Chapter 244: King of the Dead Subjugation — Interlude (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 244: King of the Dead Subjugation — Interlude (1)
A cold wind swept across the wilderness like a lingering echo.
In the heart of that desolate expanse, divine power gathered with a soft rustle, coalescing into the form of a heavenly being.
[ Phew... ]
It was Vuel.
He let out a heavy sigh, collapsed onto the ground, and stared up at the starry night sky.
Though his body had temporarily dissipated after being swept away by the ultimate ice spell, Vuel had regained his original form thanks to the blessing of immortality.
Vuel lifted his head and surveyed his surroundings.
It appeared the Ice Sovereign, Isaac, had erased all traces of his magic before departing. However, the lingering aftermath of such power caused an untimely, biting wind to swirl through the vast wilderness.
Thanks to the [Timeless Palace of the Glacial Realm], the landscape hadn't suffered dramatic permanent damage, though the massive fissure where Hexek the White Skull had emerged still scarred the earth.
Calgart and his army had vanished without a trace. No matter how superior their regenerative abilities were, it was impossible to withstand a 9-star ice spell unscathed. The result was only natural.
In the end, the underground kingdom sustained by Calgart’s power must have collapsed as well.
[ Incredible... so that is the kind of man he is... ]
Vuel muttered in genuine admiration.
It was impossible not to be impressed. He had underestimated humans, and he readily admitted his ignorance.
How many of the highest-ranking heavenly beings would it take to match the Ice Sovereign? He couldn't even begin to guess.
The power the Ice Sovereign had displayed was truly overwhelming. Moreover, Vuel knew that what he had witnessed wasn't even the full extent of the man's strength.
[ It was a sight worth seeing. ]
Vuel sprang to his feet and began to walk.
As he trekked through the frozen wilderness, he recalled the conversation he’d had with Calgart in the underground kingdom.
— We do not oppose the Heavenly Gods. There is no reason for you to come here, nor to fight us, is there?
— Calgart, you and I are not so different... I heard there was once a demon who sought to be noble. He was powerful enough to manipulate time itself, yet he was sealed away by your god, was he not?
— What of it?
— I respect his will. Nobility is something to be attained.
— ...Heavenly beings are a race that pride themselves on their inherent nobility, are they not? It seems you do not consider yourself noble.
— That is correct. I am a noble being, but I do not possess a noble character. Therefore, I strive to become truly noble.
At that moment, Calgart had immediately grasped Vuel’s intentions.
— Are you planning to oppose the Heavenly God, Tianus?
Heavenly God, Tianus.
The ruler of the Divine Realm, the god whom the heavenly beings worshipped and served daily, the highest-ranked existence—and the god Vuel intended to kill. How could he consider himself noble while plotting to murder the very deity he served?
Surely, those questions must have crossed Calgart’s mind.
Vuel pulled up the hood of his white robe.
He reminded himself of his purpose. To achieve his goal, he needed the cooperation of the Evil God, the one who possessed the "Power of Godslayer."
That was why Vuel had sought out Mephisto, the agent of the Evil God. He had struck a deal with Mephisto to deal with the Ice Sovereign, who was currently the greatest hindrance to the demons.
The Evil God of Destruction, Nephid, intended to eliminate the Child of Light before the time of her resurrection.
Even if Vuel wanted to assist the Evil God, he could not directly harm the Child of Light himself. If those possessing Divine Power harmed one another, their life forces would forcibly intertwine—a fail-safe designed by the Heavenly God to prevent internal conflict among his subjects.
There would be no issue if he refrained from using the power of light, but the Ice Sovereign would never stand idly by. Even if humans attempted to harm the Child of Light, they would be thwarted by the fairy’s blessing passed down through the Fairytale family.
Furthermore, with the Ice Sovereign acting as a guardian, any attempt to capture the Child of Light was an invitation to disaster.
Ultimately, the only ones capable of killing the Child of Light were the fairy who granted the blessing or the demons themselves. Once the obstacle known as the Ice Sovereign was removed, it would be a simple task for the demons to finish the job.
[ Ice Sovereign... ]
The image of Isaac effortlessly wielding world-ending magic flashed through his mind.
