Chapter 74: The Guardian Deity’s Call

The sea breeze whipped up layers of waves, sweeping away the sand clinging to the shallows.

A wave of drowsiness washed over Chloe, her only desire to surrender to a deep, restful sleep in her bed.

Yet, three crucial matters awaited her attention at the Central Curia.

First, she had to rescue Anna. Though Chloe had not known her long, Anna was Xina’s kin, and that alone warranted Chloe’s aid.

Moreover, she served as a vital trump card in Chloe’s hand.

Second, Chloe sought to uncover the truth behind Alena’s death. Why had she so abruptly abandoned her life?

Meeting the Cardinal would undoubtedly unravel this mystery.

Third, and equally important, was to draw the Curia to Chloe’s side.

The Eledis Empire possessed immense power, and Cliff had the Original Order backing him. Chloe, however, found herself utterly alone.

Despite the support of Elders like Alice, their numbers were too few, and the conservative Elders were vehemently opposed to Chloe. If she could win over the Curia, everything would change.

Dark, oppressive clouds gradually gathered, obscuring the sun. Chloe extended her hand, allowing the lingering rays of light to dance between her fingers.

Suddenly, her other hand was clasped by a familiar touch. It was Alice.

Alice stared intently ahead, her expression grave.

Clanking armor and marching footsteps blended together, reaching Chloe’s ears.

She lifted her head, discovering dozens of Order Knights, clad in full plate armor, advancing toward her. Their hands gripped sharp swords, signaling their hostile intent.

Angelica wore a faint smile, already poised to raise her hand and reap the lives of these knights.

“Hey, don’t just kill them indiscriminately!”

Chloe was about to stop her when Constantine seized Angelica’s arm.

“Don’t harm them. Let me handle this.”

Constantine cast a cold glance at Angelica.

Angelica shrugged, retracting her hand.

“Stop. I am your commander.”

Constantine stepped in front of Chloe, but the knights showed no inclination to halt their advance.

“I told you to stop.”

Constantine’s gaze turned sharp, sweeping over the insolent knights. She drew her distinctive black magic sword from its sheath and raised it high.

The magic sword shimmered with a faint glow. Beneath the knights’ visors, Chloe could sense their fear.

Yet, they remained motionless, surrounding Chloe and her companions like statues.

“Please make way. I wish to see His Holiness.”

A fully armored knight, mounted on a tall steed, rode past the encirclement to stand before Constantine. He dismounted gracefully and lifted his visor, revealing his face.

The knight, with his handsome golden hair, concealed a rotten soul within.

“Le… Leon?”

Chloe still couldn’t forget his actions that day. Hadn’t he been expelled from the ranks of the Order Knights?

“What are you doing here?” Constantine asked, a hint of surprise in her voice.

“I rode back all the way. And, Constantine, don’t order me around; you’ve been dismissed,” Leon retorted, a mocking tone in his voice.

“Dismissed? Why?”

“Because you not only colluded with heretics but also participated in the assassination of Pope Alena.”

“What did you say?”

Constantine narrowed her eyes, pointing her sword at Leon.

Leon quickly retreated a few steps, his face etched with terror. He stammered, “Don’t move, or I’ll kill your companions!”

The Order Knights pressed forward, their large hands reaching for Chloe. Fortunately, Una pushed Chloe away just in time.

“I can’t stand this, tch—mmph, mmph, mmph.”

Angelica was about to cast a spell when Alice swiftly covered her mouth. Frowning, Alice asked Leon, “Then who’s the new commander? It can’t be you, can it?”

“Ah, while I’d love the position, I don’t have the seniority. Right, new Knight Commander?”

No sooner had he spoken than the knight closest to Chloe opened his visor and gently took her hand.

Chloe remained stunned for a long moment.

For she saw someone who should have been dead.

It was Hino, the seemingly good-natured man who had once threatened Chloe with a sword to her throat for Alena’s sake.

He smiled widely, pressing a light kiss to the back of Chloe’s hand.

“Long time no see, Lady Chloe. You are as beautiful as ever.”

“Hi-Hi-Hi-Hino?!”

Una’s eyes nearly bulged from her head.

“Weren’t you hanged? I saw it with my own eyes!”

“It seems the gods favored me, loosening the noose just enough.”

‘A faked death? But… why…?’

“It seems you’ve made some sort of agreement with those bastards. Have you also sided with them?” Alice said, her face etched with helplessness.

“No, I have always stood with Lady Alena.”

“What does that mean?” Chloe asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

Hino picked up a strand of Chloe’s hair, exclaiming in admiration, “Beautiful silver hair. Truly worthy of the woman chosen by ‘Augustus.'”

‘How disgusting!’

Chloe slapped Hino’s hand away, then retreated several steps.

Hino showed no anger, maintaining his smile as he told Chloe, “Please leave. You won’t achieve any agreement here.”

“Augustus… I haven’t heard that name in a long time. Who told you?”

Constantine’s expression was unusually grim as she stared intently at Hino.

“Who is she?” Chloe asked, confused.

“Unlike the Old Gods worshipped by ordinary people and the New Gods worshipped by the Original Order, she is the guardian deity of the Empire, appearing as a silver dragon. But after the Empire’s demise, no one remembered her name except the Elders.”

Alice patiently explained to Chloe.

“She controls life. Legend says she can cure incurable diseases, grant immortality, and even resurrect the dead… Wait, you’re not trying to…?”

“I intend to use Augustus’s power to resurrect Lady Alena,” Hino stated calmly.

“Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Alice frowned, her lips trembling slightly.

Constantine thrust her sword between Hino and Chloe, shouting loudly, “Augustus is merely a fabricated myth; she has never shown any divine power. As a priest of the Holy Church, how can you believe in a false god?”

“Constantine, have you gone mad from reading scriptures? She truly exists, you know.”

Angelica, who had been silent for a long time, spoke with a faint smile, raising a finger to point at Chloe.

“Chloe is the proof of her existence.”

‘Me?’

Chloe raised her hands, her mind filled with confusion.

“Abnormal life forms like vampires were created by Augustus. And, you are the Divine Chosen, aren’t you?”

A hint of a smile flickered in Angelica’s eyes.

‘Could it be that the god who chose her was neither the Old Gods nor the New Gods, but Augustus?’

“As long as we respond to Augustus’s call, she will appear, and then I can resurrect Lady Alena.” Hino’s gaze was fervent.

“What call?”

Chloe felt she was asking the obvious.

“Unify the world,” Alice replied coldly.

‘Just as I thought.’

Several sentences flashed through Chloe’s mind.

Augustus could cure incurable diseases.

Chloe had been gravely ill in her original world.

And her sister had traveled to this world.

‘Could it be that my sister came to this world to cure Xia Ni’s illness?’

Only the Divine Chosen could unify the world.

That was why Alysia wanted to possess Chloe’s body.

Chloe recalled the painting she had seen in the mayor’s house, and the table she had witnessed in Alysia’s memories.

A wave of déjà vu washed over her.

It turned out that the silver giant dragon had been watching her all along.