Fantasy Library, Ch 331-335

Chapter 331: Erica's Allegiance

After that, Kaiser and Doni didn’t continue discussing any profound topics, instead just kept bickering with each other.

Mainly because Salvatore Doni really had something wrong in his head, as he actually intended to drag Kaiser along and imitate Eastern customs by forming a sworn brotherhood, wanting to become Kaiser’s sworn brother of different parents.

Faced with this proposal that had countless points worth ridiculing, Kaiser naturally couldn’t be bothered to respond. As a result, he ended up being entangled by Doni and nearly couldn’t help but engage in another palace PK… no, more like a club PK.

Fortunately, just as Kaiser was about to reach his limit, that poor attendant who had been shoved out of the plane by Doni finally showed up, completely drenched.

“I’m going to kill you!”

This attendant, who bore the alias of "Butler of the King," truly lived up to being Doni’s old friend and one of the few people who could scold him head-on. He pounced at Doni as soon as he arrived, looking like he was ready to fight to the death.

Unfortunately, even a dignified Great Knight, though perhaps renowned in the mystical world, was just a small fry in front of a Campione.

Andrea Rivera was subdued by Doni with a counter-grab and pinned beneath him. Doni kept laughing heartily as they rolled together on the massage chair. The sight of the two of them wrestling was truly an eyesore, making both Kaiser and Erica feel they couldn’t bear to watch.

At that time, Andrea Rivera was cursing extremely foully, showing no knightly demeanor whatsoever—more like a vulgar delinquent—which only further demonstrated how much he had suffered, and how terribly he had been screwed over by Doni.

In order not to interrupt this touching reunion between master and servant, and also to avoid continuing to deal with that annoying guy Doni, Kaiser quietly slipped away, prompting Erica to quickly follow after him.

Kaiser had a meal in the restaurant, filled his stomach, and then returned to the top floor of the hotel, ready to go back to his room.

“King!”

At that moment, Erica finally knelt on one knee before him.

“Erica Blandelli pledges her allegiance to you. Please accept my loyalty and guide me forward!”

This proud noble lady had finally lowered her head before Kaiser.

“Allegiance?”

Looking at Erica, kneeling on one knee before him with her proud head deeply bowed, Kaiser was both surprised and puzzled.

“I am neither the King of Italy nor do I have any intention of expanding territory or establishing any achievements here. What benefit is there in pledging allegiance to me?”

Kaiser truly hadn’t expected that this young lady who once drew her sword against him, who always acted with such confidence and elegance, would actually pledge allegiance to him—a new king—while the King of Italy still lived under the same roof.

And Erica’s reason was very simple.

“I am a knight. Since I am a knight, I naturally wish to serve a great lord.” Erica boldly declared, “Salvatore is a powerful warrior, but he is by no means a great king.”

“Then how are you so sure that I will be a great king?” Kaiser said calmly, “We’ve only known each other for a short while, and I’ve never made any grand promises or said any noble truths in front of you. I haven’t shown any kingly qualities, and even as someone attractive, I don’t think I have much going for me.”

“I’ve shown no ambition or lofty ideals in front of you. The only thing I’ve shown is power.”

“In other words, I should be the same as Salvatore Doni, the man you just called a mere powerful warrior.”

The implication of Kaiser’s words was clear: aside from power, he hadn’t demonstrated anything superior to Doni.

So why would Erica be attracted to him enough to swear loyalty?

“Better just tell me your real thoughts,” Kaiser said as he crossed his arms calmly. “Why pledge allegiance to me? What benefit does it bring you?”

Faced with Kaiser’s straightforward questioning, Erica actually relaxed.

“You really underestimate yourself.” Erica lifted her head and smiled. “What you’ve shown isn’t just immense power.”

“Oh?” Kaiser asked with interest. “Such as?”

Erica answered without hesitation.

“For example, the mysterious origin that deceived the whole world.”

“For example, the peculiarity of consecutively slaying gods within just a few days.”

“Even if you really were just an ordinary person, the fact that you could, after successfully slaying a god, so quickly accept everything and head straight to Sardinia to achieve a second god-slaying feat, already shows your boldness, fearlessness, confidence, composure, and calm.”

According to Erica, these were all the things that attracted her.

Of course, the most important reason was…

“I want to be a vassal of the King, like my uncle, and carve out a world of my own with my ability, instead of accepting a future that supposedly should be mine.”

Erica sincerely confessed.

“As I said, I am a knight. Since I am a knight, I naturally wish to serve a great lord.”

“And none of the current Campiones fit my choice.”

“So in that case, why shouldn’t I choose a king who suits me?”

Clearly, Kaiser was the king who suited Erica.

At the very least, they had spent some time together.

When she was with Kaiser, Erica didn’t feel the constraint she experienced around other Campiones.

As the saying goes, serving a king is like accompanying a tiger. If the one you serve is a tyrannical king like Marquis Voban or a self-centered king like Luo Hao, then even a slight misstep could mean death—how could one talk about accomplishing great deeds in such a situation?

Even Doni, the King of Italy, seemed easygoing and not harsh toward his subordinates. But just look at Andrea’s current state, and you’d know how exhausting and helpless it was to follow that king.

Moreover, the six existing kings all had their own territories and their own vassals. Even if Erica joined them, what could she do?

She was just a Great Knight. Those kings already had many powerful subordinates—even Paladin-level ones. Even if she swore loyalty, she’d just be another insignificant vase, let alone accomplishing anything.

The other kings’ territories were essentially already set. They weren’t likely to expand or undergo any major changes.

