Chapter 128: Cuckoo (3)
"Moon, I ask of you."
Oh moon high in that sky. Moon who once shared intimacy with the First Emperor. Why do you not give an answer?
"Is it because I killed every elder of the imperial family who had heard your voice?"
The highest floor of the Continental Palace. The Moonlit Chamber, which only the Emperor could open. There, the Emperor gazed at the dayti sky.
"What reason would there be to spare those old fools who abandoned their ambitions for continental unification and clung only to their own safety?"
As a young emperor, he had established his authority through the Almanism Church and killed all the imperial elders. The reason was simple.
"Moon, our ancestor who made a covenant with you was not such a coward."
The Emperor's fingertips pointed to the faded fragnts of the moon. They were once symbols of the imperial family, and they ant the imperial clan mbers that the Emperor himself had destroyed.
"Moon, I understand my heart seems narrow, but why do you not speak to even now that I have beco Emperor?"
The Emperor gazed at the sky with distant eyes.
"Through the glaring sunlight, the clear light of the moon shines distinctly, yet you speak as if I rely executed a few possessed ones in a fit of anger?"
The Emperor murmured to the moon as if confessing to a god.
"In truth, I found those wretches extrely repulsive."
The Emperor was not angered by the nonsense that moonlight reflected the sun's rays. That was rely an excuse.
"A continent completely conquered by humans alone."
Wasn't that the ideal world of the Empire? In the world of the possessed, there were no obstructions like Labyrinths or Demon Realms. Just a vast land spread before them with battlefields between humans.
"Despite having a common enemy, how lantable that humanity cannot unite as one in this current world?"
A dream unfulfilled throughout the Empire's ancient history. A world for humans.
"Moon, perhaps I was deeply envious of that."
Beneath the moonlight pouring down in broad daylight, the Emperor recited his aspirations.
"Before I die, only the Empire will remain on the continent. Even if the imperial line is severed. Even if I never hear your voice again―."
The Emperor declared.
"I will unite all of humanity on the continent, by any ans necessary."
That is why the Emperor had accepted the existence of Erik. A heterogeneous being, yet a comrade who could share the Empire's will. The fifteen-year-old rising star who was said to resemble the First Emperor. The Emperor asked the moonlight about Erik.
"Do you think the sa?"
Following the Emperor's hand, moonlight flowed abundantly. The moon's power caring for the Empire showed the Emperor a scene from one corner of the imperial capital in his eyes.
"Moon, while you listen to my will, why do you still refuse to speak?"
The Emperor murmured helplessly, watching the scene illuminated by moonlight.
"Kehehe."
The Emperor's complicated emotions were instantly resolved. Because the moonlight showed Erik's figure. Wasn't that how it must have been when the First Emperor was called a hero? The Emperor smiled widely at the landscape shown by the moonlight.
'Without hesitation or wavering, that is truly the walk of a hero.'
Erik acted without a mont's hesitation. He severed the maid's neck without question, knocked the Empress unconscious and threw her over his shoulder, then made the remaining body of the maid disappear without a trace. After that, Erik held up the severed head and declared.
"Go tell them. Don't do anything foolish. I will co looking for you."
It was truly a hero's conduct—no compromise with evil whatsoever.
"Moon, while I could not do these things because of my covenant with you, he is doing them in my stead."
The Emperor thought it was a sha to see this sight alone.
'My heart trembles at his declaration that he will find them and eliminate them.'
Ku-woong!
The Emperor swung his hand through empty space. Then a wall made of true silver cracked open. Beyond the opened wall, the Pri Minister's red beard appeared.
"Your Majesty, I was waiting. Ah……."
The Pri Minister, who had been waiting before the wall, was first startled by the sight of the Moonlit Chamber, which he had never seen before, and then greatly startled again when he saw Erik shown by the moonlight.
"Kahahaha! Look at that destroyed palace. He accomplishes without hesitation what the imperial covenant prevented us from doing!"
The Emperor explained to the Pri Minister, chuckling at how impressive the scene was.
"Your Majesty, even if the subject of action is Erik, how is such a thing possible?"
A covenant was not sothing that could be resolved simply by changing the subject.
"Erik is different. He is a being bound by no constraints of this world."
From the Emperor's perspective, Erik was like an omnipotent problem solver. He felt the payoff of having provided all manner of conveniences from Erik's childhood and tolerating his various sches. At the ti, he had thought the Pri Minister was mad...
"Is all of this thanks to your stubbornness, Pri Minister?"
"It is thanks to Your Majesty's oceanic heart."
The Pri Minister bowed his head. Seeing the grown Erik, all the hardship he had endured seed to wash away.
"Your Majesty, fortunately the matter of the Second Empress has been cleanly resolved as well."
However,
"Hmm, where is that fellow heading?"
