Chapter 118
“Saint, are you using contraception when you are with my daughters?”
Her Majesty the Empress’s direct remark almost made me perform the spectacular feat of spraying the tea I was drinking out of my nose.
Seeing me choking because the tea had gone down the wrong pipe, Her Majesty the Empress smiled faintly.
“Since you are called Eleos of Grace, I am looking forward to when grace will also descend upon my daughters.”
Her joking tone felt like it had a subtle barb.
I straightened my posture and looked directly at His Imperial Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.
“I apologize. I should have taken responsibility and married them, but things just ended up...”
“I understand. Things are complicated. With the Evil God and Hell clearly targeting the Human Realm, I understand that there’s no time to hold a wedding. Even after the situation is resolved, I ask that you love my two daughters equally.”
*Why was that?*
*Those words.*
You haven’t even had a wedding, and you’re a bastard with too many girlfriends. I understand the circumstances, but if you add any more women, I’ll be truly disappointed. Seriously, treat my daughters well.
*...that’s what it sounded like, a threat.*
“Of course, Your Majesty. You don’t need to worry too much.”
As I repeatedly bowed my head and said that, His Imperial Majesty smiled faintly and gently stroked Her Majesty the Empress’s hand.
It seemed like a gesture asking if that was enough.
“Currently, we are making every effort to find the two Deities who have fallen to the Mortal Realm. The Cult of Heroes has mobilized all its Priests and is searching throughout the entire Empire.”
At His Imperial Majesty’s words, I nodded.
“I know.”
“The Imperial Army and the Public Authority of each region have also been fully mobilized and are continuing the search, so if they are within the Empire, it won’t be impossible to find them. The reason we called you today, Saint, is to discuss what happens next. After we find the two Deities, what should we do then?”
It was a natural question.
I pondered his words for a moment and then came to a conclusion.
“Once you ascertain their location, please inform me immediately. I will go alone and return with the Deity.”
“Alone?”
“Saint, wouldn’t that be too dangerous? Considering what you went through this time as well...”
The terrible moments naturally came to mind at their worried words.
Memories of being burned by Satan’s Demonic Sword, and of being crushed and suffocated by all sorts of negative and terrible past memories summoned by Belphegor and Leviathan.
*Honestly, they were experiences I didn’t want to go through again.*
But precisely because of that, it was better for me to move alone.
“Our opponents are Deities. And not just any Deities, but the Demon Kings of Pride and Gluttony, who have lost four Demon Kings in a short period and are seething with rage, and the Evil God, who will undoubtedly come well-prepared. If beings other than myself move with me, we must consider the possibility that they will instead be corrupted.”
The countless collectibles that the Demon King of Sloth possessed were numerous.
They were the Heroes, Saints, and Saintesses who, 300 years ago, were the Chosen Ones of the Pantheon, fallen and transformed.
As Lady Velia said, I possessed a strangely strong resistance to corruption and temptation.
In the upcoming battle, where Lucifer of Pride and the Evil God will clearly be directly involved, I couldn’t have other beings by my side.
“It will be safest if I go alone to retrieve them.”
Ultimately, it was a conclusion not much different from what I had always done.
Once the Deity’s location is identified, I go alone to retrieve it and return.
But it wouldn’t be exactly the same as in the past.
“Then what should the Empire do? Please tell me. How should I help you?”
Now I was a being officially backed by the entire Empire’s support.
“Select Combat Priests and Paladins from each Cult of the Pantheon. And select elite Imperial Army Troops who can be deployed immediately. And ensure they can be dispatched whenever called upon.”
Having experienced this incident of rescuing Kanya and Lady Velia, I clearly understood one thing.
A battle in the Spirit Realm, even if Lucifer and the Evil God joined forces, would be difficult to guarantee 100% victory.
The Pantheon had recovered three Deities in a short period, while Lucifer had lost four Demon Kings.
Furthermore, the Evil God also had to fight while suppressing the ten Deities it held within.
Facing Asmodeus, who had devoured Mammon and was still growing in power by absorbing immense faith directed at Lilia in real-time, would inevitably be a huge burden for them.
Moreover, the Pantheon, having recovered ten Deities, would certainly not stand idly by.
*Therefore, from the perspective of the Evil God and Lucifer, fighting in the Human Realm would actually have a higher chance of victory.*
The Pantheon was unable to properly interfere with the Human Realm due to Lucifer’s obstruction, and if Asmodeus fought in the Human Realm, she would be severely restricted, able to exert her authority only to the extent that I wouldn’t get hurt.
So, what’s the conclusion?
“The Evil God and Lucifer are highly likely to challenge me to a fight in the Human Realm. That means their Followers will come to obstruct me. I cannot handle all of them alone. The Empire’s elites must deal with them.”
“In short, the Saint will handle the Evil God and Lucifer, and the Empire will deal with the Followers they command in the Human Realm. Is that how I should understand it?”
“Precisely. Each must never deviate from their assigned role.”
*It’s impossible for me to face all the Followers protected by the Evil God and Lucifer alone.
As it was with Kanya, the Evil God and Lucifer will clearly throw all sorts of obstacles in my way to prevent me from properly using Asmodeus’s Authority.
In that state, defeating hundreds, even thousands, of Followers was impossible.
*Therefore, the Empire must deal with them.*
Conversely, the Empire’s elites also had to avoid facing the Evil God and Lucifer.
*Corruption, Brainwashing, Mind Control.*
It was clear that a fight itself wouldn’t even be possible.
“We can keep the Pantheon’s elites and the Imperial Army’s elites on standby near the Capital. That’s not difficult. The problem, however, is how the Saint will summon them at the necessary moment.”
At his words, I slowly concentrated my mind on my hands.
Not long after, with a clanking sound of metal, white chains appeared in my hands.
