Linde, fast asleep, was completely unaware that the two girls were tossing and turning, unable to sleep all night because of him.
Next door to Linde, Nazra, like a docile lamb, changed into a simple set of pajamas and lay quietly on the bed, her heart churning like a turbulent sea, anxiously awaiting the arrival of a certain baron.
However, time slipped away quietly like sand in an hourglass, and with each passing minute of the night, Nazla's heart felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand pounds, growing heavier and heavier.
Soon, she could faintly hear Lind's snoring as he slept soundly, her big ears perked up.
Nazla kept replaying the events in her mind, clutching her pillow tightly as if it were her last lifeline, using it to cover her already flushed cheeks.
"What's wrong with me? How could he possibly come to me on his own initiative... He... he just... only saw my potential..."
But soon, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave. The fatigue of many days was like a heavy mountain that broke down her defenses. Like a weary traveler, she hugged her pillow and quickly fell into a sweet dream.
…………
Meanwhile, in a small house on the edge of the village, Alice, back in her little nest, was already lying on the soft bed, wearing only a piece of undergarment to cover her body.
At this moment, she was speaking her innermost thoughts to the familiar she had created, thoughts that no one else could hear.
"Familiar, familiar, tell me, does Linde... have feelings for me?"
The girl's shyness suddenly changed the nature of the question, even though the familiar wouldn't answer it.
Looking at the silent familiar in front of her, Alice felt a surge of anger mixed with shyness, and threw the familiar far away.
The familiar spun around in the air and then happily flew back, landing on Alice's bedside.
At the familiar's feet lay a Truk family crest, given to her by Lind when they first arrived in the territory, who said it would grant her unimpeded access.
Then Alice's mind conjured up that young, handsome face again.
"Hmm..."
Alice shook her head and said to herself:
He's my student! Alice! Although I didn't really teach him anything, so it's not really...
As she thought about it, Alice's lips unconsciously curled up into a smile.
She then drifted off to sleep into a sweet fantasy.
…………
It was late at night in Earl Truk's territory.
Truk was unusually quiet at night, and the deep night sky seemed to be dripping with liquid.
Inside the brightly lit Earl's castle, fully armed soldiers patrolled back and forth, leaving no corner unchecked.
In the Earl's study, the old Earl was dozing off at his desk, waking up and falling asleep intermittently.
As a rhythmic knocking sound rang out, the old count regained some of his senses.
"Come in."
As the heavy door slowly opened, two young men entered.
A young man, standing tall and looking quite healthy, had a pale face that betrayed his excessive indulgence in sex.
The other was a noble lady with gorgeous clothes, exquisite curly hair reaching her waist, and an air of aristocratic etiquette in every move.
Both of them, like Lind, had unusually long, jet-black hair.
These two are Linde's older brother Karl and younger sister Nade.
The old count became unusually serious, his sharp features revealing an undeniable solemnity.
He handed the letters on the table to his eldest son, Karl, who was standing nearby, and said:
"Sent by Lind."
As Karl read, he stroked the letter, an expression of disbelief on his face.
"This...is it true? There are so many cultists hiding in the Earl's territory? Do they really think our Truk family is easy to bully?"
After saying that, he handed the letter to his younger sister, Nade, who was still somewhat puzzled.
"...cultists? Or the leaders? Doesn't that mean there's at least one church hideout within the earldom?"
The count's face darkened, and he looked worried.
"I'm afraid it's more than that; I even suspect the existence of a bishop."
"bishop!?"
The two exclaimed in unison.
It's important to understand that the bishop's presence was tantamount to telling everyone present that the cultists had not only taken root here, but had become an extremely terrifying force operating behind the scenes in the territory.
All of this happened right under Truk's nose; how could it not be alarming?
There was a reason why the two were so shocked by the bishop's situation.
In the history of the Kingdom of Cree, a major event occurred that made people extremely wary of the existence of bishops.
That happened before the current Grand Duke of Cree ascended to the throne, and it took place on the territory of another count in the Cree Empire.
That was at the enthronement ceremony of Count Lucien Von, located in the central region of the kingdom.
This succession ceremony, later known as the "Ceremony of Dedication," resulted in the deaths of over 70% of the common people in the entire Earl's City.
Countless bronze and silver-level warriors and knights have died, and even gold-level warriors have lost more than two hands' worth.
In the end, it was only through the full force of the Holy Knights of the Holy Church, along with a formidable lineup of three bishops and an archbishop, that the matter was quelled.
The price, however, was the near-total destruction of a count's city, the scattering and fleeing of the entire count's territory, and the desolation of large swathes of the central kingdom.
This event led to a nearly 50-year period of decline for the Kree Empire, during which neighboring Sass, originally weaker than the Kree Empire, rose to prominence and annexed large swathes of territory to the west of the Kree Empire.
It wasn't until the current Grand Duke Crete ascended to the throne, and granted a new pardon to a descendant of the Vonne family, along with a large amount of manpower and resources, that the ravaged central region was restored to normal land.
This gives a glimpse into the terrifying nature of bishops.
The old count sighed and said, "This matter is of great importance. If there is indeed a bishop hiding in the territory, then we must deal with it as soon as possible."
"Karl, immediately select elite soldiers to secretly investigate any suspicious activity."
Karl straightened up and said firmly:
"Father, rest assured, I will do my best."
At this moment, Nad suddenly spoke:
"Father, what about Linde?"
The old count pondered for a moment and said:
“Linde is not unaware of the risks involved. Since he has already said that he will wipe out the cultists in one fell swoop, he must be confident.”
"I've already made arrangements on his end, so there shouldn't be any major problems. But it's hard to say about us."
Upon learning the news, the old count immediately contacted the Holy Church and explained the situation in detail. The Church agreed to send enough people to help them.
After all, given the current situation, it's no longer something that a single earldom can easily handle. If things go wrong, Truk City could become the next "Offering Ceremony"!
"Those damned bastards... they're like ghosts that just won't go away!"
The old count's anger was so tangible that it seemed to tear the deep night apart, just like the cultists hidden in the darkness.
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