The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 108
The first impression I had of the Central Church was this.
Was it built this large for giants?
It was overwhelmingly large, to the point where it seemed inefficient for human use. It was located right in the middle of a lake, and at a glance, it even looked like an island.
Moreover, despite the name <church>, the exterior was quite alien compared to the typical churches or cathedrals we knew.
It was a mixture of various religious styles from outside the world of this novel.
However, just because it was a mix, it didn’t mean it clashed like oil and water. Instead, everything blended well together.
The structure was mostly made of stone that seemed as if white resin powder would fall if scratched, with glittering green stones decorating it here and there like a canvas.
Hum⎯
Normally, it would be impossible to fly over and land on the Central Church like this.
It was only possible because the airship we were on belonged to the church. Otherwise, we would have been shot down.
The airship docked at the church’s designated airship port, and we finally set foot in this sacred place.
“If I stay here too long, I feel like I’ll go mad.”
That was the first thing I said after arriving at the Central Church.
The interior was no different from the exterior.
Not only was the size imposing, but the walls were so pristine and white that it felt strange there were no traces of age. The green moldings were the only thing that toned it down a little.
Finn, hearing my words, seemed startled and tried to divert my attention.
“M-Mr. Vargan. Look at that spire! It’s so tall that it pierces the clouds!”
In the center of the church.
There stood a tower, rising fearlessly into the sky in the middle of the donut-shaped Central Church.
That tower alone seemed more than enough to represent the grandeur of the Central Church.
As I had already observed when looking at Academia, the Yggdrasil religion must truly enjoy showing off.
“I heard it’s filled with magic stones. I’m amazed they just leave it standing like that.”
As I showed interest in the tower, Finn chattered on.
“They say it’s used to defend against Altife. I wonder how it works.”
“You’ll find out in a few years anyway.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, when you become a hero and get assigned to the Central Church, you’ll be sick of seeing it.”
Though the possibility of that was quite low.
Finn, however, seemed deeply moved by my casual remark and soon steeled his resolve.
“I’ll work hard!”
As we disembarked from the airship and followed the guide, we were briefly separated from Helion’s team.
Helion’s team had to meet the Holy Emperor to report their achievements, as per custom, which required them to move separately.
They would also have to submit a written report later, but the church insisted on an oral report first.
To be honest, Finn and I were also involved in Dortmund’s achievements, so I thought we’d be going with them, but apparently, we would be recognized by someone else.
“This way.”
The priest who had led us to a certain door spoke the characteristic parting words of the Yggdrasil faith and withdrew, having fulfilled his duty.
The door was enormous, fitting the size of the building.
As we pushed open the massive door, we found ourselves in a large room.
For the first time in a while, I saw a room that wasn’t pure white—a room of normal form and color.
A man was sitting on one side of the room.
His long, deep red hair was flowing down, and it seemed he had been waiting for us.
His robe, which matched the color of his hair and eyes, was intense in both pattern and color.
The moment I saw this man dressed entirely in red, I immediately knew.
Though it was my first time meeting him in person, I was certain. He was making it so obvious; how could I not know?
I bowed my head in respect.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lord Sylvester.”
Sylvester was the top-ranked warrior whom Helion could never surpass in the original story.
The pinnacle of all heroes.
He had held the number one spot in the hero rankings effortlessly for over a decade.
***
“Take a seat.”
Sylvester’s deep voice resonated, and Finn and I sat on the sofas prepared in front of him.
His eyes were gentle, but the sharp aura emanating from him was enough to make any first-time viewer feel pressured.
He gave off the distinct impression of a phoenix disguised as a human.
His dignified voice came forth.
“I’ve heard of your achievements. You’ve done a tremendous job.”
Sylvester had wanted to see for himself the students who successfully resolved the incident at Dortmund.
He spoke, and I responded.
“I’m not from Academia myself, but I hold it in high regard.”
“So, that’s why you sent your daughter to attend Academia.”
“You seem well-informed.”
“It would be strange not to know.”
The Julius family of the Ocel Kingdom, renowned heroes.