Only Kaiser, this newly born king, still had nothing—no power, no domain.

Joining him was the only way she could truly be useful and find meaningful things to do.

This was what it meant to be a big fish in a small pond, and with this mindset, Erica decided to pledge her loyalty to Kaiser.

“I think I understand what you mean now,” Kaiser saw through part of Erica’s thinking. “So this is your personal will, and it has nothing to do with the Copper Black Cross, right?”

“Yes.” Erica pressed her lips together. “Although I do not represent the Copper Black Cross and cannot have it swear loyalty to you, both the Copper Black Cross and the Blandelli family are my connections in the Milan magical world.”

“I’ve always been actively building up my network and reputation. Even if I can’t match my uncle, I still have some influence.”

“If the King is willing, I’m confident I can recruit a group of capable subordinates for you. I even have some confidence in persuading our leader of the Copper Black Cross—my uncle—to join you.”

This was practically telling Kaiser outright: if you accept me, then the entire Copper Black Cross might come as part of my dowry.

“You really dare to dream.” Kaiser said expressionlessly, “If that idiot Doni finds out I’m poaching people—possibly even his forces—who knows how he’ll react?”

“He probably wouldn’t care, right?” Erica laughed nonchalantly. “That’s just the kind of person he is. He’s never cared about his position as a king. Even though he’s our Italian overlord, he probably doesn’t even know what factions have pledged loyalty to him.”

The magical societies of Southern Europe had mostly voluntarily joined Doni; they weren’t forces he had actively assembled.

That man only cared about battle, about the sword in his hand—he didn’t care about anything else at all.

The reason he agreed to be the King of Italy and take the position of leader of the Southern European magical society alliance was just to make it easier to find gods, find opponents, and fight people.

So, even if the entire Copper Black Cross publicly declared they were defecting and joining Kaiser’s side, he probably wouldn’t care.

However…

“Are you sure he won’t use that as an excuse to fight me later?”

Kaiser strongly suspected that.

“Uh…”

Erica was momentarily stunned, then found herself speechless.

Thinking about that man’s behavior… why did it feel like the chances of that happening were a full one hundred percent?

Kaiser and Erica both fell silent.

Seeing Erica looking so at a loss for words, Kaiser stroked his chin.

Actually, accepting Erica wasn’t a bad idea.

Though he had no intention of expanding territory, he still needed eyes and ears of his own—someone to tell him where gods were.

That was why he wanted to bring in Mariya Yuri.

But Mariya Yuri’s Spirit Vision wasn’t omnipotent.

Sometimes, a flexible intelligence network, informants, and a force that could facilitate convenience and handle various matters was also indispensable.

Like this time—when he first arrived in Sardinia, Kaiser truly had nothing. He even had to perform to make money, just to have a place to stay and something to eat.

But with the Copper Black Cross backing him, all his daily needs had been perfectly arranged—he didn’t have to worry about anything.

Even if he wouldn’t run all over the world like Doni, since it was being offered to him willingly, why not accept it?

With that thought, Kaiser made his decision.

Chapter 332: The Trial Given by Kaiser

“Your Majesty?”

At this time, Erica's voice had already become somewhat uneasy.

She was truly worried that Kaiser would reject her.

However, Kaiser had already made his decision.

“I can accept your allegiance.” Kaiser looked down from above at Erica, who was kneeling on one knee before him, and said, “But before that, you need to prove your capabilities.”

“Please give your command, my king.” Erica’s spirit lifted, and she immediately said, “Erica Blandelli will do everything in her power to complete the trial set by my king.”

“Good.” Kaiser nodded and said, “If nothing unexpected happens, a divine artifact should appear soon here in Italy.”

Upon hearing this, Erica was slightly taken aback.

“A divine artifact?”

Erica looked at Kaiser in astonishment.

“That’s right.” Kaiser said indifferently, “Don’t ask me how I know. I have my own methods.”

His method referred to the plot from the original story.

Kaiser had suddenly recalled that after the incident on Sardinia ended, not long after, a divine artifact would appear here in Italy.

In the original story, this divine artifact ultimately came into the hands of the main protagonist due to Erica’s recommendation and was taken back to Japan, which resulted in a goddess—practically a main heroine—traveling across the sea to set foot on that island nation.

Thinking of this event, Kaiser naturally didn’t want to miss it, and so he conveniently assigned the task to Erica.

“The task you need to do is simple—obtain that divine artifact and deliver it to me,” Kaiser said. “A friendly reminder: this divine artifact will attract a powerful goddess. It is something she must obtain no matter what.”

“By obtaining this divine artifact, you may very well become her target.”

“Even so, are you still willing to take on this trial?”

Kaiser’s words inevitably made Erica recall the events that took place in the underground temple beneath the Saint Bastian Ruins.

The pressure, the oppression, and the terrifying sense of dread she felt when facing the god-king Melqart resurfaced like a resurrection, slowly returning to her body.

Back then, Melqart didn’t even acknowledge the existence of a mere human like her in his eyes, so he didn’t deliberately target her.

But this time would be different.

If she accepted this trial, she could be targeted by a Heretic God at any moment, and might be personally sought out by that deity.

At that time, she would become the opponent’s primary target, bound to have a direct confrontation.

She would have to face a Heretic God alone.

Realizing this, Erica couldn’t help but waver.

But the moment that hesitation was born, this confident and proud girl immediately smothered it.

She was a prodigy of Milan’s magical world, a person destined to one day stand at the pinnacle of humanity.

Someone of her status and strength—how could she possibly never come into contact with gods?

