Chapter 10: In Draco Silva

What is the origin of what people in Centoria refer to as “Bloodlines”?

Some uneducated people might think that such a question is meaningless, that the answer is more than obvious, that it is "simply blood ties between relatives of the same lineage."

But is it really that simple?

After all, when you think about it, what usually reliably connects two individuals as biological family isn't blood; it's genes, and many of the powers granted by the Awakening of the Bloodlines can't be explained at all by the transmission of genes between blood relatives.

So if we ignore the answer given by the uneducated among the common people, then... What would the 'Bloodline' really be?

What's the correct answer? There's only one that makes perfect sense, at least to people with a similar mindset to the Butler, Jonathan Warmater.

A lineage... It's history, a past of secrets and mystery shared by generations; of a family, of individuals united by a bond that is partly biological but, at the same time, the embodiment of traditions, legacies, and achievements of ancestors of that same lineage recorded in that family's history.

At least in most cases, blood lineage fits that definition widely recognized among educated individuals in high society.

Either way, all that pure history accumulated generation after generation is what shapes a family's lineage; being a form of mystery, it's also the source of its power.

It is what allows the Awakened and Aspirants to develop specific Traits that come with that history and legacy, which apply not only to long-standing nobles but also to commoner families who survived for centuries in some way, accumulating some kind of power, be it magical, economic, cultural, or merely individual.

In essence, the power of bloodline is spiritual and mystical in nature, and escapes the conventional understanding of blood ties. And it's not just a belief held by a specific elite; even Sorcerers who understand the profound mysteries were convinced by this theory.

The aristocracy values ​​this concept highly; ancient families that have lasted for centuries or even millennia and are nonetheless not noble value this concept in the same way; only families that wouldn't last even a century would downplay these lineages or consider them elite nonsense.

But bloodline isn't something to be scorned at all... because it's a supernatural manifestation of generations of history that has been carefully protected, and its disregard is unacceptable. Not even the gods would scorn the efforts of a good family to preserve their lineage, no matter how evil some of them may be.

An ancient bloodline offers many benefits beyond the ability to develop strong traits that embody one's history, achievements, or the like. It's possible to develop more powerful magic circuits capable of generating and accumulating large amounts of maryoku, learn specific skills more quickly, experience growth in luck parameters, and so on. Of course, there are also disadvantages, but they are rare.

On the other hand, there are atypical cases in which a new bloodline is born when two individuals from different bloodlines unite after achieving a feat that eclipses that of their respective ancestors.

Such is the case of Pendragon, a bloodline no more than a decade old that is nonetheless the powerful bloodline of modern dragon slayers in Loveritia.

Also known as [Hero's Bloodline (Pendragon)], which manifests as a trait in itself.

Faced with a lineage that will go down in history as one of the most powerful families, Jonathan Warmater would be happy to serve them until his last breath.

♦♦♦♦

Walking through a corridor lit by white crystals whose design was rather simplistic compared to the rest of the Great Dragon Palaces, Jonathan Warmater was about to cross through another transport door to his destination; the only one on his journey to the lowest floor of the palace that only individuals registered in the system could use.

Despite possessing the incredibly convenient ability to move through space without the need for advanced sorcery or cutting-edge technology unless the situation called for it, Jonathan would never waste his precious maryoku on trifles like this, so using the transport gates for his purpose was a no-brainer.

Furthermore, he wasn't alone; it was necessary for him to use his authorization to have the servants behind him acting as pack mules carry the last of what was brought from the mansion to the Grand Palaces' warehouse, and carrying such a group of people through space-time continuously was unrealistic even with his level of power.

At least thirteen relatively strong men carried several heavy boxes in their muscular arms with great effort and care, fully aware of the extremely high value of each of the luxury items they contained, which cost more than their own lives.

Mostly human, though among their ranks were the occasional demi-human, dwarf, and even an elf, dripping with sweat from the arduous task they had been performing for the past few hours; persisting only to keep their jobs and also thanks to their lord's wonderful invention, the Dulcias, which they ate from time to time.

It's not like the boys moaning and groaning silently behind him knew.

The butler shook his head in his mind as he thought that Arthur, the powerful Archduke of these lands, actually liked to keep some things hidden that could bring more glory to his venerable family name with extreme ease.

Dulcias were such a popular product among knights, adventurers, and mercenaries that he could easily gain their favor by being their creator, given that this alchemical product increased their survival rates in the wild.

Truly sad, it's not like a mere servant like Jonathan had the right to oppose his young lord's decisions, especially when he surely has a foolproof plan behind all his actions that would surely elevate Draco Silva and Pendragon to a major force among the nobility, something that is surely possible.

Jonathan Warmater was completely convinced of this, as Arthur's intelligence was undoubtedly far superior to that of his peers. And it wasn't just a quantifiable degree we were talking about here...

As he crossed the threshold with the servants following him with sweaty effort, the butler sniffed something, frowning as his nose felt somewhat irritated, and quickly began smoothing down his uniform, removing any residue that might have fallen on it along the way, not that it was disheveled or soiled in any way before or after the transport.

Jonathan always took great care to keep his suit spotless and well-maintained at all times, his suit being a gift made and bestowed by Lady Luminia, even if he knew it would never stain or wrinkle while he lived thanks to the ice spirit imbued within it.

Still, he also made sure not to display such behavior in front of his masters so as not to cause any misunderstandings that would tarnish his dignity. Something he, of course, wouldn't mind doing to employees beneath him. Like those who obediently followed him.

One of those servants, a very muscular man with brown hair and pretty blue eyes, and a rather masculine and attractive face, only smiled bitterly at the sight of the butler, who seemed to care about something as insignificant as dust in this situation, in this sterile place, nothing more than acting as a guide while they, on the other hand, were bathed in sweat.

Acting like an aristocrat amidst filth despite being a servant like us...how annoying is this old man...

The common servant, Alex Milton, mentally groaned at the old man's stoic demeanor as he frowned at the man who was clearly the very image of a perfect butler; certainly a servant of higher rank than him, but a servant nonetheless, acting as if the mere touch of dust on his clothes was incredibly disgusting.

Typical noble behavior exhibited by someone who was not of the same social class, not even a bourgeois, which made him ridiculous.

He really is an idiot.

