Chapter 44
Chapter 44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 14. Wolves Are Needed for Resurrection
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After leaving the annex palace, the next place I headed to was none other than the underground library of the Great Temple.
Of course, I wasn't there to actually gather information. In the end, the process of removing the otherworldly poison Jess had used was so grotesque that I needed to lay the groundwork in advance.
"Sorry for the hassle. It's kind of urgent."
"Not at all, Your Highness. Please, come in. Our secret library is always open for you, Prince."
High Priest Esix personally unsealed the library entrance and led me inside. He let out a sigh and continued his story.
"I used to visit the White Dragon Palace frequently until earlier this year. But with my abilities, I couldn't cure His Majesty's illness no matter what."
"Even my holy magic didn't work. He's definitely poisoned by something, but the usual methods won't cut it."
"I reached the same conclusion, but I had no choice but to step back since there was no viable way. But you must have some other idea in mind, Your Highness?"
"I do. Do you have any records here on the 'Demonic Beast of Detoxification' by any chance?"
"The Demonic Beast of Detoxification...? I know we have a few books on demonic beasts. But wouldn't the imperial library have those too?"
"It did. In the Blue Lion Palace. But that's gone now."
"That's truly regrettable."
Esix slipped between nearby bookshelves, scanning the spines.
"That the assassin would target you, the secluded prince this time—and that Knight Master Phiren was involved—it's shocking."
"I nearly died. But Reverse Gravity is so overpowered against knights, so that was lucky."
It hadn't worked on Phiren once his body turned into tentacles, though. Esix stroked his long beard as if convinced.
"It's certainly effective against knights. But I think it was possible only because of your unparalleled magic sense, Your Highness. I received a letter not long ago, and everyone was raving about your magic."
"A letter? From who?"
"From Trimum."
Trimum? Oh, the escort priest leader?
"He says they're still in Yoton Bay, steadily hunting sea serpents using the method you taught them."
"Yeah. That's pretty important work too."
"I heard the Yoton region, whose economy had ground to a halt, is recovering thanks to them. Excellent work. It's just a shame they couldn't fulfill their duty as escort priests because they were separated from you."
They had once been sealing priests who sealed liches, but now they were deployed on tasks completely unrelated to their original purpose. I gave a wry smile and held up two fingers on each hand.
"Things were just too urgent. Two are in Yoton Bay, and the other two I sent to Verit."
"Verit... I've heard about what happened there recently."
Esix sighed self-deprecatingly.
"Truthfully, the temple should have stepped in to handle that. I'm deeply sorry. We had some inkling, but... it's such an isolated area, and access for priests was blocked, so we couldn't act rashly. It must have caused you trouble, and now I can only regret it."
"No need for self-blame. I had no idea something like that was happening there until right before it went down. Just keep an eye on it from now on. Verit is a place where people live too."
"Of course. We've already requested imperial approval to build a new temple in Verit."
"It'll get approved in no time. Anyway, what about the book?"
"The book... Let's see, ah, here it is."
Esix pulled out a thin, dusty book and coughed.
"Ahem. Excuse me. The title is 'Demonic Beast of Detoxification.' It really exists."
Of course it does. That's how I got the info from it to create the 'Resurrection Route.'
"Judging by the binding... it must be at least 200 years old. It's not an officially banned book by the temple, but you won't find it in ordinary libraries."
"It's similar to the one in the Blue Lion Palace. I only saw the cover back then and didn't read it... Mind if I take a look?"
"Of course."
Esix smiled and handed me the book. After skimming it for a bit, I started my planned act of surprise.
"Oh, this might actually work?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"See for yourself. This part here."
"Understood. Let's see... The demonic beast that consumes poison refers to none other than the 'Ancient Wolf.' Ah, Ancient Wolf it is. Hmm. Among them, the fresh entrails of a 'chieftain-class' specimen over 300 years old have the effect of absorbing all poisons. Oh, this might just cure His Majesty's illness?"
"But what does 'absorbing poison' mean exactly? Can't we make it into an elixir and ingest it?"
"If it's literal... it probably means applying it to the skin like a poultice to draw out the poison."
"The Ancient Wolf's entrails?"
"Yes."
"Putting a beast's guts on His Majesty's skin? The ministers' eyes would pop out. But where do you apply it?"
"Naturally, on the affected area..."
"Where's His Majesty's affected area?"
"Probably his whole body? If it's a severe poisoning, the toxin won't be concentrated in one spot. In that case, this..."
Esix gasped in shock. I grimaced in disgust.
"We'll need one with a massive body. That chieftain-class Ancient Wolf... so it produces a ton of entrails, right?"
* * *
Of course, I know the exact size of an Ancient Wolf.
A typical adult is about 2 meters long, with a shoulder height just under 1 meter.
But for a chieftain-class over 300 years old, it's a different story.
If memory serves, it's 5 meters long, with shoulder height well over 2 meters!
Its belly can fit a whole person inside the entrails. That's exactly how the Resurrection Route works.
"So, you're saying you're leaving for the Eternal Forest right now?"
Davi, who had returned from training the squad members in the clearing, asked with a serious face. I rested my chin on the sofa armrest and nodded.
"Yeah. The records say those Ancient Wolves live there."
"The Eternal Forest is elven territory. The elves the empire has been in a quasi-wartime standoff with for years. I was stationed near there just a few weeks ago."
