51. Emperor (2)
51. Emperor (2)
What comfort should one offer to a saintess who had become unemployed in just a few minutes?
Yuma pondered for just a moment.
"Look for another job."
The blonde saintess, Ermel, widened her eyes.
"...What?"
The divine power she had used by serving Inkrinew. There was no way she could use it again just by serving a different god.
Though how many times in history had a served god died, anyway.
"Once a saintess is connected to a god, is it easy for her to connect with another god?"
At Yuma's words, Ermel shook her head while trembling.
"I-I-I've never heard of such a case...! Hik!"
Tears welled up in Ermel's eyes.
She was now face-to-face with the one who had just killed the god she had been prostrating before and praising moments ago.
It was bewildering. She couldn't help but be afraid.
"Ah, there's no need to test it for nothing."
Yuma continued speaking while looking straight into Ermel's eyes.
"Since it seems I won't be able to trust any of the gods of this world for the time being."
No matter how much a god who came before him claiming to be a 'good god' ran their mouth, he didn't think he could believe it.
Yuma lowered himself and met the eyes of Saint Ermel, who was slumped on the ground.
[Lv.29] Ermel
Race: Human
Class: (Former) Saintess, Mage
Realm: 2nd Circle
Special Notes:
During Saintess class period: Lv.86
As an oracle saintess capable of direct communication with a god, she was a saintess who could use the divine power of the served god [Anguished Mercy Inkrinew]. However, for some reason, the god died and she lost all her divine power.
Yuma, the very person who had caused that long special note, judged that Ermel was not lying, given her good-aligned disposition.
Nonetheless, he did not completely let go of his suspicion.
Because he was full of doubt about the so-called gods of this world.
"You didn't know that Inkrinew was that kind of god... did you?"
Ermel's face, which she barely managed to lift, was trembling uncontrollably.
"I didn't know! I didn't know! Hik...! Hik!"
Ermel urgently nodded her head.
'I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die...!'
It was the truth.
She had never even dreamed that Inkrinew was an Evil God.
She hadn't been able to even suspect such a thing. Because he had always delivered his oracles in a gentle manner.
Kugugugugugu!
Ermel felt a dense killing intent from Yuma's blue eyes, even though none was actually there.
Since the person who had just committed deicide was asking if she knew about the god's evil, as a saintess she couldn't help but feel the same sensation as facing death...!
Without the slightest idea of how he was currently seen by Ermel, Yuma placed his hand on her shoulder.
Tteok-
'Hiiiiik!!! I'm going to die— I'm going to dieeee!!'
Yuma's mouth slowly opened again.
"Before becoming a saintess, did you ever feel talent in another area?"
"M-magic... I had a bit of talent!"
"You know well that even having that bit of talent in magic is difficult. Convert to a mage, unemployed one. The Imperial Household will support you. From the 4th Circle, you can become affiliated with the Imperial Mages, can you not?"
At Yuma's words, Brigitte nodded her head.
"Yes, she can be affiliated with the Imperial Mages."
Yuma looked back at Ermel.
"Until then, devote yourself."
Yuma, who had ordered her to change her profession, rose to his feet.
"Let's go."
Yuma's party rode the teleport portal and moved to the Princess Palace.
Left alone, the former saintess muttered while still slumped on the ground.
"A mage... can I become one? Hik! Heueuk...."
Ermel, who had suddenly lost her livelihood, resented the world.
***
Yuma turned around and looked at the people who were staring intently at him.
"Brigitte, can you ascend the throne immediately?"
She slowly shook her head at Yuma's words.
"We need to convene a noble council and make a prior proclamation, so it will take about two weeks until the coronation ceremony."
"Is that so."
Yuma slowly walked toward the 1st Princess Palace.
"Can I use the same quarters as last time?"
Brigitte's voice came in response to Yuma's words.
"Yes, the cleaning has been finished."
Yuma checked on Cloné, Bel, and Hestia.
"Everyone, get some rest today. You must be tired."
The party couldn't nod comfortably since the person who should be more tired than anyone had said so.
Yuma walked in casually.
He opened the door to his room. And collapsed onto the bed.
Teolsseok-
He felt the strength draining from his entire body.
The core of Parrying was ultimately concentration. He had overtaxed that concentration.
Because it was a situation where he had to.
'The Eight Evil Gods.'
Now what remained were the Seven Evil Gods.
And the sense of doubt regarding the <System>.
Countless questions swirled in his head, but they didn't seem like problems he could think about right now.
They were matters to think about with a clear mind after a good sleep.
Yuma fell into sleep.
***
Ttiring!
Ttiring!
Ttiring!
"......."
Yuma, who had opened his eyes, had to face a flood of notification windows.
So many notification windows that his mind felt dazed.
'Today, I won't have the mental capacity to face other people.'
He also had to check the items inside the divine pouch that the god, Inkrinew, had possessed.
One day.
He needed a day to organize his thoughts.
Yuma first opened the door.
And slowly opened his mouth.
"Head attendant."
A middle-aged man in a black suit who had been standing upright at the end of the corridor quickly approached.
It was the head attendant of the 1st Princess Palace, Roian.
The head attendant politely bowed his waist.
