"Your Holiness, there is no need for such words. Please, don't feel obligated to do this."
Luo Li spoke quickly as she watched the Pope prepare to bow his head.
At the same time, she couldn't help but mentally praise the Pope for this move.
It was a clever tactic.
With just this one gesture, he had not only resolved the awkwardness in the communication room...
But also forced others to view his character in a higher light.
Furthermore, he had secured Marcus’s loyalty.
A single Heavenly Punishment Knight might not be that important to him, given the power the Holy See had accumulated over a millennium.
There was bound to be significant strength hidden in the shadows.
However, the York family was a different story.
Although the branch of the York family within the Kingdom of the Moon was only one of the seven families below the four major ones...
And its size wasn't particularly large...
The main house of the York family resided within the Holy See itself.
This family’s influence spanned all Eight Nations of the Holy Church, making it one of the top families among humanity.
This gesture might not change everything, but it at least earned him Marcus’s gratitude.
"Since Lady Luo Li does not mind, then all is well."
He nodded with a smile and then turned to look at Marcus, who was still kneeling on the ground.
"Marcus, don't you still have military affairs to organize today? Go and look into that for me first."
"I obey your command."
Marcus had finally found his support. He stood up, bowed, and turned to leave.
As he reached the door, he glanced back at the girl on the screen.
A flash of malice flickered in his eyes.
Everyone present was a sharp individual, whether it was the Pope, Lola...
Or Luo Li herself. They all saw that look.
But no one said a word.
Only after Marcus had left did Diocletian turn back to the girl on the screen.
"My deepest apologies, Lady Luo Li. It was my lack of discipline over my subordinates that caused such a scene."
"Think nothing of it. Your Holiness has many talented people under your command. Although Marcus’s character is a bit lacking, his strength must be top-tier, otherwise, he wouldn't have become a Heavenly Punishment Knight."
Luo Li smiled calmly. Her expression was neutral, but she had delivered a direct insult.
Of course, this insult was directed at the current Holy See, which by extension meant the Pope himself.
And she said it in a way that Diocletian couldn't even refute.
He had personally promoted this Heavenly Punishment Knight, so he naturally knew Marcus had a poor character.
However, the man was mostly just a chatterbox and was quite rigid about certain matters.
"Lady Luo Li, you overstate the matter. Marcus may be a bit rude, but at least his heart is in the right place."
Having said that, he didn't give Luo Li a chance to argue and immediately changed the subject.
"But that is not important. Let us speak of official business first."
Diocletian stepped toward the screen, his gaze fixed on Luo Li.
He seemed to be sizing her up.
After all, while they had met before, there were few opportunities to observe her so thoroughly.
Previously, he had mostly seen her through magic portraits.
She was rarely seen elsewhere.
Feeling the uncomfortable aggression in the Pope’s eyes, the girl’s brow furrowed slightly.
"Very well, let us discuss the official matter."
"Your Holiness, there was an issue during the escort process. The incident occurred at our border."
"Since it happened within my country, I will be the one to resolve it."
"As for the Holy See’s army, there is no need for them."
"He is just a mere Demon Marshal. If I could capture him once, I can capture him twice."
Diocletian maintained his smile.
She certainly knew what he was planning.
Both sides were well aware of each other’s intentions.
Diocletian naturally wanted to take this opportunity to invade, even if it meant seizing only a small piece of land.
More importantly, he wanted to capture the Demon Marshal himself.
After all, this incident was a significant blow to the Holy See’s reputation.
The Demon Marshal had been captured by the Saintess of the Moon, yet he had managed to escape while in the Holy See’s custody.
This made the Pope lose face.
He cursed his foolish brother in his heart while having to clean up after him.
If he simply let it go and allowed the Saintess of the Moon to capture him again...
The Holy See would truly be humiliated.
So, no matter what, that Demon Marshal had to be captured by the Holy See’s people.
"Lady Luo Li, you are being too modest. Since the Demon Marshal was already handed over, he is a major criminal of the Holy See. Having escaped from the hands of a Holy See Archbishop, it is only natural for our people to pursue him."
"Your Holiness, a mere Demon Marshal does not require the Holy See’s army. It is truly not worth the effort and mobilization. It would be better to leave it to the Kingdom of the Moon."
"No, no. The Kingdom of the Moon has just gone through a great war and is currently in a period of recovery. How could I trouble you, Lady Luo Li?"