The descent of Heretic Gods was an inevitable catastrophe in this world, a natural disaster that humanity must face.

When facing this disaster called “God,” if humanity did not resist, only death awaited them.

She didn’t want to tremble in fear, unable to speak like last time, the next time she stood before a god.

She had to possess the courage to face a deity head-on.

Only then would she be a qualified knight.

“I accept this trial.”

Erica, as if returning to her former self, revealed a confident and proud expression.

“Erica Blandelli hereby swears to complete the task entrusted to her by my king and deliver that divine artifact into his hands!”

This was not only the trial given to Erica by Kaiser—it was also the trial Erica had given herself.

If she couldn’t even complete this trial, then all her grand ambitions would be shattered here, along with her inability to face gods.

Therefore, this test—she had to pass it.

This danger—she had to take it.

“Good.” Seeing Erica accept the mission, Kaiser smiled and said, “I’ll be waiting for you in Japan. I hope you’ll bring me good news, Erica.”

“Yes!” Erica nodded solemnly and said, “By the way, what exactly is the divine artifact that you desire, my king?”

Erica’s question was met with Kaiser’s calm response.

“It’s called the Gorgoneion.”

……

The next morning.

When Kaiser awoke from sleep and left his room, Erica had already departed ahead of him and returned to Milan.

Having received Kaiser’s task, she didn’t want to waste even a single moment—she wanted to return to her domain immediately, to use her influence to search for the Gorgoneion.

Doni had also vanished, seemingly dragged away early in the morning by Andrea Rivera, without even having the chance to greet Kaiser.

There were still some members of the Copper Black Cross left at the hotel, continuing to serve Kaiser, but he was already preparing to leave. So, after finishing breakfast, he departed the hotel and dismissed the people of the Copper Black Cross.

Today, the province of Oristano was lively, with people everywhere discussing the events of the previous day.

The Saint Bastian Ruins had been destroyed overnight, and all the people in Tharros had witnessed mysterious phenomena—these events would undoubtedly become hot topics, frequently mentioned by the people.

However, this topic probably wouldn’t last long and would quickly vanish under the concealment of forces on the mystical side.

Moreover, with reconstruction taking place all across Sardinia and post-disaster recovery underway, these mysterious phenomena would likely fade from memory with time.

Kaiser brushed past one passerby after another. Only after leaving the province of Oristano did he unfurl his pure white wings of light, accompanied by a sonic boom and a sharp ripping sound, and flew eastward.

Compared to Doni and Erica, Kaiser’s movements were undoubtedly more free. He didn’t need to take a plane—he could leave Sardinia and Italy by himself and return to the far eastern island nation.

The distance between the two wasn’t short—by plane it would take half a day—but Kaiser’s Divine Dividing was far faster than a regular passenger jet, even surpassing supersonic aircraft. So a journey that would take others half a day could be completed by him in just one or two hours.

The key point was that the flight capability of the Divine Dividing was only its most basic function—like punching someone while wearing the Boosted Gear. It barely consumed any stamina, and as long as he didn’t activate the Sacred Gear’s abilities, there was no energy cost. Therefore, even if Kaiser flew for three days and nights, it would be no problem—let alone one or two hours.

If he activated his Balance Breaker, explosively unleashing the full power of the Divine Dividing, Kaiser’s speed would be even greater.

But there was no need. Kaiser was neither in a hurry nor found one or two hours too dull to endure, so he maintained a steady flight speed with the Divine Dividing and returned to the east—back to the island nation in the far east.

By now, it was nearly night.

There was an eight-hour time difference between Japan and Italy. When Kaiser departed in the morning, it was already afternoon here. After one or two hours of flight, it was naturally close to nightfall, with the evening glow already painting the sky.

Kaiser, like a meteor trailing a streak of light, swept across the sky and finally arrived in the Kanto Region, landing near Shiba Park.

Then, he returned to the apartment where he had stayed before, and sitting in the small, empty room, a sudden thought crossed his mind.

“This place is no longer suitable for me to live in.”

The reason he said this wasn’t out of sentimentality or arrogance—it truly was unsuitable.

The space was too small, with neighbors on all sides. If he made any noise, the worst-case scenario would be the apartment getting blown up, but what truly worried him was the potential for others to be caught in the aftermath and suffer misfortune.

Even if Kaiser restrained himself and didn’t cause any incidents inside the apartment, there was no guarantee that trouble wouldn’t find him.

For example, if Erica really did obtain the Gorgoneion and brought it to him, then that goddess might come knocking at any time.

At that point, she wouldn’t care about who lived nearby or whether this apartment might explode.

“I should move elsewhere.”

Kaiser made the decision and left without any hesitation.

Now the question was…

“Where should I live?”

Continue staying at a hotel?

That wouldn’t be impossible…

But more than a hotel, Kaiser wanted to go somewhere else.

……

At the Shichio Shrine, in a building not far from the front hall…

This was an administrative office built as a single-story house.

The design of the office was very simple—neither luxurious nor flashy—exuding a low-profile atmosphere throughout, making it hard to imagine that the person living here was a Hime-Miko with considerable status in Japan’s magical society.

At this moment, Mariya Yuri was showering in the office’s bathroom.

Water continuously poured from the showerhead, drenching the Hime-Miko’s body beneath, causing water droplets to slide down her naked figure.

Her light brown long hair, soaked by the spray, clung to her slender and fair back, reaching just above her hips and tracing out an alluring silhouette.

To be fair, Mariya Yuri’s figure wasn’t especially voluptuous—at least compared to Erica’s curvaceous body, it couldn’t compare at all. However, her overly slim figure gave a sense of delicate beauty, displaying a non-human allure that could burn away the rationality of any man.

