Peace Treaty

"Your Majesty, Laterano's messenger has arrived."

"Good. I know."

Early that morning, Theresica had already been waiting. To show sufficient respect, he rose and went outside the palace to personally welcome the messenger.

Escorted by the Royal Court Guard, the Sankta's figure approached from the distance. She wore Laterano's exquisite religious robes and held a staff engraved with ornate relief patterns. Compared with everything around her, which was old and worn, she stood out sharply, seemingly displaying Laterano's might.

"Ruler of the Sarkaz, I am a messenger of His Holiness Evangelista XI, the Laterano Pope. I have come to convey his words to you."

The Sankta did not bow. She merely dipped slightly, then handed over a letter.

"Welcome, madam."

Looking at the expressionless Sankta, Theresica did not take offense. He bowed in the proper manner, then invited the female Sankta to the conference room in the Sarkaz palace.

"Wow, the things in Kazdel have a unique sense of history."

Theresica had not even sat down when he heard this. He instinctively glanced around, but found no third person.

"I said it. There's no one else here, so why keep such a stiff face? It must be uncomfortable."

The female Sankta had already chosen a seat and was looking at him with a bright smile. "I'm a messenger. I've been to many places and seen all kinds of people. You don't look like the sort of Sarkaz who puts on airs. Otherwise, why would you think of restoring peaceful relations with the Sankta?"

"Huh? May I ask... Is there something written on my face?"

Theresica stared at her in bewilderment, but she waved her hand.

"I'm Mostima, a Sankta who broke the law. The Sarkaz-style horns growing from my head are proof that I violated Laterano's laws. I wondered why I was suddenly summoned back to Laterano, only to end up being sent here to Kazdel alone to deliver a letter. Honestly..."

Damn old pope.

Theresica wore a strange expression. Why had this female Sankta suddenly begun cursing her own leader? And she was doing it right in front of an outsider.

"Oh, you can hear me?"

"Uh... Sorry. I didn't mean to listen."

Theresica hurriedly apologized. He did not want to upset the Laterano messenger, but there were only two people here. How could he not hear her?

"I didn't say that out loud."

Mostima smiled excitedly. "After becoming a Fallen Angel, my empathy with my kind has been intermittent. I thought I was broken, but I can connect with the Sarkaz instead!"

"Huh? Empathy? What is that?"

"Nothing."

"Then let's begin this meeting."

Theresica was at a loss over this Sankta named Mostima. She seemed to understand him very well, and behaved with complete casualness.

A diplomatic meeting had turned into two people of the same age chatting aimlessly.

The strange thing was that he genuinely did not dislike it. He even felt relaxed.

He opened the Pope's letter. Its contents were very simple: he was to personally bring a guard and accompany Mostima to Laterano for the peace talks. During and after the talks, regardless of whether a peace agreement was reached, Laterano would guarantee his safe return to Kazdel.

This demand... is a little excessive, isn't it?

"The Pope's demands won't change. If you make any alterations, it will be considered a refusal to hold the talks."

Before he could speak, Mostima answered him directly.

"Can you read minds?"

"No. I don't possess that kind of Originium Arts."

"Then... is it empathy?"

Theresica made a guess, and Mostima nodded.

"That's right. I haven't experienced such stable empathy in a very long time."

Theresica instinctively picked up the envelope and used it to block Mostima's line of sight. The feeling of having his thoughts seen through was deeply unpleasant.

"Haha, a piece of paper won't help. Sorry, I was too excited and forgot that the Sarkaz don't have this custom. I'll turn it off for a while."

It can be turned off?

The conference room fell silent. Mostima did not speak this time, as if she had really turned it off.

Can she just turn it off because she says so? Is she a computer?

Theresica read the Laterano Pope's letter again. "A peace treaty can't possibly be concluded just because we say so. What exactly does His Holiness require?"

"He didn't say. He only told me to bring the letter. It also serves as your pass to safely enter Laterano."

"Then when do we leave?"

"The sooner, the better."

"I understand."

Theresica nodded. "May I decide the route myself? I'd like to take a slight detour."

"The Pope didn't say. Do whatever you like. I'm a messenger, so I've never been afraid of a long journey."

Mostima grinned carelessly. "I consider wherever I go part of the journey. This is my first time in Kazdel. Could you show me around? Introduce me to some beautiful sights and delicious food?"

"Then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Theresica said. "Right now, all there is here are war ruins, war ruins being cleared, and broken houses damaged by the war that are still being repaired."

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Peace Treaty

The journey to Laterano began the next day without alerting anyone. Theresica brought Shining and set out with Mostima. However, they did not head straight to Laterano. Instead, they took a small detour and entered Leithanien.

Although the land belonged to the Casters, the streets were filled with Victorian-style buildings. After repeatedly asking for directions and searching through the old streets, the three of them finally stopped in front of a private clinic that was not large, but had a brand-new signboard.

Mostima looked around and asked curiously, "You came here deliberately. Who are you looking for?"

"My... teacher, I suppose."

