“He is dangerous!”
As soon as Richard left his seat, opposition exploded like a flood.
“Send a divine envoy to Bartenberg immediately, and let Richard and his group know that they will be treated as nobles. Under no circumstances are they to receive support!”
This was a complete reversal from the admiration and praise they had just showered moments ago.
Most fierce in opposition was the Trantis Marquess.
His objections unfolded like a dark cloud.
At the very least, he insisted, aid from Riot Castle must be accepted; Baren desperately needed their help.
In a voice dripping with disdain, the Trantis Marquess smirked.
“Richard, once called the ‘lost heir,’ may have changed his heart now, but he is utterly untrustworthy. Has he not already been driven out of my own house?”
“Whether he was driven out or left on his own accord is another matter.”
“Do you think Bartenberg would have stood idly by while such blasphemy against the gods was proclaimed? It’s clear Richard was cast out.”
The Marquess’s fierce criticism drew frowns from several nobles.
After all, these were words directed against the hero who had come to help the faltering kingdom.
Still, they had no choice but to remain silent.
Though the Marquess’s tone was harsh, the issue was sensitive even from Baren’s perspective.
A young lord exiled from Bartenberg.
Among the nations of the Northern Continent, there would be none who did not view him with suspicion.
His mere presence here might already alienate Bartenberg, let alone accepting a religious figure presumed to be the cause of his exile.
If things went wrong, Baren could easily be seen as opposing Bartenberg and aligning with Richard.
“The Trantis Marquess has never seen Richard’s light. That man possesses the power to repel Demonic Energy!”
One noble rose to voice a counterargument.
Setting aside political concerns for the moment, his point was that Baren’s immediate crisis must be resolved.
“Bartenberg is far away, but Richard is here. We have no other suitable alternative…”
“That’s precisely the problem!”
A noble of enormous stature raised his voice and cut him off.
“Indeed, he wields a power opposed to Demonic Energy. But even if he has power, he has no credibility. If he does not use it properly, it will be uncontrollable!”
What Richard needed to share his light was neither a magic artifact nor treasure.
What he required, above all, was faith — the most valuable kind of belief.
“This is merely another disaster that takes advantage of the kingdom’s darkness. Riot Castle was tricked by his cunning machinations!”
“Agreed. The country is in peril; we must remain vigilant at all times.”
Those opposing the idea insisted there was no god, and that the Hor Church was simply a construct Richard used to deify himself.
Some even claimed that the knights of Riot Castle had been led astray by his deceit.
Unable to tolerate this, the pro-Richard nobles glared fiercely.
“The eyes of the knights are clear and precise. There must be a reason Riot Castle’s forces praise Richard as a hero.”
Demonic Energy was spreading across the continent, bringing disease and chaos. Lord Ord, Lord of Riot Castle, had said Richard was the beacon leading the light.
This might be an opportunity—an opportunity to seize the ‘Light.’
Most voices calling for aid from Richard came from the younger nobles.
“And if what you say is true, Riot Castle has already been corrupted. But can we just tell them not to believe in their god?”
This time, the opposition was silenced.
The discussion had become almost meaningless.
As Riot Castle, the main military force of Baren, was in such a state, Baren had already taken a step toward Richard’s intentions.
Someone pounded the table.
All eyes of the nobles shifted sharply.
“In the current situation, Richard’s help is necessary.”
It was the king who finally spoke, having remained silent until then.
His tone made the nobles bow their heads in response.
“The concerns over Bartenberg’s stance are no longer an issue. Whether gods exist or not is not the important matter.”
The most crucial thing now was that only Richard could hold the crumbling Baren together.
“But Lord Richard demands the faith of the people. Faith has never been a trivial matter. Under the name of Faith, the royal authority is sufficiently threatened.”
The opposition’s fears were harsh but reasonable.
It was not an easy decision for the king.
The Baren Kingdom, with its centuries of history, was about to face great change.
Yet the kingdom was already half-collapsed.
He could not stand idly by and watch the fall of royal authority.
“Since this is a crisis, we must maintain a special relationship with Lord Richard.”
“Your Majesty…”
The nobles murmured uneasily.
“That will cause chaos in law and politics! The foundations of the country will be shaken to their roots!”
The Trantis Marquess took a stand, sword in hand.
Yet the king’s resolute expression did not waver.
“I have no intention of standing by helplessly.”
“If that is so…”
“Richard’s help will be accepted, but the royal family will be the ones to spread the faith among the people.”
If the people’s faith and trust fell into the hands of external forces, it would mean the collapse of royal authority.
However, if the royal family directly embraced the new religious movement and led the change, the situation was different.
“We will revise the national laws. Remind the people that the country exists alongside its religion.”
The nobles bowed their heads at the king’s demeanor, reminiscent of a monarch born of ancient customs.
“Then who will lead the evangelization?”
The Trantis Marquess asked.
“Lord Richard’s light is beyond brilliant. No matter how dangerous his power is, his loyalty to the kingdom will not waver.”
The king’s gaze fixed on the opposing nobles.
The sound of swallowing was unusually loud.
“You will personally conduct the evangelization.”
The opposition was silenced by that sharp look.
With those words, the royal council ended.
Especially the nobles, including the scornful Trantis Marquess, stormed out in groups.
