Chapter 306
Chapter 306: This Staff Would Definitely Hurt If You Swung It at Someone
Within a brief span of 3 days, the news of the Goddess of Justice's manifestation in Endymion had spread far and wide across the vast continent, carried on the wings of the Mages' meticulous promotion efforts.
Leveraging their considerable influence, the Mage Council spared no effort in publicizing this divine miracle.
Many Mages even returned to their home countries, using illusory projections to stage demonstrations in bustling marketplaces and public squares.
Every passerby who witnessed it was left utterly shaken.
As expected, the news quickly reached the major newspapers.
Crowds of enthusiastic reporters swarmed around the Mages spreading the word, each scrambling to secure firsthand information.
The newspapers were printed overnight within a single day and rapidly distributed everywhere, becoming the talk of every dining table.
With this wave of publicity, citizens across multiple nations gained a far deeper understanding of what had transpired.
It was like sparks spreading across a lush green meadow—wherever they reached, they left behind deep, blazing trails.
In an instant, the masses were stirred by the event, a tide of profound awe rising within their hearts.
After all, this was a true divine being.
And yet, those of the upper echelons—the nobility and the powerful—were a different matter entirely.
Unlike the common folk, they were quick to detect the subtly different undercurrent mixed into all of this.
The Mage Council had openly displayed its close ties with the Goddess of Justice, even going so far as to regard her as the supreme deity they venerated.
At first glance, this seemed entirely unremarkable.
After all, the independent Mage Council had never belonged to any nation.
Having some connection to the Goddess of Justice, given the standards upon which the Mage Council was founded, didn't seem like any particular issue.
But given the timing, everything felt strangely unusual.
The Mage Council had only recently risen to massive public prominence on the back of Viktor's awe-inspiring display of power.
Now, at the very moment it stood at the center of public attention, an event of this magnitude had emerged—and it was impossible not to let one's imagination wander.
As a result, many curious onlookers began speculating about the truth hidden beneath the surface.
But the illusory projection could not be fabricated.
The vivid footage clearly showed the Goddess of Justice gripping a pitch-black greatsword, slicing open the sky, splitting the clouds apart, until the very fabric of space shattered.
That blinding radiance—like a crimson sun rising for the first time—had shaken those who witnessed it to their core.
The sight caused many to draw parallels with Viktor's earlier display of overwhelming power.
Wave upon wave, one surge crashing in before the last had settled.
Now, the Mage Council, representative of justice, had received the favor of the Goddess of Justice herself.
This was, without question, a momentous signal.
Meanwhile.
Viktor leaned against the window, feeling the gentle breeze drifting in from outside. He reached out and produced the newly completed Staff.
The pitch-black body of the Staff was covered in intricate engravings that stretched outward, bending gradually, with 3 rings suspended at its peak.
At the top, a golden bird's head curved upward; at the base, what appeared to be a lustrous gem was inlaid, gleaming brilliantly.
【Staff—Truth of the Great Prosperity】
【Effect: HP +10,000, MP +300, All Resistance +100, Strength +350, Magic Power Consumption -40%】
【Skill: Grand Prosperity—During combat, 15% of Spell Intensity can be converted into HP, and 15% of MP can be converted into Strength. This effect persists until the end of combat.】
【Skill: Astraea's Divine Judgment—Delivers judgment upon an enemy. Depending on the enemy's Justice value, deals massive damage ranging from Strength ×200% to ×4,000%.】
【Description: The truth of prosperity—only those who command immense power can wield it.】
Strictly speaking, the Staff in Viktor's hands was merely a recreation of the one that existed in the game.
But compared to its in-game counterpart, this Staff had gained an additional new Skill.
【Astraea's Divine Judgment】
This Skill had come about through the addition of the Goddess of Justice's Scale.
Though it was a replica, its power was nothing short of extraordinary.
And, by some happy accident, it complemented this Staff's existing attributes perfectly.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
At precisely that moment, 3 successive knocks drew Viktor's attention back from his thoughts.
His palm relaxed slightly, and the Staff dissolved into scattered fragments, dissipating from his hand.
He turned around.
Leah had already pushed the door open and was standing in the doorway.
Evidently, the knocking just now had been one of her rare concessions to politeness.
She leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a faint look of displeasure on her face. "It's almost time—why are you still dawdling in here?"
Viktor knew what Leah was referring to.
In 7 more days, it would be the birthday of the Imperial Princess, Auréliane.
Emperor Aubrey doted on his daughter immensely, and with 7 days still to go, he had already begun making preparations on her behalf.
Since early this morning, the entire outer ring of the Royal Capital had been decorated in grand, festive fashion.
Colorful balloons and vibrant streamers gleamed especially bright beneath the sunlight, while fireworks of every hue bloomed across the boundless sky.
The whole country celebrated together.
Before all of this, Auréliane had not been widely known to the public.
In the past, she had been timid and had never appeared before the public eye.
The old Emperor adored her deeply and had never once forced her to attend any banquets or public events.
And so, while daughters of other noble families would make a grand spectacle of their birthdays, drawing countless attendants, Auréliane had always been different—even on her birthday, she would hide away inside the Imperial Palace and quietly watch as the servants sneaked out to set off 2 small fireworks for her.
But now, Auréliane was no longer the timid girl she had once been.
She had begun to display the dignity and pride that were uniquely the province of the Imperial nobility.
Watching his child grow ever more remarkable, Aubrey naturally wished to share Auréliane's growth with the entire world.
