Chapter 116 – Harmful

Harmful

“- I heard that there is something called the Divine Primordial Matter. They said they open the gate of truth with it.”

Pretending not to know while knowing.

He asked about it.

“Divine Primordial Matter? What is that?”

“- They say it is the primordial matter that can create all things.”

“Does such a thing exist?”

“- Do you not believe it?”

“As I said earlier. I do not really like being used. Somehow, it feels like the words of swindlers.”

The power of the authority was still effective.

“He told me to ask him if there was ever a need to ask the Magic Tower for help. However, I heard that there has been a lot of talk recently about a plan called the Humanity Equivalent Exchange or something. His influence within the Magic Tower is not what it used to be.”

“While there are many things to discuss and exchange with the Dharma Division. I suddenly had such a doubt as to whether there was that much to exchange with the university board president.”

Zodiac smiled silently.

“You are useful. You are the actual entity that practically rules the Dharma Division, right?”

Zodiac did not answer, and Kaiser continued speaking to egg him on.

“Therefore, it seems we will continue to have contact. Do you intend to keep going along with him?”

“- You have a more insidious side than you look.”

“I simply had doubts about his usefulness.”

Zodiac, he called himself “harmless,” but.

he himself was an extremely “harmful” person to him.

One must not underestimate the three-inch tongue.

“That Divine Primordial Matter. Isn’t that also a lie by any chance? Even if it is not a lie. How do I know if he will change his words later? In reality, he would use you to his heart’s content and then discard you.”

Whether he had similar thoughts, he spared his words, but Zodiac did not seem to be letting it go in one ear and out the other.

“I read an article about the Humanity Equivalent Exchange Plan. They say it is a plan to exchange the people of the entire world with truth, right? Although a correction article was published, I still doubt it.”

Somehow, the way things were flowing.

He got the feeling that things would go wrong with one of the two.

“I am smiling on the outside since I invited him to the club. But if that is true, I will never sit back and watch.”

If he had to choose one of the two.

Who indeed should he choose?

Zodiac suddenly stood up.

“Where are you going?”

As he lightly manipulated the bracelet, a portal opened nearby and the Great Dharma Officer appeared.

“- I have something to say. Wait here.”

Zodiac vanished with the Grand Dharma Officer.

Although the reason was unknown.

It was undeniable that he had certainly been influenced by the words he had spoken.

‘I will show you that I am extremely harmful.’

* * *

The floating fortress located on Sky Island.

Arcane Fortress.

Zodiac showed himself in the central part of the place that the Dharma Division used as their base.

Following that, there were two Grand Dharma Officers and Dharma Officers appearing through the portals.

They had all responded to Zodiac’s call.

When Zodiac went to his seat and sat down, the leadership of the Dharma Division lined up before him, and they soon knelt on one knee to show respect before the Dragon Gaze that was cast over them.

“- I suddenly had such a thought. What if Kane uses us and then discards us?”

Kane said.

If the plan succeeded, the Divine Primordial Matter would pour out.

Receiving that Divine Primordial Matter to make a gate power source like the Immortal Heart was Zodiac’s original plan.

“- He said we will reach truth, but how much Divine Primordial Matter is needed?”

The leadership of the Dharma Division, who possessed vast knowledge, responded to this.

The one who spoke was the Grand Dharma Officer of the Right.

“Source Alchemy is not our field of expertise. However, having gathered various related opinions. We expect that a significant amount will go into it.”

The Grand Dharma Officer of the Left also spoke.

“What Professor Kane ultimately wants to approach is the Akashic Records, which is said to contain the truth of God. A key is needed to open that gate, and I heard that the key can only be fashioned from the Divine Primordial Matter. However, we only speculate about that amount to some extent. No one here knows the exact amount.”

“- Divine Primordial Matter… Surely it won’t all be used to make the key?”

“We cannot know. As I said, Source Alchemy is an unknown field of study even to us. Only Professor Kane will have a more accurate answer.”

