The Villain Saint is my secondary account

The convoy arrived at the palace, where two rows of armored palace guards lined the road to greet them outside the magnificent halls.

Since a visit to the palace did not require so many people, the delegation split into two groups, leaving most of its members to go to a side hall.

Foreign Minister Abek then led the remaining ten people, including Ella, up the magnificent steps.

"The Holy Maiden has arrived!"

The Templar Knights, leading the way, announced in a loud voice, while Ye Xiao, a guard beside her, lifted the hem of Ella's pure white, snow-like skirt and followed her step by step into the hall.

The extraordinary young woman, her eyes slightly closed, walked with her slender legs on the bright red carpet. Bathed in the dazzling sunlight, her figure passed through rows of majestic marble pillars, reaching the center of the vast hall.

On both sides, the richly dressed court nobles knelt on one knee. Even the middle-aged man on the throne, with a majestic expression and golden sideburns like a lion, stood up from his seat, bent one knee, and bowed his head to Ella in respect.

"King Lionel Saint Arara VI of the Kingdom of Saint Arara pays his respects to Her Majesty the Holy Maiden."

Even though the power of light has weakened and declined somewhat with the rise of various empires, the influence of the Holy Temple has accumulated over the past few years and is still quite significant. So much so that apart from the emperors of the three great empires, even the kings of other countries must show awe when they meet the Lord of the Holy Temple, let alone the Holy Ara Kingdom, which is a vassal of the Holy Temple.

"Please get up."

Ella simply nodded in response to the king's bow, which was considered a gesture of respect on behalf of the sanctuary.

Lionel then rose and sat back on his throne. With a wave of his hand, the nobles and ministers on both sides of the hall also stood up.

"By the Holy Light, it is an honor for us that the Holy Maiden has personally visited Concordia today."

"Your Majesty is too kind. The Holy City and the Kingdom of Saint Ara are separated only by a narrow strip of water and share the same faith in our Lord. There is no need for so many formalities."

The light, melodious voice, like the song of orioles and swallows, echoed through the hall. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two began to formally discuss the grain purchase agreement.

Judging from King Lionel's expression, he was not unwilling to trade grain with the Holy City. However, due to the recent wars across the continent and the influx of refugees into the country, various expenses had increased. In addition, the Holy Ara Kingdom's own treasury was not actually abundant after the harsh winter.

Ella, however, was somewhat skeptical of the king's statement. According to the intelligence she possessed, the previous high-ranking officials of the Holy Temple had colluded with the internal forces of the Holy Kingdom of Saint Ara. After receiving news that the Holy Maiden was about to arrive in the Holy City, the three major families transferred a considerable portion of their assets through the Holy Kingdom of Saint Ara. Logically, they should not lack channels and wealth to purchase food from outside, at least some of them would not.

Furthermore, based on observations along the way, the people of Concordia did not appear to be experiencing a food shortage. It was highly likely that the royal family was deliberately holding back and unwilling to sell grain.

However, Ella couldn't say this directly in public, so the two had to play hard to get with each other through their words.

Although the conversation itself wasn't particularly insightful, most of the nobles and royalty in the hall had never actually seen the rumored new Holy Maiden of Light before. Upon seeing her for the first time, they were all awestruck, their gazes unconsciously focusing on the beautifully dressed, graceful young woman, and they watched with great interest.

Just as Ella was exchanging pleasantries with King Saint Ararat, several crows flapped their wings and slowly landed on the domes of the buildings surrounding the vast palace in the clear blue sky outside the palace. Their darting eyes took in the sights of the corridors, gardens, and squares.

Ella instantly grasped the movements of the palace guards' patrols. Then, a dozen or so members of the Fourth Knights, disguised as envoys, who were resting in a side hall, changed their clothes and released the rat familiars from their bosoms to guide them into various parts of the palace.

In the city, the Templars, mingling among the marching crowds, also followed their plans, each finding their own route to converge around the palace.

The soldiers guarding the palace perimeter noticed that the number of people on the nearby streets seemed to be gradually increasing, but they didn't pay much attention. They simply continued to grip their halberds and idly scanned the bustling crowd.

Happy Carnival!

A large procession passed by the street near the side gate of the palace. On the wooden stage that the procession moved along, heavily made-up actors were dancing gracefully, while clowns with exaggerated smiles accompanied them, throwing flowers at the crowd as they walked.

Laughter and cheers filled the streets, but in a secluded corner, a "citizen" leaning against a wall, a skewer in his mouth, seemingly eating a barbecue, watched the lively parade with a strange glint in his eyes.

"Hey, Damote, is there a procession outside the palace at this time in the city hall's festival plan?"

The man referred to as "Damot" was another man, wearing a cloth hat, squatting against the wall with his hands on his knees, looking like a street urchin from the old town.

"I don't remember there being any. It feels a bit strange. They probably weren't one of our people either."

"Just in case, let's report to the captain."