In fact, Mariya Yuri was indeed an exceptional beauty—this was also evident from her school.

She attended Private Jonan Academy, and ever since middle school, she had been recognized as the school’s most beautiful girl. Her grades were always in the top five of her year, and she was acknowledged by all students as the most beautiful campus idol, to a degree that didn’t even require comparisons to be accepted.

Such a great beauty, who was also a Hime-Miko, should logically be the unattainable flower atop the peak that every boy admired from afar.

Yet at this very moment, this flower atop the peak was troubled… all because of a man.

Chapter 333: Innocence Cannot Remain in the Human World

Over the past few days, the latest intelligence concerning Kaiser had been circulating within the mystical communities of various nations, letting many people know of the great feat he had accomplished.

“Simultaneously slaying two Heretic Gods…”

Standing under the showerhead, Mariya Yuri softly muttered this to herself, her expression a little dazed.

She still remembered how shocked she had been when Sayanomiya Kaoru called and informed her of this news.

A newly crowned Campione who had only just become a God-Slayer, and had left without anyone even noticing, had slain two deities on the other side of the planet—this was simply unbelievable.

Mariya Yuri was different from Erica. Several years ago, she had already been involved in incidents concerning Heretic Gods and had personally participated in summoning rituals for such beings. Therefore, she had a deep understanding of the terror that came with Heretic Gods and Campiones.

In her eyes, for a human to be able to slay even one god was already an extraordinary feat. To slay two at once was utterly beyond comprehension.

Even if the one performing such a feat wasn’t an ordinary human, but a Demon Lord who had already slain a god before—it was still difficult to imagine.

Yet Kaiser had done it. And he had done it just a few days after becoming a Campione, while possessing only a single Authority.

Once this news got out, the entire mystical world was shaken. The History Compilation Committee, which had previously interacted with Kaiser, was utterly stunned. Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu even held an emergency meeting that very night to discuss the matter with headquarters.

They needed to reassess their stance and re-evaluate Kaiser’s weight, seeking the most appropriate means of engagement to formulate an optimal response plan.

There was no other choice. After all, this king had achieved god-slaying success within their country’s borders, thus becoming a Campione.

Moreover, he had already taken up residence in this country. Under such circumstances, even if he did not intend to treat this land as his homeland or his domain, they still needed to know how to maintain a good relationship with him.

For that reason, Sayanomiya Kaoru had specially instructed Mariya Yuri: if that king ever returned, she must receive him with utmost hospitality and fulfill his every request.

If necessary, she even hoped Mariya Yuri could personally serve him, draw him in as much as possible, please him, and help him develop favorable impressions of their nation.

That was what Mariya Yuri was currently troubled about.

“How could someone like me possibly win over that king?”

Mariya Yuri worried deeply, completely unaware of just how dangerously alluring her exposed body looked in the mirror beside her.

Of course, she would notice soon enough.

Because when she stepped out of the bathroom and returned to her bedroom, that man was already sitting on the floor, staring straight at her.

“No need to present me with such a generous gift the moment I return, is there?”

Sitting at a low table, his back facing the bed, propping his chin with one hand, and looking like someone who had been waiting for quite some time, Kaiser raised an eyebrow and said this as he gazed at the entering Mariya Yuri.

Under the weight of that gaze, which felt almost physically tangible, Mariya Yuri froze completely.

There was nothing she could do.

She wasn’t wearing clothes—just a towel wrapped around her, her long hair still bundled in another towel. She had returned to her room with bare arms and legs exposed.

“Ki-Ki-Ki-Ki-Ki… King?!”

Due to the overwhelming shock, Mariya Yuri’s voice completely distorted.

“Woof woof woof?” Kaiser teased with a half-smile. “Sounds like a puppy barking. Are you planning to become my pet now?”

“I-I’m not!” Mariya Yuri reflexively shouted, then realized something and cried out in alarm, “Wh-Why are you here?!”

“What?” Kaiser found her reaction too amusing and deliberately asked, “Are you saying I’m not welcome?”

“N-No!” Mariya Yuri was startled, hurriedly shook her head, and said repeatedly, “I-I was just a little surprised!”

“Mhm, I can tell—you’re definitely shocked.” Kaiser’s gaze involuntarily drifted downward, then as if clicking his tongue in amazement, he said, “I know you’re surprised, but maybe fix your towel before anything else?”

It had to be said—Hime-Miko truly were Hime-Miko. Compared to Erica, who had constantly declared her loyalty yet never offered him anything of substance, Mariya Yuri was far more sensible.

The towel had already fallen to the ground. What should have been covered was no longer hidden, giving Kaiser quite the visual treat.

“Ah!”

Mariya Yuri finally noticed something was wrong. With a sharp scream, she squatted down.

In the next second, the shrine maiden hurriedly grabbed the fallen towel and fled the scene like her life depended on it.

……

Half an hour later…

Inside Mariya Yuri’s room, she and Kaiser finally sat down together and entered a state of conversation.

“…Please have some tea.”

Now fully clad in a tightly secured shrine maiden outfit, Mariya Yuri’s eyes were tearful, her cheeks flushed, as she trembled while pushing a cup of hot tea toward Kaiser.

If possible, she wished she could run away right this instant—or even die on the spot—just so she wouldn’t have to endure this shame and keep playing host to Kaiser. After all, he had seen everything, yet she still had to be polite to him.

“Thank you.” Kaiser, in contrast, appeared far more at ease. He picked up the tea, sipped it casually, and said, “Sorry for bothering you so late.”

