Ch. 205

After the meeting with Saintess Emily, I returned to the temple with a relieved heart. Now that Diego Church's aura that had been in Holden Territory had completely disappeared, my heart finally felt at ease.

I sat at my work desk while making cool fruit tea and taking a sip. I thought about just resting today, but it was a time when there were many things to handle anyway. Wouldn't it be too ridiculous if I regretted later, 'Ah, I should have handled work quickly then' because of brief laziness?

'By the way...'

My holy power needs to increase as soon as possible.

Work was work, but that wasn't the only thing I needed to care about. Last time, I received Kyros's holy relic back from the gnomes, but this holy relic didn't have a noticeable power.

The holy relic 'Kyros's Robe' didn't have special abilities, but was just a kind of auxiliary holy relic that merely increased Kyros's power. Still, thanks to that, I received a bit of holy power from Kyros.

'This is still far from enough.'

I let out a low sigh and finished organizing documents. For now, the plan was to rest thoroughly for about a day tomorrow, then set out on a journey again.

'I need to move as soon as possible... to prepare for the future.'

When I was thinking so and about to get up from my seat...

[Master, can you hear me?]

Communication came from Zain. Roughly calculating the timing, it was almost time for Zain and Troy to arrive at their respective countries.

"Yes, Zain. I can hear you. It seems you've arrived well."

[Ah, yes. Of course. I arrived without any particular problems. I arrived at Beron Kingdom first, and Troy sent word that he'll arrive at Hanlim Kingdom soon.]

At Zain's continuing words, I nodded. And I continued speaking with a faint smile.

"Well done. Hanlim Kingdom still has quite a few beastfolk, so Troy will find it comfortable to operate there."

[Yes. That's why I sent Troy to Hanlim Kingdom.]

Though only his voice was heard, somehow it seemed like Zain's shoulders were raised before my eyes.

[Ah. And though it's only been two days since I arrived at Beron Kingdom, there's one piece of information I found out.]

"Already? That's fast."

[Hey, who am I?]

"...Money bug?"

[...Should I hang up?]

"No, it's a joke. Zain, you're a merchant I acknowledge."

[Yes, that's right! With my eloquence, flattering nobles is easy work. Anyway, there's information I obtained.]

"What is it?"

[It's...]

Unlike just before, Zain lowered his voice considerably. When I was unconsciously tense, he whispered.

[It's classified. It seems Beron Kingdom's current king has contracted an incurable disease.]

"...What?"

[Everyone seems to be hushing it up, but Beron Kingdom's nobles generally seem to know. That Beron's current king doesn't have much time left... After that, it seems a war will break out immediately.]

Listening to Zain's words, I recalled the original. When I roughly organized the information I knew, the time remaining from the king of Beron's death until war broke out wasn't very long.

'Four months if short, half a year if long.'

In other words, it meant war would break out around winter. This was a clearly faster development than the original.

It definitely seemed like a situation that occurred because of a 'variable.' Still, it was fortunate I could prepare thanks to the future the Administrator showed and Jenna, otherwise something big might have happened.

'Still, should I say I'm fortunate it's within the period I expected... If the timing had been earlier, it would have been difficult.'

Even while thinking so, Zain was steadily telling information he had learned.

[Anyway, I don't know exactly what the disease Beron's current king contracted is called, but it's definitely an incurable disease with considerable fatality rate.]

It was like that in the original too. Because war broke out a few months after Beron's king left the world.

"Right. I understand. You continue monitoring Beron's movements. If anything happens, report immediately."

[Yes, Master. Just leave it to me.]

After finishing communication with Zain like that, I leaned back deeply against the chair's backrest.

'In the original, he died not long after news of Beron king's incurable disease spread.'

Well, even if I departed for Beron Kingdom right now, it was no different from already being late. Maybe I could have saved him if I had departed earlier.

'...Though it's not like I desperately wanted to save him or anything.'

Beron's current king was a greedy person. A vicious human who exploited and plundered others' things with a greedy disposition.

'Anyway, when Beron's king leaves the world, war will start not long after.'

So I also had to quickly do what I needed to do. What I had to do was just one thing.

Before war started, gather the maximum number of believers.

'Of course, I can increase believer numbers even after war breaks out, but...'

Still, I planned to do that because maximizing preparations would be better for us.

'I'll get busy again.'

I let out a low sigh inwardly and got up from my seat. And I headed to the bedroom while drawing in my mind the journey that would start again.

***

The same time. At Kyros Church senior members' lodging in Rovel.

Because it was a time when everyone was asleep, Terdius was also taking sound sleep in his room.

But before long, Terdius's expression hardened slightly.

'What is this... is it a dream?'

