Chapter 219

Light embroidered the sky.

Something hemispherical pulsed with a constant stream of light.

It was the aftermath of Camilton Empire’s protective magic at the palace clashing with the users’ attacks.

Seojin led the charge.

“Keep firing. Keep going until we see some reaction from their side. Make sure to aim carefully to avoid civilian areas.”

The citizens of the imperial capital, witnessing the intense divine power, thronged the streets, their eyes wide in astonishment.

Had it been elemental magic causing explosions, or traces of dark magic, they would have been trembling, locked away inside their homes.

Yet, although it was an attack, the essence embedded within was so divine that, ironically, the first assault on the palace became a spectacle for the citizens.

“We’re getting almost no feedback on hits. Damage is being dealt, but… the actual damage applied is only about a tenth of our attack power.”

The deputy raid leader, a player, reported to Seojin.

The divine power-based attacks were being neutralized by that protective shield.

There were two possibilities:

The shield was designed from the start to counter divine power, or it was set by the system to be indestructible.

‘If it’s the latter, it must have been designed to fall only after defeating Duke Ferret.’

“How much have we worn down the shield?”

“Less than 1 percent…”

It was a negative conclusion.

At this rate, breaking through the shield would be impossible.

Well, it could be done, given enough time.

But they couldn’t expect the palace to just stand by and watch until then.

“Then… hold on.”

Seojin hesitated.

He calmly reassessed the situation, visualizing in his mind, estimating roughly.

-Merhen. What’s the situation?

-Not good. Gonna have to pull out soon. You said 10,000, right?

-Yes, 10,000. Got it.

He confirmed the situation on the other end.

News articles were pouring in, but hearing directly from those commanding the battlefield was most accurate.

‘We can’t even take down Duke Ferret.’

It was the same case as before.

It could be done.

It would just take quite some time.

Seojin made a decision.

“Here’s what we’ll do. From now on, our second raid will also move outside. Deputy raid leader, you take over as raid leader.”

The deputy raid leader’s eyes widened.

To take over as raid leader.

“What about you, Seojin?”

“I have something else I need to do. Don’t announce it to the raid, just keep it to yourself. I’ll try something, and if it fails, I’ll come back.”

“Understood.”

Seojin then turned to another figure.

“And Cardinal Dalton.”

“Yes.”

“Consider this person’s orders as mine until I return. That goes for everyone else here.”

“Yes.”

As expected.

Dalton nodded, seemingly indifferent.

“Anyway, to reiterate… from now on, we’re moving outside. The aim is to draw their attention. Do you understand what that means?”

“Acting as a decoy?”

“A strong decoy, yes, but not something they can ignore. Only retreat towards Merhen’s group if more than half of our current force has fallen.”

“What about you, Seojin?”

“Don’t worry about me. Also, from now on, the flashier the skills, the better. Make sure the citizens of the imperial city can see everything.”

“Understood.”

The deputy raid leader accepted the orders without further questions.

After all, they were here because of Seojin.

He understood his role in this game was just to perform the tasks assigned to him.

“Begin.”

-The raid leader has been changed.

With the message, the new raid leader issued orders to everyone.

-We’re moving outside the mansion, effective immediately. Ensure no civilian casualties, but focus on the flamboyance of your skills rather than their efficacy!

* * *

“What are you planning? Surely, you’re not thinking of going in there?”

A small, youthful voice whispered right by Seojin’s ear.

Flappy.

She looked at Seojin with an expression that said, surely you wouldn’t dare.

Naturally, Seojin nodded.

“We have to go.”

“…We’re going?”

“That’s why we came out here. We’re the only ones going in.”

Flappy closed her mouth. She gazed up at the palace, where chaos reigned from the adventurers’ onslaught against the majestic structure.

But that alone wouldn’t have caused any dismay.

“You know there’s a lot in there, right?”

“Of course.”

“You’ve been to the Pantheon. It’s worse than that. The moment we enter, I might not even be able to speak properly… I’m serious, not exaggerating.”

Flappy could feel it.

Something grand resided there.

A being for whom the concepts of good and evil were irrelevant.

“Then you can wait outside. You’re probably right. We might not even be able to talk inside.”

“How are you planning to get in? Not alone, right?”

“We only have one mask.”

Seojin grinned and placed a red mask over his face.

The mask given only to the emperor’s personal guard and the servants of Gramaticus.

“Ugh, that’s horrifying.”

It had been a while since Flappy showed such vulnerability.

Seojin decided to give her some time.

The situation was urgent, but a slight delay wouldn’t change the outcome.

With a tense face, Flappy spoke to Seojin.

“It’d be too dangerous without me, right?”

“It wouldn’t make much of a difference if you came along.”

“That strategy was good. Taking a hit at my ego. Well, it worked.”

Flappy exhaled vigorously.

“Alright, let’s go. I’ll come with you. But if things go south, I’m running. That’s better, right?”