"It is no trouble at all."
Luo Li smiled slightly, her expression as warm as a spring breeze, but it made the Pope’s face stiffen.
To be able to show such a confident smile at a time like this meant there was definitely something going on.
"Isn't it a coincidence? It just so happens that a dragon army has come to visit these past few days. With such immense power available, there is naturally no need for the Holy See’s forces."
Seeing the Pope’s expression grow increasingly dark on the screen, Luo Li almost laughed out loud.
But she had to hold it in. If they truly had a falling out now, it would be troublesome.
"Furthermore, what if the dragon army accidentally harms the Holy See’s troops during the search? Wouldn't that be a problem?"
Hearing this, the Pope’s brow tightened, but he didn't say a word.
The girl’s face, however, still held that same calm smile.
"On the other hand, if the Holy See’s army were to injure a dragon, it might provoke the Dragon King’s wrath. I fear it would be difficult to settle things then. What do you think, Your Holiness?"
'With this move, I bet you won't dare send troops!'
'If you actually dare to do it, I'll personally lead dozens of dragons to the border.'
'I don't believe you won't back down!'
The Pope’s face was dark, but it lasted for less than a breath before his expression suddenly shifted back to a smile.
"I see. Since that is the case, I suppose there is no need for me to take such drastic measures."
"I will leave this matter to Lady Luo Li."
"However, I ask that Lady Luo Li capture him as soon as possible. If Butcher Zuka harms any innocents, it will be difficult to resolve."
"I will oversee it personally. There is no need for you to worry."
Luo Li responded with a slight frown.
The meaning behind his words was simple: if Butcher Zuka escaped or if more regions were affected...
The responsibility would fall on her.
"That is good then. Oh, by the way, Lady Luo Li, about the marriage I mentioned to you before..."
"Your Holiness, forgive me, but I have state affairs to attend to. There is no need to discuss trivial matters."
"..."
The Pope’s face was still full of smiles, but a hint of coldness now lingered in his eyes.
That fake, skin-deep smile was very unsettling.
With a click...
The screen went dark instantly.
The girl stood before the screen, recalling the look in his eyes just now.
Diocletian was likely fuming with rage.
He probably hadn't expected that, by such a stroke of luck, Black would bring a dragon army.
Even if there was only a ten percent chance that Luo Li would actually bring the dragons along...
To avoid a war between humans and dragons, the Pope could only swallow his pride and endure.
Rather than sending troops only to return in disgrace, it was better not to send them at all.
However, she had certainly angered him now.
No matter how polite he had been just now, who knew how he was cursing her in his heart!
Luo Li bowed her head in thought for a moment before suddenly turning back to Lola.
"Lola, notify Lina immediately. Tell her to prepare and take a thousand members of the Dragon Knight Corps to the border at once."
"Yes."
Currently, the only person who could coordinate the knights and infantry was likely Kevin.
But Kevin’s current stance was ambiguous. There was no telling which side he truly stood on.
If she allowed him to lead the army out now, things might spiral out of control.
Kevin’s prestige among the knights was high enough, and he was the head of a top noble family himself.
If he truly had treacherous intentions, handing the army over to him would be an act of suicide.
Kevin could not be the one to lead the troops.
So, who else could lead them now?
Should she send Momoka?
"Lola, where is Yanagi Musashi right now?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, Yanagi Musashi is currently leading thirty thousand knights and one hundred thousand infantry from the Kingdom of the Sun toward Twin-Wing City."
"Hmm? What is he doing there?"
Luo Li was stunned for a moment. Lola’s response was quick.
"Your Highness, they are following Lady Momoka’s orders to escort the civilians during their relocation. After all, they might encounter trouble along the way."
It seemed that mobilizing that part of the army was impossible.
As for Momoka, she had only just arrived in the Kingdom of the Moon and wasn't very familiar with the local knights.
Sending her was clearly not an option.
Who else could lead the army?
Guardian Knight-level individuals were basically out of the question; if they encountered a Demon Marshal, they would likely be killed.
It had to be someone at least above level sixty.
At least half of the Dragon Knight Corps had to remain in Brilliant City to keep the nobles in check.
Otherwise, if the nobles decided to rebel, they could flatten Brilliant City in the blink of an eye.
