The Evernight Bard's Sorrowful Song

Meanwhile, in the eastern woods.

Sera and Celia's Tracking had gone far more smoothly than Xia Lin's group.

The vampirekin bard did not seem to have deliberately concealed her tracks, leaving behind traces of faint negative energy along the way.

They finally stopped before a long-abandoned coaching inn.

The inn's wooden structure had decayed with age, most of its roof had collapsed, and only a lone sign still creaked in the wind.

"The basement." Sera pointed at a dilapidated entrance leading underground beside the inn, her black tail drawn taut with vigilance. "The source of the negative energy is down there."

Just as Sera was about to head straight down, a warm hand pressed against her shoulder.

"Wait." Celia's voice was gentle but firm. She stepped in front of Sera and raised the holy symbol on her chest. A soft silver-blue radiance lit up from its runes. [Blessing Spell]

"Let the night be a veil, shielding us from evil filth." She murmured a prayer, and a beam of blessing light instantly enveloped Sera.

Then she extended her other hand and lightly pressed it to Sera's shoulder. "Let courage be a shield, and life a spring." [Aid]

A warm pink glow flowed from her fingertips into Sera's body, and new vitality surged through her previously tense frame.

Sera clicked her tongue impatiently, but she did not shake off Celia's hand. Only the tip of her black tail gave a faint curl, tacitly accepting this help from the "light."

After finishing, the two exchanged a glance and carefully descended the damp stone steps, one after the other.

When they pushed open the heavy wooden door, the scent of aged liquor mixed with earth rushed toward them.

There was none of the horrifying sight they had expected. Instead, the place was exceptionally tidy.