Chapter 541: It's Easy, Right?(1)
Chapter 541: It's Easy, Right?(1)
[As I thought... wait, what?]
At my answer that I wasn't interested at all, King Morgan started to nod, then froze with a look of utter bewilderment.
Judging by his flabbergasted expression, it seemed he hadn't even imagined such a response.
Well, normally, anyone would have succumbed to the temptation. King Morgan had shown himself to be capable of delivering on such promises, after all.
Furthermore, this world was a medieval fantasy setting where 'might' and 'honor' were the central pillars of life.
Even though an industrial revolution was slowly progressing, the existence of monsters meant that the importance of martial prowess would only increase, never decrease.
[Did you say you are not interested?]
"Yes."
[Not that you refuse, but that you are simply not interested?]
"Yes."
But I was different. Might, honor, wealth—I had no interest in any of it.
I already had it all, so why would I want more?
Honor? As the author of the Xenon Biography and Blood and Iron, my fame was second only to the gods.
Wealth? If I were to start spending my gold right now, the economy would fluctuate like a leaf in the wind, and my coffers were still steadily filling up.
Power? It wasn't like Elon Musk in my previous life, where a single tweet made stocks go up and down; here, my words could make entire nations flip upside down repeatedly.
Finally, martial prowess. This part was a bit ambiguous, but honestly, it didn't matter much.
It wasn't that my martial power was strong, but the martial power of those protecting me was absurdly high.
My guard knight, Adelia, was getting stronger by the day thanks to her father's special training, and Kate was a Grand Inquisitor.
Cecile and Arwen were second to none when it came to magic. Even the sorcery often used by demon worshippers could be handled with Leona's help.
Lastly, my own martial strength was scheduled to be handled by Grandfather Clark. For now, he was so engrossed in Baduk that he was delaying his own funeral, but it would happen soon.
"I already have everything Your Majesty mentioned. In fact, I've even gained some of those things against my will. I desire no more honor, wealth, or power than what I already possess."
[...Hearing you speak, you sound like a sage who has transcended the secular world.]
"I'll tell you now so you don't misunderstand. I'm not a sage who has transcended the world. I'm just a man who has everything."
The expression King Morgan made at my honest answer was truly a sight to behold. His inner thoughts—What kind of arrogant bastard is this?—were written all over his face.
However, I hadn't told a single lie. As I've mentioned often, in my previous life, I was nothing more than a pebble rolling on the ground.
I was someone who had lost both parents early in an accident and had cut myself off from society; it wouldn't have been strange if I had died at any moment.
The only thing keeping me alive was the novel I was serializing, but I was brought to this world by the machinations of demon worshippers.
"Compared to my past life, I am receiving an overwhelming amount of love now. Love I never could have imagined. Therefore, I decline Your Majesty's offer. I wish to continue living the life I have now."
[Your ambitions are smaller than I expected.]
"Please just call me an ordinary person."
When King Morgan clicked his tongue in displeasure, I responded with a shrug. He let out a deep sigh at my nonchalant retort.
When I wrote the Xenon Biography, I started it strictly as a 'hobby' and never had any other intentions or ambitions.
The fact that it became a pseudo-prophecy was more of a 'forced angst' situation. I truly knew nothing.
I released Blood and Iron after much deliberation, but it wasn't with the mindset of "I'm going to change the world!"
Instead, the returns were so beyond my imagination that I'm currently busy dealing with the aftermath.
"Still, it seems I have no choice but to accept Your Majesty's proposal."
[Hmm? Didn't you say you have everything you want?]
"It's for practical reasons."
The demon worshippers and I have reached a point where we are inextricably linked.
No matter how much I dislike it, the demon worshippers will surely make a move, and that won't change even after I die.
When Cecile confessed to me before, she said she would protect my descendants even after my death. But even she has her limits.
Until Grandfather Clark stepped in, my family lived under the constant threat of demon worshippers.
The demon worshippers killed anyone with red hair and golden eyes, regardless of the reason.
If Grandfather Clark hadn't decimated most of their high-ranking members, that would still be the case today.
Furthermore, if the true nature of the demon worshippers hadn't been brought to light through the Xenon Biography, things likely would have reverted to how they were.
"As Your Majesty likely suspects, I have dealt massive damage to the demon worshippers. Even if those actions were unintentional on my part."
