I was a knight in the Middle Ages

“You,” Achilles stared intently at Alpha with eyes that seemed to see right through him, “tell me, have you betrayed the Church and sided with heretics?”

This question struck Alpha like a thunderbolt.

Alpha's heart was pounding, but he remained calm on the surface.

Alpha knew that every micro-expression, every heartbeat, and every contraction of his pores could become evidence that the other party judged him to be lying.

"Reporting to the Grand Knight Commander," Alpha said, his tone serious and devout, each word spoken with conviction.

“I have never had the slightest thought of betraying the Vatican. My heart is always turned toward the light. Everything I have done, including dealing with various forces, is for the glory of the Vatican and to spread the light of God to more distant places.”

Alpha is gambling, gambling on its superb acting skills, and gambling that the other party's "ring of lies" is not truly omnipotent.

“Then,” another deep and imposing voice rang out.

The speaker was another Grand Knight Commander, Julius.

Alpha remembered him; the two had met briefly in the Dark Battlefield, but in that chaotic killing field, they didn't even have a chance to exchange a single word.

"Why are you secretly colluding with infidel forces like the Ottoman Empire, and even showing signs of siding with them?" Julius demanded loudly.

Alpha sneered inwardly, but outwardly feigned deep sorrow: "Sir Knight, you are wise! I have absolutely no intention of siding with the Ottomans. All the rumors circulating outside are false lies spread by hostile forces to slander me!"

Alpha paused for a moment, then began to unleash his charismatic oratory skills.

Alpha fabricated a perfect excuse that even he almost believed: "My true purpose is to infiltrate the lion's den and corrupt and destroy the foundation of the Ottoman Empire from within! I want them to perish amidst their revelry, thus clearing the way for the glory of God and allowing this land to be bathed in light once more!"

However, just as Alpha uttered these "heartfelt words," his left hand, hidden in his sleeve, was...

Suddenly, a piercing, burning pain shot through his already severed little finger!

Alpha was horrified.

Alpha knew about the "Uncrowned Ring" that had been automatically placed on him in the Elven Vault, but he had never been able to decipher its specific meaning.

Is this sudden anomaly a punishment from the ring for lying to him? Or is it some kind of warning he hasn't yet grasped?

Despite the excruciating pain, Alpha remained outwardly calm, meeting Achilles's scrutiny with his clear yet fervent gaze.

Achilles remained silent for a long time, his sharp eyes scanning Alpha's face as if trying to see through his very soul.

Finally, his cold expression seemed to soften slightly, but he then issued an order that shocked Alpha even more.

“To prove your loyalty, to prove you haven’t betrayed the light,” Achilles’ voice remained emotionless, “I demand that you immediately establish a close alliance with the ‘Maritime Alliance’—what you call the pirate alliance. You must work together to fight the Ottoman Empire, without the slightest negligence.”

Upon hearing this, Alpha felt a surge of turmoil within him, but his face remained calm and submissive: "Yes! For the glory of God, for the will of the Holy See, I am willing to unite with all the forces of the Maritime Alliance to fight against the heretical Ottoman Empire!"

Alpha's mind was already in turmoil.

The Papacy, this behemoth representing holiness and light, actually asked him to unite with a group of pirates despised by the world.

The implications of this are far too profound, and far too dangerous.

The only explanation is that the pressure exerted on the Papacy by the Ottoman Empire had become unbearable.

They even stopped caring about the dirty pawn that was the "pirate."

A thrilling test and game of wits has temporarily come to an end with Alpha's seemingly compliant response.

But Alpha knew that the real storm had only just begun.

After hearing Alpha's seemingly sincere answer, the air in the tent seemed to freeze.

Achilles, Julius, and the cardinal who had remained silent all looked at Alpha with complicated expressions.

Ultimately, right in front of Alpha, they whispered amongst themselves in an obscure and difficult-to-understand ancient language, engaging in a tightly sealed conversation.

What unsettled Alpha most was that even the revered Golden Knight Athena, whom he held in high regard, was ruthlessly excluded from this crucial private meeting.

