novelraw Chapter 196 : Chapter 196
Chapter 196 : Chapter 196
Chapter 196
“The Emperor is not dead.”
Depending on the situation, it was a somewhat shocking statement.
Nevertheless, Killian's mood did not waver significantly.
‘As expected.’
It had been a question all along.
The Emperor he faced for the first time possessed a spirit that made even him, an 8-star Knight, shrink back.
‘At the final moment, he was barely at the level of an 8-star.’
Even with the active role of Orchid Owl and Crimson Wolf, it was rare for the rank to drop that much so suddenly.
So Lan's words relieved the unease he had been harboring all along.
“It seems you also noticed something strange.”
Lan, observing his reaction, said so.
“It was not an ordinary battle.”
The space rippled as if the boundaries had collapsed, and physical distance became nominal.
I can assert that even Hegel Cornelia, who synchronized with the Magic Tower, or the two Tower Masters of the Empire, could not show such eccentricities.
“Also, it was not an ordinary end.”
I cut him, but he was not cut immediately.
As if he slowed down time to postpone the shock inflicted upon him.
A surreal phenomenon defying natural laws.
Killian knew when such phenomena occurred.
‘Authority.’
And it’s not at the level used by ordinary Priests.
‘It is only possible if one handles at least two Authorities at the level of a Chief Priest or higher.’
Thinking that, he looked at Lan.
As if she also noticed Killian’s thoughts, she did not avoid his gaze while covering her mouth with a fan.
‘Killian Eurasia. As expected, he has good intuition.’
The battle with the Emperor she heard from him.
It is unknown where that place led to, but it is certain that it was a phenomenon similar to when His Holiness the Pope and she used their Authorities together.
The combination of Authorities, Combinatio.
‘There are very few even in the Holy Nation who know about Combinatio.’
Moreover, if the combination of ‘Time’ and ‘Boundary’ becomes known, it could escalate into a diplomatic issue.
There was no need to say it intentionally.
Meeting her eyes over the fan, Killian thought.
‘The Pope and the Saintess. If it’s these two, Combinatio would be possible.’
When it comes to the Gods’ Authorities, he knows as deeply as he does Mana.
He could see right through the opponent, but even so, there was no need to pretend to know first.
‘Because I need to maintain an equal relationship until those guys recover.’
The war was concluded, and the Saintess was treating the wounds of the two Night Walkers and the Annihilation Squad due to her personal relationship with him.
“After that, it is as I told you.”
Through Absinthe's information, I learned that the blood shed in the war waged by Eurasia was intended to activate some kind of Formula.
Immediately after cutting the Emperor, I returned to the space where the large Warp Gate was.
Forcibly overwriting the Formula engraved on the Warp Gate with the original Warp Formula.
It was a feat made possible because I reached 8-star and could handle Mana more freely.
Of course, Lan didn't seem to think so.
“That is not something a Knight would likely do.”
“Wouldn't I be superior to Lady Lan when it comes to Mana?”
“Are you being arrogant because you couldn't hold it in for that short moment?”
“And I used the activated Warp Gate to head to the Pantera Temple. Perhaps because it was an old gate, it accepted Mana quite well.”
Killian ignored her reaction and continued.
“I had asked Chief Priest Pierre to recover Crimson and Orchid.”
“That is excellent.”
She spoke in a clear voice.
It was a contrasting reaction to calling him arrogant just a moment ago.
“It was an excellent choice to bring the Divine Object that became the medium of the Formula without cutting it.”
It wasn't just the two Walkers that Killian brought out as he escaped the temple.
The unidentified modified Divine Object that was forming the Formula.
That object was entrusted to Pierre, and Lan checked the Divine Object in between recovering the two Night Walkers at the Pantera Temple.
“It is certain that it was a Divine Object, and that it was modified. Surprisingly, it seems to have been crafted at least 200 years ago.”
‘As expected of someone with the Authority of Boundaries.’
