Chapter 624
Somewhere on the continent, a city in ruins.
A street in a deserted city that has become uninhabited.
A handful of people wearing robes were gathered there.
“The Immortals have already finished laying out the wires. Now the Allies will move again, and we will all go to the front.”
Cristina, who was wearing a robe, spoke to those who, like herself, were wearing black robes.
“Is the reverse summoning device working well?”
“I’ve confirmed that it’s already functioning in a few initial launches. Even if the loss rate is high, there won’t be a big problem.”
“All right. good night.”
Those in black robes looked at Christina and nodded.
“I’ve never been in a situation where I could say I had a lot of time, but so far I’ve done well.”
Cristina nodded at the words of praise from those in black robes.
“What next?”
“Next… … .”
At Christina’s question, those in black robes were silent for a moment.
“It’s kind of ridiculous to talk about this before the gate scandal is over, but isn’t it about time?”
The black robes are silent at Christina’s question.
after the gate incident. What to do next
One of the black robes speaks.
“The empire is at the end of its life.”
The Empire, which committed too many evil deeds to survive, lost its justification and legitimacy.
For now, it can be maintained thanks to a just cause, but once the gate crisis is over, people will try to hold the empire accountable.
“If it is to survive, the Empire will have to find its next cause.”
“Is it the Demon King?”
“okay.”
If the empire is being maintained due to the absolute justification of the gate crisis, then the next justification must be found after that justification is gone.
The cause of all this is to kill the demon king.
“That was the justification for the Empire to unite all mankind. There’s nothing I can’t use again.”
The reason why the Empire was able to unite all mankind long ago was because of the existence of Dark Land and the Demon King in the first place.
To all the attempts at division and the forces that cause discord, why should we fight among ourselves when the demon king is alive and well. There was no cause that preceded it.
The fact that the empire was established and the empire was maintained.
If the Demon King did not exist, it would have been impossible in the first place.
So, after the gate incident is over, all you have to do is return to the cause of the past.
“But the owner of the empire does not have to be the Gradias family. It just needs to make the past empire’s mistakes disappear along with the Gradias family, and a new empire needs to be born.”
For the unification of mankind, empires must exist. However, the owner may change.
At the words of the black robe, Christina looked at him quietly.
“If the empire is to be maintained under the pretext of the demon king, then the demon king is not among the candidates, isn’t it?”
It was a story about uniting mankind with the existence of an enemy, and that enemy is the Demon King.
Therefore, the black robe was not supposed to assume that the current demon king would become the ruler of the next empire.
“I’m saying it for granted, the rule of the demon lord would be unacceptable to most people. There will be a great chaos incomparable to the current empire being maintained.”
“Huh… … . okay. Because the demon king said that the problem is how he is accepted by people rather than what he actually did wrong… … .”
Cristina smiles meaningfully and nods slowly.
“Then, who should be the owner of the next empire? Maybe you guys?”
“… … No way. Our principle is not to come to the fore.”
The attitude of those wearing black robes was resolute, as if they had no intention of abandoning the principle even though they had been reduced to a very small number.
“Yeah, I wonder about that. It’s only now that it’s declined like this, but the knowledge of the order is the same, and the magic is the same. That’s why you can make immortals. What is the need to move only from behind like this?”
“Because there are things that can only be done behind the scenes, and we are a group created to handle them.”
A banner for humanity.
For the sake of that banner, it is the Black Order that even betrays humanity.
The moment they come to the fore, the meaning of this group fades. That’s why they do what only they can do behind the scenes of history without coming to the fore.
“There are many who have the potential to become the masters of the next empire. First of all, they must be people who are at some distance from the Empire, have made enough contributions to end the Gate incident, and must have a reasonable personality as a leader of mankind.”
“Louise von Schwarz of Kernstadt is a possibility. While she is the greatest force after the Empire, her own personality and temperament are neither too extreme nor overly compromising. She has the character she deserves as a leader. There is nothing to criticize about her major itself. However, it seems almost certain that she killed her own siblings with her own hands, which could be a weakness someday.”
“I cannot see that the Archduke of Saint-Ouan, Raphael de Saint-Ouan is also unlikely. He’s just created a titan, and his specialty is unmatched by anyone else’s. In addition, he has been faithful to the long-established principle of the Saint-Ouan family, which is to thoroughly walk the right path. It’s the exact opposite of our position that we can use the power of an apostle as long as we can, but the attitude of the Saint-Ouan family and the current head of the family, the Grand Duke of Saint-Ouan, deserves respect and admiration from the people. But in this case, after all, the daughter is at too great a risk. No matter how much he sets up his major, he is not getting proper recognition from people.”