Erik began displaying strange behavior. He carried the Empress over his shoulder and left District 1 of the capital. Then he proceeded without hesitation, crossed District 2, and entered a church in District 3. Then the moonlight beca clouded.
"Pri Minister, that mouth of yours―."
The Emperor's face beca deeply furrowed.
***
Before Jang Du-sik's eyes were the maids and servants who had managed the palace where the Empress was confined.
"Huh, hueek."
"We are rely servants!"
Half had been knocked unconscious by the club, and the rest writhed on the ground holding their heads. His hand had been a bit rough. So might die if left alone. However, Jang Du-sik was not worried.
"Kruh, that's good."
If they died anyway? His brother would resurrect them. There was no need to hold back anymore. Wasn't his brother a great being who could do anything? After capturing everyone, Jang Du-sik looked toward where Erik was.
"That's really refreshing, destroying everything so thoroughly."
However, watching the subsequent actions of the massive holy knight, doubt began to arise.
"Do I have to kill all of them?"
Because he had seen Erik eliminate the maid. Not leaving a single shred of flesh, it was outright imdiate execution.
"Now that I think about it, was it 'capture them' or 'kill them'?"
Jang Du-sik decided to spare just a few and picked up a maid.
"Don't move or it'll hurt. Stay still and I'll send you in one blow."
Then the maid shrieked as if having a seizure.
"Du, Du-sik brother. It's ! It's !"
"Co on, do you think I'd fall for that?"
Jang Du-sik prepared to swing his club without hesitation. However,.
Thud!
Soone appearing from behind grabbed his club. It wouldn't move despite his desperate effort, which ant only one thing.
"Ugh. Brother, you're here?"
Erik frowned and looked down at the woman held by Jang Du-sik's club. And he spoke.
"Du-sik, that's not it."
"Ah, I'm not supposed to kill this one?"
Jang Du-sik smiled brightly and put down the maid. Then Erik asked.
"Don't you rember this person?"
"I don't know."
"That's the one you beat up every day when we were subjugating District 5 back then."
"Hmm. That grimy bastard changed like this?"
"Yeah, and she works at sister Seri clothing shop."
Jang Du-sik suddenly shouted as if rembering sothing.
"That, that bastard! A crossdresser!"
"Right, that's the one."
Erik passed by Jang Du-sik and approached the maid dressed informant.
"Still crossdressing, I see."
At that heavy voice, the maid's body trembled with a start. Erik, paying no particular attention, calmly recited his instructions.
"Tell Seri to back off appropriately. And you need to make one special-class outfit. The deadline is this evening."
Detailed descriptions of the clothing followed.
"Don't miss the deadline under any circumstances."
"Yes, boss."
Once the instructions were finished, the maid quickly bowed and etched Erik's words into her mind.
"Go on."
At the brisk action, Erik nodded in satisfaction.
'Seri must have given good hints on her own.'
With Erik's information organization being restructured, only capable mbers remained. So she must have been assigned the task of monitoring the Empress. The naless informant left the destroyed palace following Erik's instructions. However,
"Don't move!"
War-mages from the Imperial Magic Tower surrounded the area with massive mace-like staffs. At that, Jang Du-sik stepped forward.
"Stop! That's where my brother is working!"
It was unmistakably the image of a street thug, but the War-mages' reaction was different.
"Du, Jang Du-sik―."
"The person closest to becoming the next Magic Tower Master."
Seeing Jang Du-sik, who enjoyed the favor of the Imperial Magic Tower Master, they parted the way.
"Brother, cleanup's done!"
Erik, watching this scene with admiration, stepped forward past Jang Du-sik. And he recited his instructions to the War-mages.
"Capture everyone unconscious inside."
Erik very naturally passed the War-mages and left District 1 of the capital. Jang Du-sik followed after.
"Brother, are you taking the Emperor's wife too?"
"There will be interrogations and questioning. If the Emperor himself watched that in person, wouldn't it be awkward?"
"Hmm. I never knew brother had such consideration. You really do treat the Emperor differently!"
Erik walked silently toward Ruelle's church. Given how many things the Empress was entangled in, it was likely her mouth would be tight. In other words, it might not be solved by violence and fear alone.
'Is it ti to use it?'
The [Selective Trait Bestowal Orb] that Riferoze had obtained from subjugating the Floor Master. Erik planned to use this to learn the Empress's truth.
"Hmm―. You're not even greeting the priestess?"
Erik, entering the church, descended to the basent stairs in an instant. Jang Du-sik, following Erik without knowing why, alternated his gaze between the dark basent scenery and the woman over Erik's shoulder. The magnificent dress-wearing Second Empress and the rough basent did not match at all.
"This really looks like Empress kidnapping."
"Du-sik."
