NOVEL NEXT Chapter 160.1
Chapter 160.1. Current State Analysis
“Raise your cheers, everyone! Archbishop Johann and the hero Lucius return in triumph!”
A northern fortress.
Just days ago, it was the picture of peace, managed by the soldiers of the local noble who held this land.
And now, at this moment. As the fortress changed hands to the Northern Alliance, the personnel inside erupted into cheers following a soldier’s call: Wahhh!
Two men entered, welcomed by the clamor.
First was the elder Archbishop Johann, his silver hair and copper-red eyes gleaming with fervor. He stepped forward and spoke:
“──The heretics have retreated, leaving not a single one behind.”
The air instantly fell silent.
His tone, attire, and gestures were all calculated to command attention. A man thoroughly adept at preaching to others.’
The effect was profound; everyone hung on his words.
“They arrogantly summoned reinforcement mages… but they were no match for Lucius’ valor. In the end, they fled, fearing divine retribution. ──It was a flawless victory for us.”
A sense of anticipation swelled among the soldiers.
In response, Johann raised his hands to the heavens.
“One stronghold remains. Once it falls, every count and baron in the North shall bow to the Northern Alliance! This is all thanks to the blessing of the Star God. Be proud, and offer your prayers and faith. If you do, as always──eternal victory and prosperity shall be yours!”
Another explosion of cheers erupted.
Then, Lucius, walking behind Johann, raised his voice amidst the unending applause.
“This victory is indeed a gift from the Star God… but it is also the fruit of your efforts. Well done, my elite warriors. Rest now, and continue lending us your strength!”
Though his words were less refined, Lucius’ overwhelming prowess inspired deep loyalty among the soldiers, earning him cheers equal to Johann’s.
These two central figures of the Northern Alliance commanded unwavering popularity.
And then.
Following the two men came a girl with silvery hair and delicate beauty.
The moment Nina von Frodite stepped into the fortress──
“──There she is. The succubus demon.”
The tone of the murmurs changed.
From trust, admiration, and reverence… to malice, disgust, and scorn.
“She’s a demon who’s infiltrated and destroyed countless families.”
“Truly, her only redeeming feature is her looks. How many has she ruined with that deception?”
“And now, she’s joined the Frodite family, aiming to sink her fangs into Lucius himself? How utterly brazen!”
And so, they whispered. About Nina’s background──accepting without question what Johann had ‘explained’.
“Yet Lucius remained unswayed. As expected!”
“Indeed. And the Archbishop, instead of punishing such a wicked being, seeks to reform her! What a truly compassionate leader he is.”
Simultaneously, their admiration for Lucius and Johann grew stronger. Using Nina, their faith was manipulated and solidified exactly as intended.
“…But I doubt reform is even possible.”
“I agree. Especially with that kind of magic.”
“Exactly. A charm spell─magic to beguile chosen targets. A Bloodline Magic like that only means her soul is corrupted to its core.”
“She’s rotten to the bone. No matter how noble the Archbishop’s intentions, it’s futile. Truly, I would never want to end up like her.”
Words of contempt for Nina echoed everywhere.
No one stopped them. Not Lucius, not Johann. If anything, their demeanor encouraged it, making a spectacle of her.
Faced with such polarized emotions, the three slowly proceeded forward.
“──To unify hearts, two elements are essential.”
As the three reached an empty corridor after passing through the hall crowded with soldiers, Johann spoke again.
“First, an object of worship. Humans can only unify their will when they have something to entrust their hearts to without doubt… or rather, without it, weak humans cannot function.”
Calmly, but with words unusually venomous for a clergyman.
“And the second──an object of disdain.”
Johann turned, fixing Nina with a disdainful glare.
“All myths have their gods and devils. Why? ──Because they’re necessary. By serving the good and attacking, belittling, and excluding the wicked, people assure themselves, ‘we are righteous.’ This is the time-honored method of maintaining faith. Is it not?”
Indeed. The soldiers’ earlier reaction.
For them, it was precisely the ritual Johann described. They revered the righteous, despised the wicked, and solidified their faith in their own righteousness by thinking, ‘I won’t become like that’.
Thus, Johann made no move to stop their behavior. He actively encouraged it. Lucius was revered, and Nina was despised─such were their roles in Johann’s system for the Northern Alliance.
This man──this Archbishop who suddenly descended upon the Frodite family and overturned everything, declared so with a mocking yet reverent smile aimed at Nina.
“I owe you my gratitude, Frodite siblings. A hero and a demon, the perfect dual icons for faith. Thanks to you──I’m closer to creating paradise on Earth.”
“──It’s an honor.”
“…”
Nina fell silent while Lucius expressed thanks.
To her brother, who offered no rebuttal despite all that had been said, Nina tried to speak.
“Brother──”
“──Ah, forgive me, Nina.”
But Lucius stopped her, holding out his hand as if to ward her off.
“──The Archbishop instructed me not to speak unnecessarily with wicked beings. So even if you’re my sister, idle conversation is forbidden.”
He spoke without a trace of doubt──as though ‘doubt itself was not permitted’.
“…Yes, you’re right. I’m sorry.”
“Exactly, Nina. You mustn’t say anything unnecessary either, understood?”
Knowing further words were futile, Nina fell silent.
All she could do was glare at Johann, clenching her teeth in frustration, as the overwhelmingly powerful Archbishop smirked, satisfied that everything was proceeding exactly as he intended.
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