Chapter 22: Caesar belongs to Caesar, God belongs to God
"Awake already, Martha?"
The words cut through the hazy fog of Martha's consciousness. She slowly opened her eyes, her vision adjusting to the dimly lit room.
To her surprise, she was still alive, despite the harrowing encounter with Crimson Moon, the King of Vampires, the ultimate one and strongest individual on Earth.
Had Crimson Moon spared them?
Martha found it hard to believe.
Crimson Moon was infamous for her ruthlessness, and crossing paths with her usually meant certain death.
Unlike Martha, who had managed to rouse herself, everyone else in the tavern remained unconscious, including her partners, the patrons, and the praetorian guards who secretly protected Nero Claudius.
There was no sign of them waking up anytime soon.
Martha struggled to her feet, her movements slow and labored.
She reached for the glass of water offered by Caesar.
As she took a sip, she couldn't help but notice the pallor of her own face and the lack of rosy color in her features.
It was a stark indicator that her blood had been drained.
Crimson Moon had accomplished this without even needing to lift a finger, displaying her pure aura of power.
She had made it clear who was in charge.
Glancing around, Martha saw that everyone present shared her condition.
They lay unconscious on the ground, victims of Crimson Moon's insatiable thirst for blood.
The only exception was Caesar Nero, who still seemed alive and well after her encounter with Crimson Moon, casually sipping the ale she had left behind as if it were no big deal.
"Thank you, Caesar," Martha expressed her gratitude. She appreciated Caesar's understanding and consideration in offering her the mineral water first, instead of pressing her for answers.
As she sipped the water, Martha's expression improved noticeably. A hint of rosy color returned to her face, a sign that she would recover in no time.
Martha refrained from asking Caesar how she had managed to survive the encounter with Crimson Moon and why they were still alive.
She wasn't an ungrateful person, and if Caesar hadn't taken the initiative to mention it, she wouldn't have brought up the topic of Crimson Moon or questioned their survival.
It was evident to Martha that Caesar had saved them. Given Crimson Moon's ruthless reputation, if she had taken offense, there would be no survivors.
Martha wouldn't even be having this conversation with Caesar if she hadn't saved her.
"Once again thank you for saving us, Caesar."
Nero didn't offer a noticeable response to Saint Martha's gratitude.
Her calm demeanor and casualness of the situation left Martha in confusion.
How could Caesar so calm after everything that has been happened?
Nero reclined comfortably in her chair, taking leisurely sips from the mug of ale in her hand.
"You should give up your petty fight with those vampires. Rome will not discriminate against other races just because they are different," Nero commanded. "Unless they show hostility towards us, we will maintain a neutral stance."
"But they are our enemies," Saint Martha argued.
"They are your enemies, to be precise," Nero reminded. "If you wish to have a rivalry with them, do so, but not in this place. I don't appreciate how you've involved Rome in your petty fight, regardless of what your God may say."
"Caesar belongs to Caesar and God belongs to God, Rome is mine and you shouldn't touch what is not yours."
"The God affair should stick at the religious strictly, not involve in Rome national affair, don't mistake my compassion with mercy, Martha, if you ever involve us in your war with Vampire, your end would be no different from what you experienced recently."
"I understand, Caesar. Thank you for saving us," Saint Martha responded calmly.
She wasn't angered by Caesar's accusation or blamed for starting the conflict with Crimson Moon because she knew that what Caesar said was the truth.
Their actions could have branded them as sinners in history if their conflict had accidentally led to the death of Caesar of Rome.
"Wake them; you should understand what needs to be done, Martha." Nero declared before making a graceful exit, leaving behind nothing but the lingering scent of roses in the air.
Martha couldn't fathom why Caesar's aura had become so overwhelming and potent, surpassing anything she had ever sensed before.
It was as though she stood before the apex predator of the world, a stark contrast to the Nero she had known.
It was like she went from zero to hero in no time.
Nevertheless, she chose to set aside this unsettling feeling and focus on rectifying the chaos left in the wake of Crimson Moon.
She understood that, no matter how many allies she gathered, none of them could stand against Crimson Moon's power.
Yet, her faith remained unchanged. Regardless of how formidable the opponent, it couldn't alter the fact that Crimson Moon was an enemy of Christ.
If given the opportunity to face Crimson Moon again, she would unsheathe her sword without hesitation.
But not here, not in this place.
They owed Nero a debt, and they would undoubtedly honor that obligation.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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