"What did you just say?" (4)
"So, you couldn't see it in the end."
Lilai clutched his face in despair.
Having finally fed 500 Julius fruits to his nephew, Lilai hung his head.
The Skeletal King's corpse?
It didn't come out.
Wait, was it only the Skeletal King's corpse that didn't come out?
"My goodness, even after eating all that, your poop is completely fine. No—actually, you look healthier," said nanny Asili.
At her words, Lilai collapsed to the ground in despair.
"Our Isaac…! Your intestines are so strong…! Your uncle couldn't be prouder…!"
…Are you sure you're actually proud?
Isaac suckled away at his bottle.
Well, thanks to the uncle feeding him those Julius Mountain fruits or whatever for a full two weeks, it wasn't all bad.
'He said they improve affinity with divine beasts or something?'
Whatever the reason, since there was no diarrhea, Isaac could absorb 100% of the fruit's nutrients. It's a rare fruit others couldn't even dream of eating that much of.
Of course, those filthy divine beasts of the Holy Faction...
Back when he was the Demon King, it was like premium feed for baby demons—mealworms, really—but those beasts were the prized pets of the enemy.
Things were different now.
In the Holy Faction, divine beasts were considered rare spirit beasts, used as weapons or partners in battle.
[Especially a trademark and breadwinning tool of the 'Faith of White,' apparently.]
So, basically, each faith had its own weapons and sacred techniques.
That made increasing affinity worthwhile.
'If I want to surpass the Pope, even the gods, it's essential.'
Anyway, Lilai's despair over failing to extract the Skeletal King's remains made sense now.
"Master Isaac, the head of the household has arrived. He's requested everyone attend the dinner gathering."
"…Damn it. Am I late?!"
It seemed the arrival of the family head had something to do with this. The entire atmosphere of the mansion had completely shifted.
Even now, as Lilai carried him toward the hall, the change was obvious.
"I can't believe the head really came back...!"
The knights and priests of Eshua were left speechless at the sight of the head's divine beast, which looked like a white-bearded whale.
"Taranbloom!"
"He returned in the middle of his pilgrimage? Unbelievable."
Why? Is it really that shocking for the homeowner to return to his own house?
Guess Grandpa just wants to sleep in his own bed again.
"Honestly, I'm surprised too. I didn't think he'd return before the Skeletal King was found."
Goddammit! Go back! Collapse from arthritis or something!
Still, the family head's return was enough to put everyone on edge.
And with good reason. Gamon, the living incarnation, aside—Eli Eshua, the family head?
He was essentially the king of all the priests on the continent who followed the "Faith of Blue."
And yet, he came back mid-pilgrimage because of little old Isaac?
"Master Isaac, it's incredible that the family head came just to see you! Lord Eli is the head of the Faith of Blue and one of the continent's top seven figures!"
Yeah, top whatever. To a Demon King, he's just another annoying exorcist.
Cardinals were second only to the Pope. Even former Demon Kings were exorcised one after another by them.
And my grandpa is one of them?
Ugh! How disgusting.
'No, wait. I'm part of the Holy Faction now. As long as it's not Melissa, I don't care...'
Melissa… damn it.
What did Lilai say again?
Apparently, as soon as he heard through the communication orb that the Skeletal King's remains had been eaten, he said this:
—"Slice him."
—"Pardon?"
—"Cut him open. Take it out."
—"…He'll die."
—"Hmm? No he won't. If you cut and sew him up again, he'll be even stronger."
—"That's Mother you're thinking of!"
—"It's fine. All Eshua men are under my protection. I'll make him stronger."
Upon hearing that, Lilai reportedly fell into utter despair.
After all, wasn't he basically saying: Let's cut the kid open?
And hearing that, Isaac could only hold the back of his neck with his rattle.
'That woman... she hasn't changed at all. Damn it!'
Saintesses were already known for having the strongest physical bodies among the holy knights, but Melissa was on another level.
