Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 204
The Empire collapsed overnight.
At first, people couldn’t grasp the reality of the situation.
How could anyone believe that a nation that had ruled the continent firmly for 500 years suddenly fell without any warning?
Even after hearing the announcement from the Spirit Trading Company, it took time for people to accept that the Empire had truly fallen.
But that acceptance was only a matter of time.
“Undead have appeared!”
“Arghhh!”
Zombies, skeletons, ghouls, living armors...
As the gates of hell opened, the corpses and remains buried in cemeteries and wilderness areas began to awaken as undead.
Their numbers grew exponentially with each passing day, and the damage inflicted on civilians by the undead escalated rapidly.
A sky that had lost its sun and the awakening of the dead.
Regardless of the cause, everyone on the western continent instinctively felt that the world was on the verge of ending.
On the first day, everyone was simply bewildered, on the second day, they denied it as impossible, and on the third day, they were shocked and plunged into chaos.
It took just three days for the entire western continent to fall into turmoil.
Anyone with a bit of foresight could see what was coming.
With the capital, the heart of the western continent, gone, everything would start to falter, and that faltering would rapidly escalate into a great chaos.
Increased crime, riots, civil wars, and even greater conflicts were bound to follow.
Everyone sighed in despair, wondering what exactly was about to happen to the western continent.
Then, on the third day.
A letter from the same sender arrived simultaneously to all the rulers of the western continent.
Along with a short message claiming to know the cause of this situation and inviting them to attend, an invitation to the ‘Eternal Sunset Tea Party’ was enclosed.
And when the rulers confirmed the three seals on that letter, they were utterly shocked.
The Sacred Fire Order, the Slaughter Cult, and the Lawful God Church.
The seals representing the Three Great Orders were stamped on that letter.
The seals of the Orders could only be stamped by their respective leaders.
Even one Order’s seal was a significant matter, yet this letter bore the seals of all three Orders that held influence over the entire continent, affirming the letter’s authority.
It was no exaggeration to say that the power of all three Orders was contained within this single letter.
The rulers calmed their pounding hearts and checked the name of the sender.
Who could have sent a letter that had the trust of all three Orders?
And when they confirmed the name on the letter, they were once again astonished.
It was a name famous enough that anyone who kept their ear to the ground had heard it at least once.
**Aden Remes**
***
“Thanks to all of you, things have gone much more smoothly. I’m grateful.”
Aden expressed his thanks as he looked at the three crystal orbs.
Each orb was connected to the Sacred Fire Order, the Slaughter Cult, and the Lawful God Church.
At his words, the elderly man with a kindly appearance, visible through the first crystal orb, the leader of the Sacred Fire Order, Kertel Jin, smiled.
- Hoho, considering the grace our Order received from you, Prince Aden, this is nothing.
The beautiful woman in the center orb, Merida Runius, the Saintess of the Slaughter Cult, nodded in agreement.
Having been revived by the World Tree’s fruit, she had regained her eyesight, which made her no longer suited to her title of ‘Blind Saint.’
- The Slaughter Cult shares the same sentiment as the Sacred Fire Order. Without you, our Order would have collapsed.
Princess Lilianas, who ruled the Lawful God Church in place of the weakened Sacred King, smiled faintly as she spoke.
- We’re rather glad to have an opportunity to repay the favor we owe you, Prince Aden. Although, we do not welcome the crisis that has befallen the world...
Aden informed the representatives of the Three Great Orders of the details.
He told them that Chaos had opened the gates of hell in the capital, and that they only had about a month left.
Of course, he omitted the identity of Chaos’s leader and the fragment of the Demon God.
Those were shocking truths that could shake the very foundation of the western continent’s history and identity.
There was no need to cause unnecessary confusion with such information.
Aden spoke to them.
“As I mentioned earlier, the Emperor is dead, and the capital of the Empire has become a hellscape where creatures from the underworld are emerging. That’s why the power of the Orders is needed more than ever to fill the void left by the absence of public authority.”
