Chapter 2430 - Mynoghra 23

Chapter 3: Awakening

ARE ideals never meant to be realized? Can nothing be done without sacrifice?

Since the dawn of time, Saints have always offered something to the Gods in exchange for their sainthood. Soalina's odd attachment to Erakino was partly due to what she'd sacrificed. Fenne had also sacrificed a piece of herself to God when she was chosen as his Saint.

Is wanting to be happy really that wrong? Is wanting people to live peacefully without sorrow or suffering such an exorbitant wish that it necessitates being given such difficult trials?

Veiled Saint Fenne absentmindedly listened to Commander Fjord's report as she searched for the answers to her unspoken questions.

"That concludes my overview of the most pressing activity in neighboring countries. The Order and I will handle the rest," Fjord said.

Just how reliable is he? Fenne wondered. Fjord hadn't solved a single thing to do with the Paladin Murder Case since his little tirade the other day. If anything, their problems had only multiplied in the time since. What in the world am I doing at a time like this?

"The King of Ruin, Takuto Ira, was spotted alive and well in Dragontan, they say? Do you think it's really him?" Fenne asked, doubtful.

"It's likely a fake. That's the quickest method to suppress domestic turmoil," Fjord replied without pausing to think about it.

Did the Order of Paladins already investigate the matter? Or did he prepare his answer in advance, expecting her to ask about it?

Fenne was fairly confident in her ability to read people, but she couldn't discern anything from Fjord right now.

"Fjord," she said, her tone stern. Her hawklike gaze searched his face from beneath the veil. "Where did you get that intel from? I've heard the Order is swamped lately."

It almost sounded like she was grilling him for answers, but Fjord didn't seem to mind. "Dragontan has always had close relations with Qualia," he replied. "We still have several means of obtaining information from them even after they have fallen under

Mynoghra's control. This information was also received from one of those sources."

"I see…"

Fjord was startled when he realized Fenne had softly moved aside her veil to look at him with just one eye. He was stunned by her suddenly revealing her skin for the first time since he'd known her and even more so by the sliver of deformed flesh he glimpsed just under the veil.

He quickly tried to smooth things over by using his already gaping mouth to ask, "I-Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm sorry for adding to your workload when you're already so busy. Please continue to investigate the matter… I especially want to know if the King of Ruin is really alive or not. Sooner rather than later, if possible."

"Understood. I know of several capable people outside of the Order who would serve us well in this matter. They will expect a lofty reward in exchange, but I'll bring them in on this."

"Please do."

Fjord withdrew from the room, leaving only Veiled Saint Fenne and silence in his wake.

"Were you able to confirm anything?" Fenne asked, addressing the empty room as if someone else was there.

[Cancel Camouflage.

]

People suddenly appeared in that empty space.

[GM: Message

Exercising Game Master Authority to Request Information.

Fjord the Stalwart doesn't know who the culprit is.

Fjord the Stalwart isn't hostile toward the Divine Nation of Lenea.

Fjord the Stalwart hasn't been Brainwashed or Confused.

Fjord the Stalwart didn't lie during the last conversation.

]

Fenne shifted her gaze to the two new presences in the room. Standing right beside the sofa where she sat was Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials and Slurping Witch Erakino.

"I just checked with Master," Erakino said. "Good ol' Chiefy is in the clear! In other words, he's not working for anybody, been Brainwashed, or had any other funny business done to him."

"I see. I've done something terrible to him then," Fenne said, regret lacing her angelic voice with the ability to charm all who heard it. "…It's miserable having to doubt the people we should trust."

"No one would blame us considering the circumstances, Saint Fenne," Soalina said gently, attempting to console Fenne's guilty conscience. Her words were meant to comfort and reassure them all, but they rang hollow because actions speak louder than words.

The three girls didn't doubt Fjord personally—they suspected the entire Order of Paladins. Several days had already passed since Fjord declared he would resolve the case, and yet, not only did the culprit remain a mystery, but so too did the victim.

To make matters worse, the Order had covered up the existence of a second victim. Was the Order concealing information out of a short-sighted desire to protect their reputation? Or was something shady going on behind the scenes? The girls didn't know the answer. They did know that the Order was incapable of solving the case, leading them to take measures into their own hands and use any means available to them to identify the culprit and victim themselves.

Except, their results weren't much better than the Order's.

The answer eluded them even after the Game Master exercised his Authority, rendering all their inferences and speculations from various angles futile.

Fenne stared out the window. The sun smiled down upon them from high in the blue sky, birds sang to each other, and the voices of people happily going about their day trickled into the room from below.

What she saw at a glance was the ideal country that's peaceful, tranquil, free of exterior threats, and devoid of fear. Despite how it appeared on the surface, this country of theirs was under attack by an unknown entity.

"Erakino, can you look into the King of Ruin?" Fenne asked. "I highly doubt he could revive from the state we left him in, but we should double check…"

[GM: Message

Exercising Game Master Authority to request the status of the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira.

Result: Unknown.

]

"Takuto Ira is an unknown," Erakino relayed with a big sigh, shaking her head. "We can't confirm anything on him one way or another."

The past few days had turned up nothing but equally disappointing results. Both the Game Master, who attempted to find the answers to their questions, and Erakino, who had to relay the results to the Saints, exuded fatigue even if they didn't complain about it.

"If his status is unknown, doesn't that mean he's alive?" Soalina asked. "I think the fact that the truth is being withheld is a sign that he's doing something to disrupt the information…"

"You've got it all wrong, Soali," Erakino said. "Neither Master nor I completely understand how the game system works, so we don't know what'll happen when a Player dies."

"That's a valid point," Soalina nodded.

"Besides that, it's extremely difficult for us to influence Players and their direct subordinates from different games," Erakino explained. "Our thought is that the different game systems clash, making it harder to affect each other. According to Master, it's impossible to have the same level of influence over them at a distance than when we're up close and personal."

Erakino and the Game Master had revealed their origins to the two Saints. They explained how they came to this world with the powers from a tabletop role-playing game and that there were likely multiple people with similar circumstances out there. They also let them know that they were playing a game with those people to determine who would be the winner. At first, the Saints were skeptical about their far-fetched story, but they eventually came to believe what they were saying was true.

The Ancient Saints' Book of Oracles had a passage terrifyingly titled: "The Beginning of the End." It depicted a battle between the gods taking place in their world. If the prophecies contained within the Book of Oracles, considered dubious tales and hyperbole, were to be believed, then they hinted at the entire continent becoming embroiled in a big war.

The loser would lose everything and the winner would gain it all.

The three girls couldn't become the losers—not when their people were counting on them. The die had already been cast, and their pieces had advanced to the point of no return.

"In the end, no matter what angle we go from, we still don't know the answers. I suppose it was a mistake not to check the corpse when we had the time and ability because we were full of ourselves," Fenne muttered, her frustration apparent in the way she clenched and unclenched her hands.

Disheartened by her words, Soalina hung her head and stared at her hands. Wanting to cheer her friend up, Erakino leaped from her seat, drawing their eyes to her.

"But! But Soali's awesome-possum attack did Takuto Ira in good.

There ain't no way he's coming back from that! Not after what I saw.

Don't you agree, Soali?"

"I do," Soalina nodded. "The King of Ruin was undoubtedly reduced to ashes by God's holy flames. I can say that with certainty. However…what if…" she trailed off.

Was it a mistake not to confirm Takuto's corpse with their own eyes? Absolutely. But who would honestly think he could've survived the two-pronged death they put him through? They had thrown everything they had at him to make absolutely certain he was dead and then burned the body to make doubly sure. If they started doubting his death, then all their plans built upon that supposition would crumble.

Takuto Ira had irrefutably died. They had killed him then and there—they had determined as much at the time of their attack. But now that conclusion was giving away like sand between their fingers.

"We don't know if Takuto Ira is dead or alive," Fenne said. "But we do know that there's a real threat to us right now. I haven't a clue why this enemy is taking the tedious route of targeting individual Paladins, but that doesn't change the fact that they are here hurting us."

They had already used the Game Master's ability to investigate what forces posed a threat to Lenea. Both Qualia and El-Nah were currently on the wait-and-see-what-happens list, and none of the nations or tribes on the Dark Continent were hostile toward Lenea yet. The process of elimination narrowed them down to only one possibility: the empire that the system prevented them from obtaining information on—Mynoghra. The nation they had left to self-destruct, thinking it'd never become a threat, was now looming ominously in the background.

"What in Arlos's holy world is causing these problems?" Soalina asked.

