Chapter 209: Adding Insult to Injury (1)
In the heart of the holy land stood the Rosellia Temple, the central hub of the Holy Church Order, the largest religion in Auterica. Its vast scale dwarfed other temples in the region.
It was only natural that many high-ranking officials, including the Pope and the Saint, resided here, overseeing political, administrative, and informational affairs on a continental scale.
Moreover, the headquarters of the Paladin Order and Inquisition Officers dispatched to the outside world were mostly located here.
And on one side of this sprawling estate, there were numerous accommodations prepared for visiting dignitaries…
“Hoo— I’m tired, as expected.”
In one of these accommodations, belonging to the Azerion Empire’s delegation.
After finishing a meeting, Princess Riley groaned as she sank her body into the sofa in her office.
The meeting, which started around lunch, only concluded late at night, leaving her exhausted. However, the urgent nature of the agenda that sprang up today left her with no choice.
“…Princess Riley? Please maintain your decorum. This isn’t the Imperial Palace, you know?”
“Huh? Oh come on, it doesn’t matter. It’s just us here anyway. I’m tired; let’s just relax, Se-Ah unnie.”
Seeing this, Isea frowned and spoke up, but Riley ignored her and completely slumped onto the sofa.
The Church had provided a separate accommodation building for each delegation participating in the meeting, allowing them to relax without worrying about other powers.
Moreover, they dismissed all their attendees as soon as they arrived at their lodgings.
So, there was no one left that Riley needed to be cautious around, making it perfectly fine.
“…But still, there’s Heinrich here. Isn’t it a bit too disheveled to act like this?”
“Hmm? Is that what you mean? Oh, Master. What’s new? We’ve seen all sorts of things before I escaped Undying Castle, haven’t we? It’s nothing!”
As Isea mentioned her, Hesperon, who had been following them around, quickly chimed in.
He had been looking a bit dazed for some reason, but he didn’t seem completely out of it.
“Oh—? Now that’s interesting. What’s your relationship there?”
Of course, Isea’s eyes narrowed sharply at Hesperon’s casual remark.
“No, wait a second, Heinrich! What do you mean by ‘things you can’t see’? It’s not like that! It was just a rough environment; it was unavoidable! …And besides, the situation was what it was!”
Riley shot up from her seat, her face flushed as she vented her frustration.
However, the short-lived commotion quickly subsided, as they had much more pressing matters to concern themselves with.
“We’re facing a large-scale assault from the Undead Army… What do you think, unnie?”
“…Honestly, it’s pretty precarious right now. With monsters rampaging everywhere, White Giants popping out, and now the periodic assaults from the Undead Army… But if those assaults intensify…”
Up until now, they had managed to hold it together reasonably well despite the Undead King’s descent.
Though not insignificant, the casualties since his arrival were not enough to threaten the existence of most nations, aside from the Rohan Principality.
However, as Heinrich said, if large-scale assaults began, most nations might face considerable hurdles in maintaining their current society.
They might not just teeter on the edge but could even collapse, just like the Rohan Principality.
‘Of course, excluding the already overthrown Talia Kingdom.’
Hesperon, who had been listening to their conversation with a vacant expression, silently nodded.
He usually had a dazed quality about him, but today it seemed more pronounced.
This was likely due to the intense and unprecedented discussions happening in his mind.
– Hannibal Strauss: Soon, everything will be ready. When do you think is the most effective time to strike? I won’t entertain opposing opinions.
He was the one who opened the floodgates to everything happening now.
The Undead King, Hannibal Strauss.
– Heinz II: I’m negative about this, but if we must attack, it would be best to wait until after the normal meeting. If things kick off too soon, it will disrupt our plans.
– Heinrich: No, we really should halt now. Hans is moving too hastily. We still have plenty of time, so why push it this far?
– Harley: I’m hungry! Let’s eat first! I need ten servings of meat for this midnight snack!
– Hubert: Tch, you’re planning to force this through regardless, right? If so, there’s the bothersome Merchant Alliance; we should use this opportunity to deal with them efficiently.
– Harris: Ah… this is annoying… Can’t we just call it quits?
– Howard: Ugh, you frustrating fool! Are you really going to do this? At least don’t start something near Tarak! This is an important moment. Everything we’ve been working on is about to be completed!
– Hugo: Ugh, this is chaotic. Hans, please!
…Indeed, everyone was showcasing their distinct personalities, responding in various ways according to their inclinations.
It seemed they had even given up trying to rein in the chaos, with a few avatars proposing compromises.
It was utterly selfish and self-centered, the epitome of what “Seong-hyun Han” was all about.
‘If my body were awake, this process wouldn’t be necessary, and everything would flow together naturally… This is tougher than I thought.’
Struggling to move only my limbs while my head was asleep, simply walking felt like a precarious endeavor.
While they all aimed for the same goal, their strides and centers of gravity were completely mismatched, like a mismatched orchestra.
– Hesperon: Is it really necessary not to do this…? Sigh, I don’t even know anymore. Let’s take it easy, just a little.
He timidly offered his thoughts and shifted his gaze back to the women in front of him.
Although his internal debate had been lengthy, its impact on reality was minimal, and they continued their previous conversation.
“Well, the Saint said she could foresee the Undead King’s assault, so we can only hope the nations step up their efforts. We need to confirm our available forces quickly…”
“…Riley, are you sure you’ll be okay without me? What if something dangerous happens while I’m gone?”
