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“Inform Archbishop Victor that the plagues in various regions are the work of mages. Specify that this was discovered in the Grand Duchy. And give him a massive amount of donations.”
That damn old man. He'll be thrilled to death.
Archbishop Victor was a man who played a large part in the decline of the Church of Eridrahan's prestige. Shall we say his capacity was different from that of his brother, Abbot Wilbert?
Who would like a man who sells the divine power of priests for money?
However, everywhere, merchants prevail over good people. At least within the Church of Eridrahan, Archbishop Victor's influence could not be ignored.
One only had to look at his deal with the Grand Duke regarding the Expedition of Glory. How great was the merit of spreading the power of the Church of Eridrahan to the continent of unbelievers using the support of the Elector?
And this incident would become another great opportunity for Archbishop Victor to gain power.
“And pick the human with the most plausible divine power among the priests in the castle to accompany me. The rest should all treat the plague.”
It would be troublesome to go deal with a demon without a priest. Of course, if the plague was rampant on the way to Arnsberg, the Grand Duke would have to personally attend to and solve the problems of the territory.
She intended to suck the priests dry as much as the donations she usually gave to the Church of Eridrahan.
“Riet.”
“Yes.”
“You must come with me as well.”
Riet, who had run a million cubits without rest, looked like she was about to die.
Pepin chuckled lowly. Sisters who get along well are those who rejoice in each other's misfortune.
The Grand Duke smiled. But her mind was busy.
It had been over 100 years since mages disappeared from the Empire. Nothing could be guaranteed regarding mages. That was why she decided she must go to Arnsberg personally.
'Because I might be counterattacked.'
She thought about what she would do if she were Prince Elio.
She also had much to lose. And Prince Elio would never miss an opportunity if it came.
She had to make the first move. For now, it was clear that she was still ahead.
“Bring Rahan's adjutant as well. Was it Harris? I need to hear the details of the expedition.”
“Yes!”
Riet saluted and left.
However, the Grand Duke's concerns became reality faster than expected.
* * *
What is a demon?
Few people know exactly about their origins.
Not only were they beings that disappeared from the surface 100 years ago along with the mages, but the Foldenbach Empire had also blocked research into demons.
Thus, the knowledge of demons remaining in the current Empire was limited to the fact that they feed on all sorts of negative human emotions such as pain, fear, and sadness, and that they bring plagues with them.
So, in a way, Herbert, the father of Philod Ahen, could be said to be the person who knows the most about demons in the Empire now.
Twenty years ago, he met a mage for the first time.
It was perhaps inevitable that they appeared before the second son of the wealthy and affluent Achen Ducal House, who had received nothing and possessed no exceptional talent.
At first, the mages introduced themselves as assassins from Til Nebe Cedric.
Herbert requested them to kill his brother. He also added that it must not look like someone had intentionally killed him.
If they had truly been assassins from Til Nebe Cedric, they would have snorted at such a request.
However, the opponent pondered in front of Herbert and replied, 'It's not that there is no way.'
[In truth, we have contracted with the great Ruler of the Underworld. It is a truly joyful thing.]
The great Ruler of the Underworld.
Young Herbert was not unaware that those words referred to a demon.
He stepped back in fear. But the mage lured him with plausible words.
'Oh, noble one. It was merely a matter of the timing of birth. If one must receive everything simply because they were born first, why would a fruit tree hang hundreds of fruits instead of just one?'
It was natural for Herbert Achen to be swayed by those words. More accurately, by the promise that 'they would make it look like he died of illness.'
Licht Ahen died in exactly seven days. He simply lost strength in his body like a passing cold, collapsed in three days, and stopped breathing in four.
Herbert had to struggle desperately not to laugh alone in the Achen Ducal Palace where wailing echoed.
'Noble one. We can do much more.'
The mages removed the previous Duke, who had become stricter with the second son who was to inherit the Achen dukedom while grieving the sudden death of the eldest son.
Many pitied the previous Duke Achen, who had fallen into delirium over the death of his eldest son, but no one thought it was the work of a demon.
Regardless, thanks to them, Herbert obtained the position of Duke. Licht Ahen's wife, who had been the Duchess, wailed and left for her parents' home.
If there was a mistake, it was not properly checking if she was pregnant at the time, but regardless, Herbert was overwhelmed with joy.
'What is it that you want? I will give you any gold or jewels.'
The mages snorted at Herbert's words.
'Noble one. All we desire is more pain.'
It was said that demons were born from the remnants left over when Eridrahan created humans.
Perhaps because of that, demons grew stronger by eating human pain and fear.
The mages' goal was to receive power from the demon to rule humans and make them suffer.
At a glance, one might not understand what connection there was between the pain of others and helping Herbert. Herbert felt the same at first.
But to his questioning, the mage chuckled and said.
'Humans think that making others obey their words absolutely is called power. But think more fundamentally. Power is ultimately nothing more than a means to make others suffer as one pleases.'
It seemed understandable. In the context that humans follow those stronger than themselves because they fear pain, the mage's words were correct.
'Then what is the ultimate goal of the demons?'
The mage's answer to that was short.
'You will come to know in time.'
During the twenty years Herbert spent with them, he had inflicted a great deal of suffering upon the mages.
Mages who had contracted with demons could not wander freely due to their glowing, crimson eyes.
However, things changed after they met Herbert. Thanks to Herbert's guarantee of their status, the mages were able to travel throughout the Empire without undergoing inspections.
It was also the work of the mages that caused the Desolate Snowfields of the Norwich border—which were said to have remained frozen for a thousand years—to melt.
Because the snow that had frozen throughout the winter melted, and no new snow fell on the land where it should have, the border suffered from severe drought.
The people of the territory starved to death, and the mages rejoiced. The demons feasted greedily on the endless funerals.
Plagues, droughts, barbarism, and collusion. Fraud and contempt.
The more these things flourished, the more Herbert fell into the illusion that it was all his own power. It was joyful and entertaining.
But the good times lasted only about twenty years.
“This is such a pain.”
Philod Ahen grumbled.
He was in a small city on the highway leading from the Imperial Capital to the Grand Duchy of Lacheize.
The most luxurious inn there was exceptionally crowded today. This was because the Emperor's knights and the knights of the Achen Ducal House were staying there.
Among them was Philod Ahen, who was returning to the Achen Ducal Castle from the Wind Rock Monastery.
He was doing something that would make the servants of the castle doubt their eyes if they saw it.
He was pouring water into a basin himself.
Why was he, a man secretly called a 'lazy pig' among the servants because he wouldn't lift a finger, preparing the water himself?
Of course, it wasn't because he had suddenly turned over a new leaf.
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