Chapter 4, Red Eyes

Lucien jumped out, stepping on something wet and slippery beneath his feet, the nature of which he could not discern

Benjamin withdrew his hands and issued a command to the guard in front of him: "Gary, that is the secret door, there are no magical traps, you all go and open it."

Lucien, who lacked common sense, was at a loss as he followed along, thinking, "How am I supposed to know what kind of strength a high-ranking knight's squire should possess?" However, Lucien did not dare to directly ask Gary and the others about such matters

Benjamin subtly nodded and extended his right hand

After successfully reaching the church and bringing Benjamin, Gary, and others over, Lucien felt much more relaxed. With a priest and guards present, eliminating the vengeful spirits and ghosts should not be difficult. Moreover, even if it were challenging, it would not be the responsibility of an ordinary person whose body had just recovered. Therefore, upon hearing Benjamin's words, Lucien's mind immediately buzzed: "He actually wants me to purify the vengeful spirits?! I, I am just an ordinary person!"

The opening was small, only allowing one person to pass through. A gust of wind blew in, bringing with it a foul odor. Benjamin slightly furrowed his brow, covering his nose and mouth with his right hand, which was clad in a white glove, while Lucien nearly felt nauseous and instinctively took two steps back.

This time, without any incantation, a pure white light enveloped Lucien, gradually dissipating, leaving him feeling invigorated, healthier than ever before, while his mind became focused and sharp, allowing him to hear conversations from a greater distance.

Benjamin looked at the entrance of the secret passage, covering his nose and mouth with his right hand, his voice low and faint: "His mental strength is slightly above that of an average person, allowing him to better activate the divine arts within the holy emblem"

There are incantations and holy emblems, and both myself and the guards, including Gary, can activate the divine arts within them. However, each activation is slightly slower than that of Lord Benjamin and the other priests, acolytes, or those evil sorcerers. Nevertheless, this is still preferable to that kid who knows nothing and has not even properly trained his body. If Lord Benjamin is unwilling to descend, he can easily entrust the holy emblem to Gary, Housen, or Korea.

The story of Qi Sai Weng

The four guards walking back and forth, upon hearing this statement, immediately drew a cross on their chests and shouted in unison

Seeing the surprise and resistance on Lucien's face, Benjamin gently and kindly asked, "You are unwilling?"

This is my voice? The sound of the incantation, along with the peculiar and convoluted tones, appeared deep and hoarse, mysterious and eerie, under the backdrop of the magical power and effects, startling even Lucien himself

Amid the faint sounds of praise, Benjamin, with his uniquely curved face, grew increasingly serious and solemn. He slowly opened his gloved hands, clad in white, and emitted a peculiar short syllable from his lips

Without giving Lucien a chance to speak, Benjamin extended his hands, clad in white gloves, and continued: "As for myself and the four church guards, we are favored by the Lord, which is why we are able to hear this evil voice"

Lucien understood that he had no choice but to face it head-on. He took two deep breaths, and the terrifying stench gradually calmed him down. Internally, he gritted his teeth and shouted: "It's just death!"

Gary looked at the wall covered in green moss and calmly and solemnly said to Lucien: "Summon the 'Sword of Radiance'"

A flash of white light shone, and the stone seemed like soft mud, unable to resist

As Lucien struck it, it seemed he also cleaved through some strange entities, emanating an inexplicable sense of fragmentation, while faint black gas rapidly dissipated beneath the blade of the radiant sword

Grasping the lightsaber and feeling its extraordinary power, Lucien could not help but feel a surge of emotions. However, a single remark from Gary immediately brought Lucien back to his senses: "Where you strike the wall, there lies the power of the radiant sword, dispelling any magical traps. It is merely the work of a magic apprentice."

After Lucien suppressed his emotions, he was filled with curiosity about the holy emblem that could wield divine magic

Praise the Lord, praise the esteemed pastor

Within the Holy Emblem, there are two informal divine spells: Brightness Spell and Minor Healing, each of which can be used three times daily. Additionally, there are three first-tier divine spells: Holy Light Shield, Radiant Sword, and Holy Light Strike, each of which can only be used once per day. Now, pay close attention to their incantations

As the brief and hurried syllables came to an end, a faint white glow enveloped the entire ruins of the small room, as if the silver moon in the sky had cast down a series of radiance

Gary and the other two guards appeared somewhat excited, responding loudly. Lucien hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to answer or remain silent.

The incantations consist of short syllabic words, yet the tonal variations are extremely convoluted, requiring significant mental effort for Lucien to manage to avoid making mistakes.

