Chapter 426: A Funeral, Not a Festival(2)
Chapter 426: A Funeral, Not a Festival(2)
Throughout my past and current lives, I’ve seen and experienced all sorts of absurd things. In my past life, it was through the internet; in this life, it’s through a constant stream of "Why is this real?" moments.
However, when it comes to the "Why is this real?" situations in this life, I’ve learned to just shrug them off and move on. Besides, I already heard from Clark that the origin of demons was actually human.
In other words, I can handle any absurdity with composure now. Furthermore, according to the rumors trickling in, an expedition team is currently being formed to conquer the Grey Desert.
So, my plan for this vacation was to relax, brainstorm my next work, and write some side stories.
"We appeal to Lady Mora. Please, for the one who devoted himself even unto becoming a demon to protect his love..."
...Until a funeral suddenly broke out in our territory. My head, which had been full of plans, was now filled with nothing but utter confusion.
What exactly am I looking at right now? What on earth is happening? Is what I’m seeing really a "funeral"?
Of course, it certainly looked like one. Most of the people were dressed in black, and even their hats were black.
This applied to everyone, regardless of age, gender, or race. In this world, too, black was the color that symbolized "death."
Therefore, as a rule, everyone should be dressed in black if it were a real funeral. Even the usually boisterous Dwarves were wearing black, which said it all.
But why was this happening in our territory? And...
"Jin Tragedy, the symbol of the demon race's tragedy, devoted his entire life to only one person: Lily Salbei. He displayed a loyalty that serves as an example not only to demons but to all knights..."
Why were they holding a funeral for Jin, a character from Xenon's Biography? It was a situation I couldn't wrap my head around.
By the standards of the people in this world, Jin's sacrifice was a scene that couldn't be watched without tears.
It felt like dropping a glob of wasabi onto a tongue that only knew mild flavors. Earth, being accustomed to "spicy" plots, might have endured it, but it seemed the people of this world could not.
Otherwise, it made no sense to hold a funeral just because a character in a book died.
What really took the wind out of my sails was how seriously the ceremony was being conducted.
There was a white inverted cross—the symbol of rest, death, and Mora. If this were Earth, it would have been a regular cross, not an inverted one.
In front of a coffin adorned with that inverted cross, a priest was praying solemnly. Surprisingly, it was a demon priest.
Judging by the inverted cross necklace around his neck, he seemed to be a priest of the Mora Sect, and one of quite high rank at that.
'It’s so serious I’m speechless.'
Whether he was using magic or just had a naturally resonant voice, his quiet words carried clearly to everyone's ears.
As I heard, the content of the prayer was mostly a memorial for Jin. He also took the opportunity to mention the noble destiny of the demon race.
This alone was enough to make me let out a hollow laugh, but the reactions of the people attending the funeral(?) were even more of a spectacle.
"Oh, Mora... please grant rest to this noble soul who never knew happiness..."
"Happiness... isn't something you can just taste a little bit of..."
"I wish he had just defeated Diabolus and ended it there, even if the story turned out bland..."
The mourners—if I could even call them that—were grieving with all their hearts. To make matters worse, some were even sobbing, perhaps due to their overflowing sensitivity.
I had seen in the newspapers that people who were deeply invested in the Jin-Lily couple tended to be quite emotional and even a bit radical.
Since the story was seasoned with all sorts of flavors—sweet, spicy, bitter, and salty—it was only natural for them to get sucked in.
But since a massive amount of "wasabi" had been dropped recently, not only their tongues but their eyes were bound to be stinging.
'This makes it feel like I actually killed Jin. I mean, I did kill him, but...'
I didn't know what to call it. Should I call it indirect murder?
Since I, the author, killed a character I created, it had become a murder that wasn't quite a murder. This was exactly why I had a premonition that I’d be screwed the moment my identity was revealed.
It wasn't an exaggeration; I felt like something bad would happen the moment I showed my face. I wanted to get out of here, but there was nowhere to go.
I had moved closer just to take a peek, and now the rows behind me were packed. But more importantly...
'Why is Mother over there...?'
My mother was standing right in the path leading to the mansion. She was wearing the same outfit she had on before she left for the temple.
I had wondered what she meant when she said there was a funeral today, but I never imagined it would be something like this.
As if to announce that she was the mastermind behind this event, there was no one immediately around her, and she stood quietly behind the mourning priest.
'Well, I suppose it's good for the residents...'
I sighed inwardly and looked toward the back. Unlike the dead-serious funeral, the rear was somewhat bustling.
Perhaps it was because, despite being a funeral, it was ultimately closer to an "event." Or perhaps it was because there were so many people guarding the procession.
Regardless of whether a funeral was in progress, the residents were moving busily back and forth. Most were people involved in the food and lodging industries.
There was no way this many people would leave in a single day. In other words, they would be staying in our territory for at least three days.
Furthermore, a funeral doesn't always have to be solemn. Depending on the culture, it can turn into a literal festival.