Jonathan Warmater is evidently a senior butler from his appearance and is elegantly dressed in a traditional black uniform as befits his position in the Pendragon household, only the quality of his clothing was on par with that of a lesser noble, similar to that of Luminia, the head maid.

His hair is completely white, as is his immaculately trimmed beard, which, along with his silent, steady gait, adds to his dandy aura.

Visible wrinkles could be seen on his tanned and surprisingly handsome face for his age, making him appear gentle in appearance, but his emerald eyes are as piercing as an eagle's and as cold as an iceberg, sending a chill down the spine of almost anyone who opposes him, as he would make them feel as if he could see through their souls.

Overall, with his back straight as a sword, he looked great and very refined. Not that that matters.

Like the rest of his family, he is known for his personal justice. However, he dislikes commoners who disrespect the high nobility and will not hesitate to kill anyone who dares to oppose the aristocrats he serves without hesitation.

Extremely loyal... extremely lethal.

That made it particularly scary.

Alex Milton, like all the other Pendragon servants, was afraid of this old man, especially since they knew he was quite powerful in his own right. At the same time, however, they secretly despised him for acting so superior despite coming from a non-noble family like all of them, although this one is something special.

Yes, their family has a very ancient lineage that has served and serves many powerful aristocrats of the Empire as servants of the highest rank as if it were their most sacred mission since ancient times, but doesn't that make them crazy fanatics who worship nobles as if they were gods?

Yes, Jonathan was an Awakened of a rare Extra class, who had Episcopi-rank power that could completely crush a small country if he wanted to, but it was well known that in this empire you needed to be a rank higher than that to make your commoner status more insignificant compared to if you were at least a Baron, plus his current age of 200 or so makes his growth potential clear, meaning he would never reach Torrius rank without specific circumstances.

And yes, he is the most trusted servant of both the Archduke and the current lord of the boarding house, Arthur… but like any other servant of the nobility, he could easily be discarded if someone more useful was found or if he made a mistake, so that attitude made him even more ridiculous in their eyes.

Not that these Warmates, who avoided mistakes at work like the plague, would allow something like this to happen. Alex sighed, tired from the effort, and gritted his teeth at the thought that suddenly came to him.  If only I could finish this quickly so I could see my sweet Maria...

His wonderful and beautiful girlfriend, who unfortunately served as a personal servant to the crazy 'Dragon Princess' Nava (although she warned him more than once not to call her that because her Lady wasn't crazy), must right now be waiting for a chance to see him at his new residence, waiting for his comfort for the traumatic and stressful situation they were involved in with the appearance of a literal Demon and the fall of the mansion, along with all the deaths...

Something I sadly had to admit was difficult to do even if I wasn't working at the time.

For various reasons, servants of nobles were not allowed to have any kind of romantic relationship with each other, at least while they were working for them.

Flirting was also not tolerated, as it was considered a waste of time, and in the opinion of the aristocrats, instead of whispering sweet nothings to each other, they should clean each other's beautiful shoes even during breaks.

These whims fortunately didn't happen thanks to the easement insurance... but even so, because of it, they were forced to hide their relationship from everyone.

Anyway, Alex Milton could only dream of his childhood friend and girlfriend's beautiful smile for now as he carried the heavy, bronze-colored metal load, complaining in vain about why they couldn't use wheelbarrows to transport these things before answering to himself that he had forgotten about that, because the nobles would be unhappy if their delicate carpets were ruined by dirty cart wheels!

What else could it be? He just sighed.

Finally, a set of enormous blue lacquered doors welcomed the butler and his exhausted workers.

Arriving at those large arcane steel doors, reinforced with multiple extremely powerful enchantments and devoid of any unnecessary decorations, Jonathan stopped in front of what looked like some sort of control panel with strange magical symbols, nimbly moving his fingers at a speed that the mere servants behind him couldn't catch with their eyes before gently placing his hand in the center of a circle, which glowed green soon after as he softly whispered some sort of incomprehensible incantation like an opening key.

Then the massive doors began to slowly open with a rumbling sound that would make it seem as if an earthquake were wreaking havoc, and yet thankfully there would be no vibrations to cause the weary servants any more difficulties than they already had anyway.

When those doors opened, an extremely vast space was revealed filled with enormous black metal shelves, which had many items stored on them, from magical weapons and armor to valuables like arts and accessories that dazzled all the servants who witnessed it.

When the door finally opened fully, Jonathan stepped aside and the servants, aware of what this meant, pushed their bodies forward, and already knowing well what they must do, they put their willpower and body control to the test to delicately place each of those boxes on the floor within the warehouse, preparing to place each object in its place with the aid of arcane levitation platforms.

Of course, some might wonder if anyone would dare steal something. But how much could they take? And who would be crazy enough to try to steal from Pendragon when there was a real, very powerful Aspirant leading them?

Jonathan could sense any wrongdoing with his superhuman senses, not to mention the magical security system that undoubtedly exists in this place... They made more money working than trying to commit suicide, you know?

Today is a really bad day. Sighing once more, Alex Milton swallowed a curse and tried his best to finish faster. If only he knew...

♦♦♦♦

Jhonatan was a member of a small and relatively ancient family of retainers, the Warmathers, who managed to gain the favor of the continent's famous heroes and powerful Aspirants of the Empire and the Kingdom before their enthronements as the most influential nobles in terms of rank, wealth, and prestige.

Belonging to two long-standing bloodlines from two countries connected by history and having achieved what was considered almost impossible (the defeat of a True Dragon), old Jonathan Warmater admired and appreciated the existence of such noble beings who brought glory to the Loveitia Empire just by existing.

What Jonathan Warmather wanted most was to help preserve this bloodline, the nation's first bloodline of dragon slayers, for many years to come; a wish he shared with his entire family, with all his power.

For such a new lineage, yet one that carried the essence of such splendid and momentous achievements, they served them with the same loyalty as they did the Imperial families because they found the same beauty in their existence.

The Warmather family's fanaticism for noble bloodlines was evident. Among them, the Imperial and Pendragon bloodlines ranked highest among all the bloodlines in this world in their eyes.

Especially with the current power and talent that both of Pendragon's sons possessed...

