The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 112

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (112)
Mottier was the pope of the temple dedicated to Nertinis, the sun god, one of the three great temples of the Badul Holy Empire.
He had dozed off during afternoon prayers after lunch, and upon waking, tears streamed down his face.
“Nertinis has taken pity on me and sent a messenger to convey his words!”
Occasionally, divine revelation came to him through dreams like this.
Though the angel who appeared in this dream and imparted the revelation looked quite different from the angels who had appeared before, he assumed it must be one of the many angels in the service of the god Nertinis.
Mottier repeated the angel’s words from the dream over and over in his mind, then convened an emergency ecclesiastical assembly.
Three days later, the assembly convened, and priests scattered throughout the Holy Empire streamed into the conference chamber.
At that gathering, Mottier relayed the command of the angel he had seen in a dream three days prior.
“Nertinis has issued a warning to me through a messenger. He says that a certain Jang Gain, the Duke of Crerarion Territory in the Smed Kingdom, is now acting under the command of a Demon God, seducing and controlling a dragon while secretly preparing for the descent of the Demon God.”
“What?! Preparing for the descent of a Demon God? Not a Demon King, but a Demon God?”
“Yes, Nertinis conveyed this through his messenger.”
“But aren’t Demon Kings and Demon Gods natural enemies of dragons? How could a dragon ever aid in the descent of a Demon God?”
“If a demonic being had transformed into human form to prepare for the Demon God’s descent, the dragon would never have been deceived. But the one who made a contract with the Demon God is human. That human has beguiled the dragon with plausible words, so the dragons are being deceived without suspicion.”
The faces of the priests who heard Mottier’s words grew grave.
The historical records of Badul documented two instances of a Demon God’s descent. In the first descent, five nations vanished from the map, tens of dragons perished, and the number of dead humans was beyond counting.
And in the second descent, the damage was greater—twelve nations disappeared from the map, over a hundred dragons died, and innumerable humans and other races fell.
If a third Demon God were to descend upon this world, the devastation would exceed even that of the second descent.
Flash, flash, flash…….
At that moment, light erupted from the large communication device placed in the center of the conference chamber.
That large communication device was opened only when representatives of other temples made contact or when the emperor of the Holy Empire presided over a conference.
Moments later, the light faded, and a strikingly beautiful woman adorned in elaborate robes and countless jewels appeared within the device.
“What brings the priestess serving Asera, goddess of abundance, fertility, and pleasure, to contact our order?”
Mottier stepped forward and inclined his head slightly; the priestess Yuristion, visible in the communication device, returned the gesture and then spoke.
-A few days ago, our divine mother, who oversees abundance, fertility, and pleasure, appeared in my dream and issued a divine oracle to join forces with other temples and prevent the world’s destruction. That is why I am contacting you.
“A divine oracle! What was the nature of this oracle?”
-In the Smed Kingdom, there is a newly elevated duke named Jang Gain, who the goddess revealed to be a human who has surrendered his soul to a Demon God and become the servant of that Demon God. With his cunning tongue and ability, he is seducing dragons and making them his subordinates while preparing for the descent of the Demon God. The goddess commanded that we join forces with the other temples and put this man to death.
As Priestess Yuristion spoke, Mottier and the surrounding priests’ eyes widened, and some trembled like aspen leaves in the wind.
Mottier swallowed hard and opened his mouth.
“In fact, three days ago, I dozed off briefly during prayer and dreamed that I encountered a messenger of Nertinis, receiving the very same divine oracle. That is why I am now gathering priests from across the realm to hold this ecclesiastical assembly to discuss that revelation.”
-Ah! If not only I but also you, Pope Mottier, have received the same oracle…… this suggests that multiple deities are concerned about a very grave danger approaching.
“That was my thought as well. From the wording of the oracle, it refers to ‘dragons’ in the plural, so there must be multiple dragons. To stand against numerous dragons, the strength of one or two temples will not suffice.”
-Then it would be best to contact the other temples and form an alliance…… As expected of Pope Mottier. I have just received a communication from Priestess Sarinarian, who serves the moon goddess. After I speak with her, I will contact you again.
“Yes, I will be waiting.”
Pope Mottier suspected that the priestess serving the moon goddess had also received the same oracle and was reaching out because of it.
Shortly thereafter, light filled the large communication device, and the forms of Priestess Yuristion of the goddess Asera, with whom they had just communicated, and Priestess Sarinarian of the moon goddess Selene appeared.
Pope Mottier greeted both priestesses and, through conversation, learned that all three had received the same divine oracle.
They then contacted several other temples and confirmed that two temples other than themselves had received the same oracle.
The temples that received the same oracle were the Ares Order, which possessed the greatest number of Holy Knights, and the Dionysus Order, which revered the god of wine and frenzy.
Mottier connected the popes and priestesses of the other four temples via communication and began to discuss how to fulfill the divine oracle.
* * *
Jang Gain had indeed told the dragons and his vassals that he could govern the ducal territory well, but lacking any experience in administering a fief, he harbored grave worries in private.
However, over the past two months, Noxscasarsis, the former Count Johansen, and Morona Valencia, among others, had assisted actively, selected talented individuals, and placed them in appropriate positions, so the territory began to function without major discord.
To develop and manage the territory, Jang Gain had spent nearly all the money in his subspace and even borrowed funds from Noxscasarsis, yet he felt not the slightest regret.