"After all, you are merely a student of magic, holding the Holy Emblem of Truth, so there should be no problem at all." Benjamin thought somewhat indifferently, then he looked at Lucien, relaxed his right hand, and his voice regained its dignified yet gentle tone: "You have been in the company of witches, and your body must be tainted by evil forces. You need to atone in order to cleanse yourself. However, your piety towards the Lord has moved me. I will lend you my Holy Emblem. Once you are able to purify the evil powers left by the witch, you will regain the Lord's favor. Go forth, Lucien, serve the Lord, and His gaze will be upon you." Go forth, Lucien, serve the Lord, and His gaze will be upon you.

Another guard, Paul, lowered his voice and asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time: "My lord Benjamin, why him?"

The mournful and desolate cries echoed even more intensely within the narrow confines of the sewer, seemingly coming from all directions, making it difficult to discern their exact source

"You, a lad living in the Ardejan district, are surprisingly unaccustomed to the smell of the sewers. It seems that it is not as impoverished as I had imagined. Whether in the City of Hymns or Antifleur, the sewers are home to many who are truly poor, lacking even dilapidated houses." Koreya, who entered the secret passage in front of Lucien, said sarcastically. He had black hair, and his features were different from those of Gary and Benjamin, with high cheekbones and thin cheeks. He had black hair, and his features were different from those of Gary and Benjamin, with high cheekbones and thin cheeks.

Suddenly, two points of eerie, indifferent, and menacing red light illuminated the darkness

These things are everywhere, and the surrounding walls are covered with strange moss that emits a faint glow, preventing the entire sewer from being in complete darkness

After speaking, Gary gripped the longsword in his right hand and held a small round shield in his left, calling out to Housen, Korea, and Lucien as he searched for the source of the ghostly cries.

This section of the sewer is so quiet that it instills fear, and not a single poor person, as described by Correa, can be seen living in the sewers

Did you not hear? It is the mercy of the Lord Bishop that allows Lucien to go down and wash away his sins

Under the influence of this mysterious and bizarre incantation and the effects of the divine arts, Lucien, like the surrounding impoverished people, was deeply shocked, his emotions fluctuating. However, while they were more immersed in fascination and fear, Lucien experienced a blend of fear intertwined with profound longing

Gary looked carefully at the entrance and ran over: "Lord Benjamin, this secret passage leads to the sewer."

Gary lowered his voice: "I, Hawson, Cole, and - Tu - Shua are all high-ranking knight attendants. When you use the holy emblem, pay attention to coordination. As soon as you encounter danger, immediately summon the 'Sword of Radiance.'" He had a golden goatee, but every move he made was very steady, instilling a sense of reassurance. Among the four guards, he subtly dominated the situation.

In the white light, on a broken wall connecting the ruins and Lucien's house, an eerie blood-red hue emerged, taking the shape of an opening.

Looking at the position indicated by Gary, Lucien trembled slightly, facing the mysterious and powerful magical forces. What would emerge, what dangers lay ahead, all remained unknown

As soon as he entered the secret passage, a foul stench mixed with countless odors assaulted Lucien, causing him to gag involuntarily a couple of times

Benjamin did not take Lucien's stiffness to heart; he removed the holy emblem from around his neck with his right hand and handed it to Lucien: "This is the Holy Emblem of Truth. In a moment, I will cast a 'Blessing Spell' on you. With it, you will be able to concentrate more easily. Combined with the incantation and the communication of the emblem through mental focus and the friction of your fingers, you will be able to awaken the divine power contained within it"

Then, another guard drew his longsword and shouted as he struck down heavily, shattering a mechanism and revealing the black opening in the corner of the wall.

"Yes, if you look down at an angle, you can see a section of the sewer," Gary replied confidently

Gary straightened his chest, and the chainmail on his body emitted a clanging sound of iron plates colliding: "At your command, Lord Benjamin"

The priest actually let Lucien go down and even gave him the holy emblem

Benjamin remained silent. As a noble and elegant priest, a member of the illustrious Rafati family with a legacy spanning many years, he felt utterly uncomfortable at the thought of the filth and stench in the sewers. Among the several divine arts he had mastered, which involved constructing sigil models within his soul, there was no "Purification Spell." To cast it, one had to rely on incantations, gestures, and the appropriate materials, and no one knew the exact location of the secret chamber within the sewers. Traversing that path would require several Purification Spells. Among the several divine arts he had mastered, which involved constructing sigil models within his soul, there was no "Purification Spell." To cast it, one had to rely on incantations, gestures, and the appropriate materials, and no one knew the exact location of the secret chamber within the sewers. Traversing that path would require several Purification Spells

The radiant sword held in the right hand struck fiercely, cleaving into the damp and repulsive wall

However, at an advanced age, there is no longer any value in nurturing.

