Volume 6, Chapter 1 – The End, and also the Beginning

Two months later.

Located in the central part of the Alexia Continent, the holy land of the Ymir Church—the Ymir Territory—was not a very large piece of land. Taken alone, it was even a circle smaller than the Pescia Territory, but it was the center of the Ymir Church and even the human world.

The Ymir Church was born when the Blood Clan and humans began to fight, and it now has a history of over a thousand years. Originally, the Ymir Church was just an obscure religion, but as history progressed, it eventually became the leader of the human alliance, playing a huge role in the face of the surging Blood Clan thousands of years ago.

It could be said that without the appearance of the Ymir Church, the constantly retreating humans of that time would absolutely not have been able to hold on until the appearance of the Tower of Alexia. Without the Ymir Church, humans would have become slaves to the Blood Clan; this was an indisputable fact.

And in order to fight against the Blood Clan at that time, the Ymir Church, which specialized in divine and light magic, after consulting with the human alliance, established dioceses in two other regions of the continent in addition to the original Ymir Territory. The Niru Diocese, where Yisi first awoke, was one of them.

Through this, the Ymir Church became the religion with the most believers in the human world. The Ymir Territory, hailed as a holy land, attracts a large number of believers to visit and settle every year. It could be said that the Ymir Territory is the most densely populated territory on the entire continent, and also the country with the best public security; even bandits and human traffickers have faith in the gods.

Letting out a big yawn, Edith, sitting in the carriage, spoke nonchalantly.

“Just as I said, although the Ymir Church’s territory isn’t large, its military power is enough to rival a nation. And because it’s situated right between the Hels Kingdom and the Norta Empire, coupled with its status as a holy land for humans, it won’t be seen as a thorn in their side even if it strengthens its military.”

“Isn’t being between two countries more likely to make them wary?”

Mary, sitting beside Yisi, looked puzzled. It was late autumn, and everyone had changed into long sleeves and coats. As for the color schemes, they remained the same. Edith liked long black formal dresses, Mary wore a combination of pink and white long sleeves, Tiffany, who wasn’t afraid of the cold, wore a light green dress, and Yisi and Camilla wore a bright blue formal dress and a long white dress, respectively.

It is worth mentioning that Refina and Sandra were not in the carriage. Refina was driving the carriage, while Sandra had been summoned by the Demon Lord. Although Sandra wanted to continue freeloading off Yisi a month ago, she was ultimately dragged back by the Demon Lord Tartaros with his tentacle-like black arms. For this, Edith later complained that she had made a bad investment. ¹ uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh timeskip development really????

Handing the peeled fruit in her hand to Yisi, Camilla answered Mary’s question.

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“It is precisely because the Ymir Territory is located between two countries that it can develop freely. Initially, the Norta Empire in the south was weaker than the Hels Kingdom in the north. Therefore, the Norta Empire needed a force stronger than itself to resist an invasion from the Hels Kingdom to the north, and the Ymir Church, located between the two countries, was undoubtedly the best barrier.

So if the Hels Kingdom were to invade the Norta Empire, it could face a joint operation from the Church and the Empire. This logic still applies even now, many years later, only it’s the kingdom that relies on the Church.”

“What if the Ymir Church’s strength surpasses both countries?”

“That might be possible, but it has never happened in history. The Ymir Church’s territory limits its own development. With insufficient food and population, it can’t possibly raise an army capable of fighting wars against two countries to the north and south simultaneously, unless it develops stronger magical tools and the proportion of magic chanters among the common populace increases.”

“So that’s how it is. Miss Camilla and Miss Edith are truly nobles, you know so much.”

“Being praised by Mary doesn’t make me happy at all.”

“Miss Camilla is being a tsundere.”

“Tsundere?”

Camilla tilted her head. Although she guessed it was a strange word Mary had learned from Tiffany, she couldn’t understand its meaning. But to ask Mary about it would be a great blow to her dignity, so Camilla just pretended not to hear.

Sitting opposite Camilla, Edith wore a teasing expression, but just before she could open her mouth to mock Camilla, Mary added.

“Tiffany said Miss Edith is also a tsundere— Mmph mmph.”

Tiffany quickly covered Mary’s mouth with her tentacles. However, Edith had already heard what Mary said. Frowning slightly, she looked at Tiffany, who was drawing a cross over her mouth to refuse communication, with an expression full of doubt.

