Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: The Mage's Temptation
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In Earth's history, the separation of church and state often involved political forces cutting ties with religion.
It wasn't something you could simply summarize that way, but it was part of a series of secularization processes—like the atmosphere following the French Revolution or the United States refraining from establishing a state religion after independence.
However, in the Lost World, where gods truly existed and their influence was far from negligible, things looked a bit different.
Eldar said,
"It's a bit early timing-wise, but this could get complicated."
"They're definitely not incompetent at the game."
"Pardon?"
"No, just talking to myself."
Seong-un predicted the unfolding situation.
Thanks to the branching paths, the entities playing a tightrope walk between politics and religion—or between Yacheon and Mujin—had been culled.
Those who couldn't firmly commit to one side were always the first to disappear.
Both factions would inevitably suspect them of being spies.
Now that sides were clearly drawn, the task for Mujin's followers was straightforward.
Mujin—the god of Dan-yeom and Satyros, otherwise known as Krampus—would seek to dethrone the current king, Aranju Dolan, by any means necessary.
The most bewildered would be King Aranju Dolan himself.
Aranju had no choice but to anticipate rebellion within Daimirit.
He had zero legitimacy to his claim.
And he was the very one who had severed the bloodline that established Dan-yeom over 150 years ago—the lineage that upheld that legitimacy.
Aranju knew there would be no shortage of people gunning for his head.
To that end, he had sought permission from Heuk-rin's Basen Rak Oran to assemble a small contingent of armed guards who could mobilize at the first sign of revolt.
And as expected, agitators appeared proclaiming that Aranju should never be king. He kept a close watch on them, then dragged them out in the dead of night when the streets were empty, tortured them to uncover their backers, and executed them on the spot.
But as time passed, things didn't go so smoothly for Aranju.
The number of agitators grew, reaching a point where his small armed guard couldn't handle them all.
Aranju considered requesting aid from the Heuk-rin forces but quickly abandoned the idea.
If an armed uprising occurred, Heuk-rin would naturally suppress it themselves.
But for now, the agitators were merely gathering in the plazas and ranting.
Besides, Aranju knew that relying on Heuk-rin even for this would make him look weak in their eyes.
'No matter the threat to my person, I must prevent that at all costs.'
He couldn't rely on anything—or anyone.
Thus, what Aranju trusted was faith.
Unlike the royal houses of other nations, the kings of Dan-yeom had traditionally received oracles or performed rituals proving the gods' favor toward their line.
Aranju believed that holding such a ritual would suffice to quell the agitators.
"Prepare the ritual at once."
Dan-yeom summoned the priests to conduct the rite, and King Aranju Dolan presided over it.
The ritual's climax involved Aranju lifting high with both hands the auspicious mirror passed down through the royal family, symbolizing Dan-yeom's god, and reflecting the populace in its surface.
Something astonishing happened.
The moment Aranju raised the mirror, it shattered, and sharp shards lacerated his face.
Thanks to his armed guards and the priests, the ritual was somehow completed, but even the children present understood what the incident signified.
"Dan-yeom's god Mujin has abandoned Aranju Dolan."
The rumor Aranju had desperately tried to suppress spread beyond Daimirit's walls, permeating every corner of Dan-yeom.
No one was more shocked than Aranju himself.
The gashes on his face from the mirror left scars, but something even more painful lingered.
The god he had believed in his entire life had forsaken him.
Aranju might not have been a devout believer, but in Dan-yeom, faith in Mujin was as natural as a beast breathing air or a fish filtering water through its gills.
To be rejected by the air or the water—it was agony Aranju couldn't escape.
He offered prayers, awaiting the god's response, but none came.
'My god, have I erred? This was the only way to preserve the kingdom!'
He still believed in Mujin, yet the god remained silent.
Seong-un saw it as inevitable.
Mujin—Krampus—had no choice but to ignore Aranju.
Tolerating him as he was would amount to Dan-yeom surrendering not just substantively, but procedurally, to Heuk-rin.
Procedural surrender mattered greatly.
Krampus needed to wage total war, even considering his allies' other players. If Dan-yeom stamped surrender papers without resistance, their opposition to Heuk-rin would weaken.
Even if Dan-yeom's people harbored fury toward Heuk-rin, a king's explicit capitulation would erode their will to resist.
To prevent that, Aranju had to renounce surrender.
Yet from a national-interest-first perspective, Aranju couldn't retract his declaration now.
Oran's reply from Heuk-rin, along with support and supply units, was en route. Unless some miraculous skill drove 9,000 Heuk-rin troops out of Daimirit in days, the city would face Heuk-rin forces both inside and out.
Seong-un didn't think Aranju would renege on surrender or die from despair at divine rejection.
"His resolve is strong. Since the mirror shattered during the ritual, his stats have actually grown. Endurance has risen sharply. That's probably why Aranju Dolan can hold that position."
Eldar replied,
"But Krampus must see those stats too. If he wants him dead, wouldn't it be better to assassinate via skill or creation?"
