Chapter 544: It's Easy, Right?(4)
Chapter 544: It's Easy, Right?(4)
After finishing his conversation with King Morgan, Isaac stepped out of the audience chamber.
As much as he wanted to investigate the underground tombs as King Morgan had suggested, he decided to postpone it, telling himself the time wasn't right. If he gave in to the overwhelming abundance of material, he might end up putting Blood and Iron on the back burner and juggling too many series at once.
King Morgan found the excuse absurd but let it slide generously, noting that they had plenty of time. Above all, since Isaac had been taught how to turn a prophecy against itself, there was no room for the demon worshippers to maneuver.
[It is a bit of a shame I couldn't tell you the name of the God of the Sea.]
However, there was one lingering regret: he hadn't been able to reveal the true name of the sealed God of the Sea.
Part of it was because Isaac hadn't asked, but it was more likely that Luminous had blocked it. Transcendent beings gain power simply by having their names recognized. This was especially true for those with strong divine power, who would feel such a presence even more vividly.
If Isaac had learned the name of the God of the Sea, the deity would have manifested its presence to him through either 'visions' or 'auditory hallucinations.'
[So, are you satisfied?]
King Morgan stared blankly at the firmly closed doors of the audience chamber and asked the question as if expecting someone to hear. Though the chamber was empty, it was easy to guess who he was speaking to.
[……I feel a bit relieved.]
Sure enough, Luminous’s voice filled the interior of the audience chamber.
As soon as the voice reached his ears, King Morgan glanced behind him. The sunlight streaming down from the ceiling was converging at a single point, emitting an intense, blinding radiance.
Currently, a direct manifestation was impossible unless Luminous borrowed the body of an Incarnation. However, because the palace where King Morgan was bound remained heavily influenced by 'sorcery,' an indirect manifestation was possible.
Of course, since this was a makeshift method, any mortal would have fainted the moment Luminous manifested.
[But is that method you mentioned earlier truly alright? The probability of failure seems high.]
Luminous’s voice drifted out from within the blinding light, tinged with skepticism.
When he first heard King Morgan’s suggestion, he had wondered what kind of nonsense it was. Yet, Isaac had readily accepted it. Since Luminous was unable to glimpse Isaac’s future—even if he could see everyone else’s—he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
[As you know, it was a common tactic used against sorcerers who called themselves prophets. There must be prophets among the demon worshippers as well. We simply need to exploit that. No one has ever been able to avoid this trap.]
[Even so……]
[It doesn't matter if there are no prophets. I have merely given my advice.]
[……]
At this somewhat irresponsible statement, Luminous looked at him with a gaze bordering on distrust. Since only a mass of intense light existed, his expression couldn't be seen, but the atmosphere certainly felt that way.
In response, King Morgan simply shrugged as if it didn't matter.
[By the way, it is quite fascinating. To think that you, who were once worshipped as the God of War, would rely on a scholar rather than a hero.]
[……I am simply seeking a more peaceful method.]
[A peaceful method, you say……]
At Luminous’s answer, King Morgan spread his hands and looked down at them. Even in his translucent soul state, his hands, scarred and covered in calluses, caught his eye.
What he had gained by consuming thousands of souls was his red hair and golden eyes that glowed like a predator's. And what he had committed with that power was ruthless slaughter and conquest. He was the very archetype of a warrior that Luminous would have favored.
[As you said, you must have felt that power alone is not enough. Unlike the novel written by my descendant, reality was incredibly harsh. If you hadn't held onto my soul each time, I would have been even more broken than I am now.]
[……]
[Suppose everything goes the way you want. What will you do then? Will you continue to rule the world as you do now, or will you give humanity the power of choice, like the world my descendant came from?]
Luminous pondered King Morgan’s question for a long time before finally speaking.
[……I am not sure.]
It was hardly an answer expected from a god who glimpses the future.
[I truly…… do not know.]
It was a profoundly human answer.
King Morgan chuckled at the response, which lacked even a hint of confidence.
[Then I suppose we shall just have to watch.]
He then turned his gaze toward the door where Isaac had departed and continued.
[Though I am worried because he seems a bit slow on the uptake.]
He truly didn't seem to trust Isaac's wits.
*
'Is someone talking about me? Why are my ears so itchy?'
I picked at my ear as I walked. I wasn't in the audience chamber anymore; I was touring various parts of the palace for research.
However, as I had told King Morgan, I had no intention of entering the underground tombs just yet. King Morgan had mentioned that the past of the gods would be buried there.
But the moment I dug into those graves, I might satisfy my overflowing curiosity, but it wouldn't bring me peace. If I wrote about it in a book, I might find some resolution, but that would mean pushing Blood and Iron to the side.
