Chapter 29: Jim Terra’s Terrifying Intuition and Velix’s Confidence
– Throne Room—Imperial Palace of Elysium –
On the throne, Velix, adorned in his imperial white robes, lounged lazily as he gazed up at Jim, who stood before him with respect.
“So, did your plan to utilize the Holy Orthodox to assail the Demon Race succeed?” Velix asked Jim in an indifferent tone.
Upon hearing Velix’s question, Jim shook his head slightly and offered a faint smile.
“Unfortunately, Your Majesty the Emperor, that plan didn’t yield the desired results,” Jim replied calmly and casually, as if he had foreseen this outcome.
Velix’s handsome face creased with a slight frown, betraying a hint of displeasure.
“Are you certain your plan faltered? Wouldn’t that woman be consumed by fury upon learning of the demise of her lover, Leon Kruger, in combat with the Demon Emperor?” Velix’s voice carried a note of dissatisfaction, finding the notion somewhat incredulous.
A few days prior, at his behest, Jim had endeavored to suppress the news of Leon Kruger’s demise in battle, along with the unexpected emergence of the Demon Emperor on the battlefield.
However, no matter how adept Jim was at concealing the spread of the news, with his aid and the entire power of the Holy Empire of Elysium at his disposal, it was impossible to evade the intelligence of the Holy Orthodox, which possessed power equal to that of the Holy Empire of Elysium.
Therefore, yesterday, Jim approached him and presented a cunning plan: they would cease concealing Leon Kruger’s death from the Holy Orthodox and instead leverage this revelation to prompt the Holy Orthodox itself to launch an immediate attack against the demon race.
In a sense, this plan amounted to using someone else’s blade to strike at their foe.
Consequently, upon learning of the plan’s failure, Velix found himself profoundly unwilling to accept this reality.
After all, with the assistance of the Holy Orthodox, the swift defeat of the Demon race was assured, and his long-held goal would soon be realized!
Sensing Velix’s displeasure, Jim maintained a calm demeanor, casually tucking his arms into the loose sleeves of his kimono, as if folding them in front of his chest.
“Your Majesty, in truth, the plan I devised was flawless. However, what we are dealing with is the immense power of the Holy Orthodox. Furthermore, seated upon the Holy Orthodox are five holy guardians, each endowed with extraordinary abilities. Hence, I suspect that our failure to incite Saint Arshley and the Holy Orthodox to retaliate stems from the interference of one of these five holy guardians.” Jim smiled faintly as he meticulously elaborated on his analysis, as per his calculations.
After all, he had meticulously considered every aspect and realized that while this plan held a chance of success, it was exceedingly small given that their target for manipulation was the Holy Orthodox—a super-level entity on par with their own Elysium Holy Empire.
Of course, he also knew the identity of the figure behind his failed plan to influence Saint Arshley and the Holy Orthodox itself—none other than Edward Grey, the first holy guardian of the Holy Orthodox.
‘Edward, oh Edward, you are indeed a formidable adversary. Your title as the ‘Wise Angel of the Holy Orthodox’ is more than just a name, hahaha…’ Jim mused inwardly, his chuckle echoing silently.
Despite having all his plans foiled by Edward, Jim harbored no anger; instead, he felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that his opponent remained as formidable as ever.
In that regard, he wouldn’t succumb to boredom, knowing he still had an opponent who matched his caliber in this world!
Meanwhile, upon hearing Jim’s mention of the ‘Five Holy Guardians,’ Velix immediately narrowed his eyes, and his dissatisfaction gradually dissipated in an instant.
‘Five Holy Guardians, huh? They’re not easy to manipulate…’ Velix muttered to himself and closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself down.
The Five Holy Guardians stood as formidable figures, serving as the pillars of the Holy Orthodox—an equivalent to the Three Great Twilights of their Elysium Holy Empire: Jim Terra, Rain Violet, and Natasya Nox.
Therefore, he understood that becoming angry over the failure of this plan would be entirely futile.
After regaining his composure, he reopened his eyes and regarded Jim with a light gaze.
“Alright, Jim, you may return and oversee the entire border region of the Holy Empire of Elysium. And incidentally, there’s no need to suppress the news of Leon Kruger’s demise any longer; let it circulate throughout the Empire within three days,” Velix instructed before withholding nothing further.
Upon hearing this, Jim respectfully bowed his head and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. I will carry out your orders.”
Then, lifting his head, instead of turning away, he remained in place and gazed at Velix as if there were still matters to discuss.
Upon observing this, Velix raised one eyebrow and inquired, “Is there something on your mind?”
Jim nodded, maintaining his customary smile, before finally expressing his mind.
“Your Majesty, if Hero Leon were possibly alive instead of deceased, as we believed, what course of action would you pursue?”
Jim’s words momentarily caught Velix off guard before his expression reverted to its usual calm demeanor.
“Could you elaborate on why you hold such a thought?” Velix inquired, his curiosity piqued.
Jim shook his head and replied, “I can’t provide specific details, Your Majesty, as it’s simply a recent thought that stems from my suspicions, hunches, and intuition.”
Velix wasn’t angered by Jim’s somewhat perfunctory response, understanding the strength of the intuition and hunches possessed by the man before him.
Otherwise, his title as the “Four-eyed Devil,” which had vanquished numerous adversaries of the Holy Empire of Elysium, wouldn’t have gained widespread recognition across the world.
Velix nodded, indicating his respect for Jim’s opinions and suspicions.
“Jim, I have trust in you and your words, but this time, Leon Kruger’s demise is confirmed; it’s no longer mere battlefield hearsay,” Velix asserted confidently, a slight smile gracing his lips.
Upon hearing this, Jim, for the first time, displayed surprise, gazing at Velix with astonishment.
“Your Majesty, are you…” Before Jim could finish his sentence, Velix nodded and waved his hand slowly.
Soon, in the throne room, a large magic screen materialized, prompting Jim to gaze intently at it.
Within the screen, a vast hall unfolded, adorned with three towering statues that seemed to reach into the sky.
Witnessing this, Jim was taken aback and redirected his gaze to Velix.
“Your Majesty, is this the Holy Hall of the Three Heroes of Mankind?” Jim inquired with curiosity, his mind racing with speculation.
Velix nodded in confirmation. “Indeed, this is the Holy Hall of the Three Heroes.”
Then he gestured towards a specific area below the towering statues depicted on the screen.
“Jim, take a look at that, and I’m confident your doubts regarding Leon Kruger’s demise will soon be dispelled,” Velix remarked, pointing his index finger at the screen.
Upon hearing Velix’s words, Jim swiftly directed his gaze to where Velix was pointing on the screen, his expression transforming into one of utter horror.
There, he beheld a shining white sword with a golden pattern encircling it, hovering in the center before the three towering statues.
Jim, intimately acquainted with the exquisite-looking sword, couldn’t help but feel his heart racing.
“That is… The Great Holy Sword Zenith!?”
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