Moonlight spilled over the small village near the Bone Forest, bathing the farmhouse in a faint glow.
The luxurious carriage and its contingent of guards halted, seeming to melt into the silent night.
Lian disembarked from the carriage and followed the tall Knight to the front of the drab, gray farmhouse.
The Knight knocked on the door in a steady rhythm.
KNOCK—KNOCK——KNOCK————
About a minute later, the wooden door let out a CREAK and opened.
A maid in a black cloak looked nervously at the old Knight. Her gaze then shifted from the Knight to the young man beside him.
The young man was dressed in magnificent formal wear, looking as if he were on his way to a nobleman's ball.
With his dazzling golden hair, he would be instantly recognizable wherever he went.
He was from the Moria Clan.
And no one from the Moria family would ever become a Priest.
They were naturally promiscuous.
"Lord Kage, did you find a Priest?"
The maid frowned. She held the Knight in high regard, but that couldn't hide her current disappointment.
"No, I found someone more useful."
The Old Knight, Kage Mori, turned to look at Lian. "My apologies, but only you can follow me inside. There isn't much space."
Lian nodded in understanding. "Sophie, you all wait out here."
Sophie inclined her head slightly. She could sense that this Sir Knight meant no harm.
Cobb stared grimly at Kage Mori and warned, "If you do anything to offend our Lord, this place will become your grave."
"Of course."
Kage Mori said.
The two entered the farmhouse, and the maid closed the door.
Just as the door was closing, she cautiously peeked at Sophie, Anna, and Annie.
It reaffirmed her belief that everyone from the Moria family were philanderers.
Inside the simple house, there was only a single bed, upon which lay a girl on the verge of death.
The girl's face and body were covered in a red rash, yet she possessed astonishing willpower.
Lian noticed that there wasn't a single scratch on her face or hands.
For someone suffering from the Red Itch Plague, this was nearly impossible.
When the itching sensation struck, it was incredibly difficult to control one's limbs; the urge to scratch was subconscious, just like with Riel.
The girl had long, lustrous black hair, fair skin, and delicate features. Her eyes seemed to be veiled in mist, and the look on her face—one of someone enduring so much pain they were on the verge of tears but holding back—gave her a heart-wrenchingly fragile and pitiable air that made one want to protect her.
Of course, what surprised Lian the most wasn't her unique aura, but the three red labels above her head.
[Misfortune Physique] [Terminal Illness Girl] [Infected with the Plague]
Lian had experienced the misfortune-attracting effects of the Misfortune Physique before. He glanced sympathetically at the maid and the Knight standing beside Miss Catherine.
'It's a miracle they're still alive.'
The "Terminal Illness Girl" label meant she wasn't just infected with the Red Itch Plague; her body was already afflicted with a terminal illness.
It was even more of a miracle that she had managed to survive this long.
Catherine looked at Lian and asked in a weak voice, "Can you really save me?"
Lian nodded. "Yes. This is a transaction."
"How do you plan to save my lady?"
The maid, Mina, couldn't help but ask.
Lian hesitated for two seconds before saying, "My healing method is a bit... unusual. I don't want any outsiders to see it, so I need you to step outside."
"That's out of the question!"
Mina frowned.
Kage Mori patted Mina's shoulder. "Trust in Lord Lian. He has already cured many Plague patients."
Mina gave Kage Mori a doubtful look before her gaze returned to Lian.
'I just don't feel like he should have this kind of power.'
But they had no other choice now. This was their last hope.
If Miss Catherine also died here, it would mean the Jackson Family would never have a chance to rise again.
The Blue Moon Territory would be well and truly destroyed, with no possibility of being rebuilt.
The loyal maid and Knight opened the door and stepped outside, leaving only Lian and Catherine in the house.
Unfortunately, the knockout drug Anna had prepared was long gone. Otherwise, Lian could have just rendered Miss Catherine unconscious to spare her any unpleasant memories.
"Miss Catherine, to survive, you must be willing to give up anything, correct?"
Lian asked.
Catherine was different from Riel. Although both were daughters of nobles, in Lian's eyes, Riel was still a child, whereas Catherine was already a very well-developed noble lady.
'If the label escapes to some... awkward place, I'm worried she'll misunderstand.'
So it was best to communicate clearly beforehand.
Catherine nodded slightly, her gaze resolute.
"I am willing. What do you need me to do?"
"Take off your clothes."
"?"
A flicker of confusion crossed Catherine's eyes, but then she considered her current state. 'I probably don't look appealing enough to arouse a man's interest anyway.'
She removed her cloak and simple, ruffled dress.
"The undergarments have to go too."
Lian continued.
Catherine could only comply. Mist reappeared in her eyes, this time from shyness and embarrassment.
She knew she was far from beautiful right now. Even if her figure was perfect, those terrifying red rashes covered her entire body.
Fortunately, Lian didn't have trypophobia. Besides, he noticed that Catherine was indeed very well-developed.
Lian's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and a compliment escaped him subconsciously.
"So beautiful, Miss Catherine."
In his past life, Lian had studied art for a while as a hobby and had been obsessed with life drawing. So, upon seeing a body with such golden proportions, he couldn't help but marvel at it.
If circumstances were different, he would have even wanted to invite Miss Catherine to be his life model.
This was the first time Aisling had heard anyone praise her since she fell ill.
Her face instantly flushed red, and her heart began to race. But the young maiden's flutter of emotion was quickly replaced by the pain in her body.
She was still a Patient.
"This next part might hurt a little. I hope you can bear with it."
Lian decided to first remove two of the red labels, [Infected with the Plague] and [Misfortune Physique]. As for [Terminal Illness Girl], that would have to wait until after she recovered.
Catherine nodded and closed her eyes.
She felt Lian's hand touch her body, and a jolt, like an electric current, made her tremble all over.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Catherine."
Lian reminded her, his eyes fixed on the pulsing red labels.
Outside the small house, Catherine's maid, Mina; Knight Kage Mori; Sophie; Anna; Annie; and Captain Cobb were all waiting.
Compared to the anxiousness of Mina and Knight Kage Mori, Sophie and the others appeared much calmer.
Mina pressed her ear against the wooden door, her expression gradually growing complicated.
She had already resolved to accept any price for the sake of revenge, gritting her teeth through it all.
But she never expected that just to survive, her lady would have to give up everything, including her sense of shame.