The Money-Mad Holy Knight Chapter 130

Chapter 130: The Cuckoo (5)

"His Majesty's child was a cuckoo."

After finishing the interrogation, Erik headed to the Imperial Palace. He was told to wait as so sort of eting was in progress, and Jang Du-sik seized the mont to spout a joke.

"Hehehehe, brother how about it?"

"Du-sik, you've really lost it."

Erik let out a short laugh and shook his head. What would really happen if he said sothing like that?

'Probably his neck would snap right off.'

As he was laughing about it, suddenly the door to the Audience Hall opened.

Drrrrrk!

Silver light blood from the crack in the door. That force pressed down on all sides—it was an ominous sensation. Like the fangs of a ferocious beast.

"Eek!"

Jang Du-sik let out a scream. It seed the Emperor had overheard their conversation. Erik wrapped his body in sanctity and overca the oppressive silver light.

'I knew sothing like this would happen eventually.'

Jang Du-sik was being compressed beside Erik. That force affected Erik as well. However, he silently endured the silver aura.

Ku-woong!

The door to the Audience Hall opened wide. And then a majestic question was hurled at them.

"So, who was the father of the child?"

There was no herald's announcent, no trumpets. Moreover, the interior of the Audience Hall was filled with black shadows. The Imperial Executive Branch.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I bow before you."

Erik lowered his head respectfully. The Emperor gestured for him to approach, and Erik walked silently before the throne. His footsteps were very heavy.

'Such an imnse power.'

Silver light referred to the power of the Imperial Family. It also ant moonlight. Though it was rely an aura, its weight was far from ordinary. However, Erik was no ordinary person either.

Ku-woong!

He took heavy steps forward. A brilliant golden light blood through the silver.

'Is he angry?'

As he approached the throne, Erik tried to gauge the Emperor's mood. From what he could sense, the Emperor didn't seem angry about Du-sik's joke.

"Speak."

The Emperor gave a short command as Erik arrived before the throne. Erik then recited the information he had learned.

"The biological father of the Third Prince is a man nad Hwata. He is a possessor from tens of years ago, and he possesses a danger level similar to Lucifer, who created Hell."

"What about the power of the moon?"

The Third Prince bore moonlight within him. Silver hair, crimson eyes, and even his aura was the sa. What the Emperor truly wanted to know was this.

"I heard that so remains of the First Emperor appeared as a reward from the Labyrinth."

"Indeed, we recovered most of it, but... could it be?"

"Yes. The mbers of the Allied Nations possessed so of it, and the man called Hwata obtained it and passed it to the Empress."

The truth had been revealed.

"The Allied Nations, is it—."

However, the Emperor still stroked his chin, lost in thought. The Emperor dropped his hand onto the armrest with a thud and gazed at Erik intently. And he asked:

"It seems you wish for to subjugate the Allied Nations."

With those words, the Emperor's aura eased.

"Those people are extrely dangerous."

Erik began his explanation about the Allied Nations.

"The Necromancers and the Allied Nations have cooperated."

What was the danger? The Necromancers create puppet bodies, and the possessed ones control those puppet bodies with their consciousness. They had hidden themselves in the world with no-risk physical forms. Information gathering was just the basics—so had even ventured into other nations conducting covert operations, it was said.

"One of the attendants of the Second Empress was a puppet body sent by the Allied Nations."

Erik's explanation continued to this point. However, the Emperor's expression was indifferent. When Erik blinked, the Emperor laughed loudly.

Krahahaha!!!

At the sudden laughter, Erik tilted his head. Then ca the words:

"The Empire is not swayed by such trivial things. We already knew of their existence. If it were not a case of souls being exchanged like possessors, what could this great empire not know?"

It was a boastful statent, but it was hard to believe.

'Then why let the seaweed remain?'

Erik's eyes shone with five colors. Then clear white light erged, surrounding the Emperor.

'Truth.'

Erik had learned the usage of his eyes while interrogating the Empress. Distinguishing truth and falsehood in black and white, and discerning preference through the magnitude of individual unique colors. Moreover, he could turn them on and off at will... Erik was shocked as he looked at the Emperor.

"Hoo—."

The white light held by the Emperor signified truth. And the silver light surrounding the Emperor ant he thought quite favorably of Erik. There was nothing shocking about this so far.

'What on earth is that?'

However, the moonlight pouring down from above the Emperor. That was what astounded Erik.

Saaaaa!

It was crystal clear to Erik's eyes. The overwhelming silver-blue moonlight descending upon the Emperor. It was like the sky itself.

'The Covenant of the Moon with the Imperial House, they called it.'

