Chapter 166: The Crimson Gem

I didn’t expect this to remain.

He had naturally thought it would dissipate along with Astrek.

Well, it wasn’t solely Astrek’s…….

It wasn’t perfection obtained through innate power.

It was obtained by sacrificing hundreds of thousands, no, even more lives.

In a way, it was natural that it didn’t dissipate together.

Gaon grasped the crimson gem.

And he examined it closely.

If I absorb this, it’ll be big trouble?

The Pacheon Mind Method could absorb everything without discrimination, whether demonic energy or mana.

But this was an exception.

He didn’t know about later, but at least for now, he shouldn’t absorb it.

If he absorbed it, a big problem would arise.

In the worst case, Gaon’s perfection could be damaged.

Well, I don’t need to use it right away.

There was no time limit.

He could use it anytime.

Gaon sealed the crimson gem.

And after storing it in his pocket, he looked at the place where Larun’s corpse had been and thought.

Come to think of it, I didn’t get to interrogate him.

Originally, Gaon’s goal was to subdue Larun and then interrogate him.

Which forces he had colluded with.

What the ultimate purpose of this incident was.

But because of Astrek, the opportunity for interrogation disappeared.

Is there anyone among the remaining ones who knows well?

Larun was dead.

Now, the emperor’s faction was as good as finished.

Literally as good as, not truly finished.

There were still many in the emperor’s faction left.

Among them, there might be someone who knows which forces Larun colluded with, what the ultimate purpose was.

Though it seems unlikely…….

Of course, considering the ministers’ states, the possibility wasn’t high.

Swish.

Gaon waved his hand.

Then, the ice prison slowly melted and disappeared.

And Gaon started walking north while thinking.

Better to leave the curtain as is?

Currently, only Gaon knew that Larun was dead.

But if the golden curtain disappeared?

There might be those who check the residence, and Larun’s death would be known.

And unexpected chaos could arise.

Yeah, let’s leave it for now.

Having finished his thoughts, Gaon continued walking and exited the curtain.

Unlike when entering, the curtain didn’t try to push Gaon away.

Thanks to that, Gaon naturally exited the curtain without effort and immediately started moving to handle the remaining emperor’s faction.

Hwaruruk! Boom! Boom!

Asode blankly stared at the explosions occurring ahead.

Soon, the array was destroyed by the explosions, and the dense demonic energy around began to thin.

And the top-grade fire spirit Kalteus, who destroyed the array, returned.

As Kalteus returned, Asode started moving toward the next destination.

And as he got closer to the next destination, the demonic energy thickened.

Not just that.

Those turned into demonic beasts blocked the path.

Hwaruruk!

Hwaruruk!

Of course, Asode didn’t stop moving.

The demonic beasts’ levels were very low.

To the point they burned to death with one gesture from Kalteus.

“Hoo…….”

Asode let out a low sigh.

Asode’s expression as he sighed was full of pity.

The targets of Asode’s pity were the demonic beasts.

Understandably, they hadn’t been demonic beasts from the start.

That damn bastard Larun…….

Roker had come earlier.

And relayed Gaon’s words.

That all this current situation was orchestrated by Emperor Larun.

And that Larun had colluded with the demon world.

That from now on, Gaon would kill all the traitors, including Larun.

Each one was a shocking story.

……But what should I do.

He said to decide what Gaon would do from now on.

Whether to remain in the Rios Empire like this.

Or to leave the Rios Empire.

Right then.

“……!”

Asode’s eyes flashed.

Because of the powerful energy detected at the destination.

……Gaon-nim?

No matter how he looked, it seemed to be Gaon.

Already killed him?

Gaon had definitely said he would come after killing Larun.

Yet Gaon came?

That meant Larun was already dead.

Well.

Considering Gaon’s power, it wasn’t strange.

To begin with, there was no one in the emperor’s faction who could stop Gaon.

Asode increased his speed.

And soon, upon arriving at the destination, Asode could see Gaon waiting after destroying the array.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Asode approached Gaon and greeted.

“Have you decided?”

And Gaon asked.

“Well…….”

Asode trailed off.

And after thinking for a moment,

“Before that, there’s one thing I’d like to ask.”

Gaon nodded silently.

And Asode swallowed once and continued.

“Has Schutaren decided to join Varta?”

“No, we haven’t talked that far.”

“I see. For now, we also plan to leave.”

Larun was dead.

But that didn’t erase the fact of collusion with the demon world.

Everyone would point fingers at the Rios Empire and cut ties.

In other words, the Rios Empire was now finished.

Moreover, Schutaren had also decided to leave the Rios Empire.

In this situation, remain in the empire?

That would be crazy.

Gaon nodded as if understanding.

And Asode, gauging the reaction, asked.

“May I ask one more question?”

“Speak.”

“May we join under Varta?”

“……As a duchy?”

Gaon paused briefly at the unexpected words and asked back.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The location of the Valen family was very far from Varta.

Even if Varta reclaimed its original territory later.

That’s why he was curious.

Why Valen wanted to join under Varta.

“To be honest, it’s for the family’s future. I thought it would be good to join under as quickly as possible and accumulate merits.”

Gaon was momentarily speechless at Asode’s overly honest answer.

Literally momentarily.

Gaon smiled and answered.

“Fine, I’ll mention it.”

Gaon very much liked Asode, who was straightforward and didn’t beat around the bush about facts.

And Valen would be a great help to Varta.

There was no reason not to accept Asode’s proposal.

“Thank you!”

At Gaon’s words, Asode smiled brightly and expressed thanks.

And toward such Asode, Gaon continued.

“There are some subdued ones in the imperial palace; can I ask you to handle the aftermath?”

