“So, you’re saying that a group of divine-bloods called ‘Star Root’ has formed…… something like that?”
“Yes.”
At Evan’s answer, Alon tilted his head slightly and asked a question.
“How did a rumor like that spread……?”
“Pardon……?”
He elaborated to Evan, who looked confused.
“The divine-blood wouldn’t go around telling humans that they formed some organization or gathering.”
That doubt was reasonable.
If it were a human organization, it was only natural for rumors to spread the more it acted.
No matter how much they operated in the underworld, unless they kept their mouths completely shut, word would leak out.
But divine-blood?
To begin with, they weren’t human.
Nor were they small enough to hide among humans.
In other words, the very fact that such a rumor was circulating was extremely unusual.
“Hm— it is a bit strange. Since I didn’t expect even that much from the information guild, I’ll look into it right away.”
“Please do.”
“Anyway, that group of divine-bloods called ‘Star Root’ seems to be growing within the Allied Kingdom Alliance.”
“Hm…….”
Alon pondered.
“I heard that not many divine-bloods fell on the Allied Kingdom Alliance’s side, though?”
That was what he had heard from Risen One.
As evidence, unlike the Empire, which had been thrown into chaos by the divine-blood, the Allied Kingdom Alliance had been remarkably calm.
Even looking at the number of appearances by divine-blood, it hadn’t exceeded ten.
‘But last time, it was already said that eight divine-bloods were active in the Allied Kingdom Alliance.’
Having thought that far, Alon asked another question.
“Evan, have you heard anything about the scale of that group called Star Root?”
“According to the information guild’s investigation, it exceeds ten entities.”
“……Ten entities?”
“Yes.”
“That’s…… not very good news.”
As Penia muttered in a deliberately serious voice from beside him, Evan asked.
“Well, it’s not good news, but isn’t it also not bad news?”
“……You’re saying this isn’t bad news?”
“Right?”
“Haa—”
With an expression that clearly said, this idiot really is hopeless, Penia let out a sigh.
Evan’s thinking was obvious.
As if she already knew everything, she spoke.
“Obviously, you’re saying it’s not bad news because even though a lot of divine-blood gathered, they’re not attacking the kingdom at this point, right?”
“Right? The divine-blood aren’t attacking.”
“Aren’t you being way too carefree?”
“……Am I?”
“Of course you are! Sure, right now we’re busy fighting divine-blood popping up all over the place, but we have no idea how they’ll act next. If those gathered divine-bloods really decide to wipe out the Allied Kingdom Alliance together, there’d be no answer at all!”
At that, Evan scratched his head and countered.
“No, it’s not like I didn’t think that far, but honestly, would they really do that?”
“Based on what?”
“From the divine-blood’s point of view, don’t we still not look particularly threatening right now?”
“Well……”
Penia thought for a moment, then replied.
“That’s true, realistically.”
“See? If they were going to attack humans to begin with, they would’ve already done it. But if you look closely, they’re just increasing in number and not really attacking humans, right?”
“That’s true, but……”
At Evan’s words—if they were going to attack, they would’ve done it long ago—Penia made an ambiguous expression.
Listening to the exchange between the two, Alon reached his own conclusion.
‘It’s better to prepare.’
Naturally, neither Penia nor Evan was wrong.
If it were one or two divine-bloods, he was confident he could stop them somehow.
But if the number exceeded ten.
At the present point, there was no way he could stop them, no matter what he did.
‘Evan’s opinion isn’t something to dismiss outright, either.’
Even so, preparing didn’t mean he intended to ignore Evan’s view.
It had its own validity.
At the very least, as far as Alon knew, the divine-blood had to fight one another.
To them, humans were finite tools, and in order to stand against the next stage of divine-blood that would awaken over time, they had to rapidly secure their own faith even now.
Yet those divine-bloods, who should’ve been that pressed for time, were leisurely gathering their forces?
It really was a bit strange, so—
“Evan.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“For now, please investigate that Star Root as thoroughly as possible.”
“Understood.”
Alon decided to pay closer attention.
The next day.
Alon arrived at the Divine Land.
And then.
“Sir Alon.”
“Yes.”
“I expected it, but.”
“I expected it too, but.”
“……It’s developed even more than I thought.”
“…I agree.”
Evan, Alon, and Penia were left speechless as they looked at the Divine Land from atop the cliff.
That was because it had changed to a degree that felt like an entire era had passed since last time.
What they had seen before were merely dozens, hundreds of tents temporarily set up, and here and there on the outskirts, small houses just beginning to be built.
But the scene before their eyes now?
“….Sir Alon.”
“What is it?”
“Has it been about a year since we last came to the Divine Land?”
“…Wasn’t it only a few months?”
“Right?”
It had changed enough to make Evan question it.
Most of the hundreds of tents had been replaced by houses, and what had clearly been no more than wooden palisades around the outer area of the settlement had now become proper walls, albeit low in height.
With only the central castle missing, this was practically in a state that deserved to be called a domain.
“Where is all this money coming from?”
Alon muttered, and.
Evan suddenly recalled something.
The frenzy-inducing(?) donation lottery that had been held in the annex when Palantio was founded.
“Could it be donations?”
“Donations……?”
“Yes.”
“Can that much really be gathered just from donations?”
“Hm— well— Rosario also has donations as the largest portion of its financial share, doesn’t it?”
Penia resolved Alon’s doubt.
‘So there really is a reason religions are rich.’
