Ch.274Piercing Through the Clouds. The Seraphim Floating Mountain Range (3)

“O great one. Please cough.”

“Mmm…”

I woke up from my sleep to a voice calling me.

Judging by the mechanical sound, someone was probably calling me through the intercom from outside the room.

With eyes that refused to open properly, I dragged myself to the intercom with my wife hanging onto me, and pressed the button as I spoke.

“What is it?”

“Well, there’s someone here who claims to know Your Greatness.”

“Someone knows me? Do you mean they have a personal connection with me?”

Naturally, someone of apostle rank would have at least heard my name, so technically they would “know me.” It’s just a one-sided relationship, that’s all.

So if someone claims to know me, I should at least have heard their name.

“That’s what they say. A Wood Elf named Seriya… do you know her?”

“…Who did you say?”

Why is she showing up here?

I blinked repeatedly as I recalled a name I hadn’t heard in a very long time.

“Is she a stranger to you?”

“No. I know her. Let her in, but give me some time. I need to prepare myself.”

“Understood, Great One.”

*

“H-how much longer are you going to apply makeup?”

“Until it’s perfect!”

After I woke my wife and explained the situation, she screamed, jumped out of bed, and began frantically washing her face and applying makeup with near-manic intensity.

Why is she making such a fuss? Let me try to put myself in her shoes.

Hmm… a “woman I used to know” showing up after I’ve become successful… Yes, she has every right to be upset.

Today was another reminder that one should always try to see things from another person’s perspective.

The reception was being delayed somewhat due to my wife’s frenzied makeup session, but what could I do but wait?

Surely someone who has lived for 200 years wouldn’t get upset over waiting time.

Besides, what could she do even if she were upset? Wasn’t she the one who disturbed our peaceful slumber and created this chaos?

Moreover, we are apostles.

No matter how accomplished she might be, she’s still just a civilian who can’t use aura. The mere fact that she can share a table with divinely appointed apostles should be considered a family honor.

After a full two hours of makeup, I finally pressed the intercom button.

“We’re ready now. Show the guest in.”

“Understood.”

The mechanical voice responded, and soon I could hear footsteps gradually fading away.

Even the faintest sounds, which one inevitably becomes sensitive to as an aura user and especially as an apostle, seemed particularly acute to me now.

My parting with Seriya… wasn’t exactly something I would consider beautiful or worth boasting about.

Of course, she had helped me a great deal, but in the end, she left me unilaterally.

Even if I don’t resent her, there’s still a moral issue there.

I also don’t understand how she found out I had become an apostle.

As far as I know, there must be more than just one or two men named Victor in the world…

Moreover, she’s a Wood Elf, positioned at the lowest caste among elves.

There was no possibility of her coming as an elven envoy, so I was very curious about how she found me and why she was looking for me.

“Luminator. I’ve brought her.”

Well, I guess I’m about to find out.

“Tell her to enter.”

*

“It’s been a long time, Luminator.”

“Seriya…”

Her appearance hadn’t changed at all.

Except for the small scars etched on her face.

However, the clothes she wore seemed expensive and elegant, suggesting she had probably hit it big in gambling.

“Please sit down. It wouldn’t be polite to receive a guest while standing… You, prepare some tea for our guest.”

“Yes, master.”

I sent my wife away temporarily and guided Seriya to the reception room in our suite.

Once seated, she stared at me, and I rubbed my forehead briefly before starting the conversation.

“You haven’t changed. Being an elf, I suppose that’s natural, but where did you get those scars?”

“From dungeons. As always, dungeons are an inevitable part of a scoundrel’s life.”

“Right. Dungeons. I still remember Shen’s dungeon that I went to with you. I saved an adventurer who had an arrowhead lodged in his artery.”

“Yes, you did.”

Our conversation flowed stiffly.

That’s because she now had to use formal speech with me.

I could have allowed her to speak casually, but that would be quite complicated.

