Chapter 289 : Chapter 289

Chapter 289. Open the Integrated Major Booth (2)

‘This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍is my chance.’

Gillian Gird.

He was a servant of the Archdemon Asmodeus and a Priest of the Supreme Deity Order.

He was not a high-ranking priest, but Gillian often served alongside influential figures and had many opportunities to see bishop-level clergy.

Thanks to that, he had been able to hand the key over to Taylor, a Bishop of the Supreme Deity Order.

He had corrupted a bishop of the Supreme Deity Order.

That fact alone had instantly elevated Gillian’s standing within the Black Order.

But all that dazzling glory was now a thing of the past.

Bishop Taylor had been exposed as a heretic due to a ridiculous mistake and dragged away by the Inquisitors.

With Asmodeus’s Key in his possession!

The crime of failing to properly manage Bishop Taylor, and the crime of losing the Key of Seal.

Just those two offenses alone were enough to put Gillian at risk of being demoted from his position as an executive.

He had only one chance left.

‘It has to be somewhere around here.’

The place he had infiltrated now was the Supreme Deity Order’s temple in Marcellent.

Upon hearing that personnel were being recruited to staff the Supreme Deity Order’s booth for the Academy festival, he had hastily applied.

His objective was singular.

To find Bishop Taylor, who would be imprisoned somewhere within the Inquisitors’ stronghold, and ask him about the whereabouts of the key.

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by preparations for the Academy festival booths, Gillian slipped into the underground prison.

‘Found him!’

And there, inside the prison, he found Bishop Taylor.

“……What is this…….”

But Bishop Taylor was nothing like Gillian had imagined.

Instead of curses pouring from his mouth, he was humming softly, and rather than despair, his face was full of smiles.

“Hm hm hm.”

Moreover, he was gathered together with demon worshipers imprisoned in the underground dungeon, all focused on something.

In their hands were long, slender sticks.

A stunned word slipped from Gillian’s lips.

“Knitting……?”

That was right.

The demon worshipers were sitting in a circle, completely absorbed in knitting.

It was an utterly absurd sight.

Reeling in shock, Gillian staggered closer to them.

The closer he got, the clearer their handiwork became.

He was not mistaken.

Standing before Bishop Taylor, who was knitting socks decorated with an adorable squirrel pattern, Gillian called out to him.

“Bishop Taylor.”

“Oh? Who is this? My friend, Gillian!”

Bishop Taylor, wearing a suspicious necklace, recognized Gillian and broke into a broad smile.

“What are you doing……?”

“Knitting, of course. I am making socks to share with my neighbors. Is it not wonderful that my clumsy hands can still be of help to someone?”

……Had he lost his mind?

The Bishop Taylor Gillian knew was never like this.

Perhaps he had gone mad from the Inquisitors’ torture.

Judging that there was nothing to be gained from a long conversation with a madman, Gillian moved straight to the point.

“More importantly, where is Asmodeus’s Key?”

“The key?”

“Yes. The key sealing Asmodeus. Without it—”

At that moment, someone knitting a sweater beside Bishop Taylor cut in.

“If you are talking about the key, then I know it well.”

Recognizing him, Gillian let out a low groan.

It was Obsidian, once a servant of Belphegor and a professor at Helsington Magic School.

The gloomy presence befitting a loyal subordinate of an Archdemon was nowhere to be found; instead, a benevolent smile filled his face.

“Why are you looking for the key here? It is within your heart.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Exactly what I said. Do not obsess over the key. The great ones all dwell within our hearts.”

“What did you say?”

This one had gone mad as well.

Gillian stumbled back, increasing the distance between himself and them.

“Do not worry. You will come to understand that there is no need to wander about searching for a key.”

“He is right. The true key was in my heart all along. I never realized it. I only learned that after coming here!”

“It is fortunate you realized it, even now. Let us continue to devote ourselves. While giving thanks to the 8th Prince, who granted us this opportunity.”

The 8th Prince?

Gillian’s expression hardened.

“That is right! Without the 8th Prince, would we ever have had the chance to gain such enlightenment?”

“Indeed. It almost would have all been for nothing. Thanks to the 8th Prince, peace has finally come to us.”

Clank.

The door to the underground prison opened, and the sound of someone entering echoed through the corridor.

It seemed it was time for the prisoners’ meals.

Gillian quickly pulled his cloak over himself and withdrew.

‘The 8th Prince.’

The whereabouts of the key were unknown, the heretics had all gone mad, and behind it all stood the 8th Prince.

‘Just what kind of man are you?’

A premonition stirred within him that the key’s location might also be connected to the 8th Prince.

Gillian resolved to infiltrate the festival and uncover his true nature.

***

The day before the Imperial Magic Academy’s Autumn Festival.

From Academy students to faculty, everyone involved in the festival was frantically busy.

With the festival beginning the next day, all booths had to be set up by the end of the day.

“Make way, make way!”

A constant stream of people moved in and out of the Academy’s main gate.

Carriages piled high with cargo, carts pulled by magical beasts, and all manner of materials and goods flowed endlessly inside.

Priests and Holy Knights of the Supreme Deity Order were also waiting for their turn to enter.

Among them, Gillian quietly blended in.

Gillian looked around with a deliberately awed expression.

“So this is the Academy. It is my first time here.”

“Is this your first visit, Brother Gillian? Well, unless you belong to the Marcellent Temple, there are not many opportunities to come.”

