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Chapter 728
Chapter 728
Shall We Begin in Earnest? (3)
“Gaaaah!”
Ismogen let out a scream of agony as his leg was shattered. Ghislain didn’t stop there; he went on to crush all of Ismogen’s limbs.
To make matters worse, he infused his own mana into Ismogen’s heart. That mana would now prevent Ismogen from healing until it completely dissipated.
Ismogen couldn’t be killed just yet. He had to be kept alive and taken before the Pope.
Ë ṅu̇.m̀ a. і̊d
Only then would the Pope be forced to announce to all the kingdoms that the Demonic Abyss had begun to stir.
“Whew, it’s been a rough few days. Still, catching you like this feels pretty satisfying.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Ghhk… you…”
“Thanks to you, we can now reveal that the Demonic Abyss is active. Your chaos-spreading days are over.”
“Ughhh…”
A look of utter despair spread across Ismogen’s face. It wasn’t the defeat that pained him most, it was the thought that the Holy Church’s long-cherished mission had unraveled because of him.
Е̇n u̇ m̃ а
There was only one thing left he could do: end his own life to prevent the Church’s plans from being exposed to the world.
Though his limbs were shattered and he couldn’t move, one method of suicide remained. Ismogen bit down hard on his tongue.
“Ghh…”
But his face soon slackened in hopelessness.
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For some reason, he couldn’t muster any strength in his jaw. It felt as if every ounce of power had left his body.
Ghislain, seeing that, let out a small chuckle.
Е̊ ṅ ǔ mа̊
“Don’t even think about it. My mana has taken control of all your nerves.”
“…”
Ismogen had no choice but to give up. His opponent truly possessed every kind of technique imaginable.
Ghislain began to drag Ismogen toward where his comrades were gathered, keeping a constant watch on the man's condition and checking how much mana was being depleted.
If Ismogen recovered even slightly, he might escape or kill himself. Ghislain had to ensure his mana didn’t dissipate.
It was a hassle, but there was no helping it if he wanted to deliver Ismogen in one piece.
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As Ghislain approached with Ismogen in tow, the mercenaries greeted him with excitement.
“Yeah! The Deputy Commander is back!”
“He really caught him!”
“Is that guy seriously a priest of the Salvation Church?”
By now, all the Crusaders had been defeated and were nothing more than withered husks. The mercenaries had suffered no casualties.
That was because Julien and Kyle had taken the frontlines to block the Crusaders, while Deneb had healed the wounded from behind.
Еńŭ m̈.а
In truth, the two of them were strong enough to take down the Crusaders on their own, even if it took time. But they focused on defense to protect the less capable mercenaries.
It was similar to how Ghislain had deliberately lured Ismogen away to minimize the damage.
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In any case, now that Ismogen had been captured, the battle was completely over. Ghislain smiled and spoke.
“Deneb, we need to show everyone some proof. Let’s run a little test.”
“Got it.”
Deneb placed her hand on Ismogen's body and released divine power.
Wе b n öṽ ӗl̈ Е̂n uṁ а
As the divine power touched him, Ismogen's body burst into flames. That was because the Salvation Church’s energy couldn’t withstand divine power.
Ssssss!
“Gaaaargh!”
Ismogen screamed in agony, prompting Deneb to withdraw her hand. It was undeniable proof clear for all to see.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Ghislain summoned Dark and sent him flying high into the sky.
“Spread the word. Let them know we're bringing him now.”
Ēn̂um̃ а
“Got it!”
Dark soon split into two and flew off in opposite directions.
Ghislain then led the mercenaries to the predetermined meeting point.
Not long after, two armies approached him.
Surprisingly, it was Count Bonedor and Count Schwarz who had been at each other's throats, now each leading their respective forces.
The armies stopped at a respectful distance. Then, with their escorting knights, both Count Bonedor and Count Schwarz stepped forward toward Ghislain.
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Tension filled the air as both sides stared each other down, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.
Count Bonedor glared at Count Schwarz and spoke first.
“I’ll let this slide for now since you say you’ve found proof. Otherwise, you would’ve died in this war.”
Count Schwarz let out a mocking snort and replied.
“What a joke. You really think you could’ve handled my army if we’d fought properly? You’d have been wiped out.”
“You bastard? Then why don’t we settle it right now?”
W е̂bn̊ ō v е l̂ Е ńü.m ä.
“Sure. I was planning to crush you during this chance anyway.”
As the two were about to come to blows, Ghislain stepped in to stop them.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“We’ve caught the one pulling strings from the shadows. Let’s put an end to this. Fighting now would only benefit others.”
At those words, both men turned their heads sharply in reluctant agreement, as if they couldn’t bear to look at each other.