Speaking too familiarly with a woman who was neither a comrade nor a lover could lead to unnecessary scandals.

“Here’s the tea.”

“Ah. Thank you. Now sit beside me.”

“Yes, master.”

Raisha, who brought the teacups and teapot, subtly flaunted her enormous hips, pelvis, and chest as she sat down on my right and placed my right arm between her breasts.

It was an obvious display of jealousy that anyone could see, and Seriya wasn’t so oblivious as to miss it.

“By the way, how did you find me? My name isn’t that common, but it’s not particularly rare among men either.”

“I heard two elves talking in a tavern. They said they were adventuring with the Apostle of the Sun.”

“…”

As soon as this conversation is over, those two elves are going to get their heads cracked.

“I see. Then what’s the purpose of this conversation? The fact that you’re a former comrade is already known to my party members. It doesn’t seem reasonable that you requested an audience just to meet your old party leader.”

“That’s right. I’ve come to request your salvation.”

Salvation, huh.

Not something an ordinary individual would bring up.

As if to prove this, she took out a tablet from her bosom and handed it to me.

“This is…”

“An imperial edict from the ancient empire. You should be able to read it.”

“…”

Of course I can.

I blinked as I stumbled through reading this ancient edict.

[…Therefore I declare that the Clan of the Blue Laurel shall be protected by the master of humanity and the 23rd Emperor of the Nariakiran Empire, Nariakira Kazuto, as proclaimed to the world. You shall be protected by the power and authority of the Empire and shall forever provide your trees for the imperial subjects, which is a sacred covenant between the head of the clan and the master of humanity. This contract shall remain valid under the laws of this world until the day the sun sets forever.]

“Until the day the sun sets forever…”

Considering that my goal was the destruction of the sun and moon, this was truly an ironic phrase.

This clause was typically included in perpetual contracts, but to me, who sought to end human sacrifice and illuminate humanity’s devotion to the world, it was paradoxical content indeed.

“Yes… right. This is a contract concluded during the imperial era. Is this Clan of the Blue Laurel your clan?”

“No. As an adventurer, I found someone who could fulfill this contract, and through elven rituals, I was teleported to the closest location. That turned out to be here, the Seraphim Floating Mountain Range where you’re staying.”

“I see…”

That meant the information spread by the elf sisters didn’t matter after all.

Since she used teleportation magic, it was inevitable that she would end up near me, probably the only person in this world with the authority to execute this contract.

Of course, I’m still going to crack those elves’ heads.

Oh, I don’t mean Seriya’s head, of course.

“You think the world has determined that I have an obligation to fulfill this contract?”

“You are the Apostle of the Sun and the Master of Fervor. Of course I think so.”

“…I can’t argue with that. Indeed, you’re right. As the Apostle of the Sun, I should fulfill His contract. Tell me who the enemies are precisely, and the Sun’s forces will annihilate them.”

“The location is the Belka Archipelago. We request protection from the Pirate Coalition.”

“The Pirate Coalition?”

“A massive warlord alliance with aircraft carriers, battleships, and over 30,000 pirates.”

“I see… And what are the forces of the Blue Laurel Clan against them?”

“About 3,200 warriors in total…”

“A woefully inadequate number.”

“That’s why we need your help. It’s also your duty.”

I had to contemplate deeply upon hearing those words.

If I had to handle all contracts from the imperial era, I would go mad from overwork before facing physical impossibility.

No matter how much I prioritize saving the weak, I cannot traverse all 13 vast continents by myself.

But how could I refuse a Wood Elf desperately pleading for salvation right in front of me?

“We will head to the Belka Archipelago and crush the pirates, so return and tell them.”

“Tell them what?”

“That the forces of the Sun will soon arrive.”

Hearing those words, Seriya grinned, then took out a return stone from her bosom and held it in her hand as she spoke.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Crack!

As the return stone shattered, she disappeared in a flash of light, and we sensed that the moment had come to put an end to our long rest.