## Chapter 1002 – The Aristocrat Kim Kat

—Kuuung!

I forcefully opened the audience chamber door. Standing before me, as usual, was Kadia, smoking a cigarette while reviewing documents.

“Demigod Ascension.”

—Kwaang!

I immediately kicked off the ground, jumping with perfect timing, spinning twenty times in the air, and then, still floating, earnestly chanted:

“Baron’s Regal Stance.”

—Sreuk.

In that state, I executed the Baron’s Regal Stance, landing gracefully. Having landed, I displayed the royal footwork I had learned during court etiquette training, strutting wildly around the audience chamber, staring at Kadia’s face.

“Hello, Kadia? My name is Baron Kim Kat.”
“…”
“Baron.”

Because it’s important, I’ll say it twice.

“Kim Kat, that is.”

After declaring it proudly, I immediately approached her.

“…Really.”

Her eyes narrowed, she opened her mouth, a cigarette in one hand.

“You seem to be having a lot of fun.”
“You can feel it? My joy?”

As a result of doing this so often, if I did this at home now, Karin would smack me on the back. But Kadia would never hit me. So I felt comfortable joking around, celebrating our reunion.

“It’s an extreme joy that only a demigod and baron can possess.”

It’s a joy that makes even the wrinkles on my balls tingle.

Sparkling Fire Egg.

“Haa… It feels so excessive that it’s almost troubling…”

Kadia sighed, leaning back in her chair, one hand on the side of her head. Her eyes were closed.

Should I stop here?

“Well, I expected it. Paladins tend to be quite playful. But isn’t this too much?”
“It’s only natural for a demigod baron.”
“Oh dear. Stop fooling around, Paladin.”

Damn it.

“No, I’m not fooling around. I just wanted to show off a little. Kadia likes it, right? That’s why I deliberately showed off.”

Like my other women, Kadia would also be happy about my social success.

“Of course, I know how Paladin feels. Being excessively playful isn’t very good… but I should congratulate you. Congratulations on becoming a baron, Paladin. Since the king appointed you directly, you’ll have more authority than a noble who inherited their title. Use it wisely. It will probably be very helpful when investigating heretics.”

Isn’t she a very commendable woman?

“Thank you, Kadia!!!”
“Ugh, ugh…”

As soon as I hugged her, she instantly became docile.

“What’s wrong, our Kadia’s body is hot?”
“What are you saying… ahem. Let’s step away for now. It’s working hours, Paladin.”
“Okay, okay.”

Anyway.

“Kadia. What changes now that I’ve become a noble?”
“Since you didn’t receive a territory, it won’t matter much. If you had, it might have caused some trouble. If Paladin suddenly became a lord, there would be a gap in our forces.”
“I thought so too? That’s a relief.”

It’s a relief that I don’t have one.

“No, isn’t it not a good thing? It would be good for Paladin in any case if you received a territory.”
“That’s true, but I don’t need it right now. What’s important to me right now isn’t some territory. It’s just strengthening my power.”
“Hoo… I see. Even a territory doesn’t satisfy Paladin?”
“If I get stronger, I can create a territory anytime. Because I’m a man who can do that.”

At those words, Kadia paused for a moment.

“…You really are a very ambitious man.”

Ambition.
—A lewd heart.

“I like it very much. The Saintess’s man should have that much ambition.”

She smiled with satisfaction and put out her cigarette.

“Hehehe, later, when I become a grand duke, Kadia, retire from being a Saintess and come to my side.”
“Hmph, I don’t know if that day will come.”
“It will definitely come, so believe it. That’s all my woman needs to do.”
“I understand. I’ll believe it.”

Confirmation stamp received.

Answering, she opened a drawer and took something out.

“Take this.”
“What is this?”
“It’s a token proving that Paladin is a formal believer. It’s the first time the Brass Holy Knights Association has made something like this, but the situation calls for it. It was issued immediately upon the Pope’s orders.”
“Oh.”

It was something like an ID card.

