Ch.303Sanctuary of Faith and Will. Icarus Cliff (2)

“How was your meal? Did you enjoy it?”

“It lacks extravagance, but its simplicity and clean taste suit me perfectly. I like it very much.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

After meeting with Yuhae, it was time for the customary dinner at the finest spot in the best hotel, as always.

While this place was known for its great historical achievements, being the birthplace of the true goddess Moneta gave it a strong religious atmosphere. The food wasn’t particularly lavish, but that actually suited the Iron Walker party of adventurers better.

Overly elaborate dishes didn’t really match their tastes anyway.

Especially compared to the food in Irshen. There, even the water was replaced with fragrant tea, making it impossible to cleanse one’s palate of the overwhelming spices.

In contrast, how refreshingly clean the food in Icarus was. The salt was exquisitely balanced to be pleasantly savory, and the sensation of washing it down with cool water was equally delightful.

Sometimes, food is about more than just flavor.

“If you’ve finished your meal, would you be willing to meet with the high monks from the cliff? They say they have matters they wish to discuss with you.”

“Hmm… Is it about politics?”

“Yes, it is.”

Victor briefly looked around at his party members.

Until now, his companions hadn’t been involved in such complex discussions, but since they were all sharing the same space, it seemed like the right time to let them know about the current international situation.

“I’ll wait with my party members. Tell the high monks that we’ll be staying in Penthouse Number 1.”

“I shall convey your will to them.”

The messenger expressed his gratitude with a 90-degree bow.

While humans could meet apostles by accumulating tremendous merit, meeting a god was considered impossible.

Those who achieved great deeds ascended to the stars as gods upon death, shedding their physical forms. Victor was essentially a star that had descended back to earth in human history.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so it wasn’t strange that the high monks were desperate to hear even a single word from him.

After all, humans live on divine mercy, and gods sustain themselves on human worship.

“Are we going to listen too?”

“Yes. You can’t live in my shadow forever, you know.”

“That’s true. We’ll follow the captain’s lead.”

The elf sisters seemed reluctant, but the dwarves simply folded their arms and nodded silently.

Lucia and Casia, being elves, tended to avoid getting involved in the complicated affairs of humans, while the dwarf twins, having more experience mingling with humans, weren’t as negative about it.

Victor took his party members to his suite and enjoyed a card game while waiting for the high monks to arrive.

Before long, the high monks knocked on the suite door.

*

“Oh… Sun God… We thank you for meeting with such lowly beings as ourselves.”

“Were you planning to prostrate yourselves in the hallway? Come in and show proper respect.”

At Victor’s words, the high monks, who were indeed about to fill the corridor with their prostrations, awkwardly entered the reception room of the suite.

Simon brought chairs for them, and Victor sat in the place of honor with Raisha on his lap, looking down at them arrogantly. Yet no one could criticize his behavior as improper.

It was only natural for a god to look down upon humans.

“I ask you this: why have you sought me out?”

When Victor asked, the oldest among the high monks stepped forward, bowed, and answered.

“Great One, please permit me to ask a question.”

“I grant permission.”

“You seek to establish a world maintained by the dedication of all people, rather than the sacrifice of two. But what becomes of the existing powers and privileged classes? Even now, endless wars rage across this world. With our limited wisdom, we cannot see how a strong empire could emerge from this chaos.”

“…”

It was a question that struck at the heart of the matter.

It was questionable whether those who had been proudly calling themselves sovereigns of independent nations would willingly submit to another authority above them.

Of course, there were ancient imperial weapons available, but using them would only prove that the Victorian Empire was merely a second season of the Nariakiran Empire.

Therefore, they would ultimately have to lead conventional armies into battle, which was why they had secured the knowledge contained in the Layer Archive.

With the knowledge of the ancient empire, even conventional forces would have overwhelming combat power.

“I am aware. War will surely follow. And it will be different from previous wars.”

“What kind of war will it be, then?”

“Look at the world around you. Even within a single city, those who support my empire fight against those who do not. As I continue my pilgrimage, the world will divide between those who support me and those who don’t, and there is no way to prevent this.”

“You mean…”

“Every continent will be divided like a patchwork, becoming a battlefield without front lines or trenches. Citizens will conduct harsh internal purges to find enemies within, while armies and governments will push increasingly fanatical ideologies as they succumb to paranoia. As powers facing extinction always do.”

Sadly, the Victorian Empire was indeed a second season of the Nariakiran Empire.

What else could an empire that begins and ends with the sun be but a second season of the Nariakiran Empire? Even the Layer Archive stored technologies from the imperial era, making the Victorian Empire essentially a colonial government.

But what could he do? He was the Sun God, an incarnation of Nariakira Saburo.

“Do not worry. The Age of Eclipse will not return.”

“If the god says so, it shall be.”

But now was different from then.

Humanity had already experienced the terrible tragedy of the Age of Eclipse that lasted 50,000 years, and the entire continent, all of humanity, shared the understanding that it must never be repeated.

Were they not the descendants of humanity who had barely survived the madness where the earth burned, the sky collapsed, civilization crumbled, and seemingly eternal peace threw itself into the flames of terrible war?

“How ironic that a divine empire requires a human world to exist. In the end, my attempt to establish an empire isn’t for the sake of all people, but ultimately for two gods…”

“If the means to an end are righteous, followers will emerge. You know as well as anyone that the world can no longer return to how it was. You’ve broken the dam, so whether they like it or not, people must prepare to ride the wave or be swept away by it.”

When the high monk answered thus, Victor smiled faintly.

In truth, he wasn’t sure how things had come to this. If he had heard the voice of the Four Great Gods instead of the Sun when he nearly died at the hands of the Yeti, his life would have been very different.

He wouldn’t have become a Legion Commander, nor an Apostle and God of the Sun. Instead of grand themes like founding an empire and unifying the world, his daily life might have consisted of traveling between villages and cities, hunting orcs and ogres, and unwinding at taverns.

But life doesn’t flow according to one’s wishes. Even if one is no longer human.

“Servant, has your question been answered?”

“Yes, Great One.”

“Then withdraw now. We must rest.”

“May you create good memories during your stay here. May grace follow your command.”

With those words, the high monks bowed respectfully again and withdrew from the reception room.

As soon as the door closed, the dwarves began shuffling cards again, the elves resumed pouring drinks, and Simon removed his cloak and lay down on the sofa.

Realizing they no longer needed to maintain formalities, the party members quickly demanded to continue their interrupted card game.

With a drink in hand, of course.

“Dealing the cards.”

“This time I’m definitely going to win!”

“And what will you do if you win?”

“I’ll write notes on Victor’s teeth with a black pen!”

“Ha! Let’s see you try!”

Looking at the cards being dealt, including shares for Victor and Raisha though they hadn’t asked to play, the Walker couple smiled subtly before coming down from their seat of honor to join the card game.

It seemed the Iron Walker party was still far from disbanding.