Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Interlude (3)
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Right after the noon service ended.
Heinrich quietly waited for the Saintess to finish her cleanup.
It wasn't as if she could completely drop her duties just because her tasks were done, so they needed time to exchange opinions.
As they joined up and headed to the office together...
She expressed her gratitude with an awkward smile.
"Ah— Heinrich, thank you for earlier! I came out a bit early today to prepare in advance, but as I passed by the flower bed, I got caught up without realizing... Ahaha."
She had come out early in the morning, accounting for any delays, but in the end, she hadn't managed to tear herself away from the flower bed until the last possible moment.
"Even so, you've never been late once so far, have you, Saintess? I'm sure you would have made it on time this time too somehow."
Even if he hadn't said anything, she probably would have realized how tight her schedule was, or another priest would have come looking for her, ensuring she didn't miss the service.
No one in the grand temple was unaware of her recent obsession with the flower beds.
"Hmm... Yeah..."
But despite his reassurance, she suddenly seemed dissatisfied, furrowing her brow slightly and pouting her lips.
As he wondered if he'd said something wrong...
"...Last time, I asked you to call me by name when we're not in an official setting."
She murmured softly in a timid tone.
Heinrich, now able to detect even the slightest vibration in the air, couldn't miss her voice from this close range.
'Come to think of it, she did say that. It was right after she became the Saintess.'
But it had been said so offhandedly, and with their busy schedules, it had naturally slipped his mind.
Lately, all their meetings had been official occasions due to their duties.
'Now there's no one left who can call her by name...'
As the highest-ranking leader in the Church of the Main God, few people could address the Saintess by her personal name.
And most of those just called her "Saintess" anyway.
She was one of a kind in this world, existing fully in that title alone, so it was only natural.
The name she used to introduce herself, "Riesta Saint Hatianus," had become little more than a formality for outsiders.
At least before, the Pope—her equal—had called her by name...
'But now that he's bedridden, even that's no longer possible.'
And that was when the new Saint, "Heinrich Saint Landgard," had appeared.
"Hahaha— The title 'Saintess' has become so habitual that it's hard to get used to anything else. I'll make more of an effort from now on. Riesta."
Of course, calling her by name didn't mean dropping the honorifics entirely, but she seemed satisfied with that alone, her face brightening as a soft smile graced her lips.
At the same time, that smile blended with her ever-glowing halo, radiating brilliance that matched her sparkling appearance and filled the surroundings with warmth.
'I always think this, but it's like she's the only one under a spotlight. I don't have a halo like that.'
Heinrich inwardly marveled and grumbled, but to others, he looked no different from her.
"Oh? Salute! The Saintess and Saint are passing by."
"Hmm, the Saint seems even stronger than before. He's not even emitting it intentionally, but that presence... and that aura..."
The Holy Knights of Radiant Guardians, tasked with the grand temple's security, saluted from afar and whispered among themselves.
A man and woman with flowing silver hair that shimmered like waves and golden eyes that gleamed like the sun.
Their appearances were equally stunning, harmonizing so perfectly that it was impossible to say one outshone the other.
Of course, the "Grand Blessings" they had received differed, so their natural auras varied as well.
Unlike Riesta, whose head glowed like a lit bulb, Heinrich emanated a transparent, flame-like aura from his entire body.
It was so faint that it was nearly invisible unless observed closely, but even without actively channeling holy power, it clearly imprinted his presence everywhere.
It was like a torch piercing the darkness or a lighthouse guiding the way— a beacon that would never fade, even in pitch-black void.
No abyss could ever bury his existence.
That was what a "Hero" was.
"So, before the summit meeting..."
"Ah, I've already asked the Inquisitors about that..."
Heinrich conversed with the Saintess as they headed to the office.
Thus, the Saint-cum-Hero, bearer of everyone's hopes, diligently worked for the continent once more today.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ And while the Hero toiled away...
The Demon King-cum-Immortal King, bearer of everyone's resentment, wasn't just idling either.
[I pledge my loyalty! O Immortal King!]
[I offer my soul to the King—.]
The opening of the abyss had weakened the barriers, spawning undead across the continent.
Among them were mid-level executives who had commanded lesser undead with superior intellect, even if not originally commanders of the Immortal Army.
Death Knights, immortal sorcerers known as Liches, headless executioners called Dullahan Knights, and so on...
They were all talents on par with Malcolm, the first self-aware undead he'd created: the Death Wizard.
Most had escaped the barriers and were cautiously assessing the situation for safety.
It was a natural progression that they gradually fell under Hans's command, swelling the army's ranks.
