Mage? Magic Engineer!

Rorschach caressed Balan’s Pearl. The spirit contained within gave no response.

Rorschach had once made a deal with Balan, promising to help resurrect it and free it from its current half-dead state. However, the pearl’s excessive activity during the latter part of the Shadow City incident had aroused his suspicion. Out of caution, he had placed layer upon layer of seals on it.

If Balan were in its complete form, Rorschach’s verbal agreement with it would have been ironclad. Unfortunately, it was merely a pearl that relied on Rorschach for power. If another Thoth hadn’t appeared, it might have continued to gather dust indefinitely.

Now, the man and the pearl had arrived at the border between Valois and the Southern Countries, on the edge of the territory controlled by the Anion Holy See. In the distance, the mountain ranges extending from the northern Apennine Mountains were visible. Closer by was a relatively flat valley.

Rorschach’s rudimentary military knowledge, Balan’s Pearl’s limited premonitions, and signs of activity from both sides’ scouts all indicated that a battle would take place here.

The winters in Southern Valois weren’t particularly cold, and the landscape was still lush with green. In this very wilderness, a city had once stood, but it had long since been destroyed by history and buried deep underground. The only nearby settlements were a few scattered villages, and in Rorschach’s enhanced vision, he could already see the figures of Knights around them.

’I have to hurry...’

The Mage descended from the high ground to the plains, gradually entering a low forest of shrubs. He raised his hand, and a blue energy spread out. Using the [Natural Affinity] derived from the Tree of Law, Rorschach uncovered the ruins hidden beneath layers of grass, soil, and stone.

The remains of marble structures and the lime powder left from earthen walls roughly outlined the scale of the former buildings. Beyond that, there were no inscriptions to identify, nor was there any Magic Power reaction to trigger Rorschach’s [Arcane Vision]. If not for the guidance of "Beautiful Youth Thoth," Rorschach would never have found this area... No, he wouldn’t have come here at all!

As for "Beautiful Youth Thoth," based on its appearance and methods, Rorschach had mentally identified it as "Hercules." It had once told Rorschach among the stars:

"Anyone with even a slight understanding of Mythology knows of the existence of the ’Divine System.’

"The powerful Divine Spirit of a Divine System is the Main God, and the weaker gods or offspring surrounding it are Subordinate Gods. Even today, the relationship between my Lord and the Great Angel is, in essence, a derivative of the Main God-Subordinate God system.

"The Earth Mother Goddess also has Subordinate Gods. In fact, the ’Danu Divine Race’ of ancient Istani and many barbarian gods of the Northern Continent are considered part of a Divine System that developed with Her at its core. Before the Old Empire Era, during the Age of the Gods, a major shift in faith occurred in this land.

"The rise of the Wine God was the turning point. It wasn’t until he brought ruin to the southern city-states that he was discovered to be a Subordinate God of the Earth Mother Goddess."

A mellow wave of Magic Power radiated out from Rorschach, washing over the half-buried ruins. Although it was now a valley, in the distant past, it must have been the highest point in the area. The location Rorschach had been guided to was an artificial garden for worshipping the Wine God, built on the summit of a mountain.

A massive wine cup responded to Rorschach’s senses.

It was entwined by countless roots, its bronze surface completely corroded to a verdigris green, yet the decorations on it were still clearly visible. Rorschach pulled it out from a distance with his power. The structure of the seemingly decayed Holy Grail was surprisingly undamaged. The moment it was exposed to the air, it began to emit an intoxicatingly sweet fragrance.

"He brings confusion and corrupts the will and mind, but in return, he can grant the impulse to create and procreate, bringing pleasure and absurdity.

"The first King to discover the danger of the Wine God was a powerful Divine Benefactor. The Wine God transformed into a young man and tried to enter the city-state, but the King saw through him and refused. The youth then held a feast on a mountaintop near the city-state, attracting followers with fine wine, songs, and joyous laughter.

"The King’s subjects were drawn in; even the King’s mother and consorts attended the feast, making merry with the Wine God day and night.

