Victor Dalton, minister of the V&V Empire, once thought he had tinnitus. After he heard Winkle's words, the whole world fell silent.
"I'm sorry, what did your Majesty just say?" the minister asked after regaining his hearing. To his left was the demolished palace, which was the ruins of today's chaotic situation.
"Malyn Victor, come meet my new servant." The dragon patted Tarask's carapace as the glowing beast ate a sea serpent. After the battle, Gobrina wisely ordered all the corpses (little Leviathans) to be piled up next to the palace, lest the two giant creatures turn their hunger on the citizens. Even now, goblins and devil guards are constantly throwing food at the reptiles. "It will mate with my dodo and breed a new generation of emergency rations"
Yes, Victor still doesn't understand. Or rather, he didn't want to understand.
How on earth did Fankle tame that thing? "Sir, this is... this is the Tarask."
"Yes, slave, you have the talent to show off."
"Golinich thinks it's cute!" said Victor's mount, who had gotten his own fish. Tarasque looked at the three heads of the monster and gave a happy sound, while Zimi wagged his tail in response. "Golinich has a friend!"
"Your Majesty, it is said that these monsters can eat the entire country!" Victor protested. "Where are we going to find the meat we need to sustain it?"
Now the Tarask glows green too. Nothing suspicious.
"Minion, you can't see as far as I can," Winkle replied. "This creature can regenerate from anything. Anything. So we're going to gut it and feed it to the cows, and then my new servants can eat the cows! It's the perfect solution to dragon hunger!"
"How are we going to move this thing around? It's too big to fit in the portal!"
"Minion, use your summoning skills to make a mark, and don't ruin my good mood with unimportant details." Fankel happily dismissed his concerns. "Because today is a great day! That annoying fairy Magma Mel is finally dead!"
Yes, Victor also has a new scythe, but the problem of Tarask remains. The minister thought for a while and came up with a way. He could mark the beast with [Black Knight] and summon Gorinich with [Zemme Knight] at the same time. [Chaos Rider]Imagine yourself riding the Tarask, a creature greater than even Winkle, and becoming a Lord of Destruction that would make Sabra blush.
"Oh..." His vision turned white instantly. "oh……"
On second thought, maybe he could get used to this new monster.
Victor left the reptiles at their victory feast and headed toward the palace gates, where Gobrina drank with her generals and Ludvik Van. Meanwhile, Kia is in a corner praying to Mithras with the Resurrection Angel, doing their best to ignore everyone else, except one.
She always kept a bound and gagged Okonu within arm's reach.
"Nice new scythe, Vic!" Gobrina raised a glass of wine in his direction, and her men followed suit. "A great weapon, worthy of today's hero!"
"I have not yet checked its function," said the minister, examining it more closely.
reward
Quality: S-(small artifact)
Objective: Collect as many souls and knowledge as possible.
Material: Northern wood.
Endurance:∞∞
Weight: 4.5kg.
Reward: +10 SKI damage, +30 critical strike, bypasses non-magical protection. Inflicts STR/VIT debuff on successful hits. The wielder can cast [Dark Fear] at will, and cause [instant death] on a critical hit. (grim Reaper).
A scythe created from the remains of Magmael, the Harvest is still animated by the former lord's thirst for knowledge. Rather than existing independently, soul harvesters become part of the Hive, dedicated to its bearers, sharing their knowledge of the true. Furthermore, the reaper's blade cuts not flesh but souls; therefore, while it bypasses all physical protection and harms immaterial targets, it cannot harm soulless creatures.
"Okay!" Gobrina said, looking at the statistics using one of her own special skills. "The more people you kill with it, the smarter you become!"
"Let's not go any further," Victor said, but he swore that he would interrogate Mag Mel's soul as soon as more urgent matters were taken care of. "You have been strangely nonchalant about this disaster."
"I can't believe the Resistance would stoop so low as to ally with the ex-military to launch a terrorist attack," Gobrina said, offering him a goblet, which he politely declined. "Fomo
s! I will have to double the number of guards to better protect our citizens from their treacherous attacks. "
"Resistance...ah, (propaganda machine) course!" Victor remembered that line; it was one of the few courses he failed. "Don't forget, your army successfully fought off the fairy army when we followed your orders to clear Mount Yagami!"
