Chapter 244 : Chapter 244

Chapter 244

Eurasia.

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍name of an old kingdom he had seen in history books.

'It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was said to have led the Kingdom Alliance several times in the past.'

Claudio ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍slowly retraced his memories.

Hundreds ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of years ago, in Rudic Eurasia's time, it had survived the Empire's clutches by hiring mercenaries. In Edan Eurasia's time, it had shaken the Empire by training knights.

One ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍historian had even written in a secretly published book that if not for the Monster Lord, Eurasia would have brought down the Empire.

'Edan Eurasia died after ascending a mountain range to subjugate the Monster Lord that had settled within his kingdom's territory, and the Kingdom Alliance completely dissolved afterward.'

Those were facts recorded in the history books in the Papal Office's archives.

'The last record was that they had gone into hiding somewhere on the eastern frontier... Did they ultimately decline into a family?'

The eastern frontier, with its mountain monsters and rugged terrain, was no place for ordinary people to live.

Why had a direct descendant of Eurasia come to the temple where Tatia was, now that hundreds of years had passed since the kingdom fell?

Without revealing his doubts, Claudio returned the greeting.

"It is good to meet you."

He decided to put the oracle aside for the moment. Learning about this man, Simon Eurasia, was more important now.

"What brings you here?"

"I have an urgent request for Saintess Tatia, which is why I came."

"A request?"

He looked at Tatia.

"He wishes for support from Pantera Temple on the eastern frontier. He says he wants to subjugate mountain ranges together with priests."

"A personal dispatch is difficult."

Claudio flatly refused the proposal.

Priests were not mercenaries.

Humanitarian work was one thing, but if a temple's priests moved together with a frontier family, it could damage the Holy Nation's neutrality.

He intended to refuse the proposal and consider a different approach.

But then—

"Is a priest following a god's words not for the sake of humans?"

Claudio frowned at the attitude that seemed to accuse him.

"How rude. Are you trying to instruct me?"

"I..."

"Sir Simon."

Tatia shook her head.

"Please rest for today, at least."

At Tatia's summons, a maid guided Simon to a place to rest.

Only then did she look at Claudio.

"That was sharp of you, unlike yourself."

"I only said what needed to be said."

"As the man said, there is no harm in merely speaking to Pantera Temple, is there?"

She asked him familiarly.

If he granted all such requests, no priests would remain in temples across the continent. There were already people sending letters saying they lacked manpower.

Moreover, it would become difficult to grasp the Empire's movements.

"Claudio."

"What?"

He answered, worried that she might notice the turmoil in his heart.

"I received an oracle."

"What...?"

Unconcerned with his reaction, Tatia continued.

"He said one who speaks the truth will come. He also said there is truth in that man's words, so I should judge them well."

Unlike the god Cronis, the god Veritas tended to speak ambiguously.

"I always tell you only the truth."

"Cardinal Claudio."

"I will look into Simon Eurasia."

"......"

Tatia looked unwilling.

"Please wait until then."

It was a strange feeling.

Simon Eurasia was someone connected to his oracle.

Eurasia was also on bad terms with the Empire, making it a force he should make use of.

So why did he feel such hostility?

'No, it is too early to conclude Simon Eurasia is the person from the oracle.'

He had merely been a silver-haired knight, and Claudio had not even seen his face clearly.

"I also received an oracle."

For now, turning Tatia's heart elsewhere came first.

"In the near future, the world will be engulfed in war."

"......!!"

To the startled Tatia, he told the oracle he had seen without embellishment.

The Boundary on the northern frontier would collapse, and Radiance would sweep over the continent because of it.

"The unknown Radiance will swallow everything, and the mountain monsters will seize that opening to trample the entire continent."

"What will the Holy Nation and the Empire be doing...?"

"Neither the Holy Nation nor the Empire appeared in the future I saw."

Tatia looked shocked.

"There are two possibilities. They either fell, or they did nothing even while the monsters trampled the continent."

Either way, much blood would be spilled.

"That cannot be..."

Just as he expected, she took her oracle seriously.

"Then we must support the families on the frontier all the more and—"

"The Empire is watching us. Its spies will report our every movement."

If she moved rashly, there was a great risk she would be harmed.

"Did we not say we would change the Holy Nation together?"

"......"

"I will change the Holy Nation and put an end to the Empire's evil deeds."

Claudio showed a gentle smile as he watched her reluctantly nod.

The emotion that had made him push Simon Eurasia away had not simply been caution.

It was merely the desire to become the one and only person for Tatia.

"Leave it to me."

He did not know it then.

The next day.

Simon Eurasia returned home.

Tatia devoted herself to her duties as a Saintess.

She visited temples across the continent, collected donations, and settled countless disputes.

Claudio sought her out after she returned from a pilgrimage of several months.

"I heard you went to see the Boundary?"

"It is the place that will cause the oracle, so I thought it needed to be checked."

"The Boundary is watched through Styx Temple and—"

"Nothing is as certain as seeing it with my own eyes."

"......"

"Fortunately, there do not seem to be any unusual signs yet."

"I see."

It was not wrong, so he did not think much of it.

"And at the Temple of Barrier, I found a Divine Maiden candidate. She is a child named Lan, doing odd jobs there."

"Odd jobs? Did the Chief Priest take her in without knowing that?"

"Probably."

Though still young, Tatia said, the girl had more than enough potential.

"Keep an eye on her without drawing attention."

