Ernheart, who had been staring down at his hands for a long time, finally lifted his head.
"Gartros."
"Yes."
"I'm curious about your thoughts. Do you truly believe that the future is predetermined?"
"Yes, I do. Everything will proceed as foretold. My very survival is proof of that."
If they hadn't retrieved the holy relic, Gartros would have been completely annihilated, soul and all, by Jerome's magic.
However, the holy relic left behind by their nemesis, the Saintess, had saved him.
A miracle, no less. This was undoubtedly the blessing of God, urging them to fulfill their mission.
In response, Ernheart countered with a question.
"God's revelation didn't play out as it was supposed to. Things deviated along the way. The future didn't unfold as promised."
"..."
Gartros didn't know how to respond.
Only Ernheart knew what happened in his dreams. Gartros couldn't possibly fathom what had transpired there.
Even if he did know the details of the dream, he wouldn't be able to empathize with Ernheart. There was no need to be so concerned over something as trivial as a dream. A dream was just a dream.
Their only purpose was to prepare for the King's return and hasten the resurrection.
Even though they had failed several times, the prophecy would ultimately come to pass, regardless of the obstacles.
Still, he couldn't dismiss Ernheart's dreams as mere delusions. Ernheart sincerely believed in them.
'Even if those dreams are divine revelations, there are bound to be minor deviations.'
Lowering his head respectfully, Gartros spoke.
"The scriptures don't detail everything. Minor variables and errors are inevitable. What matters are the signs and the outcomes, are they not?"
"Hmm..."
"The great famine, the rifts, plagues, wars—all these signs have already manifested or emerged on their own. It signifies that everything is proceeding according to prophecy."
Ernheart gave a slight smile and asked, "Most of those signs were caused by us, weren't they? Because we aimed to make the prophecy a reality."
"...That, too, was predetermined. We were born to fulfill that purpose."
"Indeed, I can't entirely deny it since the events in my dreams align with what has transpired."
"...Exactly. Everything has been orchestrated long ago. So, please don't worry too much and wait for the King's resurrection. You are the final 'Apostle.' Shouldn't you await the promised day?"
Though unknown to others, Gartros had long referred to Ernheart as an Apostle. It was a fact known only to the high-ranking members of the Salvation Church.
Ernheart leaned back deeply into his chair and closed his eyes.
No one understood him—not even Gartros.
"Yes, everything will proceed as it should, so all I must do is wait."
Surely that was true. Even now, signs of the King's imminent resurrection continued to surface. Ernheart could feel the holy power spreading across the world, growing stronger.
"Our King shall rise soon."
It was the one thing Ernheart desired above all. The King's resurrection would grant him what he sought.
Both the King's resurrection and the fulfillment of his own wishes were part of the predetermined future. That was his belief.
So, he always waited with anticipation, his thoughts consumed by that singular goal.
But the revelation was imperfect. The future Ernheart once knew had unraveled. Chaos was all that remained.
And now, his thoughts were consumed by one thing.
'Ghislain Perdium.'
That was all he could think about.
Ghislain, who had been deeply contemplating the identity of the Delphine Duchy, finally let out a sigh.
"If only I could catch him and kill him quickly, but I can't even figure out where he is."
Ernheart had neither learned the sword nor magic. When faced directly, there was no sense of power about him. If he did possess any strength, he would have surely demonstrated it during the war.
Yet Ernheart left everything to his subordinates, doing nothing himself. He merely observed, as though he were a spectator of unfolding events.
That mysterious composure continued to bother Ghislain.
Ernheart carried an enigmatic aura distinct from the dignity expected of a high noble.
Considering his previous actions, he seemed to possess a mind impossible to fathom.
— That demon was truly formidable. Its power was enough to send shivers down one's spine. No army in this kingdom could stand against it. The demon was like a shapeless cloud of death.
When Ernheart had said that, Ghislain was internally surprised.
It was as if Ernheart had been describing Ghislain's previous life.
How could he possibly know that? He hadn't undergone a regression like Ghislain.
And yet, Ernheart spoke of a demon.
Though he hadn't realized it then, Ghislain now understood much about the existence of Adversary.
Ernheart's words continued to gnaw at his mind. The demon Ernheart claimed to have seen in his dream.
"A dream..."
Could it be that, like how Ghislain experienced dreams through the holy relic, Ernheart was receiving genuine revelations?
It was impossible to know.
But one thing was clear.
— Ghislain Perdium, you are the demon. You are my nemesis. You stand in the way of my path.
'Nemesis.'
Yes, Ernheart and Ghislain could not coexist under the same sky.
From their previous lives to now.
Their fates were tangled in an unyielding web of enmity.
In their previous life, Ernheart had emerged victorious. Now, Ghislain held the advantage, though the outcome was still uncertain.
The fall of the Salvation Church and the end of the war didn't signify the conclusion.
"I have to kill him to truly end it."
Once the dragon hunt concluded, Ghislain planned to deploy pursuit teams across the continent. Ernheart had to be found and eliminated.
Only then could Ghislain finally rest.
After the recent dream, Ghislain devoted himself more intensely to his training. The newfound insights he gained guided him forward.
An ordinary person might not have gleaned so much from that dream.
But Ghislain was different. He had reached a level where he could harness the world's power. Moreover, he already knew the techniques used by those in his dream.
He resolved to merge the techniques he had witnessed in the dream into one. If successful, it would propel his growth even further.
In the fortress's training grounds, Ghislain tirelessly swung his sword.
Boom!
