Endless Debt Chapter 1445 - 39: The First Night

Listening to Olivia’s recounting, Bologue’s expression gradually became solemn and stiff. The entire storyline was more or less what he had guessed, but when it truly unfolded before his eyes, Bologue felt an inexplicable sense of helplessness, not knowing how to convict Olivia.

She indeed made mistakes, but she also genuinely tried to make amends. However, Olivia’s efforts paled in comparison to the rapid rise of the Rebellious Royal Court, to the extent that the court is now pursuing Olivia. She can only hide in various places, utterly miserable.

"You need my help, and I need yours."

Bologue made a request to Olivia; the most valuable thing about her was not the power of the Defender, but the high-purity Night Race lineage and her understanding of Night Race history.

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn’t have come to seek collaboration with you and your Order Bureau."

Olivia’s emotions stabilized, her voice becoming cool and clear like a gentle evening breeze.

Collaborating with the Order Bureau was a difficult choice for Olivia. Given the world’s attitude toward the Night Race, no matter the eventual direction of events, Olivia did not believe she’d have a good end. As a Night Race member not bound by the Dawn Oath, she could be imprisoned in a dark Black Prison by the Order Bureau or placed under house arrest in some castle. The worst case scenario would be burned alive under the merciless midday sun.

"You must be very afraid now, right?" Bologue suddenly probed Olivia’s inner thoughts. "Collaborating with the Order Bureau, you have no control over your fate, anxious and unsure of what fate you’ll meet once utilized."

Bologue hit the mark about Olivia’s inner thoughts again, but this time she responded very calmly, "Guessed right, but it doesn’t matter to me. Consider it the cost of my mistakes."

Faced with many possibilities, Olivia became brave, ready to face the consequences.

"You’re really unlike Serey’s daughter, or even a member of the Villeries," Bologue commented. "I’ve always thought the Night Race’s nature is just like Serey himself described, cowards who dare not look destiny in the eye. So to avoid a fated destiny, they are willing to give up anything."

Just like before everything began, the Night King, to avert a fate of death, chose to use silverware to cut his wrist, offering his lineage to the Devil.

"Don’t be too pessimistic. After it’s all over, you can hide in the Undying Club."

Bologue knew exactly what Olivia was worried about, so he suggested, "I can be your introducer."

Olivia smiled helplessly, "The Undying Club, you’d rather have me stay with that bastard than kill me."

"That’s true indeed."

Bologue clearly realized the nearly irreconcilable conflict between Serey and Olivia. The discord was so sharp that she would rather seek collaboration with him and the Order Bureau than face her father.

It’s also possible Olivia had already sought out Serey. Judging by Serey’s lackadaisical nature, he must have spouted tons of rambling trash talk to attempt to exhibit his cheap fatherly love. Yet when Olivia proposed confronting the Rebellious Royal Court, he feigned hearing problems and retreated to his room, evading responsibilities he should have shouldered.

Bologue was all too familiar with that scoundrel Serey.

"You’re hiding something from me."

As Bologue traversed the High Tower, heading back toward the banquet hall, he could now faintly hear conversations. Along the way, he brushed past numerous attendants.

No need to worry about Olivia being exposed; her Secret Energy was naturally adept at concealment. As for Ethereal Concealment, it was apparent from their previous conversation that Olivia had honed it to the Extreme Realm.

Olivia was a master assassin in the shadows, but she was unfortunately dealing with the troublesome undead, Bologue.

"Why is your tier just a Defender’s?" Bologue asked about other matters, easing the heavy clouds hovering above them.

"Your question is so stupid."

Bologue paused and embarrassedly chuckled, "Sorry."

When the Eternal Night Empire hadn’t collapsed yet, Olivia had access to limitless resources supporting her. However, after the Dawn War, past glories turned to dust. Only Olivia roamed the world alone from the once powerful Night Race.

As a free Condenser without any allegiance, collecting resources for tier advancement was extremely troublesome and highly dangerous for Olivia. The worst was she was a Night Race member. Once exposed, endless hunting awaited her.

Due to many factors, her progression was substantially delayed, and she only just reached the Defender tier today.

"What about the Regent King?" Bologue continued asking, "I’ve fought him. He’s a Seeker of Glory now. Moreover, why would he defeat you so terribly, seeing your bloodline is superior to his, you’re his master?"

Undying blood linked all Night Race members. In internal Night Race conflicts, bloodline superiority sometimes had a greater effect than the gap in Condenser tiers.

