The Tenth Research - Divine Kingship (1)

Tellorian had made a mess of things.

His sworn brother would have to clean it up.

“…”

At the Iron Duke’s request, Tellorian pressed a hand to his forehead. Mortals were forever committing acts no one could anticipate. Immortals like Lucifeles or superhumans like Belkan, the Shaman King, were far easier to predict. Their goals and convictions were clear, and they knew how to restrain themselves in pursuit of those ends.

But mortals…

They were always the problem.

Those insignificant, impulsive creatures!

How could a king say such a thing?

No matter how royal one was, there was a time and place for every word. Insulting a border count’s only daughter as a whore during wartime was certain to invite disaster.

…And so disaster has come.

Did it make any sense? Even a fourteen-year-old boy raised as royalty should have received basic etiquette training. Had every member of the royal family been playing at fools?

…They had all been playing at fools.

The Arsil dynasty had no responsible adult to act in place of the boy king’s father. The king’s uncles had long since died, and his maternal uncles were drunkards. Queen Dowager Florin, who should have kept a tight rein on her son, had lived her life like a flower and lacked the resolve to curb his violent temperament.

But this is a matter of intelligence!

Rodrick Harrington was famous for smashing ogre skulls with his mace. Anyone with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠half a brain would know that calling his only daughter a whore to his face would not spare even a crowned head from the Iron Mace. Only a madman or an idiot could…

He is both mad and an idiot.

The boy king was consumed by his father’s grudge.

And foolish enough to devour an entire diplomatic mission.

Tellorian recorded it in his research journal—his own limitations of insight.

Having entered a profound sage-like state, Tellorian sat in his study, idly puffing on his pipe. The situation had diverged so far from the original worldline that he could no longer rely on the scenario.

The Three-Headed Dragon’s Descent was merely background lore.

In the game, the Three-Headed Dragon’s Descent had been the background event explaining why the central continent had become a living hell.

In other words,

Iron Duke Rodrick,

Boy King Dailen,

and most of the great nobles ruling the Essil Kingdom were originally fated to meet miserable deaths swept away by the Green Tide.

He had gone to great lengths to save those who were destined to die, only for the fools to walk straight into the fire themselves. Damn them all!

I must stabilize the Essil Kingdom as quickly as possible and prepare for the Three-Headed Dragon’s Descent. We have only severed the first head so far.

The dragon had three heads.

The green dragon that brings war.

The black dragon that brings death.

The red dragon that brings evil deeds.

Even one dragon’s descent would reduce the central continent to ashes. And if the center falls, the north and the empire will advance into it. Once the buffer zone disappears and the two great powers share a border, conflict is inevitable.

The clash between north and empire would escalate into continental war. That war, in turn, would trigger the hidden apocalypse triggers scattered across the land.

It had to be stopped.

The fall of the central continent.

To prevent the fall of the central continent, the Essil Kingdom must grow stronger. It is the only nation with the potential to unify the divided center.

In summary:

If the center falls, the continent falls.

If the kingdom falls, the center falls.

Therefore, the kingdom must be saved.

To save the kingdom?

He would have to usurp the throne.

From the foolish boy king.

It had originally been a simple matter.

Give the boy king the exceedingly sweet candy that was Belladia, make him lose all interest in politics, and hand real power to Rodrick. After all, who wore the golden crown was not what mattered.

Foolish boy…

Cursing the boy king who had thrown away the continent’s greatest beauty that Tellorian had placed in his palm, he calmly began preparing the usurpation plan. His mind—intelligence 35+++—capable of calculating the movements of the heavens, worked busily.

For a successful usurpation, one must understand the unique beliefs the people of the center hold regarding royal authority.

The expectations of the central people were as follows:

Clause 1. The king must receive recognition from a divine being.

Clause 2. The king must be a descendant of another royal house.

Clause 3. The king must be sufficiently strong and fierce.

If all clauses were satisfied, one would be regarded as an ideal monarch, but if circumstances did not allow it, fulfilling two conditions was enough to have one’s legitimacy recognized.

Clause 3 is already passed.

Rodrick Harrington was a man who had spent his life defending the border. Whether in personal martial prowess or in commanding armies, his ability had been absolutely proven.

Then, after satisfying either Clause 1 or Clause 2, if I can persuade the kingdom’s power holders, usurpation becomes possible. There will still be considerable backlash, but…

That,

Rodrick would handle himself.

Clause 1. Divine recognition is difficult.

The [Invincible Sun] worshipped by the kingdom’s people was a universal deity that emphasized moral purity. Therefore, the Church of the Sun would regard a usurpation based on military force as [tyranny]. Moreover, Iron Duke Rodrick, who had walked the path of the hegemon, had always had poor relations with the Church.

Then we go with Clause 2.

A man who is fierce and strong, and who carries royal blood, can be served as king even without divine recognition. That is the sentiment of the center.

Of course, Rodrick does not carry royal blood. The founder of the Harrington line, Iron Lord Harrington, had been a serf.

However.

Genealogies were, after all, things that could be attached and detached. So he pondered which royal house’s genealogy to graft onto the Harrington family tree.

Flip, flip.

He searched the library and brought out the genealogies of the many royal houses that had existed on the continent. He avoided currently existing royal houses as much as possible and focused on extinct ones.

