Chapter Sixty-Six: Mostima Arrives-What Has Laterano Decided? / Chapter Sixty-Seven: Two Clans at Odds-Could They Share a Common Friend?

When the King of Scavengers brought out the object known as the Royal Court Covenant, the vast, dark mass of the Sarkaz army dropped to one knee before it almost instantly.

At that moment, even the three Sarkaz beside Kal'tsit—Ascalon, Logos, and Scout—knelt at once. No matter how unwilling they were, before this rare Sarkaz relic symbolizing "the end of conflict," they too, as Sarkaz, had to follow the tradition.

This was the only thing capable of making countless savage Sarkaz immediately cease their slaughter. From the moment they saw this sacred relic, the blood in their veins resonated with the bloodline of the kings of the Royal Court who had sacrificed themselves within it.

The King of Scavengers took the Royal Court Covenant in his hand and offered it to Theresis, who was likewise kneeling on one knee. Theresis accepted it with both hands and slowly rose, after which all the Sarkaz rose with him.

"...The Royal Court Covenant symbolizes that the Sarkaz Royal Court shall no longer slaughter one another. This tradition has long been broken countless times, yet whenever this sacred relic appears, all Sarkaz still follow the tradition before it."

Holding the Royal Court Covenant, Theresis addressed everyone. "This is a symbol of Sarkaz friendship. Naturally, it should be given to a friend of the Sarkaz, as a token of Sarkaz friendship."

"A friend who is not Sarkaz, yet has never discriminated against any Sarkaz."

"A friend who is not Infected, yet has never stayed away from the Infected, and continues to coexist with the Sarkaz, nearly all of whom are Infected."

"A friend... who believes the Sarkaz can change, who has helped the Sarkaz cause, and whose payment was not even one ten-thousandth of the kindness he has shown the Sarkaz."

"Such a person is my friend, and the friend of all Sarkaz. Today, I shall present this sacred relic to the first friend from another race of us Sarkaz."

With that, Theresis turned his gaze toward Chen Qi beside him. Without much hesitation, he raised the Royal Court Covenant in both hands and, beneath the horrified stares of the Rhodes Island group, offered it to Chen Qi.

"And you, my friend, on behalf of all Sarkaz, I call you Friend of the Sarkaz."

"From this day onward, you are the friend of all Sarkaz. You do not share our blood, but our friendship shall transcend blood. From now on, our blood shall flow for you, and our hearts shall beat with a place for you within them."

"I hope you will accept this Sarkaz friendship, so that from this day forward, we may stand as kin, as blood relatives—sharing enemies, helping one another, and charging through fire and water without hesitation!"

—Yes, that final sentence was Theresis's true aim. Before so many people, with so many factions as witnesses, he called Chen Qi Friend of the Sarkaz so everyone would know that Chen Qi now stood with them.

That way, not only would other factions and nations hesitate before moving against Chen Qi due to the Sarkaz deterrent, but Kal'tsit's side, which had deep grudges against them, would remain permanently wary of Chen Qi.

And that wariness would not be limited to Kal'tsit and Rhodes Island. Any faction that learned an organization was friends with the notorious Sarkaz would be on guard.

In other words, from then on, it would only become harder for Chen Qi to find business partners besides them. They would disdain associating with the Sarkaz. In this way, Chen Qi would effectively be bound to the Sarkaz ship.

With these witnesses and this Royal Court Covenant, Theresis no longer had to worry that the several dramas Chen Qi had promised would turn out to be empty promises—unless Chen Qi publicly reneged, in which case he would face the pursuit of every Sarkaz.

This was the method Theresis had devised to pull Chen Qi into the Sarkaz camp. For that, he was willing to pay such a price and make such promises.

Because the Sarkaz needed this friend. The Sarkaz future, survival, and reputation all needed this friend.

For that reason, Theresis was willing to do this. With promises unlike any before, whether through profit, friendship, or political maneuvering, Theresis was willing to take such action.

Everything was for the future of the Sarkaz. He thought... this was likely what his sister Theresia wished to see as well.

Mostima's Arrival, Laterano's Decision?

However, regardless of what Theresis had been thinking, it did not change how enormously shocking his actions appeared to everyone else who did not know the full story.

The Sarkaz Regent actually treated a Yan man with such respect, even calling him "friend"—the friend of all Sarkaz, no less. He was even willing to give away something like the Royal Court Covenant, a relic that could be called sacred even to the Sarkaz, as a symbol of the friendship of the Sarkaz race.

On Rhodes Island's side, the three Sarkaz led by Logos were all dumbfounded. No matter how imposing, powerful, or unapproachable they normally were on Rhodes Island, all three looked utterly shaken at that moment.

