Void Palace's 7th Sword, Giovani Perera.
Maybe nobody else would know, but Damien was well aware of where Giovani was supposed to be right now.
His mission was nowhere near this region. He was supposed to be at least 100 trillion kilometers away.
For him to reach here wasn't impossible, but how did he know Rein would be here?
No, before that, how did he even know Rein had been taken?
He surely hadn't been in contact with the main palace.
Then, wasn't there only one source remaining for him to learn it from?
There wasn't much suspense to it. Damien knew Giovani had switched sides from the moment he first devoured the homunculus.
Giovani was heavily involved in the process of their creation. He wasn't just someone who'd converted sides recently. He'd clearly been in bed with the Divine Order for a very long time.
As for the current situation?
Damien had been discovered. It was that simple.
They definitely didn't know Damien's identity yet, but the fact that an intruder would be aiming for the cathedral facility probably spread to the higher-ups.
They definitely didn't know Damien's identity yet, but the fact that an intruder would be aiming for the cathedral facility probably spread to the higher-ups.
After that, Giovani was dispatched to deal with it.
His identity was quite special, after all.
If he destroyed the homunculus facility and killed everyone involved, the Divine Order wouldn't have to take responsibility for what was taking place there and his actions could be disguised as heroism.
And, if his identity as a Sword of Void Palace was used as leverage, the destruction of the cathedral and murder of its personnel could be used as reasoning for the Divine Order to take extreme measures.
All they had to do was dip their toes into the mess a little and control the spread of information, and everything Giovani did would become their benefit, not a loss.
'They must think we won't be able to respond.'
Wherever Damien and Rein were being taken right now would likely be an execution ground made for them.
As they were the last evidence of the truth, they'd be put down.
However, Damien had other plans for this traitor.
'Just wait until we reach that grave you've prepared.'
He'd made a plan to deal with Giovani from the moment he left the Aeria Principality.
All he needed was a moment of opportunity.
Since Giovani was providing it so kindly himself instead of forcing Damien to look for it…
'...I'll use your stage to show you what betrayal feels like.'
***
Giovani flew at the speed of a God, covering vast distances in a single leap.
He protected Damien from the winds he caused by using his mana, but he left a little gap open for Rein's body to be damaged, as if he wanted to create an excuse to kill him.
Damien patched that hole, of course, but he also created a wound on Rein's body so Giovani wouldn't notice.
The only difference was that the wound Damien made wasn't fatal. He would make sure this body didn't die until he found a new container for its soul.
Tens of billions of kilometers passed by like a breeze. It was hard to feel the distance, but by the time they landed in a coliseum-like structure that existed dead in the middle of nowhere, they'd crossed nearly half of the Southwestern Region.
Thud!
Giovani tossed Damien roughly, making him fall to the ground.
"We're here."
His words were short, unlike his previous demeanor, but he didn't seem ready to drop his disguise quite yet.
"What's the situation of the main palace? Is everything okay?"
He sounded concerned, and he was. After all, somebody had come to save Rein, and it wasn't someone he recognized.
Of course, that person only had the strength of a Demigod, but the fact that the main palace was sending out people for matters like these was still alarming.
Nobody ever underestimated Void Palace's strength, especially not Giovani, who was a part of it for most of his life.
Any odd move they made would be observed by the entire world.
Then, one could ask, if he was aware of the palace's hidden strength, then why did he choose to betray it?
The answer was simple, but complicated to explain.
In as few words as possible, he had an obsessive personality.
He wasn't some kind of lecher, nor was he completely evil, but he was obsessed with artificial life.
And more than that, he was obsessed with blood.
Void Palace wasn't an influence that had trouble often. Even if he only wanted to kill other practitioners rather than innocent civilians, even if he was okay with saving his sword for those who were evil, he wanted to kill.
The Divine Order was simply more equipped to hold him.
They could give him the blood he desired from their countless enemies and the wars they waged.
And they could satisfy his craving for artificial life, his craving for a true immortal body.
He didn't have bad feelings for Void Palace. He quite liked the place, actually.
'But what does that matter?'
Giovani glanced down at the people he'd brought with him.
One was once his colleague, and the other was a weakling.
'They expect me to stay with them?'
Giovani saw how Rein acted when he was captured. He was part of the capturing team.
Rein was someone with an undying loyalty to the palace. No matter what was done with him, he never let loose an ounce of rebellion against them.
Even when they tortured his soul, they barely got any information.
He was like a fortress made to protect the palace.
And that…
'...it's disgusting.'
He still remembered the sight.
That blind faith Rein had reminded him of the citizens of the Southwestern Region.
To him, Rein was just another person indoctrinated by a stronger being.
He hated the thought. He hated the mentality.
He was loyal, sure, but he cared for himself more than anything else.
Rather than being a part of an influence that built its foundation on that kind of loyalty, he felt more comfortable in the presence of those who used each other for their own benefit.
At least that kind of people would act predictably in the crucial moment.
Nevertheless, he'd sold his soul to the Divine Order, and as he provided them with information about Void Palace and worked under their orders, he enjoyed everything they gave him in return.
This time, he was going to truly become a member of the order.
His old identity as the 7th Sword would be sacrificed, and he'd be reborn under a different name and appearance.
And for that to succeed, these two weaklings needed to die.
Damien had responded to Giovani's question as he got engulfed in his thoughts. It was something along the lines of, "It's tough, but we can manage."
Whatever it was, Giovani didn't care to hear it.
He was a member of the Divine Order now. This kind of acting was unfit for him.
Instead, couldn't they just torture the Demigod and extract information from his soul?
'That sounds far more convenient.'
Giovani glanced at Damien and Rein.
'First things first…'
He raised his hand in the air.
'...let me kill that pest of a Sword.'
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