Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: God Hand #2
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Meeting with Queen Reina, who served as the face of the Malkuth Kingdom in place of the ailing king, was no easy task—especially since she was royalty.
Under normal circumstances, it would have taken days just to get approval for an audience, and even after that, one had to endure a long wait before actually being granted the meeting.
“I’ve heard it can take over a month in some cases.”
In that sense, Luther’s case—securing an audience on the very day he requested it, and only a few hours later—was extraordinarily unusual.
“You brought a token of gratitude from direct royalty, after all. And luckily, Her Majesty happened to return to the palace right now.”
Queen Reina spent more than half the month at the seaside where the king was recuperating, so as Aru said, it was indeed good fortune.
Aru’s room.
After receiving word from a palace official that an audience would be possible in three hours, Aru dismissed the maids still lost in afterglow and Sandalphon from the room, leaving her alone with Luther.
There was something urgent they needed to discuss before the audience.
“Luther, you said you have medicine that can cure Father’s illness, right?”
The very reason Luther had needed to prove his medical skills to Aru in the first place.
Though her face still wore a smile, her voice had grown more serious than before, and Luther nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Father’s illness... it’s been around for so long and is so well-known. So, it’s not that surprising that you know about it.”
It had already been nearly seven years since the King of Malkuth began his convalescence at the seaside temple.
Outwardly, it was announced that he was healthy enough to attend to state affairs, but Aru didn’t fully believe it.
After all, the recuperation had dragged on for seven years.
“I heard the illness doesn’t progress at the temple. But... honestly, I’m not sure if that’s true. It’s been six years since I last saw Father.”
Even she, a princess, was not permitted an audience with the king.
Why was that?
Was it because of the rule that even royalty could not approach the temple’s innermost sanctum without permission?
Aru cut off her thoughts.
Instead of delving deeper, she looked back at Luther and continued.
“Luther, do you remember when we first met?”
“I do.”
The time he rescued her—running away from home on her own—from Balboa, the lowest-ranking dragon of the Hecatoncheires.
Aru gave a slightly bitter smile, as if recalling that man.
“I did run away, but it wasn’t just for fun. I’d learned about a medicine that might cure Father’s illness. Well... it turned out to be fake, in the end.”
She let her shoulders slump weakly, let out a long breath, then faced Luther directly.
“I believe you, Luther. I think your medical skills are real.”
Aru was a clever girl with quick wits.
She understood exactly why Luther had suddenly demonstrated his healing arts.
“You intend to cure Father yourself, don’t you?”
“...Yes.”
At Luther’s answer, Aru smiled as if she’d expected it, then grew serious again.
“Luther, as I said earlier, I believe you. But treating a nation’s king—especially one who’s been ill for over seven years—can’t be pushed forward on my personal faith alone. Not even if your skills are genuine.”
Aru wasn’t questioning whether Luther’s healing arts were real.
She already believed they were.
What she was concerned about was Luther the person.
“Luther, where are you from? What do you do? Is there anyone who can vouch for your identity or background?”
Depending on how one took it, the questions could seem like an interrogation.
That was why Aru faced Luther with a serious expression.
Aru’s blue eyes.
Luther, meeting them with his own violet gaze, took a long breath and straightened his posture.
In truth, he had already anticipated questions like this from her.
“Aru.”
“Yes, Luther.”
“I came from the heavens.”
“As expected... what?”
When Aru blinked in surprise and asked again, Luther pointed to the sky as he had with Karen and Max, then pointed to the ground.
“I came down from the heavens to the earth. Because I’m an angel.”
Angel.
At Luther’s words, Aru blinked blankly once more.
* * *
“So... you’re an angel who’s lost his memories?”
“That’s... right.”
[Master, your face is turning red.]
[This could lower Aru’s trust level.]
[Don’t be embarrassed. Say it confidently.]
[I’m an angel!]
[An angel who’s lost his memories!]
[I’m the Archangel of Go!]
[- Got it? lol]
Bad girl.
Truly a bad girl.
But as Integra said, being ashamed to declare himself an angel here could harm his trust level.
So, he had to proclaim it boldly, as she suggested.
“I am, ahem. An angel who’s lost his memories... yes, that’s right.”
Son of a—
How was he supposed to say something like that confidently without shame?
Luther’s face flushed involuntarily, and he even stammered, causing Aru to blink before bursting into laughter.
“Ah, Aru?”
“Haha, ha. Whew, whew. Hold on, just a moment. Let me catch my breath, hehe.”
After a long while of regaining her composure, Aru looked at Luther’s face—full of embarrassment bordering on mortification—and burst out laughing again.
“Hah, haa, ha. S-Sorry. But hehe, Luther, your face is just too cute.”
Fortunately, this laugh didn’t last as long.
