Sunlight was streaming through the window in a VIP guest room in the Kingdom of Aylans. The room was spotless and was filled with luxurious furniture and an opulent bed, fit for kings. The room was commonly used by the nobility and no expense had been spared in its preparation.
However, despite this, the current occupant wasn't satisfied with it by any means and began to loudly complain about it.
The bed was too small and hard, which kept him from enjoying his quality time with his women. He also felt that the room was too small and the ventilation too poor, which had the effect of rendering him intoxicated too quickly and removed much of the enjoyment that he could have had within its confines.
It didn't take long at all before he began to whine and moan through the door, making his grievances known to anyone outside. It had been advertised as a room specially made for important guests, but he saw it as nothing of the sort. It was small, shabby, pitiful, and the audacity of his hosts to stoop so low astounded him. It was a disgrace to the Kingdom of Aylans―the so-called greatest kingdom of magic on the continent―and everyone involved with its preparation should be ashamed, in his view. He felt truly, truly looked down on. As the true ruler of the world, he felt that he deserved far better.
"… This isn't suitable for me, Salem Gattschuranche!"
The middle-aged man in his 50's was staring dumbly at the ceiling with an expression that was the picture-perfect example of extreme dissatisfaction. On the shelf next to him was an incense burner filled with the narcotic known as Petrification Herb, which was currently emitting a faint haze. Despite it being the middle of the day, as he lay on his back, he felt as if he were flying higher than the clouds and his eyes were completely dilated. There was a naked woman lying beside him and, completely lost within the drug, he tried to grab at her as if she were a doll and pull her into his embrace.
"Truly… insulting! I feel like I'm being sullied just by staying here!" He began slurring his words. "So.. purification… purify… purif…!"
His eyes had become bloodshot and erratic. His entire body trembled with euphoria. While he was in this haze the door to the luxurious room suddenly opened, and the Captain of the Holy Knights entered.
He was an old knight with brown eyes and hair. His face was wrinkled, but he maintained a healthy body and a straight back—a stature befitting of a Holy Knight.
The instant that the well-respected Captain, Helpharon, entered the room, he found himself with a face full of herbs.
The ashes and powders of the angrily tossed Petrification Herb fell onto the ground, leaving a dirty smudge on his face. Helpharon looked at Salem without a single change in his expression.
"… Who said you could enter here whenever you wanted?"
Salem glared at him over his shoulder, still holding a woman in his arms. His intense eyes were steeped in madness, but to Helpharon, who had watched over him for so many years, it wasn't all that intimidating.
He picked up the incense and placed it back onto the table. Then, he turned to Salem, lowered his head, and went through the usual formalities.
"Pope of the Holy Kingdom, Salem Gattschuranche, as you are blessed by Arrtark… The Holy Knight, Helpharon, has come to meet the Son of God, Salem."
Upon those words, Salem perked up a bit.
"The Son of God? Ah… are you talking to me? Haha! Yes, that's right. I am the Son of God! That is what it means to be the Pope!"
Salem squeezed the woman in his arms with both hands and suddenly hid behind her. He started moving the woman's arms as if she were a puppet and smiled lewdly. Then he made a drunken attempt at ventriloquism and started speaking in a high pitch-voiced, attempting to sound like the girl.
"Aah~! So I slept with the Son of God? Oh my! This is certainly a blessing! I've been purified! Aah, I'm so honored~! I'm definitely going to heaven when I die!"
"Ohohohohohhihihihihahaha~!"
It was a truly pitiful and cringy display. None of the Holy Knights that were guarding the entrance of the room knew how to react to the sight and they were all drenched in a cold sweat.
They had watched over Salem for some time, but they didn't know how to adjust to his gradual descent into insanity.
"….Hahahahaha… Ha…Ha… Huh?"
Salem tilted his head and started shaking the woman around, expecting some sort of reaction from her. Not getting anything, he held his ear to her chest with a detached curiosity only to discover that he couldn't hear anything from her at all. She had no heartbeat, and she wasn't breathing either.
"What the? She really ended up dying?"
Without a care, Salem suddenly kicked the woman off the bed with his feet. He turned to Helpharon and leaned closer to speak.
"So… why did you come? Did you want to see the Son of God? Were you excited? Haha! Sorry, but I don't sleep with men! Ah, maybe if you were a pretty girl, but do you really think that I'll sleep with some dying old man?! Hahahaha!"
Salem snickered as his body shook with laughter. He looked at Helpharon and spoke again. This time with a different tone.
