CHAPTER 188: RELOCATION

In a small courtyard by Wang Yu's home, the orc Emmon, his gnome employer Elliot, and Wang Yu were in conversation. "You're leaving?" Wang Yu murmured.

"We are. The crackdown on the Church of Nightfall in the capital has only been worsening. At first, they only restricted our activities on the surface, prohibiting us from preaching and proselytizing. They've since escalated to imprisoning the Lady of the Night's followers under false pretenses."

Elliot sighed helplessly, clear hesitation and reluctance on his face. This wasn't a decision he had wanted to make.

"We've had more gangs in the capital's shadow targeting the Church of Nightfall, too. While they don't seem directly connected to the suppression from the surface, according to Holo and Mr. Elliot, they're likely orchestrated by the same group behind the previous incidents,"

Emmon added, giving Wang Yu a clearer perspective regarding the Church of Nightfall's plight. It was practically being treated as a heretical cult.

The faith of the Lady of the Night had been registered officially, but this "special treatment" meant that its situation was no better than the heretical cults that the Nightblades were responsible for taking down.

"We'll be leaving the capital soon. Our job is to scout ahead and find a stable location where the Church of Nightfall can develop and spread the faith of the Lady of the Night. Later, we'll bring over as many followers from the capital's shadow as we can, those who are willing to go, at least."

Elliot shared his plan with Wang Yu, nominally the archbishop of the church. At some point, this small gnome merchant, who had been roped into helping construct the Church of Nightfall's gathering site, had become a core member of the church and a devoted follower of the Lady of the Night.

Elliot's connections, keen insight, financial resources, and experience as a merchant made him the ideal choice for expanding the Church of Nightfall beyond the capital—and perhaps out of Aleisterre entirely.

Elliot sighed, exasperated. "This move is going to cost me everything I built up in the capital. I could have just stayed and made a fortune, but no—when that old fox Holo suggested relocating, Emmon jumped at the chance to go first."

Elliot grumbled with frustration, kicking his orc bodyguard's sturdy leg.

"You've made a big sacrifice, Mr. Elliot. I'll work hard and make sure to earn back the money you lost as soon as possible." The orc's fierce face broke into a slightly goofy smile as he scratched his cheek and spoke earnestly.

"Yeah, right! You think your brute strength alone can repay all the gold I'm losing by abandoning my business in the capital? This is infuriating!"

The more Elliot thought about it, the angrier he got. His slightly pointed gnome ears, shorter than those of elves, flushed red.

"Then I'll just work for you for a lifetime," Emmon replied.

"Hmph! Just don't go getting yourself killed in some bandit attack first." Elliot snorted, dismissing Emmon's words with a scoff.

Wang Yu smiled as he watched the two bicker. It was clear they were quite close. He was genuinely surprised that Elliot, a gnome who loved money, was willing to abandon his entire foundation in the capital for the Church of Nightfall.

The Church of Nightfall, which had grown under his watch, was essentially an organization where non-human races helped each other. What was it that made it so compelling? Wang Yu couldn't be certain, but he thought he understood part of it—perhaps it was a sense of belonging, or a deep appreciation for a place where they were treated as equals.

"I wish you the best. By the way, where's Vena? I don't see her." Wang Yu inquired about Elliot's second employee, the elven ranger.

"Oh, Vena's coming with us. She went to bring Sieg's sister over. It's not safe for her to stay where she is anymore. She'll be with you for a little before Sieg comes to pick her up.

"Lady Darkness is very fond of Noelle—she praises her for being bright and sensible all the time. She's given her a permanent blessing of the night, so she'll be as safe as she was in the church's sanctuary."

As Elliot spoke, a carriage stopped outside Wang Yu's house. Two figures, one tall and one short, stepped down, their faces and figures hidden beneath hooded cloaks.

Wang Yu, having already noticed them, opened the gate to the courtyard. The taller figure pulled back her hood, revealing the faintly scarred face of an elf: Vena.

"Noelle, stay with Mr. Wang Yu for now. We've already informed your brother, and he'll be here soon to pick you up."

Vena crouched down and smiled as she removed the hood from the young half-dragon girl's head. Wang Yu, who was used to seeing the elf's stern face, was surprised by her warmth. She gently pinched Noelle's slightly chubby cheeks.

