The Pope suddenly recalled the recent news about a Heretic God descending near Israel and causing catastrophic damage to the border regions.
If I'm not mistaken, he thought, this new king must be the Campione who slew the Heretic God near Israel.
"I beg forgiveness for not knowing of Your Majesty's arrival! What service may I offer?"
The Pope looked up at Phoenix, bowing deeply as he asked in a deferential tone.
"Oh..."
Phoenix looked down in surprise at the Pope's subservient posture. She had expected resistance from the leader of Christianity, given that she had slain their archangel Michael.
Instead, not only was there no resistance, but the Pope actually appeared to be showing her profound respect.
Although Phoenix had watched the first part of the Campione anime, she hadn't fully grasped the status of a Campione in this world.
Even the Church of the Cross wouldn't dare to oppose a Campione lightly.
"I need a faction, and I require the Vatican and all of Italy to pledge allegiance to me."
Phoenix rose from the throne, standing suspended in mid-air. Behind her, a pair of wings composed of Li Fire manifested, making her appear like a blazing archangel.
She bore some resemblance to Michael.
After all, Michael was also an angel who commanded the heavenly flames.
As for why Phoenix wanted Italy? The Vatican might be a city-state within a city, but it was too small. So small that Phoenix doubted whether it could accomplish her task.
"This..."
The Pope hesitated, looking at Phoenix with uncertainty.
"What? Unwilling?" Phoenix looked at the Pope calmly, her face cold.
"Please calm yourself, Your Majesty. I... and all of the church and the Vatican are willing to pledge allegiance to you. It's just that..."
"Just what?"
"Though the Vatican lies within Rome, the true power in Italy rests with the 'Seven Sisters' mage alliance. If you seek Italy's loyalty, you must first address the 'Seven Sisters'..." The Pope said, his voice tinged with apprehension.
Phoenix's brow furrowed at these words. This was Christianity's greatest weakness in this world - though its influence spanned far, it lacked depth within each nation. In a realm teeming with magical societies, even mighty dragons struggled to subdue local serpents.
"Then send word to the 'Seven Sisters' alliance. I'll handle the rest personally."
"Understood!"
"I'll reside here temporarily," Phoenix declared, already deactivating her domain authority.
The heaven-like world vanished along with its angels, leaving Phoenix, the little fox Higokumaru, and the Pope standing in the Pope's study.
The realm they'd just left was the world of the domain authority [Seventh Heaven].
Undeniably, this domain proved immensely beneficial for enhancement and protection. Not only did it amplify her power, but it also allowed her to suppress any enemies she dragged into its confines.
In this world, Phoenix felt like she was its true mistress.
The only drawback was... the immense energy consumption.
If not for her Grips of Tai Xuan, which allowed her to convert some of her Honkai energy into magical power, she might not have been able to sustain this for so long.
And that was without even engaging in combat.
"Yes, my king. I'll make arrangements immediately!"
In the Vatican Library of the Roman Catholic Church, Phoenix stood before the bookshelves, continuously flipping through the Church of the Cross's accumulated secrets and demonic texts spanning two millennia.
As the heart of the world's most renowned Christian institution, the Vatican housed knowledge books that other magical societies and organizations could scarcely imagine.
Though these demonic texts offered little practical help to Phoenix, she still meticulously copied and backed up every volume.
After all, even if she didn't need them, others might.
Should she encounter suitable friends—those with innate talent for magic—she could share these resources. Beyond that, Phoenix discovered many intriguing demonic texts that, given the opportunity, she might cultivate herself.
These demonic texts were akin to secret manuals of martial arts. Beyond the demonic books, Phoenix also uncovered many hidden truths.
Within them lay... information about other Campiones and numerous Heretic Gods.
-
Phoenix had also come to understand why the Christian Pope and the entire Christian hierarchy had submitted to her so swiftly.
For magic societies, pledging allegiance to a Campione was not seen as humiliation, but rather as an honor. This held true even for a religion as vast as Christianity.
Moreover, the authority Phoenix wielded belonged to the sacred Archangel Michael, not some pagan deity. To Christians, this undoubtedly represented divine protection from God himself.
Phoenix discovered that several centuries ago, the ancient Campione Marquis Voban had once caused great upheaval at the Vatican.
Had he not found anything of use to a Campione there and left out of boredom, the Vatican might have been destroyed two centuries earlier.
This demonstrated the tragic fate of organizations without Campione protection, especially massive ones like Christianity. They could only proceed with extreme caution, constantly fearing to inadvertently provoke some Demon Lord.
Phoenix continuously studied books, gaining knowledge about these magics and the myths and gods of various countries. After all, knowing one's enemy is half the battle, and facing a familiar god would undoubtedly give her greater confidence.
Though Phoenix felt that all Heretic Gods and Campione in this world were mere trash compared to her capabilities,
she wouldn't let that arrogance blind her.
Even a lion hunting rabbits uses its full strength!
Though she looked down on them, she couldn't afford to be careless. Understanding her enemies was crucial. How many powerful beings had died at the hands of weaker opponents due to their own arrogance?
Phoenix certainly wouldn't become such a fool.
Tactically, she might scorn her enemies, but strategically, she would always respect them.
"Phoenix-nee, why do you spend all day here? It's so boring! Let's go out and play!"
When Phoenix became absorbed in her reading, Higokumaru approached her, tugging at her sleeve with a pout.
The girl had been holed up in the Library all day, and Higokumaru was about to lose her mind from boredom.
"Alright, alright, I'll take you out in a bit," Phoenix said, setting down her book on Norse mythology with a sigh.
After hours of study, even she was growing restless. Having come to Italy - the land of fashion and design - how could she not explore the city?
Her eyes fell on Higokumaru before her, the girl's Lolita outfit making her look utterly adorable. Truly, a beautiful girl can pull off any style.
"Really? Yesss! I want to eat Fried Tofu!" Higokumaru's face lit up immediately at the prospect.