"Was there a mishap?"
"We don't know for certain. We have lost contact with the forces that were sent to Astoria."
"Just lost contact? Didn't the inheritor go with them? We all know what her personality is like."
"Indeed, she has a tendency to be willful. We can't make any conclusions yet, but does it even matter if their fail?"
"That's true. Even if they were sacrificed in this mission, it doesn't affect the grand plan at all. In fact, it could even have benefits."
"Getting rid of the inheritor isn't a bad trade-off for a portion of the plan going off rails."
Within the pantheon, hushed voices rang out, discussing matters that seemed to contain an importance that normal people couldn't fathom.
"Have we received any new orders from the Lord yet?"
"None. It seems the Lord wants us to continue with how things are going."
"Yes, if it's the Lord's plan, we do not need to question anything. What seems like failure to us might have been his goal all along."
"Has anyone heard news about the outsiders?"
A new question was brought up, attracting the attention of those present.
"The outsiders? Aren't they just kids that were sent in? Why should we care about them?"
"They may be kids, but that doesn't mean they don't pose a threat. Have we learned about the level of their strength?"
"Hmm, other than Astoria, the outsiders found in other cities have been subpar. Even against mere Generals, they were forced to struggle. If even a single one of us moved, it'd be over for them."
"I don't understand why the Lord would place any importance on them. They aren't worth the attention of someone as great as him."
"Enough. We don't question the Lord's decisions, we only follow them. He has raised us from birth for this purpose."
"There's no need for you to mention it. We all know, and we all agree."
The beings within the pantheon nodded their heads. They only had one purpose for existence, and that was to serve the Lord. Power? Fame? Pleasure? None of it mattered to them as much as a single word from him.
"In any case, we have nothing to do besides follow what he says. There's no reason for us to personally act."
"Have the Demon Kings shown any strange movement?"
"None. They rarely leave their castles in the first place, so the spies we placed are enough to surveil them thoroughly."
"Do not become complacent. Those four are different from the rest of us, and they are much more powerful. Although they serve the Lord, they all have their own agendas."
A solemn atmosphere covered the group.
"We must be certain that they don't prioritize their own goals. We need to control them and keep them on a tight leash."
"If only it weren't for this damn restriction we could-!"
They gnashed their teeth. If it wasn't for the restriction placed by the cursed deity, they'd have surpassed the Demon Kings in strength long ago. But they couldn't do anything about it. They were forced to stay within the levels of 3rd class, and they couldn't even deepen their comprehension any further than they already had.
"There's no need to discuss this matter any further. Make sure to keep a good watch on our forces and prepare for the Lord's orders at any time. Until then, we can only wait.
A series of affirmations followed the statement. An eerie silence once again filled the pantheon.
***
Within one of the four large castles located not far from the pantheon, a man sat in his study with a gloomy aura surrounding him.
His gaze was focused on the papers in front of him, his long blonde hair brushing against the desk. From the crease on his forehead and the beads of sweat that trickled down his brow, it was evident that he was under a great deal of stress.
Crack!
The pen in his hand snapped in half. The man's hand had clenched hard enough to turn the remains of the pen into dust.
"Get rid of her? You think you can get rid of her? You think I'll allow it?"
The man gnashed his teeth as he muttered. His frightening red eyes looked especially bloodshot.
"Dammit!"
His fist shattered the desk in front of him, he crazily began destroying everything around him. Lamps were thrown, bookshelves were toppled. He looked as if he had gone crazy.
"If she had died, I'd know by now. There isn't a single person in this world who can overcome my soul technique. So why? Why can't I reach her?"
He wanted to roar. He wanted to vent his frustration. He wanted to kill. But he knew that most of the servants attending to him within his castles were planted there. Any signs of agitation he showed would only be used against him.
"Haa…"
The man took a deep breath to calm himself down. His bloodshot eyes slowly became as tranquil as an undisturbed lake. Any emotion on his face was wiped clean.
In this state, he slowly walked to the window that overlooked the mountainside.
His gaze briefly landed on the demons in the city below him, but soon went past it. With his level of existence, he could even faintly see Astoria in the distance.
But the city was calm. There was no army invading it, and there wasn't even a trace of destruction anymore due to the workings of the Trial World.
However, he had seen it previously. He had felt that foreboding sense and watched carefully at the location where the battle had been.
Seas of flames, flickering shadows. With just this much, there wouldn't have been enough danger. What he was truly wary of were the thunderclouds that appeared later.
After those thunderclouds appeared, the battle soon halted, and he lost the connection he once had.
"What the hell happened? Was there a mishap? Did the flames go out of control?"
Rather than the individuals who had wiped out the army of insects that had been sent out, he was more worried about the flame. If that flame took over, it would end everything. What would he have worked so hard for at that point?
"The other three should have been watching as well. What are they up to? Are they rejoicing at my misfortune?"
His barely concealed fury almost erupted again, but he managed to calm himself down.
"If the flames had taken over, I should have at least felt something. And even if they took over, the connection should still be maintained. Her flames don't have a fully formed will yet, so there's no way it'd be able to consciously cut me off."
In the end, the man could only sigh in desperation and move away from his spot at the window. This study was his only safe place. It was the only place he could drop his facade and be himself.
The eyes within his palace couldn't penetrate it, since he had put years of effort into making it what it was.
And because of this, he had no reason to stop the single tear that fell from his eye.
"My daughter…I hope you are still alive. Even if you are in pain, I hope you can endure. You are all I have left in this world. If you die…I will make sure that the world dies with you, even if I have to sell my soul to do so."