Jonathan smiled subtly for two seconds at that thought before his expression returned to his usual cold face, staring unperturbed at the servants who were finishing organizing the inventory of items brought to the Grand Palace after that insulting incident with the Demon Count Betano.

The butler really wanted to know which cult could be so reckless and stupid as to attack the mansion belonging to such a beautiful lineage, wanting to finish them off personally.

He trembled with disgust and hatred at the mere thought that a filthy thief had tried to rob his master as well, who had snuck in under his nose while such an incident was happening like a rat, something that was fortunately avoided.

How dare those mindless demon followers do such a thing? How could they even think of making a demon breathe the way the imperial nobility would? How could anyone possibly think they could take advantage of the chaos to steal Pendragon from them?

How disrespectful! As expected from beings worse than filthy pigs!

Jonathan had to resist the urge to grit his teeth. Although those around him were servants, he still felt too reluctant to do something so indecent in front of people. It wasn't in keeping with etiquette.

Someday I will personally bring them the judgment they deserve!

Jonathan could only solemnly swear by the honor of his masters. However, even in all that mess, there were good things.

For her young master, Arthur, has finally reciprocated the affections of the third Imperial Princess, Laura Lunen Ivrin Lainervorial, securing her future as Archduchess of Pendragon and, in turn, the entire Empire.

Simply wonderful!

Such a thing was cerebral in the eyes of anyone with any sanity, according to Jonathan himself, since while joining another family normally indicates the destruction of the lineage, for the sake of an heir to the throne, Laura was allowed to have one of her sons ascend to the position of crown prince.

What Emperor Raymund wanted from this was obvious (according to Jonathan and the Warmates): to integrate the new dragon slayer bloodline into his lineage as successors to the crown, making his descendants stronger.

That's especially because both were talented individuals who awakened their bloodlines at a young age, though it's not officially clear when exactly Laura "awakened" compared to Arthur.

And considering that Jonathan saw his master having sexual relations with the princess, it was clear to him that this was not far from happening.

Although it took place in a rather inappropriate location... but who was Jonathan Warmater to say anything to his master? Perhaps give him a few words of advice, but Arthur didn't need such a thing. Besides, he was too excited behind an indifferent mask to care about the event, thanking Emmanuel and all the other gods for that moment.

Jonathan didn't bother to wonder why Arthur had decided to have sex with Laura and embrace her as his lover, suddenly treating her with affection just that day. He was already certain he didn't hate the princess, and he thought he had a plan for his every action, including his apparent past indifference toward her.

He possesses a high degree of intelligence and an excellent level of strategic thinking. In the butler's mind, there was no way Arthur would do anything without considering all the factors and consequences of those actions, as he had demonstrated over the past few years as Archduke of Draco Silva.

Somehow, Jonathan felt that Arthur had something big planned, and it possibly had something to do with the princess who lived in the dorms of the Bomenslik Imperial Academy.

However, Arthur behaved rather strangely today, and the steward wasn't referring to the princess. No, what Jonathan found odd was the fact that his young lord unhesitatingly revealed his true combat prowess by killing the Demon Count himself; literally announcing that he wasn't a mere Episcopi, but a Torrius just like Jonathan.

He didn't show it, but she was very surprised to see him openly using his Aura Storage and the powerful mythical sword Caliburn without a care in the world. Something he had deliberately tried to hide until now for a purpose that was beyond her understanding, though she had several ideas that weren't concrete yet.

What happened? What changed for all these things to be revealed?

I had no definitive answers to these questions.

As far as he knew, while Arthur had the personality to not ignore a foul demon attacking his own mansion while he was present, his action seemed too hasty given what he had been doing to hide his power, even going so far as to use an expensive power-concealment artifact.

Normally, to further conceal some of his abilities, His Highness would have let his guards weaken the demon as much as possible, joining in when there was no other option or when the demon was so weak that he could kill it without revealing his hidden cards.

Such as his ability to manipulate multiple energies at once, or even store solid objects within his aforementioned soul.

As for the latter, there weren't many Knights and other Classes capable of something similar, no matter how you looked at it. In fact, not even Jonathan could have achieved what Arthur did so easily at such a young age, and that spoke volumes about his talent for aura manipulation.

An aura expert of the same level would be surprised to see it magically change like that for the first time.

Anyone who discovers his abilities might lose faith in himself... no, anyone who discovers it regardless of their Class, would be surprised by that ability.

After all, Aspirants and Awakened with Knight classes are already considered extremely talented individuals, but very few have been able to accomplish what Arthur did that very day. After all, it's safe to say there was an insurmountable difference in physicality, and his soul was far stronger than most.

The most chilling thing was that the genius known to have done something similar did so at age 30, and he's considered the youngest person to have achieved that level of power. The world would be shocked when they found out, if they hadn't already.

And if there was one thing Jonathan Warmater was sure of about the Creation Church, it was that they wouldn't hesitate to reveal this information to the entire Empire in order to make the Aristocratic Faction more nervous about Arthur's existence, especially after killing a Demon Count himself and proving himself to be the youngest Torrius in existence... considering the benefits the Empire gave to Torrius, especially if they were of noble origin, they would probably be more worried about the latter.

Suddenly, a feeling similar to a flash of inspiration struck Jonathan's mind as he had those vague thoughts.

Could that be the young lord's intention? To reveal his power to the world in one way or another so that the Aristocratic Faction would feel more pressured by his existence?

And if so, why? What could I possibly gain from it?

With hundreds of thoughts running through his head, Jonathan, who if we were to be honest had nothing better to do at the moment, silently speculated on Arthur's reasons for showing such a brilliant display of power that no one could deny without insulting the Diocese, and quickly came up with a theory that seemed convincing enough.

Her emerald eyes lit up slightly in understanding, filling with a feeling of respect and admiration.

I see! It's to attract some nobles from the opposing faction to their side!

By deliberately having the Creation Church speak of its power and immense potential for growth to the entire empire, it not only forces hostile nobles to acknowledge its power against their better judgment, elevating its reputation as an absolute prodigy in the eyes of the Loveritian people, but also manages to make those of lesser loyalty to Duke Dominguez feel that the ship they chose will likely not last long before sinking under its power and will attempt to secretly approach Pendragon in order to save themselves from any future trouble with its aid.

