Four days had passed since Valkut city suffered the madness of its Governor-King and the Fae Lord. In the ensuing havoc, most of the city had been destroyed and half of its population had perished.

What came after the conflict was another kind of battle entirely. In the relief camp, the members of the Silver Legion were hard at work giving aid to their fellows in need.

“Rejected,” Cardinal Judith said. Despite the cloth covering her blind eyes, her firm expression showed.

“But Cardinal, I-”

“It was not your fault, Unem. What were you thinking, asking to be burned as a heretic?” Judith pressed her temple from a migraine and paused for a while. “I cannot disperse the guilt you feel but that is not how you’ll find penance.”

The Abbess of the Church’s Valkut branch looked like a woman who was about to hang herself. After being freed from years of fae glamour, the deeds she had done under control were crushing her conscience.

The blind Cardinal approached the lost woman with a kind clasp to her hands.

“Look around you, lots of people can use your help. You can try righting your wrongs one help at a time… What happened to you is a terrible, terrible thing and beyond my power to mend. However, believe me when I say the Radiant Lady’s light never stops shining to show the way.”

“...I’ll try,” Unem said, as tears flowed from the edge of her eyes, and excused herself.

Judith held her sigh until Unem left. She felt sorry for the poor woman. Unem blamed herself for not being able to notify the Church when this all began around two decades ago.

If anything, the blame is mine…

Since Cardinal Judith was the head of the Church’s institutions in the Free People Coalition territory, what transpired here was her failure. Her own brother was one of the two chief perpetrators.

In fact, before Unem asked her judgment, Judith had said similar things to Popess Sallustia. Although it didn't involve burning at the stake, it was no less severe.

Naturally, Her Holiness refused.

Some Cardinal I am… If only I paid closer attention. If only I talked to Alva and made amends. If only-

A thousand more ‘if onlys’… Even the mighty Level 5 Pathseeker wasn't immune to the woes of human emotion.

Judith sighed again. She couldn't afford to wallow in self-pity, she had too much work on her plate.

With the departure of the Governor-King, the residents had lost their safety under the tyrant and the future was uncertain. It was unclear if Valkut territory would remain or be reclaimed by nature and monsters. She had to decide if it was better to help the people relocate or siphon forces from the already strained Silver Legion to rebuild the city.

The fae that had crossed from the fae realm had died. Not by the Popess’ Purge Evil. The fae that got struck by the Arte were incapacitated but the reason for their death was the Governor-King Alvared. When he struck Marquess Foulfae, the damage was spread to the lesser fae born in his realm.

A tragedy, but the true headache was the matter of the changelings. This breed of fae was spared from the backlash of their patriarch’s wound. People suddenly found out that their children were fae that had consumed their real children and taken their place.

The result was chaos.

The fae were not inherently malevolent. Without the influence of the greater fae who sought revenge and destruction, fae could be good and kind individuals. However, two decades of intrigues couldn't be resolved in a matter of days.

Sallustia had parlayed with the dragons and quelled the elder dragon’s anger before he sent a raging storm on top of the already destitute city. An impressive feat, Judith thought, considering how much pride their kind had. She wasn't privy to the details because Radiageus only allowed the Popess to ‘witness his regal self’ but apparently, a portion of his hoard got stolen, including something very important. The Church offered to help but the dragon found the offer of help itself repulsive. He would search for the thief in his own way, still convinced the fae were behind the theft and wanted to invade their realm.

Judith felt that she shouldn't be glad the mighty but prideful drake went in the other direction and did not add yet more work for her but she was only human. The thought of who was truly responsible and what was taken passed her mind but she didn't have the luxury to entertain it.

Sallustia herself was busy reinforcing the dimensional integrity around Valkut that had become fragile. The sooner the barrier against Level 6 or above monstrosities was repaired, the better.

“Instead of loitering in front of the door, please enter. I promise I won't bite.”

After hearing Judith’s offer, two youths demurely entered the temporary office. They had been arguing in whispers but the air conveyed the topic to Judith.

“Legionary Damon, Legionary Bryan. How may I help you?” Judith smiled full of courtesy despite her significantly higher position.

“Your Eminence,” the two bowed from the waist. “Forgive our intrusion.”

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“It's alright. I’m sorry I haven't had the time to address you and your friends. No doubt you have a lot of confusion brewing in your mind. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Damon seemed hesitant but Bryan voiced his request even though it might be rude to ask the Cardinal anything.

“Ma’am. I know this is presumptuous but I have to ask. With your mastery over the wind, is it possible to locate a comrade of ours? Legionary Ciel… We got separated because of a dimensional tear. One by one we reconvened here but Ciel’s whereabouts are still unknown. If that is not possible, please allow me to search for her. I know our current duty is assisting the poor folk but I can't rest without knowing she’s okay. Please!”

Bryan knelt, sounding desperate. Love drove his actions.

***

Far far away but still in the Valkut region, there was another man on his knees. The man seemed to be kneeling at emptiness, for there was nothing before him. However, the man’s right eye burned with a path of black flame.

“My Lord Dumuzin, my utmost apologies for my failure!”