"Yes, Lord Yuma. What business do you have?"
"I want to rest in my room today, so don't let anyone in. Just bring me one meal at noon."
Roian bowed his head again.
"Understood. Is there, perhaps, any other reason?"
Yuma could easily guess the meaning of those words. He must be asking about his health.
Yuma slowly shook his head.
"I'm just a little tired."
The head attendant bowed his waist at a right angle again.
"Understood, Lord Yuma."
Cheolkeok-
Yuma went back into the room.
After sitting on a chair, he faced the notification windows that were still floating.
[Defeated the Evil God, <Anguished Mercy's Inkrinew>.]
[Achieved a feat that far overwhelmed your own capacity.]
[Reward granted!]
New!
[Item - 'Golden Rule Sprout'!]
[Growth potential does not exist.]
[Increases stats as a reward for the achieved feat.]
[Name: Yuma
Lv.80
Personality Trait: Cool-Headed
Strength: 90 Endurance: 105 Defense: 90 Agility: 110 Growth Potential: 0
Status: Mortal - Can shed the mortal coil by elevating the body's rank to the transcendent level.]
This time, the Level had risen by 40.
Accordingly, all stats had uniformly risen by 40.
The Level that used to creep up by 20 had jumped massively this time, making his heart swell.
Yuma felt anew through this Level rise that the karma of deicide was indeed a truly great feat.
Yuma's Level and the Level notation of people visible through his Searching Eye inevitably carried different nuances.
Because Yuma was confined within the framework of [Mortal] from the start.
A state of being unable to become a swordmaster who emits Sword Aura, or a mage who handles magic. Nothing at all.
'With current stats, if it's just brute force, he might be able to hold his own against a beginner Sword Master.'
If the guy used Sword Aura, he'd have to bring out Parrying eventually, but it seemed possible to hold his own at least in an arm wrestle.
There was a fundamental difference between the 'Level' of swordsmen and mages who raised their Aura stage and circle through training, and Yuma's 'Level' which raised numerical stats as a reward for his feats.
Though, in the first place, the only person in this world who could see Level was Yuma, who possessed <Searching Eye>.
'To build a mana heart and train Sword Aura or anything else, there was no choice but to consume the Dragon Heart and shed the mortal coil.'
To strip away the limits placed on the body, he had to remodel that body. To achieve that, he had to consume the Dragon Heart.
And the System had granted <Golden Rule Sprout>, one of the essential auxiliary items required for ingesting the <Dragon Heart> he possessed, with a sense of 'I know what you're thinking, you bastard.'
Yuma stared at the golden sprout slowly falling from the air, the Golden Rule Sprout.
The Golden Rule Sprout, having landed on Yuma's right hand, radiated a brilliant glow.
'Now the remaining essential item is the blood of a Great Demon King...'
The Demon Realm Army that would invade five months later.
He felt he could get a grasp on the Great Demon King then.
'Anyway.'
The System.
There might really be gods belonging to the 'Good' side behind this damn thing.
Because the Golden Rule Sprout was an item found from gods belonging to the Good alignment or from the World Tree even in the game <Loof Blood>.
'And as soon as Inkrinew was defeated, it excitedly informed him about the Eight Evil Gods too.'
This damn thing was earnestly wishing for him to eliminate all Evil Gods.
Having finished organizing the rewards, Yuma decided to check the items the slain 'Inkrinew' had dropped.
First, the thing to check was the [Divine Pouch].
Yuma took out the divine pouch that could be called Inkrinew's subspace pouch from his own subspace pouch. Then, he made its mouth gape open and shook it out onto the floor.
Several items scattered on the floor.
Among them, Yuma picked up the most conspicuous bright red fruit.
[Fruit of Invulnerability to Poison
Forms a body that does not fall to any poison.
Caution: Upon consumption, undergoes a process of converting the blood into Ten-Thousand-Poison Immune Blood. Will occasionally cough up blood for about a month.]
Oh.
Yuma couldn't help but let out a low exclamation.
It was an item that would be SSS+ grade by the standards of the game <Loof Blood>.
It was clearly precious in this place too.
Since a so-called god couldn't be harmed by poison, he probably just kept it as a souvenir.
Yuma put the [Fruit of Invulnerability to Poison] he was holding into his mouth without hesitation.
Eujeok!
And chewed it up and swallowed it down.
Now it was time to examine the next item.
[Aegis of Miracle
Defensive artifact.
A bracelet-type artifact that attaches to the arm. Automatically activates when the wearer faces an unavoidable attack. Imbued with 'Athena's Protection'.
Caution: Has a limited number of uses. Loses function as a defensive artifact after '5 uses'.]
Athena's protection.
The fact that a god's name was contained in it meant there was a high probability that the god's divine power itself was granted.
'When faced with an attack that even Parrying can't handle, this would save my life at least once.'
Though he should avoid creating such a situation in the first place.
Yuma put the bracelet on without hesitation.
Yuma skimmed over the remaining four items, then carefully put them back in.
Because the rest didn't have the same impact or usefulness as the previous two.
Now one remained.
The Sword of Wailing and Annihilation, [Balmung].
Yuma grasped Balmung, its silver blade shining brilliantly, with his right hand.