Chapter 297

Chapter 83 The Holy Maiden Who Curses

As dusk approached.

Under the pale sunlight, three yaks-drawn carriages with golden patterns on pure white fabric turned west at the city gate and were heading north along a winding road outside the city. On the left side of the carriage was an endless grassland, while on the right was a towering blue metropolis.

“Please try to minimize unnecessary conversations once we reach the canyon. Do not have too much contact with Cardinal Nero. Make sure you stay by my side at all times, focus on your tasks. They will see the real you…”

Inside the carriage, Margaret kept reminding me about the precautions after we arrived. I nodded in agreement on the surface, but inwardly, I was somewhat dismissive.

I was there to eliminate the Abyss, not to please the upper echelons of the Church. Let them think whatever they want; it’s none of my business. I won’t care as long as they don’t provoke me.

My mood had already been terrible…

Just now, when I came out of the city gate, I saw those iron-armored guards attacking from the south. Over ten thousand people… it didn’t seem like many, compared to the hundreds of thousands of troops that could besiege my country in the past. The population here was sparse, and their military power couldn’t compare to that scale.

But I was just a person living in modern times, so I could only imagine the grand scenes of ancient times or glimpse them through certain films and TV shows. Experiencing the desolate atmosphere of two armies clashing—those were artistic depictions.

Living in a peaceful era and in a powerful nation, war was always something that appeared only in news reports. Ordinary people never had the chance to face true warfare. My country was stable and prosperous, and people spent their days thinking about how to live more comfortably. Most people would never witness anyone being killed in their lifetime.

But just now, I saw those iron-armored soldiers stretching like a river across the distant plains. At the forefront were cavalry, followed by countless foot soldiers forming a galaxy. In front of the entire formation were two rows of massive catapults and other siege engines I couldn’t name. The whole army stood ready, solemn and quiet, appearing like a thunderous force from afar—the pressure was overwhelming, unlike anything I had experienced before.

That was just over ten thousand people.

But I thought, if these ten thousand people were my enemies, facing their charge… If I didn’t have the power of the Abyss, I was merely a knight who had defeated the Abyss. Even though my strength was already at the peak of human capability, if they charged at me like the five hundred city guards did in the Valen Empire… I could imagine that scene.

Maybe I could only raise my hand to create a large area of ice spears, maybe twice. The fierce cold might kill a small portion of them, but then I would be buried under the tide of soldiers. Elaborate moves, extreme freezing air, sharp moon blades, mysterious moon steps, ice-covered worlds spanning over a hundred meters… none of this could turn the tide against such numbers. There was no chance of survival. They didn’t even need to draw their swords; whether alive or frozen corpses, when the army pressed forward, I would be crushed and trampled.

Even if they didn’t resist, standing still for me to kill, until I was exhausted, I wouldn’t have the confidence to kill half of them—this was the power of ten thousand people.

Only by seeing it could I deeply understand this.

The scenes in novels where one person fights against millions are mostly laughable. It seems as if the protagonist becomes a mere prop once they enter the battlefield. In reality, the clash of two armies isn’t just about one slash and one sword strike. Even if one is brave, once the army presses forward, there are only two choices: to charge head-on or to run away.

The former is glorious, the latter is humiliating. As for blocking, forget it. How can one person block? Without large-scale barriers or defensive magic, even a cudgel wouldn’t work unless you’re bald.

But I wasn’t that strong, and neither was anyone in this world, as far as I knew.

So my mood was terrible.

I feared Victoria would face what I imagined.

The only thing that gave me comfort or ease was: Victoria could fly.

As long as she wasn’t facing a rain of arrows like locusts, she could escape no matter how bad the situation got… provided she was willing to do so.

Ever since I saw the iron-armored guards when I left the city, my mind was preoccupied with these thoughts, making Margaret’s reminders fall on deaf ears. She seemed to say a lot, but I hardly remembered any of it.

Clatter… Clatter…

A sudden sound of hooves startled me from my thoughts. I felt the carriage jolt and slow down significantly.

“What’s wrong…”

I lifted the curtain and stuck my head out, seeing a small group of light cavalry clad in silver armor blocking the path of the yak-drawn carriages.

Recognizing them as iron-armored guards, I frowned.

What did they want?

The three yak-drawn carriages slowly stopped, dust rising and spreading. Two nuns from the first carriage descended, meeting several cavalrymen dismounting from their beasts.

“Sorry, we are ordered to check. Please tell us, honorable ladies of the Church, where are you going and what is your purpose?” asked the leading knight. Recognizing the carriages as belonging to the Church, he spoke politely.

But the nuns weren’t so courteous. Coldly, they asked, “Who ordered you?”

“It’s a military order, my lady.”

“Whose order? Queen Elizabeth?”

“…”

No one answered the nun’s question.

Of course, they couldn’t be ordered by Victoria.

“Speak up! Who has the authority and courage to command you to stop the Church’s carriages?” insisted the nun.

The leading cavalryman seemed to take a deep breath, “Lady, you know it’s a special time…”

“Special time? Do you know what’s inside the carriage?”