Georgi loudly and strongly smacked his face to the ground, creating spider web cracks on the ground that spread to the cave’s walls. The cave the Grandmaster of Dumuzin cult resided in had been warded with enchantments to Hell and back.

“Hahaha! Calm yourself, my faithful. I told you, the slippery eel might give you the slip. His struggle was quite entertaining. As expected of my toy. I put no blame on you.”

Georgi felt ashamed. Even his insurance, Dream of Pacifying Soul Arte, was thwarted? Damn that boy. Even if the great Dumuzin had plans for the boy, Georgi wanted to strangle him to death for making him look bad in the eyes of the King of Mind and Soul.

After the split soul he implanted inside the toy vanished, he didn't have any more cards to play. His divine mission had failed spectacularly, under the watchful eyes of the deity in question no less.

Georgi pondered if death was better than this… colossal humiliation.

After hearing Dumuzin’s response inside his head, Georgi lifted his head from the ground. Not even a hair out of order from the faceplant.

“The toy is gone… At the very least, please accept this meager offering. This shard contained the information of the boy.”

“Mmm. Accepted.”

The information about Viers that Paina, Farley, and Ciel knew, flowed to the God-like Devil. Georgi had subtly soul-searched them during the battle.

And none were the wiser.

He had tried to soul search the lamia, but her power was too close to his own so he failed. At least, it wasn't possible to be done without her knowing. Still, from the others Georgi now knew the lamia’s name was Clarissa and she was a spirit from the Age of the Gods.

Paina, Farley, and Ciel had no such luck. Even if what they battled was a Level 4 clone who got defeated, Georgi recovered the remains and the information.

A lesser prize for a God… Oh, how I failed, Georgi lamented.

“Lord, allow me to mobilize the Order. We have his trail. Whether he hides in Regidana or his familiar’s Biome, we can get him. His family, his friends, I can gather them all and force the toy to reveal himself. By my honor and life, this time I will deliver him to you!”

“Such measures are unnecessary. Hehehe. There’s no need to concern yourself with the boy any longer. Leave him and his allies be of all interference. This is my command.”

Georgi spoke with his mouth and the voice came out but when Dumuzin spoke into the mind, the blackfire on his right eye flickered.

“You have questions. I’ll allow it. Ask.”

“...Lord. Forgive my audacity but I’m confused. We glimpsed his past through the eyes of another and he’s dangerous. Not of the now but what he could be. This humble one thinks it is unwise to allow a worm that wants to bite you to grow into a dragon.”

“Oh, he’ll become a dragon, alright. A fearsome one at that. Look forward to it.”

All the more reason to kill him soon!

But Dumuzin had commanded him to not kill the boy. This puzzled the old expert.

“Lord, please elucidate this humble subject of your intent for the boy.”

“Suppose you manage to bring the boy to me, I plan to give him infinite power, every forbidden knowledge, all of my soul and mind attainment, and complete infernal enlightenment. Hell, he can have my Hell if he wishes to. Bwahaha!”

It took a few seconds for Georgi’s mind to process the answer.

Basically giving him the power of a god, Georgi thought.

But why? As a vessel of Dumuzin reincarnation? Might be for the other six devils but his God never shows any interest in reincarnating into the material world.

He didn't need it.

“The boy is an Otherworlder.”

“Otherworlder…” Georgi inhaled.

“But this one is different. Unlike Estelle's usual insufferable brats, this one is selfish to the bone.”

Different? From the record of the Cult that went back nine thousand years, there were plenty of selfish Otherworlders.

They didn't live long.

“When he encountered my statue in the past, I managed to sift through his mind. He didn't have the mind protection he now has at the time but my power was barely a trickle so I could only see very little.”

Georgi didn't interrupt the divine sermon from his God.

“I found a phrase in his mind. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

“That's… deep,” Georgi said.

“I find it interesting. What kind of things would he do if he had absolute power? What delicious chaos would he unleash upon the world if he dictates it?”

Georgi thought his God was expecting too much of the boy but he banished the blasphemous thought of doubting his God in an instant.

“When the opportunity arises, I plan to give him ultimate power. I was content to wait for a few centuries and let things play out naturally but something changed.”

Georgi waited for the next revelation with open ears.

“I recently became able to see the future.”

“Praise! May your might ever be eternal!” Georgi was elated that his God grew in strength.

“The River of Fate is famously hard to foresee, even for me and my equals… But no longer! I know with absolute certainty that if I send you to attack him, he will one day become my savior!”

“How… mysterious,” Georgi was amazed.

“Indeed. You might think he has gotten away but his fate is set in stone. It is a certainty. The seeds have been sown and now I can use a more direct nudge on him. The stronger he becomes, the better it will be for me. Hehehe…”

The Lord has thought of everything. It is foolish of me to doubt so much. I simply have to have faith. I see now… So that’s why the Lord seized control of my split soul before the defeat and delivered his prophecy to the three girls. He must have a grand agenda.

“And no need to fret, I’ll take care of him if he comes for you. You’ve served me well for these long years, it's time for you to become a Level 6.”

Georgi's face smacked the ground again, this time out of reverence.