Chapter 201: Book 15(3)
Chapter 201: Book 15(3)
To summarize the information brought back by the delegation that had hurriedly returned from Animus, it was roughly as follows:
A rebellion, or rather a coup d'état, had occurred, and the Grand Chieftain had lost his life.
The beastkin who subsequently took the throne ruled for a time, only to lose his life as well after a challenge of 'Holmgang' was issued against him. Because of this, the position of Grand Chieftain was currently vacant, and the nation was reportedly in a state of internal turmoil over the succession.
When a nation is established, a power elite is formed, and it is only natural for people to become dissatisfied with that elite—especially when the class system itself represents the height of irrationality and inequality.
However, if the ruling class governs well and remains uncorrupted, the likelihood of rebellion decreases significantly.
Even if someone blinded by ambition starts a revolt, if it proceeds without legitimacy or a clear cause, that nation is headed for ruin.
The most prominent example of this would be the Jayros Revolution that broke out in the Kingdom of Ters. The Kingdom of Ters is a cultural powerhouse, regarded as a country as beautiful as Albenheim.
Yet, before the Jayros Revolution, culture—specifically art—was the exclusive domain of the nobility. Commoners were not permitted to enjoy culture, and the reputation of being a 'country of culture' only applied to a tiny fraction of the population.
What if a commoner practiced art? They were immediately suppressed and thrown into prison. In severe cases, they were punished by having both hands severed, subjected to horrific agony.
Seeing this, several high-ranking nobles with a conscience protested to the leadership, but the only response they received was demotion and the stripping of their status. This became the catalyst for the Jayros Revolution.
Although the Jayros Revolution failed to completely overthrow the upper echelons, the King was replaced, and more importantly, art began to permeate the lives of the common people. It was thanks to this that the Kingdom of Ters earned its title as a land of culture.
Of course, no one knows exactly how much blood and sweat was shed to earn that title. In this way, a rebellion itself provides a snapshot of a country's history.
[It shows what happens to a country that remains faithful only to tradition. Once a civilization is established, traditions that harm that civilization must be discarded.]
[Even if not discarded, there must be flexibility to avoid falling into chaos.]
[Hik provided the momentum to unite the beastkin through culture and tradition, but ironically, that same culture and tradition are once again dividing Animus.]
The coup in Animus could be seen as a natural phenomenon, but it was slightly different. According to the delegation, the Grand Chieftain had changed several times in the past ten years.
Due to the unique culture of 'Holmgang,' the throne had repeatedly become vacant, leaving the country in a state of confusion.
Apparently, the original Grand Chieftain was benevolent and wise, ruling Animus well and actively engaging in exchange with neighboring countries. But that was no longer the case. The subsequent rulers were openly tyrannical and lecherous, leading to their deaths via Holmgang in less than two years.
Since then, Animus had split into two factions over the position of Grand Chieftain. One faction, centered around lion beastkin like Leona, placed great importance on 'legitimacy.'
The opposing faction argued for the abolition of the traditions that had shaken the nation's foundations, suggesting that the state should be managed through a system other than a Grand Chieftain. This faction lacked a singular central figure, but the majority were leaning toward the total abolition of tradition.
In other words, it was a confrontation between a stubborn king and ministers faithful only to legitimacy, and those who wanted change. The reason the throne remained vacant was that these two factions could not find a suitable compromise.
The reason Holmgang was being invoked so recklessly was, ironically, because the justification for it was being met. Since the two sides couldn't communicate, Holmgang occurred incessantly, and as a result, the tradition itself was being tarnished.
If things continued this way, Animus would lose its way entirely, and its very foundations would be uprooted. The two factions weren't fools, so they were doing everything they could to prevent this news from leaking out.
Of course, that effort went up in smoke the moment Volume 15 of the Xenon Biography was released. They were probably sharpening their blades, looking for me right about now.
It was a story of a distant land, but since I was indirectly involved, I couldn't help but feel nervous.
'Luminous-nim.'
[Speak, child.]
'I'm really not a regressor who lost his memory or a prophet or anything, right?'
[... ...]
