Chapter 359: Family Visit (2)
PE6ks4qI lifted my head and looked into the distance.QjcIOI
Gq2The sun was tearing from the base, scattering crimson light one last time across the world.XffT
l7wThe deep blue swirled around the coiled barbed wire, before the traces of the day vanished.ITN
kXIbx1A metallic fence rose dangerously, surrounding the entire area. Beyond it, there were watchtowers installed.4WDI0
srWThe imperial guard, wearing tall fur hats, maintained a solemn and rigorous posture of alertness.u6aPz
Eh6dApart from those artificial elements, everything around was prairie.ZfV840
OictdK8There weren’t many curves, and the crests of the hills were gentle. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if I had come to England or Mongolia.WEe
LbOzYStep, step.gfjgOZR
q2uCI was climbing a hill. More precisely, following a middle-aged man.J9m8SIy
5qy3vP‘That man is the current emperor.’3cY
0VbFor the ruler of the western world, he had a surprisingly simple appearance.G87y6bc
ppHI thought he’d be wearing a crown adorned with jewels, but he looked more like a handsome guy you might run into on the street.eCW
cBKHwVkAlthough, of course, his aura was different. His gaze conveyed a kind of deep emptiness. But it wasn’t the same emptiness as Kojima’s, the Absolute Archer, when he was alive.CtV3j1c
fa9BKojima’s emptiness came from the loss of his wife. The emperor seemed to have been born with that expression.3Az
OcwUqxxA baby who doesn’t even cry in the cradle, just stares at the hanging mobile with an empty gaze.ybE
aS8mLI don’t know who gave him the nickname “Mechanical Emperor,” but it suits him perfectly.In2kqX
VV514w‘…By the way.’CN5oBf
o2anSuddenly I looked back. The taillights of the limousine were blinking in the distance.SgqyAS
RkJD‘Victoria didn’t look good.’Eke
7sZaNwVictoria didn’t join this walk. Not only did she look unwell, but the emperor had requested a private conversation.RdPNkI
Wwsoq— Among adults, there are matters that must be discussed in confidence.WYTH
P1qI agreed without protest.mVWkJ
5erXsjJust before, Victoria had spoken directly to her father. I, Kang Geom-Ma, at least have some common sense.NaYko
jGkuRustle, rustle.FCX2
Dj5HtU3After walking for a while, I made a meaningless comment.XZtLhh
Ch1yPv“The security measures are impressive. If even an insect gets in, the alarms must go off.”VHf7VUz
w0tjmm“That’s right,” the emperor replied indifferently, without taking his eyes off the front.Iucc
kW8UkIt didn’t bother me that he used informal language either. After all, he’s the emperor.tdvb
Bghwwc9No matter how superior my actual status may be, in the world he holds the highest position.C9PtQ
Avx7N‘Even if I saved the world, it doesn’t change the fact I come from the lower class.’cmlsm
kcYIUyxThe class system is the foundation of this world.M0wMaXm
nOdbQ‘And he’s the apex predator.’i6y
VAMUygjSo I asked him.K4kw
LHeVwi6“Is it okay to let a stranger like me into such an important place?”wmVuY
7rmpUFq“You’ve got a good sense of humor, Heavenly Sword.”SG8D
XJGyJBg…Sense of humor?ek52
ddr0Jm“Is there any place in this world where you couldn’t enter? Even the Demon World ended up at your feet.rr9
dklgThat measure is only effective against the other heroes. We never planned to stop you with it.”bENdfo
UTW6“Still, it doesn’t change the fact that this place is important to the Victoria royal family. I’m honored, though I don’t know why I was brought here.”YASiF
9Px4“…”N8PeraP
VhRH7JVIn England, besides the cuisine, they don’t have much to boast about. I suppose they’re trying to give this pile of stones some tourist value.jmrdoIP
iRtW‘If I remember correctly, in Miracle Blessing M this was an artifact. But since it wasn’t mentioned when I collected memory fragments, I didn’t have it in mind.’cGJtjp
zkv3dZcThe emperor gave me an indifferent look, then sighed.Pfk
JSlO“If it were just a pile of stones, do you think we’d post so many guards? Everything has its reason.”W8AAGcm
xYx0qCould he read minds with the Blessing of the Owl?OACpI
