After conquering an S-class dungeon, Allen and his friends are called to an audience with Emperor Pupun III of the Baucis Empire.
　While Allen was talking with the emperor, a Baukis officer came running into the audience room.

　Then he tells them that the Elmar kingdom is burning.

Burning?　What do you mean by "burning"!

"Huh?　Hey, hey!

　When the beast prince was shaking his shoulders and approaching the officer in the form of a demon, he grabbed the officer's shoulders with both hands and lifted him up.
　The difference in height between the beastman and the dwarf is large, so this alone will leave the officer in limbo.

Explain! I hope Shea is safe!

(Huh?　(This feeling is that the Shea Beast Princess has not returned to the Beast Kingdom?

　I think I heard that the pagan guru was caught about six months ago.
　Come to think of it, I don't recall hearing how the religious trial ended up in the end.

Prince Zeus. Pull yourself together.

　Then the Prime Minister says to calm down.
　This is still the middle of the emperor's audience.

　The fat old man, Pupun III, is rolling his eyes at Prince Zeus, whose attitude has changed dramatically.

What?　I'm sorry.

　Saying that, he slowly lowered the officer to the floor.

So, what do you mean by the burning of Theomenia, the capital of the Church of Elmar?

　The emperor regains his composure and ascertains the situation to his officers.

Ha!　Your Majesty. We have just received a distress call from the Elmar city of Neil. There is a huge fire in the city of Theomenia, your Holy City.

　The officer continues with further details.
　It was only just now that he received the distress call, but he says it was about two days ago that Theomenia was on fire.

　A priest, fleeing for his life from Theomenia, sent the distress call.
　I wondered why it was in Baucis, but it seems he's sending a distress signal to the whole world.

　With the distress signal, the priest explained the state of emergency.

　Two days ago at noon, the execution of the evil guru, Gushala-Servilor, was decided.
　After years of misdeeds as a guru were revealed in the religious court, it was decided that Gushala would be burned at the stake.
　It's called burning at the stake.

　The priest who reported to me was inside the temple and I didn't see the execution, but I knew right away what happened.
　A huge pillar of fire rises from the central square of Theomenia, the place of execution, and the pillar of fire is growing huge.
　The temple was swallowed up, but I managed to escape from the city with my life.

I see. That's tough, but why is that a distress signal to the whole world?

　Admiral Galala asks the officer who has arrived.

　Everyone from the four parties that had conquered the S-class dungeon that had been kneeling to the emperor is already on their feet, with their backs to the emperor, staring at the officers.

(Admittedly, if that's all we're talking about, all we need to do is ask for help from our neighbors.

　Admiral Galala, who leads the army, hears of the situation so far and voices his doubts.
　Surely a city has been engulfed in flames.
　The capital of Elmar Church has been burned.
　This is outrageous, but the United States of America, located in the southeast of the central continent where Elmaar Church is located, is made up of countless small and medium-sized countries.

　Admiral Galala wonders if the capital of the Elmar Church, Theomenia, is somehow burned, wouldn't it make sense to ask for help from the neighboring countries immediately?

　If this is something that needs the help of the whole world, then what is the reason for it?

Yes, there seems to be a reason why a priest from the city of Neil called for help. Something about the priests of Theomenia and the people of the city being turned into monsters.

""What?"

　The officer who came to report continues the story of the priest who sent the distress signal from the city of Neal.

　The priest wasn't the only one who fled for his life from the pillar of fire that rose in the central square of Theomenia to the outside of the city.
　Many of Theomenia's inhabitants also fled.

　As I gazed in despair at the pillar of fire piercing the heavens, more despair overtook me.

　The men dressed as priests and townspeople who had escaped a little later out of the city looked strange.
　There were numerous burn marks, and when some of them, who were able to use recovery magic to see if they were injured, ran to the priest who offered help, they attacked him.

"I don't know if you turned the people of the city into undead or zombies, but you turned them into hexenbiests, right?

"Yes, I'm told that he was attacked so suddenly that he didn't have time to look at it in detail.

　I don't know what it is.
　But I will say it was something non-human.

"Hmm.