The magnitude of light was emotion—liking and disliking. A heart like the sky? Wasn't that a subli heart? As he was astonished:

"Erik, what are you looking at?"

The Emperor looked upward at his own head. All he could see was the ornate ceiling of the Audience Hall.

"Indeed, Your Majesty is truly magnificent."

Erik lowered his head, trying to gloss over his words.

"How insipid. So then, what do you want?"

The investigation of the truth was complete, so now it was ti to give rewards.

"You have done very many things for this nation."

Unlike the First Prince Leonardo, the Emperor recited the achievents as they truly were.

"The great river of the empire beca polluted, yet a stream of holy water arose in the imperial capital."

The water pressure gradually strengthened, and now it was strong enough to even supply water to other cities below the imperial capital.

"Truly, it is worthy of being called a great achievent."

And then ca the question:

"Is that unique power of yours not manifesting through Gold?"

It was a keen question. At this point, there was little that remained unknown.

"Erik, perhaps you are not an atheist but a believer in money itself."

The Emperor thought Erik would evade the answer. After all, it was a question asked without expectation of a response.

"It was not a question seeking an answer."

The Emperor waved his hand. Then shadows in black uniforms brought forth boxes filled with gold. The hall beca piled high with golden wealth. At that mont, Erik suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

"Haha, Your Majesty. Where else would all that money go? Money is my power itself. However, I do not believe in money."

Contrary to the Emperor's expectations, a direct and honest answer ca forth. Erik threw it right at him.

"You do not believe in it—. Good, excellent! For the great empire, money is the easiest thing to give."

The Emperor laughed heartily. And he added one more word:

"Co to think of it, there are more achievents. You even managed to erase part of the Styx River that borders our nation."

"That was my teacher's doing—."

"Well, whether it was Riferoze or not, would she have done it of her own volition?"

The Emperor knows Riferoze well. If she were to do it, she would destroy the river, but she would never think of a way to erase it using sothing else.

"Stop with the false modesty and tell what you want."

The Emperor knows Erik as well as he knows Riferoze.

'He'll ask for more money. Money, money….'

The Emperor was troubled in his own way.

'The stagnant money was rotting away anyway, so it should still be fine for a while.'

There was no problem in giving stagnant money that wasn't circulating. But then, the Emperor's eyes widened like slits at Erik's next words. Erik spoke:

"Give the Second Empress, Your Majesty."

***

The surroundings were filled with laughter.

"Kehehehe!!!"

“Khhk, is the boss crazy?"

Jang Du-sik and Janson, of course.

"Erik! What will you do if you say sothing like that?"

Even Ruelle was laughing hard with puffed cheeks.

"Ah, it just ca out that way without thinking."

Returning to the church after the audience with the Emperor. The atmosphere there was warm and friendly. Thanks to Erik's story.

"Erik, so what happened?"

Once the laughter died down, Ruelle asked for the rest of the story.

"His Majesty asked if I had gone mad. That's when I realized my mistake."

Erik recited the reasons why he needed the Second Empress to the Emperor.

"Only then did His Majesty nod in agreent. And then I ca back."

"Brother, didn't we get dragged away by the executive branch? Why are you lying and making it sound that way?"

"Du-sik, that's what it ans when His Majesty agreed. It ans use her usefully rather than kill her."

"Is that so?"

In the midst of blossoming laughter, only one person maintained a fierce expression.

'He's ntioning in front of the person involved that I'm only being kept around because I'm useful.'

It was the Second Empress. She maintained an air of nobility and dignity, but her heart was full of fear.

'These vicious people.'

The Empress examined the people in the underground. They surrounded her like she was a spectacle.

'What a pitiful life to the very end.'

An extre Paladin. A thug who wielded a club. And a beautiful priestess who looked her up and down with contempt. What she feared most was sothing else.

'That man nad Janson.'

The stern-faced man standing directly behind the Empress. He gripped the sword at his waist as if hinting that he could cut her down at any mont. Even as he laughed.

"Just how far are you planning to degrade ?"

In the end, the Empress asked a question. Then a chilling answer ca:

"Empress, or rather... since you've been deposed... Ruen, you're not in a position to ask questions."

"J-just how long are you going to—."

"Until you draw all the sacred seals of the Almanism Church that you know. And until Du-sik morizes all of them."

It was a tone that asked why she was asking sothing so obvious. However, Ruen could not understand.

'Why does the Astia Order covet the things of Alman God?'

Sacred seals were not sothing one could use simply by knowing the pattern. Sacred seal knowledge required a foundation of religious study to be used properly—wasn't it sothing that couldn't be used without it? Without the divine power of Alman God, knowing it would be aningless.

"One cannot use sacred seals without faith—."

