36: Chapter 36 Provocation! The Wrath of the Tribunal Priest!

After a long while, their lips parted.

Aria jolted awake from her daze, opening her eyes abruptly and breathing heavily.

Her ice-blue pupils constricted violently, swirling with an incredibly complex range of emotions.

Shock, bewilderment, shame, helplessness... and a trace of lingering, hazy passion, like the thin mist of dawn, that had yet to dissipate.

"I... I have to go!"

She practically sprang up from the chair, her voice carrying an imperceptible tremor.

"Aria..." Rowan said softly.

"No, don't say it..." Aria interrupted him quickly. Her bright eyes darted across his amber eyes before quickly lowering. "Let's... leave it at that for today. I will go back and verify those patterns. If there is news... we'll talk then."

She was somewhat incoherent, practically fleeing, pushing aside the heavy curtain. Her slender figure disappeared into the end of the tavern's dim light, leaving behind only a faint scent of sacred sandalwood.

Rowan did not get up to chase her. He simply sat back in the chair, his posture relaxed, even carrying a hint of laziness.

He licked his lips and chuckled:

"This is truly... incredibly sweet..."

On the system panel in his mind, pale golden text clearly appeared:

[Charm Lv3 Proficiency + 24]

[Drain Lv2 Proficiency + 12]

[Obtained Free Attribute Points + 3]

"As expected..." The smile on the corners of Rowan's mouth deepened, his eyes flashing with a hazy red light. "Only ladies with a score of 90 or above can bring such significant improvements."

...

On the other side.

After leaving the Dusty Scroll Tavern, Aria returned directly to the Dawn Cathedral, her chaotic thoughts still not fully calmed.

Her lips seemed to still retain that strange and burning sensation, mixed with the slight sweetness of mead and a crisp scent.

She silently returned to her own private prayer room, closed her eyes, and began to pray to the gods, attempting to regain her composure.

As a priestess of the Church of Dawn and an Arbitration Priest from the Inquisition, she had never imagined that she would commit such an improper act with a male noble in a private booth.

"Rowan Flynn..." She silently recited the name, her thoughts complex and indescribable.

What exactly was going on? She asked herself in her heart.

Confusion, shame, secret palpitations...

"Priestess Aliyah!"

At this moment, a slightly urgent voice suddenly sounded from outside the door, interrupting her thoughts.

Aria opened her eyes, quickly adjusted her breathing, and after concealing all the panic and bewilderment on her face, went to open the door.

The person calling her was a young monk from the church who was usually responsible for documents and relaying messages.

At this moment, his face carried obvious anxiety. He rushed over, not even having time to perform a complete greeting.

"Priestess, you've returned! Something has happened!" The monk's voice was urgent:

"News has just arrived from the direction of Ice Lake City in the north via the emergency communication magic circle!"

"The churches in Blackwater Town, Greystone Town, and Mist Whisper Town were attacked almost simultaneously!"

"The priests on duty have all... been martyred!"

Aria's pupils constricted suddenly, her ice-blue eyes freezing instantly, replaced by the sharpness and coldness belonging to the Inquisition's arbitration of heresy.

The aura around her, which had been slightly unstable due to her earlier emotional fluctuations, suddenly became solid and extremely oppressive.

"Explain in detail." Her voice was as cold as a blade.

The monk, intimidated by her suddenly powerful aura, steadied himself and reported even faster:

"Preliminary judgment indicates the methods of the Crimson Fallen Knights! The church doors were violently destroyed, the holy icons were desecrated, and the altar... there are blasphemous symbols and bloodstains on the altar."

"The bodies of the three priests were all found in front of the altars, their chests cut open, and their hearts missing."

"The scene is filled with a dense lingering power of the Crimson and traces of evil rituals."

"Three churches?" Aria keenly grasped the key point. "The scale of the attackers? What about the churches' protective magic circles?"

"According to the preliminary news, the number of attackers is unknown, but the operation was extremely swift and professional. There were not many signs of fighting left at the scene, obviously, they came prepared, and their strength far exceeded the local church's guard forces."

"The basic protective magic circles of all three churches were quickly broken by violence or some evil means."

"There are no clear witnesses for the time being, but a hunter in Mist Whisper Town claimed to have seen several figures in dark red cloaks lurking at the edge of the forest before and after the attack occurred."

Aria's beautiful brows furrowed tightly, a flash of cold, white killing intent crossing her eyes.

She could almost instantly determine that this was a blatant provocation and a show of force! The target was the Church of Dawn!

Moreover, choosing to do it near Ice Lake City, which is an important supply route in the North, had an extremely negative impact. The Church must immediately provide the firmest and most resolute response!

"Do Bishop Cole and the commander of the Temple Knight Order know yet?" She asked while walking quickly toward the command hall inside the church.

"Someone has already gone to report to Bishop Cole and Knight Commander Cameron! The Bishop has instructed that you should go over to discuss it immediately!"

Aria did not stop, her pure white priest's robe tracing clean lines behind her.

"Immediately organize all received scene descriptions and trace reports, draw a map, and mark the attack timeline."

"Notify the Arbitration Knights to enter Level 2 combat readiness and check all equipment and potion reserves."

"Issue an emergency alert to all churches and patrol squads in the Ice Lake City area. Increase vigilance, strengthen patrols, and if attacked, immediately request support with the highest priority and hold your ground while awaiting reinforcements."

"At the same time, prepare to initiate the Church's internal emergency investigation procedure. I want all files related to these three churches and all abnormal events in the Ice Lake City area recently!"

The monk was intimidated by the authority and decisiveness emanating from this new Chief Priest, and hurriedly bowed and replied:

"Yes!"

Then he trotted off to convey the orders.

Aria walked with a steady pace toward the council hall deep in the church, where the highest decision-making power of the Gino County Church of Dawn resided.

There was only a burning fury in her heart.

...

After leaving Gino City, Rowan did not choose to return to White Cliff Territory, but instead quietly activated [Shape-shifting] in a quiet place outside the city.

His facial muscles and bones slightly shifted and adjusted, his height also reduced by two centimeters, and his temperament became mediocre and weathered.

A few moments later, in the small mirror he carried with him, there was already the face of a weathered middle-aged mercenary, completely different from the handsome young baron before.

Then, he identified the direction and did not return directly to White Cliff Territory, but instead rode his horse toward Ice Lake City to the northeast.

Ice Lake City, Anvil District.

This was the gathering place for Ice Lake City's craftsmen and weapon shops, echoing all day with the clanging sounds of smithing, the air filled with the smell of coal and metal.

Shops lined both sides of the street, with signs painted with various patterns such as swords, armor, and shields.

Rowan stopped in front of the shop with the largest sign.

The sign had black background with gold lettering: "Forge and Glory".

It was said that this shop had a dwarf master's apprentice in charge, and it had connections with some large merchant guilds behind it. The goods were comprehensive and of superior quality, but the prices were also quite expensive.