Chapter 148

She put her two sons to bed although she knew they were reluctant. She had no need to sleep but sleeping at this moment sounds good to her. There were much to deal for the next day. Julia kept making a fuss since she just woke up so, she stayed up with her instead of sleeping.

She could have just put her to sleep using a soothing flame but that felt an awful lot like mind control to her. There was nothing wrong with staying up anyway. She highly doubts anyone ever sleeps at night in Yharnam with the hunt going on and beasts roaming around.

The rest of the night was relatively peaceful with some occasional screams. Nobody in the house seems to flinch at the sound. Not even her youngest daughter. It was quite evident they were all used to those sounds to the point where they might be surprised to not hear it.

They stayed up all night playing with random beads that she found around the house. Although it wasn't anything remarkable, it was a particularly beautiful memory for her. A bonding time with her daughter. How cheesy.

Just as night alway arrives, the morning is sure to follow and it was morning after an entire night of fooling around with her little one. While she was simply fooling around, she couldn't help but think of their purpose. Her children, that is.

She loves her children dearly for reasons clearly left behind by the original body but were those 'her' authentic feelings? Or are they merely a false illusion maintained by the will of the body? She has not yet forgotten that this was a still a dream. Were they part of anything she was required to do to pass this trial? Or do they have any other significance?

Anyway, it doesn't matter much. Even if she did not really have 'true' feelings for the children, there were still no problem in just adopting them. They were all children anyway. They aren't many chances to meet children back in Lordran which prompts her love for these little ones.

Morning eventually rises as she watched her youngest daughter get more and more drowsy by each passing minute. She could sense her two sons waking up too. She led Julia to her bedroom and let her sleep as she prepared breakfast for the morning boys.

They didn't even come to see her when they woke up and went straight for the washroom. Both came out looking clean and fresh. They were still staring at her. No they weren't staring at her exactly. They were staring at the breakfast she did.

It wasn't anything special. Just some slices of bread with eggs. She put in a few pieces of cut-up meat too. In fact, she believes this is the first time she has cooked for anyone. They sat down and ate the breakfast. By the looks of their faces, it tasted good. She took back the plates and wash the dishes as the brothers came to her already dressed in outdoor clothes.

"We're going out.", said Fabrizo while Marco nodded.

"Be careful and take care.", she replied as she put a mark on them to keep them safe. They did not look surprise and from what she can tell, it was completely natural. 

After doing the dishes, she also went out as she warded the house completely. Nothing with now be able to get in other than her two sons should they come back. She also gave created several flame-based lifeforms just in case. 

She was going out for a reason and that was to find Alfred. Eileen mentioned him about being the most knowledgable in matters concerning the Vilebloods. Eileen mentioned many different factions of Hunters and many more but the Vilebloods were especially interesting to her since Lady Maria seems to be one of them.

She went to the Cathedral Ward considering it was the base of all hunters that operated in the city of Yharnam. There was nothing about this that tells her that this place was holy. Matter of fact, it looked more like a haunted asylum.

She could also see giant men roaming around, their mind probably broken left in shambles. Some towering over her while others easily twice her height. Definitely not human. They roamed around in a manner one might be guarding the place.

Nobody seems to be surprised by these things just roaming about. Although they were giants, they still looked thin. Despite that, there were no doubts in her that these things could shred a person in half with their bare hands.

They did not attacked her since she was considered a Yharnamite. Despite them still being on guard, the night of the hunt was also over. The last of the beasts were being cleaned up after the dreadful night of the hunt.

Moreover, the Cathedral was opened to public with some forbidden areas closed off the public. She asked around some 'people' she found roaming about on descriptions of Alfred and where he might be located.

She was directed to find an altar behind the church that leads to Old Yharnam. She kept questions about Old Yharnam in her heart and followed the direction she was pointed to. She had no doubts that it would be a lot harder to get answers if she were anyone else. A combination of Yharnamite identity and some small tricks of the arcane did the trick for her.

It was pretty easy trying to find him considering he was probably the only hunter in broad daylight praying so blatantly. She was walking around looking for him when she found him praying in front of a shrine. The shrine looks pretty decayed with grass mixing among the stones bricks.

He was dressed in white garbs that indicates that he was not a member of the Black church hunter. Probably a white church hunter but she did not drew any conclusions for she did not know what other faction of hunters wore. He reminds her of a clergy. Makes sense since he was part of the church.