Each swing of his sword caused the surroundings to tremble.
"Hoo..."
After spending days secluded in the training grounds, a knight approached Ghislain.
"Everyone has gathered."
"Alright."
Within a few days, the allied forces' commanders had reconvened. They looked somewhat weary.
Having fought monsters right after the war, their exhaustion was natural. It had been an intensely grueling series of battles.
However, their prior preparations had mitigated any significant losses.
"Once again, I must say, Duke Fenris's preparations are impeccable."
"It's almost as if he already knew the enemy's forces in advance, don't you think?"
"If not for the reinforcements and properly positioned mages, we could have suffered great losses."
The commanders chatted among themselves, marveling at Ghislain's foresight.
For Ghislain, the events had already occurred in his previous life, so his knowledge was only natural. But to those unaware, Ghislain seemed almost a prophet.
As Ghislain entered the meeting room, everyone smiled brightly.
'Our work here is done.'
'I just want to go home.'
'I don't care about dragons or anything else. I want to run away.'
They were tired of constant fighting and wanted nothing more than to end it all.
Especially the prospect of fighting a dragon terrified them. It was a relief that Duke Fenris had volunteered to handle it himself.
Ghislain gave them the words they longed to hear.
"Everyone has worked hard. As planned, the rest of you will handle the remnants scattered across the lands. As for the dragon, I'll deal with it with the superhumans and the mages prepared for this task."
"Oh...! Ahem!"
The allied commanders nearly burst into cheers but held themselves back. They weren't so tactless as to openly celebrate in front of someone who had to face the most dangerous enemy.
Instead, they displayed the refined decorum of seasoned nobles.
"Ahem, ahem, are you certain you'll be alright without us?"
"Well, it's just... we're a bit concerned about heading off to mop up the remnants while you're left to face this alone."
"We're just wondering if it might be too heavy a burden for so few to bear…"
They spouted insincere pleasantries, knowing full well that Duke Fenris was resolute once he made a decision.
He had already declared that only the elite would face the dragon. They knew their presence would likely lead to greater casualties and little assistance.
Thus, they felt free to feign humility.
"Please, let us know if you ever need our help."
"Indeed, we've fought alongside you for so long now, haven't we?"
"How many years has it been? By now, we're practically blood brothers."
The commanders spoke boldly, their camaraderie evident. Ghislain smiled at the display.
This was what comradeship looked like—everyone stepping up to help each other.
Reassured, he spoke with ease.
"Thank you for your kind words. Fighting on the battlefield with all of you has been the honor of my life."
"Ahem, you flatter us."
"The honor is ours."
"Perhaps we should form a social club after the war? Hahaha!"
Everyone laughed heartily. Ghislain laughed with them before speaking casually.
"I was worried about how to bring this up, but your words have reassured me. I do have a request for all of you."
"Ha… ha… well, go ahead…"
The commanders' voices trailed off. They knew from experience that Duke Fenris's requests were never ordinary.
As expected, Ghislain continued with a cheerful expression.
"I made a recent promise to the soldiers, you see."
Their faces turned pale. They had already heard the rumors and could guess what was coming next.
Anyone who had spent enough time around him and didn't understand his character by now must be a spy.
At that moment, Marquis Alperen, who was present, hastily intervened.
"Ahem! Ahem! There's no need for concern. Duke Fenris has assured us that he will handle everything himself."
Surely, Ghislain wouldn't bring it up now for the sake of his pride. Or so they hoped.
But Ghislain was the kind of man who could easily overturn anything he had previously said if necessary.
"Oh, but the more I think about it, I don't think I can handle this alone."
"...…"
"So, I'll need everyone's help, even just a little bit."
"...…"
"Let's gather some funds from each kingdom. I'm just so exhausted lately."
"...…"
Silence fell. The financial situation of the other kingdoms was already precarious. Where were they supposed to scrape together the kind of funds he was suggesting?
Moreover, the economy was in shambles. Even if they raised money, it wouldn't circulate effectively.
Of course, such concerns weren't Ghislain's problem. Claude would deal with those issues.
"I know what you're worried about. We already have policies prepared to address such concerns once the war ends. All I'm asking is for you to prepare the resources."
"...…"
They swallowed hard, the tension in the room growing palpable.
Ghislain looked slightly disappointed.
"What's this? Weren't you just saying to let you know whenever I need help?"
The commanders all glared at the one who had spoken those words earlier. Why did they have to open their mouth and bring this upon them?
One of the commanders wiped his sweat nervously and spoke up.
"Well… as you know, the long war has left everyone in a difficult position. Half of our provisions are coming from Lutania aid, after all."
Ghislain chuckled softly. He understood that everyone was struggling due to the drought and the resulting scarcity of crops.
But food wasn't the only thing of value.
"Not all valuable goods are food. I'll ensure plenty of food is distributed. You can support with other resources, can't you?"
"L-like what?"
"Gold, silver, jewels, rare minerals, artworks, magic tools, or the high-end clothing and accessories piling up in storage… aren't those all money?"
"The kingdoms have already liquidated most of those assets due to financial difficulties…"
"And where did all that wealth go?"
"Of course, to the nobles and merchant guilds…"
"So all the wealth is concentrated there?"
"Well, yes, but… that wealth isn't ours…"
Ghislain widened his eyes in an expression of pure innocence, as if he truly couldn't understand the problem.
"Then just take it from them."
"..."
It was such a simple and straightforward solution.
The commanders stared at Ghislain in stunned silence.
[T/L: I need your support, dear readers. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]