“- Unknown? I heard he is a person who teaches the study, does he not even have a disciple learning under him?”

The gazes of the two Grand Dharma Officers met.

Soon after, one of the Dharma Officers standing behind them spoke.

“I heard a story that Professor Kane recently locked up his teaching assistant. Although the knowledge we possess is shallow, that teaching assistant might be different.”

“- Is that so? Bring that person.”

The Dharma Officers moved.

Since they moved through portals, spatial constraints were meaningless to them.

A moment later.

Bound in restraints, Luna showed herself in the base of the Dharma Division.

Drenched in bewilderment, she looked around, and her eyes met with the person who seemed to lead the Dharma Division.

Soon, her vision went black, and a giant Dragon Gaze was cast.

“- Speak. Are you Kane’s disciple?”

The power of submission.

Zodiac’s Dragon Gaze was not a power of control, but a power that made the opponent submit.

Bowing her body involuntarily, Luna could not overcome the power of the Dragon Gaze and opened her mouth.

“Yes, I am the teaching assistant who helps Professor Kane.”

“- You know about Professor Kane’s plan to some extent, don’t you?”

“I know a little.”

“- A little? Still, you should be better than the ones here.”

“- Speak. What is the amount of Divine Primordial Matter that Professor Kane wants? You, too, must not be ignorant of the plan Professor Kane has.”

“That is…”

Before the irresistible power.

Luna confessed the truth.

“It must be all of it.”

“- All of it?”

“Yes, even the professor does not know the exact amount required.”

The Dragon Gaze was still effective.

“However, considering the professor’s personality. He will not waste an opportunity once given, and he will probably use all of the Divine Primordial Matter to synthesize the key.”

The corner of Zodiac’s mouth twisted.

His gaze turned toward the Dharma Division he led.

As if they also agreed, there was no particular word from them.

“- All of it…”

His eyes became quite fearsome.

“- How fearless. To make light of this seat.”

* * *

Rashid received contact through the communicator.

“It’s me.”

It was Kaiser.

Lately, contacts had been coming quite frequently.

“Why are you making a fuss contacting me when we’re not even lovers? I heard you’re doing well with sowing discord?”

“When on earth is this cross-dressing man going to leave? Now, he even sleeps next to me. I mean, we are sharing a bed.”

Those words were a shock to Rashid as well.

“With Zodiac?”

“Yes, it feels like sleeping with an alien. Do you know this terror? I mean, if I make even a single slip of the tongue in my sleep, my head will fly off.”

Zodiac was not like a woman.

“Hmm… It seems he regards you as something of a pet. Haven’t you also raised something like a dog? There are people who sleep with their dogs when they sleep.”

“Am I a dog? A pet? Your words are a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

Since he said the discord was successful.

it seemed Kane would be sorted out soon, but.

Zodiac was not yet.

“I’m sorry, but. Zodiac cannot be sorted out immediately. Honestly, Zodiac is more troublesome than Kane.”

And.

“If worst comes to worst, Zodiac is also the one who would take over Kane’s plan. Just hang in there. That is all I can tell you.”

“Sigh… He is coming again. Understood for now. I will contact you again.”

The communication ended.

Rashid recalled the conversation from just now.

‘To think that Zodiac would take an interest in Kaiser.’

Then, a sudden thought occurred to him.

Could he persuade Zodiac with his authority?

‘I don’t know. It is a power that cannot be gauged.’

There might be a possibility, but primarily, Zodiac was an out-of-spec existence.

Whether an out-of-spec existence could be persuaded was unknown.

‘It would probably be difficult. If anything felt off, he would immediately block his ears.’

* * *

The person Rashid met for dinner was the Vice Commander, Akard.

He had agreed to treat him to dinner, and Rashid, after postponing the promise again and again, decided to meet today.

The place they arrived at was a luxury restaurant decorated like an aristocratic banquet hall.

