“I took care of your request,” Sienna suddenly said after closing the window behind her.
Eugene’s shoulders shook as he was startled while rubbing his stinging cheek. ‘What he’d requested?’ Eugene suddenly recalled the request he had barely managed to convey in his dazed state just before he fainted in the ruined Giabella City.
Sienna continued speaking, “Did you know? I heard that the site the city was built on was originally Iris’ fief and was formerly a forest area where the dark elves lived all by themselves. Isn’t that funny? Even though they are no longer elves, they were still attached to the forest.”
Eugene listened in silence.
“I hate that bitch, Iris, so much that even thinking about her now makes me want to grind my teeth. However, as for the dark elves who followed that bitch, well…,” Sienna paused wistfully. “After being transformed into dark elves, their mental states were similarly corrupted. But even so, weren’t there more than a few elves who were forced to transform due to the Demonic Disease or were forcibly transformed after being kidnapped by Iris?”
“Well… that might be the case,” Eugene tentatively nodded.
“Also, there were many other elves who died because of Iris.” After she finished saying this, Sienna hesitated for a few moments as she glanced over to check Eugene’s expression.
Just a few minutes ago, she had shouted at him and even slapped him, demanding to know just what kind of bullshit he was trying to spout after opening his eyes for the first time in three whole months. However, now, Sienna was glancing over at Eugene like a puppy who had just made a naughty mistake.
“So, as a tribute to the victims,” Sienna paused once more.
Eugene was still staring at Sienna in complete silence. Sienna couldn’t help but feel a little frightened by his continued silence. This was because she knew just how cold-hearted Eugene, who usually appeared so goofy and immature, could be when he was feeling serious or angry.“I turned the whole city into a forest,” Sienna quickly blurted out her confession.
Eugene silently processed this.
“You… I know that you asked me to erase the city, but still, just think about it. If that large area of land was left completely empty, wouldn’t it be a bit, no, very strange? It would probably stand out even more than if you had just left the city where it was. So that’s why I just, well, turned it into a forest,” Sienna hesitantly explained.
Eugene waited for her to finish.
Sienna fidgeted, “Also, umm, naturally, I didn’t erect any graves or tombstones or anything like that. It’s just an ordinary forest. One that’s similar to Samar. There isn’t a single trace of Giabella City left—”
“Good job.” Right when Sienna was about to fall back into stammering excuses, Eugene interrupted her with a grin. Casually waving off her worries with the hand that had previously been rubbing his cheek, Eugene continued speaking, “If you believe that is the better solution, then I’m also okay with it. After all, I’m the one who left everything up to you to handle while I was in a coma for three months.”
It was Sienna’s turn to fall silent.
“But thanks for your concern anyway,” Eugene said as he got out of his bed.
Clink.
It was just a small sound. However, Sienna was able to clearly detect the small sound made by the two rings colliding with each other.
Glancing at the necklace that was mostly hidden beneath Eugene’s thin hospital gown, Sienna sighed and said, “This should go without saying, but in regards to my concerns, I don’t have any to spare for Noir Giabella herself. I honestly don’t want to even think of how she died, where she died, or what emotions she was feeling as she died.”
“Of course, that’s how you should feel,” Eugene nodded along.
“The only concerns that I, Lady Sienna Merdein, have are for you, Eugene Lionheart,” Sienna said firmly. “Anise and Kristina also feel likewise. We — all of us — don’t want you to get dragged down by the dream you saw in that city. We don’t want any moment of your future life with us to be spent grieving for that dead bitch. However, we all know that would be impossible. Because your relationship with her was extremely… extremely deep and colorful.”
“Mhm,” Eugene grunted in acknowledgment.
“So there will be times when you can’t help but look back at your memories of her, whether it’s because of any regret, lingering emotions, or just a passing dream. During those moments…,” Sienna’s lips settled in a pout as she hesitated for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh.
She also started absentmindedly twisting a strand of hair around her finger. After a while, she let out another deep sigh, then stretched her arms wide open and embraced Eugene.
“If we just left the place as an empty ruin, it would be far too desolate,” Sienna claimed. “That’s why I made it into a forest. However, it’s also because I happen to like forests. A forest is, well, it’s overflowing with vitality, don’t you know?”
Eugene raised an eyebrow as he asked, “Is that so?”
Sienna nodded, “That’s right. A forest is packed full of positive energy[1]. The proof of that is how I, Lady Sienna, became such an astounding Archwizard after being born and raised in the forest. And you, Eugene, three hundred years ago, where was it again? I heard that you grew up in the forest on Turas’ border, didn’t you?”
“Well… that is true,” Eugene slowly admitted.
Sienna took a deep breath, “Then all we need to do is cover up the depressing memories of the past with the good memories we will make in the future.”
Squeeze.
Sienna’s arms pulled Eugene into an even deeper embrace. “Later, once everything is over, I want to go and live in that forest. Of course, with you by my side.”
After a short pause, Eugene asked, “Is there a river flowing through the forest?”
Sienna’s shoulders trembled at the sudden inquiry. She turned to look straight into Eugene’s eyes with a slightly flustered expression before finally clicking her tongue with a ‘tsk’ as she shook her head.
“It seems that damn bitch really showed you all kinds of dreams, didn’t she?” Sienna said with a pout. “A river? There isn’t one there yet, but I’ll make one flow through the forest later. I’ll even ensure that the sky above will always be full of stars. And also… also, the positive energy of the forest will be good for our child….”
As Sienna trailed off in a mutter, Eugene blinked in confusion and asked her, “What did you just say?”
Sienna’s eyes just shook dizzyingly as she avoided meeting Eugene’s gaze out of embarrassment.
Anise had been watching this scene play out with an unsightly look in her eye. She now clicked her tongue in a similar ‘tsk’ as she muttered, “Did you really say that you want to go and live in a forest without anyone else around? Are you planning on raising a family of woodcutters? Or perhaps Forest Rangers? Sienna, Kristina and I did agree with you raising a forest on that piece of land, but we don’t want to live there for the rest of our lives. Though it might be fine to put a holiday villa there.”
“What’s wrong with the forest?” Sienna snapped back.
Anise just shook her head. “It’s only right for humans to live side by side with other humans. Just look at what happened to you and Hamel. After living alone in the forest, you both ended up with personality defects, didn’t you?”
“I was raised by the elves!’ Sienna loudly protested.
“Elves aren’t humans,” Anise calmly pointed out.
“So what, Anise, are you saying that you don’t have any personality flaws because you lived surrounded by other humans?” Sienna challenged sarcastically.
Anise shook her head. “No, I admit that my personality has many problematic aspects. But that's because while I was growing up, my surroundings were filled with pieces of trash, not people. That’s why I can’t allow our future children to go through the same growth processes we did.”
‘ Our future children, huh? ’ Eugene’s shoulders trembled slightly in surprise at how casually Anise was able to bring up such topics. However, Eugene was also keeping his silence as he couldn’t find a way to refute Anise’s argument.
Even Eugene himself had to admit that Hamel, who had lived alone in the forest on the border of Turas after losing his parents, had a mess of a personality. On the other hand, what about Eugene Lionheart? Wasn’t Eugene's personality, who had grown up in the quiet and peaceful Gidol estate in Kiehl’s countryside, under the loving care of his father Gerhard, a lot better? Hadn’t Hamel’s shitty personality mellowed out greatly after growing up as Eugene?
Eugene blinked in realization and said, “Oh that’s right, what about my father?”
Having finally thought of Gerhard, Eugene was suddenly filled with concern. Before leaving for Giabella City, he had made sure to brief his father on the general situation, but it was only natural for Gerhard to be worried if his son had been in a coma for three whole months.
“Since you wouldn’t wake up, Kristina and I had to work hard to reassure him you’d be okay,” Sienna told Eugene.
“I helped as well,” Anise chimed in. “Though Sir Gerhard probably thought that I was Kristina.”
“Sir Gerhard is still back at the main estate,” Sienna informed him. “He did show great enthusiasm to play his part in the coming war, but it seemed a bit inappropriate for him to pick up a sword and stand on the battlefield at this point, don’t you think?”
The only ones currently staying at the main estate were Ancilla, Gerhard, Princess Ayla, the dwarves, and the elves who were still suffering from the Demonic Disease. Apart from them, all those who lived in the main estate, anyone who had shown a willingness to volunteer as support or who was capable of fighting on the battlefield, had assembled at an outpost on the border near Neran.
The same situation also applied to the Knights of the Black Lion, who had only left a single unit and their squires to man their station on Kiehl’s southern border. On top of that, the collateral lines had also volunteered their support, so it was no exaggeration to say that the entire military force of the Lionheart clan was currently gathered at the outpost near Neran.
And it wasn’t just the Lionhearts. All the carefully selected elite forces from across the continent had gathered in Neran. Thanks to all of that, Neran was currently being transformed into the busiest military garrison on the continent.
“Except for the general staff, most of the armed forces have been stationed in Neran. And I just returned from Neran, where I was instructing the wizard corps in their training,” Sienna revealed.
They had yet to inform him of who exactly made up the general staff, but Eugene could make a rough guess about their identities. The group in charge of leading the army had to include the higher-ranking paladins that Eugene had appointed during the Lionhearts’ last banquet, the Archwizards of Aroth, and any other Eighth Circle wizards. What Eugene didn’t quite understand was why this general staff had remained in the Vatican. Wouldn’t it have been more efficient for them to have been stationed at Neran as well, which was right on the frontline of the coming battle?
“It’s because of you, Sir Eugene,” Kristina, who had suddenly switched places with Anise, politely folded her hands in front of her as she answered his questions. “After all, wasn’t it possible that someone might try to assassinate you while you were still unconscious? The Demon King of Incarceration most likely would never give such an order, but now that a state of war has been declared, the demonfolk have already been stirred into action. It’s possible that some demonfolk who are blinded by their ambitions might choose to act on their own and try to assassinate you, Sir Eugene.”
“The Vatican’s defenses are tight, but you never know what could happen,” Sienna said as she shrugged. “That is why the general staff have remained stationed here in the Vatican.”
“In that case, have there been any assassination attempts?” Eugene asked curiously.
“Weren’t we up to six now?” Sienna tilted her head thoughtfully as she turned to look at Kristina for confirmation.
“That’s right,” Kristina nodded.
Sienna informed Eugene, “Among those attempts, there was even a high-ranking demonfolk from the top fifty ranks of Helmuth. Though he actually seemed to believe that by killing you, there wouldn’t be any need for a war. Perhaps he hoped his attempt would inspire other demonfolk to form a coalition aimed at repeatedly trying to assassinate you.”
“In fact, after the first assassination attempt, Sienna tried to launch a Meteor straight into Pandemonium, which had just floated into sight by that point,” Kristina tattled.
“I was just trying to give them a little scare. I didn’t actually launch it at them,” Sienna protested with an aggrieved expression.
Eugene couldn’t help but feel relieved when he heard that. If Sienna had been even a little more reckless, he might not have woken up in the Vatican but instead come to his senses in a temporary barracks on what was now the front lines.
Eugene changed the subject, “Well then, now that I have come to my senses, should we head over to Neran?”
Sienna spun her head towards Eugene and shot him a glare. “Who says that you’re going anywhere?”
Eugene couldn’t help but blink in surprise when faced with her glare. Now that he had woken up and his body was back to full health, what reason was there for him to remain in the Holy See?
Eugene awkwardly began, “Um… well… what else am I meant to be doing here in the Vatican—”
“This is the center of the Faith in the Light,” Kristina said as she briskly walked over to a window facing in a different direction from the one she had previously opened. “In order to get you to open your eyes, Sir Eugene, after you were in an unconscious state for such a long time, I thought that you might need the assistance of devout prayer on top of all the healing and nursing that we were providing.”
