Episode 1059 Shrine (1)
There is no need to know what operations the punitive forces of the Eastern and Western Continents are carrying out. Grasping a rough outline is more than enough.
Focus sharp.Peripheral vision blurry.
Since focusing on legions in other regions is a matter to be done after one’s own mission is accomplished, cramming everything Verden has memorized into the heads of every attendee is an ignorant waste of capacity.
Verden contemplated his own appearance, having effortlessly absorbed highly sophisticated war strategies that should have naturally been unfamiliar.
His knowledge… … is actually helpful.
Although Verden waged war against the Bohemian Magic Tower, his victory was achieved through deception and surprise.The Magic Tower, commanded by Balok Besias, only realized Verden was hiding beyond the Black Hour after falling completely into a trap.
Presbyterian Church, Itium.The matrix of spectra.Saturation of the genitals.The dynamics of intellect.
This is the main force of the Bohemian Magic Tower.
Dahit Wesroel also maintained the battlefield through guerrilla warfare and did not wage an all-out war against the Bohemirn Magic Tower. They boasted immense power capable of crushing Black Hour and the Society head-on.The Bohemirn Magic Tower was undeniably the second-highest in military strength among magic towers, excluding the Transcendents.
If they had fully prepared and clashed head-on on the battlefield, it was highly likely to result in mutual destruction or the defeat of Verden.
So, Verden thoroughly lured out and assassinated the elders of Itium. He launched a surprise raid to weaken their forces as much as possible by exploiting their internal weaknesses, and then drove the final nail in the coffin.
Verden, who had fully inherited Dahit’s memories, was a master of special operations.
To put it the other way… … .
Verden’s experiential capabilities were specialized for short-term warfare and could not encompass large-scale battlefields between nations. This was because he had never experienced it.
And, that void was filled by understanding the life of Draven LeMarque.
All experience from the War of the Transcendents.Vast knowledge of military operations.Flashes of on-the-ground judgment that cannot be calculated by theory alone.
The essence of the great war fought against the World Alliance, to which Vantoreon and Andes belonged, was engraved in Verden’s mind, and in the modern era, it became the blade that the new World Alliance aimed at the Xerion Empire.
The unexpected change added strong conviction to Verden’s decision to eventually choose the World Alliance Leader before joining Arcadium.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The emergency summit is concluded.
As soon as the plan was finalized, Verden ordered its dissolution as chairman. Favorable greetings and grand speeches were a luxury at this moment.
… … Actually, I had intended to do so, but I changed my mind after seeing the faces of some of the attendees.A grueling half-day meeting was difficult to endure with an ordinary mind.
“Thank you all for your hard work. I will be taking my leave now…….”“Ugh…….”“Go home, go home…….”“Screeeeek.”
Brillan, the Supreme Councilor of the Republic of Beldirn, who was among the younger attendees, was reduced to merely having hisupper body bent like a bow and his eyes vacant. However, the considerably older kings slumped down or staggered, barely managing to lean on the table. Duke Norden, who was physically frail, fainted.
It wasn’t that I actually collapsed from fatigue.
This is because, even though the vower’s incantation brought comfort to the mind and body and the miracle of light aided in mental recovery, the weary hours of the meeting still remain in memory like an indelible stain.
I want to rest.I want to sleep.I don’t want to use my head… … .
The kings, who had maintained their peak condition until their desperately conceived plans were all passed after continuous rejections and meetings.As soon as the end of the meeting was declared, they arbitrarily switched off their minds by releasing the stress they had carefully held back.
“He is no different from an undead.”“Shall we exterminate him, Seed?”“Tearel, I won’t ask where you learned that bizarre way of speaking. I am tired and have plenty of work to do, so let’s head back to headquarters now.”
It was a truly difficult meeting, even for Salvere, the head of the Adventurer’s Guild.It felt like his head was throbbing.
“… … To think I would have to issue a total mobilization order for adventurers during my tenure.”
Regardless of rank, all adventurers possessing a plate must answer the Guild’s call, and all Guild Leaders must obey the instructions of Headquarters.No Headquarters Leader in history has ever exercised this extra-legal authority.
This is a measure based on the worst-case scenario where ‘special entities’ run rampant across the continent.
How many adventurers will die?
Salbert Wendisir felt a sense of despair, yet also a somewhat ugly anticipation. Indeed. It is not just active adventurers who possess the Plate.Former adventurers who were officially permitted to possess the Plate even after honorably retiring are also subject to the Guild’s total mobilization order.
