After the battlefield was cleared, Ghislain introduced Jerome to everyone.
"This guy's name is Jerome. He's an 8th-circle mage and a former member of the Magic Tower of Dawn. The Magic Tower of Dawn is located next to Greenhill Village in the Kingdom of Poled. Since Greenhill Village is next to the Magic Tower, don't keep asking where it is. And…."
Jerome nodded repeatedly, grinning from ear to ear. Then, suddenly realizing something odd, he jumped in surprise.
"Whoa! What the—! How do you know so much about me? How is this possible? We just met today!"
Ghislain responded with an overly confident expression.
"I know everything."
"..."
Jerome looked around at the others, dazed.
Then everyone nodded in unison.
"Our young master knows everything."
"Our lord doesn't miss a thing."
"He's practically a prophet."
As everyone affirmed this, Jerome became even more bewildered.
'Wait, our Magic Tower is a secret passed down to only one successor! My mentor said no one could know about it!'
Even villagers who had lived near the Magic Tower for ages didn't know its exact location. Yet here was someone from far-off Lutania claiming to know?
It was a nonsensical situation, but since everyone acted like it was normal, Jerome felt like he was the strange one. Seeking the most logical person in the group, he turned to Yulian.
Yulian, who had been standing with his arms crossed, simply turned his head away.
Jerome stared blankly at Yulian.
'He… he doesn't seem to know, but it looks like he doesn't want to admit it.'
By the standards of this place, Jerome himself was the odd one. As a mage, he didn't want to accept this inexplicable phenomenon.
"S-So, how do you know this?!"
Once again, Ghislain responded confidently.
"We're friends."
"That doesn't make any sense!"
"It's a secret."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Ghislain had never given a proper explanation, yet he always knew everything, and his decisions consistently led to good outcomes.
At this point, Parniel, who looked rather annoyed, offered an explanation instead.
"Divine revelation."
"Revelation?"
"I heard rumors in the capital. The Archbishop Forisco of the Juana Religious Order declared that Duke Fenris is a saint. It's well-known that he received divine revelations to predict and prepare for a drought."
"O-Oh…."
Jerome nodded repeatedly. That explanation made some sense.
Parniel wore a smug expression. She had been waiting for a chance to bring up this topic.
"He's probably receiving revelations through dreams or some other method. That's how he's handling everything. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense. Don't you think so, Duke Fenris?"
"..."
Under Parniel's challenging gaze, Ghislain swallowed hard.
If Ghislain were to deny the claim of "revelation" now…
He might face the infamous, grueling heresy trials. Parniel seemed to be eagerly hoping for such an outcome, likely due to some lingering resentment from their last battle. Not that it was intentional on his part.
Ghislain smiled awkwardly and said.
"Wow, as expected, a saintess's insight can't be deceived. Sure, it's dreams, but they're like revelations. I think… they might be from Goddess Juana."
"Ooooh! Of course!"
The priests who had accompanied the Mobile Army fervently made the sign of the cross and prayed.
Of course, Piote and some of the others had expressions of quiet exasperation.
For one thing, they were certain that wasn't the case. There was no way this man was receiving divine revelations. They were confident about that.
Especially Elena, who muttered under her breath.
"Revelations, my foot… it's more like some kind of…."
She didn't finish her sentence since Arel was standing next to her, but she was clearly in a perpetual state of irritation.
In the awkward atmosphere, Ghislain smacked his lips.
'Well… I have been having strange dreams lately.'
Though he still didn't know the nature of the dreams, they seemed to be revealing something to him.
Couldn't that be considered a sort of revelation?
Jerome, for now, seemed to accept the explanation and nodded. Though he was a mage who toyed with the laws of the world, he wasn't one to deny the divine outright.
"Alright, alright. Anyway, this guy has decided to join us, so let's all get along!"
With that, Jerome became part of the Mobile Army as they returned to the location of the Farsali Kingdom's forces.
The army's commander-in-chief, Marquis Suffolk, was overcome with emotion and teary-eyed.
"Th-Thank you! Truly, thank you!"
The kingdom had been on the brink of destruction. The army of the dead had been an enemy they couldn't handle.
But now, the Mobile Army has wiped them out.
