CHAPTER 166
I've known since the very beginning that Black Dawn were lunatics.
The things these bastards did were never sane, and they were consistent in that regard.
But this time, they had truly crossed the line.
To willingly become the vessels of an artificial Transcendent themselves. I couldn't understand why they would go that far.
However, I had experienced situations like this countless times before.
Other people were always full of things I couldn't comprehend.
To me, the This-worlders were exactly that.
I had always treated them as uncivilized savages and neglected them.
That feeling is still knotted up deep within my heart.
Even though I had carried out my first revenge against Bloody, the memories of that day still remained with me.
But what about now?
My gaze landed on Aranseol.
Here I am, together with her, someone I thought I would never be able to understand.
Because of that, I realized one important fact.
Don't try to understand everything.
This world doesn't run on understanding anyway.

'The answer isn't to understand these crazy fuckers, it's just to crush them.'

It was a simple conclusion.

"Harua, your expression makes it look like you've reached a weird conclusion."

Aranseol seemed to have noticed something, but my conclusion remained unchanged.
I need to find these bastards fast and destroy them.

"Haru."

At that moment, Lua called out to me.

"There is someone I know who might be of help."

My expression changed the moment I heard those words.

"Introduce me right away!"
"You're asking me to introduce them without even knowing who they are?"
"I don't know who it is, but if it's someone Lua vouches for, they must be amazing."

Lua blinked upon hearing that.
Then, she cupped her cheek with one hand and tilted her head slightly to the side.

"That's true. Just seeing this, it would definitely be fun to be Haru's lover."

And then I was promptly jabbed in the ribs by Aranseol. As I clutched my side, Lua curled the corners of her lips.

"Lady Aranseol must like Haru for these kinds of traits too, right?"
"Being honest and speaking nicely is one of Harua's strengths, after all."

I just say whatever I want to say.
Living my life, I've found that being stingy with compliments doesn't really help you much.
There's a reason they say praise can make even a whale dance.

"So, who is it?"

Before the conversation could get any more derailed, I threw out the question, and Lua looked over at Aigis.

"It's someone who is a Lord, just like Aigis. Someone with deep knowledge regarding souls."
"Aha, you mean the Lord of Souls."

Aigis nodded, seemingly having thought of him as well.
The Lord of Souls.
Someone like that would definitely be helpful in this situation.

"If he can track the location of the souls..."
"Yes, conversely, we might be able to deduce where the Sinners are hiding."

My fists clenched tightly.
This was something we absolutely had to try.

"I am also acquainted with the Lord of Souls. I believe he will be of help."
"You're always a help, Aigis."
"Lord Harua, it's troublesome if you try to seduce me too."

Now even Aigis is starting to tease me.
These are sad days in many ways.

"However, there is one problem."

A problem.
At her words, I looked at Lua, and she turned toward the window.

"The place where the Lord of Souls resides is the 2nd World."

The 2nd World.
It's a name I haven't heard in a while.

"Don't tell me he's still staying in the 2nd World?"
"Yes, that's right."

The 2nd World, originally used to exile criminals.
The Lord of Souls was an oddball who had volunteered to remain there.
The 2nd World is far more massive than the 1st World, Astrape.
The entrance constantly shifts to different locations, moving according to a specific cycle.

"But fortunately, the entrance will soon arrive at the location where the Lord of Souls is staying."

At least that was a relief.
Because if we were told to just find a person in the 2nd World, nothing would be more hopeless.
Finding a needle in a haystack wouldn't be harder than that.

"I know the timing. I will go and meet the Lord of Souls personally."
"Will you be alright on your own?"
"Isn't it still too dangerous for Lord Harua to go to the 2nd World himself?"

She was right; Urjea was the most dangerous place for me.
It would be one thing if we were formulating a plan and acting as bait like last time.
But if I went in just to find a Lord and Black Dawn ambushed me, there'd be no way out.
Therefore, me going to the 2nd World myself was absolutely out of the question.

"Above all, guarding Lord Harua's side is no longer something that strictly requires my presence."

Aigis said so as she looked back at Aranseol.
Aranseol, who had obtained the sword Danmyung.
She was growing at a steep rate as time passed.
As they had sparred occasionally whenever they had time, Aigis knew her current skill level best.

"Lady Aranseol will likely protect Lord Harua even better than I can."
"Yes, I will absolutely not let anything happen to Harua."

As the one being protected, it was a bit embarrassing.

"Above all, Lord Harua, you have grown incredibly much."

The moment a disciple is acknowledged by their master.
Few things are as fulfilling as a moment like this.

"Now, even if Black Dawn attacks, you will be able to run away splendidly."
"Isn't this the time you should be telling me I can stand and fight?"
"Because Lord Harua is someone who must be protected."

