Chapter 102: Trust in Lord Luo Xiu - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 102: Trust in Lord Luo Xiu The Maya Empire has persisted for hundreds of years. The relationship between the church and the royal family is no longer as close as it used to be. Thus, after receiving news that Luo Xiu forcibly took the witch from the Livian Church, the royal family held an emergency meeting overnight. The result of the meeting was clear. Everyone unanimously agreed that this was a rare opportunity. The royal family had already been unhappy with the church’s growing influence in recent years. Now, with such a promising handle presented to them, they would naturally seize the chance to stir the waters. After weighing various pros and cons, the next afternoon, Prince Lance led a team of imperial guards to Luo Xiu's estate with haste. They intended to create more chaos before the church could respond. With this thought, Lance narrowed his eyes, gesturing to someone behind him. A lieutenant noticed and tactfully approached Lance to listen. Lance, staring intently ahead, quietly asked, "How is the matter progressing?" The lieutenant bowed slightly and replied, "Your Highness, everything has been arranged. By the latest tomorrow, rumors about Luo Xiu betraying the church and the empire, consorting with witches, will have spread throughout the outer city." Hearing this, Lance nodded in satisfaction. He stroked his chin, gazing towards the estate with a subtly vicious glint in his eyes. He sighed regretfully, "Damn it, if only he were truly colluding with the witch." Yes, despite Luo Xiu’s outrageous actions, even Lance, as an adversary, did not believe that Luo Xiu had genuinely betrayed the church. To reach the rank of a priest, who among them did not possess an absolute loyalty to the Holy Light? That’s why Lance felt regretful. The mere act of taking the witch on a whim was not nearly enough to convict him. Nowhere near enough to arrest that man, let alone fulfilling Lance's wish to eliminate him. The lieutenant beside Lance was startled by the prince’s sentiments. He was well aware of the conflicts between the royal family and the church, but he did not realize it had reached such a degree. That was Lord Luo Xiu, after all... Not only the youngest priest of the church, but also the most outstanding talent in the Maya Empire. However, as he reconsidered, he realized that having spent considerable time with Prince Lance, he understood Lance's jealous and attention-seeking nature. Over the past two years, the spotlight around Lord Luo Xiu had been so brilliant that everyone forgot about the existence of the third prince within the royal family. Surely, without Lord Luo Xiu, the prince's talents alone would have made him a focal point for attention, wouldn’t they? It was only because a more dazzling jewel was present that the jade-like potential of the third prince was overlooked. With this in mind, the lieutenant no longer found it peculiar that the prince harbored resentment towards Lord Luo Xiu. After waiting a little while longer, until Lance was thoroughly impatient, there was finally some movement at the manor’s gate. Accompanied by the creaking sound, a tall figure appeared behind the door. His features were dashing, his posture straight, and he wore a pure white robe that fluttered in the breeze, drawing everyone’s gaze. On the man's chest hung a solemn black cross. He surveyed the surroundings, then looked directly at the leading Lance, frowning slightly. "Now that you see me, why do you not offer your respects?" Upon hearing this, Lance's face twitched involuntarily. He hadn't expected that before he could even find fault, the other party had already posed a challenge. However, according to the canons, the rank of a priest was only below that of the pope and the current emperor. The other princes and princesses were required to kneel and salute, even kiss the shoe as a sign of respect, upon meeting a priest. Therefore, Luo Xiu’s questioning was not without basis. Despite his displeasure, Lance did not dare openly defy the canons before so many people. So, taking a deep breath, he walked slowly in front of the man, then knelt on one knee in salute. Meanwhile, Lance’s resentment towards Luo Xiu increased significantly. For a royal prince such as himself, being overshadowed by a peer for over a decade was one thing, but now having to kneel in public was quite another. And yet, he could not display half a bit of dissatisfaction. It was utterly maddening! Lance gritted his teeth, lowering his head. His eyes flickered with a cold light, thinking that once he found the witch inside, Luo Xiu would surely suffer. Luo Xiu stood by calmly, observing Lance's response, a slight smile playing on his lips. He nodded contentedly before questioning, "Prince Lance, are you here with the imperial guard to arrest me?" Lance inwardly cursed, thinking, "Are you putting on an act?" But outwardly, he maintained a friendly smile, "Lord Luo Xiu, you misunderstand. I merely heard of a witch in your manor, an ill omen, and rushed over to assist in resolving the issue." Luo Xiu snorted coldly, "Prince Lance, you do have a keen sense of information." He waved a hand dismissively, "No need to resolve any issues; I can manage my estate myself." Lance smirked inwardly. You say that, but if I really leave without doing anything, how am I supposed to face my two elder brothers later? He narrowed his eyes, signaling to the guards behind him. "Lord Luo Xiu, I must disagree. Since I'm here, I can't just ignore a witch. Wouldn't you agree?" With that, his expression turned icy. "Enter, and search for me." At Lance's command, the squad of imperial guards received orders and began moving forward. They dared not confront Luo Xiu directly, but intended to bypass him and enter the estate. Luo Xiu did not voice any objection; he simply watched Lance quietly. "Prince, do you know what it means to forcefully enter a priest’s residence?" Luo Xiu’s eyes were calm, his tone indifferent, yet it caused Lance’s heart to tighten inexplicably. Unwilling to lose his momentum, Lance maintained eye contact with Luo Xiu, offering a forced smile, "I beg your pardon, Lord Luo Xiu." Luo Xiu simply turned around, ignoring him. In the front half of the manor—the usually tranquil garden—sounded a cacophony of hurried footsteps. The imperial guards began their methodical search. In a corridor near the main building, Anna appeared anxious as she observed the soldiers' actions, hesitating to speak a few times. It wasn't until Luo Xiu reappeared in her line of sight that Anna finally exhaled a long breath. She whispered in Luo Xiu's ear now standing close by. "Lord Luo Xiu, are you sure you don't need to stop them?" Luo Xiu remained calm, unhurried. "Don't worry, let them search. We'll head upstairs first." On the second floor, in one of the rooms. The two young 'witches' Luo Xiu had taken from the church were quietly awaiting. The outside commotion was not lost on them. "Selina, do you think he’ll hand us over...?" Eileen shivered slightly, refraining from calling him a pervert, simply asking absentmindedly. Selina gently held her small hand. She said firmly, "We must trust in Lord Luo Xiu." (End of Chapter)