The Returner Chapter 178

(TL: Another unedited chapter. Sorry about that.)

"Everyone has gathered."

The relationship between twelve religious orders wasn't the same as before. They were at their closest during the most dangerous period in the history of this world.

They had to put aside countless grievances and old grudges to work together when Yi Ji-Hyuk came invading Berafe. In a way, he forcibly united the whole of the continent.

Sure, they had formed united fronts whenever they were facing history-altering moments, such as an advent of a demon king or something major happening in the continent, but Yi Ji-Hyuk's appearance was the only time that all 12 Orders formed an alliance of one heart and one goal.

And now….

One hundred years after that event, the popes of the twelve Orders had gathered in one spot once more.

These folks all snorted in derision when the Order of Latrel summoned them here, but then, dropped what they were doing and teleported to Terra Latrel after the name of the Bringer of Apocalypse was brought up.

"Just what is going on here?"

As befitting a pope serving the God of Fire, Faro, he was the first one to ask in an urgent, impatient voice. Dioreh the Second sighed out grandly and made his reply.

"It is as you heard." (Dioreh the Second)

"What do you mean by that, as I heard?? Are you saying that the Bringer of Apocalypse will descend on our land once more?!"

"I'm saying there is a high possibility that he will show up. If we don't fulfil the condition he set forth, then yes, he'd most likely make his return." (Dioreh the Second)

"Back to this world??"

Dioreh the Second smirked and replied.

"Who knows? If he had become more tolerant, gentler or even understanding, then he might decide not come here and quietly wait for us." (Dioreh the Second)

"Yup, he's coming."

"He'll definitely come."

"Maybe, he's already on his way?"

Seeing that these popes were showing such a remarkable solidarity, Dioreh the Second formed a smile of contentment.

These abominable geezers, why can't you all act like this everyday?

Would you look at these trash heap of humanity acting all so friendly like this? When they would randomly start talking about going on a holy crusade against you simply because ‘Sleeves of your new clergy uniform has stolen the colour scheme from our Order'?!

Utterly disgusting. (Dioreh the Second's inner monologue)

It was unknown whether these popes knew what Dioreh the Second was thinking about or not, but never mind that, they were far too absorbed on re-enacting the FHO phenomenon at the moment.

But, soon enough, several outlandish claims and accusations were beginning to get thrown around at each other - claims such as ‘I still haven't forgotten about your punks invading my territory to try converting my people' or stuff like, ‘Morals dictate that you shouldn't have lowered your taxes below 30%, so where is your business ethics?' rose up from here and there.

When the people's shoulders began quivering as if they would start grabbing at each other's throats, Dioreh the Second finally opened his mouth, unable to hold it in.

"Imma just, with the Divine Emperor Cannon!" (Dioreh the Second)

"Eh?"

"N-no, it's nothing." (Dioreh the Second)

Oops, I blurted out what was on my mind. Gotta be more careful next time. (Dioreh the Second's inner monologue)

"Every second counts, people. The Bringer of Apocalypse wants a high-ranking cleric to purify a million-strong zombie horde. If any one of your Orders possess an individual capable of doing that, please tell us." (Dioreh the Second)

There was no reply.

"….You all don't have one?" (Dioreh the Second)

The pope of Gabein Order threw a question back to him, instead.

"Oh the pope of Latrel."

"Yes, please go ahead." (Dioreh the Second)

"To put it bluntly, don't we need someone on the level of the legendary pope from your own Order, Dioreh the First, in order to face off against such a horde?"

"That is true." (Dioreh the Second)

"Our Orders were also driven to destruction and only managed to regain some breathing space lately, so why do you think we have someone like that in our midst?"

Of course you wouldn't have.

My Order don't have such an individual, so you obviously wouldn't have one, either.

I know that full well. I know it, but…. (Dioreh the Second's inner monologue)

"We should just give him a divine artefact, instead."

"How many do you think you can purify with that? Besides, all of our true divine artefacts were destroyed back then!"

"However, that's better than not…."

"It's a million zombies! A million!"

"H-mm. Indeed, a million is a bit too much."

The pope of Faro asked again.

"But, why does it have to be only one person? This would be simpler if we dispatch several at the same time."

"Since we need to use a dimensional Gate, sending several over will be impossible." (Dioreh the Second)

"M-mm…."

It was then - the door to the conference chamber was flung open and Affeldrichae strode right in.

"M-mm?"

The collective brows of the popes here all furrowed from a rude woman suddenly barging into the meeting of the heads of twelve religions. But, no one stepped up first to criticise her insolent actions since Dioreh the Second didn't try to stop this mystery woman.

It was at that moment that an old man sitting by the corner and watching the situation develop, raised his body up and lowered his head.