Theresica walked inside. When the clerk on duty saw them, he immediately greeted them with a smile. "May I ask what brings you here? Are you here for treatment, to purchase medicine, or for a follow-up appointment?"

"I'm looking for someone. I'm looking for Madam Kal'tsit. Is she here?"

"Uh... Teacher Kal'tsit is performing surgery right now."

Hearing the clerk's form of address, Theresica looked him over again, then sat down directly on a nearby bench.

"That's fine. I'll wait."

The three of them sat there in silence. One of them was even holding a sword, which left the clerks, who had no one to rely on, at a loss. The armed operators happened to be away on a mission, so they could only keep glancing over at them before nervously looking toward the operating room.

The clock ticked along unhurriedly. The sun gradually sank, and the light in the sky slowly dimmed. Then a sound suddenly came from the operating room.

Kal'tsit came out.

She was wearing full surgical attire, and the impression of her surgical cap remained on her forehead. Wisps of hair clung together with sweat.

"Teacher Kal'tsit, someone is here to see you."

"Mm. I know."

Kal'tsit looked over. Theresica stood up at the same moment.

"Kal'tsit."

"..."

Her gaze swept over the other two. After a moment of hesitation, she pushed open the door to a nearby office. "Come in."

Theresica followed Kal'tsit into her office. Everywhere he looked, there were all kinds of medical records. Some seemed to belong to this hospital, while others appeared to be from different hospitals.

They were stacked so high that they formed a wall around the desk. Kal'tsit stepped over it and sat down in her place.

"How do you feel about the outside?"

"I still prefer playing games, but I can't do that anymore."

Theresica answered honestly. After hesitating for a while, he decided to say it. "I've decided to find a way to repair relations with the Sankta."

"Mm."

"Uh... Your reaction is a little unexpected. You're so calm."

"This land is constantly undergoing drastic changes. I've grown used to it."

Kal'tsit picked up a medical record from beside her and asked, "Why did you come here? Are you unwell?"

"No." Theresica shook his head. "But Kazdel's situation is terrible. I need help. Could you..."

Kal'tsit said nothing, and he tactfully fell silent.

"Fine. Seeing that nothing's wrong with you, I'm relieved. I'm leaving."

Theresica did not stay any longer. He stood up and left directly, but when he passed a pediatric ward in the corridor, he suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to go inside and take a look.

The urge was abrupt and intense. However, Kal'tsit followed after him.

"Is Evangelista XI still the Pope of Laterano?"

"Yes."

"Theresa once exchanged letters with this Pope for some time."

Kal'tsit looked at him. "You can go without worry. The chances of success are not small."

"Is that so? Thank you."

Theresica smiled and nodded before leaving. Kal'tsit stood at the clinic's entrance until his figure disappeared, then turned and returned to her office.

Several days later, on the outskirts of Laterano, a neatly arranged Laterano Guard unit escorted the three of them slowly toward the center of Laterano. Along the way, many Sankta looked over curiously, but the moment they saw Shining's horns, expressions of shock immediately appeared on their faces.

"Haha, when I entered Kazdel back then, the Sarkaz around me had the same expression."

"Is that so?"

Theresica's expression was not very good. Although he had heard from the Bloodfiend Grand Duke that every Sankta possessed a gun, confirming this fact with his own eyes once again still filled him with worry.

As they gradually entered the city, Theresica saw civic construction that surpassed even Siracusa's. Not only was it more complete, with no clear distinction between the outskirts and the city center, but nearly all the buildings also featured elaborate religious decorations.

They really are rich.

In the middle of a main avenue, the Laterano Guards stopped. The area ahead evidently did not fall under their jurisdiction. As their replacements, a full squad of Papal Knights approached.

The Guards and Papal Knights conducted a ceremonial handover one by one. During the interval, Theresica also saw the Papal Knights in full.

Holy shit!

He nearly shouted.

The Papal Knights were covered head to toe in thick, airtight armor, and each of them also carried a six-barreled rotary machine gun! Judging from their movements, their agility did not seem to be impaired at all!

Theresica rubbed his eyes, but the sight before him did not change.

His heart sank to the bottom. He had previously felt rather pleased with himself, thinking that bringing machine tools to Kazdel counted as a good achievement. But compared with Laterano, those things were all junk!

A country capable of mass-producing guns—what could possibly be weaker than Kazdel?

How could Kazdel contend with a country like this?

Theresica asked himself, but there was no answer. Fear climbed uncontrollably into his heart, and he could only force his face to remain stiff.

"Let's go."

"All right."

Theresica looked at the Papal Knight who had reminded him and forced a polite smile onto his face. Under the knights' escort, they arrived at the entrance to the Pope's Hall.

The area had already been cleared of all people. Inside the hall stood a kindly-looking old man, who held a scepter and calmly gazed toward them.

The Papal Knights bowed in unison, then withdrew. Mostima also left silently. Only one elderly Sankta and two Sarkaz remained at the scene, one of them holding a weapon in his arms.

"Greetings, young ruler."

"Greetings, Your Holiness."

The two sides began their exchange calmly, without any sense of friendliness or hostility.

"I propose that we restore normal relations between the Sankta and the Sarkaz."