Episode 94
The landscape was swallowed by an endless darkness.
Dale’s “Shadow Cloak” had spiraled out of control, submerging the grand courtroom into a lake of shadows. Everything vanished into the darkness, save for the saintess and Dale.
A pitch-black barrier.
Within that barrier, a woman with the horns of a goat emerged. No longer a young girl, but a lady of indescribable elegance and allure—the Mother of Ancient Darkness.
“Shub.”
Dale called her name cautiously. From within his shadow, Aurelia also appeared, tainted and fallen by the darkness of the “Book of the Black Goat.”
“Oh, Mother of Ancient Darkness and Black Abundance.”
The Shadow Saintess smiled at Shub with a look of rapture, finally removing the black bandages that had covered her eyes.
”……!”
Dale gasped at the sight.
Where her eyes should have been, there was nothing.
“To see beyond, sometimes you must give up certain things.”
Where her eyes should have been, there was only a deep darkness, like staring into the abyss.
“And now, I can see.”
”…….”
“I’ve been waiting for this moment.”
The Shadow Saintess smiled, undeterred.
“As foretold in the Apocalypse—the black apostle shall appear with the female goat of the black forest, who bears a thousand offspring.”
The black apostle, bearer of the “Book of the Black Goat.”
“He shall gather the last flame of this world, and as the final light fades, the realm of shadows shall come.”
There was no need to explain what that meant.
“The words left by the founder of Saxon, the First Apostle, ‘Immortal Frederick.’”
The First Apostle.
‘It’s not surprising that there was a connection between the Shadow Church and the black during the old days of the Black and White Tower.’
But that was an ancient matter, beyond even Dale’s knowledge of the world.
In a world where the existence of gods is both certain and questioned, how seriously the Shadow Church takes those words is another matter entirely.
‘An unexpected connection.’
Dale didn’t necessarily agree with the Shadow Church’s beliefs. But if they mistakenly saw him as the “black apostle,” there was no need to dispel that belief.
Use what can be used. That was all.
“As the black apostle, you will drive out the empire of false fire and light from this land.”
The empire of fire and light.
“And bring forth the true empire of shadows, O Shadow Lord.”
With those words, the Shadow Saintess knelt before Dale, pledging her loyalty.
“I’ve been praying for this day to come.”
She knelt and kissed Dale’s feet.
“Please, use us as the foundation to build the empire of shadows.”
From beneath Shub’s skirt, tendrils slithered, wrapping around the Shadow Saintess.
─ Ah, my faithful child.
With each tendril that wrapped around her, the saintess smiled in uncontrollable ecstasy.
─ Your faith will be rewarded.
“Oh, Mother of Black Abundance.”
─ The day when the last flame of this world is extinguished and the final light fades is near.
Once more, darkness surged.
The Shadow Saintess and Aurelia vanished, leaving only Dale and the “Mother of Ancient Darkness.”
”……What did you do to her?”
Dale asked Shub, who smiled enigmatically, her dress concealing countless tendrils.
─ Do you not trust her words?
She had become the young girl Dale knew, her smile inscrutable.
─ The goddess of shadows has sent the black apostle to build the ‘Empire of Shadows.’
“There are no gods in this world.”
Dale replied coldly.
A world without gods. Shub tilted her head, puzzled.
─ Even with me standing before you?
“At least not ones watching our every move from the heavens.”
Dale continued in response to Shub’s question.
“Assuming a god is a stalker who loves us, with a list of dos and don’ts.”
Calmly.
“Then there are no gods in this world.”
─ Then what do you think we are?
“People looking down at ants.”
Dale answered.
“When ants suddenly start calling out their names, it’s just fascinating and astonishing.”
When Dale glimpsed “death” through the black sphere, he instinctively knew. In some sense, they possessed god-like power.
The realm of the demon gods that wizards yearned to reach, a truth unknown even to the blood-red council.
At the same time, they were the merciless invaders who had trampled Dale’s home planet.
The great celestial beings.
To them, humans were no more than ants.
And when the collective unconscious of humanity became aware of “their existence” and summoned their fragments to this world, it was not much different from “ants calling out the names of people.”
As it had been on Dale’s home planet.
To humans, it was astonishing and fascinating, drawing great interest, without understanding the implications of their actions.
“That is the true nature of the beings we call gods in this world.”
The “Mother of Ancient Darkness” beside Dale was no exception.
“You mistake the interest you occasionally show us for something else…….”
Thus, Dale continued.
“And call it divine revelation, praising it.”
─ Hahaha!
Shub burst into laughter, unable to contain her amusement at Dale’s words.
─ I really do like you, brother.
Shub wrapped around Dale, smiling as if petting a beloved cat.
