Chapter: 734
The dungeon made by the Four Kings wasn’t particularly special.
It’s weird to say that a massive labyrinth-like dungeon has no notable features—except for that feeling of disconnection from the surrounding environment—it just didn’t give off the vibe of being the lair of great evil.
No matter how much I looked through the dungeon, apart from the corpses we’d already slaughtered, there was nothing else. There weren’t even any remnants of the Four Kings or traces of their sorcery. Just a former stronghold where they and their forces used to be. That was about it.
‘Is that a good thing, at least?’
Since there were no special occurrences or evidence, the sect wouldn’t feel the need to take action. The Four Kings had been defeated, and their army was annihilated, so the crusade was officially over.
As soon as I stepped outside the dungeon, I pulled out my communication orb. It hadn’t worked properly inside, so I hadn’t been able to send word of our victory. I wondered how eagerly my brethren in the sect were waiting for our news.
‘The Highness must be pleased.’
After hundreds of years, the bells toll had rung five times, causing great sorrow to the Highness. However, thanks to the impressive efforts of Count Tailglehen, we had defeated the Four Kings without significant losses, so the Highness would definitely be pleased.
After all, the Count was not only a noble in the Empire but also a blessed member of the sect, right?
“Your Eminence.”
“Your Grace?”
Just as I was about to activate the communication orb, Count Tailglehen approached.
“Are you ready to report now?”
“Yes. I held off on reporting for a while in case there were remnants of the Four Kings in the dungeon, but since I’ve confirmed there’s nothing to worry about, it’s time to report our victory to His Highness.”
“I see.”
The Count nodded slightly, quickly scanning the surroundings before continuing in a hushed voice.
“I apologize, but could you hold off on the report for a moment? There’s something urgent I need to discuss.”
“You want to talk to me, Count?”
“This concerns the three of us, including Brother Tannian.”
At those words, I put the communication orb back. Delaying the Highness’s happiness was painful, but this was a request from the Count who had just defeated the Four Kings. Taking a bit of time was a price I was willing to pay.
Moreover, it was a meeting between me, the overall commander of the expeditionary force, the Count, the deputy commander, and Brother Tannian, the next Saint. It surely wasn’t going to be light conversation.
‘Could this be a message from the Emperor?’
That was definitely a strong possibility. If the Count, the Emperor’s closest aide, requested a close conversation, it could only mean the Emperor’s will.
I thought that way for about ten minutes.
“This is really the Four Kings.”
Until the Count brought something out in a gathering that consisted only of me, the Count, and Brother Tannian.
“What?”
“Wait, what?”
With a small doll in his hands, the Count made a shocking claim that it was the true Four Kings.
At that statement, both Tannian and I stared blankly between the doll in the Count’s hand and the Count’s face.
‘Is this a joke?’
I glanced at Brother Tannian, wondering if this was the Count’s idea of a joke. Surely, Brother Tannian, who had spent three years with the Count, would know if he had such a humorless personality.
‘Nope.’
Unfortunately, Brother Tannian’s expression was filled with confusion. I was likely looking just as baffled.
“Count, this doll…”
“It’s quite unsettling. You dare treat me as a puppet despite being Enen’s marionette—”
Before my words could finish, the doll spoke. Before the doll could finish its line, the Count crushed its body.
There I was, staring at the head falling to the floor, struggling to close my mouth that had just opened in disbelief.
“Did the doll just talk?”
“Uh, wait a minute. Suddenly springing this on me is a bit surprising, you know?”
What’s more shocking was that the doll’s head, after hitting the floor, was still speaking. Even more bizarrely, its crushed neck was slowly starting to mend itself.
“As you can see, this is the situation.”
With the Count’s bitter voice, I instinctively stomped on the doll’s—no, the Four King’s—head.
Regrettably, the shattered head quickly restored itself not long after.
The hunt for the Four Kings had failed. Additionally, the Count, who had declared their defeat, had temporarily hidden the Four Kings.
