Chapter 70: Leaving Constantinople
Nuo let out an “oh” and said suddenly, “Asker, so you anticipated the situation in Constantinople today? Did that prophet from the Dragon Kingdom tell you?”
Well done, Nuo! Asker nodded sagely and continued, “Indeed. He also told me that the fall of the Eastern Solomon Empire is inevitable. Even if Constantinople isn’t captured by the Franks, it will be captured by the Seljuks from the East.”
“Your sister Zoe will flee to the Siris Province and re-establish the Apollonian Empire there. There, she will marry Michael Paflagon, the most powerful banker in Siris, thus stabilizing her rule in Siris.”
“However, the Thracians and Serbians will soon revolt, so the nascent empire will be unable to recapture Constantinople. Zoe will spend her life dealing with court intrigues and reclaiming the lost territory of Macedonia, while you will be completely marginalized by her, spending the rest of your life in the deep palace.”
“Did that prophet also say this?” Theodora asked skeptically.
“Prophecies about the future are probably difficult to gain your trust right now, so let me tell you something that’s easier to verify.” Asker recalled the biographical introduction of “Theodora” on the official website and said with a smile:
“You were born in the palace, wrapped in a swaddling cloth made of purple silk. Your father even refused to let the Church baptize you, fearing that you would catch a cold.”
“Your father didn’t want you to get married because he was afraid that your husband would take away the royal family’s power. But once, he relented and privately took you to meet Romanus, the then judge of the imperial capital, and asked you how you felt about this man.”
“And your answer was that he looked like a stuffy old man, not handsome, and older than you.”
Theodora was shocked, her face almost losing its composure. The two things Asker said were indeed court secrets that had happened.
The former was only known to a few people in the court, while the latter was a private conversation between her and Emperor Constantine, with no third person present – how could he possibly know!
Could everything he said be true? Theodora thought of his prophecy about the fall of the empire again, and her heart became heavy.
Is this my fate? To flee to the Siris Province with my sister Zoe and spend the rest of my life in a monastery?
Seeing her look lost and disoriented, as if her worldview had been completely shattered, Asker seized the opportunity and said with a smile:
“Of course, there is another path before you now.”
“Being a mercenary?” Theodora said coldly.
Since the other party was being frank, she didn’t intend to beat around the bush. “I don’t think being a mercenary is a good choice. Since you know my identity, you should understand that even if I lose my political status, I can still live a comfortable life in Siris without worrying about the rest of my life.”
“What can being a mercenary offer? Money? Just the tortoiseshell hairpin on my head is enough to hire all the mercenaries in Constantinople for a whole month!”
“I understand.” Asker replied, “Your Highness, you also know that I am from the Achilles family. My parents left me two shops in Constantinople, and I got 1000 pounds just from selling them to the Church. Logically speaking, this money is enough for me to buy a manor and a title in the West and live comfortably for the rest of my life.”
“But why am I still a mercenary, recruiting people, and even trying to recruit you? Your Highness Theodora?”
“Why?” Theodora’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and her tone softened.
“Because the magic tide is coming, Your Highness.” Asker said gently. “You know what the magic tide means, right?”
“This world is about to be in chaos.”
…
In the year 6241 of the Sixth Age, Constantinople fell under the attack of the Frankish knights.
Without the protection of the fearless player army from his previous life, the Empire fell into decline in the first few days of the siege.
If they had relied on street fighting and fortress tactics, Constantinople could have held out for a few more days and perhaps even exhausted the Franks’ logistical supplies.
However, Empress Zoe, terrified, hurriedly fled to the Siris province by plane when the Franks reached the walls of the Great Palace.
So the defenders of Constantinople lost their will to defend the city and surrendered or dispersed under the Frankish attack.
The Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch Alexius, had to stop sealing off the city, give up searching for Theodora, and move to the Siris province along with Empress Zoe.
Although the Orthodox Church had many demigods, at the current magic tide level, no demigod was willing to fight these barbaric and numerous Franks with the mentality of mutually assured destruction.
Of course, more importantly, the magic tide was coming.
The world’s spiritual energy would rise to a level where demigods could move freely in four or five years at most.
By then, to recapture the capital, it would be enough for the Church to send two or three demigods.
Kavala, on the north coast of the Aegean Sea.
An off-road vehicle stopped on the coastal road. A young woman opened the door and got out, looking at the seaside pavilion in the distance.
She was wearing a white nun’s robe, seemingly a devout academic nun, but the metallic glint of chainmail faintly visible under the white robe indicated that she was not a weak and defenseless woman.
Under the midday sun, she took off her hood, revealing soft and fluffy brown curly hair and a pure and beautiful face.