Subtle golden lighting flowed over the marble floor, and thin gold leaf patterns and deep wine-colored velvet curtains hung on the walls.

Rashid sat down with Akard at the reserved table.

It was a private room located on the window side.

“It is truly difficult to treat you to dinner once. I never knew it would be this hard to see your face.”

“Since I was busy with official duties, it was a bit hard to coordinate the time. Still, I am glad it didn’t pass this year.”

Rashid had a reason of his own for attending this gathering.

Because there was something he was curious about.

A moment later.

An employee wearing white gloves approached and set down a silver tray.

A line of red sauce was drawn over the thinly grilled meat, and the scent of herbs spread along with warm steam.

Before starting the meal.

Rashid casually asked about her.

“Is Her Majesty doing well?”

“Her Majesty is staying safe. The military also seems to have let go of interest, unlike before. Rather, they have been making contact to improve relations. It seems they don’t intend to treat her as an enemy indefinitely.”

Since the night of the revolution.

a certain amount of time had passed.

Meanwhile, Kane’s plan was also nearing its end.

Since the magic towers being built all over the Empire were also on the verge of completion.

“I see. In fact, even from the military’s perspective, there would be no good in keeping Her Majesty as an enemy. Although nine-tenths of the Empire’s citizens are humans like me, aren’t seven-tenths of the nobility vampires? It is inevitable if they want to win over the existing noble forces.”

“That must be so.”

Rashid casually asked.

“By any chance, did Her Majesty miss the throne again? Still, she must have lingering regrets?”

Rashid focused and observed everything he displayed.

Even his breathing, trembling, and subtle signs.

If he were lying, there would be at least a subtle change.

However, no such sign was visible at all.

“At least, I did not get that feeling. As everyone says, Her Majesty seems to take the words of the Golden Age Party representative as they are. In any case, because she can keep her position.”

“I see.”

“The politics of the Empire have already left the hands of the vampires and passed to the humans. Right now, the ones leading the transition government are also members of the Iron Blood Party founded by the military.”

“Are the nobles silent about that?”

“What is important to us is Her Majesty’s intention. Our opinions or thoughts are nothing.”

It was a relief, but.

that did not mean he could let his guard down.

Verification would continue to be necessary.

“That aside, there was one thing I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

“By any chance… did you sponsor a house for me? The Basilica mansion, I mean.”

“The Basilica mansion?”

Akard shook his head.

“No way. It wouldn’t have been a small amount, did you receive a sponsorship?”

“Yes, someone sponsored it for me. So, I am looking into who sponsored it.”

“Did you receive a solicitation?”

“No, there was no solicitation either. They said it was a pure sponsorship.”

“A pure sponsorship?”

“By any chance, isn’t it the Commander?”

Akard shook his head at once.

“If the Commander had sponsored it, there is no way I wouldn’t know.”

“Then, is it Her Highness the Saintess?”

It was a name that came up after a truly long time.

“Her Highness the Saintess?”

Akard contemplated for a moment, and then expressed a look of denial.

“No way. Her Highness the Saintess could have sponsored it, but if she had, we would have definitely known.”

“Sigh… Then who could it be?”

“Is there no one around who would sponsor it?”

“I don’t really see anyone.”

“Perhaps they will show up soon. Or is there a caretaker?”

“There is one. But they said they do not know the employer.”

“They don’t know the employer?”

“Yes, it seems there is a separate service agency.”

“Could there be any problem? Since they are someone even you do not know?”

“That is not the case. My subordinate said they are people who have been verified multiple times.”

“Is that so? Hmm… I don’t know either. Still, if there was no solicitation or anything, isn’t it a good thing?”

“Getting things for free usually leads to trouble. Actually, the reason I came to this place was to ask about that.”

Her Majesty was just a bonus.

“Anyway, since you say it’s not, I understand. Someone must have done it. Though I don’t know who it is.”