Eugene recalled the scene that he had witnessed just before opening his eyes. There had been countless small lights in the darkness and voices calling out Eugene’s name. Cold sweat broke out on Eugene’s forehead as he came to an unwelcome suspicion.
Meanwhile, Kristina had already pulled back the curtain covering the window on the other side of the room and was now throwing the window wide open.
Eugene looked out the window in silence.
In the huge square in front of the Holy See, he saw a large crowd of people gathered there. They were all kneeling down on the ground, their hands joined together in front of them, with their heads bowed deeply.
They were all praying together. Even with so many people having gathered to kneel in one location, they were all so focused on their prayers that one could barely hear even the slightest of murmurs.
Quietly, with their lips shut, they were all desperately praying from the bottoms of their hearts.
“They are all your believers, Sir Eugene,” Kristina quietly whispered with a look of pride on her face. “Of course, this isn’t all of them. There are currently believers all across the continent who are praying for your recovery.”
Eugene was still dumbstruck.
“Now that you have woken up like this before you head to Neran, shouldn’t you at least give a short speech to all your faithful followers?” Kristina persuaded.
Eugene’s lips were trembling at the very thought. Barely managing to stop the groan of despair, he took a deep gulp of air.
Eugene gasped, “R-really? Is that really necessary—”
“This is your last chance to explosively increase your divine power before beginning your war against the Demon King of Incarceration,” Kristina reminded him.
“An explosion of divine power? An explosion, hmm,” Eugene thoughtfully repeated.
Although his first reaction was one of disgust, Kristina’s idea wasn’t completely without value.
His duel against Gavid had been broadcast all across the continent. Then Giabella City had been destroyed in a single night. Faith in Eugene, rather in the Light, must have seen a continuous growth during the three months he had been unable to wake up. And now, before heading into the war, if he were to stoke up the flames of their faith to the very limit by giving a speech to his believers….
In any case, the act of training no longer held much meaning for the current Eugene. Even with meditation, it would be difficult to increase his strength any further. But during his death match against Noir, he had managed to expand the capacity of his vessel to store divine power. This meant that he was no longer restricted to using Levantein as a medium to draw on the Light’s divine power.
However, even after taking that growth into account, the divine power of the Light was still far too immense. Even if Eugene resonated with the two Saints, activated Ignition, and became one with Levantein, it was still difficult for him to handle the full divine power of the Light.
That was why he needed to steal it.
What Eugene currently needed was to absorb the faith of the Light and make it his own. The divine power accumulated over an immensely long period of time by the Light, no, by that mass of divinity that went by many different names, and the divine power that was born from that faith needed to be remade in the image of Eugene Lionheart.
This move could not have been used before his battle with Noir, as it had been a private conflict. However, it could certainly be used against the Demon King of Incarceration, who had declared a state of war, a war that threatened to destroy the entire continent, and had already established himself on the front line. This was the second coming of the era of war that was last seen three hundred years ago. If they lost this war, it would be the end of all human life on the continent.
They were on a mission to save the world for the sake of all life in this world. This was the greatest cause that could be fought for in any era. If Eugene were to step forward now and call on humanity to put their faith in him if they desired victory, then even the most devoted believers of the Light and the other Gods would find themselves fervently praying for Eugene Lionheart’s victory in this war and for him to defeat the Demon King of Incarceration.
If that were to happen, Eugene’s godhood would surely expand, and the amount of the Light’s divine power his body could store would also grow. Even without activating Ignition, he would be able to control immense amounts of divine power, and if he were to use Ignition on top of that, he might even be able to pose a death threat to the Demon King of Incarceration.
Eugene knew all this in his head, but….
“Haaaah…,” Eugene let out a long sigh.