[Continue.]
"And the demon worshippers have threatened me. There were even times when things were very dangerous."
I wasn't worried about physical attacks since I had Kate and Adelia. However, the attacks using sorcery were chilling to think about even now.
If Ariel hadn't been there at the time, my soul would have been stolen without any way to resist.
Though it's highly likely the God of Earth would have taken action.
I didn't know what form that would take. He might have just ignored it and used it as a pretext to invade this world.
Regardless, the demon worshippers were a force that threatened me and my family. Though they've been quiet lately, I can never let my guard down.
"At the very least, I want to settle the matter of the demon worshippers within my lifetime. In that process, I might even find Your Majesty's remains."
[To put it simply, my proposal is not the end goal for you, but a means to an end. No matter. As long as I can leave this cursed place.]
King Morgan waved his hand, seemingly not minding. He seemed to be telling me to do as I pleased.
[However, in that process, the past of the gods will be revealed one by one. Luminous may have sent you here, but there must be a past he truly wants to keep hidden. Are you alright with that? As I said before, the gods are transcendent beings who belong to the past, present, and future. They could read your future and make a move against you.]
"You don't need to worry about that. The gods cannot read my future."
[What do you mean by that? Even I am included in the future the gods glimpse.]
"Well, what happened was..."
I slowly explained everything, starting from the ascetic training Mora forced upon me and the events that followed.
As the explanation continued, King Morgan's face began to fill with astonishment.
[Hahaha! You are a far more interesting fellow than I thought! A soul whose future even the gods cannot read!]
Rumble!
Eventually, he even clapped his hands and burst into a fit of laughter. At the same time, the entire audience chamber vibrated just like before.
The problem was that he was laughing right in front of me. It was fine when he laughed from the throne, but laughing right in my face made me feel like I was going deaf.
[Then does that mean the gods cannot interfere with you at all?]
"I'm not sure about that. I do know that direct contact consumes the gods' divinity. To what extent is Your Majesty being interfered with?"
[The demon worshippers and I are those who have escaped the eyes of the gods. So even if the gods want to exert influence, they cannot. However, because I am bound to this place, there are times when my words falter or stop. Of course, even this cannot erase the memories themselves. On the other hand, in your case...]
King Morgan stroked his chin while staring intently at me. He seemed to be pondering what kind of analogy to use.
[It's as if you were sent as part of a political marriage.]
"......Excuse me, but what does that mean?"
[Hmm? Is the concept of a political marriage non-existent in this era?]
King Morgan asked me back with a face full of genuine curiosity at my puzzled question. Naturally, I shook my head.
Even in an era transitioning from the Middle Ages to the modern age, political marriages hadn't disappeared. If anything, it was the opposite.
Moreover, with political marriages being pushed all around me as the center, I knew about them better than anyone.
[I'm glad you know. Anyway, it's exactly as I said. The demon worshippers are a criminal group that is a headache for the nation, and I am a confined vassal associated with them. On the other hand, you were sent here under a concept close to a political marriage.]
"..."
[You still have that look of incomprehension. Are you truly a scholar? Where did the brilliance you showed until a moment ago go?]
King Morgan pointed to his head as if telling me to think.
Since I just stood there with a blank expression, he must have found it quite frustrating.
Of course, it wasn't that I didn't understand. It was just that trying to scale up the concept caused a bit of a mental lag.
After realizing what he meant, I brought up another question.
"Then does that mean the gods can interfere with me?"
[For now, yes. However, they will never do anything that could be used as a pretext against them. To be precise, they place your safety as the top priority. Even if they completely erase your memories, if it's under the pretext of your safety, the gods of other dimensions are likely to accept it and move on.]
"Mmm..."
[My analogy is strictly based on mortals. The perspective of transcendent beings might be different. Have you ever forgotten what you were about to say?]
"Huh?"
I looked at King Morgan with wide eyes. I knew that had actually happened many times.
At my reaction, King Morgan nodded as if he had expected it.
[I thought so. They must have temporarily blocked memories of sensitive parts. Since it was just a block and not a complete deletion, it wouldn't have affected your soul.]
"Is it because they cannot lie?"
[Exactly. Just before being sealed, the God of the Sea placed a curse on the gods that prevents them from lying to each other. Whether they like it or not, they have no choice but to speak only the truth.]
