Foreboding Seas
The sea was thick with an ominous air.
"...What are we gonna do about this vibe? Even back at the palace, I hated atmospheres this heavy."
"What do you expect me to do about it...? It's not like we asked for some big secret about your birth."
"Still, isn't it better to hear it sooner rather than later?"
Three men were sprawled out on the deck, basking in the sun. Griffin E. Castella had somehow naturally adapted and boarded our ship instead of his empire's vessel. He claimed that hanging around the navy folks just made them wary of him as the emperor's bloodline despite his lack of royal authority anymore, so he preferred it here. He said he could always fly off if needed, so no big deal.
"Beautiful lady, in this sea—"
"I'm a guy."
"Gahk!"
Maybe it was just because there was a woman here? Lemon Hyacinth shook his head, thinking another victim had fallen today. Riko, whose looks outshone most women, had shut down the prince's confession attempt the moment he saw her with a single sharp line—now so routine it barely fazed her—and the prince clutched his chest as he collapsed. I hadn't expected someone with Kid's exact personality to act this much like him too.
"Ahem, Miss Mortis. Any thoughts on naturalizing in the empire? We worship the Shining Lord Ras Hand as well, so a priest of your caliber could rise to a high position."
"Hm, I'll pass. I'm not really attached to power or anything."
"...? Miss Mortis. Do the empire and the All Gods Temple worship the same god?"
The prince was pitching defection to Miss Mortis, who it clearly wouldn't work on. Naturally, it fell on deaf ears, but I was puzzled that the empire and the All Gods Temple shared a deity, so I asked her about it.
Miss Mortis explained precisely: Among the gods affiliated with the All Gods Temple was the Shining Lord Ras Hand, while the empire worshipped only him exclusively. But wasn't that still the same god? And yet they were enemies?
"Normally, don't rival nations believe in different gods...?"
"Is that so? The gods are impartial. They bestow will and power based on the faith of mortals. That act is truly equal. Even if nations are at odds, they can't ignore believers."
"So even if the Trust Union and the empire go to war, the Shining Lord Ras Hand won't withdraw his power."
"Th-that... makes sense?"
Prince Castella explained that just as nature operated on survival of the fittest, the gods' system followed equal rules, granting equal love based on faith. Believing the same religion didn't make enmity strange. With a sigh, he confessed his anxiety: the current empire had the emperor bedridden, nobles rapidly corrupting, and the nation teetering on collapse.
"They kicked me off the throne, exiled me to the boonies without even a single guard. What more is there to say?"
"Even though you're the wielder of a hero's cursed sword?"
"Since only I can use it, maybe they just dumped the unmanageable thing with me."
A hero's Armageddon Sword, no less...? Was the empire foolish or bold? I couldn't tell.
He described how nobles passed down wealth and power across generations, breeding young ones swollen with ambition and arrogance unfit for their stations. To secure the throne, they courted even idiots for support, creating a political mess dirtier than a battlefield. From children's betrothals to assassinations and frame-ups, the tales never ended, and he shrugged.
"On top of that, lately the nobles hate sharing gods with the Trust Union and want to worship Captain Eagle, who ascended as a dragon after death. The first emperor championed the Shining Lord, saying he returned to his original place, not became a god... but they don't even know their history."
Lamenting that old nobles knew less history than he did, he gazed wistfully at the distant sea. They trampled striving citizens under power and position, rewrote history and tradition on whims, and challenged the emperor's authority. "I only know the sword. Being born royal was a blessing, but watching a long-lived empire rot from within hurts. Changing faiths just like that?"
"Does that happen so easily?"
"The nobles have poured massive investments already; hero-worship priests are multiplying. Faith in heroes bows to nothing... No wonder they told an exile like me I could rejoin the succession if I fetch the holy relic. But I won't hand a hero's artifact to rotten nobles—I'm running with it! These wings are a godsend!"
Truly Kid's twin in personality, he bragged about his wings, spreading them wide. Feeling stuffy on deck, he flew off for an aerial stroll. Maybe that's why the hero's cursed sword chose him—inflicting no harm on its master, or so they said.
As the prince departed, Miss Mortis approached me.
"The empire's gunning for the Pirate King over slave ship raids... Foolish. Charging in without proper support. They've ruined the navy's prestige themselves; it's not what it was. If they topple the Pirate King, they'll occupy territory with empty promises of protection... or enslave folks from old lands for 'betrayal,' as before."
"Worst case."
"And though the prince didn't say, the Trust Union suffered massive losses from the Evil God, so the empire sees now as prime time to reclaim lands. They're gearing for war... the admiral told me."
That was truly the worst. Not rumor—the navy admiral confirmed it meant war could erupt anytime. Navy would matter more then, but Admiral Shark opposed it outright, so nobles were buying ships to form private forces... How reckless could they get? My mind blanked.
"...The Pirate King surely links to the organization that attacked Sea Witch Circe. We'll cross paths. If we kill him, it'll stir trouble here regardless. But I don't want to let him live either."
Hmm, another headache. Fighting the Pirate King meant going all-out—no holding back. With Circe and the Sea Tritons here, he'd come at us seriously if he learned. Miss Mortis had kept our true voyage secret but urged caution just in case.
"We said we're hunting treasure due to All Gods Temple orphan surge and funding shortages from Evil God damage."
"Plausible excuse."
"Sigh... If Edward hadn't revealed the sea charts to everyone, we wouldn't have this mess..."
Rubbing her throbbing head, she said we'd resupply at the next island. Treasure there too—retrieve it discreetly if possible. She'd planned to split from the imperial ship if not rushed. Traveling together just painted targets: Pirate King or Holy Eagle Kingdom. Wind spirits blew from the direction we headed—toward elves, risking encounter. She rubbed her brow, at a loss for words.
"Do you know how elves fight?"
"No, not really."
"Urgh... Dullahan advantage over elves comes from resistance to their vicious tricks."
She asked if I knew the brainstem—the stem-like brain structure linking major sensory/motor circuits, cerebellum paths, cranial nerves... Crucial, obviously. I said yes. Laughing, she noted dullahan lack it... then said elves wield a sort of superpower.
"Psychic energy, they call it. Secret art mastered only by Great Forest elves. They teleport-snatch the brainstem via spatial warp. Instant vegetable state. What happens next to elf victims?"
"......"
"Beating elves needs massive resistance, skills, immense mana. Dullahan have sky-high innate resistance—that's why 'Elf Butcher' nickname. Against non-top-tier elves... I could buy time solo."
Of course, she flatly said winning with current gear was impossible even postmortem. Bopal Weapon could behead them fatally, but elves weren't easy targets. Near-immortal monsters with eons of experience. Fail the opener, and telekinesis rips limbs. Her father told her that.
"Never seen it myself... but eye contact overloading comrades' brains to burst? That I have."
"...So they use superpowers? Elves?"
"Magic too; earth mother god followers wield holy power... super-regen grows limbs back fast."
......Nightmarish horrors. I prayed we'd never meet—but fat chance.
"Land ho!!"
A crewman shouted as Prince Castella descended to deck. Kid looked uneasy, harpoon over shoulder, staring silently at the island before glancing at the captain emerging from her quarters, then turning away.
"Bro, what kinda mess awaits us ahead?"
"Don't imagine. When have we ever met what we expected?"
Just pray for the Goddess of Fate's guidance.