He was the pope of the Buzugote. He was the oldest among the twelve popes, and also the lone survivor from that day of apocalypse, even though he actually had participated in it.

"Have you been well, oh Lord of all Dragons?" (pope of Buzugote)

The ‘Lord'.

The ripple effect that single word possessed was immense.

Every single one looking at her in dissatisfaction quickly averted their gazes, their expressions frozen solid now.

There may be countless nicknames and titles in this world, but there could only ever be one entity that could use the title of the Dragon Lord in the land called Berafe. These folks knew that fact very well.

The de facto leader of the Dragons, and the agent of the goddess, the Lord of all Dragons.

Finally getting to meet a figure from the legends and rumours, some of the popes here suddenly began feeling queasy. First, it was the Bringer of Apocalypse, and now, the Dragon Lord, too? Wasn't this as if they were being thrust inside a legendary tale or something?

"You seem to remember me, yet the time has taken its toll, judging from your countenance." (Affeldrichae)

"Rather than taking away, it has given me much more, my lady."

"Enough time has passed that an once rosy-cheeked youngster has become an old man. Even though it was just a blink of time." (Affeldrichae)

The pope of Buzugote Order quietly stared at Affeldrichae with a pair of eyes oozing with liquid discharge before forming a simple smile. (TL: This is what was on the raw, literally "liquid discharge".)

"You are different from the past you, my lady." (pope of Buzugote)

"Can you really remember the past in clear detail?" (Affeldrichae)

"Although it is nowhere as concise as the great being's memories, but well, humans remember in their own little ways." (pope of Buzugote)

"Is that so? In your eyes, then, how did I change?" (Affeldrichae)

"You wish to understand more." (pope of Buzugote)

"Understand humans, is it?" (Affeldrichae)

"Not just us, but everything else, as well. The past you, no, the beings known as Dragons in general, only wished to learn but not understand. But now, I see that you have learned of what it means to understand." (pope of Buzugote)

A sly smile crept up on Affeldrichae's lips.

"A human is lecturing me?" (Affeldrichae)

"There is no way that's true." (pope of Buzugote)

"Fine, that does not matter. You have been responsible for the welfare of your religious order since you were a rosy-cheeked youngster. It has been one hundred years since then. You must have seen more than anyone, and had the opportunity to comprehend more than anyone here. In that case, will you be able to answer my question?" (Affeldrichae)

"My lady, the answer never was a difficult thing to grasp." (pope of Buzugote)

"Oh, oh….."

"Oh!"

Other popes gasped out in excitement.

As expected of the pope of Buzugote Order! Never mind him having a relatively normal-sounding conversation with the Lord of all Dragons, he even said that he knew the answer to the quandary none of them could solve.

"What is that answer, then?" (Affeldrichae)

"Purification is done by water. God Buzugote can purify not just a million, but tens of millions of evil creatures." (pope of Buzugote)

"I'm well aware that purification and restoration is the speciality of Buzugote. However, who will do it? You surely can't cross the dimensional doorway with that aged body of yours." (Affeldrichae)

Buzugote's pope shook his head.

"It will be far too difficult for me. Even if I can endure the travel itself…. I simply lack the requisite divinity." (pope of Buzugote)

"Which means?" (Affeldrichae)

"There is someone else beside me." (pope of Buzugote)

"There is?" (Affeldrichae)

"Oh the Lord of all Dragons. Your clear memories should still hold that person's existence. The one that possesses incomparable divinity, yet couldn't let the world know of its existence." (pope of Buzugote)

"….Ah!"

Affeldrichae nodded her head, evidently recalling something only just then.

"You are correct. I shouldn't have come here, then." (Affeldrichae)

"I wish my words have proven useful to you." (pope of Buzugote)

"Indeed, they have." (Affeldrichae)

Affeldrichae turned around after leaving those words behind. However, the pope of Buzugote seemingly wasn't finished, and called out to her with a soft voice.

"Oh the Lord of Dragons."

She stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Water naturally flows from top to bottom." (pope of Buzugote)

"……….."

"Humans will try to change the water's direction and stop its flow by building large dams, but that is all temporary. In the end, water will keep flowing lower and lower. No one can stop its flow. Lord, are you following the flow, as well?" (pope of Buzugote)

"You're being quite insolent, human." (Affeldrichae)

Affeldrichae replied without looking back. Her voice contained a trace of icy coldness. However, if she was genuinely trying to pressure the other party, then she wouldn't have spoken in such a way.

If so, what would be the reason for her voice sounding so cold?

Was it because of her emotions?