"I will. I have something to tell you, too."

"...?"

"I intend to run in the election for the next Pope. I am building a faction within the College of Cardinals. Well, even if I become the next Pope, it will take ten years."

Why did his heart pound so when he told her about the steps he was taking?

"Once I become Pope, I intend to pressure the king to sever ties with the Empire. If that happens, those bastards will not be able to start wars as they please."

"It is a wonderful dream."

"I need your help."

As always, Tatia gave a radiant smile.

"I will always help you."

It was more than enough of an answer.

About a month after that day, the Chief Priest of Pantera Temple sent a letter.

As Saintess Tatia advised us, we successfully concluded the subjugation campaign. The eastern frontier is being unified around Eurasia.

"......"

CRUMPLE.

The letter twisted in his hand.

***

By Claudio's standards, the Chief Priest of Pantera Temple was neither exceptionally capable nor incompetent.

Still, as befitted someone stationed on the frontier, the fact that he had not been steeped in politics was the sole thing Claudio liked about him.

"It was already two years ago."

Despite the unexpected visit, the Chief Priest answered his question honestly.

"Lady Tatia personally asked us to help the frontier families subjugate monsters."

"......"

Two years ago.

The day he received the oracle and first met Simon Eurasia.

"She told us not to spare any assistance to families seeking support. She even sent separate funds."

"Saintess Tatia grieves over the blood shed because of monsters more than anyone. How much support are you providing the priests?"

"We regularly provide thirty priests to a family called Eurasia, which had been requesting support for a long time."

He said the knights of Eurasia, having received support, had all but wiped out the monsters in five mountain ranges, including the Kurt Mountain Range.

"With this, there will be no need to worry about Waves for the next ten years."

"Impressive."

"The eastern frontier is uniting around a man named Simon Eurasia. He seems to have reached the rank of a Superhuman at a young age... Even you, Cardinal, would be surprised if you met him."

"I will report this matter directly to His Holiness the Pope and commend Pantera Temple for its hard work."

"Thank you."

The moment he returned to the Papal Office through the Warp Gate, he reviewed once more the letters from the Information Guild that had been reporting to him.

There is an extremely low possibility that Simon Eurasia will become the head of the family.

The head of the Baskia Family is moving to take control of the eastern frontier.

Nowhere did it say Simon Eurasia was conducting subjugation campaigns.

"Tatia."

Only then did he realize that she had arranged something.

He immediately contracted a new Information Guild in secret.

Saintess Tatia, using a pilgrimage as a pretext, made contact with a Eurasia knight.

Under Eurasia's leadership, subjugation campaigns are under way in the eastern mountain ranges.

Simon Eurasia has become the head of Eurasia.

The head of the Stone Family has sworn loyalty to the head of Eurasia.

Information began to arrive that one family after another was swearing loyalty to Simon Eurasia.

Several years passed in that way.

The Empire's tyranny remained unchanged, while he steadily established his position within the College of Cardinals.

He brought the Bellium Holy Knight Order, which protected the Papal Office, into his faction.

The Pope trusted him and often asked for his insight into the future.

Everything was proceeding smoothly.

'I heard Tatia has returned.'

While she had gone on a pilgrimage with the College of Cardinals, he had found a clue to Divine Object Synchronization.

If successful, it would be a discovery that shook the world.

Once she had recovered from the fatigue of travel, he intended to verify Divine Object Synchronization with her.

"Where is Saintess Tatia?"

"She has gone to have an audience with His Holiness the Pope."

"I will wait in her office."

"Her office has not been tidied yet... How about the reception room?"

"......"

Alarm appeared on the face of Tatia's maid.

"No. I will wait in her office."

Leaving the flustered maid behind, he headed to the office.

CLICK.

When he opened the door and entered, there was a man inside.

"......"

"......"

Uncomfortable gazes met.

The man occupying the office spoke first.

"We meet again."

"I told you not to let a mere knight interfere with sacred duties for private purposes."

"I am only a knight who walks the path of the sword."

Simon Eurasia continued, looking at him with an indifferent gaze.

"I have nothing to say to one who blindly believes in a god's will."

"Blasphemy."

Divine Power rose from Claudio's body, and gray mana rose from Simon's body as well.

RRRRUMBLE.

Merely releasing his mana produced an immense sense of presence.

His shabby clothes were no different from several years ago, but the force he gave off was vastly different from before.

'According to the reports, it cannot have been long since he reached 7-Star.'

The Hollyheart of one chosen as an Apostle was not inferior to the Mana Heart of a Superhuman.

Claudio placed a hand on the Holy Object he wore.

He intended to strengthen his Authority and pressure Simon Eurasia.

Then—

"Carpe Illusion."

THUD.

Simon stamped his foot and quietly intoned.

"Valhalla."

FWOOSH.

Gray mana spread, and the surroundings transformed into a barren wasteland.

'The realm of a Superhuman.'

It was a technique he had seen several times.

Yet, for some reason, his Divine Power would not activate.

"Only physical strength is permitted within my domain."

"......!!"

Claudio was greatly shocked.

A space where Divine Power did not apply.

'Is that not, in itself, an ability that blasphemes against gods?'

SHING.

Simon Eurasia's sword touched Claudio's throat.

"You......"

"Surrender, Cardinal."

Claudio's body trembled at that arrogant gaze.

Then—

"Put away your sword."

Tatia de Veritas appeared, breaking through Simon's Carpe Illusion.