More of a martial genius than a sacred arts user, anything became a weapon in her hands. Her innate combat instincts and extraordinary physical prowess had practically reached the level of a demigod.
If she were ever to find out…
"Attain Buddhahood. Amen."
Lilai lifted Isaac high, as if she had read his mind.
"But, still… Mother cares deeply for the children. Especially the boys of Eshua…"
No, she's a lunatic!!
Is gutting someone supposed to be normal?
But whatever, it didn't matter.
"Mother said she discovered the Skull King midway and went to take care of it."
Whoever that bastard is, may he rest in peace.
Anyway, the Head of the House was an important figure.
If the Matron was the absolute guardian deity of the family, the Head was its manager.
Finance, succession, power—he was one of the people who could determine the future of "Isaac Eshua."
Above all, the Origin of 「Survival」 was unusually cheerful today, flashing brightly atop the Head's head and the chandelier in the dining room.
There was a reason the Origin of 「Survival」 had so strongly recommended this place.
'If I follow the Survival Origin, I'll probably end up rich and famous.'
This life's goal: luxury, and more luxury!
And above all, this Eli Eshua whom he met in the dining room seemed normal—unlike Melissa.
If you had to pick between the two top rulers of Eshua, obviously this one!
Right, no need to deal with that lunatic who tells people to slice open bellies…
"Burn him."
"…What?"
"Did you not hear me? Burn that child to draw out the Skull King's body."
F**k!! Survival Origin! What the hell is going on?!
This Head bastard is a lunatic too—but in a different way!
'Damn it! I'd rather deal with Melissa!'
At least she doesn't try to kill me!
Even Lilai seemed disheartened by their father's shocking words.
"Father. No, we can't do that."
Yes, that's it. You deal with those psychos, Uncle.
"It's too early to put a baby in the fire!"
You idiot! The problem is putting someone in a fire at all!
But at the Head's words, strangely, Goel bit his lip.
Why?
Shouldn't he be overjoyed if they were going to burn the kid?
Then why was he looking at Isaac like he was about to be rewarded with a grand prize?
Even Goel's faction—the elders—looked surprised.
"Head. That would be far too great a blessing for that child! Fire, for one who hasn't even gone through the ordination ceremony…!"
"And besides, he has no parents. There's no proof he's even of Eshua blood—he doesn't resemble the Young Duke. How can you put someone like that in that fire?"
Goddamn it, can someone just tell me what the hell that fire is?!
Then Goel spoke, looking displeased.
"Indeed, if you place him in the fire at the Temple of Azure, it could draw out the Skull King's body. He might even become stronger with the blessing of the fire."
Wait, what? Blessing?
Weren't they planning to cremate me or something?
No wonder everyone looked like they swallowed something bitter.
If it's a blessing fire, why that face?
Of course—it's because that bastard doesn't want his nephew to get stronger.
And, right on cue—
"But that fire is far too early for Isaac. At least wait until after his ordination…"
The ordination was like a formal knighting ceremony, but for clergy.
Then the Head said:
"Ordination? By then, the child would already be a pile of bones."
He's finally human again, and this guy wants to turn him into a skeleton again!
"Besides, it's physically impossible to extract the Skull King's body from him. Even if it looks like a mere bone fragment, it's the body of the strongest demon king. If left alone, the Skull King's demonic energy will drain his vitality."
No, it won't.
If anything, it's making my skin glow.
Do you even know how amazing it feels to put on Daddy's skincare after hundreds of years?
Anyway, it seemed the Head had returned home because of the Skull King's body.
Since no biological or physical method could extract it, he was trying to use the power of Eshua's sacred relics.
And Goel was very unhappy about it.
Surprisingly, even Lilai seemed to agree with Goel this time.
"Please reconsider the fire. The child could end up burned to death."
Ah, good ol' Lilai, full of love for her nephew.
Yes, yes. I'll take care of you too.
"If anything, drown him instead!"
What the f**k, woman! How is drowning better than burning?!
But at her words, Goel flew into a rage.
