Chapter 48
After shattering the Barrier Stone and completing her task, Patra immediately rushed back to the Imperial Palace.
Right away, she headed to where Mok was, more than anything else.
Could something have happened in that time?
Perhaps, did something truly terrible occur?
On her way here, she had already seen numerous dead orcs lying in front of the castle gates.
She suppressed the fear that her brother might be among them and hastened her steps to confirm the situation.
And then, moments later—
“Mok!”
“Sister!”
Patra embraced her younger brother, who was standing in front of the Imperial Palace.
It was a confrontation against a goddess, who could kill mere mortals with a mere flick of her finger.
In reality, countless orcs had been slaughtered, and her brother could have very well been one of them.
But Mok had survived in the end.
They were able to meet again like this.
“Ahh… Thank you… Truly… Thank you so much!”
With all her heart, Patra offered her gratitude to God—
To Seraphim—
As she quietly wept while feeling the warmth of her brother for a moment.
After the emotional reunion ended, they collected themselves and began the work that needed to be done.
The first task was to investigate the incident from that day thoroughly.
From the one who instigated it—
*
The events that followed proceeded smoothly.
Ramset initially showed signs of resistance—
But…
“Cough…!”
“Wait, let’s take a break.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“Grr… Ugh…”
“Brother, let’s make this easy. If you tell us the truth, we will spare your life.”
“You… You wretched… Just wait and see… When the Goddess Isiris returns…”
“She’s already been here and left.”
“!? W… What did you say?”
“She appeared before us a little while ago. She said she had no interest in dealing with a failure like you, and that we could do as we pleased.”
“!?”
Just before coming here, the Goddess Isiris had appeared in front of them.
At first, they thought Seraphim might have been defeated or that she was here to vent her anger and kill them.
But fortunately, no such thing happened.
On the contrary, the Goddess Isiris gave them permission to handle the situation as they saw fit and disappeared without another word.
They couldn’t ask for details, but from their perspective, it seemed like the Goddess might have realized something after her battle with Seraphim…
Anyway, with the tacit approval of the Goddess Isiris, a ‘thorough physical investigation’ of the situation proceeded…
And in the end, Ramset confessed everything.
His past act of driving a knife into his father’s back out of fear of succession…
And when the ministers of the Baro Empire, especially General Roa, heard this, they took immediate action.
“The Emperor is hereby deposed!!!”
Even though he was the legitimate heir of the former emperor, no one wanted to serve a man who had killed his own father with his own hands.
Some even argued that he should be executed immediately, but Mok and Patra opposed this.
Although he had committed a heinous and despicable crime, he was still their brother, sharing the same blood as Patra.
Moreover, setting a precedent of a vassal killing an emperor would not bode well for the Empire’s future.
Even if they planned to ‘deal with it quietly’ later, for now, it was appropriate to show mercy.
Thus, after deposing the Emperor, the question of who would sit on the vacant throne arose.
Naturally, Roa and the others looked toward Princess Patra.
However—
“I Refuse.”
“B…But Princess…”
“Did you forget? Regardless of the circumstances, I am a person who led the orcs in rebellion against the nation. No matter the method, the fact that I raised a blade against the royal family does not change. Someone like me cannot ascend to the throne. It would be better to choose a suitable candidate from the collateral bloodlines.”
“Hmm…”
Her resolute refusal.
Furthermore, while it was not said outright, many in the Empire’s military died due to the rebellion led by Patra and Mok. If she became emperor, it was not unreasonable to think that opposition forces would arise.
Not to mention, even if they didn’t speak of it openly, everyone knew that if Patra remained as Emperor, it would inevitably interfere with the complete independence of the orcs.
If they let things slide, a similar conflict could arise in the future.
Additionally, Patra had a personal reason she couldn’t disclose to others.
As a result, Roa and the ministers decided to appoint a suitable candidate from the collateral bloodlines to the throne, as Patra had requested.
After settling the internal affairs of the royal family, Mok and Patra began preparing to lead the orcs out of the Empire.
“Long live! Long live!”
“Long live Mok! Long live Patra!”
“אנ טארו שרפים!!! (Glory to Seraphim!!!)”
The orcs cheered with shouts of gratitude and joy.
And so, after centuries of oppression, they finally left the Baro Empire in search of their freedom.
