Chapter 453: Speak Freely (1)
Crunch!
A cold-eyed woman shattered someone’s skull with her mace.
The victim, clad in a black robe, bore the tattoo of a black sun upon his body. He was one of the adjudicators, known as high priests of the Salvation Church.
“Phew…”
The woman exhaled deeply, straightening her back. Her long hair fluttered in the wind.
The countless corpses around her painted a vivid picture of the fierce battle that had just unfolded.
Even she, the lone survivor, bore numerous injuries, and her fatigue was evident.
“It seems these bastards have gotten stronger than before. Why is this happening…?”
She trailed off, her thoughts swirling. Just as she was about to delve deeper into her worries, a group of people came rushing over from a distance.
“Holy Maiden!”
“Holy Maiden, are you all right?”
“Quick, we must treat her!”
The newcomers were priests serving Moriana, the Goddess of War. They surrounded the woman, who was referred to as the Holy Maiden, and began radiating divine power to heal her.
Compared to the woman, they were all at least a head shorter. From afar, it looked as if the Holy Maiden stood amidst a group of children.
But upon closer inspection, that wasn’t the case. The priests weren’t children but middle-aged men. It only appeared that way due to the sheer size of the Holy Maiden.
Her broad shoulders, muscular frame, and imposing presence gave her the appearance of someone who could take down a sturdy man with a single flick.
Indeed, she seemed a fitting choice for the Holy Maiden selected by the Goddess of War.
The Holy Maiden, Parniel, turned her head and asked, “The high priests of the Salvation Church are heading toward the Kingdom of Ritania. Do you know anything about this?”
One of the priests bowed his head and replied, “It seems a coalition force has been formed centered around the Kingdom of Ritania. The Salvation Church priests appear to be gathering to confront them.”
“I see. So, that’s the center of the conflict now. The cockroaches that had been hiding are now swarming there.”
“Shouldn’t we leave that matter to the people there? We should prepare to return…”
“No, I’m going to the Kingdom of Ritania.”
“Holy Maiden! The High Patriarch has expressly ordered your return.”
Despite the priests’ startled objections, Parniel shook her head resolutely.
“If the high priests of the Salvation Church are gathering, there must be someone of even greater importance among them. Even if that isn’t the case, they must have a compelling reason for concentrating their efforts there. I’m going.”
Clutching her bloodstained mace tightly, Parniel continued, “The high priests of the Salvation Church possess power comparable to that of superhumans. Ordinary people can’t stand against them. I, who have received the Goddess’s mission, must go and help.”
Moriana symbolized war, honor, combat, victory, authority, majesty, and pride. She was the goddess worshipped by knights, warriors, mercenaries, and others who lived by the sword.
The Holy Maiden chosen by such a goddess was none other than Parniel. Her divine mission was the eradication of the Salvation Church.
For that reason, she believed that only she could stand against them.
“Holy Maiden, the Kingdom of Ritania is a military powerhouse. Many strong individuals are there already.”
“There’s no need for us to go all the way there. Aren’t there other urgent matters to address?”
The priests tried to dissuade her, but Parniel was immovable. Instead, her voice grew firmer.
“The priests of the Salvation Church and the Riftspawn are antithetical to the divine power. Who else but me can deal with them effectively? I am the only Holy Maiden in this world.”
A Holy Maiden was born only once in an era. Until the death of the existing Holy Maiden, no other could be born, even within other faiths.
Currently, the Goddess of War has appointed her Holy Maiden.
However, the existence of a Holy Maiden chosen by the Goddess of War was a secret that the church had kept hidden for ages. It was considered an ominous sign, and few individuals knew of her existence.
Thus, Parniel carried the weight of her duty heavily.
“My birth in this era is undoubtedly the arrangement of the Goddess. Why else would she have sent me?”
The priests had no rebuttal to her words. The timing was indeed too coincidental to dismiss.
From birth, Parniel had been endowed with divine power, making her several times stronger than ordinary people.
Of course, that alone would have merely marked her as extraordinary. No matter how strong, her abilities would have had limits without the capacity to wield mana.
But after being chosen as the Holy Maiden and receiving divine power, she had transformed into a veritable war machine.
None could deny that all of this was the will of the divine to oppose the Salvation Church.
“Hmm… Fine.”
“We will set course for Ritania.”