The hell gate, Tartarus, was a disaster that would be difficult to stop even if the entire western continent’s forces united to face it.
But unlike the future he had seen, the Empire that could gather the continent’s forces in one place had already perished.
‘Perhaps this was all part of Kalsis’s plan.’
The western continent, having lost its focal point, would descend into chaos, and that chaos would further solidify the connection between the underworld and the surface.
‘That’s why the power of the Orders is more crucial than ever.’
With the state having lost control, they needed to form an alliance using the power of religion.
The faces of the representatives of the Three Great Orders darkened.
- Hmm...
- A coalition of the western continent...
- I wonder if it’s possible to achieve that in just one month.
They had only one month left.
Forming an alliance and gathering the continent’s forces within that time was a daunting task.
Of course, with the Three Great Orders, which held sway over the entire continent, actively taking the lead, it might somehow be possible to create such an alliance.
After all, if they didn’t fight, they would all die.
- But controlling the alliance will be difficult. The Empire has fallen, and the imperial bloodline is all but extinct.
Princess Lilianas’s words were true.
Consider the example of the Bandit King, Muscleless.
Before Muscleless arrived, the bandits in that area were nothing more than a ragtag armed group.
But with the presence of the Bandit King as their focal point, they became a coalition force strong enough to threaten the surrounding territories.
That was how important a focal point was.
It was something that united people, fostered a sense of belonging, and gave them the strength to face death without fear.
For the past 500 years, that focal point in the western continent had been the Immortalia Imperial Family.
With the imperial bloodline wiped out along with the capital, the Orders couldn’t completely fill that void.
The representatives of the Orders were agents who spread the will of their gods in the world, but they were not the rulers of the western continent.
If they formed an alliance in the current state, there would be numerous issues with soldiers acting on their own, deserting, and so on, making it impossible to maintain control.
Why?
Because with the state having collapsed, there was no reason for anyone to risk their lives in battle.
Such underlying sentiments would cause friction within the alliance.
With such disunity, it would be impossible to gather troops, let alone fight with the resolve to burn themselves like moths to a flame.
To form a coalition, a representative recognized by all the military forces on the western continent was needed.
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve already thought of a solution.”
- Oh! Is that really true?
- As expected of Prince Aden! You’re truly the person Master acknowledged!
- Master?
- Ah, it’s nothing, Lady Merida.
They didn’t bother asking what method Aden had prepared.
Since Aden Remes, their benefactor who had saved the Orders, assured them that there was no need to worry, there would be no problem.
“Then, I’ll see you later at the ‘Eternal Sunset Tea Party.’”
Aden cut off the connection with the crystal orbs.
- The gods are curious about the solution you’ve prepared.
“Don’t be impatient. You’ll find out soon enough. You useless gods who can’t even manage the world properly.”
- The gods protest that they’re doing their best as well!
‘Yeah, yeah, sure, I know.’
He knew they weren’t lying.
With the opening of the hell gate, the balance of the world had been broken.
The Lord of the Sacred Fire, the Slaughter God, and the Lawful God were all desperately trying to restore that balance while dealing with the Talos that were crossing over to the surface.
Even at that moment, they were doing their best to protect the world.
‘The problem is that they’re of no help right now.’
Ignoring the messages from the gods, Aden casually asked Leo, who was inside the Blood Jewel.
‘Leo.’
- Yes, Daddy!
‘Did Nine’s hair really look blonde to you?’
- That’s right! But she said it wasn’t!
‘Then, by any chance...’
Aden asked Leo something, and Leo responded brightly.
- Yes, yes! That’s right! How did you know?
‘I see.’
A smile deepened on Aden’s lips as he heard Leo’s answer.
***
- Hehe. Here’s your invitation, customer. It’s only 15,000 gold!
“Damn, that’s ridiculously expensive...”
- It’s a special discount price only because you’re our exclusive contract customer, Prince Aden.
