The Divine Right of a Certain Multiverse

Roy laughed heartily, saying with great joy, "... It's truly wonderful to have met you, my friend, Roy! I will wait with hope, waiting for the moment when dreams become reality once more. Now, let us fulfill our initial promise!"

He raised his right hand, on which five fingers wore five rings. "...The time for farewell has come... Ugh..."

Before Roman could finish releasing his true name, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see a bloody sword tip protruding from his chest, and he cried out, "...Pain, pain, pain! You're hurting me so much, Roy! What are you doing!"

Roy, who had appeared behind Roman and stabbed him in the back at some unknown time, smiled and said, "...The Lord does not permit His followers to commit suicide. As a devout believer, you should not defy the Lord's teachings. Moreover, if you, a Disobedient God, were to commit suicide, I, as a Campione, would gain no benefit."

"...Allow me to send you off one last time, my friend Romani Akiman!"

Chapter 67: Solomon's Gift

"This farewell gift is truly not a happy one at all."

Roman's eyebrows and nose were almost twisted together as he grimaced in pain.

If it were King Solomon, he would have endured the pain, which was meaningless to him, without changing his expression. But the one here now was not King Solomon, but Roman, who had become human. As an ordinary human, he had nearly fainted upon seeing himself stabbed.

Roman sat down on the ground with a plop, gasping for air. Faint starlight emanated from him, a sign of a Disobedient God nearing their end.

"Ah, so it's finally over. Our… promise is also fulfilled."

He endured the pain, trying his best to smile, sitting on the mountaintop with his hands on his knees, letting the blood flow from his chest, and gazing at the last rays of the setting sun on the ancient city of Jerusalem in the distance.

"My friend Roy Crowley, I cannot see your future, but I know it will be a magnificent life, and also a life on thin ice over an abyss. Your farewell gift to me is not happy at all, but even so, I will give a parting gift to my first friend, hoping it will help you."

"...In the drawer of the desk I always used in the hotel room, there is a spell I left for you. I believe it will be very useful to you. And the Authority of a Disobedient God that I leave behind after my death will surely satisfy you, though this Authority may require you to pay a price."

As if he had finally tricked Roy, Roman showed an extremely happy smile.

His body grew closer to nothingness, and the faint starlight became dimmer.

"Be careful of the 'Last King' and the God of Fate behind him. This is the last thing I can warn you as a friend. I am very fortunate now that I did not abandon the 'Wisdom and Power of Solomon.' I don't care about these things myself, but these things that once bound me can help a friend. Whether it's 'wisdom' or 'power,' they are finally being used in the right place."

"...If we ever meet again, can you please treat me to strawberry cake one more time?"

With a smile as innocent as a child's, the gentle, brilliant, yet tragic man was reduced to a mere wisp of an afterimage.

"If we meet again, I'll treat you to all the strawberry cake you can eat."

Hearing Roy's final answer, he smiled with satisfaction and left this world without any lingering regrets.

The starlight floated into the sky like fireflies. The setting sun in the distance completely disappeared below the horizon. Night fell, and the man left this world that did not belong to him, returning to where he should have been.

"Goodbye, Romani Akiman. Goodbye, King Solomon!"

Roy whispered.

He was not a heartless monster. Facing the departure of his friend, sadness washed over him, giving him a sudden urge to vent.

King Solomon knew of the world's many misfortunes, but he would only smile and watch everything, never intervening.

Romani Akiman knew of many misfortunes, but he would do his best to guide misfortune towards happiness. Even if his abilities were small, even if his emotions were pessimistic, he would resolutely do it.

One looked forward to tomorrow with hope, the other waited indifferently for everything to end. Although their methods were vastly different, they were, strangely, one and the same.

Roy fell into darkness once more.

The darkness came and went quickly. In just an instant, Roy regained consciousness. Before him stood a goddess with a charming smile, a slender figure, fair skin, and the appearance of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. She was Roy's 'godmother,' Pandora.

"Little Roy, you've recovered consciousness so quickly this time. You won't even let Mama give you a hug and properly look at your handsome and cute face."

Without any goddess-like demeanor, Pandora hopped in front of Roy. She clasped her hands behind her back, her purple twin tails swaying back and forth, looking playful and cute.