"Because that's not what Krampus truly wants."
"Pardon? Then why..."
Seong-un looked down at Aranju Dolan with interest.
Aranju's eyes, lost in deep thought, resembled a goat's—slit pupils.
"He wants me to help Aranju."
"You mean you, Nebula?"
"Exactly. It's the perfect time to spread faith to Aranju. He needs help. He might not truly believe in me, but if he wants to use me, he'll be eager to."
"...You're not going to, are you?"
Seong-un nodded.
Eldar grew more flustered.
"Why not? Even if he doesn't believe sincerely at first, once faith takes root and favor builds, his heart will open."
"That's Krampus's intent."
Seong-un continued,
"If word spreads that Aranju Dolan believes in me—Yacheon—it'll make it easier to oust him from Dan-yeom."
"Is that so? Wouldn't it be better than leaving him be? If Aranju believes in you, we could protect him—and if that protection holds, we might even push out Krampus's, I mean Mujin's, influence in Dan-yeom. Public opinion is favorable toward Heuk-rin regardless of religion."
Seong-un shook his head.
"Krampus seems to have taken my words to heart."
"What do you mean...?"
"I gave him some simple advice earlier."
In Seong-un's mind, Krampus's plan crystallized.
Aranju revoking surrender: Plan A. Aranju's death: Plan B. Aranju turning to Yacheon: Plan C. Yacheon protecting Aranju to the end: Plan D.
"The problem lies in protecting Aranju itself."
"Why?"
"It would consume my resources. Dan-yeom is already a territory I've conquered—having to keep investing attention there is the issue. That's one of the outcomes Krampus desires. Even if it means clashing with his available forces, he'd prefer the battlefield be elsewhere."
"Then... what do we do?"
Seong-un grinned beneath his mask.
"I need to show him that merely 'having many plans' isn't enough."
"Isn't it?"
"Eldar."
"Yes?"
Seong-un turned to Eldar.
"Plans must outnumber the enemy's."
Awakening from sleep, Aranju noticed someone standing in the corner of his bedroom, shrouded in shadow.
It was still early dawn.
Aranju seized the scabbard by his bedside and sprang up.
"Who are you?"
"They call me Yan."
"...Yan?"
Aranju knew the name.
Yan was a gnome from Dan-yeom, though he had spent much of his life as a wanderer.
He was cursed, after all.
His black ears resembled no other race's, earning him the moniker "devil ears."
But that wasn't why Aranju knew his name.
Yan was an alchemist.
The previous Dan-yeom royal house, covetous of alchemical knowledge, had once captured Yan to extract it.
Aranju had never seen Yan in person but knew his father had been assigned to that very mission.
"...That alchemist?"
"Alchemist? Ha, not anymore."
"You've quit alchemy?"
"No."
Yan stepped forward from the darkness, footsteps echoing thud-thud.
For some reason, his devil ears had spread further, now covering his right cheek.
His grotesquely altered right face seemed locked in a perpetual grin as he spoke.
"I have become a greater being."
"A greater being?"
"I am a mage."
Aranju had vaguely heard of magic.
The power to incinerate forests, shave mountains, dry rivers, and part seas.
The power to slay dragons and defy gods.
"...Fairy tales."
"They say the young general became king, yet you know so little of tales."
"Insulting me?"
"Yes."
Aranju didn't rage.
He merely reached for his sword's hilt.
Yan strode to the window, saying,
"I infiltrated this place—guarded by Heuk-rin and Dan-yeom soldiers—without a soul noticing. I could kill you and walk out just as easily."
"You're just an old gnome."
"Care to test that?"
Aranju wasn't a coward.
He was always ready to challenge others' bluffs.
His blade tip flashed toward Yan's throat.
It pierced Yan's neck clean through.
As Aranju tsked, thinking it mere bravado, he froze at Yan's chuckling.
With the blade still embedded, Yan took another step toward Aranju.
Aranju yanked the sword free in shock and retreated.
Yan laughed.
"No need to be so surprised. This is magic."
Aranju knew Yan was no illusion.
He had felt the blade pierce flesh, seen blood slowly trickle from the wound in Yan's neck.
Though dismayed, Aranju calmly wiped the blood from his blade with a handkerchief and tossed it to Yan.
"Clean it."
Yan’s left eyebrow twitched at the gesture.
"My thanks."
"Why have you come here?"
Yan wiped his nape and replied,
"To aid you."
"Aid me?"
Aranju eyed Yan suspiciously.
"...And your price?"
Yan said,
"A nation free from divine interference."
Aranju flung out his arm.
"Absurd. Look at the history of races that rejected gods and perished. Behold this battlefield ruled by the gods' creations. Apostle Rakrak slew the king. No nation endures without divine protection."
"What if there's power to replace the gods?"
Aranju's lips parted slightly.
"...No."
"Yes."
Yan stepped into the full light.
"Magic shall be at the heart of this nation."