Gospel of Blood

“Meow… Lady Charlotte…”

Nice looked at Charlotte with a pitiful expression.

“Being cute won’t help. I’ve told you many times to stay away from me and my belongings.”

“Meow… Lady Charlotte, do you really see me as trash that shouldn’t be near you?”

“Get rid of those trashy thoughts first, then we can talk. Don’t think I didn’t notice your expression when you fell into the coffin.”

Nice: …

The black cat, held by the scruff of his neck, awkwardly turned his head and started whistling. Suddenly, he seemed to notice something, turning back to sniff around Charlotte.

In her cold, dangerous gaze, Nice widened his eyes in surprise.

“Huh? This smell… this aura…”

“Lady Charlotte, have you regained your power?”

This time, it was Charlotte who was surprised. Despite Nice being a bit of a rogue, his sensing abilities were exceptional. Even though he couldn’t defeat a Silver Moon now, he could still notice the changes in her.

Yes, Charlotte was indeed different from before. While she was still a Demigod, before she was just a nominal Demigod—possessing the status but with a mortal’s body, with just a spark of divine flame within her.

Now, having fused with the Faceless Statue from Albrecht, her body had fully transformed. Her body was now considered a Saint state, recognized as a God walking on earth.

However, her magic was still at the peak of Blazing Sun, not yet reaching the Legendary tier. But when she used her blood divine power, she could assume a true Saint state, unleashing Legendary strength.

As for surpassing Legendary strength… Charlotte wasn’t sure if she could wield the same power in the current era as she did in the Mythic Era.

When she traveled to the Mythic Era and fought the God of Abomination and Deformity, her power had certainly surpassed Legendary.

The combat strength she displayed then was of a true Demigod level. But now, it might be different.

According to many ancient texts, after the Blood Moon Era, the power limits of the Myria continent began to decline. Gods descending to the world could no longer wield their full power, peaking at Legendary levels, barely touching myths.

This allowed mortals to slay Gods—not because mortals were too strong, but because Gods couldn’t wield their full strength.

A God could only wield their true power in their divine realm or in an otherworldly space.

These insights Charlotte had gathered from ancient texts, combined with the extraordinary knowledge she obtained from Albrecht and the Roman Sword, after becoming a Demigod.

Frankly, this limitation on divine power was not a bad thing for Charlotte. The older the God, the more accumulated their power. But with everyone restrained to the same level, it came down to who had a deeper understanding of laws and a more refined use of divine power.

This benefitted Charlotte, who had less accumulation. While her understanding of laws and use of divine power might not match ancient Gods, the power suppression gave her a fighting chance against them.

In other words, before, Charlotte might have been a pawn with the potential to be a player. Now, she had the qualifications to be a player.

No longer was she a transmigrator posing as a resurrected God, but a truly “resurrected” God recognized even by other Gods.

Of course, this power limitation was a double-edged sword. It could level the playing field between Gods and Demigods, but also embolden mortals’ ambitions.

So Charlotte remained clear-headed. She knew even as a true Demigod, she wasn’t invincible in the world of Myria where the Gods had not yet awakened.

“Your senses are sharp. How did you notice?”

Returning to her thoughts, Charlotte asked Nice.

Though satisfied with her new status, it would be troubling if any extraordinary could detect it.

Nice laughed smugly.

“Lady Charlotte, have you forgotten what my body is made from? I might be weaker now, but my sensitivity to your power is unmatched! Of course, others wouldn’t be as perceptive.”

Charlotte was momentarily stunned, then realized. Nice’s body was made from the Faceless Statue, which contained blood divine power, likely left by Lilith.

Since their powers were originally the same, Nice could naturally sense her changes.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. She left Nice and accessed the Gospel of Blood to check her “personal status.”

Familiar ancient texts appeared in her vision—

【Master of the Gospel of Blood: Charlotte de Castell】

【Symbol: Thorny Rose】

【Race: Bloodborne】

【Clan and Bloodline: Ancestor of the Bloodborne】

【Extraordinary Rank: Blood Count (Sealed)】

【Extraordinary Status: Demigod】

【Abilities Unlocked: Master of the Gospel(Active), Blood Summoning (Active), Saint Form (True Ancestor’s Liberation), Divine Ritual Counter (Active), Divine Blessing, Demonic Contract…】

【Blood Acolytes: 475,353】

【Blood Descendants: □□□□□□】

【Blood Servants: Sebastian Flameheart, Yurst Nez…】

…

The Gospel of Blood showed significant changes from before. Charlotte immediately noticed the change in her bloodline description.

Previously, her bloodline was described as “Bloodborne Royalty” and “Half-Elf.”

Now, likely due to Lilith’s initial embrace during her second time travel, the Gospel directly classified her as “Ancestor.”

Her extraordinary rank had also increased to Bloodborne Count, marked with “Sealed” due to her Demigod status.

Additionally, a new extraordinary status labeled her as “Demigod.”

Unlocked abilities had also changed, notably transforming 『True Ancestor’s Liberation』 into 『Saint Form』.

This indicated that, in the Gospel’s judgment, Charlotte previously relied on external power for “True Ancestor’s Liberation.”

