Julius bowed his head and placed his hand on his chest as a sign of respect.
"The Chancellor of the glorious Kingdom of Baltazar greets the envoys of the Holy Nation."
Roanna's expression was not pleasant.
"Why... are you here?"
Her furrowed brow conveyed her displeasure.
As Roanna tightened her grip on the chain and pulled it harder, a murderous intent flickered in her eyes. Julius smiled slightly and adjusted the edge of his gloves.
"I have business in the Empire. Sister Roanna... Ah, I should call you the Ring Finger among the Five Fingers, shouldn't I?"
"..."
"What brings you out in such a hurry in the early dawn, Sister?"
"..."
"Anyone watching might think you're fleeing after committing a grave sin."
"..."
Julius, having adjusted his gloves, looked at Roanna and Cardinal Gregorius with a subtle smile as he posed a question.
"Would you like a warm cup of tea?"
"..."
"As it happens, I received a tea called cocoa from the Empire. It's sweeter and more delicious than I expected."
"..."
"I'm thinking of requesting it be added to our imports. I believe the priests of the Holy Nation would certainly be satisfied if they tried it."
There was no response.
Only the wary Roanna and the Cardinal with his eyes closed, reciting prayers, filled the silence.
Julius looked at Roanna's chain and asked another question, realizing this wasn't exactly a tea-drinking atmosphere.
"Sister."
"..."
"If you're thinking of taking a life here, I don't think that's a good idea."
"..."
"I merely happened to meet the priests of the Holy Nation by chance while returning to my country."
"Is this also the Lord's will?"
"I suppose so."
"I wonder if meeting a human who distorts God's will with civilization here... and a sinner who destroyed one of God's holy relics, the Holy Grail... is God's way of telling me to punish you."
Julius smiled and shook his head.
"I didn't destroy it. I merely borrowed it for research."
"..."
"I wonder on what basis these so-called 'holy relics' of the Holy Nation are given such a name..."
"..."
"Why does the Holy Nation strive so desperately to gather the seven holy relics?"
"..."
"And does God even exist?"
With a faint smile, Julius took a step toward Roanna and continued his questions in a gentle voice.
"Religion is a strange thing."
"..."
"When people are anxious, they receive strength to overcome that anxiety and divine power from a God who may not even exist... It's truly a mysterious field of study and a challenge humanity must solve."
"..."
"One thing I'm curious about is why... God gives divinity even to those who aren't good. Despite containing enough truth to bewitch the people of my country... paradoxically, He seems extremely lenient regarding right and wrong."
"Shut your mouth."
"That's what I'm curious about."
"..."
"The priests I know have killed innocent people, from dozens to hundreds... I'm truly curious why God not only fails to judge them but even bestows divine power upon them."
"..."
"I have a reasonable suspicion that divine power is not... power given by God, but rather another form of magical power..."
-Clank!!!
Roanna's iron flail grazed Julius's cheek before smashing into the floor.
With fierce eyes glaring at Julius, Roanna spoke with an icy gaze.
"It is God's will."
"..."
"Questioning His will is a sin."
"...Come to think of it, we've met before."
"..."
"Didn't you see me when you fearlessly invaded the kingdom on the day we executed the priest the Holy Nation had planted in Baltazar?"
"..."
"I thought then, as I do now, that you carry a fascinating weapon..."
-Crunch...
"Seeing it today, I'd like to take that weapon and analyze it."
The Holy Nation and Baltazar had been engaged in an undisclosed conflict.
The relationship between the believers planted in Baltazar under the pretext of evangelism and Baltazar's efforts to find and eliminate them could hardly be good.
In the process, the Holy Nation lost the Holy Grail, one of its sacred relics, and Baltazar suspended all diplomatic relations with other countries, making relations between the two nations impossible to mend.
The weight of long-standing grudges had been passed down through generations, and the two people standing at opposite ends now watched each other with cold eyes, looking for an opportunity.
"What is the Holy Nation's true intention?"
Julius asked with a calm expression, but was met with silence, as expected.
"Why does the Holy Nation send spies to Baltazar?"
"You do the same, don't you? And we dispatch prophets for evangelism. To save souls that would otherwise fall into hell."
"Do prophets... commit terrorism too?"
"..."
"If the Holy Nation's method of evangelism involves wrapping innocent people in magical devices and making them explode to death, I find that rather brutal."
"It is God's will."
"God's will..."
Julius looked at Roanna and raised the corner of his mouth in a sardonic smile.
