Chapter 48: Believe In Justice

The oath of the Minotaur Shaman echoed through the grand hall, resonating with an imposing and persuasive force. However, when the Shaman returned to the table, Lancelote shook his head lightly and said, "Shaman Timmah, I'm afraid a single oath is not enough."

The Shaman's brow, devoid of eyebrows, furrowed deeply, and the flames in his eye sockets flared brighter.

Before Timmah could respond, a dozen Minotaur guards at the palace entrance roared in anger, brandishing their double-sided battle axes, each as tall as a man, and charged forward. From the moment the seven knights had entered the hall, the guards' eyes and attention had never left them. Like the Temple Knights, their hearts burned with anger and killing intent. Such doubt was not only disrespectful to the Horned Demon but also an insult to the Shaman.

"You dare not trust an oath sworn before the shrine? What more do you hairless monkeys want? Do you think we are as accustomed to betrayal and godlessness as you?" Lorelei shrieked. While harpies did not believe in the Minotaur's Horned Demon cult, reverence for one's own deity was a common trait among all demi-humans.

The charging Minotaurs swung their massive axes, their nearly three-meter-tall frames and the sheer force of their weapons more terrifying than a charging rhinoceros. Yet, the seven Temple Knights remained seated, unmoving.

"Enough!" Shaman Timmah's voice boomed like a giant drum, and the Minotaur warriors immediately halted their advance.

The Shaman looked at the Temple Knights. They had not moved, but he knew that if anyone did, someone might die.

"Very well. I understand." Shaman Timmah waved his hand at two Minotaur guards. "Bring my two sons here."

Soon after, two young Minotaurs were brought into the hall. Their human-like height indicated they were far from adulthood, and even those unfamiliar with Minotaur features could tell they were likely twin brothers.

"These are my two sons, my only sons. I can send them to Celeste as a guarantee of our covenant and oath," the Shaman's voice grew heavier and more solemn. "What do you think, Sir Lancelote? Surely this guarantee is sufficient."

Lancelote's gaze swept over the two young Minotaurs, and after a moment of hesitation, he finally nodded. "Very well, this will suffice."

After hastily writing a letter, Lancelote handed the letter to the Pope and two teleportation scrolls to the young Minotaurs. The Shaman's two sons then activated the scrolls and vanished from the hall.

Watching his sons disappear, Shaman Timmah's face twitched, and he let out a heavy grunt before collapsing into his stone chair. The Minotaur guards at the palace entrance growled low in their throats, their heavy breathing indicating their unstable emotions.

The Temple Knights, on the other hand, looked much more relaxed. There was no doubt that they now held the upper hand. Only Lancelote remained expressionless, his gaze fixed on the visibly frustrated Shaman. "Now that we have seen your sincerity, Shaman Timmah, please share your plans and details with us."

Nigen had teleportation magic circles, and Grandma Ail even had scrolls, but Asa couldn't use them. He wasn't visiting the underground world as a guest, and even alone, he wasn't confident he could navigate the unfamiliar environment to find his destination. It was said that the teleportation circles were located in the heart of Minotaur territory, a labyrinthine maze that could starve any outsider to death.

Moreover, traveling with Ayime and Talice, Asa couldn't risk using such methods. Fortunately, he had prepared for a long journey, and among the scrolls he had looted from the Tooth Tower were several high-level air elemental summoning scrolls.

Traveling from the Kalendor Basin to Nigen would span nearly the entire continent from east to west. Even with the extravagant method of air elemental summoning, it would take three to four days to reach their destination. Thankfully, there were enough scrolls.

Initially, Asa had wanted Ayime to wait in Alrasia, but she insisted on accompanying him and Talice. Surprisingly, Grandma Ail also supported her decision.

"Your journey to Nigen will either be smooth sailing or fraught with trouble. Since Sandru has stepped back, I won't involve myself further. What I've done so far is already my limit. I can't help you anymore, but having a water mage with you might prove useful."

Asa shook his head. "If there's going to be trouble, I can't let Ayime come."

