Chapter 223 (2): Beware of the Black Cat

Wayne was beyond disappointed. “If they aren’t related, why are you stopping me from approaching the Princess? Isn’t it a good thing for me to complete your unfinished business?”

“Don’t start anything. Keep your distance from the royal family. Moreover, Her Highness isn’t like the girls you’ve fooled. She knows what she’s doing and is capable of backing it up. If you go after her, you’ll only be used by her.”

“So she’s strong?”

“I don’t know, neither do I care.” Auston ended the conversation about his personal affair. “You said that the demons came for the Death Knight, but based on what we’re seeing, outside of the first familiar, the other two are planning something else...”

Marius died in the Western District Great Cemetery, his corpse converted into Wayne’s elite unit. Caim had fallen under the control of the mysterious figure and became sustenance for the

Book of Greed

. And Juliette had yet to make an appearance, hiding somewhere unknown.

Judging by the name, Juliette was likely a female familiar, but sex was more fluid for demons. There was a possibility that she was a he.

“The Ministry of Magic is looking for the demons...”

“The mysterious man knows hell too well, so the ministry suspects Frank Turner, the hell expert. However, Frank isn’t among the leadership of the ministry and has limited access to confidential information. His strength is also...”

Auston paused. “Lack of access to information and insufficient power don’t necessarily disprove anything. You’re a good example. You’re not among the higher-ups of the ministry, but I know a lot of important information. Insufficient power is even easier to amend. Just sacrifice your soul to a faith and endure the consequences, and it won’t be difficult to get stronger. Frank’s now locked up and being interrogated. He won’t be released anytime soon.”

The Minister of Magic was going to see if the mysterious figure was going to make another move, which would prove Frank innocent.

“Isn’t this jumping to a conclusion? What if Frank is the mysterious man, but he has clones?”

“The department that Frank leads is important, and Her Majesty needs him. If his crime isn’t proven, he’ll be considered not guilty.” Auston glanced at Wayne. “Don’t look at it as a loss. It’s politics. Her Majesty will compensate the Lando family.”

Are you sure? I don’t think you’re that loyal to Her Majesty!

Unless there’s still something between you and the Queen, and you take out your frustration on her.

The more Wayne considered the matter, the more he suspected there was something between Auston and the Queen. Since Megan was also Auston’s long-term lover, Master should be wearing a green crown at this point to announce her husband’s infidelity.

“What about the other churches?”

“The Church of Heavenly Father hasn’t made a move. To my knowledge, they have been staying put...”

Auston turned to Wayne for confirmation. When Wayne shook his head, he continued, “The Church of Heavenly Father has always been cunning and deceitful. Perhaps they have already sent people to infiltrate Londan. The Ministry of Magic must find Juliette before them. As for the other churches...”

He felt a headache brewing. “The Church of Nature is making the loudest complaint, led by your master, Silvia.”

He had tried to appease Silvia, but to little effect. She dutifully seized the chance and twisted the demonic attack on the Lando family into an attack on her. Since the mysterious man was manipulating the demon, and he came from the Ministry of Magic, it was effectively an attack on Nature’s High Reverend from the Ministry of Magic.

The Church of Moonlight’s experience taught them that a child who threw a tantrum would be fed first. If the church stirred up enough ruckus, the Ministry of Magic would compromise and give the church a better deal.

The Church of Moonlight had stopped its protest. Silvia didn’t even have to think with her brain to know that Filomina had secured what she wanted in their negotiation. Now, it was the Church of Nature’s turn!

Then the next child crying for mama would be Head Coach Dick of the Church of Sun. It was terrible enough to imagine the bald muscleman with a vicious, scarred face whining for candy.

Wayne shuddered, chortling. “The royal family is in big trouble. The moment they allowed the Church of Moonlight to gain more influence, it was clear that the other two churches of the Life Alliance wouldn’t stay quiet. And to balance that out, the influence of Darkness and Death will increase dramatically, too.”

Outside of the Church of Heavenly Father, everyone would have a bright future!

But were things really hopeless for the Church of Heavenly Father? Not necessarily. If they could catch Juliette and the mysterious figure and put the blame on the Windsor royal family, the Church of Heavenly Father would be able to take Windsor into its territory of belief once again.

Wayne rubbed his temple. “It’s too messy. You’re right. I like the old Windsor better.”

