Hope (1)
Chapter 315
The Sacred Sword was drawn.
Things turned out better than expected.
The situation unfolded even more favorably than Ray had hoped for. Feeling the divine power radiating from the rising pillar of light, Ray drained his cup with a stern expression.
“…”
With the use of the Sacred Sword in this performance, it would be possible to sway the public opinion of the Holy Order, even if by force.
If Ray himself had been the one to draw the Sacred Sword, it would have been impossible for him to wield such influence.
However, a High Templar of the Church, who had already amassed great renown, was now recognized as the master of the Sacred Sword.
For anyone, even the highest-ranking clerics, to oppose this High Templar preparing a sanctuary against the Great Calamity would mean risking both their position and life.
They might even be labeled as heretics and dragged into the streets to face stoning.
“…”
Still, Ray could not yet confidently predict that the expedition to the Demonic Realm would come to fruition.
Even accounting for variables he hadn’t considered, Ray estimated the probability was still fifty-fifty.
Nevertheless, having come this far, Ray hoped for the best and believed things would inevitably turn out well.
Yet, despite raising his cup, a shadow of gloom lingered on Ray’s face.
*
The first major variable Ray anticipated was Alexander, the Margrave of the South.
Ray had certainly given Alexander something to chew on, and it didn’t seem like Alexander was completely unaware of it.
Moreover, the appearance of the master of the Sacred Sword was hardly welcome news for Alexander.
The birth of “the Chosen One” would inevitably dilute the immense prestige and influence Alexander had built up within the southern region and the church.
No matter how amiable a person might be, such an occurrence couldn’t fail to stir up some negative emotions.
Thus, Ray kept in mind the possibility that Alexander might shift his stance and oppose the expedition to the Demonic Realm.
Changing one’s stance after initially proclaiming the need to protect the south would indeed be a dirty move… but wasn’t that exactly what politicians always did?
Besides, Alexander was known for his political acumen and would undoubtedly find an appropriate excuse to avoid responsibility.
Should Alexander take such a stance, the situation would spiral out of control.
Public opinion would be problematic, but most importantly, Alexander was essential to the expeditionary force to the Demonic Realm.
There was no one else who could fill his role.
Fortunately, however, even after the emergence of the master of the Sacred Sword, Alexander did not change his position and proceeded with war preparations.
“Unexpected.”
Ray thought Alexander would have shown some sign of dissatisfaction.
But instead, Alexander remained consistent with his statements.
Was it patriotism? Altruism? Or perhaps there was another purpose driving his ambition?
After pondering for a moment, Ray shook his head.
Judging from his past actions, Alexander was by no means evil according to the standards of this world and was quite reasonable.
If this expedition were to fail, humanity would face extinction.
Given the imminent danger, Ray did not believe Alexander would sabotage the mission due to personal feelings or desires.
He had enough discernment. If Alexander wanted to undermine Ray, he would have outright disrupted the entire plan.
Any scheming on his part would only occur once the situation had somewhat stabilized, likely for his own benefit.
‘Well then…’
With the first major variable resolved, all that remained was the second one—then the expedition to the Demonic Realm would be confirmed.
The second major variable was none other than the Emperor’s intentions.
Ray had done everything possible to reduce the Emperor’s political risks.
Volunteering to take responsibility for the expedition should it fail, Ray stepped forward alone, pulling strings and performing grand gestures to ensure the public opinion of the Holy Order, which influenced not just the southern empire but the entire continent, was swayed in favor of the expedition.
At this point, even if the expedition failed, as long as the losses weren’t catastrophic, the situation could be salvaged.
Conversely, if the expedition succeeded, Ray would be recorded in the annals of imperial history as an unparalleled hero.
The existence of such a hero would naturally be irksome for the Emperor. This wasn’t about the Emperor’s personality—it was an immutable principle of power.
That’s why they might even wish Ray met an early demise; it would be ideal for the Emperor.
Even after doing all this, the Emperor might still refuse the expedition, either out of conviction or for other reasons.
In that case, the expedition would have to be abandoned.
Ray lacked Harshia’s ability to charge into the Demonic Realm alone.
The results would become clear in a few days.
Ray opened a new bottle of liquor in his room, saturated with the smell of alcohol.
*
The Emperor of the Empire, Crown Prince Poibos.
Alone, he stood in a plaza where hundreds of beads were embedded into the walls.
Standing amidst over a thousand years of the Empire’s history, Poibos gazed at the empty wall before him.
The beads that once existed on the barren wall had long since vanished, leaving no trace behind.
Even when holding Moros and stepping closer, the empty wall offered no response.
“Alone… huh.”
He achieved miracles alone and met a solitary end.
Poibos murmured Ray’s words softly and traced the empty wall with his fingertips.
A fragment of history cut off like a blank page.
Attempting to uncover the truth behind the void left that day, Poibos found nothing.
There were no records related to that day anywhere, leading Poibos to sometimes wonder if the illusion of that day was perhaps not an illusion at all.
But if the illusion of that day was not false…
It would represent an unforgivable sin of the Empire, an unfulfilled duty of humanity.
Would we erase the shameful past and commit the same sins again?
