Chapter 255 Goddess Aurelia ③
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Parliament was in a state of total collapse. That shitty Goddess had delivered her divine oracle to every living soul, officially designating Greedia as a Pariah State¹—an Enemy of the Gods. To make matters worse, Plaudix and Envyos had both declared war. It was no surprise the room was a powder keg. I watched the assembly descend into madness from the spectator’s gallery, accompanied by the Water Demon General Tsunami. Since television doesn’t exist in this world, the gallery is open to anyone who wants to watch the gears of government grind. Tsunami, for her part, was currently disguised as a human.
”We have to surrender!” one man screamed.
”No! We should exile Lord Sieben and claim we had nothing to do with it!” another countered.
”What are you saying? We stand our ground and fight!” a third roared.
Opinions were split into three messy camps. First, the Surrender Faction: they wanted to hand me over and crawl for mercy. Second, the Exile Faction: they wanted to kick me out, wash their hands of me, and pretend my actions weren’t their problem. Finally, the Resistance Faction. Honestly, the first two groups hadn’t thought about the “day after” at all. Whether they surrendered or feigned ignorance, the citizens of a nation branded as a God-Enemy² would never be treated like humans again. The men would be driven into forced labor or used as meat shields, and the women would be used as disposable tools for lust until they drew their last breaths. There are no human rights for the “Godless”—just ask the Mazoku³. That said, total resistance wasn’t exactly a dream scenario either. We were facing two superpowers at once. Our military was already pathetic; taking on two nations simultaneously was a death sentence. No matter how incompetent the Plaudix army might be, sheer numbers are a nightmare. Of course, that’s only if they don’t factor me into the military equation.
”So, Tsunami,” I said, leaning back. “As the one who built this place, what’s your take on the current Parliament?”
”…The ‘dead weight’ has increased,” Tsunami sighed. “The lack of young blood is going to be the death of us.”
Greedia is a democracy, unlike its neighbors. The Parliament uses a bicameral system—an Upper and Lower House. Originally, they were the House of Lords and the House of the People, but since the nobility went extinct fifty years after the founding, the names shifted. This is the rot inherent in any political system: if things stagnate for two centuries, you get exactly what Tsunami described. You get fossils—old men drunk on power who refuse to move—and a younger generation that is completely checked out. My predecessor, that disgusting pig Antonio, was the embodiment of this power-drunk decay. It’s the arrogance of a long-term regime.
They start believing they are the country. They stop caring about the citizens and move only to line their own pockets. Most of the Surrender and Exile Factions were made up of these exact dinosaurs, while the Resistance Faction was mostly the “youth” in their thirties and forties. Currently, the split was about 30% for surrender, 30% for exile, and 40% for resistance. For the record, the voting age is fifteen and the age of candidacy is twenty. Since I’m not yet twenty, I can’t be a member of Parliament. Instead, I bypassed the red tape and joined the Octagram Council⁴. Since the seat is reserved for the heads of the eight founding guilds, they didn’t have much of a choice.
Still, I wondered how long they’d keep up this useless bickering. It had been three hours and they hadn’t settled a single thing. And this was just the Lower House! Even if they reached a conclusion, they’d have to drag it through the Upper House next. This is the fatal flaw of a parliamentary system: even when the survival of the country is at stake, everything moves at a snail’s pace.
Fine. I’ll end it.
”Oh? Where are you going?” Tsunami asked.
”To kill this waste of time,” I replied.
I stood up, vaulted over the gallery railing, and landed right in the center of the legislative floor. I walked straight toward the rostrum.
”Wh-What? Who is this man? Guards, throw him out!”
”This is a sacred hall! Civilians have no right—Wait, are you Lord Sieben?!”
”The source of all our trouble! What are you doing here?!”
The fossils were in an uproar.
”Good grief,” I muttered. “I came down here because you were going in circles. This is what happens when you let dead weight run a country—they can’t see past their own egos.”
”Who are you calling dead weight?!”
”That’s right! We are the rulers of this nation! A mere Monster Hunter shouldn’t be so bold!”