"I've been here so many times. If I were to remain unconscious for as long as I was at the beginning, wouldn't that mean I've made no progress at all?"

Just like in Infinite Terror, where the longer one remained unconscious after a teleportation, the shorter the duration became as one's power grew, this secret realm belonging to Pandora was the same.

As Roy had killed many gods and his power grew at a visible rate, this 'Realm of Life and Death' could no longer impede his consciousness.

Roy's tone was slightly emotional. The pain of his friend's recent departure had not yet fully subsided.

"Little Roy is so amazing. To befriend a Disobedient God, to make a Disobedient God choose to commit suicide and let you kill them. Among all the Campiones throughout history, you are truly unique~"

0········Seeking flowers·······

Pandora clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes seemingly sparkling with admiration, looking more and more like an immature child.

However, Roy felt that Pandora was really clueless. Couldn't she see that he was in a bad mood right now? She was really bringing up the wrong topic.

But from Pandora's words, Roy also gained a piece of information: Pandora did not know that this King Solomon was from another world.

The gods in the Campione world were all myths compiled by humans. Before they descended as Disobedient Gods, all gods were actually unacquainted with each other, because these gods did not truly exist in the past; they were merely born from human imagination and faith.

The Campione world did not have a true divine era, and gods were not truly tangible beings. Therefore, as long as there was no King Solomon who had become disobedient in the past, no one would know what the true King Solomon was like.

Roy took a deep breath. He suddenly stepped forward, and to Pandora's astonishment, he grabbed her delicate chin with brute force, bent at the waist, and captured her lips. At the same time, he said unhappily, "...Alright, hurry up and perform the ritual to kill the god!"

Ever since he learned that Pandora's Dark Offering was not created by her, but merely the result of Pandora borrowing a certain Divine Artifact, Roy no longer felt any need to be cautious when facing this goddess who called herself his 'godmother.' Since he knew Pandora was not as terrifying as he had imagined, and that she was not some mastermind, Roy's actions and words became bolder, even becoming quite assertive.

"Wait, wait a moment! Don't be so aggressive... Mmmph..."

Under Roy's unrestrained assault, Pandora gradually began to struggle for breath. She wanted to push Roy away, but although she was a Disobedient God, she was not a type that excelled in strength. Discovering that her resistance was futile and that her fair wrists were instead being grabbed by Roy, she had no choice but to reluctantly initiate the ritual to kill the god.

Roy seemed to hear the sound of a disk rotating, and then that familiar feeling returned. He knew this was the ritual to usurp the Authority of a god using their life as material.

In a daze, Roy's consciousness returned to the real world. He lowered his head and clenched his fist, his expression hesitant. "...Is this the farewell gift you left me? Roman... this 'gift' is huge, and it really will cost me something." He sighed.

Chapter 68: "Human Order Rectification Ritual", the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon

(Two more updates coming later tonight.)

(I'm starting to get my old skills back these past couple of days, flirting and going on dates with girls everywhere. It seems my skills haven't dulled yet.)

"So this is the true form of the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon."

Standing on a mountain far from Jerusalem, he gazed at the city gradually being enveloped by lights. This city, with its many incredible legends and miracles throughout history, was at this moment illuminated by human brilliance. The ancient history faded, leaving only the light belonging to humanity.

A flicker of daze crossed Roy's expression, giving him the illusion that Roman was still by his side. He sighed regretfully and lowered his head, sinking his consciousness into the newly acquired Authority.

"Human Order Rectification Ritual," its name is 'Lemegeton,' this is the name of the Authority Roy newly obtained.

The Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon first appeared in the occult text The Key of Solomon. Translated, it means 'Lemegeton.' However, the "697" is actually a handwritten copy of Solomon's art of commanding demons. It was distorted from Solomon's intent and transformed into demonology, thus spreading through later generations.

And this time, what Roy obtained was the "Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon," the true existence named 'Lemegeton,' which also allowed Roy to know the true face of the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon.

In The Key of Solomon, because the handwritten copy distorted Solomon's original intent, it was mistakenly believed that the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon were heretical gods conquered by Judaism and Christianity. In reality, this was merely a set of rituals compiled by Solomon using the names of these deities.