Inside the landship, Amiya, who had remained there because Kal'tsit feared Theresis might attack recklessly, had her pupils contract. The way she looked at Chen Qi was filled with astonishment and disbelief.

Even the well-traveled Kal'tsit parted her lips slightly, as though unable to comprehend the sight before her. Her eyes remained fixed on the Royal Court Covenant Theresis held out before Chen Qi as her thoughts raced for a brief moment.

...What had just happened?

Others might not know, but Kal'tsit knew far too well how much the Royal Court Covenant meant to the Sarkaz race. It was the only sacred relic that could make every savage Sarkaz lay down their weapons the moment it appeared. One could say that possessing the Royal Court Covenant was practically equivalent to receiving the protection of the entire Sarkaz race.

From then on, no matter where its holder traveled upon this land, if they displayed this sacred relic, every local Sarkaz would not only refrain from attacking them, but would even protect them if necessary!

If Theresis truly handed the Royal Court Covenant to Chen Qi, then Chen Qi would effectively gain the friendship of every Sarkaz on this land. If necessary, even if Chen Qi ordered the Sarkaz of Rhodes Island to work for him, they would have no choice but to obey.

But the problem was that Rhodes Island's core strength was supported by the veteran Sarkaz generals from the Babel era!

Kal'tsit immediately realized the severity of the matter. If Chen Qi had truly been bought over by Theresis, then if he entered Rhodes Island while holding the Royal Court Covenant, could he not tear Rhodes Island apart in an instant?

Yet Kal'tsit found that she could not stop it at all. First of all, Ascalon and Logos, the strongest fighters on her side, were both Sarkaz. Asking them to attack a Sarkaz sacred relic would be no different from ordering them to kill themselves.

As for acting herself, or having Outcast, a Sarkaz, do it... that was impossible as well. Kal'tsit could clearly see that the Bloodborne Archon and the King of Scavengers were still watching them.

And if they acted at such a moment, Kal'tsit's group would undoubtedly be torn to pieces by the enraged Sarkaz. Kal'tsit herself could be reborn, but the others could not!

Thus, Kal'tsit found herself at a complete loss. She could only watch helplessly as Theresis offered the Royal Court Covenant to Chen Qi.

At that moment, Chen Qi also came to understand what Theresis meant.

So he planned to use this thing to pull me aboard the Sarkaz ship... Mutual benefit and mutual aid? More like you getting both the help and the benefit, right?

But it looks like I have no choice but to accept it now. Otherwise, even leaving here safely might become a problem.

Chen Qi considered the situation. Under the current circumstances, having Sarkaz protection would not be bad for the troupe. At the very least, with the Sarkaz protecting them, no one would dare provoke the troupe wherever they went.

After all, across Terra now, besides Rhodes Island, Sarkaz mercenaries were everywhere. Having this would be tantamount to receiving the friendship of every Sarkaz. From now on, the troupe could continue swaggering across Terra.

It was just that... the troupe's reputation would suffer somewhat. After all, the Sarkaz were still generally despised by the other races of Terra. If he accepted this, it would not be easy to find local publicity and distribution in other nations later. Nationwide promotions like those in Syracuse and this time in Londinium would likely never happen again.

Still, Chen Qi had ways to deal with that. For now, it was best to accept this treasure and ensure the safety of everyone in the troupe.

"—It is an immense honor to receive the friendship, trust, and support of an entire race, Your Highness the Regent."

Under countless watching eyes, Chen Qi accepted the Royal Court Covenant from Theresis. At that moment, a voice from the system suddenly sounded in his mind.

The host has obtained the rare item "Royal Court Covenant." Congratulations, the host has activated the system's new "Treasury" function!

Collect rare items from the world of Terra to receive corresponding rewards and Reputation Points. The more "rare items" the host collects, the more bonuses the host can receive.

The host currently possesses the rare item Royal Court Covenant. Would the host like to view the enhancement effects of the "Royal Court Covenant"?

"Confirm." Chen Qi answered in his heart without hesitation. Soon, a row of glass display cases appeared before him, visible only to him, like the cases that had held figurines before he crossed over. One of them now contained the form of the Royal Court Covenant.

Royal Court Covenant: A sacred relic of the Sarkaz race. Its holder is treated as having gained the friendship of the Sarkaz race. Permanently increases affinity with the Sarkaz race by 50% and prevents all damage from Sarkaz. For any work filmed by the host, Reputation Point gains from all Sarkaz are increased by 1.5 times.

Once Chen Qi slowly accepted the Royal Court Covenant, the system judged that he had obtained this rare item. At that moment, Theresis showed a rare hint of triumphant delight, though he still shouted loudly:

"All Sarkaz, salute our friend!"