'And I might be misunderstood as a common grave robber.'
With so many eyes on me right now, I couldn't afford to be hasty. The moment I drew the attention of the Holy Nation 'Savior,' every single record could be confiscated.
Timing was everything. The Kingdom of Gerios was so vast that just exploring it would take a long time. The Savior would likely be blocking access to the capital where the palace was located as much as possible. The same would go for the underground tombs.
I would finish Blood and Iron before the exploration teams reached the palace, and in the meantime, I would scour all the records in the underground tombs.
To do this, I needed help from those around me. And those people were, naturally, Professor Elena and her group.
"Sir Isaac."
"……"
"Sir Isaac?"
"Ah? Yes?"
While I was slowly formulating a plan in my head, someone spoke to me from the side. Turning my head, I saw Kate looking at me with worried eyes.
She had been waiting patiently outside the audience chamber until my conversation with King Morgan ended.
"Did that wraith say something strange to you?"
Since I had been lost in thought without saying a word after coming out of the audience chamber, she seemed concerned. Given that Kate had already shown hostility toward King Morgan, her worry was likely doubled.
I blinked, then gave her a bright smile. Contrary to her fears, there was no problem.
"Nothing like what you're thinking happened, Kate. You don't need to worry."
"Is that true?"
"Yes. If you don't believe me, you can ask Lord Luminous yourself."
"That is a relief, then. I was afraid something might have happened to you, Sir Isaac……"
Only after I mentioned Luminous’s name did she breathe a sigh of relief. She really did rely on Luminous in many ways.
I wondered how Kate would change the moment she learned that Luminous was once the God of War—and one who had overthrown his own father and brought destruction to the world.
Would she wait quietly, believing there was a reason, or would she be thrown into confusion, her faith shaken? Whatever the case, it would remain the greatest challenge of Kate's life.
'Should I test her reaction?'
I didn't plan to tell her outright, but rather give her a little taste. Think of it as a vaccination.
However, as seen in the Fallen Cardinal incident, Kate was quite sharp. I had only given her the advice that 'it's darkest under the lamp,' and she had immediately sensed the corruption within the Savior.
Since it seemed like the conversation would be long, I decided to look around the palace interior. Kate followed silently by my side.
"This looks like a library. A place where scribes desperately tried to leave records."
"Yes."
"Are you interested in books, Kate? Aside from the ones I publish."
"Hmm…… Not recently. I've been busy saving victims of the demon worshippers, as well as Lora. Still, I make sure to read every one of your books thoroughly."
I nodded as I picked out one of the scrolls well-preserved in the study.
Come to think of it, Kate was a busy person, occupied with saving victims as well as fighting demon worshippers. Her being by my side now was essentially her carving out time for me.
'I can't read this.'
When I unfurled the scroll, records written in the Ancient Language met my eyes. Unfortunately, it was so water-damaged and lost that deciphering it was nearly impossible.
In the end, I had to put the scroll back. Most of these scrolls would likely need restoration. Restoration wasn't a field I could help with, so there was nothing I could do. I decided to look elsewhere.
"Kate."
"Yes, go ahead."
"What do you think about sin?"
At that question, Kate tilted her head and blinked. Seeing her, who exuded the aura of a pure maiden, react like that felt quite cute. The key point was that beneath that cuteness lay a ruthlessness that could easily crush a demon worshipper's skull.
"If you mean sin…… are you talking about the Seven Deadly Sins that appeared in the Xenon Biography?"
"No, no. Not that."
I waved my hand. Perhaps because of the Xenon Biography, everyone associated 'sin' with the Seven Deadly Sins.
"The sin I'm talking about is sin in its literal sense. Aren't you curious about where sin originated?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
"Hmm. Then, Kate, do you know that killing is wrong?"
"Yes. But I only kill the vermin who deserve divine punishment. Lord Luminous grants salvation if the justification for that sin is righteous."
"In any case, you recognize that killing is an evil."
Kate nodded at my words. Her expression asked why I was stating something so obvious.
I fell into quiet thought as I looked around the palace. The reason I was bringing this up was, as I said before, the origin of sin.
In Greco-Roman mythology, sin was born from Pandora's box; in Christianity, it was born when Adam and Eve ate the Fruit of Good and Evil.
And this world would be the same. I wanted to plant a seed of doubt regarding that.
"Who was the being that defined that sin as sin?"
"The gods, including Lord Luminous."
"Then aren't you curious why they called sin 'sin'?"
"……"
Kate blinked her large eyes a couple of times. She seemed a bit confused by my question.
However, she was a fanatic, not a fool. Soon, Kate took on a dazed expression and answered in a cautious voice.
