The Desirous Ones
The dawn breaks. The pitch-black night has passed.
The Emperor, gazing at the scene, smiled quietly.
“Haha. Ha ha ha...”
After the red bird vanished, he immediately returned to the capital, even using the space teleportation magic he rarely employed.
Upon returning, it was just as morning was breaking.
With a heart pounding, he headed to the Eastern Palace.
And the Emperor saw the Empress crying, but smiling brightly.
And his daughter, peacefully sleeping in her arms.
It was a miracle. The gathered physicians poured out only one word.
“This must be the will of the gods,” they said.
'Yes. It was the will of the gods.'
Even now, thinking about the events in the north, it still doesn't seem real.
That great red bird was something not ordinary at all.
At the moment he faced it, he discarded his dignity as a human and as an emperor.
He could only prostrate himself before a great being.
That being showed mercy. Bestowed fortune.
By creating a path of fire, he flew through the skies to reach the capital.
In front of all witnesses, he personally incinerated the culprit to nothingness.
“Servant.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Is it true that that maidservant was not a human?”
“I'm sorry to inform you that, upon investigation, the body of that maidservant was found in the maids' quarters.”
An evil being had killed the maidservant and taken her form.
Thereafter, he narrowed the distance with the Crown Princess and committed acts of corruption.
Looking at it this way, all the incidents up to now are explained.
“You do not know exactly where it came from?”
“Delphin is investigating, but has not yet given a clear answer.”
“You couldn't imagine an evil being right in front of you.”
The palace was home to numerous mages.
Priests dispatched from the Order were undoubtedly present as well.
Yet none of them had noticed anything.
Not even when disguising as a maidservant to coax the Crown Princess's breath.
Perhaps even when the Emperor himself was in danger.
Someone suggested they punish everyone.
“They must be held accountable for not fulfilling their duties,” he shouted.
However, the Emperor did not listen to any of those opinions.
It was not because of carelessness in not noticing.
It was simply that everyone was human and thus unaware.
If they blamed them, everyone would be unjustly accused.
'Moreover, that being would not wish for that either.'
Mercy was shown. Fortune was bestowed.
No sharp reaction should be displayed there.
“Abama!”
The door opened, and the Crown Princess rushed in.
At that sight, the Emperor almost shed tears.
“Did you sleep well, Crown Princess?”
“Yes. Abama also slept well!”
“...Yes. It was a very good night.”
The Crown Princess seemed unaware of what had happened to her.
The Emperor thought it best not to mention that part.
“Abama! I had an amazing dream today!”
“Dream, you say. Yes. Tell me what kind of dream it was?”
“It was... Um. The surroundings were all pitch black and I couldn't see anything! Suddenly a red bird came and picked me up! And then, it took me up to the sky and showed me the world!”
The father laughed in disbelief at his daughter's story.
A dream story. It should be right. The Crown Princess had never gone to the sky.
Yet, what was the reason it felt so much like it wasn't a dream?
“Th-that. A red bird.”
“It was huge! Its wings were as big as the city gates! Its back was wider than the palace! And the red bird spoke human words! It greeted me with a smile and said to live well!”
“That... A grateful bird.”
“Yes! I want to see it again later!”
“I want to see it again later. This father feels the same.”
Holding his precious daughter close, the Emperor turned his head.
Beyond the window, the world now brightly illuminated and the blue sky.
Towards the great being soaring gracefully somewhere there.
*
The Generals gathered in response to the Cardinal's order.
Originally, only the Pope could summon them.
But the current Pope was not truly the Pope.
“Under the order. All the Generals have assembled as commanded.”
“It was a long journey; you must have worked hard.”
The Cardinal Caelum, facing all twelve Generals.
He smiled pleasantly and looked down upon them.
Each one of them carried his influence.
Not only the Generals. Bishops, priests, all the same.
His authority within the Order had already reached its peak.
What remained was to perform great deeds in the name of the Order.
In truth, he was standing behind the name of the Order.
“Immediately head north to the Empire. There is an evil being there.”
“Three days? Or eight days?”
“Whatever you call it. Perhaps even more than that.”
According to information obtained from the Empire, it is not an evil being.
But one does not know. The world is not that kind.
People are creatures easy to deceive. Easy to trick animals.
Rational yet emotional. Dual beings.
Easy to be swayed by evil, so why believe that.
“The Knight of Steel has returned defeated.”
“The woman the Empire is proud of, I presume.”
“Unexpected. I heard she has skill, but...”
