Notification
Notification
[ Washington D.C ]
A woman in pure white priestly robes entered a room with an unrestricted view of the beautiful city nightscape.
"Saint."
With a coin embroidered on her chest, the priestess of the God of Luck bowed her head toward the man gazing out at the nightscape.
"It is time."
"I will descend on time."
"Yes."
At his deep voice, heavy with experience beyond his mature appearance, the priestess quietly turned and left the room.
Now alone, the man looked out at the brilliantly shining city night and clicked his tongue briefly.
"Eight years... no, it's been nine now."
She was a woman who, among all clergy, had risen to the position of youngest-ever Holy Knight Commander. She received the unfathomable favor of the God of Amusement without reservation, granting her the titles of God's Representative and Executor—honors no one had ever received before.
"Claire Vin Asen..."
A woman who had been a symbol of fear to friend and foe alike, because of her overwhelming martial might and merciless hand.
Because of a single person, nine temples had to bow low and watch their step. For over ten years, they were crushed under the shared restraint known as the Executor.
Then, nine years ago, she abruptly halted all public activities and vanished. For the first two years, everyone kept their heads down. But by the third and fourth year, they began to suspect that some unforeseen change had occurred. After five years, they cautiously started resuming projects they had refrained from under the oppression of the God of Amusement's seeds.
One more year passed.
The God of Amusement's seeds made no comment about these new ventures. That was the moment suspicion turned into certainty.
The lofty light that had always shone proud, as if a Great Being had descended upon the earth, had fallen.
Those who had been trickling their desires out through a tiny hole did more than just widen it the moment the Executor's situation was confirmed—they shattered the wall that had been blocking them.
Thus, within a few years, everyone had explosively expanded their influence.
It was the eighth year since the giant's trail had vanished.
That was when a strange report came from the Arena Academy branch in Korea.
The Executor, whose whereabouts had been a mystery, had been appointed—not as a professor, but as an associate professor. Furthermore, the report claimed she was romantically involved with the professor whose lectures she assisted.
A cold-blooded being who would cut down anyone regardless of age or gender if they deviated even slightly from the standard, in love?
A laughable claim.
But within days, it was proven that the report's content was no lie. A photo was attached, showing a woman whose beauty hadn't faded in the slightest over eight years, arm-in-arm with an odd man wearing glasses.
The only scrap of information they could dig up on the man was his name. The Executor's reappearance wound the relaxed tensions of the various factions tight once more.
Only a few months later, another unfortunate report came in.
The High Priest overseeing the Arena Academy branch had acted unilaterally, and in the process, the Executor intervened.
The Great One commanded them to offer up the High Priest who had caused the disturbance and to 'package' the incident well. They followed through accordingly.
Naturally, that news spread quickly through the other temple branches within Arena Academy. The other factions deduced that the Executor was still fully sound, given this one-sided concession, and hastily began retreating into their shells.
A little more time passed, and during the annual Academy Festival period, another world-shaking event was broadcast live globally by the God of Amusement.
A duel between the man from the past report—the Executor's lover—and Ben Stiller.
The outcome was nothing more nor less than one-sided violence from a man named Baek Woo-jin.
Without lifting a finger, he tore apart every single one of Ben Stiller's mana circuits, turning him into a cripple unable to ever again function as an Awakened.
After that duel was broadcast live, those of us who had been watching with our heads bowed were forced once again to prostrate ourselves.
Today is another result of that choice.
[ 31 · March · Sunday - Pm 11 : 14 ]
The final day of March.
It was the day set for coordinating the date, location, and duration of the General Assembly of Clergy.
This, too, was a grand conference where representatives from all temples participated remotely. Normally, the meeting time was set based on U.S. or Swiss standard time, but for the first time in decades, this meeting's time had been set based on Korean Standard Time.
In truth, it was no different from a unilateral notification from the Temple of the God of Amusement, but since no one objected, who would dare voice any displeasure?
Speculation suggested that since the venue had been confirmed to be Korea, a report had come up that 'Troublemaker Lee Ye-sol,' who was in charge of all of Korea, would attend as the God of Amusement's representative.
"...What a pair of unlikeable bitches."
