Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Sacred Relic (4)
“Keuhihihihi!!! The boss has definitely gone mad!”
Arman Empire’s District 5.
From the most secluded and damp old wooden building built on the most remote and humid land, a scream-like laughter burst forth.
“Keuhi! How long will you keep me…”
A plump old man let out a dry laugh.
His swollen belly and fat-filled jowls trembled and gradually decreased in volume by the moment.
“Old man, endure it. It’s the boss’s order.”
Janson approached the old man with a limping gait.
At his waist, a half-drawn blade was visible, with a bluish aura rippling over the sword.
The old man called “old man” glared at the blade and let out a groan.
“Keuhi. How did I end up like this…”
“Be grateful that you’re alive as a black mage.”
The old man was someone who learned black magic through the bizarre method of sacrificing his own life force.
That’s why he could maintain his life even after facing Erik.
“Keuhihihi. Yes, so I’m living the life of a slave like this.”
As the old man kept running his mouth, Janson frowned.
The scars on his face contorted, creating numerous zigzag wrinkles.
“Old man, shut that mouth of yours. You only need to burn flesh, but I have to use aura!”
Even in the most remote and old building in District 5’s slums, dozens of layers of security devices surrounded it.
Not only that, but the power of a Sword Master and a black mage was added.
‘Janson is creating a barrier with aura and erasing presence with black magic…’
How many layers of magic circles surrounded this building in the first place?
The old man couldn’t contain his curiosity.
“Janson, what exactly is the boss doing to drain my magic power like this?”
Not even an hour had passed, let alone two hours, but his strength was beginning to give out.
Since Janson also didn’t know the answer, he made a pointless joke.
“The old man has become like a withered branch.”
Past the time when he should conserve his words, he was on the verge of losing consciousness if he didn’t say something.
“Keuhihihi, that’s better than you sweating profusely from your forehead.”
Just when the two were about to die from exhaustion.
Kiiik.
The door to the room where Erik was opened.
Through the slowly opening door, brilliant radiance rushed in.
Ssaaaaaa!
As the remnant of divinity that burns black mages seeped through the door crack.
“Keuhi-iik!”
The old man screamed as if in shock.
His once-fat figure had already withered like a dry branch, and the light of divinity swept over it.
The old man’s skin cracked.
“Old man, if you move, you’ll be annihilated.”
Janson grimaced and surrounded the old man with a barrier of aura.
Kiiik–thud!
The door opened wide.
“Boss… What exactly is that?”
Janson tilted his head at the divinity being blocked more easily than expected.
That Erik’s Divine Power blocked by mere aura?
When Janson and the old man looked carefully, they could see the form of armor beyond the light of divinity.
Beyond the armor, Erik’s overwhelming figure stood tall.
“It’s a sacred relic of Almanism Church.”
A heavy voice settled down.
In front of the massive Erik beyond the wide-open door, golden armor sparkled.
Scratching his scar, Janson asked.
“But boss, aren’t you affiliated with Astia Religious Order?”
Erik passed through the narrow doorframe.
The door frame was dented in the shape of shoulders with a thunk.
“Keuhihihihi, he’s doing crazy things again!!!”
Janson looking at him in bewilderment and the old man letting out deflated laughter.
Erik watched them silently.
“Hmm, boss, sweat on your forehead?”
Erik was struggling.
Just holding onto the presence of an item was consuming Divine Power for quite a while.
‘A sacred relic is indeed a sacred relic.’
Even with the assistance of Janson, the old man, and the security devices set up in the hideout, it was too much for him.
It seemed to be reaching its limit soon.
“I’ll say it again, this is a sacred relic.”
Janson and the old man were puzzled.
What’s the problem with Erik, who handles Divine Power, possessing a sacred relic?
Why was he stating the obvious?
“Hmm, I don’t think the boss would worry about other religions’ sacred relics…”
“Keuhihihi, the boss would just devour them all!”
Erik closed his eyes tightly in disappointment.
He wanted to boast about it.
“Unfortunately, I can’t control the Divine Power.”
Soon the sacred relic’s presence would shake all directions.
“Then, then…”
“Keuhi? Boss?”
Erik said.
“Get far away immediately!”
***
Imperial Capital Arman became noisy.
An uninvited guest had arrived, but it was an uninvited guest that the empire couldn’t easily chase away.
“The Almanism Church leader is coming!”
Because there was a plausible justification of honoring the Third Prince, the archbishop’s grandson.
“The procession of carriages seems endless.”
The poor at the outskirts of Imperial Capital enthusiastically cheered for Almanism Church’s procession.
The head of Almanism Church, no less than the church leader himself, had stepped forward. They scattered gold coins as they passed by.
“Main roads are two-way traffic!”
“All side roads are one-way! Detour for movement!”
The entire city’s crowds flocked due to Almanism Church’s procession.
The Security Bureau, Royal Guard, and Imperial Capital Defense Forces were all mobilized…
“Damn, it seems all the citizens of Imperial Capital have come out to the streets.”
They were barely maintaining order.
The church leader’s carriage, literally scattering gold coins, drew hundreds and thousands of crowds.
It seemed like people might get crushed to death by each other.
However, thanks to the emperor’s wisdom, such a disaster didn’t occur.
“Who would have thought the possessors’ safety measures would be effective.”
“Indeed, using them is more efficient than killing them recklessly.”
Before Erik became the director, the empire’s emperor had partially adopted the possessors’ techniques and knowledge.
Among them, ‘earthquake-resistant design’ and ‘safety preparations’ carried significant weight.
“Truly, His Majesty the Emperor’s wisdom illuminates the empire.”
Amidst the commotion, praise for the emperor continued.
“The Imperial Palace must be chaotic too.”
The attendance of the head of one of the three religious orders that divide the continent.
Naturally, the Imperial Palace also became busy.
Nobles rushing at the emperor’s command were lined up in front of the Imperial Palace.
‘To think all four ducal houses gathered in one place.’
For the head of one religion to visit an empire without a state religion was an unprecedented situation.
Unlike with Astia Religious Order, this was an official visit.
‘All the Royal Guards…’
Just as Astia Religious Order’s pope brought the ‘Holy War Knight Order’, Almanism Church’s leader also presented the ‘Golden Knight Order’.
Daring to bring a knight order to the sacred Imperial Family?
It was natural for the empire’s nobles to be furious.
‘To think that archduke would leave the north and come down.’
The empire’s strongest, the Northern Archduke, was angry enough to attend.
Though he used teleportation magic, it was very rare for the archduke to leave the north.
That’s how serious an issue Almanism Church leader’s visit was.
‘Why isn’t anyone saying anything…’
The empire’s four ducal houses, the Northern Archduke.
Besides them, countless nobles had all gathered in the grand hall.
The central figures lined up left and right around the innermost throne were packed.
Yet it was eerily quiet.
Thuk. Thuk.
Only the sound of the emperor tapping the throne’s armrest could be heard.
Blood vessels protruded over the emperor’s massive hand.
“Your Majesty, Almanism Church’s leader has requested an audience.”
In the silence, the Iron-Blood Prime Minister carefully spoke.
“They moved faster than expected.”
The Third Prince was the Second Empress’ son and a possessor.
Even knowing this fact, the Second Empress had continued to request Erik’s punishment from the emperor.
“Since she whined so much, I had her confined, but she brought the entire religious order.”
At the emperor’s displeased remark, the atmosphere in the audience hall changed.
Heavy and intimidating.
A domineering aura circulated in all directions.
‘Not the archbishop but the church leader came directly.’
Born to be a ruler, raised to be a conqueror—that was the emperor.
Sometimes displaying flexible thinking, he was the head of a great empire with astute judgment.
However, he had maintained an exclusive stance only toward religion.
‘I should have kept the three religious orders competing…’
A marriage made out of necessity during the empire’s difficult times.
It had become a situation where only justification was given.
‘If Erik brings a sacred relic…’
Things would become easier.
The emperor leaned back on the splendid throne and closed his eyes tightly.
Erik, monstrously strong at just fifteen.
However, it was impossible for him to obtain a sacred relic from just the first labyrinth.
‘Did he come out in just one day?’
Since he heard a deadline of one month, he couldn’t expect results from just the first round of the labyrinth…
The emperor, who had been thinking this, suddenly let out a groan.
“Huh.”
Was he trying to rely on a mere fifteen-year-old?
‘Me?’
The emperor shook his head and straightened his posture.
His silver hair swayed, and the threatening atmosphere disappeared as if washed away.
Instead, dignity settled in.
“Let them in.”
As the emperor said this.
Drrrrrrrk.
The massive audience hall’s doors opened.
“Almanism Church’s Church Leader Palia Alman is entering!”
Moonlight sparkled from the arched doors opening left and right.
Though it was just a carving, it felt like a real moon was crafted.
Fasssss.
Pushing aside that moonlight, bright divine light began to seep in.
At the center of the Divine Power, a church leader holding a splendid staff was visible.
“Church leader, it’s been a long time.”
Before the church leader could even enter, the emperor spoke first.
Fluttering his golden robe, the church leader struck his staff on the floor with a thud-.
“The archbishop’s grandson is no different from my great-grandson. I’m sorry it took me this long to visit after hearing he departed for God’s embrace.”
Despite the serious statement, his speaking tone was gentle.
At his gesture, divinity rippled and his long white hair fluttered.
“Church leader, you’ve aged considerably.”
The emperor’s eyes narrowed at that sight.
“Hehe, just because the outside aged doesn’t mean my faith wavered. The young lad has grown a lot too.”
