Chapter 367: Book 27(3)
Chapter 367: Book 27(3)
Whether Kate was standing beside me in genuine awe or not, the gravity of the situation didn't quite hit me. If anything, I was just bewildered.
I understood exactly what Musk was trying to say: grant a private audience with me to the person who slays the most demon worshippers.
On the surface, it might seem like a typical event, but this wasn't just any event—people would have to put their lives on the line.
There were plenty of other ways to get a private meeting with me without going that far. I spoke up, my voice tinged with caution.
"Um... Mr. Musk? Is a private audience with me really worth that much? I don't think it's something people should be risking their lives for..."
"Then, Sir Isaac, would you care to tell me what other events you have in mind?"
"Well..."
I paused to think it over. First, I had to consider my current position and authority.
Back in my previous life, there was a playful nickname for the President of the United States: the President of the World.
While it was mostly a joke, it perfectly encapsulated the sheer influence and authority the U.S. exerted globally. Historically, no empire had ever been as powerful, and many nations, including the Soviet Union, had challenged that hegemony only to crumble.
I currently possessed authority and prestige that surpassed even that of a U.S. President. It was just a comparison, of course, but it meant my influence was that absolute.
In fact, even though she had her own ulterior motives, Arwen had essentially offered herself to me as a gift.
While the people of Albenheim had taken the initiative, my status was high enough that they were willing to offer their own Queen as a "tribute."
To get a private audience with someone like that...
One would either have to save a nation from a crisis or achieve a feat of national prestige significant enough to be recorded in history books.
And I was the man who had saved the world from a crisis with a single book. Regardless of public perception, that was an undeniable fact.
I had prevented the pollution of the World Tree's roots and brought the existence of demon worshippers, who had been operating in the shadows, into the light.
Not only that, but I had easily fulfilled the long-standing desires of the demon race and contributed immensely to cultural development.
...Wait, there really isn't any other way to get a private meeting, is there?
It would be different if a sport I liked existed in this world. If that were the case, I could just ask to meet the top athletes myself.
But this world didn't even have simple sports, let alone something like the Olympics.
The most famous thing was probably jousting. While something similar to the Olympics would eventually appear in Animus, I didn't have much interest in it.
Given the era, there were no fields where one could truly bring glory to their nation. Unless you were slaying dragons like my father, it was incredibly difficult to even meet an Emperor or a King.
Unless you were born a noble, this was a world where you literally had to put your life on the line to meet someone of high status.
"...I suppose there isn't."
"Sir Isaac, you need to think carefully about the position you hold. Even the elves must look up to the feats you have achieved."
"Hearing you say that makes me feel quite embarrassed."
"I am merely stating the facts."
Musk maintained his genial smile and nodded. I could only manage a bitter smile in return.
Part of me wanted to suggest a different kind of event, but I knew those around me would complain that it would lower my value.
They say power should be used by those who know how to use it, but even with such absolute influence, my daily life remained the same, so it didn't really feel real to me.
"So, are we moving forward with the plan to hunt down demon worshippers?"
"I am merely making a suggestion; the final choice is entirely yours, Sir Isaac."
"In that case..."
I trailed off, hesitating. I felt an intense gaze coming from right beside me.
Turning my head, I saw Kate fidgeting like a puppy that desperately needed to go outside.
Hurry up and decide, her eyes seemed to say. Choose the demon worshipper hunt.
Her blue eyes, which were a deeper shade than Adelia's, were a swirling mix of anticipation and anxiety.
"...You're saying this because you already have a plan, right?"
"Phew."
When I gave a positive response, Kate let out a sigh of relief for some reason.
I wondered if she was planning to participate in the event herself, but for now, my conversation with Musk took priority.
The event Musk proposed would certainly be effective, but it would also have proportional side effects.
"Of course. While the number of demon worshippers killed is important, they aren't all just low-level grunts. Isn't that right, Cardinal Kate?"
"Yes, that is correct. Just as insects grow into adults, demon worshippers are divided into different ranks."
