Chapter 1947

Walter, commander of the Driscoll family’s Shadow Division, and Bradley, the family’s master art expert, a martial king at his peak, stood at her side with a matte-finished longsword in hand.

The two powerhouses moved in, flanking Scarlett as they entered the dining hall.

Outside, the chaotic shuffle of feet faded almost instantly. It was obvious the cathedral’s monks had been ordered to clear the area and stay far from the fight.

‘The Driscoll family really came prepared,’ Andrew thought, taking in how quickly the situation had turned grim.

Victoria rose from her seat with a cold expression, her movements slow and unhurried, as if nothing could shake her.

The rest of the Peck family looked completely different.

Calvin was so scared he nearly wet himself, holding his head and begging repeatedly. “Ms. Driscoll, Mr. Burke, our family is innocent. Do whatever you want, just don’t drag us into it.”

Miles and Liliana were frozen in wide-eyed terror, too scared to speak. Against a giant like the Driscoll family, they were like rabbits staring down a tiger.

Andrew remained seated, his expression calm. However, the muscles in his back tensed and rose slightly beneath his shirt. If he had to, he could spring forward in an instant and cut Matthias down where he stood.

That bald hypocrite, who claimed the mortal world no longer suited him and that he had fully embraced Solmortis discipline, was clearly working with the Driscolls to corner both him and Victoria.

Scarlett laughed, her voice dripping with malice. “Victoria, Andrew… Neither of you will leave here alive today!”

She did not attack right away. Instead, she eased toward the window so she, Walter, and Bradley could surround them from three sides. She was determined to kill Andrew today, more than anyone else.

Victoria suddenly laughed and looked at Matthias. “Abbot Graves… or should I call you Franklin? It seems you share the Driscolls' plan and want my head, too.”

“Praise the Eternal Eclipse,” Matthias replied, stepping back.

He kept retreating until there was enough distance between them, then spoke with a guilty tone. “Victoria, I truly don’t want this. But the Driscoll family offered far too much.”

Liliana’s eyes blazed. “You liar! A man of Solmortis is supposed to forsake greed and treat wealth like dirt. But you’re nothing but a sellout who’d trade honor for silver.”

Matthias kept his gentle smile. “Yes, those who follow Solmortis are meant to abandon earthly desires. But I, though in the cathedral, have yet to purge all worldly weakness from my heart. So, Victoria, forgive me. You should never have tied yourself to this Andrew boy. Today, I must take on the role of the killing machine, so forgive me once more.”

Liliana was ready to spit another insult, but Victoria raised a hand to silence her. Her smile turned sharp, mocking.

She said, “Franklin, when we roamed the martial world years ago, your ambition and greed were unmatched. Then you suddenly hid that desire, joined the cathedral, and apprenticed under a Solmortis master, claiming you’d left the world behind.

“But I never once believed you’d truly changed. And look… Here you are, still putting profit above principle, tossing loyalty aside when it suits you. And to think, just earlier, I invited you to join us, only for you to pretend reluctance. Don’t you think that’s a little hypocritical?”

Matthias’ smile stiffened. “Victoria, I’ll give you one last piece of advice. The sea of suffering is boundless, so turn back while you still can. If you surrender now and step aside while they deal with Andrew, I won’t have to harm you.”

Victoria’s voice was cold. “And if I tell you that if anything happens to Andrew, I’ll kill every last one of you?”

Matthias bowed his head, chanting softly. “Then, I have no choice but to forget our past and stop you.”

Victoria laughed loud and hard until tears welled in her eyes. “Franklin, do you remember the last thing you did before becoming a monk? You swore you’d do anything for me, even die. So I teased you and told you to kill your little junior to prove it. And what did you do? Do you seriously think no one knows?”

Matthias’ usually unshakable expression cracked. “Victoria, shut your mouth! The past is buried, and there’s no need to dig it up just to insult me!”