Chapter 67 Holy City Infiltration Famine and an Urgent Cooking Crisis
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Lax Empire was apparently founded when the first Lax Pontiff gathered up all the followers who believed in the Celestial Messenger, forming them into a single nation.
They share a border with the Albion Empire to the north and had a long-standing alliance, but the head of the former regime’s Senate, Chairman Luva, unilaterally ripped that treaty up. Since then, those two countries haven’t gone into any formal political fighting or war, but the truth is they’ve become really bitter enemies. Now, they’re apparently exchanging diplomats again, trying to patch things up and re-establish a healthy alliance. That’s probably their way of dealing with the Regain Kingdom, which just keeps getting stronger every year, don’t you think?
Moving on to the east, they share a border with a maritime nation that’s kind of like the Edo lands¹, and the Lax Empire is heavy into trade and making connections with distant countries to spread the Lax faith. Rumor has it they’re sending missionaries out all over the world, teaching the principles of the Lax religion.
And to the south? Well, that side faces the resource-rich Anclear Forest, and they seem to be in a fierce, ongoing conflict with the demi-humans who live there, mainly the Elves. They say the Empire cuts down the trees without permission from the forest’s inhabitants and even kidnaps the demi-humans. Pretty awful, huh?
Finally, there’s the west. The map makes it easy to see: roughly the lower half belongs to the Magic Kingdom, and the upper half is the Regain Kingdom. They’re enemies with the Magic Kingdom because their fundamental ideologies are totally different, while with the Regain Kingdom, they’ve just spent history switching back and forth between allies and enemies.
There’s a good reason I keep saying “apparently” and “rumor has it,” too. The Lax Empire is famous for being incredibly secretive—a country that just loves to hide things.
* * *
(The Holy City of Seraph, Lax Empire)
I left the war between the Regain Kingdom and the Lax Empire to Schuna-chan and Yuna-chan, and Fenrir and I came ahead to the Lax Empire’s capital, the Holy City of Seraph, chasing after the kidnapped Lala-chan. But… why does the atmosphere feel so absolutely terrible, even though it’s the capital of the Lax Empire?
”Food… anything, please, just give me something.”
”Money… spare some money…”
”…My daughter… she was taken as a sacrifice…”
”Does the Pontiff… have no mercy?”
”Man, everyone looks so emaciated and skinny, like they’re about to drop dead, Fenrir.”
”…The rumors state that the villages and towns surrounding the Holy City of Lax Empire have suffered through several great famines in recent years. Whether this is intentional or not, I cannot say.” Fenrir stated, her golden eyes watchful.
”Hmm. So that’s why everyone is desperate for food, and why they’ve been fleeing as emigrants to the Seyfried Territory for the past few years, is that it?”
”Aye, most likely. And those who remain in the Lax Empire now are the ones who could not escape. This is because the Holy Ones of Alysphia (World) are no longer here.”
”Holy Ones? Are you talking about you, Fenrir, or Lala-chan?”
”…Indeed. Only those acknowledged by the Celestial Messenger, Saint Lax, can enter or leave the Lax Empire. That is why I chose to follow my Master this time… Though I have another reason, I need not speak of that now.” Fenrir murmured, a hint of melancholy in her voice.
Fenrir started to stare intently at a large building—a great Clock Tower, was it?—in the distance. What was she looking at?
”What’s wrong, then? Is Lala-chan there? If she is, we can just go get her right away.”
”…No, that is not it. That place is where I made a solemn vow of reunion with my old friend a long time ago, a very precious place to me…”
Just as Fenrir was about to finish speaking, someone spoke to us, even though we were completely hidden by my invisibility magic tool.
”Um, excuse me, please?”
”Huh? Is that a girl? I was certain the Invisibility Magic Tool made us invisible… Fenrir. Did you forcefully switch off the tool’s effect?”
”Hmph? …Of what do you speak, Master?” Fenrir questioned, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
”…Seriously. Don’t play dumb with me.”
”Ah, um, I’m terribly sorry to interrupt your conversation… Do you have any rice… any food?”