“Let’s meet the person in charge there first.”
The priests could no longer stop Parniel. They knew all too well how stubborn the Holy Maiden was.
It was even more difficult to restrain her by force.
After all, she was none other than the “Holy Maiden of War,” one of the Seven Strongest on the Continent during Ghislain’s previous life.
* * *
The priests of the Salvation Church, under Gartros' orders, gathered to seize the Kingdom of Ritania.
However, there was one thing Gartros and Raul hadn’t considered. As the priests of the Salvation Church moved, their adversaries began to converge on the Kingdom of Ritania as well.
The elven high chieftain Ereneth had already allied with Ghislain, and the Holy Maiden of War, Parniel, was also heading to Ritania.
Adding to that, forces from various allied nations were mobilizing to confront the Duke of Delfine’s faction.
Thanks to Ghislain’s efforts, the Kingdom of Ritania was quickly turning into a battlefield for every major power.
Mercenaries from across the continent were joining the fray, forming an overwhelming force.
“Most of the mercenaries from the Kingdom of Seiron have been absorbed into the Fenris Mercenary Corps.”
“Over half of the mercenaries from the Kingdom of Grimwell have joined the Fenris Mercenary Corps!”
“The new recruits are extremely satisfied with the benefits we’re offering.”
Reports from all regions poured in. Ghislain listened with a smile.
“It’s progressing faster than I expected. Very good. Make sure the new recruits are well-supplied with food and money.”
Dominic and part of the Fenris Mercenary Corps had been dispatched to various kingdoms to establish branches even before the rift-cleaning operations were complete.
The rulers of these kingdoms supported the initiative. With efficient administration, progress was rapid and overwhelming.
The rulers, needing to retain mercenaries for their own internal affairs, strictly adhered to their agreements with Ghislain.
The faster things moved, the more administrative tasks piled up. Handling those, however, wasn’t Ghislain’s responsibility it was the job of the people Ghislain had brought along for just such purposes.
“Ughhh! Stop it! Just let me return to my estate already!”
Claude could be heard screaming daily from the Northern Army’s base as he processed an endless mountain of paperwork.
When Ghislain first called Claude and the other administrators, they thought they would only handle matters related to the allied forces and then be free to leave. Instead, they found themselves dragged to the Northern Army’s base, tasked with overseeing all administrative work.
“Damn it! Why is there so much to do? Why did they start so many projects? Why doesn’t the work ever end? Stop bringing me more reports!”
It dawned on Claude that he wouldn’t be returning to Fenris anytime soon.
Ghislain’s location had essentially become the heart of Fenris. All operations were managed from there and disseminated across the land.
The largest undertaking was managing the mercenaries. With a staggering 20,000 mercenaries scattered across the kingdoms, the influx of new recruits was relentless.
As more mercenaries flooded in, the administrative tasks and logistical demands grew at an insane pace.
“Ugh, can’t the Westerners handle things themselves? Why can’t they just declare independence?”
Next was the matter of the Western region. Stabilization efforts needed completion, and paths for the allied forces had to be secured. That meant another mountain of paperwork needed to be sent to that region.
Ghislain had dumped all this work on Claude!
“Just kill me already…”
Claude and the administrators worked through the tasks in a daze. If they collapsed from exhaustion, Piote would immediately show up to heal them and leave.
Ereneth, observing this, spoke thoughtfully.
“I thought he was just a frivolous man, but he seems to be quite capable. Since we’re now ‘family,’ I suppose I should lend a hand.”
“What are you helping with? I just want to sleep! I haven’t slept for three days! Can nature handle the paperwork for me?”
“Not quite, but I’ve thought of a better solution.”
As Claude sprawled, feigning collapse to buy time, Ereneth approached him.
From her outstretched hand, a beautiful green light began to emanate.
“This may not be as potent as divine power, but the energy of nature will revitalize you. Moreover, the spirits will assist you with your work.”
“D-Don’t!”
Swoosh!
The green light enveloped Claude. He felt a refreshing sensation course through his body, bringing renewed strength.
Water spirits hovered around him, washing his face. Wind spirits dried him, while fire spirits warmed his body.
Earth spirits held his legs and thighs in place, adjusting his posture.
“Why the posture?”
“To ensure you can sit healthily for extended periods.”
“Ahhh! Why can’t I ever be happy?!”