At Musk's question, Kate replied using her usual insect metaphor.
If there was one thing she was an expert in, it was demon worshippers. She had been cracking their skulls long before she met me, and she had recently even captured a fallen Cardinal.
She stole a glance at me before continuing in her characteristically soft voice.
"Demon worshippers carry specific marks. The grunts only have necklaces or rings, but those above them have patterns engraved on their bodies. However, these patterns aren't visible under normal circumstances, making them difficult to identify at a glance."
"Hmm... if it's a pattern, it might be hard to use as evidence. Will that be okay?"
"Oh, don't worry about that. You can just flay the skin off entirely."
"..."
Kate spoke with the casual nuance of a butcher explaining how to slaughter a pig. Both Musk and I were left speechless.
It might be fine for Kate, who had been joyfully slaughtering demon worshippers until now, but Musk and I were people far removed from such bloodshed.
Hearing her say something so spine-chilling with such ease was deeply unsettling.
"I-I see. Is there anything else?"
"If flaying the skin is too difficult, they could just take the head, or perhaps extract the heart..."
"Ugh..."
Before Kate could even finish, Musk shuddered and shook his head.
Feeling the goosebumps rising on my own arms, I instinctively shifted away from her.
From Kate's perspective, this was just part of the job, but for people like Musk and me, who weren't accustomed to violence, just imagining it was gruesome.
That didn't mean she was a psychopath or a thrill-killer, though. She simply viewed demon worshippers as literal vermin.
Her faith was intensely fierce, but the fact that she was a good person remained unchanged.
...Probably.
"...Anyway, um... I think we should set up a point system based on the rank. It would be better for the Order to handle this rather than the state."
"Of course. The Church of Luminous has already declared a Holy War, so we will gladly accept. Oh! And we should also inform the Mora Sect."
"Who should we contact? I'm familiar with the Church of Luminous, but I don't know much about the Mora Sect."
"There is Princess Cecile. She is someone who has directly received Sir Isaac's light."
"..."
Upon hearing Kate's answer, Musk looked at me with a complicated expression. He looked like he had a lot to say but was choosing to keep it to himself.
I had a feeling I knew what he was thinking, so I just shrugged. Anything I said now would just sound like an excuse.
"I see. Then the two denominations can coordinate to determine the exact rankings. While you're at it, please share your expertise and any precautions."
"I shall take that to heart."
"The only thing left is the potential side effects... What will we do if, by some chance, there are innocent victims?"
That was my biggest concern. The intention was good, but there was a high chance of something unfortunate happening during the process.
Even in my previous life, there were plenty of people who would exploit human lives for profit; it would be even worse here, not better.
Specifically, there was the risk of a "witch hunt," where innocent people could be branded as demon worshippers.
There was also a strong possibility of people being swept up in madness—torturing or burning anyone with even the slightest connection to the cult.
It had happened before in the past, to the point where Luminous himself had to intervene. History has a way of repeating itself; a good intention could easily lead to the same tragedy.
"We will do our utmost to prevent innocent victims. But if such a thing were to happen..."
"Then I will cancel it immediately."
Just as Kate trailed off, unable to think of a proper solution, I stepped in.
All eyes turned to me. Under their collective gaze, I spoke in a flat, firm voice.
"Losing ten demon worshippers is less painful than a single innocent person being sacrificed. Whether it's a mistake or intentional, if such a thing happens, I will cancel this entire endeavor immediately."
"But the demon worshippers who escape could cause even greater damage—"
"If you want to be cursed out by me, then go ahead. In the first place, don't demon worshippers mostly live in the shadows and rarely come out into the light? And even if they hide their identity, don't they show a rejection reaction if you apply even a little bit of divine power? To kill someone without even checking that is just murder, isn't it?"
"I-I understand. I spoke out of turn."
When I took an unusually firm stance, Kate conceded with a flustered expression. Musk also looked at me with surprise.
Nothing would be more tragic than an innocent person bleeding just for the sake of meeting me. If such a person appeared, I intended to take full responsibility.
