CHAPTER 387: CHAPTER 265: LANCE SAVES ME_2

The nun’s unexpected involvement indeed disrupted his plans. However, Lance didn’t seem too concerned about it. He was now even more curious about the Divine Arts the nun had just performed.

Transcendents mostly operate in the shadows, hiding their abilities and fearing others might see them, let alone having to shout out a name before making a move.

Do you think this is an animation, having to shout out the name of an Ability to use it?

Only greenhorns from the Church would do such a thing.

But aside from that formalism and the shout, in terms of pure spiritual fluctuations, he didn’t feel anything too unusual.

Perhaps I was right in my guess, Lance thought. Divine Arts are just a systematized form of Supernatural Power, more stable than the rest...

Lance pondered briefly but quickly snapped back to reality and delivered his judgment to the two.

"Remember! Hamlet does not welcome violence, and I do not like bloodshed." Lance’s gaze lingered on Tamara. His warning was starkly evident and effective.

But he didn’t intend to say more. He left them with that statement before turning to head back inside.

"Hmph!" Tamara’s expression darkened. However, she only dared to curse under her breath after Lance had entered the house. "You found that wretch to help you," she muttered. "Do you think I can’t find someone to help me?"

From this statement, it was clear she still harbored resentment over the matter concerning Catherine.

The stark difference in Lance’s demeanor before and after, along with his unguarded speech, made the problem clear to anyone. Even the straightforward nun realized she might have gotten herself into trouble.

"I came to see the Lord about something."

"Protect me and I’ll pay you," Tamara said, presenting her bargaining chip.

The nun, hearing this, couldn’t help but be tempted. She needed money to compensate for the destroyed gate, the frightened students, and even for food.

Tamara immediately seized on her reaction and spoke before the nun could question it.

"Go to the open ground at the edge of town. Don’t give that person a narrow space, or they will be very difficult to deal with."

The nun was unwittingly drawn into her plan. By the time she realized what was happening, she found herself standing in the barren clearing.

Looking around, the land was bare after being cleared by burning; not even a weed, let alone a shrub, was in sight.

The past few incidents in Hamlet had only strengthened Lance’s resolve regarding its defense.

He had considered building walls. But after some research, he realized that a proper wall would require a vast amount of manpower, resources, and, more importantly, time—at least a year or more.

With that amount of time, Lance preferred to develop an army. Offense is the best defense; if you kill the enemy outside, you won’t need walls.

Moreover, Hamlet was in a period of growth, so expansion was inevitable. Therefore, walls seemed unnecessary.

All he did was clear the plants around the town, creating a ring of open land surrounding it, and place watchtowers at intervals. From their heights, one could cover a vast area, ensuring any approaching enemy would be spotted immediately.

And Tamara, not daring to actually bring the fight into the town yet unwilling to completely lose Lance’s sanctuary, chose such a place to test the waters.

Of course, the actions of the two attracted some attention from the soldiers. However, they did not intervene and even voluntarily withdrew from the area. The checkpoint at the town entrance on the old road was also dismantled.

Tamara noticed this. It indicated he truly did not want to interfere in her affairs. But why then would he allow her to remain on this borderland?

After some indecision, still failing to fathom Lord Lance’s thoughts, she could only pin her hopes on the nun.

"Wait a minute..."

Tamara was about to explain the opponent’s abilities and offer some precautions, but a carriage appeared on the old road.

Although there was still some distance, Tamara involuntarily shuddered at that moment. She reacted like a mouse seeing a cat, instinctively wanting to flee. It was hard to imagine someone usually so bold reacting this way, and one could only wonder what sort of loss she must have suffered at the newcomer’s hands.

But she quickly collected herself, remembering she was not alone. Anger and the resentment of being chased all this way surfaced on her face.

"Quick, quick, quick! Just take out that woman, and I’ll give you a hundred Gold Coins."

"A hundred Gold Coins?"