"Exactly! Finally, the citizens of the Imperial Empire know that their shogun can protect them from any harm. Especially to themselves!"
"I must say it's an interesting twist," Ludwig Van told Victor. "But it distracts us from what's really important. The sooner we finish your training, the sooner you can deliver on our delicious deal."
"I used up all the potions prepared for the ceremony." Victor admitted sheepishly. "It will take a few more days to set up the portal and assemble the required reinforcements. Can we push that back to a few days?"
"If we must... then I suggest you take a few days to pamper yourself and make peace with your family, you know. Even with all the preparation, your chances of survival are slim."
"Hey, Vic, what did you do this time?" Gobrina asked doubtfully.
"I'm going to try Kamasi Bailey," Victor explained, and the goblin's face turned pale, "to move up in a prestigious class."
"Vic, don't do this!" the conquistador practically begged her former academic rival. "This is suicide! You know what will happen in the end!"
"I have to give it a try," the minister said, accepting the risk. "I must".
"You can't survive alone!" Gobrina insisted, but the minister insisted on his decision. "Okay, let me help you!"
"No, no," Victor protested, trying to put her down gently, and Ludwig raised an eyebrow. He must have found his students a bit disappointing. "I'm sorry, you can't. You just can't."
"Nonsense! I have the best spell caster and I will find a way. I won't let you die, it can't be like this. It's not like this."
"It's okay, Gobrina." Victor hugged her as if this was the last time they would see each other. “It’s the mind that counts.”
Kia chose this moment to end her meditation and walked toward the crowd with the scroll in hand. "Vic," she said, blatantly ignoring the goblin who had conquered her. "We need to address a critical issue."
"Onubu," Victor said, glancing at the captured orc.
"Excellent." Chia nodded grimly. "What should we do with him?"
"I passed [Sca
let Study]request ma
b
Preparing a moon rocket named after him, but Thul-Gatha
The proposal was rejected. He said criminals and exiles were welcome, but sending orcs would be considered an act of war. "
"How far can your rocket fly?"
"In the words of the dwarf, as long as necessary." Victor replied firmly. "Mars, maybe this dimension is equivalent to Pluto."
"Let it be Pluto. The further away the better."
"I will prepare the launch ship for Samhain," Victor decided, while the captured orcs protested silently. "May the gods forgive us."
Now that the evil orc's fate has been decided, Victor turns to another problem: a group of winged insurance salesmen glaring at him. "Liar," one of the angels said as Kia and the Vizier approached his group.
"Liar," Victor replied calmly, and the angel immediately reached for a flaming sword in anger. The vizier's investment in the restoration process prevented the bird from attacking, much to his dismay. "what do you want from me?"
"Send us back to heaven, you thief of souls," another angel practically commanded. "We're here to help you when you need help. Reward us appropriately."
"You were fifteen minutes late when I needed you!" Victor replied, surprised at their entitlement. "I owe you nothing!"
"You are throwing us into hell, you infidels!"
"No, I didn't!" I sent you to the Paradise of Happiness, where you earned it by yourself!"
"Heaven won't let you go back," Kia said. "I asked my patron saint Mith
as), he said you first need to 'repent of your deception'. "
"Regret? One of the angels smiled contemptuously. "What, like a mortal?"
Another replied: "We are angels and we are born good."
"That mentality is the root of your problem," Kia replied firmly, raising her arms. "Look, Vic and I don't make the rules. Stick to them or get downstairs."
The angels exchanged glances. The minister suddenly realizes that after living off mortal souls for so long, they have lost all understanding of morality beyond vague concepts.
"Listen," Victor pointed his scythe at the destroyed city, "if you want to make up for your posthumous deception, start by helping the living. The capital is in ruins, and thousands of people are homeless. Home is home, and a plague is sweeping across the mainland beyond the island. If you’re not just talking, take action now.”
The birds murmured, but saw the wisdom in his words, and flew away to help rebuild. "This isn't going to help," Kia pointed out, out of earshot. "They still haven't admitted they did anything wrong."
