Chapter 2436 - Mynoghra 29

ONE day, about a month after the collapse of the Divine Nation of Lenea, in the city closest to the border between the Southern Province and the Dark Continent.

The Trade City of Seldoch, located at the southernmost edge of Qualia's territory, had a history of thriving off unofficial trade with the neutral nations on the Dark Continent. But a gloomy atmosphere enveloped the city during this era of turmoil. The immigration office at the city gates had been closed, and now stillness reigned in the space that had once brimmed with activity.

Qualia's Three Popes had imposed the Provincial Preemption Laws to designate Seldoch as a city under Central's control. Their first course of action was to halt all traffic. This included not only preventing people from entering, but also not allowing anyone to leave. And during a time of crisis at that.

Most of the merchants had quickly fled to safer locations, and the epidemic made it difficult for travelers and pilgrims to make their rounds anyway. The immigration officers, who usually didn't have a second to rest while inspecting all the merchants, pilgrims, and mercenaries that came and went on any given day, found themselves forced to take a leave of absence as a result of this policy change. Of course, the gates still needed to be secured, so it wasn't completely unmanned.

On this particular day, a lone soldier sat in a chair inside the immigration office at the gate, leaning his elbow on the lookout window as he absently gazed out at the clear, blue sky. Anyone who saw him could tell he was bored out of his mind not having any work despite being assigned an important job.

"I hate to say this, but having too much free time is its own kind of torture…" the soldier muttered to himself. "With this little to do, I'm actually starting to miss how hectic things used to be."

It's common in any military organization for there to be a large gap in the sense of crisis felt by soldiers at the bottom ranks and the leaders at the top. While this particular soldier did feel a little anxious, he lacked any sense of impending doom and just idly let the day pass him by, wasting time simply hoping for his shift to end as soon as possible.

And that was when something suddenly appeared with no warning.

"Helloooooooooooo. Can I have a mooooment of your time, good

sir?!"

"Whoa! Wh-What the hell?! Er, who are you?"

A strange man appeared outside the window as suddenly as a freak storm on a clear day. The soldier might've been zoning out, but he had a clear view of the area outside of the window and there was nowhere to sneak up from. And yet, the man had gotten this close to him without him noticing him at all. Even this soldier, who'd been lazily doing his job, couldn't hide his alarm.

He jumped away from the window and rested his hand on the sword sheathed at his waist.

But the strange-looking man seemed unconcerned with the soldier's wariness and threatening pose. He didn't even attempt to make excuses for his suspicious appearance.

"Oooooooooh! Pardon my late introductioooon! My name is Vittorio.

Vittorio from the direction of Mynoghra!"

He paid no attention to the soldier's baffled and suspicious gaze and instead executed a flamboyant and theatrical bow. As he slowly raised his head, the soldier couldn't help feeling like the man was a snake rearing its sickle-shaped neck to strike. And his ear-to-ear grin was about as discomforting as a wolf licking its chops before chowing down on its prey.

It's anyone's guess if the soldier was lucky or unlucky to be so far down the chain of command to have never been informed about the ruin wrought by Mynoghra's King Takuto Ira. However, it soon became clear that such questions were meaningless at this stage.

People appeared behind the strange man in droves. Where they came from was as much a mystery as the man's own random appearance. They all wore equally broad and disturbing smiles. They almost seemed artificial and mass-produced, but the soldier could tell from the grumpy and tired faces of the girls at the front of the group that they weren't dolls.

"Wh-What in Arlos's good world do you want?" the soldier asked, more than a little freaked out by them. "This city is on lockdown."

He was the type to act domineering whenever he dealt with people from the Dark Continent, but it seemed like he was smart enough not to do anything unnecessary in this situation. Although that was about as good as his brain was going to do him, because he kept letting his panic at the lack of help being nearby show through.

Then again, no amount of intelligence on his part was going to get him through an encounter with the Gleeful Spin Doctor in front of him.

"Are you haaaappy right noooooow~?"

The same words he'd said somewhere else were echoed for a second time here.

Vittorio's eccentric behavior when he had too much free time on his hands was on full display…

The next move played by the ultimate scheming Hero was being put into motion.

-x-X-x-

Chapter 8: Guards

AROUND a week before Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio extended his reach to Seldoch in Qualia's Southern Province, Takuto received an entreaty posed as counsel from Elder Moltar—his empire's Chancellor.

"We need to bolster your guard detail."

"Hmm, that's true," Takuto nodded in agreement. "I think I might need bodyguards now more than ever."

In the battles thus far, small mistakes frequently occurred in various areas. There were too many points to reflect on, including underestimating the enemy, poor insight, and overconfidence in the Eternal Nations' system. Takuto was aware of these problems and was making improvements and corrections as needed. However, the most urgent need for improvement was the king's guard detail, which Elder Moltar was pushing for.

Past experience had shown time and time again that hostile forces used abilities comparable to Mynoghra's, and that they could attack using absurd means exceeding all expectations and logic.

Things would be simple if their enemies were only those with logical abilities, like the Barbarians and Qualia's Paladins. But the enemy they faced now…and those they'd face in the future were coming for Mynoghra using abilities that threw all logic to the wind. Takuto's experience from Eternal Nations was rapidly becoming obsolete, and the tried and true strategies he once used with absolute confidence were no longer enough.

Given the circumstances, it was only natural that Elder Moltar and the others would become increasingly concerned. Since the king is the nation, it made sense to place a greater emphasis on guarding him. This was especially true with Takuto recuperating and making it known that the majority of his powers were sealed. His subordinates had every reason to madly throw themselves into trying to resolve the issue of his safety.

"With Lady Atou needing to be more proactive in her other duties, it is of absolute necessity to take even stricter measures to protect you, my king. We may be lacking in your eyes, but I swear we will at least serve as your shields this time." Elder Moltar pushed for an immediate response with an unyielding spirit.

While things had improved, Mynoghra was still in a state of crisis. At this point, even if Takuto fully recovered and regained the same power he had when he destroyed the Divine Nation of Lenea, he'd still be having this conversation.

Mynoghra's enemies were too deadly and shrouded in the unknown. Elder Moltar was pushing for the right thing—his judgment was sound.

"My guard detail is already taken care of," Takuto said, naturally arriving at the same conclusion.

"Goo-goo, gyaaaaa-gyaaaaa."

"What was that?!"

The sound of a baby crying came out of nowhere. Actually, it was far too disturbing to describe as a cry—it had a frightening quality that scraped away at your very soul.

Elder Moltar was startled by it, but immediately stood and prepared to protect his king. But before he could completely prepare, his eyes peeled wide open upon seeing the changes occurring around Takuto.

"What the dark Spirits?!" Elder Moltar cursed.

"Ah-ah-ah… Bah-bah."

Something seeped out of the darkness with those babbling sounds to protect Takuto. Dogs, cats, insects, birds—it was as if someone had haphazardly assembled parts from different creatures to create an amalgamation. It took a certain level of mental fortitude not to just describe the monstrosity as a lump of stitched-together flesh. Disturbingly elongated arms protruded from the body, each of its hands waving about as if they had a mind of their own. What was even more disturbing was that the upper body of a ginormous fetus bulged from the center of the fleshy mass in a way that made your skin crawl.

When the abomination made eye contact with Elder Moltar, it lifted its fetus arms and let out a delighted, "He-he!"

"Meet my bodyguard," Takuto announced.

"Th-This…thing?!"

Elder Moltar instantly realized what he was looking at. He'd heard about the Mabeast that would be produced by the king's recently constructed Grotesque Zoo. He hadn't had the chance to see one himself but had heard the stories about how these creatures had appearances that were further removed from logic than anything before them.

Before Elder Moltar could confirm their identity with Takuto, he felt something blow its warm, sticky breath on the nape of his neck.

What the?! How? When did it get behind me? He panicked.

Another one of the abominations was right behind him.

Elder Moltar shuddered as he heard their eerie babbling laughter in front and behind him. He wasn't shuddering in shock at its appearance. As a fellow subordinate of Mynoghra, what did he have to fear? It never once crossed his mind that these creatures would hurt him.

No, the presence emitted from both sides of him elicited Elder Moltar's surprised reaction.

This pressure… This overwhelming presence! It's almost like… Elder Moltar sensed a level of power on par with a Hero emanating from the deformed creatures.

"I take it you haven't seen a Botchling yet? It's a unit you can produce with the Grotesque Zoo," Takuto proudly introduced his two newest subordinates.

Elder Moltar was rendered speechless by his explanation. He shivered with awe, knowing his king was already three steps ahead.

◇◇◇

"BOTCHLINGS have a Strength of 13. This is higher than what most Heroes start with. And as a plus, since they are evil-aligned, they come with various bonuses that make them pretty powerful as bodyguards. As for their looks… Well, they're kind enough to stay hidden most of the time," Takuto explained.

"They are a far cry from what most people would categorize as an animal, after all," Atou agreed.

