Chapter 833
Chapter 833
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 833
Chapter Title: For You, the Tyrant
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The Cheonsin Church had no pope. Instead, three High Priests served as its supreme authorities, managing the entire order.
Those three High Priests had gathered at the Cheonsin Church's headquarters. They usually handled different duties and rarely met in person. They could communicate through letters, magic, or holy rites without needing to convene.
High Priest Penelope.
Having risen from the ranks of saintesses, she resided in the Bellacarose imperial family—practically the Cheonsin Church's partner—and worked to maintain the church's influence over the Bellacarose Empire.
High Priest Oblang.
He oversaw the Cheonsin Church's headquarters within the empire. He was, in effect, the church's true representative.
High Priest Gedric.
He handled affairs outside the empire. His role was to spread the Cheonsin Church's doctrines beyond its borders. Humans weren't confined to the empire alone, and non-human intelligent races could also come to worship and follow the gods.
Once assembled, they exchanged brief greetings and got down to business. Oblang spoke first.
"This so-called Great Emperor... Eugene Bellacarose has lost his mind completely. The purges show no sign of stopping. No, it's not even purges anymore—it's outright slaughter. If you piled up all the corpses, you could build a mountain with them."
Oblang's face twisted in disgust, his voice laced with displeasure. The other High Priests sensed the fear hidden beneath it.
"The emperor's tyranny doesn't end there. He's imposed taxes on the nobles and our Cheonsin Church alike, and he's brought in black mages—those criminals despised across the continent. Word is, he's ordered them to run the concentration camps. And those camps? They're nothing but human slaughterhouses."
Gedric spoke up. A former holy knight, he was the steadiest of the three, with the least fear of the emperor.
"......"
Penelope remained silent. Even as the other two High Priests railed against the emperor and debated the church's future, she said nothing.
"Oblang, Penelope. The emperor's blade will turn toward our Cheonsin Church one day. With the Holy Grail's power, he single-handedly defeated an army of 300,000. If he sets his sights on destroying us... there's no way to stop him."
"Gedric, who doesn't know that? But we have no power to oppose him. The Cheonsin Church holds no sway over the current emperor. If we provoke him recklessly, the backlash will only harm us."
"Leave him be, and not just the empire—the entire world will groan in agony."
"Since the Heavenly God offers no guidance... we must stay calm, avoid rash actions, and remain silent."
"Don't be afraid, Oblang. I have a way to kill the emperor."
"What way?"
Oblang's expression lit up with interest. The emperor was far too dangerous now. As he belittled the Cheonsin Church, its prestige and power plummeted. At this rate, the church itself might crumble. Oblang's honest desire was to eliminate him if possible.
"No!"
Penelope, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. Oblang and Gedric turned to her.
"Absolutely not! We mustn't provoke the emperor! We should only prostrate ourselves before him. He's a storm—we endure and weather it until it passes."
"...Penelope. There's conviction in your tone. Did you glimpse the future?"
Oblang asked, hope in his voice.
Back in her youth, when Penelope was a saintess, she occasionally had prophetic dreams. Thanks to those visions, the Cheonsin Church gained much, and it was why she had risen to High Priest.
"...I didn't see it clearly. The Heavenly God permitted only fragments. The emperor... the emperor will rule this world. We must prostrate ourselves before him. That's the only way. The only path to survival."
Oblang gazed quietly at Penelope. A scar marred her forehead—one the emperor had inflicted.
It was infamous how she was mistreated at the imperial palace. No, mistreated was too mild a word. The emperor beat her and heaped insults upon her.
This hadn't happened to Penelope herself, but the emperor had once ordered his soldiers to rape a marquise's wife. She was around Penelope's age. Penelope, already scorned by the emperor, might end up the same way—ravaged by soldiers.
Oblang clenched his fist. Penelope had been his first love, his unrequited love, and his last.
"Penelope. I see this as a trial from the Heavenly God. Trials aren't meant to be endured passively. We must overcome them. If a typhoon comes, we prepare so our house doesn't collapse."
"Ah... Oblang. Please reconsider..."
"Penelope. I've made up my mind. Tell her, Gedric."
"...Penelope. Leave us. I can't trust you anymore."
Gedric said firmly. Oblang stayed silent. He understood Gedric's stance and judged it best for Penelope.
"...Yes. I am merely saddened. Today's events... I'll erase them from my memory."
Penelope rose and withdrew. She wouldn't tell the emperor about this.
"Gedric. What's the way to kill the emperor?"
"His strength comes from the Holy Grail. As the saying goes, fight poison with poison. An emperor empowered by the Holy Grail must face another with the same power."
"...You don't mean giving a Holy Grail to someone who can oppose him?"
"The king of Grand Kingdom. He could more than match the emperor. I know him well. Even with the Holy Grail's power, he won't become a tyrant. I swear on my name."
"...I've heard of Grand's king too. It's possible... but the Holy Grail is the issue."
"I heard Penelope recovered one."
