The dragon that was said to be sealed by the Golden Empire, Imperium. Seven hundred years have passed since the Pope declared that the seal was broken.

The Mythical Creatures that emerged in great numbers three hundred years ago were likely a response to the dragon’s reactivation.

Thus, the battle between the dragon and the Golden Empire, Imperium, occurred a thousand years ago. Defeated in that battle, the dragon’s wrath towards humans has not subsided, carrying over to the battle three hundred years ago, and even to the present.

Considering this, the meaning behind the Light God Temple’s doctrine of Purification became apparent.

Whether the Pope read my thoughts or not, she spoke quietly.

“Humans must once accept the judgment of the dragon. It is nothing but atonement as a species. To cleanse the world and purify sins is the true essence of the Great Wish of Purification. Only by overcoming this can humans be freed from the threat of Mythical Creatures.”

As long as we oppose the dragon, even if we win, the threat will be passed on to future generations. It’s a curse that has lasted a thousand years since the era of the Golden Empire, Imperium, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it continued for another thousand years.

Therefore, we must accept the judgment of the dragon—the destruction by Mythical Creatures. That is what the Pope preaches. This is Purification, and until it is achieved, humans will continue to be attacked by Mythical Creatures.

Hearing this, I nodded in understanding.

It’s not that I was influenced by the teachings of the Light God Temple. I was merely confirming the consistency of the revealed doctrine, actions, and goals of the Light God Temple with the information I had heard so far.

Frankly, there were many points to question in the current story.

For example, would the dragon’s wrath truly subside if we accepted its judgment?

After all, the dragon lashes out at us, living in the present, simply because we belong to the same species that angered the Golden Empire, Imperium.

It’s entirely possible that its purpose has shifted from ‘punishing humans’ to ‘exterminating humans.’ If we naively accept the judgment in order to atone, we might all be slaughtered.

It would be too late to regret not fighting when we are on the brink of extinction.

However, I had no intention of debating this point with the Pope. It would only lead to a pointless argument, and to be honest, I was not at all interested in it.

How could I ignore such a tempting prey—no, a being that harbors malice towards humans like a Mythical Creature!

Therefore, I had no interest in whether the dragon’s wrath would truly subside or not.

What interested me was something else entirely. For example, why is the Light God Temple, which advocates Purification, considered to have sealed the dragon—the serpent, as the Kijin tribe calls it?

Sofia Azurite, who aims for Purification, was originally in a position to release the serpent. However, she has been doing the exact opposite.

There are many mysteries surrounding the connection between the Light God Temple and the Mitsurugi family. The Phantom Blade Style is a sword technique capable of defeating Mythical Creatures. It should be nothing but a nuisance to the Light God Temple and the Pope, yet they have been connected behind the scenes for many years.

It was clear that the source of these contradictions lay in events that occurred three hundred years ago.

Probably, something happened between Sofia Azurite and Mitsurugi Jin, who joined the warriors of the phantom burial, and Atori. That something is creating the current opaque situation, three hundred years later.

I opened my mouth to confirm this.

“According to what I heard in the Western Capital, it was the holy maiden of the Light God Temple, Sofia Azurite, who sealed the serpent—no, the dragon, three hundred years ago. This seems contradictory to what you’ve just said. How do you explain that?”

To my query, the Pope responded more readily than expected.

“The answer is simple. I am not the one who actually sealed the dragon. That’s all there is to it.”

“…Then who did actually seal the dragon?”

“Atori. Atori of the Godless Village. The greatest swordsman of the Kijin tribe, and someone I would call my best friend.”

Saying so, the Pope gazed into my eyes.

Her eyes were very calm, but for some reason, my heart was greatly agitated.

Like a river with a quiet flow is deeper than one with a turbulent current, her seemingly calm expression hid a vast amount of emotion.

At this point, the Pope casually pointed to the west.

“I am indeed the one who built the barrier based on the temple, preventing the miasma emitted by the dragon. In that sense, it’s not entirely incorrect to say that I have sealed the dragon. However, Atori’s barrier is incomparable to such child’s play. What Atori did that day, at that time, was the creation of a different realm, surpassing a mere barrier.”

“A different realm?”

“Yes, a different realm. Haven’t you ever wondered? What exactly is the Realm of Demons? A land completely different from the continent, found beyond the demon gate. A lifeless world where a sun-like mirage rises, and barren wastelands stretch endlessly. And the world where the dragon’s den, which was supposed to be on Green Woods Island, exists. Such a thing couldn’t naturally occur.”

With such an explanation, even an ordinary mind could conceive an insight.

I slightly furrowed my brow and addressed the Pope.

“Then, the Realm of Demons is…”

“The Realm of Demons is the spatial barrier that Atori created to seal the dragon that had manifested in our world. We have come to call that space the Realm of Demons. Look at the dragon’s forehead.”

Saying this, the Pope’s slender finger pointed in a direction. Looking up at the immense face of the dragon, I redirected my gaze as she said.

On the forehead she mentioned was a single horn—or at least, I initially thought it was a horn, but upon closer inspection, it was something else.

It was a gigantic sword. The sword was deeply thrust into the dragon’s forehead, appearing like a horn from a distance.

Who had accomplished this was clear without needing to reconfirm.