That old man is looking out for me.

“I’ll skip explaining its effects since I explained them last time.”

Originally, I was a Paladin, but I was a fake religious person, not the real deal. But with this, at least the appearance is sufficient. I’ve become someone with real divine power.

“But I need to manifest divine power to say something.”
“That depends on Paladin’s efforts. So you must quickly increase that power.”
“I’m working hard without being told.”

I’m also communicating seriously with Vügal.

I talked about that with Kadia for a while.

The main point is from here on.

“Paladin. You know that the royal family is very busy these days, right?”
“I’ve been hearing about it.”

It seems the political situation is a bit unstable these days.

“We learned while exchanging information with the Merkudia Kingdom about the Valkyrie incident… that the situation in foreign countries isn’t very peaceful either.”
“Peaceful?”
“It seems there haven’t been any extreme events that threaten the fate of the country, but there have been quite a few damages caused by demons that have flowed in from somewhere or ancient monsters that have crawled up from dungeons. There’s also information that heretics are active in remote areas.”
“It’s the same here.”
“It’s happening everywhere.”

But these kinds of accidents happen the most in the Karga Kingdom. The scale is large, and the severity is the greatest. Why? Because the Karga Kingdom is the largest kingdom among human kingdoms.

Since the land is the widest, it’s only natural that these kinds of accidents seem to happen a lot.

Still, it seems the situation isn’t good in foreign countries either.

“In a place called the Water Country, a high-ranking water spirit appeared and caused considerable damage before being defeated.”

Judging from the fact that it didn’t collapse, it wasn’t the Spirit King who came over, but simply a high-ranking spirit who appeared? If it’s just that level, even if it’s not the Karga Kingdom, they should be able to handle it sufficiently.

“These days, the situation isn’t very good anywhere. Every country seems to be increasing its military spending overall.”
“That’s serious.”

These things are happening everywhere.

“Heretics are also stirring. You know the kingdom is vast. Of course, there are many places where the Church’s power doesn’t reach, and there are also villages that are so far away that even the local lords can’t do anything about them.”

The kingdom is so vast that nothing is strange no matter what happens.

“The Brotherhood of Cabalstro… evil groups that worship a monotheistic god. Most of them have been annihilated by the Church’s continuous pursuit and subjugation, but they stubbornly survive and continue their proselytizing activities. I recently received a report about those guys.”

I’ve heard of them.

I don’t remember when I heard it, but I remembered it by the nuance of the name.

“Terrible stories about villagers being brutally massacred.”

Damn it, that’s what heretics do.

“Because they believe in a monotheistic god, they have no qualms about massacring those who are not their kind. Rather, they treat such actions as holy wars, and they believe that the more heretics they massacre, the easier it is to reach heaven. Innocent villagers are the main victims.”

Is this what I’ll be doing this time?

“Filled with fanaticism and a desire to go to heaven, they have repeatedly committed massacres under the guise of proselytizing. They force their heretical beliefs and kill those who don’t follow. First, they force heretical beliefs, and if they don’t follow, they massacre them.”

The more I heard, the clearer I felt the explosive anger gathering in my heart.

“In fact, there are quite a few residents who have succumbed to threats and torture, but they are only used as sacrifices. What they mainly harvest are ignorant infants. They brainwash and raise the kidnapped children to use as their own forces.”
“That such terrible guys are still alive…! I can’t forgive them!!!”

I must smash their heads as soon as I meet them.

“It’s too early to be angry yet. The brainwashed children receive the blessings of their evil god and become powerful forces. They are weaker than professionally trained holy knights, but they are still very difficult to deal with. Since the Church doesn’t only have them as enemies, no matter how much they are annihilated, they eventually run away and try to increase their power.”

You could say they are similar to Ejaz.

“It’s a very unpleasant and unholy thing… Even in the Merkudia Kingdom, there was news that a lord sold his soul to a demon, became a grotesque figure, and flew away somewhere. Sacrificing his own people.”
“I’m just going to faint.”