It was bitter, but what could I do?
That was my position.
After all, there was no greater danger than me falling to Black Dawn.

"Saintess, would that be alright?"

Aigis was originally tasked with my escort mission.
Thus, when she asked if it was okay for her to go find the Lord of Souls, Lua nodded.

"Yes, I understand why you're stepping up, Aigis. The Lord of Souls isn't the type to move his rear unless it's for a familiar face."

So there was a reason Aigis had stepped up from the start.
It seemed he was no ordinary person either, befitting a Lord.
With this, the conclusion was reached.
Aigis would bring the Lord of Souls, and through him, we would track Black Dawn.
Until then, we decided to resolve the issues that had arisen in Astrape.

Knock, knock—

At that moment, the sound of a knock rang out.
Being the Saintess's room, it was a door that wouldn't be knocked on unless it was a truly important matter.

"Come in."

At Lua's permission, the door opened.
Standing there was Lululio alongside a bishop.

"...Lord Harua."

Lululio called out to me in a slightly subdued voice.

"Grandfather has passed away."

The "grandfather" she spoke of could only be one person.
Rapha Hastel had met his end.

A great hero.
The person most fitting of that title, and the founder of the Regular Army.
He was a figure who achieved such monumental feats that one could say the Transferees of today are able to live in the 1st World because of him.
Many people attended the funeral of such a Rapha Hastel.
Among them were figures who had fought alongside him in past wars, and even kings of certain nations.
If the Emperor of the Empire had been in a sound state, wouldn't he have visited as well?
That was how many people mourned Rapha Hastel's death.
The woman who loved him, Ririran, stood quietly before his grave.
The remorse and various emotions etched on her face could not be explained in a single word.
As a Fairy Queen, her lifespan was far longer, but...
Facing Rapha Hastel's death, she looked so desolate that it seemed she might follow him at any moment.
There was no one who could comfort Ririran.
Because the love that could comfort her was inside the grave.

"So this day has finally come."

Right after returning from the Holy Land, I also attended Rapha Hastel's funeral. Beside me, Inferno pushed up his sunglasses with a grim expression.

"Yes, and it's also probably just the beginning."

Rapha Hastel's death meant a vacancy in the Commander-in-Chief position.
The election Inferno and I had discussed.
It meant that election would now begin in earnest.
In fact, entirely separate from the funeral, other movements were quietly taking place.
Someone may leave, but the seat they left behind must be filled once again.
A situation where the flow of the times was urgent.
The Commander-in-Chief position couldn't be left vacant indefinitely.
Currently, there were two candidates.
Kandelhar of the Center, and Anastasia of the Frontlines.
Both were respected enough that it wouldn't be strange regardless of who won.
And depending on who became the Commander-in-Chief, the future flow of events would change entirely.

Click, clack—

Just then, the sound of high heels echoed through the funeral grounds.
High heels intentionally worn to increase her height.
I had heard this sound not too long ago.
Above all, the surrounding crowd was parting like the Red Sea.
Some bowed their heads in respect, while others wore expressions of surprise.
Amidst them.
There was a woman who, despite clearly having a smaller stature than the rest, possessed an extraordinary presence.
The Little Giant.
The 1st Princess, Perasis Gladion.
She had come to attend Rapha Hastel's funeral.
Approaching me casually, she gave a beaming smile.

"We meet again soon, Saint."
"Seeing each other so soon for an occasion like this isn't exactly great, though."
"Everything is the flow of the times. There are periods when such days overlap consecutively."

Don't subtly imply that the Emperor is going to die soon.

"More importantly, I didn't expect the 1st Princess to come personally."

To think someone so busy vying for the throne would make a personal appearance.
When I mentioned this, she casually shrugged her shoulders.

"Why would it just be me? My older brother, the 1st Prince, the 2nd Prince, and even the 3rd Prince are all on their way. I just beat them to the punch and arrived first, that's all."

Through our conversation, I could easily deduce why they were coming.

"You're trying to expand your factions."
"There's no better opportunity than this."

With key figures from all over the world gathering due to Rapha Hastel's death.
For the candidates competing for the throne, it was a perfect venue to grow their influence.
Of course, there would be those who criticized them, asking if it was right to use a hero's death like this.
But that's just how the world works.
It was a world where someone's death could become an opportunity for another.

"So, I heard an interesting story from your cute girl. Has the Saint decided to side with me?"

Babiyen had delivered the message well.
Looking at Perasis, who was openly testing me, I replied.

"About that."

Because another figure was already marching over from a distance anyway.

"That depends on how things go over there."

Perasis clicked her tongue briefly.
Beyond the crowd.
A man with a stiff face was walking in this direction.
The 2nd Prince, Dreivan Gladion, was making his approach alongside Iox and the Imperial Knights.