The Dverberg Race had undertaken the construction of inner and outer walls, sold most of their weapons at bargain prices so the territory’s forces could be armed, the Druid Race had made arable lands fertile, established a clinic to treat the sick, and crafted potions to sell to outside merchants.
Not only the two races but also itinerant laborers relocated near the castle, taking small wages to participate in construction, and even the Beastkin Race, initially reluctant, moved to the forest near the castle and volunteered as forest hunters to slay monsters.
“Whew! It feels like the territory is finally taking proper shape.”
“Taking shape? It’s still a mess!”
At Jang Gain’s words, Noxscasarsis scoffed from beside him.
“But it’s much better than it was at first, isn’t it?”
“You’ve thrown money at this like water—if things hadn’t improved at least this much, someone would have to be embezzling in the middle.”
“I don’t think anyone like that exists.”
“Of course not. With my eyes wide open watching, what fool would dare try to pocket something?”
“Now that I think about it, before you lent me money, you seemed to be doing things half-heartedly, but after you lent me the funds, you became remarkably proactive.”
“I did trust you enough to lend you the money, but I can’t stand by and watch my precious funds wasted. By the way, you made a good marriage.”
“Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“The territory shakes and groans, but it keeps turning somehow. I found that curious, so I looked into it more closely. And I discovered your wife and mother-in-law are wielding considerable skill.”
“Ah! I know my mother-in-law takes care of things in various ways.”
“Your mother-in-law too, but the one I’m praising is your wife. She supplies the incoming goods to where they’re needed, then meticulously checks that nothing is wasted or leaks away. The people under her are truly in awe of her.”
“Really? She was on good terms with the handmaidens when she was at the Royal Palace, so she must be putting the skills she learned then to use. I should praise her later.”
“Don’t just praise me with words—show me you love me with action. The way you look at it, you’re itching to have my child.”
“I’m working hard on it, so you don’t need to worry about the details of our marriage.”
Patter, patter, patter…….
Just then, about a hundred meters ahead of where the two stood, space rippled. Light flashed, and Mayarbanta appeared.
“Oh! Father.”
“You heartless boy! How could you not contact me even once?”
“You don’t contact me either, Father. And just now, you didn’t even send word before teleporting here.”
“A child should reach out to their parents first—that’s how things should be done. Why do you twist my words?”
“But you hardly ever contact your own father either.”
“Hm! Ahem. Well. If you put it that way, I’ve nothing to say to you. But never mind—Marquis Gain, didn’t we agree to spar a month after we parted ways in Quarado?”
“Ah, my apologies. I’ve been terribly busy managing my estate lately.”
“Everything’s chaotic at first. But if you’ve been that busy, you can’t have prepared properly to face me.”
“No, sir. I’ve long since adapted to my transformed body.”
“Then you’re ready to fight?”
“Yes.”
“Noxscasarsis, is there a suitable place nearby where I and Marquis Gain could have a proper match?”
“I believe the courtyard before my lair would be most appropriate.”
“Ah! Yes, that would do nicely for an unrestricted fight. Let’s go there.”
“Yes. Gain, come along.”
“Not by teleportation?”
“Only my parents, my grandfather, and I can teleport to my lair. But if you ride the Chimera Wyvern at full speed, we can be there in ten minutes—so let’s just fly.”
“Very well.”
As Noxscasarsis and Mayarbanta flew ahead, Jang Gain rode the Chimera Wyvern, layering the wind Spirit Silon atop it, and took to the sky.
After a moment, Mayarbanta, flying at the front, glanced back and saw that Jang Gain was keeping pace without falling behind, and his eyes widened with surprise.
“Hmm! The boy doesn’t just bark simple commands at the Chimera—he’s resonating his mind with it, controlling it with precision. And yet when you control a mount that way, it’s usually impossible to mind anything else, and yet he’s simultaneously managing the summoned wind Spirit with equal finesse. How could a human possibly do such a thing?”
“I was amazed by that too last time, so I asked him for the secret. Apparently, he has a special martial art that divides the mind in two—what was it called? The Dual Mind Technique, I think? In any case, that’s why he can manage two things at once like a single person.”
“The Dual Mind Technique? To divide one’s mind like that—what a remarkable art indeed.”
“At first it divides in two, but as the martial realm deepens, he can divide it further. Right now, he can split it into four.”
“Four! Ha! That’s hard to believe. How many Chimeras can you control simultaneously? Not simple commands—fine manipulation like that.”
“You mean direct control, not chaining multiple spells together?”
“Yes. Direct control.”
“Hmm. I’d say about three.”
“You’ve lived thirty-five hundred years and can manage three, yet Marquis Gain, who hasn’t even lived thirty years, can control four! That shouldn’t be possible!”
“Right, you’ve got a point. Then his mental fortitude is higher than mine…… Goodness! Sometimes I don’t think Gain is human at all.”
“He certainly is human, but even to me, those abilities don’t seem human. They say the Creator who made the world never set limits on mankind—I never imagined there could be someone who breaks through those bounds so thoroughly.”
While the two dragons spoke, they arrived at a broad clearing before the lair.
* * *
“Good… grief!”
Jang Gain, seeing the vast open ground that easily spanned ten thousand tsubo and the great stone structure large enough for a dragon to dwell in its true form, let out a whistle of astonishment.
Who could have smoothed out such rocky high-mountain terrain like a chess board and raised such a building? Only a dragon with absurdly limitless mana could accomplish such a feat.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————