And as her teacher, Viktor was expected to arrive early to offer his congratulations.
Leah stood there, urging Viktor along.
"Gwen already left ahead of time. Everyone's just waiting on you."
Indeed, had Leah not physically shoved Gwen into the Carriage herself, the 2 of them would likely have both ended up late.
At that thought, Leah pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a troubled sigh.
She shook her head, visibly exasperated by the whole situation.
During the days Viktor had been away from home, Gwen had come to the estate looking for him every single day.
Each day, she would approach Leah in her characteristic flat, emotionless tone and state her demand:
"I want to see Viktor."
In the past, Gwen's fascination with Viktor hadn't been quite this intense.
This left Leah genuinely puzzled: what sort of power did Viktor possess that had Gwen so utterly enthralled?
Leah couldn't quite figure it out.
Viktor gave a nod and was just about to leave.
But Leah straightened up and looked at him.
"Hold on."
She walked directly up to him, extended one finger, and gave him several firm pokes in the chest.
"You're planning to head out dressed like that?"
Viktor was silent for a moment. Without a word, he reached up and tugged at his collar.
A surge of flame instantly ignited behind him, whirling through the air and wrapping around Viktor's entire figure.
The fire burned along his Coat, trailing sparks of light, and in its wake, the Coat gave way to a black formal suit.
The black formal suit accentuated his near-perfect masculine physique to striking effect, while the wing motif at the chest lent him a touch of mysterious elegance.
At the sight of this, Leah's bright eyes made no effort to conceal her approval.
She looked him up and down, a satisfied smile spreading across her face as she gave her verdict:
"Much better. Now hurry up and go."
Weija glided down and landed on Viktor's shoulder, beginning to preen its sleek feathers. Only then did Viktor turn and head for the door.
His leading foot had barely crossed the threshold before he paused.
He didn't turn back. Instead, he addressed Leah behind him with an apparently unrelated remark:
"I'm curious."
Leah looked puzzled.
"About what?"
"You actually knocked."
The moment the words landed, a gust of air surged up around Viktor's entire body.
Currents of wind enveloped him, and his figure gradually dissolved into wisps of white mist.
Several streams of energy rose in all directions, carrying every last trace of his presence away with them.
In the blink of an eye, Viktor had melted into the wind and was gone.
Leah stood frozen in place, still puzzled, her hair stirring faintly in the passing breeze.
She blinked, then suddenly realized something. A faint flush crept across her face, and she muttered quietly, too proud to admit it meant anything:
"Wh-what's the big deal?"
"I just knocked on the door—why are you making such a fuss about it...?"
She had, after all, spent quite a while standing at the door mentally preparing herself to do it.
***
Ryan Kent sat aboard the Carriage, feeling its gentle sway.
The rhythmic clatter of hooves and the reverberations of wheels rolling over cobblestone streets mingled together around him.
Festive streamers and plush toys hung all around, and balloons in every color of the rainbow drifted through the sky above.
Because the Princess's 7-day birthday celebration was underway, the streets were packed with more people than one could count—so many that it was positively crowded.
Rightfully so, since even bread and eggs had been discounted by half today.
Taking in the scene around him, Ryan was filled with a deep sense of nostalgia.
It had been a long time since he had last visited the Empire.
He remembered his previous visit—that had been decades ago now.
Back then, the Empire had been in the middle of laying the railway tracks for the Magic Train.
"Though I never imagined you'd be coming along too, ha ha ha ha."
Ryan turned his head and looked toward the front of the Carriage compartment.
Heim Horn was also seated inside the Carriage, one hand propped beneath his head, sitting across from Ryan.
"As the administrator of the Council, of course I had to make this trip."
He then calmly expressed what was on his mind:
"But even so, this visit to Sol VIII requires the proper deference."
Though his own age could be traced back several generations before Aubrey's ancestors, at the very least.
But there was no helping it—Aubrey's power was genuinely among the foremost in the world.
That was simply how the world worked: the strong were always accorded exceptional respect.
The Carriage gradually brought its rolling wheels to a halt before the gates of the Imperial Palace.
The great gates dropped open with a thunderous boom—an imposing, awe-inspiring sight—as a wave of solemn authority surged toward the faces of the 2 men.
The Knights at the entrance verified their identities, gave them each a deep bow, and gestured them through.
"Welcome, distinguished guests."
"Council Member Ryan Kent. Council Member Heim Horn."
After all, a visit from 2 members of the Mage Council was a matter of considerable significance—one that required advance notification.
Led by a loyal Imperial attendant, the 2 of them were brought to Aubrey's private residence. It was a large but unassuming dwelling.
For Aubrey, the leader of the Empire, to live in such a modest home was enough to make anyone think he had rather frugal tastes.
The moment they stepped inside, they found Aubrey patiently combing through a young girl's hair.
His fingers moved through Auréliane's beautiful silver tresses, his gaze carrying the faint shimmer of distant remembrance.
Heim Horn gave a slight bow, his signature electric-tinged voice ringing out as he spoke first:
"Emperor Aubrey, we have arrived as promised."
Immediately following, Ryan Kent also offered Aubrey a small bow.
Aubrey paused his hands, slowly rose to his feet, and regarded them with a smile.
"Council Member Horn, Master Kent—welcome, both of you."
Heim and Ryan straightened up, looked at Aubrey, and spoke with gravity:
"To keep it brief, Emperor Aubrey."
"The matter of the Goddess's cult followers—this is something our Council needs to address as soon as possible."