"Smack!" XN

Almost the moment Theresis finished speaking, every Sarkaz who had witnessed it extended their right hands in unison and slammed them heavily against their chests. In a ritual both wild and solemn, they bowed slightly toward Chen Qi.

At that moment, even the Bloodborne Archon, the King of Scavengers, Scout, Logos, and Ascalon from Rhodes Island—even Theresis himself—placed their palms over their chests and bowed slightly toward Chen Qi, whether willing or not.

On Chen Qi's Mini-map, the vast mass of gray dots that had belonged to the Sarkaz all turned blue, the color representing allies, almost instantly!

That change made Chen Qi finally breathe a sigh of relief. He knew he had gambled correctly in betting that Theresis would let him leave. Theresia's suggestion had truly worked. He had gained the friendship of the Sarkaz race!

—Though he might have been jointly plotted against by that brother and sister, this outcome was perhaps the best possible one. At the very least, it could protect everyone in the Art Troupe and let them swagger across Terra with even less danger in the future.

Only after finishing all this did Theresis turn his attention to the five Imperial Guards who had witnessed everything from the side. He spoke calmly.

"Director Chen Qi is now a friend of us Sarkaz and enjoys the protection of the Sarkaz."

"So, will you still insist on your foolish ideas and spill your lives meaninglessly upon this land? Of course, that is assuming you still count as living beings."

Theresis's tone carried a hint of threat. Yet this time, even the five Imperial Guards hesitated. They had never imagined that Theresis would bind the fate of an entire race to Chen Qi just to ensure he survived!

And if they truly insisted on carrying out their mission... they would face the combined assault of every Sarkaz here, dying without the slightest value.

"...You are cocooning yourselves, Sarkaz."

However, they could not lose in momentum. The Imperial Guards brought out their final deterrent and their confidence—the Ursus Empire. They immediately said:

"You can only run wild in Londinium now because you are taking advantage of Victoria's weakness and the vacant throne."

"But our great Ursus Empire is different. With your current strength, we would need only two army groups to raze Londinium to the ground—even if you have your so-called Royal Courts."

"...Do you think that can threaten the Sarkaz?"

"It seems you are not only arrogant, but foolish as well. Ruthlessness and mindlessness are both on full display in you, Ursus."

Theresis's eyes turned slightly colder at those words. The atmosphere, which had only just eased, immediately became tense again.

Ablana hurriedly had the Deep Pool forces fall back. She knew perfectly well that if a great battle erupted here, Deep Pool's current overall strength could not stand against the savage Sarkaz legions at all.

It would be better to find another opportunity, wait until they had nearly finished killing one another, then strike. She could use her Originium Arts to damage the morale of the Ursus forces and see whether she could snatch Chen Qi away amid the chaos.

"Everyone, adapt to the situation. Prepare to deal with an Imperial Guard attack first."

Kal'tsit reacted immediately as well. She now saw the situation clearly: the Sarkaz race and Chen Qi were bound together, whether she acknowledged it or not.

Rather than become enemies with Chen Qi and crush the morale of Rhodes Island's Sarkaz pillars, she might as well temporarily unite with the Sarkaz... Kal'tsit no longer had any way to harm Chen Qi.

"My, my, everyone, it seems we arrived a little late. I never expected to find such a grand ceremony taking place here."

"But now is not the time to fight. Why not do us a favor and lower your weapons for the moment?"

At that moment, a teasing female voice suddenly sounded in everyone's ears. Amid a brief daze, they saw a blue-haired Sarkaz with a black halo above her head, clearly a Fallen Angel, along with a red-haired Liberi woman, arrive at the center of the imminent conflict.

"Mostima, Laterano's Messenger to All Nations."

"Fiamma, acting member of the Laterano Notary Office."

"In the name of the Lord, cease your conflict. We have not come to participate in war, but to end it. We are enemies of none of you. We are merely here to proclaim the grace of Laterano's holy doctrine."

With the declaration of the Liberi who called herself Fiamma, the two representatives of Laterano appeared in the center of what was about to become a battlefield. They had come with Laterano's authorization, solely to announce an important decision by Laterano.

"...Why are people from Laterano here?" Kal'tsit did not understand why Laterano had appeared on this occasion. She instinctively turned toward Outcast, who was also Sarkaz, and asked, "Outcast, I recall that you Sarkaz have the ability of 'empathy.' Can you sense what that Fallen Angel Sarkaz is thinking?"

"...I cannot. Fallen Angels do not have the effect of 'empathy.' I cannot read her thoughts."

