Chapter 305

C305. Laksas (1)

Just a day after that.

“Is it here?”

“Yes, I think this is the place.”

At Evan’s words, Alon Palatio stopped halfway up the mountain and observed the land he had received from Siyan.

“Not bad.”

The land she had granted him this time was, generally speaking, quite a good place.

There was a mountainous area behind it, and an open meadow stretched out in front.

The classic formation called baesanimsu (mountains behind and water in front).

‘The geography looks quite good… why hasn’t a territory been established here?’

Alon was only confused for a moment.

It didn’t take long to hear the reason from Evan.

“…A monster paradise?”

“Yes. They say there is a huge number of monster nests in this area. There are dozens of goblin villages, orc villages, and further over there, even ogres live. And for some reason no one knows, monsters keep spawning endlessly.”

“It was a land with problems.”

“Weell… something like that, I suppose.”

Alon sighed but ended up accepting it.

‘Well, if they gave me geographically good land, I can endure these kinds of downsides.’

In fact, it was predictable.

Land with such good geographical conditions but no one had founded a territory?

It was almost certain to have some defect.

Even in Korea, if a plot of land near the subway was cheap, there were usually stories about ghosts or something shady.

‘Now that I’m going to establish a Divine Land, hard work awaits me at the beginning, but first I must clear the surroundings.’

Thinking about that, Alon moved forward.

Upon reaching the center of his territory, he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

“Huuu—”

Then he exhaled a light breath.

Already familiar with the process, he entered his inner world and saw the five—no, six—divinities in front of him.

The divinities he had seen the first time he contemplated his interior: blue, green, red, and white… and the gray divinity that had emerged shortly after.

And furthermore…

A black divinity, difficult to distinguish amidst an abyss-like darkness, but clearly existing.

Until now, Alon had used two of them:

The divinity of The Lightning Receive, Kalanon.

And the divinity of the Primordial Elf.

‘If I unify the divinities… will I be able to use the others?’

While he contemplated the divinities shining solemnly with their colors, he thought about it for just a moment.

Alon exhaled slowly and remembered Rine’s words.

‘Godfather, creating a Divine Land is simple. Just gather all the divinities you possess and then pronounce the Phrases—’

A thin thread came out of Alon’s hand, descended through his fingers, and penetrated Kalanon’s divinity.

Then that of the Primordial Elf.

Then the red one.

Then the white and the gray.

Finally, what remained was the black one.

But as he had suspected from the start, the black divinity was not pierced by the thread.

As if not permitting itself to mix with anything, the black divinity remained there, dignified and motionless, letting only small cracks escape.

Alon, seeing this, guided the end of the thread—which had pierced five divinities—back toward his finger.

He watched as a small luminous sphere began to form, a sort of miniature planet.

‘—and afterwards, you must say Proclamation.’

Remembering Rine’s final words—

“Proclamation.”

He murmured it softly.

And in that instant—

Fuuuuaaah!

A white light exploded around him, and crimson and deep blue lights expanded in all directions.

“Woah.”

[This is—]

Evan’s amazed voice was heard in the distance and, as if observing something incredible, Basiliora’s stunned voice.

When Alon opened his eyes after finishing everything—

“?”

He noticed something was wrong.

And he soon understood what it was.

‘Time stopped?’

Everything was halted.

Evan, who a moment ago was exclaiming in surprise.

Basiliora, who was observing curiously.

Deus, who was watching everything calmly.

Filian Merkilian, who was blinking excitedly.

Everything.

No, it hadn’t truly stopped.

‘This is—’

An extreme slowdown, in which an instant became eternal.

Barely perceiving it, Alon recognized this phenomenon.

[Fragment of the Carrier of Niaculla’s Great Will—]

‘This is… the same as when I did the First Restriction!?’

Looking up, he saw it. Something he hadn’t been able to see the first time.

[—No,]

A gigantic eye was observing him from the entire sky, covering him like a mantle.

[Star Eater.]

With a curved smile that one could almost hear, an eye full of folded joy.

[Return… I sincerely welcome you.]

And just as Alon was about to open his mouth—

Chzzzz—!!

Like static noise, everything distorted for an instant and returned to normal.

The world, which had turned black and white, recovered its colors.