Even though he understood the necessity of this course of action, he still didn’t want to do something as cringeworthy as giving a speech. What was he even meant to say in front of so many people? During the press conference that was held after it was publicly revealed that he was the reincarnation of Hamel, he was so embarrassed that he had wanted to either kill everyone there or take his own life, but was he really going to have to do something so insanely embarrassing one more time?
“What are you so worried about?” Sienna scoffed. “All of these people out there are already believers of you and the Light. Even if you went out there and suddenly took a shit in public, they would probably just shed tears while crying out that it was a miracle.”
“Sir Eugene can’t just poop,” Kristina quickly refuted.
Sienna was taken aback, “Wha-what kind of nonsense is that? How could there be anyone who doesn’t take a shit? Even if all you ate was dew, shit would still come out.”
Kristina shook her head, “Please, Lady Sienna, let’s stop talking about such dirty and unsightly topics. What I meant by my earlier words is that there’s no way that Sir Eugene could do something like that when he is meant to deliver his divine proclamation in front of all his believers.”
“Why are you acting like it has already been decided that I will be giving a speech when I haven’t even said whether I’m willing to do so,” Eugene complained.
Kristina just raised an eyebrow, “Does that mean you’re not going to do it?”
Eugene hesitantly responded, “No, well… if I have to… then… uh… since it’s necessary… I’ll do it, but—”
“If you don’t, I will read out your will,” Sienna whispered into Eugene’s ear with a mischievous smile.
The moment that he heard those words, Eugene’s whole body was covered in goosebumps. His will? Before leaving for Giabella City, he had made sure to leave his will with Laman. But he had told Laman that he should definitely burn the will if Eugene returned alive….
“Laman, that son of a bitch!” Eugene cursed.
Sienna slapped him on the shoulder, “Hey now, calm down. He didn’t betray you.”
“Then why!” Eugene turned to her and growled.
“Since you were unconscious for so long, I decided that you might be in danger of losing your life at any moment! So I told him that if you were to die, we should be ready to carry out your will!” Sienna proudly revealed.
“So he just handed you my will even though I wasn’t dead yet?!” Eugene angrily demanded.
“No, not really,” Sienna admitted guiltily. “While you were at the Lionheart estate, he went to your room in private and held your hand, then I overheard him sighing to himself, ‘Sir Eugene, what am I meant to do with your will….’ So I just took it from him.”
Was that really something that she should be proud of? Eugene stared at Sienna as his eyes shook in disbelief.
Sienna laughed, “I haven’t read it yet, since you threatened that you would slit your own throat if I did, so don’t worry about it.”
Kristina spoke out for Eugene, “Please don’t make fun of Sir Eugene when he was so determined to face death that he even wrote down his own will.”
Sienna scoffed, “Like you weren’t practically begging me to read even the shortest snippet of the message he left for you in his will.”
“I swear to the Light that I have never done such a thing. Lady Sienna, the one you saw doing that wasn’t me, but Lady Anise,” Kristina quickly sold her sister out.
“The speech…,” Eugene finally spat out through gritted teeth. “I’ll do the speech… so give me back my will. I want to burn it right now.”
“If you need it, we already have a speech written for you,” Sienna said with a bright smile as she pulled out a thick stack of paper from the inside of her robe. “This speech was personally written by Carmen Lionheart. What do you think?”
“Are you actually a devil?” Eugene asked in shock.
Sienna shot him a look. “A certain someone caused me a lot of worry after being in a coma for three whole months, so don’t you think that the fact I’m only getting back at you like this is a sign of how much I care for you?”
When she put it like that, Eugene couldn’t think of any way to refute her. He could only shake off his annoyance by clenching his fists tightly. Then he let out a sigh.
Eugene eventually rejected the offer, “I don’t need a pre-written speech. I’ll just say a few short words about whatever comes to mind.”
“Do as you please,” Sienna conceded.
“However,” Eugene narrowed his eyes as he tried to stare a hole through Sienna’s robe. “What happened to the Demoneye of Fantasy?”
Sienna’s shoulders trembled slightly.
1. I was tempted to put good vibes, but that doesn’t really sound like Sienna. ☜