351. Tarnix (1)
351. Tarnix (1)
- 1 -
Orbis Duchy, capital Atrium.
The palace plaza burned with the fervor of victory.
Moments before, the official surrender delegation from the Arillit Duchy had arrived.
The delegation was led by the most senior and responsible member of the ducal royal family now that the Archduke and Crown Prince had been taken prisoner: Princess Izelda Sen Arillit, second child and eldest daughter of Archduke Grimbart.
Pale-faced, she stood before Queen Amelia with an unruffled composure befitting a nation's representative.
Though she would ultimately be made to kneel, she was a shrewd offspring of fate determined to burn her own sense of dignity into the eyes of the people until the very last moment.
"As the representative of the Duchy, to Her Majesty Queen Amelia, I convey the Arillit Duchy's intention to surrender..."
Queen Amelia looked down at Izelda, her golden-brown hair neatly combed back and her blue eyes glinting.
The princess knelt before her.
The princess's voice trembled minutely, yet at the same time it was strangely distinct.
'She's after something.'
Her attitude passed well enough as the resentment of the defeated. But Queen Amelia's eyes held a different light.
She was far too calm for it to be mere resentment.
For a woman who had come as a hostage, she was excessively resolute.
Whatever anyone said, a monarch's gaze was different.
Even if she was a self-appointed puppet, simply sitting upon the throne was a position where one came to see and hear much.
"I accept your surrender."
Amelia did not let it show. She merely offered a queenly smile.
If it was something she could notice, then surely 'that person' would know of it and act before she did...
'She will handle it on her own.'
From the beginning, she was a person who 'did not need to think' for herself. She had decided it would be so.
She only needed to report, receive orders, and carry them out.
"As promised, Archduke Grimbart of Arillit's soldiers will be safely returned."
At Amelia's words, Izelda bowed her head deeply.
"Citizens."
The Queen raised one hand high and declared.
"We are victorious."
- Waaaah — !!!
- Long live Her Majesty the Queen!!
- Long live the Queen!!
The cheers of the Orbis citizens filling the plaza pierced the sky.
It was the moment the relief and joy that this nation's first proper war since its founding had ended in victory exploded forth.
- 2 -
Dalkak.
From a high terrace of the royal palace, Serica and I looked down upon that scene together.
Under the warm sunlight, the steam rising from the teacups shimmered.
"Isn't it too easy for them to surrender? If it were me, I would have fought at least once before deciding."
Serica grumbled with a sulky expression. Setting down my teacup, I chuckled.
"Yes. I thought so too. And... they will assume we think the same."
"What do you mean?"
Serica looked at me with puzzled eyes.
"I have my suspicions."
They would surrender, but they would not hand everything over meekly.
Staged unrest disguised as internal backlash, minor provocations at the border... The scale would differ, but it would be much the same.
Movements to buy time and introduce other variables.
Only when all those 'tricks' were exhausted could we truly savor a 'proper victory' from this war.
"What, that. In the end, it's a cowardly act."
"There is a saying that the one who survives is the one who wins, after all."
"Hmph... Ah, don't pinch...!"
I teased Serica, pinching her cheek while she glared discontentedly toward Izelda, when I sensed a familiar presence from a mage approaching the terrace.
It was the presence of the communication orb.
"Master. A communication has come in. It is Lady Esther."
"Good. Give it here."
Taking the crystal orb and imbuing it with mana, it rose into the air and projected a translucent image of Esther into the void.
This was an advanced communication spell, not yet distributed to the civilian populace, but fully deployed within my army.
「Master. Just moments ago, I received intelligence that the Holy Kingdom has begun to move.」
At Esther's direct report, a thin smile crossed my lips.
"Tell me in detail."
「Circumstantial evidence has been captured that the Holy Kingdom has recently made secret contact with the three nations of Norn, Zenota, and Kakia. The specific details have not yet been ascertained, however... I judged it right to report to you first.」
"Hmm."
With a low groan, I placed both hands on my knees. It was a move I had anticipated... but it was faster than expected.
Listening beside me, Serica's eyes sparkled with interest.
"Are they planning to attack all at once? Like a pack of hyenas?"
"Heh. That possibility can't be ruled out."
I laughed, my eyes narrowing as well.
Serica's analogy wasn't wrong, but...
"Their true objective might be elsewhere."
I rested my chin on the armrest and fell into thought for a moment.
I could roughly guess what that scheme was. The most powerful and foulest trick the Holy Kingdom could employ.
As expected, it would be a 'Declaration of Heresy.'
The ultimate weapon of the continent's sole religion, capable of turning all justification held by a small territory, or even a great nation, into scraps of waste paper, and instantly transforming them into a public enemy of the entire continent.
"Esther."
「Yes, Master. You have orders.」
If that were so... I must first solidify my internal foundation.
"By now, within my domain, are there not many who know the true teachings of the Sun Church? Whether clergy or faithful."
「Of course. Under the new faith, there are many who seek to erect the banner of their own hearts and walk the right path. They are those who have realized the injustice and irrationality of the Celestial Religion.」
Esther's voice held not a trace of hesitation or falsehood.
I spoke as if whispering.
"It seems the time has come to bestow 'blessings' upon them. Those who will become sword and shield to you. Select with care... those who are ready to walk the path of true glory."
Esther bowed her head deeply. Within her solemnity was a hint of deep emotion.
「I shall obey your command. I will first carefully select those who are to receive grace. For the glory of my Master.」
"Good. I look forward to seeing excellent individuals."
