"I should have known you'd be mixed up with this guy!"
Fiammetta glared at the group that had suddenly burst onto the scene, her expression souring instantly. Most galling of all, she recognized a familiar face among them!
That Liberi missionary, her junior, was now standing directly in front of Andoain. From the look of things, she was the one leading this particular squad.
When she thought about it, it shouldn't have been a surprise. A person dissatisfied with the status quo of Laterano, who detested the current relationship between the Sankta and the Liberi, would naturally end up by Andoain's side.
"Actually, you should have noticed sooner, Senior Fiammetta. I never really hid myself. Just like when you were searching the Cathedral of Requiem—I was hiding not far away!"
Patia shielded Andoain, who was much taller than her, like a hen protecting its chick. She and her fellow compatriots stood as a wall against Fiammetta and Mostima. They had never seen Andoain look so battered; it was clear he had survived a brutal battle—or perhaps several. They feared that their Guide, a man so much stronger than them, might actually fall here.
Patia, in turn, had never seen Fiammetta like this. The woman looked ready to detonate; her feathers were standing on end from sheer rage. Her murderous expression made Patia wonder what on earth Fiammetta had endured over the years to transform from the refined, gentle senior in her memory into something as terrifying as an asura.
"Huff—is that so? Then I suppose it was my oversight. But what do you intend to do here? Obstruct me from apprehending a fugitive?"
Fiammetta raised her crossbow, pointing it directly at Patia. If the girl intended to stand in her way, she wouldn't hesitate to arrest her too. However, Fiammetta's heart sank; she knew all too well how troublesome Andoain's Originium Arts were. Especially in this environment, with so many of his followers to distract her, escaping would be child's play for him.
Moreover, if she had to kill this many people just to get to Andoain... even if the law absolved her, her conscience wouldn't. In her eyes, these were just a group of poor souls deluded by Andoain's crooked path—no different from the people who fell for pyramid schemes in Columbia. Even if they were in the wrong, their crimes didn't warrant a death sentence.
"We only want to take our Guide back! Beyond that, we have no intention of obstructing your actions!"
If possible, Patia didn't want to open fire on Fiammetta. Once they started a real fight, the nature of the situation would change completely! Up until now, no matter how much noise they made, the Apostolic Knights on duty would have treated it as a private grievance—a matter that could be smoothed over by a respected elder.
Even though Andoain was a wanted man, since the Pope had let him go this time, she could have turned a blind eye. But now, if a full-scale battle broke out... the consequences were unthinkable. The problem was that the goals of the two parties were fundamentally in conflict; there was almost no room for compromise.
"They call you 'The Guide'? I see you've already built quite the following."
Fiammetta was incensed. She had spent years hunting him, only to find he had turned into a cult leader? If she waited a few more years, would he have founded a whole new religion to rival Laterano?
"In that case, I'll have to ask you all to come back to the Notarial Hall with me!"
As Fiammetta prepared to move, she subtly signaled Mostima to contact the Apostolic Knights. This situation had escalated into something resembling an insurrection—something she couldn't handle alone. But this was Laterano; true military power was never far away!
BOOM!
Suddenly, a massive explosion tore through the air. In a situation like this, who would have the leisure to trigger a blast?
Andoain's group looked just as startled. They clearly hadn't expected the explosion and looked toward Fiammetta's side with suspicion. But not everyone shared that shock. A figure clad in a hooded robe stepped forward, pulling back the hood to reveal a pair of horns.
"Don't move! Or would you like to guess where I hid the next bomb?"
The figure held what looked like a remote detonator, pointing it at Fiammetta and Mostima with a savage, threatening grin.
Fiammetta froze. The person across from her was a Sarkaz! Given their reputation, she wouldn't put it past them to have planted a bomb in the middle of a crowded plaza.
"Sarkaz! You actually dared to bring Sarkaz into Laterano! And you let them plant bombs! Andoain, has your shriveled brain finally been eaten by the Nachzehrers?"
Fiammetta screamed at Andoain in a panic. Now, Mostima didn't even need to contact the knights; the explosion had already drawn everyone's attention.
Andoain himself looked horrified. He didn't remember ordering any bombs to be planted, let alone using them to threaten people. The first thought that crossed his mind was that he had been betrayed! Had these Sarkaz truly joined him just to destroy Laterano?
"As long as you let the Guide and the others leave, we will tell you the location of the other bombs," the Sarkaz threatened. Facing the threat to countless Lateran lives, Fiammetta had no choice but to back down.
"Sorry, Guide. I did lie to you about one thing."
Before Andoain and the others fled, the Sarkaz looked at him with guilt in his eyes.
"We aren't refugees. We were indeed mercenaries who followed Theresis to attack Laterano. We only pretended to be refugees because we couldn't escape."
They were mercenaries abandoned by Kazdel. Even if they returned home, Theresis would likely have them silenced to cover up the details of the failed campaign.
"Now, tell me where the other bombs are," Fiammetta hissed, watching the Sarkaz with a sense of dread as Andoain disappeared into the night.
"There are no more. We only had that one bomb; it was hidden in a nearby construction site."
They had been gambling. They bet on the fact that because they were Sarkaz, the Sankta would believe they were capable of any atrocity. He knew the history of his race and the friction between the Sankta and Laterano. Using that prejudice, he had a high chance of deceiving them. The price, of course, was that he likely wouldn't see tomorrow's sun. Looking at the fire in Fiammetta's eyes, he knew he might vanish from this world in the next second.
"Is that so? And how am I supposed to believe a pack of lying Sarkaz?"
Even as she said it, Fiammetta believed him. Her intuition told her he was telling the truth. She had suspected he might be bluffing, but she refused to gamble with lives. Andoain had escaped, but she could always hunt him again. His Patron Firearm had been knocked away; he hadn't even had the chance to retrieve it. As long as she held his gun, he would eventually come for it.
Besides, his life was not worth the lives of Laterano's citizens. Even if there was only a slim chance of a second bomb, she couldn't take that risk.
"They're telling the truth. Our men have been monitoring them from behind!"
A tall Apostolic Knight stepped out from behind Fiammetta. The old man, having confirmed the location of the blast, had rushed to see his granddaughter. He was equally furious that Andoain had brought Sarkaz into the city and provided them with explosives.
"I see. In that case, it's time to say goodbye."
Fiammetta raised her weapon to finish them, but the old knight stopped her.
"This is my responsibility! Sarkaz invaders, receive your punishment!"
The old man raised his massive revolving firearm. As he triggered his Patron Firearm, a series of thunderous blasts echoed through the night sky. Even the fleeing Andoain heard the sound in the distance; he cast one final look back before disappearing into the darkness with his followers.