I’ve only gotten stronger, but the world is still terrible. Isn’t this complete hell? Living as an ordinary person is extremely difficult in this other world.

“Paladin has been preventing these things all along.”
“I have great pride in that.”
“So, the royal family, which is aware that the frequency of these serious incidents is increasing rapidly, is starting to talk about it.”
“Talk about what?”

It seemed this was the main point.

“The Karga royal family is taking this situation very seriously and is coldly analyzing that they will not be able to overcome it with traditional methods. Of course, this Saintess also has a similar view. The enemies are getting too strong. But this is just a sign.”

I’ve been hearing that all along.

“So, to commemorate this opportunity, that is, the resolution of the Otherworld Palace incident, they are promoting an alliance with the elves.”

An alliance with the elves?
If we form an alliance, it seems like it will become a force.

But even if we form an alliance, will the World Tree fanatics listen to humans?

“But.”

Don’t tell me.

“There, Paladin’s name came up again.”
“Are you talking about the envoy?”
“That’s right.”

Elven envoy, damn it.

“If this alliance story progresses properly, there’s a high possibility that Paladin will be selected as the envoy. Haven’t you already received a title?”
“Shit.”

Was giving me a title for this reason?

“Yes, well, I understand. But please listen to my opinion. I’m not an expert in that kind of thing, so I don’t think I’ll be able to do it well.”
“This Saintess and the royal family have already figured that out.”
“The royal family too?”
“The royal family is also gathering information about Paladin. It’s a natural thing. Because you’re a powerful warrior who has recently come to the fore.”

It’s not a strange thing. I haven’t felt any signs of being followed or anything like that in my daily life, but they probably did investigate in various ways.

Above all, I’m the man who defeated the Valkyrie that even the Master Knight couldn’t handle.

“…This is quite interesting.”
“Hmm? What is?”
“The royal family, that is, the top brass of the kingdom’s knight order, highly value Paladin.”

Highly value?

“Do you want to hear it?”

Saying that, Kadia gave me a sexy smile as if trying to seduce me.

I have to hear this.

“…Let’s hear it first.”

What kind of evaluation is it?

“…”

After a moment of silence, she began to explain.

“…A peerless warrior with extremely powerful strength despite his young age.”

What.

“A noble person who has devoted himself to a righteous faith despite having such power.”
“Uh.”
“A knight among knights who values his honor very much and never forgives anyone who violates it. Even a devout saint who confronts evil in the most dangerous places and fights for the innocent.”

Oh my god.

“An angel who descended, the destroyer of the Valkyrie. A true hero.”
“…”
“That’s how you’re being evaluated.”

They got it all right, damn it.

I thought the kingdom’s knight order was just sucking up these days, but their information gathering ability was amazing.

I should be careful about my behavior from now on.

Very capable informants were accurately grasping me.

The Karga Kingdom, which has such informants… It seems it was a much more powerful country than I thought. I felt the wrinkles on my balls contract again, and I tensed up for a moment.

It’s a formidable country.

Karga Kingdom… It’s a great country.
I have no choice but to admit it.

The potential of that country comes from its information gathering ability.

“So, there’s a reason why the royal family is talking about Paladin. Of course, if this Saintess receives such a proposal, I have no choice but to send Paladin.”
“Does the royal family give you something good?”
“If not, there’s no reason to move Paladin.”
“Hehehe, you beautiful snake-like woman.”
“Do you want to be entwined? Beg me anytime. I’ll gladly become a snake just for Paladin.”
“Make time, Kadia.”

Anyway, I roughly figured it out.

Judging from the fact that so many incidents have been happening recently, I’ll probably be going to work there soon, and if the royal family and the elves promote an alliance, there’s a high possibility that I’ll be selected as the envoy. I’ll know when that time comes.

* * *

It was when I returned home.

“Ah, a letter has arrived!”

Whether it was a coincidence or not, I ran into the mailman and received a letter. I checked the back of it without much thought, but… what?

“The Vestatt Family?”