The Next Day Morning
Orias was in ruins.
Considering that gods had descended to engage in fierce battles, the damage seemed minimal, but many buildings were destroyed.
In particular, the Imperial Palace located at the center of Orias was completely shattered.
The tyrant’s palace, which symbolized his power, had turned to dust.
Tap, tap
Amidst the bustling knights and soldiers hurriedly managing the aftermath, a woman wrapped in a robe approached.
“Hey! This area is off-limits!”
One knight tried to stop her, but—
“Off-limits? Are you talking about me?”
“Y-Your Highness!”
Aurelia revealed her face as she took off her robe, causing the knight to kneel in shock.
“I-I see the greatness before me!”
“Are you a royal knight?”
“Yes! Indeed!”
“Where is the commander of the knights and the Prime Minister?”
“They are currently coordinating the recovery efforts for the palace and Orias!”
“Lead me there.”
“Yes!”
Following the knight, Aurelia arrived at a makeshift command tent.
As she entered, the ministers, who were passionately holding a meeting, stood up.
“Your Highness! Are you unhurt?”
As Aurelia sat in the honored seat offered by the Prime Minister, she asked, “Everyone, please sit. What about Father?”
“Uh… during yesterday’s battle… he…”
“I see…”
Tap, tap
Pondering as she tapped her fingers on the table, she spoke.
“From now on, I will act as my father’s regent.”
“Y-Your Highness!”
The ministers were taken aback by her suddenly firm and cold demeanor.
“Unless my father is present, it is only right for me, as the princess, to take command. Isn’t that so?”
“No! It is indeed right for you to lead us, Your Highness!”
The ministers exchanged glances and stood up, shouting loudly.
They understood that the tyrant who had brought indiscriminate slaughter had fallen to his death and that his daughter had become the rightful heir to the Empire.
“First, before leading the recovery efforts, we must assess the current situation. Prepare reports on the events from last night.”
“Y-Yes, understood!”
One minister stood up and began reporting to Aurelia.
“Last night, His Majesty initiated the ‘Orias Purification Operation.’ This operation was conducted based on His Majesty’s power…”
Having listened to all the reports, Aurelia fell deep in thought.
“I see. So, that woman named Judah stabbed the Son of Deus with a spear… is that correct?”
“Yes. That was verified through multiple witnesses. And this spear… this is the one she used to stab the Son of Deus.”
“And what happened to the Son of Deus?”
“The Son of Deus, immediately after being stabbed by Judah, reportedly was swallowed by a giant serpent that appeared in the sky. It is believed that he completely perished as the serpent vanished.”
“…He… died.”
“Yes.”
Aurelia placed her trembling hands into her cloak to hide the weak appearance of her ruler.
“I need to gather my thoughts for a moment; can you all leave?”
“Certainly. Understood.”
Once all the ministers left the command tent, Aurelia, left alone, knelt and broke down in tears.
“Ah, my lord… my beloved lord… how could this happen… why…”
After a while, she stood up.
“Have I lost the chance to apologize and receive forgiveness?”
*
– You made Judah stab me by controlling her mind.
– Hmm… “Controlling” doesn’t sound pleasant. But if we must argue, yes.
Judah made her stab me.
This woman.
– But thanks to that, we could meet like this, right? Everything is achieved now. All that’s left is for my son and me to live happily!
She smiled brightly.
Her radiant appearance made her smile even more beautiful.
But…
Why does she start to feel increasingly unsettling?
– How is the situation outside progressing?
– Outside situation? What does that matter anymore? The affairs of the lower world are no longer relevant.
Lower world?
This woman…
She’s a bit different from the Deus I know.
The Deus I know never looked down on mortals in the middle realm.
And Judah, manipulated into betraying me?
Twisting her will to betray me?
She wouldn’t do that if she were truly of good nature.
Has she changed…?
Gained enough power to reach divinity through my scriptures?
– Ah! I forgot. One of the prophecy’s contents said resurrection in three days. I need to descend and return in between. After that, we need to become one.
The resurrection of the Messiah written in the scriptures.
Is that what we’re talking about?
The prophecy hasn’t been fully fulfilled yet, so she seems not completely free.
– But our son.
Huh?
She approached me closer.
She suddenly put her face right in front of mine and said.
– Why can’t I hear our son’s inner voice since a while ago?
I instinctively stepped back.
– I don’t know. The true resurrection of our son can’t happen until the resurrection and ascension in three days occur… it should be normal that our son hasn’t received divinity yet and can’t be heard. Has he already achieved divinity?
Not being able to hear his thoughts?
What does she mean…?
At that moment, one artifact flashed through my mind.
Artifact ‘Successor.’
It grants the power to me when someone I thought was an ally betrays me.
If I am perceived as considering Deus an ally…
If I am somehow seen as betrayed by Deus right now…
Then perhaps I may have gained the power of Deus.
But can an artifact created by mere mortals grant the power of a god…?
Even with such absurd activation conditions, could it allow me to gain the power of Deus, not just an ordinary god?
Of course, the current Deus exists because of the book I wrote…
…I see.
Rex Omniam.
Because I wielded the power of Rex Omniam, the divinity remaining within me.
Right now, I am temporarily a god.
In this state, if ‘Successor’ was activated, it wouldn’t be strange if I also gained her power.
– Deus.
– Hmm… your voice is still quite stiff.
She was already behind me.
Her hand brushed against my back.
A tingling sensation.
– Mother is so sad. Our son still pushes mother away like this.
She whispered her lips right at my ear.
– Three days from now, when resurrection and ascension occur, I plan to become one with you.
I was startled and pushed her away unconsciously.
– Become one! What are you talking about?
Are you saying you will… eat me!?
– Well, it’s just the same as what’s written in the scriptures about our son. “I will pour upon the inhabitants of Orias a spirit of grace and supplication; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn for him as one mourns for an only son…” It’s mentioned that Deus is the only begotten.
What I wrote in the scriptures.
…It was a concept taken straight from the religion I was inspired by in my past life.
I never thought that the content would lead to this.
– Oh! I almost forgot. Our daughter Ignis. She also tried to obstruct our unity.
Snap
As she snapped her fingers, Ignis appeared in the air, bound in flames.
– Luke! Luke!
Ignis is bound?
In her own flames?!
– Unfortunately, Ignis looked down on our Luke. Even defying this mother’s orders.
Snap
As Deus snapped her fingers again, Ignis’ flames surged and silenced her.
– Watch here. The scene where Luke and I become one.
Clank
Chains created from thin air bound my arms and legs.
– Normally, I would intend for ascension to happen before becoming one, but I can’t hold back any longer. Is it because of Rex Omniam? Since our Luke has already risen to divinity, it should be okay to do it a bit earlier.
Approaching Deus saying so…
…Is she planning to bind Ignis and consume me?
Crack
– No.
Do you think I would just let this happen?
– Oh my.
I channeled all my divinity, shattering all the chains.
– Our son. You’re overflowing with power.
– Deus. Do you really think things will turn out your way?
– …Our son, have you developed a rebellious streak?
For reasons I don’t understand, it seems the artifact ‘Successor’ has activated properly.
As I felt the overwhelming and absurd divinity surge through me, I began to draw my power up.
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