Sometime later, Takuto introduced the Botchlings as his new guard detail to his whole empire-management council. Elder Moltar wasn't the only one concerned with the king's safety, so it was only right for them to invite the rest of the council members to the grand unveiling. Both Takuto and Atou thought this was necessary to reassure their subordinates and show the king hadn't lost his touch.

Although their biggest motivation was wanting to boast about the new unit's abilities. After all…the amount of Mana consumed by producing this unit was enough to make even Takuto, who had decided on the bold strategy of consuming Brave Questers' gold coins in one go, want to escape reality. He was driven by the half-hearted feeling that if he didn't go big, he'd go home. That said, the Botchling's abilities were well worth the hit to Takuto's Mana and mental health.

"Plus, the Botchling produced in Barren Terrain—in Dragontan —also has the Detect skill," Takuto said. "As the name suggests, it's a powerful skill that lets them detect if an enemy is disguised or stealthed. It can even detect the unique disguises used by Heroes, so it'll be an effective deterrent in that regard."

Seeming to know it was being talked about, one of the Botchlings playing with the rattle Takuto gave it let out a short cry of "Bah!" and grinned. The sinister grin would've sent any normal person running in hysterics, but this was Mynoghra—everyone just responded with wry smiles.

"And the Botchlings produced in Forest Terrain possess the Mimic and Surprise Attack skills, which allow them to catch the enemy by surprise by concealing their presence. There's no one better suited to guarding without the enemy knowing they're there," Atou explained.

The Botchling licking the brand-new chairs that had been prepared for the Grand Council Room realized Atou was speaking about it and let out a "He-he!" in response. Several people were saddened by the slobbered state of the new chairs, but they still forced a smile.

"I have also requested that Caria and Maria stay by the king's side as much as possible. With this, we have two Heroic monsters and two Heroic

Witches serving as his guards." "We'll do our bestest!" Caria said.

"Yippee!" Maria said.

The twins and Atou had quarreled over who got to guard—AKA sleep with—Takuto at night, which was when he was most vulnerable, but it was eventually decided that the Botchlings would sleep with him.

"It's no exaggeration to say that this is the best bodyguard detail Mynoghra can provide right now. If the enemy can get past this, then… I honestly don't know what to do," Takuto said teasingly. The council members bowed their heads in agreement.

This was the best setup possible—although it obviously wasn't perfect. Perfect was impossible to obtain as long as they were in the dark about what attacks their future enemies would employ. In which case, it was pointless to ask for more. Calling it "the best setup possible" was the most adequate description for their situation.

Takuto nodded with satisfaction at his subordinates' reaction. With this, one of Mynoghra's problems had been resolved. They still had an ocean of problems and concerns to address. But Takuto and Mynoghra were making steady progress, one step at a time. Progress toward the victory he vowed to achieve.

"Okay, thanks you two," Takuto said to the Botchlings. "Your presence is a bit much, so would you mind hiding again?"

"Bah-Bah…"

"Gyah-Gyah!"

While replying with cries that would have driven an ordinary person insane, the two Botchlings moved as instructed. One glided up into the rafters, while the other seemed to dissolve into their surroundings.

Atou sighed as she watched them each hide in their own way. "I know we can't do anything about it, but their appearance…leaves much to be desired…"

"Yeaaah, it is what it is…" Takuto agreed.

All of Mynoghra's units have unique appearances. Designed without compromise to challenge the limits of 3D modeling technology, these units are a hit with fans of B-horror movies and super popular with a subset of players.

But there was nothing more unpleasant than actually having to face these grotesque creatures in reality. In return, their abilities were the real deal. As someone who had seen plenty of Mynoghra's delightful friends, Takuto had become desensitized enough to complain just a little about their unsettling appearances now.

"Phew… Okay, with that out of the way, I plan to keep myself safe with this guard detail. Does this ease your fears some?" "Yes, sire!" everyone said as one.

The Dark Elves were just as desensitized as Takuto. They had taken the ferocious appearance of those units to mean that they possessed equally ferocious abilities. Elder Moltar and the rest thought that the Botchlings, who were so large they just barely fit within the Grand Council Room and ceaselessly emitted a bone-crushing evil pressure, would be more than enough to protect the king. This removed one of their greatest concerns.

"That said, I'll be recuperating in the Palace for a while anyway," Takuto told them. "I mean, things have got to be royally screwed up for me to go out in the first place."

"I-I'm sorry for royally screwing things up…"

Takuto's words knocked his confidant right off her high horse and into depression. Atou was still plagued with regret over having her allegiance stolen by the TRPG forces, requiring Takuto to get his hands dirty just to get her back. Of course, Takuto didn't mean to make a dig at her with that comment, so he rushed to correct himself.

"Don't say that. I'd do anything for you, Atou. C'mon, cheer up.

Your presence has been a big help to me. I mean it." "Oh, King Takuto…" Atou said dreamily.

"AHEM!" Elder Moltar cleared his throat, interrupting their moment. He didn't want to disturb them, but they were in the middle of a meeting. He was implying that they flirt elsewhere. The others didn't say anything, but their gazes said it all—they agreed with Elder Moltar.

Takuto felt everyone had grown to be more assertive. A bit flustered, he broached the next topic of discussion.

"By the way, Maria, Caria," he said, addressing the twins. "How are things going with our little strategy?"

The twins, bored during the rest of the meeting, jumped to attention like they'd been waiting to have their names called.

"I unleashed the Plague with an emphasis on transmissibility, per Your Majesty's orders," Caria replied. "Big Sista did her bestest too, but

Forgetting the holy religion has been confined solely to the capital." "I did my bestest!" Maria chimed in.

"I can see that. Thank you, girls. You pulled it off exactly as I'd hoped," Takuto praised them.

Even the Elfuur Sisters, who didn't usually express their opinions, wanted to draw attention to their hard-earned achievements. As far as Takuto was concerned, their hard work and results played a key role in his strategy. He felt he should praise them more.

Takuto had made his request of the twins way back when he'd just defeated the Game Master in the Divine Nation of Lenea. The twins had unleashed Plague and Forget on the city then. And it was none other than Takuto who'd requested they keep those skills active. All in preparation for his next big move.

"But, like we told you before, Cary and Big Sista have to concentrate to keep this power active, so we can't do much else." "What's next, Your Majesty?" Maria asked.

While Takuto contemplated the best compliments he could give them, the sisters posed a question first. Their innocent question raised doubts in the minds of the adult council members listening to their conversation. They'd thought the meeting had already answered the question of what was next for Mynoghra. In summary, by sowing chaos in Lenea, they effectively restricted what actions the holy nations could take. The turmoil in the Southern Province that bordered the Dark Continent became a shackle for the holy nations to exert their influence on the Dark Continent.

Everyone believed that because Takuto had succeeded in regaining Atou and destroying the Divine Nation of Lenea, he was planning to temporarily retreat to the Dark Continent to rebuild their forces. With their sharp, devilish intuition, only the twins showed they understood Takuto's plans went further than that.

"Hahaha!" Takuto laughed. "Seems like you two get it. Truth is, that plan's designed to be more than just a way to buy us time. If that was all I wanted, simply destroying the city and the people there would've done the job fine."

"Does that mean you have other plans for that land?!" Atou jumped right into the conversation, voicing the question everyone else had. Her crimson eyes glimmered with awe and respect, proving she was once again floored by his greatness.

A tad overwhelmed by the intensity of her excessively elated gaze, Takuto nodded, acknowledging he had another strategy in place. Although it was still in the planning stages and he hadn't yet decided on the finer details, the actions he'd ordered the twins to take were a stepping stone for his next move.

"You never cease to amaze me, King Takuto!" Atou gushed. "Not only did you obtain the enemy's technology, but you were already planning three moves ahead all the way back then! Your Atou trembles with admiration for your genius!"

"Hear, hear!" Elder Moltar cheered. "The king's wisdom truly knows no bounds. There is no Mynoghra without our king! It takes everything these old bones have just to keep up with the conversation."

"I'm curious what His Majesty has planned," Maria said.

"Me too, Big Sista. I wonder what will happen next."

Everyone's first reaction was delight. Takuto devised ingenious strategies that went beyond human understanding. The next move had already been put into motion, bringing Mynoghra one step closer to world conquest. The king's genius was even more apparent since his recovery, and though he wasn't back to full health yet, he didn't let that slow him down.

They all thought, Aaah, just how magnificent is Takuto Ira? He is truly the incarnation of the darkness that shrouds the world.

"However…there's someone aside from me who's caught on to this…"

Takuto's next words doused their excitement with ice water, drowning them in indescribable worry. No one could keep up with the King of Ruin's supernatural intellect and otherworldly planning—well, except for one.

Just as the name of a certain someone crossed every Dark Elf's mind with a foreboding sense of dread…

"Forgive me for interrupting your meeting! There's been an emergency," someone's taut voice rang through the room.

