Chapter 574: tag:selfcest
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 574: tag:selfcest
Ordinarily, a King of Humans never gets to meet their predecessor. The system is designed so that after one dies, the next simply pops into existence somewhere in the world.
But it seems this peculiar species called humanity, in all their experiments with their king, managed to meddle with something they shouldn't have. I gazed silently at the girl lying motionless before me.
She had the look of a typical King of Humans. Innocent, carefree. Had she been conscious, I imagine she would have been just as vibrant. But with her eyes closed, it was impossible to tell.
‘She’s unconscious. But my mind-reading is creating an echo. Her power as the King of Humans remains, though it’s not whole. What’s missing is her consciousness. The ‘power to represent humanity’ is gone, leaving an empty shell. For the King of Humans, the collective will of humanity is consciousness.’
Her matted, gray hair cascaded down past her hips. Untended for two millennia, it was long and tangled. Her naked body was covered in a dense tapestry of small cuts and scars.
Five scars stood out among the rest. One tracing the edge of her eye, one across her wrist, another across her ankle, one slicing across her neck, and a final one in the center of her chest. Though mostly healed, they were so gruesome I found myself looking away.
‘These are the marks left when the Five Sovereigns devoured the King of Humans. The ritual’s meaning was likely more important than the act of consumption itself. Even then, they only managed to take a fraction of her power.’
So, what now? I tilted my head up to look at Nevida.
“So, Miss Nevida. What exactly do you need me to do?”
Nevida followed me, stepping inside the lotus. Gazing at the sleeping King of Humans, she made her request.
“Before you lies the Lord of the past. You, the Lord of the present, I beseech you: please awaken her.”
“What? You want me to wake up an unconscious person? Me? How?”
“As her other half, do you not feel something, my Lord?”
“Of course not. I’m not some cure-all potion, nor am I a prince here to rescue a princess. How am I supposed to wake her up?”
‘I could probably restore her consciousness by using my mind-reading to achieve ‘synchronization,’ just like I did with Tyr. The previous King of Humans would then read the ‘synchronized me’ and remember who she is. But this time, it’ll be dangerous. If our telepathy echoes back and forth, the one with the weaker vessel will shatter first.’
Wake her up? Please. Even I can't do anything for someone who's lost their mind. I'm the King of Humans, not a damn panacea.
Huh? Wait a second. Could it be?
“It’s a classic, but should I try a kiss? She might just wake up like in a fairy tale, you know?”
“Your jest goes too far. I could not ask such an irreverent thing of you.”
“I’m not joking. It’s fine. I don’t really have any qualms about kissing. Besides, I’ve always wanted to be the prince who awakens the princess at least once.”
‘To grant Nevida’s wish, I’ll need to enlarge my vessel. That’s going to take time. So, before that, maybe I should grant someone else’s wish first.’
I smoothly knelt and leaned my face toward the girl. Hmm. You know, these fairy-tale princes seem like a rather barbaric bunch. Kissing someone just because they’re unconscious? Is that romantic or just savage?
Just before our lips met, ivy vines shot out from nowhere, seizing my arms and body. They were only ivy, yet the pressure felt strong enough to crush my arms. I quickly abandoned the attempt before my body was actually torn apart.
“On second thought, as the King of Humans, she’s another version of me, isn’t she? Kissing myself does feel a bit weird. Seems narcissistic.”
“My Lord, you know better than anyone that it is not the correct way.”
Right. Of course she wouldn't wake up from a kiss. I know that. Reality isn't a fairy tale. But.
“I can’t exactly suggest the correct methods, can I? The only ways to merge two different powers are the Anathemas!”
The four Anathemas: Gluttony, Graft, Splice, and Heresy. These immoral acts, known as the origin and essence of black magic, represent the four methods of unifying disparate powers.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to use Gluttony by grinding me up and feeding me to her, are you?”
“No, my Lord. Gluttony requires the devourer to be the one to take the power. That, too, is not the correct way.”
“You say that like you’ve actually considered it!”
