As everyone looked around in confusion, Arnold stood up, their eyes turning to him. Ignoring them, he approached the door and could hear them following from behind.
He could sense several very powerful individuals on the other side of that door. They were on an entirely different level compared to the Great Nobles. Probably near Marcus at full power.
Arnold could sense hostility but if they were really here to capture him, they would've attacked without announcing their presence.
One could argue they don't want to hurt the people inside by attacking from outside. Well, knowing who these people are, they could just teleport him outside like the last time and then attack. Such a convenient but terrifying spell.
When Arnold opened the door, the hostility became thicker. He was faced with a sea of faces covered by white hoods and robes. At the very front was a short young woman with long black hair, her face half covered by her hood.
Next to her was…
Inquisitor Lancelot, the handsome blonde-haired, green-eyed monster that Arnold barely escaped from last time. He was wearing the same mask as that time.
"Nova…?" Alice and the rest appeared behind Arnold, looking at the door with wide eyes.
But his eyes were on the young woman who was looking at him.
"Come to take off my head, Oracle Angelica?"
**
Lancelot, Angelica and another hooded individual were sitting at the same table as the others were sitting at earlier. Since there wasn't enough space for all of them, only those three were seated while the rest filled the guild. There were almost 20 people who came along with Angelica, including Lancelot. The hoods they were wearing are meant to conceal them but with this many of them, they would obviously pull eyes.
Arnold's gaze was on Angelica, completely disregarding anyone else.
"Why are we suddenly holding a meeting as if we're business partners? We don't even know each other."
Personally, that is. Arnold knows just about everything about her—how she's some orphan who grew up with Lancelot in a poor village's church in the middle of nowhere. Then she married Luke before the war, having one child with him.
"—I apologize for interrupting a guild meeting. Before I answer your question, allow me to introduce myself formerly." The young woman's gentle voice echoed as she slowly lowered her hood completely, "I am Angelica. Goddess Melis chose me to be her oracle, a messenger and prophet. Through my dreams and her whispers, her wisdom and teachings flow into me."
"…."
She glanced at the others. They were understandably in disbelief that the Oracle would show up here.
"Do all of you know you are working with a demon lord factor?" Lancelot opened his mouth as he looked at Arnold.
"W-What? Sir Nova isn't a demon!" Elora shot back.
"He's right." Arnold said, making Elora look at him in disbelief, "I wasn't planning on revealing my identity this early or in this manner but I guess it can't be avoided."
Before, he feared he would be hunted down by the Theocracy and basically all followers of Melis (which is 80% of this world) but with his current strength, he could care less if they come after him.
With his feat of defeating an Ancient Dragon like it's nothing, that alone should be enough to deter anyone from getting the idea in their heads that they can get a bounty reward for killing a demon factor.
"N-No way…"
All of them looked at him. He didn't bother to study their expressions.
"I am Arnold, once part of House Berkley. And I threatened to kill the person who the emperor believes is Promethius' successor."
Not caring anymore that others will hear, he revealed everything.
Alice frowned for some reason upon hearing that. The rest just looked confused.
"We heard Emperor Jurnick's side of the story when he contacted us, conveyed to him by this Arthur fellow. But I am afraid I do not side with them in this."
"What?" that was something Arnold never thought he would hear.
"Doesn't this mean you don't stand with Arthur?"
"Yes. I do not support him."
"Should you really be saying that in front of… us?" Arnold said as he glanced at the others.
"Angelica has already told the Pope and there are people looking to capture her for apparently defying the will of the Gods." Lancelot interjected. "The Inquisition and Ten Testaments stand with her so she is free to express Goddess Melis' will as she sees fit. We will protect her."
"Slight correction—only a few members of the Testaments support me in this. The rest, including Alitus unfortunately, want to take me back to the Theocracy, by force if they must."
"…" Arnold had a frown on his face since he didn't expect this. Of course, he didn't expect Arthur to become Promethius' successor either, "I guess it's true that the Pope is a cynical man who wants nothing but to hold you on his leash, Angelica."
"How dare you address her so casu—" Angelica held up a hand, stopping Lancelot.
"Then you should not be surprised why I need a party consisting of the Theocracy's strongest. If I am captured without conveying the truth to the world, it will lead to our damnation and I will die a mindless slave controlled by a puppet string. Forgive me for saying this but only my word carries weight since the people know my connection to Melis."
"Right…"
"We should have never let Pope Augustus keep the grimoire. Now there's no telling what kind of threat he will be the next time we face him head-on." Lancelot gritted his teeth.
"…There is nothing we can do about it now, Lancelot. At least Ceera was able to learn eleven spells from the book."
"Nine. The other two are beyond what I can handle even if I know every chant word for word." The hooded figure spoke, revealing that it was a woman, "I hope I can teach it to Freya York, however."
"Ah yes."
"Since Lancelot was able to teleport me directly to him, I'm assuming there are other powerful spells exactly like that one in the book?"
"Ceera was the one who used the spell. But yes, His Holiness may very well be a threat on the level of Freya York if he is done analyzing it."
"I don't remember the Pope being a magician. He's just a regular priest, right?"
"That's how it's supposed to be…" Angelica looked away uncomfortably.
"What is it?"
"His Holiness expressed his desire to use a Gluttony Ritual, effectively giving his soul to the book and receiving its power in return."