*
{We have temporarily relocated the orcs to a region just southwest of the Baro Empire. It’s an undeveloped land, but given the orcs’ nature, it should be suitable for them.}
[Good.]
{Hic!}
The Goddess Isiris trembled with fear for a moment. Whenever I raised my hand in front of her, she flinched. She looked exactly like a frightened dog.
Of course, even if she handled the situation well, I didn’t intend to hit her or anything.
Unlike the time when I saved the Holy Knights of Eva from the brink of death, this time, with the orcs, there was no way to revive those who were completely gone, no matter what I tried.
Thinking of all the precious lives lost at her hands, it still didn’t put me in a good mood…
For now, I refrained from raising my fists and instead lightly placed my hand on top of her head.
If there had been any mistakes, I would have had to punish her strictly, but tormenting her for no reason over a task well done would be another form of evil in itself.
{Ugh… Uuh…}
I stroked her head as if petting a dog while she knelt before me. Although her behaviour was like that of a dog, her hair was surprisingly softer than a dog’s fur, and it actually felt somewhat pleasant to touch.
[Well done. Keep up the good work.]
{Y-yes! I… I will… I’ll definitely do my best.}
The Goddess Isiris replied while trembling all over.
Seeing her now, so meek and obedient compared to when I first met her, I thought that perhaps punishment is indeed effective for evil beings…
With that thought, I decided to get to the main point.
[Now, as I mentioned before, I’m going to ask you a few questions. Answer them honestly, and you will not be harmed. Make sure to answer truthfully.]
{Yes! Please, ask me anything!}
Isiris’s voice was filled with strict discipline.
Seeing her, I began to ask the question I was most curious about in a calm tone.
[The barrier that used to surround the Baro Empire and still covers the Blackset Empire… What exactly does it signify?]
{Th-that’s…}
For a moment, Isiris hesitated at my words.
But the hesitation lasted only for an instant. She then immediately began to explain what she knew.
And what she revealed was…
[The Great Enterprise?]
{Yes… Yes, that’s correct. All preparations are already complete. Now, we’re just waiting for the destined time to arrive…}
It made me feel more disgusted than I had expected.
*
In the centre of the Pantheon, on an altar.
Baal’s lips were curled into a deep smile as he gazed at the blue flames dancing upon it.
And then, he heard a familiar voice in his ears.
“Did you summon me, Lord Baal?”
{Yes, have you grown accustomed to your new body?}
“Yes, I can now wield your grace with familiarity, Lord Baal.”
{Excellent. To adapt to a divine body so quickly… truly befitting a God of War.}
“Thank you, Lord Baal. For bestowing such a great blessing upon me. With this power, I will crush your enemies.”
The voice expressed gratitude with utmost courtesy.
Baal slowly turned around.
The being kneeling there appeared to be a human female at first glance.
A slender, frail-looking figure.
With silver hair and silver eyes.
However, her body emanated an ominous dark aura, and horns sprouted from her head.
Along with that, the still immature divine power flowing within her made it clear that she was an existence far beyond mere mortals.
Looking at her, Baal spoke with a cold smile.
{I have a mission for you. The most important task related to our Great Enterprise. Can you handle it?}
“Of course, please give me your orders.”
Her voice was heavy with determination.
Baal nodded at her response and spoke in a serious tone.
{Eliminate the greatest obstacle to our Great Enterprise, the vile heretic god—the Angel God, Seraphim. Can you accomplish this?}
“Yes, leave it to me. I will complete the mission without fail.”
With a voice filled with resolve, she answered.
Baal, satisfied, spoke with a smile.
{Good. Go now. Carry out your task, O new God of War, Moloch.}
“I shall obey, my lord.”
With that, she rose and left the chamber.
Watching her retreating figure, Baal thought quietly to himself.
‘The outcome is obvious, but she should at least be able to buy some time. If she ends up failing even at that, I suppose I’ll have no choice but to send in Isiris…’
At a time like this, with the Great Enterprise right before his eyes, some sacrifices were inevitable.
With that thought, Baal turned back to gaze at the blue flames burning on the altar.
‘It’s almost time. It’s been centuries since I crossed over to this world. Finally, the power to grasp everything is within my reach!’
Just then…
{Hm? What brings you here, Isiris?}
{…Brother.}
—
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