Forcibly suppressing her mirth again, Aru wiped away the tears she’d shed without realizing and said,
“It feels real.”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you feel real, Luther. Like a real angel who’s lost his memories.”
At Aru’s words, Luther unconsciously furrowed his brow.
It was an unexpected response he hadn’t anticipated.
But Aru shrugged as if it were obvious and continued.
“Claiming you’re an angel who’s lost his memories lol—sorry. Anyway, getting super embarrassed while saying it is totally human. So, you must really have lost your memories.”
[That’s a pretty convincing story.]
[Good thing, Master.]
It was fortunate that Aru believed him, as Integra said, but Luther’s mood grew increasingly dismal.
Aru giggled at his expression again, then crossed her arms and said,
“And being an angel... well, that could be. You’re mysterious enough for it, Luther.”
A handsome man who traveled with a jealous fairy, wielded powerful magic, fought well, and even had enigmatic healing arts.
At this level, claiming to be an angel was plausible enough to make one think, “Maybe he is?”
[I agree, except for the jealousy part.]
[But Master, better to be sure. Show her the nanosuit.]
‘Right.’
Last night, during their rehearsal with Integra, Luther hadn’t expected Aru to believe so readily, but he’d already prepared ways to convince her.
“Aru, do you know about the Heavenly Armor?”
“Yes, the armor from the heavens that Sword Emperor Clausewitz, the empire’s founding emperor, received from the Sword Angel... Ah, no way?”
“Yes, exactly that.”
With that, Luther grinned and equipped not just the nanosuit but the Knight Wings as well.
Aru jumped in place, her eyes sparkling as she exclaimed,
“Wow, amazing! But it looks so different from last time?”
“Yes, it was incomplete then. The armor was badly damaged when I lost my memories.”
“Hee...”
Aru admired his explanation, then suddenly swallowed hard and looked up at him.
“Luther, can I touch it?”
“Of course.”
When Luther permitted it readily, Aru swallowed again, then carefully stroked his chest plate with trembling hands.
“Hauu...”
Her face enraptured, she let out an excited breath and even shivered.
[She did the same with Clairheim Morr earlier. Must be a real Sword Emperor otaku.]
[And of all places, the chest? What an utterly shameless, lewd princess.]
‘No need to go that far.’
It was metal plating anyway—arm or chest made no difference.
The important thing was that Aru now believed he was an angel.
‘And now, it’s not even a lie.’
The Sword Angel was undoubtedly a figure from the Galactic Federation.
So, Luther claiming to be an angel wasn’t false at all.
To the people of Dragon Hunter Origin, the Galactic Federation was the heavenly realm where angels dwelled.
“Aru, I’m recovering my memories bit by bit. But I’m not fully restored yet.”
Aru nodded immediately at his words.
From her expression, she seemed fully convinced he was an angel.
“My healing arts... no, treatment skills became available during that recovery process.”
“Ah, as expected.”
Aru nodded enthusiastically again.
It made sense—Luther’s treatments were unheard of even to her, a royal.
“It’s also true that I’ve obtained medicine to treat His Majesty the King of Malkuth. And that I must administer it personally.”
With each of Luther’s words, Aru’s face brightened.
She was coming to believe he could truly cure the King of Malkuth.
Luther gently took her hand and said,
“But Aru, I can’t easily reveal that I’m an angel. The Hecatoncheires... they’re likely the reason I came to earth, and I can’t draw their attention.”
An angel who lost his memories, versus the Hecatoncheires composed of descendants of the demon dragon Helcanes.
Aru swiftly wove it into a dramatic tale in her mind and nodded gravely.
“You think... the reason you came down was to oppose the Hecatoncheires?”
“Yes. My memories aren’t complete yet... but every clash with them fills me with a sense of destiny.”
Aru murmured “destiny” with an admiring look.
The flush on her cheeks showed she was thrilled by the story itself.
A dreaming girl.
A lovely woman whose heart raced at legendary tales.
But Luther couldn’t focus on innocent Aru’s charm.
An utterly un-cute woman was right beside him.
[lolololololol Destiny lololol]
[Feeling destiny lololol]
[Destinyyyyy lolol]
Integra rolling in midair, clutching her stomach.
Instead of scolding her that it was her own line, Luther just sighed in endurance.
He’d suspected as much since hearing the line yesterday.
‘The important one is Aru. Aru is important.’
Not the maid— no, the insolent AI who lived for teasing her master.
The cute, innocent princess of the sea was what mattered.
“Aru, so please keep my being an angel a secret.”
“Mm... Got it. I will. But Luther.”
“Yes, Aru.”
“What about... me?”
He’d said it was a secret, yet revealed it so easily to her.
At her question, Luther smiled gently.
