Chapter 2413: Love of the Evil God's Faith 18

The afterglow of sunset gilded the Holy See with molten gold.

The banquet was set in the brightly lit main hall, the air filled with the rich aroma of wine.

Samuel and Brandon stood left and right, following behind High Archbishop Cyril as they entered.

During this time, Brandon had won Zephyros's favor; when he appeared, his brows and eyes shone, attracting the gazes of many foreign nobles and royal family members.

However, when everyone's gaze fell on Samuel standing beside him, he paled in comparison.

Samuel wore only the simplest priest's white robe, his golden hair tied back; his striking beauty seemed to radiate a halo, so holy that none dared defile it.

The surrounding looks were filled with awe and pure admiration, with few daring to truly covet him.

Yet there was someone who didn't know life from death.

The foreign crown prince, a young noble famed for his decadence and lust for men, locked his gaze on Samuel from the moment he appeared.

His Adam's apple rolled as he whispered to his attendant, "That blond… who is he?"

The attendant's heart jolted, and he hurriedly lowered his voice: "Your Highness, that is High Priest Samuel from the Holy City, a divinely favored one beloved of the Father God! Absolutely not…"

"Hmph." The crown prince let out a dismissive snort, cutting off the attendant's warning.

He raised his wine cup, his eyes undisguisedly greedy: "A divinely favored one? The illusory grace of the gods—how could it compare to a beautiful person in one's grasp, vibrant and fragrant?"

The crown prince licked his lips, determined: "This beautiful priest, I will have him."

Samuel was oblivious to the disgusting gaze behind him.

He appeared to calmly scan the hall, but in fact he focused only on the far end, where a foreign Holy See vice bishop was chatting and laughing with several high-ranking clergy.

Compared to those arrogant nobles earlier, this man appeared even more hypocritically righteous.

His countenance was gentle, his eyes sorrowful, his every gesture filled with a convincing aura of holiness and redemption.

It was this false façade that turned Samuel's memories of the lively, innocent, hopeful boys from the frontier town into shades of despair, forever frozen.

Looking at the vice bishop's false smile, Samuel could almost hear the silent wails of the departed echoing in his ears.

Samuel closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing the killing intent surging in his chest, his fingertips clenching within his wide sleeves.

He could wait no longer… even if tonight he lacked a perfect plan.

He too wanted to tear apart this beast in human skin right away.

Just then, a figure reeking of wine and aggression rudely blocked Samuel's path.

It was none other than the crown prince.

He looked at Samuel with a frivolous, ill‑intentioned gaze: "Honorable Priest Samuel, your brilliance makes this hall lose its color."

"I would like to invite you to share a drink, or… go deeper… to discuss the mysteries of life?"

The implication in his words was so blatant that countless gazes snapped over in shock.

Samuel lifted his silver‑white eyes, utterly cold: "I belong to the Father God."

On this continent where faith reigns supreme, divine authority towers over royal power.

Samuel's status and the Father God's favor he embodies are an invisible talisman.

Several guards in Holy Temple Knight armor stepped forward, politely escorting the displeased crown prince away from Samuel.

The crown prince could only leave resentfully, yet the desire burning in his heart grew fiercer.

The brief interruption did not disturb Samuel's plan.

He waited a long while, seeing the vice bishop apparently whisper something to a companion, then turn alone and walk toward the side corridor leading to the Holy See's internal office area.

An opportunity had arrived, Samuel thought.

Samuel followed silently, about to leave the banquet corner and join the corridor.

But this time, someone again blocked his way.

Again it was the evidently undeterred crown prince, returning with a tray holding two brimming glasses of wine, clear as rubies.

"Honorable Priest, I was rude just now."

The crown prince appeared sincere, yet his scheming showed: "This glass of wine is my apology to you, and also an offering to the Father God you believe in. Please accept it."

He pushed one of the glasses toward Samuel.

Samuel's gaze fell on the cup, a faint chill flashing in the depths of his eyes.

The wine itself was fine, but the air was permeated with an extremely subtle sweet, cloying fragrance emanating from the crown prince.

But…

Samuel smirked inwardly; this might be… an excellent cover.

Chaos often makes the best smokescreen for action.

He lowered his eyelids, hiding the fleeting calculation in his eyes, and took the cup.

"Of course, the Father God will forgive your rashness."

Samuel immediately retorted in his mind: he would surely complain to the Father God.

He looked at the crown prince, his eyes gradually losing focus, turning vacant, as if truly bewitched by that invisible scent.

Then he slightly tilted his head, like a delicate puppet.

This legendary forbidden drug truly lives up to its name!

The crown prince suppressed his excitement, softening his voice: "This place is too stuffy, Honorable Priest; let me take you somewhere quiet to sober up, all right?"

He tentatively reached out, intending to support Samuel's arm.

Samuel immediately dodged.

He kept a few steps' distance, his steps unsteady as he followed the crown prince's lead, slowly leaving the noisy banquet hall's edge for a more secluded corner.

Brandon witnessed this entire scene from start to finish.

He constantly watched Samuel's every move, trying to catch any flaw in the dark magic.

Brandon well knew that a priest wielding divine light power is highly sensitive to such forbidden drugs.

He doesn't believe Sai Miuer doesn't know; how could he possibly fall for it so easily?

So……Sai Miuer definitely did it on purpose, but what does he want to do……?

The noble who died at the Prince's Mansion once again surfaced in Bu Lanwen's mind.

This is absolutely the perfect opportunity to expose Sai Miuer's true nature!

Bu Lanwen no longer hesitated, quickly went to look for Bishop Xilier and the Foreign Bishop.

Outside the secluded corridor, the dimly lit corner of the resting room.

The Grand Prince had just pushed the dazed Sai Miuer through the door when he was suddenly struck on the head.

The Grand Prince couldn't even utter a groan, his plump body collapsing like a torn sack, completely losing consciousness.

Sai Miuer lowered his gaze, his blood-red pupils appearing instantly, stepping over the Grand Prince's back, leaving the lounge, and swiftly pursuing the direction the Vice Bishop had gone.

The small path leading into the Holy See's interior glowed with a cold light under the moonlight.

The Vice Bishop walked alone on the path, inexplicably feeling somewhat irritable.

It seemed that one constantly felt a cold gaze following like a shadow……

He couldn't help but stop, turning his head back and forth in suspicion.

Moonlight like water, tree shadows swaying.

Behind him, the small path was empty, only the rustling of leaves in the night wind.

He let out a breath of relief, secretly chiding himself for being overly cautious, and continued forward a few steps.

But that feeling of being watched not only did not fade, it grew stronger.

He suddenly turned his head back again!

Behind him, still completely empty.

The Vice Bishop's heart began to beat irregularly, an ominous premonition welling up.

He quickened his pace, wanting to return as soon as possible to the brightly lit Holy See complex.

Just as he turned his head for the third time to confirm no one was behind him, the moment he turned back, his breath caught.

Ahead, beneath the tall tree at the bend of the path, a figure stood still, blocking his way.

Sai Miuer's black hair fell to his waist, swaying slightly in the night wind.

Half of his face was covered by an exquisite butterfly mask, a sinister tint of blood on his thin lips curling upward.

His whole being exuded a mysterious and deadly allure.

The Vice Bishop's heart jolted, and he shouted loudly, "Who?! What person is playing tricks!"

Sai Miuer gently removed the butterfly mask from his face.

"I will make you……" Sai Miuer's voice was as cold as ice, "watching this face, how I will kill you."