“……For those guilty, may I handle them according to my standards?”

“Of course. Go right now. From now on, I’ll destroy the arrays.”

“Yes, I’ll handle it cleanly and report.”

Asode bowed deeply in greeting.

And Gaon nodded and left the place first.

After Gaon left like that, Asode looked in the direction Gaon disappeared and thought.

I did the right thing, right?

The Intelligence Agency of the Holy Empire of Seionia.

Adela was looking at the holy relic ‘Eye of God’ with a dismayed face.

Demonic energy had appeared in an unexpected place.

And at an enormous level.

The problem was the location where the demonic energy appeared.

Surprisingly, it was the capital of the Rios Empire.

Information hadn’t come in yet, but it was definitely the demon world causing trouble.

Otherwise, how could so much demonic energy appear in the capital of the Rios Empire?

We can’t dispatch the Holy Order…….

Normally, they should dispatch the Holy Order immediately.

But even if they wanted to, they couldn’t in this situation.

It was the capital of the Rios Empire.

No matter how decent the relationship between the Rios Empire and Seionia was, dispatching the Holy Order without notice?

Would the Rios Empire just let it slide?

No, they wouldn’t.

They would definitely take issue.

And to begin with, problems would arise from the border.

If only contact was possible…….

They had tried to contact to discuss with the Rios Empire.

But contact wasn’t going through.

It wasn’t just the imperial family that couldn’t be contacted.

Contact with all contacts in the capital wasn’t going through.

Ugh…….

Adela inwardly groaned.

If by any chance the capital of the Rios Empire collapsed?

It was horrifying just to imagine.

Right then.

“……!”

Adela couldn’t help but flinch.

And following that, her expression darkened.

Because a change had come to the Eye of God.

It wasn’t a change in the Rios Empire’s capital.

It was a change in the deep north of the continent.

The demonic energy, already dense in ‘Tarun,’ called the demons’ holy land, had become even denser.

What are they up to again……!

Demonic energy suddenly becoming this dense?

It wasn’t certain, but the probability they were plotting something was high.

Could they be trying to summon the Demon King……?

It wasn’t yet demonic energy at the level for the Demon King to descend.

If at the Demon King’s descent level, a special ‘mark’ would appear on the Eye of God.

But if the demonic energy continued to densen like this?

It wouldn’t be strange if the mark appeared.

Adela swallowed hard.

If by any chance, as predicted, they were preparing for the Demon King’s descent?

And if the Demon King descended?

Even with Sir Gaon…….

No matter how much Gaon, it would be a difficult fight.

Right then.

“……!”

Additionally, changes came to the Eye of God.

And in multiple places, not one.

Suddenly, what is this…….

Demonic energy was concentrating in several Coexistence Zones.

They were definitely preparing a counterattack.

Adela was confused.

The capital of the Rios Empire.

The demons’ holy land Tarun.

Just those two places were headache-inducing, and now problems in the Coexistence Zones too?

Adela inwardly took a deep breath to quell the confusion.

And quickly racked her brain.

For now, there’s nothing I can do about those two places right away.

Contact with the Rios Empire wasn’t going through.

Realistically, dispatching the Holy Order was impossible.

And the case of the demons’ holy land Tarun was the same.

Dispatching the Holy Order there was also impossible.

In other words, no need to think about those two places.

The place to think about now was the Coexistence Zones.

“High Priest.”

Having finished her thoughts, Adela called the High Priest Rai who was with her.

“Yes, Saintess.”

“I think it would be good to dispatch the Holy Order to Coexistence Zone 3 and Coexistence Zone 7; what do you think?”

“It’s a good idea. I’ll issue the order immediately.”

Right then.

“Saintess.”

The priest in charge of communications, Canirul, hurriedly approached.

And Adela’s eyes flashed.

She had told to inform immediately if contact with the Rios Empire was made.

Perhaps contact was made?

“Contact has come. Vice Tower Master Graxios says he wishes to speak with the Saintess from Gardion…….”

Unlike expectation, it wasn’t the Rios Empire.

However, Adela wasn’t disappointed at all.

She had been about to contact anyway regarding the Coexistence Zones.

“I’ll be back.”

Adela said to Rai and headed to the communications room with Canirul.

-It’s been a while.

And upon arrival, a voice flowed from the crystal orb.

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

Adela answered the voice and sat down.

And immediately looked at Graxios in the crystal orb and got to the point.

“By any chance, the reason for contacting…….”

-Do you have an urgent place?

-A place that needs support or is dangerous.

“……Yes! There is!”

She had been worrying how to bring it up, and he brought it up first?

“Actually, just a while ago…….”

Adela explained the situation from a while ago and relayed the places where demonic energy was concentrated.

-Ah, understood.

-We’ll handle all the places you mentioned on our side.

“All of them?”

At Graxios’s words, Adela couldn’t help but ask back.

Handling all was very welcome news.

The problem was feasibility.

“Is it…… possible?”

She knew Gardion Tower’s power was strong.

But even for Gardion, there were too many places with problems to handle all.

She wondered if it was overdoing it.

Right then.

A man appeared next to Graxios.

A man with golden hair and golden eyes.

-Are you the Saintess?

The man asked Adela.

“……Yes, I am the First Saintess Adela.”

Adela answered the man’s question and thought.

Who is he?

It was a man she was seeing for the first time.

But he wouldn’t be an ordinary man.

Graxios’s expression was very cautious.

In other words, he had a status that even Graxios found difficult.

Right then.

Graxios, who had been gauging, opened his mouth.

-This is Lord Ferbeng, the leader of the Gold clan.

“……Eh?”