“You’re special, Aru.”
He squeezed her hand a bit more, and Aru bit her lower lip, turning her head slightly.
Of course, it didn’t hide her flushed face or the corners of her mouth curling up.
[The lines still don’t sit right with me.]
[And Master, it’s all an act. Don’t fall for it. Okay?]
What kind of woman did Integra imagine Aru to be?
Instead of replying, Luther spoke to Aru again.
“Aru, do you understand?”
“Yes, I do. That you being an angel is a secret just between us?”
[No it’s not? Karen knows, Lilia knows, Arma knows, Anne Rose knows, even Count Gleston knows?]
‘Max knows too.’
Adding that inwardly, Luther nodded slowly.
“Yes, Aru. It’d be hard to reveal it to others in the kingdom.”
“Hm, if there are circumstances, no choice. Then let’s work together to create a fake identity. Say you’re from a distant place... add some plausible backstory, and the rest should fall into place. Your treatment skills are real, after all. Plus, you’ll have my and Sandalphon’s backing.”
With that, Aru grew serious, pondering.
“First, birthplace should be beyond the northern Holy Empire. Past the Lyao Mountains, there are minority tribes with mystical powers. Most have black hair like you. Anyone else who can vouch for you? Someone influential who can match your story.”
“Yes, that’s possible.”
He’d already thought of that.
“I’m thinking of Count Gleston and Arma Valentine.”
“Arma Valentine? Weapon Master Arma Valentine?”
As expected, Aru reacted more strongly to Arma—one of the world’s top ten superhumans—than to Count Gleston.
“Wow, seriously. You’re more—no, as expected, you’re a big deal.”
“It just happened that way.”
“Yeah, yeah, and somehow you ended up connected to a princess too.”
Giggling, Aru shrugged.
“Good. Born in a Lyao Mountains manor... came to the empire, traveled around learning about places, heard about Father’s illness. Got medicine to cure it. For identity, as mentioned: Count Gleston and Arma Valentine should suffice.”
Exactly as Aru said.
With her and Sandalphon’s support too, he wouldn’t be dismissed as some mysterious man of unclear origins.
“That leaves one issue...”
Trailing off, Aru looked up at Luther, swallowed hard, and asked seriously,
“Luther, the Hecatoncheires you mentioned—they’re the ones who tried to kidnap me, right?”
“...Yes. I fought them again in Count Gleston’s territory... and that’s how I connected with Arma Valentine.”
Aru narrowed her eyes at his explanation, her voice growing cautious.
“Then Luther, is your presence here now also related to the Hecatoncheires?”
“No, it’s not.”
Luther answered immediately.
He’d anticipated this question yesterday.
‘I can’t say.’
Even though Aru was fully cooperating, there were limits to what she could accept.
He couldn’t bring up things like the “three spy candidates” with no basis beyond what he’d seen in the original story.
‘First, treat the king, and gauge the situation then.’
Around the ritual, he’d need Aru’s help—especially Sandalphon’s—in some form.
Meanwhile, relieved by his swift reply, Aru let out a long breath.
“Phew... that’s a relief.”
After all, she’d nearly been kidnapped by the Hecatoncheires.
She was putting on a brave front, but her pallor showed lingering fear.
“By the way, Luther.”
“Yes?”
“Are you... going to keep holding it? Not that I mind.”
Her hand, which he’d been holding since earlier.
Luther hurriedly let go, and Aru flashed a mischievously sly smile worthy of anyone.
And about three hours later.
Standing before the audience chamber, Luther took a deep breath.
Despite experiencing naval battles, land battles, and even aerial combat in a short time, this moment still tensed him.
The massive arch-shaped door towering at least five meters, flanked by stern-faced guards.
And beyond, Queen Reina and Aru’s sisters.
As Luther swallowed dryly with a tense expression, Integra chuckled helplessly, about to speak to ease it with light banter.
But just as Integra opened her mouth, Aru acted first.
“By the way, Luther.”
When he turned at her soft call, Aru—who had been facing forward—glanced at him and used message magic.
[Come to think of it, you really are an archangel.]
[What if you really were the Archangel of Go?]
Winking as she finished, it was clearly playful, but it made Luther chuckle despite himself.
Hearing it so much, it embarrassed him less now.
“...At least that’s not it.”
“Hmm... is it?”
Giggling again, Aru straightened and faced forward.
The audience time was approaching.
“By the way, Luther.”
“Yes, Aru.”
“If you’re an angel... we won’t have to worry about status differences later. If anything, I’d be the one outranked.”
“Huh?”
To Luther’s puzzled repeat, Aru replied not with words but a foxlike smile, while Integra puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
And right then.
With the palace official’s resounding voice, the audience chamber doors opened.