Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Just like the assassins of ancient times did...

Since then, the north and south of Italy have successfully met.

But it was only a brief encounter. Beyond their ideals and the work they'd done to achieve them, there wasn't even much time left for them to reminisce. As they parted, Elio donned his hood, and Cozart and Giotto once again touched faces, tightly grasping each other's hands. Deep down, they knew this meeting was a miracle among miracles.

If nothing unexpected happens, they will never see each other again until the day the war breaks out again.

And if things change, they may never meet again in this life.

In December 1856, Spedo suddenly appeared at the Vongola secret base.

"In three days, the King will review his Swiss Guards at the Champ de Mars," Spedo emphasized. "We won't find a better opportunity to assassinate him."

Giotto immediately sent for Elio.

They had a heated argument over this, with Elio insisting on going into battle himself, believing it was the safest option ("You know I've been waiting for this day!" he said, "I'm an Assassin, Giotto!"); but Giotto insisted that he stay behind, believing it was the best way to preserve the flame ("If you have no other Assassins available, I agree with you going! As long as you still have elite Assassins, you shouldn't risk them losing their focus again!").

Originally, this wasn't something worth arguing about. But perhaps because they'd suppressed their anger for too long, or perhaps for some other reason, the two friends, who had originally held a united stance, ended up arguing across the map table.

Elio said, "You're the one who's always at the forefront! How dare you use that to convince me?"

Giotto retorted, "That was war, Elio! But we're talking about charging into the enemy camp alone!"

Elio said, "You think that's hard? You have no idea how many times I've done this!"

Giotto pleaded: "I don't know! But please, Elio, you don't always come back alive!"

Elio was practically amused by this. It had clearly been Giotto who had asked him to do this in the first place, yet now, why was Giotto trying to dissuade him? The assassin turned abruptly, circling the room several times before finally saying, "I don't need your permission, Giotto! Do you think if I contact Spedo and tell him I'm going to assassinate Ferdinand II, he'll stop me?"

Giotto was stunned. He stared at Elio with an incredulous expression, almost a touch hurt. Elio fell silent for a moment, unable to meet his gaze, and lowered his head.

There was a suffocating silence.

"I'm sorry, Giotto," Elio whispered. "I shouldn't have said that."

"It's all right, Elio," Giotto said gently, "I know you didn't mean it."

Elio lowered his head. Giotto came around from behind the table and took his hand.

"You are the most remarkable, the finest, the most incredible assassin I have ever met, Elio," Giotto said. "I know you wanted to go. I also know you could have stayed out of this, returned to your homeland; but you stayed for me, for all of us, and volunteered to fight this war. I shouldn't have denied you that, Elio. That's my fault."

Elio snorted softly. Giotto smiled.

"I know it was me who initially asked you to assassinate Ferdinand II," Giotto continued, his tone becoming more serious. "But I was too young then. I thought everything was too simple, Elio! The king's death won't make us feel better. Victory in the war won't make us feel better either. To make Sicily, to make Italy feel better, we need to work a hundred, a thousand times harder than killing the king or winning the war, and when that happens... I hope you'll still be here, by all of us."

"When that time comes, Elio, I hope we'll build a new future together," Giotto said. "I want you there! I need you there. Please."

He looked Elio in the eye. Elio looked at him for a moment, then turned his head away helplessly. "You've lost."

Giotto's face lit up, "You're not going?"

"No," Elio said, "I must go back and talk to the assassins. They must be waiting for me."

Although reluctant, Giotto wisely let go of Elio. If he had any suspicions that Elio might be plotting something, he wouldn't have said it. But Elio didn't leave immediately. Instead, he smiled at Giotto and embraced him.

"I'll let you know as soon as the results come out," Elio promised.

Elio's first act upon returning to the Brotherhood was to convene the Assassin Council.

He made it clear that he was the best fighter of them all. The Council acknowledged Elio's important role during this dark period. It was his powerful fighting ability that brought hope, successfully protected the Brotherhood, and successfully soothed all the anxious hearts, allowing the Brotherhood, which had suffered tragic losses that year, to regroup and continue fighting.

but……

Hearing this, Elio felt like rolling his eyes. He knew there was a "but" waiting for him here! But Elio restrained himself. After all, he was no longer the assassin who could truly hide in the shadows and not let anyone see his facial expressions.