…So you do know it’s late?

It’s already dark outside. What kind of decent person visits a young maiden at this hour?

Can’t you come during the day instead?

Just recalling what had just happened made Mariya Yuri’s head feel like it would burst from the heat. She nearly passed out from embarrassment.

Even now, her entire body felt uncomfortable—especially whenever Kaiser looked at her.

That gaze, while clearly calm, normal, even slightly appreciative, gave Mariya Yuri the illusion that he could see right through her clothes to her bare body underneath. It made her want to dash out of the room immediately.

If only she knew a spell that could erase memories…

No, spells and magic were ineffective against a Campione.

Then… erase her own memories?

Mariya Yuri’s thoughts were turning more and more dangerous.

Meanwhile, Kaiser sat across from her, thoroughly enjoying the sight of her rapid emotional transformations, clearly amused.

Eventually, Mariya Yuri managed to shake off her despair.

“…May I ask, why have you graced me with your presence at this hour?”

Her tone was stiff, clearly still reeling from earlier.

Unfortunately, Kaiser was not empathetic enough to comfort a sensitive maiden. After all, he was the one who had benefited from the situation.

Moreover, despite his calm demeanor, this had actually been the first time he had ever seen a beautiful girl completely nude in front of him.

Yes… seen in person, not through a screen.

Otherwise, the mysterious websites he had saved might have something to say about it.

Speaking of which, now that he had become the Librarian of the Fantasy Library, what had happened to his belongings in the real world?

Had someone picked up his phone?

Wouldn’t that mean even his innocence couldn’t remain in the human world?

Thinking of this, Kaiser suddenly felt miserable.

“…King?”

Mariya Yuri’s puzzled voice brought Kaiser back from his dejected thoughts.

“It’s nothing.” Kaiser composed himself, forced himself to stop thinking about it, took another sip of tea, and said, “Shrine maiden, you’re in trouble, did you know that?”

That one sentence completely flustered Mariya Yuri.

“D-Did I do something inappropriate?”

Mariya Yuri began to panic.

Kaiser really wanted to say: inappropriate, no—but your indecent state earlier definitely qualified.

Thankfully, he held that line back. Otherwise, Mariya Yuri might really have bolted from the room.

“What I did in Sardinia—you should already be aware of it, right?”

Instead of answering directly, Kaiser posed a counter-question and changed the topic.

“Yes.” Mariya Yuri lowered her gaze and, with a voice that seemed forced, said, “I’ve heard of the king’s bravery and greatness. To slay two gods alone with nothing but your own power is without a doubt a feat worthy of being recorded in history.”

“It’s just… if the king could pay a bit more attention to his surroundings and consider the ordinary people, minimizing the impact as much as possible, that would be even better.”

Mariya Yuri had seen the news. She had witnessed Sardinia’s current state.

The devastation, resembling a post-disaster zone, had deeply affected her.

That’s why she couldn’t help but say what she did.

“Don’t say that to me—go tell those gods.” Kaiser said blandly, “I at least try to be careful. It’s those gods who are truly reckless.”

Otherwise, Kaiser would’ve directly used Bankai back then.

Being able to restrain himself and not unleash Bankai was already his way of showing concern for Sardinia’s situation.

“Besides, that’s not what I came to talk about.” Kaiser looked at Mariya Yuri, smiled, and said, “What I want to talk about is this—I encountered the Sword King of Italy there.”

“From his mouth, I learned a bit about what happened four years ago.”

“The incident where you were taken by that old fossil Voban to summon a Heretic God.”

Upon hearing this, Mariya Yuri’s face instantly changed.

And then, Kaiser’s next words made her face turn deathly pale.

“That unreliable guy also told me something else—apparently that old fossil seems to be paying attention to this country.”

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s probably coming for you.”

“Or rather—for the same purpose as four years ago.”

That’s right.

Sasha Dejanstahl Voban—that elderly Campione—had turned his gaze toward this far eastern island nation once again, for the purpose of repeating what he did four years ago.

He intended to summon another Heretic God.

Chapter 334: Swear Upon This Spear

Silence.

When Kaiser told Mariya Yuri of Voban's goal, the room they were in fell into utter silence.

Mariya Yuri’s face turned pale, and she unconsciously recalled the incident from four years ago.

That experience, even now, was something Mariya Yuri could not forget.

To be blunt, the reason Mariya Yuri feared Campiones, feared God-Slaying Demon Lords, was inextricably tied to that incident.

Otherwise, even if she wasn't as confident or proud as Erica, it would still be difficult to develop a fear of them from the heart without having witnessed firsthand how terrifying Campiones were.

Only those who had truly witnessed a Campione and a Heretic God would understand just how terrifying they were, and how insignificant humans were in their presence.

Especially Campiones—sometimes, they were even more lawless and unrestrained than those Heretic Gods who emerged from myths.

If a Campione truly set their mind to cause chaos, the impact they could bring to the human world might surpass even that of the Heretic Gods, who were like natural disasters.

Mariya Yuri had seen all this with her own eyes and knew just how unruly Campiones could be.

To summon a god, a king’s authority had gathered dozens of Hime-Miko, conducting a god-descending ritual regardless of the consequences or the effects. In the end, after the ritual, two-thirds of those Hime-Miko had lost their sanity and suffered severe trauma.

Though Mariya Yuri escaped unscathed, she was still deeply affected by that day and considered it a psychological shadow even now.

And now, the other party was planning to do it all over again, and had set their sights on her...

"Why..."

