Chapter 99
Chapter 99: Three-Way Battle (1)
"Your Majesty, I hope you have been well."
Leonardo Rofen Arman, the First Prince of the Empire.
He had returned from the Labyrinth after ten years. If one counted the time spent inside the Labyrinth itself, he had spent tens of years living outside the Empire.
"Yes, you've endured much. We shall hear the details later."
However, the Emperor's response to Leonardo was cold.
Instead, the bureaucrats immediately focused on the conference upon seeing the Crown Prince return after ten years.
'A National Crisis Council...'
While it would have been natural to feel disappointed, Leonardo understood the urgency of the current situation and took his seat.
The First Prince had also heard of the catastrophe in the Labyrinth through Riferoze.
"Due to the aftermath of the Great Cataclysm Patch... the water source beneath the Imperial Capital has dried up."
"For now, we can solve this by transferring water from the Lupen River nearby, but in the long term, enormous losses are expected to occur!"
Leonardo listened intently, wanting to understand the changed circumstances.
One by one, the Empire's situation was not promising.
'The groundwater suddenly dried up...'
Beneath the Imperial Capital, an endless underground aquifer flowed.
That had suddenly disappeared.
The lives of 2 million residents of the capital would be greatly disrupted going forward.
Moreover, there were more problems.
"Since the Northern Archduke will be at the forefront of the war, we need someone to guard against the Demon Realm."
Fernasia, the Empire's Prime Minister, gazed intently at Leonardo.
Leonardo was greatly flustered at this.
'Me, who just returned from the Labyrinth?'
Only then did the Emperor look at Leonardo.
"Crown Prince, you succeeded in conquering ahead of schedule—ten years earlier than expected."
"Actually..."
Leonardo recounted his experiences in the Labyrinth to the Emperor.
Facts like how there was no change in difficulty at the highest levels.
Or how Riferoze, who arrived with a Slayer, contributed greatly to conquering the Floor Master.
His report was honest without exaggeration or omission.
"Hmph"
Upon hearing those words, the Emperor was greatly surprised.
Moreover, he said that Riferoze ultimately could not leave the Labyrinth.
"I returned thanks to her..."
"She will be alive, so do not worry."
Honesty was a virtue, and despite spending such a long time outside, Leonardo remained consistent.
'That fellow doesn't exaggerate his achievements and speaks honestly.'
It was a manner befitting the lord of a great empire.
There should be no shame beneath the moonlight.
This was one of the sayings passed down in the Imperial Family.
Because he had left the Labyrinth earlier than expected, his accomplishments were somewhat modest.
Yet the Emperor was satisfied with his son's demeanor.
This is an era when chaos has come to the world.
'His shortcomings are minor. There are plenty of ways to resolve them, whether through war or against the undead.'
As the Emperor was absorbed in such thoughts, Leonardo uttered something unbelievable.
"And... the Slayer Riferoze possessed all the information about the Floor Master."
She was intimately familiar with the Floor Master's movements and patterns, as well as its weaknesses and conquest methods.
She even knew what kind of rewards would appear.
"She told me to pass this to my disciple."
"Hmph. Are you saying the divine power can comprehend even the Floor Master's information...?"
The Emperor momentarily considered the possibility that Riferoze had referenced the 'Conquest Method of the Possessors.'
But, 'That fanatic, the White Witch, couldn't have done such a thing.'
As someone who knew her reasonably well, he dismissed that possibility.
She may have glimpsed fragments of the future like the leader of the Almanism Church, or perhaps information about the Floor Master was revealed through divine revelation.
For divine power is such an irrational thing.
'In any case, aren't they already no longer enemies of the Empire?'
Thanks to the existence of Erik, a solid connection had even been formed with the Astia Religious Order.
'And the Imperial Princess seems to favor Jang Du-sik as well.'
A marriage alliance would be formed before long.
Having concluded his thoughts here, the Emperor gazed at Leonardo.
As the Emperor, he had heard everything he needed to hear.
"Leo, you truly endured much hardship."
Now, only a conversation between father and son remained.
The Emperor offered words of commendation to his hard-working son.
"Ah, Father..."
Leo was a pet name Leonardo used when he was young.
Those two syllables filled Leonardo's chest with emotion.
He had been a stern Emperor.
But now he seemed like an affectionate father.
'All that hardship...'
Even if one had a constitution suited to the Labyrinth, spending tens of years among monsters was quite a difficult ordeal.
It was a noble sacrifice for the solemn duties of the Imperial Family.
"Hmph. Your Majesty."
"Indeed, talented from childhood"
At the Emperor's commendation, the ministers and bureaucrats each uttered their own words of amazement.
In that warm atmosphere, Leonardo posed a serious question.
"Your Majesty, I have matters I wish to ask about."
There were truly many things he wanted to know.
'Only ten years have passed on the outside, yet how has so much changed?'
From the fact that the Empire had begun a war of conquest, to the existence of 500,000 Possessors, to the resurrection of the Black Mage Group.
Even having heard of the Great Cataclysm Patch, the changes were too significant.
