Midnight

To prevent the Pope from silencing him for knowing too much, and also to escape the guilt that gnawed at his heart day and night.

He secretly sent his recovered daughter to be raised in the distant countryside.

Then, enduring the pain, he destroyed his own face with a strong corrosive potion.

He took on a new identity and continued to stay at the orphanage.

For more than ten years, he had lived like a walking corpse.

He poured all his savings and energy into rescuing new orphans.

In this almost masochistic way, he atoned for his sins, little by little.

Only in this way could he find a moment’s respite from the endless nightmares.

In these ten-odd years, he had only dared to secretly visit his daughter a few times.

Watching from a distance, never daring to acknowledge her.

In his heart, he, an executioner with hands stained with blood, was no longer worthy of being called a father.

This was everything about the old man, Charn.

It was so tragic that Black still remembered it clearly to this day.

And in this side quest, “The Necromancer Hidden in the Orphanage.”

Charn had accidentally caught a glimpse of the necromancer late at night.

And then learned a fact that moved him.

The children he had killed more than a decade ago had been wandering under the great oak tree.

He didn’t dare to face those souls. He feared those souls, and he feared his own heart.

He was not afraid of death, but he was afraid of the condemnation of those souls.

When he saw the necromancer refining the children’s souls into evil spirits.

He was furious and fought with the necromancer.

Unfortunately, he was defeated and injured.

Despite this, he did not dare to ask for outside help.

Once the events of more than a decade ago were exposed, the Imperial Family would be enraged.

And it would inevitably involve his daughter.

So Black was not surprised that he refused to talk about it.

The arrival of this group of strangers had, in itself, made Charn wary.

“That child, little Dylan, is no longer the same little Dylan she was before, is she?”

Black suddenly said.

This sentence directly made Charn’s face change drastically.

“Do you know something?!”

Black did not answer, only said faintly.

“Wrongdoings must be atoned for. It’s not too late now.”

Charn was now stunned, his mind a blank, and he stared at Black.

“Who on earth are you?”

He was horrified.

But he quickly calmed down.

Only he and the Pope knew about that matter from beginning to end.

He had never spoken of it, and the Pope certainly hadn’t revealed it to the outside world.

It was impossible for anyone else to know about that matter.

“I’ll ask you one more time. Where is the necromancer?”

Black said again.

Hearing this, Charn still remained silent.

“You all should go back. Even if you know the necromancer’s location, you are no match for him.”

He sighed.

He had fought the necromancer and knew his strength.

This young man before him was only Mid-Tier, and the others were not much better. They were no match for the necromancer.

He did not want to watch these young people go to their deaths.

If anyone had to die, it should be him.

He had already decided that once his injuries healed, he would go and fight the necromancer to the death.

Seeing that this old man was still unwilling to reveal the necromancer’s location.

Black had no choice but to give up and leave.

He thought to himself that he could only try the second method and come back at midnight.

Time passed quietly as they waited, and in a blink of an eye, it was almost dusk.

The six of them regrouped at the orphanage entrance and exchanged the results of their investigations.

As Black had expected, everyone had found nothing.

“This is just bizarre!”

Leon scratched his head in frustration.

“It’s one thing not to find the necromancer, but the key is that we’ve also carefully looked around this area. There are no decent cemeteries or mass graves at all!”

“There aren’t even a few decent burial mounds! Where on earth did he get so many souls to refine into evil spirits? He can’t have just created them out of thin air, can he?”

Kristine frowned and added.

“I specifically asked the director and some of the older helpers just now. They all confirmed that this area has been very peaceful for more than a decade, and there has never been a place where many people were buried.”

The clues had completely ended here.

Just as Black was about to speak.

Jianye, who had been silent in thought, beat him to it. Her cold voice broke the silence.

“I’ve read in some ancient texts about forbidden arts that when casting dark and evil spells like necromancy, the heavier the yin energy in the environment, the better the effect, and the more effective it is.”

“In a day, the time when the yin energy is at its peak is midnight.”

“If that necromancer is really refining evil spirits here, he will most likely choose to appear at that time.”

A thought stirred in Black’s mind.

He hadn’t expected Jianye to be able to deduce this much from logic alone.

He nodded in agreement.

“Jianye has a point. Night, especially midnight, is indeed the best time to cast necromancy.”

“Just because we can’t find him during the day doesn’t mean he won’t show up at night.”

Irena clenched her small fists and said, a little nervously.

“Then let’s come back here at midnight and wait for him!”

“But… there are still several hours until midnight. Are we going to just wait here?”

Kristine thought for a moment and suggested softly.

“If everyone doesn’t mind, you can come to my house to rest for a while.”

“My house is not very far from here. We can have a simple meal, rest and adjust, and then come back when it’s almost time.”

Irena and Jianye had no objections.

Leon and Land, on the other hand, subconsciously turned their gazes to Black.

After all, they weren’t very familiar with the Saintess.

For something like this, it was better to let Black, who was on good terms with the Saintess, make the decision.

“Go to Kristine’s house?”

Black thought for a moment.

He knew that Kristine’s father, Count Alvin, was hostile towards him and was on Pope Randolph’s side.

But, there were so many of them now.

As long as Alvin wasn’t a fool, he wouldn’t make a move against him in his own mansion.

Moreover, last time, the five-star Dragon-Slaying Guard Yanar had saved him in front of that archer.

As long as Alvin had half a brain, he should understand how much the Dragon-Slaying Guard valued him.

All things considered, resting at Kristine’s house was acceptable.

“Then we’ll be intruding.”

Black nodded and agreed to Kristine’s proposal.

Seeing Black agree, a trace of joy inexplicably rose in Kristine’s heart.

At the same time, her cheeks also became slightly hot. A subtle feeling, similar to “bringing someone important home to meet the parents,” welled up.

Kristine’s house was not too far from the orphanage, and the group arrived quickly.

“Mother, I’m back.”

Seeing her daughter bring so many friends back, a trace of unconcealable surprise flashed across Lady Mona’s face.

But she quickly adjusted her expression and showed the enthusiasm and decency befitting a countess.

She ordered the maids to prepare tea and snacks and greeted everyone.