Chapter 20
Chapter 20: Sacred Relic (6)
The Emperor’s eyes exist everywhere.
It is an imperial maxim and an established fact.
The Emperor of the Empire made this a reality, at least within the capital.
The being who made such an Emperor admire him was none other than Erik.
‘What tremendous courage.’
Esperoja Rofen Arman, the Emperor, thought Erik was truly a coveted talent upon seeing him.
[Deal, Erik, entrusted]
The message that came through when he tapped the armrest of the imperial throne.
The fact that it was delivered with a time difference from the previous one meant someone had left instructions to deliver it at the timing before the sacred relic deal.
That person would be Erik.
“Your Majesty, surely you haven’t been swayed by the Astia Religious Order’s words?”
Look at the Almanism Church leader, who had been rudely using informal speech, now using respectful language.
The Emperor’s smile deepened.
“Pope, by intermediating sacred relics, you mean selling them, don’t you?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That is correct.”
The two group leaders conversed politely, leaving the religious leader aside.
He was an Emperor famous for being an atheist.
The supreme ruler of the Empire and father of all people.
For such an Emperor to show such respect…
‘This is maddening.’
From the Almanism Church leader’s perspective, it was enough to drive one insane.
“Director Erik, bring the sacred relic.”
After finishing his conversation with the Pope, the Emperor commanded Erik.
Erik walked toward the Emperor with a respectful posture, carrying the gleaming golden armor.
Watching Erik’s massive frame and broad back, the ministers had complicated feelings.
‘To think someone from the Astia Religious Order is the Empire’s Director.’
Whether to be happy or sorry about this was truly ambiguous.
Unlike the ministers’ complicated feelings, Erik’s steps were light.
“Your Majesty, here is the Almanism Church’s sacred relic.”
Erik bent his massive body and presented the armor to the Emperor.
Thud.
As the Emperor’s rough hand lifted the huge armor.
Kiiiing!
The sacred relic sparkled in the Emperor’s grasp.
“Oh! Alman God!”
The Almanism Church members all bowed their heads, moved by the divine presence emanating from the sacred relic.
“Return to our embrace!”
It was armor that shot divinity high into the sky.
A sacred relic was an item that could heal any ordinary injury just by existing.
Literally something used by a god.
“It just sparkles uselessly.”
However, the Emperor had an indifferent expression.
The Emperor, as large as Erik, lifted the armor and examined it from various angles, then frowned.
“I had expectations since it was called a sacred relic… This is an item unworthy of a great empire’s name.”
Then the Emperor looked at Erik and asked.
“Since you brought this item, how about disposing of it yourself?”
To this, Erik gladly smiled.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Almanism Church leader was displeased with this situation.
‘It feels like stepping onto a rigged stage.’
Just as he was about to protest, the Emperor spoke first.
“Sir Erik is a pilgrim of the Astia Religious Order, but also the Director of the Empire’s Possessor Management Bureau.”
“What does that…”
“Erik has the right to lead this deal as someone clearly belonging to the Empire.”
Thus, the religious leader had to negotiate with a young greenhorn over the sacred relic.
‘Am I really going to be played like this…’
But this Erik fellow was no ordinary person.
“How much can you offer?”
At Erik’s blunt question, the surroundings fell silent.
‘How much… at most?’
The religious leader’s head spun at the question asking for limits from the start.
As the head of a religious order, this was the first time he’d received such treatment.
“We have the Astia Religious Order’s sacred relic-“
“I asked how much at most.”
Even cutting off his words made the religious leader’s face turn bright red.
Wasn’t he said to be fifteen?
Where on earth did he learn such behavior?
‘Do you think you’ll be safe acting like this?’
The religious leader shot sharply honed divine power toward Erik.
He minimized the presence and maximized the power as much as possible.
The Astia Religious Order’s Pope might notice, but…
‘This should be enough as a warning.’
That’s what the religious leader thought.
“Hmm.”
But the Pope just tilted his head and watched quietly.
Erik also stood still with an expressionless face.
‘Why are they just standing there…’
It wasn’t meant to kill.
But it was dangerous enough if hit.
‘Don’t tell me they didn’t notice this one thing?’
In the religious leader’s eyes, the golden needle created from divine power was clearly visible.
At this rate, it would hit Erik’s body…
‘He’s just going to take it?’
Swish.
The religious leader’s divine power struck Erik’s body.
And the religious leader realized why they had remained still.
As the religious leader’s golden needle touched Erik’s body.
Snap, the needle broke in half.
‘Is that supposed to be a human body?’