The most conceivable answer was…that Takuto Ira had other, more powerful subordinates. They had confirmed that the King of Ruin originated from a simulation game at the time of his assassination. Sludge Atou, the one subordinate of his that they had gotten their hands on, was classified as a Hero from that game. If they considered the possibility of other Heroes like her, one could've assumed the role of King of Ruin and taken control of Mynoghra.

When the Saints heard the Game Master's theory through

Erakino, they grimaced. They were angry that they weren't informed of other Heroes or that one such Hero could take over as the King of Ruin. But it was too late to change what had come to pass.

If anything, the Game Master, Erakino, and both of the Saints were all at fault for being in positions where they had access to any information they wanted, but didn't even think to look into things further than they had before launching an attack against another nation. Just because you have the ability to know everything doesn't mean you can come up with the best solution for everything.

The vague existence of a potential enemy gradually took shape.

"All of us from different games come equipped with super deadly, super uber powers," Erakino explained. "And out of all of 'em, Master's Arbiter ability is practically invincible. But, that doesn't mean the rest are gonna just go belly-up for us… If there's still an enemy left out there, we gotta deal with 'em quick."

In fact, Erakino had been brought to the brink of defeat during their surprise attack against the King of Ruin. The Dark Elves had been equipped with modern firearms, and Takuto responded instantly to their attack with a swift counter. They had won by a hair, which meant they couldn't be overly optimistic.

Erakino's monologue made the two Saints sense the encroaching danger. The trials they had to overcome were far from over.

"The especially bad thing for us is that this means Mynoghra will continue to be an active presence. Uh, if I remember this right, it's a super important accomplishment that we have defeating the King of Ruin tied to our name, right, Fenny?" Erakino asked.

"That's right," Fenne said. "If Mynoghra, the nation led by the King of Ruin, is still going strong, then it will call doubt upon our legitimacy as a nation. And in the off chance that the King of Ruin still lives, then everything we have built upon will crumble from its foundation. If that were to happen, then we would become insurrectionists who founded a nation with false declarations. Not only will we be excommunicated, but hunted as heretics as well, I'm sure."

"Well, don't count us out, because Eraki and Co's turn ain't over yet, baby!" Erakino declared in a singsong voice. "After all, we've got an ace up our sleeve that we didn't have before~♪!"

"An ace? What might that be, Erakino?" Fenne asked.

"Heh-heh-heh! You know the one! That good ol' one! The special one!"

"…I'm sorry, I don't?"

Both Saints gave her a puzzled look. Erakino burst out laughing at the cute way they tilted their heads in unison. She spun around in a circle, lightening the tense mood in the room with her playfulness.

"Without much ado, let's invite our special guest! Everyone, give a big round of applause for Mynoghra's Sludge Atou!!"

Erakino decided to play the ultimate ace up her sleeve.

◇◇◇

SHE had been dreaming. A dream where someone was speaking to her from the deepest depths of darkness where shadows and night didn't exist. Whatever was there was huge, terribly scary, and seemed just a little troubled…

What was it saying to her? She tried to remember, but her memories were such a jumbled blur, it was hard to piece together in the haze. The one thing she knew for sure was that whatever it was, its words left her with a kind impression.

"…Where…am I?"

Atou regained consciousness. She felt as if she had been having a very important dream, but she couldn't remember any of it. She assessed her surroundings to figure out her situation and quickly learned exactly where she was and who she was with.

"You…!" she hissed with venomous hatred and extended one of her tentacles to pierce right through the frivolously grinning Witch standing right before her… But then, her aggression was dispelled by some mysterious force like the air escaping from a popped balloon.

Her attack wasn't stopped—Atou herself had willingly chosen to stop attacking.

"Tch, tch, tch," the Witch clicked her tongue and wiggled her finger at Atou. "Now that we're allies, friendly fire isn't allowed, sweet lil' defanged Atouy! We've basically just NTRed you, girl! So why don't you forget your past BF and get it on with us girls? We've all been waiting eagerly for you to join us~♪!"

Atou raked her gaze around the room. Her memories returned once she confirmed the two Saints cautiously watching her like a hawk. She was filled with regret for having personally harmed her precious master and the painful realization that the three girls who should be her greatest enemies…registered in her mind as allies. Atou understood then and there that some power had changed her affiliation, forcing her to view Mynoghra as an enemy territory she could never return to.

"I think I just threw up a little…" Atou said, coughing into her hand. "I can't believe I not only can't attack you, but that I don't even have the desire to. Gross. How does it feel? Are you euphoric, trampling all over your opponent's dignity and existence like this?"

"Good question. I couldn't say either way," Erakino responded flippantly. "We're just desperate, you know? We need power and results to make our dreams a reality, so we made a dangerous gamble to go after the most convenient source for both. And we ended up obtaining it all in the end, so yeah~♪."

Both Witches spoke with a sharp, biting edge to their words, but the deadly tension had dissipated. It was now more akin to a conversation between teammates who didn't get along well and made everyone else uncomfortable around them.

The abilities granted by the game system were absolute.

Atou, who'd been forcefully switched to the Saints' faction by Erakino's Slurp ability, was now completely on their side despite her defiant attitude.

"Power and results, eh?" Atou drawled. "I didn't think I'd ever become someone's trophy, but what's a girl to do? I'm your prisoner now. Oh, but I guess we're allies, so I suppose I'm not particularly imprisoned. So? You went through all the effort of waking me back up, what is it you want from me?"

"Hahaha! You're quick to catch on, Atouy."

Atou frowned at Erakino's suggestive comment. She knew whatever the Witch wanted, it was going to be annoying and counterproductive.

"Now that you've brought it up, I want you to tell us all about your former master and the empire of Mynoghra that he rules over as the King of Ruin!! Give me the down-low about your people's abilities! Fill us in on what powers and authority the King of Ruin has! And spill every last detail you know about the Player, Takuto Ira!"

Atou audibly gnashed her teeth. Erakino's attitude grated on her every nerve.

To start, Atou didn't doubt for a second that Takuto was still alive. She felt guilt and regret for having hurt him, but she knew he wouldn't die from such a trivial attack. She had immense trust and absolute confidence in him. But she also understood how critical revealing all the abilities Mynoghra—Takuto—possessed could be.

If she were still on Mynoghra's side, she would've blanched at how fatal of a blow exposing this information would deal to them. Regrettably, she was now affiliated with the Saints of Lenea. She couldn't resist the overwhelming force pressuring her to disclose that crucial information to her current allies.

"You'll tell us everything, won't you? You are our ally, after all."

For allies, Erakino's condescending sneer filled Atou with revulsion.  

<-x-X-x->

"AND then, get this! King Takuto was all, 'I'm happy as long as you're with me, Atou.' When I heard those wonderful words, my loyalty and devotion to King Takuto skyrocketed. I mean, he's just the best, most incredible man alive—"

"Say, Atouy…"

The room was held hostage by one girl's lengthy, loving speech.

She moved from topic to topic, never stopping since she got started.

"Oh, speaking of how wonderful he is, there's this momentous occasion when I decided to learn how to cook—you know, for our future together? I was practicing in secret, but King Takuto found out about it, and he tried my home cooking—"

"Hey, Atouy?" Erakino tried to get her attention again. Figuring that was too soft, she raised her voice and barked, "Will you listen to me already?!"

Erakino had been trying to interject into Atou's monologue for some time, but all it did was spur her into a more fanatical, passionate speech.

"And then, and then! Despite my food being a failure, King

Takuto sweetly told me, 'Anything tastes good if it's made by you,

Atou—'"

"QUIT YAPPING ALREADY! YOU LOVESTRUCK DUMMY!!"

Just as Atou was reaching the climax of her excitement, Erakino's anger also piqued in a loud shout that finally put an end to Atou's unasked-for prattling. It'd be accurate to say that Atou only stopped because she had to. She directed a perturbed look at Erakino for dousing her fun trip down memory lane with her obnoxious shouting.

"…Oh? You're still here, Witch?"

"Don't call me Witch! I mean, yeah, I am a Witch, but…I've got a name, y'know? Start calling me Erakino like a normal person!" Erakino demanded, throwing a fit and banging her fists on the table. Her demands fell on deaf ears.

Ever since Erakino asked for information on Takuto Ira, Atou had regaled them with flowery tales of her enjoyable time with him. Even Slurping Witch Erakino couldn't put up with it anymore. Fed up, she lost her cool and shouted at the other Witch. Meanwhile, Atou looked more thrilled than anything by upsetting her. She obviously wasn't going to make this easy for them.