Saying such horrible things to my face! I was almost turned into a special King-of-Humans-brand health tonic!
“Huh? Wait a minute. Then… am I supposed to devour her? Is what you wanted for me to think, ‘So this is what a King of Humans tastes like,’ and gobble her up from head to toe…?”
“Could you handle it, my Lord?”
“…Probably not. I mean, how can you eat a person? I don’t have some weird fetish for eating beautiful girls—and I mean in a culinary sense, not a sexual one.”
‘Either way, you need me, Nevida. Which means you’ll have to meet my demands. You should know better than to just pay me lip service while ignoring what I want.’
In a sexual sense, however, I could devour her all day long. I calmly knelt again, placing my hands on the girl’s shoulders. I gently pushed her onto her back and uncurled her arms, spreading them wide. From between the vines covering her body, her chest, which seemed constricted, made its presence known.
Hmm. Must be because she’s the King of Humans. She’s certainly the picture of health. As I reached out to free her chest from the vines… I once again felt that crushing force. Ivy and kudzu vines lifted me into the air like a toy.
Nevida spoke, her aura slightly menacing.
“What are you doing.”
“What? If it’s not Gluttony, it has to be Graft or Splice. You surely don’t want a two-headed King of Humans, so that leaves Splice, doesn’t it? Or is my process of elimination flawed?”
Splice refers to the act of sowing a seed to create a ‘mixed’ being. They call it an Anathema, but it’s something everyone does to preserve their species. Of course, the Anathema of Splice involves something a bit more mystical… but the essence is the same.
So, what if a half-King of Humans impregnates a King of Humans who is but an empty shell? Through that kind of Splice, couldn't a new King of Humans be born?!
“Aah, I really, really don’t want to feel like a breeding stallion, but~. I guess it can’t be helped~. I am a male, after all, and I’m a little… pent up~.”
“If you require a woman, I shall provide as many as you wish.”
“No, no. Looking at her again, the idea of doing it with a female version of myself is starting to grow on me. Wouldn’t this count as a rather unique form of masturbation? The kiss felt weird, but Splice might be okay?”
Nevida, who was about to bristle at my threat to violate her king before her very eyes, paused and fell into thought. For all my joking, the proposal was surprisingly plausible.
“That… could be a viable method.”
“Maybe this is the answer! We’re both the King of Humans, so why was I born a man and she a woman? This must be the harmony of yin and yang! It’s a sign that we must mix our bodies to become whole! Mwahahaha!”
‘No. To be precise, I was likely born male because a female already existed in the world. To represent the other half. Dogs and wolves are different facets of the same essential being, but I am an existence formed from everything the previous King of Humans lost. Splice might be one way, but it would be far more difficult.’
After calmly assessing the possibility, Nevida decided to keep that method in reserve for now.
“That method could indeed be one path. I will keep it in mind.”
“Huh? In mind? Can’t we just give it a test run?”
“We must not treat your Lordship’s sacred body carelessly, so please refrain. If you require a woman, I shall bring another.”
“Oh? Does that mean… Miss Nevida, you’ll…?”
In response to my ice-breaking joke, Nevida spread her arms with a terrifyingly blank expression and asked,
“Do you require it?”
“It’s a joke. A joke! You’re too scary, no thanks.”
Cold sweat dripped down my back. I waved my hands dismissively and turned away, trying to act casual. Tch, what a shame. It was a chance to find out what doing it with yourself would feel like.
‘This gives me an excuse to meet other people, like the Great Witch and Shei. Nevida, I know what you’re wary of… but don’t worry. Your wish will come true, one way or another.’
I licked my lips and turned my gaze from the girl.
“If it’s not Gluttony, Graft, or Splice, then the only method left is the fourth Anathema, Heresy. But that’s way too difficult. Manifesting a miracle through a Spiritual World shared by the masses? There’s no way I can even attempt something like that.”
