Arrival of the Church Forces
Seeing Muriel wearing such an uncharacteristically anxious expression made me want to tease her a bit, but given the gravity of the situation, I had to act fast.
Truth be told, what I was about to do was nothing more than an experiment. If it worked, great; if it didn't, too bad. That was my mindset.
The divine authority I had inherited from the Beast God Kubel was the manifestation of beasts' symbols and concepts into tangible reality. In other words, the natural, universal behaviors of beasts had a high likelihood of being amplified through this authority as well.
Hissssssh—!
"...Lord Han-gil. Lady Cecilia, Lady Vivian, and Princess Arpe are quite distressed."
"Hey, I told them to look away, didn't I? If they're staring anyway, doesn't that just mean they're closet perverts?"
"C-C-Closet perverts?! Lord Han-gil! You seem to keep forgetting, but I am a Saintess! Calling a Saintess perverted! You can't just say things like that!"
Following the shrill, squeaking protest, I glanced over. Cecilia's face was flushed bright crimson, her hands clamped over her cheeks, peeking at me through the gaps between her fingers until our eyes met.
"I-I-I wasn't looking!"
"You saw everything, so what's with the excuses... You're a pervert through and through."
"I am not a pervert! And you really shouldn't throw words like that around so carelessly! If anyone else overhears, they might genuinely misunderstand!"
Even in the midst of her desperate protests, she was still worrying about my reputation. Chuckling, I pinched off the overflowing stream mid-flow.
Ah, by the way, Vivian and Arpe were also blushing furiously, doing their utmost to keep their heads turned away. Unlike Cecilia, neither of them had the composure to speak, their lips clamped tightly shut.
"Phew, alright. That's enough for here, and... hup!"
Looking down with satisfaction at the patch of Terabaon's outer fortress wall soaked in my urine, I shaped Kubel's authority into claws and gouged massive scratches into the stone.
"...Lord Han-gil. May I ask what exactly you are doing?"
"Can't you tell just by looking? I'm marking my territory."
"Marking your... territory?" Muriel tilted her head, clearly mystified.
It wasn't just her; the rest of the retinue who had followed me out were staring with thoroughly baffled expressions, so I figured an explanation was in order.
"As you know, my authority belongs to the Beast God Kubel, and Kubel's power is about turning the concepts and symbols of beasts into actual physical phenomena. Simply put, the inherent traits and ecological behaviors associated with beasts manifest as absolute power."
"Which is why you are urinating and carving claw marks?"
"Exactly. I used this 'territory' trick against Rubias before, but back then the effect was weak and the range was narrow. Even so, it still managed to suppress the authority of an actual Demon King. So if I leave direct, physical marks like this, I can claim a much broader area as my territory and exert powerful control over it. Probably."
"I see... That makes sense. It was a necessary process."
"Told ya."
Gulp, gulp!
To produce more ammunition, I chugged another bottle of liquor straight down, exhaled a hot breath, and looked at Muriel.
"By the way, how's the gear? Do you like it?"
At my question, Muriel gave a soft smile and looked down at herself. Instead of her usual maid uniform, she was currently clad in sleek, dark light armor that radiated a subdued, inky luster. Not a shred of presence or aura leaked from her, which perversely made her appear all the more lethal.
"Yes. It fits my body perfectly. On top of making my movements lighter and overflowing with strength... channeling Shadow Arts has become far smoother. I have never felt in such peak condition in all my life."
"Glad to hear it."
It was a Unique Grade set tailored specifically for assassins, pulled straight from House Stanasila's treasure vault. It would have been a problem if it didn't perform.
"How about the rest of you?"
I shifted my gaze to the others. Rebecca, Cacciola, Nemeth, and the rest were all geared up with brand-new, customized equipment. The twitching corners of their lips, barely containing their sheer excitement, said everything about how thrilled they were.
"It's so incredible that it's almost terrifying."
"I don't even know if I truly deserve equipment of this caliber."
"Master-ya! Right now, I don't feel like I'd lose to anyone!"
Watching them chime in with pure delight brought a natural grin to my face. And no wonder—they finally had equipment that matched their actual power levels. In terms of pure combat potential, they wouldn't easily be pushed around even by a Demon King within the Divine Realm. Of course, it would be an entirely different story in the Demon Realm, but here, they were formidable.
"Alright. Let's move."
Quickening my pace, I diligently sprayed urine and carved claw marks along the perimeter of Terabaon's outer ramparts. And the results manifested almost instantaneously.
"...Well, that worked like a charm."
The moment I finished marking all eight cardinal directions, the authority stirred, and my senses began to expand without limit. It was an exceedingly bizarre sensation. It felt as though the entirety of Terabaon had been trapped within my palm, or as if my very nerves had stretched out like a spiderweb, drawn razor-sharp across the land.
"I did it on a whim, but the effect is way better than expected...?"
It didn't just sharpen and broaden my perception—the authority itself swelled and amplified, washing over me with a sensation verging on omnipotence.
