Drawing Cards in the Middle Ages to Rise in Ranks

Chapter 890: Chapter 114: Ceasefire

The effect of the new Skill was very powerful.

Favor of Saint Sophia: After use, you obtain Divine Wisdom’s Favor, your Spiritual Power Attribute is doubled, and you enter the state of "Holy Heart."

While in the state of Holy Heart, the cooldown of all Skills is greatly reduced.

This kind of multiplicative boost would only become more valuable as Losa’s strength increased.

Losa slowly descended onto the battlements. The Greek defenders both revered and feared him, crowding around. The leading general had just opened his mouth to say something when Chelina stepped in front of him.

He did not dare underestimate this slender, beautiful woman; just now, it was she who had killed that terrifying Sea Dragon with a single strike.

"My lady, we mean no harm, we only wish to pay homage to the Basileus."

"Stay back. My lord is saving someone."

Losa was currently under Sanctuary of Saint Sophia, his Spiritual Power strong enough to easily discern the state Eve was in.

"Your Majesty, how is Lady Eve?"

Losa shook his head, stood up, and said, "Not good."

The pressure Eve had borne before was far too great. Her Talent was decent, but compared to a Royal Court princess like Furin she was far inferior, and her strength was also a whole tier lower.

At that level, to forcefully control a Demon Array and shoulder so much of the enemy’s damage meant her Spirit had already suffered grievous trauma—injuries clearly beyond his ability to treat.

"Your Majesty, Lady Eve took this heavy blow all for our sakes. We beg you, please save her!"

The general and the soldiers pleaded with sincere faces.

Losa nodded. "I’m not good at healing people, but I have a friend who is. She’s in the Fleet behind us. Send a few men to carry her to a quiet place first."

To treat injuries, a professional was still needed.

Even if Lavinia couldn’t cure her outright, stabilizing her condition until Anna returned would be no problem.

A Eunuch came trotting over. "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress invites you to come over."

"Long time no see, Lord Eusebius."

Losa greeted him amicably. He remembered this Eunuch as the chief Grand Treasurer of the Empress’s court.

The Eunuch, somewhat flattered, said respectfully, "I did not expect you to still remember a humble person like me."

"Don’t say that. The Grand Treasurer is hardly a petty office. It’s just that for the moment I cannot go to pay court to the Empress."

He put away the smile on his face. "Chelina, pass a message to Bella III for me: he is to choose between war and atonement."

Chelina gave a slight nod and flew off.

A moment later, the Venetian ships in Golden Horn Bay began to turn their prows, sailing toward the Galata District.

The Greek defenders, seeing this, burst into cheers.

The Grand Treasurer hurriedly flattered him: "Your Majesty, your majesty is like sun and moon, making the disobedient of the four seas and eight directions all bow in submission."

"I don’t have that much face. Perhaps they were already guilty at heart."

Losa let out a soft laugh.

Although he was indeed somewhat adept at stirring hearts, and moreover had the boost of Extraordinary Power, in the final analysis what he relied on was still strength to cow the masses.

If it really came to a fight, he was confident he could send the tens of thousands of Crusaders in this Golden Horn Bay, together with the Venetians’ Fleet, all to the bottom of the sea.

They could choose to keep fighting, but they all now understood there was only one possible outcome.

"Lord Eusebius, my soldiers are about to disembark. They have been drifting at sea for a long time and urgently need a spacious camp and a hearty meal."

The Grand Treasurer quickly said, "Basileus, rest assured. Her Majesty the Empress has already given instructions: your soldiers will receive the best treatment."

At this, Losa couldn’t help but glance sideways. "You’re not afraid I’ll seize Constantinople while I’m at it and change that Vice Emperor title?"

He was actually a bit surprised. Given the Imperial Emperors’ usual petty-mindedness, he had expected some trouble during the entry into the city.

The Grand Treasurer said earnestly, "Your Majesty, neither I nor anyone else has ever had such worries, because in Her Majesty the Empress’s eyes, your good faith is more noble than the Imperial Emperor’s throne."

Losa certainly didn’t believe that, but the words were pleasant to hear.

...

The Crusaders had temporarily withdrawn to Galata.

Bella III stepped off the gangplank back onto land, brows knitted tight. Given the strength Losa had just displayed, they simply had no chance of victory.

Moreover, if they chose to keep fighting... he could already imagine how much opposition that would provoke.

Alexios came striding up with his household retainers. Forcing down his anger, he lowered his voice and said, "Why didn’t we keep fighting? Where are your Casters and Iron Guard Corps? At the very least, we should have had the Venetians’ Fleet sink those ships under Losa’s command first. Now that we’ve pulled back, are we just going to sit and watch them link up?"

In his view, for Losa to have defeated Saladin, the men under him must be an elite band.

Once these men entered Constantinople, the chance of ever taking the city of cities’ Empress would be almost nil.

One moment he had still been dreaming of soon ascending the Emperor’s throne; the next, he realized he was very likely to continue his rough, wandering life in exile.

The contrast drove him almost mad.

"Are you questioning me, Alexios?"

Bella III gave a cold snort. He had no patience left for polite pretenses with this nominal leader of the Crusaders.

"Dandolo is unconscious. I cannot Conductor the Venetians under him. If you think your own reputation is big enough and your prestige high enough, then go rally a group yourself and fight."

Alexios opened his mouth. He hadn’t expected Bella III, who had always been fairly amiable toward him, to speak to him like this.

But he quickly reacted. "If I don’t get Constantinople, no one can make up for your losses. None of you will see a single coin of the reward I promised you! Not one!"

Bella III coldly shoved aside Alexios, who was blocking his way.

"Let go of His Majesty!"

Olos tried to step forward to stop him, but Bella III neatly drew his sword and cleaved off his head.

Looking at Alexios, whose face was splattered with blood and who trembled like a quail, Bella III let out a cold laugh.

"Idiot, do you think money can buy everything? You’re trampling on our piety."

Alexios shook all over with rage. He had never seen someone so shameless.

"And you think you’re worthy of talking about piety?"

Bella III’s brow twitched; he felt a bit bored all of a sudden.

He hadn’t wanted to talk about piety, but right now the majority of the Crusaders were thinking of going East to atone.

Another sizeable portion of the Crusaders simply lacked the courage to face that Egyptian usurper.

The Iron Guard Corps under him didn’t even dare breathe loudly in Losa’s radiance.

Istvan, the Wizard he had spent a fortune to hire, had slipped away without a sound while no one was paying attention.

If not piety, what else was there to talk about?

He felt that saying one more word to this idiot might turn him into an idiot as well.

"Lock this fool up and get ready to send him across the strait."

Alexios screamed, "Get away from me, don’t touch me! Bella, you faithless scoundrel, you spineless piece of trash, I must have been out of my mind to fall for your Enchantment..."

Was Alexios an idiot?

Not exactly.

It’s just that a man who has lost his head at the gambling table is entirely devoid of reason.

Bella III had also lost a great deal, but clearly his foundations were deep enough that he could still keep his reason.