tv9bp0A“I had no disrespectful intentions.”TeI0CR
iHH“Thinking is free. What’s problematic is speaking without thinking. But you, despite your youth, speak very cautiously. Perhaps it’s because of the position you hold. Anyway, someone like me can’t understand the heart of someone like you.”wVRXld
z0j8tF“It makes me nervous when you praise me this much before anything’s happened. In stories, that’s always a death flag.”CPhD
rhj“I understand. Then, follow me.”QA2efLM
PJQAGuThe emperor and I continued walking in silence toward the center of Stonehenge. I couldn’t help but admire the view.dkM
Ik7gMDG‘Oh.’xxso
XsHs2From afar it looked like a giant had tossed stones randomly, but up close you could see a certain order. They weren’t simply arranged in a circle, but in perfectly aligned rows and columns.q6Y
XsSjdDV“This way.”uqyoCfM
j6F2The emperor called to me. He was standing on a round stone slab in the center. It was large enough for four men to stand on tightly.5VRZUoU
RxRRt1gStep.Mi9J06
L1KY0I obediently stepped into the emperor’s area. It was time to get to the point.GnyCgDH
P7EH3“The reason I called you is Auditore.”b7HLBV
0UlB9It seemed we were thinking the same thing; no introduction was needed.efO5C
jkLm“So Auditore was just an excuse.”GFaQiba
T5AvZ“It’s the best way to deceive the public—target the enemy’s ally.”sRjuXz
13XA true master of political games.aGkuuXo
uQ6fyi‘The issue of expelling Auditore from the empire…’0G40Lo
f99ZI had heard that news just yesterday. And it was Japan’s Prime Minister, Saki Hina, who told me in secret.kk0h
PMxn“…Did you leak the information on purpose?”EfFk
5i2Hw“Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t a trap to lure you. I just thought you’d hear about it eventually.”yuz
jwJThe emperor slowed his pace and turned to look at me. He finally deigned to face me.Vz8M
7mIs66y“You have a good tongue for comebacks.”ZUW
aY5I“I haven’t wasted my years, after all.”n8nj4
iw7mIn soul age, I’m older than him.aYvI
G9zue3N“We’ve arrived.”Hj8M7md
Rts28UThe emperor stepped aside. When the wind barrier faded, a strong gust blew through.5LQVQ
zObFwoooosh.UgqZU
AYr6vWhen it cleared, a vast plain appeared. In the center, a group of menhirs stood upright irregularly. And that alone, but the scene was surprisingly striking.mbcBjU
UyVXG“Stonehenge, huh?”17p
6Nz6Ah, this…Zpn
Qxypmp‘Though I think Korean dolmens are more impressive.’wfCB
PQSWOyThe emperor added an explanation.rTXcV
Hmh4L2“With this, my personal assessment of Japan has improved. I didn’t expect them to obtain the information so quickly. The current Prime Minister is as competent as the last.”RLECe
MyiU“I’d say she’s even better than her predecessor.”ZnCa0
vfDOeUN“That depends on perspective. In any case, the expulsion of Auditore has strong justification. They intend to do it in the name of the imperial family.”pZauW
ZELk“If that’s the case…”Jl6xDE
d3nI slid back the edge of my coat. I clearly displayed Murasame and the EX-rank sashimi, while issuing a warning.mgeBI
CqW1Yz“Then you’d better be ready to face me.”CBVyX
pHHfJRThe emperor let out a hoarse laugh.ZCxm6du
16v0N“This is the first time in my life someone has threatened me. Thank you for giving me such a refreshing experience, Heavenly Sword. I know you’re a man of great resolve. You keep your word and cut down without mercy anyone who stands in your way. I’m sure just a few of your slashes would be enough to end the Victoria imperial bloodline.”95Da
r1qS“That won’t happen.”HAY9W
3Qez“It will happen.”vOKte
P8wS6OMThe emperor touched his temple with his index finger and tapped it lightly.vC1Pa81
EuML1g“My daughter already said it. When I die, it will be as if the imperial bloodline were extinguished.”qQf9i
Er05L“And to protect yourself, you destroyed your family’s ancestral legacy? I can’t understand the reasoning behind that decision. Nor do I want to.”fsxbs
g2fOne thing, however, was clear to me—this man was not like the politicians I’d known so far.nvF0
