Chapter 52

Clermont, which had been peaceful, suddenly turned into a crucible of chaos once again.

"Situation report!"

Roseline, who had changed from her dress into battle gear, urged the soldier for a report.

"Yes, sir! A large dragon suddenly appeared, circled over Clermont for a while, and then landed on the plain outside the city walls. The dragon hasn't moved since then. The soldiers are keeping a watchful eye to avoid provoking it unnecessarily."

Roseline held her head in her hands upon hearing the report. Just when she thought Clermont had finally settled down, she received news that a giant golem was attacking the northwest of the commune. The commune needed to mobilize its forces to deal with the golem, but now a mysterious, enormous dragon had appeared over Clermont. Naturally, the residents were in a panic, hiding in their homes and holding their breath.

Why did these troubles keep happening one after another? Frustrated by the relentless string of events, Roseline struggled to contain her anger. For a moment, she wished Chaos was there, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

Fortunately, the dragon hadn't attacked Clermont yet. It seemed to have no hostile intentions toward humans. If it was an intelligent dragon, communication might be possible. Depending on its purpose, negotiations might even be feasible.

"Your Majesty!"

A soldier who had been monitoring the dragon rushed in. Sensing a sudden change in the situation, Roseline allowed the soldier to speak.

"Lord Chaos has returned!"

The faces of those present lit up with joy. However, the soldier's expression was one of confusion, hinting that the news he brought was not entirely positive.

"Lord Chaos returned riding that dragon. He says he has a request for you... Ah!"

The soldier let out a pitiful cry. He had seen a dark flame burst into flames behind the queen.

"I see. His doing, then."

The chaos caused by the unknown dragon's arrival in Clermont had been significant. Roseline imagined that Chaos was oblivious to the commotion he had caused. The thought made her anger flare up even more. Forgetting that she was in a public setting, she let her anger show.

"So, you asked if there was a large church. We told you about the cathedral in Clermont. But who would have thought you'd actually try to bring the dragon into the church!"

"It couldn't be helped. Vievre really wanted to see it. So, instead of landing directly, we landed at a distance!"

It was a petty exchange of blame. Roseline's anger was tinged with a bit of exasperation.

"Silence, both of you."

Her anger had only slightly subsided, but it hadn't disappeared. Seeing Roseline's clearly furious expression, Havoc and Chaos fell silent, dejected.

"So, you want to bring the dragon into the cathedral?"

Chaos nodded.

The cathedral, as its name suggests, was much larger than the small churches found in villages and towns. While the dragon's massive body might not fit inside, it might be able to extend its neck to enter. The area in front of the cathedral was a plaza, providing enough space for the mysterious dragon to land.

"But Chaos, I appreciate your willingness to fight the giant golem. However, getting involved again might lead to more trouble. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Roseline had warned Chaos about the potential dangers of being labeled a noble. She couldn't believe he had forgotten his aversion to it.

"I don't like it, but I can't abandon them. That's why I'll fight."

There was no hesitation in Chaos's eyes.

Ah, that's the kind of person he is, Roseline thought. That's why she didn't try to hold him back any further.

Roseline wanted to accommodate Chaos's request as much as possible, but the issue was whether the church would agree. The most she could do was request their cooperation.

"Do you really need it now?"

"It's necessary to fight the golem. Please, I'm asking you."

"Very well, wait here. I'll negotiate with the church."

Despite her reluctance, Roseline negotiated with the church. To her surprise, the negotiations went smoothly, and permission was granted without much resistance. The church, considering the delicate relationship between the commune and the church, as well as Chaos's popularity in Clermont, likely decided that refusing would be detrimental.

An intelligent wild dragon, unlike a domesticated one, was a force of nature that couldn't be tamed. To Roseline, it was a dangerous creature that inspired only fear.

She took great care to avoid provoking the dragon, completely sealing off the area around the cathedral. Only Chaos and a few guards were present. However, the guards' usefulness was questionable. The onlookers had also retreated, intimidated by the dragon's unusual appearance.

"The human world is indeed troublesome. I am grateful for your consideration, human queen. I will leave as soon as my business is done, but I need to use this place for a while."

The dragon first expressed its gratitude. Surprisingly, it was quite polite. Roseline, tense and with a dry mouth, managed to respond.

"No, it's an honor to meet you, ancient dragon."

"Let's get this done quickly. Are you ready?"

"Yes, anytime."

Chaos walked to the altar of the cathedral, accompanied by Liam and the others. Roseline and her guards followed them inside. The dragon extended its neck into the cathedral.

The guards, trapped in a confined space with no escape, were tense and terrified. Roseline, though equally terrified, made a conscious effort not to show any fear to avoid displeasing the dragon.