The power of a noble house, in addition to its lineage, the wealth inherited through generations, the businesses under its control and its connections, was also greatly influenced by its military power, something necessary in a world where humanity competes with several phantom species.

In the event that the successor of a noble family was particularly powerful and still had the potential to grow further, it was more or less guaranteed that he would bring great prosperity to that house with his mere existence.

That being the case, it's no surprise that someone like Arthur, the youngest of the Torrius, inspires more trust than the heir to the Dominguez Duchy, a mere Episcopi. Furthermore, Pendragon's economic influence already made them doubt that the Duke could effectively control Arthur, and now that they know he is truly a force to be reckoned with, it's only natural that many nobles no longer see any hope in Duke Dominguez.

The man had an ancient and prestigious bloodline... but compared to the achievements and power of the newly founded Pendragon family, he fell a bit short.

Of course, the young master would definitely not trust such disloyal individuals as subordinates, but would definitely plan to use them as tools, having them act as double agents to somehow harm the aristocratic faction from within.

After all, Arthur-sama truly loves Her Highness Laura! There's no way he'd allow the aristocratic faction to harm his future wife's family for their own selfish purposes. He must really be planning to destroy them all from within by using the weakest links of the enemy faction as disposable chess pieces!

Regardless, the young lord's true plan must be far more complex than I can fathom with my humble, inferior mind, so it's quite likely that he hasn't grasped all the hidden nuances of what he's orchestrating—or even that this may be just the tip of the iceberg of his grand, foolproof plan for the entire empire. But even if it were... I will do everything in my power to help him achieve victory!

As Archduke Marcus said when he founded the House... Pendragon will never know fall! Victory will always be within reach, and young Arthur-sama will ensure it with his ingenuity and growing power.

And I will be there, gazing upon his glorious figure as he tramples his enemies and goes down in history as the most powerful Archduke in all of Loveitia and the continent!

With a sense of wonder and a certain fanaticism at the thought of the Pendragon family's sincerely arrogant motto, the old butler became convinced of Arthur's "Grand Plan" in his silent reflection, indulging in this strangely convincing misunderstanding as the servants finished their work.

If Shiragaki Sora had heard his delusional thoughts, he would have definitely been quick to correct his ideas, swiftly refuting them as nonsense. He would tell him that there was no plan to take advantage of the Demon Count's appearance for such a thing, much less that "he" slept with Laura because it was time for who knows what... he just did everything without much thought.

I didn't want any “Sazuga Ainz-sama” style misunderstandings, okay?

But unfortunately, Arthur wasn't there, and even if he were, he couldn't read minds. How could he know what his butler was thinking, having been misled by a false perception behind all his actions and now praising him in his heart for his incredible skill at political intrigue?

Anyway, given their spitting image of Arthur's 'Grand Plan,' it's safe to say Laura, Maria, and Nava had some serious competition when it came to imagination and fantasy, right?

One wonders if that's a good thing...

“High Steward… no, Grand Marshal Jonathan!” Jonathan’s mad thoughts were interrupted when a voice shouted at him, no doubt dropping his title as one of Pendragon’s six official positions.

When he turned his gaze in the direction of the scream, a young man dressed in armor appeared in the distance, running swiftly and with ease, even in the metal armor he wore, through the underground passages. Beads of sweat trickled down his rough but handsome face, while his blue hair covered one of his eyes, which seemed somewhere between red and pink, and which were filled with anxiety.

The silver armor had beautiful floral patterns on its dark blue iron chain mail, and his height made him look imposing even from a distance; one could imagine that he resembled the typical image of a knight romanticized in the imaginations of high-born young women. However, any signs of 'A dignified knight of extraordinary presence' were slightly overshadowed by his current unseemly behavior.

Jonathan frowned at the sight, easily recognizing this man as one of the most trusted knights of House Pendragon who was scouted by Arthur himself.

—Squad Captain Galahad, what's all the fuss about now, and why are you here on the lower floors when you should be patrolling the surrounding villages under Commander Gawain's leadership?

That was the question the steward asked the noble knight, who slowly slowed his pace as he approached his side, breathing heavily. His voice seemed dispassionate as he questioned him, but the knight named Gawain could sense a slight tone of confusion coming from Jonathan at his unexpected actions.

Not that that's important at that moment.

—Ugh...ugh...well, it's already night so his power...No, wait... There's no time to waste on that!

Ignoring the inquisitive looks from the man who is both Chief Steward and Grand Marshal of Draco Silva and the eyes of the bewildered and curious servants, Galahad exclaimed with absolute seriousness and a certain urgency in his voice, almost shouting: —We must inform the Archduke that the Duchess of Cerodian, Nasutmi Naomi, has arrived in Draco Silva for a visit with her military force! Do you know where the hell she is!?

-….That!?

Both Jonathan and the servants present were stunned by this shocking news, and deep down, upon hearing this very important information, Alex Milton had a sudden understanding, like a flash of wisdom that comes from achieving a sudden flash of enlightenment.

—Ah...life as a noble's servant would never be completely peaceful, would it?

There was a reason for easement insurance!

Imagining the work they would have to do as servants to help even a little in the upcoming meeting between Sovereign Nobles, the cuckold youth lamented silently.

♦♦♦♦

Baldur's capital was the heart of Pendragon territory, formerly known to all as the Savage Lands that had been ruled by Jaldabaoth.

At 200 kilometers in length and with an incredible population of over a million humans and several thousand dwarves, as well as some demi-humans and elves, it was clearly one of the largest cities in the southern Empire. It was also the richest in comparison.

Baldur was a city famous for how quickly it was built, utilizing the extensive help of skilled sorcerers as well as the best architectural techniques of the dwarven species in service to the Archdukes, starting as a base, then a village and finally a city in just 6 years.

From there, Baldur grew to become the great duchy capital it is today.

Its prosperity due to high employment rates and extremely low crime rates was well known to everyone in Loveritia, and if it weren't for the many non-humans living here in peace and harmony with the majority human population, countless nobles would have visited it because of its beautiful views.

After all, very few of them would think or want to set foot in a city filled with what they called 'filth', and all of Pendragon also had laws against interspecies discrimination.

The suburban houses were mostly made of elm wood, designed by the dwarves to be quite wide and sturdy, as well as taller than the Imperial average. They also had a rather artistic design style that was both beautiful to look at and functional.

