I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 92: 0. War (3)

The Holy Kingdom was breaking through the southern part of the Empire with unstoppable momentum, drawing closer to the Academy.

Surprisingly, all of this information was disseminated through the media, like newspapers. They did not hide the information. Rather, they seemed to be leaking it intentionally.

The powerful nobles of the south were each being defeated by the forces of the Holy Kingdom. In response to this unprecedented situation, the Imperial family dispatched the Crown Prince to the Academy to prepare for a full-scale defense.

And so it was.

"It's been a long time since we last met."

It was only natural for Crown Prince Friedrich to visit the Academy.

The Empire had given up on intercepting the forces of the Holy Kingdom. A tremendous military force was gathering at the Academy.

There, they were preparing for a major confrontation.

Those who followed Friedrich were all remarkable individuals.

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Noblemen of great renown, leaders of the Imperial Guard, and others of high status.

Of course, the Crown Prince first sought out Veris. He knew well that Veris possessed power that far surpassed that of ordinary humans.

"It's been a while since we last met."

Friedrich looked somewhat haggard, perhaps due to the mental strain he had been under. Veris simply nodded his head in greeting.

"Do you know who this person is? If you are a noble of the Empire, you should greet him according to the etiquette of respecting royalty!"

"...?"

However, the problem was that many unfamiliar faces were surrounding Friedrich that had not been there before.

Friedrich pinched the bridge of his nose.

Was he annoyed? He muttered in a tone that felt out of place.

"Don't provoke me. I'm telling you to shut that mouth of yours."

"Y-Your Highness, we are just...."

"That's enough."

Friedrich's voice was sharp. The men who heard it shrank back like turtles retreating into their shells.

Only then did the interlopers fall silent, and the Crown Prince spoke with a bitter smile.

"I've heard that you are called the Sword Master of the Academy."

"That is correct."

"To reveal such power means that a great crisis is approaching."

Friedrich gritted his teeth.

In his short life, the Empire had been like a star in the sky.

But now, that star was in a precarious situation.

The Holy Kingdom, those damned hypocrites, invaded the Empire under a fleeting pretext.

"I still don't understand what they want."

With that, Crown Prince Friedrich let out a small sigh.

The justification for war put forth by the Holy Kingdom was that the Academy was spreading false faith, and they intended to overturn it.

But every student attending the Academy knew the truth. It was not the Academy that spread false faith, but rather the cult of demons that ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) had seeped into the darkness.

"Your Highness."

"Hmm, speak."

"Do you know much about the cult of demons?"

It was Veris's blunt question. Taken aback by the sudden inquiry, the Crown Prince nodded with a puzzled expression.

"Of course, I know. Recently, we captured one of the cult's lackeys at the Academy, didn't we?"

"Then you will understand quickly. That lackey is a priest of the Holy Kingdom and a 'disciple' of the cult of demons."

"Wait. What do you mean by that...?"

Veris's voice was disjointed. But Friedrich managed to grasp the meaning.

His face turned incredulous as he turned his gaze southward. That was where the forces of the Holy Kingdom were advancing right now.

"I believe that the Demon Cult and the Holy Kingdom are one and the same."

"Are you insane?"

The Crown Prince was astonished.

The Academy had a considerable number of individuals from the Holy Kingdom. Even the Saintess Cecilia was here, and it was common knowledge that she had a special relationship with Veris.

Yet to say that the Holy Kingdom and the cult of demons were one!

"What does the Saintess have to say about this?"

"Cecilia has already made her decision. She has chosen to stand against the

Holy Kingdom. She knows well, with her own eyes and ears, that the Holy Kingdom is the one in the wrong."

"Is that so? I see."

The Crown Prince nodded with a heavy gaze.

Even at this moment, groups of soldiers, knights, and mages from all over the Empire were gathering at the Academy.

The real war was about to begin.

*

After parting ways with Friedrich, Veris headed straight to the depths of the Academy, to the place where the disciple Yunafint was imprisoned.

The security was tight. It was already a place under the watch of the Imperial Guard, but since the war with the Holy Kingdom had begun, a military camp had even been set up around her quarters.

"...Poor little lamb."

"Shut your mouth."

As Veris opened the old door and entered, he saw a girl with her eyes closed.

"In the end, you've caused quite a stir."

