Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Fatima: The Empire's Jewel
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The eternal enemy of the Continental Alliance, the Holy Empire, dominated the entire northern continent except for the Dragon Mountains, making it a superpower.
For that reason, unlike the kingdoms of the Alliance, the Empire's border frontlines stretched beyond imagination.
It had to engage in local wars across regions like Banten in the Ikenia Kingdom, the Five Nations Alliance, and the Shiva territory of the Osiris Kingdom, among others.
Naturally, the border cities the Holy Empire had built to attack the Alliance couldn't be just one.
Among them, Fatima was one of the key massive border cities facing part of Banten as well as the border frontlines of the Dalton, Sharon, and Yak Kingdoms in the Five Nations Alliance.
It was only natural that vast amounts of the Empire's supplies and troops gathered there.
Unaware of this backdrop, Miron—from the rural village(?) of Jaun in Dalton—could only gape in astonishment as he passed through Fatima's walls and beheld the scene unfolding before him.
"Y-Young Master... this city is definitely... a war city, right?"
This guy always reacted so freshly whenever they traveled together, like a fish flopping around on dry land.
Well, he was still young, so that was understandable.
"What, did you think it'd just be crawling with armies and war supplies?"
Miron nodded blankly, his jaw still practically on the floor.
Fair enough. That was probably the typical image of Fatima—no, of any Holy Empire border city.
It wasn't unreasonable. The Fatima now in Miron's view was far more splendid than any major city in the kingdoms.
'In less than a decade from now, it really will turn into a full-blown war base.'
"It's a border city facing multiple nations. In other words, goods from Banten to Dalton, Sharon, and Yak flow through Fatima as the central hub."
"Ah!"
Only then did Miron seem to grasp it a bit.
A city bordering multiple nations, with supplies and troops converging there—put differently, it overflowed with resources and people.
In other words, in peacetime, it existed as a trading hub.
"With cultures from all sorts of nations mixing, Fatima naturally develops its own unique vibe, and that distinct flavor turns into a tourist draw. So money flows freely in the city itself. Thanks to that, it's fair to call Fatima the Holy Empire's second capital after the Vatican."
It was ironic.
A city strategically built to devour the Alliance had flourished into the Empire's second city through trade rather than war.
"Hehe! Young Master Jerome, you're quite knowledgeable about the Empire's internal affairs. You even know Fatima's history."
Luna, who had been listening to the explanation for Miron, covered her mouth and laughed.
"Know your enemy and know yourself, and you'll win every battle. Besides, this much general knowledge is basic."
"Yeah, you're so smart, I'm jealous, you show-off! But please, let's rest already!!"
As he lightly responded to Luna, the daily grumbling arrived right on schedule without fail.
"It's been a whole week trekking through Banten's plains to here! A whole week of camping!! Please, let's stay at an inn!!"
Saladin, who had dressed up Mimi and Nene to hide their natures(?), cried out in desperation.
No idea how much money he'd blown, but at a glance, Mimi and Nene moved with natural fluidity indistinguishable from humans.
Part of it was Saladin's improved skill in handling his Puppets, but fundamentally, the materials in them were all from our family funds.
'Just wait. I'll squeeze you dry until I recoup every penny.'
I still hadn't forgotten the grudge over those four chunks of adamantium.
Hiding my sinister thoughts, I smiled and soothed Saladin.
"I was planning to rest here anyway. We still have a long way to go—if you burn out already, that'll be a problem."
"Huh? A long way to go? What're you talking about?"
Saladin glanced at the teleportation circle in the city center.
"Can't we just hop on that and zip straight to the Vatican? Why walk?"
"Sigh. Saladin, oh Saladin. Use your head a bit. If Luna the Archbishop walks to the capital, comforting and embracing the Empire's people along the way, won't that boost her reputation even more within the Empire?"
I trailed off without finishing, subtly scanning our surroundings.
Fatima was the Empire's most prosperous city outside the Vatican. Accordingly, the Church's influence overflowed here.
Unless they had unavoidable circumstances like us, no sane Black Lion would sneak into the Empire, where Black Lions were reviled.
'Yeah, should be fine.'
-That way, Ibarella's reputation plummets even further. Plus, opportunities to boldly scout the Empire's internals like this aren't common.
"……!!"
Miron flinched slightly at my sudden Telepathy, while Saladin's eyes widened briefly before returning to normal. He then spoke casually.
"Ugh, looks like fate's dragging me across this vast Empire on foot. Got stuck with a rotten bastard—feels like I'm rolling in the dirt."
Grumbling nonstop from his mouth, Saladin subtly nodded in agreement.
"Well, when will we ever get another chance to roam the Empire?"
Patting Saladin's shoulder, I began searching for lodging in Fatima.
Though I'd used Telepathy, I wasn't too worried about other Black Lions overhearing.
To reiterate, this was Holy Empire soil.
No insane Black Lions would set foot here.
Right. Unless there was some very special reason.
Unlike Jerome's group, who entered Fatima officially as diplomatic envoys visiting the Holy Empire, not everyone could stroll in so boldly.
Merchants coming to sell goods from various nations meant spies from those nations infiltrated Fatima relentlessly.
The Empire knew this well and guarded Fatima ironclad, but even the best cat can't catch every mouse.
If determined experts who could never be caught hid in Fatima, ordinary guards stood no chance.
