Chapter 478 - 199: Realm of Death

Just then, the waning sun was shouldered aside by a silently emerging red moon. The sky abruptly darkened, casting a crimson glow upon the lightly churning sea.

In the darkness, the aberrations of the deep leaped from the water with even greater abandon. Their twisted tentacles unfurled, revealing countless scarlet eyes that stared at the red moon, allowing its radiance to wash over them.

"ROAR—"

Meanwhile, the *Leonard* began to emit a golden, fluorescent glow. The figurehead of the Lord of Dawn, with its head held high, seemed to be aimed toward the red moon. Where the golden and crimson light met, a faint gray flicker could be seen.

On deck, the pirates excitedly counted the mountain of crates.

Trailing behind them were several sailors in oilcloth coats or armor, silently helping them count the very cargo they had been charged with protecting, their faces etched with complicated expressions.

This was Ronan’s deliberate arrangement. He had scattered the sailors among the pirates and, at the same time, announced a promotion for every pirate. This sent them all into a frenzy, working as if they were on fire.

"Hoorah! Long live the Captain! Long live the First and Second Officers!"

"The captain is so damn strong!"

"That’s stating the obvious—didn’t you see his strength for yourself yesterday? Not even Jack First Officer of the Black Pearl dared to make a move on him."

"True. Compared to a big shot like that, the ’Cowardly Purple Flower’ was just pathetic."

"Hahaha..."

Hearing this, the sailors’ feelings grew even more complex. They hadn’t realized their new captain was so formidable that even the Black Pearl had to back down from him.

In their simple worldview, strength equaled status. Forcing Jack First Officer to leave without a word meant his own strength couldn’t be that far off.

As this thought occurred to them, the sailors glanced at one another. ’Maybe being forced to join this Pirate Gang isn’t such a bad choice after all...’

...

...

Meanwhile, Wei’en brought Clelia back to the theater space.

The women of the Queen’s Guard had already awakened and were learning etiquette from Vian.

"I have some business to attend to."

Wei’en glanced over at them, then turned and left the training area.

Clelia, standing behind him with the newly captured women, watched him leave with a complex expression. After a few seconds of silence, she beckoned to Vian. "They’re new. You’ll be in charge of their instruction."

"Yes, my Queen!"

Vian bowed obediently, then turned to the women, who still looked terrified. She gave them a warm smile and said gently, "Now that you are here, you must obey the Queen’s every command."

"Y-yes..."

As she watched the new girls join the group and receive a warm welcome from the other Guards, Clelia pouted and flopped down lazily to one side.

Wei’en’s recent words replayed in Clelia’s mind, sparking a flicker of doubt. ’Based on what I know of him,’ she thought, ’it’s so unlike him to tell me to get stronger.’

’Was he affected by all the killing?’

’Or is it something else...?’

After leaving the training area, Wei’en saw Pavla standing at a dining table, apparently preparing something to eat. He could faintly hear her muttering.

"...A bad man, a heretic who deserves judgment, an evil Wizard... I will not be coerced like kind Hilia..."

Hm?

"You sound reluctant."

"Of course not!" Pavla froze, whirling around to face Wei’en in a panic. She crossed her arms protectively over her chest. "Wh-what are you going to do?"

"..."

Wei’en frowned slightly. ’Isn’t that reaction a bit over the top? She’s a Candidacy Saintess, after all. An Authority Inheritor who isn’t exactly weak.’

"What do you want me to do to you?"

"Y-you’d best not do anything!" Pavla said, watching him warily.

"Not even let me taste the dinner you’re making?"

"D-dinner?" Pavla glanced furtively at the table behind her. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, "If I do, will you kill fewer followers of the great Dawn?"

’Great?’

The word made Wei’en absentmindedly recall the image of Olanier. If the Lord of Dawn, Orpheus, was as powerful as the Death God, then he could indeed be called "great."

"S-so, do you agree?"

"And why wouldn’t I?" Wei’en replied dismissively. "As long as they don’t provoke me and aren’t my enemies, I won’t go out of my way to kill them. Unless..."

A nervous look crossed Pavla’s face. "Unless what?"

"Unless you misbehave."

"...But I’m making you dinner."

"Exactly. So as long as you behave, I couldn’t care less about those ordinary believers."

"You said so yourself!" Pavla stepped aside, revealing a sumptuous feast on the table. "There weren’t many ingredients here, so... I could only make this much."

Wei’en raised an eyebrow. ’Does this girl have no concept of numbers? There are at least ten dishes here, and she says there weren’t many ingredients?’

"The food at your Dawn Church... must be excellent."

"Of course it is! At the cathedral, they provide two-course meals every day, and sometimes there’s even cheese and cake."

Pavla didn’t think much of it, naively taking his comment as an acknowledgment of the Dawn Church. She said with a hint of pride, "Every believer who walks the path of the Dawn is well taken care of. And also..."

As Wei’en watched her excitedly describe the various benefits of the Dawn Church, the image of Kali surfaced in his mind.

He remembered when he’d said he wanted to join the Dawn Church. Kali had been just like Pavla, gushing endlessly about the glory of the great Dawn. She had even held a thick holy covenant, flipping through it to tell him its epic legends.