"Hello.", she started and instantly wanted to bury herself.

It was so awkward for no reason. She did not even knew how to start the conversation with the hunter called Alfred. Mostly, it was others that started the conversation with her. A woman he had never seen before suddenly asking him about the Vilebloods would probably be incredibly off-putting. Luckily, Alfred seemed very friendly.

"Ah... a hunter are you? No, you are not one. May I be of assistance?", he asked paying no heed to her awkward greeting.

"I was told to look for thee, in order to obtain some information. Thou are the hunter called Alfred, right?", she feared she might be talking to the wrong person.

"A hunter was precisely how I started out! Oh, beg pardon. You may call me, Alfred. Protege of Master Logarius - Hunter of Vilebloods! So, what say you?", he continued the conservation.

Judging by the way he called himself 'Hunter of Vilebloods', she deemed him as one of the executioners of the Church. This man is definitely not as innocent as he looks.

"Thou may refer to me as keeper, my dear Alfred. Unfournately, I do not hunt Vilebloods. I am looking for the Castle of Cainhurst, on the other hand. I am hunting for the source that has been calling out to me. I can feel it demanding my presence.

However, I'm afraid I am a little short of information as of this moment. I may not be a hunter but I assure thee, Alfred that I hath no need for thee to fear my safety.", she replied as she felt the air shift when he heard about Cainhurst.

In addition, she released a few wisps of flame to serve as both an assurance of her safety and a warning in case he gets violent. 

"Looking for Cainhurst? I too am, looking for a way to Cainhurst. My way there has been blocked off by those wretched Vilebloods. You might not be a hunter but we share the same purpose, the both of us. Why not co-operate, and discuss the things we've learned?"

"Co-operate? I'm not sure if I will be of much help but I see the merits in cooperation.", she accepted it. It was a perfectly good deal.

"There must be oodles for us to share! Go on, just tell me what piques your interest.", he gestured for her to go first.

So anything goes? Even if it wasn't about Cainhurst? She could another headache incoming as there is no doubt information would be dumped into her head once again.

"Doth thou have anything to share about the Healing Church?"

"The Healing Church? Very well. As you know the Healing Church is the fountain head of blood healing. Well, I'm a simple hunter quite unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of the institution.

But I have heard, that the holy medium of blood healing is venerated in the main Cathedral... And that counsellors of the old Church reside in the high-stratum of the Cathedral Ward... If you seek blood healing, and the Church is willing, you should pay them a visit..."

Blood this. Blood that. Everything here seems to be connected with blood. People drinks blood. It smelt of blood. Even the beasts bleed a volume of blood that should not have been possible with their structure.

"Forgive me for my ignorance, my dear Alfred but doth thou holds knowledge where the blood originates? Surely, the knowledge wouldn't be there without a source."

"To tell more about Blood, we will have to start by Brygenwerth. Byrgenwerth is an old place of learning; and the tomb of the gods, carved out below Yharnam, should be familiar to every hunter.

Well, once a group of young Byrgenwerth scholars discovered a holy medium deep within the tomb. This lead to the founding of the Healing Church, and the establishment of blood healing. In this sense, everything sacred in Yharnam can be traced back to Byrgenwerth.

But today... The college lies deep within a tangled wood... abandoned and decrepit. And furthermore, the Healing Church has declared Byrgenwerth forbidden ground. It's unclear how many of its scholars remain alive, but only they know the password that allows passage through the gate."

So everything related to humans started with Brygenwerth. It seems a little cruel to the origin of everything but this was merely the test of time and Brygenwerth failed to move alongside the passing era. It could blame no institute but itself for it could not keep up with the currents of time.

"Thou hast been immensely helpful. Can thee tell me more about the Vilebloods? I'm afraid I know very little of them."

"I sure can tell you about the Vilebloods. In fact I would tell anyone about the Vilebloods. But I have a question before I give you an answer. You are looking for the Cainhurst Castle, like me. Surely, you are not looking to become a knight of Cainhurst are you? After all, some would consider that depraved position to be an absolute honour."

Despite the friendly smile he still put up, the voice no longer as friendly as before. His eyes steeled back to a hunter's eyes unlike the warm and friendly one from before. She had a suspicion that her answer would determine her future relation with the Executioner.

.

.

.

.

.

This is chapter 148.

It's longer than normal chapters so hope you enjoy it. 

Do tell me if you think the lore is accurate or if you spot any errors.