Chapter 164

“Doesn’t he have a bit of the atmosphere of a skilled front-line priest? It’s hard to say outwardly, but it’s that kind of feeling—one that carries a certain persuasion and logic of reality,” the Saint remarked.

Argos nodded in agreement.

“Yes. That’s right.”

The Saint continued in a solemn voice.

“So, at that time, I felt a great sense of debt to the Duke. He offered me substantial advice, considering my lack of front-line experience, and I’d foolishly unleashed my divine power, provoking them unnecessarily.”

“You might think that way.”

“However, he did not later disclose that Marquis Benechion was an Infiltrator. Until that time, no, even now, I still feel a sense of debt, and I understood that it was because of the city’s stability and loyalty.”

Argos, as was his habit, brushed down his long beard but then realized he was before the Saint and withdrew his hand.

“Well done. I understand which part made you feel troubled.”

He was Bishop Hong, a church judge who had memorized both doctrine and scripture.

“What if the Saint had not cast a veil of discernment over the entire city? Is that how you think?”

Matheos squeezed his black eyes shut.

The tall and sturdy figure clad in black and purple ceremonial robes looked precariously about to crumble.

He nodded and continued speaking.

“I had two thoughts. First, while he didn’t mention it to me explicitly, he intended to defeat the Infiltrators after establishing a new marquis.”

There was a hint of defensiveness in his voice.

“This is indeed a story with a high probability of occurring. The paladins and combat priests there were elite, and who knows how Duke Valencius might discover the Infiltrators’ base and wipe it out by some outlandish method.”

Argos understood his sentiment.

The thoughts he now held were ideas that even a high-ranking cleric of the continent’s dominant religion should not hurl about carelessly.

The Saint spoke cautiously but continued with the same resolute tone.

“Second, if he had successfully eliminated the marquis and established a new one, he likely had no intention of cleansing the infiltrators from the city.”

“…”

“The reason was that he considered it a sort of safeguard. If the new marquis were to rebel or needed to set an example, he could use the Infiltrators as a pretext to execute them. And it’s clear that this directive came from Empress Jeilliris.”

Argos furrowed his brow.

“That is a frightening thought.”

“Yes, Bishop Hong.”

Infiltrators arise merely from a grievance against the world, and once they do, they spread like weeds.

In the early stages of mental contamination, capturing and purifying was difficult, and when the aura of the old could be felt properly, one would already have crossed the river of no return.

And through rituals and offerings, they grow stronger and stronger until an insignificant villager can become a monster that topples a kingdom.

Eradicating the seed of the old followers was humanity’s top priority, surpassing familial and political strife.

As they draw strength from the other world, the more powerful they become, the more their mindset shifts, making them unpredictable.

And the phrase “unpredictable” was akin to saying “unusable.”

If this were true, it was not just a matter of having failed to subdue the beast or having pushed the beast to attack the neighboring territory.

* * *

Argos spoke not as the Bishop who had risen to support the Saint but merely as a clergyman.

“Saint, you mentioned having a strong premonition.”

“Yes, Bishop Hong.”

“Your premonition cannot be ignored.”

“That’s right. The Lord has granted me many powers that activate unconsciously.”

“If you had not done so, had not covered the entire city with the veil of discernment, and if a problem occurred leading the Light to give you a premonition to avert it….”

Argos cautiously asked again and again.

From now on, with the slightest misstep, a meteor might fall upon the Solletarass Cathedral.

“What do you think would have been the worst sin and the situation that would arise from it?”

Matheos answered in a low and firm voice.

“The attempt of the imperial family to weaponize or utilize the Infiltrators continuously. Having dealt with Gremoryus as an Infiltrator this time, they might do it again, and again, like that.”

Indignation clouded his black eyes.

“As you know, the more they proliferate, the exponentially stronger they become. If the Emperor and the Duke keep them alive for schemes and conspiracies, and one day, in the morning, they prepare ample offerings, that day, the world will end. Every soul and body will fall to the hands of the ancients and become a tool for sadistic amusement.”

“Then, what do you think the Saint believes the church should do?”

Matheos looked at Argos.

He thought about the paladins honing their swords in the practice arena and the priests reciting scriptures and prayers.

He envisioned the devotees crying for him.

A single misstep could clearly lead to the Bandit Duke and Tyrant Emperor massacring them all.

