Lord: I can see loyalty.

Late that night, inside the Earl's Castle.

The parchment was spread out on the wooden table. Vio held the banknotes in his hand, paused slightly, and then put them down.

This is a letter destined for the capital, which will eventually reach the king.

The messenger left Bordeaux early the next morning with the letter. Vio did not describe the assassination in detail in the letter, but focused on the existence of the Eclipse God and his "deduction".

This so-called Eclipse God is not a god, but a demon.

The reply came faster than Vio had expected. Just five days later, four figures, under the protection of the Sword Tail Flower Knights, crossed the southern border and arrived at the southernmost city of Bordeaux, in front of the Earl's Castle.

Although there were only four people, Vio was overjoyed when he saw their stats.

The most striking figure was a tall, imposing knight clad in heavy gold and white armor. His helmet covered only his eyes and chin, revealing a white beard underneath.

But this elderly man's profile was anything but simple.

Name: Heinrich Storm

Race: Human

Age: 66

[Faction: Holy Knights of the Church of Rovia]

Hobbies: Listening, learning, praying, reading books

【Characteristics: Devout, Strong, Agile, Blessed by the Church, Holy Light Apprentice, Combat Experience, Resistance to Mental Corruption, Advanced Basic Swordsmanship】

Loyalty: Not loyal to you

[Status: Observing, Focused Thinking]

The other three were also extraordinary. Apart from a knight who seemed to have come to monitor everyone and Vio, the other two were a priest from the church and a magician from the capital.

"Welcome to the Southern Reach." Vio stepped forward and spoke, then took a few steps back. "There are still people being manipulated by the God of Eclipse in the dungeon. I think you can see for yourselves."

Heinrich nodded slightly, and the other three looked at Vio with some surprise. They did not expect that the so-called Earl of the Southern Territory would be so young!

"Greetings, Your Excellency the Count," Heinrich said first, bowing respectfully.

Soon, led by Vio, the group entered the city of Bordeaux and headed towards the dungeon.

Along the way, the two church reinforcements remained calm, only occasionally glancing at the streets and residents, while the magician and knight from the capital looked around from time to time.

According to the rumors they had heard, the southern border was impoverished and had been attacked by bandits; they were sure to suffer on this trip.

But to their surprise, this unheard-of city of Bordeaux was completely different from the southern region they knew.

Although signs of rapid expansion are still visible, the streets are clean and well-planned. When people see the Earl and his entourage, they will spontaneously step aside to greet them, their eyes filled with respect rather than fear.

Although it cannot compare to a prosperous place like the capital city, it is by no means as desolate and dilapidated as outsiders say.

After a short while, they finally arrived at the dungeon guarded by the militia.

Further inside, in the deepest part of the dark dungeon, in a solitary cell separated by thick iron bars, the assassin named Karl was huddled in a corner.

His hands were bound behind his back with iron chains. When he heard Vio and the others approaching, he only raised his head slightly, the golden patterns on his neck standing out in the dim light.

However, when Vio's figure also appeared outside the cell door, a sudden change occurred!

Nakar's eyes were instantly filled with a golden light, and he let out a low, inhuman growl.

He sprang up from the ground and, as if he had lost his mind, recklessly rammed his head against the solid iron bars.

Bang!Bang!Bang!

The sound of the impact echoed dully in the narrow dungeon passage, the iron bars trembled, and his forehead was already torn open, with blood flowing down his cheek.

Heinrich took a small step forward, his imposing figure naturally blocking Vio's side, his gaze fixed on the increasingly gleaming lines on the assassin's neck.

"My lord," his voice was particularly deep beneath his helmet, "does this man... still possess any sense of reason? Or has he already become a minion of the demons?"

On Vio's panel, Karl's status remained the same as last time: [Under Control] and [Unconscious].

He shook his head: "He's already unconscious. Do with him as you see fit."

"Understood." Heinrich nodded, then turned to the silent priest and gestured, "Sister Arya, please."

A pastor named Arya stepped forward, removed her hood, revealing the face of a peaceful middle-aged woman.

She exchanged a glance with Heinrich, and the two of them simultaneously raised their hands, aiming them at Karl, who was still frantically struggling inside the cage.

There was no lengthy chanting, nor any exaggerated bursts of light.

A warm, white light emanated from Heinrich's palm as he reached into the iron bars, grabbed the other man's head, and forcibly stopped his self-harming actions.

Pastor Arya began to chant a short prayer in a low voice, and a soft glow began to slowly flow from her fingertips.

The two holy lights, though of the same origin but slightly different, did not carry any aggression, but rather enveloped Karl slowly, like a baptism.

At first, the golden patterns seemed to have a life of their own and were enraged, twisting and flashing as if trying to resist.

Karl struggled even more fiercely, but Heinrich's strength rendered him immobile, and he could only let out painful howls.

As the holy light continued to envelop his entire body, the opponent's struggles gradually slowed down until they stopped completely.

The whole process lasted about a minute, and in Vio's view panel, Karl's loyalty actually began to recover.

Loyalty: Not loyal to you

Loyalty: 20%

Loyalty: 50%

……

Suddenly, the assassin shuddered violently, his body convulsing, and the golden markings on his neck began to fade and disappear rapidly, leaving only a light pink new scar.

Only heavy breathing and the crackling of torches remained in the dungeon.

After a while, Karl on the ground stirred and let out a weak, confused groan.

Vio's status panel has been updated:

[Status: Extremely weak, severely traumatized, and experiencing memory confusion.]

Heinrich withdrew his hand, his breathing beneath his armor becoming slightly heavier; clearly, this seemingly steady purification had taken a toll on him.

He turned to Vio, his azure eyes standing out starkly in the shadows: "My lord, corruption can be purified, at least at this stage."

"It seems... to be a type of necromancy," the mage who had been observing silently said.

After clasping his hands tightly and praying softly, the pastor responded, "Let this poor gentleman rest for a while."

Vio gazed at the man in the cell who seemed to have been reborn yet was in unbearable pain, and slowly nodded.