Ch.580Leaving One’s Name in History

======[ Feirius ]======

“Knight of ruin… How truly fascinating.”

After hearing the report from the Seventh Apostle, Feirius showed deep interest in the appearance of a monster that was unlike any monster.

The fundamental impulse of monsters was to kill humans. The only time monsters didn’t kill humans was for one purpose: to use them for breeding.

Even then, that was limited to hybrid monsters capable of reproduction, not applicable to undead types.

But a monster that not only doesn’t seek out humans to kill, but completely ignores them unless attacked? It was truly a fascinating existence.

“Do you have no insights? I thought you, the First Apostle, would know the creature’s identity.”

“Well… it’s difficult to draw conclusions without seeing it directly.”

Contrary to the Seventh Apostle’s expectations, even Feirius couldn’t reach a conclusion with only fragmentary information. Just the information about swinging a sword to collapse a wall presented more than five possible methods.

Use of Dark Mana, Hagalaz rune, pure physical force, destruction-specialized authority, or skills from its previous life. Which of these five theories was correct couldn’t be determined without meeting it.

It was nonsensical to identify the creature itself when even the nature of its power couldn’t be determined.

“I’d prefer to secure it alive if possible…”

“That won’t be easy. The monster itself is undoubtedly comparable to a Hero, and Baron of Median has already headed there.”

Feirius slightly furrowed his brow at the Seventh Apostle’s words. If Haschal Median Aishan-Gioro had moved to subjugate the monster, it would be eliminated soon. The time window was too narrow.

Most apostles were dispatched to other countries to coordinate movements and report, and Feirius himself was traveling near the empire’s border regions exploring ancient ruins.

But handling this with only subordinates near the capital region risked being overwhelmed. Even Valenstein, who would be perfect for such tasks, was inadequate against undead types or Median.

‘There’s no one suitable to send…’

Feirius sighed.

A small, elite secret organization might sound impressive, but it meant all work was concentrated among few personnel. Everyone was swamped with work.

Except for Feirius himself, the apostles maintained such strict secrecy that they didn’t know each other’s identities, which had prevented their plans from being discovered despite being worthy of worldwide condemnation…

But as with all things, advantages come with disadvantages. The price of choosing a small, secretive elite force was chronic personnel shortage.

Even the church’s leader, Feirius himself, had to personally conduct ruin explorations.

‘…Capture is impossible. I should at least send an observer to monitor the battle.’

Feirius finally gave up on securing the Knight of ruin. Had he heard about it a week earlier, things might have been different, but now there was no way.

“Any other reports?”

“Let’s see… Baron of Median’s knowledge of monster combat was deeper than imagined, and five research students were crippled when the Magic Tower’s Floheta’s airship prototype crashed…”

The Seventh Apostle reported recent news from the capital region, counting on fingers. Most were mere gossip, but the news about the Magic Tower researching airships was quite interesting to Feirius.

He even considered passing some advice to the capital’s Magic Tower.

If airships were completed, they too could travel more conveniently, and if powerful aerial combat means were developed, humanity could better respond to threats from other races.

“Oh, I just remembered something else. Recently, some mages from the Magic Tower have been thoroughly investigating beneath the underground waterways. What was it… searching for dragon remains? I think that was it.”

The matter of Nidhogg’s remains was an imperial top secret, and the officially stated reason for the investigation was maintenance and pollution inspection of the underground waterways, but the Seventh Apostle had somehow already grasped the entire truth.

Though it seemed so far-fetched that there was still some doubt.

“Dragon…? What is this about…”

Even Feirius could only tilt his head at first. While the return of dragons was already prophesied, it required destroying the fourth holy grail to become reality. That was still far off.

‘They’re searching for dragon remains in the capital’s underground waterways? Was there a dragon there…?’

After recalling memories from several hundred years ago, Feirius finally remembered a record he had read long ago.

The latter part of Carlos the Great’s biography, a heroic tale of how Nidhogg, who attacked Extrashafel, was subjugated by Carlos and his Twelve Knights.

“Yes. Now I recall there was one. The death dragon Nidhogg. The worm dragon that damaged the roots of The World Tree. So its remains still exist…”

“What, there’s really a dragon’s corpse buried here? Under this place?”