This Authority, rather than being an Authority, is a vast and complex magic. Just as its name suggests, "Human Order Rectification Ritual," this is a 'system created by Solomon to more effectively promote correct principles,' a magic that can be used to correct the human order when it encounters problems.

And when the human order is not problematic, using this Authority, or rather, this magic, can also gain the blessings of the human order. It can extract power from the human order and use it for oneself. In a world where the human order is strong, it can be called the 'Blessing of the Human Order.'

The so-called human order is the term used in magic. Simply put, it is all the factors that contribute to human civilization flourishing and continuing to move forward. Every choice made by each human, every historical turning point, every correct historical sequence are all important factors for the current flourishing of the human order. And "Human Order Rectification Ritual" is magic that, when the human order is damaged by human or non-human causes, the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon will appear to correct it, allowing the human order to continue to advance.

This is the true face of "Human Order Rectification Ritual."

However--

"King Solomon is indeed worthy of being called the King of Magic, to be able to create such a complex and astonishing magic, even involving the human order. If I can fully decipher this ritual, it will be of great help to the 'ritual' I am currently creating."

What Roy wanted to create was a ritual that 'transcends Human Evil.' And Human Evil can be said to be a very important part of the human order. 'Human Evil' exists alongside humans; as long as there is one human left, Human Evil will never disappear.

As Roman said, this Authority, this magic, is truly the greatest gift Roman left for Roy, a mysterious knowledge that can help Roy advance his own ritual.

But as Roman also said, for Roy to wield this magic, he needs to pay a price.

Roman had placed a 'lock' on this Authority magic, requiring Roy to complete a certain condition before he could fully make it his own and become the cornerstone of the 'ritual' he was developing and creating.

And to activate this ritual, to make it work, Roy needs to do one thing—he needs to save the human order once!

Even if the human order he saves is only a tiny branch of humanity that was damaged, as long as he completes one act of saving the human order, he will gain the recognition of the human order, thereby activating the "Human Order Rectification Ritual," making it his own, and fully comprehending and absorbing the crystallization of Solomon's highest wisdom contained within this magic.

"Where am I supposed to go to save the human order?!"

Roy said dejectedly, finally understanding the meaning of Roman's final mischievous smile.

Such a powerful ritual that can borrow the power of the human order, a ritual that embodies Solomon's lifelong strength and wisdom, yet he could only look at it now and not use it. How could he not be frustrated?

"It's truly amazing. Solomon in different worlds possesses different powers."

Just then, Aiwass, the "Holy Guardian Angel," appeared behind Roy. This angel, known as the angel of physics, exclaimed, "...In the world where I was born, there is also the grimoire The Key of Solomon. According to information obtained from Aleister, in that world, The Key of Solomon is purely a grimoire that records demon summoning studies. But the wisdom of this King Solomon involves the human order, which is a mystery far beyond demon summoning..."

"...The same person in different worlds possesses vastly different powers. This is very important information, a crucial theory in this sea of universes."

The "Holy Guardian Angel's" voice was slightly raised, as if she had learned something new, gained new knowledge, and satisfied her curiosity.

"It's just that in the end, I was tricked by that idiot. Thinking about it still makes me a little annoyed. King Solomon is indeed King Solomon. In just seven days after arriving in this world, he completely mastered everything about the Disobedient Gods. Even after his disappearance, he could still control the transfer of Authority. I have to admire him for that."

Roy gave a wry smile, complaining about Roman.

"The human named Roman did not abandon Solomon's power and wisdom. He likely saw something, which is why he designed a crucial foreshadowing in the 'Authority magic' he left you."

Aiwass reminded him.

"Yes, I understand. This is clearly characteristic of Roman's personality. If it were King Solomon's personality, he would either say nothing at all or tell you everything in detail, rather than leaving you a riddle and a key like this, forcing you to open it yourself."

"...That guy Roman, in these short seven days, has truly become human and learned the art of mischief. At this moment, I wish he had Solomon's decisiveness."

Roy said, amused and annoyed.

"But forget it. I've already obtained the 'Human Order Rectification Ritual,' obtained the Seventy-Two Pillars of Solomon. Overall, it's a huge profit. Since Roman has left me a path, I will follow this path forward, and I will definitely be able to unlock this ritual."

Roy took a deep breath, deciding not to dwell on it further. Roman must have had his own deep intentions for doing this.