‘Once, together with Tearel… … .’
Salber felt as though five shadows were flickering around Tearel. In his eyes, if the strongest individual was the terror of demons, the strongest party was Tearel’s adventurer party that had been active decades ago.Her companions would surely respond to the Guild’s urgent call.
Even with a war looming that would bring screams and pain, Salvere was overjoyed at the certainty that he would see the adventurer party in its complete form again.Of course, knowing that this was a dark thing to do, he suppressed his emotions deep within his heart.
Footsteps leaving the summit venue.
The attendees, having officially collected the communication devices provided by Verden one by one, exchanged brief greetings and either set off on their way back home late at night or headed to Nordwald’s residence to depart at dawn.
Even wizards, whose daily lives consisted of racking their brains, sought rest with weary faces.Only the transcendents returned home full of energy.
The emergency summit came to an end like this.
Verden holding his post.
Deus turned away calmly, and Meia followed behind him, glaring at Verden with eyes that meant, ‘Do something about Tearel.’
I thought I’d be like that, too.
However, I had no particular intention of restraining Tearel’s eccentricities. It would be in his best interest if he could uncover even a single seed of resistance through it. If hereally didn’t like the idea of digging up everywhere, he could just hand over the list.
Whoosh.
Verden stored the documents created at the meeting in subspace.
I have established the World Alliance and assumed the position of its leader, so the groundwork for war is laid.Now, once I finish the tasks I have put off as the leader of Eon and as an individual before the messenger of the gnome arrives, I will be fully prepared.
───Robeline.
Verden signaled to Lobeline, who was just about to leave the meeting room.It was a personal matter.
I’ll come pick you up later.
Lobeline skillfully walked straight into the hallway without showing any emotion.
Just as they left Acetro Oldin and the surroundings grew empty, only Verden, Adrian, Isabella, Alpha, Beta, and Eres remained.
Andes accompanied Reindel for the time being, while Vantoreon rode Andes to visit the Darkwarton Magic Tower for the first time in a while.The two were scheduled to meet later at the headquarters of the Alliance of Transcendents located in Highlander.
Eres said, having blocked off the entire meeting room to prevent access.
“I heard that the sixth captain’s direct unit was dispatched, but they haven’t been able to meet yet. I heard they didn’t even have a chance to contact each other directly.”
It was a conversation between the captains of the ark.
“I ended up not having a moment to be here. I’ll meet with you later. But more importantly, what is the Ark’s stance on this war?”“It is on hold. Now that the World Alliance has been established, if we don’t act cautiously, the Ark could be exposed to a great extent. Moreover, the Gate of Death—no, the Gate of Four—has not been proven to pose a threat to the survival of humanity.”“If I were to report that the Old King himself is a threat to humanity.”
Verden no longer held a half-hearted footing on the Ark. The Breaker of Wonders. As the new sixth captain, he holds the same authority as the other captains.
“The higher-ups will surely take your opinion into consideration and give it positive thought. Well, it goes without saying, but even if not as the captain, we will all pour our efforts into the World Alliance to overcome this crisis. Just like you, Verden. The role of Alliance Leader suited you well.”
The Ark is a group that safeguards the existence of humanity, not a shield. Moreover, with beastmen, elves, and dwarves included, there was no way it could serve as a shield.
“And, here is a message. Your direct unit was supposed to deliver it, but it seems it fell to me. They say Elder Asetro and Sheorn are heading to the Ownerless Land soon.”“The Elders?”“We will find out the details when we meet them, won’t we? Aside from that… here you go.”
He took a piece of paper with numbers written on it from his pocket and handed it to Verden.
“This is…….”“It’s an invoice.”
Eres smiled. He was smiling, but his smile was as cold as ice.
“The table you and the Saint smashed. It was crafted from precious ice crystal rock found only in Prohas. For the summit, I retrieved it from the treasury and prepared it with truly great care. As you know, Prohas is not a financially affluent nation, so I even spent my own money just to hire the artisans.”“…….”“But it got destroyed as soon as the meeting started, haha.”“…….”“The Theocracy will have to pay half, and Eon half. Though it’s something that money can’t buy.”
The amount charged was in the billions, but the essence was rather Eres’s strong warning not to damage Prohas’s property again like this.
Alpha whispered.
[escape?]
“……Who taught you that?”
[The Seventh Phase. Grave Ludworth. It is said that if you flee when things go wrong, it will be as if nothing happened. Advice from a mercenary from the magic city of Virente.]
