Chapter 95

Uninvited Guest (2)

Let’s rewind a little.

There had been a time before when the Pontiff suddenly showed up at the Capital Government Office, but back then, he had snuck in disguised as someone else.

For him to make an official visit request now, laying everything bare like this—it was a whole different level of pressure.

Just seeing him striding boldly down the hallway of the Capital Government Office in his black clerical robes was enough to feel the stark contrast. Back then, he came as if to test the waters. This time, the aura he exuded was entirely different—as if he came to take someone along to get work done, and no one better try to stop him.

The person beside him only intensified that feeling.

It was the first time seeing him, yet it felt immediately clear who he was.

A towering Holy Knight so massive he made a normally-sized adult woman look like a dwarf. With that size and the heavy armor covering his face, the sheer intimidation was no joke.

The Completed One.

The Pontiff’s direct bodyguard—The Completed One, Magnus.

The strongest Holy Knight in history.

Of course, the strongest wielder of holy power was the Pontiff himself. That foundation was unshakable. Even Abigail III had never once fallen outside the top ranks in the entire history of Pontiffs.

To call someone else the strongest beside such a figure might seem absurd—but there was reason behind it.

‘…In close combat, he's practically invincible.’

If the Pontiff’s stats were evenly spread at 10 across everything related to divinity, this man had everything else floating at 4 or 5, with ‘combat’ alone sitting at a solid 11.

In close-quarters battle, he even surpassed the Pontiff. He didn’t earn the modifier “greatest of all time” for nothing.

“Hey, freeloader.”

And then the Pontiff, who brought along someone like that, gave a little wave in greeting—which was already enough to break out in a cold sweat.

“Remember that promise you made?”

“…”

“You said you’d help if something troublesome came up in our country, right?”

“…I did say that.”

“Pack up.”

“…”

“You’re coming with me tomorrow.”

Especially with a topic like this—well, what more needed to be said?

This person really needed to learn how to understand other people’s circumstances.

A king never knows the hearts of his people…

Aiden rubbed his throbbing temple and replied to the Pontiff.

“…I’ll go, Your Holiness. But don’t you think you should at least give me time to prepare?”

“I can’t afford to.”

The Pontiff responded with the same smiling face, folding his arms.

“I’m stepping down from the position soon. Did you know that?”

Well, damn.

So, of course, a succession battle was going to take place. He was stating the obvious.

When I looked at the Pontiff with that thought in mind, Abigail III let out a faint chuckle and continued.

“Anyone who doesn’t attend the abdication ceremony forfeits the right to participate in the succession battle.”

“…I see.”

That was the first I’d heard of such a rule. Still, what did that have to do with me?

“That’s why you have to come.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You need to be there if you’re going to take part in the succession battle.”

“…”

I blinked dumbly.

▣

“…What are you talking about?”

I asked, dumbfounded.

No, it was beyond just being dumbfounded—I was seriously starting to wonder if this person had finally lost it.

Sure, I had made a promise to the Pontiff before. That if a succession issue arose within the Holy Crown Kingdom, I’d offer support.

But that was meant to help steer the succession in the direction the Pontiff wanted—not for me to actually enter the fray myself.

“…Your Holiness. Do you even realize what it means to ‘officially’ involve me in the succession?”

“What, do I look senile to you?”

“If I win, that means I become the Pontiff of the Holy Crown Kingdom.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. Who said you were going to win?”

“No, Your Holiness…”

That wasn’t the point. The very idea of me stepping into the contest was the issue.

Was there a single citizen in the Holy Crown Kingdom who would find it acceptable for me to join the succession battle?

“Anyone who can wield holy power can be recognized as a member of the royal family in the Holy Crown Kingdom. And if they’re recognized, they can enter the succession battle. Isn’t that right?”

…Technically, yes. Technically.

“But I have no power base there. I’m not even a citizen of the Holy Crown Kingdom.”

“That’s not something you need to worry about.”

The Pontiff rested his chin on his hand and twisted his lips into a smirk. That familiar, fierce grin of his.

“A promise. You’re not thinking of breaking it, are you?”

In a moment like this, that smile looked just like a predator certain it had caught its prey.

“…”

My face scrunched as hard as it could.

‘…This bastard, again…’

He was up to something.

Naturally, even the most reckless-seeming of national leaders were the kind of people who kept a den of snakes hidden inside.

If he was throwing out a proposal like this so suddenly, there was clearly something he wanted to achieve through me.

No explanation of his intention, no clarification of the goal—just shoving this idea at me and expecting obedience. It didn’t seem like the sort of plan he could be proud enough of to explain to others.

And clearly, Aiden wasn’t the only one who felt something off.

“…Your Holiness.”

Katya, who had been silently sitting with them until now, finally spoke.

Her tone was polite and composed—a stark contrast to her usual energetic, headstrong nature.