The delusional relics were foaming at the mouth. Since they wouldn’t shut up, I held up my Octagram Council emblem—an eight-pointed star necklace made of solid Mithril⁵, with the symbols of the eight founding guilds etched into the center.
”Wh-What?! You’re a member of the Council?!”
”At least you’re enough of a politician to recognize the badge,” I said. “Yeah. That’s what this is.”
The chamber went deathly silent. People knew the Octagram Council existed, but the members were ghosts. A few like Georg-san or Minette-san were known, but I was an unknown variable. In fact, many still thought the “missing”—and very dead—Antonio was still holding the seat.
”I-It’s a fake! There’s no way a brat like this is on the Council!”
”Exactly! Who would ever accept you?!”
The fossils, unable to accept anything that threatened their worldview, started howling again.
”Um… I just ran an Appraisal on it,” the official Appraiser stammered. “It’s… it’s the real thing.”
The Parliament keeps an Appraiser on staff specifically to vet people. They choose individuals known for their integrity, and a magical contract prevents them from lying about a result. Their word is final. The room finally went quiet as they realized exactly who I was and what kind of authority I held.
”Now then,” I said. “To be honest, the Council didn’t want to get involved in national politics. You’re the ones supposed to be running the show. As long as you weren’t passing any truly monstrous laws, we were happy to watch from the sidelines. But this time, I’m the target, so I’m stepping in to settle the bill.”
”…Tch. Then you should’ve just stayed out of the country,” someone muttered.
I didn’t bother finding out which idiot clicked his tongue. He was already shriveling under the glares of those around him.
”You’re split into three groups, but there’s only one choice for survival,” I continued. “Think about it. If you hand me over to Plaudix or Envyos and surrender… do you think you’ll just go back to your comfortable lives? Your property will be seized, and every citizen will be sold into slavery. The men will be worked to death in the mines, and the women will be used as playthings for the soldiers until they break. Don’t expect to be treated like the clergy of the Church of Aurelia. You’ll be tools. And once you’re broken, you’ll be discarded like trash.”
”It’s still better than dying!” one fossil croaked.
”Are you an idiot? You think they’ll let the leaders of a ‘God-Enemy’ nation live? They’ll make an example out of you. You know how humans treat the Mazoku? That’s your future. You’ve been branded.”
”Grrrrgh…”
He actually made a growling sound. I was almost impressed. (He actually said “gunu-nu” in his throat… just like a cliché villain.)
”And for those who want to exile me—fine. Kick me out. But don’t expect me to lift a finger when the Goddess’s wrath comes for you anyway. Why should I help a country that threw me to the wolves? If you exile me, you’re on your own.”
On top of that, I’d shut down the casino and take Tatei and Yokoo with me. Once the citizens lose their only source of fun, the country would probably implode from the inside before the first enemy soldier even crossed the border.
”Then…”
”Yeah. Total resistance is the only way.”
It was the truth. Though, without me, their chances were zero.
”But what about the numbers?! We’re hopelessly outnumbered! Surrender is the only logical path!”
”If you want to watch your own daughters and granddaughters get violated before your eyes, go ahead and surrender,” I said flatly.
”Guh…”
This old man had been pushing back the whole time, and every time, I’d shut him down. It was almost sad. “I’ll handle the manpower,” I said. “If we need an army of ten thousand, I’ll bring ten thousand.”
”You… can really do that?”
”I have my ways.”
”Ways? You mean that mercenary group from Wraithfria? Sorry to burst your bubble, but Wraithfria just tore up the alliance and declared war on us too!”
”…I know. And I wasn’t counting on them anyway.”
It was true; Wraithfria had joined the dogpile. Their declaration had only been delayed because of some internal power struggle. But a world war doesn’t start overnight. They have to gather supplies, conscript soldiers, and coordinate. Plus, they can’t even penetrate the ‘Wall of Rejection’⁶ yet. They’ll take their time. I’d estimate we have at least three months before they mobilize. That gives us plenty of time to get ready. And since they have zero intel on us, we have the advantage. They’ll march in here expecting an easy win. They’re in for a surprise. With no one left to argue, the decision was made. Greedia would prepare for total, uncompromising war.
