Behind the group of four vampires and three humans, two figures followed closely. They were Tiara and Diana.
Naturally, Rohan took a moment to explain his nearly useless bodyguards to Edmund and the rest, ensuring there would be no misunderstandings.
Along the way, he also explained to Edmund how he had been kidnapped by the Lastbender family, which caused his sudden disappearance earlier.
Edmund himself did not really mind. To him, Rohan had already done more than enough by killing the real target of the operation, Goretzka. With only two targets remaining, the task given by the Storm God was well within reach.
Although he did wonder, for a moment, why Rohan had been targeted by the Lastbender family, but Edmund did not dwell on it.
With that settled, they continued on their way. Without any disturbances, they soon arrived at the site of the church's foundation and began dividing the spoils of war.
They gathered 1,900 gold coins and four usable magical items, one of which came from Goretzka.
In addition, there were nearly ten damaged magical items, most of them taken from the guards and dealers who had fought against the silver knight and the winged serpents.
These items could no longer be used, but they still held value and could be sold to an artisan mage for reforging.
Despite feeling a bit disappointed about the damaged items, Rohan was still excited. He listened eagerly as Edmund began his explanation.
It took nearly two minutes for Edmund to go through the abilities, restrictions, and side effects of the four items.
As Rohan listened, the excitement on his face gradually faded, replaced by growing disgust.
A bracelet that lets you throw invisible knives, but turns you into a foot-obsessed freak? No thanks.
An amulet that increases the user's strength, but gives them a sudden urge to eat nails.
He then glanced at the final item, his expression tightening further. This was an item from the bald dealer.
That red piercing could give its holder a massive increase in essence capacity, but it occasionally forces its wielder to eat rotten meat. Just what kind of deranged lunatic would be willing to use these items?
The only item with relatively mild effects was the black ring from Goretzka, granting its wielder nothing more than a faint urge to hug a random tree. However, the following restriction was that it could only be used for ten silent incantation spells a day.
Rohan, Augustus and Edmund exchanged uncertain glances, clearly weighing the risks.
As for the vampires, they were not particularly interested in the spoils of war.
Not because they did not want them, but because they had already gained their freedom thanks to Rohan, Edmund, and Augustus.
So naturally, they allowed the three of them to decide what to do with the spoils.
Then one of them pointed at the bracelet. "I'll take it."
At once, everyone turned toward him, their expressions laced with disdain and judgment.
"What?" Augustus asked, blinking in confusion. "It's a really, really good ability. Like, insanely good."
He glanced at the bracelet again, clearly impressed. "I mean, invisible knives? That's dangerously cool."
The others kept staring.
He frowned slightly. "I did not pick it because of the side effect." He paused, then added defensively, "That is just... not even my style."
"Wow. Bold choice. Very bold," Arminius said, nodding slowly. "I mean, sure, there is a tiny side effect, but nothing is perfect, right?"
"I will take the amulet and the red piercing. And no, I will not use them. I will sell them," Edmund said firmly.
No one objected.
Rohan then took the black ring and used it. He also received three hundred gold, the same amount given to Edmund and Augustus.
As for Luciana, Arminius, and the rest of the vampires, they took the remaining 1,000 gold and split it equally among themselves. They did not mind receiving less, as their freedom was the greatest spoil of war they could have asked for. Besides, for them, 250 gold coins were a tremendous amount of money.
As for the remaining broken items, Edmund would sell them and split the money later.
After a brief discussion with Rohan about their next target, Edmund and Augustus returned to the city to recuperate, leaving Rohan and his followers behind.
Once they were gone, Rohan gave himself little time to rest before continuing the construction of the church.
In a flash, the Soul of Leviathan appeared in his right hand. He still remembered how this unique sword had once disturbed his system, briefly altering the target of the object he intended to upgrade. Now that he knew the sword's origin, he could understand how it was capable of such a thing.
