Chapter 72: An Unlikely Allegiance and a Dire Task

Angelica placed her hand on Chloe’s shoulder, her soft black hair falling gently by her face.

‘It tickled, but it felt nice!’

“Anjie.”

“What is it? And for the record, my name is Angelica Cornelia Scipio.”

“Don’t touch her.”

Alice pushed Angelica’s hand away, a look of indignation on her face.

“Are you jealous?”

Angelica covered her mouth, her eyes crinkling into narrow slits of amusement.

“Don’t touch Lady Chloe!”

Una clung to Chloe’s arm like a small puppy.

“You were once Caesar’s close friend, yet you betrayed them later. Now you wish to break with the Conservatives, who have been loyal for three hundred years. No, we cannot trust you.”

Wuxu, too, shielded Chloe with her hand, her gaze resolute, like a hen protecting its chicks.

From Wuxu’s words, it was clear that Angelica’s stance was as fickle as the wind.

Chloe held a deep wariness toward such a fickle individual. Yet, this was Angelica, the Conservatives’ strongest warrior. Regardless of her true intentions, her mere presence beside Chloe would provide considerable deterrence.

Chloe gently lowered Wuxu’s hand, a gesture that sent a tremor through Wuxu.

She spread her arms wide, announcing loudly, “I… accept your allegiance.”

Based on Chloe’s assessment, Angelica’s choice was not a whim but a carefully weighed decision of pros and cons.

Furthermore, Chloe was not one to harbor excessive suspicion; her motto was to trust those she employed and not employ those she doubted.

“How should I address you, Divine Chosen? Or perhaps… Master?”

Angelica leaned her face against Chloe’s hand, her alluring eyes blinking playfully.

“Ma… Master?!”

Chloe nearly choked. This address often appeared in certain suggestive films, and her mind was flooded with indescribable scenes of master and servant, causing a blush to creep up her cheeks.

‘No, Chloe, you must remain calm! Though she appears youthful, she is actually an old woman over three hundred years old!’

Chloe quickly withdrew her hand, touching her face, which was hot enough to boil an egg.

“Chloe… just call me Chloe!”

“Hey, why are you so easily charmed by this person?”

Alice grumbled, clearly annoyed.

“Master Chloe?”

“Don’t add ‘Master’!”

Wuxu placed a hand to her chin, her azure eyes slightly narrowed, as she scrutinized Angelica with suspicion.

“I apologize, but I still find it difficult to believe you would pledge allegiance to Chloe.”

Angelica’s smile vanished. She moved behind Wuxu and raised her hand.

‘Wait! What is she doing?’

Chloe instinctively reached out to stop her, but it was already too late.

“[Sever].”

*Snap.*

Silver strands of hair drifted to the ground like feathers. Chloe looked up in astonishment, realizing that Wuxu’s long, flowing hair had been cut short.

Angelica caressed the tips of Wuxu’s new short hair, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

“Short hair suits you better.”

‘Hair is a woman’s life!’

Chloe looked at Wuxu with a pang of sympathy, yet the short-haired Wuxu possessed a more mature charm, appearing much crisper and more capable.

Despite this, Wuxu showed no sign of anger. She merely tilted her head, looking utterly perplexed.

“I don’t understand. What was the meaning of that?”

Angelica licked her fingers, a smile playing on her lips.

“My blade was only a fraction off from striking your heart; no one could have stopped me. If I wished to betray Chloe, I could simply present your heads for a reward.”

Chloe gazed intently at Angelica. She was right; with her power, she could easily wipe out Chloe’s entire group.

“I trust you, Angelica Co-whatchamacallit Scipi-scipi…”

Chloe suddenly forgot Angelica’s full name, her throat tightening with embarrassment.

“How adorable. You can just call me Anjie from now on.”

Angelica smiled sweetly.

“Hey, why do I have to use her full name? Why the preferential treatment?”

Alice pointed indignantly at Angelica.

“That’s the Divine Chosen’s privilege, you see.” Anjie held up a single finger, wagging it playfully in front of Alice.

“Stop this.”

As the de facto leader, Chloe felt it necessary to reassert the Divine Chosen’s authority.

However, she was still wearing an utterly out-of-place wedding dress, which hardly conveyed the image of a leader.

Chloe clutched her slightly heaving chest, her crimson eyes opening as she declared, “We must return to Avros. Wuxu, can you find a carriage?”

Wuxu had been squatting, examining her fallen hair, until Chloe’s summons made her look up.

“The capital is under martial law, so carriages are quite difficult to find. However, we could ask Eledis to give us a ride.”

“Very well, I’ll trouble you to arrange it.”

Chloe nodded, as she also had matters she wished to discuss with Emperor Carl.

“Alice.”

“Here~” Alice replied languidly.

“Where is Anna?”

Anna had vanished after they parted that day; she hadn’t been with Alice on the execution platform. Where had she gone?

Alice was about to answer, but Una darted forward, eager to respond. “Una knows! The Central Curia took her for observation!”

“She’s still with the Church?”

“Mm!”

This was troublesome. Chloe wiped a bead of sweat. The Church had lost a large number of their knight order and had even lost Constantine; they certainly wouldn’t release Anna willingly.

“Anjie.”

“Do you wish for me to retrieve your companion from the Curia?”

Angelica licked her lips, a chilling glint in her eyes.

“No, first, find me some clothes.”

Chloe couldn’t possibly run around the streets in a wedding dress like an eloping princess.

Moreover, she had no doubt Angelica could single-handedly storm the Church and rescue Anna, but that would be far too ostentatious.

“What about Una? What about Una?”

Una’s eyes sparkled, looking at Chloe with excitement.

‘Hmm, what can Una do?’

“You know where Anna is being held, don’t you?”

“I do!”

“Then… lead the way.”

Before returning to Avros, she had one more matter to resolve.

That was the Central Curia’s stance.

They had already hanged Hino, clearly indicating their unwillingness to cooperate with Chloe. Yet, Chloe still wanted to make one last effort.

Religion, as a defining characteristic of the Middle Ages, played an immense role in governance. If she didn’t seize control of it now, it would lead to endless trouble in the future.

Whatever she did, she had to make those obstinate individuals understand Chloe’s urgent desire for their cooperation.

Of course, if that failed, Chloe was prepared to purge the Central Curia, at least eliminating those who opposed her.

And it had to be done swiftly. Firstly, Cliff was still lurking, and who knew what strange ideas he harbored in his mind.

Furthermore, Xina was still waiting for her.

Chloe picked up a goblet, its glass reflecting her beautiful face.

Carloman’s blood had yet to coagulate. Chloe brought her nose to the rim of the cup, only to detect a putrid stench.

This was the cure for madness.

She poured the blood from the goblet into an empty bottle and sealed it with a cork.

Then, she announced, “Wuxu, go find Emperor Carl. The rest of you, follow me to the Church.”

“Wait…”

The voice drifted from the depths of the corridor.

Chloe looked up in surprise. She saw Constantine emerge, trembling, her face extremely pale and weak, as if she might collapse at any moment.

She leaned against the wall with her left hand; though her right arm had been reattached, it hung limply at her side.

“I’m coming back with you too.”