Clang!
Clang!
The sound of bells echoed through the streets and alleys.
A holy and majestic cathedral stood like a mountain in the city's center.
Unfortunately, no white doves could be seen taking flight here—most of them were caught and roasted in various ways as they flew over the slums.
In stark contrast to the towering architecture...
...were the city roads, which, aside from the main thoroughfare by the gate, were soaked in mud, garbage, and sewage.
The "city folk" did not like their presence, but the cheap, even free, labor and the occasional bit of amusement they provided became the reason for the "mud-legs" to exist in this holy city.
But today.
Priests and merchants, nobles and commoners alike, had all left their posts. A great personage from the Kaslana family, a once-revered Valkyrie, was to be hanged on the gallows today.
"In the name of heresy?"
Blond hair and blue eyes, a long ponytail, fair skin, and an exquisitely handsome face.
The cuffs of his white shirt were rolled up, and his long purple robe swayed gently in the wind.
Otto Apocalypse.
"An ignorant crowd."
The Lord Bishop walked along the dilapidated road.
Not a speck of mud or dust tainted his boots, and the crowds blocking the path parted on their own, pushed aside by the aura he unconsciously emanated.
His peripheral vision swept over everything in sight, be it people or objects, and all the information was organized into necessary intelligence within his mind.
"If one were born here."
"I fear that everyone from the Empire could call themselves a king."
"..."
"Hmph."
Otto let out a slightly self-deprecating chuckle.
A monarch and their subjects were beings who completed each other. Someone of his caliber could only serve as a Chamber Head under the Monarch. While that might sound like a complaint, it also served as a testament to the Empire's strength. Not all of the Empire's high command were necessarily stronger than him, but the number of those who could go toe-to-toe with him (Otto) could definitely not be counted on the fingers of both hands and feet.
"Never mind."
"As the Apostle said."
Otto strode forward.
His pace was not fast, but because of the "unobstructed" path, his speed far surpassed that of the surrounding crowd. Even without the aid of any power, Otto's graceful and handsome figure alone was enough to make others feel so ashamed of their own appearance that they dared not walk alongside him... and by "others," that meant everyone around.
"Just treat this as a trip."
"A pity Kallen and Theresa couldn't come..."
Bianca, the rising star of the Empire, was about to graduate from St. Freya Academy, and Theresa was currently competing with all her might for the seat of Student Council President. This was the most famous of the Empire's secondary educational institutions; even with her mother as the Headmaster and her father (himself) as a Chamber Head, Theresa could not easily secure the position.
One had to know.
Within the Empire, family and political power were certainly important, but "combat power" was the ultimate standard by which all things were measured.
Even someone as brilliant as Otto would, at best, be a secretary in the student council if he didn't have the strength to brute-force his way through the entire school; becoming vice president would have been a long shot.
Theresa's primary Authority was [Binding].
Although its effect in "civil conflicts" was astonishing (most experts of this Authority in the Empire were in law enforcement and inspection departments), she was not without rivals. Compared to the outgoing Bianca, she was somewhat lacking in both strength and presence... It was inevitable that new and old presidents would be compared, which was a significant disadvantage for the successor.
As for Kallen, she was busy with work as usual.
The position of Headmaster of St. Freya Academy was no less hectic than running one of the Ninety-Nine Chambers. The students who entered were all elites of the Empire's younger generation, and their families were naturally major powers.
Kallen was not good at handling such matters; Otto was usually the one advising her. Of course, this was also at Otto's own request. After all, with Kallen's free-spirited nature, the only reasons she was willing to take on this position, aside from her love for "the children," was because it could help Otto.
The love between them was one of mutual fulfillment.
On a side note.
Compared to Kallen, Otto actually had more admirers in his youth. Although his "on-record" combat power stopped at the [Primordial Species] rank, Otto had already reached that level of strength early in his time as a student at St. Freya Academy.
Kallen had to cut a path through thorns and brambles.
Relying on her childhood sweetheart advantage, she finally defeated the little bitch from the Schariac family (Eleanor), who was a "heaven-sent" rival, before finally winning the handsome man for herself.
"No."
His thoughts did not stop his steps.
"According to the 'flow of time'."
"The Kallen of this world should be less than 20 years old right now?"
His wife was important, and his daughter was adorable.
If he could see a version of his wife who was as old as his daughter... The lifespan of the Empire's citizens was without end, and their bodies could remain at their desired age forever. Of course, while maintaining it was simple, reversing it was largely impossible.
His wife now was bursting with wifely charm.
But no matter how one put it, her high position had given her the air of a strong career woman, which naturally diminished some of her cuteness and girlishness... Of course, this was something that could only be thought in secret; Lord Otto would certainly never admit it.
Theresa...
With her own mother as a "role model" before her and an outstanding cousin like Bianca behind her, Theresa's precociousness—or at least, her feigned precociousness—was extremely obvious.
Furthermore.
Both he and Kallen were rarely home due to work. Although it was hard for them to meet, if she wanted to, Theresa could at least see Kallen at St. Freya Academy. But a place as critical to the Empire as the Ninety-Nine Chambers... even a member of the Kaslana family would not be granted the authority to enter and exit [The Throne] at will.
It was already difficult for Otto to see his daughter.
To have a chat, to talk heart-to-heart...
In his memory, Theresa had already transformed from that chubby, adorable baby into a proper young lady, though it was a pity her height in her human form didn't take after her parents (crossed out).
This trip.
Putting other things aside, just being able to see a youthful and vibrant Kallen (his wife) with a different personality was enough for Otto to relax and enjoy himself.
And—
To take a look at that "foolish" version of himself.
If possible, it would be best to correct him, both physically and mentally.
Of course.
All of this was predicated on first completing the mission relayed by the Apostles... though they were one and the same:
"Help my other self marry my wife."
Just looking at the words, it sounded strange no matter how one read it.