Ch.251The Black Coast of Yenisei. Lorelei Federation (7)

“Praise to the heroes of the Northern Front!”

“The sun shall shine forever! Praise the apostle bestowed upon us by Him!”

When the Sky Warden landed in the largest suburban area of the capital, crowds of people, greatly inspired by the major victory on the northern front, swarmed like zombies to see the heroes.

Of course, I was pleased by their heartfelt words, but even in an open space, too many people gathering created a risk of crushing or accidents, so I began using the able-bodied soldiers to control the crowd.

As armed soldiers with guns and swords sternly established order, the crowd quickly regained discipline. I deliberately mobilized operational tanks and armored vehicles, arranging them in formation for the gathered masses, then rose into the air and began addressing the public.

“Citizens of this beautiful country. People of the Lorelei Federation.”

The crowd gazed at me as if beholding an angel.

Anyone would react that way seeing someone float into the sky without even uttering a spell.

“While we were still on the Miriam continent, I, the Apostle of the Sun, received a message from your country. It said this nation was facing a crisis and needed help. How many loyal and innocent citizens have died, and how many more must die, because of the Kairalie Alliance’s unjust and wicked war? Thus, I led the Sun’s forces to this land and, under the Sun’s protection, granted His soldiers the glory of being sent to die on the battlefield.”

“Death to the invaders!”

“Long live Lorelei!”

Floating in the sky, I observed the crowd’s reaction, then clasped my hands behind my back as I looked down upon them.

They are like ignorant children. Like baby birds chirping, waiting for their mother to bring them worms.

But ignorance becomes evil only through malice. If their hearts are filled with justice and goodness beforehand, they can truly live as those who uphold the Sun’s gospel and as the chosen people blessed with radiance.

“The Sun has spoken! He is the First Ascendant and Master of all souls! No power can stop our march, and no authority can halt our advance! I have answered the sacred mission bestowed by Him, and the result is the sound of victory trumpets from the north. It is the toll of judgment to be brought upon your enemies!”

“Waaaaaah!!!!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Matching the crowd’s cheers, the tank units fired blanks to further elevate the atmosphere.

I drew the Purifier from my waist, summoned lightning from the clouds to encircle the blade, and once again asked in a loud voice to the hundreds of thousands gathered in the suburbs.

“Let me ask you. Do you still think the Sun is dead? Do you think it is merely an endlessly burning lamp, obscured by the power of the Four?”

“No, we do not!!!”

“Let me ask you. Will you testify here that the divine positions of the Sun and Moon have been revived, that they have descended once more to save their chosen people?”

“We will testify!!!”

“Then here I declare as the Apostle of the Sun that the Sun’s radiance again shines upon these 13 continents. All gathered here will bear witness that no power can obscure the Sun’s brilliance.”

As I spoke, I waved my hand, creating an aurora with the light of the Sun.

Seeing the sky shining in full color, the crowd went wild with ecstasy, praising the Sun to the point of losing reason.

Ah… this is how a country should be.

With that thought, I returned to the ground, where my party members looked at me with disbelief.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re not Gold rank, are you?”

“I am Gold rank.”

“Bullshit. How is someone who can float in the air and manipulate weather still pretending to be mortal?”

Lucia shot back with a mixed expression of discontent and venom.

Like the look genuine poor people give to a rich person pretending to be poor.

“But I really am still mortal! Should we ask the Sun?”

I felt completely wronged.

I mean, how does someone just wake up one day and suddenly become immortal?

At the very least, there should be some… sacred cue to become immortal.

Right? O Sun?

[You are immortal.]

“Huh?”

[Why are you so surprised? After flying into the sky under your own power…]

Well, that’s true, but… since when?

[Since you called yourself my apostle.]

….

Couldn’t you have at least turned on a warning light?

[If I let you call down lightning and create auroras at will, you should have taken the hint.]

*

“Yes… it’s confirmed. You are definitely immortal. No telomere aging was detected.”

“…So?”

“This means you’re automatically promoted from Gold rank to Ruby rank. Congratulations, Lord Victor Walker. You have officially transcended the human category.”

“Hmm…”

Though it might be somewhat irreverent, I couldn’t believe I had become immortal without feeling any sign of it, so I sent an envoy to the Adventurer’s Guild requesting confirmation of my immortality.

After three days of precise measurements, it was confirmed that I was indeed immortal, and naturally, my wife had become immortal as well.

..Why my wife?

[Your souls were offered to me, and through that devotion, you became one soul. Since I bestowed divinity upon you, of course immortality was also granted to your wife, who is one with you.]

I see.

“This is… unprecedented. Becoming immortal despite receiving blessings from different deities. Perhaps it’s because the Sun and Moon are divine spouses… I don’t think we can learn anything more by asking further questions.”

“So my wife is also Ruby rank?”

“For now, yes, but since it’s not due to her own achievements but rather sharing in your blessing, there might be some debate about whether this truly counts as transcendence. But according to principles… yes, she is Ruby rank.”

“That explanation seems a bit ambiguous.”

“I apologize… our guild was established after the Empire’s fall, so we know nothing about the Apostles of the Sun and Moon.”

“Hmm…”

Well, I was frustrated too, but there was no reason to badger a mere employee. What could I do if there were no reference materials available?

Why didn’t you create apostles during the Imperial era and save us this trouble?

[I didn’t expect my children to fall.]

But honestly, shouldn’t you have anticipated collapse after about 300,000 years?

[If I had known that killing a lot of people would lead to ascension, would I still be burning now?… I would have just dried up the seeds of monsters and ascended as the God of Dried Food…]

…Fair point.

Unlike other transcendents, the Sun made a contract with the will that constitutes the world itself, ascending to the solar throne in exchange for eternal sacrifice.

But after about 300,000 years, when the Transcendent of KillingPeopleIsTooEnjoyable, the Transcendent of HavingSexIsTooFun, the Transcendent of CountingMoneyIsTooHappy, and the Transcendent of PursuingKnowledgeIsTooRewarding rose to the heavens, the Sun could do nothing about it.

With himself eternally burning and his wife eternally frozen, he naturally assumed other gods would follow the same tech tree, but they pulled off a transcendence drift just by intensely fulfilling their desires. The Sun must have been dumbfounded at the time.

[And I never expected apostles blessed by those Four would blow up my children’s home.]

…

The Empire’s fall began when apostles blessed by all four major gods destroyed the imperial palace, massacring the Emperor and direct imperial family members.

With only collateral branches remaining, the imperial family couldn’t establish a unified government, and due to completely alienated public sentiment, they were confined to Centrum for 50,000 years, becoming orichalcum shuttles.

When the time comes to reach Centrum, the Sun will likely entrust me with the disposition of the imperial family.

For 50,000 years and 1,202 days, these pathetic descendants have helplessly focused only on orichalcum production, making no attempt to revive the Empire’s former glory or drive out the Four’s divine presence that heavily shrouds the 13 continents. I wonder how they’ll react when they see me?

Come to think of it, when I first flew in the sky, I met a woman of imperial blood.

Nariakira Sayuri. She was the first imperial family member I met.

“Master, what are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Thinking about another woman besides you.”

“Come to bed.”

“No, I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

“Now that I know, get undressed and lie down.”

“But it’s still broad daylight…”

“I said lie down.”

….

Master Saburo, please save me.

[Give up.]

But your apostle is dying!

[I was dominated by my wife the same way.]

What.

[Stay strong, my apostle.]

And so I parted ways with the Sun in broad daylight, as my wife approached me, naked on the bed.

No…

Don’t come!