Chapter 285

"What……?"

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the words Monster Lord, Julian asked again.

"I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍said I am going to catch the Monster Lord."

"No, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what do you mean……?"

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked as though he doubted his own hearing, wondering whether he had heard properly.

There ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed to be no need to emphasize it again.

"Before that, I came to say goodbye."

"So, all of a sudden, you are going alone……?"

"Well, having a companion would be reassuring."

"……"

Julian quietly avoided Killian's gaze.

It was a natural reaction.

At a time when he had to march out for the war with the Empire, heading into the mountain range for a subjugation campaign was no different from throwing away the chance to earn the greatest merit.

‘He must be afraid as well.’

Julian had only barely managed to rise again through his achievement in the Current Nations.

‘His instincts will reject joining a mountain expedition with no end in sight.’

"Did the First Queen give you some sort of hint?"

"I made a deal."

"Ahem, Killian. I have said this before and say it often, but I rely on you. Not even blood brothers would feel this way."

Therefore.

"Let us achieve Eurasia's grand plan together. If you and I join forces, it would not be impossible to create a new Empire in our generation."

‘He has grown a great deal in just a few years.’

It felt like only yesterday that Julian had been frustrated, blocked by his inferiority toward his older brothers and the wall of 4-Star.

Already, he had become a 5-Star knight and was displaying the spirit to speak of an Empire.

‘Well, it is impossible with Julian's skill.’

Separate from how admirable that was, it would be better for Julian himself and for Eurasia if he gave up his lingering attachment to becoming king as soon as possible.

Julian was still immersed in his own world, fighting a difficult battle.

If he was left like this, he might truly die in the next war.

Thinking of him dying in battle made Killian uneasy.

"Julian."

"Why are you speaking informally again……? What did I do wrong?"

Instead of raising his voice because Killian was looking down on him as before, he examined his own words and actions first. It was admirable.

"Do not try too hard to stand out on the battlefield. You know the bounty for the prince's killer is still active, right?"

"Do not say such ominous things!"

"With your skill, you are perfectly suited to die in battle. Even if you are surrounded, do not put on a pointless display of bravado. Lower your head if you must and seek a way to live."

"Ha…… You, to the very end, treat me……"

"I hope we meet again alive."

"……"

"Give my regards to the Third Queen as well."

"Hey, Killian!!"

"I am leaving."

After giving a light wave, he left the commander's office.

The next place he visited was the Head Apothecary's Office.

"I heard Chamberlain Haman took the potions for you?"

Roen reacted with puzzlement.

"I received the items safely."

"……?"

"I simply thought I had not thanked you."

"You are behaving out of character. Are you leaving to subjugate monsters?"

"I believe I will be gone for quite a long time this time."

"……Is that so?"

Roen looked at Killian's sword and backpack for a moment, then asked indirectly.

"The Monster Lord?"

"Did you know?"

"It is uncommon for someone with strength like yours to leave when a war with the Empire is so close."

"The First Queen must have told you something."

"I too am an elder of the family and someone who has become a pillar of the kingdom. When Eurasia's grand plan is being discussed, I naturally hear enough about what I need to know."

Why did Lucy Eurasia's thoroughness leave him feeling satisfied?

"So, how long do you think it will take?"

"I do not know."

There were more than thirty places in the eastern mountain range alone suspected to be Monster Lord dungeons.

There were roughly twenty other suspected locations.

It would take a considerable amount of time simply to examine them all.

Searching the dungeons was only a process for tracking down the Monster Lord.

Actually finding and cutting him down was another matter entirely.

Roen also seemed to recognize that this subjugation would not be easy.

"You did not come merely to say goodbye to me. Are you taking Hazard as well?"

"Not immediately."

Hazard was a being who could become a great strength for Eurasia in the war with the Empire.

Killian intended to avoid any further loss of strength as much as possible.

"He can now use Polymorph freely. Have the Head Apothecary keep him, then entrust him to Charles or Serena if either of them seeks him later."

"I will do so. May glory accompany the path you walk."

Roen offered a sincere farewell.

"Thank you."

She was the last person with whom he exchanged farewells in Eurasia.

Using the Warp Formula in the main castle, he went directly to the Pantera Temple, then headed for the Holy See without even having time to receive Pierre's greeting.

Bergo, who now suited cardinal's robes well, welcomed him.

"Lady Lan has been waiting for quite some time. I heard you made a big mess this time?"

"I have heard enough of that in the kingdom on my way here."

"Hahaha. Those born with destiny are always followed by attention."

Born with destiny.

At first, he had thought it was a conventional expression used by those who served the Gods, but he had begun hearing it often at some point.

When he asked what it meant, Bergo shook his head.

"Rather than hear the answer from me, I think you should hear it from someone born with a similar destiny."

"Who is that?"

"The person you are about to meet."

"……"

Before long, he arrived at the Saintess's reception room.

"May the blessing of God Pantera accompany Sir Killian's future."

With a good-natured smile, Bergo offered a blessing.

‘What use am I supposed to make of the blessing of someone with such a foul personality?’

When Killian entered the reception room, it was thick with smoke.

The source of the smoke was the cigarette in Lan's hand.

"You certainly showed your face quickly."

Whoooo.

Smoke poured from her mouth as she exhaled deeply.

