Gospel of Blood

Starfall City, Red Palace Study.

As the magical light faded, the Orb of Royal Power on the desk returned to calm. Charlotte ceased infusing it with magic and slowly opened her eyes.

Reflecting on the conversation she had just had with the Northern Archduke through a magical projection, she pondered.

“He did not deny it, which means he acknowledged it… It seems that the North indeed has dealings with the Harcos Clan.”

“However, the Archduke’s attitude is rather ambiguous. They are probably just cooperating, much like my negotiations. Perhaps their relationship with Harcos is more like that of allies.”

“The Northern Archduke wants to unify faith, while the Harcos Clan suppresses the faith in the North. They might have made some kind of exchange of interests. From the recent changes in the North, it likely involves the totem beliefs of various northern tribes…”

“Unfortunately, I know too little about the North, and even less about the Harcos Clan. Harcos is the most low-profile clan among the bloodbornes, and even Albrecht knows little about them…”

Shaking her head at this thought, Charlotte picked up the documents on her desk related to the Harcos Clan.

These were provided by the Nez Clan. After their submission, she ordered them to gather information on the Harcos Clan.

However, Charlotte was somewhat disappointed to find that the information from the Nez Clan was also quite limited.

It’s not that the Nez Clan knows nothing about the Harcos Clan.

In fact, the information provided by the Nez Clan is quite extensive, detailing the Legendary figures of the Harcos Clan, their names, strengths, and personalities.

But the problem is… almost all of the information about the Harcos Clan provided by the Nez Clan dates back over a thousand years.

In nearly a thousand years, the Nez Clan has had almost no contact with this low-profile bloodborne clan, even though both are located in the northwest of the continent, separated only by a strait.

However, to say there was no gain would be incorrect. At least, Charlotte learned why this situation occurred from the Nez Clan.

A thousand years ago, when the Holy Court rose to power, the bloodbornes were fragmented, and the royal clan became history under the siege of other bloodborne clans.

After that, one of the last five remaining Bloodborne Demigods—the Crimson Queen Rowena—announced that the Harcos Clan would go into seclusion.

They cut off all contact with other clans and retreated to the North, and for a thousand years… they have not set foot in the secular world.

No one knows why the Crimson Queen Rowena suddenly declared seclusion, nor where they retreated to.

She vanished from the world, much like the Moon Goddess Artemis after the Gods’ War, as if losing interest in the continental struggles overnight and choosing to seclude herself.

The Nez Clan also investigated this extensively before their decline, tracking the Harcos Clan’s whereabouts but ultimately finding nothing.

The Harcos Clan seemed to vanish into thin air, with only occasional sightings.

Duke Robin, the Chief Elder of the Nez Clan, once conducted a divination on this matter, but the results were obscured.

However, according to Duke Robin’s judgment, the Harcos Clan most likely resides in some hidden space in the North.

This aligns with Charlotte’s speculation.

Charlotte’s Crimson Sea can locate all bloodbornes, but it cannot precisely locate those of the Harcos Clan, only sensing their presence in the North. Further attempts are blocked by a barrier covering the North.

As for why the Harcos Clan secluded themselves… one theory is that the Crimson Queen Rowena obtained a method to condense divine core while besieging the Kirali royal clan and chose seclusion to prepare for ascension.

Additionally, there are rumors that during the siege of the royal clan, the Crimson Queen took away three faceless statues from the Kirali Clan.

“The scene I bypassed the barrier to see that day is probably the hidden residence of the Harcos Clan.”

“Seclusion to become a true God… it’s not impossible, especially considering the barrier over the North is to prevent divine power intervention…”

“The power of bloodborne comes from their bloodline. The Harcos Clan seems to be gathering bloodlines of other clans through the Northern Grand Duchy. If the Crimson Queen is really trying to ascend to Godhood, it indeed seems plausible.”

“Furthermore, the Harcos Clan possesses at least three faceless statues…”

“The faceless statues contain the power of laws. With just two statues, I became a Demigod. Three… could it be that the Crimson Queen is truly attempting to become a God?”

Reflecting on the information she had gathered, Charlotte pondered.

The Harcos Clan has secrets.

Charlotte was very certain of this.

But unfortunately, this clan is too secretive. Even after gathering various pieces of intelligence, Charlotte knows very little.

