Chapter 109
Ever since I saved Rubid Village, I’ve been using it as a farm to raise monsters.
Though when I say farm, I mean I’m helping the techies I sent out to refurbish Naias’s secret dungeon; I’m not exactly feeding the critters myself.
Pretty much all the manpower in Rubid Village is being utilized.
Naturally, to keep the village running as it used to, we needed to continue agriculture and other odd jobs, so they needed my support at the beginning.
However, later on, they developed farming techniques and livelihoods using the monsters, becoming effective in all areas, and the need for support disappeared.
Ah.
If you only hear this much, you might wonder why I’m trying to take this place as my domain; it’s all about justification, appearances, and secrecy.
The core lies in the ‘massive number of monsters raised in the secret dungeon’ and the ‘increased goodwill between the villagers and the monsters.’
The secret dungeon can only be detected by those who are in the know; otherwise, it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But the village is different.
When Helion visited Rubid Village by chance, it was all fine and dandy since the monsters didn’t interfere with their lives.
But now, it’s fair to say the monsters form the basic framework of their daily lives.
From tilling fields to providing nutrients to the soil, and watering the crops—it’s hard to imagine what life was like before all these monsters showed up.
Other places might also farm using monsters, but it’s not exactly a common practice.
As time goes on, the monsters will infiltrate the lives of Rubid villagers more and more, coexisting with them. If these peculiarities catch their eye, it could become a problem.
So, I’m planning to smoothly integrate this place into my territory.
The Schugenhartz family’s business involves managing, distributing, and utilizing dungeons and monsters.
Rubid Village is a church territory that doesn’t belong to any specific nation.
Therefore, if Rubid Village naturally falls under my influence and looks normal to outsiders, there won’t be any issue.
However.
Given that the Schugenhartz family operates in the dungeon business, the monsters are treated as private soldiers, which means an army.
If I were to command that army personally, it naturally creates problems.
That’s why I’m hiding behind the secret dungeon’s characteristics and trying to establish legitimacy for the changes in Rubid Village.
It’s because of the condensed milk.
So, as time goes by.
If the residents and monsters become close and blend together, it’s not just about increasing the monsters’ numbers but also enhancing them.
How? Well, I’ll postpone that explanation for later.
It’ll get messy, you see.
Anyway, this will serve as a foundation for the great war that will embellish the end of the narrative.
It’s splendid that I can properly milk the village used for Alicia’s trauma recovery to the bone.
To summarize the reason for wanting the territory and title:
To prepare for war, breed a large quantity of monsters without any issues, and create emotional connections between residents and monsters.
That about sums it up.
*
In the following conversation with Sylvester, it was confirmed that I would receive the church’s title of ‘Baron’ along with Rubid Village and the territory known as ‘Church Ordinance No. 31.’
I’m not an official hero yet, but now I bear the duty to protect this place and can legally exert influence.
If I severely abuse the villagers or overtax them, I would lose my qualification, but as someone who prides himself on being benevolent, that won’t happen.
…What struck me as strange during this process was.
When I scrawled my name on the paper provided by the church and stamped it, that land officially became mine.
Had I designated somewhere other than Rubid Village, wouldn’t they have welcomed a new owner without any clue?
Well, anyway.
After showing the plaque from the Holy King of Dortmund, I gained the right to choose one item from the Central Church’s main warehouse.
Or so I thought, but then I heard an unexpected statement.
“Choose from the surplus items, not the main warehouse.”
Surplus items.
Things that could not be rated, achieved only after Naias, once a top-tier item, absorbed Zagan’s Judgment Weapon.
I thought I misheard and asked again.
I vaguely recall covering my ears, thinking it was somewhat blasphemous.
Sylvester conveyed it clearly.
“I knew you had received the plaque from Dortmund. If you had wanted a relic from the main warehouse with your first choice, I wouldn’t have suggested this, but you chose the territory and title.”
In other words:
With the rewards and plaque from the Central Church.
If I had taken two of the most favored relics from the main warehouse, that would have been that.
However, since I took the church’s territory and title, which are the lowest-rated among the rewards and quite bothersome, they want to provide me with better relics to balance things out.
This was said, not knowing anything about the circumstances of the secret dungeon, but from my perspective, it was like selling an item worth one gold coin and receiving two gold coins in return.
Where’s the loss in that deal?
They offered to give the surplus items for the original price.
I barely suppressed a wide grin and just looked amazed, wide-eyed as I said, “Is that really okay?”
Of course, it’s fine; that’s why they said it, but I made an effort to show surprise.
Knowing how rare surplus items are, they’re of higher status than the vibrant relics in the main warehouse.
I must respond in a way that the other party would appreciate.
“This is not my intention, but the church’s. You don’t need to decline.”
“That’s what it means. You don’t have to be polite.”
To ensure the opponent can happily give you something.
Even if this doesn’t guarantee that Sylvester will offer anything, messing with the mood of the superior is nothing but a loss.
Before heading to see the outlier items in person,
The focus of the conversation shifted to Finn, who was confirmed to be picking items from the main warehouse.