“Yes, I am looking forward to it. Especially since the 8th Prince is here at the Academy as well.”

Gillian deliberately brought up the 8th Prince, watching the reactions of the other priests.

“So Brother Gillian has come to experience ‘that’ as well!”

“Indeed. ‘That’ is something anyone serving the Supreme Deity Order must experience at least once.”

“You must be excited. Be sure to visit the 8th Prince’s booth during your break!”

The priests and Holy Knights all spoke in unison about ‘that.’

Their reactions were filled with barely contained anticipation.

‘What on earth is “that” supposed to be?’

Though curious, Gillian feared it would seem suspicious if he revealed his ignorance, so he merely nodded along.

From their insistence that he should visit the 8th Prince’s booth if he wanted to experience it, he could tell something was there.

‘Just what has the 8th Prince been doing?’

As a Priest of the Supreme Deity Order, Gillian was well aware of the 8th Prince’s existence.

He was the only royal openly declared to be supported by the Archbishop.

Gillian did not know what sort of deal might have existed between the Archbishop and the 8th Prince, but the 8th Prince had rapidly taken control of the Order’s internal atmosphere.

Rumors spread that his building had been consecrated as holy ground after he single-handedly cleared an undead dungeon, and even heroic tales claiming that an 8th Prince with no Divine Power had blocked the gate to the Demon World.

‘There is a limit to exaggeration.’

The reason such exaggerated rumors circulated was obvious.

To expand the Supreme Deity Order’s influence after its relationship with the Emperor soured, the Archbishop had decided to promote a powerless royal.

Annoyed by this, Bishop Taylor had stepped forward, claiming he would deal with the 8th Prince, only to be exposed as a heretic.

Gillian had dismissed it as nothing more than Bishop Taylor’s mistake.

He had never imagined that the 8th Prince himself might have exposed Taylor’s true nature.

He looked down on an 8th Prince who possessed no Divine Power.

“It is our turn. Let us go in!”

The group from the Supreme Deity Order passed through the Academy’s main gate and headed toward the area where the booths were gathered.

A scanning spell passed over Gillian, but nothing happened.

He was, after all, both a Priest of the Supreme Deity Order and an executive of the Black Order.

He possessed exceptional skill in concealing demonic energy.

- Kieeeek!

As they drew closer to the booths, a sharp cry rang out, and a massive shadow fell across the ground.

It was a Griffin.

“To see such a rare magical beast at the Academy.”

Gillian could not help but admire it.

Not only was it a magical beast one rarely saw in a lifetime, it was also notoriously difficult to tame due to its ferocity.

True to its title as king of the skies, it was magnificent and dignified.

But as he watched, something felt off.

Was something hanging from the Griffin’s tail……?

- Kieeek!

“Are you not doing it properly? No meat for you?”

THUMP!

He even seemed to hear strange voices from atop the Griffin.

Only then did Gillian notice the long banner the Griffin was trailing behind it.

Written on it were the words:

‘Come to the Integrated Major Booth, full of dreams and hope!’

***

Behind the Academy, where various booths were being set up.

Gillian arrived at a spot piled high with materials and cargo.

There was someone he was scheduled to meet in secret.

“You are late.”

Confirming Gillian’s arrival, a figure emerged from the shadows.

It was Kier Iern, a servant of Leviathan and a follower of the 4th Princess, Estina Mecure Cretian.

He looked at Gillian with a cold expression.

“Do you have any idea how important this matter is?”

“I intended to come earlier as well. I did not expect the lines to be this long for a mere school festival.”

That was something even Kier had not anticipated.

Despite attending the Academy for four years, he had never seen a festival prepared on such a massive scale.

However, the influx of tourists drawn to the Academy Autumn Festival was excellent news for him.

The more people there were, the more perfect his plan became.

Kier handed Gillian a pouch.

“Excuses are unnecessary. In any case, take this.”

“What is it?”

“The most important element of this plan.”

When Gillian opened the pouch, he found it filled with small stones.

They looked like ordinary pebbles, but to eyes attuned to demonic energy, curse formulas were etched into them.

“These must be installed discreetly beside the Supreme Deity Order’s booth. That way, we can complete the plan without interference.”

Recognizing the formula, Gillian realized what Kier intended to do.

“Do not tell me you are planning—!”

A plan for Leviathan’s descent.

By deepening the 4th Princess’s corruption through the Academy festival, they would have her receive Leviathan’s call.

Then the entire world would know that the Age of Darkness had returned.

That was as far as Gillian had imagined.

But Kier dreamed of something far more extreme.

A vile smile crept across Kier’s lips.

“Did you really think I wanted some half-baked descent like that?”

His eyes gleamed in the darkness.

“With this many sacrifices…… I have no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.”

The true resurrection of Leviathan.

It was the dream Kier so desperately desired.

A dream he wished to realize even at the cost of every life present.

He would tear apart not only the arrogant Estina, but even the insignificant 8th Prince’s soul.

The thought alone made his entire body tremble with delight.

“I truly look forward to the looks on their faces, drenched in fear.”

Gillian swallowed hard.

He too was a heretic, but even to him, this plan went too far.

‘If that many people die, everything will fall apart!’

He did not want to escalate matters to such an extent.

Yet he had no justification to stop Kier’s plan.

More than that, this was an opportunity granted to him.

A final chance to make up for two failures.

Gillian felt his hand tremble as he gripped the pouch.

The next day, the Academy Autumn Festival began.