Chapter 143: The Last Holy Grail
Leon looked at the Moon Grail, forged by Isabel, smelted by Antoch, and perfected by Gunnar, the Sages of the Forest, and the High Priestess Anak.
“Quite a thing, isn’t it?”
Beatrice smiled and looked at the Moon Grail in Leon’s hand.
“I was just about to ask Gunnar how to grow a seedling when I realized how big this was going to get.”
He had opened the gate and attempted to enter, hoping to find out from Gunnar or one of the other forest sages how to raise the seedling for Gunnar.
Little did he know it would lead to the Last Holy Grail plan.
“It’s been an unexpected harvest, even if it has grown out of my original goal.”
“I see.”
He had no idea it would lead to the finalization of the Last Holy Grail plan.
“It was conceived long ago by Gunnar and the other Sages of the Forest.”
The Last Holy Grail Plan was basically the same as the plan to implant the Holy Grail into the Lionheart.
“The Lionheart Plan?”
“A sort of ark plan, staking the future of the world on the being ‘most likely to survive’.”
If the world were to be irreparably damaged and destroyed, it would be prioritized for preservation.
First, of course, is the temple of the gods.
Their residence is more than just a matter of faith; it is tied to the very existence of the world.
If it were destroyed, the power of the gods to maintain paradise would be lost, which would mean the end of Leon’s world.
“Therefore, the gods decided to take refuge in this king’s Lionheart. There, they could generate their own power and survive.”
It was a gamble that would come to naught if Leon died.
“And the gamble paid off.”
“Yes. And the Last Holy Grail plan was…….”
Leon recalled a memory from a very long time ago. For Beatrice, it was recent, but for him, it was over two hundred years ago.
“During the final battle, we were at the end of our rope. We couldn’t afford to sacrifice someone to forge an artifact.”
“Surely…….”
In order to forge the Moon Grail, all the Sages of the Forest, High Priestess Anak, and High Priestess Isabel of Purity had to be sacrificed.
Even Sir Gilliam, a Holy Knight, guarded it.
Lionheart could not have afforded to miss that kind of manpower.
“The Last Grail will be bestowed upon the Father of the Realm, and it has the power of the sun and the strength of thunder. And it was Arianna who brought them all together.”
Leon took out the Holy Grail, a treasure descended from the first Lionheart.
As Leon imbued it with his holy power, a brilliant light began to emanate from it, creating a veil of light so brilliant that it illuminated the dawn of the night as brightly as day.
Beatrice understood the power of the Holy Grail.
“It produces holy water that can instantly heal any wound, performing all sorts of miracles. It’s a holy relic that’s required to be sworn as a Holy Knight.”
“I see. It is because of this that the Holy Grail has come to symbolize the founding of the kingdom. And the holy water of the Grail is indispensable for the swearing-in of a Holy Knight.”
Leon placed the Holy Grail and the Moon Grail in the same spot. To his surprise, the two grails attracted each other like a magnet, and the Moon Grail began to melt into the Holy Grail.
“Your Majesty, what is this?”
“The Moon Grail is a holy object that fills in the gaps of the Holy Grail… an improvement, so to speak. It is a material for forging the ‘Last Grail’ according to the needs of the times.”
Now fully assembled, the Holy Grail didn’t look much different than before.
It was a gleaming golden grail, with the additional sigil of the Moon Grail.
“So the power of the Moon Grail is…….”
Beatrice recalled the miracle of the grail when it was completed.
“An object more akin to destruction than restoration of life, so it’s meant to improve upon the existing Holy Grail.”
“Exactly.”
According to Ha-ri’s testimony, even an Archdemon had been annihilated by a direct hit from the Moon Grail wave of light.
It’s a range-type demonic annihilation weapon and upon contact, a lesser demon is sure to be destroyed.
“That’s certainly a hard counter to demons, I’ll just go around the city with this grail and blast out a wave, and any lurking demons will die.”
What makes demons so troublesome is their numbers and their ability to blend into human society before their immortality.
They can make contracts with humans to spread evil, or they can go undercover in human skin.
In Beatrice’s case, the demons of pleasure and decadence have infested the city, forcing her to implement extreme measures like the Inquisition.
And such extreme groups are bound to backlash against the citizenry and claim innocent victims.
The power of the reformed Grail was bound to streamline that dramatically.
“Wait…Your Majesty, you said this was part of the Ark plan?”
Beatrice remembered how all the Sages of the Forest had to give their lives to complete the Moon Grail.
