Chapter 505: Why Are They Suddenly Crying?

Under Orsaga's silent gaze, Erebus trembled violently.

Summoning all his remaining courage, he forced himself to greet the entity:

"G-G-Greetings… Your Excellency…"

The very moment he uttered the first word—

the instant he attempted to establish contact—

a special coordinate manifested within his soul.

Using that anchor, Orsaga's higher-dimensional power effortlessly crossed time and space, invading both his body and spirit.

As this force surged through him, Erebus's expression changed at a speed visible to the naked eye—

from terror and panic

to reverence,

to fanatical devotion.

Orsaga paid no attention to the transformation.

Resting his chin on one hand, he spoke calmly, as though issuing an ordinary instruction:

"I require you to complete a task."

His gaze seemed to look at Erebus, yet also through him—impossible to read.

The moment the words reached his ears, the newly-brainwashed Erebus responded without hesitation:

"Yes! Please command me—your servant will accomplish it without fail!"

His attitude was even more subservient than the most loyal of lapdogs.

All traces of earlier fear had evaporated.

---

Months Later

A man named Lorgar Aurelian arrived at the Covenant Church of Colchis, accompanied by his adoptive father, Kor Phaeron.

Both were unusual, but Lorgar was extraordinary.

From the moment he appeared, he demonstrated overwhelming charisma and strength far beyond any mortal's understanding.

In a short time, countless followers gathered around him.

Through secret probing and observation, Erebus soon discovered something shocking—

Lorgar intended to overthrow the ancient polytheistic faith that had ruled Colchis for thousands of years…

and replace it with the worship of a mysterious golden figure, a single true God.

Lorgar claimed he had foreseen the deity's eventual arrival.

To properly honor such a divine being, he believed a new, perfect, and unified religion was essential.

When Erebus first heard this, he nearly vomited.

Had this been any other time, he would have responded to such blasphemy with decisive action. As a fanatic of the Bloodbound King, he would never tolerate it.

But now?

Under Orsaga's command, Lorgar's "heresies" seemed nothing more than the antics of a clown.

With feigned humility and deep hidden disdain, the two-faced Erebus joined Lorgar's budding church, working tirelessly to seize influence and prepare for his true mission.

---

As Lorgar's influence grew, inevitable conflict erupted between his monotheistic faith and the planet's entrenched polytheistic cults.

Resistance followed—

but it was useless against someone like Lorgar.

Within less than a decade, the entire planet was unified under his rule.

Those who refused conversion faced either the barrel of a gun or the sharp edge of a power blade.

Many stubborn idealists died defiant.

Many pragmatists quickly folded—"Change religions? Easy. Why make a fuss?"

Through impeccable acting and well-calculated service, Erebus rose step by step, eventually becoming Chief Priest—one of the highest-ranking figures of the new faith.

Through long observation, he came to understand Lorgar well.

Though his hands were stained with blood and his ideology was rigid, Lorgar was—at his core—a good man.

Just painfully, hopelessly obsessed with religion.

To him, faith was not an abstract concept, but a necessity as vital as air or water.

A perfect religion, he believed, could elevate society and unify all classes with shared understanding.

As for old religions?

In his eyes, they were outdated refuse—destined for eradication.

Whether tens or hundreds of thousands died in the process was irrelevant.

Progress was worth the price.

His father Kor Phaeron, however, was far more dangerous.

Lorgar was naïve, academic, and idealistic.

Kor Phaeron was none of these.

To Erebus—whose own "trash senses" were unmatched—the man reeked of concealed corruption.

A master-class scoundrel.

If Erebus was top-tier human filth, then Kor Phaeron was one level below him—still elite garbage.

Lorgar, idealistic and trusting, had no idea that his right and left hands were both deceitful, power-hungry manipulators.

After careful consideration, Erebus chose not to quietly assassinate Kor Phaeron.

Killing him would create complications.

But corrupting him? Buying him off?

That was easy.

---

More Than a Decade Later

After years of effort, Lorgar completed his grand religious system.

He devoured every scripture on the planet, assembling vast doctrinal texts.

And through persistent, intuitive conviction, he sensed that the god he worshipped—the one who created him—was finally approaching Colchis.

On a bright, clear day—

A massive voidfleet bearing the Aquila—the double-headed imperial eagle—appeared in orbit.

One transport descended.

A ramp extended.

And a towering figure in golden armor, wearing a laurel crown, stepped into view.

Lorgar, overcome with emotion, burst into tears.

Thousands of believers behind him followed suit, sobbing with joy.

"???"

The Emperor, just stepping off the ship, stared in bafflement.

He had no idea Lorgar had created a personality cult around him.

He had absolutely no clue why an entire crowd of strangers was crying at the sight of him.

'Why… why are they suddenly crying?'

He wanted to ask, but the suffocatingly awkward atmosphere made it difficult.

For now, he decided it was best to wait until later and speak with Lorgar privately.

....

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