The Baharuth Empire.
"Old man, still no news?"
Inside the emperor's office, two figures were speaking.
One of them was a blond man, the Emperor of the Baharuth Empire, Jircniv.
The one he called "old man" was the Empire's strongest magic caster, Fluder.
Jircniv rested his cheek against a clenched fist. His normally handsome face was now shadowed with worry.
Several days had passed since the group from the Black Scripture departed for the unknown forest.
If everything had gone according to plan, they should already be on their way back by now.
According to Jircniv's strategy, once they returned, the fully prepared Empire would immediately launch its war against the Kingdom.
With the assistance of the retired Black Scripture, they would crush the Kingdom's army in a single decisive battle and annex its territory.
But the continued absence of the retired Black Scripture was starting to make him uneasy.
Did something happen?
Logically speaking, with such a powerful force entering the forest well prepared, there was no way they should have been completely wiped out.
"Your Majesty, there is no need to worry."
"I do not know what lies inside that forest, but even the Demon Gods from two hundred years ago would likely be unable to stop that group."
Fluder had never personally seen a Demon God and did not know their exact strength, but he had some comparisons.
For example, the Kingdom's adamantite adventurer team Blue Roses, and the vampire known as the Thirteen Heroes' member who carried the title [Landfall].
That vampire was indeed powerful. Fluder had fought her once before and was completely outmatched.
However, Fluder was not discouraged. At the very least, he could see the gap between them.
From that, he could roughly infer the strength of the Demon Gods.
As for Quaecaisse, the captain of the retired Black Scripture, even Fluder himself had no confidence he could defeat him in a one-on-one fight.
And with several hero-level teammates accompanying him, Fluder believed that even a Demon God could be fought against.
"I hope you're right."
The Bloody Emperor sighed irritably. Even though the old man's reasoning made sense, he still had an uneasy feeling he could not shake.
Just as Jircniv was lost in his thoughts, a violent tremor suddenly shook the room, interrupting him.
Rumble!
The ground began to quake, and the palace started shaking.
A thunderous roar echoed above the royal palace. The previously clear blue sky was suddenly covered by dark clouds, and an oppressive atmosphere fell over the entire city.
"Old man! What's going on?"
Jircniv grabbed the arm of his chair to steady himself, then looked at Fluder for an explanation.
"This should be Sixth-Tier Magic [Call Greater Thunder], though it might also be Seventh-Tier Magic [Control Weather]."
"Your Majesty… it seems we have visitors."
Fluder used magic to stabilize their footing, then shook his head and looked to the side, where space itself was beginning to distort.
A pitch-black vortex appeared, followed by the crisp sound of footsteps.
Under the watchful eyes of the two men, an elderly man walked out.
He wore a butler's uniform and carried himself with refined elegance. His hair was streaked with gray.
His gaze slowly swept across the room before finally settling on Jircniv.
"You must be the Emperor of the Empire, Jircniv."
"Who are you?"
Fluder stepped forward, a magic circle forming in his hand.
A wary expression appeared on his face. He realized he could not see through the man at all.
Even so, Fluder still stepped forward.
He had served as the Empire's court magician for more than a hundred years.
Since the reign of the emperor two generations ago, he had been responsible for teaching the emperors all kinds of knowledge.
As for the current emperor, the Bloody Emperor, Fluder had poured his heart into guiding him, caring for him almost like his own child.
In the heart of this old man who had lived over a century, the order of what mattered most was clear.
First was the pursuit of the abyss of magic.
Second was the Bloody Emperor.
Third was his own life.
The ranking might seem contradictory, but it was Fluder's true belief.
As long as the pursuit of magic was not involved, Fluder would willingly give his life for the Bloody Emperor.
"My apologies for the discourtesy. You may call me Sebas. As for my position, I am merely an ordinary butler."
"Because the Empire sent people to invade the residence of the Supreme One, and in order to avoid unnecessary slaughter, I have come under the Supreme One's orders to invite the Emperor of the Empire to visit Nazarick for a discussion."
Sebas gave an elegant bow as he spoke, his tone calm and composed.
Hearing this, Fluder and Jircniv's expressions immediately darkened.
Jircniv's mind began racing.
The man in front of him clearly sounded like he had come to demand accountability, yet Jircniv could not recall offending such a powerful individual.
And he had not arranged any missions recently either. Could it be adventurers…?
Wait.
"Are you from that forest?"
Jircniv suddenly realized something and hurriedly asked.
Sebas showed no impatience. He simply nodded slightly, confirming Jircniv's guess.
"Damn it!"
A surge of anger shot straight to Jircniv's head.
What kind of mess was this?
He cursed the Black Scripture repeatedly in his mind, but the moment he remembered that he himself had been the one who sent them, he immediately fell silent.
This really was lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot.
Jircniv quickly calmed himself and looked toward the elderly man standing before him.
He was not thinking about killing the man.
After all, someone capable of wiping out the Black Scripture was definitely not weak. At the very least, he was an existence on the level of a Demon God.
The most important thing now was to stabilize the situation and, if possible, clear up the misunderstanding.
If anyone deserved blame, it should be the Slane Theocracy. After all, the Black Scripture did not belong to the Empire.
What do you mean the Empire sent them?
Jircniv would firmly deny it.
That had clearly been their own decision. It had absolutely nothing to do with him.
"Ahem, Sebas-dono, you must be tired after traveling such a long distance. I have prepared some wine and food. If you don't mind, why not stay and share a meal?"
"I believe there may be some misunderstanding regarding this matter."
The Bloody Emperor showed a faint smile.
Nobles were naturally skilled at intrigue, and as the emperor, Jircniv had been taught such arts since childhood.
First impressions were extremely important. Right now, the Bloody Emperor was trying to use this to win Sebas's goodwill.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I must return to report to the Supreme One. I am afraid I cannot accept your hospitality."
What the Bloody Emperor had not expected was that Sebas refused without hesitation.
"And please do not attempt anything unnecessary. Otherwise, the Supreme One's anger will set this nation ablaze."
Sebas shook his head and offered the warning in a calm tone.
Before Jircniv could say anything further, space rippled.
A black vortex appeared, and Sebas's figure vanished instantly.
Bang!
Watching Sebas disappear, the Bloody Emperor clenched his teeth in frustration and slammed his fist against the wall.