"Hes, wait for me!"

Hudi really couldn't keep up with the girl's speed and, gasping for breath, he stopped.

He lifted his head. Since he had lost his glasses earlier, in the darkness, the girl was just a blurred shadow in his eyes. It seemed to be a desolate hall, with moonlight slanting through the towering rose windows on all sides, falling upon rows of dust-covered tables and chairs.

Hearing his words, the girl stopped in front of him.

She slightly moved her pointed ears, turned around, and softly said, "Bear with it a little longer, Hudi. We're almost there."

Hudi, panting, nodded his head and gripped his sword tighter, "Yes, just a little more. I can push myself."

The girl smiled slightly, "Thank you, Hudi. Soon we will be together forever."

"Hes, I..."

"No need to say it. I understand. I know you were with them because you had no choice."

Hudi's nose tingled, and he turned his head away with his mouth open wide. It took much effort for him not to cry, his eyes reddening as he looked at the girl, "Hes, I thought you..."

In the darkness, the girl gave a mysterious smile.

She softly told him, "Here I am, all well and good."

Behind the girl stood the towering inner wall of Hustings Cathedral. Previously, there had stood an icon of Ouli, but since it had been converted to Holite's school, the icon had long been moved to the Holy Temple in Elpaxin.

As for the once bare wall, there now hung two blood-red curtains.

In the center of the curtain hung a large shield-shaped emblem, bearing silver characters 'Thlli'—a script older than the history of the Kingdom itself, Thurim, inherited from the Giants.

Below was a coiled poison snake, baring its snow-white, bone-chilling fangs.

Thirty years ago, this symbol had been widely known across Dolifen, and indeed all of Elpaxin.

But today, it was unknown to everyone—

After finishing her statement, the girl silently glanced at Hudi before turning and walking into the darkness.

The two left the hall one after the other, and silence once again fell around them.

The dark, quiet hall, much like the moonlit night, tranquil as water.

The light fell upon the rows of benches, reflecting a silvery white, with petals scattered on the floor, as if time had frozen at the celebration that had just passed thirty years ago.

And as the decades passed, time here flowed day after day.

The rise and set of the moon, unchanging.

In the darkness, after who knows how long, a sudden 'creak' resounded—as if a rusty, oil-starved antique hinge was being cautiously pushed open by a stealthy hand.

That behind was a short, chubby Little Fatty.

He was struggling to crane his short neck, looking around the hall behind the door.

In the hands of the Papalarians was a gem emitting phosphorescence, pressed against a parchment. He frowned, muttering to himself:

"Could that woman have given me a fake?"

"I must expose her in front of the Alchemist."

He had barely spoken a few words when suddenly, he carefully clamped his mouth shut and sneakily stuffed the gem into his pouch, covering it, lest even a trace of light escape.

Then he carefully rolled up the parchment, tiptoed back, and partially closed the door, leaving only one shiny eye peeking from behind.

The entire process was utterly silent.

After a while, Papalarians heard footsteps approaching from afar. He hid behind the door and saw a group of individuals clad in black robes hurriedly walking from a distance.

The Dragon Worshippers seemed unaware of anyone nearby, still whispering, "Any luck finding that kid's trail?"

One of them wiped a hand across a corner of the table, picked something up and looked at it, "Bloodstains, we've been on his trail all the way here, no mistake."

"This guy really can run, but the basement ahead is a dead end. He must have been out of his senses to hide in a place like this."

"Be careful, don't forget where this is. No one can be sure what happened here thirty years ago. I always feel that kid knows something."

"Let's catch him first."

The Dragon Worshippers stopped only momentarily in the hall then followed the direction Hudi had left.

However, the Papalarians naturally didn't understand what these people were up to. He waited until their voices had faded before cautiously opening the door to sneak out.

"Hmm, ancestral language, level 23 Magic Guided Conductor, this place really is no fun." Parker slammed the door behind him, speaking to himself as he surveyed his surroundings, but he had only just stepped out when a hand reached out from the side and yanked him back.

The Papalarians nearly screamed on the spot, but the hand's owner seemed to have anticipated this, quickly covering his mouth.

"Mmmph!" The Papalarians struggled, finally twisting his neck around only to see a very stern face.

But it was a face he recognized.

Knight Diket.

Seeing that he had recognized him, Diket finally released his hand. "Is it you?" Parker gasped softly in surprise, "Zombie-face Knight, Luo Yu's cousin, where have you been, and how did you end up here?"

Diket gestured for him to be silent, then pointed towards the hall.

Parker turned back only to see that, not long after, two Cultists walked back into the darkness of that direction. After surveying the hall and ensuring no one was following them, they left without looking back.

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