Episode 246
The continent was in turmoil again.
A cardinal was assassinated in the middle of the city, inside a temple.
This was a completely different story from the death of a soldier or a nobleman.
If human life has weight, the weight of a cardinal is certainly heavy enough to weigh down a nation.
It is not an ordinary thing for a cardinal like that to die.
Every nation on the continent was watching Gatren.
How will Gatren perceive this situation?
No one expected this.
That Cardinal Maurizio’s death was only the beginning.
“Kekekekeke…!”
“What do you want! Give me anything… . Bam-!”
“Hey, save me!”
Within a week, three more cardinals died.
After a month, most of the cardinals outside the Holy Empire of Gatren had perished.
The number alone is more than twenty.
“What on earth is Gatren doing? Is he just standing by and watching the Cardinal die!?” “… Honestly, I wish things could continue like this. The city has become peaceful since the Cardinal disappeared.” “This guy! Watch your mouth! He’ll get dragged away by fanatics and die without anyone knowing!” “Kill him! Honestly, how much did those guys treat us!?”
The status of the Holy Empire of Gatren and the Cult of Deusis plummeted.
People who had been afraid of the power of the great empire and the continent’s greatest religion and had been unable to speak out gradually began to speak out.
Everyone was hush-hush, but people aren’t stupid.
How hypocritical is the Church of Deusis.
How much blood was sucked from behind.
Everyone who knew knew.
A reality that no one has touched for tens or hundreds of years simply out of fear.
The veil that covered the inconvenient truth was being lifted.
The various kingdoms that took advantage of the opportunity and the Dracaen Empire’s backroom operations also contributed greatly to this.
“It won’t be long before they re-enter the empire.”
Pope Orban IV burst into laughter.
Just one month.
Within a month, the empire was in turmoil.
The empire he had dedicated his entire life to building.
I’m just shaken up because I couldn’t catch two hunting dogs.
It was so absurd that I burst out laughing.
“Is everyone asleep? If you have a mouth, please speak.”
All the cardinals bowed their heads at the Pope’s words.
What can I say now?
Gatren hasn’t been playing around for a while.
I’ve already done everything I could.
Not only did they strengthen the defenses of the city where the cardinal was,
Sometimes they would dig traps and wait for the enemy.
They mobilized every strategy they could come up with.
And it failed.
“This was a fight that couldn’t be won from the start…”
In fact, failure was inevitable.
Two with overwhelming force.
They wander the continent and trample upon empires at will.
In contrast, the empire had too much to protect.
What if you concentrate your troops in one city and defend it?
Choi Hyun-seok and Park Hyun-ah just need to go to different cities.
Even an empire cannot defend every city in optimal condition.
No matter what the trap, no matter what the preparations are.
The enemy had plenty of time, leisure, and choice.
It was always the Gatren Empire that was in a hurry and being chased.
“The enemy level is too high.” “That’s right. The situation is different from when Park Hyun-ah ran wild on her own in the past.”
The cardinals looked around and said something one by one.
They are not incompetent.
This was an event of force majeure.
That is the opinion to be expressed.
And what they said was true.
It’s on a completely different level from when Park Hyun-ah was running wild on her own at the beginning of the legend.
Since then, Park Hyun-ah has become twice as strong.
There is even Choi Hyeon-seok who has similar powers.
It wasn’t at a level where you could stop it even if you tried.
“So… we are at a disadvantage on this battlefield, and the enemy is too strong, so we cannot win. Is that what you are trying to say?”
Pope Orban IV asked in a calm voice.
Several cardinals nodded.
“These… incompetent guys…”
The Pope gritted his teeth and muttered, as if spitting out something he had chewed up.
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The cardinals looked at the Pope in shock, and their hearts almost stopped.
“Incompetent… incompetent… you bastards who are worse than dogs…!”
The Pope’s face was grotesquely distorted.
The Pope who never took off his smiling mask, no matter what the situation.
It broke the mask that had been worn for decades.
The wrinkled and hideous face was so contorted that one could almost believe it belonged to a demon.
“You’re so incompetent…! You’re so incompetent I can’t stand it…!”
The cardinals didn’t know how to make sense of this development.
He just lowered his head and watched the Pope’s expression, even breathing carefully.
The conference room was filled with the sound of the Pope’s heavy breathing.
“Phew…”
How much time has passed like that?
After a deep sigh, the Pope’s calm voice was heard.
“Everyone. Raise your heads.”
The cardinals looked at the Pope cautiously.
He had a gentle smile on his face as always.
“I’m sorry. I made a fool of myself.” “Oh, no! Your Majesty!” “Please punish us for our incompetence!” “It’s all our fault for not understanding Your Majesty’s feelings!”
The cardinals spoke in desperate voices.
That creepy face was still vivid in my mind.
The Pope, whose eyes were rolled back, really looked like he was going to kill all the cardinals in this place.
But the Pope shook his head as if it was really okay.
“It is because I have not yet practiced enough. What you say is correct. How could this situation be your fault?”
The Pope looks at the cardinals with his usual benevolent smile.
“However, we cannot just sit still just because the situation is difficult. I will grant you the strength to protect yourself.” “What do you mean by strength…?” “I will grant you grace.”
The cardinals were stirred by the promise of grace.
Because no one in this place has received grace.
In fact, there are only about ten cardinals who have received the Pope’s grace.
They are all favored by the Pope and are active within the Empire.
“Your Majesty, didn’t you say before that only a limited number of people can receive grace?” “In fact, I said that because granting grace is very difficult and arduous. I also have to exert all my strength to convey the power of the gods.”