Toward such an emperor, the church leader suddenly spoke informally.
In the midst of tense tension, the Northern Archduke suddenly flared up.
“How dare”
“Enough, it’s fine.”
The movement of the Northern Archduke, like a giant ogre, stopped with a thud.
Krrk! At the emperor’s command, the archduke swallowed his growl and stepped back.
“Young lad, why did my great-grandson die?”
A subtle line existed between Almanism Church and the empire.
Now the line that had been connected through marriage and children was severed.
“Church leader, you consider a possessor as your grandson. Didn’t Almanism Church also declare possessors as evil?”
“Hehe, how could I believe that? I’ve already heard the story about some fifteen-year-old lad bursting him to death with Divine Power.”
Due to Erik’s flashy performance, the theory that he burst to death rather than burned to death by Divine Power became established.
Thuk.
‘This is the problem with religion.’
A world full of churches, temples, sanctuaries, and such.
Wrinkles formed on the emperor’s brow.
He couldn’t autopsy the already annihilated Third Prince.
“Thinking of our old affection, I was wondering if I should accept a small tribute and let it pass.”
The church leader spoke while looking at the emperor.
Getting to the main point from the start.
‘He’ll ask for the Eastern Great Forest.’
The emperor felt sick inside.
The Eastern Great Forest that the empire and Almanism Church had been developing under mutual cooperation.
The target was obvious.
‘The empire bore all the military losses and before we could gain benefits…‘
This pressure at a time approaching the labyrinth, Great Cataclysm Patch.
Was it unavoidable?
He could just take it back later.
Just as the emperor finished his calculations and was about to speak.
“Your Majesty!”
The Northern Archduke blocked in front of the emperor.
Right after that.
BAAAAAAAAAANG!!!
A massive pillar of divine light shot up from the outskirts of Imperial Capital.
The church leader’s staff pointed at the emperor.
The Northern Archduke’s massive greatsword aimed at the church leader.
“Young lad, quite impressive. To think you’d have a sacred relic.”
***
“This is crazy.”
Right after Janson and the old man evacuated, Erik released the power that had been containing the sacred relic.
BAAAAAAAANG!!!
A roar swept through as a pillar of divinity shot straight up.
Its source was the armor placed before Erik’s eyes.
[Sacred Armor (聖鉀) Alman’s Barvanil]
[Almanism Church exclusive item.]
Even though detailed item specs didn’t appear, it was clearly an item related to Divine Power.
Erik fully recognized its value.
‘Wide-area divine enhancement, super recovery, divine blessing.’
Though different religious orders, it was an instinctive sensation felt as one who handled the same power.
‘And it even has indestructibility.’
It was truly an option worthy of sacred relic grade.
“…To think there would be a sacred relic I can’t use.”
Erik was strictly affiliated with [Astia Religious Order].
It was the first time seeing an item with restrictions based on affiliation or profession like in games.
“Possessors definitely won’t be able to use it.”
Despite being an item, it had many aspects that weren’t item-like.
Though the [name tag] was clear, inventory storage was impossible.
Moreover, there was no way to handle the sacred relic’s power.
That meant.
Kugugugugugugung!!!!
The entire world would recognize the presence of the surging Divine Power.
Erik calmly looked at [Alman’s Barvanil].
The massive armor was adorned with splendid gold decorations, and jewels were densely packed at connection points like the chest and shoulders.
Since the sacred relic’s presence had already spread anyway.
“Sseup… It won’t come off.”
Erik, who had been touching the jewels to try to extract maximum profit, gave up.
As if it was one with the sacred relic, none of the objects forming the armor would fall off.
‘I wonder if our Pope will come first or that church leader will come first.’
Instead, he turned his mind to other matters.
Erik also knew about Almanism Church leader’s visit.
‘With all that advertising they did.’
Even though it was a sudden visit, he couldn’t not notice the procession that passed through the entire capital.
Things felt a bit tangled…
‘Your Holiness the Pope, please come quickly.’
One stone, three birds—one shot, three hits.
An opportunity to put three groups in debt with one sacred relic.
At a time when the Great Cataclysm Patch was approaching, he needed to solidify a more secure position.
Erik frantically poured power into the Pilgrim’s Mark.
It was a signal toward the pope.
Then.
Kiiiiing!
A clear golden cross appeared before Erik’s eyes.
Over the elongated cross, shadows of six wings cast down. Wrapped in wings, space split in the shape of a cross.
The split space soon meant the Miracle of Teleportation.
‘Fortunately.’
The long cross represented Astia Religious Order that Erik belonged to.
Erik smiled pleasantly and bowed his head.
“I greet Your Holiness the Pope. May Astia’s grace be with you!”
With his massive body bowed, Erik added.
“As promised, I have brought a sacred relic.”
To this, the pope tilted his head sideways.
“Why do you possess another religious order’s sacred relic?”
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