The man's eyes, hidden beneath his hat brim, were fixed on the clown scattering flowers in the crowd, and he frowned slightly.

The man with the wooden skewer in his mouth closed his eyes, his mind stirred, and his spirit immediately connected with the void.

Meanwhile, in the royal palace, Ella was still negotiating with King Saint Ararat when she received messages from believers across the kingdom, which surprised her slightly.

An unexpected parade has appeared on the streets near the palace.

Ella remained calm, pretending to listen to the king continue his complaints, while instructing Ye Xiao, who was standing beside her, to contact the nearby knight squads in the Divine Kingdom to keep a close eye on the movements of the procession.

“Your Holiness, this is truly a matter of necessity. And you may not know this, but before you took office, your side borrowed some funds from us, which have yet to be returned… Oh, I didn’t mean to demand them back, but this also partly contributed to our failure to stockpile sufficient surplus grain last autumn.”

Ella listened with a slight smile, "So His Majesty the King means that if the Holy Church wants to purchase grain from your country, it must first repay that part of the debt."

"Oh no, Your Grace, you misunderstand. I was just trying to objectively explain why we don't have enough food to sell right now."

Lionel looked somewhat embarrassed, his hands clasped together, but when his eyes met Ella's, he showed no sign of backing down.

Ella narrowed her crimson eyes, her face still bearing a captivating smile, but inwardly she was scoffing.

Since the knights who have infiltrated Concordia have not yet found any evidence of the royal family's collusion with the secret cult, she cannot take action.

After all, there must be a legitimate reason for taking action. The Kingdom of Saint Arara is nominally a vassal state of the Holy Church, and its inhabitants are all believers of the Holy Church. If they were to forcibly seize food simply because others could not sell it, it would somewhat tarnish the reputation of the Holy City.

Chapter Six: The Plot to Kill the King

Just as Ella was pondering how to reply, the rat familiar that had been secretly lurking on the dome of the main hall spotted some furtive figures creeping up the roof beams from the corners of the palace.

This surprised Ella. Then, through the perspective of the crows outside the hall, she saw a procession of two palace guards and attendants approaching along the corridor.

The servants were carrying delicacies, but since it was just a meal, there was no need for so many guards to escort them. Moreover, these guards blocked the exits of the main hall, and their formation subtly showed a tendency to encircle the area.

What's the situation with these people?

Ella's eyes darted around, and she couldn't help but feel confused.

Could it be that King Saint Ararat is planning to assassinate her here since she didn't bring many people with her?

Is this really something they dare to do?

Ella was somewhat speechless, but this saved her the trouble of finding evidence of the other party's collusion with the secret cult.

If she had known earlier that the other party intended to kill her, she wouldn't have bothered to devise a battle plan.

"It seems to be approaching noon, Your Majesty. The guests of the Holy Church have come across the sea and must be tired from their journey. I have prepared food and wine for you. Why don't you eat first, and then we can discuss things after you have eaten and drunk your fill?"

On the other side, King Lionel waved and smiled.

"That's fine too. As guests, Your Majesty, you can make the decision."

Ella did not refuse the king; she wanted to see what he was planning to do.

So after Lionel gave the order, servants in magnificent robes entered from both sides of the hall carrying trays.

Golden-brown steaks, rich, creamy mushroom broth, and snow-white sea fish... the refreshing aromas filled the hall.

It was immediately apparent that the ingredients used were of the highest quality, and several servants carried in a long table to begin setting up the banquet.

Foreign Minister Abek was about to guide the delegation to sit down beside the throne when two maids dressed in dark green dresses and veils gracefully approached King Lionel with dishes, bowing as they placed the plates down.

"This is a specialty of Concordia. Her Majesty has come from afar, and we hope it suits your taste."

King Lionel introduced the dagger to the delegation with a smile. Then, a maidservant beside him quietly pulled a jet-black dagger from her sleeve and suddenly plunged it into his chest without warning.

"puff"

The blade made a soft sound as it entered flesh, and King Saint Ararat's smile instantly froze on his face.

Things happened too fast; everything happened in the blink of an eye.

"An assassin!!"

The knight commander standing beside the king stared wide-eyed, then flashed onto the throne, drew his sword, and without hesitation slashed at the maid.

However, the latter dodged the sword's edge by tilting its head at an odd angle, and with a "whoosh," it darted away along the ground like a snake.

Panic-stricken screams immediately echoed throughout the hall, throwing the Zhou dynasty's princes and nobles into chaos.

At the same time, several figures suddenly fell from the roof beams. They were dozens of assassins dressed in white robes, who drew their short knives and attacked the delegation where Ella was from the air.

The palace guards, fully equipped and ready to go, rushed in from outside the main hall. Without a word, the original palace guards inside were beheaded by these "own men" before they could even react.

Ella's eyes sharpened, and the Templar beside her drew his sword and charged at the assassin.

In an instant, swords flashed and blood splattered.