Take the Dwarves, for example. Since Dwarves are cheerful by nature, even their funerals have a jovial side.
They might pour beer into the deceased's mouth or talk to them as if they were still alive.
It’s a unique Dwarven culture that says if you’re going to send someone off, you might as well do it happily.
Even if they weren't Dwarves, these people probably knew deep down that this wasn't a real funeral, but an event.
It was like a fan meetup dedicated to a single character.
The only problem was that the scale was ridiculously large.
"...And so, may he enter into peaceful rest. May Mora watch over this pitiful soul."
The long memorial address finally ended. The priest maintained his solemn posture until the very end as he stepped away.
As he left, the person who walked up to the coffin was none other than my mother.
She was usually beautiful enough to rival a young maiden even without makeup, but since she had clearly dressed up for the occasion, she looked even more stunning.
It almost felt like the makeup was hiding her natural beauty. In fact, she was the type of person on whom makeup didn't always sit well because her natural features were so striking.
While I was lost in those thoughts, Mother stood before the vast crowd, scanned the audience, and gave a gentle smile.
"To all of you who love Xenon's Biography. Thank you so much for attending despite your busy schedules. My name is Anna Ducard Maishal. I am the mother of Xenon, the author of Xenon's Biography, and like all of you, I am a reader who loves the story."
Mother introduced herself and bowed politely. Her navy-blue hair fell forward slowly.
Between her beauty and the way she showed such courtesy despite being a noble, the crowd welcomed her with quiet applause.
Straightening her back, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued in her characteristically soft voice.
"Most of you are probably shocked by Jin's death. I am as well. To be honest, I never imagined so many people would participate. Even though the character named Jin is loved by many, he is ultimately a fictional character. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who came to mourn such a character."
"..."
"By any chance, have you all seen the recently released epilogue?"
"We read it together in the capital before coming here," the demon priest who had recited the memorial address replied quietly.
Since the epilogue was shorter than the main story, it would have been easy for everyone to pass it around and read it.
"I see. Then you must all know. Jin's resurrection can never happen. His soul has grown to a size close to that of a transcendent being, so a mortal vessel cannot contain it, and the conditions to resurrect him as an angel are not met. This was explained in detail in the work."
"A story is just a story! Can't he just be resurrected anyway!"
"That's right! Since it's a fictional story, it doesn't matter if you add fictional elements!"
"Please, make it happen!"
Perhaps they were upset that even Mother was driving a nail into the coffin of Jin's death. The mourners(....), who were presumably readers, raised their voices.
There were those shouting with tearful voices as if they had just been crying, those shouting with genuine sincerity, and those shouting just for the fun of it.
They all harbored different emotions, but their goal was the same: forget everything else and bring Jin back to life.
Mother seemed to understand their feelings well, as she nodded once and spoke quietly.
"My heart is the same as yours. However, I am merely Xenon's biological mother; I have no authority to touch the work. Therefore, Jin's death is solely up to Xenon. I am certain that if you all join your voices, the outcome can surely change."
At those words, the people began to murmur. Their expressions and the overall atmosphere suggested they were convinced.
Watching their reactions, I couldn't help but let out another hollow laugh. I felt truly sorry to say this about my mother, but her ability to manipulate a crowd was no joke.
Setting aside the fact that she gathered people through an event called a funeral, she knew exactly what they wanted.
"So, please stay here for a while and raise your voices together. My son... no, Xenon is a bit stubborn, but he is an author after all. There is no author in this world who will not bend their will to the collective voice of their readers."
"Um... but is it really okay for us to do this? Xenon is an author, but he's also a prophet favored by the gods. If he scolds us for trying to change a prophecy recklessly..."
While Mother was speaking, a woman cautiously raised her hand and asked. Black hair, red eyes, and horns on her head. Surprisingly, she was a demon.
The others nodded as if they agreed with her valid point.
It was embarrassing to hear it directly, but from a public perspective, she was right. As she said, I was someone who enjoyed the deep favor of the gods.
Just for doing something like this, I could technically hand out severe punishments for their "insolence."
Of course, given the nature of the gods who love their creations, the chance of that happening was near zero, but it was natural to feel anxious since no one knew where the line was drawn.
"You don't need to worry about that. It's true that Xenon's Biography is a book of prophecy, but it is only a book of prophecy, and above all, we have already changed the future through Xenon's Biography. In other words, we also have the right to change the future."
But Mother answered calmly, as if she had expected this question.
It was a bit of a sophistry, but her warm smile and the atmosphere she created prevented anyone from digging deeper.
The demon who had asked the question looked a bit unconvinced but asked back in a barely audible whisper.
"Is... that so?"
"Yes. Instead, it will only be possible within the allowed range. As stated in the epilogue, resurrecting Jin as an angel is impossible even for the gods, so that can't be helped. However, reincarnating him as a mortal should be possible. The gods in the book only said it would be difficult, not impossible."