“They are as strong as you, but not as devout, that's why. Undoubtedly bewitched by corruption.”
A smile curled the Cardinal's lips.
Where did he dare to claim the title of hero.
Do the Empire people say such things? Absurd.
The Order is the center. The Empire is merely a side branch.
Only this place advancing under the name of the gods is the only one.
“The Empire is strong. But foolish. By borrowing one name, making them heroes and expecting there.”
“The deeds of the ignorant. They have no choice but to rely on the side of the gods, and those who act in the name of the gods and carry out the will of the gods are truly strong. They will never know the strength of eternity.”
Delphin was deliberately promoted by the Empire.
Deliberately pushed to make him a hero.
Even coveted the title of hero and used the Order.
But the Order is different. They thoroughly hide the individual.
By merits alone, the Generals here are not to be underestimated.
Yet no one in the world knows even the names of the Generals.
Because they used the name of the Order, not the individual Generals.
To make the Order, not the individuals, cry out.
“I entrust you with this. This time, your names will not be revealed.”
“But the Order will shine even more. With your devotion, eradicate the evil being.”
The Generals who received the Cardinal's command saluted and departed.
Since it was kept secret from the Empire side, it would take a bit longer.
Nevertheless, the Cardinal waited without losing composure.
“...What did you say just now?”
But after several days, the Generals had left.
Upon the Generals' report, the Cardinal could not hide his astonishment.
“The Generals report that upon reaching near the capital and resting, a flame rose from the northern sky. And at dawn, the flame ascended back to the sky and returned north.”
“So the evil being came to the capital?”
“The next report on that is as follows.”
The Cardinal read the report himself.
The content written was shockingly shocking.
“At that time, the Empire's Crown Princess was seriously ill. Even our priests in the palace didn't know during the life and death struggle.”
“It could be because it was a major event and the Empire side thoroughly hid it.”
Possible. Yes, that part can be overlooked.
But from here on is the real thing.
“But a being that dyed the sky red appeared and cured the dying Crown Princess? In the blink of an eye, cured a serious illness that even the physicians had given up on. It was cured as if washed.”
Is this really believable?
The Cardinal put down the report and just laughed.
It was fortunate that the ones who submitted this are the Generals.
If ordinary priests had submitted it, he wouldn't have believed it.
He would have warned them not to speak lies.
'The strange being appeared from the north of the Empire. Even the Empire's proud Knight of Steel gave up. The extermination team sent by our Order is absolutely not a monster...'
'A giant red bird form. That being cured the illness of the Empire's Crown Princess...?'
Then the Cardinal suddenly thought of this.
The Empire's investigation team with the Order's extermination team.
They mentioned it might be the Primordial Phoenix.
Of course, he didn't believe it. Why would the Primordial Phoenix be in the north.
All discovered Phoenixes so far were in the south.
The Empire's north. Nosland. The land of Chohan.
A place where even the flames are frozen by the ice storm.
There is no place for a Phoenix in such a place.
'...But what if such a thing really happened?'
Just by ability, that being is the Primordial Phoenix itself.
Why are there so many stories about the Phoenix.
Because humans have had so much contact with the Phoenix.
Precisely, they tried to make the Phoenix their own.
The Phoenix is a being that burns itself to enjoy immortality.
Humans are all beings who want to enjoy immortality.
So from very long ago, humans have desired the Phoenix.
For a longer life. Even more, for immortality.
In times when Phoenix was relatively common, they captured them too.
Even now, there are people trying to catch Phoenix.
Once caught, buyers will flock.
'Immortality is uncertain, but the fact that Phoenix feathers are a panacea is a fact declared by dragons.'
Even arrogant dragons used Phoenix feathers when they were sick.
So much so that the Phoenix is a great and precious being.
Once caught, enormous profit follows.
How great would a rare Primordial Phoenix be.
Really. If it is really the starting point.
What kind of power would that being have?
'This is it.'
The Cardinal's eyes flashed.
He immediately sent new orders to the Generals.
“If it's an evil being, exterminate it. If it's really the Primordial Phoenix, capture it alive. If the Order secures the Primordial Phoenix, the Order's authority will be on a different level from now.”
Humans. Dragons. Other races. Even evil beings.
All will seek the power and abilities of that Primordial Phoenix.
If the Order gets it? Just imagining is amazing!
'This is definitely the will of the gods. The gift bestowed upon our Order.'
The Order that has become the strongest in history. The greatest Pope in history.
The Cardinal felt he was one step closer to his dream.