Chapter 115
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115
A blackness was gradually spreading around his blinded eye. It was impossible to hide completely, even beneath Ar's long, dark bangs.
I’m going to die soon anyway.
If the outcome was already set, all he could do was manipulate the process—the parts still within his reach—as much as possible. Yes, he just had to speed things up.
Sorting through the documents he had spilled water on earlier, Ar spoke calmly.
"It's my body, so I know. I won't last more than half a year."
"...Half a year?"
"I don't know for sure. If my body breaks down, it'll probably be around then. My mind might give out much sooner, though."
"..."
"Garot, this is an order under my authority as Deputy. Do not let the other members know about this. After I'm gone, don't even tell Uin what I said. Only you can know. It has to be this way."
"I'll obey, since it's an order... but don't pretend you're doing this for my sake. I wouldn't tell Lady Uin even if you begged me to."
Garot let out a dry chuckle. Ar followed suit, a faint smile gracing his lips.
"Before my life runs out, I will see the Apocalypse through to its end."
For the Empire.
Though his body was in ruins, his singular conviction remained unshakable.
Therefore, his resolve to defeat Swallow—the greatest disaster threatening the Empire—remained unchanged.
Of course, no matter how much he hurried, Ar's remaining lifespan wouldn't allow him to so much as lay a finger on Swallow.
...This was a fact Ar himself knew all too well. In that case, he simply had to pass the torch. He would lay down as many stepping stones as possible to ensure Swallow's eventual destruction.
"First, we must prioritize restoring what we've lost. We need to replace the Masterpiece that was destroyed, and we must rebuild our order's forces."
"You can leave replenishing the order to me. I already know which talents you were considering, Captain."
"...I was wondering why Uin and the other knights were nowhere to be seen. You've already sent them out, then."
"They're in pairs, searching for the individuals we discussed last time. They left a few hours ago, so some teams might have already made contact."
"Garot, you... You should have at least given me a report before taking action..."
"What kind of report did you expect me to give a superior who can barely breathe through hallucinations and pain? If you're going to work, Captain, do it in moderation. You look like a fool, carving away at your own lifespan."
"You..."
For the first time since entering the office, Garot offered a bright smile instead of a smirk.
"Well, I'll report the details tomorrow. It seems I should make myself scarce for now."
"If you have something to say, say it now. I'm perfectly fine."
"No, it's not about that, you foolish Captain."
She stood up from the sofa. As Garot extended her left hand toward the teapot, the sound of water filling it echoed through the room. Then, leisurely drawing a magic circle on the floor, she left him with one last remark.
"I saw him on my way here. The person you hate most is heading this way."
The magic circle emitted a soft glow. Leaving only those words behind, Garot's figure faded away.
The 'person he hated most' knocked on the office door just as the last remnants of the magic circle vanished completely.
"I have heard the sad news. I hope this old man's small consolation can be of some comfort to you."
"...It really is the person I hate the most," Ar muttered, making sure he was loud enough to be heard.
Standing before him was the Pope.
Even though the Dungeon Subjugation Union Headquarters, where his office was located, was not a place the Pope could easily enter, he had walked right in and now stood directly before Ar.
"It seems that when people grow older than necessary, they develop a taste for overstepping their bounds. Or perhaps you're testing my patience, curious to see just how much I'll tolerate."
Ar smirked. His eyes curved into crescents, filled with utter contempt for the Pope.
Placing one hand on the table, Ar prepared himself for any eventuality. Garot had withdrawn to monitor the surroundings, ready to act in an emergency. The Pope seemed to have brought two priests as bodyguards, but at a glance, they didn't look like they would stand a chance against her.
"It seems this old man's indiscretion has offended you... But it also seems that very indiscretion has allowed me to catch sight of the noble Captain's scar."
The Pope, who had been staring at Ar, hesitated for a moment before putting on a benevolent smile. It was a smile directed at Ar's blinded eye and the black-stained skin around it.
Ar found that smile utterly repulsive. It was the smirk of an old fox.
"I came for no other reason than to see your face."
"You came because you wanted an answer," Ar replied.
The Pope raised an eyebrow. The two priests guarding him took a step back.
Just before Ar had departed for Knecht, the Pope had paid him an unexpected visit and made a proposal.