At this point, my "batting average" for predicting the future was so high I didn't even know how many home runs I'd hit. I was so suspicious of myself that I had personally visited the Temple of Luminous.
I had this absurd doubt—what if, as the articles speculated, I simply couldn't remember because of some restriction? At first, I dismissed it as nonsense, but as these incidents kept happening one after another, the seeds of doubt began to sprout.
Of course, I knew it was a ridiculous idea. Still, in this world, there's always a 'what if.'
Because of the incident involving Animus, the way people around me looked at me had turned strange. Marie had even asked me point-blank, "Are you really a person from the future?" That should give you an idea of the atmosphere.
[Absolutely not. I can swear this on my divinity. You are merely a soul that crossed over from Earth to this place—just an ordinary novelist.]
'Then why do these things happen with every new volume? Can this really be called a coincidence?'
[...To be honest, I find it just as absurd as you do.]
'... ...'
Even a god was reacting with a "this is a bit much..." It was baffling, but thanks to that, my trust in his words shot up.
In truth, questioning Luminous like this was half-complaint, half-venting. It felt like the world wouldn't leave me alone; every time I did something, it was forcibly tied to reality. It was enough to bring me to tears.
Luminous advised me that things would improve over time, but if things kept going like this, there would be no solution. I had to find a way to resolve this somehow...
'...Is there really nothing that can be done?'
[Would you like to regress to a few days ago and rewrite everything? With your current sacred power, a regression of up to two weeks is possible.]
'No, I'll pass. I don't want to scrap the story, and I'm not that desperate.'
Regression was an act for desperate situations, not for something like this. I'd rather just endure it.
Besides, even if I changed the story, people would surely find something else to nitpick. In the current situation, something was bound to happen regardless.
Therefore, there was only one thing for me to do right now.
'...Instead, could you give me some divine power? I've been dealing with a lot of exhausting things lately.'
[Are those girls bothering you that much?]
'There's that, but the general situation is just tiring.'
I needed to receive divine power from Luminous to clear the stress and fatigue that had been piling up for days.
The external situation was one thing, but fundamentally, Marie and Cecile were taking turns wearing me out.
I had barely managed to reach a compromise, but last time, they got into a fight over who would go first, which put me in a very awkward position. To make matters worse, Lina, who was sitting across from us, kept blushing.
I don't know what she's thinking, but her face turns red every time our eyes meet. It's been happening more often lately, and whenever Marie or Cecile gives me "the signal," she subtly asks where I'm going.
I doubt she has those kinds of tastes, but it made me feel strangely uneasy.
[There will be more than just those girls... If you're struggling this much already...]
'Huh? What was that?'
[It's nothing. And child, I wouldn't recommend coming to receive divine power recklessly just because you're tired. You should build up your physical stamina; using divine power as a substitute makes it meaningless in the long run.]
'I'm trying, but it's hard to increase stamina in a short period. For now, this is my only option.'
[Hmm...]
Luminous seemed to ponder my words for a moment before speaking of a certain method.
[There is one way to increase your stamina in a short time. It would be a very suitable method for you, especially since your sacred power is nearly infinite.]
'Oh? Can you tell me?'
[I have no problem telling you... but there will be a slight change. Just as your hair grew longer according to Mora's taste, using this method will cause your body to emit the scent of lilacs.]
'Ah, I've heard of that.'
Believers favored by the gods undergo various changes. A representative example is their body scent.
According to mythology, Luminous loves the scent of lilacs, and the more favor a believer receives from him, the more they smell of lilacs. Because of this, there is a culture among Luminous's followers of using lilac perfume.
Similarly, Mora's followers emit a peach scent, and those favored by Hart—the mother of the siblings and the Goddess of Nature—emit a completely different aura.
'Don't tell me Luminous-nim is going to do something weird like Mora-nim...'
[I am different from that flighty girl. The lilac scent alone is enough.]
As expected of siblings, he treated Mora like a flighty child. Seen this way, they were truly human-like gods.
'Thank you. Then, could you tell me what that method is?'
[How much do you know about Paladins?]
'Paladins...'
As everyone knows, Paladins are the martial force of the Church. Since they use force directly, they use their divine power for physical enhancement rather than healing. Kate, the Grand Inquisitor and Cardinal, is a Paladin.
