The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 127

In that moment, Eve felt her own helplessness for the first time. Faced with a real threat, she could do nothing. That serene yet terrifying face was right before her, like a ghost breaking through a nightmare.

Beside her, Selina tried to pull Eve away, but they were still too slow.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

A sharp greatsword cut through the smoke and flames. Lloyd couldn't stop Archbishop Laurence, but if he could just delay him for a few seconds, that might be enough. As if clinging to a desperate hope, believing that just a few seconds might be enough for Eve to survive, for some miracle to occur.

So he threw his sword.

But nothing changed. The sword missed Archbishop Laurence and embedded itself in the ground beside him. Yet, in that final moment, Eve pushed Selina away with all her might. The frail girl was light as a feather, falling to the side, and then the sharp broken sword was at Eve's throat.

Everything stopped. Archbishop Laurence held Eve hostage, smiling at Lloyd.

He had won, completely and utterly.

The whole situation came to a standstill with Eve as his hostage.

"Never let anyone know your true intentions, child."

It sounded like a lesson, or perhaps a taunt.

Lloyd took a deep breath, positioning himself in a relatively safe spot.

"So what now? You've nowhere to run."

The soldiers in the shadows emerged, this time with their weapons aimed steadily at Laurence. He stood there, unable to predict every move. The mechanical sounds from deeper darkness hinted at more forces arriving. The demons' howls had ceased; the Purification Unit had taken full control.

"But I have a hostage."

"Your hostage isn't worth much. Isn't she your target?"

"Sigh... You still haven't learned my lessons, child."

Archbishop Laurence smiled, speaking in a way only Lloyd could understand.

The flames on the iron knight's armor flickered. Lloyd realized he had been played again, misled by Laurence's schemes.

Laurence was a deceiver. Until he revealed his true intentions, no one could guess his goals. Lloyd's thoughts raced.

Was Eve really his target?

If so, were Laurence's words meant to mislead him, to make him drop his guard?

But then, if Eve was indeed his target, what motive did he have for targeting her?

To Lloyd, Eve was just an impetuous kid. If she had any special trait... it would be the mysterious blood in her body and her father being Arthur.

Lloyd felt he had grasped something. The chaos of the Holy Night, the theft of the Apocalypse, the creation of inferior secret blood, and now, Eve with the secret blood.

Yes, the secret blood technique was exclusive to the Order. So where did Eve's secret blood come from? Or... did the Purification Unit, led by Arthur, also develop secret blood?

The situation grew more chaotic, but it also made Lloyd believe more firmly.

"No, you wouldn't. She's your target. You won't kill her."

Lloyd responded coldly.

Given Eve's relationship with Arthur, the Purification Unit couldn't be as ignorant about the secret blood as they claimed. They might have found another way to develop it. After all, this was the birthplace of the steam engine, the pinnacle of the world's research.