"Like I said, he found the Land of Eternal Night, met with the Night King, and then... received the Night King’s secondary Blood Donation."

Bologue had no time to ask, as Olivia explained cooperatively, "This is a rare method within the Night Race, allowing one to transcend bloodline hierarchy. The Night King’s blood effortlessly surpassed my strength and refined the Regent King’s blood to a level just beneath his own."

Olivia whispered, "In other words, the current Regent King can be considered a Night Race Lord."

Bologue thought to himself that this was bad news. According to his initial plan, he intended to use Olivia as leverage to try to stir up the faintest sense of responsibility in Serey, to make him join his team and resolve this crisis together. With Serey’s blood purity as a Night Race Lord, the majority of the Night Race would have no choice but to kneel and submit the moment they saw him.

Then Bologue would stride forward, like an executioner, beheading them one by one.

Now the situation had changed. Outside the Land of Eternal Night, Night Race Lords were no longer unique; this supreme bloodline authority had new rivals.

"Rather than that, let’s pay attention to the matters at hand first."

A waiter passed by Bologue, and he reached out to take a glass of wine from the tray he was carrying.

"Care for a drink?" Bologue asked.

"Are you kidding?"

While Olivia was in hiding, she could still observe her surroundings. Within her line of sight alone, there were several Defenders in the banquet hall, and at the core surrounded by everyone, she saw Nesanel. A chilling instinctual fear gripped Olivia’s body. Even without unleashing his power, the Seeker of Glory’s mere presence brought suffocating pressure to everyone.

"Just making a joke to ease the atmosphere."

Bologue said as he downed the wine in one gulp. Ever since that rainy night of revenge, Bologue rarely drank, nor did he smoke, only using these means to relax his tense nerves when the pressure became overwhelming.

First Ossana, now Olivia—this storm brewing within the All Secrets Order was far more terrifying than Bologue had imagined.

"Did you track the Regent King’s scent to find this place?" Bologue asked.

"Yes, although the scent was faint, I could detect it," Olivia said warily. "In this city, there are hidden presences of the Night Race, their number unknown."

The connection among the Blood Race was deeper than Bologue had imagined, which made Olivia all the more important. She was like a Night Race radar, able to accurately pinpoint any Night Race exposed within her detection range. As for Bologue, even though he had Serey’s blood, he could not reverse and exploit it.

As Olivia previously mentioned, Bologue was like a firefly in the night; every member of the Night Race could smell the sweet scent he carried, while Bologue looked around and could see nothing but the vast night.

"Continue."

"I hunted the Regent King for a long time, but he suddenly disappeared decades ago."

Olivia spoke of an astounding timescale, but to the Undead, it was just a fleeting moment.

"When he reappeared, it was upon his return from the Land of Eternal Night," Olivia paused. "I don’t think the Night King is a merciful person who would easily perform a second Blood Donation. The Regent returned bearing some kind of cost, and I suspect that cost was freeing the Night King."

"He can’t accomplish these things alone," Bologue said.

"That’s why he’s been secretly building his forces, crafting the Rebellious Royal Court bit by bit, until the shadows could no longer conceal the beast."

Olivia’s tone shifted, mentioning something that Ossana had just said, "There have been numerous disappearances in the Wasteland District recently. Assuming that the All Secrets Order is indeed connected to the Rebellious Royal Court, I guess those missing people have likely been sent to the Rebellious Royal Court and converted into blood citizens."

She suggested to Bologue, "Bologue, I advise you to have the Order Bureau tally up, from the time of the Rebellious Royal Court’s rise within the Rhine Alliance Territory, how many people have died or gone missing."

"The population could be transformed into new Night Race members, or they could become inferior Bloodthirsty ones for combat, or blood citizens maintaining the operation of the entire Rebellious Royal Court."

Olivia continued to analyze, "The Night King can provide limited assistance to the Regent King, and even if the Regent King painstakingly builds his forces, those crucial resources for advancement are not easily acquired. Therefore, the overall strength of the Rebellious Royal Court likely hasn’t swollen to the initial stage of the Eternal Night Empire."

Bologue shook his head, not optimistic about the situation, "Your analysis had some validity before, but now it’s different."

"What’s different?"

"The Devils have united," Bologue felt this was strangely ironic, "I suspect the Gray Trade Association has long been integrated into the operation of the Rebellious Royal Court, providing them with any resources they desire."

The music from the banquet faded, and Fabien and Nesanel stood up together, harmonious smiles on their faces, shaking hands with each other to mark the official end of the first night of the envoy mission.