'I don't think the Pope ever did that in the game… Ekterina assassinated him during the School Arc. In fact, no one has ever done a Gluttony Ritual given the cost associated with that spell.'
"T-That's possible!? I thought only rune masters could do that!" Lucia blurted out.
"The Theocracy can do many things it will never share with the rest of the world…" Angelica smiled wryly, "I am afraid even I do not know everything."
A Gluttony Ritual allows a person to absorb the energy, knowledge or spirit of magic items and artifacts. It's a dark magic spell that makes you give your soul to the Death God in exchange for power. While you can live on with that power inside you, you will remain a husk of your former self. But if your desires and ambitions are strong enough, they will remain intact.
Like Arnold's [Sword Tribulation] skill, this ritual is a [Forbidden] spell.
"We're steering away from the main subject." Angelica continued, "I will give you a short version of what Goddess Melis told me—'the Sky God acted out of line. By Divine Law, Arthur should have received a blessing from the creator of mortal life, Melis, first if I deemed him worthy'. She doesn't know his fate but she's certain that him keeping that power will lead to disastrous consequences."
"Why is there such a law? Arthur can use Divine Aura so Melis should be willing to overlook this."
"Not quite. It is important to understand if a mortal is ready for a blessing. Not doing so is endangering the individual and those around them. Only the mother who gives life is able to determine this. Any other deity is not allowed to do so without her permission."
Arnold was about to blurt Luke's name out but stopped since the news shouldn't have reached everyone's ears yet.
"What if a Land God bestows a blessing?"
He keenly remembered Luke having the Wind God's blessing, something he was probably born with, that enhanced his speed. He confirmed earlier today that the blessing was still there, stacked with Melis' blessing.
"A minor God's blessing is not the same as a Divine God's blessing, the latter of which can grant an individual great power if they are capable of handling it. But the small blessing is actually a confirmation that the Land Gods acknowledges the person."
"If Arthur really isn't meant to be the Hero by the Divine Laws, will you try to take the Holy Sword from him?"
"That is not something that can be done easily if that was our goal."
"Because of the titans guarding him?"
"Yes… Even now, I can sense their powerful signatures patrolling the imperial palace."
Arnold isn't sure how strong the Divine Titans are. If they're demigods, they must be nearly as strong as the average Valkyrie.
He should expect to fight them along with Arthur. But unlike with the Great Nobles, he won't hold back. Of course, being demigods created by Melis, they won't really die, only return to their original temple.
"What is your goal if it's not to take away the Holy Sword from that fool, Angelica?"
Lancelot unsheathed the sword from his back and placed it on the table. It made an audible thud.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Arnold asked.
Lancelot explained calmly, "During war negotiations, the monarch or head of each army would gather in a tent in the middle of the battlefield. Once gathered, they place their weapons on the table to signify compliance or to signal their alliance. That is what we are doing—a temporary alliance with the demon factor until we purge the demon lord Oriel from existence. I shall also retrieve the sword you took from me upon his demise."
"…That's why you aren't hostile towards me? Melis ordered you to fight alongside me?"
At this, Angelica shook her head.
"You could say I have two reasons for siding with you: A certain someone visited me in a dream long ago," Angelica spoke while her eyes remained fixed on Arnold, "She said 'stand by Arnold's side as a pillar, there to provide aid when he needs it or his fate and actions will plunge the world into chaos'."
Lancelot looked displeased at hearing this, so displeased that Arnold thought he probably heard this before.
Arnold was visibly dumbfounded at what he just heard. How does him not having allies contribute to his path of warlord that ends up with him destroying all the nations?
"Oriel is a threat that can rival the Progenitor and All-Father Zephyros. However, unlike those two, he has weaknesses that can be exploited—I am that weakness." Angelica suddenly placed both hands on the table and lowered her head, "Please allow me to fight by your side when the time comes that you will eradicate Oriel's soul from your body."
"I shall also fight alongside Angie." the woman in the hood spoke as she revealed her face, also revealing her dark orange hair. A black blindfold covered her eyes.
Ceera, the Seraphim. A powerful space-time magician and member of the Ten Testaments.
Arnold was silent for a moment after closing his eyes.
Truthfully, he doesn't believe he stands a chance against Oriel. The demon is literally more powerful than Arsnoria, a god-like calamity that even the Gods fear.
He's scared.
The more he waits, the more Oriel takes over his corpse until finally he emerges as Demon Lord Arnold. Whether the Black Dragon Lord can prevent this since he's the dominant soul, alongside Arnold's, is unknown. Maybe he already lost control of Oriel and is slowly fighting the demon for dominance.
There is something else that's worrying—Myrena said that the Dragon Lords are in the middle of a ritual to awaken his draconic power. That means that if the ritual is successful and Oriel has successfully taken over his body, he will face a greater calamity. As such, the ritual needs to be stopped to avoid this. With his quest with Ladiath, he can kill two birds with one stone.
The only issue is time. But even then, Oriel is still absurdly powerful.
This being the case, wouldn't it be better to have allies?
He opened his eyes and began to speak.
"Even if divine power is his weakness, yours alone won't suffice."
"I am aware… That is why I will seek an audience with the Archangels to help me."
"It's possible to convene with them? If you don't mind me asking, how?" Alice asked impatiently.
"The death of a Hero."
The room was quiet upon hearing that.
"…I have a condition before I agree."
"I am listening." Angelica smiled.
"…I will be the one who strips the title of Hero from Arthur, once I kill him."