Chapter 449: The King and the Slave(3)
Chapter 449: The King and the Slave(3)
The expedition team could only watch in bewilderment as King Morgan sat regally upon his throne, even though the reenactment of the past had concluded.
Just moments ago, he had vanished while calling himself a slave. Why was he now seated on the throne?
He was no longer dressed in the rags of a slave, but in majestic robes that emphasized his royal dignity. A crown rested upon his head.
Deimos quickly regained his composure, realizing that this was not a mere 'wraith'—a mindless remnant of the past—but a 'spirit' possessing its own ego.
For reasons unknown, the King Morgan sitting before them was sentient. In other words, communication was possible.
Bowing his head, Deimos offered a respectful greeting.
"…A child of Luminous asks with all due respect. Are you the King of Gerios, King Morgan?"
[I am. I am the last king of the Kingdom of Gerios, Morgan Yurk Via III. Though I died as a slave, Arthur Maishal.]
Morgan replied in a voice brimming with innate authority, as if to prove that the scene they had just witnessed was indeed historical fact.
[But a child of Luminous, you say…]
Morgan shifted his gaze away from Deimos, looking elsewhere as if someone else were standing there.
He stared intently at that empty space for a long time before shrugging his shoulders, speaking as if it didn't matter.
[Well, it is not a situation for me to meddle in. Nor am I particularly interested.]
"……"
Deimos was puzzled by his words but did not dare speak out of turn. There was nothing to be gained by offending Morgan.
Though he had shown a human side in the vision, Morgan was a king famous for being a conquering monarch.
He was a man who had left behind various records even as most history was lost during the Demon War 3,000 years ago.
Conquering monarchs were often closer to tyrants in temperament, and as a figure from three millennia past, he likely possessed a volatile worldview.
Therefore, it was best to maintain etiquette and refrain from prying too aggressively.
[So, why have you set foot in my kingdom? It seems about twenty years have passed since my descendant last reached this place.]
"…Twenty years? Did the Kingdom of Gerios also track time by years?"
Benphis, the archaeologist, muttered quietly, his curiosity seemingly overriding his caution regarding the King's question.
In this world, like Earth, a year consisted of twelve months and 365 days. It was commonly referred to as the solar calendar.
Usually, ancient civilizations lacked advanced astronomy and used different systems, yet the Kingdom of Gerios naturally mentioned decades.
Even the old generation elves would answer in terms of "how many winters have passed" or "how many winters they had watched," so this was bound to raise questions.
[You dare answer my question with another question. It seems you do not value your life.]
Of course, that question alone was enough to pique King Morgan's ire. However, his face still wore an amused smile.
Maintaining his slouched posture, he merely flicked a finger.
"Gah?! Ack…! Urgh…"
Suddenly, Benphis, who had just asked the question, began to act strangely. He was abruptly strangling himself with his own hands.
Deimos and the rest of the expedition were struck with panic at the sight.
It was a sudden development, but it was clear that King Morgan had employed some sort of trick.
Shring!
One of the Paladins instinctively drew his sword. It was a sign that they were prepared to use force if necessary.
King Morgan did not lose his smile even at this gesture and spoke quietly.
[Who do you think you are, baring a weapon in my presence? Put it back.]
Clang!
The moment he spoke, the Paladin sheathed his sword. However, the Paladin could only stare at his scabbard with a look of utter horror.
Drawing the sword had been an act of will, but returning it was not. His body had moved on its own.
King Morgan didn't stop there. He pointed a finger at the Paladin and flicked it downward.
[Kneel.]
Thud!
The Paladin, clad in heavy white armor, slammed his knees onto the floor.
This, too, was not of his own volition; his body had moved according to King Morgan's command.
"Agh!"
The problem was that he had hit the floor with far too much force. The floor was dented, and the sound of the impact was loud enough to tell just how hard he had struck it.
At the very least, his knees must have suffered serious injury. Meanwhile, Benphis was still strangling himself.
His face was turning from red to a sickly purple; his life would soon be in danger.
Seeing the situation spiral into chaos, Deimos hurriedly chanted a divine spell.
"O Luminous! Grant them freedom!"
Flash!
As soon as Deimos finished the chant, a brilliant golden light flared and slowly seeped into Benphis and the Paladin.
Fortunately, the spell was effective. Benphis finally stopped strangling himself, and the Paladin collapsed backward.
Neither seemed to be in immediate mortal danger, but they were clearly reeling from the shock.
'I should have expected this from the moment the wraiths appeared…'
As mentioned before, the appearance of wraiths reenacting the past meant that a powerful lingering grudge remained somewhere.
And that grudge was the spirit before them, King Morgan. The stronger the grudge, the greater the influence it could exert on the living world.
Just as an evil spirit could possess someone and take control of their body, King Morgan could seize control with mere 'words.'
Just how powerful was this man, and how strong was his grudge, that he could use the 'Word of Command'?
Though he had shown a human side, King Morgan was ultimately a conquering monarch who had ruled the entire West. He was a monster who had survived an era of blood and slaughter before the Demon War.
[The light of Luminous… It has been a long time since I felt it. He was an interesting fellow.]
King Morgan muttered with interest as he watched the divine spell Deimos had cast. Surprisingly, he spoke disparagingly of Luminous, whom everyone else revered.
Normally, such words would be considered sacrilege deserving of punishment. Deimos felt a surge of indignation.
However, he recalled the King's ability. A terrifying power that could steal control of one's body with a single sentence.
For now, he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
"…Lord Luminous is the light of all people. Even you, who once ruled the West, cannot treat Him so lightly."
[The light of all people? Did Luminous really… Ah, damn it. I cannot speak of this.]