I pretended not to hear the small sounds Isabella and Alpha were making.
“…I’m sorry. I’ll pay when I get back.”“Thank you.”
[I have a question.]
Beta’s single eye flickered.
[What is going to be done about the collapsed wall of the summit meeting room?]
“……!”
Adrian flinched.
Ah, that.
Eres put his hands behind his back.
“Nordwald is equipped with a magical defense design devised by Prohas, but without activation, it is nothing more than a moderately sturdy fortress. And because the Saint and you collided, the unactivated fortress was damaged. As a result, we had to reinstall the circuits.”“…….”“However, the Saint is the one who attacked first, and the one who destroyed the fortress as a result. You bear no responsibility for this.”
Eres gestured toward the window.
So I sent the bills to the Ruas Church. Two of them.
* * *
“…….”“…….”
Saint Ersetia and Saint Leonhardt each saw the bills delivered to them. The two, glancing around cautiously, bowed their heads as they held out the bills personally written by the King of the North.
“I did something wrong.”“I, I’m sorry.”
For reference, the finances of the Ruas Principality are managed by Pope Romanus. The extent of the damage caused by the brief riot was calculated in monetary terms.
You might think that this isn’t a serious matter when war is on the horizon, but that is the opinion of those who have never managed a nation’s finances.
Haha.
Romanus, who particularly valued frugality as a virtue, simply laughed.
* * *
Lobeline, having returned to the Bohemian Tower by airship, secretly stepped outside and waited on a nearby ridge, gazing at the moon.Not long after, the always welcome presence came to find her.
“I haven’t been able to contact you directly for a while because the circumstances weren’t right.”“Who doesn’t know you’re busy? And I’ve been busy too. Since I’m the temporary Tower Master. I’ve been scouring every corner of the Western Continent, hunting down the undead, you know.”
Lobeline leaned against a tree and let out a long sigh, saying the meeting had been difficult. It was indeed difficult, but she was trying hard to hide her joy at finally facing Verden.She, too, had something to say to Verden.She wanted to show him the ‘new magical ability’ she had acquired while hunting the undead. However, before that, she intended to listen to what Verden had to say first.
“So…… what do you want?”“Great Magic Power.”
Verden said.
“I intend to pass it on to you, too.”“If you mean Great Magic, is that the one you presented at the Magic Festival? That’s Eon’s unique method of mana manipulation. I’m not affiliated with Eon, though?”“Do we really need to nitpick about that?”
To Verden, Lobeline was his oldest childhood friend.They were family, having grown up in the same orphanage.
“Thanks to Yunia and Cain, I was able to accelerate the embodiment of Great Magic Power a little further. I plan to pass it on to all the mages of Eon now.”“…….”“You will need it too. To prepare for war.”
Acquiring Great Magic would slightly increase the chances of survival in a chaotic battle. Regardless of which group Lobeline belonged to, there was no reason why she could not share Great Magic.Lobeline understood Verden’s intentions without needing a verbal explanation.
I was grateful, but I felt miserable.
Lobeline was still nothing more than a burden to Verden. That is how she felt. Nevertheless, she did not refuse Verden’s kindness out of needless stubbornness.
Because I can become stronger now, too.
Recalling the moment she had ‘accidentally’ realized a system that would dramatically enhance her magic, Robelin nodded.
“I understand. What about the transmission method?”“If you engrave a magic circle on the body…….”
… … ?!
Verden widened his eyes in bewilderment and turned his gaze toward the east.Faith?Divine power suddenly pointed toward the central continent. And very strongly at that.
“Why…? Did something happen?”“Just a moment, I’m going to the Central Continent.”
Verden paused just as he was about to move immediately after saying those words. Lobeline. How much of the secret would he hide from Lobeline?How long would he keep his mouth shut?He gazed into her red eyes, filled with worry, then reached out his hand as if he had made a decision.
Let’s go together.
* * *
The summit of the blue mountain range.
The sound of two footsteps echoed in a snowy mountain cave near the cliff—not far from where the sculptor Jose had built his cabin and was living.
yet.
Verden and Lobelin witnessed the architecture held within the darkness.
Lobelin muttered.
“……temple?”
Her upward gaze landed on the statue rising in the center of the temple.It was truly strange.The statue resembled Verden.
No, this isn’t just a matter of resemblance.
There was a fairly large statue there that was a perfect replica of Verden.