The Saint, Romenio, turned his back on the splendid nightscape, left the room, and boarded the elevator.
Ding─
Arriving on the first floor, he walked to the center of the empty chapel and took the seat prepared for him.
'The Great Beings have already sent us all the messages. I don't see the point of a meeting like this.'
Romenio glared at the head seat of the round table, chewing the inside of his lip.
It was because he found his predicament—not being able to sit at the head seat, even in his own domain—so utterly miserable.
As time passed, the moment the clock struck 11:30.
Wooong──
A faint white brilliance spread over the round table. It then flew to each empty seat, beginning to form human shapes.
However, the intensity of the light and the speed at which the forms took shape differed from seat to seat. This was entirely due to the holy power held by the caster sitting in each place.
'Unpleasant, no matter how many times I experience it.'
The sensation of his holy power being drawn out against his will was far from pleasant, to say the least.
'Tch. Sure enough, that wench Diana is the fastest.'
Romenio, who had been glaring at the Godmother of the Goddess of Benevolence—who had already fully taken form and was surveying her surroundings—turned his head toward the head seat, where not a single particle of light had gathered.
'Ha, so she intends to appear right at the very end?'
Goddamn it.
It meant they would have to wait again for her form to stabilize.
Considering the status and workload of those gathered here, a minimum of a hundred thousand dollars per minute would have to be paid for the delay.
He felt like spewing curses, but Romenio waited without letting a shred of that emotion show on his face.
Then, the moment all nine seats, including his own, were filled by spirit bodies.
WHOOOSH──!!
"Kh...."
Romenio, a holy priest immune to light and one who had reached the pinnacle among his peers, grimaced and turned his head away.
It was an involuntary bodily reaction to the light that had suddenly erupted.
As the intensifying radiance made Romenio's eyes widen in shock─
【I will proceed with the meeting.】
A chilling voice that seemed able to freeze the very soul.
The God of Amusement's sharpest sword had broken her seclusion and revealed herself.
**
[I propose Arena Academy as the venue. Now that the Evil God's followers have begun to run rampant, bringing only the minimum necessary personnel would be more convenient in many ways for dealing with unforeseen situations. With Arena Academy protected by its Absolute Barrier, I believe even a small force could sufficiently prepare for any variables that may arise.]
[I agree.]
[We also agree on this side.]
[I will consent.]
"I agree."
Unable to look directly at the head seat due to the intense light shining like a sun, Romenio observed the true faces of the other representatives in the same predicament and answered.
【Unanimously, the venue is decided as Arena Academy. I shall state my opinion first regarding the date and duration.】
Romenio and the other nine clergy members pricked up their ears.
【The date shall be August 13th. The duration will be two days. Those with dissenting opinions, raise a hand.】
The core aim of advancing the General Assembly was, literally, to hold the gathering as quickly as possible. Yet she says August?
【Seed of Abundance, speak.】
[...The purpose of today's meeting was to hold the General Assembly as quickly as possible. August feels far too late. What about April or May? I have looked into Arena Academy's schedule, and confirmed that the Grade Evaluation important to its students is scheduled for early July.]
【Denied. Considering the possibility of attacks—which you all brought up—the summer break period, when students depart, is the most suitable.】
What a ridiculous statement.
As long as the Absolute Barrier stands, no attack will ever happen here.
Besides, what madman would stage an attack with the Executor acting as chairperson?
[Hmm... I realize my thinking was short-sighted.]
He's a sly little bastard, isn't he?
Romenio ground his teeth.
Because a plan to clear a 12th Stage Rift was scheduled for early August.
A contract had already been drafted and the advance payment received, making it a task he absolutely could not back out of.
"Seed of Amusement─"
【Romenio de Atillen.】
His heart constricted as if he had been sentenced to death.
【I did not grant you permission to speak.】
At the spine-chilling sensation of an invisible ice blade piercing his chest, Romenio's head slowly bowed toward the floor of the round table.
"...Forgive my insolence."
【If there are no further objections, I shall now adjourn this meeting.】
Surely, each of them must have been given a heads-up from the gods they serve.
Yet no one at the round table raised their hand any further.
【Good. Let us adjourn then.】
And so, the coordination... no, the meeting wrapped up as a one-sided notification.