“I’ll be fine. Honestly, I’m more worried about you, Se-Ah unnie. I’ll just hole up in the Imperial Palace once I return; what danger could I possibly face?”
She had already secured her position in line for the throne.
The political rivals she faced were beginning to concede one by one, and the neutral faction led by Marquis Lawrence of the Imperial Palace Magic Tower had already chosen to support her.
At least, within the Imperial Palace, her safety was almost guaranteed.
“And with Heinrich here, things should be alright no matter what happens, right? I know teleportation is off the table for now, but you escaped from the Undead King’s grasp—what a skill you’ve got!”
“Huh? Ahaha… now that’s a bit burdensome.”
As Riley glanced at him while speaking, Hesperon chuckled awkwardly.
Following her gaze, Isea looked at him and sighed deeply, shaking her head.
“Sigh— There’s still so much I need to teach Heinrich. How long has it been since I thought operating in the Special Task Force wasn’t that dangerous, and now look at this?”
Following the appearance of White Giants, now Season 2 of the Undead Army had begun.
And until they properly finished fighting the Undead King, this situation would likely continue, it was as plain as day.
“…Let’s hope things don’t escalate any further from here…”
Isea’s remark came out almost as a laugh.
She couldn’t help but say it out of sheer anxiety, but surprisingly, her words pierced through a universal truth.
That people’s assumptions of “it won’t happen to me” often lead to disaster.
And so three more days passed.
Finally, the last day of the Second Continental Summit was just around the corner.
*
The World Tree soared high into the sky.
This colossal tree, a symbol of the elves’ faith, was so immense that it was hard to miss, no matter where one was on the Enamel Continent.
Its transcendent appearance made it an object of awe for other races, as it existed in reality.
The mixed-race communities on the Enamel Continent had avoided rejecting each other’s beliefs, fostering regular exchanges among themselves, making their distances relatively small.
Unlike the Ion Continent, dominated by humans, the Enamel Continent was a paradise for various races coexisting as nations and societies.
However, not all species were welcome here—
Among the most notably rejected species were vampires.
Due to their unorthodox ecology of surviving by draining others’ blood, humans and most rational beings shunned them.
As a result, most vampires opted to remain on the Ion Continent during their species’ mass migration.
They had no choice but to hide, living off other races while finding humans a far more appealing prey.
Notably, one species facing similar rejection and scorn was…
Lycanthropes, known as werewolves.
“Hehehehe~! It’s time to start, kiddos! Kick!”
On the night of a full moon.
From a nearby hill, as the voice of a boisterous man echoed, the World Tree loomed astonishingly large.
Grrr—
Kuwoof! Woof—!
The eerie howls of beasts steeped in wildness began to resonate, as crimson light flickered to life surrounding him.
“So, shall we play our little circus now? Grrrrr—!”
His high-pitched voice grew deeper with each word, eventually morphing into the growl of a beast.
At first glance, they may seem similar to beastmen, but they differed fundamentally.
Lycanthropes were a species that grew in potential by devouring the hearts of their prey, innately born with dark magic… more than half of them were virtually monstrosities.
Due to this, they targeted not only monsters but also the hearts of other intelligent beings, earning their grim reputation wherever they went.
Had Hans not discovered the Buncheon Society’s ‘Complete Evolutionary Organism Project’ on Earth, perhaps Harley would have become like them.
“Gahahaha—! Now, let’s go split open the bellies of those peace-loving pigs!”
Following the eerie laughter of the leading monster.
Countless black shadows raced through the cracks of the Enamel Continent’s mountains.
*
In the eastern part of the Ion Continent, the Zephia Republic.
“Are preparations all… done…?”
“Indeed, my Lord. With your command, we can begin at any time.”
In a dimly lit vast chamber, an old man’s voice and a captivating woman’s voice exchanged responses slowly.
“How… did you manage to stick to the schedule…?”
“With your guidance, it was all possible. Under normal circumstances, it would have been impossible…”
In the darkness, the woman bowed in reverence before the shadow of the frail old man.
“You’re aware of the situation…?”
“Yes, Yferush and Brokoslac have joined hands and swallowed the lower clans. I didn’t expect them to go that far, but they will regret their choice.”
The woman confidently replied to the old man’s slow query.
This was only natural, as they had invested a long… very long time into this plan.
During this process, the Lord hadn’t hesitated to ally with the bugs under the Oath of Reversal.
“I do not know what they were thinking to take such reckless measures, but forcibly merging so many bloodlines into one is nonsensical. A vampire clan alliance hybrid? Do they truly think they are bloodsucking nobles?”
Her voice dripped with scorn, mocking the words of her companion.
The old frail man observed her disdainful remarks silently before slowly speaking.
“Then… begin immediately…”
“I will comply.”
And with those words.
The legendary Obaifo Clan, which had been dormant in the eastern region of the continent for ages, began to move.
Moreover, unusual forces were also rising from this point.
“Faster, you fools!”
“Cough! Ye-yes, Chief!”
“Tch, if it weren’t for that revolutionary brat, we could’ve wrapped this up much quicker!”
From the tribal alliance in the southern continent, as well as…
“Are we ready?”
“As you ordered, we’ve completed preparations. But Duke, are you sure it’s alright to proceed like this…?”
“Ha ha, it’s all for our empire. We need to buy time until the Crown Prince returns. Surely you do not believe that lowly bloodline suits the throne, do you?”
“Of course not, my Lord!”
From the capital of the Azerion Empire, Jeron, the chaos seeds that had long been postponed began to sprout all at once, spreading throughout the already troubled Auterica.