Now, she didn’t need external help. By activating “Saint Form”, she directly became the “True Ancestor.”

Overall, the Gospel’s changes signified its recognition of her enhanced status.

The most significant change was in the followers section. 475,353 followers…

Even five more since she last checked, which was absurd.

But what concerned Charlotte the most was the “Blood Descendants” section.

This section was displayed as garbled text!

No…

More accurately, it looked as if the names of the Blood Descendants had been erased.

Is this a bug from “time travel”?

Or is it related to Lilith’s disappearance?

Charlotte pondered thoughtfully.

“Lady Charlotte, what are you thinking about?”

“Aren’t you cold? I brought the clothes for you.”

Nice’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

She suppressed her musings and turned her attention back to the clothes Nice had taken out from the storage space.

The clothes were similar to the noblewoman’s gown Nice had worn when she burst into the chamber, but new. Nice didn’t have the audacity to let Charlotte wear his used clothes.

“Okay, leave it here.”

Charlotte nodded.

As she picked up the gown, she hesitated slightly.

“Lady Charlotte, aren’t you going to change?”

Nice asked obediently.

Charlotte gave him a cold look.

Nice immediately understood, laughing nervously as he turned around.

Charlotte didn’t want to waste time arguing with him, so she kicked him out of the chamber and locked the door before changing into the new clothes.

Unfortunately, the gown was too complicated. She had always been dressed by maids, and didn’t know how to put it on herself.

Calling someone in wasn’t suitable, so she used the Demonic Contract to summon demons.

Red light appeared, and three summoning circles materialized in front of her. After the light faded, three seductive succubus appeared in the chamber.

The succubus were initially startled, but quickly trembled when they sensed Charlotte’s aura.

“Great… Great Mistress, what are your orders?”

They asked, trembling.

“Help me dress.”

Charlotte pointed to the gown.

With that, the three succubus shakily dressed her in the noblewoman’s gown.

Charlotte looked in the crystal mirror, satisfied, and sent the relieved succubus back to their realm.

Then, she left the chamber.

Nice was still waiting outside.

Seeing Charlotte in the new clothes, he eagerly approached.

“Lady Charlotte!”

Charlotte nodded slightly.

“Let’s go back to my study. Tell me what has happened in the past few months.”

Their identity swap hadn’t alerted anyone.

Walking down the corridor to the study, maids and knights saluted her.

Charlotte noticed something odd. The atmosphere in the mansion seemed unusually cheerful. The maids and knights seemed in high spirits, almost showing it on their faces.

Not only that, but they also seemed more respectful towards her.

Though always treated with respect as the Countess and ruler of the North, this respect felt different, almost like the reverence from the citizens of the Free City during her second time travel.

However, the maids and knights were not her followers. Their respect seemed based on her identity and status.

So… what happened in the past few months?

Why were they more respectful towards her?

Had she claimed the Roman Duchy, becoming the Duchess of Roman?

Charlotte was puzzled and curious.

But she couldn’t directly ask.

Thinking it over, she decided to seek answers from Nice.

Back in her study, she took her familiar seat, while Nice eagerly served her a prepared cup of sweet milk.

Charlotte sipped the milk, feeling quite satisfied. She hadn’t had anything this good since her second time travel, and had been craving it.

After finishing the milk, Charlotte, in a good mood, asked her questions.

“Tell me, what has happened these past few months? Why does the mansion feel different? Has the Roman Duchy been handed over to us? And what did you mean by determining the fate of the Starfall Kingdom?”

Nice’s expression became odd.

“The Roman Duchy… hasn’t been taken back yet. Rather, I don’t know if it should be.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by not knowing if it should be taken back?”

Charlotte was slightly puzzled.

Nice’s expression grew more peculiar.

“It depends on you. Whether you want the Roman Duchy or… the entire Starfall Kingdom.”

“The entire Starfall Kingdom?”

Charlotte was bewildered.

“Yes, the entire Starfall Kingdom.”

Nice nodded.

After that, he looked at Charlotte with a rather subtle expression.

“Lady Charlotte, you may not know, but two months ago, King Edward III of the Starfall Kingdom succumbed to his injuries and passed away in the Red Palace…”

“On his deathbed, Edward III denounced the Red Lilac Family and the Purple Lilac Branch, revealing their crimes of colluding with the bloodbornes and conspiring against the royal family.”

“He tore up the agreement with the Red Lilac Family, naming you, the daughter of Princess Anne “the Devout”, as his successor instead of appointing a successor from the Red Lilac Family.”

“Since it was a unilateral decision, this dying decree was not recognized by the two Lilac Families, who, supported by the Nez Clan, ‘elected’ Duke Aisia, possessing both bloodlines, as the new King of the Starfall Kingdom.”

“However, the actions of the two Lilac Families were not recognized by the Starfall nobility. The Starfall Noble Council and the Roman Royal Family refused to acknowledge the new king’s legitimacy.”

“Instead, they supported Edward III’s designated heir, you, and endorsed you as the Queen of the Starfall Kingdom.”

“Both sides are adamant, and the Starfall Kingdom is on the brink of civil war…”