……!!!
Gaon was slightly surprised.
He had known a Demon King would descend.
The reason the Demonic Rift had been expanded was precisely to allow a Demon King’s descent.
Even so, he had expected it to take some time.
The expansion had only just occurred, after all.
Yet it had already happened?
Gaon thought for a moment before speaking to Graxios.
“First, tell them to halt the advance on the front lines.”
The human forces were currently pushing forward without pause, reclaiming territory.
But with a Demon King having descended, continuing the advance was extremely dangerous.
If the Demon King decided to step in?
The advancing troops could all be wiped out.
It was not a remote possibility.
Given the situation, it was actually quite likely.
“Relay the message to Master as well.”
The dragons, including Ferbeng, were advancing alongside the front lines but operating independently.
That made them even more vulnerable.
They could be picked off one by one.
The news of the Demon King’s appearance needed to reach Ferbeng as quickly as possible.
“Yes, understood.”
“I’ll return right away, so convene a meeting with only the personnel still inside the tower.”
“Yes!”
After Graxios’s reply, Gaon ended the communication.
He tucked the crystal back into his pocket and spoke.
“Teleport.”
“Ah….…”
Adela let out a soft exclamation.
It was because of the change in the Eye of God.
More precisely, the change in Tarun.
The demonic energy in Tarun—where the mark had already appeared—had thickened dramatically.
To a degree that could not even be compared to before.
There was only one meaning behind it.
The descent of a Demon King.
“Saintess….…”
High Priest Rai called to Adela in a low voice.
Adela snapped out of her daze at his voice and said.
“Contact His Holiness the Pope immediately and tell him a Demon King has descended. I will go inform Gardion Tower and return right away.”
“Yes!”
Rai answered, and Adela headed straight for the communication wing.
The moment she arrived, she attempted contact with Gardion Tower.
Fortunately, the tower responded shortly after.
However, it was not Graxios who answered.
—What brings the Saintess?
It was Great Elder Balversa.
But that was fine.
Balversa held the same level of authority within Gardion Tower as Graxios.
So Adela went straight to the point.
“A Demon King has descended.”
—……!
At Adela’s words, Balversa said nothing.
He simply stared at her with a stunned expression.
But there was no time to wait for silence.
Adela continued urgently.
“Have you still not been able to reach Lord Gaon?”
—Ah, Lord Gaon just contacted us.
—He is currently speaking with Vice Tower Master Graxios. Are you certain of the descent?
“Yes, it’s certain!”
Hearing that contact had been made with Gaon, Adela’s eyes flashed as she answered.
—Then please wait a moment. I will pass the message and return.
Balversa disappeared from the crystal.
Adela waited for his return, lost in thought.
Thank goodness. I was worried something might have gone wrong.
If Gaon had faced a Demon King without any prior warning?
Gaon was undoubtedly strong.
But an unexpected encounter could still lead to a bad outcome.
Yet contact had been made.
Now that he knew of the Demon King’s existence, there would be no problem.
But that relief lasted only a moment.
…Wait. What if he just says he’ll go catch the Demon King himself?
The sudden thought made Adela flinch.
If Gaon decided to head straight to the sanctuary—Tarun—to deal with the Demon King?
Gaon’s pride was exceptionally high.
He had been roaming the demon world’s interior alone even now.
So it would not be strange at all if he declared he would go capture the Demon King immediately.
*That would be far too dangerous….…”
She knew Gaon was strong, but facing a Demon King alone still seemed incredibly risky.
While she was lost in those thoughts, Balversa returned.
The moment he reappeared, Adela asked.
“What did he say?”
She was dying to know Gaon’s reaction.
Balversa answered.
—He ordered the advance to be halted.
—And he said he would return to the tower.
“Ah! I see!”
Adela broke into a bright smile.
She had worried something might go wrong.
Fortunately, her fears had not come true.
—Please wait just a moment.
—Vice Tower Master Graxios will be here shortly.
“Yes.”
The instant Adela answered with a smile.
Creak.
“S-Saintess!”
The door burst open and Rai rushed in, face urgent.
Adela flinched the moment she saw Rai’s expression.
His face was filled with alarm.
Something had clearly happened.
The problem was that Rai already knew about the Demon King’s descent.
So his alarmed expression was not because of that.
Just what had occurred?
“What is it?”
“T-The Eye of God has been destroyed!”
“What?!”
Adela shot up from her seat.
She had suspected it was no ordinary matter.
But this far exceeded anything she had imagined.
The Eye of God had been destroyed?
“P-Please wait a moment.”
Adela spoke to Balversa, who was still in the crystal with a puzzled look.
Then she left the communication wing and hurried to the central hall of the Intelligence Agency where the Eye of God was kept.
Upon arriving, Adela stopped for a brief second at the sight of the Eye of God.
Just as Rai had said, cracks had formed all over it.
And naturally, no demonic energy was being displayed.
Ah—
Yet Adela let out a sigh of relief inside.
Thankfully, it had not been completely destroyed.
It was still repairable.
Adela stepped forward and stopped right in front of the Eye of God.
Step.