He needed to correct them with utmost caution and firmness.

“Soon, the Emperor will demand a loyalty oath.”

“Yes.”

“At that moment, the church’s authority will likely peak. I promised to anoint the Emperor’s head before the Great Lords.”

“Indeed.”

“I plan to use that fact to negotiate. We’ll secure a law that always requires the presence of clergy in matters related to the ancients or significantly expand the powers of religious trials and inquisitors.”

A subtle smile appeared on Argos’s stern face.

After decades of dealing with the law, this expert was preparing to add yet another achievement to his record.

In his mind, the draft of the bill was already forming.

Matheos concluded with a calm demeanor.

“And if the Emperor does not accept that bill, I will not anoint her. I will publicly criticize the Emperor in a sermon before the Great Lords.”

Argos involuntarily let out a sound that was either a sigh or a gasp.

“Glory to the Light!”

This was effectively a declaration to make Jeilliris a mere puppet emperor.

Of course, that would mean facing the wrath of the Emperor, a Sword Master and Archmage of impossible stature.

“Who else could do it but me? This position of the Saint is undoubtedly made for such deeds.”

In Matheos’s black eyes, there was no trace of fear.

* * *

“Everyone will fear Your Majesty, and they will kneel before Your authority,” Valenciaunos said while standing next to Jeilliris.

He was steadfastly following the imperial command given by his twin sister.

“‘Assist in my adornments,’” he thought.

Originally, this wasn’t a command for a Duke, but Valenciaunos knew through his experiences before his return that it meant to be present beside her.

“Is that so? Truly delightful,” Jeilliris replied.

On that day, she wore her usual black dress.

The dress, adorned with gold embroidery, was fitting for the impending summer, as it had eliminated the sleeves and featured a deep back, making it appear far cooler.

Yet, the hem was intricately pleated and flowed long, giving her an air of elegance and grace.

Jeilliris wore a golden crown encrusted with red diamonds and adorned her neck and chest with white and purple brooches.

The crown belonged to the late Emperor, while the brooches belonged to their mother.

Her long platinum hair flowed gently down her shoulders, arms, and back.

In the sunlight, her hair sparkled so beautifully that it required no additional adornment.

She possessed a languid presence akin to a dragon waking from a nap, a grace only possible for those who are unparalleled in strength.

It was truly the appearance worthy of the Empress of the Great Empire, Solletarass.

“I am satisfied enough now. How about you?” Jeilliris asked, standing before the mirror, closing her golden eyes briefly.

Valenciaunos thought it felt like the sun was both setting and rising as he replied.

“Today is the day of my utmost confidence. I find great satisfaction seeing myself looking this handsome.”

“Ha, splendid!”

He, too, had been waiting for today alongside Rudi, preparing his attire for a week.

He wore a white tunic embellished with red patterns, had his collar standing, and sealed it with a blue gem.

He donned black gloves like Jeilliris, concealing the scales on the back of his hands while providing a sense of unity.

He had vibrant golden eyes, a pallid face evoking the dignity of royalty, in stark contrast to his height and lightheartedly tousled hair.

There was an atmosphere about him, both jovial and precarious, like a flickering candle or a blade ready to snap.

He was indeed the most notorious Duke in the capital, Valenciaunos.

The surrounding attendants and maids secretly gasped at the sight of the two.

Even though today was fraught with danger as an assassin had been captured and taken to Wyvernfit, they could certainly feast their eyes on the spectacle.

“I have something for you. This is both a heavy shackle and a sweet right, so handle it wisely and cunningly as you have until now,” Jeilliris said just before stepping out into the audience chamber.

She received a broad and white sash from an attendant and personally tied it around Valenciaunos.

It was a chaste belt adorned with clear and white gems.

“I have added one more title for you. You are now the Constable of the capital and an imperial patrolman. Wherever you go in Solletarass, you will hold judicial authority representing me and the church.”

Valenciaunos knelt on one knee and expressed his gratitude.

“Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful. I will do my utmost.”

“Good. Now that I am to truly become the Emperor, you, too, must become a true Duke.”

Jeilliris beckoned Valenciaunos to rise.

“I told you, you have the right not to bow your head before me.”

Valenciaunos stood up with a cheeky smile.