Dealing with such a monster? It sounded so preposterous it was almost laughable, yet it wasn't entirely impossible.
Although his preparations were incomplete, if everything went according to plan, he might be able to handle the Ice Sovereign within half a year. It was a gamble worth taking.
However, Vuel had no intention of resorting to cowardly tactics like taking hostages. He aimed to kill a god to achieve true nobility; he did not wish to harm others unless they were necessary sacrifices or stood directly in his path.
He wanted to avoid collateral damage as much as possible. To do otherwise would be a stain on his character, ruining his plan and digging his own grave.
In the end, the Ice Sovereign, Isaac, was a necessary sacrifice to secure the Evil God's cooperation.
For the greater good.
Vuel resolved once more to eliminate the Ice Sovereign.
*
[Level Up!! Your level has increased to 154!]
[You have gained 16 stat points!]
[You have unlocked the achievement ❰Put to Rest❱! You have gained an additional 10 bonus stat points!]
[Status]
Name: Isaac
Lv: 154
Gender: Male
Year: 2
Title: Ice Sovereign
Mana: 73,550 / 143,800
• Mana Recovery Rate (A+)
"You must be sleepy."
"A little."
We were inside a carriage provided by the Helize Church.
My head was nodding as exhaustion finally set in. As if my biological clock were precision-tuned, I became incredibly drowsy the moment dawn approached.
Alice, having lived with me, knew this habit well. It was the reason we were returning in a carriage instead of flying on our familiars.
"Come here."
"...Thanks."
Alice sat beside me and gently guided my head onto her lap. I didn't resist, using her thighs as a pillow.
Knowing she was entirely on my side made the proximity less awkward. In fact, I found myself leaning on her more and more. Even with the carriage rattling, the soft support beneath my head made my eyelids heavy.
From the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Alice’s gentle smile. She looked like a doting mother.
It suits her.
For some reason, Alice began to softly stroke my stomach.
"Baby, shall I sing you a lullaby?"
"...Hmm?"
Alice leaned down as she spoke, her ample chest inadvertently pressing against my face and muffling my breathing.
It was a pleasant, if slightly suffocating, sensation.
When I tapped her arm, she quickly straightened up, moving her chest away.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I couldn't see where you were."
Her eyebrows were tilted down in a bashful, gentle expression. I couldn't tell if she was teasing me or if she was being sincere.
"Be careful..." I warned with a sharp look.
Alice simply nodded with a soft smile, continuing to stroke my hair and ears.
Before drifting off, I activated [Clairvoyance].
The Imperial Knights had reached the Ropenheim Barony. They were a special unit that had arrived via flying familiars. It seemed Baron Adrian Ropenheim was being escorted to the capital, Viyans, while Eve Ropenheim and the rescued children remained at the mansion for the investigation.
Next, I checked Carnedas County.
It was safe and sound, thanks to the efforts of Isabel Silverwolf, the commander of Düpfendorf’s Third Legion.
So that’s what she looks like.
She looks strong. I wonder what her level is.
Since she had defeated the mid-boss, Mangled Qilin Molikarth—a level 172 entity with dark and wind elements—she had to be formidable. I had heard much about Düpfendorf from Knight Commander Morcan. Out of the four legion commanders, Isabel Silverwolf was the most favorable toward me, which is why I had entrusted her with this mission.
The other three commanders still didn't trust me. Their stance was that they couldn't blindly follow a new king they hadn't even met. It was a cautious, rational judgment, so I didn't take it personally.
The loyalty issue could be settled at the coronation.
The academy is still out of reach, as expected.
I still couldn't peer into Märchen Academy with [Clairvoyance]. The Evil Dragon Orchis, a level 174 beast with dark and lightning elements, would likely have headed there. It was a dangerous foe, but Dorothy, Luce, and the Thunderbird should be able to handle it.
I was eager to see them again.
Now... I'm level 154.
My level had jumped significantly. By defeating Calgart the Necromancer and his legions, I had earned the general achievement [Put to Rest] and a haul of bonus stat points.
I now had a total of 141 unallocated stat points. It was an awkward amount—sufficient for minor upgrades, but still lacking for a major breakthrough.