"So? Why are you interrupting me, Witch? I'm just getting to the good part. Honestly, it's so incredibly rude to stop me when I'm doing you the honor of sharing all the heartwarming and fluffy moments between me and King Takuto. Besides, weren't you the ones who asked me to tell you everything about King Takuto?"

"Well, yeah, we did. But we don't need to hear you fawning over him… I mean, aren't you on our side now, Atouy?! How can you still speak all lovey-dovey about Takuto Ira even after changing sides?!"

"A couple who are still madly in love with each other even after becoming enemies… Star-crossed lovers! Don't you think that's even more romantic?" Atou asked with a dreamy smile.

"D-Do you think about anything else?!"

A vein bulged in the corner of Erakino's forehead. At first glance, she appeared to be laughing along, but her cheeks twitched and the smile died before it reached her eyes. Unable to just sit by and watch her dear friend lose it, Soalina patted her on the back from her seat beside Erakino. Sadly, that did nothing to calm Erakino's anger.

Her fellow Witch, Atou, gave them a dubious look, then released a long-suffering sigh over only Arlos knows what, and finally used her endlessly flapping lips to speak to them like she was addressing an ignorant fool.

"As much as I hate saying it, I am on your side now. It hurts me even more to say I'm King Takuto's enemy. But those are the facts. I'm sure I'll strike him down without any mercy should we confront each other on the battlefield. HOWEVER! I must make it clear once and for all! My feelings for King Takuto are real and true!" Atou declared with her chest puffed out, even though they didn't ask for confirmation on that. She seemed satisfied once she made her feelings clear, but Erakino couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, my anxiety just shot through the roof…" Erakino groaned, clutching her head in her hands and stomping her feet on the ground.

Soalina couldn't do anything to help her out of this predicament. They didn't summon this daydreaming, lovestruck girl to listen to her delusions. Their entire conversation had derailed and gotten nowhere.

"All right, I'm done with this annoying Witch here. You, Saint. You seem more capable of intelligent conversation. What's your question? I'll answer only in relation to King Takuto." Taking advantage of Erakino's sudden departure from the conversation, Atou directed it toward the Saint sitting beside Erakino as if she were an unrelated party.

Soalina's shoulders trembled at being called upon. She instinctively looked to Fenne for help, but the other Saint was leaning against the wall, watching them with no interest in actually participating in the talks herself.

This was the moment of truth. She would start the Witch on another theatrical monologue if she didn't word her questions correctly. Soalina was sick of hearing about her love stories. What was important was gleaning strategic information that would influence their future.

"Um," Soalina began, hesitant. "I would like to know whether the King of Ruin is alive or not. What are your thought—"

"He's alive."

Before Soalina could even finish her carefully worded question, the answer came back clear and concise. Atou had shifted out of her cheerful prattling to complete seriousness. Judging by her tone and word choice, Atou fully believed Takuto Ira was alive.

Urged to continue her questioning with a single look from Atou, Soalina pondered her next query. What should she ask next? She was curious about what Atou based her conviction on and tried to find the right words to ask about it.

"…What makes you think that? There's no way he survived," Erakino scoffed, recovering slightly from her love-talk-fatigue. "Besides, aren't you forgetting who literally gouged his heart out?" she sneered, hitting Atou where it hurt.

For Atou to be this sure, she had to know something else they didn't. They all saw Takuto's heart get pierced through with a tentacle and then watched as he was burned to ashes. What kind of ability or gimmick did he use to survive that?

"You want to know why I think King Takuto is still alive? If I had to give a reason…I'd have to say it's because it's King Takuto we're talking about. There doesn't need to be any other reason than that."

The three girls were met with an answer that answered nothing. Not only that, but Atou completely skipped over every detail that didn't agree with her. Worst of all, she was obnoxiously confident.

They were back at the same problem they had faced since they summoned Atou. Because the system had forcefully aligned her with them, she couldn't be lying, which meant she believed every word she told them.

What good was that?

"That ain't reason enough, Atouuuuu…" Erakino demurred. "And man, I'm still reeling in shock here, y'know? I can't believe the King of Ruin's vanguard Witch is no different from a schoolgirl with a crush. I'm surprised you've gotten any work done wearing those rose-colored glasses of yours."

"I have always fulfilled my duties perfectly," Atou asserted. "I have never once caused King Takuto trouble with my mistakes or selfishness."

"Reeeeally now?" Erakino cocked an eyebrow at her. "I can tell that's a bald-faced lie right there…"

The three other girls seemed to have some sort of weird misconception about Atou, because this was who she really was. She usually exercised some level of restraint because of her role as Hero, but she was free of that now. Released of her duties as a Hero, her obligations as a subordinate, and her instincts as a being of evil, she was left with nothing more than her status as a girl who was madly in love with Takuto Ira.

Erakino had kept this ace up her sleeve for the opportune moment to play it and win the game, but she'd completely miscalculated her hand.

"Oh, and while we're on the topic," Atou continued in her cheerful voice, "while I'm certain King Takuto is alive, I have absolutely no idea how he survived. I'm not lying nor deceiving you about this—I have no reason to hide anything from my allies. Don't get me wrong, I'm dying to know how he did it myself."

"So are you saying that the King of Ruin somehow resurrected or survived that situation with a method unknown and unrevealed to you?" Soalina asked.

"You got it. I'm surprised too, but he's easily capable of that. Way to go, King Takuto! You have me wowed even as your enemy!" Atou gazed into the distance with an enthralled expression.

Soalina racked her brain for something she could say to bring the daydreaming girl back to reality before she entered another one of her fantasies again. Despite knowing it wasn't very nice, she settled on the crueler option that was most likely to get a reaction out of her.

"U-Um, M-Miss…Atou? If you don't know of a method he could've used to get out of that predicament, then isn't it possible that the King of Ruin actually perished? I understand you might not want to face that possibility, of course…"

"Then, let's look at it from another angle, shall we? Why did you call me here to ask my opinion?"

Atou's sharp observation poured cold water all over the more or less light exchange they had been having up until that point. As she said, they were in a bad enough situation to seek aid from Sludge Atou well before they intended. The fact no one answered her query proved how right Atou was.

"If the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira, really did perish, then you lot would be managing your empire without any hurdles," Atou carried on. "Even if you run into opposition, nothing can stand in the way of your cowardly abilities. And if all went perfectly according to plan, you would have left me forever in dreamland, leaving my body as nothing more than a puppet until the end of time. Am I wrong?" She wasn't wrong. She had everything down pat.

Everyone felt like retorting: "Is that really something the girl who was blathering on and on about the King of Ruin's wonderfulness since she woke up should say?" But that didn't make her assessment any less accurate. Rather, the undeniable truth there made it clear just how precarious of a situation they were in.

They could feel a bone-chilling darkness that never saw the light of day slowly encroaching on their territory. The simple feeling of incomprehension was enough to fill them with an eerie sense of dread.

"And besides, you probably don't know this, so I'll tell you— when a Commander is defeated in Eternal Nations, their empire disappears with them. Simply put, the mere fact that Mynoghra still exists proves that King Takuto is alive. Aaaaaaah!" Atou suddenly squeed. "King Takuto, are you lonely without me? I'm lonely without you, my king!!!"

Everyone aside from Atou, back to pronouncing her love for Takuto, was dumbfounded by this revelation.

What did she just say? they wondered. Even though the three of them had half suspected that was the case, it took time to accept it.

"Oh dear, it looks like none of you knew. Good for you—now you know for sure that the King of Ruin is alive and after you… So, what now, my unwanted allies?" Atou's heartless gaze fleeced Erakino and the two Saints.

She wasn't being cute, she was genuinely asking them what they planned to do now that they were up against the man destined to bring ruin to the world.

"King Takuto is powerful, you know?"

That was all Atou had to say to render the three other women speechless.

"So what?!" Erakino shouted hysterically. "We have to resolve this! Even if Takuto Ira is alive, we can't afford to lose! Don't you get it?! We can't lose! We absolutely can't!!"

Atou took a moment to contemplate Erakino's argument before cutely humming "Hmm" to herself. She pressed her index finger to her chin and looked up at the stark ceiling.

"You simply can't win, so why don't you just surrender already? As a sign of our short-lived friendship, I'll at least entreat him to spare your lives. King Takuto tends to respect my requests. Since it'll be a request from me, the one he treasures, he will follow through with it. Do you understand what that means for you—you get to live. You should fall on your knees, rejoicing that you have me on your side."

