I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 91: 0. War (2)

"I can't believe it."

Cecilia murmured with a pale complexion.

News of the grand invasion by the Holy Kingdom had spread, and some students had returned to their families.

However, surprisingly many students remained at the academy, their resolve unwavering.

The academy. And the will to protect the empire.

Whether the imperial family wanted it or not, the spirit of serving the nation still resided in the students of their prime.

"The Pope, could he really...?"

Cecilia already knew that Veris had set a trap at the academy.

For her, this situation was beyond belief.

"What kind of person is the Pope?"

Arwen asked.

Cecilia seemed to ponder for a moment before closing her eyes and speaking.

"He is a person with a warm heart. He was passionate about protecting the weak and spreading the will of God..."

It seemed the Pope had a better reputation than expected.

"Then why would such a Pope start a war? No matter how much the Holy

Kingdom enjoys an era of peace, the empire is still the empire."

It was Veris's voice. Cecilia shook her head as if she didn't know.

"It seems even the priests of the academy church are unaware. And indeed... it's a given that there is some connection with the Demon Cult."

Her tone was somber. Everyone gathered in the mansion looked at Cecilia with concern in their eyes.

"Anyway, the undeniable fact is that they are coming this way."

A group of priests tightly bound by 'miracles.' They were like evidence of the existence of God and had already crossed the southern border of the empire days ago.

In the process, many southern lords had fallen. While many had survived, the most important territories had been seized by the Holy Kingdom.

"A mobilization order has been issued."

Maria murmured with a stern face. There were no fools here who didn't understand the meaning.

"The mobilization order means His Majesty has decided to confront the invaders."

Gunther, too, wore a face far from his usual lighthearted demeanor.

Holding a newspaper, Gunther handed it to Veris.

"What they want... is said to be the overthrow of the academy, which spreads false faith."

"Haha."

Veris chuckled softly upon seeing the large headline on the front page of the newspaper.

False faith? Moreover, the academy was the target of this war?

It was a reaction that anyone could see was deeply cynical. Of course, he never even considered that this reaction would lead the Holy Kingdom's priests and paladins to initiate an invasion.

"If that's the case, the empire's final line of defense is the academy."

Beatrice, sitting next to Gunther, murmured.

She was holding her black fan as usual, but the difference was that the folded fan seemed unable to open.

"Brother, we should also pay attention to the movements of Gallia."

Veris nodded at Gunther's opinion.

Diplomacy and war felt like distant matters.

Why? Because Veris was just an 'ordinary' student of the academy.

However, as Gunther said, the Kingdom of Gallia, a potential adversary of the Vera Empire, felt uncomfortable.

"Brother. What about Grand Duchess Evangeline Wallenstein?"

"Well, I've heard she's moving with the Sword Saint."

"...She's quite a reliable person in times like this."

Veris nodded.

The Grand Duchess was the second highest title in Gallia.

It might seem that titles and status held little significance in the academy, but her power was greater than one might think.

Just the fact that she hadn't returned to Gallia upon hearing the news of the war was a significant strength.

"Damn it! I'm so frustrated I need to go get some fresh air."

Gunther, venting his frustration alone, stood up.

As he finally went out to the backyard, small sighs escaped from various places.

The Holy Kingdom was formidable.

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It was a grave mistake to think of them as merely innocent, God-following religious people.

The priests, armed with all kinds of holy mana, were their main force.

"According to the newspaper, the Holy Kingdom's military force is said to be around 100,000."

"...That's disgustingly large."

Veris muttered in disbelief at Beatrice's voice.

The Holy Kingdom was not small. Under the name of the Papacy, it was a nation with about a quarter of the empire's territory.

This meant that they were not only leading priests and paladins but also numerous soldiers in their advance.

"Veris."

"Yeah?"

Arwen, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, called out to Veris.

"Did you perhaps foresee this situation, Veris?"

Arwen's blue eyes were incredibly serious. Veris seemed to ponder for a moment, stroking his chin, before nodding.

"I never imagined something this significant would be at stake."

Significant. One might say it was like a dragon caught in a trap set by a hunter in the forest to catch a rabbit.