"The enraged King tried to use decrees and violence to stop his people from worshipping the Wine God, but the deity easily bewitched the King’s mother and consorts. Laughing, the two women used a dagger granted by the Wine God to kill the ruler.

"Long before the Old Empire Era, near the end of the Age of the Gods and city-states, the worship of the Wine God arose and spread like a plague. City-states that were infected quickly fell into decline. Even during the Old Empire’s most prosperous period, the Nobility’s indulgence in excessive feasting, which laid the groundwork for its collapse, was also influenced by him."

Following Hercules’s instructions, Rorschach gave Balan’s Pearl his most generous charge yet. He drew all the surrounding Magic Power into the small pearl, and it immediately began to stir restlessly.

The massive wine cup also sensed the shift in Magic Power. It too began to tremble, shaking off the loose rust on its surface and revealing a luster nearly like gold.

The fragrance of wine grew richer.

...

Cannon fire and gunshots announced the start of the war. The allied forces were not short on funds; their ammunition was far more plentiful than that of Anion’s Defender Army. Unfortunately, the allied forces’ coordination was not unified. The commanders of the various units all had their own agendas and were unwilling to let their troops charge at the forefront.

The ones who got to be the suckers were the troops of the Sardinia Kingdom, the strongest and most committed contingent in the allied forces.

With them leading the charge, the allied forces slowly began to advance into the valley. They had to pass through here and capture the target high ground to pose an effective threat to Anion.

By now, the enemy was already positioned on the target high ground, their banners also fluttering, with Holy Knights forming their vanguard. The Vinea people bombarded them fiercely with the cannons they had bought, but their accuracy was abysmal. Not a single flag fell on the enemy’s position.

"Are the artillerymen of the Southern Countries’ allied forces drunk?" Rorschach, who was "excavating" in the center of the valley, found the cannons’ accuracy laughable. He had been nervously preparing the ritual to activate the pearl and the ceremonial wine cup, but now he had to divert his energy to block a cannonball that was falling right on top of him.

This small interruption didn’t cause too much of a disturbance. Rorschach continued to follow Hercules’s instructions, dropping the fully charged Balan’s Pearl into the wine cup.

Next, he took a tightly wrapped "package" from his Storage Ring. Inside layers of an Ethereal Membrane was Transmuting Dust—not the harmless, Dulling-treated energy crystals, but the raw material, rich in Divine Power.

After undoing the seals, Rorschach carefully added the Transmuting Dust to the wine cup as well. The solid powder instantly melted, like oil at a rolling boil. The poor pearl tumbled violently within it, yet the wine cup remained completely unharmed. In fact, its luster grew even brighter, revealing its extraordinary nature.

Having reached maximum activity, the Wine God’s Holy Artifact began to affect the battlefield. Rorschach did not stop it or attempt a Purification, as this was all part of the ritual.

...

Seeing the invading enemy begin to move, the Holy Knights of the Anion Holy See also sprang into action. Behind them, countless Priests began to chant hymns in praise of their god. The fragrant oils they had applied earlier began to evaporate... As the ritual completed, a faint golden light enveloped them all.

The reason these Holy Knights dared to abandon the Eternal City and follow the Anion Holy See was simple:

After the Seraph disaster, many Holy Knights within Valois lost their power and their god’s Blessing. They prayed in terror, performed acts of penance, and even sought an audience in the Eternal City... but none of these efforts could restore their god’s favor. Just as they fell into despair, a Living Saint appeared in Anion. Every Holy Knight he counseled and guided had their glory restored.

Although the restored power was far inferior to what they had before the disaster, such a miracle was enough to make the Holy Knights follow the New Holy See and support a new Sitting Sect.

"Brothers, our own experiences prove that the Eternal City, and indeed the entire Church, has become corrupt and decadent! Now we face our brothers from the Southern Countries. No matter who falls, their sacrifice will be to awaken our other brothers and the faithful!"

The Knight Commander rallied all the members, and at his command, they began to accelerate, charging down from the high ground.

Both sides plunged headfirst into the valley, which was filled with a rich, sweet fragrance.