------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
------------------
Chapter 193
"Violet, your replacement has finally been found."
Violet waited with a pounding heart for her replacement.
‘Finally, I can escape from this hellish workload…!’
The work in the Starn Empire was abnormal.
Moreover, ever since the kingdom transformed into an empire, the workload had grown incomparable to before.
‘As soon as I finish handing over my duties to my replacement, I’ll submit my resignation right away.’
Violet’s determination was firm.
It was true that she had some affection for the current Emperor, Kaylen...
But the workload he brought with him was like an explosion, enough to bury any positive feelings.
Of course, it wasn’t just because she disliked the work.
‘I also need to continue my research on my origin.’
At first, when the Great Mage had told her that she was a descendant of merfolk, she didn’t believe it. But after experiencing her body transforming like a water spirit in the Spirit Realm, her thoughts changed.
‘Even if I’m not directly of merfolk blood, there must be some connection between me and water mana.’
The sensation of transforming into a water spirit in the Spirit Realm was entirely unfamiliar to Violet.
It was a completely different experience from when she transformed using the S-class mana suit, Glacia—an experience of being entirely immersed with water mana.
‘I wanted to study this in more detail…’
Violet frowned.
On her office desk, as usual, documents were piled up like a mountain.
No, the amount was far greater than usual.
‘Why does the territory keep expanding?’
The Starn Empire.
After changing its designation to an empire, countless kingdoms soon applied for subjugation under Starn’s banner.
It was the result of Kaylen drawing in various kingdoms to counter the Dragon Empire, Geysir.
And the practical tasks that accompanied this? They were all handled by Violet.
"Violet… ah, there’s so much work. I’ll take my leave then."
"Great Mage! Please, help me out a little."
"Ah, sorry. I only know magic. I’m useless when it comes to administrative tasks. Totally useless."
Even Johannes, the Great Mage, who came looking for her for experiments, would flee at the sight of the mountain of paperwork.
‘Once my replacement arrives, I’ll pass on the work and find a way to survive myself…’
Violet thought this as she looked at the mirror in her office.
Though half her face was covered by Glacia, the revealed side remained beautiful.
But due to the overwhelming workload, her face had become noticeably gaunt.
As she briefly examined her reflection—
Knock knock.
Unlike the impatient maids of the castle, a polite knock sounded.
Violet instinctively felt that the person knocking was her expected replacement.
"Yes! Come in!"
She welcomed the visitor with a bright voice.
And as the door creaked open and one person entered…
"Hello, Princess."
Violet’s joyful expression began to fade.
"Uh…"
"Starting today, I am Theresia, affiliated with the Imperial Palace."
"Saintess…?"
Why are you here?
Violet stared at Theresia, the Saintess, with an expression of utter confusion.
"I look forward to working with you."
Theresia entered the room with an awkward smile.
She was not wearing her usual priestess robes but a simple, modest dress.
"Saintess, you say you’re affiliated with the Imperial Palace… What do you mean by that? Weren’t you, of course, part of the Holy See?"
"Violet, I am no longer a Saintess."
"What…?"
"I have forsaken God. I can no longer be called a priestess."
Violet looked at Theresia’s hair in disbelief.
‘Her silver hair is still shining so brightly?’
In fact, her hair seemed to shimmer even more than before, radiating a divine aura that suggested her holy power was stronger than ever.
"I heard you’ve been struggling with the workload alone. I may be lacking, but from now on, I’ll do my best to help you."
"Ah… yes."
"It looks like there’s a lot of work, but… if we do it together, it’ll be over much faster. Right?"
When Theresia spoke with a smile, Violet forced a bitter smile in return.
"Yes… that’s true."
Theresia was a living legend who had lived for a thousand years.
No matter how much she insisted Violet treat her comfortably, it wasn’t easy.
And it didn’t feel right to just leave her alone either…
‘I guess I’ll have to postpone my resignation.’
Thinking that, Violet looked at Theresia again.
The girl’s appearance had been frozen at around fifteen years old.
But somehow, she seemed a little different than before.
She looked slightly taller, and her overall figure seemed to have matured.
‘Am I imagining things…?’
Was it because her divine power felt even stronger than before?
Violet tilted her head slightly, feeling the pressure of meeting such a formidable replacement.
"Saintess."
"Please, just call me Theresia."
"Ah, yes. Theresia. Then I’ll explain the general tasks to you…"
The Celestial Demon God and the Dragon God.
Kaylen, who was trying to take advantage of the situation between the two deities, was thinking of a way to contact the Celestial Demon God.
‘It would be simplest to ask Theresia.’
