Chapter 50: The Oath of Milvian

Nearly twenty knights surged toward Sirena Castle like a relentless tide.

Clad in full steel plate armor and helms, they gleamed under the sun. Blood-red crosses adorned the shields slung across their backs, while their powerful, well-fed horses were encased in sturdy barding.

They were clearly pursuing Una, armed with elite soldiers and sharp weapons, their intentions anything but friendly.

“Anna, sound the horn! Coachman, lead that silver horse away! Everyone else, retreat into the castle!” Chloe commanded, her voice calm and organized.

“What about me, Chief?” Alice quipped playfully.

“Go find Bishop Alexei.”

After all, Alexei was still a cardinal; he could certainly negotiate with these Templar Knights.

“As you wish.”

Alice snapped her fingers, using illusion magic to mimic Alexei’s appearance. While illusion magic could only alter one’s looks, she was wearing a long gown today. The knights would soon behold a bishop in women’s attire.

“Forget it, you should probably go change first,” Chloe said with a helpless sigh.

Accompanied by the mournful blare of a horn, the knights aggressively approached Sirena Castle. The lead knight, his armor dyed black, stood out conspicuously amidst the sea of white. He reined in his horse, raising a gauntleted hand to signal his followers to halt before the drawbridge.

Chloe slowly advanced towards him, and the black knight politely nodded.

“Lady, we are Templar Knights, searching for a traitor. We hope we haven’t disturbed you.”

The black knight’s voice was deep and muffled, making it impossible to discern their gender beneath the visor.

Chloe placed her hands on her hips, feigning indignation. “I am the Countess of this land! You’ve trampled all my farmlands. How do you intend to compensate me?”

“You wench! Serving the Central Curia is a believer’s duty!” a knight behind him cursed. The black knight shot him a glare, and he immediately fell silent.

The black knight rummaged through their coin pouch, pulling out two Trier copper coins and offering them to Chloe.

“Will these suffice?”

“Only this much? It should be at least two Shillings.”

“Are you robbing us?”

The knight who had spoken earlier pushed up his visor, revealing a young man with blond hair. He placed his hand on his sword hilt, preparing to draw it.

“Oh, Templar Knights are going to murder innocent civilians!”

Chloe hugged her head and crouched down defensively. Her pitiable act caused the blond knight to hesitate.

The black knight’s temper flared. They roared, stopping the blond knight. “Put your sword away, Leon! We are followers of the divine; how can we harm His lambs?”

The black knight searched through their troop, finally managing to scrape together 1.7 Shillings. With an apologetic expression, they presented the coins to Chloe. “My apologies, Milady. We Templar Knights adhere to a vow of poverty, so we possess little wealth.”

Chloe raised an eyebrow, her gaze flicking to Leon. “Is that so? It seems young Leon’s coin pouch is quite full.”

Leon glared at Chloe, his face flushed with anger. The black knight forcibly snatched the pouch from his grasp, only for several Faraute silver coins and even some golden Shillings to spill out.

“Where did you get so much money?” the black knight demanded. “Did you not take the vow of poverty?”

“I… saved it,” Leon stammered, his eyes darting away, his hand clutching the horse’s reins trembling.

“Then dedicate your savings to the divine.”

The black knight retrieved the 1.7 Shillings, replacing them with Leon’s two Shilling gold coins. Chloe nodded contentedly, then stepped aside, clearing a path.

“Gentlemen, please proceed.”

The black knight was about to lead the group away, but Leon abruptly reined his horse around, shouting, “Hey, little girl! Have you seen that traitor or not?”

“Traitor… what traitor? I haven’t seen any strangers,” Chloe replied earnestly.

The black knight landed a heavy punch on Leon, angrily yelling, “You violated your vow of poverty and spoke so disrespectfully to a lady. Do you wish to be punished?”

Leon, his face bruised and swollen, could only mumble a low, submissive reply.

Just as they prepared to depart, the castle gates swung open. Alice, still clad in the ill-fitting bishop’s attire, slowly emerged.

“Oh dear, they haven’t arrived yet?”

Alice yawned, her eyes unfocused. Upon spotting the large contingent before her, her expression immediately sharpened.

Chloe inwardly cried out in dismay. Why was Alice appearing now, of all times?

Alice straightened her miter, her voluminous pure white robes trailing behind her as she walked towards the knights.

The black knight, who had been about to leave, instantly reined their horse around upon seeing Alice, shouting, “Archbishop Alexei, is that truly you?”

“‘Archbishop’?”

A flicker of displeasure crossed Alice’s eyes.

“You have been removed from the Council of Cardinals and unanimously condemned as a heretic by twelve bishops.”

The black knight drew their sword, pointing it at Alice.

“Now, please accompany me to Jeannagos to face the Inquisition.”

“And if I refuse?”

“Then allow me to execute you on the spot.”

Behind them, a chorus of knights drew their swords, their eyes menacingly fixed on Chloe and Alice.

“I knew it! That traitor Una is hidden in this castle, and this Countess is her accomplice!” Leon snarled, clearly eager to reclaim his money.

Chloe nervously glanced at Alice, equally surprised by the turn of events.

“Twelve bishops simultaneously? They actually formed a united front? Leaving Paul aside, Zephyrus should have been on my side!” Alice muttered to herself.

“Stop agonizing over your poor choice of friends! Run!”

Chloe grabbed Alice’s hand and sprinted towards the drawbridge.

Seeing this, the guards immediately began raising the drawbridge. They slid down slowly as the bridge ascended, leaving the knights on the opposite side to stare at each other in confusion.

Chloe smugly looked at the knights across the moat.

‘Heh, what now? Without the drawbridge, they can only charge into a booby-trapped moat. A few knights attempting a siege without siege engines would be nothing short of suicide.’

Chloe was proud of her strategy, yet it was based purely on physical assumptions.

Specifically, it assumed the enemy possessed no magic.

The black knight held their sword upright, muttering an incantation. Their subordinates’ horses shrieked wildly, seemingly terrified of what was to come.

Chloe held her breath. Alice tried to begin chanting, but it was already too late.

The opponent had finished their incantation. The sword was engulfed in a massive, purplish-black mass of energy, and the black knight was poised to strike.

“Wait, I surrender!”

Alice raised her hands. Chloe gazed at her in astonishment; Alice’s face was ashen, as if she had just escaped death.

“Very sensible. Then please walk over yourselves.” The black knight ceased their incantation, and the sword’s ominous glow faded.

“That was the ‘Oath of Milvian.’ If they had successfully cast it, the entire Sirena Castle would have been cleaved in two,” Alice explained, gritting her teeth. “However, in my memory, only one person can use that magic.”

The black knight opened their visor, revealing the beautiful, snow-skinned face of a young woman. She dismounted gracefully, sheathing her sword.

“Constantine, it truly is you,” Alice said coldly.

“Long time no see, Alexei. No, Alice.” The black knight removed their helmet, allowing their dark gray hair to dance in the air.

“Who is she?”

This Constantine could bring such uncharacteristic panic to Alice; Chloe was intensely curious about her identity.

In Chloe’s world, Constantine was a Roman Emperor, a saint who had made Christianity the state religion of Rome. Yet, Chloe wondered what connection this cold, stunning young woman had to Emperor Constantine the Great.

“She is a Senator of the Empire, and also my former collaborator. Both she and Alena sought to save the world through religion, but it’s clear they failed.”