Athena could only stand quietly to the side, like a beautiful statue.

But Alpha keenly noticed that her fingers, hanging at her sides, were slightly curled, revealing her inner turmoil.

At this moment, Athena was also filled with torment.

She didn't know whether the three "judges" from the heart of the Vatican were satisfied with Alpha's response.

Athena was well aware of the three men's methods and even more so of their true purpose for this trip.

If Alpha were to reveal even the slightest flaw under their "Ring of Lies," this camp would likely turn into a battlefield.

Alpha remained outwardly calm, but inwardly it was a turmoil of emotions.

While secretly circulating his battle aura to suppress the inexplicable burning sensation in his left little finger, Alpha was rapidly thinking of a solution.

The Vatican's intervention completely disrupted his original plans.

Alpha must be prepared to deal with the worst-case scenario at any time.

After a long while, the low voices finally stopped.

Grand Knight Achilles' eyes, which seemed to pierce through the soul, fell upon Alpha once more.

“Athena Knight,” Achilles’ voice remained cold and devoid of emotion, “you stay here and explain the details of our mission to Alpha Knight. We will depart in two hours.”

"Yes, Grand Knight Commander!" Athena immediately straightened her back and respectfully accepted the order.

“Bright moon, twinkling stars,” Alpha dared not be negligent in the slightest and immediately ordered, “Prepare the most comfortable rest room for the three lords, and prepare the best tea and snacks. There must be no negligence whatsoever!”

"Yes, Lord Alpha." The sisters Mingyue and Fanxing, who were already waiting outside, immediately responded and went to arrange everything efficiently.

When Achilles and his two companions left the tent and went to the rest room, leaving only Alpha and Athena in the space, the atmosphere instantly became subtle.

Athena turned around, her usually cold and beautiful face now filled with an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity.

She walked up to Alpha, lowered her voice, and said, word by word, "Alpha, listen. You must remember every single word that follows, and you must never divulge a single one. This is not only about your life, but also about the future of all of us."

Alpha saw the rare panic in her deep blue eyes and his heart sank.

Alpha knew he was about to come across a massive secret that would overturn his understanding of the world.

"Lady Athena, what is going on?" Alpha could no longer remain calm.

"Our mission this time is to carry out a special task within the Ottoman Empire," Athena replied succinctly.

Alpha grabbed Athena's wrist and asked anxiously, "Are we really going to go to the Ottoman Empire with these guys? Isn't that like throwing lambs to the slaughter? Given the bitter rivalry between the Papacy and the Ottoman Empire, how could they possibly let us in safely and carry out our mission?"

Alpha felt a sense of absurdity and despair.

What kind of entity was the Ottoman Empire? It was a behemoth, a bloodthirsty beast.

Alpha's current strength is like that of an ant in front of the Ottomans.

Once their identities are exposed, all the foundation that Alpha has built will instantly crumble and vanish into nothingness.

"That's why we need to use your name to get in." Athena took a deep breath.

At that moment, Athena met Alpha's gaze and revealed a plan that plunged Alpha into an icy abyss: "To the outside world, you are the leader of this operation. The four of us are merely your bodyguards and advisors. Your identity is the best cover for our operations within Ottoman territory."

Alpha felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

This is putting him on the hot seat!

If anything goes wrong within Ottoman territory, all the blame will fall on him.

Alpha will become a pawn discarded by the Papacy and a victim of the Ottoman Empire's venting of anger.

"Can I...can I not go? Or, can I enter without my identity?" Alpha's voice trembled slightly, a pessimistic request that even he himself was unaware of.

Athena looked at him, a complex expression flashing in her eyes—sympathy, helplessness, and above all, the cold reality.

"Alpha Knight, you have no choice. You cannot refuse, or this will be your end." Athena's tone was harsh, leaving no room for negotiation.

Alpha stiffened and gave a bitter smile.

Alpha knew, of course, that he had no bargaining power whatsoever.

