Setting a Trap

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

Anthony tightly grasped the bishop's hand.

"Now I am even more certain that I haven't misjudged. Bishop Elvis, once you ascend to the position of Archbishop of the Horns, you can vie for that highest position! As for those of us in the Holy See who are powerless to change the current situation, we will look to you to oversee the situation!"

Elvis's heart pounded with excitement. In an instant, a beautiful scene unfolded in his mind!

He hadn't doubted why Anthony didn't strive for that direction himself; after all, being within the special system of the Curia, he was basically out of contention for that highest position.

Therefore, seeking like-minded individuals externally and secretly assisting them in rising to power was a logical course of action.

"We are all servants of the Lord, without distinction."

Elvis realized he had been overly emotional just now and quickly restored his usual bishop's dignity.

Anthony suppressed a smile. "Please don't blame me for speaking out of turn. Although I can assist you behind the scenes, ultimately it will depend on your performance. It's likely that more than just me will bear this secret task. And if you do become Archbishop of the Horns and have your sights set on that position, you'll need to demonstrate even better and more."

"I understand this. Thank you, Your Excellency, for the reminder."

Although his face returned to its calm demeanor, Elvis's heart was ablaze with determination. How could he achieve better results than others? Let those secular rulers prostrate themselves completely under the power of the Lord, completely and willingly!

Anthony grabbed a small handful of grains and scattered them on the ground, where a large group of birds rushed forward to feed.

Among them, a crested parrot flew in from somewhere unknown.

"A green crested parrot? Quite rare, aren't they usually white or gray?"

Curiosity flashed through Anthony's mind as he looked more closely at the strange parrot.

He grabbed another handful of grains and sprinkled them near the parrot.

"Speaking of which!"

Suddenly, he remembered something.

"The Grand Duchess already knows her sister is in this church, right?"

Elvis nodded. "Although I didn't explicitly say it, I think she must suspect this place first."

Anthony looked worried.

"What if she comes to the church to take her sister by force?"

"She... she dares! This isn't Eaton."

Anthony shook his head. "It's not about fearing the certain, but the uncertain. Once a woman loses her reason, she's capable of anything. We've locked up her own sister."

"Well... you have a point."

"I suggest that before we get a clear reply from the Grand Duchess, we temporarily move the person. Is there a good place nearby to hide?"

"There's a secluded village in the northern suburbs, rarely visited by outsiders, with a village church. It's quite suitable for hiding."

"I think you should move the person there!"

Elvis nodded. "I'll take care of it now!"

"No!" Anthony stopped him. "There are too many people on the road now, and it's better to wait until dark to act. We can't afford to miss this opportunity."

Elvis accepted the suggestion.

"Yes, let's just go through the North Gate after dark. By then, only the North City Gate will remain open."

The green parrot on the ground seemed to have eaten its fill. Compared to other birds, it was stronger and larger, easily outcompeting them.

The parrot flapped its wings and soared into the air, circling over the church several times before flying off into the distance...

In the room of the Duke and Duchess of Eaton in the embassy, Helen sat uneasily. She paced back and forth in the room, occasionally walking to the window to gaze into the distance.

It was evident that the Duchess was restless. After glancing out the window again, she approached the bedside.

On the bed lay a person with beautiful features and green hair, her junior sister—Lady Ladiaa Setia Gerald.

At this moment, Lady Ladia appeared to be sleeping with her eyes tightly closed, almost as if unconscious.

Helen reached out to feel Lady Ladia's breath, finding nothing unusual, which somewhat eased her worry.

A green parrot flew in through the window and perched on the bedside table.

"Lady Ladia!"

Helen exclaimed with joy. Her junior sister had finally returned safely.

The parrot nodded at her and then hopped onto the unconscious body on the bed.

It extended its head and gently touched Lady Ladia's forehead with its beak.

After about half a minute, the person on the bed slowly opened her eyes.

Helen asked anxiously, "Lady Ladia! Is everything alright with your body? Do you feel any discomfort?"

"Sister!"

Lady Ladia didn't immediately answer Helen's question but grabbed her hand.

"Fanny should be in the cathedral, but they are planning to transfer her tonight to a village church in the northern suburbs, directly through the North Gate."

Then she answered the previous question, "Don't worry, my body is perfectly fine, in excellent condition."

A grateful and joyful expression appeared on Helen's face as she tightly embraced Lady Ladia.

"Thank you, my dear sister, once again for helping me so much."

"Let's not talk about this now, sister. Let's plan how to rescue Fanny. I think tonight is simply a heaven-sent opportunity."

"Yes, you're right!"

The Duchess wiped her moistened eyes with a handkerchief.

"But we don't know how many people they will have. It's not enough to rely on just the two of us."

Upon hearing Helen's words, Lady Ladia thought of friends from the Lichman Adventurers' Guild who had taken on the mission to find Fanny. However, the idea of confronting the church head-on made her immediately dismiss this thought, as she couldn't risk involving them.

Then she thought of the crew of the Southern Number, equipped with dozens of guns. But she abandoned this idea immediately; if there was too much commotion, it would seriously affect Earl Grayman's trade plans, and she couldn't drag them into this.

Besides, they were just helping to pick up her family members; whether they were willing to help or not was another matter.

Helen, however, seemed confident.

"In the past few days, in order to find Fanny, the Angle Bay Alliance agreed to transfer a group of people from Eaton here, including many from my mother's family. I will gather them near the North Gate and take back Fanny."

"How many people can you gather before dark?"

"Three or four dozen should be possible."

Lady Ladia nodded and then suggested, "Sister, let me go with them. Maybe I can help."

Helen tightly held her hand. "I am deeply grateful, but you should follow them secretly. If the enemy is few, my people can handle it directly; if not, then you can intervene."

"Alright! Don't worry, sister. I know how to conceal my identity."

"Lady Ladia!"

"Is there anything else?"

"I'll go with you."

(End of the Chapter)