Roy gazed at Kusanagi Godou, who was kneeling on the ground and staring back at him.
Unlike the playful amusement in Roy's eyes, Kusanagi Godou was filled with fear and astonishment.
He feared that he seemed to have been 'kidnapped' by some strange people and might be in mortal danger at any moment. After all, Kusanagi Godou was just an ordinary Japanese high school student. Having his tendons severed in a foreign land and then brought to the 'Mafia's' den—how could he not be terrified?
But Kusanagi Godou was also astonished. He never expected the 'Mafia' godfather to look so young on the outside. If he ignored the man's imposing and composed demeanor and just focused on his apparent age, he seemed barely a year or two older than himself.
The most unbelievable thing was the impression this 'Mafia' godfather gave him. He seemed like a man, yet also a woman; like a prisoner or criminal, yet also a benevolent sage. Just looking at him felt like witnessing all the vicissitudes of life, like glimpsing the grand path of existence. Any question seemed answerable by him, only to give rise to even more questions.
"All men and women are stars. Your name is Kusanagi Godou, correct?"
Just as Kusanagi Godou felt his mind growing hazy, Roy finally spoke, jolting him back to awareness.
Erica and Liliana, standing quietly beside Roy, both curled their lips slightly. They noticed that Kusanagi Godou, too, had fallen under the spell of the King's 'handsomeness and beauty,' as well as his extraordinary aura.
The longer they spent with Roy, the more they realized this aura wasn't something he developed after becoming a Campione. Rather, he had always possessed this inexplicable quality. Men who saw him found him 'beautiful,' women who saw him found him 'handsome,' saints who saw him deemed him 'hopeless,' while the wicked who saw him felt as if they were gazing upon a 'heaven-sent sage.'
He was simply that kind of person—impossible to fully comprehend or describe.
"Ah, y-yes... I'm Kusanagi Godou."
Kusanagi Godou lowered his head as he spoke, not daring to look at Roy again. He found this man far too bewitching, stirring an instinctive urge to avoid him.
"Kusanagi-kun, I'll be taking this stone tablet. You don't mind, do you?"
Roy raised the tablet in his hand and asked with a smile.
Kusanagi Godou shook his head vigorously, his expression practically screaming that he'd gladly hand over the inexplicable tablet with both hands.
What a joke—how could an ordinary high school student like me dare refuse something the Mafia godfather wants? My tendons are already severed. If I said I minded, would you have someone dig out my kidneys next? Human organ trafficking seems pretty popular these days.
The thought sent another chill of terror through Kusanagi Godou, who now desperately wanted to crawl out of this terrifying den of wolves.
Still, he couldn't help but wonder—was that stone tablet some kind of priceless antique? How else could it attract the attention of such a terrifying individual?
"Since Kusanagi-san is so generous, this stone slab shall belong to me. To express my gratitude, I'll offer something in exchange."
As soon as Roy finished speaking, Kusanagi Godou shook his head repeatedly, pleading with a tearful voice, "...I don't want anything. Please just let me go. I don't know what that stone slab is—I was just entrusted to bring it to Italy and deliver it to a witch named Lucretia Zola."
Right now, Kusanagi Godou only wanted to board a plane back to Japan as soon as possible. He was so terrified that he didn't even care about his injured tendons anymore. He even suspected that 'witch' might just be underworld slang.
"Lucretia, hmm... Her name does ring a bell. I doubt she'd mind me taking what belongs to her. Kusanagi-san, are you sure you don't want any compensation? After all, my subordinates seem to have accidentally harmed you."
Roy's tone was gentle, almost apologetic, but Kusanagi Godou couldn't sense any genuine remorse. Under Roy's overwhelming presence, even what sounded like an apology felt more like a command.
This was the demeanor of someone long accustomed to authority, who had grown used to issuing orders.
"No, no, I don't want anything—really, nothing at all. I just beg you to let me go. I won't tell anyone what happened here, I swear!"
Kusanagi Godou pleaded with snot and tears, his behavior perfectly normal for a high school student caught up with a 'yakuza boss.'
"Well, if Kusanagi-san is so magnanimous, I won't insist... Arianna, Karen, please heal Kusanagi-san's injuries and arrange a return ticket for him. Oh, and don't forget to erase his memory."
Roy snapped his fingers, and the maid standing behind Kusanagi Godou softly acknowledged the order before escorting him out.
"Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!!"
Misinterpreting 'erase his memory' as 'kill him,' Kusanagi Godou struggled and wailed, but no one paid him any mind. Soon, even his cries faded as the two maids coldly dragged him away.
Once the room fell silent, Erica couldn't help but ask, "...Lord Roy, are you really letting him go just like that?"
"What else? He's just an ordinary high school student—he doesn't even know what magic is. Erica, Lily, you both completely misunderstood my orders."
Roy glanced at the two girls beside him, his tone teasing.
Erica flushed inexplicably. She had already realized her mistake—Kusanagi Godou's behavior made it clear he was just a normal person, not a magician, and completely ignorant of the world of magic.
But by the time she understood, it was too late. She could only go along with the misunderstanding.
Having confirmed there was no so-called 'chosen protagonist,' Roy lost all interest in Kusanagi Godou. Whether he lived or died didn't matter. Feeling in a good mood today, Roy decided to let him return to Japan and continue his ordinary life.
"Let's go, you two silly girls. Come with me for a trip outside. That Heretic God is still in Rome right now."
Roy stood up from his chair, adjusted his collar, and put on a cross necklace before heading out.
Erica and Liliana quickly followed. The silver-haired knight maiden paused briefly before asking, "...Lord Roy, do you know where the Heretic God is?"
"What do you think? Nothing that has happened in the past can escape these eyes of mine."
Roy pointed at his own eyes and said softly, "...The reason I didn't seek out that Heretic God directly earlier was because I wanted to prove something. Now that the proof is complete, it's time to send that Heretic God back to mythology."
Roy didn't explain what he had been trying to prove—such things would be beyond Erica and Liliana's understanding anyway. The two knights didn't press further and simply accompanied Roy as he walked out the main gate, where a car had been waiting for some time.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