A soldier waited quietly on one knee by the door. He had an urgent message for the council. Some sort of trouble had arisen. The poor messenger's face stiffened under the scrutiny of the people who were like gods to an ordinary man like him. Takuto had made it known that meetings could be interrupted for important matters when necessary, so the messenger wouldn't get into trouble. The messenger had decided the matter was urgent enough to interrupt them now rather than wait until the meeting ended. That couldn't mean anything good, and a wave of anxiety ran through all but one in the room.

Only Takuto seemed to be enjoying this. Feeling like a kid about to be proven right, he pointed behind the messenger and cheerfully ordered, "Tell that child."

"Yes, sire! …Uh, um, where might they— Whoa!!"

"Bah-bah…"

The Dark Elf messenger nearly had a heart attack, he was so shocked by the Botchling suddenly appearing behind him. Displeased with his reaction, the Botchling puffed out its cheeks. But it received the messenger's report and soundlessly moved to whisper in Takuto's ear, because he couldn't use Telepathy without commandership.

What in the world was the report about? Takuto let out a truly amused laugh as everyone in the room looked to him for answers.

"I see. He chose now of all times, eh?"

"Your Majesty… What is it?" Elder Moltar asked.

"He came to see me."

The tension in the room doubled.

Mynoghra's King Takuto Ira and his subordinate, Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio—the time had finally come for them to face each other. What would that conversation bring about? In the face of the oncoming storm, Takuto's subordinates remained silent, unsure of what they could or should say.

"Boy, am I looking forward to it. What unreasonable demands will he have for me?"

Vittorio, the Hero who'd been working behind the scenes in Dragontan all this time, had finally come to see his master. That could only mean that his plan was firmly in place, and he was ready to throw it at Takuto—either as a present or a challenge.

What would the powerful drug known as the Gleeful Spin Doctor bring to Mynoghra? Indifferent to the mental turmoil his subordinates were going through, Takuto merely laughed like he was having the time of his life.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 9: Devotion

THE first meeting between the King of Ruin and Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio was much calmer and friendlier than anyone could anticipate.

The meeting was held in the Throne Room inside Mynoghra's Palace. Takuto was surrounded by his subordinates and Botchling bodyguards, who quietly watched the proceedings. Meanwhile, in a move that was out of character for him, Vittorio had come to the meeting with a girl who seemed to be his aide. Oddly enough, Atou was absent, but no one seemed to mind as the audience between king and Hero began.

"Hero VITTORIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Requestin' an

audience before your greatneeess!"

The Hero respectfully paid homage to his king with a bow, apologized for not coming sooner, and reiterated his allegiance. The king responded casually and benevolently, though his voice still held an edge of majesty and authority.

At first glance, it was a picture-perfect meeting between master and servant. A formal exchange of words with nothing to nitpick that may or may not be later recorded in the annals of history.

But anyone with the slightest insight could easily see how the Throne Room had already turned into a verbal battlefield. Takuto scrutinized his subordinate's every move and utterance to determine the truth behind them. Meanwhile, Vittorio was there to explain his actions and prove his unwavering loyalty to the king.

"Granted. Thanks for coming, Vittorio." They were feeling each other out still.

The council members watching over them had no idea how Takuto truly felt about this meeting with Vittorio. On the surface, it looked like they were having a peaceful conversation. But the whole of Mynoghra had spent every minute possible lodging complaints about this Hero's outrageous behavior. No one was foolishly optimistic enough to think the meeting would end without issue.

"It seems you were working tirelessly while I was immobilized. Thank you," Takuto said. "It took a while, but I'm glad I finally got a chance to speak with you."

"You neeeedn't thank moi! It's only natural for an empire's Hero to work themselves to the bone for their Commander! The king is just supposed to be there, and his subjects are just supposed to be wholly devoted to him! Such is the waaaay of the world. Divine provideeeence!"

Takuto let a beat of silence pass. "I see. Well then, it's nice to meet you again. I'm Takuto Ira. Do you remember me?"

"Of course I remember!" Vittorio trumpeted. "You are a man of incomparable intellect who mastered Eternal Nations! The invincible, unbeatable genius who overcame all obstacles and hardship with brilliance! Takuto Ira is, in a word, the pinnacle of all existence! The man who stands at the top! The one and only Player I bow befoooore!"

"Haha. It's embarrassing every time I hear that stuff. But I'm happy you also remember the days we shared together."

"How could I forget! I'll never forget! Oooh, my Great God! Almighty Lord! I have not—and never will—forget the days I spent together with you!"

Takuto glanced around the room and noticed all the Dark Elves had dubious looks on their faces. The fact that Mynoghra was a civilization from a strategy game called Eternal Nations was one of Takuto's hard-kept secrets. And Vittorio casually mentioned it despite knowing that.

Was he trying to gain control of the conversation by stirring things up? Or did he want to revel in the Dark Elves' confusion as an appetizer before the main course? Or did he simply forget to keep up appearances in his excitement?

Whatever the case, the easily misled Dark Elves had no idea what he was referring to. These situations were easy to handle because they accepted the unknown terms as words from the Land of the Gods.

Unable to contain his exhilaration, the corners of Takuto's lips curled up in a slight smile. When was the last time I had an interaction where I had to constantly read into my opponent's hidden motives? He preferred situations where he had to stay on his toes when tackling a conversation with someone.

Conflict can occasionally be enjoyable.

Takuto was always more of a hotblooded person.

But he had a position of authority to consider now. If this was just a game or he didn't care about his opponent, he would happily act according to his desires. However, Takuto was now the ruler of a country and the responsibility that came with that position changed his options.

Guess I should start by reprimanding him for his self-serving behavior… Takuto thought. Huh, now that I think about it, this is the first time I've ever pointed out a subject's problem behavior in an official manner. Everybody's been so obedient, a warning's usually more than enough. I suppose…this might become more necessary in the future.

Now then, how to play this?

Takuto needed to make an example of Vittorio in front of his other subordinates. And he had no qualms about having to do it either. Just reward and punishment are the foundation of any organization. But such concepts tended to take on an entirely different meaning when it came to Vittorio…

"I've received reports on your actions," Takuto said. "Your achievements speak for themself, but you went a little too far acting on your own authority. Knowing your personality, it might be hard to have expected anything else from you, but I can't have you going out of your way to cause trouble for the others."

"Moi's behavior is problematic, you say? Then I'll accept any punishment to atone!" Vittorio exclaimed. "If that's what's necessary right now, then punish away! I'm ready and rearing for it! Yessiree! If that is what's necessary right here and now! Let's hop right to it! Put moi through your most stimulating and extreme punishment, King!"

"Yeah, you sound all for it. Hmm, what's the perfect punishment for you… It's hard to choose."

"By the by," Vittorio interjected, "I can transform pain and suffering into titillating pleasure! Now, bring it on!"

And that was the real problem when trying to punish Vittorio. No matter what punishment he was given, this Hero's unique traits had a way of turning most punishments into a reward. Punish him with pain and suffering? You're practically rewarding the man. Strip him of his status and authority? See how far that gets you.

Now, you might finally get somewhere if you can humiliate him, but was humiliation even possible for the Hero who got off on mocking everything and everyone around him?

Takuto made several revisions to his future policies and reconsidered his choices.

"I'd hate to disappoint you with a half-baked punishment…" Takuto said. "Oh well. Let's save it for later and go with something we can all agree on then. You're all good with that too, right, guys?"

"Yes, sire!"

The Dark Elves looked less than happy about it. They were disappointed Vittorio wouldn't be handed his punishment right away, but they were willing to accept it since he would be punished eventually. At least, that's what Takuto guessed they were thinking from the looks on their faces.

It seemed a bit remiss of a ruler to give orders while keeping an eye on the moods of his subordinates, but this was the exact situation he wanted. Now was not the time to punish Vittorio.

With that decision made, Takuto continued to question Vittorio. "With that settled, on to the next matter. Vittorio, about the religion with no official name you founded—everyone already calls it The Cult of Ira, so let's just go with that. Care to tell me your reason for founding it?"

"Why, I naturally founded it for Great God Takuto Ira—and moi's own dreams!"

"Hmm," Takuto hummed, contemplating his words, for he had no knowledge of Vittorio's "dream."

There were no entries pertaining to his dreams anywhere within Eternal Nations.

Vittorio is a manipulating and condescending Hero. He views everything and anything as his toys and has given up on the world. Not even Takuto expected him to bring up having dreams he wanted to come true.

And what in the world is that dream? The answer was presented to him before Takuto could put that thought into words.

"I dream of becoming a cute girl and serving next to the Great God Takuto Ira!" Vittorio declared. "I'm a happy-ending fundamentalist! All ends well as long as God and Moi are together! That is my dreeeeeeam!" "Ugh, my head hurts…" Takuto groaned.

"By the waaaaay, I have a rough illustration of what I look like as a hot girl. Wanna see?"

Exasperation melted away the tension in the room. The Dark Elves sighed, thinking Vittorio had launched into more of his nonsense again. Meanwhile, the girl Vittorio had brought as his supposed aide couldn't hide her shock and upset over him abruptly rambling on about his delusions in such a sacred space. Everyone took this as more of Vittorio's poor taste in jokes.

