Perfect Plans
However grand the ambitions, no one can act without a concrete plan. Especially those with lofty dreams—they always have at least one that seems plausible. Rihalt, son of the Murder God, laid out a highly feasible scheme to the man before him.
"First off, Aidon and Verinal's subjugation of the Red Dragon was a perfect failure."
"Yeah, no surprise. Aidon's in total chaos right now, right?"
"The reason's simple. Verinal showed up in person."
Their assessment was spot on. Since Verinal had descended into the material world as an avatar, he was bound by countless restrictions. And in defeat, vast amounts of his power had seeped into the Red Dragon. Verinal's loss wasn't just any defeat.
Rihalt paused there and slammed a dagger into the table.
—Thud!
"So, we have no choice but to face him with nothing but our own strength... the power of mortals. And the key to that lies right here."
The spot marked the vast, endless ocean between continents—a place no sane person would ever approach.
"...Son of Murder, do you even know what's there?"
"Of course I do. That's exactly why we have to go."
The Sea King. Ruler of all seas, lord of the blue dragons. That was where he slumbered.
Rihalt's dagger was pinned right on that location.
"We're going to kill the Sea King. And I'll absorb every drop of his mana."
"...Hoh, intriguing. But I'm more interested in the 'Sea King's Treasury' than his mana. Word is, his gold and jewels rival the Red Dragon's hoard."
"Heh, exactly. Plenty for all of us."
"There's a rumor that Leviathan, the one tagging along with the Red Dragon, is the Sea King's daughter... but come on, some idiot wandering the land? No way she's his kid."
"Even if she is, doesn't matter. We have to pass through here anyway."
"Heh, true enough. This is just the beginning."
With sinister grins, they sketched their next move. Toward the ocean's far horizon. Toward the deep-sea city. To seize... everything.
"Our five mages from the Mage Tower have safely established a research outpost here. We first offer our thanks to the Red Dragon for granting permission."
<...>
"And the matter we wish to propose is this."
Darkul said as he shoved an illusion of excruciatingly detailed documents right in my face.
"Before analyzing Your Excellency the Red Dragon's body, we plan to first examine this domain. To catalog the differences between a realm created by a being of divinity and the existing material world—"
Sleep started crashing over me halfway through Darkul's spiel. Come on, if you're gonna research, just do it. Why drag me through every tedious report?
What I care about is results, not the process. Just bring me the finished product, fast. But this pointless hassle was grinding my gears.
I glared at him hard to shut it down, but...
<...Ahem.>
...someone was shielding him. That's when it hit me why Menes had agreed to the deal. She was genuinely protecting her followers. The problem? She was way overdoing it.
I'm not some loose cannon who'd kill or rip them apart on a whim—my reliability's shot to hell here. I don't interfere if they handle things moderately well. But this treatment? Infuriating.
"—That concludes our proposals. Next, an overview of our research directions—"
<—Stop. That's enough.>
But whatever. I couldn't stomach more boredom and cut Darkul off. Then I turned and signaled Leviathan, who was dozing off with her head nodding.
"—Snore... Zzz... Snore... Zzz..."
"L-Leviathan...?"
"...Huh? Uh, yeah? Oh! Perfect briefing! Knew I could count on you guys! Mage Tower folks are famous for being smart, after all!"
<...Sigh, Leviathan. Handle this yourself.>
"...You're just dumping it on me 'cause you hate doing it—"
<Want me to take over? You forget why I keep you around?>
"...Fine, I'll do it! C'mon, Darkul? Let's talk details outside."
"Uh, uh—"
Darkul vanished from my sight with Leviathan mid-stammer. Yeah, if we'd done that from the start...
Having me sit through reports here was wrong from the jump. I want a hands-off life. Everyone handling everything themselves—no micromanaging minions. That's a pain.
But.
"Um... Your Excellency?"
...Unfortunately, I still had work left.
<Sigh. Yes, Elenoa. Remember what I said before?>
"Uh... You told me to build a temple, right?"
<Exactly. And you'll likely take the role of priestess... probably the highest position.>
Yes. Sadly, I had to establish a church. A god personally founding and designing one? Absurd. But hey, I never asked for divinity, so maybe a church was inevitable.
