Ch.282The Apostle of the Sun (2)

“…Yes. Vitals are normal, and the enhancement implants aren’t showing any rejection symptoms.”

“That means…?”

“It means you’re cleared to be discharged. You’ve been through a lot, Luminator.”

The doctor with the friendly face said this while removing the needles that had been inserted into Viktor’s veins.

Now free again, Viktor rose from the hospital bed with a slight smile and changed into the clothes his wife had brought him.

[My lord. Can you hear me?]

[Yes. What is it?]

[First, congratulations on your recovery. Also, Chairwoman Crimsil has sent 3 million gold coins through Seriya. The soldiers are currently loading them, and the Sage is supervising.]

[3 million coins… I understand. What about the elves and dwarves?]

[They’re having a drinking party. They don’t seem drunk yet. Should I stop them?]

[Let them be, just make sure they stay sober enough to maintain their senses. They can hold their liquor well, so a few bottles won’t get them drunk.]

[Understood. Will you be coming right away?]

[No. There’s something more I need to get from Chairwoman Crimsil. Be prepared.]

[Yes.]

Upon hearing of his lord’s recovery, the division commander sent a communication representing the military officers under his command, and Viktor began preparing to leave the Belka Archipelago while communicating with him.

Was 3 million gold coins too little or too much for literally coming back from the dead?

Viktor pondered briefly before telling himself it was “a fair price.”

Three million gold coins was no small sum—it exceeded the annual budget of most moderate nations, so Belka had certainly shown sufficient sincerity.

“Is someone there?”

“Yes, Luminator. Please command me.”

“Inform Chairwoman Crimsil that I’m coming to the palace. There’s something I need to obtain from her.”

“Something you need to obtain…?”

“That’s not for you to know. Go and convey my will.”

“Understood.”

For someone of Apostle rank, it was naturally the state’s duty to have dedicated attendants waiting at the door.

Though Chairwoman Crimsil might be a dispirited woman, she at least possessed the ability to fulfill her minimum obligations as head of state.

If her familiars hadn’t detected the power of darkness in advance, Viktor and his soldiers would have faced the dark forces—far more numerous and stronger than expected—completely unprepared.

She had fulfilled her duty.

However, since Viktor was “probably” human, he decided to indulge in a bit more greed, and for that purpose, he headed to the Palaxive Palace where Chairwoman Crimsil was waiting.

Whether or not it was ethical to extract more, it would certainly be meaningful for Viktor and Simon.

“My lord. Bruiser is ready.”

“Good. Thank you.”

The guards, quick to understand, had brought his beloved horse, Bruiser.

His horse, with colors of ivory and burgundy representing his personal colors, suppressed its rough temperament as a warhorse and accepted its master’s touch.

“Good boy.”

“You wouldn’t believe it, but he was quite a handful to manage. He broke the spines of two soldiers.”

“Is that so? I suppose the horse was anxious without its master. The soldiers with broken spines received proper treatment, I assume?”

“Of course. Simon also provided them with appropriate compensation.”

“That’s good to hear. Well then…”

Viktor helped his wife onto Bruiser before mounting himself, stepping into the stirrup.

“Snort!”

Clop. Clop.

Viktor smiled as he patted Bruiser’s neck, then spurred him toward the palace.

Behind him, more than ten military vehicles raised their flags and advanced.

*

Entering the palace with his soldiers, Viktor met Chairwoman Crimsil under the strict guard of the palace security force.

She was kneeling at the end of the guard line waiting for him, and her submissive appearance greatly pleased Viktor.

With his soldiers behind him, Viktor entered and asked,

“Chairwoman Crimsil. Do you know what I’ve come to receive?”

He asked the kneeling Chairwoman Crimsil before him, and she nodded, receiving a small box from a nearby servant.

Recognizing it as an exceptionally luxurious box, he vaguely imagined its contents.

But before his imagination could produce a result, she opened the box and handed him a small jewel… no, a potion that was inside.

“An elixir…”

“Yes. This is what you want, isn’t it? For your Sage.”

“Yes. For my Simon…”

It was an extremely solemn statement, but not incorrect.

Whether human or not, the only being who could restrain Viktor Walker—a young man still inclined toward extremism—was Simon, who possessed the experience to overwhelm him.

“Thank you, Chairwoman Crimsil.”

“Not at all. Please consider it a small gift for one who has been reborn.”

“Indeed. By the way, what do you plan to do with Seriya?”

“She is an adventurer. Even as head of state, I cannot constrain her.”

“I suppose not.”

Viktor smiled bitterly.

For someone planning the launch of a new empire, adventurers—whose existence was maintained by ancient imperial contracts—were like a painful thorn.

Adventure is a good thing. He had no intention of challenging that premise. Nor did he intend to revoke the various privileges adventurers enjoyed—such as exemptions, the right to behave informally before monarchs and nobles, and the guaranteed right to bear arms anywhere.

But ultimately, adventurers were the last legacy of the ancient empire. To usher in a new era, they were ruins—little more than debris—that would eventually need to be addressed.

Viktor received the elixir and box, placed the elixir back inside, and gave it to his wife.

Raisha carefully accepted it and tucked it into her bosom.

“How are the citizens of Belka faring?”

“All are safe thanks to your dedication. The 3,500 who perished gave their bodies and souls for Belka, and their names will be carved at the base of the statue to be built in your honor.”

“Then they too will be satisfied.”

Having experienced death once, Viktor nodded and commended her.

The fact that Belka’s civilians followed government control during military operations was due to the trust she had built over time.

One who diligently fulfills their duty deserves praise from God’s representative for their efforts.

With that, Viktor turned and departed.

Having obtained everything there was to gain from Belka, all that remained was to leave.

*

“Our lord returns! All soldiers, attention!”

As Viktor returned, the personnel outside the ship immediately formed ranks and saluted him.

Viktor, atop Bruiser, waved to them, eliciting passionate cheers, and some whose eyes met his even fainted from overwhelming joy.

One might say they were overreacting, but no—they had witnessed with their own eyes an Apostle who represents God shooting destruction beams from the sky to fry unlucky takoyaki ingredients, and furthermore, a being who had ascended by burning himself only to be resurrected by the sun saying, “You still have work to do.” It would be stranger for someone not to faint after making eye contact with such a being.

Before Viktor stood the unit commanders under the division commander and the staff under the chief of staff, all at parade rest, and Viktor dismounted with his wife to commend their efforts.

“You fought well. Maintaining formation against an army of 100,000 is a remarkable achievement.”

“Thank you, my lord. It was possible because our soldiers fought valiantly.”

“They fulfilled their duty. The sun has resurrected me, so they will be reborn under the sun’s radiance to enjoy a brighter world.”

Viktor encouraged the solar forces with these words.

“By the way, there’s been an uproar from the Turianic Plains. They say they can’t control the satellites because the activation authority holder was lost.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Because he had truly died, the satellites had lost their activation authority and ceased operation. Viktor reestablished the activation authority and then returned it to Karl, the CEO of Turianic Industries.

As an apology, he allocated twice the usual amount, then entered the Sky Warden and began looking for Simon.

“Where is the Sage?”

“He is in the library.”

“The library…”

All sages love books—from old-fashioned parchment scrolls to cutting-edge e-books.

For those who revere knowledge, anything containing information is sacred.

With the amusing thought that if civilization regressed further, people might start bowing to USB ports, Viktor opened the library door and approached his Sage.