Apostle of the Goddess of War

Chapter 161

Ch.161 Apostle of the Goddess of War

"……"

Ravienne bent at the waist, rotating her sword this way and that to loosen her wrists.

They had approached the walls of Elim safely. Though there were guards, she was certain that if they launched a surprise attack with only elite forces, the defenders would be helpless.

Whoosh, whoosh

Ravienne sent a hand signal. The Knight of Purity following her quickly relayed the signal backward.

Far in the distance, the mage soldiers were also on standby. They had finished preparing to provide firepower support once the battle commenced.

Elim would soon become a sea of fire.

The mages of the Magic Guild Alliance were brimming with confidence. They were convinced that fools who only waged war with blades could never defeat magic.

One Knight of Purity sent a signal toward the mage soldiers.

It was a signal dropped from the Apostle of Purity who had approached Elim.

Shiver

Goosebumps rose all over their bodies. Finally, it was time for real combat.

Originally, this mysterious power had been researched to defeat demons and demon races, but this was the first time using it against humans.

Magecraft was destined to grow significantly by accumulating information and experience through actual combat. The mage soldiers, mad about magecraft, could not hide their exhilaration.

Vroom

As the mage soldiers stretched out their hands, strange spells formed in the air, and an alien power began to be felt.

Even the Knights of Purity watching from the side could not hide their astonishment.

This was their first chance to witness the true substance and real power of the Mage Soldier Corps, which they had only heard about in words.

The knights relaxed their guard, barely suppressing the urge to gape with open mouths at the magic. It was truly rare to see ordinary people, who were neither Apostles nor Priestess, wielding magic.

Whoooosh

At that moment, fierce air enveloped the bodies of the knights and the mage soldier corps. Something appeared. It brushed past them like the wind and stood before the mage soldiers.

"Hello?"

It was a delicate young girl.

The girl playfully clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head slightly.

"Continue. Mm-hmm."

"W-what?"

The mage soldiers froze in place. Their bodies would not obey. It felt as though an invisible grip was strangling their necks.

The girl pulled up one corner of her mouth with her finger.

"Why? Not doing it? I told you to finish what you started."

"Ugh."

"Who are you!"

One mage soldier shouted. Swish, the girl's gaze turned. Her eyes were wide open on both sides. They were opened so wide it was as if her eyeballs were about to pop out.

"Me? The guardian angel of Elim."

"That's nonsense!"

"The Apostle of the Goddess of War is absent. This information couldn't possibly be contaminated!"

"Aha-ha-ha!"

The girl laughed viciously. She burst into giggles, yet no one could stop the girl or even twitch a finger.

Everyone knew instinctively.

They knew that if they made any foolish moves here, they would die instantly.

"……Haa! It's been a while since I laughed. I was bored without Sion, you see."

"What on earth are you saying?"

The only mage soldier who summoned his courage frowned. He wanted to break through this situation somehow.

'Damn it. Why does the magic circle keep dispersing!'

Internally, he continued chanting spells. He intended to ambush and subdue the girl. However, it was obvious to anyone that the girl held the upper hand.

In this place, the power over life and death belonged to the unarmed girl. In this helpless situation, no one could maintain their sanity.

The girl began walking leisurely among the mage soldiers. As she did, she slowly parted her soft lips.

"My name is Tartania. Once the Goddess of Corruption, now the fallen Angel of Purity who has become the guardian angel of Elim… Would introducing myself like that be a bit cringey? Ee-hee."

Tartania laughed like a child as if the embarrassing introduction itself was entertainment, then suddenly turned serious. Soon, she snapped her fingers.

Snap!

"All of you, corrupt. Purify the impure things from your minds."

Tartania laughed briefly. A cold winter wind passed through their hair.

"Ugh, u-ugh, gh-gh."

"Ugh, u-ugh."

"We are the War… Church's mage soldier corps."

"Obey… the Goddess of War, Achille…"

"Turn the world into a pit of war."

The group of mages from the Magic Guild Alliance underwent mental remodeling in an instant.

"Hey, hey, erase that last line from your heads. Achille will scold me."

Tartania tapped the cheeks of the extremely remodeled mage soldiers, then turned her head and laughed.

"F*ck. Crazy."

It came from the direction where the Knights of Purity were.

Tartania deliberately did not touch the Knights of Purity. It was due to her bad habit of enjoying the very process of others witnessing the corruption named 'purification.'

"Aha-ha-ha! That dumbfounded expression! It's so good!"

"G-gwack!"

"Attack! Kill her! Something like that shouldn't exist in Elim!"

The Knights of Purity realized that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Attack! Attack! Kill them all without exception! We must save the Apostle immediately!"

However, it was a meaningless struggle.

By the time the magic circles of the purified mage soldiers turned toward them, it was already too late.

***

Screeeech

The sound of a blade rang in Ravienne's ears.

"Huh?"

She had not yet mentally processed what was happening.

'Why am I surrounded? Why is there no supporting fire from the mage soldiers?'

She could draw her sword and counterattack, but that was not an easy task either. Kegan, the commander of the War Knights, possessed sword skills formidable enough for even an Apostle of Purity to not easily suppress him.

Kegan spoke in a grave voice.

"Lady Ravienne, Apostle of Purity. Surrender quietly."

"I don't want to?"

Ravienne, haughty as ever, snorted. She still believed that if she set her mind to it, she could reverse the situation at any time.

She thought she would counterattack amidst the chaos if only the bombardment from the mage soldiers followed.

Kegan, having read her intentions, relaxed his strength as if giving up and made a proposal.