Then, his expression became serious as he drew a cross on his chest: "May the glory of the Lord protect you."

With the guidance of the Book of Divine Arts, Gary showcased his powerful muscles and brought down the broken wall in just a few blows

Fortunately, Benjamin did not mind this and watched as the four of them slowly walked into the secret passage that connected to the sewer.

"A cowardly and ignorant fellow," Corea scoffed.

As Gary and another guard walked by, Lucien, with his keen ears, overheard Benjamin muttering under his breath: "Those arrogant fools at the court, all they know is 'Detect Magic Traps'; can't they learn 'Detect Secret Doors'? Hmph, just because I'm merely a magic apprentice, they treat me with such disdain"

Before Lucien could respond, Gary, who had entered behind him, directly said: "Silence"

The golden emblem serves as a background, engraved with a white cross that emits a faint glow. Surrounding the cross, in a profound gold, are numerous lines arranged haphazardly, along with patterns such as circles, triangles, squares, and rectangles. These shapes are bizarrely interconnected, accentuating the cross and imparting an air of mystery and solemnity.

Holding the Holy Emblem in his hand, Lucien immediately felt a gentle and warm power emanating, permeating his entire body. Even in the face of the cool night breeze, it felt as warm as basking in the sun

Lucien had no way out and had to descend, thus the power of divine magic was particularly important to him, and he studied the incantations taught by Benjamin with great diligence

Then they whispered to each other: "This is the power of the divine, truly worthy of the esteemed priest."

Lucien felt as if his concentration on the holy emblem was being immersed in waves of white light, and before his eyes, a point of white light gradually emerged, converging together to form a shining sword of light

With this shout, their spirits became slightly elevated

Having completed all this, Benjamin looked at Lucien and the others: "Paul will guard the entrance to the secret passage. Gary, Housen, and Corea, you three will go down with Lucien."

Without a trace of malice, Lucien shuddered and came to his senses. If he were to refuse, he might immediately become a corpse. However, agreeing to it seemed to imply that Benjamin intended to lend him the holy emblem, and it was likely that two or three guards would accompany him. Dealing with a fragmented vengeful spirit left by a magic apprentice whom Benjamin did not regard highly should not pose too great a danger.

***

However, the specially trained guards such as Gary, along with Lucien, who possesses decent mental strength, were able to easily discern the direction under the enhancement of the "Blessing Spell" and the - diagram - book.

Lucien first heard it in a daze, and only after Benjamin finished speaking did he understand that Benjamin was explaining why only he had heard the sound of crying, while the nearby residents remained fast asleep. Even when awakened and listening carefully, they found nothing.

Within the walls lies profound darkness

Korea shrugged his shoulders, closed his mouth, advanced a few steps in the narrow passage that was as high as a person, and then jumped into the extensive sewer system.

Regardless of whether Benjamin truly dislikes the dirty sewer and is unwilling to go down, or if he has other intentions, mishandling this seemingly simple matter brings him no benefits

Lucien, having little common knowledge about this world, quietly waited for Benjamin to cast the "Blessing Spell" on Gary and the other two guards after receiving the "Blessing Spell" himself

Benjamin furrowed his golden brows as he looked at Gary, his mouth and nose seemingly contorted under pressure, his voice becoming low and muffled: "Are you sure?"

After passing several forks in the road, Lucien and the others stopped at an unremarkable corner of a sewer.

Lucien felt parched, his mind was tense, and his palms were sweaty; it seemed as if there were pairs of eyes watching him

Benjamin typically has an interval of about two to three seconds after casting the blessing spell

Benjamin glanced at Lucien and, maintaining his characteristic elegant pace, slowly walked towards the ruins of the witch's hut, his voice low and soothing: "Evil sorcerers always delight in manipulating the hearts and perceptions of good people, especially on a night illuminated by the silver moon. However, that witch has yet to acquire truly terrifying evil powers; her magic often only affects one or two individuals."

Paso

The entire wall has completely collapsed

Only truth endures

Lucien felt both fear and eagerness. With the aid of the blessing spell, he calmed himself and focused his mind on the holy emblem, sensing the warm and gentle power emanating from it. He then grasped the holy emblem hanging around his neck with his left hand and rhythmically rubbed the white cross at the center of the emblem, reciting an incantation with a peculiar tone as he did so

These two red dots, increasingly numerous and densely packed, fill the entire darkness

The residents of the slums, observing from a distance, also prayed softly: "Only the truth endures"

Only truth endures

Suppressing the hatred that arose within, Lucien replied with a very stiff smile: "I am willing to serve my lord"