Chapter 473: It was not the call about Clayton that I had been waiting for. However, I did receive contact that needed to be urgently reported to Logan.
“In the Holy Kingdom?”
“Yes. The saint communicated through direct payment from the Pope. She also said she would like to receive communication from Lord Heyman…”
“Lord Heyman?”
“yes.”
It would never be a good thing to even call Harmon for payment.
Logan, who quickly headed to the communication room, saw Harmon’s heavy expression in front of him and became even more confident that his guess was correct.
“What is going on? Payment communication at this time?”
“I have a guess, but first listen to what His Holiness says.”
Harmon’s voice as he spoke like that was also heavier than anything I had ever heard before. It was unusual to see that the hand holding the Licentia, a holy object around his neck, was also trembling slightly.
‘No way, something could happen at the temple again…’
Logan entered the communication room with a stern face.
And the story I heard as soon as I greeted the saint was very shocking.
[The elites of the Holy Knights have been dispatched to the place His Majesty mentioned. 200 people, mainly janitors, including three vice-captains. However, a week has passed since the signal to enter, and there has still been no report.]
“You mean…”
[The liaisons outside only reported that a loud explosion was heard inside the mountain range. Inside the temple, it is believed that there is a high probability that they have been wiped out.]
“Huh… oh…”
Logan bit his lip without realizing it. I felt like I had been unexpectedly caught off guard.
This situation was not expected when I gave the information to the saint. There was a reasonable expectation that the elites of the magic tower, including the Cassel magic tower lord, would join the imperial army, so even if Luisa’s report was false, they thought that the power of the Holy Kingdom would be enough to overcome it.
However, even though the Kassel Magic Tower’s power did not appear in the war, this fact was not conveyed to the Holy Kingdom.
‘It’s my mistake.’
If the Kassel Mage Tower and their elite were already there, it would not be surprising if the Holy Kingdom’s elite were annihilated.
Logan’s complexion darkened, and the story continued to become even darker.
[It would be correct to say that they fell into a trap. The cardinals are putting pressure on him to reveal the source of the information.]
“…It’s my fault. Even if I have ten mouths, I have nothing to say. It’s okay to let it be known that the information I gave you.”
[…It’s not that easy to say. Because there are more serious problems.]
More serious?
In this situation?
As Logan’s frown suddenly narrowed, Ilya’s gaze in the crystal sphere this time turned to Harmon next to him.
[Lord Harman, I have recently felt something strange through Richentia… Ha, so did you, too. I hoped not…]
“His Holiness…”
The saintess and Harman seemed to have confirmed something just by looking at the other person through the communication port.
Logan tilts his head, unable to understand the reason.
“Your Majesty, it looks like the gods are up to something.”
[It seems like the gods are planning to directly intervene in this world. [This is the worst situation.]
Very ominous words came out of the mouths of the two people.
“…yes!?”
[The day the vice-leaders announced that they would enter the cave, I felt the will of the gods through the holy relic. The will to interfere in the underworld even if it means risking great loss.]
“No way…”
Are the gods coming forward just because the Holy Knights were annihilated?
Hasn’t something like that happened once or twice in the history of the Holy Kingdom?
It was difficult for Logan to understand, but the saintess did not seem to think so.
[It probably has something to do with their loss of contact. At the same time, Amunda’s influence was felt again through Sententia. I blocked God’s interference by severing the connection, but even after that, Sententia is constantly trying to move.]
“It’s the same for me and Richentia, Your Majesty.”
[Perhaps they are planning to use the holy relic to create an apostle.]
Ugh.
Logan looked at Harman with bitter eyes as he violently grabbed the Licentia around his neck.
It was a serious situation, but even if all the speculation was true, there were parts that made me feel a little relieved.
“…That’s a good thing. Sir Harman said he hid five of the remaining holy relics.”
But after hearing those words, Harmon shook his head with a heavy face.
“Aurum, Ageron’s holy relic, disappeared into thin air before my eyes. And around the same time, I felt the barrier I had set up break.”
“Then…”
“Yes. It seems that other sacred objects have already moved in search of ‘victims’.”
[Reports have come in that sacred relics from the McLane Temple and the Charon Temple have also disappeared.]
Even the saint added to Harman’s words and added evidence.
“Ha… then I guess I’m sure.”
[yes. It is difficult to think of the disappearance of sacred relics as a problem other than apostolicization.]
Of course, there were still questions that remained.
“But if that were possible, wouldn’t it have come out a long time ago? Why are you doing it now?”
[It is certain that the gods will suffer great losses due to this incident. However, we have no way of knowing what the damage will be.]
Is this what it feels like to be struck by lightning in a dry sky?
Logan was momentarily at a loss for words. I thought everything was going well, but then it happened again.
If you think about the time of Ilia, it was like suddenly seven class 8 powerhouses appeared.
Those are strong people who want to kill themselves.
Then….
“Is there any way to find out which priest will become an apostle? If I could know that in advance…” I
will kill you.
There was no one here who could not understand the omitted afterword.
[Hmm…]
Ilya thought for a moment and slowly opened her mouth with a dark expression on her face.
[…two of them are almost certain, but the other five seem to be difficult. As you know, in the current religious order, status and sacred power are rarely proportional.]
“If there are two people… they are former Pope Austin and Priest Jayle.”
[yes. Those two people have already ‘recommended’ that I conduct a separate closing ceremony. Although he expressed his doubts, he willingly entered the windowless, walled retreat. I take care of it several times a day.]
At the voice of Harman who suddenly interrupted, Ilya nodded and added.
When Logan gave him a puzzled look, Harmon quickly added an explanation.
“These are the people chosen by the Apostle when Sir Victor and I entered the central temple last time. Former Pope Austin even showed signs of soul erosion.”