Ramfang and the old man were among such experts.
Ramfang lurked in an alley, his robe pulled low over his face.
He constantly checked for any possible pursuit from the Black Wing, Veras.
Three days since erasing his trail in Yak Kingdom's forest and relocating his hideout to Fatima. No signs of pursuers yet, but he couldn't relax.
The madmen clustered around the Turbid Flow, Veras, were relentlessly tenacious.
'No suspicious folks today either. Am I overreacting... Huh?'
As Ramfang turned to leave, he urgently ducked back into hiding.
-...Ibarella's reputation... isn't it. Plus... boldly... common?
The distance was considerable, and the market clamor garbled it intermittently, but Ramfang didn't miss that faint aura.
Telepathy.
A communication method only Black Lions trained in Heterogenous Powers could use.
'Definite. A Black Lion.'
Veras, you lunatic. Even so, this was Fatima.
The Holy Empire's outpost, where they didn't just loathe Black Lions but branded them heretics to be slain on sight.
From a Black Lion's perspective, it was a mad dog's den.
Ramfang briefly panicked at Veras's recklessness but quickly cooled his head.
'No. Actually... they might've dispatched ones who don't need to fear even the Empire.'
Those sent so far had been small fry.
But now that traces were found, sending more small fry would be pointless waste.
At minimum, they'd send Tributary-rank Black Lions or higher.
Ramfang glanced back into the alley.
'Master's a bit worrying, but...'
Deeper in the alley, in a shack, his ailing master slept soundly.
Leaving his master alone felt uneasy, but Ramfang steeled his resolve.
Judging by the Telepathy's direction, it came from the main boulevard by the walls, not the alleys.
Meaning Veras's underlings had only just arrived in Fatima.
'I'll strike first before they notice this place.'
Swoosh!
Ramfang's legs stretched a bit longer, leaping to the rooftop of his hiding building in one bound.
Despite the bright daylight, no one spotted his movement.
"Phew..."
Leaving the group still bathing behind, I shook water from my hair and stepped out of the bathroom.
After washing in warm rose-scented water, vitality surged back into my body, weary from days of camping.
"Those who follow the Lord's will sure indulge in luxury..."
Good was good, bad was bad.
When our group, unable to resist Saladin's pleas, sought lodging in Fatima for rest, Luna stopped us.
"Hehe, no need. There's a place we can stay for free."
"...?"
Luna led our puzzled group straight to Fatima's grand cathedral.
Splash!
"Halt! Who approaches the temple at this late hour? If you wish to pray to the holy Lord, return tomorrow...?!"
The guards crossed their halberds to block us, but when Luna flashed her emblem depicting a beautiful woman praying to the god, their eyes bulged.
"Th-this!! The Virgin Palace seal!! Then... Archbishop Luna?!"
One guard, who had swiftly uncrossed his crude halberd, was already sprinting off into the distance.
"Archbishop, what hardships you've endured. And those behind you...?"
"They're from the Carviot Count family who saved me."
The guard bowed as if facing a family benefactor.
"Though they don't follow the Lord's will, saving and healing Archbishop Luna—truly holy grace! Please, come this way."
After priests and bishops emerged to express gratitude, we bathed—and now here I was.
'Luna's popularity in the Empire is even greater than I thought. No wonder the Golden Lion Order clings to her so desperately.'
The Golden Lion Order's Twelve Pillars, the Twelve Archbishops.
Among them, the most beloved was undoubtedly Luna of the Virgin Palace.
Of course, Captain Jean-Paul had shuddered, calling her a terrifying woman unmoved even when her legs were severed—but that was unavoidable.
To become one of the Empire's Twelve Archbishops required surviving countless hellish battlefields.
High divine power, striking beauty. She couldn't help but be popular.
'With Luna's fame at this level, boosting her reputation on the way to the capital won't be hard. Next stop, then... Hm?'
After drying off and donning undergarments to head to bed, as I reached for the room door—
A strange aura emanated from inside.
No, not strange. A sticky, gloomy, all-too-familiar aura I'd sensed countless times. This was—
'Killing intent!'
Boom!
In that instant, an explosion shattered the door as a massive arm burst forth.
"Guh?!"
I rolled aside in haste but couldn't grasp the situation.
The silhouette of the arm that had briefly appeared behind the door.
It was unmistakably a grizzly's paw.
What the hell—why was a random bear cub popping out in the middle of an Empire city?
"Oh? Dodged that?"
From the dust of the shattered door, a woman emerged, looking surprised, with the grizzly paw draped over her shoulder.
'Made a weapon out of a bear paw?'
How was I supposed to process this absurdity?
"Well, no helping it. Kill quick and bail."
Snap!
Regardless of my thoughts, the woman swung the grizzly paw like a club from her shoulder.
Boom!
The cathedral's marble floor exploded like tofu.
Wait, now I saw it.
'Crazy bitch!'
It wasn't a weapon made from the grizzly paw.
Over the woman's arm, a translucent something shaped like a grizzly forepaw was overlaid.
"Heterogenous Power!"
Her eyes grew icier at my shout.
"Tch, so you do know. You're the one."
The hell—barging in like that, what was 'right' about it!
Anyone would recognize Heterogenous Powers with that insane technique!
Rumble rumble rumble!
At that moment, the woman's already half-mad aura shifted.