…

“Is there anyone sitting inside?”

“We need to confirm with our own eyes. Please bear with us, ladies.”

“…What if I say no?”

“Then I’m afraid… we can’t just let you pass.”

The nun’s voice trembled with anger: “You dare… Iron Guards… Move aside! The delay in the investigation of the abyss by Her Holiness and the Knight of the Pontiff will be on whose shoulders!?”

“I apologize, we are only following orders…”

“Whose orders? Have him come out and speak!”

I couldn’t take it anymore…

Just as I was about to get up and step out of the carriage, Margaret grabbed my hand, shook her head gently at me, and then shouted out the window, “Lia, let them check.”

Outside immediately fell silent.

I looked gloomily at Margaret, but she gave me a slight smile: “Don’t waste time here.”

I rubbed my nose.

“Punish them a bit… problem solved…”

Of course, I was very upset. Because of Victoria, I already despised these Iron Guards… I couldn’t fight ten thousand of them, but dealing with a few soldiers would be no trouble at all.

“They are also just following orders. You shouldn’t make things worse. It won’t benefit anyone. We need to hurry to the canyon.” Margaret said.

…That’s true, but I still really want to punch someone… forget it, hold back.

Not long after, with a series of clanking footsteps outside, the curtain of the carriage was pulled open.

The sunlight was somewhat blinding, so I squinted my eyes.

The bearded cavalryman looked in, his gaze sweeping over Margaret before lingering on me for a long while, staring intently at my face… this made me even more upset.

“Have you had enough?”

The cavalryman lowered his head slightly: “Beautiful lady, may I ask your name?”

“Why should I tell you?” I looked at him coldly.

“Following orders, miss. Please tell me your name.”

“Is it Victoria’s order?”

“Miss, your name.”

…Damn it.

I couldn’t help but want to curse, but Margaret spoke first: “She is Sylvieja Labischemos, the Pontiff Knight consecrated by the Holy Church. Do you have any other questions?”

The knight seemed alarmed, hurriedly bowing in the carriage.

“I am very sorry, Your Holiness… and the Pontiff Knight, I apologize for wasting your precious time. I have no further questions.”

After saying that, he bowed again and was about to leave. At this moment, Margaret spoke again.

“You will pay for your actions.” She said.

The cavalryman was clearly startled by her words, his back immediately bent again: “Your Holiness, please forgive me, we are only following orders.”

Margaret waved her hand.

“Tell your master what I said. Perhaps he doesn’t realize how detestable his actions are. If not, then tell him, what time is it now? The abyss has appeared in the heart of Isenbell, and yet you people… not only do you not assist the church in resisting the common enemy of humanity, but you want to take advantage of the situation to attack the royal city. What kind of behavior is this? You don’t need me to tell you either.”

“The person you are besieging, the one you are trying to kill, recently fought fiercely against the monsters attacking the royal city. She was seriously injured; if not for me treating her in time, she might not have recovered yet, and could have been left with lifelong disabilities. She didn’t need to do that. As a ruler of a country, she could have hidden in the palace and ordered people like you to die, but she chose to fight to the end because she felt it was her responsibility. She made it possible for people like you hiding far away to survive. But look, how are you repaying her?”

Margaret’s stern words and cold attitude made the cavalryman completely unable to lift his head, his body bending lower and lower.

“She is a hero, and you are despicable scum. Humanity should be ashamed to have people like you. Go back and tell your master, no matter what attitude the other high-ranking members of the church take towards this matter, I will not let him off easily… Get lost.”

With that, she pulled down the curtain.

I blinked and stared at Margaret’s face, which wasn’t particularly authoritative and even looked a bit soft. I could feel the suppressed anger in her, she was truly furious.

Seeing me looking at her, Margaret brushed her hair from her forehead and straightened the nun’s hood on her head.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t expect the Holy One to curse?”

“Not really…”

It’s not really cursing… there weren’t even any dirty words… but it was quite satisfying, I felt some of my anger dissipate.

Suddenly, I realized that Margaret, who was usually so strict, actually had a cute side when she let loose.

Those cavalrymen ultimately did not dare to trouble the church, let alone with the Holy One and the Pontiff Knight in the carriage, the horned carriage started moving again soon.

The carriage began to sway.

Feeling the speed increase, I lifted the curtain again.

In the distance, amidst the nearly endless wilderness, countless white tents glowed yellow under the sunset, and torches flickered, connecting into a line under the sky.

That must be the camp of the Iron Guards…

The commander should be there, right?

Should I… wait until dark, when most of the soldiers are asleep, and then sneak back in to quietly kill him… with the power of the abyss, maybe it could be done, even if discovered, I could escape.

Taking advantage of the night, fly into the camp, find the person who looks like a leader, and use black smoke to devour him, leaving no trace. The Iron Guards would certainly fall into chaos, taking the royal city would be impossible, and perhaps Victoria would crush them all at once.

…Should I do this?

With Margaret around, can I really slip away without her knowing…

Forget it…

Somehow, I felt that if I really did this, some things would never be able to turn back.

…Trust Victoria.

Let it be.