Even considering the characteristics of the Authority, she would be the only one who can access other Gods' Divine Objects so freely.
“So whose is it?”
“I do not know.”
“…….”
Killian frowned at the short answer.
Smirk.
A smile hovered over Lan's lips.
“There is no need to look at me with such an impudent face.”
“It is an object I risked my life to bring back.”
“I know.”
“Since you say you don't know about the object that could be the only clue I brought back, shouldn't I at least express my dissatisfaction like this?”
“Impious one. You don't even observe the minimum courtesy now. Well, fine.”
Flutter.
Lan unfolded the fan she was holding.
“I intend to take the Divine Object to the Holy Tower and research it myself.”
She said that there, she would be able to analyze the origin of the Divine Object and the engraved Formula more certainly.
It wasn't a wrong statement.
What was wrong was her attitude.
It was necessary to balance the conversation.
“I refuse.”
“…….”
Lan's eyebrow twitched.
“I intend to take the object to Eurasia.”
“You shouldn't be unaware that the ownership of Divine Objects belongs to the Holy Nation, right?”
Lan's voice sharpened.
“Oh my. Didn't you say you don't know whose it is?”
Killian feigned innocence.
“It is no different just because it is a Divine Object of unknown origin.”
“Since even Lady Lan, who represents the Pope, cannot be certain about the object, there is no need to return it.”
“Even so, it is not an object that Eurasia can handle.”
“You seem to have forgotten.”
“……?”
Grin.
Killian raised the corners of his mouth and continued.
“There are three 8-star Knights in Eurasia alone.”
“…….”
“If we widen the scope to Superhuman level, it would be over five.”
Simon Eurasia, who mastered the 8th star.
Escardo Schtenberg, who stabilized the 8th star.
Serena Constantine, a 7-star Beginner Knight.
Head Apothecary Loen Favre, who stabilized the 7th star.
On top of that, there is a dragon that can sufficiently do the part of one Superhuman.
Eurasia, having won two proxy wars against the Empire, was no longer a weak nation on the frontier.
“Tsk tsk.”
Lan clicked her tongue.
“If it were your brother, he would have known well what diplomatic profit is, and the conversation would have been much easier.”
“If you mean my naive older brother, you would have to look for him in the mountain range on the eastern frontier.”
“You are mistaken. I came here representing His Holiness the Pope.”
The matter of the large Warp Gate promised the other day, and privately taking care of Killian's people.
“I mean that all of it could be nullified.”
She used the card she was holding.
For Killian, it was also the moment he had been waiting for.
“The Holy Nation has maintained a position of neutrality in all wars.”
An unwritten rule the Holy Nation hasn't broken for hundreds of years.
That is the reason why countless Priests could remain safe even in war.
However, the Saintess visited the battlefield while the war was in full swing.
‘To be precise, she came to find me.’
She didn't directly help in the war, but if the Empire decided to find fault, it would put her in a difficult position.
Yet she risked the danger and acted that way.
“Didn't you say you had business?”
Since I showed my hand, reveal the hand you are holding.
“I know at least that you are hiding something from me. If you came all the way to the battlefield, it must not be a light matter.”
Killian said with his characteristic smile.
Swish.
Lan put down the folded fan.
Instead, she took out some tobacco from a pouch at her waist.
Fwoosh.
The Holy Flame blossoming from her index finger lit the tobacco.
“Huu.”
Exhaling the smoke deeply, she opened her mouth.
“Nasty thing. Rude thing. Impious thing. And even cheeky.”
Tap tap.
After pouring out a stream of insults, she tapped the tobacco, and ash scattered.
“When talking with you, it turns into a negotiation table wherever it may be.”
She inhaled deeply and exhaled.
In an instant, one tobacco stick became short.
Fwoosh.
The Holy Flame blooming from her index and middle fingers burned away the remains.
It was a complete destruction of evidence.
“I intended to speak about my business anyway.”
