“So, Miss Herolia, exactly what do you wish to discuss with me about?”
Casually, Joshua found a chair and sat down. Holding her staff, Ciri stood quietly to his side.
The true owner of Norland Nation Theater was Joshua. Herolia and Messai were the actual guests.
“A transaction.”
Herolia had changed her attire to that of a simple nun outfit.
She showed no intention of revealing her identity as a clergy to Joshua.
“Transaction... so, yet another clergy is planning to engage in a transaction with a demon?” Joshua opened his hands. On his palm was the imprint from the Duke of Bones, the imprint emitting an intense aura of death. To the believers of the God of Holy Light, seeing that imprint was most definitely an act of blasphemy. “If the God of Holy Light truly existed... he might be crying now.”
“The God of Holy Light Monicar has never regarded demons as enemies,” said Herolia all of a sudden. Her tone sounded like she had personally met with Monicar.
“Demons are wicked enemies of humanity... Those were the teachings from canons from the Nation of the Holy Church. But, it is not the God of Holy Light who wrote those canons. Instead... they were written by humans.”
“I seemed to have heard some remarkable secret. That said, it seemed like your secret had scared your knight,” Joshua glanced at Messai who stood next to Herolia.
The words spoken by Herolia was an enormous challenge to Messai’s faith. Messai was trying her hardest to suppress her emotions in hope that she could keep a stern expression.
“I am merely speaking of the truth.”
Herolia didn’t care about what her knight lady thought of what she said. She waved her fingers midair.
Joshua was very familiar with her action. Those were the movements of someone using the magic network.
This saintess was also a user of the magic network. Judging from her typing speed, she was someone who spent a great deal of time on the Mage Forum.
“Then, what might be the transaction Miss Herolia wishes to discuss with me?” asked Joshua.
“Aren’t you interested in my bargaining chips before our discussion?”
Herolia was browsing through the Mage Forum’s World’s Singers’ sub-forum. After seeing that majority of the posts were about her, she closed the magic network in satisfaction.
“Allow me to declare my position first. Although your canons stated that demons are interested in human flesh and souls, they’re completely wrong. We demons are not at all interested in those two objects.”
Joshua gestured a cross over his chest. He stated his position so that this nun lady who seemed to be planning to defect to the demon’s side would not make meaningless promises of sacrificing a large number of lives as her bargaining chips.
“If you are to offer me lives, I would rather accept gold coins.”
“What my offer to you is much more valuable than gold coins.”
An originium crystal appeared in Herolia’s hand. It was an originium crystal inscribed with the ‘magic network interface.’
“I am able to spread this object throughout the entirety of the Nation of the Holy Church. Furthermore, the situation of ‘signal lost’ will definitely not occur there.”
“Is that so? That... is indeed an alluring bargaining chip.”
Joshua’s eyes were paying attention to Messai the entire time. When Herolia spoke of her proposal, Messai was finally unable to contain herself from showing a slightly flabbergasted look on her face.
Perhaps to Messai, Herolia’s offer was no different from giving the Chaos Demon Joshua the opportunity to control the thought process of all the citizens of the Nation of the Holy Church!
Once the magic network covered the entirety of the Nation of the Holy Church, it would offer far more benefits to Joshua’s cultural invasion project than detriments.
“That is only one of my bargaining chips,” A smile appeared on Herolia’s face. She could detect from Joshua’s tone that his interest has been piqued.
The runes from the Holy Light system appeared in Herolia’s hand. Pure and holy magic power started to spill out of her body. It was so very pure and powerful...
Joshua had only felt magic power identical to the one emitted by Herolia from one person — Archbishop Desireless.
“I am able to curb the Nation of the Holy Church’s hostility toward your Demon Realm. In the next ten years, the Nation of the Holy Church will definitely not launch offensives at the Demon Realm.”
“A peace treaty?”
Joshua could imagine that if it was his older sister Cecily sitting in this room, she would definitely sign the peace treaty.
The Demon Realm deeply needed the opportunity to take a breather. Not only were they unable to afford an all-out war, their technologies were too far behind the human world.
If they were given ten years worth of time for their breather, then perhaps the Demon Realm might be able to catch up to humanity.
“In that case... what do you seek to obtain from me?” Joshua was able to guess the true identity of this nun lady from the bargaining chips she revealed.
“It’s very simple.”
Herolia suddenly stood up. Ciri immediately grabbed onto her magic staff. Messai also placed her hand on the hilt of the sword on her waist.
Herolia shook her head to indicate to Messai to relax. Then, she placed her hand on her chest. Glimmering light started to gather at her body... Joshua could faintly see that the light formed the silhouette of a... deer behind her.
“I... wish to stand at the peak of the Nation of the Holy Church. In other words, I wish to control the entire Nation of the Holy Church. As such... I needed your support.”
“So that’s the case?”
At this moment, Joshua finally realized why this nun lady would go out of her way to travel so far to Norland just to participate in his ‘World’s Singers.’
It seemed like the source of her powers was similar to that of the elves — Faith Energy.
The more believers she possesses, the stronger she would be... The citizens of the Nation of the Holy Church were no longer capable of satisfying her ambitions. She wanted even more Faith Energy.
Joshua’s magic network and televisions, those two platforms, were both exceptional methods that would allow her to gather more believers.
“So, what do you think? Joshua Annerlaude, I am willing to sign an ancient treaty ensured with our very lives with you. If either of us are to violate the treaty, we will pay an enormous price.”
Herolia picked up the knife on the table. She was serious.
“Mmmm... to be able to spread the magic network to the Nation of the Holy Church without any obstructions, to be able to let the Demon Realm separate itself from the threat of war temporarily, and most importantly what Miss Herolia has...”
Joshua stared at the glimmering deer behind Herolia.
There was no mistake... that was a mature World Tree!
“I must admit, these are all very tempting.”
“Are you willing to accept my conditions then?” asked Herolia.
“Regarding the answer to your question,” A warm smile appeared on Joshua’s face. Then, with a neutral tone, he said, “That’s naturally a... NO!
“...”
Herolia thought the Chaos Demon was going to accept it. She did not expect that he would refuse her.
“Could you... tell me the reason?” Herolia’s smile has completely frozen. She wanted to know why Joshua would refuse. The conditions she had proposed were incomparably advantageous to him.
“Reason? That’s simple. It’s because one of my favorite things to do is saying NO to those who believe themselves to be infallible!”
Joshua felt that he should make a pose when he said that character’s[1] line.
[1] Kishibe Rohan from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure