Chapter 166
The top-notch bishop, Han.
Altife, who looks like a scruffy swordsman, wanders around the world leisurely.
Unlike other Altifes who mercilessly slaughter people without any particular reason, he does not kill.
The moment Han raises his sword to take a life is only when someone acts greatly against his ‘morality.’
He doesn’t increase his forces by expanding his priest-level ranks, nor does he create a nest.
Not even an archbishop, and yet he has already completed the Judgment Weapon and can even use Liberation, without any greed for power.
Though referred to as a top-notch bishop and mentioned alongside other bishops like Pertigle Blurans, he is clearly the best among bishops.
With his skills, it wouldn’t be strange for him to occupy the position of an archbishop, yet he does not take that position.
A bizarre creature who is part of the Goddess Church but does not spread its teachings at all.
However, this wasn’t always the case.
Just a few decades ago, Han, like any other bishop, committed massacres.
He hadn’t built any forces then either, but he had destroyed at least a village or even brought down small nations on his own.
Then, as if he suddenly gained enlightenment, he stopped killing. He adopted a human appearance and lived within the bounds of humanity.
As if repenting for his past sins.
He ‘helped’ people.
The reason behind Han’s transformation is unknown. It isn’t revealed even until the end of the original story.
…But that’s not the only thing that remains unveiled.
The kind Altife, Han, emerged from a dungeon that appeared in Seiman Gorge all by himself.
According to statements from the Hunter Guild that entered the dungeon afterward, the inside of the dungeon was devoid of mixed monsters, treasures, or relics. There was nothing at all.
The only thing present was a single corpse of a monster that seemed to be the dungeon’s master.
The inside of the dungeon was excessively clean.
So, is the identity of the dungeon that appeared in Seiman Gorge what remains to be revealed?
That’s part of it, but the focus should be more on Han’s actions afterward.
He changed.
No, saying he changed is misleading.
He shed his human guise and ‘returned’ to his original monstrous form.
Only, he was in a more ferocious state than decades ago.
The reason? …Who knows.
Various speculations ran rampant.
There was a relic inside the dungeon that he obtained, which caused his transformation. The nature of Altifes should not be understood through human measures, as they are monsters, etc….
All kinds of rumors circulated, but nothing was confirmed.
The only certain information is that the now ferocious Han would later occupy the vacancy of an archbishop and fall under the command of the crazy scientist Cardinal Jephar.
Thus, I intend to stop this.
“You’re here to trade, right? So, let’s get down to business.”
The other cardinals might be a threat, but Jephar is definitely the most annoying one among them.
His expanding influence is definitely not in my best interest.
The best scenario is to kill Top-level Bishop Han in this dungeon.
If that doesn’t work out…
*Knock, knock.*
I tapped on the old door.
It looked like an ordinary family house that you could find anywhere.
Soon, a young man’s voice came from behind the door. He asked who I was, and I replied that I was a trader.
After a few exchanges, the door opened, and the man guided me inside.
The process that followed was just like in the past.
In Dortmund, a young woman had guided me through this maze-like interior.
Going down to the basement, there were numerous rooms scattered like an ant colony.
As I walked further, the man holding the lantern stopped. He bowed his head slightly, indicating the end of the guidance.
Without hesitation, I turned the handle of the door treated with special magic and stepped inside.
“Welcome. Our 22nd customer, Schugenharz Troa Vargan.”
The one greeting me bowed politely while removing his top hat. He had another eye embedded in the center of his forehead that was quite striking.
As the man with the top hat raised his head, he smiled while bending his eyes like a crescent moon. A strange sensation, like a snake slithering, crossed my mind.
Normally, there would be a bothersome process before this Altife popped up, but it seems that was skipped.
He straightened his long top hat and spoke.
“Our Terrarium has been waiting for you, Vargan.”
Before discussing Bishop Han, there are matters to address at the trading place, Terrarium, where everything in the world can be bought and sold.
*
“It’s been a while since we met in Dortmund.”
The top-hatted Bishop Ultreman said with a kind smile. There was a sly undertone to his typical conman grin when dealing with guests.
“I’ve already made my greetings. It’s just a waste of time.”
Waving my hand dismissively, Ultreman exaggeratedly widened his eyes in surprise.
“You’re even more unresponsive than I expected. Other customers would usually ask why I’m here first… but you seem entirely uninterested…”
“Why are you, who should be in Dortmund, here as well? It’s a matter related to the Goddess Church, so there’s nothing to ponder. You might have used some sort of blessing or power.”
“By the way, could you share how you perceive this?”
“Why should I bother?”
“Raising the evaluation of customer Vargan in Terrarium would certainly work in your favor for future transactions, so it wouldn’t be a loss.”
Ultreman smoothly manipulated his tongue and answered without hesitation.
His eloquence is quite remarkable.
I cleared my throat and kindly mixed truth with lies in my reply.
“You can either move between branches instantly, or your body is divided into several clones. Well, if we start conjuring fantasies without floors or ceilings, it never ends.”
“…”
After hearing my response, Ultreman seemed to ponder for a moment before breaking into a wide grin.
“Indeed, you are a very special customer, Vargan.”
“If you know that, then stop wasting this special customer’s time and let’s get to the deal. I’ll expect payment for the information spilled just to evaluate me.”
“Is there any doubt about that?”
Ultreman immediately asked what assistance he could provide.
Whether it’s goods, people, or information, he said he could discuss anything in the world that I wanted to trade.
“If there’s something you want to trade, just say anything from this world will do.”
As I fluttered about, I barely touched upon the information regarding the Goddess Church.
I spoke to Ultreman.
“Find me a craftsman to make my weapon.”
“You mean a weapon craftsman…”
Ultreman muttered as if deep in thought.
Knowing full well that I, riding on the vast family of Schugenharz, wouldn’t be satisfied with just anyone, I had taken my search all the way to the Terrarium.
Ultreman inquired further.
“Is it a weapon for Lord Vargan?”
“Yeah.”
“What type would it be?”
“Something resembling a staff, more or less.”
“More or less? That’s quite a vague description! Do you have any materials in mind?”
I unfolded the neatly folded White and pulled out three materials from within.
With each item that appeared, Ultreman’s interest visibly grew.
He mentioned wanting to feel the materials for a moment and began inspecting them with his gloved hands. The gleam in his eyes showed he recognized their worth.
“With this mana density and luster, it’s certainly a top-quality mana stone. The condition is excellent as well. And this… oh, it’s a jewel imbued with a duke-level spirit. By any chance, can you tell me which spirit it is?”
“It’s the Spirit of Darkness, Arcane.”
“An Ego Weapon, huh… with the sap of Yggdrasil, just these materials alone should yield a top-tier item.”
Ultreman exaggeratedly stated that even if the physical form was made from a mere twig lying around, it’d still turn out to be something significant.
Of course, it was a jest, and he asked what the materials for the body would be.
“The branch of Yggdrasil.”
“The branch of Yggdrasil… indeed, you obtain it after finishing the first-year course at Academia and Rikeion. Adding Lord Vargan’s mana to it would…”
Finishing his calculations, Ultreman grinned.
He seemed to anticipate an interesting outcome.
“A non-standard item. Yes, it will undoubtedly be classified as a non-standard item.”
“A non-standard item, huh.”
“As you are aware, it’s comparable to how non-standard items are almost nonexistent even in dungeons where countless treasures and relics emerge. In the case of weaponry, Ego Weapons are of the highest quality, and the highest rank among those spirits is Duke-level.”
So even if a duke-level spirit like Naias or Arcane inhabits a good weapon, it mostly ends up being classified as top-tier.
However, since I was using both the sap and the branch of Yggdrasil, it was measured as a non-standard item.
“It looks like it would fetch the price of several castles. As a trader myself, I can’t help but look forward to it.”