“There are several other candidates, but in the end, there are problems that there are few powers, few majors, or lack of capacity to embrace other giant powers.”
“so that.”
“at last.”
“Ellen Artorius.”
“She is suitable.”
“The power she possesses, her symbols, and her people’s support all point to her.”
“If she can lay the cornerstone of the next empire, that would be for the best.”
A huge weight called a warrior.
Now that the empire has lost its legitimacy and has an enemy to annihilate.
The hero becomes a heavier name and symbol than any nobleman or king.
After the Gate Crisis, for the unity, prosperity and unity of mankind, the old empire must be destroyed and a new empire must emerge.
Ellen Artorius becoming the master of a new empire.
The Black Order judged that this was the best ending in the current situation.
Cristina listened to the story in silence.
It was the man who had been leaning his back against the wall at the edge of the meeting hall, who had been silent all along.
“at last… … . Is it coercion again?”
At the sudden words, the eyes of those in black robes turned to that direction.
“Are you thinking of telling Ellen, who can’t stand being called a hero, that she should become emperor now?”
His black hair, which had grown haphazardly, was shaggy from the neck down, and his arms exposed outside the cloak were wrapped in bandages.
“I have a question.”
Jet-black eyes, deep as the abyss, visible through the randomly growing hair, stared at the robed wearers.
“How do you guys make decisions like that?”
At those words, silence reigned in the hall.
“Who are you guys to say what the world should be like and be sure it should be like that?”
Ludwig, a man with a bandage on his right arm, gazes through everyone with eyes as deep as emptiness.
“Because that’s the way for everyone.”
At those words, the corners of Ludwig’s mouth rose wildly.
“okay… … . That is the greatest cause.”
“The only and absolute justification for avoiding all evil deeds, sins, and all responsibility.”
“That disgusting sound of a road for everyone was the driving force that brought you all this way, and it must have been a word for you to justify yourself.”
“For everyone?”
“no… … . no.”
“That means it exists for you guys.”
“That means, people who serve such words.”
“It’s just an excuse for you guys.”
“It’s the same as saying you guys are also accomplices in the Gate incident. is not it?”
“You guys just want to move the world your way.”
“When things go wrong, are you going to say, like anyone else in the world, that you didn’t really want this?”
“In front of such a disastrous outcome, are you really going to say that you didn’t want something like this?”
“Then again, are you going to try to manipulate the world as you please in order to solve the wrong problem, saying that you will do it right this time?”
for the sake of the world.
for humanity.
for everyone.
They are only excuses prepared for those who would do such a thing.
“Then, what do you mean?”
Those in black robes speak.
“Are you saying you have the best answer? Who should be the next owner of this world, what should happen to completely eradicate the seeds of another conflict of division and slaughter, and is there even a way to achieve peace?”
At that question, Ludwig shook his head.
“Is it true that you said that all the problems in the world will disappear when Ellen becomes emperor?”
“… … .”
“The main church has already passed over to the demon king, but if Ellen becomes emperor, will they end up supporting the hero who became emperor?”
“… … There will be some noise.”
At that, Ludwig laughed.
“It’s just one of the methods you guys suggest. Even if the empire exists as it is, even if the world goes over to the demon king, even if Ellen becomes emperor, there will be problems somewhere and someone will die somewhere.”
“At one time, I lived thinking there was a right answer. I’m stupid and can’t reach the right answer. I thought so.”
“But now I know.”
“There is no such thing as a correct answer, that was the only correct answer.”
“I heard that each of you has some responsibility for all of this?”
“No matter who becomes the owner of the next continent, each of them will have a little bit of a wrong answer, just as they each have a little bit of the right answer.”
“So, there is no such thing as a perfect answer.”
“So, even without you guys, the world is a little bit wrong, but another slightly correct answer will appear.”
“I don’t intend to worry about it until then.”
“I don’t have to think about the answer.”
“It’s not the correct answer, it’s a punishment.”
“You guys who are trying to evaluate the intention, not the result, of the subject that caused all of this. Guys like you who keep pushing for your own answer by saying that it is for everyone.”
“To erase guys like you from the world.”
“That is what I will do.”
I don’t know the answer.
Doesn’t even exist.
However, those who try to manipulate the world by saying that they have found the correct answer this time, despite the wrong answer.