Her body was terrifyingly thin and emaciated, her eyes hollow, completely drained of life and spirit. For her to be able to ask for food instead of attacking us in this state… that’s incredible mental strength—
”Wait, what? …Aren’t you one of the Lax Empire’s Heroines, Mary Lax-chan?”
”Huh? …How do you know my name?” she whispered, confusion dimming her hollow eyes.
This is bad. One of the heroines who’s supposed to receive a Blessing of Lifelong Devotion from the protagonist (Alexia) is practically dying. One less girl for the protagonist means the probability of my own head getting chopped off just skyrocketed!
”…Fenrir. Emergency situation in effect!”
”Hmph? What is the matter, Master?” Fenrir inquired, her posture still perfectly calm.
”Get the food ready now! Pull out the ingredients and the cooking equipment from the Storage Charm immediately! Let’s get cooking!”
”Hah… Very well. Then I shall gladly assist you.”
”Huh? Huh? …You’ll give me food?” Mary Lax gasped, a faint spark igniting in her dull eyes.
—
Summary:
In this urgent fantasy chapter, the villainous heir protagonist and his divine wolf companion, Fenrir, infiltrate the secretive and famine-stricken Holy City of Seraph in the Lax Empire, searching for the kidnapped Lala-chan. The gloomy atmosphere of the capital, riddled with starving citizens and tales of political unrest, throws the protagonist’s survival strategy into doubt. The plot thickens when a critically emaciated young girl, who the protagonist shockingly recognizes as Mary Lax, one of the key Heroines from the original Yuri RPG, emerges from the crowd, desperate for food. This sudden threat to the game’s original character roster sends the self-preserving villain heir into a frantic culinary rescue mission to save his own neck.
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Character Insight:
The Protagonist’s internal conflict is fully exposed here. He’s not genuinely heroic; his dramatic decision to ‘save’ the heroine, Mary Lax, is purely a desperate act of self-preservation to lower the chance of his own execution. His theatrical panic and immediate shift to cooking (using his Storage Charm and knowledge) shows his unique blend of cunning and comedy. Fenrir, in contrast, remains a steadfast and formal guardian, showing a rare glimpse of her personal history with the Clock Tower, hinting at a deeper lore within this Isekai Fantasy world.
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Behind the Scene:
The protagonist and Fenrir successfully bypassed the main conflict to pursue Lala-chan, only to immediately stumble into a major lore crisis in the Holy City of Seraph. The sudden appearance of the starving heroine, Mary Lax, forces an immediate, non-combat obstacle: a massive cooking operation. The Lax Empire’s secrecy and the evident corruption beneath the veneer of its holy exterior are highlighted, directly linking the political state to the famine and the protagonist’s high-stakes situation.
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T/L:
1 [Edo lands]: Refers to a nation stylized after feudal Japan’s Edo period, often implying a maritime, isolated culture, or one with a strong, traditional social structure. ↩
Notes:
• Albion Empire – A nation to the east of Regain where dragonkind is revered as divine. It is currently locked in ‘bloody, territorial chaos’ with the new Demon King’s forces in Schwert.
• Luva – The cold, calculating Speaker of the Albion Empire’s Elder Council who proposes using political manipulation and hostages to acquire the prosperous Seyfried Territory.
• Sera – the top figure of the Lax Empire’s church, currently possessed by or being a tool of a darker force. He wears white and gold papal robes and has a gaunt, manic appearance with crazed eyes. He is smugly preparing for a ritual using Lala as a sacrifice. His personality is unstable and menacing, focusing solely on the success of the ‘Advent’ ritual.
• Lala – Delusional saint candidate from the Lax Empire who becomes fanatically devoted to Shin, founding a religion in his name and often speaking with the quirky suffix ‘~desuwa’
• Yuna – female of high religious/political standing, specifically holding the title of High Priestess and being one of the Eight Sacred Lords of the Lax Church. Her outer appearance is suggested by the fact that her opponent, Yuriyuri, was wearing her stolen nun’s habit after the confrontation. Her role as an intruder in the Seyfried Territory led to her defeat and capture by her adversary, Yuriyuri.
• Alt – A Dragonkin member of the Twelve Apostles who was researching Dragonkin-related Divine Artifacts. He becomes Shin’s primary source of information and suggests consulting his mentor, Lin, for a potential cure.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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