It’s ironic.
The Altife is excited about crafting a weapon to defeat Altife.
…But the real irony starts now.
“Ultreman, I haven’t finished mentioning the materials yet.”
“I’ve gathered all the necessary materials…”
As Ultreman observed my expression, he soon seemed to grasp the meaning, lowering his head and starting to shake his shoulders. He was probably trying hard to stifle a laugh in front of a client.
And he was likely thinking what I suspected.
“Your calculations are missing the Judgment Weapon.”
Whether it’s after the weapon is completed or during the material state is uncertain. First, I must finish the first year to obtain the branch of Yggdrasil.
However, I will kill an Altife of Archbishop rank or higher.
I will seize that Judgment Weapon.
That’s the final touch for my weapon.
Trying to hold back laughter, Ultreman eventually took a long breath, calming himself down. The crude spectacle of him grinning widely never did appear.
Ultreman took a long, deep breath to calm himself. Fortunately, there were no crude expressions like a wide-open grin in sight.
He hid all other emotions, showing only positive joy to his opponent as he spoke.
“I’ve had many clients up until now, but none like you, Vargan. Truly exceptional. There can’t be many like you.”
The cornerstone of the Goddess Church. The Archbishop.
Their symbolic Judgment Weapon.
Mentioning something that could only be obtained by killing the Archbishop would typically provoke a curse or rage from a Bishop like myself, yet Ultreman maintained a neutral stance as an observer.
…Hmm. On second thought, maybe he’s not that neutral.
If it weren’t for me, he wouldn’t be leaving the Terrarium in one piece.
Ultreman returned the examined material and spoke.
“Alright. I will connect you with the best magic tool maker we know. It will take… about three months. Finding the best blacksmith is never-ending work. But since it’s you, Vargan, I’ll try to speed things up as much as possible.”
“By then, I should have obtained a branch of Yggdrasil, so that works.”
“If it’s an excluded item mixed with a Judgment Weapon, there’s supposedly nothing else aside from Sylvester, the current Hero Ranking number one. The world’s going to get noisy.”
Ultreman said this almost to himself before moving on to the next topic.
His gaze deepened. The sly smile still lingered, but considering the subject, it was rather calming.
“During the festival period, your actions, Vargan, were conveyed to ‘that person.’”
“Oh? So that’s why you greeted me so warmly at first.”
“Because what you said in Dortmund has been proven true.”
During summer vacation, when I visited the Terrarium branch in Dortmund.
I told Ultreman to pass this message to the being he referred to as ‘that person.’
⎯During the festival at the Academia, Lucien of the Formists will betray the Goddess Church.
“That person wishes to speak directly with you, Vargan.”
“Directly?”
“Yes, is it not a glorious thing? To have the opportunity to meet the omniscient one directly. Truly…! Uh. …Well then, I’m going to show you something rather gruesome from now on, so please forgive my rudeness.”
With that, Ultreman immediately stabbed a dagger into his own neck. His movements were unhesitating, perhaps out of loyalty.
While blood did not spray, he collapsed, chair and all.
And then.
Szzzzzz—.
Like when Erica used Warp Magic, space twisted oddly. However, its shape was bizarre. It gaped open like the mouth of some creature, complete with teeth.
It devoured me like a living being. I didn’t evade.
The final exam of the first semester.
The phenomenon that emerged when Archbishop Zagan met his demise.
A fragment of the power wielded by the being known as ‘that person.’
I never anticipated I would have a direct conversation… Seems they’re quite curious about me.
After all, Archbishop Zagan, the happenings in Dortmund, and even the prior revelation of Lucien’s betrayal.
It couldn’t be anything less than intriguing.
They had thrown a plump bait for me to take, and it worked wonders.
Honestly speaking, there was a tension close to excitement.
If so much as a hint goes awry, my life could extinguish in an instant.
The Cardinal who governs space, “Beled.”
She invited me.