Thanks to that, our meeting turned into an unofficial inquiry concerning the Count.
“Your Grace. The sect has pledged to defeat the Four Kings with the ringing of the bell five times. Any hindrance to that goes against the sect’s mission, and yet, you’re blessed by Enen, aren’t you? Clearly, there must be a reason for your actions.”
Thus, as the overall commander of the expeditionary force and Brother Tannian, the next saint, I put pressure on the Count to explain the situation to our satisfaction. Under this obvious pressure, the Count nodded, pulled the sword from his waist, and placed it on the ground.
Seeing him disarm himself lessened my wariness slightly. At the very least, he didn’t seem intent on being hostile to the sect.
“What I’m about to tell you may deeply shock you both. However, if I don’t explain, I fear I won’t be able to convince you.”
Nodding at the Count’s cooperative attitude, I thought it couldn’t be more shocking than the fact that he had hidden the Four Kings.
“The name of the Four Kings is Risianne. She was a former Cardinal of the Dawn Sect and chose a different deity than Enen.”
However, despite being mentally prepared, I found myself collapsing to the ground the moment I heard the Count’s words.
Without realizing it, the authority and honor of the sect had nearly plummeted.
*
The expressions on Tannian and the Cardinal were literally expressions of people who had lost their souls.
It was an expected reaction. I had revealed to the two of them not only the true identity of the Four Kings but also that her death was fully voluntary.
“If we had pushed to eradicate the Four Kings in their dungeon, it would’ve led to the annihilation of the expedition force.”
This blunt confirmation made the Cardinal clench her eyes shut.
Risianne was a monster who had created something from nothing with a single clap. While it’s highly probable that the dungeon was one of her creations, we had almost conducted a raid there.
How could we face off against a monster who survived even after being struck down by my heavenly strike, someone the saint couldn’t defeat? Would we all just die? Wouldn’t it be better to allow the Four Kings to encounter death as they wished? That seemed like a better survival probability for the expedition force.
“I apologize for saying we defeated the Four Kings. However, it would have been awkward to say that she just fled or hid elsewhere in front of the knights and priests.”
“If that had happened… the expedition force would have scoured the continent looking for the Four Kings, even though she was right there with you.”
“Yes, indeed.”
Nodding at Tannian’s words, I grinned.
An invincible enemy. We were to fight the Four Kings in our own backyard, where we might all get wiped out. Saying the Four Kings were somewhere else would lead to an endless pilgrimage for the expedition force, threatening us all.
So, after some deliberation, I thought it best to declare the fake Four Kings (who had been considered the real deal) defeated. I knew it had many flaws and could backfire spectacularly, which was a risk I was aware of, but it was better than diving headfirst into a raid.
“And if the Four Kings revealed their identity in the heat of battle, it would create indelible chaos.”
This time Tannian nodded in agreement.
Fighting against an immortal enemy was maddening, and finding out during the fight that they were “Actually, I was the cardinal of your sect lol” would be pure insanity.
“However, my brother. While I understand your intentions, what do you intend to do now? Carrying around someone who can’t even be killed seems quite dangerous, doesn’t it?”
“Ha. This one is someone who will guide me to death. Do you think I would harm her? Am I to be seen as a hypocrite like those who blindly kill in the name of Enen?”
Hearing Tannian’s words, the head of Risianne, who had been lying on the ground, stood up proudly.
“…If it’s death.”
At the mention of death, Tannian’s gaze returned to me.
I shut my eyes, signaling that he was correct, and Tannian let out a nervous chuckle. He knew how the so-called God of Death might behave.
“The Four Kings, who are now in a state of death, can only be killed by death itself.”
“A curious assertion, but still, hope.”
“Is it too much to say ‘death’ in front of the person herself?”
Neither Tannian nor I responded to Risianne’s comment.
What a disaster brought on by this damned Four Kings and Jangsaeng.