"Everything flows according to their nature. I'm merely trying to advance that flow." (Affeldrichae)

"Not defying it, but to advance it forward, you say?" (pope of Buzugote)

"That's right." (Affeldrichae)

"I'll pray that everything you wish for flows in their natural course." (pope of Buzugote)

A slight grin formed on Affeldrichae's lips.

She was possibly being ridiculed. Or, maybe he was being sarcastic. But, should she thank that man's wisdom built up from years of experience for her not feeling enraged by his mockery?

She momentarily thought that a hundred years of a human could mean different things to a hundred years of a Dragon.

‘And that's why ‘he' can't feel like a human being, can he…' (Affeldrichae)

He was a man who didn't change regardless of how much time had passed him by or how many events he had to live through. He also possessed the true immortality, the one Dragons often mistakenly believed that they too had possessed it.

Maybe, just maybe, that was why she couldn't let that man go.

"I pray that the remainder of your life be blessed with good health." (Affeldrichae)

Affeldrichae chucked a small gemstone at the pope of Buzugote Order and went Poof!! from the spot.

"H-mm…."

The pope of Buzugote observed the gemstone from this and that angle. It was a bizarre looking item that looked like a gemstone smaller than one's pinky nail, but from some other angles, it resembled a fruit of some sort as well.

"What could this be?" (pope of Buzugote)

It was then - the pope of Dran Order, who was also staring intensely at the gemstone, jumped up from his seat and cried out in alarm.

"T-t-that's the Tear of Roa!" (pope of Dran)

The attention of everyone in the chamber gathered on the pope of Dran Order.

"Tear of Roa?"

"That, that! Don't you all remember? That is the Tear of Roa, renowned as the medicine of immortality! If a young man eats it, he will never suffer from any illnesses for the rest of his life, and if an old man eats it, his life will be extended even further! That is the Tear of Roa, that can cure any disease known to man! It's the base ingredient of the Elixir!" (pope of Dran)

"T-the Elixir!!"

The legendary medicine rumoured to be capable of forcibly reviving anyone who hadn't died yet - the Elixir. A sacred medicine that every religious Order had one secreted away and being treated like a family heirloom… no, hang on, as the Order's precious treasure, instead!

That item wasn't the actual elixir, but the base ingredient, too!

The eyes of the gathered popes gleamed dangerously as they turned around to look at the old man, but…

Gulp.

"…….."

Their expressions froze as soon as they heard the funny noise of something going down someone's throat.

"You ate…."

The pope of Buzugote raised his hand up to his mouth and activated his authority over water, and took a few thirsty gulpings of water gushing out from his palm. He lightly drummed on his tummy and spoke nonchalantly.

"You are all mistaken." (pope of Buzugote)

"…….."

And so, there was a reason why this old geezer managed to live for this long. He just didn't seem to die at all until now, but it became obvious that he must have eaten all sorts of treasures to extend his life.

Even though every single pope in here looked at him with a leer, the pope of Buzugote spoke in a jovial tone.

"Besides all that…." (pope of Buzugote)

"Are you trying to change the subject?"

"So, the Bringer of Apocalypse might descend on our world once more, is that right?" (pope of Buzugote)

Dioreh the Second nodded his head.

"He might come back, is it…." (pope of Buzugote)

Buzugote's complexion that retained its calmness even in front of the Dragon Lord suddenly waned greatly. It seemed that even the legendary medicine couldn't do much about one's complexions.

"We need to come up with a plan." (pope of Buzugote)

"If he comes, then all we have to do is to drive him back, no? Our ancestors managed to chase him away, so we should be able to do the same thing again."

"Chased away who now?" (pope of Buzugote)

The pope of Buzugote chuckled wryly.

Who chased who away?

"He wasn't chased away but left on his own volition. Every Order was united under one banner, every kingdom brought along their military might, and then, Dragons and monsters, even other races joined us, but…. But, even though every one of us fought together, he leisurely brushed us all aside and returned to where he came from." (pope of Buzugote)

On that fateful day, if it weren't for Yi Ji-Hyuk staying his hands right at the final second….

….This world would've been destroyed for real.

‘However, this is rather odd.' (pope of Buzugote)

The gods had called him the Bringer of Apocalypse. However, he didn't destroy this world. And the gods ordered their followers to desperately stop that man from returning to his old world, too.

Although it was a blasphemous thing to question the will of the gods, it was also true that something didn't sit well with him, either.

‘Does that mean it's not over yet? Whatever it is?' (pope of Buzugote)

It was possible that the meaning of his title would only become clearer from here onwards.

The pope of Buzugote shuddered from the ominous feeling rising up from his gut.

< 178. If it's a Dark Wizard, then eradication is in order! -3 > Fin.

Chapter end