Mariya Yuri really wanted to know—what made her so special that someone would hold her in such regard.

"Because you are exceptional," Kaiser said matter-of-factly. "Summoning a Heretic God is an extremely difficult task for humans. Unless there is some necessary catalyst, it’s very hard to succeed."

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Kaiser had successfully summoned gods twice before and assume that summoning a Heretic God was easy.

If not for True Longinus and the Truth Idea capable of accomplishing various miracles, Kaiser would have never managed to do such a thing.

Even he had failed outright when trying to summon a Heretic God for the third time, after two prior successes.

So, summoning a Heretic God was incredibly difficult—even the successful summoning of Melqart by Verethragna at Sardinia had been due to Verethragna’s unique nature.

Verethragna was a Heretic God whose essence was battle and victory, and he was a god of war. As long as he sought an opponent, wished for enemies to fight, such opponents would appear.

If it had been another god, lacking the essence of conflict or the nature of a war god, summoning a Heretic God would have required the correct method.

Four years ago, Voban’s successful ritual had only been possible by relying on the alignment of heaven, earth, and man.

Utilizing a special celestial phenomenon and the energy of the ley lines, combined with the willpower of dozens of Hime-Miko and a powerful ritual, Voban was able to summon a Heretic God.

"Now, after four years of reorganization, the constellations have once again aligned in the same pattern, a special celestial phenomenon is about to form, and even the ley lines have normalized, providing ample energy to summon another Heretic God."

As he sipped his tea, Kaiser spoke in an unhurried tone.

"To successfully hold the ritual, that old man naturally needs to gather Hime-Miko again."

"And having learned from four years ago, he certainly won't want to recruit those inferior candidates who would collapse during the ritual."

"Rather than gather a bunch of scattered half-baked talents, he might as well pick outstanding and exceptional Hime-Miko. That’s probably what that old man is thinking, right?"

Thus, Mariya Yuri had been targeted.

Because among the one-third of Hime-Miko who survived that time, Mariya Yuri’s talent had been the most outstanding.

Even Kaiser had taken notice of her talent—so it was only natural that old Voban would too.

Perhaps in terms of combat strength, Mariya Yuri couldn’t compare to the likes of Erica, and might not even match ordinary knights. But in terms of her uniqueness as a Hime-Miko, she was undoubtedly one of the top in the world.

Her Spirit Vision, almost equivalent to precognition, surpassed even that of many gods well-versed in this field.

Therefore, as long as that old man Voban remembered the events of four years ago—remembered Mariya Yuri’s performance in the ritual—he would definitely be moved, and cast his gaze upon this country.

"How could this happen..."

Understanding the whole situation, Mariya Yuri slumped dejectedly to the floor.

Could it be that the incident from four years ago was going to happen again?

Back then, so many people were sacrificed and so much destruction was wrought—what would happen this time?

Could she... survive by sheer luck again?

No—it wasn’t just that.

Once a Heretic God was summoned, disaster would descend upon the world. Even if Marquis Voban stepped in, it would still bring tremendous devastation.

That man wasn’t someone who would care about the presence of weak humans. Even if he had to fight in a densely populated city center, he wouldn’t hesitate in the slightest.

By then, the ones who would suffer would not only be the Hime-Miko, herself included, but thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of people!

And worst of all, since the target was her, the battlefield might very well be chosen in this country—possibly even in the city she lived in.

If it really came to that, would her friends, her family, and her neighbors all be in danger?

At this possibility, Mariya Yuri couldn’t help but tremble in fear.

Suddenly, as if thinking of something, Mariya Yuri looked up at Kaiser.

"Could it be... the reason you're here is also for this?"

Mariya Yuri couldn’t help but question Kaiser.

She hadn’t forgotten—this new king before her was also extremely interested in Heretic Gods. He had even obtained divine information from the History Compilation Committee and traveled all the way to Sardinia for that reason.

Under such circumstances, if he knew Marquis Voban planned to summon a Heretic God here, would this new king really remain uninvolved?

After all, four years ago, when the King of Swords from Italy intervened and seized Marquis Voban’s prey, she, Mariya Yuri, had been present.

This made Mariya Yuri have no choice but to suspect whether this new king was planning to imitate the Italian one.

If things turned out like that, it would be truly terrible.

Unfortunately, Mariya Yuri guessed wrong.

"I do want to fight gods, but not to the extent that I’d do anything to make it happen," Kaiser glanced at Mariya Yuri and said indifferently, "Of course, if you think I’m lying, I don’t mind doing something like that either."

Hearing that, Mariya Yuri shook her head like a rattle drum.

"Pl-please don’t do that! It’s my fault! I shouldn’t have doubted you!"

Mariya Yuri bowed down again, just like before, begging Kaiser for forgiveness.

And then, she heard Kaiser’s next words.

"Of course, if I had to say it, I do share one goal with that old man Voban," Kaiser looked at the kneeling Mariya Yuri and finally dropped the pretense, smiling as he said, "I’m here for you too."

Mariya Yuri immediately looked up in shock.

Seeing this, Kaiser simply stepped forward, bent down, and reached out his hand, somewhat playfully lifting Mariya Yuri’s chin.

"You didn’t mishear. I’m here for you."

Gazing into Mariya Yuri’s evasive, frightened eyes that dared not resist, Kaiser showed an amused smile.

"Become mine, Mariya Yuri."

"As long as you swear allegiance to me, I will protect you."

"Even if Voban comes in person, he won’t be able to take you from my hands."

These words were not spoken with arrogance or dominance, but as if stating a simple fact—natural and casual.

"I..."

