In a luxurious Baroque-style mansion in Rome, Italy, Roy reclined in his executive chair, nearly swallowed by its plush embrace. A cup of iced Italian coffee sat on the mahogany desk, alongside scattered paper documents. At the center of the table rested a golden Holy Grail, gleaming like a trophy.
As the name suggests, while this was not the Holy Grail from Christian legend, its effects were fundamentally the same. Even divided into two, the divine power stored within—transformed from the essence of the Earth Mother Goddess—was enough to demonstrate its sacred nature.
On the sofa not far from Roy's desk, Athena in her loli form wore a chiffon dress with a skirt blooming like flowers. Beneath her dress, she wore no shoes or socks, her delicate calves extending out like lotus roots, her pink feet swaying gently back and forth. Like a child, she hugged a square pillow in her arms, her gaze drifting toward Roy from time to time.
Even if Roy were the most oblivious person, he would eventually notice her constant staring—let alone now, as his perception had expanded beyond the limits of a Campione after multiple Spiritual Foundation Ascensions. He could somewhat decipher the meaning in Athena's eyes, yet not entirely, leaving him unsure how to engage with the goddess.
One wall of the room had been replaced with transparent tempered glass. Under the orders of this King, Roy's usual villa had been renovated in less than two days, transformed into an aquarium-like tank reminiscent of a certain world-famous billionaire's creation.
Inside the tank, Asherah, now in the form of a white serpent, was recuperating. As she reverted from her Leviathan state back to a Divine Ancestor, her immortality was gradually returning. Though she had lost a significant amount of blood last time, as Athena had said, bleeding wouldn't kill a woman.
Roy had been living this leisurely life for some time now. If not for his aspirations for the future and his thirst for knowledge driving him forward, such an existence could easily lead to complacency.
"Lord Roy!"
Erica walked in. She was always busy, and compared to her, Roy—a Campione—and Athena—a goddess—seemed more like idle loafers, wasting time all day.
"Has something happened, Erica?"
Roy temporarily shifted his gaze from the Holy Grail to the tall Italian girl before him, dressed in a low-cut red dress that accentuated her snow-white skin and alluring figure.
"The matter you asked me to monitor regarding Sir Salvatore has yielded news."
Erica approached Roy's desk, her expression confident as she proudly lifted her chin. The clever girl knew her strengths and weaknesses, and thus she made every effort to present her best self before Roy, all to earn more of the King's favor.
"Where has that single-minded man appeared now?"
Hearing that the news concerned Salvatore, Roy's expression barely changed, only showing mild interest as he asked.
The reason Roy paid attention to Salvatore was that this man, who lived solely for the sword, was far more formidable than expected—a new-generation Campione who could rival Luo Hao. That was why Roy kept tabs on him.
But after two Spiritual Foundation Ascensions, Roy had surpassed the limits of an ordinary Campione. Now, he no longer cared much about Salvatore. In fact, if he wished, he could defeat the Sword King with sheer strength alone, barely needing to rely on his Authorities.
This is similar to the martial arts masters in wuxia novels. No matter how exquisite your techniques are, I can simply overwhelm you with three lifetimes' worth of inner energy and easily win. Not to mention, Roy not only far surpasses ordinary Campiones in total magical power, but he has also undergone qualitative transformations in both technique and authority.
It can be said that in this current world, apart from the Last King who can activate the Oath of the Great Covenant, there is no Campione or Heretic God capable of opposing him. Roy can completely sweep through everything and dominate the current era.
"The Japanese side reports that they've seen Sir Salvatore in Japan."
Even though it was clear that the King had already lost interest in Salvatore, Erica still dutifully provided a detailed report.
"Hmm? Salvatore went to Japan?"
Roy raised an eyebrow, equally surprised. Could that sword-obsessed fool really have some powerful sixth sense, knowing that the Last King was slumbering within Japan's borders?
"According to the intel, it seems the series of events you and Luo Hao caused in Kyoto, Japan, piqued Sir Salvatore's curiosity, prompting him to head there. But somehow, he encountered Lancelot and Guinevere in Japan. From Guinevere, he learned about the Last King and ended up fighting them."
"...Lancelot and Guinevere are no match for Sir Salvatore. Now, the two sides are locked in a chase across Japanese territory, one fleeing and the other pursuing."
At this point, Erica couldn't help but laugh. She had met Salvatore when she was twelve and was practically the first to know when he became a Campione. Of course, she understood how suffocating it could be to have Salvatore clinging to you. Lancelot and Guinevere would likely be stuck playing hide-and-seek for a long time.
"Well~ That's good news. Let them enjoy their game of cat and mouse while we quietly reap the benefits."
Roy also chuckled at the news, wondering whether Guinevere's luck was too good or too terrible.
"Aside from the news about Salvatore, the rest are just trivial matters not worth wasting your time on, Lord Roy."
Having spent so long by Roy's side, Erica had learned what he cared about and what he dismissed. Thus, she handled the daily minutiae herself without bothering him—doing so also satisfied the buried desire for power deep within her.
Their long companionship had given Roy a clear understanding of Erica as well. He recognized the ambition harbored by this brilliant Italian girl—not some rebellious, power-hungry madness, but the natural drive of an intelligent person to prove herself by achieving more.
So Roy indulged her ambition, granting her the authority to freely exercise her talents. In return, he gained a secretary who managed all his trivial affairs with meticulous efficiency—and whom he could 'use' whenever he pleased.
After Erica excused herself to return to her duties, Roy's gaze fell once more upon the Holy Grail before him.
How exactly was he supposed to use this thing? He truly had no idea.
"You must sacrifice an Earth Mother Goddess to activate this divine artifact!"
Just then, the wise goddess Athena suddenly spoke up, providing the answer Roy had been pondering.
"Sacrifice an Earth Mother Goddess?"
Roy repeated the words, momentarily stunned.
"Indeed. Sacrifice an Earth Mother Goddess. This object was created solely to hasten the activation of the Last Steel's Covenant Ritual. And what the Last Steel absorbs is precisely the essence of Earth Mother Goddesses!"
Athena first cast a disgusted glance at the Holy Grail before her lips curled into a bewitching smile as she urged Roy,
"...This one can summon an Earth Mother Goddess for you, allowing you to sacrifice her and activate it!"
***
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