Ghislain shook his head at the sight.
‘As if either of them ever intended to go through with the fight.’
W е b̂ ǹ ov̈е ľ_ Е̄ňum ā
The truth was, despite their animosity, both had been trying to avoid war. Starting a conflict between kingdoms would’ve been far too heavy a burden to bear.
Now that Ghislain had given them a reason not to fight, they were puffing themselves up with even more bluster.
‘Well, at least both sides were cooperative, so it ended more smoothly.’
When the war began, Ghislain had secretly sent Dark to both Count Bonedor and Count Schwarz, asking them to wait a little longer.
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With spies likely embedded everywhere, he had no other choice.
Count Schwarz, though suspicious, agreed since he didn’t want to go to war in the first place. Count Bonedor, on the other hand, had no options without Ghislain’s support.
Ŵ е bn̆о̂v еl Ӗn úm a
And so, both sides pretended to fight to deceive Ismogen.
No one besides the two lords knew about the operation. As a result, everyone believed Count Schwarz was simply retreating out of fear of the enemy’s weapon.
Count Bonedor cleared his throat and asked,
“Ahem, so this man is truly a priest of the Salvation Church?”
“Yes. Let me show you the evidence. Deneb.”
“Okay.”
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Deneb stepped forward and once again unleashed divine power onto Ismogen’s body.
“Hiyaa!”
Sssssss!
“Grrrgh!”
Deneb used even stronger divine power than before. She had to present irrefutable proof.
Already weakened, Ismogen writhed in even greater pain.
En̈ ūm а . ї d̆
The sight of Ismogen’s body igniting in response to divine power shocked the two lords.
Only those associated with the Demonic Abyss reacted like that to divine power.
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They had heard tales about the Demonic Abyss, but seeing it firsthand was a different matter entirely.
“Whoa, it’s true. A high priest of the Salvation Church tried to drive a wedge between us and provoke a fight.”
“Exactly. Right now, those bastards are stirring up conflict in other kingdoms too…”
“Hiyaa!”
W̃е b́n о v̈ е l Е̇ n̈ǔma
Sssssss!
“Gaaaargh!”
“Hiyaa!”
Sssssss!
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“Uuuugh!”
“…Deneb, that’s enough. You can stop now.”
Ē ǹu̇ mа
Ghislain, seeing Deneb unusually fired up, stepped in to rein her back and continued speaking.
“In any case, the Salvation Church is causing unrest across other kingdoms as well. That’s why we plan to take him to the Holy Empire. I’d like the two of you to provide written testimony as witnesses of what transpired.”
“Very well. I understand. I’ll cooperate. We only caught the real culprit thanks to you.”
At Count Bonedor’s words, Count Schwarz also nodded. After all, Ghislain had stopped the war; he at least deserved that much.
Still, Count Bonedor picking a fight had left a sour taste.
“See? There was someone pulling strings behind the scenes! You owe me an apology for suspecting me for no reason!”
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“What are you talking about! You suspected me too! More importantly, return the cows you stole from our territory!”
“Those cows came over to my land on their own. I didn’t do anything.”
“On their own? That’s ridiculous! Are you telling me the cows from our territory broke through the fence in the dead of night and walked off?”
“That can happen! Maybe you raised them so poorly they ran away! And aren’t you the real thieves here? My villagers stand guard at night because your soldiers keep stealing chickens and pigs!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Come to think of it, you have been like this since you were a kid. You used to hunt deer in our territory too!”
“…That was because your deer lured my hunting dog away. It had big, beautiful eyes, that deer.”
Е ńũ_m̃á
“What the hell are you saying? You crazy bastard!”
The two lords started bickering again, and everyone simply stood there watching in a daze.
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“……”
Even Ghislain didn’t bother trying to stop them anymore. At this rate, it seemed like the two were bound to cause some incident regardless of the Salvation Church.
The more they argued, the closer they got, until eventually they were grabbing each other by the collar. Only then did those around them step in and forcibly break them apart, bringing the scuffle to an end.
Ghislain began packing up with the mercenaries. Though the two lords offered to throw a grand feast, he turned them down.
Wе́bn о̄.v e l̈ Е n̊u m̌ а
High priests of the Salvation Church were monstrous beings capable of recovery even after their bodies had been shattered. They had to bring him to the Holy Empire as quickly as possible to present the evidence.
And so, Ghislain’s group set off immediately for the Holy Empire.
* * *
“Wooooow…”
As the group reached the heart of the Holy Empire, they found themselves unconsciously slack-jawed in awe.
The walls surrounding the city were so solid and majestic they seemed as though they had been built by the hands of a god.
