novel[30th Round] Path of The Shining Hero
| ← Ch.400 | Ch.402 → |
"What's going on, Han Soo?"
Deciding not to rush, I calmly answered Kaisa's question.
"I'm sure you already know this, but it's not just everyone's memories that merged together. The resources that make up this world also did."
"... Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've gathered, it seems the missing Saintess stole something important to you."
"Not just to me. That resource might be the key to saving Fantasy."
"What is it then?"
"... I'm sorry."
ã??A certain innocent goddess is curious. ã??
I couldn't explain anything in detail because of this innocent onlooker.
Unlike memories, which had no physical forms, concrete objects didn't overlap upon the convergence of parallel worlds.
As for the romantium, it had been produced in a parallel structure using alternate dimensions from the beginning.
After all, due to its small output, it'd take too long to accumulate them unless such a system was employed.
"I apologize for the rude interruption, Hero, but can you leave the prayer room now? I have to return to my mission of praying to the reverent-hearted Great Child..."
Umamiel issued a congratulatory order.
I wasn't certain why this angel was pretending to be a Saintess here, but I knew what she was praying for.
"You want to meet him, don't you?"
"Yes. As you said, I am no longer capable of happiness without his love." She replied, her expression far from how someone in her position should look like.
She clutched her supreme breasts, which her predecessors did not have, to show how desperate she was.
Would Captain Fantasy be okay with this?
I offered a deal.
"If you cooperate with me properly, I'll let you meet him."
"Hohoho! No matter how corrupted I become, I'm not naive enough to be deceived by such blatant lies."
"I don't know what pseudonym you're using right now, but I shouldn't need to remind you that I know your real name. Do you think actual scammers would know something as private as that?"
"... Let me ask you a question. What do you know of my recent past?"
"Munch munch munch munch munch munch."
"Thank you for answering me with realistic onomatopoeia... Ahhh?! Just imagining him chewing makes my body...!"
"..."
This was why I kept telling Captain Fantasy not to eat junk food.
The disheveled angel collapsed, her body twisting and turning as her expression grew more and more ecstatic and pleased.
"I apologize for behaving in a way that disgraces the holiness of Saintesses, but I have no control over this force majeure..."
"I didn't do anything."
"Is that so? Oh! I'll cooperate with you, Hero. You're looking for my predecessor, right?"
"Yes. Before Illeana left, did she mention anything about where she's going or if she's going to meet someone?"
"I'm curious about how the baby is doing, but I'll answer your question first. As a sinner, Goddess Fantasy acknowledged my presence and reinstated me, but with my body in this state, I had no choice but to recuperate first."
"Just get to the point... No, keep going."
Umamiel told stories that were nearly no different from complaints.
"On the day the worlds merged, my colleague grew so busy she could no longer take care of me. Hence, she recommended praying in the Great Child Temple."
"How did you become a Saintess?"
"That's because I'm perfect for this position. Illeana lacked the love I have for the cute baby."
"You stole her job!"
It seemed the reason Illeana disappeared was this chicken head all along.
"That's not true! Even though I have fallen beyond salvation, I'm still the Second Angel! I would never do something as shameless as stealing someone else's rice bowl!"
"What are you talking about? You're the third... Huh? It changed for the second time."
"You really know everything. That's right. Bananael was Parmael's eldest son and the Second Angel. However, with her death, his legitimacy became meaningless. On the other hand, I was recognized as her daughter by fulfilling the role that Hippolia played in the past."
"I see..."
That dramatic change in her life banished Bananael, her elder brother.
The lives of a second and third placer were completely different. The second curse allowed one to enjoy the second greatest wealth and honor. On the other hand, the third gained nothing but an imaginary gambit.
"Since you understand, it'll be easier for me to explain. I came to this prayer room to worship the Great Child, but then Saintess Illeana bestowed her position to me."
"So you're the culprit after all!"
"Like I said, that isn't true! I didn't harm her at all. She simply stepped down of her own volition after admiring the strength of my faith."
"That's because of the second curse!"
My jealous wife often abused it.
However, what if the Second Demon and the Second Angel were to meet? Who would claim second place then?
... That nonsensical question caused my desire to experiment to slowly resurface, but now wasn't the time to do such trivial research.
"... The concept of the second curse is still unfamiliar to me, so I couldn't think that far."
Having been frequently victimized by my cowardly wife, I should've expected this situation would occur.
The Saintess, a position second only to God.
When Captain Fantasy was hailed as a deity, the Saintess who preached his compassion to his worshippers was Illeana.
However, Umamiel executed a deed that complicated things.
"All I did was confess that my body can no longer live without him and that it becomes ever so harder to control the longer I'm apart from him."
"Those words are clearly easy to misunderstand and misinterpret."
Having been inaugurated as the Saintess of the Southern Continent's Great Child religion, she probably learned everything there was to know about it through Ssosia.
It was a religion that worshipped a baby that resembled me when I was a child.
"Greatly discouraged by my troubles, Illeana handed over her position to me."
"I guess so."
The second curse could be exploited in many ways.
In particular, it specialized in usurping a competitor's place and reputation.
Wife, vice president, 2nd place...
Umamiel, in Illeana's eyes, would have been the second most beautiful woman in the world.
She also would've mistaken her for my wife, even though it didn't make sense since, genetically speaking, she was closer to being my daughter.
