In Terra, a Hunter, and a Bad Woman

They probably would not act according to his demands from here on out.

Could it be... that the Sarkaz were truly going to make peace with Laterano?

"How could we possibly join forces with those things?!"

Vlad roared again, his face twisting with extreme fury.

But if things had stopped there, it would still have been acceptable... Renia had made a good move, but it was not as though he had no chance to turn things around.

What truly shattered his composure was the order the Pontiff had issued before they arrived here.

Although he had been granted command over this batch of Pontiff's Knights, fully activating that authority required Renia's command.

"Mad! They've all gone mad!"

Vlad took a deep breath, fury written across his face.

"Cooperating with those things... even if I die, I will never accept it!"

He growled, then slammed his fist viciously into the nearby wall like a rabid beast.

The rough wall tore open the skin around his knuckles, blood seeping out in thin streams.

Yet even so, he continued pacing in place, taking deep breaths.

He was considering the current situation.

"Although the Pontiff's Knights and I were sent to the border, ostensibly to defend it and receive the Sarkaz Demon King, in reality, the authority to activate the Pontiff's Knights rests solely in Renia's hands... If she does not give the word, then even if these Pontiff's Knights obey my command and kill that Demon King, my actions will be reported... and when that happens, the Pontiff's authority will fall into Renia's hands."

There had to be... another way...

Vlad took a deep breath, silently raised his head, and adjusted his glasses.

His demeanor became gentle once more. With his upright posture, it was difficult to imagine that he had just been