Chaos placed something on the altar. Soon, light from the stained glass windows enveloped Chaos. The guards, who had been consumed by fear, were momentarily distracted and overwhelmed by the fantastical scene.

(This is just like the legend of Lady Alexia!)

The famous legend of Lady Alexia, who was called a saint, receiving divine blessing in a church, came to mind. The scene before Roseline seemed identical to the legendary one.

"Did you notice anything? I have a vague feeling, but let's talk about it later."

It seemed to be a significant secret. Given the circumstances, Roseline hesitated to interject and remained silent.

Chaos then had Havoc and the others stand at the altar and offer something. Just as Roseline had feared, the same phenomenon that occurred with Chaos happened again.

Havoc and the others seemed uneasy and didn't understand what was happening. Chaos, who remained calm, was likely the cause.

Considering Chaos's relationship with Alexia, he was undoubtedly involved in the legend.

(Is this not a divine blessing?)

If it were called a divine blessing, Roseline would have believed it without doubt. However, witnessing the repeated miracles made her wonder if it was truly a divine blessing.

Only Roseline had these thoughts. Her guards, thinking that a hero receiving divine blessing was not unusual, were excited, believing they were witnessing a historic moment.

The difference in perception between Roseline, who was a friend of Chaos, and those who idolized him with a sense of admiration, was clear.

Roseline decided to keep this to herself. She had a personal friendship with Alexia, and revealing this would undermine the church's authority. Despite Chaos's reputation, she couldn't bring herself to publicize it.

However, if the church insisted it was a divine blessing, the idea that Havoc and the others also received divine blessing suggested the magnitude of the disaster that could befall them. Roseline shuddered at the vague sense of unease.

***

After successfully changing their classes, they headed straight to the interception point for the mountain golem. Vievre, boasting that she could fly from the elf village to the interception point in one go, was indeed fast.

Considering the situation in Clermont, they landed where Vievre couldn't be seen and informed Lady Alexia and the others, avoiding a major commotion. Even knowing Vievre was on their side, the fear was still significant, and no one seemed eager to approach.

Spending time alone with Vievre, no one approached them, which was convenient for their secret conversations.

"That's the normal human reaction. Humans fear beings more powerful than themselves. It's partly due to familiarity, but you are an anomaly. Borrowing my power would likely have caused significant opposition, wouldn't it? In the past, people who didn't know me would have been afraid. Is this a difference in values between worlds?"

"Dragons are impressive, but is it really that strange? Vievre is rational and willing to listen, isn't she?"

"That's what makes it strange. But it's fine. I actually find it favorable. There were people like you when I fought the evil gods... They died in that battle."

Vievre spoke with a wistful, melancholic tone. I decided not to dwell on it and changed the subject.

"Did you learn anything about the class change?"

"Indeed. It's not a divine blessing. A different, unknown power is at work. The gods disappeared from this world a long time ago. I had my doubts, but it seems I was wrong."

She casually dropped a bombshell.

"The gods disappeared? What do you mean?"

"The cause is unknown to me. But I can't sense their presence. They vanished abruptly during the human conflicts after defeating the evil gods. Perhaps they were disillusioned by the continuous human conflicts and abandoned them. So, there are no gods in this world. People believe in them without knowing, or perhaps the people of that time knew the truth but kept it hidden."

What would happen to the church and believers if they knew there were no gods? It was best not to tell anyone.

"Let's get back to the topic. That phenomenon is using the same unknown power to create a new law in this world. Or perhaps it's rewriting it. To put it simply, it's like rewriting the reality that you are human to the reality that you are a dragon."

"Wait, is everyone's body safe?"

"Don't worry. Fortunately, it doesn't harm people. It's not rewriting their species like in the previous example. It's likely just granting them power, as you know. There shouldn't be any problems with normal use."

I was worried that it might have changed Lady Alexia and the others' bodies without their consent, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

"I can describe the logic in terms of sensation, but I can't replicate it. Actually, I don't want to."

"You don't want to?"

"I didn't use the unknown power, but there have been examples of creating new laws in the past. However, they are forbidden techniques, and I don't want to reveal them."

She said it as if it were truly unpleasant. It didn't seem like something I could delve into deeply.

"Let's get back to the topic. Moreover, it can be done multiple times, even if it's limited to churches. To prove it, we need to verify the details, but it seems to have been set up to occur on a global scale. Just as light creates shadows, it has been established as a constant phenomenon. I don't know why, but is it something that can be done casually in your world? If so, what a terrifying world it must be."

"That's not possible. I'm not a god. Besides, in my world, it's unclear whether gods actually exist."