"Don't good actions matter, even if the intentions behind them are selfish?" Victor asked, not so much for the angel's sake as for his own. The paladin shrugged, having nothing to say. "What about your drinking problem? Can you join us in celebrating Mag Meir's death?"
"Mithras told me that he could not lift the curses of the other gods, but that he would try and Se
g talk," Kia said, her neutral face slowly turning into a scowl. "That means that when the adrenaline and dopamine from our recent fight leave my body, I'm going to have to face To the futility of life without alcohol. "
She looked depressed, and the minister did not want to see her like this. It reminded him of his early days as Winkle's lackey. "Maybe you could redirect your alcohol addiction to something healthier?" Victor suggested.
"Like what, cigarettes?" I don't think Ortmund even had cigarettes. "
"I was going to suggest sarcasm or because that's my own coping mechanism. I know your [Full Heal] spell can heal your lungs, but I'm not suggesting you smoke."
The KIA frowned. "Why did this happen to me?" she asked loudly, sounding angry. "I saved the world and I feel miserable, and you conquered countries on a whim and were rewarded for it!" The villains will scream and run away when they see me, while they continue to pounce on you, even if We’re evenly matched in the levels!”
"Well, yes," Victor replied, letting her vent. "If you're the most powerful (Paladin) in the world, of course every villain will run away. If you're as annoying as me and Fankle are, everyone wants you dead, angels and tyrants alike. ."
The paladin looked at him with a strange look.
Charisma check successful!
Um?
"Mithras warned me that if I continued to associate with you, the only way was down," Kia said suddenly.
Victor slung the scythe over his shoulder. "That's a bit harsh. I admit I may have been a bad influence on Mir, but I will make up for it."
"About that..." Jia made a face, and then handed him the scroll in her hand. "I asked Mithras about your intentions for heaven, and he transmitted this to me. This is her work."
"Is she okay?" Victor asked, immediately grabbing the message.
Apparently, she succeeded in turning her resignation into a political protest of sorts and establishing her own independent afterlife institution. she's fine. "
Victor knew what he meant.
Mill could have met him directly, but he didn't.
The minister opened the scroll with his free hand and quickly recognized Mir's handwriting. However, the more he read, the worse he felt.
"Vic?" The vizier was grateful that the worried [Paladin] couldn't see his crushed face under his helmet. "Vic, are you okay?"
"No," he said, closing the book and spreading his wings. "I'll attend the banquet later."
"Vic, you let me cry on your shoulder for five hours, you can do that to me too if you need to."
"Thank you, but I would rather be alone for a while," the minister replied, causing the paladin to fly away in shock.
Victor flies over the destroyed city, watching the angels reluctantly help the locals clear the rubble; he pauses briefly at the ruins of the carpet-bombed Loli House before wandering aimlessly. He figured moving and stretching his wings would clear his head, which did help, but only a little.
Finally, he sat on the outer wall of the city, as far away from people as possible. He took off his helmet, placed it next to his scythe and scroll, and watched the sunset in silence.
He didn't know how long he waited there, watching the sun slowly disappear over the ocean while Vankel and everyone else feasted and drank to their heart's content. But eventually, he felt a presence appear beside him, a remarkable woman emerging from nothingness.
"Victor's greetings." Goddess Camilla changed her usual clothes into a purple bathrobe with a white flower pattern. Her room smelled of a sweet, honey-like perfume emanating from her body. "I'm sorry I couldn't come to you beforehand; as the Plague Goddess, I've been very busy recently."
"I see."
"I really wish I was there when you opened the 8th level of magic; at that point, the balance is completely broken and the real magic fun begins! I have a lot to teach you, especially about that new scythe."
Victor said nothing.
The goddess winced at his frustration and sat down next to him. She quickly noticed the scroll he was holding. "What's this?"
"A resignation letter, a restraining order, and a realistic drawing of a shipwreck."
"From Angel Girl?" Camilla shook her head. "It won't end this way, Victor, you know that."
"I try to do good deeds, but I find them unpleasant, or counterproductive; nor do I have the appetite to eat a full Aknapeppe," the vizier complained. "What's wrong with me?"
"Of course not, Victor," she said, her soft hands moving to his armored shoulders. "You're just bi-neutral."
"Bi-
eut
al?"