But Takuto had a headache for an entirely different reason. He was concerned that Vittorio's nonsense was as much true as it was a joke.

Vittorio tended to do crazy things. Eternal Nations said as much about him in his flavor text, and his actual AI often acted the part.

Only Takuto knew the truth. He knew Vittorio's many mysterious actions in the game often had a cleverly hidden purpose. Takuto had reigned as Vittorio's master because he could discern what that purpose was— though not always perfectly.

Vittorio had received admiration, surprise, and perhaps some consternation from many people. So it felt a bit unsettling to dismiss this admission as a joke. In other words, there was every possibility that he was serious.

"I don't need to see the illustration," Takuto demurred. "And anyways, wouldn't it be kind of hard to make that dream a reality? At the very least, you won't ever get me to go along with it…"

"The stupider the dream, the more brilliantly they shine! The more maddeningly you want it to come true, the more you can't get it out of your head! That's a dream, tried and true! Un rêve devenu réalité. Dreams come true! I'll do it! I'll become an adorably cute and clumsy bunny girl and get a one-way ticket to a happy end with God!!"

"Only if you can pull it off," Takuto said, letting the disbelief creep into his voice. "Is that something you can do?"

"I can!" Vittorio chirped. "Let me return the question to you: do you think I can't?"

"I see… You're just brimming with confidence, aren't you? My headache is getting worse."

Words of ambiguous truth were layered into the meaningless exchange. Takuto quite enjoyed solving the riddles Vittorio brought him. He was especially motivated by the unspoken challenge. The hint to unlocking his true intentions likely lay with the girl he brought with him.

Takuto's gaze shifted to the scared-stiff Goatman girl—Yona'Yona.

"That reminds me, it's the first time I've seen you."

"I-I-It's a pleasure to be in your presence for the first time! My God!" Yona'Yona was startled to be addressed.

Takuto had heard about her beforehand. She was the Lector of the Cult of Ira that Vittorio had founded.

I bet he picked her because of her connections, but it sure is a weird choice, Takuto thought.

Perhaps because the Cult of Ira had indoctrinated her, Yona'Yona's nervousness and awe at having been spoken to by her God made it hard for her to process her emotions. She was showing an amusing amount of panic since he'd called on her.

"Hm. What do you think?" Takuto glanced up at the ceiling and asked, a wry smile playing on his lips over the girl's reaction.

Responding to his query, his Botchling bodyguard soundlessly landed in front of him. The grotesque creature that couldn't be classified as either male or female acted on Takuto's orders and directed its gaze toward Yona'Yona. Then it cheerfully babbled in an adorable babylike voice, "Muh-mah!"

"I see. So she's really a normal girl with nothing special about her," Takuto interpreted.

"A perfect display of a Botchling's Detect! How very cautious of someone so omniscient!" Vittorio challenged him about the intent behind his actions with a tone of surprise that implied he didn't expect it.

It was certainly a cautious move, but Takuto had gone through his fair share of bad experiences for acting cocky, so he had every reason not to forego caution.

"A lot's happened recently," Takuto admitted. "Someone I thought was an ally was actually an enemy in disguise. You should be careful too, Vittorio. The unexpected always comes suddenly and silently."

"Mm-mm-mm! A warning from the great Takuto Ira himself! What a boon!"

Considering Vittorio's personality, this Yona'Yona girl had to have been prepared for some purpose. Takuto planned on figuring out what that purpose was, but he could at least remove Mimic and any other such skill being used on her from the list of possibilities now, which was a minor relief. After all, he didn't think he'd see through Vittorio's schemes that easily.

"Whoops, we got off topic again," Takuto said casually. "So, what kind of work has Vittorio here entrusted you with?"

Takuto had every right to question her. But just that one query pushed Yona'Yona past her limit—her cheeks turned scarlet and she flapped her lips open and closed like a fish out of water. She was apparently too nervous to speak or even squeak for that matter.

Mynoghrans were generally in such awe of Takuto that they were often paralyzed with nervousness when he spoke to them directly. This was a common sight, and aside from his close subordinates, ordinary citizens were always timid when Takuto addressed them. And yet this girl's behavior went several steps beyond that, clearly revealing what kind of position Takuto held as the God the Cult of Ira worshipped.

"Y-You needn't be so nervous," he stuttered. "See, your nervousness is rubbing off on me."

Her nervousness caused Takuto's social ineptitude to kick in, making him uncomfortably restless. Vittorio caught on to what was happening between them and intervened.

"This here is Yona'Yona," he introduced. "She's the Second Plan I've prepared, soooo I've had her memorize some of my woooork!"

"Your Second Plan?" Takuto glanced at Yona'Yona with a quizzical expression.

Yona'Yona shrunk in on herself, shaken to the core by Takuto's gaze, but that's not what caused the doubts to creep into his mind. No, he was caught up with Vittorio going in a direction that was unlike him. This schemester of a Hero shouldn't be capable of trusting others. He was the type who wanted to do everything himself. He wasn't the type to develop strategies with backup plans.

And that's why Takuto felt something was off.

"That's right," Vittorio said. "Everything needs a Second Plan! Even as a God, don't you also need a Second Plan for when those Dark Elves of

yours screw up, Takuto Ira? It's easy to replace useless pawns!" "How dare you!" Elder Moltar roared.

Vittorio was blatantly mocking them. The Dark Elves lost their tempers. Takuto raised his hand for the nth time that day to stop them before all hell broke loose.

I see, Takuto thought. Now I understand why Vittorio declared right here and now the need for a Second Plan. If I'm right, then I can see why he screwed around with the Dark Elves and Atou so much from the moment he was summoned.

"I see," Takuto said. "You plan to replace everyone living in the

Accursed Lands."

"Right you are!!"

That was enough to convince Takuto. This Hero never trusted anyone from the start. Not the Dark Elves, not Atou. And that was why he'd prepared troops he could control himself.

Now that is more in line with a direction he'd go, Takuto thought. This so-called Second Plan of his must also have a catch. It's refreshing to see him hiding everything as he puts on a show while marching single-mindedly toward his objective. A schemester isn't a schemester if he's not always scheming.

Happy with what he'd learned from the master of schemes, Takuto cut straight to putting the pressure on. Not on Vittorio, but on the nervously trembling girl beside him.

"I know you all have plenty you'd like to say, but suck it up for now," Takuto told the Dark Elves before turning to the girl. "Yona'Yona, was it? You're the stand-in Lector for Vittorio, right? Isn't that difficult? Vittorio has a terrible personality, as I'm sure you know. Isn't he always causing you trouble?"

"S-Shat's not strue!" she said, slurring her words. "I can endure any trial for God!"

"You just implied that moi's a nuisance~!"

Takuto ignored Vittorio's interjection and looked warmly upon Yona'Yona. He did his best to be kind to the overly anxious girl, speaking in a way he hoped would help her open up.

"I see. I know he's a big fat pain, but I'm counting on you. I have high expectations for you. Oh, I know. Is there anything you want? Getting an autograph or something is standard fare when meeting with someone famous, right?" he ventured.

"I-Idolatry is forbidden!"

Takuto tilted his head at that one, confused for once. Isn't it a little too zealous to treat an autograph as an object of worship? he wondered. He found it even more curious that the Cult of Ira forbade idolatry. And pretty severely, judging by Yona'Yona's extreme reaction.

"Well, that's something… Why is that? Even something as simple as an autograph is forbidden?"

Flustered by Takuto's skepticism, Yona'Yona rushed to explain her reasoning, occasionally tripping up on how formal she should be. "U-Um, preppin'—er, preparing idols is considered the biggest taboo. Prayer matters most in the Cult of Ira, and we mustn't ever mistake where that prayer is to be directed."

Yona'Yona fell silent after squeezing all that out. Her nerves seemed to have dried out her throat, because her voice sounded uncharacteristically hoarse and feeble. But her words made it to Takuto.

She wanted to abide by God's teachings, but doing so would mean denying what God was saying to her right now. She was clearly suffering from contradictory behavior.

"I see. You've gathered the power of prayer in me. Then let's forget my offer just now," Takuto told the Goatman girl in such a kind voice it even surprised him. He must've pitied her more than he realized. Satisfied to see relief fill her young face, Takuto shifted his gaze toward Vittorio, silently observing their exchange.

"So, you brought me back from unconsciousness by gathering the power of prayer in me…?" Takuto muttered to no one in particular.

Vittorio merely grinned away at those words, neither denying nor confirming them.

"That isn't all, is it?" Takuto prompted.

"Now, what do you think, my god?"

Vittorio slyly evaded even direct questions. Or rather…the fact he was avoiding making any explicit statements here was proof he was employing some kind of strategy.

Takuto gave his head a light shake and pressed his fingers to his forehead as if to say "Don't increase my workload." He was halfway resigned to the fact that was inevitable.

Either unaware of the mental exhaustion he was causing Takuto, or doing it

"Huh. Sludge Tits—er, I mean Sludge Atou isn't here. I assume there's a reason for thaaaat?"

