The Priest and the Pope's Knights (Continued)

"Just for this?"

"Yes."

The guard didn't seem to care about it; she simply nodded and then stepped back a few paces, protecting Maria.

"The explosion is dangerous. Shrapnel could injure you and innocent civilians. Please take cover behind me for your safety."

The female guard, speaking with unwavering resolve, stood before Maria, shield in hand, her expression one of dread.

But Maria didn't stop her curiosity. She tilted her head, looked at the woman's back, and asked a question.

Is this necessary?

People living in peacetime probably wouldn't need this technology, right?

Whether it's desserts after a high-pressure explosion, or the idea of relying on desserts for energy during a serious injury... in such extreme situations, they seem utterly useless in normal life...

"It's very necessary for women... especially nowadays..."

After saying a few words, the guards suddenly paused in surprise.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at Maria behind her, hesitated for a while, and then asked a question.

"You... you're not Laterano?"

"Um?"

"Bang!"

In the very instant the two were exchanging words, the explosion occurred!

The woman then realized she had been distracted and quickly gritted her teeth, trying to regain her balance to withstand the impact of the explosion.

But...

"Oops..."

Feeling the powerful airflow relentlessly impacting her wrist, the woman felt a sense of panic.

Her pupils suddenly widened, and a sudden heat ran down her spine.

But...

"Relax, ma'am..."

The soft sound reached the woman's ears, as if it were being whispered in her ear.

Fine strands of hair brushed against her face in the wind, causing a slight sting, but even so, her slender fingers gently pressed against her shield...

"Ta-da!"

The rubble struck the shield, creating a powerful impact.

But with Maria's help, the woman discovered that her shield didn't even tremble.

In fact, she didn't even feel her body exerting any force.

Compared to her teammates who were almost blown away, she seemed almost too relaxed.

This made her realize just how terrifying the power of the woman behind her truly was...

Of course, this only happened in an instant.

The aftershocks of the explosion dissipated quickly, and soon everyone regained their senses.

The woman wanted to look back at Maria.

However, at the scene, the experimenter who was lying on the ground like a snowman also stood up after a short while.

"It seems... I'm not injured?"

The experimenter examined his body and, upon discovering that the expected injury had not been achieved, suddenly began to struggle.

"Increase the gunpowder dosage!"

"Forehead..."

The onlookers on the sidelines wore subtle expressions.

The tall, serious-looking man hiding to the side shook his head slightly after thinking for a while.

"This place has already been blown up once, citizen..."

The notary spoke, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

They thought the man would be a little more serious, but to their surprise, his next words left them speechless.

"We should move the site. The geology has changed since the explosion occurred in a short period of time, and we need to find a new location to conduct the experiment!"

"Um!"

The Swarm of people began grumbling and discussing the next location. The seemingly serious and reliable notary was also seriously discussing the mistake in the dosage everyone had just made, which failed to realistically simulate the situation on the battlefield.

The female guard standing nearby sighed, rubbing her temples as if she were uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, his companions came over while the others were resting.

"Are you alright, Lesley?"

"I just saw you almost drop the shield..."

"If I make a mistake, getting scolded is a minor issue; getting injured would be much worse..."

Her companion asked with concern, but Lesley just smiled and shook her head.

"I'm alright... all thanks to this lady..."

Lesley had just turned around, wanting to thank Maria.

But when she turned around, she saw that the black shadow behind her had vanished...

After witnessing the strange side of Laterano, Maria did not leave immediately, but instead found a place to stay temporarily.

It must be said that Laterano is a very strange yet orderly country.

The requirements for each other among them are very loose. In fact, if a Laterano person suddenly had the urge to experience the life of a homeless person, he only needed to go to the Laterano Notary Office to explain the purpose and meaning of his actions, and he could successfully become a working homeless person.

The Notarial Office would even arrange for someone to protect him to ensure that he could truly experience what a typical homeless person's life would be like.