Oblang nodded.
Penelope had retrieved a Holy Grail from the emperor. Not stolen—the emperor had allowed it, though at a steep price.
"The recovered Holy Grail has no power. It needs at least a century to accumulate its strength."
"Give it to me. I'll fill it with power."
"...Is that even possible artificially?"
"With other treasures, yes. Trust me."
"Very well. I trust you, Gedric."
Oblang and Gedric continued talking until nightfall.
Gedric, now holding the Holy Grail, strolled quietly through the church gardens. He headed toward a large tree, where a woman emerged.
She had gloomy purple hair cascading long, golden eyes, pale skin, and a voluptuous figure—an enchantingly beautiful woman.
Gedric, a man of the cloth, felt desire stir at the sight of her and narrowed his eyes.
"Morgana. What is this? Did you cast a spell on me?"
Her luscious red lips curved into a smile, mocking him.
"A spell? You feeling lust for me? Sorry, but this is just how I am. I thought you were just a boring old man... but you have your amusing side. I've reevaluated you."
Morgana licked her lips with her tongue. Intentional or not, every gesture oozed sensuality. That's why Gedric stayed wary.
"Wouldn't it be faster if you seduced the emperor? He craves women even more than his predecessor. With your beauty, he'd surely fall for it."
"Impossible. He loves women, but he's not swayed by them. The lake's blessing blocks magic too... Appearing before him would be like begging for death. He'd toy with me for life."
Gedric recalled the rumor that Morgana had poisoned the current emperor's mother. Given the emperor's hatred for her and the witches, and her demeanor, it seemed true.
Gedric drew out the Holy Grail Oblang had given him. A sacred relic the Cheonsin Church had acquired by paying a fortune. Yet now, it was just an ordinary cup.
"I'll believe you can empower it."
"Don't worry. I'll fill it properly and return it. And you—don't get greedy."
Morgana touched the Holy Grail. The hated object that granted the emperor invincible power. Her grip tightened.
"The Holy Grail seems to give humans invincible strength, but... there's a difference per person. The greater the human, the greater the power it bestows. I know my limits well. Grand's king could surpass even the emperor."
"That won't be enough. You know that."
"I'll do my part. Anything else is your job, right? I should ask—how's it going?"
"Smoothly. The emperor's too strong, too ruthless. His solo victory over Harmel's 300,000 troops was huge. It's made even those indifferent to the empire start wary of him."
"...You seem almost pleased with the situation. Don't you hate the emperor?"
"I do. He burned my son, raped my daughter, killed my mother. No reason not to want him dead. But... it is fun. Far more than my days in the palace. Hehehe."
Morgana's golden eyes gleamed like a predator eyeing prey. Gedric tensed instinctively.
Soon, Morgana cast a spell. Her body dissolved into mist.
"No funny business until I bring the Holy Grail back."
"......"
Morgana vanished.
Gedric rubbed his chilled nape.
'Beautiful, but chilling. They say she incited the grand witch to attack the emperor... Does she truly hate him? How did the late emperor even take a woman like her as his empress? Maybe she bewitched him.'
Gedric stared long at where Morgana had disappeared.
This was the Cheonsin Church's main temple.
She had infiltrated past its barriers, holy knights, and priests.
'...She might be beyond even the grand witch. The emperor too... This world is full of monsters.'
Gedric sighed and returned to his quarters.
???
The imperial palace was in an uproar.
Today was my birthday. Every noble in the empire flocked to the palace.
As a special occasion, we planned a banquet unlike the usual ones. It was the prime minister's idea, but honestly, the daily banquets had grown tiresome. A special one now and then wasn't bad.
The birthday banquet began at noon.
I rose from bed that morning. Aside from me, about ten women lay sprawled across it. All stunning beauties.
As I got up, maids approached. They washed and dressed me with practiced ease. They took turns servicing my cock, so it never got boring.
I had breakfast. Over 300 dishes filled the table. I ate only a few. The rest got thrown out.
'No poison today either.'
About four months ago, after I single-handedly crushed Harmel's 300,000-strong army, assassination attempts ceased. No more rebellious nobles surfaced. All bowed to me.
'I've nearly seized full control of the empire...'
No one dared defy me. Any with a spark of rebellion met swift death.
Lately, I'd just been enjoying beauties.
Walking the corridor, I checked my Tyrant Score.
[Current Tyrant Score: 8,024,147]
The Tyrant Score rose even without kills. Embracing women netted 1-2 points each time.
'Count Talmor's running the camps well—it's boosting my score passively.'
Still, it wasn't enough.
My goal was 100 million Tyrant Points. Only 8% so far.
'Conquering Harmel gave a huge boost. Maybe start a conquest war.'
Fortunately, this world had plenty of kingdoms to conquer. Even non-human races like witches or twin-winged folk.
Lost in thoughts of conquest, I reached the corridor's end and entered the palace gardens.
The gardens were breathtaking. Fragrant flowers, lush trees. And nude beauties as decorations.