The professors of Gift Academy, who extracted an unconditional surrender and a massive indemnity from the Peaceful and Indifferent Church that serves the God of Peace Tranqilo overnight.
The popes of the Divine Alliance, who witnessed the entire process, felt an intense sense of humiliation, yet they were overtaken by a profound gulp of fear.
“What kind of being is the Dark Princess that even after sending three Saintesses, we have to endure a counterattack with nothing to show for it?”
“After trying to prevent the establishment of the Saintess Alliance, we have suffered damage equivalent to a single church’s destruction overnight! What should we do about this?”
The professors of Gift Academy were formidable.
Each one was on par with a pope or a saintess, and such beings were crawling in the hundreds.
The Divine Alliance felt the bitter cost of sending a secret weapon against a collective of the world’s strongest elites.
Retaliation against the retaliation?
Don’t even dream about it.
That day would mark the end of the church.
As the popes silently felt their impotence, only one spoke up calmly.
“The 24 mainstream divine classes refer to the 24 churches with the most powerful influence in the world; the decline of one church does not equate to the fall of the Divine Alliance.”
“How can you be so calm upon hearing that Tranqilo’s children have collapsed overnight? The fear is at hand, and we are helpless!”
“There are organizations battling secretly against such formidable military forces, aren’t there?”
The pope who intervened, displeased by the calm demeanor, stiffened.
“What do you mean by discussing the Wahyhiemhai Foundation?”
“I will acknowledge the fact. We suffered a complete defeat in preventing the establishment of the Saintess Alliance. However, this was due to our immature use of our sufficient power.”
“Are you suggesting we send ‘special scholarship students’ to the academy, like the foundation?”
“Long-term, that could indeed be one strategy. But more immediately, there is also a straightforward solution: cease the containment against ‘him’ who collects the remains of the ancient gods.”
“Are you out of your mind?!”
The popes of the Divine Alliance glared and criticized.
“Aren’t you afraid of the future that will unfold if we grant freedom to Man’s Representative?”
“If someone who has merely dismissed the Three Great Evils through the power of faith is granted freedom, how much more will he grow? What kind of nonsense is this?!”
“Immediately retract your statement. He will become a calamity worse than an Evil Dragon.”
The one who calmly proposed radical suggestions was the pope of the Return to Innocence Church, which serves the God of Love Atalaxia, Paron.
In stark contrast to the intense reactions, he opened his mouth with a bizarrely calm demeanor.
“Look at Tranqilo’s collapse. A church that loses its power will eventually lose its name, and all forgotten churches will fall prey to Man’s Representative. If you do not decide, it means that one day even the 24 mainstream divine classes will be swallowed.”
“Even so, we can’t create a monster with our own hands!”
“I understand your fear. A decision that could lead to a historically notorious criminal is not easily made. However, delaying that decision leads to a binary choice. The Saintess Alliance will be established, and churches that do not cooperate with the academy will dwindle.”
“…”
“This trend is even being tolerated by the Wahyhiemhai Foundation. Since the Dark Princess is orchestrating this, it wouldn’t be wrong to say they’re actively involved beneath the surface. If you wish to stay isolated while the world changes, you will only fall behind the flowing tide.”
Pope Paron declared as he looked at the distressed expressions of the other popes.
“Therefore, I present the following resolution. First, the Divine Alliance supports the establishment of the Saintess Alliance. Second, we cease containment against Man’s Representative, etching the meaning of the Divine Alliance into Gift Academy. Third, we forge a friendship with the Wahyhiemhai Foundation to contain Gift Academy.”
The incomparably powerful underground force of the Wahyhiemhai Foundation, and the unpredictably dangerous ancient god’s remains collector, Man’s Representative.
The resolution to ally with two of the Three Great Evils to confront Gift Academy captivated the hearts of the Divine Alliance, which was shaken by Tranqilo’s downfall.
“The results of the vote on the following resolution: passed with the support of the majority of the popes.”
To not fall behind the times.
To stand against the oppression of Gift Academy.
The Divine Alliance compromised their principles.