"Ey, old man. How about you get on this boat with me and get younger? I'm already over 80 years old! But I'm still this young! I'm in my 50's! I'm still how I looked dozens of years ago. I can also embrace women like this! Aah… that magic… It is the best! To be able to extend the lifespan of someone to this extent…! Haha! Magic is truly wonderful!"
"The banquet is going to begin soon."
"Banquet…?"
"The banquet with the Kingdom of Aylans. To seal our alliance with the Kingdom of Aylans diplomatically…"
"Alliance…? Ah, that's right. That happened."
Pope Salem hopped off the bed and began to sloppily pick up the clothes on the ground. He was excited.
"Then, it must mean she's there as well. Aah, I'm so excited!"
"And…"
"…?"
"The Hero Ludin is dead."
Pope Salem paused upon hearing those words. He dumbly looked at Helpharon and spat out a single question.
"… Who's that?"
He truly looked oblivious. It looked as though this was the first time he had ever heard the name.
"… He's the Hero that was drafted for the excursion this time."
"Ah, is that so? Was he a famous figure? Well… We're producing Heroes as fast as dwarves stamp out weapons, so who knows who is who anymore. I've heard there were at least 3 Heroes this year? Aha, I don't even know the name of the woman I slept with last night, so how am I supposed to know the name of some Hero!? Hahaha!"
Salem began cackling once again. The drug caused his emotions to fluctuate erratically.
"A large number of Holy Knights were killed as well. The Holy Knights that were involved with the Heroes Allied Forces invading the border of the Demon Kingdom."
"The Holy Knights in that army? Are those even Holy Knights? To call the probationary knights that we knighted right before we sent them to battle Holy Knights is a bit too much. The Holy Knights of our Holy Kingdom will cry! Please refer to them as probationary from now on. Also, does it even matter if they die? Can't we just grab any of the knights walking the streets and make them a probationary Holy Knight? They're all dying to be a Holy Knight, you know!"
"…"
"We get support by offering them a chance to elevate their status and get more manpower as well. In return, they get the honor of fighting against the Demon Lord's army. How swell is that? Those kinds of insects, who cares if they are gone?" Salem's lips curled up as he spoke. "But… if the Hero's forces were defeated, then what happened to their funds? Is there still funding left for this year's Hero's Allied Forces and the next?"
"I already transferred the funds for the Hero's Allied Forces to our home nation. Also, I've already prepared the funding, under the support of each kingdom, to form a new Hero's Allied Forces."
"I see. From that, transfer a third of that to our vaults. Use the rest on the formation of the army and buying combat slaves. Ah, prepare some good equipment as well. Let me know if we're lacking funds. I shall personally go out to the other kingdoms to gather more."
Once he finished dressing himself, he picked up the dead girl and began to handle her like a doll. He raised his voice and began to speak mockingly once again.
"Oh my~! What will you do if they don't give up the funding and manpower when you ask for it?" He then lowered his voice and spoke as he licked the woman's face. "Then, this Pope will lay down the law! For I am the Son of God!"
The Captain sighed.
"Oh, my~! So scary. As expected from the Pope! The Son of God~! There won't be any place that won't give up the funds to kill the heretics~! If there is…" Salem's eyes narrowed. "You'll bring them judgment in the name of God~! Hahahahahaha!"
Salem exploded with laughter steeped in madness before finally tossing the woman aside and heading out. Once he left the room, the Holy Knights followed after him. As he walked the hallways of the beautiful palace, the plaza opened before him. There were all kinds of luxurious foods laid out in the place, and he could see the nobles of the Aylans Kingdom and the priests of the Holy Kingdom enjoying themselves. They noticed Salem and hurried to lower their heads.
"If it isn't the Pope?"
"Haha! An honor to meet you…"
Salem met with countless nobles of the Aylans Kingdom, as it was advantageous for them to make as many connections with the high nobles, the royals, and the imperials, as possible. Salem ignored these people for the most part, however. His eyes wandered in every direction until it finally landed on someone familiar, causing his face to light up.
Salem's face immediately changed to that of a child filled with desire.
He began to move in their direction. He collided with and shoved a pair of nobles who had been talking to each other out of his way as he hastened his steps. They glared at him disapprovingly, but seeing the Holy Knights surrounding him, they couldn't help but quickly avert their gazes.
It was all too easy to notice his blatant actions. As such, it took almost no time at all for the highest authority within the Kingdom of Aylans to take note as well. With chubby cheeks, a red nose, and a rotund belly, the king gave off a benevolent impression. He was in his 80s this year, but with his constant upkeep, he only looked to be in his 60s.