Anyway, now that the path was somewhat set, we decided to let the denominations work out the details.
The important thing to watch out for was not to execute people just for having a minor connection to demon worshippers. The cult's reach was incredibly vast.
In fact, there were frequent reports of neighbors being secret demon worshippers, and there were even some among mercenaries and adventurers.
"A mercenary I once hired turned out to be a demon worshipper as well. It gave me a lot to think about."
"Wasn't that incredibly dangerous?"
"If I hadn't been carrying potions with me at all times, I wouldn't be in this world anymore."
Musk was actually one of the victims. The fact that a mercenary he hired for protection was a demon worshipper...
Fortunately, he barely survived thanks to his potions, but it was an incident where he could have lost his life in vain.
"We'll leave the rest to the Church, but there's one more crucial part: the rewards."
"A private audience with me isn't enough, is it?"
Honestly, for an event where people were risking their lives, a private meeting felt a bit lacking.
Of course, I would provide signed copies or engage in light skinship as additional rewards, but even that felt insufficient—
"No. It is not lacking at all. A private audience with Sir Isaac is an honor one might not achieve in a lifetime. How could you say it's 'not enough'? I must repeat myself: you need to realize the position you hold."
"...Fine. Then what are the other rewards?"
"First place gets the private audience, and there will be rewards for others who achieve significant feats. A prime example would be signed copies of your books."
"...I'll think about that as we go."
The private audience alone was enough to make my head spin, but making my signed books a reward? It made sense, yet I found it hard to wrap my head around.
Musk didn't seem too concerned, as if he planned to figure out the rewards slowly. The most important thing was getting my permission.
Besides, he mentioned he planned to release a large amount of prize money regardless of those rewards. That was a matter of contracting with the Church, so it wasn't something I needed to get involved in.
As everything was being settled one by one and I had accepted all of Musk's proposals...
"Sir Isaac? May I ask a favor?"
"A favor?"
Kate suddenly made a request. It was extremely rare for her to ask for anything, so I couldn't help but be curious.
And her subsequent request was enough to leave me utterly dumbfounded.
"I would like to step down from my position as your guard for a while so that I may hunt demon worshippers."
"...You want to participate too, Kate?"
"Yes. How could I throw away a chance to have a private audience with you?"
"No, I mean... that's... sigh."
I had a nagging suspicion, but I never thought it would actually come true. I wiped my face with one hand in frustration.
She was the type of person who was incredibly stubborn about certain things. Even if I told her she didn't need to do that, she would probably shake her head and say it would be unfair to others.
But I couldn't just let her leave her post. Adelia was there, but you could search the whole world and barely find anyone as reliable as Kate.
Of course, I could be guarded by the Reaper, Helium's secret organization, but there was no way they had divine power comparable to Kate's.
"I refuse. No matter what reason you give, the answer is no."
"Why? As a faithful servant of Luminous, I wish to earn a private audience with you."
"Will you still say that even if I tell you that you're already more than qualified for one?"
"That would be unfair to everyone else, wouldn't it?"
I knew she'd say that. I let out a hollow laugh, then spoke in a calm voice.
"It's fine."
"But—"
"Because I can't be without you, Kate."
"...Pardon?"
At my answer, Kate blinked in utter shock. Realizing I couldn't miss this chance, I hurried to continue.
"I'm saying I need you by my side. So, I'll give you all the private audiences you want, just don't even think about stepping down as my guard. Got it?"
"..."
"Kate?"
"Haa..."
What's wrong with this woman? Why are her eyes suddenly losing focus? And what's with that heavy breathing?
While I was standing there bewildered, Kate gazed at me with dreamy eyes before slowly covering her face with both hands.
Her face flushed deep red, and with a strangely seductive aura, she quietly whispered.
"I... understand."
"..."
"I will protect you... for the rest of my life."
I didn't say anything about "for the rest of your life," though.
"Ho ho ho. I'll be taking my leave now. Farewell!"
And why are you running away again?