Vol 2 Chapter 45 – The Obsidian Cult【Vol 2: The Hero of the Fairy Tribe】

Having hardened her resolve, Labilia immediately departed from the Great Prison Island Gehenna because Eufaria’s objective was Allen’s resurrection.

To bring back the First Seat of the World Knights, whose influence over the world was absolutely massive, she would have to sacrifice the souls of other humans equal to that very same influence. In other words, a massive number of humans needed to die in order to resurrect Allen.

Allen Norsh was the world’s strongest hero who had slain the Demon Lord, becoming the most famous person in the world and holding even more public support than the kings of various nations. Eufaria had to offer up an amount that could balance out the soul of a man like that.

This meant it was undoubtedly going to turn into a massive incident since there was no way the former Eight Demon General 【Soul Return】 and the five heinous criminals she had taken from Gehenna were just going to sit quietly. They would start making their moves soon.

“—Let’s try asking the kings of each country.”

Riding on the back of her partner, the Phoenix Shiranui, Labilia’s journey across the world began.

Around the same time, she heard rumors that the Sixth Seat of the World Knights, Leonhardt, had assassinated the King of the Holy Empire. She couldn’t hide her disappointment, wondering if Leonhardt—who, just like Eufaria, was Allen’s beloved disciple—had also fallen to darkness.

Amidst all this, Labilia traveled to the Bergandia Empire, which was the only nation that had annihilated the Demon Lord’s army using exclusively its own military forces. It was the nation with the most momentum right now and was poised to replace the Holy Empire as a nation of mixed races where the current Emperor was born from a woman of the Dark Elf tribe.

Inside the throne room of the Bergandia Emperor’s castle, portraits of three successive past kings were displayed in jewel-studded frames, and all of them were of mixed blood with other races.

To the left and right of the red carpet woven with gold threads, the space was completely filled with the Emperor’s vassals, many of whom belonged to the Fairy Elf tribe, while Labilia stood proudly in the center looking up at the Emperor.

“—The Obsidian Cult?”

“That’s right.”

The handsome, dark-skinned young man sitting on the throne had a smile on his face as he was clung to by lightly dressed women exuding a highly sensual atmosphere, and he spoke while brazenly caressing their bodies.

“…There has been a continuous string of disappearances among the Lieutenant Generals of the Imperial Army governing our various cities. I suspect that the religious group singing the praises of the 【Obsidian Knight】’s resurrection—the Obsidian Cult—is involved behind these incidents, and that is what I am currently investigating.”

Labilia scowled deeply at the Emperor, who wore a completely serious expression while unapologetically kneading the breasts of the women letting out sweet, breathy moans.

“…And you’re saying Eufaria is involved with this Obsidian Cult?”

“Their goals align, do they not? Furthermore, a great sinner who broke out of Gehenna—Hellrick Zias—has been confirmed as an executive within that religious group.”

“…The High Priest… of the evil cult.”

“Indeed. If I recall correctly, it was you who captured him, Labilia?”

Labilia involuntarily clicked her tongue, and seeing her reaction, the Emperor raised the corners of his mouth.

“…That religion is rapidly gathering support and increasing its believers in the Holy Empire in the center of the continent and the neighboring Insteria Duchy. The new king of the Empire seems to have his hands full right now, but if they neglect to address it, it will likely spread throughout the world. I never met the First Seat of the World Knights, Allen Norsh, but to think a religion would be created just for his sake.”

The Holy Empire, where the World Knights’ base of operations was located, and the Insteria Duchy—the nation that Labilia and Allen had saved from the threat of the Eight Demon General, 【Hewitt of the Death-Powder】—were two nations where Allen had garnered a particular amount of trust and popularity.

This shady religion hoping for Allen’s resurrection had flowed into the Bergandia Empire as well, and right around the same time, the Lieutenant Generals governing the cities began to disappear.

Was Eufaria in this Empire? Labilia decided to head out locally to grasp the actual situation.

“—You have my thanks for the information.”

Labilia turned her back, but the Emperor of Bergandia—the dark-skinned young man whose facial features slightly resembled Eufaria’s—stood up from his throne and called out to stop her.

“Wait. Even for the Third Seat of the World Knights, the Knight of Slashing Destruction Labilia, facing them alone is reckless. This is an internal issue of the Empire as well so I shall assist you, but in that case, there is a condition.”

“…I refuse.”

“I haven’t even said anything yet, you know?”

“I’m tired of hearing you tell me to become your wife. I won’t belong to anyone.”

“…Hmm. In that case, I will have my generals accompany—”

“I don’t need them. They’ll just be dead weight.”

The throne room stirred at those words, but quieted down when the Emperor smoothly raised a hand.

Lowering his brows, with even his long ears dropping slightly, the Emperor continued.

“I am just worried, Labilia. I am so terribly worried about the safety of my future wife that I can hardly stand it. You aren’t just going to meet Eufaria for a chat, are you? How will you cross swords with atrocious criminals? You absolutely need a collaborator. So, how about the mercenary who is currently the hottest topic, the one who caused a massive uproar in the Beast Kingdom?”

“…The Beast Kingdom?”

“Indeed. He protected Leonhardt from the Empire to the bitter end. Rumor has it he’s a disciple of the Obsidian Knight, and he supposedly commands that black dragon.”

“G-Geofried…?”

Labilia was completely shocked because she couldn’t imagine that black dragon letting anyone other than Allen ride on its back. Could it be a different individual, and in the first place, did Allen even have a disciple other than Leonhardt?

“No, but still. Placing another man close to Labilia is—”

Ignoring the Emperor who was agonizing with his arms crossed in the throne room, Labilia left the scene.

Before investigating the interior of the Empire, she had a detour to make, and her destination was the Beast Kingdom’s capital, Beastlore.