The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 167

Of course, here is your story translated into English with the tone of a seasoned fantasy novelist:

---

The air seemed to vanish, and the crushing pressure made it impossible for anyone to breathe. It felt like war was imminent, the final calm before the storm.

A few individuals exchanged glances. Arthur noticed a hint of hostility in Yawey's eyes and spoke in a low voice, "He shouldn't be here. The fewer people who know, the better."

Lloyd shook his head. "I... at least Selu needs him. As her steward, I believe he can be trusted."

After a brief exchange, though still wary, Arthur decided to trust Lloyd. As the only one capable of countering Father Lawrence's power, Lloyd's opinion held significant weight.

"We have a rough plan to combat Father Lawrence," Lloyd began, walking into the room with Arthur. The space suddenly felt crowded.

"What plan?" Yawey asked directly, his primary concern being Selu as the steward of the Stuarts.

"That cannot be disclosed," Arthur replied, his gaze stern. "If our assumptions are correct, our enemy possesses the ability to jump between consciousnesses."

He used terms they could understand, a way of indirectly protecting them. By combining the Purification Agency's knowledge and Lloyd's insights from the Demon Hunting Order, they understood that the demonic corruption spread in a memetic manner. Not just the demons themselves, but related words, objects, artworks, and even heavily corrupted humans could potentially spread the contamination.

Against such an eerie force, the Purification Agency aimed to make the concept of "demon" nonexistent in the public eye, attributing mysterious phenomena to other causes, thus erecting an impenetrable barrier between madness and sanity.

"In other words, until this enemy reveals itself, it is invisible and formless," Arthur explained to the two.

"Since it can jump between consciousnesses, it might already be here, even in this very room," he continued. This was the first time the Purification Agency encountered such an adversary; extreme caution was warranted.

"How... is that possible?" Yawey exclaimed. The existence of demons had already shattered his worldview, let alone this kind of interstitial power that felt more like... ghosts, wandering spirits in the mortal realm.

"Silence," Arthur commanded in a deep voice. He despised having to explain these things, enduring their shock, and dealing with obstinate believers who might brand him a heretic and fight him.

"Due to this, our secrets are hard to keep from him," Lloyd continued, taking over from Arthur.

Based on Lloyd's exploration of the "gaps," destroying the original owner's consciousness would yield some memories. Therefore, the plan against Father Lawrence had to be known only to a few, preventing its exposure to the combat soldiers.

"So, after discussion, only Arthur and I know the full extent of this plan," Lloyd said slowly.

"So what are you doing now, informing me?" Selu asked. There was no room for negotiation.

"We need your cooperation."

"Because his target is me, right?"

"Yes."

"Then... why? Why is Father Lawrence targeting me?" Selu still couldn't fathom why such a terrifying enemy would fixate on her. Was it some dark curse at play?

"We don't know," Lloyd admitted. To him, Father Lawrence was a madman who caused the carnage of the Holy Night for some unknown goal.

"So, I'm bait, right?" Selu asked, her tone resigned.

Lloyd nodded silently, not saying more.

"Wait, I don't agree!" Yawey shouted. The immense danger was evident; Selu was the last bloodline of the Stuarts, and he couldn't tolerate this.

But Arthur coldly rejected, "Sorry, this is beyond family bloodlines now."

If Father Lawrence grew stronger, it could spell disaster for all of Inervig. Possessing the power of the Holy Grail, Arthur couldn't afford to give Father Lawrence any more time. Such an enemy needed to be swiftly eradicated.

"But..."

"No more,

"But..." Yawey began, but was cut off by Selu.

"I understand," Selu interrupted firmly.

"But, Selu!" Yawey protested.

"Don't you see, Yawey?" Selu looked at him steadily. "Here, power, wealth, and status mean nothing."

They mean nothing. Arthur wouldn't care about such things, nor would Lloyd. They shared the same goal: to eradicate the demons.

"But we still have Lloyd, don't we?" Selu turned her gaze to the demon hunter, looking directly into his steely blue eyes.

"You will protect me, won't you?"

His eyes, cold as the sea, flickered with a hint of light, and Lloyd looked away. He knew the plan: this time, the train was coming, and Selu was being pushed onto the tracks.

"Prepare yourselves. No one knows how Father Lawrence will appear," Lloyd said calmly. The Purification Agency had equipped him with weapons; this was the Mechanized Academy, with countless top-tier military arms at his disposal.

But Selu seemed not to hear. She kept her eyes on Lloyd, as if understanding everything about what was to come. A strange sensation washed over her, a mix of clarity and resignation.

Lloyd turned and left the room. As he walked down the corridor, soldiers stood guard at the corners. One of them felt a wave of nausea and a creeping sense of fatigue but continued to stand his post, his gaze involuntarily drawn towards Lloyd's direction.

"Who are you, really?" he wondered aloud. He hadn't seen Lloyd's face clearly and was irritated by that. But then, a chilling dread seized him, accompanied by a sharp pain in his mind, filling him with terror.

He didn't understand why he asked that question, as if for a moment, he was someone else.

His breathing grew rapid, and he looked to the soldier beside him, who was staring at him with a strange look. Familiarity disintegrated; the face remained the same, but the essence had changed.

An unseen ghost had left his body and entered the other soldier's.

"Shhh," the soldier whispered, pressing his hand to the guard's forehead. A low-level possession could narrowly evade detection by a Geiger counter.

Watching the unconscious guard slide down the wall, Father Lawrence gazed at the corner where Lloyd had disappeared.