VYXOWdWhen a human feels fear, their emotions overflow. Even knowing that getting angry is useless, they scream desperately to survive. And even so, that desperation only shortens their life.04n
cIUtAAnd the emperor? His breathing was steady. Not the slightest change.Rq7cH0
3g7hg‘I could slit his throat with a single slash, like a fish.’MR3
ReQ‘But I can’t do it.’W6eC
70HKcfZThis man was pressuring me with words alone. The title of emperor was just a formality. Even if it weren’t, this man would still make me sweat cold down my back.dkQ91
OnfJSq‘Let’s talk.’LGsj
LeRhI covered myself again with the coat. The emperor let out an open laugh.fb2b28t
QWz6“Hahahahaha! That was a good joke.”znbt4bs
XYN1sIAnd apparently, he had an ace up his sleeve. What the hell was it?YX8LM
HZNFi‘At least throw a tantrum or something!’Lr6
mgkJ1YA confrontation like this made no strategic sense in the long run. It was then that…qBi
4j0pC“I’ll show you.”LM3DD
NR7rOK‘Can he really read minds?’oxy7oD
rshrA“I’ll show you the value of my existence.”kRwU6jj
FxsThe emperor gave a light stomp.Bs34
8NxDVqEThud!EOLKh
oeasQV2The sound was deep. Instantly, the surrounding stones began to emit a fluorescent glow.D0yh
1ttquLuI opened my eyes wide they were engraved with runic letters.DQc0C75
tZj2s2Z“The Blessing of the Owl is the key.”CdKSRNb
df9LGThe runes peeled off from the surface of the stones like stickers. They floated in the air. Spinning, furiously.Ow2GEI
5EqWuuuuuuuung.pXlI
dXh7yNaAs if they wanted to dissolve their cohesion, they scattered. The letters floated. A ceiling made of words gleamed above our heads, as if replacing the constellations.U4E7I
OGama“The key that opens the Infinite Library.”ScK
gvzxelfI tilted my neck so much it hurt, captivated by the sight. It looked like a massive pit covered in words from every direction.SFJRyh
lTySZoClick.YHefaqV
exIThe emperor bent his index finger toward the air.waq
4DNBSMuChwarurururuk.ELbF6
LoWMy vision rippled. The vocabulary, the words that compose the universe, the language of humanity, gathered in the form of books and entered his hand.CSI
K468“No matter how much paper rots over time, these kinds of ruins can accompany humanity for centuries. So don’t worry about what Victoria said. When she becomes empress, she’ll understand what I meant.”Fxy
bhajOIB“So the imperial family’s heritage didn’t disappear, then.”CAdq
uTpg“Exactly. It was merely stored in another form.”ldGeX6s
BcgXHThe emperor flipped through the book with expert hands.MMm
bUfEcS“After reviewing the entire library, I estimate I could find about 9,631 reasons to erase the Auditore from this world. Just selecting a thousand would be enough for the world to accept my judgment. Meanwhile, you, for all your accumulated merits, could lose the trust you’ve built.”daQ0sOi
ibHdPU“It’s been a while since I received a threat like that.”JdU
tPKqHD“A fair exchange for both sides.”gpSth
lBkUMkThe emperor closed the book. The cave made of words spread out again. It might have had a soundproofing function, because not a single noise from outside could be heard.Reqq6oS
bFv“To speak plainly, I want the Heavenly Sword to become an ally of the imperial family.”J0XO
MKw8E4“Then you shouldn’t be threatening me.”DAw13
XKt“An emperor cannot bow to anyone. Not even you are the exception. This is not a choice.”r0IdvV
toQlI clicked my tongue.6YF
yUIXbo“Let’s hear it. Using the Auditore purge as an excuse, what is it that you really want from me?”paWRZ
d4HoBe cautious, Kang Geom-Ma.T8VVX9v
RklVAQb“Just in case, I can get you Daiso sashimi in industrial quantities.”hQELOJ
pVB“What’s Daiso?”dHaaALw
q16eJThese higher-ups…83F
Q1ZUZ“I’ll get straight to the point. Do you know the source of the empire’s financial power?”y8VX
el5“The East India Company, isn’t it?”lsFqpEC
TutThe first joint-stock corporation in the world. In the original Earth, it vanished from history after being nationalized in the 17th century, following the revolution.Q6CNAo
x7PpBut this is the world of Miracle Blessing M.jRHe
abhXIn this society with a rigid class system, “revolution” or “republic” are almost empty concepts.AJl8AB