He just steered the conversation in an entirely different direction. Vittorio was already finished with his first performance. Was he satisfied that he'd freely shared only what he wanted to share? Or was it just him asking out of curiosity or an abundance of caution? Whatever his reasoning, Vittorio changed the topic to ask about the absence of Takuto's confidant.

"The reason why Atou isn't here? That's a funny question, Vittorio. Life's more difficult for you if she's here, right?"

Vittorio and Atou had a relationship like cats and dogs. The Gleeful Spin Doctor didn't hold any particularly special feelings about her, but Sludge Atou harbored such deep hatred for him it couldn't even be measured with words. So Takuto didn't invite Atou to this meeting. If he had, the two of them would have quarreled, and even if Takuto had asked them to stop, their conversation would've been interrupted and derailed to an obnoxious level.

Everyone in the room, including Vittorio, acknowledged that was the motive behind Takuto's decision. Curiously, Takuto's consideration brought an even broader smile to Vittorio's always-grinning face.

"Yes, yes. Too true. I'm greaaaatly pleased by your kind consideration! After all, that lady is greaaaatly incompatible with moi! I just don't know what her problem is!"

"I see. Then it all works out."

Some understanding passed between them that only they were privy to. The conversation between the Gleeful Spin Doctor and the King of Ruin tended to bounce around from topic to topic and didn't make sense at times. It was like listening to terribly inebriated philosophers debating their own research results. Listening to them gave the Dark Elves a strange feeling that there was more insinuated there, yet it was just for show—that there was intention behind it, yet not.

But no one was foolish enough to believe their conversation had no meaning. They were just on an entirely different level of thinking, so they couldn't follow the war of words between these great minds.

"But! But my Great God! You just confirmed it for me! No matter what ideas or strategies you come up with, I'm one step ahead of you this round!" Vittorio declared with great pomp.

Takuto's lips curled into a smirk. So he did employ some tactic to pull this off, he thought, some twisted form of delight manifesting on his features.

Vittorio was the Hero of trickery and intrigue. That was exactly why even the master, whom he should bow down and serve with all his being, had become the target of his deception. No blood would be shed. Whatever direction the match went, it likely wouldn't be a huge disadvantage for either party.

But in this very moment, the first shots in the battle between Takuto and Vittorio had been fired.

"I see. Are you implying I've already played right into your hand?" Takuto asked. "Haven't you considered the possibility that I've already seen that hand coming and have a counter prepared?"

"Hmmnn. Nevertheless, this is the strongest, ultimate strategy I've ever put my full being into crafting. It's already come to be, all that's left is to leisurely wait for the finishing touch. At this point, not even the great

Takuto Ira can undo it. You've already proven that to me."

What about their conversation led Vittorio to that conclusion? Did Atou's absence hold that much significance? Or was there something else hidden there? Contrary to his subordinates' turmoil, Takuto's expression remained unchanged, leaving his thoughts undetectable.

"But! Fear not, great one! There's nothing inconvenient about my dreams for you! This is moi's gift to you, my perfect and complete God, Takuto Ira!" Vittorio trilled.

"I see, I see… It's very typical of you to think that everything will turn out how you want it to, but… I think it'd do you some good to give you a good raking over the coals before your cockiness comes back to bite you in the future."

"If it so pleases you. Buuuut, let me declare now that you will soon change your mind."

A dangerous aura filled the room.

Vittorio had just disrespectfully challenged his master.

Tension so thick you could cut it with a knife dominated the air. Gia and Elder Moltar silently wielded their weapons so they could leap into action and slit Vittorio's throat at a moment's notice.

Vittorio had made his intent to betray the king as clear as he possibly could without outright stating it. He opposed the king's wishes and imposed his own. There was no one within this empire who didn't know what that meant to the people of Mynoghra. And especially a Hero—he should understand the weight of his words more than anyone else.

Takuto would be the one to deliver his punishment personally—by bestowing a dishonorable death upon him.

But what transpired between them next…

"Wahahahahahaha! Heeheehee!"

"Pft! Ahaha!"

…was nothing short of the mischievous laughter between two naughty boys who'd pulled off a prank.

The Dark Elves and Yona'Yona exhaled their held breaths in relief now that the tense atmosphere had dissipated. Both parties—and especially the king—were truly enjoying this exchange. The bystanders felt like their lives were saved just by realizing that fact, and they came to understand that this nauseating meeting was proceeding within allowable limits despite their opinions.

"Well, it'll all come to light eventually. I'll punish you then," Takuto said. "Timing is key for things like this."

"And when that time comes, it will become a memorable day that will never be forgotten by our country or Mynoghra!" Vittorio responded. "I quake in anticipation of that great day! The day of celebration! Let us put on a grand festival to celebrate!"

"Yeaaah, sure. I look forward to it."

The mood was friendly and casual, with no hint of the dangerous atmosphere from minutes earlier. There was still so much the Dark Elves didn't know about the Heroes. In particular, it was fair to say the Dark Elves didn't know much at all about the relationship between the king and his Heroes. There was a bond, some unseen trust, between this master and servant that they weren't privy to. This little exchange drove that point home for them.

"Anyway, setting aside your methodology, I fully understand that you are thinking about me," Takuto said. "Let's table this topic for now. Man, that's the most fun I've had in a while. It's refreshing to have a conversation that really uses your brain like this. Makes me feel like a real king."

"Ha! Ha! Ha! What-ever are you saying? Your every word, your imposing authority, and dark aura are every bit that of an evil king! The very embodiment of the ruin that will bring about the destruction of everything in this world! Let us partake in even greater evil in the days

ahead! I will glaaaaadly help you with that, yessiree!"

"Yeah, that's promising. You really are quite promising."

The King of Ruin and the Gleeful Spin Doctor—the strange and unfathomable showdown between master and servant was brought to a close for the time being. The Dark Elves had yet to glimpse what kind of outcome this collision of two great minds that think on another level would bring about.

Whatever the outcome…it would not be to the disadvantage of the empire of Mynoghra or to the Player Takuto Ira.

The King of Ruin stood on a plane of existence truly unfathomable to mortals. This war of words drove that point home for everyone present.

Now they only had one matter of business left to address. A matter none would question. In other words…

"All right, why don't we get started on our turn to get us closer to conquering the world? What do you want Vittorio? I'll prepare everything you desire."

The next move they needed to make was to conquer the many enemy forces living in this world.

Takuto threw his arms wide open and declared that he would prepare everything and anything for this purpose. Meaning that Eternal Nations' top-ranked Player and most notorious troublemaker Hero were joining forces. The King of Ruin and the Gleeful Spin Doctor would brandish their powers without restraint.

"Mm, since you're offeringggg…" Vittorio's lips quirked up at the comment that could be taken as his master putting his full trust in him.

The Dark Elves and Yona'Yona couldn't help but hold their breath when they thought of the impact it would have on the world when this master and servant worked toward the same goal.

What would their next move be? Malice lifted its long neck out from the depths of darkness in search of its next prey.

"I wanna borrow those two pipsqueaks—the Elfuur Sisterrrrs!" The next move leapt into an entirely unexpected direction.

"UGH!!"

Two unladylike cries rang out from one corner of the Throne Room. Those were the shocked noises made by the twin sisters who'd lost all interest in the proceedings once they learned Vittorio wouldn't be punished and decided to blend in with the décor to blandly watch over things after that.

They wanted to know why it had to be them. They exuded an aura of clear disdain at the idea of working together with such a despicable creature. Takuto anticipated Vittorio would request this and their reaction, but even he had to crack a wry smile at how they bristled like cats being forced to bathe.

"Ah, I knew it. You're going after the Southern Province…" Takuto ventured.

"That's because it's the hottest area right now," Vittorio responded. "And besides, we've got to deal with the circumstances surrounding my beloved and precious Mynoghra! Seeing as the sequence of Events has been condensed for a more efficient playthrough and skipped the info-dump of history one would expect in the tutorial, it's urgent to expand our sphere of influence before we get swept away! You've already laid the groundwork for it, haven't you, God?"

Takuto couldn't help muttering "You've done it again" about Vittorio's brilliance for seeing through his strategy like it was the most natural thing in the world. His brilliance was an asset right now. Takuto didn't really care to be on the same mental wavelength as Vittorio, but he sure loved a relationship where the other person knew what he wanted without having to explain.

In any case, they needed to iron out the details. Even if that meant causing the twins to become even unhappier than they already were with the sudden misfortune that had befallen them.

"I can see the need for it, so I'll allow you to take the Elfuur Sisters with you," Takuto said. "By the way, I've received reports that one Saint is currently in the Southern Province. Can you deal with her?"

"With pleeeeasure!" Vittorio exclaimed. "Saints are the greatest! They are the living hope of the deeply religious. Walking incarnations of love and kindness! I just adoooooore such shiny and sparkly gems like them! I'm absolutely positive that if we happen to cross paths, we will happily join hands! Why, I love, love, love stuff like hopes and dreams and hope and love!"

