Chapter 126 — Please Protect This Land (3)
Chapter 126 — Please Protect This Land (3)
Roan began to organize his thoughts.
Though it was only a hypothesis,
according to this book, the 'Dark Forest Seed' was meant to protect the land from the power of corrupted earth.
As observed in the East Yellow Territory,
corrupted land rendered soil barren.
Which meant
the function of the 'Dark Forest Seed'—or perhaps the crystal—and the blessing too,
was to protect the soil's fertility, the power of the land itself, from the force that laid it to waste....
Roan's unfolding train of thought stopped.
The ideas overlapping in his mind were
the notion that had come to him in his office early that morning.
'The Goddess's blessing permanently changes the crystal.'
And two "what-ifs" meshed together with a single word the Count had once tossed out.
'Activation.'
Roan's eyes flew wide open, his gaze fixed on empty air.
Grünent wore an anxious expression, but she did not disturb the Emperor's deliberation.
After a moment's thought, the words that slipped from Roan's mouth were somewhat unexpected.
"Grünent."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Speak with Kaa and see if you can find any tales in which Goddess Laurecia 'awakened' the Dark Forest Seed, or moved it... any account that says She activated it."
"Ah, if that's what you mean...."
Murmuring a small 'excuse me,' Grünent leafed far into the back of the book Roan had been reading—The Age of Myth: Wondrous Tales.
"I read this once before, you see."
The pages she opened to were the very end of the book, the appendix.
The author had included summaries of the original fairy tales that served as sources for the old stories.
And there, a line that seized Roan's eyes.
— The Goddess awakened the seed and asked: grow a forest, and protect this land.
"...Hmm."
"To be honest, tales like this are common outside this book as well. They're fairy tales often read to children. But... have you seized on a clue, Your Majesty?"
Roan found it difficult to answer readily.
The thoughts he had arrived at were, in the truest sense, a mass of nested hypotheses—ideas not even proven.
Yet after hesitating, he quickly pulled his thoughts together.
Wasn't that precisely why he sought to share his opinions with those cleverer than himself, so as to draw out a better result?
After confirming via Detection that no one was nearby, Roan spoke in a low voice.
"You know that the blessing prevents the land's desolation."
"Yes. Of course. In Merde it is the greatest event of spring."
"And the book you found says something similar."
"You mean that the crystal protects the land from the demon's power. Do you think the blessing and the crystal perform similar functions?"
"I do."
Grünent pulled a chair over and sat beside Roan.
"Hmm. But Your Majesty, even to my eyes, the crystal looks somewhat different from the blessing. Is it not far more dangerous?"
"That would be... because it has not been 'awakened.'"
"Not been awakened...."
After turning Roan's words over in her mouth several times, Grünent shot up, shoving back from the desk.
"Awakened—by the Goddess?!"
"...."
"I-I'm so sorry...."
The officials reading at a desk near the entrance—too far to approach the Emperor—and Kaa by the door all turned to stare at Grünent in unison.
Grünent hastily apologized and sat back down.
Immediately, she whispered quietly to Roan.
Even at the low volume, her words came fast enough that her excitement was fully palpable.
"You mean to say you will awaken that crystal using the power of Goddess Laurecia that Your Majesty possesses!"
"Mm. It is only conjecture, but...."
"Is it not worth testing...? Ah.... Aaah...."
Her impassioned words trailed off into a sigh.
At last, Grünent, too, clearly realized it.
The very thing I had been agonizing over at the breakfast table.
If the Count could not be trusted,
then I also could not reveal my power.
"That was why you were worried... about trust."
"Yes."
"I see. Knowing information no one else knows means you can also use it as a weapon, after all."
It was no simple problem.
Even if he could not yet claim to have a solution, he had obtained a clue worth trying in a fairly different direction—
and being unable to test good information simply because he could not trust someone was a frustrating waste.
In truth, such problems happen anywhere people live.
Even in the real world, how often does someone secure decent information or a good lead, only to miss the chance to act on it because they resent an internal rival or lack someone trustworthy?
Foolish as it may be,
people can never fully know another's heart.
Even I, backed by Detection, Attentive Hearing, and Insight, ended up hesitating like this. Because I knew all too well just how far a person's inner nature could twist.
And so Grünent, too, could not open her mouth easily.
"...It's difficult. I understand Your Majesty's dilemma."
"That's how it is. But if possible."
Grünent fixed her gaze on Roan as he spoke slowly, organizing his thoughts.
Her clear blue eyes shone.
In those lovely eyes, filled with trust in Roan, he found courage.
"I would like to try what I spoke of this morning."
"If Your Majesty has a direction in mind, that will be the right decision."
Grünent took Roan's hand and nodded.
"But I do ask that you consider this one point."
"Speak."
"The fact that Your Majesty possesses the Goddess's power is an enormous matter. Especially for humans."
That was true.
If word were to spread that I could wield the power bestowed by the Goddess—
of course, some might praise the Goddess's benevolence, but...
those who did not believe—who had no means to verify my power—would rage that a demon dared to claim the Goddess's power falsely,
while those who did believe and could genuinely sense holy power from me might suffer a tremendous crisis of faith.
The Goddess I believe in...
gave her power even to that filthy Demon King bastard? That was what they would think.
The demons, on the other hand, might accept it without much thought.
Most demons followed indigenous faiths,
and the Goddess was the deity who protected humans.
To them, it likely felt like a story from a distant land—incomprehensible, with no way to approach it.