Now even Ereneth was teaming up with Piote to rob Claude of his sleep. Even the spirits were forcing Claude into labor.
It seemed the only way to escape was to die.
Unaware of his plight, Ereneth smiled warmly and said, “You don’t need to thank me. Didn’t we agree to be like family?”
“Wow… What the hell… Is it because you’re old-fashioned that I can’t reason with you?”
Claude felt like he was losing his mind. He envied Lowell, who was probably lounging comfortably in Fenris Castle as the acting overseer.
Still, the more Claude suffered, the faster and more thoroughly the administrative tasks for the Northern Army were completed.
Moreover, Ereneth’s addition made the process of handling the remaining rifts much easier.
ROAAR!
“You wretched creatures. I will not let you roam freely in this land ever again.”
Despite her nurturing demeanor with the Northern Army, Ereneth turned into a vengeful spirit in combat, making it hard to tell which side of her was the real one.
“Bind it.”
Rumble!
The vines summoned by Ereneth coiled tightly around the Equidema’s body.
The beast tried to thrash and break free, but before it could escape, Piote, with Belinda’s assistance, climbed onto the beast’s neck.
ROAR!
Afterward, the Equidema was dealt with in the same manner as before. Thanks to Ereneth, Piote was able to mount the beast far more quickly and easily.
Even if the vines broke a few times, it wasn’t a problem. Skilled allies nearby kept the beast in check without pause.
Watching them subdue the Equidema with such ease, Ereneth involuntarily exclaimed in admiration.
“To think you could capture that beast so easily… You are truly remarkable.”
Ghislain shrugged and asked, “How did your group handle it?”
“Well… we…”
Ereneth trailed off, her gaze wandering as if reminiscing about something distant. She quickly shook her head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
‘Hmm, something’s off.’
Ghislain narrowed his eyes as Ereneth deflected the topic.
It was clear she had sought him out as soon as her restrictions were lifted. This had to be her first battle against the rifts.
And yet, she showed no signs of surprise when facing the riftspawn or the Equidema. She seemed far too familiar with them both her words and actions suggested she had fought them multiple times before.
‘That elf was definitely hiding something.’
‘I’ll find out eventually.’
Ghislain had no interest in prying for secrets. However, if she held critical information that could help resolve the situation, he wouldn’t let it slide.
Regardless of Ghislain’s thoughts, the faster rift clearing bolstered the morale of the Northern Army.
The army steadily advanced, addressing both the rifts and administrative work along the way. It was as though an entire territory was on the move.
This also meant that Dark had to create and dispatch his avatars to various locations.
As they completed the rift clearings in the eastern regions and moved toward the allied forces’ gathering point, a thought suddenly crossed Ghislain’s mind, causing him to furrow his brow.
Something’s strange. Why haven’t they made a move yet?
It had been a month since Ereneth had joined them. With the Duke’s forces, the rifts in the south should have been dealt with long ago.
With the Salvation Church’s intelligence network spread across the continent, they would undoubtedly be aware of the allied forces’ movements. Support from nearby kingdoms had already begun to arrive.
The Duke wouldn’t just sit back and watch this unfold. What are they plotting?
The current situation was clearly unfavorable for the Duke. To turn the tide, they were undoubtedly planning something. But what exactly?
Ghislain pondered this for some time until a messenger brought new information.
“Assassins are on the move. Several administrators in territories near the south have been killed.”
“What? Assassins? Who were the targets?”
“Mostly lower-ranking officials. The damage isn’t significant, but the atmosphere has become unsettled.”
Ghislain sank deeper into thought.
At this stage? Such assassinations won’t change the course of events.
It seemed pointless. Without a transcendent, high-ranking nobles were impossible to assassinate.
Even if a transcendent succeeded, it would still be problematic. They wouldn’t escape the inevitable pursuit that followed.
Even Lavierre, who reached the level of a transcendent, couldn’t escape the knights’ pursuit and perished. No transcendent can fight continuously without rest.
The Duke’s faction wouldn’t be foolish enough to waste a transcendent recklessly.
If they’re still pushing this, there must be another reason…
While Ghislain monitored the Duke’s movements over several days, a messenger brought even more critical news.
“The Duke’s army has begun their advance! They’ve defeated the Kingdom Army’s Fourth Legion and are heading east!”
At last, the Duke’s faction was making their move.