That guy, although timid and useless, is definitely not an idiot.

"Let's go back to the hotel first. I want to see what other magic he left me there."

Roy hesitated for a moment, then prepared to activate his Authority to leave. Although "Lord of Light" could only be used once a day, it was indeed a good way to travel.

"Wait a moment. I left behind Solomon's Spirit Base from when he disappeared. Your Authority overlaps with King Solomon's. Prepare to perform the ritual when you get back, and let me see the results."

Aiwass then delivered some exciting news to Roy.

Chapter 69: "Clairvoyance" that Sees the Past

Returning to the room in Jerusalem where he had lived with Roman, Roy opened the desk drawer where Roman had been using the computer. As expected, he found the records Roman had left for him inside.

A piece of parchment was inscribed with complex and precise diagrams. In the blank spaces of the parchment, Roman had also added explanations for the diagrams and various texts within. This was Roman's second gift to him.

"When did he write this?"

Roy thought about it. For the first six days, he had been 'supervising' Roman as he worked hard on his ritual's foundation. So Roman definitely couldn't have completed the content on this parchment during the day.

"Then it must have been at night, while I was asleep."

Thinking of this, Roy let out a sigh. He had initially thought Romani spent his evenings watching livestreams, eating cake, and drinking cola, living the life of a shut-in. To his surprise, even at night, he was working overtime, laboring away where Roy, the 'boss,' couldn't see.

"This guy is truly a rare, good employee. If I could give out a grand prize, I'd definitely award him with the Employee of the Year award for dedication."

Roy chuckled as he said this, then quickly began flipping through the magical contents recorded on the scroll.

King Solomon possessed the ability of 'Clairvoyance,' a fact Roy had learned from Romani. As the greatest king of Israel, as one who received wisdom from God, he was born with 'eyes that could see through the past and future.'

Setting aside the eyes that could see the future for a moment, this ability to predict the future was actually the optimal solution derived from synthesizing all information from the past and present.

For an ordinary person, whose life followed a predetermined path within a set framework because they didn't exceed its boundaries, this foresight would possess nearly 100% accuracy.

However, if the prediction was for an extremely powerful being who transcended those boundaries, then no known information could be applied to them. In such cases, the predicted future would have significant uncertainty. Therefore, Roy wasn't interested in the 'eyes that could see the future'; predicting the future wasn't a particularly powerful ability and was subject to many limitations.

It was the 'eyes that could see the past' that were truly powerful. Because the past was over, it was completely recorded information. Those who possessed these eyes would receive absolutely correct information. Being able to see through the past meant being able to witness the vast river of history, leaving no secrets hidden before them.

The present was but an instant, the future was impossibly distant, and only the past was the absolute, correct truth, containing the greatest amount of information.

King Solomon possessed 'Clairvoyance,' the ability to see through the past and future, which was his innate talent. However, as the King of Sorcery, he also had the wisdom of a god. Furthermore, in the world of Campione, there existed 'Yomi,' a world that recorded all past information. With these multiple factors combined, King Solomon created this sorcery, 'Pseudo-Clairvoyance.'

By engraving this magical rune into his eyes, one could use 'Yomi' to see through all of the past. For Roy right now, this was a magical technique that could grant him more power than the 'Human Order Rectification Ritual.'

The 'Human Order Rectification Ritual' granted Roy a vast future, while the magical technique 'Clairvoyance' allowed Roy to grasp the present.

The only drawback of this sorcery was that it was specially designed to connect with Yomi, and thus, it could only be used in the world of Campione for the time being. If he were to travel to another world and wished to use these demonic eyes to see through the past, he would need to modify the magical structure to adapt to the records of different worlds. This would require Roy to possess extremely rich and solid magical foundations, as Roy himself did not have 'Clairvoyance.'

"Aiwass, we'll put your modified 'Pandora's Dark Offering' on hold for now. I'll complete this magical technique first."

After completely memorizing and comprehending the contents of the parchment, Roy burned it.

This magical technique was powerful, but it was also dangerous. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could bring trouble to Roy, making its destruction the best course of action.

After some thought, Roy summoned Erica and Liliana, informing them that he needed some time to perform a magical ritual and instructing them not to disturb him. He also asked them to guard the entrance and ensure no one else interrupted him.