Forced to look into Kaiser’s eyes, their faces very close, Mariya Yuri’s delicate body trembled slightly, and her mind was instantly thrown into chaos.

"Don’t think I’m taking advantage of your plight, okay?" Kaiser said with a smile. "The fact that I’m personally asking you already shows a lot of respect for your decision."

"Otherwise, if I truly wanted you, one word from me would be enough."

As long as he expressed the desire for Mariya Yuri, even without saying anything else, the History Compilation Committee would come knocking on his door as intermediaries, wash Mariya Yuri clean, and deliver her with both hands.

Sacrificing one person to win over a Campione—this was a deal no faction could refuse.

Moreover, Mariya Yuri wouldn’t even be a true sacrifice—just sold to Kaiser.

If their Hime-Miko could become the consort of a Demon Lord, the History Compilation Committee’s problem of how to deal with Kaiser would be instantly resolved.

Mariya Yuri understood this logic.

Humans could not defy gods.

Humans could not defy Campiones either.

If the king before her truly wanted her, one word was all it would take—there was no need to come here personally and ask her to swear loyalty.

Just as Kaiser had said, he wasn’t exploiting her situation—this was merely a matter of timing.

Suddenly, a spear appeared in Kaiser’s hand.

"Clang!"

With a metallic sound, the spear stabbed into the floor and stood upright before Mariya Yuri.

Startled, Mariya Yuri then recognized the spear’s origin.

It was Gungnir—the Eternal Spear.

"Swear upon this spear."

Kaiser said so.

According to myth, anyone who swore upon the Eternal Spear would see their vow fulfilled.

To swear loyalty upon this spear—if one dared betray that vow, the result would be to be pierced by a meteor falling from the heavens.

"Will you serve me? Or be coveted by that old man Voban?"

"The choice is yours."

Having said that, Kaiser no longer spoke.

Mariya Yuri stared dazedly at the spear before her, momentarily unable to react.

After a long time, the girl trembled as she slowly extended her hand toward the spear...

Only then did Kaiser smile.

Chapter 335: The Girl in the Wind

At the same time, in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo, in Yushima.

In a corner near Kuramaebashi Bridge in Yushima, there stood a small shrine.

This was a shrine built beside a path in Yushima. Unlike Shichio Shrine and incomparable to the nearby Kanda Myojin Shrine, it was a modest shrine with no regular chief priest or shrine maiden in residence, managed instead in turns by local believers living nearby.

Although the shrine was relatively small in scale, its various functions were fairly complete. The front hall's gate was also very elegant—one glance was enough to tell that the incense offerings had never ceased. Even during the shrine's least popular periods, there must have been people coming to pay their respects.

And it was in this very shrine, before the gate of the front hall, that two people appeared.

These two, one was a beautiful woman in men's clothing, the other a middle-aged salaryman—both dressed in a distinctly unique fashion in every sense.

They were none other than Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu.

“Why are we waiting here for someone this late at night?”

Touma Amakasu looked like he had just been dragged out of bed by his boss, his face full of resentment.

“I believe I’ve voiced more than once that overtime is a terrible cultural practice, haven’t I?”

At those words, Sayanomiya Kaoru didn’t even spare him a glance, and spoke leisurely.

“I’ve also told you more than once that if I have something to do, I’ll definitely drag you down with me, haven’t I?”

The woman dressed as a man showed not a trace of apology—rather, she looked like someone saying, “If I have to suffer, don’t think you’ll get off easy.”

“This is a violation of labor law! It’s disgraceful capitalist behavior!”

Touma Amakasu protested vehemently.

“Then go ahead and sue me,” Sayanomiya Kaoru said cheerfully. “It just so happens that I’d like to escape for a while. If I hide in prison, maybe I won’t have to deal with all that trouble anymore, right?”

Touma Amakasu’s eye twitched fiercely.

“To avoid troublesome matters, you’re even considering hiding in prison?”

He looked at Sayanomiya Kaoru with utter disbelief.

“Anyway, the Sayanomiya family wouldn’t let me stay in there too long. So hiding inside for a bit—why not?”

Sayanomiya Kaoru spoke such things with righteous confidence, leaving Touma Amakasu speechless.

“Who are we waiting for here?”

Touma Amakasu changed the subject, no longer wanting to dwell on it.

Seriously, if even his boss was trying to skip work, what was a humble wage-earner like him supposed to do?

“For someone a bit troublesome,” said Sayanomiya Kaoru, seeing that Touma Amakasu had stopped complaining, and let him off, saying, “Of course, the troublesome one isn’t her personally, but the elders behind her.”

Elders...

Touma Amakasu knew very well that anyone referred to as such by Sayanomiya Kaoru could only be those troublesome figures who always hid in the shadows and refused to show themselves.

And the person representing them, to his knowledge, could only be that one...

“Really, of all times, someone that troublesome just had to get involved now.”

Sayanomiya Kaoru began to complain, a hint of a headache showing on her face.

“What are those elders trying to do?” Touma Amakasu seemed to realize something, his expression changed, and he lowered his voice. “They’re not planning to do something to that King, are they?”

“I don’t know.” Sayanomiya Kaoru shook her head. “But judging by the looks of it, they definitely want to establish contact with him first.”

“...Was it premeditated? Or spur of the moment?”

“Probably premeditated? After all, that person was still in Sardinia this morning, wasn’t he?”

“So what exactly do they want?”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t have to be here, preparing to have a war of words with whoever they’re sending.”

The superior and subordinate exchanged banter at the gate of the shrine’s front hall, speaking one sentence after another, until a certain moment when they fell silent at the same time, turning their gazes forward.

