Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz) - Part 1 (Chapters 1 to 200)

Chapter 165: Educational Venture

On a quiet night, a crescent moon hung high in the sky, its pale light slanting through the window, while the room inside blazed with warm light.

By the glow of a gleaming crystal lantern, Barrett carefully inventoried the items spread across the floor and bed:

"Gorgon-hide climbing boots, velvet sleeping bag, iron shovel, stomach tonic, water-condensing cup, enchanted goggles, sand-treader boots..."

"Alright, we've got nearly everything for the desert trip," Barrett said, rubbing his palms together as he handed supplies to EeDechi and Franco. "Once we leave Slane Theocracy, we'll likely only run into small villages or barbarian tribes."

The three adventurers stepped out of the house, where a double-horse carriage waited, hitched to a trailer loaded with empty wooden crates. Barrett and EeDechi planned to pose as traveling merchants, slipping out of Slane Theocracy under cover of night.

No one knew how many spies from the Sorcerer Kingdom lurked in Slane Theocracy, or how many followers of the Six Great Gods had switched their allegiance. After EeDechi had deliberately revealed her presence in the Theocracy, staying was no longer an option.

"Let's move! Stay sharp."

EeDechi, cradling Cheeko, climbed into the carriage's compartment, with Franco close behind. Barrett took the reins—no choice, really, since he was the only one in the group who could drive a carriage.

The carriage's hooves clattered against the cobblestone road, weaving through the heart of Slane Theocracy's capital. EeDechi poked her head out of the carriage window, gazing at the city under the cool moonlight.

The capital's nightlife buzzed with energy—pedestrians milled about, and vendors hawked glowing light sticks along the streets. Barrett hadn't chosen to travel in the dead of night; a lone carriage rattling through empty roads would've raised too many eyebrows. So, they'd set out around seven in the evening, blending into the evening's hum.

In the city's center, towering statues of the Six Great Gods loomed, their stone faces cold and profound in the moonlight. The colossal figures stood silent, watching over the nation they'd founded six hundred years ago, their stern expressions frozen in time.

At the massive base of the statues, dozens of fresh flowers lay scattered—different types, vibrant colors, petals trembling in the night breeze. These bouquets were offerings from Slane Theocracy's people and devotees, placed there to honor their faith and longing for the Six Great Gods.

A pang of sadness hit EeDechi out of nowhere. The people of Slane Theocracy still believed the Six Great Gods protected them, that their divine power still worked wonders from beyond. They didn't know those gods had long vanished from the world.

They'd built idols of clay in their minds, worshipping a fantasy. Could the Six Great Gods, now just a memory, still shield this crumbling nation? EeDechi didn't know. Maybe the Six Scriptures held the answer.

"Hold on." EeDechi halted the carriage. "I just had a sudden urge to start an educational venture. Let's turn back."

...

In the brilliantly lit corridor, Holy Son Connor Daller glided across the marble floor, barefoot, clad in a pristine white woolen robe. Fresh from a fragrant bath attended by maids, he was heading to the inner sanctum's chapel for evening prayers.

Born into a wealthy family of devout believers, Connor had displayed astonishing magical talent from a young age, marked as bearing the ancestral blood of divine beings. His religious insight was equally profound.

Swiftly declared the Holy Son by the Pope, he earned praise from high-ranking ministers and cardinals alike. With the half-elf Antilene unable to appear in public, he was the Slane Theocracy's most gifted soul, cherished like a rare gem.