"You can be attracted to both good and evil. You're young, so you're still exploring your karmic identity. It's good. I had a neutral phase when I was younger."
Victor looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You did it?"
"Yes, my expedition team has been fighting that dashing paladin..." Camilla sighed, as if recalling those shameful days. "Victor, it's time for me to speak to you."
"What to talk about?"
On the Origin of the Fall and Redemption. You see, when a [Paladin] and a [Necromancer] get close enough, sometimes, they start to have unprotected Charisma checks. It's fun, very fun, but eight months later, the outcome is either redemption or degradation. This is a very messy process. "
"Are we talking about sex or Paladins?" Victor blurted.
"About [Paladin]," Camila clarified her intentions. "When we were all mortals, our party had a feud with a knight. He was highly charismatic, as was I, and we were in close quarters often... You can see where this is going. We didn't get beyond kissing and making out , but we were passionate. I even temporarily gave up on my team and voodoo; Jesty tried everything to make me reconsider, shouting that I had made a mistake. He was right, but I was curious, too Mesmerized.”
It doesn't take a genius for Victor to figure out who the [Paladin] in question is. "The Bible never mentions this part."
"Because it ended badly for both of us. I was trying to make up for our differences, but he wanted more than I was willing to give. He wanted me to atone, and I didn't want that commitment; I was prepared to compromise, Stop the witchcraft if I could keep the harem but he wants it all. The so called good guys think they mean well but at the end of the day they just want to control you. Reshape you in their image and make you compliant. If you think about it you will see that he Very narcissistic.”
He could almost hear the bitterness in her voice. Of course, while the Prime Minister kept the news to himself, he knew she might be biased; he could only take one side of the story.
"We had a falling out and I used my witchcraft to let off steam. Eventually, he tried to lock me up because I had awakened an ancient Cyclops [lich] to get his [Wand of Mass Destruction]; I felt betrayed so I invented the identity of a vampire and spat on my white knight the sun I loved so much. Nasty breakup, I hope you never go through something like this. But you know when the dust settles it's Who's on my side? My party. They always have my back, even when I push them away."
Victor thought of Winkle, Julius, and the others who had been with him through disaster after disaster.
Camilla must have read his mind. "Karma, lovers, and paladins come and go, Victor, but what about friends like your dragon? They still exist."
“Is that the moral of the story?”
"No, the lesson is, don't do unprotected charm checks with Kia Bekele. If you feel paranoid, you can use [Protection Against Good], or [Protection Against Order]."
The Prime Minister had a strong urge to facepalm. "Okay, but that doesn't apply in my case. Mir is my friend and I do use him to my advantage."
"That's just what I want," Camilla replied. "Friends are special people that you must always respect because they have your back when you make mistakes." Other people are expendable, but you should never take friendship for granted. Don’t abuse their trust or goodwill lest they lose their trust. Now, why do you want to go to that dreary paradise?"
"Because I liked Mir and I thought she was bisexual and I could get a better afterlife by paying for it."
As he said that, he suddenly understood the hidden problem. No, he didn't try to get to heaven on merit; his own deception proves that. The benefits and unforeseen consequences of his own fraud could not make up for the selfish intentions behind it.
As sad as it was, Mir had the right to fool around with him. She sincerely tried to help him, and he repaid her trust with lies because, deep down, he had been unwilling to fully commit to her plans. Camilla is right; if he respects Mir, he should be honest with her from day one.
Maybe he should start by being honest with himself. Admit that he made the wrong choice and face the consequences.
"I'm happy with a balanced life," Victor realized. "I don't care if I don't reach the standard of heaven or go all the way like Gobrina; I should do what feels right and what makes me happy."
"Yes, there is nothing wrong with being neither an angel nor a demon." Camilla nodded supportively. “You can have both.”
"I am bisexual and proud of it!" the minister declared. "Who cares if I don't get to heaven? I'm still going to take that (Devil's Raking) class!"
"I'd be happy to help," said his patronus. "I promised you that if you come back to life on your own, I will give you a gift..."
"About this, I have a friend who talks to Se
g is in trouble,” Victo
explain. "Can you do that for me? Like you said, I have to be loyal to my party." "
Camilla looked very disappointed.