"Okay, Vena! I'll wait right here."

The girl nodded obediently. Her distinctive dragon's horns made her stand out.

"If anything dangerous happens, hold onto the pendant that Lady Darkness gave you. The Lady of the Night will protect you, understand?"

Vena stroked Noelle's red hair.

"Mm." Noelle clutched the small metal pendant, carved in the likeness of the Lady of the Night, and nodded firmly.

Wang Yu could sense a strong aura of divine power from it—this was undoubtedly the source of Noelle's protection.

"When will I get to see everyone at the Church of Nightfall again?" Noelle asked Vena piteously.

"It won't be long at all. By the time the capital's back to normal and the war with Selwyn is over, we'll probably have found a new base. Your brother can bring you to visit us," Vena replied gently.

"Study the Cursed Fire magic that Mr. Holo taught you. He says you not only have great talent with fire magic but also unimaginable vitality. Cursed Fire is one of the most compatible magics for you."

Vena pulled a worn red tome from a pouch by her waist. On its cover was an engraving of a hand with flames burning in its palm. She handed it to Noelle.

Noelle hugged the book tightly, then waved vigorously at Elliot's departing group. "Goodbye! I'll come visit everyone again!"

"May the Lady of the Night bless you." Wang Yu also waved earnestly.

"Take care, Mr. Wang Yu."

"May the Lady of the Night protect you."

"We'll be in touch once we settle down!"

The trio's voices faded as they disappeared around a street corner. Wang Yu sighed slightly—this world was vast, and didn't have particularly well developed long-distance communication. Who knew when they would meet again?

Then again, there was the Prayer Network. Though he couldn't use it, he could always ask Avia to help them get in touch.

Given that convenient solution, Wang Yu's momentary bout of sentimentality vanished. He glanced at Noelle, who was still staring in the direction in which Elliot and company had left. Sieg would come for her soon enough.

"Hmm... Hey, could I take a look at your Cursed Fire book?"

Wang Yu wanted to say something else but struggled to find the right words for the young half-dragon girl. In the end, he ended up focusing on the mysterious tome that she had been given. He was quite curious about this power, which seemed different from wizardry, magic, or fighting spirit.

"Okay." Noelle, despite being a little confused by his request, still handed the book over without hesitation.

"Thanks—ah!" Wang Yu yelped in an exaggeratedly theatrical way as he sensed Avia approaching.

The young mage, slightly annoyed, elbowed him in the back. Wang Yu played along with a dramatic groan.

"Come on inside, Noelle. Staying outside in the wind isn't good for you. If you have any magic-related questions, you can always ask me. You're already able to cast second-tier spells, right?" Avia gently took Noelle's hand and led her inside.

Avia and Noelle were familiar with each other. Avia, who helped Sieg engrave magitech circuits on his body weekly, also assisted in tutoring Noelle in magic.

As expected of a race with innate magical affinity—Noelle's talent in fire magic didn't pale in comparison to a true prodigy like Avia's.

Shaking his head, Wang Yu watched as Avia led Noelle into the house. The tome he had borrowed from Noelle, Cursed Fire, really was quite interesting. As he suspected, he wasn't good with kids at all. Avia was much more reliable in that regard.

"Avia, do you think my brother sees me as a burden? He's always so busy and rarely comes to see me. Ever since we arrived in Aleisterre, he's spent more time than ever studying.

"Everyone in the Church of Nightfall treats me well and no one thinks of me as an outcast. Even Saintess Darkness looks after me, but..."

The red-haired half-dragon girl seated at Wang Yu's dining table spoke with a slightly downcast tone. She glanced glumly at Avia, who was sitting across from her with a magic book in hand, preparing a lesson for the young girl.

"You mean Mr. Sieg?" Avia set down the manual of fire magic and pondered Noelle's words for a moment. Given her impression of Sieg, Wang Yu's evaluation of his superior, and her own thoughts...

"No, I don't think so. Mr. Sieg is a very gentle person and takes his responsibilities seriously. That's exactly why he has so much to do. The reason he doesn't come to see you isn't that you're a burden to him—it's simply because he's truly busy."