Atou never doubted for a second that Takuto would beat them.

And she fully believed that he'd come to save her no matter what. That he wouldn't hold her attacking him against her. Her gaze burned with ultimate trust in Takuto and a conviction that the people she was sided with now would lose.

Her confidence made the others sick.

Disgusted to the max, Erakino lashed out with the most cutting remarks she could think of at the moment.

"Says you. But did you forget you're here because you betrayed Takuto? Yeah, sure, you may have been Brainwashed by our ability, but will the King of Ruin really believe a dirty traitor like you~? Maybe he's sick of you? He might've even gotten himself another woman, y'know? Too bad, so sad! Poor, poor, Atouy~♪! You got dumped! Rejected! Tossed aside!"

"Not in a million years," Atou laughed. "King Takuto is always kind to me, understands me, and accepts everything about me—the good and the bad. I'm positive everything will go well this time as well. In the end, King Takuto will embrace me and sweetly tell me how worried he was about me. He always thinks of me first and foremost. That's who King Takuto is, and nothing you say will change that!"

"Stop talking about him like he's the world's most understanding boyfriend! Things aren't going to turn out like a middle school girl's fanfiction! Face the facts! Live in reality!"

Erakino kicked the table into the air. Launched by a Witch's powerful legs, the table rocketed toward the ceiling with every intention of smashing through it. Atou's tentacles caught it before it did.

"Oh my gosh! Did you just call him my boyfriend? King Takuto and I haven't started dating yet, silly! O-Of course, u-um, I'm eagerly awaiting the day we start that kind of lovely relationship…" Atou laced and unlaced her fingers, her cheeks flushing red as she returned the table to its original position.

Coincidently, Erakino's face was also red as she stood huffing across from her—except, for an entirely different reason.

"You sound oh sooooo happy! You're having fun, aren't ya? Your life is all cupcakes and kittens, ain't it? Good for you, Atouy! Do you understand that all of our lives are on the line? It's kill or be killed!"

"Of course I'm saying these things with that in mind. Are you sure you ladies understand the situation? You don't know anything about the attacks against you right now, do you?"

Atou hit the nail on the head with her assessment. For the Witch who always had her head in the clouds, she made sharp observations about everything that mattered.

As she pointed out, the enemy was calling all the shots right now. Lenea had to acknowledge that they were under attack and always several steps behind their opponent. Everyone in the room understood how bad the situation was without it being said.

"I know I'll be forgiven," Atou said with absolute confidence, "just as I'm certain you will all be killed. There's no reason to save any of you, after all. If you ask me, you are the ones who lack awareness of how precarious of a situation you're in. You're up against the King Takuto. You'd better realize how much danger you're in—although it might already be too late."

"Then that's all the more reason for us to fight back, Witch Atou. Tell me…as far as you know, does Takuto Ira have any tricks up his sleeve—such as skills or subordinates—that could be causing these problems for us?" Fenne asked, speaking for the first time since Atou was summoned. Her expression was hidden behind the veil, but something seemed to have finally spurred her into taking part in the conversation.

Atou gave her a curious look, let a long beat of silence pass, then finally gave them a name with her nose wrinkled in disgust. "There is one person who fits the bill: Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio. He's a Hero who excels at inciting turmoil and mayhem in enemy nations. It'd be a piece of cake for him to sew confusion with deceptive information.

And you should know—he's the Hero I despise the most."

"What are the chances of him already being summoned?" Fenne asked, speaking again. As she was the first to get any decent information out of Atou, Erakino and Soalina watched the exchange with bated breath.

"I can't say for sure one way or another. At the very least, I have no memory of him being summoned while I was around. He can be summoned at Mynoghra's current facility and research level, so I wouldn't completely dismiss the notion… However, I strongly doubt he's in play right now."

Atou made this claim based on the same instincts that told her Takuto was alive. The others were satisfied to at least know their opponent might have a Hero capable of causing their current problems because it brought them one step closer to the truth.

"Is there anything else we should be aware of?" Fenne asked.

"There are a few crucial things I'll tell you about shortly… I'm quite worried, since you all seem to be foolishly optimistic," Atou said, then paused to think about it for a moment.

Atou couldn't help viewing the girls in front of her as lambs waiting for the slaughter. When they first woke her up and consulted her, she shared that she and Takuto had abilities from the simulation game Eternal Nations. However, they were completely in the dark about the myriad of elements that extended beyond the basic game features.

For example, they didn't know about the quickly developed military power Mynoghra had obtained through the gold coins dropped into their lap by Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army. They had no idea about Mynoghra's alliance with Phon'kaven and their treaty to provide firearms. They had overlooked the existence of the twin sisters who indiscriminately wreaked havoc and utter insanity on all within sight when their abilities piqued with the full moon…

Even if Atou's dearly beloved Takuto had died during their attack, this peculiar trio's carelessness had them leave behind live coals that would eventually erupt into a full-blown inferno that came after them either way. They seemed to falsely believe they had thoroughly planned everything out, but everything about their plans was too off the cuff to truly succeed. They'd only made it this far because they had the unholy game ability to force situations to play out how they wanted.

"What we first need to get into all of our heads, mine included, is that King Takuto is attacking us using unknown means," Atou said. "Please be prepared to doubt everything and handle whatever is thrown at you. I'll accompany you from now on, so be sure to never leave my side. A battle could happen any second—even as we speak."

"…True. I agree we need to be on high alert," Fenne said. "Tell me this, Sludge Atou. Supposing your theory about Takuto Ira being alive is true, do you know why he's sneaking around rather than facing us directly?"

"Easy—there's a 99 percent chance he's doing it for me!"

Everyone else exhaled an exasperated sigh. That was the end of their useful information gathering. Any further questioning in this vein would end in another earful of her fawning over her beloved. Or perhaps it was just that even Atou didn't know for sure what Takuto had come to do.

"Looks like Atouy's the damsel in distress waiting for her prince to rescue her," Erakino quipped. "Can't you be a bit more like a useless damsel and be too scared to talk back to us?"

"That's not popular in this modern era," Atou corrected her.

"It's not the modern era! This is a fantasy world!!"

Finally running out of half-decent retorts, Erakino ruminated over the information Atou had provided while randomly replying when appropriate.

Atou's bias always colored her comments, but she might be right that Takuto Ira was attacking them from the shadows in search of her. It was frustrating to think that the King of Ruin was still alive after their thorough surprise attack, but they needed to accept the facts even if they didn't like them.

Takuto Ira was alive. And he was coming after them as they spoke. They needed to act with that assumption.

The King of Ruin was using some method to suppress their ultimate ability. There was no other way they'd have this hard of a time countering the attack when they had the Arbiter's Authority on their side.

As Erakino and the two Saints fell into contemplative silence, the room filled with an eerie stillness. Atou was the one who broke what felt like endless quiet by raising her index finger. All eyes turned to her.

"As far as I know, King Takuto is a normal human being with no physical abilities or skills beyond his authority as a Commander," Atou said. "However, the events plaguing Lenea directly contrast what I know."

Atou went in-depth explaining the dangers Takuto Ira posed as a person, and she did it for none other than her current allies' sake.

Takuto was…without a doubt, a normal person. Aside from having the powers of an Eternal Nations' Commander, he was nothing more than your run-of-the-mill weakling human that died young of a serious disease.

But he was capable of doing the impossible—that was far from what you could call "normal."

Takuto Ira was…abnormal. An anomaly.

"Tread carefully. King Takuto is far beyond our comprehension, and he's taking action knowing what we don't. Everything he's doing is to take back his enemy—me!" After clarifying what she wanted to say the most, Atou flopped back into the sofa and got extra comfortable. She seemed awfully content, as if she'd said everything there was to say.

"Ugh…" Erakino groaned. "This whole conversation ended with us learning nothing. Or rather, learning that there was nothing to learn from you? You're utterly useless, Atouy…"

"That's where you're wrong. I'm very useful. After all, I can give you the one piece of advice that will keep you alive—surrender before it's too late. That's the only way to survive," Atou declared, her eyes fluttering shut with satisfaction.

Not ready to end the conversation there, Erakino bombarded her with questions, but they all ended with Atou regaling them with passionate tales about Takuto, wasting everyone's time but hers.

-x-X-x-

Chapter 4: A Fish in Troubled Waters

AS a recently founded nation located in the southernmost region of the Lawful Continent, the Divine Nation of Lenea was connected geographically to the Dark Continent. Easy access to trade with the nations of the Dark Continent came hand in hand with a commensurate number of territorial disputes with those same nations. Unexpected conflict was inevitable, given the circumstances.

