Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: I'm the Final Boss of This Zone
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The northern part of the continent, once the Hexion Empire.
There sat the Holy Kingdom, the central hub of the religion that dominated this continent.
Of course, religion's influence across the continent was minimal at best.
It was far more practical to fear the lords and monarchs—who were practically demigods in their domains—than to worship gods who might not even exist.
But that didn't mean the Holy Kingdom lacked power.
After all, most kingdoms built on the corpse of the Empire still actively embraced imperial culture.
It made controlling the populace easier and filled the gaps in their legitimacy.
Unlike the Twelve Warlords, the monarchs and lords who hadn't contributed to the Empire's fall were essentially hyenas scavenging the remains.
They had no choice but to patch their deficiencies with culture.
This complex demand gave birth to the Holy Divine Faith.
A new religion born after the Empire's fall, twisting imperial culture just slightly.
The hyenas who hadn't aided in the Empire's demise needed something like this to claim legitimacy.
Its doctrines weren't much different from imperial culture.
Ain were born lowly, humanity was superior, and unseen angels and the heavens watched over us.
Monarchs and lords were the heavens' chosen rulers, and their continued rule proved the karma's selection—so obey obediently.
And if they lost their seats, it was their own fault.
The finer doctrines were more complex, but that was the gist.
Most nations adopted this Holy Divine Faith—the Holy Kingdom's creed—as their state religion.
Thanks to that, the Holy Kingdom couldn't demand active submission through faith alone, but it was still an awkward nation to ignore.
"Your Holiness. A report from the Heresy Inquisition."
If asked to name the Holy Kingdom's most infamous group, eight out of ten would say the Heresy Inquisition. (The other two would say the Holy Knights.)
Officially, they tracked and judged those who dared mock the sacred doctrines of the Holy Divine Faith.
But it was an open secret that they also served as the kingdom's intelligence agency—a fact every nation knew.
"Activity in which region?"
"Regarding the heresy trials in the Providence Kingdom."
"Hah. That place."
Providence Kingdom.
The moment he heard the name, the Holy King—who had been listlessly leaning back on his jade throne—sat up straight.
It was the region he'd been most concerned about lately.
"So, what happened to those heretics?"
"We bestowed the angels' blessings and schemed for them to mutually destroy each other, but it seems that wasn't enough—they failed."
"Well, yeah."
The Holy King hadn't expected them to succeed in the first place.
He doubted heretics blessed only with the lowest tier of the angels' nine hierarchies could accomplish much.
"Should we have granted blessings at the Powers level?"
"No. Too extravagant for heretics like them."
Hertics were permitted blessings up to the 7th, 8th, and 9th tiers of the third hierarchy.
Anything from the second hierarchy upward was too precious even for the Holy King to bestow.
"Isn't the important part elsewhere?"
"Yes. Thanks to the attention on them, our priests were able to operate in the Seraphim's tomb region."
"Really? The heretics' reaction?"
"None in particular. They don't even seem aware of what's there."
"As expected of an inexperienced young king. Losing composure over mere rebellion."
The Holy King gazed at the map beside his throne with a satisfied smile.
13 Reverse Heavenly Stars. Opfir, the serpent devouring the Empire.
His tomb now lay within Providence Kingdom's territory.
Once the Holy Kingdom confirmed it, they dispatched priests under the pretext of proselytizing to build a temple.
The problem arose afterward. Unlike other kingdoms, Providence's central gaze reached even its outskirts.
The royal eyes extended to that barren wasteland where the temple stood, making investigations difficult.
That's why they orchestrated this incident.
No matter how vigilant the homeowner, they can't spare attention for guests when fire breaks out in their own bedroom.
"So, how much progress?"
"Some. But surveillance will tighten again soon."
"Hm..."
The Holy King clasped his hands in prayer, lost in thought.
Ways to loosen surveillance once more...
At that moment, a high priest—whose insight into the Holy King's moods had reached mind-reading levels after over a century—cautiously spoke.
"Your Holiness. What if we use that woman?"
"That woman?"
"Providence is the only nation that hasn't adopted the Holy Divine Faith as its state religion. Include her in a delegation to urge conversion..."
"Excellent. He's a man, after all—his eyes will be drawn there."
Moreover, with a delegation in the capital, attention would focus there, leaving no spare glances for the borders.
"Very well, proceed as you suggest..."
The Holy King smiled broadly, reaching for a writ to hand to the high priest.
"...Hm?"
In that instant, an eerie silence enveloped the audience chamber.
Everyone present was at least a superhuman—even rotten, they'd transcend mortals.
They possessed instincts, and detecting intruders was basic.
Their gazes turned to the heresy inquisitor who'd been reporting moments ago.
"...Who are you?"
The Holy King, as the chamber's master, questioned the inquisitor.
The inquisitor's pupils shifted horizontally, and he stuffed the report into his mouth.
Gulp.
After swallowing the report, the inquisitor opened his mouth.
"Meeeh~"
Crack.