The voices of Evan and Basiliora rang out again at their natural speed.

With everything restored—

“……What was that?”

Alon murmured without realizing it and looked at the sky, dazed.

He only remained like that for a moment.

Afterward, he turned his head to do what he had to finish.

The knights and soldiers who were admiring the phenomenon looked at him with reverence.

“Oooh—”

Unlike other lands, small particles of light seemed to ripple in the air, and they contemplated Alon as a sacred figure.

‘…I hadn’t planned to move to the next step immediately.’

He remembered Rine’s words.

‘After proclaiming the territory, name the chosen knights as your knights.’

‘I already transferred power to Silly once before, should I just do that?’

‘No, you don’t need to do it the same way. just distribute the power as if sowing seeds. They will make them grow themselves.’

Following her instructions, Alon transferred power to everyone present.

The divinities diminished instantly.

The planet, which until a moment ago had grown to the size of Alon’s torso by absorbing power, contracted again until it fit in his palm.

And then—

“This is…?”

The soldiers and knights were surprised to feel the divinity impregnating their bodies.

Alon, who had thought to finish without saying anything, hesitated.

‘Should I… say something?’

With all eyes on him, Alon tried with all his might to think of something.

‘What should I say?’

He knew he wasn’t good at speaking, but the situation almost demanded a speech.

“…Fulfill your duties.”

It was the only thing he said, brief.

The knights and soldiers responded with shouts.

After granting them power—

“Incredible, my lord.”

“What is?”

“The land.”

“……The land?”

“Yes. They say the magical saturation around here is higher than before.”

At Evan’s words, Alon finally noticed the difference after the proclamation of the Divine Land.

“It seems it’s not just a visual change.”

He could feel the mana in the air was denser.

While he observed with interest, Evan asked:

“…You didn’t know?”

“I knew there were beneficial effects, but I didn’t imagine this.”

Rine had told him that, depending on the rank of the Divine Land, beneficial effects would emerge.

But he had thought that would happen later, with accumulation.

Then he noticed that Seamus’s face—which yesterday looked fine—was now extremely firm and determined.

He remembered what Evan had told him yesterday.

‘……He said that if Deus gives them a personal interview, he does that kind of brainwashing on them.’

Curious, Alon asked him:

“Did you have a personal interview with Deus?”

“Yes, sir!”

Seamus answered rigidly, nothing like his relaxed attitude in Psychedelia.

Alon felt even more curious.

“What did he tell you?”

“He told me what my mission was.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. I will do everything I can so that the name Palatio reaches the heavens!”

“…Well… that’s good.”

Seamus replied, tense as if he were going to war.

‘It’s good that he has discipline but…’

Was it really necessary to get so dramatic to protect a Divine Land where there was absolutely nothing?

Alon turned his gaze back to Evan, who asked:

“So what will you do now?”

Alon thought for a moment and replied:

“Well, now I must get citizens.”

“Will you set any requirements?”

“Requirements?”

“Yes. Like Sironia has its requirements, right?”

“…Sironia had requirements?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I thought anyone could live there.”

Evan shook his head.

“No, the majority of Sironia’s citizens have completed the Pilgrimage of the Goddess.”

“The Pilgrimage?”

“Yes, explained simply: it is a ritual where they must walk for months to a certain place, without using transport.”

“…I understand, but… does it make sense to establish a requirement if we don’t even have conditions to accept people?”

Alon looked at his Divine Land.

Aside from the magical density, there was nothing.

Furthermore, although the land was good, behind it was a mountain full of monsters, not a mine.

It made no sense to filter people when there was nothing ready.

“But even so, if you create something minimal, we could promote it starting now.”

At Evan’s proposal, Alon thought about it.

“How about… making it so only those who do not commit crimes and perform small acts of justice can enter?”

“……Isn’t that too abstract?”

“That’s why I said ‘sentiment’.”

“…Well, we can build from that. Since you will be leaving for Laksas soon anyway, do you want to leave a letter announcing that the Divine Land accepts new citizens?”

“A letter now? If nothing is defined at all…”

“Promoting in advance always helps.”

He remembered the time he recruited the sacred order squad.

‘…Well, this shouldn’t end up like that time.’

