.

The Holy Court captured the Royal Capital, occupied Constantinople, and the Saint Vlaro Royal Family swore allegiance to the Holy Court. News that the Pope of Light had been crowned as the new emperor at the Gate of Palas.

Traveled far on the frigid winter winds.

The various forces across the continent remained unresponsive.

But the honor and prestige painstakingly upheld by the Saint Vlaro Royal Family had likely vanished completely with the fall of Wald XVIII, leaving no room for reversal.

[Congratulations on completing the mission: Overthrow Saint Vlaro’s royal power and governance.]

[Congratulations players, for completing more than 50% of the main storyline. This theater session will conclude in ten minutes. Please prepare accordingly.]

The Holy Court’s ambition, perhaps, aims at securing authority superior to monarchy, aspiring to become the new ruler of this continent.

Yet the Holy Court’s faction has only ever had one objective.

To erase Saint Vlaro’s monarchy entirely.

As for who ascends that throne.

It hardly matters.

The moonlight had already sunk, the horizon cloaked in heavy ink strokes, with not a single fissure of light preceding dawn. Silence permeated, plunging the vicinity into pure, unbroken darkness.

This was the darkest and quietest hour.

…

The ball had ended, and the castle before dawn remained eerily still.

Xu Shuo, having already expended most of his spiritual power and stayed up poring over the Magic Book for hours, finally found himself unable to hold on and yawned.

Only ten minutes remained.

He planned to take a short rest in preparation for the game’s end.

But then.

The door suddenly opened.

The flames of the candles scattered through the castle had dimmed significantly with the passing time, and at that blackened doorway stood someone, their figure faintly outlined by the room’s dim wall lamp but their expression indiscernible.

However, under the Pope of Light’s gaze.

This person appeared as a familiar gray gradient silhouette.

Due to their naturally pale physical traits, the individual’s skin, long hair, and attire were all layered in soft shades of gray and white, without any extra tones of black or deeper gray.

Pure and spotless.

Like moonlight suspended in the darkness.

“What is it?”

Xu Shuo asked lazily.

This was Catalina, who had locked herself away in her room for an entire day and night, missing even Xu Shuo’s coronation ceremony.

Yet now, she had unexpectedly stepped out of her chamber.

…