Looking at Erica, who was kneeling on one knee before him, lowering her proud head just like last time, Kaiser couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
He hadn't expected that, at this critical juncture, Erica would silently come to Japan and appear before him.
He hadn't received a single piece of information, not even a phone call, and yet Erica was able to know his location and appear before him. Clearly, this self-confident noble daughter was using this method to prove her abilities to Kaiser.
In contrast, Liliana was visibly shocked as she watched Erica in this state.
She understood her childhood friend and rival all too well—just how proud and defiant she was.
She considered herself a noblewoman, the very embodiment of elegance and splendor. Even when facing a God-Slaying king, if the other party failed to earn her recognition, she would absolutely never show such a humble posture.
Someone capable of making Erica Blandelli bow her head like this—Liliana Kranjčar had never seen such a person.
But now, she had.
This could only mean one thing.
"Erica, could it be that you've already...?"
Liliana's gaze shifted back and forth between Kaiser and Erica.
"That's right." Erica lifted her head, looked at the astonished Liliana, and said with a smile, "I have already sworn allegiance to the great King of Sacred Treasures, vowing to dedicate everything as a knight in his service."
To Liliana, this was by no means news to be taken lightly.
One must know that although nearly all of Italy's magic societies had already submitted to the King of Swords, acknowledging Salvatore Doni as their leader and obeying his orders, everyone knew this was only nominal.
In reality, that King of Swords had no interest in territory, land, or power.
He cared only for battle. The so-called organizations under his rule were, to him, merely convenient assistants when necessary—not some household or legacy to protect.
Precisely for this reason, Liliana's grandfather was a devoted follower of the famed Marquis Voban, not of Doni.
However, if Erica Blandelli, the prodigy and Great Knight of the Copper Black Cross, declared her allegiance to a new king, then it would be a different matter entirely.
This would signify that the Copper Black Cross might now have a true king backing them. At the very least, the Blandelli family would receive the king's protection.
As their rival, the Bronze Black Cross would absolutely not be able to treat this as a trivial matter.
Unfortunately, Erica paid no attention to Liliana's shifting expression and instead turned to Kaiser.
"The mission assigned to me by the king—I have completed it splendidly. I ask that the king verify it."
As she spoke, Erica took something from her bosom.
It was a fist-sized emblem.
The emblem's material was clearly not metal, but rather something akin to polished obsidian. Its surface was engraved with a crude human-like face and dozens of serpents.
The mass of snakes looked like the hair of the human face in the image, and a faint, magical light flickered in the eyes, giving the illusion that being stared at by them would render one immobile.
This stone emblem looked extremely ancient. Many parts of it appeared worn and indistinct. The material itself showed heavy erosion—its history of existence likely traced back to a very distant era.
"Th-this is...?!"
As a witch, Liliana was instantly struck the moment she laid eyes on the stone.
She felt a terrifying magical aura.
She felt a dreadful shadow.
She also sensed ancient wisdom, the stirring of darkness, and the breath of death.
Even she reacted like this, so it was no wonder that Mariya Yuri beside her immediately entered a trance-like state, muttering uncontrollably.
"The night has shrouded the stars and replaced the light. The great being crosses the underworld and descends upon the land..."
"She is the goddess who governs darkness, the holy mother who spreads death, the great queen who possesses ancient wisdom, enchanting eyes, dragons, serpents, and owls..."
"The descendant of the Mother of the Earth, a dark dominator who leads death and darkness, ruling the heavens, the earth, and the forsaken gods of the shadows..."
"Now, the lost fragment of ancient wisdom is her only pursuit, her sole obsession..."
Mariya Yuri's words were cryptic and difficult to understand—at least to those who were unaware of the situation.
However, for those in the magic world who understood mythology and knew the many legends, these words already explained much and revealed many truths.
"This is the symbol of the ancient Mother of the Earth! The signpost that led countless goddesses down the path of defiance! The emblem of a forsaken goddess!"
Liliana exclaimed with a stunned expression.
"The Gorgoneion! A relic from the age of mythology! A genuine sacred relic!"
"Why would such a thing be here?!"
Sacred relics were not only things of the mythological age, but also objects deeply tied to the gods.