Usually, Paladins hold a much higher rank than ordinary priests. Since they never neglect their personal training while also keeping up with their prayers, they are the epitome of being skilled in both literary and martial arts, which is why their rank is so high.
Furthermore, Paladins use not only mana but also divine power, making them twice as strong as ordinary knights. Rumor had it that Kate's skills were on par with an Elven Warlord, which gave a rough idea of her strength.
[The reason Paladins can be so strong is divine power. The body remembers physical enhancement performed with divine power. Physical training that consumes divine power is significantly more efficient than training that consumes ordinary mana.]
'But I don't know how to use divine power.'
[You don't need to worry about that. Divine power and mana have the property of mixing with each other. You can consider your mana to be divine power itself.]
'You should have told me sooner.'
[Oh, hush. Anyway, do you accept?]
'Yes.'
I'd be an idiot to refuse when I could receive nearly infinite divine power. The fact that I would smell strongly of lilacs wasn't a problem either.
If anything, having my body scent change to something sweet like flowers was only a benefit. I wasn't the type to wear perfume anyway.
[...Though it will make it easier for her to find you.]
'Pardon?'
[It's nothing.]
After receiving the divine power, I stepped out of the private chapel.
Sniff, sniff. "This... isn't this a bit much?"
I could vividly sense the intense scent of lilacs radiating from my body.
*
Creeak—
It was not long after Isaac had left the private chapel. The door to the private chapel right next to his opened, and a woman appeared.
She was a beauty with golden hair braided into a single strand that shone like a fresh meadow, and emerald eyes that left a lasting impression.
She had an expression that seemed infinitely benevolent, possessing a pure beauty like a girl who had grown up in the countryside.
She was wearing the white vestments typically worn by the Church of Luminous, which emphasized her figure without reservation.
From her full bosom to her slender waist and wide hips, and finally, her pale thighs revealed through the side slits of her robe.
Her name was Kate Louise Angelica—a Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor who, until just a few days ago, had been smashing the heads of demon worshippers with a mace.
Contrary to her appearance, she was a Paladin famous for her ruthless nature regarding heretics and demons.
"...Hm?"
As soon as Kate stepped outside, she blinked her green eyes and twitched her nose. At first, she wasn't sure, but the intense scent of lilacs forced its way into her nostrils.
As she continued to sniff the air and look around, a female believer approached her.
"Is your prayer finished, Cardinal Kate?"
"Sniff... Ah, yes. Sister Anna. But this smell..."
"Ah, you mean the scent? I'm not sure who it was, but it seems someone came by wearing a lot of lilac perfume."
Perfume... The believer thought nothing of it, but Kate inwardly disagreed. Because this was absolutely not an artificial fragrance.
The reason she could distinguish between artificial perfume and a natural scent was simple: as someone favored by God, she also emitted a strong lilac scent.
And the scent currently lingering outside the chapel was strikingly identical to her own. In other words, someone who frequented this temple was receiving Luminous's favor.
At this, Kate asked the believer with a smile as benevolent as a saint's.
"The scent is still quite thick, so they must have just passed by. Who was here?"
"Oh, no one special, but one person did just come out of the neighboring chapel. His name was... Isaac, I think? He was a man with striking red hair and golden eyes."
"Ah, I see... Wait. Did you say red hair and golden eyes?"
"Yes."
"Red hair and golden eyes..."
Kate stroked her chin, lost in thought as if something was bothering her. The combination of red hair and golden eyes was rare anywhere in the world.
In the first place, red hair itself was quite uncommon.
'The oracle clearly said...'
Kate emerged from her thoughts, carefully recalling the oracle Luminous had given her. The oracle was so vague that it was difficult to make a hasty judgment.
She might point a finger at an innocent person, so verifying it herself was the priority. She questioned the believer again.
"Did you say that believer's name was Isaac? Do you happen to know where he lives?"
"Judging by his uniform, he seemed to be a student at Halo Academy... Most likely."
"The Academy... I see."
Kate then spoke with a kind smile.
"You've been a great help."
She said this while gently placing a hand on her lower abdomen.