As the rumors suggested, the Lutania army was indeed the strongest on the continent.
The soldiers of the kingdom and the people who heard the news erupted in cheers.
"Whoooaah!"
"Long live the Lutania army!"
"Long live Duke Fenris!"
Praising the duke and army of another nation was usually unthinkable. But none of them cared.
For those who had lost their homes and been driven to terror, Duke Fenris had brought hope.
Marquis Suffolk expressed his gratitude not only to Ghislain but also to the man who had made this miracle possible by buying time.
He grasped Jerome's hand tightly, tears streaming down his face.
"Thank you so much. Without you, we wouldn't have held out this long."
Jerome had fought multiple times alone to stop the undead's advance.
Had he not been there, the kingdom would have fallen before reinforcements arrived.
It was an extraordinary feat that required both tremendous strength and unwavering resolve.
"Haha… it was nothing. I just did what I could while I was here."
Jerome scratched his head with an awkward smile. He was glad he could use his powers to help others.
That was the purpose of the Magic Tower's existence and his mentor's teaching. He was fulfilling his mission.
Ghislain spoke to Marquis Suffolk, who was repeatedly expressing his gratitude.
"I know it's difficult, but I need you to mobilize your army immediately. We must strike the Kingdom of Artrode."
"Of course. This army was gathered to fight, after all. We'll move right away."
The Farsali Kingdom's forces left behind only the minimum number needed for internal security and moved to join the Allied Forces.
There was no immediate threat to the kingdom. Contributing to the Allied Forces was more beneficial than conserving troops.
If the Allied Forces lost, the kingdom would inevitably fall.
For that reason, the Allied Forces from across the continent were all converging on the Kingdom of Artrode.
Ghislain sent word to the trailing Lutania army.
— Hellnik has been dealt with. Move the army toward the Kingdom of Artrode immediately.
Receiving the order, Claude redirected the army's march.
The Lutania army had been trailing the Mobile Army, anticipating the possibility of Hellnik leading a rebel army.
Living humans, unlike the undead, could think. A force of over 200,000 would have been too much for the Mobile Army alone.
However, since the enemy had all turned into undead, the Mobile Army had been able to handle them easily. The battle ended as soon as Hellnik was defeated.
"We'll rest for two days before moving. Half the priests should stay behind to help control the plague and purify the corpses."
Following Ghislain's orders, the Mobile Army laid down their arms and took a break.
Everyone was exhausted from the forced march and continuous battles, especially the priests who had struggled to keep up.
Given the speed of the Mobile Army, they would still arrive in the Kingdom of Artrode faster than the other forces, even with rest.
That night, Ghislain had another dream.
***
"Can you do it?"
It was the same voice he had heard in the previous dream.
Ghislain slowly opened his eyes, his mind still hazy.
Perhaps because Dark hadn't blocked it this time, his senses felt more alive than before. However, he still lingered in that strange border between dream and reality.
As he allowed himself to drift with the sensation, his surroundings gradually began to take shape.
"Waaaaaah!"
He heard a roar of cheers.
The scene coming into Ghislain's view was still indistinct and blurry, but clearer than last time, allowing him to understand the situation.
'A war, huh.'
Soldiers charged forward with loud cries. Knights led them from various positions on the battlefield.
'Where is this?'
The attire and equipment worn by the soldiers and knights were of a design he had never seen before. Despite his vast knowledge, he couldn't determine which nation this army belonged to.
Grrrrr…
However, he could tell who their enemies were.
They were beings he had fought countless times in both his past and present lives.
Kaaargh!
An Equidema charged toward the soldiers, followed by countless Riftborn and Mutants.
'What is this…'
He couldn't believe his eyes. Mutants were one thing, but the fact that Equidema and Riftborn could move outside their usual blue mist territories was staggering.
And not just one or two of them.
Kaaaaargh!
Equidema poured in from all directions, and as expected, they were followed by an endless swarm of Riftborn.
Boom!
The battle between the two sides erupted. It was a calamity on a scale incomparable to anything in the present day.
If Equidema could move like this, half the continent would have been destroyed by now.
"Hold the line! Don't retreat!"
The human army was formidable as well, their vast numbers united as one.