In the face of a behemoth like the Vatican, Alpha's so-called power is nothing but a mirage.

“Okay,” Alpha said dejectedly, letting go of his hand, leaning back in his chair, and closing his eyes.

"Then tell me, what exactly is the magic of that 'Tenth Ring'? Is it worth the Holy See sending two Grand Knights and a Cardinal, making such a big fuss?" Alpha directly excluded himself and Athena from the discussion.

Compared to those three true giants, he and Athena were nothing more than minor characters, pawns, insignificant.

Athena felt a sudden pang of tenderness in her heart when she saw his dejected appearance.

Athena stepped forward and gently straightened his slightly disheveled collar, her tone softening: "You, the nominal 'Tenth Knight Commander,' don't even know the significance of the Tenth Ring?"

Athena's tone carried a hint of sarcasm, but more so a sense of shared misfortune and helplessness.

"Athena, please stop mocking me." Alpha opened his eyes and gave a wry smile.

Alpha seized Athena's hand as she adjusted his collar, feeling the warmth and softness of her palm. "I'm just a puppet in place, how would I know the core secrets of the Holy See?"

As Alpha spoke, he unconsciously rubbed her palm, as if only in this way could he calm his chaotic mind.

Seeing that Athena did not break free and simply let Alpha hold her, Alpha gradually became bolder.

Alpha suddenly pulled the proud golden knight into its arms and held him tightly.

Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and their breaths could be heard.

The familiar, faint fragrance of Athena wafted into Alpha's nostrils, miraculously calming his restless heart.

“The tenth commandment is called the ‘Commandment of Greed.’” Athena leaned against him, panting heavily, her voice trembling slightly.

However, Athena did not push away this man who was taking advantage of her. "However, I think the term 'abstinence from lust' is more fitting to describe you now."

"So what exactly does it do?" Alpha whispered in her ear as he kissed Athena's earlobe with an aggressive gesture.

"Its function... is to replicate." Athena's voice grew softer, and her eyes began to glaze over.

"It can replicate any known ability and perfectly transfer it to another person. This ring is a strategic treasure that the Holy See must possess in order to deal with the super-powerful beings that may emerge in the future."

“Copy any ability…” Alpha murmured to himself, deeply shocked.

Such an incredible treasure exists in this world!

Just as Alpha was processing this astonishing information, Athena had completely softened under his teasing.

The atmosphere between the two became increasingly ambiguous, like dry tinder catching fire, ready to ignite at any moment.

At this moment, the defenses of reason completely collapsed, and Alpha pressed Athena down onto the soft couch behind him, and a fierce lovemaking ensued.

An hour later, the passion subsided.

Alpha leaned against the headboard, holding Athena, who was covered in sweat and as soft as mud, in his arms.

Alpha gently stroked her smooth back as he fell back into deep thought.

“Lady Athena, I have another question.” Alpha’s voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"The Papacy is sending two Grand Knights of the Holy Ring to retrieve a ring. The risks and rewards of this mission seem disproportionate. If the operation fails and two Grand Knights are lost, it will be a major blow to the Papacy, won't it?" Alpha felt that things weren't so simple.

There must be some hidden story he doesn't know about.

Athena lifted her head from his embrace, a hint of worry flashing in her beautiful, dreamy eyes.

Athena pushed away Alpha's overly intimate embrace and sat up.

She pulled the sheet over her alluring body, turned her back to Alpha, and gazed at the gloomy sky outside the window.

“Some things cannot be calculated based on their intrinsic value,” Athena said, her voice tinged with weariness.

"Lord Achilles and his comrades have received reliable intelligence that the seal on the Tenth Ring is weakening, and if it falls into the hands of evil forces, the consequences will be unimaginable. The Holy See has no other choice."

Athena paused, then continued, "Moreover, our target area is the relatively weak southeastern border of the Ottoman Empire. The terrain there is complex, and the forces are intertwined. As long as the plan is meticulous, even if the mission fails, we are confident that we can retreat safely."

"Could this be... a conspiracy?"