"You aren't worth my time! Bring someone with more authority to discuss this! I can't get anywhere with the likes of you!"

"I-I'm trying my best here…"

The High Paladin in charge of a platoon was at his wits' end, trying to handle the overly self-assertive Phon'kaven representative harrumphing in front of him.

When did this nightmare begin?

The High Paladin vividly remembered how, not long after the turbulent days following the establishment of their new divine nation, a deluge of petitions came flooding in from the various settlements under their jurisdiction. The most urgent petitions concerned unusual monsters lurking around the territories connected to the Dark Continent.

The first petition to make mention of the monsters came from a peddler traveling between the two continents. Upon discovering the strange monsters near the gateway to the Dark Continent, the peddler promptly petitioned the Paladins to subjugate the threat. The High Paladin recalled his heart-stopping panic when he learned the monsters were discovered not far from a small settlement. While the information lacked verification, it suggested that the vicious creatures were a lethal threat to Lenea's citizens.

Monsters are posing a threat to our people as we speak, yet here I am, wasting my time on pointless politics! he lamented.

While the upper echelons were too busy managing the chaos accompanying the founding of their new nation, this High Paladin ran around recruiting any Paladin or soldier with a moment to spare to form a subjugation force. When they embarked on their mission, they found a sight straight out of a nightmare.

Prowling their border were abominations that tainted the mind just by looking at them. These gargantuan incarnations of evil shared few traits with any known creature. Looking like something that had sprung up from the dark depths of hell as described in the Holy Book, the abominations posed a greater threat than anticipated, requiring the Paladins to be prepared to die while subjugating them.

It was during this precarious moment that they coincidentally encountered this contingent from Phon'kaven, who claimed to have come to exterminate the monsters and restore peace to the borderlands just like the Paladins.

"LIKE! I! SAID!" the Phon'kaven representative shouted, dragging out his vowels. "If we're after the same thing, we should work together to quell the threat! What makes that so difficult for you to understand?! You'll make me mad if you don't start cooperating already!"

"As far as I see it, you're already mad…" the High Paladin quipped.

"Well, duh! I feel like I'm talking to a wall!"

We're up against a wall ourselves, thought every single Lenea Paladin. They had formed this platoon and came to the border to protect their citizens. From the start, their goal was to subjugate the unknown monsters, and all the preparations they had barely managed existed only for that end. They weren't prepared for a political situation and wanted to avoid making any calls that might come back to bite them later.

The Divine Nation of Lenea was a religious country that had branched off from the Holy Kingdom of Qualia. Their nation was founded on the rules and laws outlined in their Holy Books, so they needed to exercise the utmost caution when interacting with Phon'kaven, which had a unique religion centered around ancestral spirit worship.

"A-N-Y-W-A-Y-S! I don't care if it's in an unofficial capacity, just get me someone who can make things happen! If we let this go on, both your country and mine will suffer. Oh, actually, I'd like to become friends with a Saint if I can, so be a pal and call for a Saint!"

Disgruntled voices started to rise from the High Paladin's men, and he signaled them to quiet down behind him. He didn't know what the Phon'kaven representative was thinking, but it was the height of arrogance to request one of God's blessed Saints. The subjugation platoon's anger was warranted, but doing anything about it was foolish. They needed to suppress their grievances and ire.

Phon'kaven was under the same pressure to subdue the threat to their people, which warranted some level of understanding and lenience.

Vividly recalling the bat-winged serpentine monster that he'd just fought, the platoon captain took a deep breath to regain his composure. No High Paladin was so incompetent that he'd cause unnecessary conflict and forget his holy mission. It also helped that he had an oddly favorable impression of the young boy who didn't mince words…

"Our great Saints can't just show up whenever they are called upon," the High Paladin explained. "It's a critical time for our nation, so it will be difficult for them to answer our summons. I'm sure you understand this as well, but we are running out of time. I believe we need to resolve this problem with the people present."

"Hm-mm… True that! All right, then! You seem high up enough to make things happen. Let's decide upon a treaty between Qualia and Phon'kaven right here and now!" the boy declared with a big smile.

"I-I don't have that level of authority! No one would stand for such an arbitrary decision! Also, we aren't from Qualia—we're

Paladins from the Divine Nation of Lenea!"

"Is that so? It doesn't matter though, since I've got all the authority we need," the boy claimed. "I mean, this whole thing is a big fat pain, so why don't we just go ahead and formally establish diplomatic relations now? Shouldn't be a problem if we keep it between us, don't you think?"

"No, it will be a huge problem! Even if you're okay with it, Lenea won't be!" the High Paladin thundered, attempting to stop the boy before things got completely out of control.

"Stingy, aren't you?"

The High Paladin assumed the boy was talking nonsense the way children do, but it was too dangerous to ignore him. Did he have the authority to make such a crucial decision as he claimed? In the unlikely event that this was the overreaching act of some politician's spoiled son, the Paladins' reputation would be tarnished. The High Paladin had entertained thoughts on how to protect himself if things did go south, which made him especially glad he didn't have the authority or grounds to make the final decision.

Of course, even if they put their diplomatic response on hold, it did nothing to address the most pressing problem at hand—the unholy monsters plaguing the borderlands.

"I really don't think it will be a problem, though…" the boy said.

"But let's be honest, we're all pretty screwed right now, aren't we? These monsters are stronger than they look. We've managed to defeat a few on our own, but from the looks of things, there's more of them than us. Qualia's villagers will be in grave danger if any stragglers make their way there…"

"We're Lenea, not Qualia, thank you," the High Paladin corrected him. "But you make a fair point. Hm…"

The Paladins in the platoon looked at the men serving under them as they listened to the boy—to Pepe's side of the argument. The High Paladins and Mesial Paladins among their ranks were holding their own, but the Under Paladins and normal soldiers were running out of steam. Fortunately, no one had died or sustained critical injuries yet, but it was only a matter of time.

While the territory bordering the Dark Continent was geographically confined to a narrow space, it was too vast to cover with their current forces. They'd significantly increase their odds of success if they joined forces with Phon'kaven.

Phon'kaven was in possession of what could only be described as unconventional weapons. They wielded what seemed to be a staff that shot tiny, fast-flying stones from the tip with a loud bang. Was it some sort of magical artifice? If it was one, it seemed odd their fiftystrong troop was fully equipped with one or more of the devices each. Judging from the sheer proficiency and power behind the weapons, the High Paladin assumed they were some sort of elite unit or an experimental one. Then again, he couldn't make heads or tails of why such a military unit would be commanded by an overly familiar little boy like Pepe.

As the captain of the subjugation force, the High Paladin was torn over how to proceed. It would be easy to drive off the other country's forces by saying they couldn't work together. However, as a new nation with inexperienced leadership, Lenea was unstable in more ways than one.

For all their protection from the Saints and Arlos, not every problem was instantly solved for them. Their relationship with Qualia was strained, and they needed to be wary of how things would play out with El-Nah too. Adding to those problems was the confusing way instructions were being handed down from the higher-ups amid the turmoil accompanying the nation's founding. Orders written in the name of the Saints and orders written in the name of the Paladin Commander tended to arrive separately, and the contents often countered each other.

Even this subjugation force had taken action of their own accord and set out for the borderlands, prepared to be punished for it later. That, however, didn't mean they should go about adding to their crimes, nor did their country have the freedom or resources to stir up trouble with other nations. Things were different now that they were no longer a part of a world power—they couldn't openly look down on the Dark Continent nations and their inferior cultures anymore.

"How about we just work together to exterminate the monsters for now? I won't tell nobody, so no one will know…" the boy persuaded in a mischievous whisper.

The Paladins and soldiers got caught up in the moment as they offered their opinions in equally secretive whispers.

"Captain…we should cooperate with them, even just temporarily. We should prioritize limiting potential victims by eliminating the monsters as soon as possible."

"I disagree! Paladins must set an example for the people. We can't go around abusing our authority, even during a crisis! I strongly believe we need to receive permission from a Priest with the authority to make national defense decisions."

"All of that can wait until we look into those strange weapons they use! We can't turn a blind eye to them wielding such power. I suggest an immediate investigation into where those weapons come from!"

Each person had wildly different opinions and approaches. For every Paladin among them, there seemed to be an entirely different suggestion. Due to the hasty formation of the platoon, it lacked leadership. Paladins are all elite warriors in their own right, but they often conduct solo missions, so they aren't very useful in situations where sudden political decisions are necessary. The same applied to the High Paladin serving as the subjugation platoon's captain.