The Pope let out a small sigh, as if he was already tired.
“But, everyone is in a difficult situation. If this old man can sacrifice himself to save the people… I should do it.”
The cardinals’ faces brightened.
In fact, they were all trembling with fear.
When will it be your turn?
Without their immense divine power, these old men are powerless to protect themselves.
But, if you receive grace, it’s different.
Beyond human limitations.
In one breath, you will acquire a legendary body.
If everyone had that kind of immense power, they would be safe from the threats of their enemies.
“Your Majesty… Your Majesty’s safety is our top priority. Are you asking too much…” “That’s right. Please reconsider…”
Several cardinals spoke with earnest expressions.
Unlike most cardinals, their expressions were dark.
“If Your Majesty is wrong, who will take responsibility for the future of our empire?”
On the surface, he appeared to be genuinely concerned about the Pope, but the reality was different.
They know what grace is.
In fact, there were people who knew to some extent what kind of person the Pope was.
That the Pope’s grace is virtually a death sentence.
“There are no exceptions. You and I. We are all citizens of the Empire. It is only natural that we devote ourselves to the Empire.” “As expected of you!”
“I am deeply moved!”
The situation has already become irreversible.
Saying that you won’t receive grace here would only make the atmosphere strange.
“Grace is a difficult ordeal. It takes a long time. Everyone, please prepare yourself and pray until your turn comes.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
All the cardinals left the conference room.
From now on, each person will wait in their assigned space until it is their turn.
In an empty conference room, the Pope washed his face with soap.
“There are some weird people out there. Keep an eye on them so they don’t do anything stupid.”
“yes.”
An answer from the void.
The leader of the hounds was Quaan O’Brien.
Through several incidents, the hunting dogs’ power and authority became relatively weak.
Because of this, he continued to work in the shadows as before, doing the Pope’s dirty work.
“And contact the Emperor of Dracen.” “You mean Dracen?”
Quan O’Brien asked back without realizing it.
There is no other way than to contact the Emperor of the Dracaen Empire.
Either your ears are wrong or the Pope’s head is wrong.
It was clear that it was one of the two.
“Yes. Choi Hyun-seok and Park Hyun-ah. We need to ask for Dracen’s help to catch them.” “I know this, but… Dracen might be supporting them behind the scenes.” “I know that too.”
The Pope said calmly.
At this point, it really seemed as if the Pope had gone mad, but Quinn O’Brien calmly continued asking questions.
“Will they accept our request for cooperation?” “We have to make them accept it.”
The Pope continued with a smile.
“Devotion to the Empire.”
“that…”
“Dracaen probably doesn’t know the truth yet. Please give us information. What we have.”
***
As usual, Choi Hyun-seok arrived at the unknown hideout and immediately lay down on the dirt floor.
“I won’t do it! I can’t do it!”
“What the hell is this?”
“Even slaves in the past wouldn’t have been treated like this! I’m a human too!” “Am I not a human?” “That’s why you’re trying to die right now, Sister.” “… I’m a little tired.”
Park Hyun-ah also slumped against the rock, which was uncharacteristic of her.
It was evidence that the final battle was that difficult.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had such a hard time… Let’s take it easy now. It’s going to get harder from now on.”
“I wonder…”
The month-long hunt for the cardinal.
It wasn’t that difficult at first, but as the days went by, the difficulty increased.
The enemy’s defenses are becoming increasingly strict.
I almost died because I was trapped.
“Still, somehow we managed to get rid of all the guys outside the empire.” “Are we going back into the Gatren Empire now?”
“That’s right.”
“I got it…”
It was so hard to hunt cardinals outside of Gatren.
How hard would it be to deal with a Cardinal protected within the Gatren?
Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.
“Hey. But you leveled up a lot in a month.” “You leveled up too, big sister.” “I told you that even if I leveled up, I wouldn’t become as strong as you.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
While hunting cardinals, Choi Hyun-seok leveled up a lot.
Because at some point the warrior quest started repeating itself without stopping.
“You gain 10 levels for every cardinal you kill. That’s pretty good.” “This never used to happen, but it seems like they’re really pushing you.” “He’s a legendary warrior, so he deserves some push.”
Thanks to this, Choi Hyun-seok’s level has risen to the level of looking at 1,500.
Level 1,496.
If I clear the warrior quest one more time, I will be able to pass 1,500.
“But let’s rest for now. The level has increased so rapidly that I need a period of adjustment… I’m mentally exhausted.” “Okay. Let’s rest for just one week.” “That’s a great decision.”
I don’t want to do anything like this.
I will lie down and not move for at least two days.
The moment I made that promise.
Suddenly the communication device rang.
Woof…!
“What? Why are you calling me all of a sudden?”
I checked the communication port and it was Olaven Grimire of the Dracaen Empire.
Choi Hyun-seok looked at the communication port with narrowed eyes.
I had a feeling that if I received this, something annoying would happen.
“Ha, it’s annoying. I want to rest…” “Take it quickly. It keeps ringing and it’s bothering me.”
“Tch.”
Choi Hyun-seok, who received the communication, talked with Olaven Grimier.
Meanwhile, Park Hyun-ah quietly closed her eyes.
‘I’m sleepy…’
An unbearable amount of water is pouring in.
As consciousness gradually fades away, I am about to fall into sleep.
“Sister.”
Choi Hyun-seok’s voice was heard.
“f*ck… I was about to fall asleep…”
Park Hyun-ah got up from the rock, looking like she was going to die.
“Why did you wake me up? If it’s nothing serious, I’ll go after it.” “The Emperor of the Dracaen Empire is here to see you.”
“uh?”