I showed them to His Imperial Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.
“I can open a portal using the Goddess of Life’s Authority. This is an Authority that even three Demon Kings, who are not as mighty Deities as Lucifer or the Evil God, could wield. I should be able to open one too.”
His Imperial Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress looked at each other and nodded as if it sounded plausible.
“If you connect the portals, like at the Rocky Mountain in Talahaim, you can immediately summon Troops to the desired location. That’s not a bad strategy.”
I nodded and made the chains disappear.
“Of course, I’ll need to practice. And I’ll need a lot of advice from the Mages of the Magic Tower and the Priests of the Pantheon. But it’s not an impossible strategy.”
The two of them nodded at my words.
“Please don’t worry about gathering the troops. I will gather only the best of the best from the Empire and have them on standby.”
Those were His Imperial Majesty’s words.
“Knights from each Noble Family renowned for their Swordsmanship will also be on standby. With Your Majesty’s command and my connections, it’s entirely possible. And the cause is one that cannot be refused.”
And those were Her Majesty the Empress’s words.
At their words, I felt a heavy stone disappear from a corner of my heart.
*The days when I couldn’t tell anyone the truth and had to bear everything alone were now over.*
The entire Empire was moving for me.
“I’ll take my leave now. I need to practice wielding the Authority granted to me.”
“Please go quickly. If you need anything, come to the Imperial Palace at any time. We will provide whatever the Empire can, to the fullest extent.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. A great burden has been lifted from my heart.”
I bowed, showing respect to the Ruler of the Empire.
A polite knock sounded from the door of the reception room we were in.
“Your Majesty. It’s the Head Butler.”
“Come in. What is it?”
The door opened, and the Head Butler, who carefully entered the room, looked at us with a bright smile.
“A report just came in from the Pantheon. It says the Ascension Ritual is ready.”
Velia, the Goddess of War.
After she had endured 300 years of hardship, it was finally time for her to sit once again on the Throne of the Heavenly Realm.
***
Not all 24 Cults within the Pantheon were famous.
Cult of the Sun.
White Order.
Cult of Grace.
Cult of Prophecy, and others.
While there were famous cults, in the case of minor cults, their numbers were so small that their very existence was often not well-known.
And the Cult of War was also one such Minor Cult.
A group of nuns composed entirely of women.
A Cult that trained in Swordsmanship, martial arts, strategy, and tactics in its Convent, and rarely showed itself, except when occasionally venturing out to hunt Heretics or monsters.
As expected, the Cult of War had never been considered mainstream.
But at this very moment, they were the protagonists.
[Laur. My faithful Follower. Follow and uphold my teachings. A great battle will come soon, and you will be needed.]
At the divine words flowing from Kanya’s mouth, the High Priest and Abbess of the Cult of War, clad in red armor, knelt and kissed Kanya’s instep.
“We shall do as you will! Lead your servants from above!”
Since the Cult of War was a Minor Cult, it did not have a Temple building in the Capital.
Because of that, they temporarily borrowed the Mage Tower Temple of the Cult of Grace and set up an Altar of Ascension there.
Naturally, in front of the Mage Tower Temple, an enormous crowd, more than could be described as a “sea of people,” had gathered.
Most of them were people who wanted to see the Incarnated Deity directly.
The Nuns of the Cult of War, armed with swords and armor, were controlling the crowd, but they alone were utterly insufficient, so even soldiers from the Capital Security Force were mobilized.
“Goddess!! Please speak to us!!”
“What should we do?”
“Guide us! Please speak to us!!”
As humans always did when they met a god.
They were asking questions.
*What should I do from now on?*
*How should I live?*
It was the most important question for humans.
Velia slowly remained silent to the torrent of questions.
walked into the Mage Tower Temple.
Countless Nuns of the Cult of War followed behind her.
The third floor of the Mage Tower Temple had been specially prepared for today, with Invisibility Magic to make all its walls transparent.
This was so the countless people gathered outside could witness the Goddess’s Ascension directly.
Receiving everyone’s gaze, Velia stood at the center of the Altar on the third floor.
[...Begin. I wish to return.]
At her words, the Nuns slowly began to invoke divine power.
In the basement of the Mage Tower Temple, the enormous amount of elixirs still gushing forth today was powering the Magic Circle installed beneath the Ritual Altar.
The Nuns’ divine power was amplified dozens of times, protecting Kanya and Velia’s Deity within her.
And slowly.
Velia’s Deity, residing within Kanya’s body, began to release from her body.
A fiery, blood-red light.
Velia, brandishing divine power like her very symbol, gradually moved away from Kanya’s body, until she stopped one moment.
she completely detached from Kanya and emerged outside.
And the Deity, freed from its Human body, exuded an indescribably immense presence, revealing its true form in the Human Realm.
My Chosen One. My pitiful and lovely Kanya.
The Goddess, feeling as vast as the Mage Tower Temple itself, slowly extended her hand towards Kanya, who stood at the center of the Altar.
Soon, a clear and distinct emblem of the Goddess of War appeared on Kanya’s hand.
I leave my stigmata upon you, so do not forget that I am always with you.
At her words, Kanya quietly nodded.
“Return to where you belong, Goddess. I’ll be fine.”
It was the moment of saying goodbye to a friend she had been with her entire life.
With a complex smile, Kanya sent the Goddess off thus.
As soon as the farewell was complete, the Sky opened, and a brilliant beam of light descended to the Mortal Realm.
The Goddess’s immense presence was slowly fading.
“Goddess! What should we do?!”
“Tell us what to do! Tell us which way to go!!”
The Goddess finally replied to the clamor of the crowd gathered in the Plaza.
[Si vis pacem, para bellum.]
Those were Velia’s final words.
The immense Deity of the Goddess completely concealed her presence soon.