─ And these are my ‘surprise gifts’ for you.
”……A gift box that anyone could open and receive.”
Not incorrect. The one to whom the Shadow Saintess pledged loyalty and kissed could have been anyone.
Anyone who possessed the “Book of the Black Goat” and inherited the will of the Immortal, anyone with Saxon blood who could withstand the darkness of the grimoire. But finding such a person was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
There was no reason it had to be Dale. Yet, it was a gift box only he could open.
“Thank you, Shub.”
Thus, Dale smiled.
“At least the ‘revelation’ they believe in will come true.”
Dale spoke.
Gathering the last flame of this world, extinguishing the final light. Toppling the empire of fire and light.
Not as a puppet of the heavens, but by Dale’s own will. In a world without gods, choosing to become the god for those who seek one.
What will be built upon the ruins of the fallen empire?
Finding that answer wasn’t as difficult as it seemed.
‘The Empire of Shadows.’
Dale’s empire.
‘The Shadow Lord.’
─ I hope you like my favor.
With those words, Shub’s form vanished. The darkness receded, drawn back into Dale’s shadow cloak.
Dale found himself once more in the grand courtroom.
Dale, Aurelia, the Shadow Saintess, men in bird-beak masks, and the First Seat of the Seven Swords of the Continent… Master Baro were all gathered there.
“Haha, damn.”
Master Baro spoke up.
“Look at this poor bachelor, can’t even join the conversation, just sipping on beer.”
He gulped down his beer, seemingly indifferent.
“Master Baro, the revelation has come to pass.”
At Baro’s words, the Shadow Saintess spoke.
“The black apostle who will topple the empire of fire and light and liberate us… has finally appeared before us.”
Still blindfolded with black bandages.
There was not a hint of doubt in the Shadow Saintess’s words. Fanaticism and obedience. Before everyone, she knelt once more before Dale, kissing his feet.
An undeniable pledge of loyalty.
In the face of her actions, no one dared to object.
“If I fight to drive out the empire of light for your sake.”
Thus, within the saintess’s kiss, Dale spoke.
“What can the Shadow Court, or rather, the Shadow Church, do for me?”
Even in this sudden situation, he meticulously calculated what could be used.
“All of the Shadow Court will kneel at the feet of the ‘Shadow Lord.’”
The saintess replied. The bond of black and shadow. A vision Dale had once hoped for, realized in an unimaginable form. An undeniable deus ex machina.
“Haha, hold on.”
It was then.
Finishing his beer, the assassin known as the “Killing Sword” spoke.
The First Seat of the Seven Swords of the Continent, Master Baro.
“I don’t doubt the golden spoon the Saxon heir is holding, but….”
He rose, moving his hand toward the hilt of his sword.
“Still, whether I truly deserve to bow my head is something to consider after the fight.”
”…”
Gaining the allegiance of the entire Shadow Court meant seizing control of the continent’s most formidable assassin guild.
“In my experience, even when bowing your head, you should do it wisely.”
Among them stood the formidable ‘Seven Swords of the Continent,’ and the man before Dale, known as the Killing Sword, was no exception.
“Even if it means standing against the Duke of Saxon himself.”
They wouldn’t accept it easily.
From the start, Dale never expected to take over the organization with just the Shadow Saintess’s endorsement. Winning their individual loyalty was a separate challenge.
“Leave this to me.”
“There’s no need.”
Aurelia stepped forward, ready to draw her sword, but Dale extended an arm to stop her.
“We can’t just hand over an esteemed organization like the Shadow Court to someone unworthy.”
“Oh?”
“Having the Seven Swords of the Continent personally assess my worth is an honor.”
“Hah, your tongue is as slick as oil.”
Master Baro chuckled coldly as he unsheathed his sword.
“Brace yourself, kid.”
A blood-red aura coiled around the blade.
“Forget about divine intervention.”
True to the name of the Killing Sword.
“Unless you want a one-way ticket to the afterlife.”
“I’m ready.”
In that instant, Master Baro vanished.
The first seat of the Seven Swords, the continent’s top assassin.
Clang!
A blood-red aura blade swung from behind Dale, only to be deflected with a sharp clash.
“What the…?”
Master Baro gasped in surprise.
“You blocked it?”
Dale remained still, not even turning his head, maintaining a stoic silence.
It wasn’t Dale who moved. It was the Death Knight, the warrior Dale had acquired from the fight club, wielding the Black Sword of Saxon, who parried the Killing Sword’s strike. The pitch-black aura blade reflected the essence of the Peacemaker.
The first time in this world that a hero’s sword was wielded with aura.
“Am I going to lose my head at this rate?”
Master Baro muttered, as the ‘Hero’s Proxy’ charged towards the Killing Sword.