Well, Finn participated, but he didn’t make any significant contributions, so it made sense.
“Thank you so much! Really, thank you!”
Even though he saw me taking rewards higher than those from the main warehouse, he said he was quite satisfied with just the main warehouse.
He seemed genuinely happy. Observing his expression and tone, it was clear this was heartfelt.
No matter how little one has done, one should at least understand the value of things, so how could that be…
Finn is definitely lacking in material desire, just like Alicia.
As the conversation wrapped up, Finn headed for the main warehouse with the newly arrived clergyman, while I moved to the place where Sylvester and the outlier items were stored.
‘Ah, so this is what I got from here!’
Seeing one ‘perfume bottle’ among the ten visible outlier items, I internally cheered loudly.
To get something that only appeared in the very last part like this!
Today, I wouldn’t just harm the tree, but also make sure to give it water and nutrients.
As the Holy King of Dortmund prayed, the Yggdrasil Church truly blesses my path.
For today, I feel like I might slightly believe in the existence of a god.
*
Among the countless rooms in the Central Church, there is one that is completely empty inside.
No furniture, no books, nothing.
An empty space.
It consists only of white walls, a floor, and a ceiling that seem unfit for anyone to stay long.
Completely shut off from the outside, no sounds can flow in or out.
It’s as if it’s a different world from the outside.
A room that rejects communication and change.
In that suffocating place,
The one holding the highest authority of the Yggdrasil Church, the absolute power known as “32nd Holy Emperor Liovergo,” often spent time there.
This was a place solely for him.
“Helion, your arm has been restored… I’m glad.”
An old man’s voice barely breaks out from his lips, as if it might extinguish at any moment.
His age was comparable to that of the chancellor of the Academia, and he was gradually forgetting to count.
Liovergo had summoned the hero Helion to this place.
Helion knelt before him, bowing his head. After expressing his gratitude, he spoke.
“The second danger level, Ami, has been extinguished, but the second danger level, Glashalabolas, has taken his power.”
“Does that mean a new archbishop could emerge soon?”
“It shouldn’t take more than half a year to select someone.”
There have always been prominent figures among the bishops that suffered overwhelming losses or were strong entities.
Moreover, suddenly, a one-of-a-kind archbishop in the form of a hero named Salecius was born, filling one of the vacant positions.
In that situation, not being able to strip Ami of his power means that it’s uncertain when another archbishop to inherit this will be born. No, it will happen.
Helion estimated that this incubation period would be no longer than six months.
They estimated that the incubation period would last at most six months.
Liovergo also thought that this judgment was not wrong.
“…Tsk tsk. Even after several generations, the war rarely ceases, does it?”
Liovergo expressed his compassion for the unbreakable chain of tragedy.
The religion Yggdrasil was created to save people gathered under the holy tree as Altife began to consume the world.
When the Holy Emperor passes away, a figure elected by vote among the Holy Kings is appointed as the next Holy Emperor.
Liovergo being the 32nd means that the fight against Altife has continued throughout the long reign of 32 generations.
Liovergo momentarily lost in thought, then continued speaking.
“…Is your interest in that student still unchanged?”
“Schugenharz Troa Vargan is an intriguing person the more you know him. I have been observing, but I haven’t cleared up my questions yet.”
“Ah… whether he is a saint or not, that kind of story.”
Saints exist two at a time during a cycle.
Individuals who perform miracles by reviving the dead and can foresee the future through prophecies.
“Yes, but. There’s something I can say for sure.”
Helion spoke in a decisive tone.
“Vargan is not a saint.”
The prophecies of the saints are indefinite and irregular.
However, Vargan seems to know much more precisely, even pinpointing exact timings.
Helion conveyed his judgment, and Liovergo, who had been quietly listening, asked.
“Helion… you said he might possess the power to divine the future.”
He was a person ranked within the top 10 of the Hero Ranking who made time to interact with a student.
It must mean that it’s not just a matter of being intelligent; it shouldn’t be just that.
“Everything that happened in this Dortmund was more or less driven by his will.”
Holy Emperor Liovergo asked.
“Yet, you say he is not a saint?”
If he is not a saint, what kind of ability does he possess to foresee the future and navigate through situations so fiercely?
Also, indirectly, he was inquiring about why Helion, who allowed him to be Vargan’s mentor.
Helion understood this intent.
“As I said before, Vargan shares similar ideals as mine.”
“I know. If that isn’t guided in the right direction, it can lead to terrible outcomes.”
“…….”
Finally raising his head, Helion met the gaze of Holy Emperor Liovergo.
His eyes held an inscrutable expression, hard to read where he was looking or what he was thinking.
And then he said.
“He is a capable and intelligent student. For now, I plan to stay by his side and help him grow as he is.”
“…But what if that clever head and ideals turn their blades toward us?”
To that question, Helion replied.
In a tone he had practiced for a long time.
“There has been no change in what I first mentioned.”
This definitely produced a pleasant feeling for the listener. It was a soft curve but.
“I will kill him.”
It was hauntingly emotionless.