As the communication ended and the crystal orb fell from the air, I handed it to the mage beside me and thought inwardly.
'The experiment is already complete.'
The experiment of 'changing the coordinates of holy power.'
An experiment that meddled with the domain of gods, one that the clergy would surely call 'heresy' upon seeing.
Grace Eivano and the corrupted clerics had been good test subjects.
It had also been confirmed that clerics who harbored a 'different holy power' rather than the existing Goddess's holy power suffered no particular physical issues or side effects.
If the new entity they came to 'serve' was a being indifferent or harmful to the faithful... surely some kind of distortion would have occurred.
For them, it was fortunate that the entity in question was me.
The reason they didn't change was because I had carefully minded my 'essence' so as not to recklessly alter the faithful.
'Of course, it is not perfect.'
The power my 'faithful' would hold was highly likely to be considerably diminished compared to before.
This was because my power was still far lacking compared to the 'Absolute One' of this world, the Goddess.
But that could be sufficiently overcome through other methods.
'Dungeon core, or monster core implant surgery.'
With that, it would even be possible to grant power exceeding that of existing clerics.
Regarding this part, I had already confirmed multiple successful cases.
The largest examples among them were the Adventurer's Guild leader Hallai and my disciple Sonia.
Hallai, who had stagnated at the elite level, had simultaneously recovered the power of her prime and leaped to the high rank, and Sonia, too, had seen her magical reaction and abilities improve dramatically.
'The only regret is that I cannot apply this method directly to Esther right away.'
Unless a safe method to completely convert holy power was found, carelessly 'converting' the Saintess Esther, who possessed immense holy power, was dangerous.
If the phase of holy power of her caliber were to suddenly change...
It was certain that 'those above' would surely notice.
- Long live Orbis!!
- Thank you! Goddess!
I looked toward the statue of the Goddess of the Celestial Religion, now appearing worn, erected in one corner of the plaza.
And at those celebrating Orbis's victory before it.
The 'Goddess' still exerted immense influence over this world.
The task of completely erasing that influence must be carried out with the utmost care, and gradually.
- 3 -
Four days later, morning.
We arrived at a large island in the southern continent, east of Agares's demon realm.
"Thank you for your hard work navigating."
"It was not so difficult. Thanks to the care you took for us."
As I nodded and commended the monsters Echidna had dispatched to us, they bowed their waists even deeper with expressions full of deep emotion.
They were beings with considerable loyalty.
"Stay as far from the island as possible. It's unknown how far the aftermath will reach."
"Yes! Please call for us as soon as the battle ends! We will wait."
After seeing off their ship, disguised as a pirate vessel, growing distant, I surveyed the island's full view.
An island that looked like a typical uninhabited isle, with a single massive mountain rising from its center and dense jungle surrounding it.
But beyond that jungle, a strange black stone structure jutted out abruptly, giving it an odd impression.
An island named Tarnix.
As the name suggested, this island was the domain of Agares's troublesome lord-class magical beast, 'Tarnix.'
'A white elephant.'
A being that brought no great gain if obtained, yet was too valuable to simply discard.
Tarnix was such a being to Agares.
An uncontrollable magical beast that, while not belonging to Agares's direct chain of command, occasionally swept across Zenota's southern coastline with its poison breath and returned.
A being beyond the proper standing for a Demon Realm Archduke to personally confront, yet one whose subjugation by subordinates would cost too many sacrifices, so it was left neglected with only the name of 'Count' attached.
In other words... it was a 'living calamity' in itself, reigning through pure power and violence.
Hwioooo...
We reached the vicinity of the entrance to the massive mountain at the island's center.
The surroundings were utterly silent, save for the sound of wind. Even the common sounds of insects seemed to hold their breath.
We had set foot in the dragon's domain.
"Shue."
"Yes, Master."
I turned to Shue.
"Run wild to your heart's content. It's a good opportunity to test your power."
"... Heh."
The spell of release.
The moment my permission was given, Shue's entire demeanor changed drastically.
Her usual slightly languid appearance vanished, and a chilling aura, terrifying beyond measure, blossomed forth.
The reins that bound her nature had been loosed.
Hwooook — !
Simultaneously, dense, blood-red mana burst from her entire body like a storm.
It was the moment she would imprint her 'presence' upon the entire world for the first time since being promoted to a lord-class monster.
- Kuoooooh — !!
Had it detected that presence?
A ferocious roar, as if shaking the entire island, resounded from beyond the mountain.
Kurrung!!
A massive black shadow as if to cover the sky.
That shadow, soaring into the air after tearing through the pitch-black threads of fate cast by the active volcano... was spreading wings as massive as its own body.
- Who dares set foot in my domain without permission — !!!
A savage and arrogant will.
Along with it, a form flying toward us ferociously.
Multiple horns rose above its head, and its entire body was covered in scales of sharp, beautiful luster.
A pair of enormous membrane wings that could cover its own body and still have room to spare, long yet muscular limbs and tail, and a maw filled with too many sharp teeth to count.
A being whose body it would be fitting to describe as possessing 'ferocious beauty.'
- I, Tarnix, shall use you for a single meal — !!
Yes. Tarnix was a dragon.
In whatever world, always one of the mightiest races recounted in legend.
"... Huh."
Upon Shue's lips, a smile brimming with arrogance and ferocity no less than that dragon's appeared.
Pitch-black poison gathering at the dragon's maw.
A densely churning blood-red power grasped in Shue's single hand.
Kwarurung —— !!!!
The two forces were shot fiercely toward each other at the same instant.