Each of these houses was enchanted with simple runic charms to resist burning and blunt force; it would take the breath or tail of a Wyrven to completely destroy them.

The best thing for its citizens was that there was no division between rich or poor districts, and the few vassal families with the rank of baron or viscount had their personal manors in areas where commoners also lived without any complaints.

They also had an excellent sewage system that extended across most of the territory, allowing for improved hygiene and access to clean water for all citizens. This was thanks to their acting lord, Sir Arthur, who granted a massive budget increase to the construction of drainage systems and pipes enchanted with runes that eliminate any contaminants.

Their markets were vast thanks to the family-controlled company, where countless valuable products made from the materials extracted from the land they lived in flowed, selling for a high value in the lands outside of Pendragon.

Pendragon was also a land filled with towns and villages with farms and vast fields of crops, which, with the power of sorcery and the skills of the Archduke's subordinates, were built in as little time as the city itself.

This also allowed Pendragon to act as one of the main suppliers of grain to other parts of the Empire, especially the North.

Baldur's capital had many beautiful and wonderful structures built through dwarven ingenuity, offering a splendid sight to outsiders, with the Great Pendragon Palace towering above all.

And the Adventurer's Guild, in the center of the capital, was the largest and most imposing building after the Grand Pendragon Palace, rising proudly high so that everyone could see it almost no matter where they were and say, "That's the Adventurer's Guild."

It was truly rare for a noble family to allow an adventurer's guild branch in their cities that was almost as large and magnificent as their own mansions or palaces, but this happened because Pendragon respected the adventuring profession as its founders were powerful adventurers of noble origin.

The Guildmaster and Marcus Pendragon were said to be good friends, and he would sometimes visit the guild incognito with his wife, the Sword Saint Igraine Pendragon, to chat and catch up.

Now, something like that was a thing of the past, if it ever happened, since the Sword Saint and the Symphony Wizard were dead.

Adventurers may not have had much social standing in many nations on the Centoria continent, but that wasn't because they weren't important, no. Quite the opposite... most nations feared such a force within their borders.

It was for a simple reason: the strength of the adventurers.

In a pseudo-medieval world like this, where magic and magical beasts existed, nothing rang more true than someone's personal power, which allowed them to corrupt a nation's capital and granted political influence at a national level.

An unstoppable power allowed people to ignore their emperors and kings and demanded respect from all.

And while Loveritia was far from completely medieval with all its superior magical technology, that mentality was still there... except in Baldur, where even novice adventurers had quality dwarven-made weapons.

Here, adventurers were a fairly respected profession as the majority of the original population were adventurers, which attracted a large influx of adventurers of various ranks to Draco Silva from the rest of the Empire to look for work which was quite abundant here, the only drawback was the long journey to the capital city and the verification each one had to go through before signing a magical contract before being able to enter.

Of course, it was the Baldurians who made up a large part of the adventuring population, especially the young.

Shaun Bajadur, a young man who had not yet reached the Horse class, was one of the countless E-rank inner adventurers who were part of the Adventurer's Guild on Baldur.

Born and raised in Baldur, he turns 15 this month. He spent most of his life watching his hometown grow carefree while yearning to be an adventurer like the founders.

He was just a novice, but he dreamed big, hoping to become a famous and rich adventurer.

He had a group of fellow newbies like him who accompanied him on his little adventures within the Wild Lands relatively untouched by human hands, but at that moment, Shaun was alone since his friends were doing something else at the time.

It was early and the sun had already begun to rise when Shaun arrived in front of the guild, which was made of a combination of brown hardwood and refined steel.

It was an impressive structure, resembling a stack of overlapping circles that grew smaller and smaller towards the top until they formed a cone, with large twin iron gates still open in front.

Its windows reflected the light of dawn, making it even more beautiful from a distance.

The young man with hazelnut hair and blue eyes walked excitedly into the guild's large reception room, ready to report the success of his recent mission.

Shaun walked quickly, somewhat hurriedly, through a small crowd of adventurers of different species before arriving in front of the elegant counter, where a beautiful woman with pointy ears, an elf, was looking through some papers and writing something on some when he approached her.

—Kata-san, I've already completed the application for the extermination of the Green Globins! Here's the proof...

—Hmm, really?— The beautiful elf with gorgeous honey-colored hair asked with a raised eyebrow behind her cute round glasses as she turned her attention away from the leaves, causing the smiling Kite to puff out his chest with some pride as he held something up in his hand for her to see clearly.

It was a small bag that gave off a somewhat unpleasant smell.

This cloth bag, which contained the ears of a group of Green Globins as proof of their eradication, had a red bloodstain dripping with fluid; evidence that heteromorphs like the Globins that had black blood were just weird old people's nonsense.

—I see… I didn't expect you to be able to do that alone without the help of your group. But weren't you taking too much of a risk, young man? You know this could have backfired, right? Although, well… I must say, I honestly expected you to at least flee when you realized it was too difficult to do this mission alone, or maybe die trying, but this is a surprise.

Shaun wasn't offended by the receptionist's words.

The quest he had accepted was only F rank, but it normally took a well-balanced party of at least 4 different adventurer classes to successfully complete it without getting injured or dying from recklessness.

The only reason young Saber was able to accept this quest was because he was an E-rank adventurer, very close to a mid-level. Otherwise, he would have been denied permission to accept it.

Still, he had been warned about his recklessness, as, although weak, the Green Globins were not to be underestimated if they went in groups, especially since unlike other Globins they had claws with paralyzing poison.

One more scratch was all that was missing before he fell and was captured by those demonic fairies.

"I certainly could have died if I had been as reckless as you believe I was in accepting this mission." The boy crossed his arms over his chest, covered in cheap leather armor. "But Kata-san, unlike others, I do know how to follow the wisdom of the elders with seriousness and solemnity."

—Oh, really? And what is this valuable wisdom?

—He who worthily proclaims that globinos of all kinds love meat smeared with honey until death~

—…..

The elf stared at the human boy blankly for a few seconds before bursting into laughter, drawing the attention of the rest of the room who were all looking at her curiously.

Her generous breasts jiggled a little with her movement, involuntarily catching Shaun's attention for a second like the pubescent young man he is.