And precisely because of that—

Everyone present immediately sensed where this was headed.

“Wait, Your Highness—”

Aiden panicked and tried to stop Katya.

But things moved even faster than that.

“I’ve told you before—”

Katya’s hands moved at a terrifying speed.

Hand seals. The foundational movement for Grand Flame Arts, a combat style rooted in divine power.

She was—!

She was about to pick a fight with the Pontiff, without even a shred of hesitation!

“—Not to touch my friends, didn’t I?”

The next moment—

Flames burst out in every direction.

▣

Aiden had experienced it a few times before, but battles between top-tier superhumans were still something he struggled to keep up with.

Even the recent fight between the Warden of the Realm and Noel had been too fast to follow. He hadn’t been able to track how the blows were exchanged with his eyes alone.

But perhaps his steadily increasing combat stance level hadn’t been in vain—he was now just barely able to comprehend how these people fought. A real leap in progress.

However…

Being able to see it only made it more confusing.

…How was it even possible to fight like this?

‘What the hell?!’

Katya launched the first strike without the slightest hesitation, and the Pontiff met it head-on without so much as a change in expression. Their exchange was unfolding like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And despite the calm appearance, what the Pontiff and Katya were trading in this incredibly short span of time was nothing short of a bloodbath happening in sub-comma units of time.

-!

-!!

Dozens of attacks and counters per second. The once-peaceful halls of the Capital Government Office erupted in fire from every direction.

Even in these fleeting exchanges, they kept executing both strategic and tactical maneuvers—it was almost absurd.

-System Message

▶ You are witnessing an extremely high-level exchange of techniques.

▶ The effect of ‘Skill: Analysis’ has been activated.

▶ Combat Stance proficiency has increased!

…For Aiden’s combat stance level to rise even more, despite all the nightly beatdowns from Meyer—it really said something about the caliber of this fight.

He should probably be thankful for the spectacle.

Still, even in a battle of such staggering level, superiority would eventually show.

Judging by Katya’s increasingly twisted expression, the balance was clear.

“You brat… always with the tantrums.”

The Pontiff crossed his arms and grinned.

“Just borrowing him for a bit. I’ll use him well and give him back, alright?”

“…You’re not going to return him…!”

Katya clenched her teeth and shouted, her voice filled with fury.

“You… you use everything however you like…! And then you throw them away…! You treat everyone but yourself like toys…!”

Aiden stared at Katya in shock.

—No doubt about it.

This was the first time he had heard such a raw, bitter bundle of emotion from her.

Katya was someone who generally had little interest in others. She lived in the world purely according to her whims and interests.

Boring things were tossed aside, interesting ones were drawn near.

But had she ever shown such naked hatred toward anyone?

‘…This is…’

Even he didn’t know this side of her.

This kind of “relationship” didn’t exist—not in any of the original setting he remembered.

‘Originally.’

The two of them had a very dry connection.

They treated each other with the indifference of strangers.

They weren’t supposed to have any emotional exchange whatsoever.

And the Pontiff’s response that followed was just as far removed from what the original setting had depicted.

“Choose your words carefully, Katya.”

The Pontiff’s pupils stretched sideways into slits.

“They’re not toys. They’re gears. Everything I do is for the sake of keeping the Holy Crown Kingdom running.”

“Whether it’s toys or gears, Your Holiness—”

A stern voice cut between the two.

It was Noel, who had risen from her seat without anyone noticing.

“This is the Capital Government Office. Please stop.”

The Pontiff looked her up and down and let out a short laugh.

‘She’s dead serious, huh.’

If things got any worse, she looked ready to throw herself at him with no regard for the fact that he was the Pontiff.

She must have been influenced by some lunatic man she’d met recently.

“She’s the one who picked the fight.”

“You were the one who started playing games with Aiden first, Your Holiness.”

Noel unsheathed her sword and, with frost-cold eyes, glared down at the Pontiff as she spoke.

Her movements made it clear—if this escalated any further, she wouldn’t hesitate to strike down the Pontiff himself.

What was strange was that even though the situation had blown up this far, “the Completed One” standing behind the Pontiff hadn’t moved a muscle—he was just standing there.

And.

It was clear this wasn’t because he didn’t know what to do.

The Pontiff’s next words made that crystal clear.

“Magnus.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

The Holy Knight, who had been standing like a mountain in silence, answered calmly.

The Pontiff grinned.

“I’ll allow it. Go have fun.”

“To what extent should I go?”

“Just don’t destroy everything. We don’t want to start a war.”

Magnus nodded and slowly began to move. The pressure he exuded was so intense that even Noel, who was pointing her sword at the Pontiff, involuntarily narrowed her eyes to follow his motion.

“Ah.”

The Completed One opened his mouth with a slow drawl.

“At last.”

Then, the greatsword that shot out from behind his back like lightning swept forward like a flash of light.

And then—

—The ground was shattered.