Even if we impersonate descendants, no letters of protest should come from the royal relatives’ council. It would also be better if the dynasty had a reputation that educated people would recognize…

Flip, flip.

Flip, flip.

Hmm.

An amusing idea occurred to him.

Since we’re fabricating anyway…

If he was going to fabricate, he might as well make it absurdly grand. That way, even his political enemies would be too dumbfounded to properly verify the facts.

Good.

Plan formulation complete.

He went to find Rodrick.

“Your Excellency the Lord Protector.”

“What is it, my sworn brother?”

“When I examined the Harrington family genealogy, everyone’s origins were remarkably clear. Whether through paternal or maternal lines, they were people who could be cross-verified through various procedures.”

In other words,

A genealogy with solid roots.

Difficult to tamper with.

“But there is one person whose origins are unclear.”

“…”

He paused for effect.

The Iron Duke knew as well,

but it was not a memory he wished to recall.

“Only Countess Eila, the mother of Lady Belladia Harrington, has no genealogy that can be cross-verified. The only clear record is that her father received a commission as a common knight in the north.”

The Iron Duke’s face darkened.

“I would like to hear the story about her.”

“…Is it truly necessary to hear?”

“Yes.”

Only then

could the usurpation proceed.

“It will be a story not worth your hearing.”

“Even so, I must hear it in full.”

Despite the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Iron Duke’s polite refusal, Tellorian did not yield. The Iron Duke erupted in open anger, but Tellorian did not so much as blink and simply repeated that he must hear the story.

“…You.”

Truly,

you are like a mage.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“It was not a compliment.”

Thud!

Rodrick brought out a barrel and cups.

“It was an insult.”

“?”

“I hear plenty of talk about how knightly I am, too.”

The Iron Duke gave a bitter smile and

poured dwarven ale.

“Drink.”

“I am on duty.”

“Drink. This is your karma.”

“…”

He accepted it

and downed it in one shot.

“Kk! That’s the spirit!”

“Then please tell me the story now.”

“As much as you like! If you truly need it, I’ll tell you!

However!”

“Only after we are sufficiently drunk!”

“…”

“Memories of Eila are not something to recall with a clear head. Since you have dug into my old scar… I hope you are prepared.”

Glug.

Drink and die.

“Ugh?”

“Awake?”

“Ughhh…”

When he regained consciousness, he was in bed. This was a detached palace of the royal castle. It was not as excellent a workshop as his own mage tower in Harrington Castle, but it had been properly prepared into a usable workshop through appropriate procedures.

“As expected of a bookish type, your tolerance is weak.”

“Who are you…?”

“Tsk tsk. Open your eyes properly and look.”

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Aha.

The Silver Serpent.

In human form.

“Pity it is not a serpent……”

“…”

Silence.

“From today onward, this god will have work and cannot help you all day. I have made soup with goat meat, so sober up and go to work. We shall meet again in the evening.”

The Silver Serpent, dressed like a witch, leaped over the castle wall. She apparently ran a fortune-telling stall in the marketplace—not because she needed money, but because labor was the best way to adapt to the new era.

“Oh, right.”

Bang!

The door opened.

“Tellorian.”

“What is it?”

“Stop staring at dusty documents in the workshop all day and go outside to get some sun and meet people. Besides, you are of good age—why are you not meeting any women? There seem to be quite a few fine ladies around.”

Ah.

That was

simply because he had no interest.

“…A strange mortal indeed.”

He did not pray.

He did not socialize.

He had no hobbies.

He did not date.

“For what, then, do you live?”

“To understand the mysteries of the universe.”

“Haa.”

“And also to prevent the world’s destruction.”

“…Enough.”

The Silver Serpent let out a deep sigh and leaped straight into the sky. That body was an avatar crafted by the goddess who ruled the stars at the height of her power. Because it had been made as an ideal divine king, all its functions far surpassed those of ordinary mortals.

While eating the goat meat soup, Tellorian recalled the conversation he had shared with the Iron Duke.

Countess Eila had been quite a unique woman.

Countess Eila had been born the only daughter of a common knight and possessed exceptional beauty. Though excellent suitors swarmed around her, her only interests were serving the Sun God and caring for the weak.

It was then that the Iron Duke made his proposal.

If she became his wife,

he would build a large orphanage in his domain—

large enough to raise orphans from across the kingdom.

Countess Eila married ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Iron Duke because she wished to help orphans. Later, she seems to have grown fond of married life as well, but…

Compared to ordinary noblewomen, family would have ranked much lower on her list of priorities. That was why she had tried to report her only daughter to the Inquisition.

Belladia was Countess Eila’s only child. Even so, Countess Eila had tried to report her to the Inquisition.

…Perhaps Countess Eila had not had only one child. Perhaps she had wanted to isolate her eldest daughter to protect her other children.

At any rate.

Countess Eila was hardly someone who could even be called a noble. Her father had been a common knight, but a wandering knight without any special fief.

That makes her an excellent material for me.

When fabricating a genealogy, an obscure house one had never heard of was far more convenient than a half-baked famous family. Even an outrageous lie would be difficult to refute.

Then let us begin.

Research name: Queenmaker.

Experiment commencing!