Chapter 165
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 165
The citizens of the imperial capital, Riaze, trembled with anxiety inside the inner castle.
Before the dread left by the ‘Black Disaster’ could even begin to fade, another catastrophe had struck, making it impossible for them to feign composure any longer. Garot’s gaze swept over the terrified townspeople.
“What would you like to do?” a magic scholar from the ‘Third Eye’ asked from behind her.
“You need only give the word. With a single command, I can summon thousands of them right now. If we are to act, it would be best to do so before the Orcs can gather and form their ranks…”
“Not yet,” Garot replied. Her eyes were as cold and lifeless as a corpse’s. “Just a little longer.”
The magic scholar bowed silently. With those same cold eyes, Garot watched the Orcs continue to pour through.
“The order will only be given after Sian finishes his work.”
*
“We got here much faster than I thought.”
Swallow’s quiet murmur was lost in the howling wind.
Flying hundreds of meters in the air, Azi Dahaka ceased her forward momentum and hovered in place. Just a few kilometers ahead, the massive castle walls of Riaze came into view.
—It had taken only a single day to reach their destination.
“I heard it takes two months by carriage. You’re really fast.”
“Well…”
Azi Dahaka mumbled at the sudden praise. She was already struggling to accept her new role as a mere mount, and receiving a compliment on her performance was throwing her into an identity crisis.
“Why are you acting so surprised? Didn’t it take you less than half a day to run away from home and reach Melju's Demon King Castle, Boss?”
“No, that was a mistake…”
“You mean a failure, Boss.”
Swallow, who had been stammering while scratching the back of his head, suddenly stopped and glared at Patrick.
Even if he shut Patrick’s mouth now, the guy would just keep blabbering. Could I disguise it as an accident? Drop him from this height just right, so only his jaw breaks? If I get the angle perfect, it might actually work.
“Why are you looking at me with such sinister eyes?”
“No… It’s nothing.”
Then again, it probably wouldn’t stop at just a broken jaw. Abandoning his plot, Swallow looked forward again and let out a yawn.
“Anyway, what are we doing, Boss? Should we head down right away?”
“No,” Swallow replied to Patrick. They had arrived, but it wasn’t the right time to barge in. It didn’t seem like Hexabel had shown herself yet, so they needed to wait until she appeared.
She’s a quick-witted one.
Conveniently, he received information from one of Azi Dahaka’s subordinate dragons, who was already monitoring Riaze. The Orcs had just begun crossing over using the Teleportation Hub. This meant the final clash would occur before long.
If Hexabel was hiding as he suspected, she would surely reveal herself soon.
“…Let’s wait a few hours.”
*
“Your Holiness.”
The parlor door was open. A clergyman poked his head in carefully and reported to the Pope.
“I have just received word that a massive army of Orcs has invaded Riaze’s second inner castle.”
“How many?”
“According to the outer guards, there were only about a thousand at first. However, their numbers are growing rapidly, so there are likely around five thousand by now… They are continuously teleporting through the Teleportation Hub. The imperial army attempted to intercept them several times but failed.”
“Tell me the rest of the details, as thoroughly as possible.”
“Yes! Most of the imperial forces that retreated from the Annun Plains have taken up positions on the castle walls. However, with too many phantom beasts in the air, the imperial army has lost control of the skies.”
“Is there any concern about mana depletion?”
“The Teleportation Hub is powered by the massive mana crystals stored in the Annun Plains, so there should be no shortage.”
“So all one hundred thousand Orcs will be crossing over.”
“…It seems so.”
“I see.”
“…”
As the Pope replied, the clergyman quietly swallowed.
Even while speaking, he had been constantly watching the Pope’s reaction. Although absolute chaos was unfolding in the heart of Riaze, the Pope was sitting comfortably in a luxurious chair, casually chatting with the master of the estate. This behavior was so jarringly different from his usual simple, holy image that a bead of sweat rolled down the clergyman’s cheek.