　In this world, there are hexenbiests who can turn humans into hexenbiests or their allies.
　They are often found in undead and bloodsucking monsters, and although Allen had little experience fighting them, he had learned about them in his school classes.
　It seems that Admiral Galara heard what you just said and thought that she used some kind of magic to turn a lot of people in Theomenia into hexenbiests or something.

He even risked his life to call in a magical tool from the neighboring city of Neal for help. According to the priest, the city of Neil is already surrounded by so many transformed people that it won't last long.

　A huge fire has been set ablaze in the church city of Theomenia.
　It has turned the people into a multitude of magical beasts that surround the city, and the damage continues to spread.

　The priest seems to have taken the situation very seriously and asked for help, lest what's happening in Theomenia and Neil spread to the whole Confederation.

　That's all we've heard from the priest, says the officer.

...... Is this what you think it is?

　The brave Helmios noticed something.

Yes, perhaps the sacred artifacts of the fire god Freya have been used.

　Allen answered Helmios' question.
　It is said to have divine powers, and to think that there is no way he could reduce a city or two to ashes with the use of a divine artifact.

　Allen tells not only his party, but also Helmios, Prince Zeu, Admiral Galala and his party that the artifacts of Freya, the god of fire, have been stolen.


'You mean they used the artifacts to burn the city to the ground?

　Kiel also feels resentment at the lives of the people who would have lost so many.



This is something I need to go help with.

　Helmios says he's going to help.

"Oh, that's my hero, Helmios!
The power that saved people from the demon king's army will be demonstrated again.
"This will save the Elmarian nation!

　Now we are in the middle of an audience with the Emperor.
　Many noblemen stood in this hall and listened to the proceedings.

　The Baucis empire is basically worshipped by Digragni, and in some areas by Freya, god of fire.
　But they are not the only objects of worship.
　There are also many dwarves who believe in the god of fertility and the god of war.

　And Elmea, the god of creation, is widely worshipped on every continent.

　Many noblemen rejoice that Helmios has risen up against the attack on Elmar, the headquarters of the Elmerian religion.

Oh, Helmios the Brave. Oh, Hermios the Brave. Oh, Hermios, will you go?

"Yes. Of course.

Admiral Galala. Will you go with me?

(Oh, even Admiral Galala will come?　(I've heard that the emperor of the Bauchis Empire is greedy, but it's not like what I've heard from Admiral Galala.

　Allen had heard from Admiral Galala that Pupun III was a greedy and selfish emperor.
　In fact, he seems to have been spoiled in some ways, but he is willing to send Admiral Galala to the Elmar Empire to help.

Yes, sir.

　Admiral Galala stood and bowed deeply.

'No, in a situation like this, Admiral Galala told me I could leave the Baucis Empire.

　The vizier standing beside him is waiting for him.
　The priest of the Elmar religion sent out a distress signal to the whole world out of fear that the world might be destroyed.

　In this situation, he says it is not good to lose Admiral Galala, the highest ranking member of the Baucis Imperial Army and the most powerful being in the Empire.
　Some of the nobles seem to have felt the same way and are anxiously watching the events.

(Hmm, you're right. But if this is the next step of the demon king's army, will they make it necessary for him to help them?

　This one, Allen believes, is the next step in the invasion of the ten million demon king's army that occurred at the dawn of last year.

　At that time, they actually invaded the God Realm and stole the sacred artifacts from Freya, the God of Fire.
　Freya's followers dwindled and the demon king's army waited until Freya's power was weakened.

　The invasion of ten million demon kings was a distraction.
　It was just a plan to grab a continent or two if possible.

　What happened now seems to be some kind of plan by the demon king's army that had been planned since then.
　I was just wondering if there was any way to get the operation to go ahead in a way that would interfere with it.

Excuse me. We have an urgent message from the Ghiamut Empire!

　An officer comes into the hall, shouting loudly.

What's going on here!

　Even the Prime Minister can't help but shout.
　An officer is a general in Allen's hometown of Latash Kingdom.

The demon king's army has begun its invasion!　There is a threat of an oceanic attack on the Baucis Empire!

""What?!"

　The audience room was becoming even noisier.