At that mont, Erik looked at Jang Du-sik with a serious expression. Since guild mbers were involved in what he was about to discuss, secrecy was essential.
'There is no place with better security than beneath the church.'
Erik revealed the reason for coming down to the basent.
"The sun chose silence, but the moonlight shines on the world and embraces the Empire."
It was a blend of scripture and imperial mythology.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
Jang Du-sik blinked his eyes. Erik summarized it for him in short, simple, Du-sik style.
"Basically, the imperial family is watching everything."
***
'Erik is with a woman?'
Ruelle felt Erik's presence approaching from a distance. She had erased her presence, planning to startle him, but Erik showed no interest in finding her and descended directly to the church basent. Ruelle followed Erik, attaching herself to Jang Du-sik.
Thump!
"So when are you going to wake up the knocked-out Empress?"
Jang Du-sik lowered the Empress onto a church chair.
'So that's the Second Empress...'
Ruelle was greatly startled upon seeing the Second Empress. A magnificent and antique dress. And a thin silver crown indicating the Emperor's wife.
'Beautiful middle-aged appearance―.'
Ruelle looked the Empress up and down. Though unremarkable compared to herself, the Empress also ranked among the beautiful. Unlike Ruelle's face, which combined the beauty and charm of a woman in her twenties, the Empress had the typical feeling of a beautiful middle-aged woman.
'Could it be an affair with the Emperor's woman?'
It made no sense to carry her like luggage for an affair, but having heard all sorts of stories from Kang Pung-ho and Cha Ye-rin, anxiety arose.
"Sister Ruelle, originally n have affairs with people less pretty than their own won."
Even if it didn't make sense, it was true to feel worried inside.
'Erik does tend to like won sowhat.'
Having known Erik for a long ti, Ruelle knew him well. Don't they say heroes are lusty?
'Still, infidelity is unforgivable.'
Since she couldn't jump to conclusions, Ruelle first assessed the situation.
"Du-sik, did you learn anything useful? You even t the princess."
"Well, I did complete the Hellfire, but we're not going to burn the Empress, right?"
"Completed? Oh, your left arm tattoo got longer. You have to complete it in the shape of a dragon."
"I made sure to emphasize it, so don't worry!"
Erik wiped his face as if troubled.
"The basent's concealnt has beco inadequate."
"The magic circles are all intact, right?"
"The problem is the presence. Without the old man who ate up presence, the security beca half-hearted."
As if feeling sothing immaterial prickling him, Erik looked beyond the wall toward the sky.
"Let's wake her up."
As soon as Erik finished speaking, Jang Du-sik suddenly swung his club.
Ppuak!
"Aaaaahhhhh!!!"
With a scream, the Second Empress jolted awake and tried to rise. However, she was restrained in her chair. Only the chair shook uselessly.
"W-where am I! How dare you treat a mber of the imperial family with such disrespect!"
"Du-sik, put her back to sleep."
Ppuak!
"Aaaaahhhhh!!!"
Under the second strike, the Empress lost consciousness again. Ruelle, who had witnessed up to this point, felt relieved.
'With Riferoze already present, that couldn't possibly be it.'
The image of a certain disrespectful tree briefly floated through Ruelle's mind, but she erased it.
'Two would be tolerable.'
Don't they say great people have great hearts? In reality, she had compromised because she lacked the power to overthrow Riferoze.
'But if my strength continues to grow, who knows?'
Ruelle was full of intention to monopolize him should the opportunity arise. Having completed her thoughts up to this point, Ruelle revealed her hidden presence. She approached Erik, flaunting her slender waist.
"Hmph. Erik, you can't hit won like that!"
Erik's eyes widened slightly with surprise. Then he approached Ruelle in great strides. Ruelle, faced with those steady golden eyes, stepped back one pace and asked.
"Erik, is this sothing I shouldn't hear?"
Then ca the answer.
"There is nothing Ruelle cannot hear, but..."
It was a tone that suggested he was conscious of sothing. At that, Ruelle laughed widely and lifted her head.
"Who's watching?"
As Erik nodded, Ruelle swung her hand without hesitation.
Ku-woong.!
Noble and bold golden energy surrounded all directions.
"Ruelle, surely...?"
Golden divine power rippled in Erik's eyes. He carefully examined this space. And he understood.
"Making the presence of space disappear..."
"I finally learned how to control it!"
She spoke with confidence.
"Indeed, Ruelle is the only one I can trust."
[Selective Trait Bestowal Orb]
Erik drew out a round sphere with a deep smile. This was an item that allowed users to directly choose one of the [Traits] existing within the ga. The [Golden Divinity] that Erik possessed was, strictly speaking, power obtained as a [Privilege] from possession. In other words, what was about to happen was.
'Now I'll also obtain an overpowered trait.'
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