The apocalyptic battle raged on. Countless humans fell to the claws of beasts, but just as many monsters were brought down.
Once again, Ghislain spotted a familiar face.
"Protect the Saintess!"
'Erenes.'
Erenes was fighting. She summoned spirits, standing at the forefront against the beasts.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
She was strong. Although Ghislain wasn't sure exactly when this was, it was undoubtedly in the past, and yet she displayed the same strength as she did in the present.
Behind her, numerous elves fired arrows and summoned spirits to join the battle. It was a sight Ghislain had never witnessed before.
Humans, elves, dwarves, and various other races fought together. It felt as though they had united to confront the catastrophe threatening the continent.
As time passed, the human army began to falter.
"O, Goddess… please…."
"Kill them! Don't stop!"
"Just a little more strength…!"
Some despaired, some wept, and others burned with rage.
These were sights Ghislain had seen countless times on the battlefield, feelings he had experienced over and over again.
The beasts, with their eyes filled with madness, relentlessly charged forward. They seemed to have a goal beyond just the army in front of them, pressing onward without stopping.
At some point, the humans stopped fighting to win and instead fought desperately just to hold their ground. They all cried out as one.
"Protect the Saintess!"
"Protect the Saintess!"
"Protect the Saintess!"
'The Saintess.'
Ghislain instinctively turned his head.
At the center of the battlefield stood a woman surrounded by countless protectors.
'So that's the Saintess.'
Judging by the context, it seemed so. Ghislain silently watched the woman they called the Saintess.
She wasn't as beautiful as Piote nor as strong-looking as Parniel. She was a simple and plain woman.
Anyone unfamiliar with her would never guess she was a Saintess.
But the miracles she performed were far from ordinary.
With her eyes closed in prayer, she stood for a long time before slowly raising her hands to the heavens.
"O Deana, I, your servant, beseech you. Grant them unyielding resolve and radiant hope even amidst fear."
Deana, the goddess symbolizing light and justice, truth and wisdom, mercy and devotion.
Hearing that name, Ghislain deduced she was likely the Saintess of Deana. But that wasn't all.
"O Moriana, grant them immortal victory, glory, and the courage to never retreat."
Moriana, the goddess symbolizing war and honor, battle and victory, authority and dignity, pride.
"O Juana, grant them tireless vitality and the strength to protect their comrades."
Juana, the goddess symbolizing beauty and love, abundance and productivity, nobility and grace, economy and structure.
"O Serana, let them forget the horrors and pain of war and guide them to the righteous path."
Serana, the goddess symbolizing life and death, oblivion and fate, emptiness and darkness.
She prayed to all the goddesses. And all the goddesses answered her prayers.
Whoosh!
The dark sky parted, and light shone everywhere.
"Waaaah!"
The exhausted soldiers shouted as they raised their weapons once more. Everyone, without exception, began to display extraordinary strength.
Kaaaaargh!
The Equidema and Riftborn began to retreat. The Saintess's miraculous power had turned the tide of the battle in an instant.
Though the scene was still blurry, it was clear enough to grasp what was happening.
Watching the fight, only one thought occupied Ghislain's mind.
'Unbelievable.'
A Saintess was a chosen servant of a goddess. And each goddess would choose only one Saintess. That was the truth.
But the Saintess before him defied all logic.
A being beloved by all the goddesses. It was a concept he had never even heard of, not even in legends.
Yet this seemingly ordinary woman was such an impossible existence.
The Saintess looked at the battlefield with a worried gaze, watching the soldiers fight the monsters.
At some point, however, her expression turned blank.
And suddenly, everything stopped.
The screeching Equidema and Riftborn, the shouting soldiers—all froze in place, as if captured in a single moment from a painting.
Only the Saintess moved.
Slowly, she turned her head and locked eyes with Ghislain.
Around her neck was the plain necklace that Ghislain was currently wearing.
Ghislain tried to speak to her. But no sound came out. He couldn't move.
Then, she spoke to him.
"Not yet, you must not come."
Flash!
The dream shattered, and Ghislain opened his eyes.
[T/L: I am in dire need of support. I will give discount to all those who will buy the rest of the chapters all together, so please support me the reader on my webnovel platform and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]