—You prepared them, huh? Is that what the ruby ​​imbued with an explosive rune was for? Because I doubt they would have let themselves be killed by an adventurer attacking while eating.

"Indeed. It was expensive, but necessary for the success of this mission. The reward money and the sale of the extracted magic stones will more than make up for what I spent, and I'll be closer to rising in rank."

—What a cunning and ruthless thing you are!

—Although elves like you live longer than humans, I think that in elf years you shouldn't be old enough to act like an old woman…

—How rude… even if that were true, I'm still 50 years older than a human child like you, so you should give me some respect.

Just as Shaun wanted to retort and tell her to give him his reward quickly, a sweet voice interrupted them: "Oh, Shaun-nii! I'm glad I found you!"

—Oh…A-dawn..

Shaun said with some surprise as he turned around, covering for Kata who was looking at him curiously as she seemed to clumsily hide her bag while looking at a beautiful girl of about 16 years old dressed in priestess clothes running in his direction with a smile that reached her blue-green eyes, as beautiful as the color of a waterfall in the depths of a mountain.

Her short shoulder-length hair, which appeared to be somewhere between blonde and hazelnut, swayed slightly with each step she took, along with the sleeves of her white priestly gown with golden flower-shaped stripes.

Her breasts that were somewhere between modest and very large also jiggled tantalizingly over her clothes while the view of the curves of her excellent rear end and sensual hips were noticeable even in a dress not designed to flatter her figure, catching the attention of the nearby male adventurers as she ran over to the counter to stand beside him and breathe some air, catching her breath.

—I see you've already finished helping cure that "mysterious lady" along with the others.

“That was a while ago!” Aurora exclaimed in a ridiculous tone while holding her silver cane. “Though I left a little later than usual, since my children were a little clingy with me and kept demanding more attention while I attended to our three guests. So cute, though they can be very annoying sometimes.”

— eh… You say that, but you clearly like being surrounded by them.

— True ~

This girl, who seemed charming and bright as she talked about caring for the orphans of the local Baldur Church, was Aurora Bajadur, Shaun's younger sister and a member of the Holy Mother Clergy, who worship the Goddess of Harvest, Fertility, Motherhood, and Love, Altana.

There were many religious organizations in Loveritia besides the Diocese belonging to the Church of Creation, the cult of the goddess Altana being one of the most popular.

Many of their priests had highly specialized divine powers to heal and bless the land for crop growth, which in itself makes them attractive as a faith.

But they also cared for the sick for free, helped women become more fertile with their blessing, and cared for orphans from ancient times, which cemented their position in society as an important religion, although not as powerful as the Faith in Emmanuel, which remains the primary creator goddess whose name is evoked by all regardless of the center of their faith.

Still, many in this country were inclined to give more rites to Altana than to Emmanuel, if only for a better harvest or good health.

This further demonstrated that the powerful Church of Creation had difficulty increasing its influence in Loveritia, although its power was still much greater with its priestly families around the empire.

"You did your best healing that person, didn't you? I suppose your holy power grew after all that. It's simply ridiculous how priests can cultivate their divine powers like that..."

Shaun murmured with a wry smile. Whenever it involves the doctrines of the gods, actions as simple as helping another can strengthen one's divinity, increasing one's connections to the patron deity's divine domain and thus absorbing their sacred power and using a portion of their Authority more effectively.

In Aurora's case, actions related to "Kindness" and "Motherhood," such as healing the wounded or caring for other people's children as if she were their mother, helped her grow in strength. Although he knew full well that those weren't the reasons he did it.

—Don't call following the path of the Holy Mother "cultivation"! But yes, the Divinity within me has grown to another level. Now I can conjure other miracles that will be useful to me in future adventures!

—That's great, but even if you're done babysitting those noble ladies' friends and taking care of the kids, what are you doing at the guild instead of going home to help Mom?

“I’ve been there before. Mom said she’ll look for you because she’s worried you might go off on a suicide mission alone, though I really don’t want to believe that…” The priestess’s words stopped mid-sentence when she caught a whiff of blood, and noticing her brother’s nervousness as he covered the counter, she quickly leaned to the side. “What is this?”

—Ah T-that's all— Shaun tried to hide it even more but Kata quickly betrayed him with a beautiful smile.

—This is proof of your success in the mission to exterminate at least 14 Green Globins near Durian Village, Aurora-chan. Shaun-kun is quite brave to take it on, and also quite cunning to use a honey trap to kill so many in one go and reap the benefits.

The double meaning of her words left Shaun speechless as black lines covered his face, but his innocent little sister only focused on what was important.

—…Shaun-nii….Really?

—A-ahahaha, I just had to follow that old man Gil's strategy and there were no problems. Don't make a fuss about this…

—¡¡Shaun-nii!!!

—Gah! — Kata could only watch in amazement as the adorable and beautiful girl punched the aspiring warrior in the stomach at high speed, only to have her grab him by the ear the next second like an enraged wife due to her husband's stupidity — H-hey! Let me go! What was that!? Let's go!

—We're going home for your punishment!

—But my mission reward…!

-I don't mind!

—Relax, Shaun-kun. You can come when you're free and claim her.

—¡T-you…!

"Let's go!" The little girl pulled at her older brother with supernatural strength, but he resisted with all his might, drawing mocking grimaces from the adventurers who understood his formidable physical power from their own or similar experience.

“Aurora Gorilla Force” they called him… although no one was brave (foolish) enough to say that to his face.

—Who does that damn gorilla strength come from?

-What did you say?

"Nothing!" Shaun hurriedly denied...yes, this guy was the fool...

—It's so good to see you two here!

A beautiful and energetic female voice interrupted the discussion, causing the poor bastard who was being dragged by his younger sister to look in the direction of the voices while the latter consciously or subconsciously ignored them.

There, where Shaun's gaze fell, were three people composed of a man and two women, the latter possessing a beauty similar to Aurora's that any man would give in to his fantasies of possessing them.

—Huh? Oh, guys! Looks like you're done with what you were doing!

Blinking as he was dragged away in a steely grip, Shaun reached out with one hand towards his friends, the burly, black-haired man being the one to smile in response as he asked the priestess in bewilderment,

—Why are you throwing Shaun-san like that, Aurora-chan?

This man scratching his head, sweat running down his face, was Red Dluder. He was an Archer, though he gave the strange impression of being more suited as an axe wielder or a mason due to his imposing physique.

He was quite tall and you could tell he had good muscles even in the cheap linen clothes he wore, which showed that he had trained specifically to develop them.

His bushy eyebrows drew together in a worried look that softened the strange impression his naturally narrowed eyes made.

"Could it be that this fool finally did something stupid while no one was looking? I wouldn't be surprised. You're in a hurry to fulfill your dream of becoming a high-ranking adventurer."

The charming and energetic voice of the girl who first caught his attention among the small crowd was the next to voice her opinion, her tone mischievous as she looked mockingly at the pathetic excuse for a warrior in front of her.

She was a girl with chocolate-brown skin, lavender eyes, and flame-red hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a black ribbon. Her name was Klicha Fernid, the Caster of the group, who acted as the long-range, fast-damage dealer with her purely offensive spells.

Her slightly pointed ears were a clear indication that she was the daughter of a dark elf, a very rare race even on Baldur, and her supple, excellently curved body was quite striking, though she lacked some volume in the chest area. Not enough to call her flat, but definitely the smallest of the group.

—Ara, that would be worrying…

She was followed by her other member of the group, who spoke with a soft but irresistibly sensual voice, as if she were trying to do nothing more than ignite the passion within you with the wonderful rumble of her voice.

Similar but different from Klicha, she was an Elf with Wood Elf blood. She had long, amethyst-colored hair that reached her plump, pert rear, and beautiful almond-shaped eyes of the same color that captivated onlookers with their naturally attractive appearance.

Her breasts that easily rivaled those of the receptionist Kata jiggled temptingly with every step she took, attracting the gaze of countless men on the streets, and it didn't help that when she stopped in front of them her mesmerizing breasts bounced erotically before she crossed her arms, emphasizing them while her sensual lips curved into a troubled smile.

—I mean, I don't want beautiful Aurora to mourn the death of her useless brother because of a silly mistake of nature, after all... even though he belongs there.

-¡Ey!

The name of this erotic woman who so naturally looked down on Shaun was Miniria Borwan, a Saber who was strangely more skilled at using thaumaturgics and summons than swordsmanship. Though she was more likely to use low-level offensive spells to complement her sword-fighting style, she could also bring weak but useful summons to this plane of existence for her teammates.

These three, along with Aurora and Shaun, had been together as rookie adventurers for a few months, reaching E rank individually together, but at their current stage they were unable to form a truly official group worthy of their own name in the guild.

When she finally decided to acknowledge the trio's existence, Aurora snorted and raised her hand holding the cane as she complained to Ren, the only one who seemed genuinely concerned about Shaun's recklessness. "You won't believe this, Ren... Shaun-nii actually accepted a mission to exterminate the Green Globins all by himself after we returned!"

—Huh? No way…!

—What?! Are you crazy?

-Oh….

—Wait a minute, why did you ask…? You're obviously crazy, aren't you!

Klicha exclaimed in utter disbelief as she pointed at her. Ren placed a hand over his face as he shook his head, and Miniria opened her mouth slightly in bewilderment, covering it lightly with her slender hand.

—Come on…I finally did it, and if it weren't for Aurora, I'd have my reward right now.

—Shut up! All you deserve is a good spanking from Mom and a beating from Dad!

—H-have mercy…— Shaun raised the white flag hoping for compassion from his judge when he finally remembered that his father would arrive any day and if he found out, he would kill him. But Aurora showed no mercy in her eyes and the Lancer only fell into despair.

—I hope they castrate you, so that your hypothetical children don't infect the world with so much stupidity.

—Klicha, that’s a little…

—What, Ren? Imagine a world full of little Shauns throwing themselves to their deaths... Isn't that a tragedy?

—Hmmm... It's surprisingly easy to imagine.

Miniria muttered with a hand to her chin, her gesture unnecessarily elegant for an adventurer since she clearly agreed with the Dark Half-Elf's nonsense. Even Ren seemed to be pondering this…

—All women are against me!?

Shaun protested with feelings of anger and pain, his face red and eyes wide as he had to endure those words without any defense from his sister.

—Well, you don't have any beauties kneeling at your feet, do you?

—…

He'd spent quite a bit of time with these people, and Shaun still hadn't gotten used to the open contempt they showed him from time to time. Were they really friends?

"Hmm? What's going on?" Ren asked involuntarily, noticing the hustle and bustle in the distance. A few people began to gather near the plaza up ahead, their voices gradually growing louder.

Things became clearer when they overheard a conversation between two dwarves and a werewolf that opened everyone's eyes.

"Hey! Will you listen? It's said that the leader of the beautiful girls being guided by the guards is the Duchess of Cerodian, who's coming to visit the Pendragon clan!" the werewolf exclaimed in a gossipy tone as he looked around.

—What? The famous Absent Duchess of the North? That Noble Sovereign who doesn't even use the surname Domínguez? Where did you hear that anyway?

In response to one of the dwarves' doubts, the werewolf pointed at his wolf head…specifically his ears, as he declared without hesitation, “I heard it from the guards!”

—…Be careful they arrest you

-Now

Ignoring the rest of the three's conversation, the group of young adventurers fell into a stunned silence at what they heard.

A meeting…of Noble Sovereigns!?

That's something that happens very rarely, especially in someone else's territory!

And most of the time, problematic things happen to ordinary people when it happens…

But, even though it had nothing to do with them, they couldn't help but wonder: What was the infamous Duchess Absenté doing in Draco Silva?

With that curiosity inside them and the budding need to see the famous Black Raven of the Wizarding Tower, the 5 quickly headed to the crowd.

♦♦♦♦

The Vatican City Cathedral, one of the seven earthly pillars of faith in the Pantheon of Emmanuel, stood as a luxurious testament to the majesty and mercy of the gods.

Words, murals, stained-glass windows, inscribed motifs, epic poems: all commemorated the distant time when the Titans who ruled the earth were overthrown by the gods and Angels of the Heavenly Host.

The gray, misty veil was lifted by the Eternal Flame, and the gods bestowed their power upon the world. This entire history was recorded in the cathedral through sacred art. A single glimpse left an indelible mark.