“Then let’s express our intentions at this Saintess Alliance. If the popes mobilize all high-ranking clergy to participate, the principal won’t do anything.”
“Pope Paron’s resolution is radical, yet aligns best with the trend. I look forward to our collaboration.”
Pope Paron thought differently when considering the revival of the often-quiet Return to Innocence Church, which had never gained significant prominence within the Divine Alliance.
‘Since the goddess who had been silent for decades has commanded that we attend this ceremony since my appointment as Pope Paron, what could have moved her heart?’
Is it truly a compromise for the sake of the church’s existence?
Or does it harbor hidden intentions?
Contemplating the unfathomable will of the god, Paron interpreted the doctrine.
The fundamental doctrine of the Return to Innocence Church is the Epoche, the doctrine of suspending judgment, which accepts no thoughts without evidence.
Gather visible evidence and judge solely based on that evidence.
In this chaotic situation, this was the conclusion Paron could arrive at.
To escape the immediate crisis faced by his church from the oppression of Gift Academy.
‘Yet, as a pope, I must make decisions for the future of the church. For that purpose alone, I must absolutely attend this ceremony.’
After all, this ceremony is overseen by the Dark Princess of the Wahyhiemhai Foundation.
Ordinary individuals would not casually attend for fear of sticking the political label of “foundation scholarship student” on their lives.
If high-ranking figures attend in droves, they would vastly outshine any recognition the academy could impose on them.
“The imperial government officials have arrived at the ceremony!”
“?”
“Empress Masugaki is also said to be attending the ceremony!”
However, when the day of the ceremony arrived, it felt as if an imperial court meeting was taking place at the academy with all the high-ranking officials gathered.
“Empress Masugaki is an alumnus of Gift Academy, and during her ascension process, the Dark Princess contributed greatly. It’s understandable that she would be a representative of the foundation.”
If the empire intended to become an empire of evil, that would actually work to their advantage.
Simply ignoring the empire’s events from other nations would nicely affix the foundation’s label to any visit from the empress.
“From the Southern Sacred City-State Federation, the majority of mayors are reportedly attending, including the city of Pompeii and the Volcano Four!”
“?!”
“It seems the master of the Red Flame School, known as the Red Demon, is also attending to express gratitude with a dazzling Fire Show for the Dark Princess.”
Pope Paron tried to maintain his composure.
“The Red Flame School is known to owe a debt of gratitude to the Dark Princess, so it can be viewed as being pro-foundation. It’s understandable that the Volcano Four and the Southern Sacred City-State Federation show a friendly disposition.”
However, the Southern Sacred City-State Federation is merely a coalition of cities that does not exceed the level of city-states.
The truly recognized powerful nations of kingdom status would not follow suit.
“We have breaking news! A large delegation from the Western Three Kingdoms—Kingdom of Doichi, Kingdom of Florence, and Kingdom of Talande—has been dispatched!”
“Those have nothing to do with the Dark Princess! Why are they coming?!”
Pope Paron’s rage exploded as he could no longer contain himself.
It’s not as if the entire world had banded together with the Wahyhiemhai Foundation; this was simply too excessive.
“According to prior reports from the believers of the Western Three Kingdoms, there are disturbing movements from the Demon King’s Army, and the empire has also undergone significant turmoil. So they plan to attend to discuss international matters and responses at a gathering of significant political and religious figures.”
“…Are there other nations involved?”
“Immediately upon learning that the Western Three Kingdoms had mobilized, the Kingdom of Troy, the Pirate Alliance Kingdom, the Eastern Empire, and effectively every nation has sent their delegations.”
A massive wave of attendance arose with the announcement of the Dark Princess’s declaration to host the Saintess Alliance ceremony immediately after the Demon King’s Army stirred.
Pope Paron felt an ominous event unfolding at an unfathomable height, but he was paralyzed by the news that interrupted the crescendo of distinguished representatives.
“Th-the former emperor! The previously missing former emperor has appeared!!!”
Unbeknownst to everyone, the former emperor’s appearance at the event felt like a horrifying surprise, and thus the ceremony, simultaneously a global conference, began in shock.