Terdius was walking through darkness where no one was. Somehow his consciousness seemed a bit clear. Like a lucid dream.

Terdius walked through the darkness. Then at some moment, a streak of light shone from the end of the path stained with darkness.

Flash—

Terdius unconsciously walked following that light. Then the world changed.

'Where is this...?'

The surrounding scenery was somehow familiar. Because it was Holden Territory's entrance. And Terdius could see himself entering Holden Territory.

With a much brighter and healthier expression unlike his current self.

Terdius entering Holden Territory was a youth with an innocently harmless smile bright as the sun.

'Could I smile like that...?'

Terdius was bewildered seeing another self. But that was also brief—before he knew it, he couldn't take his eyes off his own appearance.

The other Terdius with a bright expression had visited Holden Territory to proselytize for Kyros Church.

However, when he entered Holden Territory, the funeral of Lord's second son, Revelof Holden, was in full swing.

'...What is this?'

Terdius confirmed the scene that changed moment by moment with a flustered face. Another self attended Revelof Holden's funeral and was seen comforting the Holden Lord.

And the portrait of Revelof Holden drawn at the funeral was similar to now, but felt a bit different.

'He looks quite haggard and frail.'

Terdius easily recalled when he first met Revelof. Though Revelof, who looked delicate even then, was now considerably healthier.

Unlike the funeral portrait here.

The scene changed quickly. The funeral passed, and Terdius who knew how to smile like the sun battled Rizes Church, which had been hiding in Holden Territory addicting territory residents to 'Happy.'

As a Holy Knight of Kyros Church at that.

'Really...'

Real Terdius watching that was confused. Somehow in this world, the power balance of Kyros Church and Diego Church was evenly matched. Enough to easily deal with Rizes Church.

'What are these things...?'

When he was thinking so, Terdius woke from sleep.

"Gasp...!"

He urgently caught his breath and sat up abruptly from the bed. Due to the lucid dream he had until just before, he felt like he hadn't slept properly.

But mental fatigue wasn't a big problem for him right now. The problem was what exactly this scene he saw was.

"What is this, exactly?"

He couldn't know at all why he came to see such a scene, why he felt such a wistful feeling.

Terdius wiped his forehead wet with cold sweat. Though the fog in his head had already disappeared long ago, his doubts were still with him.

"Damn..."

Terdius let out a low sigh and rubbed his hands over his face.

***

A distant dimension, on a vast grassland.

As always, bright sunlight was shining toward Kyros.

Kyros watched the scenes unfolding before his eyes while feeling warm sunlight and cool breeze.

The screens he was watching were two. One was Revelof, who had soundly gone to bed, and the other was Terdius, who had just woken from sleep breathing laboriously.

"Right, you must be confused..."

Kyros muttered while looking at Terdius with pitying eyes.

"Because that was originally your place."

Though it wasn't easy for a god to have apologetic feelings toward a mere human, Kyros had somewhat apologetic feelings toward Terdius.

"If the world had run properly, it would have been like that, but..."

This world had already been overturned once. Due to 'that thing.' Enough that even Kyros couldn't do anything about it.

That's why Kyros created a new world with 'that person's' help and created a 'variable' to oppose 'that thing.'

Since Terdius's place changed due to 'that thing,' a new 'variable' was faithfully moving in that place instead.

And that variable grew robustly receiving Kyros's trust and affection.

Kyros's gaze watching the screen moved. Then he could see his cherished 'variable' and only apostle, Revelof.

"I'm always grateful and sorry. My children."

Kyros spoke sincerely to his children.

"Hang in there just a bit more."

Because there wasn't much left now.

***

"I could die."

I let out a sigh and entered my office. For the past few days, I had traveled around inside and outside the Empire to increase believer numbers as much as possible.

Consequently, though I only went to three places, my body couldn't take it from diligently clearing minor sub-quests while gathering believers.

Of course, Terdius also went together, but several days of forced marching were bound to tire a person.

"Ugh..."

I let out a sigh and half-lay on my work desk.

Ding!

Then a message appeared with a welcome notification sound.

[The number of Kyros Church believers has reached one million!]

[The effect of skill 'Follower of Beauty' will be added!]

Wait.

[Follower of Beauty (Passive)

Grade: Mythic

Description: A collective buff for believers who follow Kyros, the God of Beauty. The effect increases as the number of Kyros Church believers increases.

Current total number of believers: 1,000,000

Current acquired effects: Skin noticeably improves. Height increases by 1cm. Complexes are minimized.]

Wow, how long has it been since I've seen this window?

In the meantime, the effects were also considerable. 'Complexes' being minimized.

'Well, I don't really have any big complexes right now, so it doesn't matter.'

Wait, just a moment.

The fact that believer numbers finally exceeded one million means...!

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