The real issue? It didn't end there.
"B-Begging your pardon, but I've never been a priestess before... I don't know how other churches operate."
<...>
That's the problem. Priestesses need fervent faith in their god. But everyone fitting that bill? Zero church experience. We had to build from scratch.
Worse, it wasn't a company—it was a church. A corp, I could acquire or consult. But this world's gods are visible, with clear likes/dislikes. Structures and vibes vary wildly.
I wanted to ditch the whole org chart and let them figure it out. But who am I? The Red Dragon, who mocked gods themselves. No repeating mistakes.
So I tossed her a brilliant idea.
<Those seeking from me are the ones hoping others fail.>
"...Yeah, sounds right. Otherwise, they'd just beg you to burn everything."
<...>
"Ah, uh... Did I mess up, Your Excellency...? S-Sorry...!"
Her words made me wonder when I'd become vengeance incarnate, but time was short. I pressed on.
<...Anyway, recruiting those types won't yield many followers. Priests could only tell them 'work harder for revenge.'>
"True. Some came to pray for wishes recently—I sent them off with that."
<No need for complex structures. Just a place for followers to gather. Where grudge-holders vent and burn grudges together. That'll satisfy those seeking from me now.>
"...Oh! Ooh!"
And I had one more way to hype them up.
there.>
"Th-There meaning...?!"
<Yggdrasil and Aidon. Temples symbolizing Verinal's total defeat by me.>
"...! Ah!!"
Followers ultimately want me dominating, forcing all to kneel equally. Build temples where I made it real? Proxy satisfaction achieved.
"Right now! I'll make it happen, Your Excellency!"
<Good. Go.>
I sent Elenoa off and dove back into sleep. Voices still echoed in my head, but just endure. Once the temples rise... recruit a few more priests...!
It'll be fine...!
The Red Dragon's plan seemed to be progressing nicely. First, Elenoa approached Etonia, the White Gold Dragon who'd toured Hyahir Citadel and ended up sticking around.
"Hey, sorry to ask, but could you fly me to Yggdrasil?"
Etonia didn't mind the request. They'd teamed up plenty, and Elenoa was the Red Dragon's inner circle. Bonding with her? Smart move.
She nodded.
[Sure! Right now?]
"Yep!"
Their flight drew them closer. From business acquaintances to actual friends. Etonia started chatting freely, blurring lines.
[Y'know, some folks have quietly immigrated—or snuck in?—to Yggdrasil lately.]
"Whoa, really? You guys cool with randoms just moving into your turf?"
[Eh, they're kinda mooching off us, so we let it slide. Spreading His Excellency's glory to them sounds good?]
"Perfect! Are you a genius or what?"
[I'm one of the smarter White Gold Dragons! Just look at Meirina sis—she's a mess.]
After long-haul banter, they reached Yggdrasil.
"...Huh? Lady Elenoa?"
"Duke Bjorn? What brings you here?"
They bumped into Bjorn, who'd come to request White Gold Dragon housing.
"...Oh, building a temple? For the Red Dragon—no, now the God of Chaos?"
"Yes! He entrusted it all to me!"
Bjorn's face soured hearing her story. Elenoa and White Gold Dragons building a temple? Probably some ice knockoff.
'...He must know I'm here and sent her for efficient dwarven work.'
Reasonable deduction. Her timing screamed outsourcing to Bjorn—or dwarves.
"Then we'll build it. Payment... we'll send a budget proposal."
Bjorn offered without hesitation.
"Whoa! Really? Thank you!"
Elenoa nodded eagerly—what luck!
Months later, Bjorn had erected temples in Yggdrasil and Aidon rivaling his fire god's scale.
<...Why. Why the hell.>
"Haha, Your Excellency! Did good, right?"
Feeling faith overflow more than ever, the Red Dragon despaired.
'Why this fanaticism...!'
Meanwhile, an anonymous god busy healing Pantheon leaks from Verinal's city wailed.
<Gaaah! My—my city!! Polluted by that bastard's temple—cough...>
<Quiet down, Verinal. These are newly born lives. Bless them—>
Plunged into deeper despair.