“Trying to get information from the Northern Archduke will not work in the short term. No… if the Harcos Clan can remain hidden for a thousand years, they surely won’t reveal their true whereabouts. Finding them will require locating members of the Harcos Clan first.”

“The northern barrier is too dominant, even interfering with my tracking. Finding someone through the Gospel of Blood is unlikely in the short term. I must rely on physical means…”

“Perhaps I can find a way through the Free Tribe Alliance.”

Charlotte mused.

The Free Tribe Alliance has lived in the North for so long, they must have their own sources of information.

As the descendants of the Free City Alliance, Charlotte couldn’t believe that among their tens of thousands of people, there isn’t one who knows the whereabouts of the Harcos Clan.

As for how to settle the Free Tribe Alliance, expelled by the Northern Archduke, Charlotte also had an idea…

Simply bring them all to the Starfall Kingdom.

The Starfall Island is large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of northern people.

As for preaching… with the northern barrier, spreading faith there is currently impractical. But the Starfall Kingdom offers much better conditions and potential for preaching.

Bringing tens of thousands of believers to the Starfall Kingdom, coupled with the Nez Clan’s support, might accelerate Charlotte’s preaching efforts.

“Let’s wait for Sebastian’s news. Without the Northern Archduke’s obstruction, he and the Free Tribe Alliance should be safe. I should be able to establish formal contact with the Free Tribe Alliance soon. With a node of faith, even with the northern barrier, I might be able to infiltrate a bit…”

Charlotte sighed.

She then glanced at the Orb of Royal Power on her desk, couldn’t resist picking it up and playing with it, her expression unreadable.

“However, speaking of which… the magical technology of the Starfall Kingdom is quite impressive. With this orb, even ordinary people can achieve remote communication.”

“It’s just a bit costly. Even contacting the Mage Tower once costs at least a thousand pounds worth of gold tana. Today’s direct contact with the North not only burned a mana crystal but also consumed an exorbitant amount of magic crystals…”

“Hey, Lady Charlotte, if the cost could be reduced, the Starfall Kingdom would have already popularized this technology, instead of limiting it to a simplified version of communication crystals among the nobility.”

A familiar hoarse voice came, and the black cat Nice slipped in through the window without anyone noticing.

Charlotte glanced at him indifferently.

Noticing her unfriendly expression, Nice instinctively shivered.

He swallowed and quickly backed out, closing the window properly before knocking on it with a dutiful “thud, thud, thud.”

“Get in here.”

Charlotte commanded.

Nice then cautiously slipped in again, a look of fawning on his face.

“Uh… I forgot to knock, really forgot to knock…”

After speaking, he eagerly looked at the orb in Charlotte’s hand.

“Um… Lady Charlotte, may I have a look at your orb?”

Charlotte casually tossed the orb over, and Nice hurriedly caught it.

Circling the orb, he marveled.

“Honestly… the mages and alchemists here are quite impressive. Remote magical projection is a power that only Legendary mages and Gods can wield. To make it usable with just magic infusion is quite a remarkable innovation. If this could be popularized… wow.”

Charlotte looked at Nice with some surprise.

Though this creature is always frivolous, his magical attainments are still quite high, and receiving praise from Nice is quite rare.

However, even Charlotte had to admit that the magical technology of the Starfall Kingdom is indeed superior to that of other countries on the Myria continent.

She had a vague sense of this when she used the communication crystals of the Starfall Kingdom a long time ago.

Now, as the Queen of Starfall and after personally reviewing many magical documents of the Starfall Kingdom, Charlotte has further recognized this.

In Nice’s words, based on the iteration speed of magical technology on the Myria continent, the magical technology of the Starfall Kingdom should be about ten to twenty years ahead of other countries on the continent, second only to the elves of Luna Island.

Unfortunately, as an island nation isolated overseas, and lacking essential resources like mithril for creating magical artifacts, although their technology is slightly advanced, the overall strength of the Starfall Kingdom doesn’t have much advantage. The various magical devices improved with elven technology mainly circulate among the nobility.

This is also why the Starfall Kingdom has always coveted the Castell territory.

Not only because of its geographical location but also because the mithril resources of the Castell territory are too important for the Starfall Kingdom.

With this in mind, Charlotte’s thoughts moved, and she looked at Nice.

“Nice, how is the task I assigned you going?”