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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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‘Did Aslan tell him?’
Her secret was out. Angie looked at Aslan, searching for an explanation, but he simply shook his head. The Margrave, seeing their exchange, spoke.
“Aslan didn’t tell me. I figured it out myself.”
He had read their unspoken communication. Angie was startled that he had discerned so much from a simple exchange of glances, but the Margrave simply smiled.
“You’re wondering how I knew. This is the Sangirus Margravate. The border between the War God’s territory and that of the Fated of the Universe. If I wasn’t aware of the movements of the gods, this territory would crumble overnight.”
Angie blinked, still struggling to understand. The Margrave gestured towards Aslan.
“Of course, Aslan’s confirmation solidified my suspicions. Knowing you fought a High Priest in the capital, and seeing the activity from all the gods, even the less active Predator and Abyss… the answer was obvious. Something like this has never happened since the gods first appeared.”
He smiled, a look of calm confidence on his face. Angie frowned, still unsure what he meant. The Margrave was helping Harod to his feet.
“Anyway, Aslan asked for my help. Asked me to hide you. And I agreed. That was a week ago.”
Angie knew what had happened after that. She had been unconscious for a week, only just waking up. But even she, with her limited education, could sense something was amiss. The Margrave’s motives were unclear.
She couldn’t shake her unease.
“…Why… why are you helping us?”
She suddenly remembered she should be using formal language when addressing a nobleman older than herself. The Margrave shrugged.
“Because I owe Aslan a debt. Isn’t that right?”
A debt?
Angie looked at them, her confusion growing. The Margrave chuckled.
“Aslan saved my daughter’s life. She was dying from a wild mage’s curse. He found the mage, killed him, and lifted the curse. He even refused payment.”
Aslan chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the mention of his past deeds.
“You paid me in gold.”
“That was because you refused my offer of marriage.”
Angie’s eyes widened at the sudden mention of marriage.
Only Harod, his face impassive, his reptilian features difficult to read, showed no reaction. He still seemed exhausted from the earlier fight.
“You know I would only bring misfortune upon your family.”
“That’s not for you to decide. My daughter was quite taken with you. The offer still stands.”
“You know that’s not the real reason. Regardless, I must decline. Marriage is a luxury I can’t afford.”
Aslan and the Margrave spoke as if discussing the weather, their tone casual, their words implying a mutual understanding that neither would sway the other.
Angie, watching their exchange, was bewildered.
“Is that… what a betrothal is like?”
“…Hmm, not a betrothal, a marriage. I intended to make him my heir.”
The Margrave replied to Angie’s question.
Essentially, he had offered to make Aslan his son-in-law and heir. Angie couldn’t understand why Aslan had refused, but she felt a strange sense of relief.
Aslan looked down, a flicker of regret in his eyes. Not a present regret, but a distant one, a memory of something lost.
Angie, about to ask him something, saw the regret in his eyes and hesitated.
“Now then.”
The Margrave, seeing their hesitation, clapped his hands, drawing their attention. He looked at Angie.
“Any other questions?”
“…No.”
“Then let’s get down to business.”
The Margrave nodded, satisfied with her answer.
“House Sangirus always honors its debts. If I said I’d hide you, I will. And with only three of you, it shouldn’t be difficult to keep you hidden.”
It was true. At least, Angie thought so. But Aslan shook his head.
“I’m sorry to deceive you, but… you can’t hide us.”
“…What?”
Aslan explained to the confused Margrave, his words a carefully crafted mixture of truth and lies.
“They can sense the vestige of the Old Gods. They already know we’re here.”
It was a lie based on truth.
A truth only Aslan, who had experienced the game, knew.
The beginning and the end of the next main quest would take place right here, in the Sangirus Margravate.
Aslan watched the Margrave’s face harden and spoke, offering him a choice, a path to survival.
Angie and Harod, caught off guard, simply blinked, struggling to keep up.
“So, here’s my real request. Fight with us.”
The Margrave’s expression remained grim.
“…You’re asking me to risk the lives of my people, my soldiers, for you?”
His sudden shift from friendly host to wary lord was understandable. Facing an entire religious faction was no small matter.
Aslan closed his eyes, choosing his words carefully.
“Whether you help us or not… the Fated of the Universe will attack this place.”
The Margrave remained silent.
Aslan, grateful for his patience, continued.
