Chapter 224

A high scream resonated among the priests.

An old man in purple clothing collapsed on the carpeted floor.

His name was Argos.

He was the Pope of the Church of Radiance, leading millions of devotees.

“Where are you?”

Saint Matheos arrived within ten minutes.

He ran so fast that a trail of dust followed him.

A white light emanated from his hands, and after a moment, vigor returned to Argos’s face.

“…Saint?”

Argos blinked twice and realized he was lying on the floor of a tent.

Matheos helped him sit up and said, “You just collapsed for a moment.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. How embarrassing.”

“You need to rest. This is the fifth time just this week, isn’t it? You’re not as young as you used to be.”

Argos shook his head, swaying as he searched for his fallen glasses and placed them back on his crooked nose.

“Saint, the Church’s teachings are desperately needed these days.”

“Please.”

Pope Argos lived in a way that did not align with the glory of his faith, taking actions that were not honorable in front of God just to maintain the Church’s power.

An example was teaming up with Valencius and sending his colleague, Bishop Paolavan, away on a pilgrimage.

However, he was not a man who sought power for the sake of power.

“If we do not extend our hands now, they will grasp the hands of the old ones.”

“……”

Matheos shut his eyes tightly, lifted Argos to his feet, and infused him with additional divine power.

Right after that, Saint Matheos’s body swayed.

“Oops!”

“You’re fine.”

The priests and paladins gathered were taken aback, but Matheos ultimately succeeded in regaining his balance.

Argos said nothing and had a cup of tea brought to him, acknowledging that if he left without drinking, he might collapse on the way back.

“Saint, how is the state of the Magical Realms?”

“It’s still stable. Duke Sorelazie and the Ivory Tower have developed a spell to bend and gather the energies of the Magical Realms. From now on, we only need to purify it once a day, so many of our personnel can be freed up starting tomorrow. It won’t be necessary for dozens of priests to be singing hymns beneath the Magical Realms as it was before.”

They shared information during that time.

“Oh, that’s a relief. Then there will be priests available to handle the purification of the capital buildings and the infestation of insects and small animals.”

Argos sighed in relief, and Matheos shook his head.

“That has been resolved by Duke Valencius. We can redirect the remaining personnel to the tent village right away. I don’t know where he got it, but the Duke has stockpiled holy water. I heard it was from some black market seizure or something, but I didn’t probe further as it seemed like it would just make me angry.”

“You did well. Ah, the distribution issue in the southern district of the tent village has been resolved by the Academy.”

“That’s good to hear. It’s a relief that the distribution gap didn’t lead to a medical gap, and the medical gap didn’t turn into an infestation purification gap. I will take care of the injured sent from there.”

“The crematorium is also stabilizing. The Academy’s seminarian students have been working very hard. Surprisingly, Duke Sorelazie has been cooperative too.”

“I don’t know how many have been cremated. It must be over fifty thousand for sure.”

The Church had close relationships with everyone from the imperial family to the poor, and it was a capable organization that could combat the old forces, heal the injured, and distribute food.

By gathering people for mass and singing hymns, multiple effects could be achieved simultaneously.

Administrative matters to assess the population of the area.

Showering them with divine power to purify various contaminations, drive out the energies of corruption, and accelerate the healing of injuries.

Providing mental support to alleviate the collective fear and anxiety of citizens.

When pieces of bread were handed out on the way back, it served as a controlled distribution. If someone suddenly didn’t show up, that person was an infiltrator.

In situations like the current one, it was especially important to calm the citizens’ anxieties.

That’s why Argos and Matheos dragged their exhausted bodies to the podium, venting their frustrations with Valencius until their teeth felt like they might disappear, and by that evening, they would sit down with Valencius to convey the grievances of the citizens.

‘Since the food distribution became more efficient, grievances about the Duke and his faction only indulging themselves have nearly subsided. However, as cold and flu patients are starting to emerge, grievances about the clergy being siphoned away by the Duke might arise. For now, I’ve pressed them on that….’

‘In the end, it’s something that will undermine the Church’s credibility, so it won’t last long. Today, I introduced the elders of the Ivory Tower’s biology division to the owners of the potion shops on the Street of Learning and Magic Street. I’ll make sure to divert supplies to the Church within a week.’

Since the incident, Matheos had come to acknowledge the necessity of Valencius as a talent desperately needed in the Empire, regardless of good or evil.