There was a reason after all. The fact that these very human-like gods couldn't lie was contradictory in itself.
Furthermore, I could somewhat understand why Mora had forced that nonsensical ascetic training on me.
If I had actually cut off my own hand in the distant future, the gods of Earth would never have stood for it.
A problem with the mind meant the soul was wounded. Whatever the reason, they would have tried desperately to prevent it.
I'm basically a glass cannon.
The gods must have wanted me to live a truly, perfectly ordinary life. In fact, before I started writing the Xenon Biography, I was perfectly ordinary.
The problem was that I picked up the pen because all my memories from my previous life had been transferred. For the gods, who couldn't read my future at all, it must have been baffling.
But if they touched me and I got hurt, the God of Earth might invade.
The fact that they showed me the truth even in this situation... meant the gods had made a decision.
"The gods have taken a gamble they wouldn't normally take."
[Quite rarely, yes.]
"They could have just told me."
[...]
When I grumbled half-seriously and half-jokingly, King Morgan looked at me with an incredulous expression.
[Whew... They said you were a handful, and this is what they meant... You're a headache in many ways.]
King Morgan wiped his face with one hand, expressing his frustration.
What he wanted was a hero who would follow a noble path of destiny, but unfortunately, I was far from that.
I was just an ordinary citizen who liked to write, a writer who was busy cleaning up the mess I'd made.
Even if I received all the expectations of the gods, it was uncertain if I could live up to them.
[First, just answer this properly. Do you intend to properly subjugate those demon worshippers?]
"The demon worshippers need to be gone for me and my descendants to be safe, so I have to deal with them."
[Good. I don't need anything else; that's enough. Do you have a method in mind?]
"Well, who knows?"
[...]
King Morgan pressed his temples as if his head was starting to throb.
Looking at his deeply furrowed brow, I could tell how much patience he was exercising.
However, I didn't give that answer because I was stupid. Even if they've quieted down due to the current subjugation craze, they're the type of people who could pop up anywhere, anytime.
Realistically, it was difficult to completely wipe them out. They were using their special powers to hide from the eyes of the gods.
Wait a minute.
I think I just had a good idea. I asked King Morgan, who was still nursing his headache.
"Your Majesty. You said earlier that the demon worshippers hide from the eyes of the gods, right?"
[That's right.]
"Then, conversely, is there a way to bring them to the gods' attention?"
[Hmm?]
At my question, King Morgan smoothed his brow and looked at me. His face urged me to say more.
"The demon worshippers are those who commit evil deeds while hiding from the gods' eyes. However, I understand that if they can somehow be brought into contact with a god, divine punishment is delivered. A famous example was Cardinal Bark during the Fallen Cardinal incident."
[I don't know who that is, but keep explaining.]
"I forced the existence of the demon worshippers into the light through my books. But that was only on the surface; I couldn't fully expose them. So, we help the gods deal with the demon worshippers directly."
[Hmm... It's not that there's no way, but...]
King Morgan crossed his arms and trailed off with an ambiguous nuance. Then, he glanced at me and said quietly.
[For that to happen, the demon worshippers would have to believe in the gods. Those bastards have their abilities, but they also completely distrust the gods.]
"Is it because they imprisoned their father, the God of the Sea?"
[It's highly likely, but not certain.]
"Then..."
In the end, I had no choice but to use the method I was best at.
"I'll just have to dig into the past of Luminous and the other gods and write about it."
Writing a novel. Unlike before, it would be a dangerous undertaking, to the point where the gods themselves would have to 'protect' me.
King Morgan made a subtle expression after hearing my answer and asked if I would be okay.
[As I said before, there aren't even records left of the gods Luminous personally annihilated. Will you be alright?]
"I can cover that with my imagination."
[Even imagination has its limits, doesn't it? The Xenon Biography is, broadly speaking, a hero's chronicle, so that's fine, and Blood and Iron was the world you lived in, so it must have been easy to write. But this is 'mythology.' Do you think a mere mortal can write mythology?]
My answer to that was very simple.
"Yes."
From my perspective, it wasn't mythology, but just another fantasy novel.
A novel based on real people.
In my world, mortals kill gods whenever they get the chance...
And at my answer, King Morgan...
[...]
...wore an expression that suggested he was deeply contemplating what he had just heard.