Though he no longer used his surname as a hero, his full name was originally <Sylvester Julius Ocel>, a direct descendant of the Julius family.
Brilliant and talented, Sylvester was once considered the rightful heir to the proud <Julius> name.
However, he passed on the title of family head to his younger brother and dedicated himself solely to the path of a hero.
His sense of justice and skill were unmatched, making him an exceptional hero.
For that reason, instead of retiring at the appropriate time to return and become the family head, he forsook the elite course that awaited him.
His two goals were clear.
To exterminate Altife for the sake of humanity.
And to protect the peace of the family he had built.
These principles drove Sylvester’s actions, as noted in the novel.
He was the hero who had killed the most Altife, saved the most people.
And even possessed the Judgment weapon used by a former Archbishop.
Last year, his only daughter entered Academia. Of course, Vargan, as a noble, would be aware of this.
It was a well-known story even within Academia.
“Senior Clemence Julius Ocel is the pride of Academia.”
“Th-that’s right! She hasn’t lost the top spot in her year since she enrolled last year!”
Finn added some relevant information to my comment.
It wasn’t an exaggeration.
Clemence, currently ranked first among the second years, was living up to the legacy of her father, Sylvester.
Thanks to her, Francesca, a member of our research group, had been stuck in second place forever, but that was a different story.
Sylvester only slightly raised the corners of his mouth when hearing about his daughter from us.
His emotions seemed restrained, a familiar expression.
“She is indeed a child I can be proud of, trusted by her juniors as well.”
Sylvester then changed the topic.
Of course, he hadn’t called us here to talk about his daughter.
“You’re not official heroes yet. Therefore, your accomplishments in Dortmund are being evaluated even more highly.”
Once someone became a hero, he would often encounter Altife, accumulating many achievements.
But during these times, heroes didn’t receive other rewards, only an increase in their hero ranking.
In events like this one, where a major city was invaded, or the Twelve Divine Beasts were involved, they might be granted treasures as rewards, but this was rare.
If the church handed out relics every time a hero caught a large number of Altife bishops, the church’s wealth would be depleted.
Sylvester’s sharp eyes turned to me.
He intended to give us the Central Church’s gift on behalf of the Holy Emperor. Sylvester had the authority to do so.
“Vargan. You played a crucial role in clearing Frikkanrisk of its disgrace. In doing so, you didn’t hesitate to bear the dishonor of having the citizens curse your name.”
He was referring to the time before Craine’s crimes were made public.
Sylvester continued, recounting the various smaller actions and battles, as if narrating a memoir, touching upon nearly everything that had happened.
Even though it wasn’t written anywhere, he recited it all flawlessly.
“The church intends to properly compensate you for your efforts.”
Sylvester spoke as if assessing the value of a commodity. Even to my ears, he had left nothing out.
There was no need for me to feign modesty or say it was too much.
I expressed my gratitude and willingness to accept. Rejecting it would be foolish.
Now, what could the reward be?
What I needed was already determined.
Money had already been secured through my family and the guild.
As for relics, I planned to search the main warehouse using the Holy King’s nameplate, so that was taken care of.
Of course, the more of these, the better.
But they were not what I needed most right now.
What I needed was a rare opportunity. Right now, the thing I needed the most was…
“Vargan, the church has decided to give you a choice.”
In other words.
I could choose between land and title, money, or relics.
Oh, Yggdrasil.
Just for today, I would put my trust in you.
To have removed the need for a tiresome conversation—truly divine intervention.
Since I had received God’s will, I supposed I should refrain from cutting any innocent trees for the time being.
Naturally, I didn’t refuse this offer.
“I choose the land and the title.”
Sylvester’s eyes lit up with interest at my declaration. He asked.
“Land and title. You know they’re different from the usual meaning, right?”
The land and title bestowed by the church.
Rather than governing the region, it was a structure where the hero granted with the title protected the area and received compensation in return.
It was not a hierarchy but an equal standing.
A title that was more honorary in nature.
But of course.
I didn’t choose this to do anyone a favor or incur a loss.