"…Uh, okay, okay. I get the point," Takuto said, exasperated. "Well, it seems like you haven't lost sight of the main objective, so I don't mind. You can go all-out as long as you don't let the girls get hurt."

Takuto glanced at the Elfuur Sisters. Both girls had their cheeks puffed out like chipmunks and their arms crossed in front of them in an X, fully rejecting his decision. Unfortunately for them, they were crucial to the next strategy. Takuto couldn't accept their refusal. To make matters worse, they would face many hardships throughout this strategy.

Takuto's head hurt just thinking about how to convince them. All the exhilaration coursing through him from his battle of wits with Vittorio instantly ran cold.

Angry girls are scary…

The King of Ruin became despondent.

"Oh me, oh my! God looks so warmly upon the petit monstre! Booboo! They must be his favorites! Moi's jealous! Oh, oh! What about moi's safetyyy?" Vittorio asked.

"You're welcome to die," Takuto said flatly.

"Mm-mm-mm!! Marvelous! Mm, with pleasure!"

Contrary to his concern for the twins, Takuto's response to Vittorio was plain cold. Then again, even coldness was the ultimate spice to this twisted Hero.

Takuto glanced at the still-quaking Yona'Yona while he addressed Vittorio with several points he felt needed to be reiterated. "You're welcome to pick who you use for this operation. If you need anyone outside of the Cult of Ira for it, go ahead and take them with you. On another note, the movements of the forces behind the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals are still a mystery. I'm sure you're already aware of this, but the abilities belonging to other forces can far exceed our expectations at times. Remain vigilant. We have many enemies standing in opposition to our dreams."

"Upon my name as the Gleeful Spin Doctor, it will be done." Vittorio swept into a deep bow and accepted his orders with an unusual level of seriousness.

Takuto nodded, satisfied with his reassuring behavior. He was worried about the possibility of something entirely unexpected happening because Vittorio was being a little too promising, but planning how to deal with such things was the true charm of managing the empire known as Mynoghra.

"Don't worry about the Elfuur Sisters," Takuto said. "I'll be sure to convey the importance of this operation to them."

Takuto shifted his gaze to the Elfuur Sisters standing close to the wall. He would have his hands full trying to convince them when they were visibly angry about it, but strategically speaking, this was an obstacle he had to overcome.

Honestly, they might be even harder to deal with than Vittorio, he panicked.

"That's all…I guess. At any rate, I'm happy I get to spend time with you again, Vittorio," Takuto said.

"I, too, am overwhelmed with emotion to get to spend time with you, o great one! What a miracle! Now this is happiness! Mm-mm! I'll do my best!"

"That's great and all, but don't overdo it," Takuto cautioned. "I have high hopes for you. And you too, Yona'Yona. I spent most of my time talking to this guy today, so I'll make some time once things settle down to speak with you too."

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Little Yona'Yona's so happy, she's fainted while standing! And with that said, moi just got a huge list of things to doooo, so I bid you ta-ta for now!" After executing another theatrical bow and scrape, Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio turned on his heel. He walked a few steps, scooped up Yona'Yona, who'd passed out with the whites of her eyes showing, and exited the room with her tucked under his arm like a sack of potatoes.

"I hope it all works out, Vittorio," a delighted and truly encouraging voice called out to his back.

It was impossible for anyone to know what emotions those words stirred within Vittorio. All that could be said for sure was that his expression was unusually devoid of its usual mocking flippancy…

◇◇◇

"S-SO…like I said, I'd like you girls to go with Vittorio and carry out the strategy to conquer the Southern Province with him… Um, you see, this is an extremely important mission. I'd like to discuss why it's so important with you. Will you hear me out?"

"NEVER!!"

The Elfuur Sisters' screams could be heard behind Vittorio. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was all part of a scheme brought about by Takuto Ira's profound wisdom.

Takuto Ira was the only player in Eternal Nations capable of controlling Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio.

Vittorio never forgot that fact, but it was very possible he hadn't fully taken what that meant into consideration. In order to achieve his dreams, he needed to get serious. The Gleeful Spin Doctor himself thought that, his face devoid of expression.

<-x-X-x->

Chapter 10: Scheme

THE Trade City of Seldoch was located farther south than the Divine Nation of Lenea's capital. It was the border town closest to the Dark Continent. The nations exerting the strongest influence in the extremely inhospitable land of the Dark Continent were the multiracial empire of Phon'kaven and the empire of ruin, Mynoghra. Bordering these nations meant being strongly influenced by both, which were rapidly developing thanks to the various technologies and goods the King of Ruin provided. As it was, the Southern Province was in a state of dysfunction due to the conflict with the King of Ruin.

While the Scribe Saint was immediately sent to aid the Divine City Amrita, cities like Seldoch, which were reasonably sized but too far from Qualia, were left to fend for themselves. God's love is infinite, but the number of people who can be saved is limited, so Qualia had to decide where to focus their aid. And the Gleeful Spin Doctor wouldn't let such perfect circumstances go to waste…

◇◇◇

"*KOFF, koff*… Urgh, this cough ain't getting any better."

"I'm so sorry. Someone, please get this man some water…"

The hoarse and frail voices of the sick and suffering could be heard from every corner of the room.

The Elfuur Sisters were twin Witches born from tragedy. The younger sister, Caria, had unleashed the curse of Plague using the power of a fake full moon, and its reach extended all the way to this distant land from ground zero. The plague itself was similar to a painful cold. It had a long incubation period, was airborne, and could cause the infected to suffer a long recovery period if not treated, but aside from those factors, it wasn't a threat to healthy people. And this was exactly why it was so easily spread.

The asymptomatic happily went about their socialization and travel, spreading this Plague crafted by the hands of evil throughout the Southern Province. Where Takuto came from, this would be called a pandemic. The situation in Seldoch wasn't unique—similar scenes were unfolding in every city and village across the land.

"Are you ALL RIGHT?! You'll all get better in NOOOO TIME!"

The same held true for the First Parish Chapel. The chapel was designed not only for believers to worship within, but also as a temporary command post and evacuation center during a disaster. It currently had the atmosphere of a medical battlefield. Many people were slumped in chairs or on the floor, painfully gasping for air as they awaited treatment. Patients with severe symptoms had to lie down on makeshift beds on the floor, and although their lives weren't in danger, they seemed to be in immense pain.

Caretakers ran around at all hours of the day as people with symptoms varying from mild to severe came seeking treatment. They couldn't keep accepting patients. The chapel was so full of people, you couldn't move without stepping on someone. Because there was no known cure, they could only treat the symptoms. And while people came in droves seeking aid, only a handful recovered and left.

It was only a matter of time before they'd reached capacity—nay, they'd long since passed that.

Amid the chaos, yet another patient was brought in. Was it a Paladin? The elderly man carried on the back of a young man wearing plate armor seemed to be suffering from serious symptoms and, in the words of the locals, he looked like he'd be entering God's embrace any second now. He appeared to be suffering from pneumonia due to his old age rather than the plague, and combined with his rapid decline in physical strength, he was in a critical condition.

Even the mildest illness can be fatal to the elderly, children, and those with weak immune systems.

This old man would eventually succumb to his illness if left untreated. Even to the untrained eye, he was clearly in a precarious situation.

"Lector! Where's the Lectoooor?! We've got an urgent case! An

URGENT CAAAASE!!"

The Paladin sat the old man down in a chair, and someone who spotted them from a distance rushed over, shouting in a voice that echoed through the chapel. This was the same man zealously running around the chapel treating patients. He sounded deeply concerned for the lives of the people, but also lacked composure, like he was at his wits' end over how to help everyone.

Who was this Lector he called for? Whoever it was, they must be someone of great import for such a charitable soul to be calling for them at the top of his lungs.

"It's an URGENT PAAAATIENT! Please, LECTOOOOR! O great

Lector of the Cult of Ira!" he bellowed so loud, his voice boomed through the chapel. The owner of this ear-piercing shout was none other than Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio.

"Shut up, would ya? I'm standin' right here. Are your eyes just for decoration?" snapped the Cult of Ira's Lector, Yona'Yona, as she clucked her tongue with palpable irritation. She'd been standing next to Vittorio the entire time and had already grasped the elderly man's condition. There was no way Vittorio hadn't noticed her. He'd even made eye contact with her more than a few times.

"OOOOOH! Lector Yona'Yona, there you arrrre!"

And yet he continued with this obnoxious farce. He acted all happy, like someone whose friend had just shown up. He could tone it down a notch—or fifty.

Yona'Yona clucked her tongue again, making an even louder sound. Her expression screamed, "Don't make me take part in this charade when I'm so damn busy!"

The sick elderly man shrunk away when he saw her reaction. He coughed profusely before squeezing out, "I-I'm so sorry…for making you waste y-your precious time on these raggedy old bones."

"Oh, don't worry 'bout it. I'm only in a bad mood because of that dancing idiot over there. Anyways, you must be in pain. Go on, lay down…" Yona'Yona said as she helped the old man lay down. Although her word choice was gruff, her voice was filled with compassion rather than coldness. Her caring gestures revealed her sympathetic nature.