That was true. The epilogue described resurrecting Jin as an angel as impossible and reincarnating him as a mortal as extremely difficult.
But "difficult" was just a word; it was practically impossible. To reincarnate him as a mortal, Diabolus's soul, which had fused with Jin's, had to be separated.
I had asked the gods directly how hard that would be. And the answer I got was quite something.
'Did they say it would be like grabbing a random handful of sand in a vast desert and having that sand be the exact soul you wanted?'
Finding a needle in a haystack was at least possible; this was a matter of impossible odds. Odds worse than winning the lottery.
For the record, the explanation that followed was even more incredible. They said the odds of me reincarnating here were even more astronomical than that.
"By the way, why can't the gods resurrect an angel?"
"Maybe they were cursed by a demon?"
"For that to be the case, not a single angel was seen even during the Demon War."
"Since it was said that the elves tore off their own wings and came down, their sin against the gods must have been great. I think a restriction was placed then."
"My opinion is..."
A brief period of discussion among the readers followed. Mother waited patiently until the crowd grew quiet.
After a bit of time had passed and the audience settled down, Mother gave another bright smile and continued.
"As you just saw, opinions are divided in countless ways. If things get heated like this, the possibility of a fight breaking out increases. So, we are simply going to ask Xenon. He must surely know a way to resurrect Jin as well."
I don't.
"Since he sees a future further than ours, he must know."
I said I don't.
"The proof of this is Jin's demonization. Who would have believed that was possible? But Jin proved it by describing it in the book. Seeing this, it must surely be possible."
That was a total forced angst, Mother. It's unfair.
"Until then, we will mourn for Jin here and pray until Xenon changes his mind. One thing to note: never engage in radical behavior. If you cause harm to the mansion or the publisher's building, or if a major accident occurs, I will send you back immediately."
Are you trying to start a war of attrition? I shook my head vigorously at Mother's grand explanation, which somehow felt strangely persuasive.
No matter how you looked at it, our territory didn't have the capacity to handle this many tourists.
Above all, considering the recent famine that hit the Empire, I didn't think it was right to hold a festival.
"If you are worried about the recent famine in the Empire, it's alright. The Minerva Empire has no major issues thanks to support from Albenheim, and some of that support has come to the Maishal Territory. Above all, the Maishal Territory is a city of culture where all the races of the world gather. There is food suitable for each race, so please enjoy yourselves to your heart's content."
"..."
She's much better at politics than I am. I don't know where she got all that from.
Anyway, since there was no need to worry about eating and playing, the people attending the funeral began to take on an excited air.
"Right. If the gods were angry, divine punishment would have fallen from the sky."
"The gods must have wanted this too."
"Why don't we go offer a prayer to the gods who willingly allowed this for us?"
"That's not a bad idea. I should take this chance to offer a prayer to Lady Mora."
So that was it. That was why the gods were just watching this scene unfold.
Gods are beings that live off the prayers of their believers. The more people pray, the stronger their power becomes.
Especially for Mora, this was a golden opportunity to increase her followers. Given the nature of a funeral, the number of Mora's followers was bound to increase.
I let out a sigh of disbelief and shook my head. If I stayed like this, I’d just be standing there like an idiot.
"...Sister."
"Y-yes?"
At my call, Adelia, who had been watching the funeral-that-wasn't-a-funeral, answered in surprise.
Come to think of it, Adelia was also someone who cheered for the Jin-Lily couple. At this rate, she might join the ranks later.
"Let's get out of here for now. It'll be hard to go straight to the mansion, so it's probably better to rest nearby."
"Okay."
And so, we began to make our way out through the huddling crowd. But perhaps it was because there were too many people.
Thump—
"Ugh?"
I don't know if I tripped over someone's foot or a stone, but something caught my leg.
Naturally, my balance shifted forward, and Adelia, startled behind me, quickly reached out.
But unfortunately, because there were so many people, even Adelia's outstretched arm was blocked midway.
Thud!
I ended up falling flat on my face. Fortunately, I didn't go completely down; I just tripped and fell.
"Ouch..."
"A-are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine..."
I was about to answer when I felt a strange, chilling sensation and looked up. As soon as I did, my eyes met those of a passerby.
The passerby blinked as if wondering what they were seeing, and then their eyes gradually widened until they were filled with shock.
It wasn't just them; the other passersby nearby were the same. They all shifted their gaze toward me, and every single one of them stared with wide eyes.
Sensing something was wrong, I quickly felt my head. Sure enough.
Perhaps because I had fallen, the hood I had pulled down low had slipped back. Naturally, my bright red hair was fully exposed.
"Wait, uh..."
"T-that person..."
The passerby, who had been stammering at first as if they couldn't believe it...
"It's Xenon!"
...pointed right at me and shouted at the top of their lungs.
"Xenon has appeared!"
And that was the final blow.
I could feel dozens, no, hundreds of gazes swiveling toward me.
'Ah, dammit.'
I'm going to be treated like a Legendary Pokemon.