"Did you say you wanted to break free from oppression and spread your doctrine to a wider world?"
"If one were to name the most powerful forces in the Empire, would they not be the Imperial Knights, the 'Red Spear of Roa', the Imperial Palace Magic Society, the 'Third Eye', and above all, the Empire's greatest order, the 'Edelbreas Black Wolf Knights'? If the Deputy would only lend us a fraction of his influence, we could manifest God's will across more regions of the Empire."
"You are quite right, Your Holiness. Which is exactly why you ought to make a wise decision. The head of those powerful forces is standing right in front of you. I could kill you right here with a single gesture."
"Deputy, public sentiment has been greatly unsettled by recent ominous events. It matters not if you reject religion and worship the Emperor. We must restore the spirits of the people..."
"Anyone listening would think we were actively suppressing your doctrine."
Cutting off the Pope's words with a sharp tone, Ar glared at him with his one good eye.
The Empire's religion was a mere imitation.
The Empire was a nation built by humans, and at its pinnacle stood a human called the Emperor. Even if God truly existed, within the Empire, God could never stand above the Emperor. The god of the Empire was the Emperor himself.
The Holy Kingdom, a key member of the Kingdom Alliance, had been on bad terms with the Empire since ancient times. The Empire was always watching for a chance to seize the Holy Kingdom by the throat. The 3rd Generation Homunculus, 'Heavenly Wings'—created specifically to 'tarnish the prestige of the orthodox faith'—was living proof of this.
However, that plan had failed spectacularly. The bond among those who believed in God was far more resilient than the bond among those who believed in a mere human.
As long as the miraculous power of divine energy existed, believers would spring up anywhere. Even in the Empire, where the Emperor reigned supreme, there were bound to be those who believed in God. The Imperial Family feared them. After all, a single mudfish could muddy the entire pond.
The Empire had two choices: embrace them or oppress them.
As a result of that choice, a state-sanctioned religion was established within the Empire, complete with its own Pope. Believers could worship God within the Empire's borders without having to look to the Holy Kingdom. It was a deeply contradictory phenomenon, but the effect was undeniable.
However, the Imperial Family was no fool; they had no intention of sitting idly by while the Pope's faction grew. While common believers were left unmolested, the Pope himself would be ruthlessly crushed by the Imperial Family the moment he showed any sign of ambition. He was constantly suppressed. There were times when the Pope's life was deemed cheaper than that of a minor noble.
The Empire's religion was, in the end, a mere imitation.
"God," the Pope parted his dry, chapped lips once more, "will soon bestow His blessing upon every land touched by human feet. I merely wish for the Deputy to walk that path alongside us."
"Listening to you, one would think you're about to launch a holy war."
"..."
As if Ar's words had struck a nerve, the Pope hesitated for a moment before chuckling softly. The laugh was far from pure; it was utterly frivolous.
"You joke too much. How could an old man who abhors blood ever harbor such thoughts? Besides, look at this frail body of mine. Far from having the strength to wield a blade, these days I struggle to even digest a proper meal."
"That sounds like you'd do it if you had an accomplice."
Once again, the Pope flashed the smile of an old fox. Realizing that Ar's words were becoming increasingly provocative, he bowed his head and turned to leave.
"In any case, I shall take this as a refusal and withdraw for today. I hope that when I visit next time, you will reconsider this old man's proposal."
Ar watched in silence as the Pope, having left those final words in a soft voice, made his way out of the corridor. He stared blankly at the empty space where the Pope's back had just been, his gaze hollow.
Only after the Pope had completely vanished did Ar smile, mimicking the Pope's expression from earlier.
Just like the Pope's.
Frivolous.
He laughed under his breath like that for a long, long time.
Phase 3
"We, Nilkumbal, will destroy the Empire before this season ends."
In the heavy silence that followed Kurak's declaration, only the rhythmic drip of water from stalactites could be heard.
Bathory swirled the empty glass in her hand, enjoying the fragile silence. Her scarlet lips curled into a faint smile, her expression brimming with leisure.
Mmh, I knew you'd say that.