—
Summary:
The Goddess Aurelia issues a divine oracle labeling Greedia as an enemy of the gods, triggering declarations of war from neighboring powers. Inside the Greedia Parliament, the protagonist interrupts a deadlocked debate between cowardly ‘fossils’ and the younger resistance faction. By revealing his status as a member of the elite Octagram Council and warning of the horrific consequences of surrender, the protagonist forces the nation into a stance of total resistance.
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Trivia:
- Greedia is uniquely a democracy in a world dominated by monarchies.
- The protagonist is under 20, making him ineligible for parliament but eligible for the higher-ranking Council.
- Mazoku (Demons) are traditionally the only ones treated as God-Enemies.
- The ‘Wall of Rejection’ is a key defensive barrier preventing immediate invasion.
- The Octagram Council members are usually unknown to the public
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Character Insight:
The protagonist demonstrates a shift from a passive observer to a dominant leader. He utilizes psychological warfare—describing the s*xual slavery and forced labor awaiting the citizens—to bypass political red tape. His loyalty isn’t necessarily to the government, which he views as corrupt, but to the nation’s survival and his own interests (like his casino).
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Behind the Scenes:
The author notes reflect a desire to transition into adult/erotic content and express frustration over the slow growth of ‘evaluation points’ and bookmarks despite being in the ‘pickup’ section.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Tsunami – One of the Six Demon Generals — the Water General — and the Demon King’s direct maid, with blue skin, goat‑like horns, black sclera and purple irises, a large chest, waist‑length black hair, and high‑heeled maid attire. The strongest of the generals, she serves as the Water Demon General and attendant to Medinilla, having once been the reincarnated human male hero Souichiro Tsunami from Earth. As a founder of Greedia, she now disguises herself in human form to observe parliamentary proceedings.
• Sieben – A young man with black hair and a mask covering his eyes, who purchased Honoka and Ria, is a member of the Octagram Council and head of a guild, currently under twenty, labeled a “God-Enemy” by Goddess Aurelia, operates the national casino, serves as the protagonist and a summoned Hero, has reached Level 100 becoming a Transcendental (Demi-god), leads Clan “Renegade,” and recently subjugated the Maou.
• Antonio – He was a former Octagram Council member and predecessor to the protagonist, serving as Slaver Guild Master with an obese, pig‑like appearance and gaudy attire, described as a corrupt, power‑hungry “disgusting pig,” and is now either deceased or missing.
• Minette – Director of Sorcery Academy Greedia, an early‑sixties figure with chestnut hair streaked with white, possessing a gentle aura and impeccable posture, Jessica’s grandmother, and a known member of the Octagram Council.
• Georg – Master of the Merchant Guild Foxia, a silver‑haired middle‑aged gentleman and known member of the Octagram Council.
• Aurelia – A goddess who contacts the class via the school intercom to announce their reincarnation, is characterized by the protagonist and the Administrator as ‘useless’ and selfish, bestows Unique Skills upon others, views the world as a stage or game, and currently inhabits a physical body that possesses memories of the students.
• Tatei – Full name is Tatei Kozoo. Natsumi’s otaku buddy. Used to be tall and solid, now he’s 186 cm of skin and bones after anorexia wrecked him (52 kg, yeah, rough). Has the skill Materialization Alchemy and once crafted gear for the whole class. Ended up making the X‑shaped restraint stand used for Sugita’s execution—dark twist for a guy who just wanted to make cool equipment.
• Yokoo – Natsumi Sasaki’s otaku friend. His appearance is based on ‘Yoko’ from ‘Comic Party.’ Possesses ‘Materialization Summoning’. Accompanied by a Living Armor.
• Tate – Male Otaku friend of Reese. Gaunt and thin, wears glasses. Possesses Materialization Alchemy skill.
• Shin – A level 18 greatsword user and Hunter from Rubia. Jade rank.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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