Realizing that truth anew, Alon stepped into the Divine Land, and.
“Welcome, Your Majesty!”
“Chief!”
“Hello, God.”
As if they had been waiting, Sili, Ryanga, and Historia greeted him.
***
‘Ah, and if you have concerns about your divine power, try visiting the Divine Land. You’ll find your answer there.’
After finishing light greetings.
Alon entered the office, which was still in the form of a tent.
Siyan’s words naturally came to mind.
‘I did come here, at least.’
In a way, it might have been a bit foolish.
After all, Siyan’s words were nothing more than speculation.
But since Alon felt credibility in her words, he had come straight to the Divine Land without hesitation, yet—
‘……I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.’
Nothing in particular came to mind.
At that moment.
Tap—
At some point, a pure white cat—
No,
“……Kalannon?”
[Meow—]
Kalannon appeared.
As if it had something to say.
While Alon wore a puzzled expression.
Tap—
Kalannon climbed onto the desk and placed its small paw on the back of his hand.
And at the same time.
“!”
Alon felt as though his consciousness was being sucked somewhere.
When the vision that had momentarily darkened returned to normal again.
“……This place is.”
He was in a familiar space he had seen many times before, where a blue galaxy shimmered. And.
“I had so much to say, but why did you only come now!”
“Kalannon?”
“Yes?”
“No, never mind. More importantly, you said you had a lot to say? Did something happen?”
“Yes! Of course something did!”
“……Don’t tell me, it’s about divine power?”
“Yes. There are a lot of things I’d like to tell you, but in the end—”
From Kalannon, who had taken on the appearance of a girl as usual, he heard a startling story.
“We’ve become able to make a god……!”
“What?”
Words that maximized Alon’s concentration.
***
To the west of the Ampellan Continent, where the Empire lay.
A land once called the Western Empire, but now, after divine-blood fell upon it, had lost even its name and turned into hell.
Among it all.
At the center of the southern territory that had once belonged to the Nix family, which had produced great imperial chancellors, but had now been completely reduced to ruins.
Krrrk, krrrk—
There was a divine-blood as long as a dragon from Eastern myths.
Its entire elongated body was covered in grotesque teeth and mouths.
At the place where the sun set, thousands, tens of thousands of round orbs glimmered around the territory. The divine-blood gliding smoothly among them was none other than the ‘Father of Maggots.’
A powerhouse counted on one hand among the divine-blood currently active after falling from the sky, and also a subordinate of the ‘Rotting Mouth,’ it drifted leisurely through the air.
Then, upon noticing a divine-blood that had arrived outside the territory, it opened its mouth.
[What is it?]
Despite the other being a divine-blood as well, the condescension came naturally.
That was because of the authority and strength it possessed.
The divine-blood before it couldn’t compare in any regard.
[.... I have come to deliver a report.]
At the subordinate’s words, garbage-like powder pouring endlessly from its body, Father of Maggots asked back.
[A report?]
[Yes, regarding the order from the great Rotting Mouth to deal with the ‘Star Eater.’]
[Ah— ah— that. The ‘Poison Swallower’ was sent, wasn’t it.]
Father of Maggots nodded.
It recalled the task it had assigned to the divine-blood.
[So, is the ‘Star Eater’ dead?]
There wasn’t a shred of doubt in its words.
After all, killing a mere human, not even an empire.
It would have been far too easy for divine-blood.
However.
[That………… it seems to have failed.]
[What?]
At the following words, Father of Maggots was taken aback.
[Failed?]
[Th— that is…… yes.]
It was hard to comprehend.
But only for a moment.
Hundreds of mouths attached to its entire body spilled out mocking laughter.
[What a disgrace to the divine-blood, to fail at killing a single human. How absurd.]
It was genuinely dumbfounded.
[But there’s no need to worry, is there? That fool wasn’t the only one sent. Surely…… didn’t the Sin-Craving Wraith go as well? I think the gluttonous insect went too.]
As if there were nothing to worry about, it continued gliding leisurely through the air, but.
[....Th— that is.]
[What is it?]
[............ Those two also seem to have failed.]
[What………?]
At the continued words, it stopped moving.
[..... Failed?]
[Yes. Both appear to have been annihilated.]
[······??]
For a moment, it was at a loss for words.
Of course, it was aware that the Star Eater was no ordinary human.
But even so, in the end, a human was still just a human—nothing more than a tool to the divine-blood.
[............... Does that make sense?]
Father of Maggots asked again, truly unable to understand.
[That is………… I don’t really know either.]
The other divine-blood scratched its head as if it too couldn’t understand.
After an awkward silence passed briefly.
[............ Well, I suppose that can happen.]
The long, horrific divine-blood accepted it with some difficulty and began gliding through the air once more.
[Burned Vegetation went next. Along with it, two more divine-blood were sent to deal with the Star Eater, so there shouldn’t be another failure.]
Father of Maggots recalled Burned Vegetation.
It wasn’t as strong as itself, but among those who had fallen, it was certainly powerful.
The two divine-blood that went with it were the same.
However.
….
[?]
[I also have something to report regarding that matter.]
[What is it?]
[....It seems that Burned Vegetation and the two divine-bloods are protecting the Star Eater.]
[What? Weren’t they sent to kill him?]
[..... Yes.]
[And now they’re suddenly protecting him?]
[That appears to be the case……………]
[······ ??]
[That is, I don’t really know either…]
[?????]
At the unexpected recent developments(?).
Its gliding came to a dead stop once more.