“And who do you think caused all this?” Auston huffed. “If you hadn’t saved the High Reverend of the Church of Moonlight, the water wouldn’t have gotten so muddled. Were you not the heir of the Lando family, you would’ve been found shot in the back, dying by suicide.”

But the High Reverend living is a net plus! She’s clingy and caring. She’s both seductive and pure. And have you seen her?

Wayne didn’t regret saving Filomina. Even if they hadn’t ended up in such a relationship, he would still have stepped in for justice.

Auston believed Wayne should take full responsibility. Wayne had saved Filomina and exposed the Ministry of Magic, forcing the royal family to start making compromises. Then the three demon familiars came for the Death Knight, which gave the Church of Heavenly Father a chance to return to power. In the end, Wayne was to blame.

“You can’t say that. The wheel of time continues forward, and the corrupt rules will surely be crushed...”

Wayne’s empty words fell on deaf ears. Auston wasn’t going to buy his nonsense, so he changed the subject, “Has the Ministry of Magic found Juliette yet? Are you going to investigate with your other identity?”

“No,” Auston said simply. “With Silvia here, I don’t want to be active in that identity and risk exposing myself.”

“And you call yourself loyal to the country!” Wayne scoffed.

“My heir will investigate.”

“...”

Auston smiled at Wayne. “Before, I was worried that you would meet an untimely end and leave the Lando family with no successor, but not anymore. Darkness, Death, Heaven... With all your great sources of power, a familiar won’t be your match.”

“You'd better think about it carefully,” Wayne warned. “This is a threat. If I get exposed, I will drag you with me to ensure mutual destruction.”

“You’re too smart to expose yourself,” Auston complimented with a dark expression. Wayne and he had been hiding their secrets well, save for the one time they revealed their secret to each other. Since they now belonged to the same family, their secrets could break the Landos.

“Right. I’ll just transform into the Darkness Knight, then I don’t have to be nervous even if I get caught.” Wayne nodded. He was indeed smart.

He drew the pure black greatsword, Twilight Despair, out of thin air.

Auston’s eyes twitched. He lowered his antique silver coin and felt no pain at all.

“Fool, don’t leave traces as the Darkness Knight,” Auston criticized. “Go as the Death Knight. You can use the deal the Death Knight has reached with the royal family for profit.”

As expected of you!

Wayne accepted the advice. Swinging Twilight Despair, he said with his eyebrow raised, “How does it feel? Isn’t it nice?”

Auston glared at him. With the curse lifted, he did feel good physically, but not mentally; he was no longer the one and only Darkness Knight.

The Headless Knight would’ve seconded the sentiment if he were here.

“Say, if I keep Twilight Despair to free your two hands, wouldn’t it be easier for you to please the Queen?” Wayne gave him a pointed look.

What a genius you are. Why haven’t I thought about it?

Overjoyed, Auston snapped with a dark look on his face, “Don’t say such nonsense. Silvia is your master and your parental figure. Do not make dirty jokes at her expense.”

I wasn’t talking about Master.

Wayne huffed, putting Twilight Despair back. “If you turn down the offer now, don’t ever ask me for the favor unless you let me kick you.”

Auston clutched his coin and waited for a while, still not feeling any pain. He said with a frown, “You can manipulate Twilight Despair even without holding it, can’t you?”

“Yeah.”

Then go easy when you kick me!

Auston agonized over it, still unwilling to say it. If he said it, it would be disrespectful to his wife, and he would rather endure the pain.

A scumbag like you is actually a good man?!

Wayne couldn’t believe it. But while Auston might not have anything to do with the Queen, he was certainly having an affair with Megan. He almost fell for the scumbag’s acting.

“I’ll give you a piece of advice, Wayne,” Auston said seriously. “Beware of the black cat. No matter how you managed to acquire the power of the Darkness Knight, your control over Twilight Despair exceeds mine. Do not recklessly use the power of Darkness, and do not get too close to Monica. It can smell Darkness from you, and the Goddess of Darkness will seek you out.”

“Um, what... is Monica?”

“I don’t know. Its appearance is curious. Once I gained the silver coin of luck, it came to the Lando family, and everyone thought it was my pet.”

Auston looked outside the soundproofing barrier. “Even Megan believes so. Her tampered memory cannot be corrected.”

Wayne sucked in a breath. He didn’t expect the silly-looking black cat to be capable of that.

“Is it the Goddess of Darkness’s messenger, here to urge you to work hard, or...is it watching you?”

“I don’t know.”