What is an offensive priest?

Chapter 31 You can give birth to the most beautiful babies

Richard looked at her silently.

After a full three breaths, he slowly spoke.

"Crow and Maurice don't know yet?"

Avel nodded, his long silver hair swaying gently with the movement.

"They don't have Lord Richard's... excellent perception."

Her gaze shifted to the shimmering surface of the stream, her eyes crystal clear.

"Because of my striking appearance, I had to disguise my identity."

"And the drow elves' notorious reputation will obviously save me a lot of trouble."

Richard couldn't help but laugh when he heard this.

"Am I not a troublesome one?"

Avel shook his head slightly, his tone firm.

"I believe in you!"

Richard looked at the girl's almost dependent eyes, his expression somewhat dazed.

"You look a lot like a girl I know."

Avel was quick-witted and immediately guessed who he was talking about.

"You mean... Sister Sharon?"

Richard did not deny it.

"She was also a pitiful girl bound by her family."

Avel looked somewhat surprised.

"You know about her?"

Richard lay on the rock with his head tilted back, his gaze deep.

I have a vague idea.

"Shortly after I arrived in Blackwater, this holy nun followed closely behind. Anyone would have noticed that, right?"

"So what do you plan to do?" Avel asked tentatively, "About her... and the forces that might be behind her?"

Richard did not answer immediately.

He raised his head and looked up at the bright moon in the night sky.

Moonlight spilled onto the stream and fell upon the reeds, turning the whole world into a tranquil, silvery-white expanse.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

"Sharon is a simple and pure girl."

This statement stunned Avel.

Simple? Pure?

That scheming nun who saw through her disguise at a glance and accurately called out her family name.

Richard seemed to sense her confusion and added.

"The tenderness in her eyes when she cared for the wounded guards was genuine, and the devotion in her voice when she recited morning prayers for the children was also genuine."

"As for the forces behind her, they have nothing to do with me. As long as she is in Blackwater Town, she will be within my protection."

Upon hearing this, Avel stared blankly at Richard, her eyes filled with the innocent longing of a young girl.

"Pastor Richard, you are truly the most special person I have ever met!"

Richard did not respond, but simply stood up and dusted himself off.

"It's time to change shifts. You can go and rest. I'll take over the second half of the night."

-

The next morning.

The first rays of dawn had just pierced the horizon on the eastern side of the Howling Mountains.

Richard and Avel had already extinguished the campfire, packed their bags, and set off.

Avir also reverted to his drow elf disguise.

Following the map provided by the druid, the two arrived at the outer edge of the Rizhao Wetland.

Looking into the distance, the clear stream glistens in the sunlight, and its banks are covered with lush green reeds and aquatic plants.

Dragonflies occasionally skim lightly across the water's surface, leaving delicate ripples; the area is lush and vibrant with life.

Deeper in, in the center of the wetland, there are several meadows full of wildflowers, where a few plump sheep are leisurely grazing, the bells around their necks ringing crisply with each chew.

Avel looked at the scene before him and couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

"This place doesn't seem as eerie as the druids described."

According to the druid's description, the Sunshine Wetlands should be a forbidden zone for life, a cursed place that even birds would not want to approach.

But the vibrant and harmonious scene before her completely overturned her expectations.

But Richard did not let his guard down. A place that could make even the druids so wary must have hidden dangers.

The two headed towards the Rizhao Wetland.

"Help--!"

A piercing, almost broken cry for help suddenly came from a coniferous forest on the left!

Upon hearing the sound, the two quickly headed in that direction.

It was a small stream.

An old woman dressed in a coarse cloth dress was sitting slumped by the stream, shivering all over.

She looked very old, with deep, knife-like wrinkles on her face, her gray hair disheveled over her shoulders, and her coarse cloth dress stained with mud and bits of grass.

A brown bear nearly five feet tall blocked her way.

"Fire Bolt!"

Avel waved his staff and unleashed a magic fire arrow.

The scorching arrow flew through the air and struck the black bear precisely on the shoulder.

boom--!

The muffled sound of flames exploding.

The searing pain caused the brown bear to let out a painful and angry roar, its black fur on its shoulders ignited, and it turned and fled into the deep forest.

"Are you alright?"

After Avel cast a spell to drive away the black bear, he hurried over to check on the old woman's condition.

She struggled to her feet, her voice still trembling.

"Thank you for your help, otherwise I'm afraid I would have been eaten by it."

Aunt Ethel thanked the two of them, but her voice stopped abruptly when her gaze fell on Avel's face.

Aiver thought she was frightened by her disguise as a drow elf.

After all, to ordinary people, purple-skinned elves from the Underdark often represent evil and ruthlessness.

"Don't worry, we mean no harm."

Avel quickly explained, trying to keep his voice as gentle as possible.

She didn't finish her sentence.

Suddenly, Aunt Ethel reached out and grabbed her wrist!

Her movements were so fast that she didn't seem like an old woman who had just twisted her ankle and was trembling with fear.

