Chapter 24: The Grand Social Gathering (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 24: The Grand Social Gathering (4)
“So suddenly? No, more importantly, why Calliban all of a sudden...?”
Evan spoke with a look of utter bewilderment. He paused for a moment, deep in thought, before his expression shifted to one of dawning realization.
“Wait, are you planning to go to the North?”
Evan asked this as he recalled that Calliban was the country closest to the lands of the northern barbarians.
“I’ll explain everything on the way, so get ready first. Is the additional information I asked for confirmed?”
“...If you mean the person you asked me to find, then yes. According to the information guild, they’re in that village.”
Evan spoke with a lingering sense of unease.
“Then we’ll stop there first and head straight to Calliban.”
Despite Alon’s firm tone, Evan looked at him with his characteristic mix of curiosity and resignation. Nevertheless, he left the room to carry out the orders.
“Sigh...”
Alon let out a heavy sigh and covered his face with his hands, feeling exhausted just thinking about it.
The descent of an Outer God was a major catastrophe that he desperately wanted to avoid at all costs.
Outer Gods.
In the continent of Psychedelia, they were known by many names. Much like the Five Great Sins, their mere descent was a blight that brought ruin to the world.
Furthermore, for Alon, their descent alone was enough to utterly shatter his plans for the future.
Once they truly descended and began their rampage, they became calamities capable of wiping out a kingdom or two as if it were nothing.
Of course, since there were six kingdoms on the continent, the probability of his specific kingdom being tainted was about one in three.
Ultimately, looking at it coldly, there was a significant 33.3% chance that he would lose his noble title and end up living as a beggar.
...In fact, at that point, being a beggar might be a mercy. If an Outer God were to charge straight for Asteria, his chances of survival would be abysmally low.
If, by some miracle, the Outer God destroyed two other kingdoms instead of Asteria, the situation might be slightly better, but even that wasn't ideal.
If two kingdoms collapsed, the United Kingdoms would crumble in an instant. The surviving kingdoms would then fall into a mad scramble to seize useless lands contaminated by otherworldly powers.
With tens of thousands of casualties and over a dozen heroes already ground down by the Outer God, the kingdoms would naturally weaken until there was a 100% chance they would be swallowed by the Empire.
In short, whether it happened sooner or later, the result was the same: if an Outer God descended upon the United Kingdoms, he would have to give up his noble title.
In some ways, the latter scenario was even more painful than the former.
The former would end everything in one blow, but in the latter, once a full-scale war began, he would be forced to step onto the battlefield himself.
Of course, some might argue optimistically that the United Kingdoms might band together even more tightly.
However, Alon, who had played this game for a long time and seen hundreds of different scenarios, could firmly shake his head at that notion.
In every single one of those hundreds of scenarios, the moment even one kingdom was destroyed by an Outer God or the Five Great Sins, the probability of the alliance collapsing was 100%.
While other minor details might change, the dissolution of the alliance never did.
This meant that from Alon’s perspective, to prevent his life plan from going down the drain, he had to stop the Outer God before it could fully descend upon the kingdoms.
“...Hmm.”
Fortunately, since he had decided to move the moment he heard an Outer God was descending, he did have a plan.
I have to do something within two months.
When Outer Gods first descend to the surface, they manifest as Heroic Spirits and cannot use their full power. They must go through a two-month stabilization period before they can awaken as Living Gods and wield their true strength.
In other words, it was much easier to stop an Outer God before it became a Living God.
...Though, even before becoming a Living God, they were by no means weak.
He quietly recalled the game information stored in a corner of his mind—information that was now mostly gathering dust except for the essentials.
If it’s the North, it’ll be Uultultus, the God of Duel. Since he won't be able to use his Divine State before becoming a Living God, it should be manageable. Normally, to suppress him with pure martial force, you’d need at least five Sword Masters and one Archmage...
Alon quietly shook his head.
Naturally, gathering that much power in the current situation was impossible.
Yet, Alon’s expression did not sour.
Having anticipated this situation from the moment the monster underwent Divine Possession, he already had a plan to eliminate the Outer God.
I’m not sure if it’ll go exactly as planned, but...
This wasn't the time to worry about every little detail. Having reached that conclusion, Alon opened a drawer in his lodgings, pulled out some stationery, and began to write a letter.
Ten minutes passed.
...I should probably prepare a gift to take with me.
After finishing the letter to Deus Macallian, a Master Knight in Calliban, Alon stood up.
Late that afternoon, with about two days left until the banquet, the Count of Palatio left Duke Lotegr’s castle.
* * *
That night.
Duke Altia, who rarely traveled, had arrived at the annex of the Lotegr Ducal House—an entire building of which had been graciously provided for her stay. She was currently conversing with a man.
“So, you’re saying Count Palatio has already departed?”
“That is correct.”
As the man, Marquis Mardinio, nodded, Duke Altia—Loria—spoke.
“And? How did it go?”
“Fortunately, he accepted the gifts graciously.”
At the Marquis’s words, Loria smiled.
“That’s a relief.”
In truth, for nobles, gifts were fundamentally ceremonial and rarely held deep meaning.
However, that only applied to very light gifts. Substantial, expensive items like relics always carried a specific intent.
And in a case like Marquis Mardinio’s, where someone wishing to join a faction presents a gift to the head of that faction, the meaning was singular.
It was a sign saying, ‘I wish to join your faction; will you accept me?’
Of course, asking directly would be more straightforward, but noble society was built on the foundation of saving face.