"The mage soldiers have all been subdued. There are no reinforcements to help you."

"……?"

Ravienne quietly rolled her eyes. Indeed, the presence was strange. She could not feel the slightest trace of holy power needed to wield magic from anywhere nearby.

"What… how did you do this?"

"Is this what you were looking for?"

The girl's playful voice was heard. Ravienne flinched, her shoulders trembling. She could feel herself stiffening in real-time from her trapezius muscles down to her forearms.

She barely managed to roll her eyes to perceive the girl whispering in her ear.

"You… are…?"

Beeeeep—

Just like that, Ravienne's consciousness shut off. She collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

Tartania, who had intended to play a few mischievous tricks, frowned as if disappointed and stared into the void.

"What will you do now? Lirienne."

Lirienne, the Goddess of Purity, was speechless at the unexpected existence within Elim.

[This is absurd. What exactly is Achille up to?]

Tartania tilted her head for a moment, then smiled brightly.

"She's trying to become the new Supreme Goddess."

***

"It is quite rare to see a Goddess sulking. Haa-ugh. So cute…!"

Arwen watched Kaia kicking the base of a tree, her cheeks flushed red, and felt delighted. Not knowing what to do, she even stamped her feet.

Sion shook his head repeatedly.

'To like any type of woman as long as she's a crybaby Goddess. She's a strange woman.'

Sion erased Arwen from his consciousness. Though her abilities were outstanding, she was a woman who would not be helpful in planning future strategies together.

Although she was the Apostle of Wisdom, he could not feel any intellect in her.

Putting Arwen aside, Kaia, ashamed of her own actions and still unable to let go of the anger from being flicked on the forehead by Sion, showed no sign of calming down.

Achille was the only conversation partner left.

'Have the Fire Cultists retreated?'

[Yes. They have hidden themselves within our main church.]

'Did Goddess Agnia swallow the fragment?'

Achille concentrated for a moment, then nodded.

[The Goddess of Birds, who recently joined us, confirmed it.]

'Goddess of Birds?'

[She is the Goddess who rules the sky. Like Emily, she enjoys peace.]

'It is quite an interesting phenomenon for Goddesses who enjoy peace to join the War Church.'

Sion grinned.

Achille was about to say something but explained calmly instead.

[Bringing peace is, paradoxically, fierce war.]

Sion nodded. He understood the words of someone who called Achille an Evil God.

In Sion's view, war was a necessary evil. It would be better if it didn't exist, but it was a concept that would never disappear.

If one of the Goddesses had to play the villain, it had to be Achille.

'……My Lady. You must have gone through a lot.'

[Hm? Suddenly?]

'It's nothing.'

[How boring.]

Achille spoke to Sion.

[Sion. Continue advancing as you are. We must thoroughly crush the Fire Cult and settle things with Agnia as well.]

Sion slightly narrowed his eyes.

'Could there be a trap?'

[There will be. Agnia… and Serine, who is controlling that child, will not just fight normally.]

Sion tilted his head.

'Controlling?'

[My Apostle wouldn't know this story. Well, indeed, there is no one in the current era who knows the relationship between the two.]

'…No way?'

Achille crossed her arms.

[The two are lovers. To be precise, it is closer to a relationship where one dominates and the other obeys.]

'T-the Goddess of Fire is the one being controlled?'

Sion had experienced Agnia's flames many times. No one was stronger or hotter than her. She was a Goddess with the power to melt the entire continent if she wished.

[Everything breaks down in the face of love.]

'Hmm.'

[Fools fall in love. Perhaps they are fools because they love. Anyway, there is a reason why it is said that all humans are fools.]

'Is there a Goddess who does not love?'

[This body.]

Thwack!

Sion ignored Achille, who puffed out her chest and poked herself with her thumb.

'Well… the forms of love are diverse, aren't they?'

[Sion? What is with that tone, as if you do not agree with my words?]

'It is nothing.'

[I am hurt, Sion.]

'Hey, why are you like that?'

[……]

The Goddess merely pouted her lips.

Sion ended the conversation and headed toward Arwen, who was stamping her feet. After explaining to Arwen that they were departing, he spoke to Kaia to soothe her anger.

Kaia kicked the base of the tree even harder, then clutched her toe and collapsed.

Everything was a mess.

[Truly, a ridiculous sight.]

Menesia muttered a remark. Achille agreed as well. Achille sighed softly.

[I wonder if this is truly the right path. Am I leading a new world?]

[If Eru decided so, we must follow.]

[Hmm.]

[Though casting down our corrupted sisters to the human realm carries risks, the flow is now irreversible. You know that, don't you?]

Achille and Menesia felt complex emotions as they looked at Kaia.

[We too must descend to the human realm someday, and someday in the very distant future, our very existence will be forgotten by humans.]

[Even if we gather all the fragments and create the Round Table?]

[It would still be a replica. Only Eru possesses eternal, immortal power.]

Achille, filled with anguish, sought wisdom from Menesia.

[Truly… if we revive Eru according to Magoth's plan?]

Menesia shook her head. She scolded Achille very firmly.

[If that were the case, Eru would not have chosen extinction. The extinction of light is Eru's choice. It cannot be reversed no matter what. Nor should it be.]

[I understand……]

Achille and Menesia turned their gaze to another Goddess who had arrived late.

[Arna.]

[You've come. Do you have news from Elim?]

[Yes. Sisters.]

The Goddess of Birds, Arna delivered news from Elim.

As naturally as could be.

[It is a report of victory. Lirienne has surrendered.]