The most important thing… It wasn't just the prosperity of the Theocracy, or the worship of the Six Great Gods, but also the survival of humanity.
The Pontifex Maximus understood this perfectly and would do everything in his power to fulfill the Gods' vision, whatever the cost.
The loss of their greatest warriors…
Something similar happened once, when the strongest member of the Theocracy was kidnapped by the King of the Elves and forced to give birth to the current survivor of the Black Scripture, who went to Komodo territory.
Of course, many members of the Black Scripture died over the years, but it was usually only one or two at a time, they rarely suffered great losses like five or even eight members, as they were still humanity's strongest warriors, composed of Godkins.
But in a single mission, they lost everyone but one… Technically, Titania was a member of the Black Scripture, and the former criminal Brain Unglaus, but these were temporary titles assigned by the mission's official procedures. And primarily, so that the Theocracy could take all the credit for the unit's success.
But Titania still wasn't even a resident of the Theocracy. And more importantly, she chose to shut herself away in the Marble Palace of Deorum Regnum.
So they could deduce that she didn't fare well in that battle. Either she suffered a very serious injury, or something else. There's no official information about Brain Unglaus, other than that she managed to inexplicably save him where the Black Scripture fell.
As Pontifex Maximus, his authority wasn't truly absolute. Religiously, he held a position above the Cardinals, but politically, they were on the same level, and he acted like one of them, only dealing with more general issues than those related to their respective religious branches.
And if he wanted to do something truly significant, he had to seek the approval of the other Cardinals.
And that's what he did…
But…
"… To rebuild the power of the Theocracy by any means necessary…" He murmured those words he hadn't spoken, but which they all voted for…
Hmm… He felt his age rapidly approaching…
The first thing he did upon assuming this authority, and after careful consideration, of course, was to send Raymond back to the Black Scripture temporarily while they searched for a temporary replacement for his position.
The second was to drastically increase recruitment and indoctrination to encourage more young men to enlist in the army.
They not only needed to replenish their numbers, but they also needed to make the Theocracy stronger. They needed strong, well-equipped soldiers. And they managed to bring back some pieces of armor and weapons from the fallen of Deorum Regnum, enough to begin equipping their high-ranking officers.
He cursed himself, having no idea how it had happened. They couldn't negotiate with Deorum Regnum.
Not because the Cardinals or the Pontifex Maximus didn't want to, but because Deorum Regnum had severed all trade links between the two nations.
And considering the large influx of ex-soldiers and their families into Deorum Regnum… The Theocracy lost soldiers not only in the war, but also afterward.
They wouldn't mind buying weapons from that nation. If they had enchanted and powerful equipment, even if pagan, they would at least take it from them little by little. They would sanctify it and bring it into the light of the Great Gods.
But sadly, that was no longer an option. And with Re-Estize literally disintegrated, reduced to the ashen remains of the fury of evil and Komodo, they lost a huge amount of food exports and other goods. All that remained, technically, was a border village called Carne or something like that.
They would have contacted them if they hadn't also declared themselves part of Deorum Regnum… In addition, the Holy Kingdom was still rebuilding itself from the Demon invasion, so they couldn't exactly establish a particularly beneficial line of contact for the Theocracy… And with Deorum Regnum mostly assisting them… The Draconic Kingdom would be a good source of money for a few members of the Holocaust Scripture, and that would be it… At least that's how it was in the past.
Currently, the Draconic Kingdom no longer had the Beastmen problem, because… Deorum Regnum wiped them all out with an 'army of Dragons,' which were most likely Wyverns they acquired from the Wyvern Rider Tribes near the borders between their two countries. They also ended the alliance of Demihuman clans, practically overwhelming the Draconic Kingdom.
They didn't need Titania for that battle, which was remarkable considering the size of that Beast army, a serious threat. So even without Titania, Deorum Regnum was a military power in every sense.
They only had contact with the south, but beyond that, it was a rather barren region, lacking many countries, instead consisting mainly of city-states, most of which were Demi-Human. This significantly limited their trade opportunities unless they conquered them, but that would have been too much of an effort given their current situation. They were simply in a difficult position. They had virtually no neighbors with whom to trade, and their armies were decimated. The only relatively good thing to come out of this war was the large amount of innovative technology that the Kingdom of Deorum brought back.
Cannons that fire sanctified sulfur exploding in a chain of holy damage? Catapults with stones surrounded by straw and holy fire? Ingenious. Even mobile crossbows with projectiles of refined silver mixed with other metals so that they don't lose efficiency on their trajectory for up to 100 meters.