The Seventh Apostle couldn’t hide her shock. Anyone would react similarly upon learning a dragon was lurking beneath their home.

“It’s highly likely. If Nidhogg’s remains actually exist, it would clearly explain why Isabella was so fixated on the capital region. She must have planned to resurrect and control Nidhogg with her worms.”

Feirius’s conjecture was accurate. In fact, the reason Isabella returned to the capital region instead of fighting the final battle in Benes territory was because of Nidhogg’s corpse.

Though she was destroyed after Haschal read her movements and confronted her alone.

“…I’d prefer if you didn’t mention that whore.”

The Seventh Apostle growled with deep contempt and hostility. She harbored immense resentment toward Isabella, who was the source of all her humiliation.

Even after being chosen by Feirius and becoming the Seventh Apostle, her hatred for Isabella hadn’t diminished at all.

From the beginning, the condition under which Feirius recruited her was to offer her a chance to escape her humiliating situation and grant her power to take revenge on Isabella.

Though that condition became impossible to fulfill when Isabella died at the hands of a variable before revenge could begin.

“Oh, I apologize. My consideration was lacking.”

Feirius immediately offered words of apology.

Though the Seventh Apostle wasn’t much in terms of combat power, considering her utility, it wasn’t wise to antagonize her. Even after losing her influence in Panam, she remained useful in many ways, such as uncovering and reporting imperial secrets.

“Anyway, Nidhogg’s remains… this is truly an interesting matter. Far more interesting than the Knight of ruin case. I think I need to go there myself.”

“Will that be alright?”

“As long as I don’t directly encounter Elmaine or Menesilia, there won’t be any problems. I can easily arrange a disguise identity.”

Even if he showed his bare face, few would recognize him. Feirius himself was known to have died hundreds of years ago, so who could identify him just by his face?

Portraits might remain, but to recognize his identity just because he resembled a portrait from hundreds of years ago would make someone not wise or perceptive, but rather insane.

It would be like worshipping someone who looked like Carlos the Great as if the emperor had been resurrected.

======[ Haschal ]======

The cathedral was just as busy with evacuation preparations.

Though the Knight of ruin wasn’t killing people, it was destroying every building in its path, so they seemed to be temporarily moving items that shouldn’t be damaged to other regions or storing them in the basement.

“Excuse me. This cathedral is currently closed to pilgrims. If you have important business, please identify yourselves.”

The bishop managing the cathedral blocked our way with a polite but strict tone.

Unlike the village entrance where there wasn’t even a simple identity check, it seemed we couldn’t enter the cathedral without revealing our identities. Perhaps they were concerned about thieves or robbers taking advantage of the chaos.

Inevitably, Leonore and I had to reveal our identities after earnestly asking them not to cause a commotion.

The bishop who recognized Leonore and me was shocked to the point his eyes nearly popped out, but he managed to suppress his astonishment and let us into the cathedral.

Thanks to that, we could appreciate the sight of my dark history on display without any interference.

“This size would have required using an entire person… you really did all sorts of things, young lady.”

The wall inscribed with “God’s Punishment.” As considerable time had passed, the blood-written text had darkened, making it look like calligraphy in a frame.

“It’s amazing how clearly these letters remain on a burned wall!”

As Lena exclaimed, the corner of the wall was blackened as if burned, but the area around the text remained completely undamaged in its original state.

Below the glass case preserving the wall was an explanation attributing this to a divine miracle.

It mentioned that due to its characteristics of not being charred by fire, not being washed away by water, and not crumbling or fading despite the passage of time, it was undergoing examination for sacred relic status.

I felt dizzy at the note saying it would be officially registered as a sacred relic if it passed the examination. That meant it would be preserved forever unless the Empire and the Holy State collapsed.

Hundreds of years later, like Saint George’s necklace or Saint Leila’s earrings, things like “Saint Haschal’s blackboard” or “Saint Haschal’s wall” might be treated as historical relics.

Even the clothes or armor I wore, or the residence where I stayed, might remain preserved as sacred relics.

…I should dispose of things like armor and clothing later.

The thought of someone in the distant future wearing my clothes as sacred relics sent shivers down my spine.