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“Tiffany, what does ‘tsundere’ mean?”

“Proud, and having charisma.”

“Is that so.”

Clearly not believing Tiffany’s answer, Edith turned her head to look at Yisi, who was staying out of it, her head stuck out the window with a look that said it had nothing to do with her.

Grabbing Yisi by the back of her collar, Edith pulled Yisi back into the carriage, then questioned her at a distance where their noses were almost touching.

“Don’t play dumb. What does tsundere mean?”

“This…”

Yisi’s gaze shifted to the ceiling. If she told Pepe the truth, who knows what Pepe would do.

After all, the last time she was caught with Andrea on the roof, Edith directly challenged Andrea. The battle between the two of them nearly demolished the mansion. In the end, it was Andrea who took the initiative to propose a truce, saying that her purpose was not to marry Yisi, that Edith finally, reluctantly, calmed down. But even so, Edith later launched a sneak attack when Yisi wasn’t paying attention. As Yisi and Andrea were parting, right in front of Andrea, she returned Andrea’s favor with a deep kiss—which almost suffocated Yisi.

In a serious manner, Yisi answered Edith with a deadpan expression.

“It’s just as Tiffany said, it means proud and having charisma. Like a beautiful girl such as Pepe.”

“Hmph, you’d better hope I don’t find out you’re lying to me.”

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“I’m definitely not lying to you. Besides, even if it were a lie, Tiffany lied first.”

As she spoke, Yisi shot a fierce glare at Tiffany. Now, Tiffany and she were grasshoppers on the same rope; neither would benefit if the truth was told to Pepe.

Quite cooperatively, Tiffany nodded behind Edith’s back like a chicken pecking at rice. She probably never expected Mary to say their private whispers out loud.

Dubiously, Edith let go of Yisi and sat back in her seat, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Refina, where are we now?”

“We’re about to reach the Holy City of the Ymir Territory, Mitters Bayer.”

“Miss Refina~ Let me take a turn driving!”

Mary poked her head out of the carriage. Refina, wearing a straw hat and a black cloak that covered her entire body except for her face, thought for a moment and nodded.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Mary.”

“Yes~”

Unlike in the world of the Blood Clan, the human world was not welcoming to vampires, considering them a third-class race. The Ymir Church was even more extreme in its rejection of vampires, viewing them as an inferior species that had betrayed God.

If one were to look for a territory on the continent with the fewest vampires, it would undoubtedly be the Ymir Territory. According to the believers, letting a vampire go would cause their souls to fall into hell. As soon as a vampire was discovered, they had to be swarmed and attacked. Therefore, even though Edith and Refina were treated as priority protection targets by Yisi along the way, their identities were still noticed by passersby, causing two commotions. One time, the residents of an entire city ran out of the city and followed the group’s carriage for five kilometers.

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So, until I meet the Pope and understand the Church’s attitude towards the Fallen, I don’t plan to let Edith and Refina show their faces outside easily. Even if I have to use violence to tie Pepe to the bed, I won’t let Pepe walk out swaggering—it’s just too dangerous.

Thinking about her future plans, Yisi took a sip of tea. Edith crossed one leg and asked.

“I haven’t asked you this whole trip, what did Andrea want to talk to you about before you left? It didn’t look like flirting.”

“Pfft—” The tea she had just drunk sprayed out. Yisi took the towel Mary handed her and wiped her mouth, “Don’t say things like that when I’m drinking water.”

“Did I hit the mark?”

“How could that be? It was about the Ymir Church’s next pope. The next pope. Andrea’s necklace connects her soul with the Church’s next pope’s, so Andrea wanted me to tell the pope she used to cooperate with, that if there’s a chance, she hopes the two sides can sit down and reminisce.”

“Fantastical.”

Pursing her lips, Edith ended the topic. It was at this moment that the fast-moving carriage suddenly stopped, causing the people inside to nearly fall.

Even when switching drivers, there wouldn’t be a sudden stop. Yisi quickly lifted the carriage curtain.

“Mary, Refina, what’s wrong?”

“Um, Master… there seem to be bandits up ahead…”

Pointing to the yellowish dust rising in front, Mary said timidly.