NOVEL NEXT Chapter 245
The Pope has betrayed us.
There was no reason to lie, and I simply stated the facts as they were.
“I fought and defeated the hero with the Holy Sword of Light, but then Lucifer appeared and stole it.”
“Was that the Pope?”
“Yes, it was indeed the Pope.”
The two members of the Order of the Goddess were clearly not buying it.
“I can’t believe it. No matter how much of a Witch she is, the Pope being the Demon King…?”
“That’s right. Something must have gone wrong in your understanding. The Pope might be disguised.”
And it makes sense; the Pope has been involved with the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess for quite some time.
“If he was disguised as the Pope, he could have been pretending for some time now, right?”
“Exactly. He could have eliminated the real Pope and impersonated him for a while.”
Droniel and Rosmas argued against Liriez and Yan.
Their counterarguments definitely had some plausibility.
Honestly, what’s so strange about the Demon King hiding one Pope and acting as if he were the Pope?
Someone like me is impersonating a Witch from 500 years ago.
There’s no reason Lucifer wouldn’t impersonate the Pope.
“That’s just absurd. Logically, there’s no reason a Pope could be the Demon King.”
“What is it?”
“The Pope uses Divine Power.”
“That’s the point.”
Liriez and Yan found it completely unacceptable.
The Demon Race, the Demon King using Divine Power.
If the Pope had been impersonated by Lucifer all along, it meant Lucifer could freely utilize Divine Power.
“You’re exactly right.”
As stated, it was a valid point.
“Lucifer is a Demon King who can use Divine Power. Right, Lucius?”
“Yes. It all happened so quickly that I can’t explain in detail, but the Pope appeared with a sword made of Divine Power.”
As Lucius added to my statement, everyone fell into confusion.
“How could the Demon King use Divine Power…?”
“Want me to summarize briefly? Or do you want a detailed explanation?”
“Just hit the key points quickly.”
“Lucifer was a fallen angel, the Moon Goddess didn’t revoke her Divine Power from him even after his fall, and Lucifer could freely use Divine Power in the Intermediate Realm. The end.”
Even I thought it was a perfect summary.
And it was indeed the most suitable answer to resolve their suspicions and questions.
“The Moon Goddess certainly wouldn’t send Divine Power to a fallen angel, a Demon King. You think so too, right?”
“Yes. Isn’t that so?”
“Correct. Normally, yes. But he’s a fallen angel. He was an angel once upon a time. We don’t need to delve into old stories, so let’s talk about Lucifer’s purpose for disguising himself as the Pope.”
I had a hunch.
“Lucifer took the Holy Sword of Light. Why light, of all things?”
“Because it’s the easiest Holy Sword for him to take?”
“If that were the case, he would have already trapped Liriez and taken the Holy Water Sword by now.”
“That’s fair… Either he doesn’t need the Holy Water Sword, or he absolutely needed the Holy Sword of Light.”
“Exactly. You’ve got it. For Lucifer, it was the latter.”
All he needed was the Holy Sword of Light.
“Here’s a hint. Lucifer is still a Demon King who believes in and follows the Moon Goddess.”
“Then…”
Yan pointed to the sky, looking pale.
“He intends to fill this land with the Moon Goddess’s Divine Power by using the Holy Sword of Light…?”
“Exactly. He aims to transform all the light attribute mana spread by the Holy Sword into Divine Power. Then all the light in this world would turn blue.”
“That’s possible… No, asking if it’s possible is pointless. The Witch must have said so for it to happen.”
“That’s right.”
Since I said it, it’s going to happen.
To explain the principle, it would involve making all colors of light except blue invisible.
If the power of the Holy Sword combines with the Moon Goddess’s power, and if the Moon Goddess’s ‘will’ is present, it could certainly happen.
“Lucifer has this plan and Asydia is also causing chaos. They’re both planning something, but they haven’t figured out the details yet.”
Combining what the blue and purple clones observed, it’s clear they created something incredibly monstrous.
“While we can’t say Lucifer and Asydia are moving toward the same goal, they both sacrifice something else for their own purposes.”
The moment Lucifer descends the Moon Goddess to this land, all Demon Races that come into contact with the Moon Goddess’s light will perish.
Asydia might be trying to summon the Demon King or perhaps use something with similar power.
Either way, it’s equally perilous.
