Ch.289Horn of Plenty. Irshem (3)

“Was the banquet to your liking?”

After the two-hour meal ended, Donald bowed like a servant as he asked Victor.

Though ordinary people would be shocked by this, it reflected the vast difference in status between Victor and the other apostles. It was the same principle as how even a duke becomes merely a subject in the presence of a king.

“Yes. It was quite delicious.”

Victor wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, offered his praise, and rose from his seat. The other party members awkwardly stood up as well, and soon the servants began clearing the table and dishes.

“…”

Donald could tell. The way he had just wiped his mouth with the handkerchief, then folded and set it down, was the method used by the imperial family of the ancient empire.

This was information known only to apostles—it would be no exaggeration to say that such a simple handkerchief-folding technique had been completely forgotten in modern times. The fact that Victor performed it naturally, not even consciously, meant he had inherited the memories of the ancient empire.

However, Donald showed no surprise at this. The abilities of the Sun’s Apostle surely didn’t end there.

“Donald.”

“Yes, Luminator.”

“Convene the council. I have something important to tell all of you. This is a matter of great significance.”

Donald let out a troubled groan at Victor’s words.

It was outrageous for a mere guest to demand a council meeting—he would have been justified in expressing anger at such rudeness. But he simply couldn’t resist those eyes that transcended not only humans but even apostles.

Resurrection from death was a power beyond even the Four Great Gods, an authority that only Nariakira Saburo, who held exclusive rights over human souls, could exercise.

The Four Great Gods could only absorb the souls of those who served them, as human souls would completely vanish without a trace if they didn’t believe in the Sun. If Saburo wished, he could cut off all souls heading toward the Four Great Gods.

Of course, the gods themselves had reached a stage where their existence was self-validating, so they wouldn’t starve to death, but they would no longer be able to interfere with the material world.

“…Important matter… How important is it?”

“It concerns the Empire. That should give you some idea of its importance.”

At those words, Donald’s brow furrowed deeply.

Empire.

Words have power, and some words possess enough power to dominate people’s thoughts and ideologies.

The word “Empire” was one such term. Even now, 1,203 years after the beginning of the Death Era, no nation called itself an empire, and no monarch claimed the title of emperor.

The concept of the Nariakiran Empire was something akin to sacred inviolability for all sentient beings living across the thirteen continents.

One could not become emperor without unifying the continents, but one could not unify the continents without being emperor.

It was an endless conundrum like whether the chicken or egg came first.

“Very well. I will summon the council members. Please wait in the drawing room for a moment.”

“Hmm. I’ll be waiting.”

*

“Will you be alright without me?”

“Simon, I’ll be fine. Besides, this might hurt you to hear, but… this isn’t a situation where you can participate.”

“Hehehe… How sad. But I suppose a mere sage has no place in the affairs of apostles.”

Becoming immortal doesn’t mean he could match an apostle. It only means he could live forever.

Victor had been resurrected as both the Sage God and the Sun’s Apostle with the mission to establish a second empire on this land, so there was nothing a “mere” sage like Simon could do.

“Haah… All I did was eat, yet why am I so tired…”

“Hmph. You only managed to drink two barrels of alcohol.”

Victor wore a complicated expression as he looked at the dejected party members.

It might have seemed cold, but the truth was that he no longer needed the party members except for Simon.

However, he couldn’t abandon them. How could someone who discards capable and competent companions rule over all people? Just because they weren’t necessary didn’t mean they were useless.

“Master… what should I do?”

“You stay here too.”

“Yes.”

Raisha, nestled in Victor’s arms, left a kiss mark on his neck. Victor stroked her head affectionately, then sat down in a chair with her in his arms, waiting for the council members to gather.

With magic like teleportation available, assembling the council members wouldn’t take even an hour.

After all, all ten council members were already within the city.

As if to prove this, not long after, a servant knocked on the door of the drawing room where the Iron Walker party was staying, announcing that all council members had been assembled.

*

The council chamber.

In that room with only ten seats prepared, Victor stood at the very center.

What he felt were twenty eyes filled with doubt and wariness. Brushing them aside, Victor tapped his foot lightly and began to speak.

“First, I thank the council members for gathering here despite your busy schedules. I am Victor Walker, Apostle of the Sun and representative of Nariakira Saburo.”

After Victor introduced himself, the remaining nine council members, excluding Donald, rose from their seats and stated their names.

After the round of introductions, Victor clasped his hands behind his back and broached the most important subject.

“You’ve all heard the topic of this meeting, so I’ll get straight to the point. I desire the reconstruction of the Empire. However, I do not wish for the revival of the Nariakiran Empire.”

“…Then?”

“The Victorian Empire… an empire not of the Sun, but of humanity and for humans. I will not accept accusations of blasphemy. You all know who I am and who brought me back from death.”

The founding of the Victorian Empire, an empire for humanity and humans.

As these two keywords combined in their minds, the Apostles of Abundance were shocked.

What this meant was clear and obvious.

“Are you saying… the Sun no longer cares for humanity?”

“Not at all. He always burns for humanity. He simply suffers in endless agony. That’s why I need your help.”

“Help…?”

Victor explained his plan to them.

A massive lighthouse installed at the exact center of the thirteen continents. And beyond that, bringing down the Sun and Moon to turn them back into humans.

“…Do you think that’s possible?”

“That’s precisely why I need help. Such massive materials and technology would certainly be impossible without Moneta’s assistance.”

“Setting aside the lighthouse, how do you propose to turn the Sun and Moon back into humans? Aren’t they beings who have made contracts with the world itself?”

“Unlike the Four Great Gods, they don’t absorb human souls. They merely purify corrupted souls and send them back to this earth. That’s why their essence remains undamaged, and they still maintain their humanity.”

“…It will require a very long time and a terrifying amount of resources… a lighthouse that illuminates entire continents…”

“Strictly speaking, it’s even bigger. It needs to be built higher than the clouds, and its light must reach the seas between the continents.”

“Good heavens…”

It was truly an absurd plan.

Even in the Empire era, such a plan would have been rejected as too extreme, but Victor had a reason why this lighthouse needed to be built.

And beyond that, for all of humanity.

“The Sun’s patience is not eternal.”

“…”

“It may be fine now. But will the Sun still watch over humanity after 10,000 years have passed?”

“…”

“No one can answer. Of course not. It was He who swore to burn forever, and it is He who can end the contract.”

Victor admonished them with a stern face.

He has been enduring tremendous pain. Just for the sake of humanity on earth, He has been burning for 351,203 years, and you expect Him to burn forever as long as humanity exists?

“We humans are like children waiting for father to bring home fried chicken. It’s nice to eat delicious chicken when he brings it. But we cannot blame our father if he doesn’t bring it, can we?”

“So He is tired… even the Sun.”

Victor nodded sadly.

Having been the Sun himself, he knew well how painful it was to burn. He didn’t want to inflict such pain on anyone anymore.

“Do you know how many people live in this world?”

“At least in the trillions, wouldn’t you say?”

“Then it’s time for a trillion-person group project. The time has come when the world must be illuminated not by the sacrifice of one, but by the dedication of all. This is for the Sun and for humanity. I hope you make a wise choice.”

With those words, Victor left the council chamber.

The remaining council members looked at each other, and by the next day, Irschen paid proper respects to the Emperor of the Victorian Empire.