For instance, if one were to ask directly and be rejected, they would lose face.
Therefore, both the one asking and the one receiving used gifts—essentially bribes—to convey their intentions metaphorically, making it easier for both parties to respond.
Accepting the gift meant agreement; refusing it meant rejection.
Of course, Count Palatio—that is, Alon—knew nothing of this.
He had only attended a ball once in his life, had no friends, and his father had died after spending his final days in a drug-induced haze. When it came to such social nuances, he was as ignorant as a commoner.
Consequently, Alon had accepted the gifts with the simple, opportunistic thought: Even if I realize what this is later, I won't see them much anyway, and it’s not like they can ask for it back once it’s given, right? He was fully prepared to just take the spoils and run.
“Now we can officially share the same purpose.”
“It is an honor.”
“What about the others?”
“He accepted the gifts from all the others who expressed their desire to join us as well.”
In any case, because Alon had accepted the gifts from the nobles Loria had pre-selected, all while intending to just take the money and run...
“...Then we can finally start moving in earnest.”
She smiled thinly and began preparing for the official birth of her faction.
* * *
Exactly one week after Alon left Duke Lotegr’s territory.
He arrived in Parklan, a small village in the northern part of the Ashtalon Kingdom. Alon had come here for one reason.
“Hello!”
He was here to meet the protagonist of this dark fantasy roguelike game, Psychedelia.
“...Do you know who I am?”
“Um, no?”
Since the Five Great Sins had vanished and the protagonist’s existence was no longer strictly necessary, Alon’s reason for meeting Elivan was simple.
Even without the Five Great Sins, the protagonist was bound to become famous. Alon figured it wouldn't hurt to get on his good side early.
...Of course, now that an Outer God had descended, he had come packed with items to help with early growth, hoping the protagonist would level up as quickly as possible.
“...You’re Elivan, right?”
“Yes, that’s me!”
Looking at the boy who spoke with a smile so bright it felt refreshing, Alon thought to himself:
He’s way too beautiful for a boy... well, his appearance matches the illustration exactly.
In Psychedelia, the player could choose the protagonist’s gender, but Alon quickly pushed that thought aside as he felt a strange sense of cognitive dissonance.
...Was the protagonist always this cheerful?
Recalling that Elivan’s personality in the dark fantasy game was supposed to be somewhat lively but not this bright, he felt a brief moment of doubt.
But it was only for a moment.
“Take this.”
Deciding it didn't really matter, Alon naturally pulled several gold coins from his pocket and handed them over.
“Huh? For me?”
The boy’s eyes grew as wide as saucers upon receiving gold coins that could support an average family comfortably for two months.
But Alon wasn't finished. He led the boy aside and began explaining and handing over the items he had spent the last week preparing specifically for him.
After a long explanation and handing over everything he had gathered...
“...But why are you giving all this to me so suddenly?”
Looking at Elivan’s confused face, Alon thought for a moment before answering.
“It’s an investment.”
“An investment?”
“Yes. Because you’re going to become someone great later on.”
In truth, his real motive was the hope that Elivan would handle any future Outer Gods that might appear, but Alon kept that to himself.
“I am the Count of Palatio.”
He made sure to leave the name of the benefactor to be thanked upon success before stepping back into his carriage without hesitation.
“Thank you, Bi—no, Count!”
Elivan looked lost at the sudden meeting and parting, but he quickly bowed to the departing carriage.
A short while later.
“...I have a rough idea of what you’re trying to do, but wasn't that a bit too much of a whirlwind?”
Evan spoke up as he watched Alon, who had just showered the protagonist with gifts in the blink of an eye.
“We don't have time. And he’ll understand well enough. He’s bright.”
Alon spoke, recalling Elivan’s character settings.
In truth, he had considered staying in the village for a few days to build up some rapport, but unfortunately, time was of the essence.
Evan nodded in agreement.
“True, he did seem incredibly talented. Even as a kid, his mana was overflowing.”
“...Hm? Mana?”
“? Yes, mana. Didn't you see it? It felt like it was practically oozing out of him. Plus, he looked like a village boy, but he seemed to be wearing artifacts too.”
At Evan’s words, Alon searched his memory of Elivan.
I did feel a bit of mana, but... wasn't Elivan supposed to be just 'Village Boy A' before he started his adventure...?
Alon tilted his head, recalling the opening setting of Psychedelia.
According to that setting, it was indeed strange for Elivan to already possess mana and artifacts.
...Well, he is the protagonist. I guess he can be extra talented.
With that thought, Alon stopped worrying about Elivan.
He had given him everything he could; there was nothing more for him to do. If the protagonist was strong, it was better for him too.
Elivan, the protagonist of Psychedelia, was one of the few truly kind-hearted individuals in this brutal dark fantasy world.
And so.
“How many days from here to Calliban?”
“Hmm... it should take about another week. Ten days at the latest.”
“...I hope I can get some help.”
Alon headed toward Calliban, listening to Evan’s response.
Meanwhile, in a grand mansion in southern Calliban, Deus—who had been resting after a northern expedition but was preparing to head back north tomorrow because of the 'Outer God'—read a letter.
“!”
After finishing the letter, he immediately issued an order.
“Vice Commander.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Postpone the northern expedition by two weeks.”
The Vice Commander paused before asking.
“May I ask the reason for the delay?”
Deus remained silent for a moment before muttering.
“...My benefactor will be arriving soon.”