After giving the expedition force a temporary stand-down, Tannian, the Cardinal, and I took to the skies on Jis.
No, to prepare for the worst, we headed north—beyond the north—to the frozen land. If Risianne went on a rampage here, there’d be no casualties.
“Enen said the oldest worries and sins were sealed away in this frozen land. It seems that this is indeed that icy place.”
Meanwhile, Risianne was grinning and looking around like a fool.
‘Is this for real?’
As I watched that sight, another long sigh escaped me, and an overwhelming sense of self-loathing washed over me.
You don’t negotiate with terrorists. Yet here I was, negotiating with a lunatic who wouldn’t die.
At least there was one silver lining; Risianne considered me to be an apostle of death. As a result, she quietly obeyed me, treating me as a higher-up. However, this obedience was based on her belief that I would ultimately lead her to Jangsaeng. I couldn’t guarantee what would happen if I flatly refused the meeting or met Jangsaeng.
‘…Please, Jangsaeng, don’t awaken your powers of death.’
The worst-case scenario would be Jangsaeng reverting back to his Villain King status, but he wasn’t even a vessel capable of holding divinity anymore. If anything, if Risianne got stronger, she’d just increase in power, while Jangsaeng wouldn’t awaken.
Hence, I fidgeted with the hilt of my sword in anxiety, when…
“I meet your Grace.”
A magic user from my family, who had received my communication, appeared using teleportation.
“I’m back to this damned place again.”
With Jangsaeng, who had been resting at the mansion.
“Hmm?”
“Wait, what?”
Jangsaeng and Risianne showed interest in each other as if they were in a bizarre fantasy of their own.
Neither had been introduced. They must have instinctively recognized each other’s energy.
“You, what energy is that?”
“Uh, huh? Huh?”
Jangsaeng, with bright eyes, slipped from the magic user’s arms. Meanwhile, Risianne began trembling with confusion.
“T-this person is death…? No way, it can’t be… Death should be a dread monster that shrouds the sky and upturns the land… but this energy…”
“That is death, alright.”
I quietly replied, noting that Risianne was in denial of reality.
“Ah…”
As if having returned from a deep trance, Risianne stopped dead in her tracks.
“Y-your Excellency!”
With that, she burst into tears, darting towards Jangsaeng and prostrating herself, wailing loudly.
“How can this be happening? No matter how much you’ve been sealed, you, who brings a fair death to all life, who is the destination for all beings—how can you end up like this?”
“…”
Jangsaeng, now in an awkward situation, didn’t know how to answer.
“Since you’re suffering this much, as one who follows your will, I can’t just stand idly by!”
Saying that, Risianne placed both hands over her chest and summoned a dark orb.
‘Now that’s interesting.’
Although the spectacle of a bizarre black sphere emerging from her body was disturbing, I instinctively understood.
That was the embodiment of the energy of death that Risianne harbored. The root cause that transformed her into a mad monster, making her an indestructible being.
“Death! Here is what belongs to you! The servant offers it to the great master!”
“O—”
Risianne’s cry directed Jangsaeng’s gaze to the dark sphere.
For a moment, I noticed a slight flicker of greed pass through Jangsaeng’s eyes.
*
Despite being compared to me, the tiny human… no, is that even human? Anyway, the small being took in my fragments, and my heart began to race.
Even though it was a power so weak it couldn’t be compared to my prime, it was still something that could be quite useful depending on how it was used. Given that the vessel for divinity was gone, it was impossible to return as a deity; however, with that power, I could accomplish even more than now.
“Death! Here is what belongs to you! The servant offers it to the great master!”
So when this adorable creature offered my fragment, I was more than willing to consume it.
That was… until I locked eyes with the master.
‘Which is faster, for you to digest that, or for me to draw my sword?’
I had yet to comprehend the unmistakable warning in the master’s eyes.
‘Sh*t.’
In the end, I walked somberly toward the master, the fragment still in my mouth.
If I swallowed this, I’d be split open by my master and die.
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