"Then God must be quite a heartless being."
"..."
"Almost like an evil god."
The moment the words "evil god" echoed from Julius's lips, a massive iron flail came swinging toward his face.
"Insulting God is a serious crime."
"..."
"I will execute you."
Julius lowered his posture to avoid the flail and pulled at the edge of his glove, his eyes gleaming with a cold light.
"His Majesty does not look favorably upon the Holy Nation."
"You who worship a monster in human form are the true insane cult."
"Those words..."
-Snap.
With the sound of snapping fingers, five magic circles bloomed on the floor.
In less than a second, walls rose from the magic circles drawn on the floor, beginning to block Roanna's view.
As the shadow of the circular walls threatened to press down on her, Roanna spread her hands and swung her chain.
Through the crumbling debris, Roanna kicked off the ground to smash Julius's head through the dust cloud, but...
"Do you know something?"
As Roanna's eyes met Julius's smiling gaze, her body floated up into the air, losing its center of gravity.
"Being suspended in the air..."
"...!!"
"Is the same as showing vulnerability to mages like us."
-Snap.
As the sound of snapping fingers rang out once more, Roanna saw Julius's outstretched hand approaching her face.
-Crackle...!!
Roanna and Julius's eyes met in mid-air.
"[Medusa's Blessing]"
Roanna widened her eyes and moved her chain before Julius's hand could grab her face. After all, no one who had been caught by that hand had survived.
-Clang.
The two people pushed apart, glaring at each other in silence.
"...Were you trying to kill me?"
"Yes, insulting the king in front of his servant is grounds for immediate execution."
"..."
Roanna bit her lip as she looked at Julius. She could kill him, but there was too much to lose.
Having fought with him once before, Roanna frowned, thinking that battling Julius with his many variables could cost her too much.
"You won't continue?"
"..."
"I see."
Roanna turned her back.
"Next time, I won't let you live."
Julius smiled and opened his lips.
"The Empress has warned you."
"..."
"She said that if you do anything harmful to the kingdom one more time, be prepared to face the consequences."
***
A dark room.
In a chamber where black and white intersected, two people faced each other with subtle smiles. Their faces were hidden behind veils, but the numerous forces standing behind them revealed the importance of this meeting.
"I didn't expect the king of the Holy Nation to contact us."
"These are turbulent times."
"You say interesting things."
They addressed each other with honorifics.
"That's what I think."
"..."
"In these chaotic times filled with wicked things... wouldn't it be easier if there was just one identifiable villain?"
"I agree. It's troublesome when unexpected third parties appear."
"So..."
"..."
"Our Holy Nation would like to propose an alliance with the heretics."
Both were wearing faint smiles, each hiding an inscrutable sword in their hearts.
"I will relay this to the Pope. I don't think it's a matter for me to decide."
"Haha... I regret not coming in person, but I'll await your favorable response."
"..."
"Hoping to see you in person next time..."
The two people were smiling.
***
Cheongyun was wiping the tip of his spear with a thin cloth, his expression cold.
"...Hmm."
The newly made spear still didn't feel right in his hand.
Originally, he should have retaliated as soon as possible for what the Holy Nation had done, but due to the unstable political situation and his broken spear creating a major gap in their military strength, Cheongyun had been postponing his revenge against the Holy Nation.
He couldn't start a war without preparation.
Though he loved peace more than anyone, Cheongyun knew that if no action was taken after experiencing such incidents, they would inevitably continue to be pushed back by the Holy Nation's oppression. He knew war was unavoidable.
The people's anger grew day by day.
The number of young people volunteering for the army had increased dramatically because of this incident.
It would be good if they could join forces with the Empire if their intentions aligned, but Cheongyun knew this was too much to hope for, so he hadn't sent any communications.
Three years at the shortest.
Five years at the longest.
Within this time, he would complete all preparations and take revenge for past grievances. Just as Cheongyun gripped the shaft of his spear...
"Urgent news!!!"
Cheongyun frowned as he watched Cheongseola running toward him, breathing heavily. He wondered what could be so urgent.
"Come slowly. You'll hurt yourself."
"Father... this...!"
"What is it...?"
Cheongyun took the newspaper Cheongseola handed him and frowned.
"What could be so..."
[Empire...!!! Rains Meteors on Cheong Nation!!!]
"What...?"
The grudge was on his side, so why was the other side launching a preemptive strike?
"Heh..."
Cheongyun let out a hollow laugh.
"I need to visit the Empire."