Chapter 202
Chapter: 202
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 202
>Chapter Title: Luise (5)
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>‘…Damn it, this pisses me off!’
To suppress his boiling rage, Seongjin exercised utmost patience.
The only reason he hadn’t grabbed the Holy Emperor by the collar right then and there was purely due to the filial piety deeply ingrained in him as a true son of the Eastern land of propriety.
No matter what, he couldn’t become the kind of bastard who’d lay hands on the man he called father!
[Do you understand now?]
Oblivious or not to Seongjin’s mood, the Holy Emperor patted his head quite affectionately and continued.
[You must properly grasp just how dangerous the words you spoke were. Rash notions of justice, suspicion, or denial like that can sometimes lead to irreversible, terrifying consequences.]
But his explanations no longer reached Seongjin’s ears.
No, calling me his son!
One moment treating me like a kid left by the riverside, and now resorting to bloody threats disguised as discipline?
[Above all, my son. You are an oracle of unprecedented potential. You possess infinite possibilities that can even transcend the boundaries of the world.]
Didn’t you say you wouldn’t make me choose ruthlessly anymore?
You reassured me you’d always be my sturdy pillar, and now you pull this self-harm extortion crap?
[Thus, you must not be arbitrarily defined in any world, by anyone’s words. Not even by your own.]
It’s because you’re still here that I could keep Isabella alive.
That’s why I didn’t just flip the Milro Merchant Guild and Scartchapino upside down—I’ve been taking it slow, proceeding in due order!
[So… Mores, are you listening?]
Why does this guy think I took on this annoying monster task force gig in the first place?
It’s all to help you, to protect this Delcros where you and the Holy Imperial Family reside!
But what meaning does a Delcros without you in it even have?
[Why…]
Only then did the Holy Emperor notice Seongjin’s insolent glare, pulling his hand away with a slightly flustered expression.
[Why are you like that? Is something uncomfortable? I blocked it, but maybe you got hurt in that earlier explosion…]
Soon a hand brimming with holy power approached, but Seongjin swatted it away rebelliously and opened his mouth with a sullen face.
[Was that over-the-top arm explosion just to give that kind of explanation?]
The Holy Emperor blinked for a moment, then nodded awkwardly.
[…Yes. It could have led to such tremendous consequences, so as an example…]
[So you did that ridiculous self-harm just to show an example?]
Seongjin’s voice was remarkably calm as he asked.
But sensing the ominous anger hidden within, the Holy Emperor quietly gauged Seongjin’s mood and shut his mouth obediently.
[Do you know? I really thought my father was dying just now.]
[…]
[I thought you were vanishing from this world completely! You call me your son? Then what the hell are you doing in front of your child? Huh?]
Realizing his voice trembled at the end, Seongjin gritted his teeth.
Ah, I’m seriously gonna lose it.
[…But Mores. As you know, even that much wouldn’t…]
Kill me?
Seongjin was dumbfounded.
[No! So as long as you don’t die, that level of injury is nothing? Does that even make sense? Then it’s the same for me! Any wound heals fine if father fixes it, so why are you always warning me not to get into accidents?]
[…]
[Why do you always act like this, father? Last time you sent the guard knights away and faced Cardmos alone, and now you use yourself as a textbook? How can I not worry and take my eyes off you even for a second? Huh?]
The Holy Emperor’s eyes trembled finely as if shocked. He stared at Seongjin for a moment, then lowered his gaze and let out a quiet sigh.
[…Yes. If I startled you, I’m sorry.]
He raised one hand and slowly rubbed his dry face.
[There were more moderate ways, but my thinking was shortsighted. Trying to force understanding by showing only the result abruptly like that—seems I’ve spent too much time with that child lately. I must have been influenced by their way of thinking without realizing it.]
…That child?
[I’m sorry, Mores.]
The Holy Emperor apologized again with a somewhat dejected face.
Though Seongjin’s anger had reached his head, seeing that downcast expression made his fury cool rapidly.
Ah, this won’t do. I need to chew him out more.
[Mores. What I really wanted to say is this.]
Unable to fully rein in his subsiding anger, Seongjin listened with a slightly softened face.
[Do you know what happens if I, the King of Dimensions, call something by the wrong name here?]
[…Why? Does it explode again?]
Seongjin shot back sullenly.
It was meant as sarcastic grumbling, but the Holy Emperor let out a low chuckle.
[Yes, correct. Mores, do you see that pen?]
Seongjin reflexively turned to where he pointed, then tilted his head.
[A pen? Father, there’s only books over there…]
Before he could finish.
Boom!
The book on the desk exploded instantly. The impact was so great that the desk caved in, and shredded paper scattered everywhere.
[…!]
Thanks to the Holy Emperor timely deploying an aura barrier, there was no real shock, but Seongjin finally grasped the gravity of his words and quietly broke into a cold sweat.
His repeated warnings to Seongjin hadn’t been empty words.
‘Seriously, just calling something wrong makes it explode? Being the King of Dimensions is sneakily terrifying once you know.’
Staring blankly at the paper fragments fluttering like snow, the Holy Emperor called to him in a low voice.
[…Mores.]
[Yes?]
[My son.]
[Yes… Huh?]
Come to think of it. Why am I perfectly fine no matter how casually this guy calls me?
Looking up at the Holy Emperor with wide eyes, he saw a faint smile tug at his lips.
[…!]
Wait a second.
So what he’s saying is, I really am his son, Mores?
That’s why I’m safe when he calls me that?
‘But no way? I’m Lee Seongjin from Earth! Me being Mores—that’s absolutely impossible…’
Thwack.