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On the pristine white marble walls were etched the records of countless holy wars spanning thousands of years, and golden sacred emblems shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Once they passed through the gates, the streets were filled with radiant light.
E ñum а̂ . і d
The marble-paved roads were immaculate, not a speck of dust in sight, and the surrounding buildings were adorned with intricate carvings and sacred symbols.
Along the roadside, clergy in pure white offered prayers, and though the passersby moved busily, the atmosphere remained quiet and reverent.
This was not simply a city, it was a place imbued with divine order.
The mercenaries felt themselves shrink under the weight of it. Osval, overwhelmed by the sacred air, instinctively began to confess.
“I secretly ate my comrades’ food every day. It was me who took Kyle’s boots and sold them. I also secretly sold Julien’s gloves. I ate Deneb’s herbs thinking they’d be good for my body. I was the one who wrote ‘Astion is a crazy bastard’ on the village wall. O Goddess, please forgive me.”
“……”
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Everyone turned to look at Osval. Eyes closed, he continued confessing his past sins, completely oblivious to their stares.
No one said a word. There was no rush to beat him up, it was more important to hear just how many sins he had to confess.
The group made their way toward the center of the city, all while listening to Osval’s seemingly endless confession.
The deeper they went into the city, the grander the architecture became. At the heart of the city stood the largest and most radiant of the sanctuaries, surrounded by spires and arches in perfect harmony.
This was truly the closest place to the divine in this world, the heart of the Holy Empire and the residence of the Pope: The Hall of the Divine.
“We finally made it. Incredible.”
Е̂num а
Ghislain murmured as he looked at the grand sanctuary. The heart of the Holy Empire was overflowing with divine power.
So much so that Ismogen, who had been dragged along, had already collapsed, foaming at the mouth and eyes rolled back.
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In a place filled with divine power, to someone like Ismogen, it was nothing short of cursed land.
Ghislain turned to a middle-aged man riding beside him and offered his thanks.
“Thanks to your support, we arrived without trouble. I’m grateful.”
“Don’t mention it. With a figure from the Demonic Abyss captured, how could I just sit by? It was my duty. Please, go on ahead. His Holiness, the Pope must be waiting.”
Е̌nŭ m̄ ā
The reason they were able to travel to the heart of the Holy Empire without facing any obstacles was thanks to Ismogen’s presence.
A noble of the Holy Empire, upon seeing Ismogen, had immediately contacted the Pope and even mobilized a military escort to help bring them safely to the Hall of the Divine.
However, not even a noble like him could step foot into the Hall without the Pope’s permission.
The same applied to the mercenaries, they all had to wait outside.
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Only Ghislain, Julien, Deneb, and Kyle were allowed to disarm and enter the Hall of the Divine.
Ghislain handed Ismogen over to the Temple Knights. Finally, he no longer had to keep an eye on the man.
Ẅ eb̌n̊о̌ v̈ el Еnů m̈ а
The interior of the Hall was far grander than they had imagined. Endless rows of pure white columns stretched out, and the ceiling soared high as though it touched the heavens.
Stained glass windows that seemed to radiate divine power lined the walls, and the floor formed a mysterious circular pattern with golden symbols etched into white marble.
As they ventured deeper into the Hall, they reached the sacred inner sanctum so hallowed that even priests rarely dared set foot there.
“Wooooow…”
No one could say who gasped first. The sight before them was truly breathtaking in its splendor.
The walls were adorned with murals and reliefs depicting celestial beings, and the floor was made of transparent crystal, giving the illusion of walking atop a thin layer of water.
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Beneath it, minute particles of light flowed to form mystical patterns.
Julien, Deneb, and Kyle were completely overwhelmed. As people from the countryside, the inner sanctum felt like an utterly foreign world, disconnected from reality.
Ghislain, too, looked around in awe.
‘Damn, this must’ve cost a fortune.’
Even with all his experiences, Ghislain had never seen anything quite this magnificent. It was easy to believe this was the dwelling place of a god.
At the end of the grand hall, a massive structure known as the “Veil of Divinity” hung from the ceiling.
Е n ǔm̆ а̇.. ǐ ď
It resembled a holy light descending from the heavens.
Enormous interlocking metallic rings floated midair, and from their center, divine light poured down, forming a radiant, shimmering veil.
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Within the light, sacred symbols constantly shifted and flowed.
And beyond that veil, the faint silhouette of someone could be seen.
From the side, a priest stepped forward and spoke solemnly.
“You now stand before His Holiness the Pope. Proceed on your knees.”
Еnu̇ m̆а
Julien, Deneb, and Kyle instinctively moved to kneel. But Ghislain stopped them and spoke to the priest.