She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
Hiss!
Holy power poured out from Adela’s body.
It immediately seeped into the Eye of God.
One by one, the cracks began to disappear.
At this rate, it would soon return to its original state.
Before long the cracks vanished completely, and the Eye of God regained its former appearance.
Adela stopped pouring in holy power and looked at Rai.
She wanted to learn why the Eye of God had suddenly been damaged.
“Why did it break so suddenly?”
“It was because the demonic energy suddenly increased and….…”
“The demonic energy increased even more?”
Before Rai could finish, Adela cut in with a shocked voice.
Her face was filled with astonishment.
Rai nodded with a puzzled expression at her reaction.
“Yes. The demonic energy in the Tarun area surged sharply, and that caused the cracks.”
Adela turned silently to look at the Eye of God once more.
She poured holy power into it again.
The Eye of God activated, and demonic energy began to appear once more, one point at a time.
But Adela did not stop the flow of holy power.
If she did, the Eye of God would likely shatter again, just as she feared.
And the next development proved her prediction correct.
The demonic energy surpassed the threshold the Eye of God could handle.
“Ugh!”
Adela let out a short cry and poured even more holy power into the relic.
Gritting her teeth and focusing on the Eye of God, she thought.
It wasn’t just one!
While she had been away to send the message, another Demon King must have descended.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain this level of demonic energy.
Adela kept pouring holy power in and deactivated the Eye of God.
The displayed demonic energy vanished in an instant, and only then did she stop.
“Huu….…”
Adela exhaled softly and steadied her breathing.
“A second Demon King has descended. I need to relay this immediately.”
“Eh? Yes!”
Leaving behind Rai’s bewildered voice, Adela headed back to the communication wing.
She had to inform them as quickly as possible that two Demon Kings—not one—had descended.
Upon reaching the communication wing, Adela sat in front of the crystal.
Graxios was already there.
He must have arrived while she was gone.
“Two.”
Adela went straight to the point.
“Two?”
Graxios asked with a puzzled face.
But only for a moment. Before Adela could answer, his expression hardened and he continued.
—You mean Demon Kings?
“Yes. A second Demon King has descended.”
Graxios said nothing in reply.
He simply closed his mouth and fell into thought.
Adela did not press him.
She understood how he felt.
A short while later, Graxios regained his composure and spoke.
May I contact you again shortly?
“Ah, yes.”
Adela had no choice but to agree.
From his reaction, it was clear he was in no state for a proper conversation right now.
—Thank you. Then…….
Flash!
Graxios vanished from the crystal.
Adela left the communication wing and returned to the Eye of God.
A large crowd had gathered in front of it.
Pope Basus stood at the head.
His expression was extremely dark.
That was only natural.
Two Demon Kings had descended.
It would have been strange if his face were not dark.
Adela approached Basus.
He, who had been deep in thought, finished his deliberations and looked at her.
“I heard from High Priest Rai. A second Demon King has descended.”
“Yes. Because of that, the Eye of God cannot be used at the moment.”
To be precise, it could be used.
The problem was that it required a continuous, massive infusion of holy power.
It would be better not to use it at all.
“Hmm….…”
Basus let out a low hum.
Adela spoke to him.
“I don’t think we have time to hesitate.”
“Do you have something in mind?”
“I believe we must prepare the Grand Holy War.”
“……!”
At the words “Grand Holy War,” Basus’s face filled with shock.
He was not the only one.
“……!”
“……!”
The attendants who had come with Basus, the archbishops, and the royalty of the fallen kingdoms all looked stunned.
The Grand Holy War meant staking the very fate of the Holy Empire of Seionia on a single conflict.
And yet the words had come from Adela’s own mouth?
Given her personality and position, she would never say such a thing lightly.
That was why everyone was so shocked.
“Immediately.”
Adela continued speaking to the stunned Basus, then turned to look at the archbishops.
They flinched at her gaze and slightly averted their eyes.
This was no ordinary holy war; it was the Grand Holy War.
Even archbishops could not avoid it.
Most of them would have to participate.
The problem was that Demon Kings had descended.
They might have to face a Demon King.
It was far too dangerous.
They could die.
But in the current situation—with two Demon Kings having descended—raising any objection to the Grand Holy War?
They would face an enormous backlash.
The archbishops did not want to face that backlash.
Adela, who had read their thoughts perfectly, sneered inwardly and looked at the royalty of the fallen kingdoms who had come with the archbishops.
“I know why you stay close to the archbishops. You want to reestablish your kingdoms, don’t you?”
“……!”
“…!”
At Adela’s words, the fallen royalty’s eyes flashed.
Adela continued.
“Then why not distinguish yourselves this time? If you do, I will personally speak to Lord Gaon on your behalf.”
The fallen royalty who had been staring with shining eyes immediately looked away, as if they had never done so.
Having silenced both the archbishops and the fallen royalty in an instant, Adela turned back to Basus.
Basus wore a complicated, subtle expression.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
It was understandable.
The situation was grave, but the Grand Holy War meant wagering the entire fate of Seionia.
Before long, Basus opened his mouth.