Some malicious gazes came from the distance. They were war refugees migrating west from the Thrace province. Because of the fall of the imperial capital, the citizens near the capital were afraid of being affected and could only choose to flee to the Siris province.
The brand-new off-road vehicle attracted their attention. If they could steal a car, their journey to Siris would naturally be much smoother.
However, the nun quickly drew a sword and made a demonstrative flourish. The clean and neat movement made the refugees withdraw their gazes.
Not only were they intimidated by the sword in her hand, but also by the pistol hanging from her waist.
Another girl wearing a mask also got out of the car. She looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, her figure not yet fully developed.
“It’s over there.” The nun pointed to the pavilion. “That’s where we met the prophetic elder from the Dragon Kingdom.”
“Later, he summoned a long sword, stepped on it, parted the seawater, and flew away.”
“Amazing.” The masked girl said regretfully. “It’s a pity I can’t have him make a prophecy for me.”
After walking around the pavilion a few times unwillingly, the masked girl dejectedly returned to the road. The nun had already returned to the driver’s seat.
“Get in the car when you’re done looking, Thira.” The nun said. “Remember to fasten your seatbelt.”
“Okay.” The masked girl nodded, opened the car door, and got in.
The off-road vehicle started up and quickly accelerated to over 80 mph. The nun held the steering wheel steadily, humming a tune, and looked at the road ahead stretching into the distance.
On the right were green trees undulating along the mountains, and on the left was the boundless blue Aegean Sea.
“I’ve never been here before.” The masked girl looked at the scenery outside the window, somewhat entranced.
“I can tell.” The nun said, “You probably haven’t left Constantinople since you were young.”
“The so-called Purple Princesses are princesses born in the deep palace.” The masked girl replied. “Before being married off by my father, I didn’t have the opportunity to see the outside world.”
Her voice paused, and she said incredulously, “I still don’t know why I was so impulsive that day and actually agreed to join your little mercenary group.”
“Asker’s words have a strange persuasive power, don’t they?” The nun said with a smile.
“Your opinion doesn’t count, Nuo.” The masked girl said, “You like him, so of course everything about him seems good to you.”
“Thira!” Nuo pretended to be angry and said coquettishly, “If you tease me again, I’ll send you back to Furnace Island.”
“Then I’ll go back and tell him that you’re lonely driving alone and want him to come out and talk to you.” The former Theodora, now a girl named “Thira,” said with a smile.
“No! That will distract me.” Nuo hurriedly pleaded.
“Actually, I don’t understand why you like him either.” Thira said curiously. Since she learned about Nuo’s family background, she had been wondering why she also chose to join this unknown small mercenary group.
“Although Asker can barely be considered a noble, the difference in status between you two is too big, right?”
“That just proves that our love is true.” Nuo argued.
“Will your parents agree?” Thira asked.
“They should respect my decision.” Nuo said a little uncertainly.
Actually, she wasn’t sure either.
Just then, a roadblock suddenly appeared ahead, blocking their way.
Nuo expertly slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt just in front of the roadblock.
Turning around, Theodora in the passenger seat had disappeared, obviously having gone to Furnace Island to inform everyone.
A few seconds later, several figures appeared in the back seat of the off-road vehicle.
Asker and the girls.
“A roadblock?” Asker got out of the car to check. “A random dungeon?”
“Random dungeon?” Nuo also got out of the car and asked beside him.
“It’s a randomly generated adventure quest map, mostly related to various anomalies.” Asker replied. “Looking at the sign on the roadblock, it should be the emblem of the Night’s Watch.”
“Ah, the Night’s Watch.” Seeing the girls’ blank faces, Medea said leisurely, “In this world, the only three supernatural organizations allowed to exist openly by the Church are the Night’s Watch, the Purgatory’s Jailer, and the Abyss’s Overseer.”
“Is it the Night’s Watch? I’ve recorded their information! Let me find it.” Nuo flipped through her notebook, found a relevant page, and read, “The night is dark and full of terrors. From this day until my last day, I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children…”
“No! I got it wrong, this is the novel version.” She hurriedly flipped through the pages again and found the correct record.
“The Night’s Watch, originating at the end of the Third Punic War, is a supernatural organization jointly formed by the Italian city-states to deal with the necromancers of Carthage.”
“It has now evolved into a supernatural organization specializing in dealing with undead anomalies, mainly dealing with ghouls and skeletons, as well as wraiths, specters, liches, black knights, abominations, and some evil necromancers.”
“Indeed.” A voice came from behind the roadblock. Everyone looked and saw a knight in powered armor, holding a steel Gatling gun with a curved barrel.
There was golden paint on the shoulder armor of the powered armor, depicting a sword piercing the top of a skull.
This was the emblem of the Night’s Watch.
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