"What can I do? The ministers commissioned me, and to save the VIP, I have to try everything."
I haven't decided who that VIP is yet, but the Resurrection Route itself isn't complicated.
Enter the Eternal Forest, hunt the chieftain wolf, bring back the corpse, and done.
Of course, the Eternal Forest is at the empire's northernmost border, and just getting near it takes about ten days by carriage.
Plus, the chieftain wolf is insanely strong, and you have to hunt dozens of other wolves guarding it.
And while dragging the captured chieftain back to the Emperor's Road, you have to maintain its freshness with Anti-Corruption to prevent rot—that's extra hassle.
Anyway, slice open the belly of that secured fresh corpse, stuff the poisoned person inside, and everything's solved.
It has the ability to extract any foreign substance invading the human body, regardless of type, so even otherworldly poison gets sucked out in an instant—a miracle.
But there's only one chieftain wolf.
So only one person can be saved.
In the end, a choice must be made. Instead of Jess, who to entrust the empire's governance to.
The Emperor?
The Crown Prince?
Based on past experience, saving the Emperor first makes the most sense.
The Emperor stabilizes the empire just by existing.
He's excellent at leading the government, and upon recovery, he grants me various authorities to act freely.
So for now, saving the Emperor is the standard play. Especially since the ministers came to me directly this time.
But saving the Crown Prince has its own merits, right?
-Claude! Thanks to you, I escaped that horrific agony! My god! Hahaha! Thank you so much! Anything you want! I'll do whatever I can! My dear brother!
If I save the Crown Prince via the Resurrection Route, he'll be so grateful he'll hand over his liver and gallbladder—everything.
Plus, Crown Prince Adrix is a knight at near-max level.
Obviously, the sooner he's revived, the more direct help he'll be against the otherworld waves later.
Meanwhile, even if the Emperor is saved, he's useless in combat, and after about three years in that state, his vitality fades, leaving him unable to perform imperial duties.
So from my perspective, choice paralysis is inevitable.
Of course, since I already took an advance from the ministers, shouldn't I save the Emperor as agreed?
But if I push hard with 'The Emperor is beyond saving. But I can save the Crown Prince—what do you say?', the ministers have no real choice.
"Anyway, it'll take at least a month round trip. Davi, train the squad well while I'm gone."
"Of course, but what about your physical training in the meantime, Your Highness?"
"What can we do? I'll work hard again when I get back. Call it a one-month vacation."
"We just started training yesterday. A whole month off...?"
Davi trailed off with a dumbfounded look. Then Didi, whom I'd brought along, asked me with an uneasy expression.
"Your Highness? Why did you call me here?"
"Oh, nothing major. I was planning to take you along if possible."
"To the Eternal Forest? I... I won't be any help hunting Ancient Wolves."
Of course not. Not just the chieftain-class—even regular Ancient Wolves are ferocious and strong.
Plus, they have 'Stealth' abilities like me.
Not as perfect as mine, but if they really hide, it's a headache.
But the Ancient Wolf is the only 'demonic beast' whose presence I can detect. You think I'd leave behind Didi, who has that mysterious 'Demonic Beast Affinity'?
"Hmm, then what about Didi's training? I made the full schedule and diet for rapid growth."
Davi gave me a resentful look again. I smiled and gently shook my head.
"What can we do? Let's start training a month from now."
"Understood. But be prepared when you return. Didi aside, I'll double your training time for at least a month, Your Highness."
"Double? So four hours a day?"
Davi nodded silently. From his expression, no compromise seems possible... Will my body hold up?
"Um, uh, Your Highness."
But Didi had been acting suspicious for a while. I looked at the fidgeting Didi and asked back.
"What? Got a question?"
"No, it's... There's something I need to tell you first."
"What is it?"
"......"
Didi squeezed his eyes shut and bowed his head. What's up with him all of a sudden? He's usually so quiet and expressionless—this feels ominous.
"......I know about the Ancient Wolf."
Then he muttered in a mosquito-like voice. I doubted my ears for a second.
"What? What did you just say?"
"I've known about the Ancient Wolf you're going to hunt, Your Highness."
"How?"
"......"
"Are you from the Eternal Forest by any chance? Or connected to the elves?"
"No."
Didi shook his head. Then after agonizing for a long time, he spoke.
"Ancient Wolves aren't only in the Eternal Forest. They're right here too."
"Here? Where's here? You mean the Emperor's Road?"
"Yes."
What nonsense is that!
Where would an Ancient Wolf be in the Emperor's Road!
Forget Ancient Wolves—does the imperial capital even have a single regular wolf?
"Didi? I think there's some mistake in your memory. Did you dream about wolves while sleeping or something?"
"Precisely, they live in the sewers beneath the Emperor's Road. And not regular Ancient Wolves, but an elder-class one over 300 years old, like you mentioned."
As if shedding a burden, the suddenly calm Didi explained clearly. I blinked in shock, staring at him for a long while.
What the hell is going on?
His expression doesn't look like he's lying. So there's really an Ancient Wolf in the Emperor's Road sewers? An elder-class one at that?
"......Didi?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Can you explain in detail? What exactly happened?"
What on earth happened in your life, when you're only twelve? Didi nodded and began revealing the story he'd kept hidden all this time, piece by piece.