Building things like that was difficult, not only because of the materials, but also because of the human factor. There were few people capable of enchanting metals and materials so powerfully, and even fewer engineers who could make it work.
Of course, high priests and higher-ranking officials could sanctify all of that, but not only were they limited in number, they also had to replenish their Mana.
It's a complete mystery where Deorum Regnum found such capable people. The Theocracy would have known about them years ago, because making so many weapons and defenses of that level would have taken decades for a normal country, but Deorum Regnum did it in ten times less time. They were fortunate that, with no Demihumans in the Abelion Hills either, thanks to the Demons' invasion of the Holy Kingdom, they claimed those lands permanently for themselves, lands rich in natural resources and minerals.
And at some point, he would have to discuss what to do with what was once Re-Estize…
But ignoring the minor positives, which were utterly irrelevant compared to the negatives, the Pontifex knew what they needed…
What the Theocracy needs…
They need… Their Titania. A hero, a light to guide them in the darkness.
Before, the Theocracy's faith and the Scriptures were enough, but having lost practically half of the Scriptures, much of the people's faith and trust, and on top of that, part of their military power, the Theocracy was never worse off.
The believers needed a divine light, a weapon of the Great Gods' justice to make them believe again.
Naturally, the six left behind many treasures for humanity to survive and grow stronger… But not just objects, structures, and ideas.
He descended the stairs, going deeper than anyone had gone in hundreds of years. The darkness of… It wasn't a catacomb, nor a dungeon, it was a monument…
A bottomless tunnel… But one that had a bottom.
Though his knees ached, he kept walking.
Staircase after staircase, he descended on foot, illuminated only by a magical light in a crystal ball.
And then, he reached the bottom…
A sea of copper, silver, and gold coins… The offerings of civilians to the Fountain of the God of Light, which ended here.
With this alone, they could equal the ancient wealth of Re-Estize, or even Baharuth.
But this wasn't for them to spend. They were offerings.
He stepped onto the coins, not touching a single one with anything but his sandals.
It was astonishing that, despite centuries of offerings, this place still wasn't full. The Gods had thought it through very carefully. In fact, there are theories, written by previous Cardinals, that when it was full, the Gods would return.
Finally, he emerged from the sea of coins, ascending some stairs… and finally arriving at his destination…
Before him… Surrounded by runes, scrolls on the wall, and divine artifacts, stood a sarcophagus.
It was one of the Theocracy's most important secret sanctuaries.
He advanced.
A barrier flashed before him, but he passed through without fear… And as if it were air, he glided through it effortlessly.
If he were an impious or impure being, it would have disintegrated him. But he had no reason to fear.
He approached the sarcophagus, and breathing in the undefiled air of who knows how ancient, he knelt.
… He had to bring a light for the people.
"Oh, spark of the Gods… Your flock is in distress. We pray, we beg, for Your mercy. We will prostrate ourselves before Your light, borne by You of Your will, and in return, save us from the enemies of the Gods who seek to destroy us." He prayed… Long, silent seconds passed… And the Pontifex simply waited, motionless.
And the sarcophagus, smoothly, as if it weighed nothing, opened.
"Mortal, I have heard your prayers… Your audacity in awakening me from my meditation indicates that the people of the Supreme Gods are indeed threatened." A beautiful voice, like a soft tinkling accompanied by birdsong, hummed, as a warm, bright light illuminated the sanctuary.
"…T-Thank you very much… Lady Katara Kamala Damara…" The Maximus wept.
The Light of the Gods had not abandoned them~
…
"Hm… They woke her." A raspy, deep, otherworldly voice echoed from the deepest, most carefully guarded, and most secret of the rooms.
Well, there were more hidden places, but the idea remained.
Naturally, he, who maintained several of the Sanctuary's defenses, though not the best due to his specialization, did maintain a decent disturbance detection network.
And that divine power was unmistakable.
He nodded to himself.
Considering what he had been told, it was valid to awaken her…
But he still feared the implications of doing so.
The monster called Komodo had been exterminated. It never entered the Theocracy, at least not that he knew of, but a new enemy, at least politically, had emerged.
Deorum Regnum.
They weren't attacking them, of course; it was a cold war, as he had once heard Them mention. But the tension was enormous, and the Theocracy needed faith and power more than ever since the Evil Deities.
Something made him uneasy about them touching anything of Theirs, but he dismissed the feeling, because logically speaking, it was a good option.
Even so, he would have liked them to consult with him. He gently scratched the surface of his office desk, one of the few rooms where only he could be.