Just as the knight commander by the throne was about to chase after the fleeing maid, the maid, who had been hiding by the throne in a panic, suddenly opened her mouth wide and leaped up from the ground, revealing sharp fangs as she lunged at the knight commander.

"what!?"

The court knight commander had never seen such a terrifying monster before. His steps faltered abruptly, and his longsword was already too late to parry.

But at the critical moment, a flying knife transformed into a cold gleam, piercing through the hall and precisely striking the maid's ferocious-looking head.

The space rippled in the next instant, and the figure of the man in the black trench coat appeared in a flash. He stepped on the armrest of the throne and cut the strange maid in two with a single stroke.

The knight commander, who had been rescued by Ye Xiao, was pale-faced. Before he could even express his gratitude, he saw a white shadow flash behind Ye Xiao. A silver-haired, red-eyed girl had appeared beside the throne at some point, and with a cold expression, she grabbed the hair of the dying king.

"Hello!??"

Coming to his senses, the knight commander, confused, instinctively stepped forward to stop Ella, but Ye Xiao blocked his way by taking half a step.

"She's saving people."

After Ye Xiao finished his brief explanation, without waiting for the other party to accept it or not, he slapped the knight commander on the shoulder, causing the other party to stagger back several steps.

At the same time, the silver-haired, red-eyed girl grabbed the king's head with her left hand and tilted it upwards, causing him to open his mouth. Then, she gently bit off the white silk glove on her right hand with her pearly teeth, revealing her slender index finger. A drop of black sludge fell from the air into King Lionel's mouth.

Although what is happening now is somewhat unexpected, there is no doubt that the assassination attempt was actually aimed at the king.

Even though Ella didn't know the reason, she understood that she couldn't let the king die like that, so she acted decisively and saved him in time.

Lionel, who was on the verge of death, immediately widened his eyes and began to tremble as if he had been electrocuted.

Countless tiny tentacles sprouted from the wound on his chest, forcefully pushing out the dagger stuck in his heart, and quickly weaving into bright red flesh to fill the hole that had been stabbed.

Ella then released her grip, paying no heed to Lionel, who was convulsing against the throne. Her haughty gaze swept over the dozen or so white-robed assassins who had rushed out of the crowd below the hall, attempting to surround and kill her. A slight smile played on her lips as she parted them slightly.

"Do it."

At her command, the walls on both sides of the hall suddenly collapsed with a deafening roar amidst bursts of golden light.

Dozens of elite Templar Knights, dressed in the robes of an envoy, drew their swords and charged into the hall. Blessed by holy light, they were invincible, swiftly cutting down the enemies disguised as guards and the white-robed assassins in the palace.

Ella originally sent these people to infiltrate the palace to search, but they didn't find anything in a short time, so she simply recalled them to deal with the current situation.

The situation suddenly took a sharp turn for the worse. The number of assassins who were suddenly attacked and killed was reduced sharply, leaving them somewhat bewildered.

Seeing that the saintess and the king were also being escorted by a group of Templar Knights, one of the white-robed figures, who appeared to be the leader, immediately shouted, "Not good! Retreat!!!"

After saying this, he climbed onto the roof beam and fled out of the palace.

As if scattered like birds and beasts, the other assassins in the hall no longer entangled with the guards and knights. After escaping with a single blow, they used their agility to rush through the crowd in all directions without hesitation.

"Don't let any of them escape."

Ella gave the order softly, and the Templars immediately gave chase.

At the same time, Ye Xiao stared at the lone assassin who had climbed onto the roof beam to escape. He threw his throwing knife and immediately activated his teleportation ability, chasing after him.

Chapter Seven: Black Carnival

Outside the palace, the streets were filled with the sounds of singing and dancing.

A citizen shakily weaves through the crowded throng.

His face was pale, and the colorful ribbons fluttering in the air and the fragrance of flowers seemed to make him feel dizzy.

"Hey buddy, are you alright?"

A tall, burly man who accidentally bumped into him noticed his unpleasant expression, stopped, and asked him in a low voice.

He looked up, instinctively wanting to answer, but suddenly heard a faint whisper in his ear.

The specific content of the words was quite vague, and he couldn't understand their exact meaning, yet for no reason, a strong sense of unease welled up in his heart.

In his field of vision, the burly man's face suddenly twisted, transforming into a ferocious beast that seemed ready to devour him, opening its blood-red maw at him.

The azure sky seemed to darken at that moment, the buildings twisted eerily, the crowds became monsters, and the whole world turned into a hideous nightmare.

He quickly covered his face with his hands and screamed.

To the tall, strong citizen, the pale-faced man in front of him was holding his head in his hands, and his body suddenly swelled up like a balloon of flesh and blood.

"What's this……"

Before he could finish speaking, his swollen body exploded with a loud bang.

"boom"

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere, and countless thin black threads shot out from the exploding body into the surrounding crowd.

Accompanied by hoarse screams, these human explosions bloomed one after another like flowers of flesh and blood amidst the surging crowds along the street.