"Anyway, that's what happened. I kept my promise, so let me meet the Great Child."
"You've caused an accident, and you're still shamelessly spouting nonsense like that! Help me find Illeana. Only then will I give you a chance to meet him."
"Is it because of the second curse? This is unfair, but I have no other choice. I'll help you. I'm indirectly responsible for this anyway."
"So, any clues?"
"She said she's going on a journey to find the one she loves."
"Is that so..."
Illeana probably came up with such an objective since she was unrighteously cut off from her position by a cowardly angel.
She didn't seem to have mentioned anyone in particular, but if there were someone she truly loved, it would be her family.
"Are we going back to the Elf Empire, Han Soo?"
"I'm sorry, Kaisa. Our honeymoon's going to have to take a little detour."
"It's okay. Just witnessing you remaining loyal and unwavering even in the presence of a beautiful Saintess is enough to satisfy me."
"Hahaha..."
No matter how much she looked like my cowardly wife, she was still my daughter.
"So we're going on an adventure to find the missing Saintess, huh?"
"Adventure? I don't think that would be necessary. Illeana's probably in the Elf Empire."
"Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"My intuition's telling me she might not be there."
"Well... We'll find out when we get there. As for you, Umamiel, I need you to stay here and remain on standby. If Illeana returns, subdue her."
"Okay."
Kaisa and I returned to the Elf Empire.
*****
I was a little too late.
Illeana indeed stayed in the Elf Empire for a while, but she had already left by the time we got back.
I would've noticed it earlier when I met Aries, but I didn't think it was important at the time since I expected her to be at the temple.
I decided to meet the Fake Elf King.
"That's a bit..."
Aries, bearing a key position in this nation, immediately expressed her disapproval.
"This disappoints me. Is it really too much to ask for despite our bond?"
"That's not it... Lend me your ears for a moment."
She approached me, a married man, without hesitation and whispered softly.
Kaisa looked uncomfortable, but this woman didn't seem to care, a trait of hers that remained unchanged to this day.
That was also where the flat-chested Sylvia was greatly mistaken.
Despite being calm and meek, Aries actually had immense confidence because of her ample breasts!
She had a lot of experience in marriage since her weak elf husbands kept dying. Now that she had a high position, great beauty, and Prince Nasus as her husband, she remained modest, but she was a very free-spirited mixed-race elf back in the 4th curriculum.
"Out with it."
"It hasn't been disclosed yet, but Elf King Elfheim is already dead. That's why he can't meet with you."
"...I see."
I ordered Acting Teacher to play Elfheim, who was battling a disease, but now that Fantasy had become one again, her mission naturally ended as well.
Elf King Elfheim.
I didn't want to admit it, but that pathetic guy was the spiritual leader of his race.
His death being disclosed to the public while their citizens were still recovering from the agglomeration of their fragmented memories would cause immeasurable chaos, especially regarding politics.
"The queen was determined to commit suicide rather than remarry, and the prince moved to the Central Continent, establishing his own nation there to build up enough military strength to defeat us in combat. Princess Sylvia, currently obsessed with male humans, has no intention of giving birth to noble lineage, and Prince Nasus, our only hope, is also in disarray..."
"You must've had a hard time."
Such was the weakness of their race and government, both of which had been relying on an ageless iron ruler for far too long.
Just because he never grew old didn't mean he was immortal. Moreover, one could never truly predict when an individual would have a change of heart.
There were countless historical events of rulers turning into tyrants.
In that respect, Elfheim was indeed consistent.
His death could be considered the gravest news for their kind.
"Saintess Illeana left as soon as she heard about His Majesty's demise."
"Do you know where she's going, by any chance?"
"Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to talk to her. Oh! Prince Nasus might know. She went to his room to treat him when she visited, and she stayed there for quite a long time."
"Hmm."
Genetically speaking, Illeana was Prince Nasus's aunt.
Upon reaching 2, 000 years old, elves would start treating their parents as friends, finally abandoning their genealogy, but they wouldn't completely ignore it.
What did those two talk about?
"Let me at least meet him myself."
"Sure, but I have a condition. You must do so alone. Please wait for me in the reception room outside his bedroom."
"Is it because..."
"Yes, it is."
"Oh, my..."
Because of what the female Heroes did to him, he grew ill, but more than that, he grew fearful of women.
Such were the woes of famous men.
ã??A certain innocent goddess is amazed. ã??
"Hmm! Let's hurry up and go."
This annoying goddess was still watching me.
"Follow me."
"Aren't you busy?"
"Don't worry. I'm not in a state where I can meet anyone, so my schedule is empty."
"Okay..."
The fusion of all memories was an unavoidable pain Fantasy's inhabitants had to go through to attain freedom and peace of mind.
I could ease their agony through memory manipulation, which would prove beneficial to me as well since I could use it to turn those who refused to listen to me or were difficult to manage into ignorant pets.
However, the moment I chose that method, there would be no turning back anymore.
Could they even be called free if their minds had been tampered with?
Could I look at them while they were smiling like idiots and proudly shout, "I'm justice!"
"You look like you have a lot on your mind, Han Soo."
"I'm okay."
A Hero who didn't worry about the future wasn't a Hero at all.
"He's going to lose all his hair at this rate. As his wife, I'm a little worried."
"..."
Brilliant light shone on the path of the True Hero.
| ← Ch. 400 | Ch. 402 → |