In the heart of the Empire, deep underground in the capital Imperidium.
The shrine, filled with brilliant jewels, was illuminated by a sacred light as a living being revealed itself.
“Ha….”
Her name is Nea.
She is one of the now dwindling Six Swords of the Empire and the one and only Saintess of the Empire.
Saintess Nea, as usual, had her servant dress her and put on her round glasses that she always wore.
“Are you going back?”
“Y-yes… the descent ritual is all done….”
Nea slowly walked along the path inside the shrine.
Her attending servants followed respectfully with their heads lowered.
Stop.
“?”
Nea comes to a halt.
As she stopped, the servants behind her also paused.
“What’s the matter?”
“I-it’s strange… the energy feels different…”
Nea’s glasses sparkled as light reflected off them.
Being the Saintess of the Empire, she was sensitive to sacred powers, and even deep underground, she could sense an anomaly.
“It seems an impure person has invaded… what happened…?”
“I will look into it.”
“No, I’ll check it myself….”
Baaam!
As white light enveloped Nea’s body, she instantly returned to her residence underground.
The power only a Saintess of the Empire could wield, ‘Descent.’
With her ability to utilize sacred power, she could move her physical body anywhere, provided she had special divine stones like those in the shrine.
However.
“Ah, not again with the clothes….”
Only Nea could be transferred.
Once again, Nea found herself naked and pondered.
She could go out like this, but surely the other servants or the Duke would cause a scene.
“Maintain your dignity. You are the sole Saintess of the Empire.”
“What does superficiality even matter?”
What does clothing and body mean to her?
As the great Saintess Nea serving the divine, she couldn’t comprehend such meaningless gazes and thoughts.
Sighing, Nea called for any servant waiting at the mansion to help her change clothes.
Although it wasn’t the servant assigned to assist her with clothing, the servant trembled as they dared touch her body, but fortunately, she showed no reaction.
After all, the other party was one of the cruel nobles, unlike her position and demeanor as a Saintess.
For instance, when Saintess Nea first revealed herself, she looked quite young.
A very youthful appearance, a quivering tone, and a shrunken posture.
Because of this, some of the subjects who saw her for the first time in the plaza mocked and ridiculed her, claiming she would burst and die from the white light.
Despite having a quiet conversation in whispers, everyone was killed after hearing it all.
The only relief is that Nea doesn’t kill the servants, who are the Empire’s property, but she will take action anytime she feels the line is crossed.
“It’s, it’s over.”
“It’s strange… isn’t it?”
“Y-Yeah, that’s right.”
“……”
Finally, Nea, donning the glasses put on by the servant, lightly rose into the sky, passing by him.
The palpable presence of heresy was felt.
‘Just as I thought.’
The heretic who insulted herself and the gods, Lily Elbrite, is here on this land.
Nea took out her pure white staff.
The opponent is the wicked heretic who dared invade the Empire.
Whoosh.
Light gathered into a point as Nea gazed at the light converging in her eyes.
Everything that Nea believes in and follows, her foundation.
‘I borrow power from the gods.’
“The price, the punishment, shall burn eternally in the holy fire.”
Whoosh!!
The power newly obtained through the descent ritual.
The ‘Fire of Punishment’ fuels Nea’s light and manifests the will of the gods.
The fire embedded in the staff soon drew a massive magic circle reminiscent of a god and flew toward its target.
The fire incinerates the sinner…
Crash.
“…Again.”
Was thwarted by a golden sword.
The golden sword buzzing with light appeared before Nea, blocking her flame.
Seeing the sword of light that was greater than herself, Nea frowned once more.
“W-Why do you keep stopping me…?”
─I apologize. Eliminating heresy is the Saintess’s job.
“Ah, if you know, step aside! There’s a sinner on this land…”
Nea glared at the sword.
It was merely a glare as if she were sulking, but she couldn’t help it.
The opponent is at the top of the Empire, and since Nea was appointed as the Saintess, she has lived as Duke Huangyeol’s ally and sword.
Her faith in the gods is steadfast, and even if her personality is capricious, when Duke Huangyeol commands, she must absolutely follow.
“The god who bestowed the ‘Fire of Punishment’ on me desires judgment. Didn’t you also deem it right, Duke…?”
─Punishment. That is indeed the great will. The Saintess is not wrong.
“…Then?”
The sword trembled.
It appeared to be smiling, despite simply being a sword.
─A great path, but there’s no need to take the difficult road. The Empire must look to higher places.
“…Higher places?”
─The words are already in motion. Lily Elbrite is too precious a being to be consumed by the Fire of Punishment. She must be there for the perfect utopia to be reached.
A magnificent Empire that no one can rival or approach.
The key to the beginning will be Lily Elbrite, who will become the new shield.