Once Yona'Yona confirmed the wheezing old man's breathing had stabilized a bit, she carefully looked around the room. The chapel was full. They couldn't take in any more patients.

Yona'Yona sighed, thinking it was about time to get started on that, considering how things were going.

"Okaaaaaay, everybody eyes and ears over here! Our great Lector Yona'Yona is about to free all of youuuu from your sufferinggggg!" Vittorio trumpeted loudly, his timing perfectly lining up with hers, as if he'd sensed what she was thinking.

His loud voice drew the attention of everyone suffering from illness. Of course, their eyes gathered on Yona'Yona. She'd already experienced this a few times before, but this moment made her extremely uncomfortable every time.

She was just your average small-town girl. She'd never experienced being the center of attention. She felt especially uncomfortable about it because she was completely aware she wasn't someone who deserved to be lifted up and appreciated like this.

"Goooo on? Everyone is waiting for you, Yona'Yona. Go on, go on, go right on." Vittorio was speaking in a deliberately loud voice to annoy Yona'Yona. It didn't take a genius to see that.

Yona'Yona shot him and that irksome sneer of his a glare that could kill then glanced around the chapel until she confirmed the Elfuur Sisters were present. Then she cleared her throat and got into character.

"O Great God Takuto Ira! Please bestow your healing upon these poor souls!" Yona'Yona recited, both hands lifted toward the heavens.

Her delivery was a little stiff, but the people were focused on her earnest prayer for their salvation. What was about to occur? As they all wondered this, the ill and suffering townspeople didn't realize that right after Yona'Yona petitioned God, she whispered something in a barely audible voice to someone else in the room.

"Now. Please."

"On it…" Caria responded quietly.

The strangest thing happened next. All the pain vanished from the people as if God had scared away the disease. The illness that had tormented the people for so long, the suffering that stuck to them like sludge and never went away, left them as if willed away. It was almost like the illness had received a direct order from God and withdrew with its tail between its legs…

"I-It doesn't hurt anymore! Wh-What in the Saints…"

"Wow! Praise God! The stabbing sensation in my throat is no more!"

The people voiced their confusion and joy. Even the old man, who'd been in agonizing pain, seemed to be on his way to recovery as his complexion rapidly improved. Not only was he cured of the unknown plague, but even the pneumonia left with it.

Yona'Yona raised her voice, a rare thing for her, to explain what had happened to the masses and the elderly man, who couldn't hide his surprise at the dramatic change in his condition. "Um…our great and mighty Lord Takuto Ira has just performed a miracle. I didn't do nothing—er, anything. I merely became the prayer worker who delivered your pleas to God. Offer up your prayers of gratitude to God. Please devote your prayers to our Great God, the one and only God, Lord Takuto Ira!"

It goes without saying that the aforementioned god, Takuto Ira, did no such thing. The god in question was currently doing paperwork to clean up after Vittorio's many misdeeds and to provide backup for furthering the mission.

In other words, the miracle that had just happened—the driving away of the demon of ill health—was all the work of…

"Thanks," Yona'Yona said. "Looks like it'll work again this time."

"That's good."

…one of the two Witches of Regret—Caria Elfuur.

"Wow! Was that a miracle?!"

"I can't believe I get to be on the receiving end of one of God's miracles!"

"The great and mighty God Takuto Ira… What a merciful God he must be!"

Shouts of joy rose from every corner of the chapel. They were the frenetic shouts of people whose energy had come roaring back after the illness that had been tormenting them was lifted. Joy, relief, excitement— various emotions filled their voices.

It's not difficult to overcome a mild illness. They can be resolved relatively easily by using medicinal herbs with nourishing and healing effects, or by trained Mages and Clergy. However, the difficulty level increases astronomically when trying to cure many people all at once. It seemed so improbable; it could only be achieved by a god performing a miracle…

And that was what earned the people's fanaticism. Faith and emotions go hand in hand, so naturally, their faith gathered for their new god, Takuto Ira.

"Oops," Yona'Yona whispered, realizing she needed to get back into character. "God is overjoyed you have all recovered. Never forget His sacred name: Takuto Ira. That is the name of the absolute God who rules over Mynoghra, has not a single flaw, and is deserving of your faith and dedication…"

Caria Elfuur controls pestilence. Erasing a cursed plague she propagated herself was as easy as pie. There was no rule saying she couldn't. It was no skin off her back matching the timing for removing the illness from people and playing it off as a miracle.

The people who spread the plague were being thanked for eradicating it. Could there be a more ridiculous farce out there? But as they say, ignorance is bliss—especially for weak, ordinary townspeople blown away by an innocent, powerful being…

People began dedicating their prayers all around Yona'Yona. They were praying to Takuto Ira. The power of prayer flowed into one place like a tidal wave.

"It's a MIRACLLLLE! I've just! Witnessed God's miracle! With mine own eyesssss! Everybody! Did you see?! That was a miracle, it was! A real, true, bona fide miraclllle!"

Vittorio's theatrical cries stirred up the others. Did his passion rub off on them? Or was it the work of one of his skills? Whatever it was, the people of Seldoch were sucked into his vortex of enthusiasm.

"So loud…"

Meanwhile, the three girls bristled with displeasure. Vittorio didn't try to placate them or show any consideration for their feelings.

"Now then, I take it you will all dedicate your prayers to Great God Takuto Ira from henceforth?" Vittorio asked the chapel.

"Yes!" the townspeople replied as one.

This scene occurred every morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Vittorio gathered people from all parts of the city, performed a fraud dressed up as a miracle, and used enthusiasm, excitement, and an unhealthy dose of deception to indoctrinate them.

With impeccable timing, the Cult of Ira followers, there caring for the sick, began distributing scripture extolling Takuto Ira as a god.

The Cult of Ira had penetrated the heart of the city. With just one more push, the people would voluntarily swear their allegiance and request to move to Mynoghra—the empire of their God. In fact, such talk had already come up and resulted in Mynoghra dispatching several civil officials.

But there were some doubts.

The people of this land were devout believers in holy doctrine. Was it even possible for such deeply religious people to change their religion and alignment so easily? To make matters even more contentious, most of the Cult of Ira's followers were from Dragontan, meaning Beastmen comprised their largest demographic of believers. It was strange for the people of the Lawful Continent to accept Beastmen—including Lector Yona'Yona— when they viewed them in the same vein as the Barbarians plaguing the Dark Continent.

Of course, all of these matters had been addressed.

Vittorio wasn't one to neglect potential problems. And Takuto Ira wasn't one to forget to lay the groundwork.

In the middle of all the fanaticism, a lone Paladin glanced around uncomfortably. He was a genuine Paladin from the holy forces, and a lucky man who'd escaped disaster by not being in the capital of Amrita when the Divine Nation of Lenea fell.

"Hmmmmm? Whatever is the matter, Monsieur Paladin?" Vittorio asked him. "Are you feeeeling all right? Feeling a little under the weather there?"

"No, I'm fine. But I feel like… I'm forgetting something…? The God I pray to is…"

This was the young man who'd carried in the elderly sick man. He stared at the scene unfolding before him in a dumbfounded daze. Remaining silent made him stand out amid the din of everyone else's zeal. It was only natural for Vittorio to take notice of him. But the young Paladin tilted his head in confusion, seeming not to even grasp why he was being spoken to.

"Hrrrrm? How strange," Vittorio said. "I'm positive we had all the residents of this city forget about the unnecessary stuff…? So be it. Let's

give it another whirrrrl! Do your thing, girlie!"

"Seriously? Fine, fine…"

Vittorio did a comical twirl like he was staring in a musical and stopped with his finger pointed in one direction. On the other end was the older sister twin, Maria Elfuur. With an unmotivated response, she raised her hand over the baffled Paladin.

"Forget!"

"Hm? Strange? What was I…?"

Then, quite strangely, the Paladin's demeanor completely changed— he looked refreshed. It was almost as if all of his worries were gone—as if he'd forgotten his concerns. There was no other way to explain the dopey expression on his face.

"Hrm, hrm, hrm," Vittorio hummed. "Is he a Mesial Paladin? Resistance depends on the level. I thought we'd attentively made every Paladin Forget when we came to this city, but we should've doublechecked. Hey, pipsqueak? Don't tell me you're getting sloppy with your work?"

"Suck it!"

"Gosh! What an attitude! Someone's going through her rebellious phase."

Vittorio gave an overblown reaction to Maria sticking her tongue out at him for insulting her work. He acted like her uncooperative attitude was unexpected, but everyone here had a terrible opinion of Vittorio. Yona'Yona and the twins were especially keen on insulting and rebelling against him. From how they treated him, it was easy to tell where he ranked in Mynoghra.

"Pardon, did something happen?" the Paladin asked, forgetting the prior conversation along with his faith in Arlos. All that remained was his desire to serve the people, a body honed through tireless training, and a strong faith that lost its object of worship. Nay, a new object of worship had already been prepared for him.