He didn't know if he was dealing with a politician's child brandishing an army without permission. However, the perfectly ordered Phon'kaven troops staying on high alert behind Pepe as they waited for marching orders seemed like a far cry from the uncivilized reputation the Lawful Continent labeled them with. An outsider looking at both forces standing there would have a hard time telling who the truly uncivilized nation was. The High Paladin knew it was nothing to be proud of, but the high-pressure situation exposed his inherent prejudice toward his southern neighbors.

Blast it all! Why did these unholy monsters have to show up now? We could've easily handled them a month from now. Is it possible to officially turn down Phon'kaven's offer to fight together with the notion that we will help each other out if something goes terribly wrong later? I hate to divide our forces, but we should be able to protect our people if we focus solely on defending the areas around the settlements and patrol the outskirts.

Still, Phon'kaven's weapons pose a problem, he realized. On what principle does it work? Did their magical engineering produce those weapons? I've never heard of such a technology used in Qualia or El-Nah. A Paladin could take one on, but the same couldn't be said of a normal foot soldier. It needs to be urgently investigated.

I need an equivocal response to somehow get us past this point and on to exterminating the monsters. Is there nothing I can say to make that happen?

The High Paladin was looking for a way to postpone the issue without saying yea or nay to working together. He wanted to quickly pick a course of action and concentrate his energy on subjugating the monster threat. Unfortunately, he took too long to come to a decision.

"Enemy incoming!!"

"Already?!"

That warning cry came from a Phon'kaven soldier keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. His clear, resounding voice cut through the pensive silence, forcing everyone to switch to battle mode. One of the outlandish monsters they had seen prowling the borderlands came bounding toward them from the same direction the soldier had cried out to alert them.

"Saints have mercy! Draw your swords!" the High Paladin Captain ordered his platoon. "Mesial and High Paladins, take forward formation! Show them Arlos's might!"

"Wowwie-wow! Battle positions, people!" Pepe bellowed in his boyish voice. "Be sure not to shoot anybody from Qualia!"

"We aren't from Qualia!" the High Paladin barked. "We're from the Divine Nation of Lenea!"

With the monster's spine-tingling roar as their signal, the Paladins from a holy nation and the warriors from a multiracial empire took aim at their mutual enemy. The boundary between the Lawful and Dark Continents was blurred due to the TRPG monsters the Game Master had created and summoned to suppress the Dark Continent. Those monsters had strayed from his surveillance and control, running equally amok in his own territory.

Chaos bred greater chaos, and the urgency of the situation led both sides to gradually take on a united front against the monsters. Paladins exist solely to fulfill their sworn mission—to be the people's sword and shield. Their true nature was that of a warrior hero. And so, they couldn't object to working together in this dire moment.

No one could have guessed that Phon'kaven's army would take advantage of the confusion to march right into Qualia's former Southern Province—Lenea's territory—and choose not to leave.

◇◇◇

"BWAAAGH!!"

In the wee hours of the night, the pained cry of an innocent and reckless young boy rang throughout ground camp for Phon'kaven's Monster Subjugation Force.

"Why did ya move the army into action without asking, you foolish boy?! Are you so desperate to see our country ruined?! That's the only reasonable explanation under the circumstances!!"

Kneeling in the center of the tent with a large bump on the top of his head was Phon'kaven's Commander—Staff Holder Pepe. Looming directly above him was his fellow Staff Holder and mentor, Tonukapoli. The cow-headed old woman was giving the boy, who always did the unthinkable, a piece of her mind and reproaching him for his actions yet again. She was even stricter with him than usual because of the gravity and peril accompanying his most recent exploit.

"What can I say? I've been wanting to expand our territory. The little devil on my shoulder was telling me now's the time to strike!" His blunt explanation left Tonukapoli speechless. That was not a good reason to advance a nation's army into another nation's domain. Things weren't as simple as a child wanting a new toy and taking one from the kid sitting in the sand with them. Tonukapoli cradled her head in her hand and did her best to try to understand the situation he'd just slammed Phon'kaven into.

Expanding our territory…is definitely of great importance to us! Phon'kaven has less land under its control now that we've given Dragontan to Mynoghra. The fertile lands on the Lawful Continent are especially appealing now that we have our defenses covered with the weapons Mynoghra provided. But that's not a good enough reason to march into their territory right now.

Phon'kaven didn't have much need to deliberately advance their armies into the Lawful Continent right now. As far as expanding their territory, the Dark Continent had vast untouched land. Of course, the terrain was barren and unsuitable for agriculture, so it was far from ideal. However, they could fully fertilize and cultivate that barren land if they used the Earth Mana and Earth Military Magic they were developing with Mynoghra.

They didn't need to go playing with matches where they knew they would start a fire. The strange new monsters were concerning. Any phenomenon reminiscent of the Great Barbarian Invasion that once plagued Phon'kaven was an extremely urgent event requiring immediate investigation. But again, that was no reason for them to draw undue attention to themselves right outside the holy men's backyard. No, they had actually brought their army right into their neighbor's yard—there was no escaping the fallout now.

Pepe was a fool. He was foolish, careless, disrespectful of his elders, and always doing crazy things. But he wasn't stupid.

On the contrary, he always made the best choices at key moments when leading Phon'kaven. Everything he seemed to do on the spur of the moment had greater significance to their nation than it first appeared. If that had been the case for all his decisions up until now, then it seemed likely that he had more in mind this time too. Considering how quickly he decided to move their army in, he clearly had a plan.

Hoping to figure out what that plan was, Tonukapoli prodded the boy for information. "Pepe, what are you thinking? Stop beating around the bush with me, boy. Tell me what you have in mind already, will ya?"

"Hm-mm…"

Pepe was a natural airhead with a rare talent for politics and governance. There was no way he was unaware of the dangers of invading another country. He should know it intuitively… As someone blessed with exceptional intuition, he had to have had a justifiable reason to push through this extremely dangerous course of action.

Seeing how Pepe was biding his time with hms and hums, either he didn't want to tell Tonukapoli or…he couldn't. So Tonukapoli used her usual method to grease the boy's wheels and get him talking.

"Mynoghra has its own problems right now. You don't want to make things worse for them by making a wrong decision here, do you? I know you don't want to upset your good friend and make him hate you, either. Have you given any thought to that?" she pressed.

"Oh, no worries. I asked my pal Takuto for advice and got his stamp of approval to do this," Pepe revealed with a boyish smile.

Tonukapoli cradled her head with both hands this time. He'd just saddled her with a million worries.

Phon'kaven decided how to run and manage their country through a council of Staff Holders. Most everyone knew that the elderly Staff Holders were essentially retired and had entrusted foreign negotiations and the nation's general direction to Pepe, their successor. Even so, there were more than a few problems with him just randomly deciding to take the nation in a drastically different direction.

If that wasn't a big enough problem on its own, his advisor was the legendary King of Ruin. Tonukapoli wanted to berate him to at least report back to the Staff Holders about such crucial developments.

Besides that, when did he get the chance to consult with King

Takuto?! The king hasn't been seen since the assassination attempt. His retainers refuse to tell us anything, leaving Phon'kaven in the dark about his whereabouts. Pepe's babysitters haven't said anything about seeing him meet with the king either. What the Spirits is going on here?

Doubts boiled over inside Tonukapoli. She tried to organize her thoughts first, before further questioning Pepe. As far as she knew, someone tried to assassinate King Takuto during the Dragontan Cession Completion Ceremony jointly hosted by Mynoghra and Phon'kaven. After that, Tonukapoli and Pepe were privately contacted by the Elfuur Sisters and informed their king was safe, but he had disappeared along with his closest aide, Atou, ever since.

Almost immediately after those events, the Southern Province of the Holy Kingdom of Qualia seceded under the initiative of two Saints. Those Saints declared the founding of a new country called the Divine Nation of Lenea. And then monsters, unlike anything else, appeared on the borders between the Lawful and Dark Continents, almost as if to divide them.

Considering the response from Mynoghra, they haven't told Phon'kaven the whole story yet. I thought that the assassination attempt on King Takuto, the political change in Qualia, and the monster outbreak were separate events, but maybe they're connected?

Tonukapoli finally reached the heart of the matter. She'd believed that several disconnected problems were occurring at once, when in reality, they were connected. The scattered bits of information converged into a coherent image, like puzzle pieces finally coming together. Tonukapoli's heart sped up, physiologically responding to the dangers her mind was becoming aware of.