He nodded.

At that moment, Deus approached. His face was also more determined than before.

“…My lord.”

“I think this place will allow for better training. I would like to stay here to train the boys.”

“Here?”

“Yes.”

“…Is it okay even though there’s nothing?”

“It is fine.”

“Thank you for worrying so much.”

“No, it is the least I can do.”

With Deus showing great determination to train the knights, Alon thanked him and left the Divine Land.

---

“Hmm?”

The mercenary Beran.

Although he had a good reputation in the guild, he had failed the exam to enter the Palatio house, and returned to the Lartania guild.

After a while, he found a letter in his pocket.

It was from his rival, Karam, who had passed the exam (as a soldier).

“Tch.”

Beran clicked his tongue immediately.

They were rivals, but not the type to write friendly letters.

This was, without a doubt, to brag.

But even so, he was curious to know what life was like in the Palatio squad.

He couldn’t resist the temptation and opened the letter.

Upon reading it, he clicked his tongue again.

Although it had some dirt on it, it said how much incredible training he received now.

‘Training in a land blessed by Marquis Palatio and being able to use divine power…’

He also talked about “receiving the divinity of Marquis Palatio upon training in the Divine Land” and more things like that.

Beran, with an annoyed face, was about to fold the letter when—

“What’s up?”

As always, his mercenary companion Kob—with whom he drank at the tavern—spoke to him.

“It’s nothing. Karam sent me a letter to show off.”

“The one who entered the Palatio house, right?”

“Yes, that idiot.”

“Haha. Well, good for him. What does it say?”

“That he is training in the land blessed by the Marquis. And that by training there you can use his power.”

“…Eh? Really?”

“He wrote it in the letter. Why the face?”

Beran looked at him confused, and Kob replied:

“No, it’s just that I heard something too.”

“What?”

“About the Marquis Palatio’s Divine Land.”

“What about it?”

“They say that as long as you don’t commit crimes and do even a small act of justice, they let you live there.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, the notification comes from the Palatio house. But if what you say is true, and training there gives you his power—”

Both thought of Marquis Palatio.

Or more specifically—

Of the knights of Caliban, who used the power of The Lightning Receive, Kalanon.

Just seeing them made one’s skin crawl.

Surrounded by lightning, cutting monsters like tofu.

In the United Kingdom, rumors were already circulating, almost confirmed, that Marquis Palatio was an apostle—or a god—of Kalanon.

That’s why they remembered it immediately.

“Bah, how could that be possible?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Of course, it makes no sense. If it were that easy, anyone could use divine power. To use Kalanon’s divinity one must believe deeply in him. How is someone going to obtain it just by training there?”

“I agree. If it were true, they wouldn’t let people enter so easily.”

The two laughed, drinking beer.

Then a feline woman, Mai, sat with them and asked:

“Kob and Beran? What are you talking about?”

“Ah, about the Palatio house.”

Beran, with his face slightly red from the alcohol, told her what happened.

Mai listened with great interest.

“Hmm, I understand.”

“Well, surely Karam exaggerated—”

While they spoke a little more—

“Ah, my party arrived. See you.”

She ran toward her group.

“Mai, where were you?”

“Talking with Beran. He told me something curious.”

“What?”

“That by training in Marquis Palatio’s Divine Land you can use Kalanon’s power.”

“The Divine Land… where they say they accept citizens now?”

“Yes.”

“Is it true?”

“I’m not sure, but that’s what they say. Beran’s friend entered the squad and wrote a letter.”

And in a small tavern in eastern Lartania—

“……Just training in the Divine Land gives you Kalanon’s power…?”

An absurd rumor began to expand.

And then—

“Did you hear? If you become a citizen and train in his territory, you can use Kalanon’s strength.”

“Really?”

The absurd rumor—

“How do you become a citizen? Just by believing in Marquis Palatio?”

“I think besides that, you have to do good deeds.”

“Good deeds?”

“I heard that if you catch bandits or criminals and bring proof, they accept you.”

It became even stranger.

“So… summarizing, if we defeat bandits and bring proof, they accept us as citizens?”

“Yes, it seems so.”

And it didn’t take too long to reach the ears of those who lamented not having been able to become knights of the Palatio house…