And after settling his thoughts, he nodded, continuing his reading.
He had been here for a long time.
And the fact that he hadn't had a clue about Deorum Regnum existing in the past, or even about Them, however long they had gone, struck him as odd.
And a theory kept nagging at him.
But with all the factors, that theory could be wrong.
In itself, everything was very suspicious. The sudden appearance of Deorum Regnum.
Then came the sightings of Titania, although she is connected with Deorum Regnum and the appearance of Komodo, which required entire armies, the sacrifice of almost all of the Black Scripture, and even the intervention of the Dragon Lords.
So there were few explanations, but several within that small number.
Komodo was something like him. It was that simple. In the worst-case scenario, he was a Summoning, implying someone equally or more powerful.
Or Komodo was, in fact, a False God, like the Kings of Greed.
There was a possibility that he was a native and ancient being, but only the Dragon Lords reached that rank, or the Giant King, who, as far as he knew, was dead, so the probability was very low.
Deorum Regnum also had its explanation. They were likewise the cause of False Gods, they were directly controlled by False Gods, they were Komodo's pawns and the whole war was a sham, they were beings like him, or they were simply from a very distant and highly developed land.
All of those were valid explanations, even the one that Komodo was still alive and was the shadow ruler of Deorum Regnum.
It wouldn't surprise him; it was something They would do. After all, no one but Titania witnessed Komodo's supposed death.
The Demon-like summons could simply be dispelled.
And speaking of summons…
He glanced at a book that would be considered a relic by anyone in this world…
All the registered Demons from the war, with the exception of Komodo and a couple… Were summons of the Gods.
An Evil Lord Wrath, Infernal Protectors, Infernal Dragons, Magma Worms…
Komodo might be a False God, but his raw power was far too high for him to possess advanced summoning skills. Therefore, he doubted he was capable of summoning something like a Lord of Evil.
The army of Protectors and other lesser Demons was explainable, simple racial summons. But Evil Lords, Infernal Dragons, or something like the recorded Giant Daemons shouldn't be possible for a being with so much individual power.
Of course, unless it's more than one False God… Or it has a source from which to draw the materials to summon such things.
An abandoned Guild Base, or one to which Komodo belonged.
It was the most reasonable explanation for that doubt. And if Komodo was dead, if they found it first… The Theocracy would have a huge source of high-level materials.
But if Komodo was alive… Then it was hiding there, or in Deorum Regnum. Or alternatively, somewhere else in the world.
Too many theories, too many variables. They lacked information, that much was clear.
But…
"Hm…" Deorum Regnum, its first sighting was in what is now called the City of Carne. Near the Great Forest of Tob.
Titania's first appearance was in E-Rantel, and Komodo also appeared for the first time nearby.
There, an event visible to all nations also occurred, a pillar of light descended from the sky, its origin and effect unknown.
The Baharut Empire was destroyed in a single night and replaced weeks later with a new, almost fully constructed kingdom, whose dominion extended across the entire territory of Baharut, including a portion of Tob.
Likewise, in the war against Re-Estize, Deorum Regnum demanded the city of E-Rantel, the village of Carne, and the entire expanse of the Tob Forest as rewards.
The common explanation was that E-Rantel was a strategic point, both commercially and militarily, so capturing it would be highly valuable. And with the forest under their control, adventurers would have no reason to not stay, as they would have a good source of income from monster-hunting missions or herb gathering, without having to face any problems crossing borders.
And Carne, though a small village attacked by the Theocracy, was saved by the agents of Deorum Regnum, though for no real reason other than perhaps interrupting the Theocracy's attack and saving Gazef Stronoff. It would be more territory for the Kingdom; if it yielded, it wouldn't bother them, and it would improve the lives of those people.
But… Looking deeper…
Yes, he saw the pattern.
"The Great Forest of Tob. There's something there." He nodded, remembering that the Theocracy had also sent a mission from the Black Scripture to investigate those lands, and they had come face to face with Demons.
It was too much of a coincidence that Demons were wandering through that forest.
"Hm… Still, it's dangerous." He murmured. If Komodo was there, then they would face a high-level threat, not to mention the possibility that Deorum Regnum was with that monster.
And even if Komodo was indeed dead, or somewhere else, it didn't mean the place was without defenses, traps, or powerful monsters.
Most of the forest was unexplored, due to its density and the number of monsters. Even the Black Scripture wouldn't be able to clear it effectively. Not to mention any powerful monsters that might have been there.
Like the Wise King of the Forest.
