“Esteemed elders, the Church is facing its greatest challenge in centuries. We may need your help,” Grelio said solemnly.
Simon stood up abruptly. “Though we are old, we remain the Lord’s most loyal warriors. Just give the word, and we will offer our last bit of strength for the Lord.”
“Yes, we are all willing to give our lives for the Lord,” Stanley and Terrace agreed without hesitation.
Grelio felt a surge of joy. With the help of these three, it was like gaining a powerful new force.
“I stand here, on behalf of the Lord, to thank you all.”
“This is our duty. Your Majesty, are you ready for the battle?” Stanley asked.
Grelio nodded. “I’ve already ordered all our forces to gather for a final showdown with the Dark Alliance.”
“Very well, Your Majesty. We await your call,” the three elder monks bowed respectfully.
With a wave of Grelio’s sleeve, the light circle in the chamber vanished, and the mountains, castles, and elder monks disappeared without a trace.
“Foolish dark creatures, if you seek death, then come. I will show you that I am no less than any pope before me,” Grelio said with a stern and confident face.
In the dark underground city…
“Master, the Church is preparing to go to war with us,” Essex reported respectfully to Leo.
“Good, proceed as planned,” Leo nodded.
“Oh, Master, there’s some news you might find interesting,” Prince Fred suddenly said.
“What news?”
“The Church is secretly searching for their lost relic, the Holy Scarab. They probably want to use it against us,” Prince Fred replied.
Leo chuckled. “Too bad for them; they won’t find it. The Holy Scarab is in my possession.”
An idea suddenly struck Leo’s mind.
He shared his thoughts with his dark clan members, who responded with sinister laughter.
Back at the pope’s palace, in the prayer room…
This was a private chapel for the pope. Grelio would come here daily or whenever he felt troubled to pray to God.
Just then, someone called out respectfully from outside the prayer room. “Your Majesty.”
“What is it? Didn’t I say not to disturb me during prayer?” Grelio said, slightly annoyed.
“Your Majesty, Cardinal Owen has an urgent matter to discuss,” came the nervous voice from outside.
“Let him in.”
Owen entered the prayer room, bowed to Grelio, and said, “Your Majesty, there is news about the Holy Scarab.”
“Where is it?” Grelio’s face lit up.
“Alpha Tower,” Owen replied.
“Excellent! Dear Owen, send someone to Alpha Tower immediately to retrieve the relic!” Grelio seemed eager.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Owen responded and was about to leave to make arrangements.
“Wait,” Grelio called him back.
Owen stopped and looked at Grelio.
“I have a feeling that retrieving the Holy Scarab won’t be easy. Take the three elder monks with you.”
“The three elder monks?” Owen was momentarily confused.
“They are the Church’s veterans. You must have heard of their legendary names: Simon, Stanley, and Terrace.”
“What? Them!” Owen was surprised but soon delighted. “These three are legendary figures! I thought they had passed away. I didn’t know they were still alive!”
“Wonderful! With their help, I’m confident we can retrieve the Holy Scarab.”
“You go ahead. I’ll inform them to meet you at Alpha Tower.”
Alpha Tower was a beautiful lakeside mountain town built along the hills and water, with breathtaking scenery.
The town had no skyscrapers but was rich in historical heritage with buildings hundreds or even thousands of years old.
Looking at the beautiful Alpha Tower Lake from afar, its clear waters mirrored like a glass. A gentle breeze created ripples on the surface, making it look like a fairyland.
Leo walked alone through this small mountain town, enjoying its historical richness and natural beauty. He felt relaxed and at peace.
After walking for a while, Leo noticed an open-air cafe by the lakeside nestled among green trees and red flowers. He couldn’t help but smile.
Entering the cafe, Leo sat at a table by the lake. The cool lake breeze cleared his mind and made him feel refreshed.
“Sir, what would you like to drink?” a young waiter approached.
“Black coffee, no sugar, just a bit of milk. And a fruit platter,” Leo ordered and handed a fifty-euro note to the waiter. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you very much, sir!” The waiter was thrilled. The tip was more than half a day’s wages for him.
The waiter quickly brought Leo’s coffee and fruit platter with excellent service.
Leo enjoyed his coffee and fruit while taking in the scenery.
Just as he was relaxing, hurried footsteps came from the stairs.
Before Leo could turn around to see who it was, he felt a gust of fragrant wind as a young woman sat down opposite him.
She was a beautiful young Asian woman in her early twenties with a ponytail, wearing a sleeveless T-shirt and denim shorts that made her look lively and youthful.
Leo looked around; there were no other seats available. No wonder she sat opposite him-he was probably the only other Asian person there.
“Hi there, handsome! You don’t mind if I sit here, do you?” she asked in Chinese, guessing Leo might be from Atraria too.
“Not at all. Are you from Atraria?” Leo smiled back.
“Yes! I’m from Treasure Isle. My name is Claudia Gibson,” she said cheerfully. Seeing the waiter approach, she quickly added, “I’ll have an ice cream and a fruit platter too.”
“Are you traveling alone?”
“Yeah, I’ve loved traveling since I was little,” Claudia said while eyeing Leo curiously. “What about you? Are you here for sightseeing too?”
“Sort of. I’m also here on business.”
“Oh? What do you do?” Claudia asked inquisitively.
“What do you think I do?” Leo teased her since he had nothing else to do.
“A businessman? No… A government official? Doesn’t seem like it either,” Claudia guessed while shaking her head each time.
“Haha, keep guessing,” Leo laughed.
Just then, Leo’s phone rang.
After answering it, his expression changed slightly as he stood up from his seat.