“The accumulation of ‘species’ and ‘knowledge’.”
“……!”
──────
Leon, in turn, explained the power behind the Moon Grail, and it was…….
“The power to rebuild a new kingdom.”
“That would only be possible when the seedling of Gunnar grew. You have not forgotten your original purpose, because of the unexpected harvest that brought you the Last Grail and other holy objects, have you?”
At that, Beatrice smiled brightly.
“Of course, Mr. Gunnar gave me clear advice.”
Leon had taken Gunnar’s seedlings from the World of the Dead.
Therefore, Gunnar’s seedlings can only grow in paradise.
Beatrice tells Leon how to grow the seedling as she learned from Gunnar and it’s not easy, but with Leon and Beatrice, it’s definitely possible.
So, the idea of Gunnar’s seedling is off the table.
It would take some pretty tricky conditions to grow it, but for now, it was something that could be solved with the Moon Grail.
“With all due respect, I have another favor to ask of you.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty is in a position to command me to do anything.”
Having saved the souls of the knights who served her until the very end, Beatrice owed Leon an unpayable debt.
After all, it was he who had saved her from transforming into the demons she hated.
She felt so indebted to him that she considered herself his vassal before being a queen.
“Kings do not command kings and if you have a burden, don’t make me one I don’t have.”
“Your Majesty’s high-mindedness is not something I can approve of.”
Even he recognized this but Leon doesn’t see high-mindedness as a negative.
Principles, unwavering standards and the steadfastness with which they are enforced, however frustrating they may seem at times, is what makes a king objective.
“Continue your research on the gate. I’ll assist you with anything you need. I have two people I need to find.”
“I think I know one.”
Beatrice remembered the man Leon had mentioned once before, and whom she had also encountered. And she had heard of him at this gate as well.
“The Holy Knight missing in the plains of Randolce.”
An absolute powerhouse, said to be the strongest Holy Knight in Lionheart.
Vulcanus, Holy Knight of War and Flame.
“This king is certain he is alive. If the previous king had ascended earlier, the next Lionheart King would surely have been him.”
The Lionheart King was not chosen by mere strength alone.
They had to be approved by all the gods and prove their virtue and faith.
Of course, it was a time of war, so it’s understandable if force was prioritized.
Vulcanus’ strength had surprised even Beatrice, who had only watched from the sidelines.
“If he’s alive, he’s somewhere in a Gate, and there’s an object that could be the coordinates to find him.”
The ritual dagger Leon obtained from the Vulcanus he encountered while clearing the Jerea Relic Convoy gate was good enough as coordinates to find him.
Or, more accurately, it should have been enough.
“Your Majesty, we have already failed to locate Lord Vulcanus with that dagger.”
“I see. Either the coordinates lacked specificity, or we simply ran out of magic stones.”
Opening the gate requires a great deal of magic stones.
Whether it’s Holy Knight Jerea’s Relic Convoy gate, the gate to Slaughter Archduke Akasha’s estate, or the colorless gate that is the setting for the final battle of Lionheart, the enormous amounts of magic stones consumed were not easily replenished, even by the TTG Guild, which cleared the gates around them as they came.
“I have a theory about that. I’ll have to research it a bit more.”
And then there was the one remaining.
This was something Leon had checked with the spirits that had ‘entered Paradise’ in the last war.
Besides Georgic and Vulcanus there was another child who had not entered Paradise.
“Karina Dragonia, this king’s daughter was also not found in the Paradise of the Gods.”
He wanted to find my daughter. He didn’t want to give up if there was hope. Leon’s desire was very natural.
“I’ll see what I can do. I know it’s hard, but please be patient.”
“Indeed. I wonder where this would be without you and Sir Spinner.”
“We are all in your service.”
“It is kind of you to say so.”
Leon kissed the back of Beatrice’s hand in gratitude and she did not refuse the highest courtesies a knight paid to a lady.
“I will grant you anything you wish. Do not refuse this king’s gratitude.”
“Only if you say so…….”
Beatrice pressed a white finger to her lips. She thought long and hard for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“I’ll tell you later.”
It was a blank check of sorts, but Beatrice chose to look away.
* * * * *
South Korea President Ahn Dong-gil is a moderately corrupt and moderately just politician.
His grandfather was an independence fighter and his father was a democracy fighter, and the destruction of democracy that has recently invaded this planet has cost him dearly, but he’s basically walked a fine line.