'Satisfactory. Worth all the trouble of me personally scouting around.'
After all, the Immortal King himself possessed the best detection and mobility, making it the most efficient method.
Even if it was a bit undignified.
In the end, his frantic efforts had rounded up all the undead that appeared in the western continent, and now he was pushing toward the central regions.
'Even rushing like this, quite a few slipped away irretrievably. If the west—where I acted first—is like this, how many remain elsewhere?'
Naturally, the world's factions weren't sitting idle against the undead.
Undead raids, human purges, unexpected clashes—conflicts raged everywhere...
Many undead who failed to join the Immortal Army had perished, a number too significant to ignore.
'Still, netting more commander-types amid the chaos is a solid gain.'
The Immortal Army's high-ranking officers had dwindled greatly in the last war, so this was fortunate.
'That one from a few days ago was Phargos.'
He had recently recruited Phargos, a Dread Phantom formerly ranked in the top 20s—a ghostly undead.
Unlike Banshee Queen Olivia, who resembled a human woman, Phargos looked like coalesced black mist, with only his upper body distinctly formed—yet towering at three meters tall.
[Glory to the Immortal King— I shall lead the spread of terror in this world—.]
With a pair of glowing red eyes from his smoky head, Phargos embodied pure malevolence.
His voice, echoing like from a deep cavern, brimmed with fear-inducing magic, but that was standard for high undead.
'And this recent find is a Ghoul Lord...'
[Fiona—.]
As Hans softly called her name, the plain-looking woman, who had just submitted and knelt before him, bowed her head again.
Formerly around 30th in the Immortal Army rankings.
Ghouls were zombie superiors in every way, thriving by devouring corpses.
She had reached the pinnacle by endlessly feasting.
'She doesn't look much different from a human.'
Thanks to their ability to regenerate flesh by consuming corpses, she showed little decay despite being undead.
She could pass for an ordinary human woman at a glance.
Of course, the stench, dilated pupils, and dry membranes created an eerie dissonance up close—but compared to other undead, she was in excellent condition.
'Until you see inside that mouth.'
Lips torn to the ears, jaws unhinging like a crocodile's, filled with saw-like teeth.
True to her status as an iconic carnivorous undead, her maw rivaled even Hari's ferocity.
[...Loyalty...]
But Fiona, reluctant to reveal her mouth, remained taciturn despite not needing to open it—undead spoke via mana resonance.
'Probably a habit from her human days.'
Attending to such sensitivities was a caring superior's duty.
Though he'd never held a regular job, Hans—firmly believing himself an ideal leader—didn't mind his subordinates' quirks.
As long as they did their jobs properly.
'Not that anyone's ever dared act presumptuously before the Immortal King.'
With these new recruits bolstering the ranks, the Immortal Army could act more aggressively on multiple fronts.
But as the scale grew, maintaining secrecy became increasingly difficult.
No—major factions were likely already watching them closely.
'Fortunately, no major clashes yet.'
From their perspective, striking first might unnecessarily provoke the relatively subdued Immortal Army...
And solo actions risked self-inflicted losses.
'But that won't last much longer.'
The "Continental Summit Meeting" to jointly counter the Immortal King and his army.
It was right around the corner.
Once countermeasures were decided there, a confrontation was inevitable.
And that would be...
The signal flare for the full launch of Operation "Home Theater."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ With pre-meeting coordination dragging on, preparations for the "Continental Summit Meeting" proceeded swiftly once the schedule was set.
The Church of the Main God, as hosts, handled most arrangements including the venue, but the seamless progress made one wonder why it had stalled for so long.
'Others must have felt it too.'
Heinrich shook his head as he lightly surveyed the meeting hall.
Those who had exploited the chaotic crisis—without any sense of urgency—for political gain.
They had realized that continuing selfishly could backfire.
The continent's situation was far from normal.
The madness incidents weren't subsiding but intensifying, compounded by uprisings and terrorism draining their nerves.
Especially the Azerion Empire, bordering most of the northern mountains with its vast territory, and the Rohan Duchy to its north—enveloped on three sides—faced daily warfare.
They desperately wanted the summit to proceed quickly for support.
The Empire had likely pressured others to make it happen.
'Anyway, this long-awaited, controversy-ridden meeting is finally here.'
The Roselia Grand Temple had been preparing far in advance.
Ready to finalize at a moment's notice.
This allowed pulling the date forward maximally, and with the temple's gates, travel distance was no issue.
Finally, everything was going smoothly.
Thus time passed, and with the event days away...
Delegations from each faction began arriving one by one through the grand temple's gates.