To surround and intercept the target, a large army was necessary, or else they wouldn't be able to block off such a vast area.
Thinking it over, it seemed she had to lead the army herself.
If nothing else...
With the sisters Aigie and Shalin by her side, Zuka wouldn't be able to do anything to her.
As long as she could pin Zuka down, Lina’s arrival would ensure his capture.
But in this situation, if she left, could Momoka and Lola keep Kevin under control?
One was a foreign Saintess, and the other was a girl with no combat strength.
Although there were still a thousand members of the Dragon Knight Corps and Lancelot, Kevin’s influence could not be underestimated.
If he truly made a call to arms, at least half of the knights would follow him.
It seemed... they were now stuck in a dead end.
Either send Kevin with the army and risk him becoming too powerful to control...
Or go herself and leave Brilliant City in a vulnerable state.
If any other external factors interfered during this process...
The current Kingdom of the Moon would be finished.
Thinking of this, Luo Li couldn't help but look up at Lola.
"Lola, a few days ago, regarding Kevin’s side..."
"Your Highness, I am sorry. My people could not keep up with him."
Lola’s brow furrowed slightly. She knew this matter was important, but despite the surveillance...
He was a Heavenly Punishment Knight!
How could someone of that level be tracked by ordinary people?
No matter how good Lola’s information network was, there weren't many powerful individuals in it.
At this stage, it had truly become a dilemma.
"Let me think."
Luo Li waved her hand and walked out of the communication room with a frown.
Lola and Nara looked at each other.
The situation had suddenly turned dire, catching them both off guard.
However, Lola managed to stay somewhat calm, while Nara appeared quite anxious.
"Lola, what do we do now? Her Highness is so worried. Do you have a plan?"
Lola shook her head helplessly.
To keep the situation stable, the troops in Brilliant City could not be moved.
But without moving those troops, how easy would it be to catch a fleeing Demon Marshal?
For a moment, Lola was also at a loss.
Luo Li returned to her bedchamber.
"Luo Li, did something happen?"
As soon as she entered, Momoka walked over.
She was one of their own, so there was no need for secrets.
"Yes, things have become quite troublesome. We're short-handed now, and I really don't know what to do."
"How about I go? Even if I can't catch the Demon Marshal, I can at least stall for time and look for clues. With these eyes of mine, it shouldn't be a problem."
Momoka volunteered, but Luo Li shook her head.
"No, your control over the army isn't strong enough yet, and you still have many things to handle. It's not the right time for you to leave Brilliant City."
It wasn't that she didn't trust Momoka; she simply didn't trust the current state of the army.
Ever since Kevin’s sudden shift in stance...
Luo Li felt like a thorn was lodged in her heart.
She was being overly cautious.
It wasn't that she wanted to be this way, but the extent of Kevin’s influence was still unknown.
If she knew, it wouldn't be an issue; she could take precautions.
The fear came from a drawn bow hidden in the shadows; you never knew where it would fire from...
Or what it would hit.
A threat is most effective before it is carried out.
Once everything is out in the open, there's no more time for fear.
To Luo Li, the current Kevin was like that arrow on a drawn bow.
And that arrow was aimed right at her chest.
If she relaxed even slightly and he released the arrow, it would be a fatal blow in an instant.
Kill him?
It wasn't impossible.
But to kill a Heavenly Punishment Knight without cause would be difficult to explain to the Holy See or the people.
If she didn't kill him, that thorn would remain in her heart, causing her constant unease.
Perhaps there was another way.
Luo Li lowered her head and thought.
Luo Li could suppress Kevin, but Momoka didn't have enough military prestige to control the soldiers.
Luo Li could control the soldiers, but Momoka couldn't suppress Kevin.
In that case, why not just take Kevin along with her?
Leave Lola and Momoka behind.
Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?
As she was thinking, a knight suddenly walked in from outside.
"Reporting! Cabinet Minister Lord Augus requests an audience with Your Highness."
Augus?
What was he doing here?
Luo Li was stunned for a moment, but she didn't refuse. After all, he was one of her trusted aides. For him to come at a time like this, there must be something important.
"Let him in."
Thinking this, Luo Li shook her head at Momoka, signaling her to set the matter aside for now.
Although Momoka was worried, she knew her current situation and that there were no good solutions.
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall.
"I, Augus, greet Your Highness. I pray for your sacred peace."
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