As she looked at Noelle's hesitant expression, Avia couldn't help but think of her past self.

When Wang Yu had first rescued her, she, too, had lacked confidence—especially when she saw how he remained so composed no matter the circumstance.

When Wang Yu proposed that he serve as her squire for a year, she felt not just gratitude but also unease, fearing that she would slow him down and end up abandoned.

Having gained something precious, Avia naturally and inevitably feared losing it. She had lost family and suffered betrayal, causing her to treasure those she could rely on even more.

But even after she was found to have exceptional talent in both wizardry and spellcasting, after she demonstrated formidable alchemical skills and unleashed powerful magic, Avia realized that Wang Yu's attitude toward her never changed. It had never mattered whether she had talent or strength...

And under Wang Yu's influence, after fighting side by side with him in countless battles, Avia rediscovered her confidence and identified what she truly cherished.

No one was dragging anyone down—they learned from and mutually assisted each other. That was all there was to it.

"Don't worry. If you still feel like you're a burden to your brother, then just grow stronger. Your talent in fire magic is exceptional. If you work hard and improve, you'll soon be able to help Mr. Sieg. Do you have confidence in yourself?"

Avia's tone was light and breezy, mirroring how Wang Yu had once asked her if she had the confidence to reclaim her noble lands and title through her own strength.

Avia's words instantly had an effect. A different kind of light filled the half-dragon girl's eyes.

Noelle nodded firmly, with uncommon resolve.

"What a fascinating power. It's somewhat similar to fighting spirit, but not quite the same. It manifests like a spell, but... its source isn't magical energy—it's one's own life force. Fundamentally, it's a variant of a druidic life spell.

"The stronger one's life force and the more elevated one's status as a lifeform, the more powerful the Cursed Fire that burns from their dissipated vitality.

"Even though Sieg's little sister is just a young red dragon, she's still a dragon. No wonder her talent in this regard seemed so impressive to a druid like Holo.

"I feel like I can take advantage of this too..."

Wang Yu rested his chin on his fingers as he pondered this tome of Cursed Fire. The more he read, the more intrigued he became.

Moreover, although its contents had no direct relation to fighting spirit, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was a connection between the two.

As he mused, he lifted his head—his keen senses had picked up on an approaching presence. Sieg, dressed impeccably as always, stood outside Wang Yu's yard, his signature gentle smile on his face. He rapped lightly on the door.

"Here to pick up your sister?" Wang Yu opened the door with a grin.

"Mm. I may be an unqualified older brother, but at the very least, I won't neglect something like this."

Sieg smiled with some embarrassment. He had always felt that he wasn't a very competent brother, whether in terms of companionship or guidance.

"And I have news about the royal family's actions regarding the faith of the Lady of the Night. The court is indeed intensifying its purge of the Church of Nightfall. Their goal is to weaken the influence of the Lady of the Night within the capital.

"The idea is simple—the weaker a god's influence in a place, the less effective divine magic becomes there. The same principle applies to the Prayer Network. That's what they're aiming for."

"Tch. Looks like the Church of Nightfall relocating really is the right move."

Wang Yu clicked his tongue. The atmosphere of the Church of Nightfall never really fit with the capital or the capital's shadow.

"I have some specific intelligence for you as well. The royal court has anticipated that the Church of Nightfall might choose to relocate. They've stationed personnel around the capital under the guise of private soldiers to keep tabs on the church. Once they leave the capital's jurisdiction, they'll be easy targets..."

Sieg's tone was heavy.

"Damn it." Wang Yu's brow twitched, and he swore under his breath.

"The Church of Nightfall has a good relationship with the Nightblades. We won't stand by and watch them be attacked. We'll use our authority to organize a squad under the official pretense of handling issues in the nearby villages—in reality, it'll be composed of the first batch of church members intending to relocate. They'll leave the city directly."

"But won't the discrepancy be noted when the squad returns?" Wang Yu asked.

"It doesn't matter. The Nightblades may nominally serve the royal court, but our true duty is to the entire kingdom. Clearly, the Church of Nightfall has a positive impact on the kingdom, so even if others notice, it won't be a problem. This is a statement on our part."

Wang Yu smirked.

The two men bumped fists.