"Ah, but it's different for Du-sik. All you have to do is draw everything you know as instructed."

Erik pointed to Jang Du-sik. A bitter smile was drawn at the corners of his mouth.

'It would be hard to believe.'

Even the Magic Tower Master didn't believe it at first.

"Magic circles are not re drawings!"

Magic circles were essentially calculations, with various formulas inserted into the form of a circular seal. Sacred seals were similar. But it was different for Jang Du-sik.

"Do I have to morize another new drawing?"

What did it matter if he didn't understand? All he had to do was morize the predetermined things and use them as is.

***

"Erik, I never thought the reason you demanded the Second Empress would be like this…."

Ruelle gazed in wonder at the sacred seal drawn by Jang Du-sik. Though Du-sik was incapable of application and variation, he found it easy to implent what he morized as is.

"How is it?"

Jang Du-sik drew a simple pattern that emitted light. It was the symbol of the Almanism Church, a pattern of light that operated through faith.

"I-how is this possible!"

The eyes of the forr Empress, Ruen, widened as if they would burst.

'Sacred seals require faith as a basic prerequisite.'

Sacred War-mage Jang Du-sik. That na had beco so famous that Ruen knew it well. She knew of his peculiarity well, but it still didn't make sense.

'How can he use a different faith?'

Jang Du-sik was known to have faith in Astia God.

"Brother, did it work out right?"

"It works."

How does it work when the subject of faith is different? Ruen was full of such questions. It was at the level of impossibility—like freezing fire with fire. However, none of the people in this place had such basic questions.

"Du-sik, try drawing this here."

Leaving the bewildered Ruen behind, Erik continued with the work. Ruen stared blankly at the sight.

'What is that gray thing—.'

She tried to think for herself. First, she recalled the first thing Erik had said.

"Draw it with the simplest pattern."

So she had drawn the most basic sacred seal of "light." A very simple formula made of three strokes. After getting hit a few tis with a club, Jang Du-sik had morized it.

'Isn't it just morizing the actual formula and the result value and drawing it out?'

The pattern was identical, but the basic premise didn't work. The power of faith.

'But it operated.'

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand. Ruen continued to observe.

"Does it matter where I engrave it?"

"Yes. Draw it wherever you like."

The Almanism Church engraves sacred seals on armor and objects to use them. Of course, there were cases where they were engraved on the body as well. However, these people seed to be trying to follow even the Almanism Church's characteristic of "the power of patterns."

'That can't work just by drawing on a random tal plate….'

Ssuuk, ssuuk!

Jang Du-sik was engraving the sacred seal onto a gray plate. What was contained in the pattern was the divine aura flowing through Du-sik's body. In other words, it ant that sanctity was properly infused into the strokes that ford the sacred seal.

'How is this even working?'

Ruen couldn't believe it. Even as the thirteenth daughter, she had received proper religious education as the daughter of an archbishop. So she knew well that this shouldn't be possible. Yet it kept working.

"It's done."

Jang Du-sik handed the gray plate to Erik. Then Erik called out Cha Ye-rin, who had been hiding in the corner of the room.

"Try infusing this with magical power or whatever you have."

Ruen gazed at the woman nad Cha Ye-rin.

'A peculiar appearance.'

It was the first ti she had seen a person of a race with yellow-toned skin.

Woong!

The yellow woman infused magical power into the gray plate. Blue light rippled and passed through the sacred seal.

"I-the pattern is emitting light?"

Soft light rose from the plate in Cha Ye-rin's hands. In other words, the sacred seal made with infused sanctity had been activated with magical power. Erik added one word to Cha Ye-rin:

"Think about it using the experience of Marquis Aaron."

"……Huh? A divine magical tool!"

"How does it seem?"

"It should work!"

Through this conversation, Ruen realized one more fact. During her ti as the Second Empress, she had encountered Marquis Aaron a few tis.

'Marquis Aaron is a middle-aged man, though.'

A woman with long black hair and yellow-toned skin. She had a different gender from Marquis Aaron.

'Could it be…….'

Ruen suddenly realized. That she was hearing things she should not have heard.

"What are you trying to do to !"

The Empress precisely grasped the flow of events. She was sharp when it ca to politics.

'Using to extract the sacred seals of the Almanism Church, and making divine magical tools with them….'

Of course, she couldn't understand why it worked. But the fact that it worked was the problem.

"Are you only now curious about that?"

A giant Paladin approached the Empress. Clear golden holy light and five-colored radiant eyes were distinct. He spoke:

"Ruen, I'll give you freedom under strictly controlled conditions."

In other words:

"How about working in the Magic Tower factory?"

It was a sort of recruitnt proposal.