Left alone in the council chamber, the king leaned back in his chair.
He looked like someone who had chosen the lesser evil out of the worst.
There is a flow in the world.
That Richard possessed the power to repel Demonic Energy meant he would wield great influence wherever he went.
“Has the time of revolution arrived?”
The king’s thoughts drifted to the knights of Riot Castle.
After the war against the Undead, their expressions had been astonishing.
A mixture of respect and pride, a face bursting with desire to boast.
Such was the power of the religion Richard preached.
***
“Yes, that’s right. It must be so.”
I nodded in agreement.
I had been spying on the royal council; it was truly a mess.
The nobles who had praised me moments ago suddenly turned hostile and launched accusations.
“Something dependable.”
Satisfaction welled inside me.
The opposing nobles who had never stopped talking back now seemed merely sensible.
They had not said a single thing wrong.
Like it or not, the more the Hor Church spread throughout Baren Kingdom, the greater my influence would grow.
Naturally, I had to keep an eye on Bartenberg’s attitude as well.
No matter how difficult the times, there were issues I could never ignore.
If I had sought help too eagerly, I would have failed.
What I wanted was not a puppet royal family, but a business partner with mutual support.
“The king’s plan is quite agreeable.”
They will spread the faith on their own.
I couldn’t have asked for a better arrangement.
This was truly a partnership.
Power?
A plot to swallow Baren Kingdom?
I felt no greed for such things.
If I had desired power, I would never have left Bartenberg.
I sat on the bed in the noble’s room.
“Was his name the Trantis Marquess?”
He did insult me quite a bit, but I bore no intention of revenge.
We would be good friends in the future.
As I was pondering how to educate the nobles sent to spread the Hor faith—who were essentially evangelist nobility—
A long wooden box was brought to me.
Leon, who handed it over, probably did not know what it was.
Otherwise, he would have pried with curious eyes, asking how I intended to use such a dangerous thing.
How to use it?
Well, use it properly.
I nodded at my own good answer and opened the box.
Though its exterior was clean, inside were numerous strange symbols drawn meticulously.
At its center lay a snow-white sword reflecting the light.
-Kiiiiiing!
Though it was not Demonic Energy, the sword radiated a uniquely ominous aura that shook the noble’s room.
The window trembled and shattered.
“Shut up.”
Grasping its hilt, I poured in my Faith.
Gradually, the eerie wailing diminished.
Instead, countless images flickered across the white blade’s surface.
The cursed human commander who had forged the worst sword stained in countless battles.
“The Cursed Sword White Ghost.”
A cursed object that should never have seen the light of day was now in my hands.
Long ago, a previous generation of Bartenberg had famously punished the user of the Cursed Sword and kept that infamous blade sealed within the family.
A sword with a deep and storied history.
-Save me…!
A bloody human figure was drawn, then crushed.
-Kraaak!
An unknown monstrous form appeared, then shifted again.
White Ghost—the name fitting the blade filled with the spirit of the white ghost god.
“This is maddening.”
Different thoughts flooded my mind, enough to drive one insane.
The madness swelling alongside the ominous images faintly reminded me of Demonic Energy.
I summoned my Faith.
If I could wield the White Ghost, it would be stronger than any other sword.
And as Faith, I could suppress its madness.
The head of the Bartenberg household had seen my potential and entrusted me with the White Ghost, which had been sealed for generations.
Still, I was limited in control, and the madness continually crept in.
But the potential was clear.
“Not bad.”
While lowering the cursed sword, a good idea came to me.
Since this sword brought so much bloodshed, the Baren royal family must already be aware of it.
I would use this sword to train the evangelists.
-Dieeee…!
As a bonus, I’d also have to make this mad blade appear sinister.
***
I met again with the king and discussed matters.
He presented a list of nobles’ names who would replace evangelization duties.
“Lord Richard has already granted great favors. We will cooperate as much as we can with these miscellaneous tasks.”
I glanced over the list.
As I had expected, it contained names of opposing nobles.
“Evangelization is a sacred and important matter. It’s by no means trivial.”
I looked up at the king.
He might have been wary I would volunteer to do it myself, but he showed no change in expression.
“But I fully understand Baren’s position. We will proceed according to Your Majesty’s words.”
“Good.”
Though I knew everything, I decided to provoke him once.
Just to keep him from underestimating me, to maintain an appropriate tension.
After all, we weren’t friends yet.
“The ones on that list will soon seek out Lord Richard. Though not as steadfast as knights, they are very clear-headed as administrators.”
“Is that so.”
I nodded and traced the name of the Trantis Marquess with my finger.
“May I evangelize in my own way with these people?”
“What do you mean by ‘your own way’…”
“It means letting them experience firsthand the power of God.”
“Do as you will, as the Lord wishes.”
Very well.
With approval granted, there was no reason to hold back.
As I finished the conversation and was about to move, a voice stopped me.
“Lord Richard.”
“Hm?”
It was the king calling me.
“…What is it that you ultimately desire?”
What I desire?
The question was too broad to answer immediately.
If I narrowed it down, it was that I wished Baren to become a missionary kingdom, voluntarily spreading the faith to other nations.
But that was not something I could say to the king yet.
He was already on high alert.
So I simply answered as asked.
“World peace… or something like that.”
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