“Taking our time to scout one side is meaningless. We need to move with full force through the Bride Ship, and we need eyes on places we can’t reach.”
“And the Order of the Goddess…”
“It’s risky. Think about it. What if the Pope conducts a summoning ceremony to call forth the Moon Goddess? What if he pledges his life to summon her?”
“Then he would become a martyr for the Order, easily suppressing figures like the Saintess or the head of the Holy Knight Order.”
“That’s right. He’d become Saint Lucifer.”
We can’t ask the Order for help.
Given their indifferent attitude toward Asydia, the entire Order won’t assist us.
“We have some people we can ask for help.”
The comrades I’ve fought alongside until now for moments like this…
‘Not as many as I thought.’
The Spartan warriors from the Anari Principality.
Just that…?
“Hmm.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, something feels definitely different. Back in the day, I used to gather large parties and roam around.”
This time, I had formed a party centered around Lucius, leaving little opportunity for help outside of him.
“This is a bit awkward. Liriez. Do you think the Holy Knight Order would really help us?”
“Those who prioritize personal faith will assist us, especially if they consider their belief and the Moon Goddess’s blessing. But…”
“But what?”
“There are those within the Holy Knight Order who consider the Crescent Moon Goddess the most important value—those who believe in Divine Superiority.”
“Divine Superiority?”
“Yes. Don’t you have any among Rosmas’s elves? They claim the elves are the most superior among all races.”
“Because everyone thinks so… Ah, that’s not what I’m saying!”
The Divine Superiority among the Order.
They would undoubtedly support Lucifer’s plan rather than oppose it.
If Divine Power covers the world, it’s fine by them.
The colors of the world don’t matter; living under the blessings of Divine Power is what’s important to them.
“This is complicated. So, realistically, we have nothing but support from the Anari Principality… right?”
“Master, may I propose something?”
Lucius pointed to one side of the map.
“At this time when humanity is facing an unprecedented crisis. This isn’t just a human problem anymore; I think it’s time to ask ‘them’ for help.”
“Lucius, are you suggesting…?”
Lucius pointed to the north of the continent.
Below the frozen northern lands.
“Let’s head to Belselphia.”
Lucius’s eyes gleamed with conviction.
“The people in Belselphia are our best allies.”
“But Lucius. They were part of the Demon King’s army 500 years ago. Is that really okay?”
“It’s fine. At first glance, they seem indistinguishable from the Demon King’s army.”
I admit it.
Imps can become elves, and the state of those left above ground is a disarray, making it distinctly hard to tell.
If the inhabitants of Belselphia become allies, we can gain even more reliable aid than when we faced Leviathan.
They might live underwater, but they were fundamentally land dwellers.
Moreover, even if they’ve rested for 500 years, the blood of the Demon King’s army still flows within them.
Blood of elite soldiers who fought against the Human Alliance, not the petty ones like Zephar.
“Will the people of Belselphia come to help us?”
“If they refuse, we’ll have to ask Lord Celcius for aid.”
“Right. Lucius, you’re a genius.”
I unconsciously thought, ‘even to them…’
I realized I didn’t want to reach out to the subordinates of 500 years ago.
Was it due to anxiety?
No.
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‘I tried to do everything on my own again.’
That’s carelessness.
Securing five Holy Swords and three Spirit Devices, having an invincible warrior like Lucius, I was currently trying to ‘get by’ with power.
‘I should go all out if I said I would.’
Going all out to crush the heads of Lucifer and Zephar, yet now trying to conserve strength.
Until the bowl is full of water?
No. I need to prepare water until it overflows and soaks the floor.
So much that the pressure would break the bowl.
“Thanks to Lucius, I’m learning. I might not even have to teach anymore, huh?”
“Why wouldn’t you? There’s still plenty to learn, including magic.”
“But you’re not trying to learn magic, are you?”
“That was just from focusing on swordsmanship until now, Master.”
Lucius stood up and thumped his chest toward me.
“When this fight ends, will you teach me magic? Any kind of magic will do.”
“…Oh. You’re serious.”
I responded by thumping my chest in return.
“Alright. I’ll definitely teach you everything I know.”
The Bride Ship.
Towards Belselphia.
“Maximum firepower!”
“Witch, why do you have the Holy Sword…?”
“Oh, this? I got permission from Lucius. He said I could use it.”
“””…….”””