To think this sword contains a fragment of the soul of a true deity named Leviathan.
At that moment, he finally understood why the sword was called the Soul of Leviathan.
It was literally the soul of Leviathan, though only a fragment of it.
And the notification back then said it was a divine authority fragment. Does that mean the authority is the soul of a deity?
He wondered for a brief moment. However, Rohan did not want to dwell on the sword's origin for now. And he also ignored the voices that came from the sword.
He then moved to cut more wood into planks and fit them between the pillars, enclosing the space. The walls were rough and uneven, with small gaps here and there, but they were enough to keep the wind at bay.
He also left an opening at the front for a door. A few planks were set together, forming a simple panel he could push open and shut. Along the walls, he cut small openings, just enough to let light in.
Luciana, Arminius, and the other vampires stared at him, wondering why this man, with a beaten and battered body and a bruised face, continued to work after killing an Azure Mage not too long ago.
At some point, the two approached him and told him to rest. However, Rohan ignored them.
Without realizing it, the sky had turned pale blue. Morning had come.
At that point, the vampires had fully recovered, including Luciana and Arminius.
Without further hesitation, they decided to help with the construction. Rohan, of course, did not refuse their help.
At some point, they introduced themselves. The two other vampires were named Keana and Belluci, and Luciana and Arminius introduced themselves as well.
When Rohan looked at the three women, he felt a bit uneasy. They were not wearing proper clothing, only men's clothes likely taken from the corpses of the guards and dealers.
He then looked at Luciana, and it was even worse. She was barely covered, her body hidden only by ragged scraps of cloth.
"Why do you not just go to the city and buy some clothing?" he asked.
A moment later, the three women looked at him.
"The city?" Keana repeated flatly. "You think we can just walk in there like this and no one is going to notice?"
She glanced down at her clothes, then back at him. "We would be watched. Maybe followed. Maybe captured again. I'm not risking that for something we can solve later."
Belluci lowered her gaze briefly, brushing dust from her sleeve as if trying to restore some sense of composure. "I suppose that would be the sensible thing to do," she said quietly, her voice soft but controlled. "To walk into a city and pretend nothing has happened."
She lifted her eyes to Rohan, a faint distance in her expression. "But we are not in a position where such things come easily."
Her fingers tightened slightly against the fabric she wore. "Still, clothing would help us regain a sense of dignity. Even now, that is not something I wish to abandon."
At that moment, Luciana also looked at Rohan. "Clothing," she said, her tone smooth. "That is what occupies your mind right now."
"We cannot enter a city like this without drawing attention."
"That said, if you are offering to provide for us, I may reconsider my objections."
Her lips curved slightly, not quite a smile. "Otherwise, I suggest we prioritize survival over aesthetics."
Rohan went silent for a moment, considering their words. They had a point. It must be difficult for them to enter the city right now.
And besides, I heard that vampires were weakened in daylight.
At that moment, not far from them, Arminius suddenly raised his hand.
"All right, problem solved. You are welcome," he said, stepping forward with a grin. "I will go. I am great with cities. People love me in cities."
He gestured vaguely at himself, completely unbothered by his lack of clothing.
"I walk in, I smile, I talk to the right people, and I get the clothes. Maybe even a discount. You never know."
Rohan gazed at him for a moment, then frowned. "That is a terrible idea. You're wearing nothing but a loincloth and are practically naked."
Arminius threw up his hands. "It is what it is. By the time I showed up, wardrobe department was wiped clean. All that was left were some naked corpses. My fellow vampires got there first, very motivated, very thorough. You think I enjoy rocking the loincloth look? This was not a fashion choice, my friend, this was a supply chain issue."
With a deep sigh, Rohan moved. "Never mind. I will get clothes for all of you."
"And you," he added, looking at Arminius, "stay here."
And as if he had already predicted some objections from Arminius, Rohan added firmly. "End of discussion."
He then walked toward the city, with Diana and Tiara following closely behind him.