Even if she had abandoned her faith in the Celestial God,
Her holy power was even stronger than before. If she prayed, she might be able to reach the Celestial Demon God.
‘But I can’t do that.’
"To ask Theresia, who had only recently abandoned the god she had served for a thousand years, to pray again was unreasonable.
Kaylen considered an alternative method.
'Contacting the Director of the Demon Realm Observatory should work.'
If it was the Director, she could reach the Celestial Demon, who now existed in the state of the White Demon King.
After deciding this, Kaylen reached out to the Director.
“Director. Can you respond?”
Even though he attempted contact, it was nothing more than speaking aloud into the air.
'No response…'
In the past, Director Ederna would have responded immediately to Kaylen’s call.
But now, there was no answer.
'She seemed less motivated after witnessing the power of the White Demon King…'
After seeing the White Demon King annihilate an entire city with a mere gesture, it seemed she had realized resistance was futile.
'I'll try until nightfall, and if there's still no answer, I’ll have to think of another way.'
Kaylen continued to call the Director every hour, and it wasn’t until the sun had set and the moon hung high in the sky that he finally heard a response.
[...Why did you call me?]
"Hmph. So, you can answer. I was about to give up."
[You've been calling me until now? Since when?]
"Since the afternoon, every hour."
[I see. There was an error at the observatory. The information from the Middle Realm wasn’t coming through properly, so I couldn’t hear you calling me.]
"Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Kaylen asked, his thoughts stirring.
"When did the error start?"
[About a week ago.]
A week.
That matched the time when Kaylen had invaded the Sanctuary.
'Though it felt like I hadn’t even spent a full day in the Sanctuary…'
The flow of time between the Sanctuary and the Middle Realm had always been peculiar.
"It seems to have started when I invaded the Sanctuary."
[You invaded the Sanctuary? The timing of the observatory's error overlapping with that… what a strange coincidence.]
"Is it really just a coincidence?"
[What could the Sanctuary have to do with the Demon Realm?]
Director Ederna asked in a puzzled voice.
Of course, it was a natural question for her—she didn’t know that the White Demon King was actually the Celestial Demon.
'I suppose I’ll have to tell her.'
Kaylen decided to drop the bomb.
If Ederna, whose motivation had been crushed by witnessing the White Demon King's power, learned the truth, perhaps it would spark new determination.
"The reason is simple. The White Demon King is actually the Celestial God. And the Sanctuary is connected to the Demon Realm."
[...What nonsense is this?]
"I saw it with my own eyes in the Sanctuary. Even the Holy Emperor was his subordinate. He called himself the Celestial Demon."
[Ha. Celestial Demon? That’s ridiculous!]
"Well, I’m just telling you what I saw and heard. Believe it or not, that's up to you."
[Hmm... I was wondering why you suddenly contacted me, but to hear such absurd claims...]
Director Ederna muttered as though she found it all unbelievable.
'...The power he showed was indeed that of a god.'"
"It was fitting, in a way.
The White Demon King, who had once crushed an entire city's population in his grasp and dropped them upon Geysir Castle.
His immeasurable power certainly touched upon the realm of the divine…
And yet, the idea that the White Demon King was actually the Celestial God was still impossible to believe.
“Anyway, pass on a message to him.”
[What message am I supposed to deliver?]
“To fight the Dragon God. In addition to the three divine swords you provided, ask him to give me the remaining three elemental divine swords.”
[Divine swords?]
“Yes. Tell him I’m requesting the swords of light, earth, and wind as well.”
[You're talking like they're something you left in his care.]
“When I fight the Dragon God, the one who stands to gain the most is the Celestial Demon. If I don't want to be absorbed by the Dragon God, he needs to help me more than anyone else.”
Kaylen confidently stated his demands, even though his opponent was the Celestial Demon.
Ederna was taken aback by his boldness.
'How can he demand such things so openly?'
If the White Demon King truly was the Celestial Demon, how could anyone speak to such an absolute existence as though demanding something left in their care?
'If I deliver that message as is, it might bring trouble upon me.'
Director Ederna firmly decided not to convey Kaylen’s message.
Whether the opponent was truly the Celestial Demon or simply the White Demon King, she couldn't bring herself to deliver a message asking for three divine swords.
But then—
“Heh. How amusing…”
The White Demon King appeared silently beside Ederna, without the slightest presence.
“Kaylen. Speak to me directly.”
As the White Demon King addressed him from the observatory, Kaylen responded without hesitation, as though things had gone in his favor.
“Good, you’re here yourself. Celestial Demon, I request three more divine swords.”
------------------
HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
------------------