He’d heard he was a Paladin and knew he was a pilgrim.
But wasn’t his age young?
How could he make such a body at fifteen…
The religious leader shook his head.
Emptying distracting thoughts, he called out to mother Alman.
His heated head cooled.
‘Surely the Pope must have given some blessing.’
Otherwise, a body that breaks divine power wouldn’t make sense.
It was the religious leader’s divine power, no less.
He realized the Pope had made a move.
Yet the result was clear.
‘I lost the initiative and was pushed back in the battle of wills.’
The religious leader coldly accepted reality.
Now there was only one path left.
In that case…
“If it’s not exchanging with our Astia Religious Order’s sacred relic, then let’s consider the deal void.”
Go ahead and try.
***
‘He’s crazy.’
Erik felt bewildered by the religious leader’s reaction.
Even if the Almanism Church was famous for being obsessed with money and increasing believers, they usually kept their divine duties.
But that kind of divine power?
‘Compared to my master, it’s like a mosquito bite.’
Before even discussing the strength of divine power, the religious leader’s behavior itself was nonsensical.
‘How petty.’
No matter how much he controlled his strength, it was absurd for a religious leader to act like that toward his young self.
‘How can such an ugly person be the head of a religion?’
Erik let out a “Hoo” sigh.
Losing the initiative from the start, and when intimidation with divine power didn’t work, his words were:
“Absolutely, if it’s not an exchange, there will be no deal.”
Just such pathetic words.
And with emphasis, no less.
“Anyway, the Astia Religious Order can’t even use the Almanism Church’s sacred relic, can they?”
As Erik maintained silence, the religious leader continued speaking.
Each word was utterly despicable.
“You asked how much I was thinking? My thought is that exchanging sacred relics is the limit.”
Erik’s patience ran out.
Seeing Erik’s trapezius muscles twitching, a ‘Hiek.’ scream came from afar.
But no one turned their eyes away from Erik.
Thump! Thump!
Because Erik put all his strength into his body and walked toward the religious leader.
A massive shadow fell over the old religious leader.
“Religious Leader.”
Erik said:
“I am the Director of the Possessor Management Bureau.”
“What does that have to do with-“
“I hear there’s something called a shop that possessors use.”
Silence fell over the audience hall.
Only Erik’s words broke the silence.
“I’m told that selling this sacred relic there would get 1 billion gold.”
Erik had clearly given a ‘first offer’ as an opportunity.
It was the religious leader who rejected it.
Meaning from now on, Erik’s asking price would be the value.
“When you obtained our Astia Religious Order’s sacred relic, Religious Leader, you kept it in storage saying you couldn’t give money for something you couldn’t even use.”
At that time, the amount the Almanism Church demanded from the Pope was 1 billion gold per sacred relic.
The poor Astia Religious Order couldn’t pay this.
‘In the end, our religious order’s sacred relic ended up sleeping in another religion’s embrace.’
Erik was an atheist, but he was someone who had received the religious order’s grace.
So he felt a sense of belonging as a fellow believer and harbored anger about this.
That was his decided answer.
“If not for this deal, we’re thinking of just selling it. Why would we bother holding onto a sacred relic we can’t even use?”
The religious leader was speechless.
Looking at those firm eyes, it definitely wasn’t an empty threat.
“1 billion gold for one of our religious order’s sacred relics. There will be no further concessions.”
By making pointless demands, the religious leader was about to be left holding the bag.
Normally, when the balance was broken this much, the deal should fall through.
‘This is the first time a weapon-type sacred relic has appeared from the Almanism Church.’
Erik had solid grounds.
Hadn’t he requested this from the Emperor believing in this from the start?
He had directly requested the Imperial Intelligence Department, risking the threat of his self-created information organization being discovered.
Having taken such risks, it was natural to extract maximum profit.
“What will you do?”
As Erik asked again toward the religious leader who gave no answer:
“I’ll contact you within a day.”
The religious leader backed down.
However, the venom in his eyes suggested he held quite a solid grudge.
“Then, Religious Leader, I look forward to seeing you often.”
Erik gave such a religious leader a sardonic smile.
‘There are still many sacred relics left.’
Erik’s sacred relic shop had many sacred relics available for purchase.
‘You’ll become a regular customer.’
Whether the religious leader held grudges or did whatever, he would ultimately have to buy the sacred relics Erik brought.
***
“Kahahaha!”
As the religious leader left, the Emperor burst into loud laughter.
‘Where did the dignified Emperor’s composure go?’
Erik frowned and bowed his head.
Glancing to the side, he saw the Pope looking at him with dazed eyes.