However, what Leonardo valued most was something else.
'Could the General's words be true?'
It was what the General who came to greet him in the Labyrinth Plaza had said.
"The General of the Imperial Capital Army said..."
According to the General, the Emperor had given Erik the insignia of the successor.
"—Moreover, he possesses a disloyal faction within the Empire, receives the Emperor's favoritism, and is arbitrarily promoting city construction using Possessors..."
"All of that is true, but the General's concerns are merely his delusions."
The Emperor revealed the truth.
Erik was not someone who would covet the throne, but merely a youngster who liked money somewhat.
"Do not worry. That fellow Erik has not the slightest interest in the throne. Didn't you think the same as well?"
At this, Leonardo nodded in agreement.
In fact, Leonardo also believed the General's words were vain exaggerations.
"After all, did you not see it yourself? He visited the church before coming to the Imperial Palace?"
"Yes. The learning materials for those orphans..."
Before visiting the Imperial Palace, Leonardo had gone to Erik's orphanage together with the General of the Imperial Capital Army.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you must see the truth before that fellow grows further."
Using the rewards of the Floor Master that Riferoze had told him to hand over as justification, they were able to enter the church.
There, Leonardo witnessed it.
[Praise the Great Emperor of the Empire. The Empire shall be eternal and immutable under the reign of the Arman Imperial Family.]
That fanatical textbook.
"General, is this something a rebel would do?"
"Uh, that, that cannot be..."
Erik was depicted as something that should praise the Imperial Family.
Words along the lines of the Emperor being the mightiest being in the continent and a leader who would unite this world as one.
"I too saw those materials through the Prime Minister's report. At first, I thought the Prime Minister had submitted false information. But Leo, you accepted it so readily."
"If I had not seen Riferoze, I might have suspected ulterior motives. However, I directly witnessed and felt her fanaticism in the Labyrinth."
Leonardo recalled Riferoze's fanaticism in the Labyrinth upon seeing the educational materials Erik had created.
It was reasonable enough to understand that his disciple Erik possessed such qualities.
Moreover, he had his own basis for this.
'A fifteen-year-old barely over one meter tall—what would he know of contending for the throne...?'
The status of a Saint.
Director of the Possessor Management Bureau.
Though Erik bore all manner of brilliant titles, Leonardo knew him as a small child.
For no one had informed him of Erik's massive stature.
"Isn't he too young to aim for the throne in the first place?"
"That is true... However, you must not view him merely as a child."
The fact that Erik was massive was, of course, a given.
Therefore, neither the Emperor nor the ministers and bureaucrats gathered here had mentioned it separately, but...
Leonardo had no way of knowing.
"The nature is somewhat different, but Erik is a being similar to Riferoze."
"Indeed...?"
Riferoze, who took the form of a girl.
Erik, who possessed the appearance of a small child.
Leonardo accepted his own conclusion without further question.
***
Erik praises the Imperial Family.
When choosing which nation to settle in initially, there was a reason for choosing the Empire.
There was also a clear basis for it.
'In this world, the head of a nation must be the strongest existence.'
A world where force is everything.
A being responsible for a nation in such a world must be that powerful.
Erik imagined a terrible situation.
'For instance...'
For example, if an existence like Riferoze appeared in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
And if she were to commit indiscriminate terrorism.
'How terrifying.'
All bullets would be blocked by the Sacred Barrier, and cannons or anything else would become useless.
Eventually, with the aid of several nations, dozens of strategic nuclear weapons would be dropped in the middle of Seoul, but...
'She would regenerate immediately regardless of radiation or anything else.'
Erik was certain.
That Riferoze alone could annihilate all of humanity on Earth.
Even just the Black Dragon that descended in the southern part of the Empire could destroy several nations.
'The Empire is different.'
However, the Empire that Erik believes in has an Emperor.
The reason people can feel at ease even when an existence like Riferoze appears in the capital is precisely because of the Emperor's existence—a strategic weapon of sorts.
Moreover, the Empire entrusts its national defense to the strongest beings.
'Like the General of the Imperial Capital Army.'
If one imagined Riferoze committing an act of terrorism in the Imperial Capital, the result would be completely different from Seoul.
The General of the Imperial Capital Army would restrain her and buy time, and in the meantime, the Emperor, the Master of the Imperial Magic Tower, or the Northern Archduke would appear and face her.
'I need to earn more money.'
In any case, in this world, the most important thing is force.
The reason Erik came to think this way was...
"Ah, the Elves are so pitiful."
"Indeed."
Because he witnessed the Elves being arbitrarily manipulated by Riferoze.
'If they are so weak, a single strong being can only shake the entire group.'
The Elves could only watch helplessly as Riferoze trampled through their kingdom in terror.
"Yuren! How could you commit such acts? I did not grant you land in the Empire for this!"
In particular, Yuren, the world's second Possessor Elf, was suffering the greatest hardship.
"I, I apologize... It is because I am insufficient."
Yuren, who had behaved disrespectfully toward Erik, now could only apologize repeatedly without a word of rebuttal.
