Pale Sacrifice, Bloodstained Mercy

Meanwhile, in the Persian camp.

"So, the Sparta messenger has escaped your control and entered Athens? Cain?"

The imposing figure on the throne propped his chin up with one hand and swirled a large golden goblet filled with wine in the other. His half-closed eyes watched the ripples in the goblet, and a brilliant gold gleamed deep within his pupils.

"My lord, the troublemaker is too powerful. Please judge for yourself."

The young man, whose body was etched with scarlet divine markings and whose face was pale, knelt on one knee under the tent. While trying to explain himself, he would occasionally cough lightly, as if a needle-like pain was coming from his abdomen.

Cain, meaning "to receive," was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first ancestors of humankind, born of God's grace; he was the "gifted one from God."

He also killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and hatred for the favor God had bestowed upon him during the sacrifice. He was punished and cursed by God and became a "kin killer".

Later, he repented and was forgiven by the Savior, who sealed his seal for protection and exiled him to the land of Nod, where he multiplied his people.

Now, by the grace of the Lord, this man who once murdered his own family is fortunate enough to be among the Seven Servants of the Holy Grail, serving as an assassin.

The towering figure, who had been waving a large golden cup in his hand, suddenly stopped, his raised eyes glancing down indifferently.

"You failed?"

Under the gaze of those golden pupils, everything seemed humble and insignificant, life as fragile as ants and dust, utterly trivial.

The invisible pressure sent chills down the spines of the sinners on the ground, causing them to break out in a cold sweat, and their frivolous voices became dry and strained.

"Yes... yes, my lord, please punish me..."

"The stench of darkness on you is too strong. Holy Flame can wash away this filth. Go down."

Cain's pupils contracted, and his face turned even paler.

Flame signifies boundless light.

Protected by darkness, he stood scorched by Holy Flame. Although he could remove the remaining turbulent Chaotic Aether from his body, it was not a simple blessing. In a sense, it was a different kind of punishment that tormented his spirit and body.

Faced with that majestic and vast presence, he dared not resist in the slightest and obediently bowed as he withdrew from the tent.

As the blood-stained figure retreated from the tent, the air inside seemed to freshen up considerably.

Among the six riders remaining in the shadows of the camp, the two figures at the end of the line near the entrance relaxed their furrowed brows and showed a hint of ease on their faces, clearly expressing their likes and dislikes towards a certain criminal.

On the left, a man with short, blue hair leaned against the corner, lightly strumming the harp in his hand, producing pleasant and melodious tunes. A Shepherd's Staff was tucked into the waistband of his neat, tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt. Although he looked handsome and refined, he exuded a strong sense of scum and a lazy, frivolous aura.

The gentle and serene woman on the other side had a beautiful face, with long, flowing purple hair and pure blue eyes. She wore a loose-fitting white high-necked dress with red trim, and a cross pendant around her neck. The golden light of the pendant peeked into her fair skin, making her appear exceptionally holy, like a kind older sister next door. In her hand, she held an elegant holy staff that was silver, purple, and red, and was the same height as her.

As the purple-haired girl next door moved her wrist, the elegant holy staff that had changed position made a dull thud at the end, forcefully smashing a not-so-shallow pit into the ground that had been compacted and filled with stones.

That's right, the thing this girl next door is holding is made of pure metal, and it weighs at least several tens of kilograms...

The imposing figure lowered the large golden cup in his hand, his back slightly pausing as he looked down at the shadowy figure in front of him and spoke softly.

"How's the progress on that thing?"

"My lord, everything is progressing steadily. This miracle will be completed in three days at the latest."

In the dimly lit corner, a man with brown curly hair, wearing a green trench coat with a fur collar, walked over, raised his hand to remove the green top hat from his head, placed his hand on his chest and bowed, slightly opening his narrowed eyes to reveal dark pupils, and then raised the corners of his lips to answer respectfully.

"David, you won't disappoint me like your son did, will you?"

The golden eyes gazed intently at the end of the line, and the scrutinizing gaze made the slacking, distracted man with tousled blue hair shudder. He immediately shrank back, chuckled dryly, and nodded frantically, his expression respectful.

"How could that be! Your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Glory, majesty, power, and authority all belong to you. No one dares to disobey your divine decree. Even everything I have is a gift from you. To repay this favor, I am willing to offer my complete loyalty. I only regret that I cannot personally escort that brat who angered you before you so that you may judge him."

Faced with this flattery, a foreign beauty with dark brown skin, blue eyes, and a pair of fluffy animal ears standing up from her purple hair, dressed in gorgeous and elaborately colored clothes, secretly rolled her eyes at the praise of King David.

I remember you committed many adulterous and immoral acts, and even broke the precept against murder. You also neglected to complete the First Temple during your term of office, leaving the mess to your son.

If even the head of the household is crooked, how can you expect to hand over your son to avoid punishment?

"Very well, then the world will be at my feet!"

The imposing figure on the throne nodded in satisfaction with the answer, his fingertips twirling as he nimbly played with the Golden Chalice in his hand.

Waaaaah~~

At this moment, the mournful sound of bugles reached the camp, and the tremors of the army's marching assembly caused the pebbles and gravel on the ground to be stirred up.

"My lord, the project is not yet complete, and we are already attacking the Greeks. Won't the losses be too great? Once the land of Greece is accepted by you and begs to submit, it will be your people who die and are wounded."

The purple-haired saintess, holding a cross-shaped scepter, frowned slightly, a hint of pity appearing in her eyes, and stepped forward to earnestly offer her advice.

"Martha, the Spartans have broken through the blockade and are heading to Athens to seek an alliance. The war at Hot Spring Pass should not be delayed any longer, otherwise more innocent people will die in the ensuing battles."

Just as you tame the man-eating dragon Tarasque, to tame a beast you must first pull out its claws and shatter its hard shell.

Salvation without sacrifice is pale; to demonstrate compassion, bloodshed is necessary before it is truly precious!

His imposing figure spoke calmly, his gaze profound.

The purple-haired saintess listened to the teachings of the heavens, pondered for a moment, suppressed her compassion for life, looked ashamed, and then looked up at this majestic being with burning eyes.

"My lord, please allow me to go into battle, assist the army in breaching the Hot Spring Pass fortress, and clear the way for you!"

"Ha, staying here is boring. I'm getting a little hungry, so I'll go out for some fresh air."

At the same time, a figure with black horns on its head, long golden hair, and wearing a black and gold dress stepped forward. Its brown vertical pupils flashed excitedly, and the sharp serrated teeth revealed when it opened its mouth sent chills down one's spine.

When viewed from afar by the light, its brownish-black skin reflected light like scales, and a jet-black tail swayed in the darkness.