Or must we now fulfill the obligations we failed to meet in his death?
Silently reflecting on a thousand years of history, Poibos turned away from the plaza.
*
The expedition to the Demonic Realm was approved at the Continental Conference.
Now that the previously silent Emperor had officially taken action, the chances of the situation reversing were slim.
Just a few days ago, countless people across the continent witnessed a towering column of light ascending to the heavens, showering blessings.
As a result, the public sentiment among the masses became fervently unified, leaving even those in power who had been hesitant unable to remain passive.
It seems we can proceed. Ray muttered while opening a new bottle, when Anthonyus arrived.
Anthonyus’ demeanor was entirely different from their previous encounter.
Ray glanced at the Sacred Sword attached to Anthonyus’ waist.
The Sacred Sword was amplifying Anthonyus’ divine power and the artifact’s abilities to a terrifying degree.
Once he began wielding sacred techniques, his combat prowess would rival that of a Lord.
While defeating a Swordmaster in direct combat might be difficult, Anthonyus’ performance in battle within the Demonic Realm likely surpassed even other Lords.
Setting down the bottle, Ray spoke first.
“A bit unexpected.”
Ray believed Anthonyus understood his ‘intentions,’ but he hadn’t anticipated him moving so quickly to claim the Sacred Sword.
Therefore, Ray was slightly surprised when Anthonyus’ name was mentioned in the letter Alexander sent to the Continental Conference.
“…Anyway, thanks to your swift actions, everything fell into place nicely.”
“Do you feel confident?”
A question Ray had heard several times already and would likely hear often in the future.
Ray nodded.
“I’m confident. I don’t gamble on matters like this.”
As Ray responded, he turned to look at Anthonyus.
When the hundred-year war began, the Church’s stakeholders would also face severe consequences.
The loss of the entire southern region would incur devastating damage—no need to enumerate the specifics.
Still, even considering that, Anthonyus’ proactive involvement seemed slightly puzzling.
At this point, Anthonyus addressed the matter Ray had been curious about.
“There has been movement from the department overseeing candidates for Sacred Maiden.”
“…Ah, so that’s why you acted so quickly.”
“Is there anything you know about this?”
“Hmm…”
After a brief moment of consideration, Ray provided an answer that wasn’t entirely true but also not entirely false.
“The power possessed by the Sacred Maiden is not infinite. To suppress the expansion of the Demonic Realm even slightly, it will inevitably lead to increased consumption.”
“…”
“Of course, her body will endure significant strain, shortening the time she can fulfill her duties as Sacred Maiden. The vacancy will need to be filled.”
The content wasn’t particularly difficult to understand, nor was it something Anthonyus was entirely unaware of.
Though phrased differently, it ultimately meant the Sacred Maiden was a kind of consumable item and needed to be replaced promptly if pushed too hard.
Having received a definitive answer from Ray, Anthonyus wanted to forcibly remove his sister from that position, but he knew she wouldn’t want that.
Both Anthonyus and Ray were bound by human ties.
As the atmosphere grew heavy, Ray poured a fresh drink into a glass and extended it to Anthonyus.
“Then, I’ll leave the rest in your hands.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve stirred up enough trouble. From here on, you can manage the conference alone.”
“Must you step back?”
“As I mentioned last time, I won’t live long after the expedition ends. I plan to visit my hometown before leaving. There are things I need to settle there.”
Understanding Ray’s circumstances, Anthonyus paused briefly before slowly nodding.
“Alright, understood. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly.”
“Appreciate it. Let’s leave our mark in history.”
“Not interested.”
“Me neither.”
Ray and Anthonyus clasped hands.
*
Clearing the bottles from the room, Ray retrieved a clean outfit.
While changing clothes alone, he absentmindedly hummed a tune.
As the complex situation began to resolve itself, the torment in his heart gradually settled.
Of course, Ray still had a few personal matters to resolve, but there was only one person he could discuss them with.
Ray was tidying up his appearance to visit Luna, who hadn’t contacted him.
Wishing to present himself well, he checked his reflection in the mirror, adjusting his hair, when the door opened without a knock.
Finishing his hair adjustment, Ray turned to see Luna entering the room.
“Hey… you’re here.”
Facing Ray’s attempt at casual bravado, Luna asked coolly with silver eyes glowing faintly.
“Are you going to the Demonic Realm?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Will you die there?”
“No, I’ll return. Hopefully.”
Do you really believe you’ll return?
Ray anticipated Luna would ask something along those lines.
However, Luna asked something entirely different.
“Do you trust me, Ray?”
“Huh? Of course, absolutely.”
“That’s right. I have always obediently fulfilled your requests.”
“…”
Ray felt a fleeting chill.
Not from Luna herself, but because her tone, sharp and revealing emotion, was so unfamiliar that it felt like speaking to someone else entirely.
“Do you trust me?”
Luna smiled at Ray.
Her smile resembled the one Ray had seen in the vision of the World Tree.
“Of course. I have always respected you and remained loyal to you.”
But then…
“Is this the price?”
“…”
Ray hesitated to respond.
Observing his silence, Luna erased the smile from her face.
“Ray.”
“…”
“Answer me.”