Upon hearing "Gold Coins," the nun’s eyes seemed to light up with shock. She instinctively questioned the amount, as if she had misheard.

On her journey healing others, her compensation had always been in copper coins. Some people couldn’t even afford to pay, and for those who were exceedingly destitute, she sometimes had to cover the costs herself.

It had to be said that her faith was indeed steadfast, a quality not everyone possessed.

Tamara had blurted out the offer without much thought, but now, reminded of it, she too realized the implication.

Originally, Tamara thought the nun’s piety wouldn’t be swayed by money, so she had deliberately offered a high price. But now it seemed the nun was in dire need of funds.

Although she wanted to retract her offer, with the enemy right in front of them, she wasn’t foolish enough to consider withholding payment at such a critical moment.

"Yes, one hundred Gold Coins," Tamara affirmed through gritted teeth, her conflicted expression making it look as if she were cutting her own flesh.

"Who is the enemy?"

"A detestable person," Tamara replied, a look of disgust appearing on her face without the slightest hesitation. However, she realized now was not the time to discuss this and quickly added details about the enemy.

"But, undeniably, she’s very strong, well-equipped, with decent spellcasting capabilities and formidable close-combat abilities, plus many long-range attack items. You must be careful."

Tamara was familiar with her adversary, but the adversary was also familiar with her. They had clashed many times, with almost every encounter ending in Tamara’s retreat, which was telling.

However, fearing she had frightened the nun, Tamara hastily added a reassurance.

"Don’t be afraid. My strength isn’t inferior to the enemy’s. It’s just that my abilities are countered by her, and since I’m not adept at close combat, I’m at a disadvantage. As long as you can hold her off, I’ll have a way to win."

While Tamara’s words carried a bit of self-aggrandizement, they weren’t entirely baseless.

If it were only a matter of spellcasting abilities, she was very confident. However, the enemy knew her methods well. Once her spells became ineffective and the enemy got close, she would have no means of survival. Hence, her only choice was to flee.

Tamara said a lot, but the nun’s understanding of Transcendents was limited. She only grasped one thing: the enemy was formidable.

At that moment, she also understood that these hundred Gold Coins wouldn’t be easily earned.

The nun maintained a serious and earnest demeanor, so Tamara couldn’t tell how much she had understood. But fortunately, the enemy doesn’t know the nun’s situation, Tamara thought. The advantage is mine.

The approaching carriage wasn’t slow, but compared to Tamara’s earlier frantic escape, it was far from fast. Instead, it moved at a very steady, unhurried pace.

One was fleeing for her life, the other as relaxed as if on a leisurely outing. The disparity was obvious to anyone.

This, in turn, highlighted the newcomer’s confidence: even if Tamara fled, they were sure they could catch her.

The nun’s observational skills were subpar, or perhaps she lacked experience in the wider world. If Lance had been here, he would have noticed at a glance that the newcomer’s carriage bore striking similarities to Tamara’s. This would have prompted him to suspect something about the opposition.

But what was her reaction?

"Aren’t we getting out of the carriage?" the nun asked with a hint of curiosity.

"The enemy is not weak. I’ll wear her down first. You stay hidden and don’t use your power carelessly, as it could be detected. Follow my command and be ready to act at any moment."

Tamara had no time for idle chatter. She could have had the nun continue healing her, but she didn’t. This was a trap, and she herself was the bait.

Tamara produced an almost flawless Crystal Ball. The Spiritual Essence radiating from it, along with her cautious demeanor, made it clear that this was a piece of Extraordinary Equipment.

But along the way, she had already shattered several Crystal Balls and now had to resort to using her most treasured one.

Sitting cross-legged, she placed the Crystal Ball on a purple velvet-covered base in front of her. Her hands hovered above it, moving slowly. A mysterious aura rose from Tamara, and the Crystal Ball pulsed with fluctuating light.

The nun was clueless about what was happening until Tamara recoiled as if struck by a heavy blow, spitting a mouthful of blood. She visibly weakened before their eyes.