“You have done well, brother. Go and rest now,” the Pope said, staring intently at the clergyman. The viscount, enjoying refreshments beside him, chimed in.
“There is a small annex next to the spiral staircase, managed by a brown-haired maid. I have prepared it with the utmost care, so please rest there.”
“…Thank you.”
The clergyman, looking slightly dazed, bowed his head in gratitude. Only after he had left did the Pope close his eyes and murmur.
“You did not have to go to such lengths.”
“Haha, shouldn’t I start getting on your good side? After all, you and your brothers will be the ones leading the new Empire.”
The master of the estate, Viscount Dietrich, laughed boisterously.
—The Pope was biding his time at Viscount Dietrich’s estate.
The viscount’s estate was located on the outskirts of Riaze’s inner castle. Since the Imperial Palace stood proudly in the capital, nobles were forbidden from owning castles of their own, forcing them to build and live in grand estates instead. In such a society, the only way to flaunt one’s wealth was through sheer opulence. Not a single mansion in Riaze lacked extravagance—proof of how wealthy the nobility was, and how desperately they craved money and power.
Viscount Dietrich was no exception. He was one of the nobles who had aligned himself with the Pope to expand his influence. He had, so to speak, thrown his lot in with the Papal Faction.
Because of this, the viscount had been carefully reading the Pope’s mood for some time. His flattery and exaggerated reactions were blatantly excessive, but the Pope paid no heed to such sycophancy. His mind was consumed by a single thought.
Finally.
Finally, the Orc army had crossed over to Riaze through the Teleportation Hub. This meant the Paladins had successfully completed their mission.
I truly am blessed.
The Pope marveled at his own fortune. Though he had prepared for contingencies, the plan had proceeded so flawlessly it could only be described as perfect. The biggest reason for this was the fall of Ar, the one he had been most wary of. It truly felt like a divine blessing.
“…Now, only the holy war remains.”
“Pardon?”
When the Pope muttered to himself, the viscount, not having heard clearly, asked him to repeat it. The Pope simply replied with a smile.
“The sunlight is exceptionally bright today.”
“Ah, yes! With brothers who share the precious blood gathered here to bestow blessings, even the heavens seem moved.”
The viscount chuckled heartily once more. The Pope silently admired the sunlight streaming through the clear glass window. Perhaps because it was built by a highly skilled stonemason, the estate was exceptionally well-lit.
And it is about time they arrived.
The high sun signaled that midday was fast approaching. The one he had been eagerly waiting for was due to arrive.
“Your Holiness.”
Fortunately, the wait was not long. After only a few anxious minutes, a servant of the estate came to find the Pope and the viscount.
“Have they finally arrived?” the Pope asked before the servant could even report, having read the man’s expression.
“Pardon? …Yes.”
Startled, the servant nodded slowly and delivered the news.
“The Paladin has arrived at the main gate.”
“I must go greet him myself.”
The Pope sprang to his feet, his steps laced with urgency. He descended to the first-floor hall and threw open the doors of the estate, walking through the colorful garden adorned with stone sculptures and fountains.
Perhaps his senses had grown sharper with anticipation, for the scent of the flowers felt unusually potent. Even sounds he normally wouldn’t hear came through clearly—the chaotic noise echoing from the bustling streets of Riaze. It was the sound of pandemonium breaking out over the Orc invasion. To the Pope, even that was a beautiful melody.
Walking through the vast garden, he saw the entrance of the estate gradually come into view. Standing by the main gate, which was decorated with rose vines, was the very person he had been waiting for.
“Brother!”
“Your Holiness.”
“I have been waiting for your return.”
The blue-haired Paladin bowed in greeting.
The Pope scrutinized him. Though the Paladin’s expression seemed slightly different from usual, suggesting something might have happened, the sword, shield, and armor he carried were unmistakably the genuine holy relics. The figure before him was undoubtedly the person the Pope had been waiting for.
