Chapter 207: Apostle (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 207: Apostle (2)
Alon felt a sense of vertigo at a situation that was the complete inversion of common sense.
He, a nobleman from a foreign land, was seated upon the throne.
Meanwhile, the rightful owner of that throne, King Famillono, was down below, bowing his head deeply.
If someone were to ask if this was a normal situation...
He would have no choice but to shake his head without a moment's hesitation.
Naturally, Alon had no desire to sit on the throne.
He had nothing to gain from it, and he even had a favor to ask—so why would he drag the King down from his seat?
In fact, he would have stopped this vehemently if he could have.
The reason he was sitting here anyway...
Was because of King Famillono’s sheer persistence.
‘...I am quite alright, really.’
‘I am also alright. Please, I beg of you.’
‘No, I mean—is there really a reason for me to sit—’
‘There is. You must sit there, Marquis.’
...To be more precise, it was likely because of Jenira and Sirkal, who stood behind him looking for all the world like they were making a threat.
"Whew—"
Alon looked down.
There was Evan, standing next to the King, chuckling as if none of this was surprising anymore.
Alon did his best to ignore that expression and spoke to the King.
"...First, there is a favor I would like to ask."
"Please, say the word."
The King bowed politely.
Alon felt another wave of discomfort.
A nobleman on the throne.
A King bowing down below.
No matter how he looked at it, it was the definition of abnormal.
However, since he had a rough grasp of how things were playing out, Alon decided to finish his request as quickly as possible.
"Ahem—"
"Yes—"
"About the statue..."
"The statue? Do you mean the statue of Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver...?"
"That is correct."
"Ah, yes. Is there a problem with your stat—I mean, the statue of Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver?"
"No, it’s not that there’s a problem. It’s just—"
Alon trailed off, falling silent despite himself.
Of course, he knew.
The moment he asked for anything, the King would grant it.
In other words, the burden of making a request had mostly vanished.
The reason Alon stopped speaking, however, was...
‘This is harder to say than I thought.’
Because it was embarrassing.
To go out of his way to ask them to attach horns to Kalanon’s statue...
If Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver, were a being completely unrelated to him, it wouldn't matter—
"Please, tell me anything."
He didn't have to look far.
He could tell just by looking into their eyes.
To them, Alon was Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver himself.
Which meant that even if it wasn't his intention...
A request to add horns to the statue was essentially the same as Alon throwing a childish tantrum to make his own statue look cooler.
‘...This is so humiliating.’
He couldn't bring himself to say it, but...
"If this is about us failing to properly capture Kalanon’s likeness, we shall commission it anew."
"...I'll leave it to you. That—"
"Yes! We will remake it so that even those majestic horns are perfectly realized...!"
Thanks to Swift Sirkal, the addition of the horns was settled naturally.
Alon felt inwardly grateful to her as he nodded nonchalantly.
Finally, he was able to escape the throne...
* * *
About two days later.
Alon headed toward Calliban to make his way to the Snow Mountain.
Truthfully, he wanted to rest for a few more days.
However, he had no choice but to leave the Luxible Grand Duchy as quickly as possible.
Ever since Alon defeated the Apostle of Sloth...
Everyone who saw his face would immediately prostrate themselves fully on the ground.
Being there was simply too overwhelming.
He had managed to escape the Grand Duchy quickly, but unfortunately, he hadn't escaped the discomfort entirely.
It was because of the knights of Calliban.
The moment Alon stepped out of his carriage, every single one of them would bow their heads low, and a new kind of pressure was beginning to creep in.
I mean, imagine stepping out of your carriage just to grab some dinner, only for everyone eating to suddenly bolt upright and bow with the most solemn expressions imaginable.
...It was far more uncomfortable than one might think.
But above all else...
"Marquis, would you like to try some of this?"
"...Thank you."
"It’s my pleasure. Please let me know if there’s anything else you need."
The crowning glory was the Macallian siblings visiting his carriage every hour to take care of him.
He was somewhat used to Deus, who had been like that every time they met.
The problem was his younger sister, Silli.
Ever since Alon rescued her, she hadn't missed a single day, coming to ask if he was uncomfortable and bringing him three meals a day.
It was as if they had coordinated their schedules to come separately.
Alon was receiving greetings from the Macallian siblings roughly every thirty minutes.
"...Aren't you pushing yourself too hard?"
"Pushing myself? I’m only alive like this because of you, Marquis."
Silli gave a bright smile.
Looking at her, Alon said, "Even so, it still looks like you're working hard... If there's ever anything you need to ask of me, let me know. I'll help as much as I can."
"R-Really?"
It was a light offer made out of concern that she was overexerting herself, but her eyes widened as she asked for confirmation.
"I mean it."
When he nodded, she began to fidget, glancing at him shyly.
Alon was momentarily flustered.
‘Wait, what kind of favor is she going to ask...?’
Contrary to his worries, Silli’s request was simpler than expected.
"Um, could I... get an autograph?"
"...An autograph?"
"Yes!"
"...You mean a signature?"
"Yes...!"
...Why a signature? The thought crossed his mind for a moment.
Alon took a piece of paper from Evan and signed it.
"Will this do...?"
"...! Yes, yes! This is more than enough, Marquis!"