“This is a strategic location. A gateway to the Vida Kingdom, the Baramunz Mountain Kingdom, the Southern Continent by sea, and even the City of Mages.”
The city of Sangirus, protected by a salt lake and a sturdy fortress.
Situated on the border between two kingdoms, with access to the sea, it was a crucial strategic point for the Empire.
“Even if we had passed through without asking for your help, they would have attacked this place, burned it to the ground, and then continued their search.”
“Hmm…”
The Margrave closed his eyes and sighed, conceding the truth in Aslan’s words.
Under normal circumstances, he would have dismissed such a claim as absurd. But these weren’t normal circumstances.
The title “vestige of the Old Gods” carried significant weight.
“I’m not just asking you to fight alongside us, or in our place. I will lead the fight. And the vestige of the Old Gods will fight with me.”
As the Margrave looked at him, Aslan spoke confidently, placing a hand on Angie’s shoulder. She flinched at the intensity in his eyes.
“We can win.”
The potential of the vestige of the Old Gods was immense. Enough to draw the attention of the gods themselves.
And the Master of Battle had already proven his strength time and again. His reputation preceded him, and the Margrave couldn’t deny the confidence in Aslan’s voice.
“So I propose an alliance. Fight with us. Provide us with troops, weapons, and a place to stand.”
“…And what will you give me in return?”
“Revenge against the Fated of the Universe, who took your wife. And the opportunity to destroy their precious High Priest.”
The Margrave considered Aslan’s offer.
A sincere offer, devoid of ulterior motives. The conviction in his eyes, the strength in his voice, gave the Margrave pause.
This went beyond simply repaying a debt. But he considered it.
His thoughts turned to words.
“Are you certain? We’re talking about a High Priest. You said it yourself. A High Priest you couldn’t defeat.”
It was true. Ereta was powerful. A High Priest, and also the Master of the Mace. A monstrous woman.
But still, she was only a priest.
Not invincible.
There were beings in this world far more powerful than her.
“We couldn’t defeat a High Priest of any other god, not now. But… against the Saint of Slaughter, Ereta… we have a chance.”
As the Margrave waited for his explanation, Aslan continued.
“The Fated of the Universe are a single god divided into three. They call themselves the Three Evil Gods. Unlike other gods, they are a single destructive force split into three, each responsible for a different aspect of the universe’s destruction.”
As their title suggested, they were the harbingers of the universe’s end.
The three gods of destruction.
The Weaver of Fire, who would consume the universe in flames.
The Poison-Breathing Dragon, whose venom would turn the cosmos into a toxic wasteland.
The Earth-Shattering Giant, who would crush everything beneath its feet, reducing it to dust.
Three beings, yet one. Separate, yet their power was intertwined.
“They are three parts of a whole, and their power is divided accordingly. Three parts that must unite to become one. And because of this, their High Priests are weaker than those of other gods.”
The Fated of the Universe had three High Priests, one for each of the Three Evil Gods.
And while numerous, their individual power was less than that of other High Priests.
“That’s why Ereta could become the Master of the Mace. Why she could master a human weapon.”
“A High Priest who is also a Great One… wouldn’t that make her even more dangerous?”
“She is dangerous. But not unbeatable. We can win.”
The Margrave considered Aslan’s words.
If it had been just a matter of revenge, he would have refused. But this was a matter of survival.
While his own desire for vengeance was a factor, his priority was the safety of his people.
He wanted to fulfill his duty as Margrave.
And the opportunity to repay his debt to Aslan made the offer even more tempting. Too tempting, almost too good to be true.
He looked at Aslan, hesitation flickering in his eyes.
But his hesitation didn’t last.
Aslan had saved his daughter without asking for anything in return. He had even refused the offer of marriage, claiming that his presence would only bring misfortune.
He had left, claiming it was simply his duty, accepting only a small sum of gold, far less than what he deserved for saving a highborn lady.
Knowing Aslan’s character, the Margrave sighed.
“If anyone else had made this offer, I would have refused. I would have assumed it was a trap.”
“…Is that so?”
“But I believe you. Because you’ve proven yourself.”
The Margrave extended his hand. Aslan looked at it for a moment, then grasped it, shaking it firmly.
As the handshake ended, the Margrave spoke, his voice firm.
“I accept your offer. Let us fight together.”
A faint smile touched Aslan’s lips, a genuine smile, devoid of any hidden agenda.
“Let’s kill a High Priest.”
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