Chapter 346 - Episode Forty-Six - Pope Sateria (11)
“It’s already a dead end, this country. Do you want to go along with the dreaming story as the master of a country that is going to be destroyed? You’re just going along with the flow, you don’t have that kind of determination. I’m going to be a little more serious from here on out. You also know, don’t you, Sateria? I will give you the best asylum possible, so give up now.”
With Peter’s words, the excitement in the room quieted down.
I had assumed that Peter was ready to consider Sateria’s proposal.
However, there was no hesitation in Peter’s tone.
Sateria seemed to have thought that the conversation was going to be settled, and her expression, which had been smiling happily just a moment ago, became completely dark.
The atmosphere is heavy.
“First of all, Abel-chan is necessary to protect our country. If you’re going to use our trump card to enshrine as the Pope in Riveras Kingdom, after you’ve been attacking us with subterfuge, there’s no way I can tolerate it from my point of view.”
“It is true that our country has caused a great deal of trouble to the Dinrat Kingdom …… that’s why in order to resolve this, we would like to weaken Levi-sama’s influence and promote unification of internal intentions. For the Kingdom of Dingrath, it would not be a bad thing if we were to become allies, rather than just a bunch of people with our own ideas …… Besides, what Abel-sama does is his own business, not Peter-sama’s, isn’t it? “
Sateria turned to me.
“You are going to remain in the Riveras Kingdom, aren’t you, Abel-sama? That’s what you said just now, right? That you will help our country, the people ……?”
Sateria says to me as if she is clinging to me.
Peter made eye contact with me, as if to say, “Don’t reply to anything”.
“I’m going to be honest with you. I think it would be better if the Rivaras Kingdom lost Levi and crumbled into a mess. I’m sure there will be a few people who will resent the Dinrat Kingdom and retaliate, but it won’t hurt much if the Levi Riots end with something as small as that. It’s not the best thing, but it’s the next best thing.”
…… When Peter told me, he was enthusiastic that the harassment from the Levi followers would be completely over, but in reality, he was planning to take some attacks into account.
“…… Haha, isn’t that indeed too honest? This means that you won’t care how much the people of Riveras Kingdom have suffered, and you don’t care if there are any deaths in your country. It is only natural for people like me to lose their lives in war. However, there are hundreds of thousands of people in the Riveras Kingdom who dream of living in peace, but are terrified of civil war every day. You think of them as if they were ants that you are going to crush ……”
“Well, I don’t know what else to do. This country is already over. You’re the one who put the nail in the coffin, Sateria.”
“Tha-That’s not true! I’m trying to prevent that from happening ……!”
“You have been deceived by the splendid Levi, who has almost completed the unification of the sect by setting up that thing. I’m sure that’s the real Levi. But even if that’s the case, what your country truly believed in was the ideal image of Levi and his teachings that have been built up over a long history.”
At Peter’s words, Sateria’s face became expressionless and she froze, unable to move.
“But you, by forcibly unifying the country under a new faction, have denied the scriptures, the ideal image of the country, which the Riveras Kingdom have shed so much blood to complete. And so, in place of the scripture that was taken away, the one that you and the others imposed on us was, unsurprisingly, based on a foolish god whose head was empty and whose power had long since lost its prime.”
The blood drained from Sateria’s face, and it became whiter and whiter.
She was breathing heavily and looked as if she was about to collapse.
“You’re was still unable to admit it and was planning to keep the Foolish God out of politics, away from the eyes of the people, and solve the problem by violence introduced from the outside. No matter how hard you try, the civil war will never end. The root of the problem is distorted, and you are just trying to solve it by force, looking away from it. I don’t need to tell you this, but you really have done a terrible thing, Sateria.”
Sateria’s mouth moves weakly.
But there were no words to be spoken.
“I pity you. In the past, you must have seen Levi as the hope for peace in this country. It’s really amazing that you were able to make the decision to let Levi become a mere symbol instead of being carried away by him. If I had been in your position, I would have done nothing and just followed Levi’s words. I’m not trying to talk you out of it, I mean that with all my heart. But all the blood that you made them shed for the sake of unity can only be wasted no matter how you try.”
Sateria turned over and fell silent.
She probably had no words to reply to Peter.
To be honest, I might have looked down on Peter too.
I thought he was just a fanatical, sexist wanker.
I didn’t think he could completely subdue Sateria with just a few words when she was talking so lively about the future of the Riveras Kingdom.
“You’re called Peter, right? How dare a mere human being measure me. I am the god of water, and I am a being that lives for all time. It is foolish of you to think that you can live for a mere 200 years and mock me! You’re a fogg with the authority of a dragon! Sateria, he is trying to stir up your distrust, make you defect from me, and bring down this country! Don’t be swayed by these tricks!”
Levi said to Sateria as if he was clinging to her.
It was clear that he feared that this flow might really break Sateria.
She looked around her and then looked at me.
“A, Abel-sama will be the Pope of our country …… and um, I will serve you with all my life, too ……”
“N-no, um, I’m ……”
Peter stood between Sateria and me.
“Don’t serve that foolish god any further. Stop the dragon’s veins, please.”
Sateria looked Peter in the eye, took a slow breath, and then spontaneously raised her large staff.
It’s no use, Sateria is planning to make a move.
I pulled out my wand from my belt as well.
“Don’t keep interrupting me from the side!”
Sateria waved her large staff.
“Wind, carry”
I pointed the tip of my staff at Peter.
The wind wrapped around Peter and pulled him back to my side.
A mass of water appeared out of thin air and pierced the floor on which Peter was standing.
Like the water used by the Sateria for defensive warding, the surface of the water was continuously rippling, and a large number of formulas were floating on it.
“…… As expected, it’s no use. That’s why you should’ve just crushed her already instead of talking to her, it leaves a bad aftertaste.”
Peter whispered as he stood up.
“I’ll admit I was wrong! But even so, with Abel-sama’s magic, he can lead the country any way he wants! That must be it! If Abel-sama doesn’t want to help us, then we have no choice. I’ll tear off his hands and feet and wait until he changes his mind! It’s not exactly the kind of person I’m looking for, but there are many people in our faction who are good at torture!”
Sateria waved her large staff again.
The same as before, the water attack created by the dragon vein is coming.
“Fufufufu …… Fuhahahahahaha! Tore off Abel’s limbs, huh …… that’s a masterpiece! Well done on your decision, Sateria! That’s the way it’s got to be! Surrender now, Abel, I’m going to clear my name with you right here and now! I will treat you with the utmost respect as a dangerous curse in my religious organization!”
Levi’s figure disappears through a crack in the wall.
In the next moment, Levi’s huge arm came swinging down, smashing through the ceiling.