Published at 13th of August 2026 6:57 am

Chapter 1926: Cursed Choir

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The sound of dull blades clashing and the grunts of Paladins practicing in the yard relentlessly echoed.

Meanwhile, Genevieve and Michael sat on the steps in stunned silence. They knew the city to be filled with dangers, but they didn’t think it would be that dangerous.

They had seen countless monsters trying to enter through the city gates a couple of days ago, so they knew the volume of these creatures would be immense.

But the information in the slip truly surprised them.

They had spent only a night at the safe house and were then guided by Daerona and her men through a safe and secure route.

Never in their wildest imagination would they have thought that the city was actually home to three powerful monsters at the Mana Seed Rank!

The Last Knight – the monster guarding the throne room — could technically be considered a threat beyond the city walls. The castle was, in fact, situated atop a hill northeast of the city, overlooking the lake.

However, the Antlered High Priest and the Bridal Puppeteer alone were more than enough to raise the danger level of the city.

The information in the slip not only spoke about the threats in the city, but it also indirectly hinted at the strength of the council governing the City Hall.

If the adventurers could carve out a space for themselves inside the city despite the presence of such powerful, sinister monsters, then what did that say about the strength of the council?

Genevieve continued to read the information about the Antlered High Priest before murmuring in shock:

"Not only is this monster at the Mana Seed Rank, it even commands several Mana Core-level stone angels as its minions!"

Michael nodded, fear evident in his eyes.

"And those statues..." he said in a trembling voice. "They’re said to attack whenever you’re not looking at them. They’re also reported to wield strange magic that affects the senses. Is this city... no, is this entire secret plane cursed?!"

Genevieve did not reply. The answer was obvious.

She raised her head and glanced at the dozens of Paladins training in the courtyard.

Initially, she had thought of taking on a minor role inside the City Hall, slowly gathering influence, and working her way up the hierarchy. She considered herself socially adept and was confident that, in a few years, she could subtly build a network of allies and wield considerable influence.

But the moment she learned about the true horrors lurking in the city, she abandoned that plan without hesitation. She chose to sign up for one of the hunting parties instead.

There was only one reason.

Adam.

He was still somewhere out there, alone in that cursed city. Every day he remained outside was another day he could lose his life.

She wanted to find him.

She wanted to help him.

Having made her decision, she turned to Michael and said in a resolute voice, "We need to get this intel to Adam."

"Huh?" Michael snapped out of his thoughts. "What? How?"

She calmed the urgency growing in her heart. Strange. Irrational. She didn’t even know why she was suddenly behaving so desperately. This was unlike her. But she knew she needed to help Adam.

"What role have you decided on?" she asked solemnly.

Michael smiled awkwardly.

"Honestly, I thought I’d join a hunting party, but seeing how dangerous the city is, I don’t know how much more dangerous the wildlands outside will be. So I guess I’m going to..."

His words trailed off when he noticed Genevieve’s face turning... strange.

"W-What?"

Genevieve looked at him deeply, then sighed. "Nothing. I’m going to join one of the hunting parties. And I thought you’d come with me."

She shook her head, seemingly disappointed. Then she rose to her feet and turned away, leaving behind her parting words.

"But it’s fine if you’d rather stay behind and cook food or sew clothes. I’m sure your father would be very proud, Michael."

Each word stabbed at Michael’s heart. And ego.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" He abruptly stood up and followed after her. "That was uncalled for! Take that back!"

***

Long before the land was swallowed in darkness, the Antlered High Priest had been the most devoted servant of the sun god.

As high priest of the Sun Temple, he guided the people of King Louis d’Aubigny’s kingdom with compassion and unwavering faith. Every dawn, he welcomed the first rays of sunlight into the sanctuary, believing they carried the sun god’s blessing upon the world.

Then came the Usurper.

The heavens darkened, and thick clouds smothered the sky. The sun vanished from sight, reducing even midday to little more than endless twilight. Crops withered, monsters roamed freely, and despair spread through the kingdom.

Yet the high priest never abandoned his faith. Day after day, he climbed the temple altar and prayed for the sun to return.

But it never did.

As the years passed by, grief turned to madness as corruption convinced him the sun god had abandoned the world due to waning faith. Believing prayer was no longer enough, he delved into forbidden sacrificial rites, offering intruders and the unfortunate in bloody rituals.

He became truly convinced that enough sacrifices would restore the sun and end the eternal darkness. Yet the heavens remained silent. Nevertheless, he continued, unwavering, preparing each new offering in hope of the glorious dawn.

As night fell and the crimson moon climbed into the sky, the stone angels in the temple stirred to life. Their voices rose in a twisted hymn that echoed through the temple, for a new sacrificial lamb had unknowingly presented itself at the feet of their high priest.

The preparations for the sacrifice would continue throughout the night. Then, in the final moments before dawn, the offering would be made by the high priest.

Surely the sun would rise.

Surely... this time, their god would answer their prayers.

The eerie music of the cursed choir echoed through the nearby streets, sending a fierce chill through every monster that heard it.

They kept their distance from the temple. Even they knew better than to venture near when the Antlered High Priest was preparing an offering for the sun god.

But the angels’ hymn was not what terrified them the most.

Deep within the temple, the blood-curdling cries of a man tore through the night.

Yet even more unsettling than his screams...

Was the sound of his laughter.

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