One never knew when or how the scenario might shift. I needed to be thoroughly prepared for the coming battles against Vuel or the impending Fairy War.
I didn't expect Vuel to make a move this early.
That explained why Calgart the Necromancer had appeared sooner than in the original timeline. Having that information was a massive advantage.
Vuel was a heavenly being planning to rebel against the Heavenly God, Tianus. In the original game, ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, he had allied with the demons to help them defeat the protagonist, Ian.
There were other heavenly beings who followed Vuel’s lead. Ultimately, the "gods" we would have to fight were Vuel’s faction. They couldn't be defeated by Ian’s Divine Power, and their elemental resistances were absurdly high. Physical combat or the raw power of artifacts was the only way to deal with them.
Furthermore, Vuel was currently protected by a blessing of immortality. No matter what we did, he couldn't be killed. There might be a way to render him powerless, but it would be a suicidal gamble.
Since Vuel’s rebellion hadn't been officially exposed yet, trying to report him to the Heavenly God through a self-destructive act would likely backfire. The Heavenly God punished anyone who interfered with his subjects. The risk of triggering the bad ending, 「Judgment of the Gods」, was far too high.
In that scenario, Vuel would be punished for violating the treaty against interfering with the human realm, but he could simply postpone his rebellion. I, on the other hand, would be dead, leaving no one to stop the Evil God.
For now, Vuel had no choice but to endure my [Cocytus] attack. What he feared most was being incapacitated.
In other words, if we provoked each other now, it would just be a mutually disadvantageous game of chicken. The Vuel issue had to be resolved when the story reached the heavenly being scenario.
And then...
Heavenly God, Tianus...
Like the Nether King, he was an entity that must never be provoked. Conflict with true divine beings had to be avoided at all costs.
The only god I must truly confront is the Evil God who will descend upon this world.
After organizing my thoughts, I closed my eyes, lulled by the rhythmic sensation of Alice’s hand stroking my hair.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to sleep for a bit."
"Yes, sweet dreams."
I quickly fell into a deep slumber.
*
Inside the carriage, a small lamp cast a faint, flickering glow.
Alice Carroll gently stroked Isaac’s silver-blue wavy hair. She gazed down at him, seemingly entranced by the steady, peaceful rhythm of his breathing.
This was the imposing archwizard who had wielded 9-star magic with such terrifying ease. Yet, this astonishingly powerful being had transformed into a tired boy, soundly asleep on her lap.
The carriage wheels turned with a rhythmic hum. Grasshoppers chirped in the distance.
Suddenly, Isaac’s voice—urging her to live by his side—echoed in her mind.
No matter how much she had hoped or tried to change her fate, she had once believed that nothing would ever get better. She had given up on everything. But that nightmarish reality had been shattered because of this man.
Whenever she thought about how much her life had changed because of him, a tickling sensation filled her heart.
Alice couldn't stop smiling. She closed her eyes and savored Isaac’s presence, his warmth. She found herself wishing these quiet moments alone with him would last just a little longer.
Eventually... Isaac stirred in his sleep.
"...Huu."
Suddenly feeling a warm sensation against her lower abdomen, Alice shivered, a faint moan escaping her lips.
Startled, she opened her eyes and looked down. Isaac’s face was nestled deep against her lap. With every breath he took, the warmth traveled through the fabric of her clothes, brushing against her thigh and tickling her stomach.
Unconsciously, Alice squeezed her legs together. Despite her best efforts, a deep flush rose to her cheeks, staining them crimson.
"..."
She was embarrassed, but it didn't feel bad. With her usual gentle smile, Alice softly stroked the back of Isaac’s head.
"Cheshire, keep watch for me, will you?"
[ Meow. I’m already on it. ]
The Phantom Cat, Cheshire, replied from his perch atop the carriage.
With every exhale from Isaac, Alice felt a fresh shiver run down her spine. Since nothing was wrong, she couldn't bring herself to disturb her master’s rest.
Steeling her resolve, Alice decided to endure the sensation of Isaac’s breath, biting her lip to stifle any further sounds.
"It looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight," Alice whispered to herself, her smile never fading.