His mouth was twitching as if he had something to say.
‘Spicy indeed.’
The Pope was once again certain that Erik was Riferoze’s disciple.
He was slightly spicier than her.
“Hahahaha!”
He even made that Emperor burst into loud laughter, didn’t he?
Riferoze just got smiles, so Erik was clearly ahead in crazy acts.
“So can you really sell this to the possessors’ shop?”
After abruptly stopping his laughter, the Emperor asked.
“The moment possessors get close to the sacred relic, they’ll burn up.”
Erik answered with a nonchalant expression.
Meaning it was a lie.
“Hahahaha!”
The Emperor laughed loudly again and the Pope was dumbfounded.
‘This guy… is scamming?’
Even if relations with the Almanism Church weren’t good, to inflate value with lies?
Just as the Pope was about to give him a sharp word:
“However, I heard that if they don’t burn up, it could be sold for 1 billion.”
Erik added a word while looking at the Pope.
Ambiguous.
The Pope reluctantly nodded.
‘As expected of my master.’
Erik thought it was good that he had listened to his master’s complaints.
His master used to badmouth the Pope every day.
“Divine power isn’t given just for lying a bit, but the Pope is sensitive about such things.”
Erik was strong.
But he was still weak.
When he felt the Pope’s divine power that carved the Pilgrim’s Mark on him.
When he crossed swords with the Royal Guard in the audience hall.
He definitely felt he didn’t measure up to the strongest.
“Phew. So what do you want?”
The Emperor, having stopped laughing, asked.
Erik wanted means to become stronger, and for that he needed money.
‘If I go to 4th tier, I’ll explode and die.’
What he needed immediately was ‘skills’ or ‘sacred relics.’
The reality was he couldn’t spend cash.
In such reality, he had to buy ‘hundred-million unit‘ skills and sacred relics.
“I want half the money earned and to completely recover our religious order’s sacred relics.”
Erik said this calmly.
“Money?”
The Emperor tilted his head.
His eyes were directed toward the Pope.
“This is the first time I’ve seen the Astia Religious Order desire money.”
The Emperor was pleased.
That pilgrim Riferoze was interested in ‘force.’
She, who was a match for the Northern Archduke, left the Empire right after defeating the Archduke.
But her disciple wanted money.
“I’ll give you the full 1 billion.”
To the Empire’s master, money was the easiest thing to give.
“Hmm.”
The Emperor’s head tilted a bit more.
Erik was clearly bowing, but it seemed he wanted something more.
His back seemed to be twitching, giving that impression.
“Is there something more you want?”
“Perhaps…”
Erik cautiously opened his mouth.
“Could I receive an advance payment?”
To this, the Emperor burst into laughter.
“Kahahaha!!!”
It was a roar of laughter.
***
“Riferoze couldn’t have given proper education.”
Having left the imperial palace and found Ruelle’s church, Erik began a one-on-one meeting with the Pope.
“Insulting my master is-“
“Am I wrong?”
Erik recalled his master’s education.
Suddenly throwing him into conflict zones and telling him to end the war.
Raiding black mage lairs and betting on who could kill more.
Hmm.
“But her heart was sincere.”
“That would be so.”
The Pope had many things he wanted to say, but held back.
‘I ask of you, Father.’
Even Astia God, who usually gave good answers, gave no response.
The Pope took this as meaning ‘endure.’
“Pilgrim Erik, I went along with your will this time, but don’t think it will always be like this.”
He endured but said what needed saying.
Using the Pope like a folding screen, it would be ridiculous to let it pass.
‘I kept the promise so I played along…’
As a result, they recovered the religious order’s sacred relic and gained a large sum of 500 million.
The remaining 500 million would go to Erik, and the Pope allowed even that.
“I will never forget Pope’s grace.”
Erik knew this was tremendous favor and consideration.
“Then I’ll see you at the next prayer meeting.”
The Pope wasn’t in a leisurely position.
The Astia Religious Order’s Pope spent most of his time hunting monsters in demon realms or saving people in places beyond national reach.
Therefore, the Pope tried to leave quickly.
Kiiiing.
Just as the Pope was about to perform the Miracle of Teleportation, cutting through the air:
“Pope, do you perhaps know the Blade of Creation?”
Erik asked.
“How do you know of that?”
The Pope’s sublime divine power wavered.
He was that surprised.
‘As expected, this was the right answer.’
Looking at the Pope’s reaction, Erik decided on the skill to buy.
A skill sharing a name with the sacred relic his master hid.
[Creation: 250,000,000 gold]
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