“I don’t think kneeling is really necessary, is it? It’s not like he’s going to be granting us titles or anything. I mean, if he is, I’d be willing to kneel on one knee.”
“Kneeling and walking before His Holiness the Pope is the law of the Holy Empire. Even a king of a nation is not exempt from this.”
“My knees aren’t in great shape, you see. I took an arrow to the knee when I was a kid. Do you know how painful it is to walk on your knees?”
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“You scoundrel! How dare a lowly mercenary like you—!”
“Ah, that’s enough. I brought back a high priest of the Salvation Church, so now the Holy Empire can handle it from here. These bastards have been stirring up trouble across the kingdoms, but if the Pope speaks, everyone will cease hostilities and begin investigations.”
W èb nо v̆ еl Е nŭ m а
“Kneel at once—”
“Message delivered, right? Then we’ll be on our way?”
Ghislain was being sincere. His goal had been to inform the Holy Empire of the Salvation Church’s presence and to instill a sense of urgency.
Now that he had achieved that goal, there was no need to stay any longer. It was time to return to his original plan, enhancing the reputation of his mercenary corps and honing the skills of his party.
As Ghislain turned to leave, the priest stammered.
“T-Then why did you insist on coming all the way here yourself! You could have just handed over the priest and passed on the message! Didn’t you say it was so important that you had to deliver it in person?!”
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“To sightsee.”
“What?”
“When else would I get the chance to come in here? It’s really quite nice.”
The other three nodded in agreement. Honestly, this place was so grand and magnificent, it was something they could brag about for the rest of their lives.
“……”
The priest’s jaw dropped, completely speechless. That someone would enter this sacred place just to look around!
Wѐ bň о v́ é l̆ Е̃n ům а
But Ghislain hadn’t lied. The fact that the Demonic Abyss had grown active again was undeniably a matter of the utmost importance.
Ghislain looked up at the massive veil blocking the way forward and spoke.
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“It's a bit of a shame I didn’t get to see the Pope’s face. Didn’t expect it to be hidden like that.”
A shadow beyond the light stirred slightly. It looked as if it were smiling.
“Well, we’re really off now. You take care of the rest.”
Ghislain turned around. The priest cried out in panic.
W̆ е b n ov̄ el Е ñ ü m а
“Y-You scoundrel! Kneel at once!”
“Look, I said I’m leaving! Why do you keep telling me to kneel? How am I supposed to walk out while kneeling?”
“Just kneel! Do you even know who I am?!”
“Nope, and I don’t want to.”
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The priest felt like he was going mad. Never in his life had he encountered someone so brazen and unruly.
To disregard the Holy Empire’s authority in its very heart this was something no priest could overlook.
Ӗ ǹ um а̄
He suddenly grabbed the hem of Ghislain’s robe as he tried to leave.
“You’re not going anywhere! Kneel!”
“Let go! I said no!”
The two struggled in a tug-of-war. Even the Temple Knights nearby didn’t know what to do.
They were used to scenes of solemnity and formality. This kind of chaos was completely new to them.
While Ghislain and the priest wrestled, a voice echoed from behind the veil.
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“That’s enough.”
With just that single word, the priest released Ghislain’s robe and stepped back. He realized he had gotten too carried away.
Ghislain turned his head back toward the veil.
“Oh-ho…”
The voice was truly mysterious. It sounded like both a man and a woman. It was also impossible to guess the speaker’s age.
The structure of light wasn’t just for decoration. It seemed to conceal the Pope’s identity.
W̃еb n ӧ v̄е̌l Е́ n̈ um̀а̌_
The Pope’s voice soon followed.
“O mercenary corps that roams the continent, you have rendered a great service to the world. Were it not for your actions, humanity would have suffered grave losses in this war.”
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“……”
“To simply let one who has done so much leave without consequence over a mere breach of formality, that would not do. I intend to reward you accordingly.”
Ghislain chuckled softly and nodded.
“Feels like we’ll get along just fine, Your Holiness. May I request anything?”
Ẃе̂ b̂ n о̄ v̇ е̂ l Е ńu ḿ а
“If it is within reason, I shall grant you whatever you ask. And besides that, there is one matter I wish to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
The Pope fell silent for a moment. It seemed they were hesitating slightly.
After a short pause, the Pope carefully spoke again.
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“This Pope… wishes to entrust you with an important task.”
Ghislain raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected that.
W eb̈_n̆ оvе̌ l̄ E̊n̆ u mà
The most influential figure on the continent was the Pope. At their command, countless knight orders across the land would rise in unison.
And yet, such a figure now wished to entrust a task to a mere mercenary corps?
Ghislain folded his arms and smiled, clearly intrigued.
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