He had no expectations of using the Black Scripture against it; it had been tamed by Titania… Unless the monster was much more powerful than it appeared, and had been affiliated with Titania from the start.
Even so… Another possibility was that They simply spread Their will elsewhere, to the original site of Deorum Regnum, explaining Titania's power as a Godkin, and the high divine power of Deorum Regnum. Likewise, the culture was quite 'British' according to the books they left her.
Titania itself was the name of a queen in a poem. And the name of a monster in a deep magical forest that They destroyed in the past.
Was it possible that Titania was an unknown descendant of one of Them…?
He would need to see her face to face or use a spell to do so. But the Astrologer of a Thousand Miles had already demonstrated that divination was useless; they had defenses.
He needed a lot of information, yes, but with the existing theories, and the patterns resolved… He only had one clue.
"Tob…" He hummed.
…
"Mmm mymm~" Black Abyss munched on fried chicken, carefree now that she was finally free of Titania the Paladin's mantle for a few sweet months~
Everything was so delicious~ And lately, she'd had a much stronger craving for food, even though she didn't feel hungry, just a strong desire to eat.
Although it was normal, she had a little creature inside her absorbing her nutrients.
… Or was it even absorbing nutrients? She was half Angel and half Demon, and neither of those needed to eat…
"I didn't know those races were born…" She murmured, eating a chicken leg… After all, she thought Angels and Demons were simply created. And they could only be born if they crossed with mortal races, like the Nephilim when Angel crossed with Human. Curious… Could this be a remnant of her human consciousness?
She tossed the clean chicken leg into a small bin to the side, sitting comfortably with her legs up on the table. Even so…
She glanced at a corner; a small shadow flickered. Achernar. She looked at another corner; many more shadows…
"How dramatic…" She sighed… If she already had a large guard before, now she had half of Titania watching over her. Outside the room, there were level 90 summons keeping watch, and Bachelory was patrolling around, checking on her…
It wasn't that she minded them worrying about her, but… They were going a bit overboard. And Dont too; she was the one who bothered her the most with all of this. She kept a close eye on her whenever they met, even making sure the chairs they sat on didn't have a single drop of water on them.
Was this paternal concern starting to show in her? Surely, it was fun to see her like this~ But also a little annoying to have so many people hovering over her…
She bit a leg, hearing the sound of accidentally breaking a small bone.
"Wah!" The Oni servant attending to Black Abyss squealed in surprise.
Suddenly, Achernar was standing beside her.
"Mother! Be careful, bones can be harmful to some speci-!"
"Not to me!" Black Abyss growled.
"A-Ahem. S-Sorry, Mother." The NPC stammered, bowing.
"Goodness… You all worry too much, calm down a little." The white-haired woman sighed, a bead of sweat forming on her brow.
"I-It's just that…" Achernar stammered, looking at the Supreme.
"Yes, yes, I understand, everyone's excited because I'm going to have a daughter with Dont. But they can't be like this for nine months. Or however long an Angel's pregnancy lasts. Anyway, calm down a little." She said, tossing the bone into the trash.
Instantly after finishing her bucket of fried chicken, the maid who was present placed a pizza in front of her…
Yes… They were spoiling her in more ways than one, although she wasn't really bothered by it. So she raised a hand, patting the maid on the head~
"W-What? M-My Lady?" The maid blushed in shock, trembling at the touch like a little pet~
Black Abyss patted her a few more times before standing up, everyone bowing.
She turned to Achernar, placing a hand on his shoulder, bending down, and kissing him on the head, freezing him.
"You're all such drama queens~" She said with a giggle. "But I love you all~" Grabbing a pizza, she headed for the door after saying that.
Achernar froze, the maid froze, the Genjis froze, the Eight-Edged Assassins froze, Alucard's two subordinates froze…
And they quickly ran to follow Black Abyss when they snapped out of their shock.
Walking down the hallway, she could hear the crowd behind her.
She stopped for a moment, and they all stopped behind her, and when she resumed walking, they all followed.
"Fu~" She giggled a little; it was like ducklings following their mother duck~
"Ah, my Lad-..." Someone stopped dead in their tracks in front of Black Abyss, then noticed the small army behind her.
Maria sighed, before bowing to Black Abyss.
"My Lady, good morning. I see you are well." She hummed elegantly.
"Good morning, Maria~ I am perfectly fine, no need to worry~" The white-haired woman said, eating another slice of pizza.
"On the contrary." She pointed out. "You two, Alucard's, shush shush." The maid shoved the two level 90 knights.