“……”
─ Did you understand what I said?
“I-I understand….”
─ Good. Then I trust you’ll handle yourself well.
“W-Will you not come?”
─ I’m still busy on this side. The ‘transformation’ regarding Karia isn’t finished yet. The barrier restoration is taking time, so we’ll see what happens.
“…Understood.”
Phew.
The sword that burned with golden holiness loses its power and scatters away.
Saintess Nea, who was staring at the spot where the sword had disappeared, thought.
‘…Are we really just going to let this heresy be?’
That cannot happen.
Even if it can’t be burned by the flames of punishment, she cannot bear to see the wicked heretics running wild in the middle of the empire’s capital.
Before moving, Nea took one last look at the place where Duke Huangyeol’s power still lingered.
A perfect utopia.
She didn’t quite know what that meant, but now was the moment to act.
‘The God wants that too…!’
As long as she doesn’t go against the Duke’s will, it should be fine.
With that thought, Nea headed toward where Lily was.
—
The horses were diligently moving even at this moment.
■
Breeeeek.
SDVIMVFoanVzY1YwSVhjamMzUkt1WE83WnhqbmRkVmFBelZMWWxOUi9nRkJUeGs2ZXZuKzZOc0NXWHdCdjdybg
Piyuuuuu… Bang!
“…Looks like she’s sleeping soundly.”
“She eats until she’s full, then sleeps, and when she wakes, she eats again. A perfect example of a newborn.”
“Y-Yeah… that’s right.”
The little Sre, who had eaten a whopping thirty-seven plates, was lying on the red carpet, napping.
Sre is a member of the dragon race, living close to eternity.
It’s hard to precisely estimate her age, but dragons have a significantly long growth period, so she is still just like a newborn.
Though she has the intelligence to speak, her behavioral patterns are at the level of a regular baby.
The little bubbles forming and popping from her nose were utterly adorable, but the expressions of Esther and the servants, who had already incurred significant financial losses, were far from cheerful.
Esther managed her expression as best as she could and continued speaking.
“Anyway, to continue my point, you came to see Duke Huangyeol… am I right?”
“That’s correct. Isn’t he in the capital?”
“Duke Huangyeol is in the capital, indeed, but he’s very busy with official duties. It seems difficult for him today.”
“Hmm.”
That’s a troubling situation.
If that’s the case, I’d have to come again tomorrow, but I have a broadcast tomorrow, so it’s awkward to come.
Moreover, it’s not that they genuinely don’t have time; they seem more focused on dragging things out.
If that were the case, they wouldn’t be waiting for the higher-ups to contact them so eagerly.
“Then I’ll just have to go directly.”
“Excuse me? Don’t do that and just come back tomorrow…”
“If you come back tomorrow, I have a feeling you’ll tell me to come back the day after.”
“You don’t seem like someone who would…”
Esther turned her head abruptly.
There was a strong power and hostility approaching, enough for anyone who can sense mana to feel it clearly.
It was a familiar yet unpleasant force that I had felt before.
‘It’s the Saintess.’
Saintess Nea of the Empire.
She was approaching here, exuding hostility.
Esther’s expression changed to one of horror.
“I was going to find her, but it seems she’s come to greet me personally.”
“…Why?”
“Who knows?”
Did she suddenly change her mind?
Or is this part of Duke Huangyeol’s plan as well?
Bang!
The door to the reception room burst open, and the Saintess, dressed in pure white robes, made her grand entrance.
She wore an outfit similar yet different from mine.
“It’s you, Nea.”
“Heretic.”
Nea glared at me with a look of displeasure.
She was radiating a brilliant light, stronger than before.
Had something changed during that time?
“How dare you, a heretic, come here…?!”
“Where else would I come? I’ve come to the Empire.”
Is this a place I shouldn’t be?
I said this playfully while looking at her, and Nea gritted her teeth.
As expected, Nea refused to attack me.
Given her personality, it would be unusual for her not to give me a “light buff” for having the audacity to invade the Empire.
It seemed that Duke Huangyeol’s influence was preventing her from attacking.
“Perfect timing. I need to meet Duke Huangyeol, but you say you’re busy. How about you convey a message for me?”
“W-why should I convey anything from a heretic…?”
“Otherwise, I’ll just go directly to the Imperial Palace.”
I wasn’t joking.
If she didn’t show up, I was prepared to storm the palace myself.
In the past, there was no way to penetrate the depths of the Empire without a casket, but that’s not the case anymore.
With plenty of time in the 4th phase, even if I can’t kill her, she wouldn’t be able to lay a finger on me.
Nea’s brow furrowed even more.
“…Heretic, heretic heretic!!! Ugh, so rude! Very rude!”
“You keep calling me heretic.”
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