It was as if Valencius treated him like a cog in a machine.

He seemed to know that if he returned first, everyone would follow.

He took on the role of the villain.

Believing that the Church would not push him to the brink for the sake of immediate popularity, he offered his neck willingly.

He seemed confident that the Church would recognize the need for them to align.

And the scriptures said that the God of Radiance helps those who help themselves.

‘Duke. I will send divine power your way.’

Matheos thought he would gladly accept it.

However, that rascal, the elder brother of the imperial family, shook his head after a moment of contemplation.

‘There are people more desperate than me.’

‘Duke?’

‘In fact, even with the spirit manifestation progressing along with the infusion, I don’t know how divine power will react. I don’t want to be labeled as an infiltrator again, so I’ll decline today.’

Matheos was perceptive and recognized that his first statement was sincere, while the second was an excuse.

The fact that the rascal was speaking reasonably meant that the world was turning upside down.

Matheos recalled the moment when he couldn’t say anything to Valencius and retreated, feeling a sense of helplessness, as he looked at the magically glowing Magical Realms.

“I want to smash it.”

Grinding his teeth in frustration for reasons he could not articulate.

* * *

The cold wind began to blow gently.

The harvest was over, and the imperial family had purchased all the grain from the central region as promissory notes, distributing them to the citizens of the tent village.

The four knight orders operating under Jeilliris’s name, along with the knights from the central region and student members from the Academy, hunted down the infiltrators.

“In the name of His Majesty the Emperor, I banish you!”

Marcus’s machine knights and the academy thugs led by the so-called ‘sister’ of Lady Trentia controlled the impure movements.

“Gather no more than ten!”

“The rights to assemble, publish, and stand trial are suspended!”

Essentially, the governance involved passing on blame for actions that deserved criticism, and that ‘other’ in this situation was me.

Marcus was starting to be seen not as Jeilliris’s loyal vassal but rather as the wicked leader under the cunning Valencius.

For him to lose the trust of the capital’s citizens would make self-sufficiency and power-building impossible, thus making him more reliant on me—something I desired.

“I’ve heard that the citizens of the capital say they’re just hanging out with their own kind.”

“Isn’t that right?”

“It’s true. But my knights are not without their grievances either. After all, they were noble knights.”

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

The lord I served had practically lost his territory overnight.

I’m sure there had been plenty of requests from other great lords wanting to recruit Marcus’s skills.

Such as Cariosa, Cariosa, and Cariosa.

While the knights still loyal to Marcus were undoubtedly loyal, they were also likely quite vicious.

“Can you manage them well?”

“Of course.”

“While restoring the capital, I’ll have a large workshop constructed.”

To the beasts that depended on me, bread must be provided.

Marcus laughed as if he had been waiting for my words.

“Yeah. It seems we understand each other.”

“……”

For now, the food shortage was resolved, and law and order was stabilizing both in the shadows and in the light.

I had ordered a masquerade to release smuggled tobacco to relieve people’s stress, and the imperial family donated all the grain they had to the Church to secure relief supplies for the Church.

Now, the major problems were not law and justice but rather the oaths of loyalty.

“Duke Valencius.”

“We cannot remain in the capital any longer.”

“I miss my home, as I am newlywed.”

The great lords were like kings in their own territories.

“……Please endure a few more days.”

Originally, oaths of loyalty were to be completed with negotiations and power games within the course of summer.

It was now late autumn.

Kings had been away from their own kingdoms for several months.

Especially Seberik, who was not just a simple symbol but was a powerful force in his own right, was more anxious than I was.

“Seberik, I will secure the safe harbor within this week. Please stay just a week, no, three more days.”

“Valen, can’t we just leave the oath of loyalty in writing? The ice golems must have already appeared on the front lines.”

“I will lend you a wyvern wearing my magic tool on the way back. You need to be seen bowing before Jeilliris. Please, I beg you.”

“……I will hold out as long as I can, Valen.”

Seberik was anxious.

“Duke Valencius. I will send back my soldiers, at least. There are damn nomads appearing along the border.”

Caesar jumped out of the shadows, making noise.

“It’s about time the Undersea People come out, so I think I should return as well.”

Cariosa let out an awkward laugh.

Suddenly, Signain appeared before me.