The cathedral's deliberately subdued atmosphere added mystery to its solemn aura. Visitors instinctively lowered their voices and slowed their pace, fearful of disturbing the reverent stillness.

Inside the Great Prayer Hall of the Cathedral it was silent, with a solemn and sacred atmosphere permeating everything.

Sunlight streamed through the multi-colored windows, illuminating the great statue of the goddess Emmanuel, who seemed to watch over the salvation of all alongside her subordinate gods.

Different priests blessed with the power of the 7 were kneeling together without a trace of pain on their solemn faces, focusing solely on giving prayers to the object of their faith, praying in voices as low as the murmur of someone telling a secret; completely absorbed in absolute devotion in reciting the sacred scriptures of their respective gods.

And in the center of that luxurious yet sacred ground stood the Pope himself, tears in his eyes and a look of insane gratitude on his face as he knelt before the statue, his body trembling and heedless of soiling his luxurious sacred robes.

“Our Goddess who blesses us with her divine eternal flame… thank you very much, thank you for sending us the Messiah, your holy daughter, to save us, thank you…”

I murmur the same almost incoherent grace in humiliation before the statue of the divinity that lit the Eternal Flame that illuminates everything and creates everything, with the same religious emotion that I have been doing since this rite of grace began, 13 hours ago.

He did not do this expecting a response from the divine, but wanted to show his Goddess Emmanuel how grateful he was for once again sending one of her blessed messiahs to this filthy world full of sin and heresy.

The Pope, Franccius Neah Victorini Santrus, recalled in great detail how precious and sacred the orange-haired girl was, who was almost the spitting image of the goddess served by all the Gods of Britannia.

With a beauty that seemed worldly but left an impression on the mind and characteristics until then only seen in the divine messiah who once brought salvation to all Britannians, Franccius almost prostrated himself in her presence as he wept and prayed.

But he had to restrain himself...

She knew, almost on an instinctive level, that her goddess's Messiah must have descended to this world for a very important reason under the divine light of the gods, having an even more important role than Her Holy Majesty, Queen Isabella who rules mortal affairs, and the Saint, Morgana La Fei who invokes miracles from Emmanuel.

It's possible that the Demons, who have been spreading their malice throughout their domains in recent years, are planning a major movement to bring their evil to these mortal lands. Proof of this is the growing power of the Hell cults. Without a doubt, the Messiah descended with the mission of helping them save innocent souls from these impious heretics and their blasphemous masters.

With that in mind, he couldn't upset her by displaying his unpleasant joy and acting disrespectfully in her sacred presence. Besides, even he, in his excitement, could see that the divine Messiah was strangely cautious, despite being surrounded mostly by humble mortals.

He wouldn't dare inconvenience her further with foolish behavior, nor did he want to offend the gods by causing trouble for what he was sure was humanity's new savior.

Since then, she has been here, praying and giving sincere thanks to the Goddess Emmanuel, while she silently waits for the moment when she will be allowed to make the great revelation that will turn the nation upside down. That will be a beautiful moment, in which the name of a new Messiah will be etched in the history of the Clergy... Something that will be remembered forever, once it is revealed that a Hero (Heroine) was born.

It was then… that Franccius felt a sudden spiritual contact interacting with his soul and connecting with the divinity united with his being.

Franccius…my most faithful servant.

From that connection emerged a majestic female voice, full of dignity, but also of kindness and motherhood, which resonated in his heart, making it tremble even more, but with devotion and disbelief at the same time.

My goddess!? 

He thought, refraining from crying out in dismay... and then came the most overwhelming religious ecstasy he had recently experienced.

He never expected to receive the goddess's oracle from her mouth at that very moment, which filled him with an indescribable joy that some would even call disgusting.

He didn't mind, though. After all, divine oracles from Emmanuel, the Goddess of Creation, were extremely rare. She didn't have much contact with mortals, and the only ones with a chance of receiving her direct grace were him and Saint Morgana.

What message would the goddess who watches over humanity convey to a humble servant like him? What beautiful message would she give him from the heavens?

He waited expectantly for her words without thinking of anything else, afraid of interrupting her.

Franccius... I ask you... to send that girl to Draco Silva, the Land of the Black Dragon, as quickly as possible.

"Huh... That girl... Ritsuka-sama?"

He murmured louder, inadvertently attracting the attention of the other kneeling worshippers. Unwittingly, and seemingly unaware of the possibility, Franccius listened more intently, putting aside any questions he had in favor of hearing his goddess's oracle.

She must reunite with the Shielder, the shield bearer at the side of the Princess of Olive, so that both can find their way in the fight that awaits them... all of this is very important for our future.

“My goddess, forgive me for my rudeness but… What does this mean…?”

There's no time... please... they're coming... they're seeking to harm her... you must protect her from their clutches... she's not ready to use her power... she shouldn't be here for long... This so-called holy nation is tainted by evil...

With those critical words, divine communication was suddenly cut off and there was silence in Franccius's mind, who was in shock.

"My Goddess!" cried the Pope, regaining some of his mental faculties.

"Goddess...?"

“The Pope... perhaps received the divine oracle of the Goddess Emmanuel!?”

“There hasn’t been an oracle from the Creator Goddess for years!”

—Your Holiness! What was the message from the Creator Goddess?

Upon hearing Franccius's words, the other priests went into a frenzy. However, despite all their pleas for favors, Franccius only gently raised his hand while looking at them with a stern expression, even with tears streaming down his face, and they all remained silent regarding their Pope.

Although they were waiting for the words of the Goddess to be spoken by their religious leader, they felt somewhat nervous when they looked into her solemn red eyes.

Finally, Franccius opened his lips and said something that confused them:

“I must speak with Her Holy Majesty… Right now! By the Holy Order of the Creator Goddess, Messiah Fujimura Ritsuka-sama will go to Draco Silva to meet with the Shieldbearer and the Princess of Olive!”

The priests blinked in confusion at those last titles, but Franccius would have none of it, shouting as he waved his hands, "Prepare for my departure... Now!"

"Y-yes!!"

Everyone began to move as he commanded, and so did Franccius, his gaze shining with faith, determination, and coldness.

My insufficient self doesn't fully understand what the goddess said... But I will follow her word and send the Messiah to the land under the control of those unbelieving people, even if it pains me!

Such was his determination for his Goddess.