"You would desecrate Eshua's sacred water with the Skull King's demonic energy?! Do you even know where that water comes from?!"
You lunatics! I'd die if you throw me in water!
I still haven't learned underwater breathing magic!
Still, the fire and water they spoke of seemed to be some kind of powerful relics.
Elders who clearly disliked Isaac stepped in.
In fact, Goel and those elders were aiming to get rid of Isaac altogether.
"The fire and water at the Temple of Azure are secret rites of Eshua, used to raise the Holy Maiden."
"And you want to use them on a boy? A child whose abilities aren't even proven?"
Oh, so that's a good thing then.
If they're that against it, I must get it.
As expected, Lilai protested immediately.
"His abilities have been proven! He made great achievements in the treasure vault."
Goel sneered.
"Shuri was with him. She reportedly used most of her strength to protect Isaac. The one who defeated the demons was all Shuri."
"!"
Lies!
"The other children there testified, didn't they? That Isaac defeated the demons…"
"They're just children, even if they're saint candidates. At that age, they can't tell fantasy from reality. They might've mistaken the mother's holy blessing for the child's own power."
That guy!?
Rilai looked at Goel as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Of course, if Isaac gained the head's favor here, it would disadvantage Goel's faction. She could understand defending Shuri, but fabricating things? That was just petty.
However, there had only been children in the treasure vault, and communication had been cut off due to the demon tribe's rampage.
There was no evidence to refute the claim.
And then it happened.
"Head of the house. Isaac used sacred fire to burn an item from the papal family."
"Forgive me, but in our view, he is a child worthy of being raised as a successor."
One of the elders spoke seriously, eyes gleaming.
Though they were currently advisors to Eshua, they were legendary swordmasters on the continent. And they had never before spoken about succession.
The head looked surprised.
For the elders to speak like that...
In truth, he hadn't come to see Isaac because he thought highly of him.
He simply didn't want yet another child to die in Eshua, leaving Gamo with more guilt.
And regardless of how he did it, Isaac did return with the Skeleton King's corpse. That alone was worth a small reward.
Besides, he was a child they'd never see again after this incident anyway.
But something from the papal family, of all things?
As the head's expression changed, Goel ground his teeth.
Unlike Gamo, the head was a cold man—and that made him even scarier.
He was the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to make a mute infant the leader of the Church of Cheong if the conditions were right.
"Did he really burn it?"
"Yes! With blue sacred fire, no less!"
"Blue?"
"Yes! The papal family brought a gift to Isaac, and..."
Goel hastily interrupted.
"The elder and Rilai must have burned it!"
"!"
All eyes turned to Goel in disbelief.
"Brother! You were there too, weren't you!"
"I told you, we didn't burn it!"
Goel sneered at his younger sibling as if he were pathetic.
"There's no proof. I admit I see Isaac in a more favorable light after the treasure vault incident, but I can't believe that claim. You brought in a child whose origins aren't even clear. Who's to say you didn't use the sacred fire yourself to make it look like Isaac did it, just to push him as a saint?"
"Brother! There were dozens of witnesses! Isaac burned the papal item…"
"It was just you and the elder. Faking sacred fire to make it look like the kid used it is child's play."
At that point, the elder and Rilai were about to explode in frustration.
'There's no way to prove it now!'
And it wasn't like they had the papal family's item—Eshua's rival family—on hand anymore.
"If only we had that medal, it could've been the evidence…!"
"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. Disposing of the medal was my mistake."
Even as he apologized, Goel was smirking.
"I thought Rilai did it. I didn't want our precious little sibling to end up blackmailed by the papal family later, so I got rid of it in a hurry. Didn't expect it to blow up like this. But they're still searching the disposal site, so maybe someday…"
Then, suddenly—
"The medal? You mean this?"
...Huh?
Goel's expression froze, and all eyes turned to the head.
The head casually placed a metallic object on the table.
"I picked it up on the way here."
Everyone's expression changed at the sight of the item.
No way—that thing!
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]