She implied that it wouldn't be too late to ask about the Divine Object after she finished speaking.
“Let's hear it.”
“The White Duke and the Black Duke. You know they are semi-immortal, right?”
Killian nodded.
“The one who has been supporting their research for a long time is the current Emperor. His Holiness views that the Emperor has reached the 9th star.”
‘9th star.’
It was a realm considered unreachable by anyone since Edan.
“Are you sure he is alive?”
“It is a fact confirmed by His Holiness's and my Authorities. I cannot say specifically, but I can say that we peeked into the First Prince's memories.”
Recalling the memory of that time, Lan's eyes became even sharper.
It is a chilling experience even thinking about it now.
“The First Prince supported by the White Duke and the Second Prince supported by the Black Duke. They both conducted experiments related to immortality.”
The purpose of the War for the Throne waged by the Emperor narrows down.
“He was merely waiting for the best body to covet to be created.”
She said that was the method of immortality the Emperor found.
“Since he faced you after that point in time, he must not have been in a complete state.”
“…….”
Only now is that day's battle understood.
‘Was he in a state where only the shell remained?’
Calling in the First Prince while the war was in full swing, and thus influencing the victory or defeat of the war.
And attempting to activate some Formula with a body that was just a shell.
The Emperor's scheme is so clear that it is startling.
“So I will state the purpose of my visit.”
Lan met Killian's eyes.
“The Holy Nation wishes to form a joint investigation team with Eurasia.”
“A joint investigation team? To investigate the Empire's schemes?”
“No. What we are investigating is the North.”
“No one should be able to enter the North, though.”
A barrier is erected there to prevent connection with other dimensions.
It was a barrier erected by the God Styx in ancient times.
“His Holiness suspects that the Emperor intends to remove the barrier.”
If the barrier disappears, demons from the Netherworld will cross over, and the balance of the world will collapse.
It is a legend handed down from long ago.
One question arises.
“Why Eurasia?”
There are numerous kingdoms on the Continent.
If only they could form a joint investigation team with the Holy Nation, there would be many who would do so even if they had to use the national budget.
“Among them, there is not a single kingdom that is not playing into the Empire's hands. Above all.”
Pausing for a moment, she looked at Killian and tilted her chin.
“Doesn't Eurasia have you?”
A Knight who reached the 8th star before reaching his mid-twenties and can even synchronize with the Pope's Divine Object.
Moreover, the Fourth Prince of a country waging war against the Empire.
From their perspective, there was no better person than this.
“I don't know what to do with myself since you show such excessive trust in me.”
“The atheist's sarcasm level is only increasing. Just answer the proposal.”
Killian's thoughts were no different from hers.
‘The current Eurasia needs the Holy Nation.’
It was a relationship that couldn't be formed even in Edan's time.
“If the North collapses, wouldn't Eurasia's grand plan also fail to be achieved anyway?”
She mentioned the ancestors of Eurasia who sacrificed their lives to fight the Grotesquery.
“If the Holy Nation had helped back then, it wouldn't have come to this.”
“I intend to do so this time.”
“…….”
“…….”
Killian and Lan quietly looked at each other.
“It's an alliance that isn't quite an alliance.”
At least they aren't intervening in the war, so there won't be a big blow to the Holy Nation's position.
‘I won't have to worry about the staff.’
I didn't intend to own it from the beginning.
I just wanted its proper value to be recognized.
“I hope for a corresponding reward in exchange for cooperating with the investigation of the joint investigation team.”
“I was wondering when you'd say that. Speak.”
“I want to activate the temple I discovered.”
“Not a bad opinion.”
“Eurasia will hold the right to organize the joint investigation team.”
“Do so.”
Negotiations were quickly concluded with the addition of a few more personal requests.
“I will contact you soon.”
With those words, Lan immediately led the Priests and returned to the Holy Nation.
One week after she returned.
The coronation of the First Prince, Crusty Heinrich, was held.