Multiverse's Holy Right

Campione World—Manhattan Island, New York, USA—

"Lily, stop pacing around like this, it's really annoying."

In a luxurious café by the seaside in Manhattan, Erica sat on an outdoor chair, handling official business on her laptop while occasionally glancing toward the distant sea.

Lilianna paced back and forth in front of her, making Erica increasingly agitated, prompting her to speak up.

"It's been almost a month, and Lord Roy still hasn't returned—how can I not be worried?!"

The silver-haired knight bit her moist lips and shot an exasperated look at Erica, who sat there composedly working. "…How can you be so calm, Erica?"

"Being anxious won't help."

Erica sighed, setting aside her work for a moment. "…Before being drawn into the Fairy's Corridor, Lord Roy left us a magical message. He said Lady Aisha's authority has changed drastically from before. In the past, her power accelerated time in the present compared to the past, but now it's the complete opposite. So, Lily, stop fidgeting—we just have to wait here. At worst, it might take a few months."

"…Rather than worrying about when Lord Roy will return, our more important task is to handle his daily affairs in his absence. Thankfully, the European magical associations aren't foolish—no one's causing trouble while Lord Roy is away."

Erica took a sip of coffee before refocusing on her work.

"I—I know being anxious is pointless… But even if I wanted to help you with the work, I'm not good at these things."

Lilianna's face flushed slightly. When it came to external affairs, her skills paled in comparison to Erica's. So aside from watching Erica work helplessly, she could only daydream and miss Roy.

"Despite her young age, Erica is already adept at managing the affairs of major magical associations, keeping Lord Roy's daily duties in perfect order."

Beside Erica sat a man in his thirties—Jack, Annie Charlton's assistant.

"Please don't flatter me, Mr. Jack. Don't you handle Lord John's affairs just as well?"

Erica nodded gracefully at Jack, her tone refined.

After exchanging words, the two assistants of their respective Kings shared a bitter smile.

With Roy and Anne absent, all mystical affairs across Europe and North America fell to them to handle in their Kings' stead. However, their authority alone wasn't enough to command full obedience from the magical associations. Moreover, many orders simply couldn't be issued under their names—without the Kings' explicit approval, they dared not make major decisions on their behalf.

Though Roy and Annie were generally mild-mannered Kings, if anyone overstepped their bounds, the wrath of these two monarchs was something neither Erica nor Jack wanted to face.

Suddenly, Erica, Lilianna, and Jack—three of the world's top magicians—detected an abnormal surge of magical energy in the waters beyond Manhattan.

Erica glanced at Jack, and the thirty-year-old man shook his head, saying, "...It's not an anomaly in the barrier set up by the North American magical society here, but an anomaly in that 'cave'."

As soon as he finished speaking, the three of them exclaimed in unison with joy, "...Could it be that the King has returned?!"

...

Roy rode the mysterious 'Ship' in his right hand, traversing the sea of worlds and passing through bizarre and surreal landscapes, before finally returning to the world of Campione once more.

When the grotesque and distorted images in Roy's eyes transformed back into orderly colors, he found himself back in his original position. For a moment, Roy felt somewhat disoriented.

He didn't know how much time had passed in the Campione world, nor whether the Last King had awakened. All he knew was that he had spent a long time in the Land of Shadows with Scáthach, and had developed a deep affection for that queen, that mentor.

The dry air was replaced by the salty dampness of the sea breeze, and the cold sky turned into a gentle warmth. But compared to the beauty of the azure sea and sky, Roy missed the lifeless chill of the Land of Shadows more—because Scáthach wasn't here.

"Lord Roy!"

It wasn't until a greeting snapped Roy out of his thoughts that he quickly adjusted his mindset and looked ahead. Liliana and Erica were hovering in mid-air using magic, bowing to him. Beside them stood a man he didn't recognize, likely a magician from North America.

"It's Erica and Lily... How much time has passed since I left and returned?"

Roy's tone carried a hint of unfamiliarity. In truth, he had only spent a little over a year with Erica and Liliana in the Campione world, but in the Land of Shadows, he had been with Scáthach for at least five years. Moreover, during those years, Scáthach had hardly ever left his sight. In terms of closeness, Roy felt more attached to his mentor in the Land of Shadows.

Erica and Liliana also noticed the unfamiliarity in Roy's tone and even sensed that he seemed to have changed greatly. Compared to his past flamboyant and frivolous demeanor, he now appeared much more mature and composed.

The two girls knew that Roy must have experienced a much longer period of time in another dimension, so they were prepared for his current state. Upon hearing his question, they immediately replied, "...It has been twenty-four days, Lord Roy!"

"So it's only been twenty-four days..."

Hearing this answer, Roy felt relieved. If only twenty-four days had passed, the Last King wouldn't have awakened yet.

Just as he was about to say something more, the 'cave' he had just crossed through began to swirl with magical energy once again. Then, Aisha, Annie Charlton, and Athena were spat out by the 'cave,' after which the 'time-traveling cave'—triggered by the mysterious object in Roy's right hand and activated by Aisha's authority—slowly vanished.

"Well, well~~ You all seem to be in pretty bad shape."

Roy burst into laughter as he looked at the people before him. Annie Charlton's armor appeared worn and tattered, as if it hadn't been maintained for years. Aisha's outfit had been replaced with animal hides, while only Athena's condition remained relatively better—her clothing showed no changes whatsoever.

This was the advantage of being a god. Unlike Campiones who merely usurped divine authorities and powers, gods possessed numerous special abilities. Maintaining bodily cleanliness and keeping clothes immaculate were among the basic capabilities of deities. Campiones, being fundamentally closer to humans, lacked such abilities.

However, Roy soon stopped laughing when he noticed that his own attire was equally primitive—his clothes were of Celtic style, quite rough and rugged.

"Wuwu... I finally see you again, Master! Where on earth have you been? This time was terrible; we accidentally ended up in a primitive society where there was nothing at all. It was the most miserable journey I've ever had," Aisha tearfully complained the moment she saw Roy.

Meanwhile, Athena, standing nearby, eyed Roy suspiciously. The goddess parted her delicate lips and said, "...You've changed greatly, Roy! In the past, I believed you had the potential to become a great hero and warrior. But now, you already possess glory comparable to any of Greece's greatest heroes and a will surpassing that of any warrior!"

"...I am quite curious about your experiences."

The goddess's amber eyes gazed at Roy, shimmering with starlight.

***

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