"What do you mean by 'stir'?"

"The Holy Kingdom has started a war."

"Indeed. It is a tragic situation. Surely, much blood will be shed."

Yunafint expressed her sympathy with words, but her expression remained as emotionless as before.

"Yunafint Lunaciel. Priest of the Holy Kingdom and apostle of the Demon Cult."

"If you are referring to my identity, then you are correct."

"I can see that things are starting to unfold. I'm smarter than I look."

Veris approached Yunafint, who was sitting in a chair.

Perhaps she had been eating.

On the shabby table lay hard, stale bread and a thin, pale soup.

"The Pope of the Holy Kingdom is the head of the Demon Cult, isn't he?"

"...That's an interesting insight."

"It's a situation that's painfully obvious. He must want me dead. More than half of the Twelve Black Seats have been killed by me."

"...What did you say?"

Yunafint quickly turned her head.

It was likely a fact she was unaware of. The number of disciples of the Twelve Black Seats that Veris had killed was indeed considerable.

"You are... strange. You are someone who did not exist in the church's prophecies. You are obstructing our work."

Yunafint, who had maintained an expressionless face until now, seemed to have her thoughts changed upon hearing Veris's clear words, as she trembled slightly.

Yes. She looked as if she were malfunctioning.

"You are... too strong. Even miracles do not work on you. Veris von Vitelbach. What is your true identity?"

"True identity? I'm just a first-year student at the Academy."

Yunafint's voice was hollow. Noticing the stark difference in her reaction, Veris shrugged his shoulders.

"Since the work has begun, I'll share a simple story with you."

"A story?"

It was a statement made by Yunafint after a moment of contemplation. For her to speak after maintaining silence until now, Veris tilted his head in curiosity.

"Do you know how long it has been since His Holiness the Pope took the position?"

"Well, I've heard it's been quite a long time."

"That's right. His Holiness has held the position of Pope for about fifty years this year."

"Wow."

It was astonishing. To ascend to the position of Pope, one would have to be a carefully selected priest, limited to those with deep experience and faith.

Then how old could that old monster be? Veris couldn't even begin to guess.

"His Holiness has felt something strange in this world for a very long time. The God of Light. He has doubted whether He truly watches over the world."

...It was a ridiculous question for a priest to have.

Is it even reasonable to doubt whether a god watches over the world?

"Apparently, a figure from the church approached Him. And they revealed the hidden truths of this world."

"Hidden truths?"

"Are you prepared to face the truth?"

Yunafint's voice was devoid of emotion. Yet, for some reason, there was a subtle yearning woven into that lack of emotion, prompting Veris to slowly nod his head.

"This world is... a false space."

"A false space?"

"Yes. The God of Light, who is revered by the world, is not a benevolent parent of the celestial realm."

Once again, an irreverent statement emerged.

For Veris, who had no faith whatsoever, it was not something that concerned him much.

"The Demon Cult has been trying to destroy this world for a very long time. They have witnessed the fragments of the true world."

"The true world."

It was too grand a statement to be dismissed lightly.

Are they saying that this world is false and that the Demon Cult is trying to correct that false world?

"Then, what is the reason you seek the true world?"

"To live our own destinies."

It was a riddle-like answer from Yunafint.

To live one's own destiny. Does that mean the Demon Cult believes that the people of this world live mechanically, bound by their fates?

"The true enemy is the God of Light. He is not a god at all. He is a being from another realm. He manipulates humans and, furthermore, all life in this world. He is a harvester. He harvests the souls of all living beings."

"...What does the God of Light gain from such actions? What does he do with the harvested souls?"

"I have not yet found the exact answer. But what is certain is that he sings of prosperity in his world using those souls."

At Yunafint's confident voice, Veris fell silent.

He had thought of the cult of demons as merely a group of ordinary lunatics.

But now, it seemed they were quite specifically insane.

"How interesting."

Of course, he was not entirely uninterested.

A false world.

A supreme being that bestows destinies to live mechanical lives.

And a god that is not a god, who harvests souls.

"For now, I'll have to deal with the Holy Kingdom and the Pope and see what happens."

Veris's voice was filled with confidence.

Upon hearing that, Yunafint trembled slightly.

It was a reaction born from having witnessed the power that Veris possessed with her own eyes.