Episode 145 To the Roselia Cathedral (2)
The Ion Continent was the largest landmass in the Auterica Dimension.
Its total area was roughly similar to Eurasia on Earth, about four to five times the size of the second largest continent, the Enamel Continent.
But unlike Earth, humans didn't rule the entire continent.
This was a world where monsters existed, and they boasted a powerful force, enough to fight for territory with humans.
Strong physical abilities that surpassed humans from birth, a tenacious survival instinct that allowed them to survive even in extreme conditions, and a monstrous reproductive capacity that allowed a small number to grow into a village in just a few years.
And the life force flowing through their bodies was like an insurmountable wall to those who didn't practice mana.
Unlike humans, who had to process mana into aura or magic power, they could increase their life force just by breathing and eating prey.
But their power was limited to physical enhancement and resistance, so its versatility was extremely low compared to other supernatural abilities…
Actually, that didn't matter to monsters, whose overwhelming bodies were the best weapons.
They had settled in various terrains, including mountains, valleys, and so on, throughout the continent, and had been hindering the development of human nations for a long time.
'The monster forest, the bane of the Talia Kingdom's existence, is just one of them. Forbidden zones of that level are scattered all over the continent.'
Of course, it wasn't impossible to conquer those areas temporarily, as the Main God Church had already swept through the monster forest once.
But to completely eliminate the monsters and stabilize the area, they would have to accept a tremendous amount of effort, capital, and sacrifice.
But…
Unlike that, the vast 'Northern Mountains', which occupied most of the northern part of the Ion Continent,
Was the worst demonic realm— that humanity couldn't even approach.
Extreme cold and a harsh environment filled with all sorts of poisonous creatures.
The monsters boasted a terrifying number, befitting the vast area, and superior individuals, who had survived the survival of the fittest over a long time, were abundant.
And they even had the optimal environment for concentrating the 'madness' that had spread after the abyss opened, so it was no exaggeration to say that it had become a hell incomparable to before.
And in the middle of that hell…
[Oh, good. I like it.]
Someone nodded with satisfaction, as if they had found a real estate property with an excellent location.
The Immortal King, Hans, the continent's despair and the embodiment of death, who emitted a presence that distorted the surrounding space just by existing.
[As His Majesty commanded… I selected the location after considering various factors… a place not too far or too close to the duchy… considering the distribution of monsters and the ruggedness of the terrain…]
And next to him, Olivia was diligently explaining, as if she were a real estate agent.
She had just finished working day and night, using ghosts to satisfy the Immortal King, but this level of work was now an everyday occurrence for her.
[Good work, Olivia. Let's decide on this place.]
Fortunately, her efforts seemed to have paid off, as Hans was very satisfied with this location.
It was a mountain large enough to accommodate a military unit, and the surrounding area was surrounded by even taller and more rugged mountains, making it so dark that even sunlight couldn't penetrate during the day.
Perhaps because of that, the snow that had accumulated on the ground hadn't melted, even though it wasn't the northernmost point where heavy snow fell all year round, creating a chilling atmosphere.
'It's so gloomy and eerie that it's perfect for a demon king's castle.'
And the surrounding area, where high ridges converged, seemed to be a mountain path frequently used by monsters, as countless individuals were roaming around, like a transportation hub.
This could also be considered an optimal location factor.
[Now then— let's prepare to move in.]
Swoosh—
As soon as Hans finished speaking,
The ground around him was instantly covered in sticky darkness.
It was a method he often used when taking out undead from his subspace, but there was one big difference from the usual phenomenon.
[Hehehe, you've all worked hard, being stuck in that stuffy place. Now go ahead and run wild.]
Swoosh—
The black darkness that covered the ground spread like a shadow.
It spread endlessly, without stopping.
…As if to completely engulf the mountain.
And finally, when the darkness covered the entire mountain and stopped expanding,
Clatter—
[Kieeeeek!]
Crack—!
Countless undead slowly rose from the darkness.
Zombies, Skeletons, Ghouls, Ghasts, Wights, Dullahans…
Tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands…
The figures that were appearing one by one instantly filled the mountain, and the surrounding plants started to wither from the terrifying aura of death.
The deadly energy, fatal to living beings just by its presence, consumed the space, and the air was filled with toxic substances emanating from the corpses.
And as the mountain, covered in darkness, was completely dyed with death, the next dark magic from "Forbidden Knowledge" was activated.
Rumble—!
Amidst the countless undead and the death energy engulfing the surroundings,
With a massive tremor—.
The 'Demon King's Castle' revealed itself.
Black bricks as if made from darkness, menacing sculptures engraved everywhere, tall and sharp spires rising here and there.
It was the epitome of a demon king's castle.
'More precisely, it's the dark magic "Eternal Labyrinth". But changing its appearance is nothing to Hans.'
It was impossible to create the interior at once, but 'Eternal Labyrinth' allowed the caster to freely modify the inside, so it wasn't a big problem.
The important thing was that there was a magnificent demon king's castle right before his eyes.
Clatter— Clank—!
[Kraaaagh—!]
What followed was, as he had planned, cleaning up the surrounding area.