If the benefits to me weren’t substantial, I would have chosen the main warehouse without hesitation.
“I will take the land under Church Ordinance No. 31.”
That was where Rubid Village and Naias’ secret dungeon were located.
It was time to start making serious progress on what I’d been quietly preparing until now.
***
The dragon Frikkanrisk, who had never left the northern region of the Troa Empire, headed southwest with her son.
It was a land that did not belong to either of the two great powers ruling the continent—the Troa Empire or the Ocel Kingdom.
An isolated place with nothing around but mountains.
A small, quiet village in the midst of it.
She stopped by Rubid Village to receive guidance to the secret dungeon Vargan had spoken of.
The village elder, the oldest person there, acted as their guide. His name was Bart, and despite being over 70, he had an energy that belied his age.
His back was straight, and his muscles were quite robust.
Frikkanrisk, maintaining her wariness of humans, followed cautiously with her child.
Then, she noticed two young human girls trying to grab her son’s hand.
Startled, she was about to pull them away, wary of any mischief.
“Whoa, you’re so cold! Oh, my name’s Edel. Nice to meet you, pretty big brother!”
“Sister… me too.”
“…”
Seeing their bright, innocent eyes, her cautiousness waned just a bit.
Other than the curse engraved on their hands, they were ordinary human children. And with the Cardinal’s contract in place, they wouldn’t be able to do anything reckless.
Most importantly…
“…”
Her son didn’t show any sign of rejecting them.
Because of that accursed Craine, he had developed a fear of humans, but it seemed that didn’t extend to children.
The village elder chuckled heartily.
“You may still feel wary, and that’s understandable. But it’s alright. To us, the divine beast and your child are honored guests. We have no intention of causing harm.”
Despite the elder’s words of reassurance, Frikkanrisk kept her ability to read the elder’s mind active as they followed him.
After a while, they arrived at a large lake, far from the village.
A clear and transparent lake.
The elder casually waded into the lake, motioning for them to follow.
Though the sight was unfamiliar, Frikkanrisk noticed the two young girls following eagerly, so it must not be anything unusual here.
She followed them with her child.
It was a mysterious experience.
Though they were clearly walking underwater, they didn’t get wet. They could feel the sensation of being submerged and the buoyancy, but the water didn’t seep in.
After traveling a distance deeper into the lake, they reached a transparent barrier.
The elder chanted something in a special language, and a hole large enough for a person to pass through appeared in the barrier.
When they stepped through the hole, the secret dungeon came into view, and they continued walking forward.
There was no water inside the dungeon.
Just like above ground, the air was filled with oxygen.
“We would like you, divine beast, to oversee the management of those within. It shouldn’t be difficult. There may be many, but none will refuse the orders of a divine beast.”
The elder, who introduced himself as Bart, eagerly continued his explanation, as though he were finally able to show off his prized possession to an outsider.
“It took a great deal of time and effort to reach its current form. Most of it was thanks to the manpower and materials Lord Vargan prepared, but I’d like to think this old man contributed a fair amount as well.”
As they ventured deeper into the dungeon, Frikkanrisk sensed a familiar energy.
As a descendant of the apex of monsters, who once ruled over them, she didn’t care for dungeons that functioned as prisons for her kind. But strangely, this place didn’t give off the same unpleasant feeling.
Could it be related to the time it took to shape this place into what it was now?
Just as she was thinking that, they arrived.
The cave-like interior suddenly opened up.
“This is our Rubid Village’s⎯”
The elder Bart stretched out one arm as he was about to speak but was interrupted by Edel, who suddenly rushed over.
Edel, as excited as a child at an amusement park, exclaimed.
“Let me introduce you, divine beast! This is <Sierra>, a paradise where all monsters live peacefully!”
Despite the name dungeon, the layout defied logic.
A vast, sprawling land, teeming with creatures.
Though they were living peacefully now, this army of monsters could turn savage at any moment and plunge the world into chaos.
“So, he wasn’t bluffing about the coming of a great war… it wasn’t just empty talk.”
Frikkanrisk let out a hollow laugh, realizing the enormity of it all.