There was definitely something wrong with Acolyte Koliver. Despite being a man, he occasionally displayed an almost coquettish air.
Acolyte Koliver said:
“My dear Bishop Bonet, you have suffered greatly these past few days.
“As one of the three most magnificent men in Blackport City, you are always so worthy of admiration.”
Koliver pulled open the collar of his black robe, revealing a tubular metal object concealed inside. He continued:
“My dear Bishop Bonet, I learned of this exotic foreign novelty while hearing the confession of a harbor captain...”
Bishop Notte Bonet's interest was instantly aroused. He said excitedly:
“Could this be a little prop meant to spice things up for us? I can hardly wait. I will be waiting for you in my bedroom!”
Koliver shook his head slightly.
“Do not be impatient, Your Grace. We have plenty of time tonight.
“We have already spent three days working for Holy Archmage Hilquins!
“Please allow me to demonstrate this ‘little prop’ first.”
With that, Koliver turned around, completely concealing the “little prop” behind his back.
Bishop Notte Bonet shook his head in anguish.
“Good things always come with so many delays. The flame in my heart could already illuminate this thirty-meter-high church!”
With his back to the bishop, Koliver walked toward the pulpit.
Behind the pulpit stood two candle stands. Each held five ascending rows of candles, with twenty candles in every row, illuminating the pulpit.
From his position along the side of the church, Leo could clearly see every one of Koliver's movements!
It was a gun!
A matchlock!
The slow match had been soaked in a special oil solution, which was later proven to consist mainly of potassium nitrate. Koliver secretly secured it inside the match holder.
When Koliver lifted the one-meter-long matchlock, the slow match hung directly in front of his crotch.
He used one of the white candles, symbols of sanctity, to light the slow match.
The gunpowder and lead ball must have already been loaded through the muzzle with a ramrod.
Acolyte Koliver lowered his head and gazed at the matchlock in rapture. His hand unconsciously caressed the weapon.
Every one of its components was so beautiful.
Brad turned to Leo in confusion. His bewildered expression seemed to ask what this “little prop” was supposed to be.
Brad had never seen this “little prop.” In all the years of his life, he had never encountered anything remotely like it.
Leo, however, had.
He had never expected this world to have already invented the matchlock...
Koliver heard the bishop cough. Without turning around, he said softly:
“My patron, my dear Bishop Bonet, please do not be impatient. I will make you as delighted as if you had beheld the Lord of the Eternal Sun...”
After waiting for a brief moment, Koliver turned around.
He shifted his grip and raised the matchlock vertically, preventing the lead ball from being loosened by the larger movement.
Koliver pressed the stock against his shoulder and rotated the weapon. The deadly barrel slowly swung downward until it pointed directly at Bishop Notte Bonet.
The bishop looked somewhat puzzled.
Just how was this “little prop” supposed to perform its charming function?
Koliver pulled the trigger without hesitation.
The mechanical device pressed the slowly burning tip of the slow match into the touch hole.
What greeted the bishop was a thunderous roar!
Amid the clamor outside the church, the roar rang out without restraint!
After the muzzle flash and dense smoke came a spray of blood from Bishop Notte Bonet's abdomen.
Bishop Notte Bonet collapsed painfully to the floor. One hand pressed against the bloody hole in his abdomen. Shock and agony left him unable to utter a single word.
He reached his other hand toward Koliver. His eyes were filled with confusion and heartbreak, as though he desperately wanted to reach him.
A cold laugh rose from Koliver's throat.
“I would never be stupid enough to touch a B-grade Soul Mage...”
Koliver completely ignored the bishop convulsing painfully on the floor.
A leather cord as thick as a finger emerged from his sleeve and lashed toward Bishop Notte Bonet on its own.
Brad was horrified.
Was that not Form Magic?
How could an acolyte of the church possess Form Magic?
Leo, meanwhile, confirmed one of his suspicions.
Just as I thought. Kozmo had an Intimidation Scroll. Koliver, one of the Disciples of Desire, must have possessed one too!
Koliver was also a dual-school mage!
This was the signature spell of a D-grade Form Mage, the Black Sinew Leather Cord spell. It was far more powerful than the Brown Snake Rope spell used by an E-grade mage like Brad.
The leather cord wound several times around Bishop Notte Bonet's neck. Koliver then dragged the bishop toward the pulpit.
The bishop kicked his feet desperately as he was dragged, but his struggles were destined to accomplish nothing.
With a sweep of the leather cord, Koliver slammed the bishop facedown onto the table at the pulpit.
The thick copy of the Passion Scriptures lying upon it was trapped beneath the bishop's body and stained red with blood.
Amid the clamor outside the church, the dull impact was utterly insignificant.
There was not even any visible flash or smoke from the muzzle, yet blood burst from Bishop Notte Bonet's stomach.
Koliver pulled his robe back into place and strode quickly toward the small door beside the pulpit that led into the church's resting area.
Everything had happened too quickly. Before Leo could decide how to deal with Koliver, Koliver had already killed Bishop Bonet swiftly and cleanly.
As for poor Brad, he was completely dazed.
The church fell silent.
Leo grabbed Brad by the ankle and dragged his motionless body back out through the hole he had previously made in the church's outer wall.
After the two crawled outside, Leo shook the stupefied Brad and said:
“Brad! Go find Major Willy Belloc. Tell him that Bishop Notte Bonet was killed by Koliver Enwey!”
Brad still had not recovered. He stared helplessly with wide eyes and asked:
“Leo, is Acolyte Koliver a man or a woman? And what exactly was that little prop meant to spice things up?”
Leo had no time to deal with Brad.
He hurriedly turned and ran toward the rear of the church.
He knew the night was not over yet.
Koliver Enwey...
He would not let Leo go.
He had gone mad!
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