I quickly corrected her, as the image of my world was starting to look bad. However, the class change system in this world seemed to be a much grander mechanism than I had imagined. Who created it and for what purpose?

"I don't know what the creator of this system is thinking, but it seems to be changing something on a global scale. What do you plan to do now that you know this?"

"What do you mean...?"

"You ended up in this world due to a game, and you can return to your original world whenever you want. There's no need to be attached to this world, and you don't need to get involved. The golem issue is the same. The golem might be strong, but isn't it a problem that should be solved by the people of that world? Why do you want to stay in this world? Are you so confident in your own power that you think only you can save them?"

I was at a loss for words when asked by a resident of this world.

"At first, I didn't realize this world was different from mine. I met many people, and by the time I realized, my friends were caught up in a war and fled in fear. But after some thought, I decided to help my friends and not run away from this world. I wanted to take a step forward."

I couldn't let go and might have regretted it. That thought pushed me forward.

"But after the vampire issue was resolved, I lost my reason for being here. I lost my purpose for being involved in this world. I had no other goals, and my only purpose was to investigate why I could travel between worlds. I thought I had made a clear decision, but it was only because I was forced to choose. It was the same as deciding whether to reach out to a child about to be hit by a car."

I had only made a decision because I was forced to. Since then, I had just gone with the flow.

"But when I learned that the mountain golem might destroy the towns and villages of the commune, I naturally felt angry and wanted to do something. It had become so natural for me, and I realized I liked this world. I want to stay here."

No matter how it started, or how indecisive I had been, I had been involved in this world for a long time. During that time, I had traveled around and seen many things.

Why?

It was simple. I liked this world and wanted to stay here.

There were tough and unpleasant things, but there were also many enjoyable moments and people I wanted to spend time with.

"As long as I stay in this world, I don't want to be a bystander. So, I'll fight the mountain golem. If I need to become stronger to win, I'll do it. If I need Vievre's power, I'll negotiate. It's heavy to bear the expectations of others, but if heroes are needed to fight the mountain golem..."

I looked back at Vievre's intense gaze and answered.

"I'll aim to be a hero."

I'm not a hero worthy of a medal. I might not be able to become one, but if I'm going to, I'll aim to be the kind of hero I believe in.

"You're passionate, aren't you?"

Vievre's warm gaze made me feel like I was being teased, and my face turned red with anger and embarrassment.

"Hmm, I'm sorry. I was teasing you. But, what do you plan to do about the one who caused this?"

"...For now, I'll investigate what they're trying to do. If they endanger the people of this world like the vampires did, I'll stop them at all costs."

I couldn't respond to Vievre's sincere apology and said it with a pout.

"Alright, I understand. Then I'll help you. I'm also curious about this power, as someone who lives in this world."

Her understanding of my situation and her perspective as a resident of this world made her assistance valuable.

"Thank you, Vievre."

"Chaos, are you here! Lady Vievre is also here!"

Just as we finished talking, Irene rushed in.

"The giant golem has arrived! We're mobilizing the entire army to intercept it. Lady Vievre, please lend us your power! Chaos, hurry up!"

So, it's here. I looked at Vievre.

"Shall we go, hero?"

"Let's go, Vievre."

Vievre took off, and I decided to join the others with Irene.

The entire army, gathered from nearby, set out. Despite having faced defeat before, the soldiers' faces were stern, and I could feel the hope focused on me.

I found Lady Alexia, Oliver, and Havoc. Havoc and the others had chosen secondary classes that suited their characteristics and had already confirmed their skills. They seemed confident.

"Mr. Chaos, are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm all set."

"We will engage the golems in front of the giant golem according to the plan. Mr. Chaos and Lady Alexia, please deal with the giant golem with Lady Vievre. We won't let the golems advance a single step."

Lady Alexia's presence was essential to increase the power, so she would also fight the mountain golem.

"If we fail, we will surround the giant golem with the entire army and start the attack. This is the decisive moment."

If we failed, many towns and villages would suffer. Even though the nearby towns and villages had started evacuating, the situation was not optimistic.

"However, I'm also worried about the morale of our allies."

The soldiers seemed overwhelmed before the battle. A dark atmosphere permeated the entire army. We couldn't retreat easily this time.

If we failed, the soldiers would have to stop the giant golem, which would result in significant casualties. They might not survive. This grim determination was spreading among the soldiers.

Oliver also looked troubled. If only there was a way to boost the morale of our allies, but it was unlikely to come to mind so easily.

With a flapping sound, Vievre landed in front of us. Even the soldiers who knew about her were taken aback by her massive size.

"What's wrong, everyone