“A very wise decision. Even if you run, I’ll be back in a week. Don’t talk to me inside. Just follow my lead.”

“Even whispering?”

Flappy meant using chat.

To Flappy, that seemed like a form of ‘whispering.’

“No. They’ll see everything. You’ve felt it, but once we enter, assume they know everything we do.”

Seojin had anticipated this.

An apostle of a god was such a being.

More than humans using divine power, it was as if the gods created these beings to intervene in the world through their bOdies.

At the very least, they had free will, but it was best to consider that their bOdies were no longer their own.

“Gramaticus… Gramaticus… I don’t even like the name. I’ll curse as much as I want here before going in.”

“That works too.”

“Surely you’re not planning to fight that, right? You, I mean, it’s awkward to say this but…”

Flappy cautiously spoke.

“You have no power, right?”

Everything Flappy had seen of Seojin up to that point confirmed it.

Lacking in physical and magical strength, almost worse than a normal human.

“Always using others, that… Anyway. Sometimes you did something. Like that table incident.”

“None. I’m not going there to hit and smash everything up.”

“Really?”

“I have other abilities. Ones that don’t involve hitting and smashing. That’s why we’ve come this far, right? You know me, right?”

Seojin chuckled.

Lacking power was inconvenient, but the advantages of being a Silver Tongue went beyond such limitations.

And the decision made this time was something that couldn’t be achieved by mere strength alone.

“Shall we head out soon? Adapt as needed. It’s too fluid a situation for a detailed plan. We’ll just have to play it by ear.”

“Hey, what do you take me for?”

“That’s my Flappy.”

As they say, practice makes perfect.

Thanks to constantly observing Seojin, Flappy’s skills in dealing with uncertain situations were top-notch in the spirit world.

And shortly after,

Amidst the chaos, Seojin, wearing the mask, headed towards the back gate of the palace.

He could see the guards were looking uneasy.

They seemed to wish to flee, but couldn’t abandon their posts due to their military status.

“…”

Seojin approached them without saying a word, merely observing the guards.

“…I-I’ll open it for you.”

The effect of the mask was clear. The captain of the guard gestured, and the heavy iron gates opened.

‘As expected.’

Seojin felt certain then.

The quest message had said it.

If the Sword of the Empire wasn’t defeated, no one could enter the palace.

‘That message must have been limited to players.’

But from the moment Seojin donned the mask, he was no longer just a regular player.

The next moment.

-A dungeon: Camilton Palace has been unlocked!

With the sound of drums, a message appeared.

Seojin sensed it.

It must have popped up across the entire continent.

But the messages that followed were visible only to Seojin.

You are the first to enter Camilton Palace! A bonus is awarded.

Unlocked Achievement: Explorer

*When entering a new dungeon for the first time, the rewards for the initial clear are doubled.

Additional clues for Main Quest: ‘The Root of Evil’ are provided!

*In the ‘Camilton Palace,’ ‘Traces of the Evil God’ are emphasized.

The achievement granted as a reward.

And the additional clue that emphasized the traces of the evil god.

Soon, Seojin understood what it meant.

‘Oh.’

Dark, blurry traces began to appear.

Entire saplings were covered in black, and black footprints were all over the garden.

And crucially,

‘Hmm, so an apostle can do this much?’

Human figures shrouded in dark energy were also visible.

There weren’t many.

Some blended naturally among the guards, others amidst the servants moving in confusion, and even among those who appeared to be of high status.

‘Mind control? Or…’

The exact effect was unknown. But caution was necessary.

And another thing.

‘There.’

The traces of the evil god were visible to Seojin.

There were places where the black energy was particularly concentrated..

Underground and the top floor of the palace.

One was for the emperor’s use, and the other was a place where something was kept hidden.

Naturally, Seojin knew where he needed to go.

* * *

In the Camilton Empire, the emperor’s personal guard was something to be admired. To the citizens of the empire, Grand Emperor Kalus was a figure worthy of respect and truly deserving of their loyalty. Indeed, there were few as admired as the secret group tasked with carrying out the emperor’s orders. Their rarity, and the fact that they were seldom seen, only added to their mystique, earning them mostly favorable gazes on the rare occasions they were encountered.

However, in just a few days, the standing of the personal guard had flipped completely.

‘That’s a very uncomfortable look.’

Members of the royal court would flinch and hurry away upon encountering Seojin, driven primarily by the nobles who had taken the lead in their agitation. They demanded that Grand Emperor Kalus prove there was no connection between him and the evil deity Gramaticus.

Naturally, the emperor’s personal guard was now viewed with suspicion, as possible affiliates of the evil deity. And thanks to this, Seojin was able to move towards his intended destination with ease.

‘Hmm, here it is.’

The imperial palace’s basement.

As seen from the entrance, this place was teeming with a dark energy.

‘I’m not sure what’s inside.’

Stepping inside, Seojin was met with the sight of a sizable altar. Surrounding it, hundreds of red masks turned simultaneously to face him.