"But why did you want an autograph?"
It went without saying, but this world didn't really have an "autograph culture."
Even in the modern world, exchanging autographs was rare unless you were a celebrity.
At Alon’s question, Silli replied with a beaming smile.
"I’m going to make it a family heirloom...!"
"A family heirloom...?"
"Yes! Thank you so much!"
Silli bowed deeply, then clutched the autograph to her chest as if it were precious and ran off.
Soon after.
"Brother, look at this! It’s the Marquis’s autograph!"
"Gasp—"
"..."
As Alon felt another wave of embarrassment from the commotion outside the carriage...
"You must be pleased, Marquis. You’ve even gained a fanatic now."
"...I wouldn't say I'm pleased."
"Is that so?" Evan asked pointedly.
"It’s more embarrassing than anything."
"Hmm—I think I’d quite like it—"
[Hmph. Only a fellow like you, who twists his body trying to get a woman's attention, would like such a thing.]
"...This bastard. He didn't show his face once in the Grand Duchy, but he pops out the moment we leave?"
Basiliora had emerged, not missing the opportunity.
[Hmph—I simply had no desire to see their faces.]
"It wasn't that you didn't want to see them; it was that you didn't want to be ignored for being so small."
[Urgh—]
Basiliora looked as if Alon had hit the nail on the head.
[Gyu—]
Blackie also popped out from Alon’s chest, seemingly interested in Basiliora’s rare appearance.
Alon felt a brief sense of warmth watching them, but it didn't last long.
‘Hmm—’
Alon looked at the horns displayed on one side of the carriage.
The horns Kalanon had told him to take.
‘...I have so much I want to ask. I wonder when we can talk again.’
There were quite a few things he wanted to ask her.
He was curious if Kalanon and the Ghost King were related.
He also wondered why she told him he needed faith, yet warned him not to gather it recklessly.
Most of all, he was curious about the specific ways to use divinity.
‘...Can we talk once the divinity has recovered to some extent?’
Alon, who was now very accustomed to contemplating his inner world, checked Kalanon’s divinity, which had begun to regenerate very faintly, and thought of her for a while.
* * *
A dark night.
Under the silent night sky where everyone was asleep.
Inside the carriage, Deus silently watched Silli, who was sleeping beside him.
He smiled at the sight of his younger sister asleep, clutching the paper with Alon’s signature as if it were a treasure, then turned his gaze toward the carriage behind them.
The carriage where Alon was staying.
"..."
Deus suddenly recalled a few days ago.
The moment when he could have lost everything.
But conversely, the moment when everything was saved.
‘...If the Marquis hadn't come then.’
Deus would have lost his world.
The knights.
His sister.
His honor.
Everything.
But that man.
He had protected everything that the wretched bastard had almost taken away.
He had even...
Left the bastard alive and given Deus time and advice so that he could take his own revenge.
And yet.
In the end, Deus had failed to take his revenge.
Because he was lacking.
Grip!
Deus unconsciously clenched his fists.
He had thought he had become strong to some extent.
But he still wasn't.
He was far too weak.
He couldn't even properly take revenge on the one he needed to, and he had been protected by that man once again.
‘I must become stronger.’
Deus grit his teeth.
He had to become stronger and stronger, until he could be that man’s sword.
Furthermore, until he could protect that man.
He had to become strong.
To repay the one who had called him family.
And the one who had shown him boundless grace until now.
"..."
A dark night.
Under the silent night sky where everyone was asleep.
Deus made a silent vow.
The blue moon shone down upon him.
* * *
A massive altar, like a pyramid, that had existed since ancient times.
Inside that altar, guarded by the Lizardman Great Tribe Karamble...
"I greet the Great One."
There was Kurak, bowing his head, and...
[Ah, it has been a while—]
Hazard, who was casually receiving Kurak’s polite greeting.
Hazard was a being whose form and expression Kurak could only barely discern.
Hazard skipped the formalities and got straight to the point.
[So, did you look into it?]
"Yes."
[And?]
"As you expected, it was indeed him."
[Is that so?]
A smile spread across Hazard’s face, looking very pleased by Kurak’s confirmation.
However.
"But—there is an additional matter I must report."
[What is it?]
Hazard looked puzzled by the following words.
He then listened to Kurak’s detailed account of what happened when he visited the Marquis of Palatio.
[So, you’re saying the divine power felt the same, but he himself denied it?]
"Yes."
Hazard seemed to ponder for a moment.
[I see—]
He nodded as if he understood.
[I don't know why he denied it, but—it doesn't matter. There are others who will know anyway.]
"Are you referring to the Elves?"
[Indeed.]
Elves.
At the answer from Hazard’s lips, Kurak bowed again and stepped forward.
"Then, I shall go and confirm it myself."
[No. There is no need for that.]
"...Then?"
[I shall go myself.]
"...You mean personally?"
[Yes. I’d like to hear exactly what my friend’s circumstances are—]
Hazard thought of the Elf Queen as he slowly stood up.
[And besides, if I’m going to provide my friend with an escort, I’ll need to speak with the Elves in advance.]
A very amused smile played on his lips.
[I’ll have to tell them they can get rid of those pathetic Elves who aren't fit to guard my friend.]