Before his thoughts could continue, the Holy Emperor lightly flicked his forehead as if knowing, cautioning him.
[Be careful. Didn’t you just say with your own mouth that you wouldn’t doubt anymore?]
That was because the situation was urgent then.
No, but how is that even possible?
Gauging Seongjin’s confused expression, the Holy Emperor quietly added an explanation.
[There are almost no precedents of two oracles coexisting in one era. Above all, oracles cannot be rashly defined as oracles. Even a slight misalignment in recognition, or merely perceiving the distortion, can lead to irreversible results.]
[…]
[Understand? If it’s hard to believe now, at least don’t completely close off the possibility. That will suffice for now.]
Seongjin quietly mulled over his words.
At least, don’t rule out the possibility that I’m this guy’s son.
‘Uh…’
Then really?
But as that thought hit, a deep sense of relief washed over him—while suddenly feeling intensely embarrassed to look at the Holy Emperor’s face.
Memories flooded back of all the times he’d arbitrarily yelled at him since coming here.
‘Ah, this is mortifying…’
Honestly, who’d have thought I’d act like a rebellious teen at this age.
I prided myself on being pretty mature up till now.
‘Even back in high school when darkness instead of blood flowed through my veins, I never once raised my voice at my parents.’
At that moment, the Holy Emperor tilted his head and muttered.
[What flowed through your veins…?]
Huh?
In his lingering suspicion, Seongjin asked.
[Father, by any chance, can you read my thoughts too?]
[…]
‘Can you read my thoughts?’
The Holy Emperor averted his gaze awkwardly and began a lengthy explanation.
[Didn’t I explain the laws of this world earlier? All conversations occur through thoughts, so strong thoughts that become thoughts are no different from muttering aloud. It’s not that I arbitrarily read your mind…]
…You’re reading them.
But Seongjin thought of another possibility.
Alright. If some grandiose King of Dimensions can’t speak carelessly, then I’ll just read his thoughts!
Seongjin concentrated, staring piercingly at the Holy Emperor’s mouth.
‘Come on, let me hear it! Let me hear it!’
The Holy Emperor stared blankly at him for a moment, then smirked knowingly, one corner of his mouth lifting.
[You’re far off, my son. At least 650 years too early.]
‘…’
Feeling his motivation vanish in an instant, Seongjin sighed.
By the way, 650 years. That’s weirdly specific.
While the potion’s effects lingered, Seongjin chatted with the Holy Emperor about this and that, staying awhile in the newly created dimension.
[…So father hears those thoughts every day?]
Seongjin asked with some concern.
Having experienced the thought crystal’s performance firsthand, he couldn’t help but worry deeply for the Holy Emperor, a powerful esper.
The time Seongjin had actively received thoughts wasn’t long, but even that brief period had felt like it’d drive him mad.
[It’s nothing special for espers. Over time, you develop your own tricks. The reason it was hard for you is because you faced a new sense unprepared and defenseless.]
Thus, the Holy Emperor warned him to avoid drinking the potion carelessly from now on.
[Ah, but why haven’t you come around much lately? Is something happening at the palace?]
It sounded like whining, but he was genuinely curious.
The guy who possessed Sir Sharon daily had suddenly stopped coming after the spirit beast incident—wasn’t that odd?
The Holy Emperor sighed with a troubled face.
[I touched too much karma in soul form. So I’m holding back on interfering with the north for a while.]
[As I thought, it was you who fixed my eyes then. And treated the knights with erosion.]
[Yes. The elder was right. Though I blustered upfront, I did need to cool my head a bit.]
At the time, in his incorporeal soul state, he had saved too many people. Plus, he’d purified the entire area contaminated by the demonic realm.
And beyond that, the Holy Emperor shared various stories with Seongjin.
About the existence of the ‘Council of Six’ guarding Delcros’s dimensional boundaries, and the ‘pact’ made with them.
About the events unfolding in the Zigsmunt territory now, and people to watch closely afterward.
Suddenly curious, Seongjin asked.
[But why tell me all this?]
Even if they’d left Delcros, where constraints were lighter.
The Holy Emperor smiled faintly.
[Don’t you know, Mores? With your channels activated now, you’re no different from a full oracle. You’d have gotten all the answers just by questioning, even without me telling you. Though the process would’ve been quite painful.]
Thus, he’d created an entirely different dimension, sealing all of Seongjin’s channels while providing the answers he’d have painfully extracted instead.
[Uh…]
[Of course, considering the results you’d have struggled alone to reach, it might feel a bit like a freebie. What can be done? We balance it like this.]
Huh? Balance how?
Seongjin tilted his head, but soon sighed in resignation at the Holy Emperor’s approaching hand.
Damn it. I knew it’d come to this.
Seongjin squeezed his eyes shut.
[The potion’s effect is ending. I won’t be able to check on you often for a while, so take care of yourself from now on.]
Snap!
* * *
“Gahk!”
Screaming as he opened his eyes, he was on a warm bed.
It was right where he’d passed out after asking Luise to summon Sir Sharon.
[…Lee Seongjin?]
‘Yeah, no issues here. You good?’
[Wahhh! Hey, Lee Seeeongjiiin!]
Sensing Seongjin’s return instantly, the demon king bastard started wailing, shaking the room.
[Hey! What the hell happened to you? Why no response? Do you know how worried I was?]
‘Ugh, shut up already. My head’s still ringing.’
Frowning as he sat up, Seongjin came face-to-face with Luise’s bewildered expression—she’d been sitting by the bed all along.
“…Gahk?”
Embarrassed, Seongjin slyly avoided her gaze.
Uh, Luise. Forget what you just heard.