Heresy is on a completely different level from the other Anathemas. It achieves the unification of power through a much more advanced, spiritual method. It is the act of a multitude of people sharing a single Spiritual World and accessing the power it holds. A unification of the mind, not the body—that is the fourth Anathema, Heresy.
An education bordering on brainwashing. An unshakable faith among its members. And a tangible power to gather that consciousness. Only when these three elements align can Heresy be achieved.
Frankly, the amount of effort required is almost commendable. But when things go wrong, it tends to kill far more people than the other three Anathemas combined. Just look at how cults commit mass suicide or carry out massacres whenever they get bored.
Things like the Earth Art of the Order of Gaia or Druidism. This is how ordinary humans can wield the power of the Divine, and it’s why things like Druidism and shamanism existed long before humanity even understood the Divine.
Ah. The faith of the Sacrificial Vessel, or the Military State’s Signallers, could also be considered a form of Heresy.
“Besides, she’s unconscious. How are you supposed to share a Spiritual World with someone who’s unconscious?”
“The two of you originally share one Spiritual World, do you not, my Lord? The collective will of humanity—a shared Spiritual World more steadfast than any other.”
“Oh?”
Huh, you're right. That's true. If she and I are both the King of Humans, then we share the same Spiritual World. Wow, Nevida. You’re pretty amazing, you know that? I never would have thought of it!
‘A direct hit. Nevida might not know my exact methods, but at this point, she’s basically spelled out the answer for me.’
“To my knowledge, you two Lords are two sides of a divided whole. I surmised that if both Lords were brought to the same space, there would be some manner of reaction between you.”
The guess itself is decent, but something's a little off. I pressed my temples and frowned.
“Hmm. To create a resonance… she and I are a little different.”
“In what way, my Lord?”
“It’s hard to say exactly what. Hmm, well, my body is weak but my mind is sound, whereas she has no mind but her body is sturdy. There’s that difference, for one.”
Hearing my explanation, Nevida sank into thought.
‘Is my Lord asking me to enlarge his vessel? This is the land of the World Tree. It would not be difficult to expand his vessel with its overflowing essence… but he likely intends to use that newfound power for his own ends. It is a transparent ploy, but…’
No, I'm not trying to lead you on! And I'm weak as a bug anyway, so what's the harm in making my vessel a little bigger? So suspicious!
‘It’s not a lie, Nevida. My vessel is far weaker, so it’s more likely to shatter first. If I break, your king will be difficult to revive. For your wish to come true, you have to enlarge my vessel. What, are you nervous? But to get something, you have to give something.’
“And, whether it’s her consciousness or something else, I feel a slight disconnect between us. It’s hard to explain, but even setting aside the gender difference, it’s like we don’t mesh. A generation gap, maybe….”
At my muttering, Nevida spoke as if she’d had an epiphany.
“…The two-thousand-year gap. In that time, humanity itself has changed. We must build upon the layers of humanity to bridge that gap. Your grace is boundless, my Lord. Thanks to your guidance, I have found the answer.”
“Huh? What did I teach you?”
She figured it out all by herself. This is why I hate geniuses. My mind-reading can’t keep up with their thoughts.
*
*
‘I gave you the hint. You’re one step closer to your wish, and I’ve earned myself some free time. A satisfactory trade. Wouldn’t you agree?’
Nevida once again wrapped the girl in vines and the lotus petals parted. The lotus unfurled once more. This time, Nevida bowed to me in earnest.
“It is time for you to depart.”
Right. Time to go. I have to, but… I glanced at the girl, a hint of reluctance in my eyes. It’s a shame. I feel like something was snatched from right under my nose.
“W-well, before I go, just one…”
“You will leave.”
Vines seized me and began to drag me away. Unable to resist, I watched the lotus petals close in the distance. Tch. What a waste. I could have done something no one else ever has…
‘Next up… Shei is urgent. If he loses his arm for good, his dream in this life will be shattered. I can’t let that happen.’
I suppose I won't have any reason to use my mind-reading here for a while. That's for the best.
‘Having my own thoughts echo back at me isn’t exactly conducive to deceiving myself, after all.’