On a nearby hill.
Shalltear had already returned to her human form. She handed over Downfall of Castle and Country, her charming, lovely face full of anticipation. "Lord Momonga, this is a world-class item!"
"Appraisal."
Momonga cast an appraisal spell. Only after confirming it did he praise her. "Shalltear, you did a good job this time."
In any case, Nazarick had obtained a world-class item at no cost, and as one of the executors, Shalltear deserved the praise.
"Hehe, if it weren't for Lord Helant's [World Barrier], I might have been charmed." Shalltear rested her chin in her hands, wriggling happily in place.
Seeing Shalltear's smug expression, Demiurge ground his teeth audibly. "Shalltear, you… why did you use Blood Frenzy!"
If Lord Helant had not provided the [World Barrier] to block the negative effects of the world-class item, Shalltear would have become a sinner of Nazarick.
Perhaps a Supreme Being would even have had to step in personally to retrieve the world-class item.
Seeing that Demiurge seemed somewhat angry, Shalltear tilted her head and gave an awkward smile. "Because… at the beginning, I let someone named Brain Unglaus escape. So I was a bit annoyed, and…"
Grind.
Demiurge nearly crushed his teeth, the veins on his forehead bulging. Because she was a bit annoyed, she used Blood Frenzy? To make herself even more irrational?
"Shalltear!"
Demiurge struggled to suppress his rage. This was beyond ordinary stupidity. Once he finished the tasks at hand, he would have to give her a proper lesson.
"Enough, Demiurge." Momonga interrupted him and asked, "Is the counter-surveillance against the Slane Theocracy going smoothly?"
"Lord Momonga, everything is proceeding smoothly. When Shalltear deployed the barrier, the Theocracy's observers could no longer monitor this place."
Demiurge paused before adding, "That human named Quaiesse has a signal source for monitoring magic on him, but it has not been reactivated so far, likely to prevent us from tracing them back."
Momonga knew Demiurge would never let the counter-surveillance fail, but he glanced at Shalltear, who had gone from smug anticipation to dejected self-reproach, and decided to ask the obvious anyway.
To Momonga, Shalltear was more like the daughter of his good friend, Peroroncino. When it came to a child, he should be a little more lenient.
"Shalltear, take Downfall of Castle and Country back to Nazarick and hand it to Albedo for safekeeping." Momonga then looked toward Helant in the forest from afar. Helant had played a major role in obtaining the world-class item this time.
Whether it was the decisive action after receiving the news or the pre-prepared [World Barrier], he, as the guild master, had not been of much use at all.
...
"Though it may be a bit forward, I would like to ask, what is this about a Demon God awakening?" Helant's face showed a mix of pity and curiosity.
Helant vaguely remembered that the Slane Theocracy seemed to have deployed Downfall of Castle and Country for some Dragon King.
"It's the Ruin Dragon King." Quaiesse looked at the corpses strewn across the ground and at Lady Kaire, whose clothes had been stripped, his voice strained. "Heh, we didn't encounter the Ruin Dragon King, but instead ran into a Demon God Level Vampire!"
In Quaiesse's eyes, Shalltear, whom even Downfall of Castle and Country could not control, was the most terrifying Demon God he knew.
Helant placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed. "Our human race has it hard. The Sorcerer King, the Ruin Dragon King, and now the vampire we met today. It's difficult."
"So difficult. It's all so difficult…" Quaiesse's heart bled. Who had it harder than him? A world-class item had been lost right under his nose.
Sigh, forget it. His future was ruined, but if Helant had not saved him… wait.
Quaiesse turned to look at Helant. It seemed he still had one task left unfinished.
The Cardinal of Water, Lord Zinedine, said to make contact and evaluate whether Helant could be recruited by the Slane Theocracy…
His eyes lit up.
If he returned to the Theocracy in disgrace, his future would surely be over. But if he brought along a powerful Helant to join the Theocracy…
Then this mission could end with his merits offsetting his failures!
Thinking of this, he hid the eagerness in his eyes and feigned grief. "Thank you for saving my life…"
"As fellow humans, we should help one another. This is also the philosophy of human supremacy upheld by the Holy Domain God Lord."
"Holy Domain God Lord?" Quaiesse looked surprised.
Speaking of the Holy Domain God Lord, Quaiesse could not help but feel curious. What kind of existence could command the respect of a powerhouse like Helant, who addressed him as a god?
Helant said the Holy Domain God Lord followed the philosophy of human supremacy. Could he be a deity similar to the Six Great Gods?
Seeing Quaiesse's surprise, Helant's handsome face showed helplessness as he let out a sigh. "After sleeping for hundreds of years, it seems my god has long been forgotten by the world."
"If my god could descend upon the world now, then these so-called Demon Gods and Dragon Kings would all be purified by Him, and humanity could naturally lead a beautiful and prosperous life…"
From Helant's words, the Holy Domain God Lord was not in this world?
Although Quaiesse really wanted to continue investigating and learning more about the Holy Domain God Lord, it was clearly not the right moment.
"That damned vampire stole the legacy of the Six Great Gods, a world-class item. I must take it back." He noticed the adventurer identification tag on Helant and said resentfully, "Mr. Helant, I will stay in E-Rantel for a while as an adventurer to gather information about the vampire. If you discover anything, please be sure to tell me immediately."
Adventurer?
Helant subconsciously touched his own identification tag, a thought flashing through his mind.
He wants to get close to me?
Yes, the look in his eyes when he first saw me was as if he already recognized who I was.
It seems the play for the Slane Theocracy is officially starting to take effect.
Wanting to get close to me, heh.. That fits my plans perfectly. I was just wondering how to stage the second act for the Theocracy.
Helant noticed the fluctuations of monitoring magic on Quaiesse. It was very obvious, left behind by Star Gazing a Thousand Miles.
He decided to play along. "I am currently an adventurer in E-Rantel as well, and coincidentally, I am gathering information on Demon Gods with my friends. Since our goals are roughly the same, why don't we go together?"
Hearing this, Quaiesse was overjoyed. Together? Of course.
If we do not go together, how can I build a good relationship with you and bring you into the Theocracy?
He said gratefully, "Thank you so much."
Afterward, following some polite exchanges, Helant helped Quaiesse cremate the bodies of the Black Scripture members.
Then the two of them headed toward Carne Village together.