She had come to a terrible conclusion.

The Divine Nation of Lenea was an emergent nation that had branched off from the Holy Kingdom of Qualia. Tonukapoli didn't know what rules or principles this new country advocated, but it was obvious they believed in the Holy God Arlos. Anyone would think twice before targeting a country that worshipped the same god as the Holy Kingdom.

Qualia tended to treat the nations and peoples of the Dark Continent as inferior. Their bigoted and prideful clergy would never stand for another nation—especially one that didn't worship Arlos— taking their god-given land. They wouldn't sit still even if an offshoot of their own nation did the deed.

And it goes without saying that if Qualia were to move, their ally—the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals—would too. Attempting to expand into the Lawful Continent was the same as purposefully waking a sleeping giant.

Tonukapoli realized as much since she'd learned of what Pepe had done. That was why she lost her cool and went off at the boy leader worse than usual. It didn't matter if they had a powerful ally in Mynoghra—they were as good as dead if they made enemies of both Qualia and El-Nah…

There was only one way to overturn that premise. Say, a scenario where chaos was caused in the holy countries so severe that they couldn't even afford to wage a retaliatory war. If such a

scenario was playing out, then Phon'kaven would lose out if they didn't make their move here. At the very least, they would sustain an untold negative impact if they were too slow to act.

That's it! King Takuto's not after the fertile northern lands, but the borderlands connecting the Lawful and Dark Continents! Is he trying to seal off the north?!

Tonukapoli was suddenly reminded of the dread she'd felt the first time she met the King of Ruin and exchanged words with him. She remembered the indescribable fear that gripped her very soul and the reclusive insanity burning deep within the king's eyes.

It might've slipped her mind since becoming allies, but they were dealing with someone destined to bring the end—the apocalypsebringer.

How would the King of Ruin rule against his adversaries?

It didn't take much thought to come to an answer.

He was not the kind of being to let his adversaries roam free.

He would not stop until every fiber of his adversaries' very being was reduced to ash.

That was the impression Tonukapoli got from the being known as Takuto Ira.

"Tell me. How much do ya know?" Tonukapoli asked in a quiet, unwavering voice. Her eyes stared straight into Pepe's, putting on an unspoken pressure that dodging the question was out. She needed to know the big picture Pepe had—no, that the King of Ruin had planned out.

"Whoa there. Takuto and I might be buddies, but that doesn't mean I know everything… A hedge between makes friendship green, as they say!"

"What do you know then?"

With that bit of pressure from Tonukapoli, Pepe finally raised his palms in defeat. Then he screwed up his face in a rare show of a complicated expression before saying, "What's it called? The Divine Nation of Lenea? Anyway, my bet is that country won't be around for much longer! Literally!"

The way Pepe said it, like it was already a done deal, made Tonukapoli dizzy with the realization that things were graver than she'd imagined.

The Lawful Continent where Qualia and El-Nah existed. And the Dark Continent, where Mynoghra, Phon'kaven, and several small and medium-sized nations existed. Right next to the place where these two continents connected, in the center of the two, the seeds of destruction were smoldering under the surface, ready to explode and engulf everything in their wake.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 5: Phantom

FJORD Vysterk, Commander of the Divine Nation of Lenea's Order of Paladins, a man hailed by the masses as Fjord the Stalwart, listened to his subordinates' report with a haggard expression that belied his former imposing energy and drive. He was the High Paladin given the most esteem and authority throughout Qualia's Southern Province.

"Next is the 4th zone of the 3rd Parish serving the residential district for laymen. We have lost contact with Under Paladin Wieck and his cadet, Franco."

Fjord listened to this report in the Order's headquarters, where they had set up a temporary command post in the main hall to handle the Paladin Murder Cases. Documents containing a plethora of information were pinned to the walls, and a swarm of Paladins and clergymen ran about scrutinizing that information.

Lenea's Order of Paladins, and the soldiers and clergy serving under them throughout the former Southern Province, were fighting the battle of their lives to preserve their reputation. Fighting on the front lines of the information war was Fjord—a man who forewent sleep with the hope of not letting a single detail slip him by. When he learned that tragedy struck again despite his every effort to prevent it, he bit down so hard on his bottom lip, it bled.

"I…see," he said grimly, the taste of blood spreading across his tongue. "Have their autopsies come back yet? What did Cleric Cayman have to say?"

"They have. The bodies were consumed by flame like the others. However, there was less desecration and mutilation done to their faces compared to prior cases. According to Cleric Cayman, killing seems to have been the sole objective this time."

The Paladin Murder Case didn't stop with one or two Paladins. The culprit was still out there, using their unholy methods to slay God's holy warriors, keeping to the shadows as they went. Contrary to Fjord's lofty declaration to the Saints about solving the case, needless additional losses besieged the Paladins.

"If killing is the culprit's objective, then…perhaps they are trying to reduce our numbers? Still, I can't believe we're suffering nothing but losses even after increasing the number of men on patrol together… Were there any witnesses this time?" Fjord asked.

The young Paladin giving the report gave his head a solemn shake. "However," he began, dropping his gaze to the documents in his hand before continuing, "when questioned, the neighbors said they heard men arguing in the middle of the night. I believe this might be around the time the murders occurred."

They had a relatively easy time determining the time of death for every incident. And yet, they couldn't find a single eyewitness. Perhaps that only spoke to the culprit's skill, but even so, it was beyond eerie that they never left a trace.

"Did anyone notice anything strange going on this time? Even just a glimpse of someone unusual or something out of the ordinary?" Fjord asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Worse yet, rumors are spreading through the masses that there's a phantom out hunting Paladins. There's also less information available about this incident because the Cleric in charge of that district's parish has enforced a strict curfew."

Over a dozen people, including several Paladins renowned for their skill and achievements, had fallen victim to the Paladin Slayer. Some sort of warning or evidence should've been out there, somewhere, especially with some of the Paladins being killed in broad daylight. And yet there was nothing to go off of before or after the murders took place. Even the esteemed Order of Paladins would be hard-pressed to catch the elusive culprit under these circumstances. It was almost as if they were fighting their own shadow at times, so it was no wonder everyone had taken to calling their foe—

"The Phantom of Lenea… Oh, how our glorious Order has fallen," Fjord muttered, letting out a sharp exhale to release the tension bearing down on him.

He was really starting to feel his age these days. He felt it more mentally than he did physically. Another weary sigh escaped him. He couldn't seek help from the Saints so soon after haughtily declaring the Order would handle it.

Fjord was someone the people could look up to as the model upright and devout man of the cloth. However, his body wasn't made of stone, nor was his heart cast in steel. He was a bona fide human who cried, laughed, angered, and rejoiced like everyone else. That was why he was just as susceptible to only being able to wait and watch as the situation worsened, his shame becoming harder to wash away.

Normally, keeping one's weaknesses in check was a quality required of a Paladin. With that said, there's no human who doesn't make mistakes. Being perfectly perfect in every way is a trait belonging to the gods.

Fjord Vysterk was just a normal human with a stronger will than most.

"Commander Fjord…"

The young Paladin giving the report grew pensive as he saw Fjord's anguished expression. The members of the Order were just as human as their commander. They failed to raise objections despite knowing Fjord was making the wrong call. No one wanted to suggest otherwise out of a strong sense of camaraderie that pushed them to support their highly respected commander. And then there was the sense of self-preservation—a fear of being forced to take the blame for wrong advice. And just like that, they found themselves slipping to this low because they did nothing more than exchange silent looks.

There was a system of confessing and repenting in place to help put people back on the right track and avoid problems that stemmed from human error. Unfortunately, no idle and frivolous clergy were around to listen to their confessions. Nor were there any clergy left to take bribes under the table, guaranteeing an untarnished reputation.

Those clergy had become corpses left in the Order's wake.

The dead say nothing. As such, no one was left to pass on their true role within the government.

In the end, the Order of Paladins' investigation made no progress. Like an endless treasure hunt where the treasure's exact location is unknown, they continued to dig holes, only to come up empty. They repeated this meaningless process dozens of times, wasting precious time with nothing to show for it.

They did this knowing there was a very real enemy out there. The answers they sought were veiled in darkness, tempting them just out of sight. All the while, their comrades were being burned alive one after the other.

"…It all comes back to fire…" Fjord muttered to himself after ruminating over the new information with his tired brain.

Every Paladin had been killed with fire. Of course, this was made known to the entire Order, and they had prepared holy defenses against demonic fire. Increasing the number of men on patrol together was meant to increase their chance of survival and have someone who could flee and inform the others should something happen to their unit.