Ayime, however, was resolute. "You and Talice are the only family I have left. No matter how dangerous it is, I want to go with you."

In the end, Asa had no choice but to let Ayime join them on the air elemental. Since she had started seeing Talice as a sister, the young girl had regained some of her vitality and spirit.

Talice, on the other hand, had been in a somber mood ever since hearing Grandma Ail's words.

"You really want to know the truth, don't you? Fine, I'll tell you. Twenty years ago, when he was still a Cardinal, Magnus hired me to kill Decken, and then he seized the opportunity to ascend to the Papal throne. Of course, I kept this half of the scepter as a memento. I must admit, he was the hardest person I've ever killed, and the last person I accepted a contract to kill." Grandma Ail looked at the determined female knight and spoke calmly.

"That's impossible. How could you have killed Emperor Decken? He was... he was..." Talice was so shocked by the revelation that it took her a while to respond.

"Killing someone and fighting them head-on are two different things. Didn't Lancelote teach you that? And I wasn't the only one involved. Magnus certainly helped a lot. That guy even seemed to have some thoughts of silencing me afterward, but thankfully, it was just a thought. Otherwise, the Pope today might have been Ronis or Aescher."

"Lancelote probably knows something about this, though he wasn't part of the Church back then. You can ask him when you return. But I advise you not to ask Magnus himself. I guarantee he'll silence you, and he might even send me your head as a gesture of his apology and sincerity."

"That's impossible. How could such a person... how could someone like that become Pope? How could he rise to such a high position?"

"Don't be frightened by such a small revelation. The reasons behind it are far more complex than I care to explain. Just know that the more lofty and glorious a place appears, the more complicated and dirty it tends to be. You'll understand with more experience. The Papal throne and Celeste are so high up that ordinary means alone couldn't get anyone there. Compared to the Glory Fortress, even the filthiest tavern toilet seems cleaner." Grandma Ail paused, then added with a smile, patching up Talice's nearly shattered spirit and leaving both her and Asa's heads spinning. "But your teacher, Lancelote, is truly a good man. Such a good man, and a rare one at that. It's a pity he was just a young lad back then, a bit too impulsive, and missed his chance to pursue me. Haha."

If this had been the old Talice, such words would have driven her to draw her sword without hesitation. But now, she could at least endure these seemingly unbelievable truths that contradicted everything she had known. The events of the past few days had shown her that these things might indeed be true.

However, knowing and accepting were two different things. It would take time for her to fully come to terms with these revelations.

The summoned air elementals could only last for half a day at most. Each evening, Asa and his companions would land, set up camp, and rest by the fire, eating the game they had caught before setting off again at dawn. Although riding the air elementals required no physical effort, facing the strong winds for an entire day was exhausting for anyone.

"How can the world be like this? Even the highest embodiment of light, the Pope, is like that... What about justice? What about light? Do they even exist?" For the past few days, the young Temple Knight had been muttering these words, her expression dazed and uncertain.

"You know, you remind me a lot of a friend of mine... a friend from the past," Asa said one night, hearing Talice's murmurs, which sounded more like complaints or soliloquies.

"A friend? Me?" Talice asked, still in a daze.

"Yes, very similar. At least, the words spoken in moments of confusion are the same," Asa chuckled. "He's the one—the Holy Knight squad leader who betrayed us in Einfast, the royal capital. He was my friend, a very good friend of mine from the past."

"I'm like him? That shameless scoundrel who colluded with Jarvis? What nonsense are you talking about?" Even in her daze, Talice couldn't help but get angry.

"A long time ago, he also believed deeply in justice, in the ideals of light. Perhaps even more than you do..."

Asa gazed at the blazing campfire with a faint smile. The flames flickered endlessly in his eyes, reflecting his distant thoughts. He was lost in memories—though it had only been two years ago, everything had changed beyond recognition, leaving not even a trace behind. Thinking back on it felt like recalling a past life.

"At least you're a temple knight, with the power to uphold and act upon your beliefs, so you believe in them. But back then, he was just a young knight, freshly returned from Alrasia… and yet, he still chose to believe."