“It looks like it’s just you in the end!”
“Hmph, it was a miscalculation that the elites of my duchy were completely outmatched before God.”
Since Fuuko and Hanako were only fighting with some restraint, the outcome was predictable. All the soldiers who attacked Kent and his companions had been defeated and were incapacitated. The last remaining Duke was cornered at the edge of the wall.
“Hmph, hmph, s-so, God, what will you do with this person who turned their blade against us?”
“You usually act so meek , but you were flailing around like a fool, no wonder you’re out of breath!”
“Hah, hah, i-it was necessary to protect myself. But it’s been a while since I’ve exchanged blows, so I might be a little exhilarated.”
The Saintess had been fully focused on defending herself, and her breathlessness was due to her uncharacteristic uncontrolled outburst. However, she seemed to be basking in the exhilaration of battle, which she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Well, if you had honestly ceded the throne, things would have been settled peacefully, but the moment you turned your blade against my Master, your fate was sealed.”
“It seems my reign is over. Now, finish me off quickly.”
“Hmm. That might be good, but considering the future, there’s an even better way. Hanako, I’m counting on you.”
“Mm, understood.”
The Duke seemed resigned to his defeat. He sat down on the spot, conveying an attitude of “do as you please, boil me or roast me.” However, Fuuko did not comply and seemed to have other ideas. Entrusting the next task to Hanako, Fuuko stepped back, as if to switch places with her.
“Mm, I’ll alter your memories a bit.”
“W-what are you doing. Whaaaaaah!”
Hanako placed her hand on the Duke’s forehead and concentrated. The Duke then lost consciousness and collapsed on the spot.
“Did she kill him?”
“She has the ability to alter memories. She erased the inconvenient parts about us from our minds! This way, we won’t be held accountable.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“This is what I mean.”
“Ah, he disappeared.”
The Saintess thought the fallen Duke had been killed, but Fuuko denied it. Then, as Hanako exerted some kind of power, the Duke’s figure vanished in an instant.
“Is that Teleportation Magic?”
“Mm, I sent him to a certain place.”
Kent recognized the Duke’s unnatural disappearance. It was a phenomenon that occurred when Hanako used Teleportation Magic. When Kent asked Hanako for confirmation, it was as he expected.
“I was surprised by the memory alteration, but Teleportation Magic is a legendary advanced magic, isn’t it? I heard that the God of the Kingdom excels at such magic, could it be…”
“It’s probably just as you think. This child is the God of the Kingdom.”
“Mm, formerly.”
“S-so you mean we were up against the Gods of both the Duchy and the Kingdom? But I heard they were on bad terms. Why are you interacting like friends?”
The Saintess was surprised when Fuuko revealed Hanako’s true identity. Her knowledge suggested that the two had a very bad relationship and had been feuding for hundreds of years. Given that Fuuko was heavily involved in the recent invasion of the Kingdom, she wondered why the two before her were getting along so well.
“Well, various things happened. If I had to say, it might be thanks to my Master.”
“If you can form contracts with two Gods, one of the Duchy and one of the Kingdom, then it’s alright to entrust this country to you. Perhaps the relationship between the Duchy and the Kingdom will improve.”
“Mm, formerly.”
The Saintess placed her hopes on Kent, who was recognized by two Gods, the God of the Duchy and the God of the Kingdom.
“I don’t know what my position will be from now on, but I will believe in the path shown by God and support you with all my might.”
And so, the Saintess pledged her absolute loyalty to Kent.
“Therefore, my Master will now become the King of this country. Hmm, a Duchy is named after its Duke, so calling it a Duchy doesn’t make sense.”
“In that case, wouldn’t ‘Theocratic State,’ established according to God’s teachings, be appropriate?”
“Mm, that’s good. My Master will be called the Pope from this point on.”
“That’s a good idea. Pope it is.”
The future of the country was decided by the three people present.
“Um, what about renouncing my position?”
“It’s too late now. Rejected!”
“Mm, because my Master said he wanted to live in harmony with everyone, I gave him the power to ensure no one could object.”
“Ugh.”
Kent had thought that bearing the weight of a country would be stressful, but the whole situation originated from him, and he felt responsible for having destroyed a country.
“Alright. I don’t know if I can do it well, but I’ll try my best.”
“Mm, I’ll support you with all my might too.”
“Of course, I’ll support you too!”
“Ah, a country guided by two Gods. It will surely be a good one. As I resolved earlier, I will also support it with all my might as one of your pawns.”
Thus, the first Pope of the Theocratic State was born.
“Hmm? Where is this?”
The former Duke had been teleported to a certain place by Hanako’s power. When he woke up and looked around, he was surrounded by a group clad in white armor.
“W-who are you? Are you attacking me knowing I am the Duke?”
Sensing that the surrounding figures were not allies, the Duke raised his voice and revealed his status.
“Welcome, Duke.”
“W-what is this brat?”
“H-how rude! I’m in my growth spurt, you know!”
From among the group clad in white armor, Catherine, dressed in saintly attire, emerged. While she initially intended to greet him respectfully, a single word from the Duke touched a nerve.
“I am Catherine, the Saintess of the Kingdom. Welcome, former Duke. We’ve been expecting you.”
“The Saintess of the Kingdom? Why is someone like you here?”
“It’s quite simple. this is the Kingdom’s Sanctuary. You were teleported here by the power of our Kingdom’s God.”
“What? Did the Kingdom orchestrate a coup by manipulating the Gods and the clergy?”
Upon learning that he had been sent to the Kingdom’s Sanctuary by divine power, the former Duke suspected that the Kingdom had led a coup.
“No, I was merely asked to handle the aftermath by our God. I am simply assisting in appointing the person chosen by the God of the Duchy as King.”
“What? I felt a God’s presence there… and the Gods of both the Kingdom and the Duchy were involved? What on earth is going on?”
“Well, what could it be? As a Saintess, I only convey the will of God and am not in a position to offer advice. It’s the same for the Duchy side, isn’t it?”
Catherine insisted that she was merely fulfilling a request. The former Duke tried to recall his memories before being sent here, but they felt hazy, making it impossible to remember clearly.
“We, the Kingdom, will not allow the previous invasion. We will present you before His Majesty the King and render a just verdict. Escort this person to the Royal Castle.”
“Don’t touch me. Hey, let go, I said let go!”
“Now, come along obediently.”
Catherine cut short their conversation and ordered the Holy Knights to escort the former Duke to the Royal Castle. Thus, the former Duke was transported and brought before a court as a war criminal to be tried under the law.