Those who didn’t get paid for their wrong answers keep trying to sacrifice someone by moving the world, claiming that they have good intentions.
Ludwig believes that such people should disappear from the world.
The words of the order that Ellen should become emperor.
It might even lead to a good ending.
However, the fact that there are such beings who try to manipulate the world with such words from behind the world is already disgusting.
At Ludwig’s threatening attitude, the wizards start to rise one by one.
“Christina, was this your intention in the first place?”
When asked if Ludwig was meant to be brought to the Meeting House of the Order from the beginning, Christina shrugged.
“There are differences in details, but so to speak.”
Christina was sending cold eyes at the robed people.
Something starts to creak.
In fact, it is predestined.
What the emperor once intended to say, Christina returns to the wrong people.
“If the world goes as you say, it’s disgusting.”
Cristina’s eyes, full of hatred and anger, were full of madness.
Similar to Ludwig, but slightly different.
That was revenge.
Those who should be responsible survive because they are for the sake of the world.
It’s like I can’t stand it.
“So, now you guys are not needed.”
“You know that’s not something only you can say.”
each other’s use.
It was a known fact from the beginning that they used each other.
The wizards of the Black Order are preparing something.
“Why are you trying to summon an immortal?”
“… … !”
The moment her intentions were read, Cristina shrugged while sitting down.
“Didn’t you know that you guys informed me without a safety device in the first place?”
There is no change in the fact that they also only temporarily cooperated under the cause of the gate crisis.
“Well, it’s obvious. If I try to betray them, they will try to take control of the Immortals. It would have already been prepared for that.”
“… … .”
“It would be strange if you didn’t do that.”
At Christina’s words, the wizards are silent.
Immortals are controlled by magic. So, while entrusting the related technology to Christina and completing it through the resources of the empire, there was no way that she had not equipped herself with such a means.
The immortals will definitely become the Black Order’s when absolutely necessary.
Just as the emperor foresaw what would happen the moment he made the Immortal and allowed it, Christina did not think that there would be no such intention.
Christina laughs.
Laugh at the Wizards of the Order.
“By the way, isn’t it too optimistic an illusion to think that the Immortals would have been made exactly as you told us?”
“… … Did you think that it was magic that you guys could touch?”
The knowledge imparted by the Black Order is immeasurable.
Just implementing the method of making an immortal is already the realm of geniuses ahead of geniuses.
However, it is impossible to find and modify the magic formula hidden by the Black Order.
The Black Order, of course, predicted what the opponent would predict.
I handed it over in such a way that if you want to do it, do it.
“There are so many irrational geniuses in the world, you guys didn’t even expect that when it came to the topic of a secret society.”
It is the place where the continent’s greatest geniuses gathered.
Only those who have talent know how absurd talent is.
“… … Why is it not working?”
“… … .”
Cristina, who had already confirmed that her arrangement had worked by looking at their faces, gave a fishy smile.
It’s not that the Black Order was stupid.
It’s just that someone’s genius overwhelmingly surpasses someone’s expectations.
The Black Order is in decline.
The leaders are all dead.
Even the last remaining strongmen had all been oxidized in the fight against the demon king the other day.
What remains are those of the Black Order who aren’t that great after all.
sadly.
It’s just dregs.
The magic, visions, and secrets that great leaders have accumulated so far are still alive, but they can’t even properly embody them.
small fish.
In a way, it was inevitable that they did not know the accidents of geniuses and the dangers of geniuses.
With only a sense of mission left, all they could do was to approach the empire and the geniuses of the temple who could use the power of the empire.
It was the last thing they could do.
Those who had the ability and talent had already died fighting the monsters of the gate and fighting the demon king.
The limit of those who remained was this far.
“In the end, this is how it turns out… … .”
One of the wizards of the Order finally lowers his head.
Who would have known that things would turn out like this?
They just had to do something, so they tried to do something even while feeling that in the end everything would not go their way.
Those who tried to manage the world from the back of the world have now fallen too far to do such a thing.
Even so, I tried to do that, and in the end I grabbed the hands of those who hated them.
It’s a simple story.
I tried to use it, but I was just taken advantage of.
They tried to use each other, and in the end, only the weaker side was used.
“Ludwig.”
At Christina’s low call, a dark aura rises from Ludwig’s right hand.
Black magic power is ejected, and it takes the shape of a sword.
Ludwig walks slowly towards the wizards awaiting death.