"……Are you saying that the gods committed sins?"
"Most likely."
"I don't know on what basis you say such things, but……"
"Then why else would the gods have defined sin as sin?"
"……"
Kate fell silent, her mouth clamped shut. Religiously and ethically, there was nothing wrong with my logic.
Most gods in mythology committed misdeeds and made mortals realize that those misdeeds were wrong. But mythology is the first philosophy. We must understand what meaning mythology suggests to us.
With that, I looked straight at Kate. The 'vaccination' was starting now.
"Kate. I know a little bit of the truth that the gods have hidden. It's something the gods themselves have permitted. And I intend to release that story someday."
"……"
"There will surely be a lot of backlash. But Lord Luminous said this: they know that the sins they committed were wrong, and they want mortals to achieve spiritual growth by using those sins as a lesson. They want their stories to be told so that various interpretations can be made."
Of course, that was a lie. Luminous had never said that. It was all a story I had made up.
However, it remained true that mythology was a philosophically vital narrative.
"So, I hope you will slowly prepare yourself, Kate. So that you won't be shaken by the sins the gods committed, but can use them as a foundation for growth. I want you to think deeply about why the gods defined sin as sin."
"……You are giving me a task."
Surprisingly, Kate didn't look confused; she only gave a bitter smile. I thought I might even get cursed at, but that wasn't the case at all.
When I gave her a puzzled look, she smiled softly at me. Her firm trust in me was evident.
"I understand. I don't know when that time will be, but I will wait, just as you said, Sir Isaac."
"……Do you not resent me?"
"I don't see why I would. Revealing the sins of the gods is an act that requires courage. In other words, it means the gods also firmly trust you, Sir Isaac. If the gods trust you, how could I, their servant, not believe in you?"
Now it was my turn to be speechless. No matter how much of a fanatic she was, her faith in Luminous was genuine.
She then placed her hand on her chest while maintaining her smile. She spoke in a calm but powerful voice.
"Since you say so, Sir Isaac, I've thought of something I want to do as well."
"What is it?"
"Writing your life story with my own hands."
"Pardon?"
Writing my life story. It was both startling and absurd.
Regardless, Kate slowly moved the hand she had placed on her chest toward me. Soon, her hand came to rest in the center of my chest. I could vividly feel the hard calluses she had developed while subjugating demon worshippers.
"The things you have done, Sir Isaac, are no different from saving the world. If you hadn't been here, the demon worshippers would have continued their rampage until the end."
"……"
"Furthermore, as you said earlier, confessing the sins of the gods on their behalf is impossible without an extraordinary amount of trust. You've said before that you aren't a saint, but now you've essentially confessed to being one yourself."
"Ah."
Was that how it was going to be? Certainly, in the eyes of Kate and others, it would look that way.
I had crushed the demon worshippers who even the gods were struggling with, and furthermore, I was confessing their sins for them.
If that wasn't a saint trusted by God, then what was? Even if I could dodge the title of prophet, I was now in a situation where I couldn't escape being called a saint.
'I've seen this somewhere before……'
Where had I seen it? Just as I was thinking that, Kate's words wiped everything away.
"So, I will also be with you, Sir Isaac. I will become your sturdy shield and protect you. To do that, I will need to become even stronger than I am now."
"……"
"As of today, I swear to Lord Luminous that I will walk the same path as you, Sir Isaac. Although it may be difficult right now, can you wait for me until then?"
Her blue eyes, sparkling with faith, looked straight at me. It was a gaze so intense it felt suffocating.
I wasn't sure how it had come to this, but it wasn't a bad situation. Kate had originally been an unstable element.
I wiped the flustered expression from my face and gave her a gentle smile. At the same time, I softly took Kate's hand, which she had placed on my chest.
"I'll be waiting."
"Yes. And…… may I ask one more favor?"
"What is it?"
If it was a favor, I was willing to grant it. At the very least, when it came to writing the mythology, we were already in the same boat.
When I said I would grant her favor, the corners of Kate's mouth curled up even more, and she slowly pulled my hand.
She then placed my hand on her flat stomach—specifically, her lower abdomen—and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.
"When that time comes, could you give me a seed? So that I may make a vow in the truest sense."
"……A vow?"
"Yes. My vow to walk the same path as you, Sir Isaac."
Now I really couldn't escape. Rather than being dumbfounded, a hollow laugh escaped me.
It was a sophisticated build-up, heavily laced with religious meaning. It was a truly remarkable strategy.
Of course, Kate likely had no idea it was a build-up. She probably made the request with purely innocent intentions.
And the answer was already decided.
"……I understand."
Kate, who had been asking for a seed from the very beginning.
"That vow, I shall accept it."
She had finally broken me.