“I shall gladly indulge in this.”

The two stepped lively into the audience chamber together.

A cacophony of voices was audible.

“What do you think will be discussed today?”

“I have a hunch. If it’s not a declaration of war, then that’s what it will be.”

“Is stability finally arriving? Or is it the beginning of new chaos?”

With the mention of the imperial family’s significant announcement and the promise of granting permission to observe, a considerable crowd gathered in the audience chamber and before the imperial palace.

“Long live the Emperor!”

With the declaration of the chamberlain, thousands of heads bowed down.

At that moment, only the Emperor and those permitted to bear authority before her could lift their heads.

Jeilliris ascended to the highest platform at the end of the hall and sat upon the angular throne, with Valenciaunos standing beside her.

The Emperor gazed out at the countless people gathered to see her, while the Duke looked at the Emperor.

Both lifted their red lips into smiles befitting their ages.

“Lift your heads.”

Jeilliris’s voice resonated magically throughout the entire hallway.

Even those outside in the streets gasped at hearing her clear voice.

Again, thousands of heads were raised.

Valenciaunos spotted several familiar faces among the handful of individuals granted the right to enter amidst the capital’s elite.

First, of course, were Tenitia and Sererassie.

Knight Tenitia, belonging to the Silver Knight Order, stood immobile beside the closest pillar to the two.

Though clad in full plate armor and wearing a helmet, she was immediately recognizable with the flaming ice “Hwanhan” at her waist and a cloak of red flame resistance draped around her.

Sererassie attended today not as the Emperor’s half-sister but as the Guild Master of the Imperial Magic Guild, standing among her fellow guild masters.

Her dark blue pointed hat and robe, along with her staff, prominently displayed the vivid colors of blue and yellow.

To decipher her sulky expression seemed to convey, “Don’t think I bowed my head to you.”

Rudi stood in the pathway where Valenciaunos and Jeilliris had entered, accompanied by Jeilliris’s maidservants.

Though he didn’t reveal himself in the hallway and hall, he was situated close enough to the street to be next to Tenitia.

“Jin.”

The president of an academy, Jin, stood beside the dean, his blue eyes shining with the essence of a magical potion.

He had just been exchanging pleasantries with the court nobles and seemed to be cultivating his own influence.

“Konel.”

A council member from the slums, Konel, was mingling among his faction members in dark formal attire.

Although he drew numerous curious gazes at his young age, alongside his prosthetic limb and cane, he nonchalantly absorbed it all while showcasing himself.

It seemed he had purchased his position with gold, and from the Ivory Tower, several mages, including Niar, were also sent.

The Church of Light sent Bishop Hong and several priests to pay their respects to the imperial authority.

Valenciaunos felt pleased knowing that all were watching Jeilliris.

Before his return, everyone had trembled before her, but now blended into their gazes was a faint sense of respect and awe proper for the Emperor.

Jeilliris, too, smiled.

“My Emperor.”

During her previous life, she would have been facing the second summer of battle by now, but today, she sat upon the throne to demand a loyalty oath.

“At this rate…”

Thinking of the world created by the half-god Emperor who loves the world and the people who love the Emperor, Valenciaunos smiled warmly, which was unlike his typical demeanor.

At last, the Emperor spoke.

“For the past two years, the capital has been in chaos, and I have delayed the most important matters.”

The intellectuals sensed in that moment what the Emperor was about to say.

“However, I am now ready to invite you.”

The Emperor, who ascended bloodily, seemed to have no intention of ruling with bloodshed.

“As the 47th of Solletarass, I will make a demand which should have been made.”

The usurper tyrant was trying to become the true Emperor.

“My vassals, come forth to the capital. Prove that the contract lasting a thousand years has not yet been broken.”

What consequence that would bring, no one could tell.

But under Jeilliris’s reign, the red-light district, slums, and Street of Learning were being organized, while the Ivory Tower and Church joined hands with the imperial family, and the council was reopened.

The Emperor invested money into the Imperial Magic Guild and the Academy, installed magical streetlights in the night, and taught knights new swordsmanship while providing them with weapons.

Regardless of how it happened, the Emperor fulfilled his duty as Emperor.

“Swear allegiance to me.”

Now, it was the vassals’ turn to fulfill their duties.

“Or raise a revolt.”

In their own ways.