"I told you to use your knowledge to improve the Elves' closed culture, but what is this about building a Red City? Does that make any sense?"
Riferoze was extremely angered upon seeing the Chinatown that Yuren had built.
A street full of bright red lanterns.
Above it were impressive buildings resembling the Forbidden City, but Riferoze did not approve.
'So that is the Chinatown Erik spoke of!'
She had heard that Chinatown was a vicious city that had terraformed various parts of Earth.
Beyond basic cleanliness issues, she had heard it was a city where terrible crimes like organ trafficking occurred.
"Tear it down immediately!"
"Ah, understood."
With a single word from the stronger being, an entire city seemed destined for demolition.
That was not the end.
"That, that! What has become of the World Tree?!"
Moreover, she summoned the Elf King and began to rebuke him.
It was because of the bizarre appearance of the twisted World Tree.
"You who would speak back with excuses while claiming the Elves are guardians of the World Tree!"
Upon witnessing this scene, Erik's head throbbed.
He thought the demolition of Chinatown was somewhat excessive, but he felt sympathy for the Elf King's plight.
'The World Tree is probably... because of me.'
The World Tree was a towering tree.
But that World Tree was wrapping itself with massive branches, twisting its pillars.
Moreover...
Shiver!
It trembled, releasing a cool breeze toward Erik in a manner that felt quite disrespectful.
At this, Riferoze bristled.
"The World Tree is the pillar of the world itself, yet the Elves entrusted with its protection cannot even manage it properly..."
"But, Erik's arrival has allowed the World Tree to regain its green vitality!"
The Elf King, unable to hold back any longer, spoke out of turn.
The World Tree, which had been yellowing and withering for some time, had sprouted verdant leaves and regained its vigor immediately after Erik's arrival.
However, Riferoze could not understand it at all.
'Have the Elves all gone mad? What nonsense is this about the World Tree...?'
Just as Riferoze was determined to conduct mass education to create true Elves.
"Master, please calm yourself."
Erik approached.
He gently grasped Riferoze's sleeve and led her before the World Tree.
Observing his teacher being naturally led along, Erik thought,
'Surely, she has become more docile.'
The teacher he had seen in his childhood and the teacher now were practically different people.
He even wondered if she felt somewhat embarrassed about this situation.
Erik felt both perplexed and relieved.
'She can be controlled.'
Could it be that he could control an existence that even the Emperor found troublesome with his own hands?
Moreover, even with Ruelle beside her, Riferoze was showing patience.
"Mm, hmm..."
While Ruelle did give a startled squeak, nothing further happened.
At this, a flash of insight struck Erik's mind.
He grasped what he needed to do between Ruelle and Riferoze.
'Balance power through favoritism.'
In terms of force, he would certainly be far behind.
However, if he slightly favored Ruelle more, the balance between the two would be achieved.
Erik was determined to achieve peace through this means.
Furthermore.
"World Tree, let's meet together and talk."
For now, creating a common enemy would suffice.
As Erik stepped forward with the two women.
Crack! The pillar of the World Tree split open.
***
"If you stare so intently, it becomes embarrassing."
Three people disappeared as if being sucked into the tree.
Before them appeared a World Tree that had taken human form.
"Eek!"
"Ah!"
Riferoze and Ruelle were shocked and could not utter a word.
Erik was not much different either.
A woman with hair the color of grain was the World Tree, who brings love and abundance to the world.
"That, that chest, what is this!"
"It's larger than... mine?"
The World Tree's mere existence rendered Ruelle and Riferoze speechless.
"It is your World Tree."
Before the three astonished people, only the World Tree moved her lips while gazing at Erik.
She cried out while wrapping her body with her arms.
"Ah! Progress is far, far too fast!"
The woman, clad minimally in small leaves, approached Erik.
Her voluptuous figure was prominently displayed.
"On only our second meeting, you bring another woman."
At these words, Erik's brows furrowed deeply.
'Her taste is truly insane.'
The World Tree's reaction was particularly unusual.
She was practically deranged.
At such an excessive reaction, both Riferoze and Ruelle shot Erik a piercing glare simultaneously.
"So, my disciple. I never imagined my World Tree would take the form of such a woman. Despite wandering the world for over a hundred years, I witness something for the first time... So, would you not offer an explanation?"
Riferoze asked, gripping the sword at her back.
Her words were drawn out and lengthy.
"Erik? What exactly is your relationship?"
Le Wel asked in a single sentence, but her gaze was utterly murderous.
Somehow, she seemed more terrifying than Riferoze.
"Please calm yourselves, both of you."
In response, Erik answered in an even tone.
Though it was an urgent situation, he maintained composure as much as possible and calmed the two women.
"There is nothing between us. It is merely... a tree I plan to move to my Divine Edifice, that is all."
Saying thus, Erik quickly tried to purchase an extra-large planter from the [Divine Edifice Management] window.
However, faster than that.
"Ahhh!!! Repotting?!"
A piercing cry echoed out.