"No, no, don't trouble yourself with us, Monsieur Paladin!" Vittorio said. "Oh, you know, just calling you a Paladin doesn't really fit anymore. Why don't we start calling you guys the Paladins of Ira?"

The man's eyes lit up at that suggestion, for he'd just remembered his strong, burning faith. It may not have been exactly the same faith as it was a few days prior, but that meant little to a man with no memories of it. He'd already reached the point where he didn't even understand why he was being called a Paladin in the first place.

…He didn't need to understand it either.

"A Paladin of Ira! What a wonderful title! I will do my best to live up to the name of our Great God!"

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!"

In a place the people of this world couldn't perceive, the man's alignment and affiliation had been changed.

Those who have no one to turn to are easily deceived. It was easier to win over people who'd lost their faith in their god and were no longer under anyone's protection than it was to take candy from a baby.

A Paladin—a Paladin of Ira—was a special position that required a high level of training. They had high combat abilities, training, education, and experience. Not many could serve in this role. With this, the forces of ruin had effortlessly obtained another useful pawn.

<-x-X-x->

This was the strategy the King of Ruin had laid the groundwork for and Vittorio enacted. Caria's Plague sowed chaos throughout the Southern Province, allowing them to worm into the people's hearts. Then Maria used her power of Forget to steal the people's faith in the Holy God Arlos, leaving a nice empty void for Takuto Ira to fill.

The Divine City Amrita, the capital of the Divine Nation of Lenea, had lost its ability to function as both a city and a state due to the machinations wrought by the manifestation of the King of Ruin in their land. The governing body was incapable of influencing or gathering information on any of its cities and smaller settlements. It was no wonder then that they couldn't function when Amrita was the epicenter for the Plague and Forget known as the King of Ruin's Curse. And it was only a matter of course that the troops dispatched with the Scribe Saint couldn't get around to the other affected areas when they'd never experienced chaos on this scale before and were stuck employing makeshift solutions on a daily basis.

Mynoghra's strategy was a clear case of shamelessly starting a fire to get credit for putting it out, all while robbing the homeowner blind.

Countless towns and villages had fallen into Mynoghra's hands this way, and all of their residents were smiling, expressing their gratitude, and praying to their new god as followers of the Cult of Ira. The Trade City of Seldoch was the finishing touch after they had converted all the surrounding areas.

Land, Productivity, Population, Military Power, Faith—this plan let Mynoghra gain it all in one fell sweep.

"Mm-mm-mm! This nation is just full of talented people ripe for the picking. And we can pick the juiciest ones all we want! I feel like a kid in a candy shop with no one to tell me no!"

The girls were in the worst mood because a certain fraudster hadn't stopped being loud and annoying, but at least their scheme was progressing smoothly.

Yona'Yona thought that if they kept up the good work, this city would soon completely belong to Mynoghra. And with how easily everything was going, she was eager to extend their reach to the rest of the Southern Province, but she would never have been put in charge of this mission if she was the type to act on impulse. She was entrusted with the job because she had the skills to merit it. In that respect, Yona'Yona was another key player in this plan.

As she was mulling over whether they had overlooked anything— since the Archlector was utterly unreliable—one of the followers entrusted with enumeration came to deliver a report.

"Lector Yona'Yona, with this most recent miracle, the city's indoctrination rate has reached 70 percent. If God performs a few more miracles, we should be able to reach the rest by ministering to individuals."

"Roger that. The more people who come to believe in God, the happier God will be. I don't wanna give a pathetic report the next time I stand in His almighty presence. Let's work hard together to make sure that doesn't happen," Yona'Yona said in her usual gruff tone.

"Moi too! I'll work super duper hard! We can do it! Yes, we can!" Vittorio trilled.

"…Tch."

Yona'Yona clicked her tongue in unison with the believer. Then she sorted out the information.

This city was taking more time to convert due to its large population, but it was clear that if they stayed for a few more days and performed miracles, it too would fall into their clutches. Arrangements were already underway in the Accursed Lands, Mynoghra's imperial capital, for units and saplings of the Flesh Tree to be deployed to the newly acquired towns and villages.

It's often said that offense is the best defense, and this particular strategy was ingenious because it reduced the enemy's national power while bolstering their own. Yona'Yona could understand that much. But there were naturally things she didn't understand even after being thoroughly trained by Vittorio and having come to successfully infer what people were thinking to a degree.

"Hey, Archlector Idiot. Why was I picked for this role? It honestly makes me sick to my stomach… Wouldn't it go faster if you did it?" she asked the question that had been plaguing her.

It was a simple question asking why she had to play the role of Lector. She was looking right at a more qualified person. Wouldn't things go even smoother if Vittorio took up the mantle himself? That was her thought.

Of course, expecting a decent answer from Vittorio was foolish.

"Moi? Dirty my own hands? Ew, no thank you. I can push all the annoying stuff on you by putting you out front. And it comes with the lovely bonus of getting to watch you suffer, Yona'Yona. I can't be stopped! I won't be stopped!!"

"Ugh, you are such a— I'm holding myself back because we're in the middle of a divine mission from God, but once this is over, I'm gonna rip you a new one…"

"Oh my! Attitude, young lady!"

Although Yona'Yona never realized it, the real reason Vittorio placed her in a conspicuous position was to make it easier for him to move behind the scenes. If he took up the mantle of Archlector in front of everyone, it would hinder his mobility. He took her in and set her up because he despised being shackled to a position. It was a matter of pride that he held the title of Archlector in the shadows despite that. He was loud and proud about the fact his faith in Takuto was the strongest of them all…

"I'm blinded by God's greatness! I can't see through the tears! *Sniffle*."

"It's something else, all right… It's the first I've ever seen one of

God's miracles. God's miracles are big stuff."

"God…is seriously awesome. Lord Takuto Ira is seriously awesome."

It was up for debate whether Vittorio's Convert skill had worked a little too well or if he used a bit too much of his Brainwash skill, because a group of the young men who'd been cured of a nasty cough got a fanatical gleam in their eyes as they praised God. Of course, the God they now praised differed from the one they'd worshipped only a few days ago.

It was child's play for a Hero with a catalog of skills designed to manipulate people to alter their faith and religious beliefs. The people had also obtained freedom from suffering due to their conversion. It was much easier to take advantage of people's feelings of gratitude and redirect them than to twist the facts and brainwash them.

The evil wrought by the Gleeful Spin Doctor disempowered people's minds without them ever realizing it.

"Okay, let's push through until we can save the rest! Please call all the poor little sheep here! Unlike other gods, our Lord Takuto Ira has an infinite supply of miracles! His love will never run out! He will save you all from the evil running rampant in this land!!" Vittorio spread his arms and proclaimed loudly as a stream of people dropped by on their way home, guided by Ira's followers. "Once he saves this city, he will save the next! Once he saves that one, he will save the one after that and the one after that!"

It almost sounded as if he were claiming they would fill every corner of the world with followers of Ira.

"Once he saves everyone here, what next? Why, the north! And then further north! There are countless people who are still suffering and waiting for our God's favor!"

North—meaning the center of the Southern Province and the Divine Nation of Lenea's capital, Amrita. The land where Scribe Saint Lytrain and Inquisitor Imlerith were desperately trying to help people. There was no way this man, who was as smart and cautious as a venomous snake in the grass, didn't know that.

Then his objective could be but one—Saint Lytrain.

Attempting to embroil even a Saint in his schemes—did that stem from an overconfidence in his own abilities or arrogance?

Unfortunately, no one around could keep Vittorio in check. He was too free, too uninhibited. Above all, the impact his actions would bring was too great.

"Er… Is it really all right to let that thing loose?" Yona'Yona fretted to the Elfuur Sisters, exhausted now that she'd gotten her first sense that things were going in a bad direction.

"I can't imagine anything good coming out of it, but His Majesty will take all responsibility in the end…" Caria said.

"His Majesty should reap what he sows," Maria griped.

Even the twins had given up on trying to control the situation. Not that they ever had the ability to control it from the very start. This was just a reminder of that fact.

"We have orders to abandon that bad man and just bring Miss Yona'Yona back with us if everything goes south, so don't worry," Caria told her.

"Mr. Perv stands out, so let's use him as fodder," Maria grinned.

"Perfect. You're the best, you guys," Yona'Yona said.

The Gleeful Spin Doctor was still working his wicked magic even while the girls were calmly discussing how to use him as bait. He twirled and danced around like a titillated madman, brainwashing people as much as his skills would allow.

"Long live the Cult of Ira! Long live Takuto Ira! Come one, come all, offer your prayers to our Great God! Go forth, little shepherds! Invite all your friends!"

Vittorio's strategies continually produce the best results. His battle of wits with his master, Takuto Ira, also continued to produce the best results. His plan had no obstacles.

The happiness he sought—he was carefully, ever so carefully, paving the road to it.

…The holy forces of Qualia had not yet prophesized the arrival of a new apocalypse-bringer.

<-x-X-x->