In other words, the internal order within Laterano was also very serious.

Everyone followed the pre-arranged order, doing what they were supposed to do. Within their respective work areas, they were not allowed to make any mistakes, and all actions had to be handled according to the rules.

Even for outsiders like Maria, there are multiple layers of verification before documents can be sent...

In a sense, Laterano can be considered a variant of Aegir, and it forms a very clear opposition to the Sarkaz...

The two are like light and shadow, almost always moving in opposite directions.

Of course, this has nothing to do with Maria's thoughts.

She just wanted to find a comfortable place temporarily, wait a few years for the problems on Aegir's side to escalate, and then go back to try to execute the Hunter Plan...

Laterano, as one of the few countries that has been in a state of long-term peace, is Maria's favorite place.

Gazing at the city outside the glass, Maria looked for a while, then shook her head slightly, turned around, and prepared to draw the curtains to rest.

But it was in the last second that the curtains blocked the light.

A faint black shadow suddenly flickered before her eyes...

"Um?"

Maria frowned.

She paused for a few moments, looked at her empty, bare room, and lowered her head slightly.

Since I have nothing else to do, why don't I... go out and take a look?

With this thought in mind, Maria picked up her sword and slowly walked through Laterano in the night.

Laterano is a country with virtually no nightlife.

In the dead of night, the entire Laterano was shrouded in a strange darkness.

As for why it's strange...

This is related to the halo above the head of every Laterano.

Even in the darkness, the light would occasionally fall into the air, illuminating the entire Laterano in a wondrous way.

This gives Laterano a strange visual experience at night.

It wasn't completely black, but it wasn't exactly bright either.

Maria blinked, pondered, and began searching the area where she had just seen the Black Ring.

She could sense the movement of the air and that her target was rapidly moving around, occasionally turning back as if it had some special purpose.

Maria, however, was in no hurry and strolled leisurely through the dimly lit streets.

Until...

In a dead end...

"Stop!"

A sharp shout rang out instantly. Just as Maria was about to step into the alley, several figures with halos around their heads, along with a few Liberi men, aimed their weapons at them.

Their eyes were sharp, their demeanor menacing; it was clear at a glance that they were up to no good.

Maria then quietly placed her hand on the long sword at her waist, but only rested it there without applying any force.

Is there something you need?

Maria spoke, her voice calm.

Her attitude, however, stunned everyone present.

After hesitating for a while, the group exchanged glances and sent a Laterano man cautiously to approach.

Using the light from above, they were able to see Maria's appearance clearly.

She was aloof and calm, tall and slender with an upright posture. Even when she was just standing silently, her body resembled a meticulously sculpted statue.

The aesthetically pleasing body proportions immediately grab one's attention.

After exchanging glances, the group showed some surprise, but soon the captain ordered them to put down their weapons for the time being... but not to put them away.

"Madam, you shouldn't be standing here right now..."

The captain of the Laterano Guard spoke, his tone serious.

"You should be resting by now..."

"... I'm sorry, perhaps it's because I'm new to Laterano and not used to everyone's lifestyle. I just wanted to get out and about."

Maria responded calmly, her steady words revealing no trace of panic.

Only then did everyone realize that Maria had neither Laterano nor Liberi characteristics.

These are the two major races that make up the Laterano Kingdom...

"You are... an outsider?"

"Yes."

"... Then you may leave for now."

After a moment of silence, the guards did not make things difficult for Maria.

After slightly turning to the side, they spoke up and made way for them.

"Some uncontrollable factors have emerged here, and we need to investigate the potential dangers. This is none of your concern."

As they spoke, they prepared to let Maria leave.

But at that moment, Maria suddenly asked a question.

"Uncontrollable factors?"

"... This is none of your business. For your safety, you should leave immediately."

These Laterano Guard men clearly didn't want to reveal much to Maria; after a moment of silence, they asked in extremely curt terms.

But Maria remained silent for a few moments before suddenly speaking again.