The demons' resistance would be nothing compared to the resistance humans might feel.
"The Church will try to deny Your Majesty's words by any means. This is a matter weighty enough that the Church might agitate to break the ceasefire Your Majesty achieved through your power."
Roan silently moved his head to signal agreement.
It was not only the Church's grudge against me—
chaos provided a fine opportunity to overturn the balance of power.
The Church, which sought to seize power, would not want the war to end so abruptly.
"Therefore, Your Majesty's power must absolutely not leak elsewhere. Your Majesty."
A venomous gleam flashed through Grünent's eyes for an instant.
At the unfamiliar politician's expression, Roan was momentarily overwhelmed.
"As a human who desires peace, I will demand a confidentiality contract from the Count."
"Grünent."
Roan spoke her name as if to soothe her.
"I believe you know my heart."
"Yes. How could I not? But still...."
Grünent shut her mouth tightly and glanced once around the room for no real reason.
She must have needed a moment to think.
After remaining silent, she opened her mouth with effort.
"When I think that Your Majesty might be betrayed the way I was... I truly cannot bear to watch it with my own two eyes."
Every word was heavy.
Realizing what Grünent was remembering, Roan could not speak further either; he only silently patted her hand.
She had been betrayed by nobles she trusted.
And so, overnight, she had been driven out to Evirgio.
What rose in her mind was likely one of the most painful memories of her life.
Thus Roan's words were careful.
"Grünent. I'm sorry. But an attitude like that cannot earn anyone's trust."
"Ngh...."
He felt tension enter Grünent's small hand. Her expression was pitiful.
Because Roan's words were right, Grünent could only bite her lip hard and sink into thought.
"You may feel I am being stubborn."
"No.... Your Majesty. What you say is right."
Roan stroked Grünent's cheek as though comforting her. Grünent leaned gently against his hand, looking weary.
"If the Count believes Your Majesty does not trust him, whatever conditions are attached, the conclusion Your Majesty desires will not come to pass...."
"He is not a man who readily reveals his feelings. It may not hinder the research, but it is hard to know which way he will jump. If possible, I wish not to provoke him."
"...Understood."
A gleam lit Grünent's eyes.
It seemed she had resolved something.
"I have caused Your Majesty needless worry. Truly, I am ashamed."
"Your concern is appreciated. Grünent."
"Will you go to the Count soon, then?"
"That was my intention."
"In that case, Your Majesty. Would you grant me until nightfall?"
In that instant, a 'resolve' came through Attentive Hearing.
Roan's eyes narrowed.
Grünent meant to scheme something.
"What are you planning?"
"Please trust me this once."
Roan nodded, his face impassive.
It was not that he failed to understand her heart, and she likewise understood his intent.
Grünent was trying to find another way. Within the bounds of not harming my goal—to earn the Count's trust and win his heart.
I could give her enough leeway to look for a different approach, to the woman who was trying to accommodate my foolish obstinacy.
"I shall permit it."
A smile returned to Grünent's face.
Smiling brightly, she pressed a soft kiss to Roan's cheek, then sprang up with a squeak and rushed out of the library.
As he watched her back, something suddenly caught Roan's eye.
"...Hm?"
Officials and a librarian who had been staring blankly at the Emperor and his concubine hastily averted their gaze.
What filled those eyes was envy.
The Emperor cracked a grin before he could stop himself.
**
After finishing lunch, Roan left the palace wearing his Disguise Tool as a stroll.
His steps headed for the waypoint.
Ten minutes after leaving Basel, Roan arrived at the entrance to the Dark Forest, more than a thousand kilometers away.
Raising his Ki Sense to its limit alongside Detection, Roan slowly surveyed the area as he reached the cave.
This was already his fourth visit since being rescued from this place.
During his first visit, he had left a note requesting a conversation with the forest elves.
When he came to the cave a week later, the note had certainly been gone.
But two weeks had passed since then.
He had visited hoping a reply might have arrived in the meantime,
but there was no response.
'Are they not taking me seriously?'
Roan let out a light sigh.
He could not continue this kind of relationship with the forest elves indefinitely.
Moreover, the forest elves had no nation and no government. No networks of personal connections.
He could not resolve the problem by sending official letters, proposing trade, and negotiating formal agreements as he had with Arteala.
The best feasible approach was to persuade the nearest forest elves—those who had formed villages—one by one, but...
'Naturally, that wouldn't be easy either....'
Still, he could not give up.
For one thing, the Dark Forest was vast, and many demons lived in its vicinity.
Having those who sought the throats of my subjects living within arm's reach was an entirely different matter from having friendly neighbors nearby.
Furthermore, there were many precious resources found only in the Dark Forest. From this crystal in the shared area to the Powder of Silence the Count had used in his experiments.
For now, all he had to do was personally carry small amounts for experiments, but once the research truly succeeded, he would need to set up operations here and mine the crystals.
Therefore, peace with the forest elves was essential.
'It would be nice if I could simply convey that we, too, were only trying to achieve self-sufficiency with the Goddess's help.'
When making a request to a complete stranger, finding a connection was the most important thing. It wasn't for nothing that people staked their lives on school ties, blood ties, and regional ties. When you had one, the quality of your life changed.
These were forest elves so devoted that they cherished the Goddess's resting place even after all these long ages.
If the Goddess stepped forward and spoke just one word, wouldn't everything be settled?
Lost in such drifting thoughts, Roan stepped deeper into the cave—and his eyes went round.
At the spot where Roan had left his note,
a small, slender box now sat.