"But, precisely for this reason, we cannot afford to lose you," the Council said. This last statement was their true point. If things went wrong, the assassin sent on this mission would be forced to sacrifice his life, as had all the assassins before Altaïr. Even worse, the assassin's life could be lost in vain, while Ferdinand II remained unscathed; this was not unprecedented.

They had tried it several times before.

So this time... they will (Elio thinks they "have to") send an assassin who can be sacrificed by the Brotherhood even if he dies on the spot.

Elio finally struggled and initiated a vote, but the result of the vote pinned him down in the mentor's seat.

On December 8, a soldier named Ajecilao Milano stood in the ranks with dignity and pride, just like the others. But unlike the others, his eyes were fixed on Ferdinand II who was walking towards them.

If he succeeds, the entire history of Italy will be rewritten!

But unfortunately, he didn't.

According to records, Ferdinand II suddenly changed into a heavy military coat before leaving the palace that day. It was this armor-like coat that blocked the assassin's blade. Ferdinand II himself, accompanied by his guards, was reviewing the troops behind "Milano"...

"Milano," or Luigi, was arrested on the spot and, after a trial, was to be publicly hanged three days later.

The news of the failed assassination immediately spread to the Brotherhood. In the pale silence, Elio was the first to break it.

"I say we go rescue him," Elio said. "Who's for, and who's against?"

Unlike the previous assassination, where Elio had gathered only a handful of men to ensure a sufficiently secretive operation, this time everyone knew Luigi's assassination attempt on Ferdinand II had failed and he was about to be publicly hanged. In the hall where Virgil had lectured them on philosophy, the Assassins stood frozen, as if stunned by Elio's proposal.

Why save him? They'd been taught since childhood that "the Brotherhood must not be implicated." How could they risk sacrificing more assassins for a failed assassin? Not to mention, if captured by the Templars, any assassin's first reaction would be to commit suicide immediately!

If any of them were put in a situation where they had to be rescued, I'm afraid any assassin would die of shame!

This goes against their "honor".

But…then again, why not?

The silence was no longer as bleak as before. Their minds were clearly aroused, exchanging glances, trying to gauge the expressions of their companions. The silence was like a melting glacier, beneath which a surging undercurrent surged, its torrent almost deafening.

"Unlike last time, when the operation had to be kept strictly secret," Elio said, "this time I'm asking all of you for your opinions. If you agree, we'll organize a team and storm the execution ground, just like the assassins of old did."

Maria was the assassin standing closest to him. She had been watching Elio since he started talking, wondering, What if they disagreed? Would Elio just brush it off?

From what she knew of the mentor, he would never do that.

"If you don't agree," Elio said, as expected, "I'll go by myself, just like the assassins of old!"

The assassins erupted in an uproar. Amidst their chatter, Maria, for some reason, glanced at Elio again. A faint smile played on his lips. As Maria paused, she realized Elio had noticed her, too; but he said nothing, simply winking at her.

Events unfolded as expected. Just as they had in the previous small council vote, the Assassins, by majority, agreed to organize a team to attack the execution ground and rescue Luigi. Elio carefully planned the operation, having the Assassins on the rooftops, sharpening their Hidden Blades and loading their throwing knives; he forbade them to fire unless absolutely necessary, as that would reveal their position.

The most dangerous role is played by Elio himself.

December 12, Piazza Mercado, Church of Our Lady of Carmine.

Countless blood has been spilled in Piazza Mercado since the Middle Ages, and the bells of Santa Maria del Carmine have tolled countless times for its executions. However, since the reign of Ferdinand II, more people have been executed here than in all the centuries before.

Perhaps it was this realization that most of the people gathered around the execution platform, awaiting execution, remained silent, their faces a mixture of numbness and fear, rarely revealing that morbid curiosity. Those in the front row jostled and shoved, jeering and cursing at Milano as he was being escorted there; children darted between their legs, vendors hawked drinks and snacks, and a detachment of military police in red uniforms, their backs to the platform, impatiently maintaining order.

Ferdinand II, who had committed this "feat of greatness," was sitting comfortably on the balcony of his mansion not far away, enjoying all this from a high vantage point. He was certain that, except for the sniper, no one else could enjoy a higher perspective than him.

But so had all the enemies Elio had faced before.

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The author has something to say: Oreo looks like a black cat, but it actually has a small tuft of white hair on its belly.