"It seems you have been smoking more."

"Because of someone. Sit down."

With a nod of her chin, she indicated a chair hidden in the smoke.

"I heard you were pushed out of your position as commander of the Extermination Squad. Are you traveling or something?"

She said it as she swept her gaze over Killian's attire.

"I am leaving for a mountain-range subjugation."

"Oh? While some people are working their f*cking asses off, you are going to travel alone?"

"I said I was going on a subjugation."

"Do you not know that it would not be strange for the Empire's elite soldiers to advance today?"

There was diplomatic conflict before a physical war.

She added that after the diplomatic clash that would occur before long, the entire continent would be stained by war.

"I know."

"Even so, strength like yours is leaving for a mountain-range subjugation. Are you going to subjugate the Monster Lord or something?"

"Your instincts are sharp."

"……"

Lan fell silent and quietly puffed at her cigarette alone.

"F*ck. This is so f*cked up, I’m going to get chewed out."

Sizzle.

Muttering curses, she carelessly crushed out the cigarette that still had about a third left.

"Have you found traces of the Monster Lord? When is the Wave expected?"

‘As expected, Lan had not yet known for certain either.’

She held information from all over the continent.

Even though it was limited to the frontier, it was astonishing that Lucy Eurasia's information network was ahead of someone like her.

"The exact timing has not been determined. Judging by the movements of the mountain monsters and the dungeons that have begun to be discovered recently, I merely judged it likely."

"Why are you moving alone at this time?"

From here, he needed to evade the question.

"Eurasia's ancestor once cut down the Monster Lord and the Anomaly."

"You mean Edan Eurasia."

A knight who had mastered 9-Star.

A Mortal who had come closer to transcendence than anyone else.

"Comparing the ancient documents passed down in the kingdom, I found that the flow matched that time."

It was a lie.

Aside from Superhuman-level monsters descending as far as the middle layers, and the sightings of suspicious beings.

‘Even I, who faced it directly, was not certain that the Monster Lord had been born.’

That was probably why Lan, who knew about the Temple of the Sea, had not made any particular move.

"The timing is bad. Why do bad things always come together like this?"

Then Lan glared at Killian.

It was an expression of her dissatisfaction that he had stormed Isaac's estate and drawn the Holy Nation into the war, only to slip away himself.

"I knew about the Temple of the Sea. I was merely watching because it was not something that could be resolved immediately."

"I thought that would be the case."

To begin with, Gods were involved.

‘It was not a problem those who served the Gods could resolve.’

"I appreciate that you resolved the temples' Warp Gate problem, but I cannot welcome the loss of strength like yours. Has King Simon reached 9-Star?"

"That is how it felt to me."

"Then it must be certain."

"I did not know you trusted me this much."

"Wrong. I trust your skill. And if you came all this way, you did not come merely to offer an excuse like this, did you?"

"I made a deal with High Priest Tomintyul before."

Lan's eyes narrowed.

"Honestly, you are utterly obsessed with money. What was the deal?"

"In exchange for moving additional subordinates for me, I agreed to go meet him once more later."

"That is unexpected. What meaning is there in going back to see him?"

"I do not know that far, but once I am done at the Holy See, I intend to visit him."

That was not the truth.

“The weakening of the Barrier is not merely because of Sir Killian.”

Tomintyul had said that quite a few Curses of Anomaly had flowed into the continent because the Barrier on the northern frontier had weakened.

“It would be better not to tell Lady Lan. She is someone who would not care even if Eurasia were destroyed, as long as it benefited the Holy Nation.”

He had advised Killian bluntly, not at all like a High Priest.

“The condition of the deal is that you come find me again. At that time, I will tell you about the ‘revelation’ I received.”

Lan asked no more questions.

It seemed certain that she did not especially like Tomintyul.

"King Simon has reached 9-Star, and you have your cute pet dragon, so I suppose you have at least secured the minimum strength."

‘Cornelia, having awakened Seed, has also become a force capable of handling around two vassal states.’

Eurasia. Cornelia. Elvenheim. Holy Kingdom Luminescia.

A new Kingdom Alliance was forming.

Whatever the emperor was plotting, successive defeats were cracking the Empire's solid defensive wall.

"There is one thing I would like to ask."

"I permit it."

"Born with destiny."

"……"

"I would like to know what those words mean. Cardinal Bergo deferred the answer to you, Lady Lan."

"That old fox. He leaves every troublesome task to me."

Instinctively, Lan moved to take out a new cigarette, then put back the one she had half drawn out.

"That is right. I thought the day would come when I had to explain it to you."

Lan cleared her throat.

"There was a revelation long ago."

Nornir, the God of Fate.

Norn de Nornir, a Pope from several generations before the previous Pope.

"At that time, he was a man whose communion with the Gods surpassed all others. He said that those born with destiny would soon appear."

‘It is a rather unremarkable revelation.’

It was a phrase commonly applied to people who distinguished themselves.

"I can see exactly what you are thinking."

Just as he was about to be disappointed by the obvious, abstract words.

"His Holiness the Pope and I used Authorities to glimpse the future. And we identified the traits of those born with destiny."

Her gaze fixed on Killian.

"That is right."

Killian Eurasia.

The corner of Lan's mouth drew a curve.

"I saw your future."