The necks of priests below the 4th hierarchy twisted as they collapsed.
Even those with twisted necks bleated in chorus like goats.
"Meeeh."
"Meee."
The high priests there clutched their necks, straining to resist the twist.
Only the Holy King, who had reached the 8th tier, glared at the inquisitor—veins bulging on his neck, a single bead of cold sweat trickling from his brow.
"Lady Belphegor... I presume."
"Haha. Sorry. I should've been more considerate. It's hard to fine-tune from a distance."
The Holy King bit his lower lip, staring at the inquisitor's horizontal pupils.
This monster.
A human who reached the 9th tier was akin to the faith's supreme deity.
Having neared that wall himself, the Holy King knew their terror best.
"What brings Lady Belphegor here..."
And among those 9th tiers, the Twelve Warlords were on another level.
Unlike those who scraped by with elixirs, cannibalism, and cheats to barely reach the 9th tier, they ascended through pure skill and experience.
Monsters whose mere sight made the brain reject comprehension.
Ironically, that rejection led most to underestimate them.
The Holy King had faced other 9th tiers during the Empire's days, so he could confront the Warlords' dread directly—most only feared them abstractly.
Proof was the high priests glaring at Belphegor even now.
'Fools...'
Idiots flaunting pride before a natural disaster.
Surviving a typhoon had one way: dig in, hide, and pray.
Fortunately, the typhoon seemed uninterested in the glaring fools.
"I borrowed this fellow's body on impulse—curious about something. He signed one of my contracts before."
= This inquisitor? I sent him into my domain once, didn't I? Think I wouldn't know?
Cold sweat poured from the Holy King's brow like a waterfall.
As regret crushed his heart, Belphegor spoke.
"Not really blaming you, so don't worry."
= I'll call it even with those who just died.
"Thank you, Lady Belphegor."
"In exchange... answer a question. Anything related to Opfir?"
The Holy Kingdom's brain went blank.
How...
As he stood speechless for nearly three minutes, the Holy King's right-hand man spoke for him.
"No, Your Excellency Belphegor. We know nothing of him."
"Hmm... really?"
"Yes, I swear it's true... urk!"
The right-hand man's tongue lolled out grotesquely from his mouth.
"Well, now."
"Urghhh!"
"Aw, tsk tsk. Easy there. Fine, I get it."
The inquisitor eyed the Holy King's aide with pity, then nodded.
"Your sincerity convinces me."
"Grahhh..."
The aide frantically retracted his tongue and bowed repeatedly.
The inquisitor turned to the pale, tight-lipped Holy King.
"Trying to harness a typhoon might get you killed by a broken blade, shepherd."
With that, the inquisitor collapsed like a marionette with cut strings.
The high priests released their necks and sighed in relief.
These were all blessed by at least 6th-tier angels, yet some lay with eyes rolled back, necks irreparably twisted.
The priests steadied their pounding hearts, casting fearful glances at the corpses.
In the terror that settled over the chamber, the Holy King forgot decorum and rubbed his dry face repeatedly on the throne.
"Seraphim... if only we had the Seraphim..."
Never had the Holy King yearned for Seraphim so desperately.
*
Meanwhile, in a distant foreign land—requiring a year's ride from the Holy Kingdom.
There, the squinting gentleman—Belphegor—stroked his chin.
"Religious newbies know nothing."
Beside Belphegor, a retainer cautiously asked.
"You don't actually believe..."
"Nah, not that. Just my mistake trying to get info from fools."
"Understood."
"Questions done?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Hmm... you don't seem curious, but I want to explain anyway."
The squinting gentleman wagged a finger playfully and spoke.
"First, that old man who crossed the castle walls—he seems connected to Opfir. The Holy King provoking him was coincidence, but someone's oddly searching for Opfir."
"Lord Opfir passed away..."
"Pfft!"
Belphegor clutched his belly laughing.
"That guy? Perishing with some emperor? You really believe that?"
"..."
"Sure, some of my peers believe it—but not because it's true; they wish it were."
The Twelve Warlords were all acquainted, but their bonds varied.
"Especially that pirate. He's probably praying Opfir died."
The pirate who'd picked a fight with Opfir long ago—losing his left wrist and right ankle on the spot.
He still used a hook and blade there.
Claimed it kept revenge fresh, but who knows.
"He was the happiest when Opfir's death was announced."
"Then you, Your Excellency..."
"I don't buy it. I only trust promises and contracts. The rest is like a fleeting dream."
Belphegor lightly tapped the map.
Providence Kingdom.
"If everywhere's lies, by elimination, the truth hides where even I don't know."
"Shall you go?"
"Nah?"
Belphegor shook his head.
"The Holy King will figure something out. Till then, I'll catch up with old friends."
"Understood. I'll handle the subordinates."
"That's why I like you. You handle everything perfectly. Expect a bonus this month."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
Belphegor stretched alone on the jade throne.
"I don't know what irks that guy either, so I should cherish the horns I have left."
He fiddled with his bluntly severed right horn.