There, a figure appeared without a sound, walking slowly toward them under the moonlight.

Suddenly, an abnormal gust of wind surged up and swept around her, making her long, beautiful, jet-black hair sway, forming wave after wave of ripples, creating a rather ethereal scene.

Before long, the figure’s appearance entered the sight of Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu and was taken in completely by their eyes.

She was a girl with a dignified face, as if a fairy by a clear spring, exuding a natural aura.

The girl wasn’t particularly tall, but her figure was very alluring. She wore a white blouse with a khaki vest and a pleated short skirt over it. Her long legs were clad in knee-high socks, and she wore little leather shoes on her feet, dressed like a high school girl—her uniform seemingly from some unknown school.

This girl dressed like a high school student had a long cloth bag slung over her shoulder. Inside it clearly lay something extraordinary. Even though the bag seemed to have a spell to conceal magical power, those with sharp senses could still faintly perceive the terrifying presence emanating from within.

With that bag on her shoulder, the girl came before Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu.

“Are you here to greet Ena?”

The girl spoke in a pleasant yet carefree voice as she addressed the two.

“Long time no see, Ena.” Sayanomiya Kaoru smiled at seeing a familiar face. “I knew it. If it was someone to represent that old man, it would definitely be you.”

“Long time no see, Miss Ena.” Touma Amakasu seemed to know her too, and greeted her familiarly. “It must’ve been tough for you to come down from the mountain so late.”

At the sound of their voices, the girl—Seishuin Ena—still maintained her carefree demeanor.

“Indeed, Grandpa really knows how to make people run around. Ena was still training, but he suddenly called me down the mountain and asked me to bring Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. I thought a Divine Beast had appeared and needed Ena to defeat it.”

Even though she mentioned Divine Beasts, beings rivaled only by the pinnacle of humanity, Seishuin Ena’s tone held little reverence. Instead, she spoke as if she had long been accustomed to dealing with beings beyond human understanding, perhaps even interacting daily with beings even higher than them. It felt very natural.

Of course, Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu didn’t show any surprise.

Because they knew very well that although this girl looked young, she had indeed been with such beyond-human beings for a long time and could no longer be considered an ordinary existence.

“Are you planning to stay here?” Sayanomiya Kaoru glanced at the shrine behind her. “There’s no place to live here. Why not let me arrange another place for you?”

“No, no need. Here is fine.” Seishuin Ena shook her head while refusing, saying, “Being in a crowded place is just troublesome. Not only would Ena be uncomfortable, but even Ame no Murakumo would be displeased.”

“So Ena will just stay here. Sleeping on the floor is fine. It’s pretty much the same as training in the mountains.”

“Besides, Ena already got the shrine key from the administrator.”

As she spoke, Seishuin Ena took out the key from her pocket and opened the gate of this shrine, called Tamano'ura Shrine.

The three of them walked into the shrine and sat down in the front hall.

“Ena.” Sayanomiya Kaoru knew Ena wasn’t the type to play word games, so she asked directly, “May I ask what your grandfather sent you here to do?”

No sooner had Sayanomiya Kaoru finished speaking than a strong wind swept through outside the shrine, as if a storm was about to hit, shaking the entire shrine.

“Aiya, looks like Grandpa doesn’t want me to say.” Seishuin Ena looked at the wind outside the window and said to Sayanomiya Kaoru helplessly, “Sorry, Kaoru, you know I can’t go against Grandpa’s will.”

“Not even a little hint?” Sayanomiya Kaoru frowned. “Aren’t those old men underestimating people a bit too much?”

“No helping it. Grandpa is just like that. Don’t think he’s easy to talk to—he’s actually even more hot-tempered than those God-Slaying Kings.” Seishuin Ena blinked. Though her expression was innocent, she somehow gave off a faintly seductive aura. “Anyway, Kaoru, just know that Ena is here for something big.”

Standing behind Sayanomiya Kaoru, Touma Amakasu was instantly speechless.

Wasn’t that just openly admitting they were up to something?

Normally it might be fine, but why now of all times?

“Forgive me for being blunt, Miss Ena.” Touma Amakasu couldn’t help but say, “If you’re targeting the new King, then you’d best think things through before you act.”

“We don’t know enough about that King yet—we’re still unclear about his methods.”

“If he turns out to be a tyrant like the Eastern European Wolf King or the Chinese Martial King, then acting recklessly could bring calamity to this country.”

At those words, Seishuin Ena didn’t retreat at all. Instead, she showed a very interested expression.

“You two have already met the new King, haven’t you?” Seishuin Ena looked genuinely curious. “Could you tell Ena—what kind of person is he?”

“What’s this?” Sayanomiya Kaoru looked at Seishuin Ena’s curious face and raised an eyebrow. “Are you really that interested in him?”

“Yes,” Seishuin Ena admitted frankly. “Ena has never met a God-Slaying King—only heard tales from Grandpa and Grandma about how powerful they are.”

“Even Ena, if she went to challenge them with Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, would get thoroughly beaten up, it seems?”

“Are Kings really that strong?”

Seishuin Ena’s curiosity seemed a little abnormal, as if someone had deliberately incited her.

Sayanomiya Kaoru and Touma Amakasu exchanged glances, then looked at Seishuin Ena in unison.

“You’ll know once you go see for yourself, won’t you?” Sayanomiya Kaoru smiled. “After all, we couldn’t stop you anyway, right?”

The smile on Seishuin Ena’s face instantly grew more vivid.

“Then let Ena go meet him personally.”

(End of Chapter)