It was a matter of pride that there were so many living monsters in the Immortal King's territory!
And since this area was a monster-infested zone, if he caught them all and turned them into undead, they would become a useful force for Hans.
'And the Rohan Duchy will also be able to breathe a sigh of relief. The monster invasion from the north, where the demon king's castle is located, will be significantly reduced.'
He couldn't openly help them, but he could at least do them this favor.
After all, those monsters were practically becoming Hans's forces, so it wasn't like he was losing anything.
'I should also bring some of those I can use as pawns here. Old Man, the former executive of Oath of Heaven's Defiance, would be a good choice, considering his size.'
The task that Hans and the immortal army had been steadily carrying out in the western region was also successfully completed, and the number of those he could use as scapegoats had also increased significantly.
The places swept by the immortal army were now devoid of dark mages, demon worshippers, and the like.
There were even fanatics who worshipped the Immortal King…
'In other words, Hans played a huge role in stabilizing the western region.'
Even the Empire, which had the strongest national power on the continent, as well as the Republic in the east and the Tribal Federation in the south, were struggling, but the reason why the west, where weak countries were gathered, suffered the least damage was all thanks to his unseen efforts.
Of course, no one would accept it as pure goodwill.
'Ah, right. I should also bring that guy here.'
And among those who would be moving into the new demon king's castle,
Andrew Weber, the awakened one from Earth he met in Tobea, was also included.
'It's a surprisingly useful unique skill. An ability to install CCTVs wherever he wants on the entire continent. No, it's probably closer to invisible drones than CCTVs.'
The best way to properly utilize such a useful ability was to keep him close and stimulate him frequently, rather than keeping him at a distance.
'That guy, he had a blank look in his eyes and seemed lazy.'
Of course, it was just a first impression, but Hans's judgment, having reached a transcendental level, had undeniable credibility.
'There's nothing to play with here, so he won't be able to do anything else. Olivia seems busy, so she'll be happy if I put him under her.'
And so, Andrew Weber's treatment was decided without him even knowing.
Of course, it would only happen after the environment was suitable for humans to live in.
____________________
[So, Siana. You said you have something to report?]
-Yes, Your Majesty! There's a reason why I became an imperial noble! As I mentioned before, I've been diligently gathering information that would be helpful for conquering the continent!
A large space inside the demon king's castle, which had undergone some interior decoration.
Hans, sitting on a large throne made of countless bones, was communicating with Siana, who was in the Empire.
'It's fine to bring Andrew, who's nothing but an ability user, but it's a shame to waste Siana's position as a viscount in the Empire. Should I keep her there for now and observe?'
The process of Siana becoming a noble was very simple.
She transformed into a child, got adopted by a viscount family using her unique charm, and then 'accidents' occurred over ten years, killing the family members one by one.
It was only natural for her, the only one left, to take over the family.
-…So, Crown Prince Simon, who's greedy, is quite easy to handle. I was in the middle of working on him. The truly formidable opponent is the Crown Prince's rival, the fifth princess, 'Riley Carte Azeria'.
There were a total of three princes and four princesses in the Azeria imperial family.
The second prince had lost power after being pushed aside by the Crown Prince, and the third and fourth princesses had chosen to marry and give up on the throne.
The sixth prince, who was still in his early teens, had very little power, and the seventh princess wasn't even ten years old yet.
'And in that situation, only the fifth princess is recognized as the Crown Prince's rival.'
Normally, no matter how talented she was, the fifth princess wouldn't even have a chance to become the Crown Prince's rival.
Being the firstborn son was a huge advantage in being chosen as the successor in the imperial family, and the natural time advantage would have a big impact on building power.
-Princess Riley was also favored by the Emperor for her intelligence, but one person played a huge role in her building her current power, even though her maternal family was weak.
And that person was the one Siana was talking about, the one who would become the biggest obstacle in the Empire.
The one who protected the fifth princess until the end amidst all sorts of crises, the symbol of her faction's military power.
The fifth princess's closest aide and longtime friend since childhood.
And one of the best Archmages on the continent…
-Viscount Isea Pristine. She will be a huge obstacle to Your Majesty's great undertaking! She's the top priority target for elimination!
She was also the one who was recommended as a member of the 'hero party' this time.
-Actually, I almost got caught when I encountered Viscount Pristine. I've been avoiding her as much as possible since then. Even I, who fooled the Archbishops' eyes…
In other words, she was claiming that even the evaluation of her being one of the top ten mages on the continent was an understatement.
She was hiding her power to better protect the princess in case of emergency.
-The fact that a young mage in her late twenties is at that level means that we don't know how much stronger she'll become in the future. We need to nip it in the bud before she grows any further!
And Siana also relayed the intel that 'Isea Pristine' was currently heading towards the Roselia Cathedral.
She didn't know what the result would be, but she would be a huge threat if she joined forces with the hero.
Of course, Hans already knew what she was talking about.
'She's definitely amazing. At this level, she wouldn't even be a match for most of the executives. But she's in her late twenties… She doesn't look older than her late teens, no matter how I look at her.'
It was because…
Harley, who had just moved to the Roselia Cathedral, was currently facing her.