With light brown hair and sky-blue eyes, she was cunning and intelligent like Konel, but unlike Konel, she had fiery ambition as the great lord of the west.

“Won’t it be troublesome if Duke Cariosa returns? The forces under her command have been cooperating with the maintenance of law and order, so there will be a gap.”

“Are you saying you’ll send your soldiers there and demand payment for that?”

“Exactly. I’ve laid a decent foundation here, so I can stick around a bit longer. You really have deep thoughts as a messenger. So, how much did you find out about the ransom for my soldiers?”

I pondered for a moment and recalled the lands I received and the governor province that Jeilliris would send.

Combined, it wouldn’t exceed two-thirds of Instrumentum.

“Rudi. The map, please.”

Rudi brought out the map of the old Instrumentum territory and spread it out, and I pointed to the southern region with my finger.

“You. You had plans to go to war with the neighboring Count.”

“Haha. You caught me.”

“Caught you? It’s obvious you’ve been leaking information as if you wanted me to find out.”

“That family is being torn apart by inheritance disputes at the moment. Many of the vassals have already sided with us. Some of those I drew in while I was here as well.”

“So, there’s likely not much bloodshed. Good. Uh… If you take them all and then come up here, you will become a great lord worthy of a duke’s title.”

Signain’s eyes widened.

What she likely desired was for the imperial family to permit her to poach the vassals of that Count as she wished.

I provocatively lifted my chin and asked, “Can you handle all this? If a civil war breaks out and you sink into the quagmire, even Purioaito will be torn apart. You need to become the firm center as the Cariosa of the West.”

Signain replied after exactly three seconds of contemplation.

“Your Majesty, thank you for believing in me.”

Sly, yet there was no malice in her smile.

“Alright. Do well.”

“Oh, may I say something as a great lord about stabilizing the current situation?”

“I would gladly accept your advice.”

Signain stated plainly.

“Ascend to the throne.”

“……!”

“I’m not saying to usurp it. But to stabilize the capital now, a solid focal point is necessary. You’re currently handling both the oath of loyalty and the maintenance of the tent village simultaneously. Once all the great lords are sent off, you stabilize the capital. Then when His Majesty returns, you can abdicate right away.”

Since she knew of my displayed loyalty, her tone and word choices were very gentle.

Trying to respond to that sentiment, I smiled on the surface and replied, “Leave.”

“Yes.”

* * *

With a piece of paper in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, I made my way.

Of course, I had no intention of having a drinking party in this situation.

However, I couldn’t go empty-handed and ask for favors.

“Duke Cariosa. Are you in there?”

It seemed she had informed them beforehand, as no one from the eastern knights stopped me.

“Valenciaunos. I’ve been waiting.”

Cariosa had set up her encampment east of the capital walls after the incident.

In the summer, she would play in a large barrel filled with salty water, and now, she was bathing in hot salt water inside a tent.

Her skin shone with a scale pattern, visible beneath a shirt that had become transparent due to being wet.

I entered the dimly lit tent, placed the wine on the table, and asked, “Is the preparation for the withdrawal going smoothly?”

“Not a single problem. It seems everyone has mentally prepared themselves.”

She had captured and held all the counts and dukes who were formerly direct vassals of the imperial family, compelled them to pledge loyalty to her, and ascended from a notable figure in the east to an absolute ruler.

I took a step closer and asked, “I have a favor to ask. Can you grant it?”

Cariosa’s gray vertical pupils widened with anticipation.

She looked as if she were eyeing a hen that had jumped into the pot, and she licked her lips before reaching out her white arms to grab my sleeve.

“It’s too far to entertain a request, isn’t it?”

Cariosa pulled me toward the barrel.

“Wait-”

“Shh!”

My words were cut off.

With a splash, water flew around, and my white robes and red sash were soaked in the hot salt water.

She swiftly climbed onto my lap and stretched her arms, leaving me trapped between the barrel and her.

Inches away, pointed teeth glistened like a shark’s.

“Is that request for another man? The safe harbor?”

Her damp hair brushed against my cheek.

“I’m letting it go this time since it’s not a request for another woman.”

Cariosa clicked her tongue, seemingly insulted, before caressing my neck, as if it wasn’t too bad after all.

Her gray eyes shone brightly.

“In the end, you came looking for me.”

Her white teeth slowly drew closer.