In that sense, the recent dramatic shift in the domestic balance of power is a conundrum for the president.
“No, these guys are crazy.”
The first group he disparages as privateers are the hunter guilds, a group of superhumans with powers beyond any military.
Of course, the national army is no match for a small group of superhumans, but the problem is the gate security crisis caused by their absence.
Why did Japan, until recently, privatize the Hunter Association and allow S-class hunters with unlimited power to go on the rampage?
It’s because they have no alternative when it comes to attacking gates.
The number of S-class hunters ensured the security and safety of the country, which was linked to stock prices and real estate.
Just look at how the glorious cities of London and Shanghai became barren because they couldn’t block a single gate.
Even if you’re an S-ranked Hunter, it’s hard to touch a large guild with S-ranked Hunters when all the great powers are willing to spend money to get them.
The same is true for the top 10 guilds in Korea, so they’ve been trying to manipulate the government by playing the defection card.
‘Oh Kang-hyuk’s choice was not wrong, really not wrong…….’
In such a situation, Leon appeared, and Ten Thousand Gods Guild was established.
Oh Kang-hyuk fully supported the Ten Thousand Gods Guild, hoping to use it as a stronghold against the Ten Guilds.
He was not wrong. Unlike the Ten Guilds, who control the government with their wealth and power, TTG Guild is a group driven by one man’s principles.
As long as they kept their leader, Leon, happy, they could keep the Ten Guilds in line and protect national security.
His religion is so popular that the blessed crops alone are now filial piety goods that the entire world demands Korea export.
In many ways, TTG Guild is the goose that lays the golden eggs that bring the country enormous profits. The problem is…….
“A guild that was founded less than half a year ago has already grown to this level.
It’s already at the level of a top 10 guild.
Moreover, the recent addition of Hanbit Palace under its own umbrella has actually unbalanced the 10 guilds.
Is this the end? The newly established Japan Hunters Association, which was formed after the Japan All Japan Association was completely destroyed by public opinion, is composed mostly of loyalists of the TTG Guild.
It is no exaggeration to say that Japan Hunter’s Association has become subservient to the Ten Thousand Gods Temple.
As a hunter’s guild, it is powerless, but its public support is frighteningly high.
-I was cured of cancer after believing in the Ten Thousand Gods.
-Honestly, if you follow the doctrine of the Ten Thousand Gods Temple, you’ll go to heaven, right?
-Have you seen the Code of Light and Justice? We should make all domestic politicians and government officials believe in this. Those who violate it will be punished and destroyed.
-The Goddess of Life and Abundance is honey lol. Ever since my grandfather became a priest of Demera, the whole family ate blessed crops at every meal.
-Is it true that all diseases are cured?
-Hair loss is cured.
-From this day forward, the National Baldness Association pledges allegiance to the TTG Temple. Hail Lionheart!
The TTG Temple is growing too fast for its own good and the side effects are showing up all over the country.
Just in today’s briefing alone──
-Your Excellency, there is a public opinion that you should become a devotee of Arianna, the Goddess of Light and Justice, as a state official, what do you think?
‘No, I think they’re ridiculous. They obviously know I go to church!’
He deflected, saying that as a public official, he could not be biased toward a particular religion, but the public’s reaction was not favorable.
-Why doesn’t Dong-gil believe in Arianna?
-Because he has a bad back. What happened to the Colonel Group scandal?
-How can you believe in the Goddess of Justice when you’re stealing billions?
‘You sons of bitches…!”
Of course, there’s some backstabbing going on but is there any place in politics where you can just be clean?
A little shit, a little flexibility, a little handing over, that’s how the country lives, that’s how the economy lives!
“Mr. President…!”
“What!”
The chief of staff, who may or may not have been aware of the cranky president’s state of mind because he was reminded of the regular briefing, approached and reported.
“It’s just that… the United Nations has contacted me urgently.”
“The United Nations? What the hell?”
“Something about contributing to the refugee relief fund as a developed country.
Without China and Russia as permanent members, the United Nations has become a social club for European snobs.
Still, they claim to be the world’s government, so we should give in to their demands.
That’s what President Ahn Dong-gil had thought until half a second ago, but he couldn’t hide his dismay when he saw the UN notification.
“……Fuck.”
He was supposed to be preserving his dignity as a president…but he couldn’t help but swear.
The notification began with the following title
“Inspection Team to Investigate Alleged Human Rights Abuses at TTG Temple.”
It left him f*cking speechless.