"Oh... my dear little star..."

Aunt Ethel's voice changed.

It was no longer that weak, frightened tremor, but became gentle, sweet, and carried a kind of almost obsessive admiration.

"Oh, my dear little star, you look so beautiful!"

Avel was taken aback by the sudden praise and instinctively felt a little uncomfortable, so he looked to Richard for help.

And Aunt Ethel, following her gaze, noticed the priest for the first time.

He was dressed in a suit of fine iron chainmail, with strong and resolute features, and looked so robust and powerful.

"A perfect match!"

"They're such a perfect match!"

"You two will surely give birth to the most beautiful and powerful baby!"

Listening to Aunt Ethel's inexplicable words.

Richard was also a little confused. How could they have already thought about having a child after just one glance at the two of them?

Although Aiver was disguised as a drow elf, the blush on her cheeks was still visible.

She kept stealing glances at Richard, all the while looking shy.

Listening to Aunt Ethel's endless chatter, Richard couldn't help but interrupt her. If she continued, she would probably be holding her wedding with Avel right here!

"Grandma, where do you live?"

"Can we find our way back?"

Aunt Ethel pointed into the distance.

"I live in the riverside teahouse."

"You are welcome to come and sit down when you have time, so I can thank you for your kindness."

Avel didn't want to get entangled with this strange woman anymore. Although her words struck a chord with Avel, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

After saying goodbye to the strange woman.

Richard and Avery stepped onto a wooden bridge, officially entering the Rizhao Wetland area.

Orioles sing and grasses grow tall, lush and green.

Wildflowers of various colors bloom in the lush grass, butterflies flutter among the flowers, and the clear chirping of birds can even be heard in the distance.

The vibrant natural life force felt even stronger than that of the lush green woodland.

Avel looked around, a hint of hesitation creeping into his voice.

"Lord Richard, do you think the druids might be being too sensitive?"

"This place doesn't seem as scary as the rumors say."

Richard squinted at the almost unnaturally harmonious environment, and became wary.

An exceptionally plump sheep seemed to have taken an interest in Avel.

It approached slowly, its copper bells jingling, its nostrils twitching slightly, as if it were sniffing her scent.

Girls are always powerless against cute things. Looking at the sheep's docile appearance, the last trace of wariness in her heart gradually dissipated.

You can even smell the clean scent of grass on the sheep.

"My little darling..."

Avel smiled unconsciously and reached out to stroke the sheep's fluffy head.

Just then, Richard, who had been on guard, suddenly sensed an aura of hatred.

"Danger!"

Almost instinctively, he pulled Avel away, clenching his right fist so that it instantly glowed with a holy, golden-red flame, and slammed it down hard on the sheep's head.

The movements were as fast as lightning!

Avel didn't even have time to react.

The fist slammed solidly into the sheep's head.

But the sensation it produced was not the dull thud of bones breaking, nor the softness of flesh sinking in; it was more like the muffled metallic sound of leather encasing iron!

The sheep let out a shrill, ear-piercing squeal that was completely unlike a sheep's bleat!

He then slowly stood up, his body twisting violently like a melting wax figure, his bones making a sickening cracking sound, and finally transformed into a humanoid creature about three feet tall, short and sturdy.

It was hunched and short, but sturdy and robust, wearing a pair of iron boots stained with mud and blood, wielding a rusty long-handled sickle, and revealing its evil fangs.

What's most striking is its iconic red hat, which needs to be constantly soaked in fresh blood.

Therefore, they often disguise themselves as docile and harmless sheep to lure the enemy into lowering their guard.

Red hat!

This is a kind of fairy born from bloodlust, usually dwelling in battlefield ruins or swamps filled with resentment, feeding on fresh blood.

As the red hat's identity was exposed, the surrounding environment began to change drastically, like a faded oil painting.

The sweet floral scent was instantly replaced by a pungent stench, a mixture of rotting corpses and moldy swamp mud.

The once lush green grassland withered rapidly, turning into a sticky black swamp. Countless bubbles rose to the surface of the swamp, releasing yellowish-green toxic gas.

The dense forest shed its disguise, transforming into twisted, withered trees, and thick fog permeated the air.

Beside the extinguished campfire lay several blood-stained backpacks, broken weapons, and several rotting, mangled human skeletons.

Around the skeleton, more sheep were slowly rising to their feet.

A total of twelve.

They shed their disguises, revealing their true forms with red hats, and held all sorts of harvesting tools in their hands.

"Fresh blood..."

"Guys...dinner's ready!"

Deep within the Rizhao Wetland, in the heart of that toxic swamp where even those in the Red Hat camp dared not approach, stands a crooked teahouse.

A crystal ball was placed in the dimly lit room.

A sharp claw swept across it, and as magic continued to flow in, the image of Aiver appeared on the crystal ball.

"My dearest little star, that ugly purple skin can't hide your beauty!"

"Quickly mate with that strong priest and give birth to the most beautiful and powerful baby for me!"

"I can't wait for the next tea party to begin!"