"But... I can vaguely infer it. The emotions of the other Sarkaz are being conveyed. I roughly know the Papal Hall's decision."

Outcast immediately activated her "empathy," but after sensing the emotions of the other informed Sarkaz, she revealed an expression of utter disbelief and muttered:

"Does the Papal Hall truly know what it is doing? It would have been fine if they had arrived earlier, but Director Chen Qi has already accepted the Sarkaz race's token..."

"If they really do this, then... from now on, who on this land will be able to stop him?"

Two Races at Odds, One Shared Friend?

"...Why have the Sarkaz of Laterano appeared here for no reason?"

Upon seeing Mostima and Fiamma, the representatives from Laterano, Theresis, as a Sarkaz, immediately had the army behind him suppress their nearly instinctive aggression toward the Sarkaz. He asked flatly:

"This is not a place for you to spread doctrine. This is a battlefield about to erupt. Have you come to wade into these troubled waters as well?"

If one asked whom the Sarkaz hated most, the first would undoubtedly be the "monster" before them calling herself "Kal'tsit." The other would be the Sarkaz race, born in conflict with them, those haloed and winged Sarkaz.

Yet even Theresis did not know why the Sarkaz and Sarkaz were so hostile toward one another. Perhaps even the older kings of the Royal Court could not explain it. It was as though the disgust was inborn. The territories of the two races lay at the eastern and western ends of Terra, yet they simply could not stand one another.

As everyone knew, Laterano strictly restricted the sale and export of firearms. Aside from the guardian guns nearly every Sarkaz carried, and people like Exusiai, who dreamed of owning eight submachine guns, other races could only use small-caliber firearms unless they received special approval from Laterano.

For example, the grenade launcher in Fiamma's hand had been specially approved. But this rule was utterly useless against the Sarkaz.

Due to surviving in harsh environments, Sarkaz mercenaries nearly all had a habit of collecting useful weapons, especially firearms.

As a result, many Sarkaz always carried numerous firearms of unknown origin, and most were not small-caliber. And whose bodies had those weapons been stripped from? It seemed there was only one answer: the Sarkaz.

This was one reason why the Sarkaz and Sarkaz had always hated each other. The Sarkaz had never cared about so-called "laws" or "doctrine" either. The two races had been enemies for a long time. Even many Sarkaz meeting Sarkaz for the first time still carried a deep-rooted, almost instinctive "hatred."

"Do not be so fiery, Sarkaz Regent."

As a Fallen Angel Sarkaz and a Messenger to All Nations, Mostima did not possess such intense hostility toward the Sarkaz. She smiled and said:

"We merely represent Laterano in announcing two new laws. Do not worry, they will not affect you or the Sarkaz. Once we are done announcing them, if you still wish to fight, please do as you please."

"The Sarkaz shall never be bound by the laws of any nation or race." Theresis immediately stated his position. He had no intention of offending Laterano for the moment, but neither would he lose face before the Sarkaz. That was what a Sarkaz monarch had to do.

"Oh, do not be like that. One of these laws concerns your Sarkaz friend."

However, Mostima smiled slightly and turned her gaze toward Chen Qi. For a moment, everyone instinctively looked at him, including Chen Qi himself. Somewhat surprised, he asked:

"It concerns me? But I do not remember having any dealings with Laterano."

Although Chen Qi got along fairly well with Exusiai because of The Godfather, Exusiai should not have met Mostima yet, right? Besides, Exusiai was merely an ordinary Sarkaz in Laterano and held no special status.

"Well... you will find out later, Director Chen Qi."

Mostima smiled slightly, then took a scroll from Fiamma's hands. However, this time, she first turned toward Vina. After confirming Vina's race and appearance, she announced to everyone:

"To the people of Victoria, Evangelista XI sends you his greetings. Yesterday, after several meetings within the Papal Hall, we made a difficult decision."

"A few days ago, I watched scenes from 'Yes, Prime Minister.' The cardinals serving alongside me, nearly all the citizens of Laterano, and I myself all praised the drama highly. Yet the segment concerning the Laterano diocese stationed in Victoria gave us pause for thought."

"We spent several days specifically investigating our dioceses in other nations, as well as the one in Victoria. I regret to tell you all that in our diocese stationed in Victoria, I cannot see doctrine bringing salvation to believers, nor can I see piety or faith. All I see is the stench of money manipulated by politics."

"Such doctrine violates the tenets of Laterano, and it fills me with sorrow."

"Laterano once traveled tirelessly for the war that swept across the continent. Messengers who crossed wilderness and royal courts earned Laterano trust and renown. Yet now, all of this has been corroded by politics, turning devoted believers one after another into political animals chasing profit."