Each one possessed power beyond human comprehension—even the weakest among them was far beyond human reach.
In the magic world, they held enormous research value and symbolic significance. They were also the hidden treasures and trump cards of every organization, to be used in times of need.
Liliana had never expected that Erica would bring a sacred relic—let alone one so closely tied to the Earth Mother Goddess, and potentially capable of summoning death and darkness.
"You actually found it?"
Kaiser took the Gorgoneion, looking at Erica with some surprise.
"This was a test given by the king. Erica Blandelli naturally had to give her all to complete it," Erica said with a rather self-satisfied smile to Kaiser. "After receiving the king's hint, I've been paying attention to happenings all over Italy, keeping an eye out for all kinds of news."
"Finally, just two days ago, I discovered something unusual on the coast of Calabria."
At that time, someone had dredged up a strange stone off the coast of Calabria.
It was called strange because, when it was brought up, it was wrapped in many sea serpents.
These sea serpents refused to let go of the stone, and when people approached, they showed extremely aggressive behavior, causing quite a stir.
Erica, who had been keeping a close watch, rushed to investigate as soon as she saw the report—and eventually discovered the Gorgoneion.
So Erica brought it with her and rushed over at full speed. Once she found news of Kaiser's whereabouts, she came immediately.
After all, she hadn't forgotten that Kaiser had once said that this sacred relic would attract a powerful goddess.
Even Mariya Yuri and Liliana instantly realized this matter.
"Why would you bring something so dangerous here?!"
Mariya Yuri was upset and worried.
Liliana also frowned and commented.
"Gorgon—the most famous snake-haired witch in Greek mythology, a monster from the Invisible Island, a descendant of sea monsters possessing petrifying eyes."
"Her true name is Medusa. Her father was Phorcys, son of Gaia the Earth Goddess and Pontus the Sea God. Her mother was Ceto, Phorcys's sister. Though bearing the blood of sea monsters, she was still a legitimate goddess."
"Although in myth, Medusa was the snake witch slain by the hero Perseus, in truth, her origin can be traced back to the most ancient Earth Mother Goddess."
Serpents were symbols of the Earth Mother Goddess.
The snake-haired witch Medusa, a dragon-serpent slain by a hero, was in fact part of the ancient Earth Mother Goddess demeaned by the Iron Hero.
That Earth Mother Goddess was exceedingly ancient and immensely powerful—once the trinity queen who ruled the Mediterranean.
Just as the three deities slain by Voban—Wind Earl, Rain Master, and Thunder Duke of Korea—were in fact three aspects of a single god, Medusa too was part of that ancient queen.
And this Gorgoneion was the manifestation of Medusa's divinity, the lost part of that queen.
Its appearance could mean only one thing:
That the ancient queen had appeared on Earth and would inevitably come here in pursuit of it.
Mariya Yuri perceived this through Spirit Vision and sensed the approaching danger.
Though Liliana lacked Mariya Yuri's strong Spirit Vision, she was a witch and thoroughly familiar with the legends of the Earth Mother Goddess. She immediately realized what was about to happen.
One could say that Erica's actions were equivalent to bringing a natural disaster to this place—how could Mariya Yuri not be angry and worried?
Even Liliana thought this island nation of the Far East was far too unfortunate. First, a Norse main god manifested here, then an Eastern hero emerged, and now even a highest-ranking goddess of darkness was about to arrive?
Wouldn't this island sink into the sea?
So Liliana thought.
But Erica was all smiles.
"This was the king's order, you know?" Erica said nonchalantly. "Since it was the king's order, then even the people of this country should obey the fate the king has chosen for them."
Since she, Erica Blandelli, was now the king's knight, she naturally prioritized her allegiance to the king over the common people.
Thus, even knowing the consequences, she still did it without hesitation—even though she was a knight willing to lay down her life for innocent civilians.
In this regard, Erica was far more rational and calm than Liliana, more adept at adjusting her mindset and stance.
If you choose to do it, you do it to the best—that was Erica's creed.
Kaiser ignored the girls' exchange and simply looked at the Gorgoneion in his hand.
No one noticed that on Kaiser's hand, golden patterns were faintly glowing.
(End of Chapter)
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