In this most recent case, Cadet Franco should have run to get help while Under Paladin Wieck confronted the phantom. Every member of the Order had agreed to this setup and acknowledged gathering information was their top priority. The reality was that all their strategies and countermeasures against the phantom ended in vain.

"We can't identify the phantom nor escape it. It unilaterally burns us to death without being noticed or leaving any traces behind. How?"

Fjord felt like he was missing something. He couldn't shake the feeling of having overlooked something crucial. He just didn't know what that something was.

Erakino had secretly informed him of the terrifying truth that the King of Ruin was still alive. He'd also learned that this series of events was very likely the work of Takuto Ira. That was why Fjord felt frustrated that the strange sense of incongruity nagging at the back of his mind was amplifying by the day.

He couldn't escape the thought that he'd made a fatal mistake along the way. But he had no way of knowing what that mistake was. Evil was knocking at his door, and yet he had no way of seeing it or making sure it didn't come in. That fact, coupled with his regret over being unable to avenge his fallen comrades, ate away at him like moths devouring cloth.

"I'm going to take a brief break. I'll be spending the time in prayer, so please keep people away." Hoping for a change of pace, Fjord stood from his chair while rubbing his eyes.

He wanted to organize his thoughts. He hoped praying would alleviate the unease plaguing his mind like a hammering headache.

He thought he might finally learn why he had this odd sense that he wasn't himself. That fleeting hope had burned within him for only Arlos knew how long.

"Of course, Great Commander Fjord. We can handle command during your short reprieve…"

"Thank you. Please do," Commander Fjord responded tiredly to the young Paladin's awkward attempt at encouragement and left the command post.

◇◇◇

THE heavy door shut with a thud. Left with the image of his commander's once-broad-looking back seeming smaller and more hunched than before, the young Paladin shook his head to rid it of such thoughts.

"Okay!" he said loudly to perk everyone in the command post up. "Let's go back through the deceased's last day. We might have overlooked something. We should order the soldiers to question the residents one more time too. I think we might get more of a response if we let the masses know a bit more about the situation.

What do the rest of you think?"

They had lost two more brothers-in-arms, so they needed to work around the clock to fill in the gaps. They also needed to come up with new ideas. They couldn't leave every little detail to Fjord— they should at least try to come up with some good suggestions while they could.

The young Paladin had squeezed out the last vestiges of his energy to draw everyone in to discuss those things, but the wind went right out of his sails when the heavy hall doors flung open.

"Pardon me!"

In marched a normal soldier belonging to the Order. Judging from his attire, he was a messenger. He was gasping for air and seemed to be in a rush, drawing all eyes to him.

He gulped when he realized the much higher-ranked Paladins were staring at him. "Um, an emissary…has arrived from the Holy Capital of Qualiane," he choked out.

It was the Paladins' turn to be taken aback. They all knew this was coming, and yet they had hoped for more time.

An emissary from the Holy Capital of Qualiane was an emissary from Qualia.

The emissary's purpose was obviously to question them about the secession of the Southern Province and the founding of the Divine Nation of Lenea. Dealing with Qualia while the phantom was running loose within Lenea was bad enough, but things would only get worse if Qualia learned what was happening and decided to interfere in their domestic affairs. All that awaited the traitorous Order of Paladins and the Divine Nation of Lenea was a tragic end if that happened.

The Order needed to do whatever it took to conceal Lenea's problems from Qualia. They had to figure one thing out before they could do that.

"So, who did they send?"

The Paladins experienced their second shock of the day. Commander Fjord had returned to the main hall.

"Commander Fjord!" the young Paladin cried. "Didn't you just return to your quarters? Are you done resting already?"

"Yes. Doesn't look like now's the time for me to rest. I'm sorry I don't know your name, young man, but could you tell me who the emissary is?"

The Paladins couldn't deny they felt relieved to see him. They were neither experienced nor brave enough to make crucial decisions without their commander. They didn't have the authority to make such a decision either, so they would've had to fetch Fjord anyway. His timely return was a godsend in that regard. The Paladins decided to silently watch where things went.

They could tell how much Qualia intended to interfere in their affairs by the person they sent to represent them. Their connections could help out depending on the emissary. They hoped it was someone who took bribes or liked to do things under the table.

However, contrary to the Paladins' mounting intrigue, the messenger seemed hesitant to say more.

"What's wrong?" Fjord prompted. "We need to prepare for who's coming. I know you're flustered by the suddenness of it all, but please take a breath and tell us."

"…cribe…aint…"

"Hm, sorry, but could you repeat that in a louder voice?" Fjord asked, leaning forward to hear him better.

The messenger had responded in a barely audible whisper. The Paladins might boast enhanced physical capabilities, but even their super hearing couldn't pick up the man's wisp of a voice, especially with how fatigued they were.

The trembling messenger seemed to finally steel his resolve, took a deep breath, and shouted so loud everyone in the main hall could make out what he said. "I-It's the Scribe Saint Lytrain Nerim

Quartz!!"

The Paladins and soldiers broke their silence to groan amongst themselves. The messenger had just mentioned the worst possible person they could imagine. A visit from a Qualia Saint under these circumstances guaranteed they were about to be dragged under the surface when they were already struggling to stay afloat.

They needed to take an even more fastidious approach to governance now. One wrong step, and their country was doomed. That was the type of person Qualia sent as its emissary.

As the Paladins scrunched up their faces in bitter agony over the latest problem to plague their country, the most renowned Paladin in the Southern Province—Fjord Vysterk—wrinkled his brows in much the same way…except for the quiet sneer he concealed from the rest.

<-x-X-x->

TENSION filled the Order's reception room. Fjord the Stalwart sat across from a young girl who looked no older than ten. She wore her hair in cutely woven braids and dressed in a beautiful, saintly garb. The stately attire seemed to be wearing her, and that, coupled with her nervous fidgeting, only invoked a desire to protect the child. But as someone escorted to this room as a state guest, she wasn't to be viewed as a child.

"Thank you for coming all this way, Saint Lytrain."

"E-Eep…erm, i-it's a pleasure t-to meet you, C-Cap—Commander Fjord."

The girl on the sofa, hugging a large book that nearly hid her from view, was none other than the Scribe Saint Lytrain Nerim Quartz—one of Idoragya's Seven Great Savior Saints, beloved by Qualia's Holy God Arlos. Fjord cut the pleasantries short and cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"I understand you came here on orders from Qualia. What does

Central want?"

Fjord needed to uncover what Qualia was after. Lenea and Qualia were already negotiating behind the scenes, but only up to the Cardinal level. The Cardinals didn't steer Qualia—that fell to higher-ranked clergy. Central's Priests and Cardinals were nothing more than underlings—cogs. Lenea needed to know what the real decision-makers were thinking.

"Th-The M-Mystic Saint doesn't seem very interested in this matter," Lytrain stuttered.

"Ooh!" Fjord exclaimed, unable to suppress his internal surprise.

The Mystic Saint held the highest position of power in Qualia. Known as the First Saint, only a handful of high-ranked clergy were allowed to have an audience with her, and some even theorized that she had watched over Qualia since its founding.

Qualia's empire-management was said to be handled by its three popes, but the Mystic Saint pulled the strings. In other words, her will was Qualia's will. And she chose to adopt a wait-and-see policy when it came to Lenea.

This was a godsend if there ever was one. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Arlos had a hand in this fortuitous moment.

Still, Fjord harbored doubts about her stance. He didn't know the Mystic Saint personally, but staying quiet seemed out of character for her.

"But why isn't she concerned with us?"

Lytrain's shoulders trembled at Fjord's quiet query. He didn't know how to respond when she acted so frightened of him for no apparent reason. Before he could say anything, she snapped open the massive journal that earned her the name the Scribe Saint, flipped to a specific page, and began reading its contents aloud.

"W-We've received a request for aid from the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals. U-Um, well, it seems the Alliance was attacked and destroyed by a W-Witch called Vagia and her horde of S-Succubi. The Scribe Saint is terribly saddened by this and wants it dealt with immediately."

"What?!" Fjord cried, startling the poor girl. "The El-Nah Alliance of Elementals was destroyed?!"

It seemed Idoragya as a whole was experiencing more turmoil and chaos than anyone had realized. Fjord had been aware that things were amiss in El-Nah. It was common knowledge among clergy of a certain rank, even if word hadn't spread to the masses yet.

Simply put, El-Nah was invaded by yet another Witch…