Seeing Kurak maintain an unusually stubborn silence from the moment he arrived, she had suspected something was amiss. She already knew Hexabel harbored no hostility toward Swallow, and since Azi Dahaka's panic was written all over her face, it wasn't hard to guess her thoughts.
In fact, it was precisely because of Azi Dahaka's presence that she could be certain Kurak was acting suspiciously. After all, wasn't this the first time both of them had ever set foot in the Primordial Core? Most first-time visitors were flustered, finding the place vastly different from what they had imagined. Bathory had gone through the same thing, and no matter how powerful the master of a Great Evil Cave might be, a reaction like Azi Dahaka's was only natural.
Yet, Kurak was abnormally calm.
I didn't expect him to reveal his purpose so directly, though.
In any case, he had successfully captured everyone's attention. From Kurak's perspective, that was already a success.
Bathory relished this quiet battle of wits. Her smile widened slightly.
Glancing at Swallow, she noticed his expression, which had previously shown only sheer exhaustion, was slowly hardening. It seemed that, uncharacteristically, Swallow was actually thinking, likely envisioning a future where he would be dragged into a highly troublesome situation.
A full-scale war between a Great Evil Cave and a human nation would result in catastrophic damage to both sides, regardless of the victor. The repercussions would be incalculable.
Now then...
Bathory, who had been thoroughly enjoying the situation, snapped her fingers. The butler materialized at her call and took her empty glass. Only after the familiar transformed back into a bat and fluttered up to the ceiling did Bathory speak in a leisurely tone.
"So, what is it you want? Are you asking for our help?"
"If you aid us, I promise to repay the favor for generations—until the history of the Orcs comes to an end. However, I did not come here to ask for reinforcements."
"Then what? Did you just come to give us a heads-up?"
"Do not interfere in our war with the Empire."
At Kurak's response, Bathory's eyes narrowed. Even Azi Dahaka, who had been rambling incoherently, fell silent and stared at Kurak with a serious expression.
"That is what I, Kurak, ask of all the Great Evil Caves."
Only Swallow averted his gaze as if he couldn't care less, but Kurak's eyes remained fixed squarely on him.
Everyone in the room knew.
On the surface, his request was for all the Great Evil Caves, but what Kurak truly wanted was Swallow's answer.
The fierce battle in Hastin.
Despite the monumental clash between two Great Evil Caves, neither Swallow nor Erebos—the parties involved—had said a word about it. In this vacuum, the only intelligence Kurak had gathered was that a clash had occurred and that Erebos had ultimately been defeated and forced to retreat.
Looking strictly at the outcome, Erebos's invasion of the Empire had been thwarted by Swallow's own hands. Sharing the same goal, Kurak had no choice but to be deeply wary of Swallow.
"That's all well and good, but shouldn't we have a proper grasp of the situation before we weigh in?"
As the atmosphere began to shift, pressing Swallow for an answer, Hexabel, who had been silently observing, carefully spoke up.
"You see, I have quite a few questions."
Having the initiative he had barely seized snatched away, Kurak glared at her with narrowed eyes. Hexabel simply kept her head turned toward the center of the table, ignoring his glare.
A bizarre, grating voice that sounded like scratching vocal cords echoed through the chamber.
"Earlier, did you not say you would destroy the Empire before this season ends?"
"It is as you heard."
"Do you know how much time is left until winter arrives?"
The season was already on the threshold of winter. The wind outside was biting, and the cold was already akin to that of early winter. Judging by the early sunset, there was less than a month before winter truly set in.
Furthermore, the Empire's territory was vast, easily matching the size of several other kingdoms combined. Even if they launched an immediate invasion and won victory after victory, destroying the entire Empire in a single month was practically impossible.
"If the lack of time is your concern, let me be clearer. We, Nilkumbal, will destroy the Empire within a month."
Despite the absurdity of the claim, Kurak spoke with absolute conviction.
"I swear by the 'Will of Nasha', the noble soul. All preparations are complete. Every warrior of Nilkumbal is merely waiting for my command."
"My, my, Mr. Orc. Of course they are. It's your dungeon, after all," Bathory chimed in sarcastically, propping her chin on her palm to back Hexabel's point.
Hexabel pondered for a few seconds before continuing.
"Admirable spirit. Now, for my next question. It concerns your premise, Kurak."