"...So this is how the Beast God Kubel's power is meant to be used."
It wasn't a power meant for attacking or invading; it was a power meant to delineate boundaries, to protect and defend. The instant I grasped the core essence of the Beast God, a part of my soul felt as though it floated up into the stratosphere.
Simultaneously, a spine-tingling chill swirled from the nape of my neck straight through my brain, followed by an immense, grounding weight settling across my entire body, as if whatever composed my very being had finally solidified into physical form. It felt as though my existence had driven deep, immovable roots into the earth, filling me with uncontrollable stability and exhilaration.
"Inhale... Exhale..."
Could this count as an awakening? It was different from a conventional awakening, making it hard to grasp entirely, but having more room to grow was always welcome.
"...Hm?"
Right then, a foreign sensation registered within Terabaon's inner ring—specifically, near the perimeter of the Duke's Castle. A sudden gathering of unfamiliar presences flared up, felt as vividly as if they were standing right in front of me.
"Looks like the Church's reinforcement forces have arrived. Say what you will, they're always quick on their feet when it comes to Demon Kings."
"Pardon?"
Seeing Muriel tilt her head in confusion, unable to detect anything across such a vast distance, I smirked and set off with total certainty.
Just as my expanded senses had reported, a cohort clad in pristine white robes and polished armor stood in orderly formation before the gates of the Duke's Castle. Ignoring the murmuring townspeople, the priests and paladins held their spines ramrod straight, an unmistakable grim resolve and unyielding purpose practically dripping from them.
"Hm? Oho! Long time no see!"
At that moment, a bald mountain of muscle commanding the priests and holy knights caught sight of me and began waving his arm overhead like a madman.
"Stanasila Alzen! Gwahaha! We heard a Demon King was invading, so we came to lend a hand—wait, what?"
Perdio Hadim, who had been charging over with a voice like rolling thunder, suddenly froze the moment he got a clear look at my face. His expression hardened into pure shock.
"...Are you truly... Stanasila Alzen?"
"About half of me is. Long time no see, Perdio Hadim."
"Half, you say...? Then what of the other half?"
Seeing his hand drift toward his weapon, I let out a dry chuckle.
"Name's Kang Han-gil."
"Huh?! Wait, what?! What are you doing?! Don't pull me!"
"Lord Han-gil?"
The instant I introduced myself, I grabbed Cecilia and Wendy and shoved them forward. Flustered, both girls looked back at my face.
"Explaining it is too much of a pain in the ass. You two vouch for me."
"Ah... Understood."
"Pardon me...?"
Wendy nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, while Cecilia stared up at me with an utterly uncomprehending expression.
"...Saintess. Could you explain what is going on here?"
"About what?"
"Well, that appearance does not match the Stanasila Alzen I know."
"...Ah?! Ah! No, wait! Cardinal Perdio Hadim! He is definitely not a demon or an evil entity! He really is the Stanasila Alzen we know!"
"And yet, he claimed that only half of him is Stanasila Alzen..."
"Ah, well, that's, you see... Actually, um, from the very beginning, he wasn't Lord Alzen, but Lord Kang Han-gil... And when I introduced him as the Goddess's Champion, that was also Lord Kang Han-gil... I mean..."
"Wow, Cecilia. You are breathtakingly awful at explaining things."
When I teased her as she stammered in panic, she whipped her head around and glared daggers at me, scowling fiercely. Chuckling, I reached out and ruffled her soft blonde hair into a messy mop.
"Anyway, Hadim. If the word of these two isn't enough, I've got the Third Imperial Princess to vouch for me as well."
When I nudged Arpe forward, Hadim wrestled with his thoughts for a second before finally nodding in resignation.
"For now, I shall accept that you are the Alzen I know. Though you certainly owe me a thorough explanation later... Ahem! Regardless! Per your request, I have brought the forces necessary to combat a Demon King and High Demons!"
His unnecessarily booming voice echoed across the square, and I grimaced. It wasn't just because my ears hurt—it was because several citizens watching the gathering of priests and paladins had overheard him.
"D-Did you hear that? I think he just said Demon King...?"
"Did I mishear?"
"I heard it clear as day! He said forces to fight a Demon King and High Demons!"
"No way... Is Terabaon under attack again...?!"
The scars from High Demon Cambello's massive aerial assault hadn't even finished healing, so the citizens immediately began trading uneasy whispers, panic spreading through the crowd.
"...Hadim. Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Ah, my mistake... I got excited and spoke without thinking..."
Seeing him rub his hairless scalp with a deeply chagrined look, I let out a weary sigh. Given that he was a hot-tempered bruiser who looked like a walking boulder and had spent his entire life as a Heresy Inquisitor butchering black magicians and demonic beasts, expecting tact from him was an exercise in futility.
"...Just follow me for now. You can talk details with my father."
"Ahem. Understood. My apologies."
Watching Perdio Hadim sheepishly lead his cohort of priests and paladins behind me, I shook my head in mild exasperation.