Gospel of Blood
Chapter 270: Déjà Vu

Charlotte and Count Gaston agreed to meet at a small town located at the border between the Tulip and Castell counties. The meeting was set for noon, two days later.

Both parties agreed to bring no more than five hundred soldiers, apart from accompanying nobles and officers, to maintain an atmosphere of mutual trust.

The Tulip County was not far from Northport, a half-day journey. Early on the agreed day, Charlotte set off with her escort of five hundred elite regular cavalrymen and dozens of noble knights, accompanied by Sebastian.

The meeting place, a small town called Nell, belonged administratively to Tulip County.

The town was small, with fewer than five thousand residents, nestled among rolling hills and boasting picturesque scenery.

As Charlotte arrived in Nell, escorted by her heavily armored cavalry, she noticed that Gaston’s troops had already set up camp. Through the window of her carriage, she saw the soldiers of the Borde Duchy, the Borde lion flag, and the Gaston family crest flying in the air.

At the same time, the Borde garrison noticed the arrival of Castell’s forces, and the sentry on the watchtower quickly signaled for them to proceed.

“Countess, the other side is inviting us into their camp through the kingdom’s signal code. Should we camp here or proceed into the town?”

A noble asked Charlotte respectfully from outside the carriage window.

“Camp here. Sebastian and I will go ahead. Inform everyone that no one is to act without my signal.”

Charlotte instructed.

She intended this visit to be both a tactical maneuver and a baiting strategy, with the army merely as a precaution.

Having the troops too close might reveal her intentions. If not for the nobles of Castell insisting on accompanying her, she wouldn’t have brought even the noble knights.

“Countess, going with just Sebastian might be too dangerous.”

The nobles and her personal guard expressed their concern.

Charlotte reassured them.

“Sebastian is a peak Silver Moon tier extraordinary. With him, I am safe.”

Sebastian smiled at them, his formidable aura subtly manifesting, causing a palpable sense of dread among the extraordinaries present.

Convinced of Sebastian’s power, the nobles stepped aside, allowing Charlotte and Sebastian to ride towards Gaston’s camp.

The camp was set up in Nell’s town square.

Despite having fewer soldiers than Charlotte’s cavalry, Charlotte’s keen senses, enhanced by her bloodborne power, detected many hidden extraordinary presences within the camp, including several Silver Moons.

Upon their arrival, Count Gaston, accompanied by nobles and officers, greeted them warmly, followed by a young noble resembling Gaston, dressed in the kingdom’s knightly attire. Charlotte guessed this was Count Gaston’s eldest son, who was studying at the Knight Academy in the capital.

“Haha, Countess Castell, we meet again. You seem even more beautiful after half a year.”

Count Gaston greeted Charlotte heartily.

Charlotte dismounted, assisted by Sebastian, and replied with a smile.

“Count Gaston, long time no see. I prefer to be called Charlotte by you.”

“Haha, then I shall continue to address you as Charlotte.”

Count Gaston laughed, then turned to Sebastian.

“Sebastian, long time no see. Our Gaston family did much business with your Rose Society back in Borde.”

Sebastian responded with a polite smile.

“Count Gaston, indeed, it’s a surprise to meet you again in the North.”

“Since we are old acquaintances, I have prepared lunch in the town. We can discuss the suppression of the northern rebellion over the meal.”

Count Gaston invited, gesturing for Charlotte and Sebastian to follow him into a two-story building behind the camp.

Charlotte noticed it was a well-decorated inn, likely the best in town, now serving as Count Gaston’s temporary residence.

Sebastian glanced at Charlotte, who smiled and followed Count Gaston confidently.

Inside the inn, Charlotte sensed more hidden extraordinary presences, but Sebastian showed no reaction.

Realizing only her bloodborne power and divine sense allowed her to detect these hidden figures, she enhanced her perception to identify their strength: twenty-eight First Tier Starry Sky and six Second Tier Silver Moon extraordinaries.

Such a concentration of power confirmed an imminent conspiracy, but Charlotte remained calm, curious about Count Gaston’s plans against Sebastian, her apparent strongest protector.

“Please, Charlotte.”

Count Gaston gestured towards a luxurious room where a dining table was set.

Charlotte entered, noting the table was laden with food, with Sebastian following closely.

However, as Sebastian stepped through the doorway, silver light erupted from the floor, and to Charlotte’s astonishment, Sebastian vanished in a flash of light.