“You look troubled. Did something happen?” the Pope asked, but only after confirming he was the real Paladin. Come to think of it, the other Paladins were nowhere to be seen.
“During the defense of the Teleportation Hub, we engaged in battle with Uin Historia.”
At the mention of Uin, the Pope’s expression stiffened.
The Paladin continued, “In the process, I had to send our brothers back to God’s embrace… but please do not grieve too deeply, Your Holiness. I have thoroughly dealt with Uin and the others. Can you not hear that sound?”
The distant noise verified his words. News of the Orc invasion had spread even to this suburban area, and the very fact that the Orcs had invaded meant the mission was a success.
Above all, he said Uin had been dealt with. The threat that had concerned him most after Ar was now gone. With the holy relics returned safely, the loss of a few Paladins was a cheap price to pay.
“Your contribution to our grand cause is monumental, brother,” the Pope said softly.
The blue-haired Paladin hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Though this might be a bit rushed…”
“Speak.”
“The Orcs are crossing over faster than expected.”
“…”
“Would it not be wise to hasten our plans?”
“…Is that so?”
The reason the Pope had instigated this war was not, of course, to destroy the Empire. Though he had joined hands with the Orcs, he had no intention of handing the Empire over to them. To him, both the Orcs and the Empire were merely chess pieces.
Tools to manufacture a crisis.
And now, Ar and Uin, the two most troublesome obstacles in the Empire, had been dealt with. He had heard that most of the Edelbreas Black Wolf Knights were dead. With the Orc forces crossing into Riaze to amplify the terror, both chess pieces had fulfilled their roles.
Only one task remained.
To appear before the panicked imperial citizens, declare himself their savior, and drive out the Orcs with the support of the Holy Kingdom.
“If the Orcs begin their invasion in earnest, the chaos might grow too large, making it difficult to gather the crowds,” the blue-haired Paladin added.
The Pope narrowed his eyes. After a brief hesitation, he muttered, “…Yes, indeed.”
Accepting the suggestion, the Pope approached the viscount, who had rushed out after him, and whispered a few words.
Everything proceeded rapidly after that. Following his conversation with the Pope, the viscount bellowed orders at his servants, who scattered in all directions. Soon, summoned by the servants, the clergymen and Paladins who had been resting throughout the estate began to appear.
There were about a hundred of them. These were not additional forces; this was the entirety of the Pope’s inner circle.
“Well then, I shall be waiting.”
Deciding this was not a situation for him to interfere in, the viscount bowed repeatedly to the Pope and took his leave.
Only then did the Pope pull something from within his habit.
“A communication tool,” the blue-haired Paladin said, looking at the Pope.
The Pope paused, staring at the Paladin with a hint of suspicion. “You ask the obvious. Haven’t you seen it several times before, brother? I must contact the Holy Kingdom.”
“…I see.”
It was a strange response.
The Pope was not the only one taken aback. Everyone was struggling to adjust to the Paladin’s altered demeanor. Yet, no one voiced any doubts or called him suspicious.
Because the armor and shield he wore were real.
Because no one could bypass those two holy relics to harm the Paladin.
A Paladin wearing those holy relics could only be the real deal.
Still, unable to shake off the unsettling atmosphere, a cold silence fell over them.
“Let us go,” the Pope said after confirming everyone had gathered. He took the lead, but after only a few steps, he stopped and turned back. The blue-haired Paladin had remained standing in his spot.
“Is this all?” the blue-haired Paladin asked. “Are there no other personnel?”
Once again, a bizarre question.
Something is definitely suspicious.
“You, what is your name?” a clergyman finally asked, his suspicion taking root.
The Paladin, however, did not react to the question. Instead, he suddenly raised his sword.
It was then that they realized they were too late.
When had he even finished casting? Faster than the eye could track, translucent barriers shot up in all directions. In an instant, the entire area, for a radius of several dozen meters, was completely isolated.