King Morgan spoke with an incredulous tone before grimacing and falling silent. Unlike his previous smile, his expression was now full of dissatisfaction.
Deimos was suspicious of this reaction, but he had no time to dwell on it as King Morgan spoke again immediately.
[Regardless, the Kingdom of Gerios used the solar calendar early on. When you explore the sea, you have no choice but to observe the stars. Is that answer enough for you?]
"Cough! Hack! Urgh…"
It was an answer, but Benphis was still struggling to recover. His face was pale, likely from the terror of having lost control of his own body.
King Morgan looked over the expedition team again, indifferent to their state. Their expressions were now far more guarded than before.
[Now then, can you answer my question? For what purpose have you come all this way?]
"…We have braved these dangers to find the truth."
[The truth?]
Interested by the word 'truth,' King Morgan adjusted his posture. It was a stance that showed he was ready to listen.
Maintaining his tension, Deimos explained the circumstances that led them to the Kingdom of Gerios.
He began with the appearance of the Xenon Biography and how it became a book of prophecy. He went further, explaining the origin of demons revealed at the end of the story.
As the explanation continued, King Morgan's expression changed in real-time.
First came interest, followed by focus, surprise, and then satisfaction.
After the long explanation, his final reaction was one of pure admiration.
[Hahahaha! My descendant played a major role in purging all the demon worshippers? And through a book, no less? This is truly absurd, yet utterly satisfying! Hahahaha!]
Morgan didn't just roar with laughter; he even clapped his hands in genuine joy. The problem was that this single action affected his surroundings.
Rumble—
The entire palace shook as if an earthquake had struck. But the effect on the expedition members was even worse.
"My—my ears…!"
"My head feels like it's ringing…"
"Ugh…"
From the laughter alone, the expedition members suffered headaches as if they had been struck by a hammer.
It was a force akin to an evil spirit letting out a soul-piercing scream. It wasn't just creepy; it was physically painful.
One could at least understand an evil spirit because they held 'malice,' but King Morgan had none. He was simply laughing in admiration, yet their heads were ringing.
If Deimos hadn't quickly deployed his sacred power, some might have fainted. Regardless, King Morgan simply laughed from the bottom of his heart.
[Hahahaha. This is truly fascinating. To think that intellect, not might, would rule the world. By the way, what did you say that descendant's name was?]
"I-it is Isaac Ducard Maishal."
[Isaac… The descendant who came to me before was named Clark. Did that fellow tell him?]
While King Morgan stroked his chin in thought, Deimos threw out a question.
"P-pardon me, Your Majesty. I have never heard the name Clark Maishal."
[What? You haven't heard of him?]
"Yes. The Maishal family is a newly established house. The current head is Hawk Ducard Maishal, and they are from the Minerva Empire."
[Hmm… Then it makes even less sense… Hmm… Did he die somewhere before he could pass on the word?]
Finding the timeline inconsistent, King Morgan stroked his chin for a long time, organizing his thoughts. The expedition members waited in silence until he spoke.
If they did anything else here, they might truly die. His Word of Command dominated the soul, leaving them powerless.
It was better to win his favor and resolve the situation slowly. Sweat poured from them due to the tension and the desert heat, but they found it difficult to even make a slight movement.
[Well, whatever. If the result is good, it doesn't matter. I can just talk to him when we meet later.]
King Morgan seemed to give up on thinking and brushed it aside. If nothing else, intellect was never his strong suit.
[So, you have come all this way to learn the truth that the origin of demons is human?]
"Yes. That is correct."
[Then I shall tell you the truth. You saw the form of my slave with your own eyes earlier. You can consider demons to be the intermediate stage between humans and devils.]
Without a moment's hesitation, King Morgan coolly revealed the truth to the expedition. It was proof that the facts written in the Xenon Biography were true.
But even that wasn't enough. If the origin of demons was truly human, by what process did they become demons?
Every effect has a cause. The expedition was formed to understand the detailed circumstances.
Deimos opened and closed his mouth repeatedly before swallowing hard. Even asking a question was difficult.
But he had to do it. It was worth risking his life, as it could also solve the mystery of the scene they had just witnessed.
First, regarding the Maishal family. This one thing could overturn the family's reputation.
"Then… may I ask what exactly your relationship was with that slave we saw earlier?"
[He was my beloved son and son-in-law. And a human who made a wrong choice.]
"Then, did the Maishal family bring the devils into the world?"
Judging only by the scene shown by the wraiths, it appeared that the slave—Arthur Maishal—was the culprit.
The current Maishal family were descendants of King Morgan and, at the same time, descendants of Arthur Maishal. Even if the relationship was complex, they were the descendants of a royal family that had committed the worst sin in history.
Though King Morgan had taken all the filth and guilt upon himself, sins do not simply vanish.
The greatest victims here could be said to be the demon race; it was impossible to predict how they would react if the truth of the Maishal family were revealed.
[They were indeed the cause of the devils' existence being revealed to the world. I have no intention of denying that.]
Surprisingly, King Morgan nodded and readily admitted it. It was the moment the Maishal family's guilt was clearly exposed.
However, his next words raised new questions for the expedition.
[However, while they brought the devils and plunged the world into chaos, they did not create the devils themselves. Red hair and golden eyes were merely obtained by sacrificing hundreds of souls. In the end, he was nothing more than a human.]
"……"
[Then, I shall ask you an interesting question.]
The question King Morgan posed…
[Just 'who' evolved humans to create devils?]
…delivered a massive shock to those listening.
[And…]
And into the things they had considered 'obvious'…
[Did each race originally exist on this 'land'?]
…he breathed doubt.