"W-What?" "But…" The duo were stunned.
"The Supreme can become overwhelmed or stressed if there are too many people around her. The Genjis and the Assassins are fine because their presence isn't felt, but you two are superfluous." Maria explained firmly, leaving no room for argument.
They looked at Black Abyss, who nodded.
"U-Understood." They both said, bowing, separating from the group, and continuing on their way forward, heading back to where they were originally supposed to be.
"Achernar." Maria spoke again.
The Commander looked at her, frowning.
"I understand your concern, but overprotecting the Supreme causes her discomfort and unease. That can affect the pregnancy." She murmured seriously.
Achernar's eyes widened in surprise, his expression one of shock.
"I-Is that true…?" He asked Maria, his voice trembling.
"Of course. The Supreme is a grown woman with a healthy temperament; she needs her space and independence. Although I admit that I am also deeply concerned for her well-being and the health of the new Supreme, I cannot impose my personal feelings over those of Lady Black Abyss." The level 65 Angel wisely explained.
Even the Supreme was surprised by Maria's words, looking at her with a smile.
"I-I understand! I-I will protect Mother from a distance!" Achernar said, bowing to Black Abyss.
Well, it was better than nothing.
And in an instant, Achernar melted into a shadow, which moved away at an immeasurable speed.
And then… Black Abyss felt like she had her own space~ More comfortable~
So she reached out and cupped Maria's cheeks, gently squeezing her face.
"Thank you so much~ What a good girl you are, Maria~ You definitely deserve to be the Head Maid~" She said with a wide smile.
"E-Eh!?" The Angel blushed to her ears, not expecting this reaction, trembling like a leaf.
Black Abyss laughed, but let go, not wanting to fry her hard drive with so much happiness~
Maria sat up, adjusting her glasses and smoothing her hair with an intense blush as she tried to regain her composure.
"A-Ahem… N-No problem, S-Supreme…" She stammered.
"Mm~ You can come with me~" Black Abyss said, continuing her walk down the corridors. "Y-Yes~" More in keeping with her elegant demeanor, Maria walked lightly behind Black Abyss at her side.
Titania… What a beautiful place… All of this… It was real, more real than anything, but to anyone else it would be nothing but madness.
What would the people of Deorum Regnum think if she told them about Titania? A self-sustaining paradise with more power than the entire world, where Fairies and many fantastic species lived, serving an Angel and a Demon, in a perfect utopia.
They wouldn't believe it.
But it was something that existed.
What things she didn't believe existed? They could be completely real. Like, for example, getting pregnant.
She really didn't think it was possible. When she had sex with Dont, she always told her to get her pregnant, but that was because telling her made her thrust harder and faster. She thought it was just a game.
Was she really ready to be a mother? How did someone prepare to be one? Dont must be in the same situation.
How would it have been for…?
"Mh…" She blurted out.
"Is something wrong, Supreme?" Maria asked.
"… I don't know if it's obvious, but I had a father and a mother." Black Abyss murmured.
"…" Maria chose not to answer, unsure what to say to begin with.
"I wonder if they felt this way when they were going to have me." She hummed, looking ahead.
"Being you, my Lady, they were surely more than happy to bring you into this world." The busty Servant smiled.
"Yes…" She sadly remembered little of her previous life; she had practically forgotten much of it, but she still remembered her parents.
She hoped they were doing well, as well as possible on Earth. They would have loved to know they were going to be grandparents.
"I know how to kill monsters, even Dragons. I know how to protect and fight against Players, I know how to raid, I know how to farm, I know a lot about the meta, I know over 100 spells and abilities and their combined uses, I know how to counter almost every enemy class. But I don't know how to be a mother." She stated. "I guess it's the only thing I wasn't prepared for."
"..." Maria remained silent, but smiled. "I think no one is ever truly prepared to be a mother or father. Even Supremes don't seem to be exempt~ But… I know you and Lady Dont will learn~ Especially Lady Black Abyss~" She hummed softly.
"Hm~" The Supreme chuckled softly, smiling. "Yes, I suppose so~" She said, glancing sideways at Maria. "Although, well, I don't think it will be that different from how it is with you all; all of you are my children too~" She remarked. She could certainly count that as experience, it made her feel less burdened.
"You've always looked out for others after all." The Maid replied, overjoyed.
"Yes, I think so." Black Abyss murmured. Yes, she felt better~
The NPCs were certainly very wise in their own right.
It made her feel proud~
She gently rubbed her belly... This child... She had a bright future with such kind people.
.
.
.