In any case, from Veris's perspective, it was nothing short of absurd.

To draw out the true essence of the Demon Cult, he had detained the Holy Kingdom's priests, the Unafint. In that situation, the Holy Kingdom invaded the empire without a declaration of war.

Well, the justification was something about false faith and so on... but wasn't it obvious that it was an operation to rescue the 'apostle' of the Demon Cult?

"What if the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) empire loses?"

Cecilia's question.

Among those seated, she was the only person from the Holy Kingdom, and her complexion was exceedingly dark.

"Perhaps we would be forced to accept a false faith."

"...!"

Veris spoke as if it were nothing. But Cecilia could understand the implications of his words to some extent.

It was already evident that the Demon Cult and the Church of Light were deeply intertwined.

"The Pope... is strong."

Cecilia's voice was heavy.

She had long since stopped adding the honorific 'sir' to the title of Pope.

"Well, how strong is he?"

"There are the masters of Gallia and Vera, after all."

"Like Evangeline and the Sword Saint?"

"Yes. They... might not be able to exert their strength in front of the Pope."

"Hmm... is that so?"

Veris nodded at Cecilia's advice.

Of course, from Veris's perspective, both Grand Duchess Evangeline and Sword Saint Heinkel were at a level that could be surpassed.

But this was war. War was a wave too immense for one person to withstand. And.

"The miracles the Pope wields... are the 'light' miracles said to be directly bestowed by the God of Light."

"Light miracles?"

"Yes. He can literally become light."

"Ha."

It was an unbelievable statement. A person becoming light?

The idea that the Pope possessed such power was also quite laughable.

It wasn't as if the power was the law of the great forest tribe, and the strongest person in the Holy Kingdom sat in the position of Pope.

*

Seven of the Twelve Seats had died.

Five had perished at the academy, while two were missing or had died for some reason.

Now only five of the Twelve Black Seats remained. The leader of the order met with the head of the church.

"Hmm, you don't look well at all."

"It's not your concern."

Both old men had ordinary appearances. Yet for some reason, despite the lack of a palpable aura, they had a knack for drawing people's attention.

"To think you'd be in such a state because one girl you consider like a daughter has been captured. The head of the church must find it quite amusing?"

"Mind your words, First Seat."

The warning came from the old man in white robes.

The old man clad in the blue robe symbolizing the Magic Tower merely chuckled.

"It's just that the time has come. It's time to burn the false faith to the ground."

"Of course."

It was a grand plan.

A plan that had been in the making for nearly a thousand years was now signaling its beginning.

The prologue of a plan that had started from the era of magic, which developed the truth of 'magic' in human society.

It was enough to send shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned old men.

"False faith."

The old man in the blue robe murmured.

He was looking up at the sky.

He was an old man who had already seen the situation at the academy with his own eyes. In his judgment, it did not seem that the academy would be able to withstand the military force of the Holy Kingdom.

That meant.

It was now possible to reclaim the holy land.

"I wonder if it's time for me to make my move."

It was the voice of the old man in the blue robe. The old man in white was gazing at him silently.

"I told you, you are the last resort, didn't I?"

"The people of the Magic Tower have nothing to do with me. Those madmen research magic like lunatics, regardless of what the Tower Master says. They wouldn't even blink if the world were to end. Haha!"

"A comfortable group, indeed."

"Somewhat accurate."

The conversation between the two old men appeared endlessly ordinary. Yet the weight of their exchange was so heavy that ordinary people couldn't even begin to fathom it.

"How is the summoning of the apostles going? You're not suggesting we handle this with these little brats, are you?"

"I've already finalized the agreement to join forces in Hessen."

The old man in the blue robe looked at his counterpart with a blank expression.

Hessen?

Hessen was the city bordering the academy. To have agreed to join with the other two apostles there meant they intended to advance northward toward the academy without any hindrance.

"Things have really escalated."

Though the old man in white didn't explicitly say it, the old man in blue understood the implication well.

"I will follow you. Pope... no, Master."

A grin spread across the face of the old man in blue.

Their grand plan was now beginning.