“Oh, I think I heard it from Victor.”
Did you say you cut off your wrists?
Logan nodded with a somber expression.
“In other words, he is a prospective apostle.”
“Yes, but that is also only a temporary measure.”
[No matter how we manage to stop those two, the moment the Apostle descends from somewhere else and is revealed publicly, it will be the end for me and Sir Harman.]
“Uhm.”
[His Majesty’s status as Seongwoong will also be abolished. The power of the Holy Kingdom will also be directed to McLane rather than to the already collapsing empire.]
Illia’s subsequent words were even more gloomy because they were extremely realistic.
‘Mountain after mountain…’
But soon another question arose. I still couldn’t let go of the question about that period.
It is a question of whether or not the gods will bear any penalty rather than whether they can or cannot do so.
If something like this had been possible in the first place, would it have been necessary to drag it out so far?
“Why didn’t you do it then when you failed to take control of Lord Harman?”
“…I definitely felt like Aria was hesitant about something.”
[…Maybe you didn’t think it was a situation worth taking the loss at that time? The situation is more serious now than then. By their standards.]
“That’s right. They said they should kill me, but they didn’t go this far. Considering that, it’s clear that the gods will have to take a big loss from this incident.”
Logan agreed with the saint’s words and applied saliva to her dry lips. As I continued speaking, my thoughts seemed to gradually become more organized.
“But what about now? What’s different from then?”
“War…couldn’t it be?”
Logan immediately shook his head at Harmon’s uncertain voice.
“Is it really a big deal to them that McLane won the war?”
[…That’s probably not true. I don’t think the gods would care about the outcome of such a war.]
“Ah… Well, Arya wasn’t at all interested in the power map of the human world either. So why now?”
As Harman added his words, Ilya’s expression changed.
[The words…]
“Isn’t it what happened in that cave where the Holy Knights were wiped out… or rather, the news was cut off, that provoked the gods?”
[…There have been several instances in history where not only the elites of the Holy Knights but also the entire Order were wiped out. An apostle did not descend every time.]
“Yes. That could also be evidence that the gods are not at all interested in the human power structure. But the situation is a bit different now. The opponent is the Kassel Tower. As you well know, “The 9 Great Gods are trying to resurrect Zibrik Cassel, who they are most wary of.”
Ilya and Harmon’s faces stiffened at Logan’s words.
[…Do you think it’s not a simple trap?]
“A simple trap won’t be able to kill three superhumans who use holy auras.”
[Then…]
“The Kassel Tower is doing something there. And if the gods saw it through the paladins, would it be an excessive assumption to think that that’s why they took unreasonable measures?”
[…Hmm, I guess that makes sense.]
“Perhaps, there is a high probability that the purpose of the apostles who descend this time is not just to kill me.”
The two people couldn’t help but nod at the same time at Logan’s words.
“Just watch the situation for now. And then I’ll go to Noviense.”
“your majesty!?”
[Your Majesty himself?]
“It would be best if the Apostle tried to fight the Kassel Tower as is, but if he tried to move the Holy Kingdom, he would come to Noviense.”
If that really happens, I will find him and kill him first.
I was confident that I could deal with seven or all five, one by one, or even two.
The complexions of the two ‘apostates’ darkened as they read the true meaning of Logan’s words.
[But right now, the Lord of McLane is going to be away…]
“For someone returning to their home country, a double agent is enough. Are you saying that because you’re worried about the priests who will be sacrificed?”
[…I will not deny it.]
“There is no room for salvation for someone who was eaten by the gods and became an apostle. It is virtually impossible for a situation like the two of you to happen again. Don’t you know that?”
“Yes… of course.”
[All right. I will follow Your Majesty’s will.]
The communication ended with the saintess showing a determined expression as if she had made up her mind.
But a few hours later.
Communication forcibly connected on an unknown line. One piece of news delivered there changed Logan’s course.
[We have the Golem Master’s body with us. If Your Majesty comes here in person, I will give it back in full.]
“Do you think the king of a country would go on his own to find a place that is clearly a trap because of only one of his subjects?”
[I understand that you care very much about your people. Are you saying you are going to abandon the Golem Master, who can be said to have contributed to the founding of the country?]
It was truly a cheap provocation, but Logan actually laughed to himself.
‘This situation is going to be interesting…’
The mage in the communication port, whose face was covered with a robe, whether he knew what he was thinking or not, continued calmly.
[More than anything, the only thing we wish for is for His Majesty Logan, the Holy Hero, to come in person and block the movement of the Holy Kingdom. The damage from the recent attack was already significant.]
“Do you want me to be your puppet?”
Nonsense that both the speaker and the listener know are just excuses.
But the conversation continued smoothly, like a well-written play.
[Yes, it will take about a month. Additionally, there is no way that His Majesty, who has reached the peak of Aura Master, would be afraid of us. Of course, if you want, you can bring your subordinates.]
If you’re scared, don’t come.
McLane cannot mobilize the army now that the post-war process has not yet been completed.
I knew that it was a provocation made with knowledge of the fact, but there was no need to respond to words that clearly showed his intentions.
‘I have no intention of abandoning Clayton anyway.’
That was when Logan’s frown suddenly narrowed.
“huh?”
A strange but unforgettable sensation was felt in Logan’s senses as he had all of Ruspelheim in his range.
Another enemy that makes me shiver just thinking about it.
‘Why…!’
I was expecting it, but the timing was terrible.
However, you can’t just not deal with it.
“We’ll talk again later.”
bang.
[under! You must think we’re bluffing. Then it’s not that… Your Majesty? King Logan! Did you really go!? What are you doing now…!!?]
The place where Logan disappeared.
Only the mage inside the communication port was spewing out empty anger.