“Fine, give it here.”
Aden clicked his tongue but still took the card offered by the rabbit spirit merchant.
It was outrageously expensive, but it was a necessary expense.
Aden looked at the card in his hand.
**Entrance Ticket to the Eternal Sunset Tea Party**
Aden asked Ravits, “Did you deliver it properly to the others?”
- Of course! Our Spirit Trading Company prides itself on flawless service and integrity!
“Such thick skin.”
A trading company built on integrity?
Ridiculous. These greedy creatures only thought about how to squeeze more out of their customers, yet they spoke so well.
But since human trading companies were no different, Aden didn’t bother to argue.
On the back of the card was a space to write the name of the person wishing to enter.
**Aden Remes.**
He wrote his name in the blank space with a pen.
And then.
Fwoosh!
The card burst into flames and burned away in an instant.
It was a sudden event, but Aden expected it and calmly waited for what would happen next.
Fwaaash!
A white light burst forth in front of Aden, and a glowing door of light appeared.
Ravits, who had been watching, urged him.
- The door won’t stay open for long, Prince Aden! You should go in quickly. They’ll be waiting for you.
“Alright, I got it.”
Aden stepped into the door of light.
Fwaaaaash.
As his vision was engulfed in light, he felt his body being transported somewhere.
- You have entered the special space, ‘Eternal Sunset Tea Party Hall.’
The light gradually faded.
And then, a wondrous sight was revealed.
“Eternal Sunset Tea Party Hall, huh...”
Aden let out a laugh.
It was indeed a place befitting its name.
A forest bathed in twilight, filled with a dusky glow.
In the middle of that forest stood an absurdly large table, around which a feast was laid out.
He had thought it was just a pretentious name...
But the one who had been waiting for Aden was already there.
A person dressed in formal attire with a peculiar mask and hat.
- You’re early, Prince Aden.
It was the Hat Merchant, the owner of the Spirit Trading Company.
And the master of this space.
“Yes. Considering how much I paid to rent this place, I had to come early.”
About a tenth of the money Hermit had given him had been spent just to rent this space and purchase a large quantity of entrance tickets.
In other words, around 20 tons of gold and treasures had been consumed.
It would be a lie to say it wasn’t a bit regrettable, but it was a necessary expense for a place of such value.
The Eternal Sunset Tea Party Hall.
This was the Hat Merchant’s personal space, a small world separate from the surface.
In this place, it was possible to meet others by transcending the barriers of space.
- Now that the host of this tea party has arrived, I’ll call the others.
“Good. Go ahead.”
Clap. She clapped her hands lightly.
- The Tea Party Hall is now open.
- Guests are entering the Eternal Sunset Tea Party Hall.
Dozens of white lights appeared.
- Guest, ‘Leader of the Sacred Fire Order,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘Saintess of the Slaughter Cult,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘Iron-Blooded Sacred King,’ has entered.
“Haha. What a fascinating place.”
“It’s been a while, Prince Aden.”
The representatives of the Three Great Orders were the first to appear.
- Guest, ‘Chiefs of the Great Forest,’ have entered.
“Good to see you again!”
“The benefactor of the Great Forest!”
The chiefs of the Red Fox Tribe, the Blue Bear Tribe, and the Silver Wolf Tribe, representing the Great Forest, stepped forward.
- Guest, ‘Grand Duke of Sias,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘Border Count of Sedus,’ has entered.
“Hmm.”
“Haha, Aden! It’s been a while!”
The Grand Duke of Sias and Tiried Sedus, the Border Count, appeared, radiating powerful auras.
- Guest, ‘Lord of Barken,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘King of the Horn Kingdom,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘Master of the Dragon Mountains,’ has entered.
- Guest, ‘Head of the Argent Count Family,’ has entered...
The powerful nobles within the Empire, kings of small nations, and leaders of guilds controlling free cities, gathered.
‘Good. Now then.’
It was time to begin the meeting that would decide the fate of the western continent.