TjQgxPThat’s why the East India Company, led by the British imperial family, still stands strong today. More than strong, it’s the largest multinational in the world. Trade, finance, private funds… There’s no sector they don’t touch.LK4
4ZhLIts market capitalization is 109,035 trillion won—better not look further or I’ll get depressed.5Z6
aExddog“You know? When you have too much money, you can’t even use it.”w3dfpI
R2RATNo, I don’t know.Goj
UJZK“Everything seems trivial. You can get everything, you can take everything. But that’s a tower of gold my ancestors built step by step, not my own achievement. Don’t you think?”tfuR2jg
rzV60t“Depends on the perspective.”pCHg1y
bqEE“No.”GRmup
zwevThe emperor suddenly brought his face close.wqFQWk7
PFcRvShit!8qVHaNy
kWxBThat startled me. I almost slit the neck of the guy worth 11,000,000,000,000,000 won.DBtGv8n
smz0gqi“When people hear “Heavenly Sword,” they immediately think of your face.”c8b23cG
l1XFThe 11-quadrillion guy said, eyes wide open.8kk
ML3“You’ve surpassed the feats of the Sword Master Siegfried von Nibelung, even the founding hero.”IAPX
erj“I understand you want to write a new story, but what does that have to do with me?”uDhOh
frVKXmoThe emperor took a deep breath and stepped back. His somber gaze expelled the madness from his pupils. He replied.czufZ9M
t44“I’ve seen your feats.”4zA3e
2SQ“…I see…”cyw
RcH“Humanity is indebted to you. But perhaps because of that, the Parsy catastrophe brought with it another crucial task for humanity.”ERfcp
FkT“…?”XOD
Uk6“I had already noticed that mana flows in the real world. And that the incident was related to that.”cuW3n
TmtXOeWhat the hell?lAF
TJN“How do you know all that?”wfQNvNA
YiolyhV“The answer to the present lies in the past. Even if it’s not the solution, the clues are in retrospection.”xuPgb2j
EymkxIrWow. The Blessing of the Owl is a broken power.WpCK
PY4HNow I understand why in Kkomuwiki they highlighted it alongside the [Blessing of the Spirit of the Sword] of the Sword Master.Jlyp
jVmWith feigned calm, I asked him.XQcX
fR4“The imperial family chose not to intervene in this incident. Don’t you think you lack the authority to tell me anything?”UCBYjD
v7f2bD2“I’m not talking about whether the family intervened or not. I’m talking about what came out of it. I already said it—the real world has mana. Now I’m the one asking. If a hero’s favor and mana meet, what substance is generated?”BUyUx
9tw“Subspace.”wuF0zj
MkkFIn that moment, I understood what the emperor really wanted. In case I had any doubts, he confirmed it with a silent gesture.i6Lv
pwI“The East India Company wants to extract raw material from subspace.”oVWD
UooI’ve dealt with crazies like this before. That’s why this made me shudder even more.JHkmJj
fLFSaki Kojima. Though there’s a difference.Cwnal
UIMfYfThe Absolute Archer did it out of acknowledgment of his limits and passed the torch to Ryozo.2QJu
7jGsBut the emperor wants to fully enjoy the fruits of merit. Even if he has to destroy the foundation his ancestors built.LIy0
iKEaKTo me, this one is more despicable. Kojima, at least, ruled well.pR6sm
ryKThe emperor planned to use every resource at his disposal out of greed. Even the monstrous capital of the East India Company.63IN
5IDz7“We’re going to research it and distribute subspace to the public. Then, when people use subspace, they’ll think of me—not the founding hero.”MP5eg
5Mh0obAs he spoke, the emperor closed the book. The cave of letters and the volume turned into particles and dispersed. The Infinite Library disappeared, leaving only the pile of stones and the two figures.NJDkXa6
gVk“And that…?”8QCpPZE
kkxAmid the sounds of nocturnal insects, I opened my mouth.Uv10Z
XWzI“Do you think it’ll be as easy as it sounds?”tEO3Y
Mr6d3“Precisely because it’s not easy, it’s worth trying. I only ask that you don’t interfere with my plans. If you do that, not only will the Auditore be eliminated without resistance, but I’ll also provide you materials to strengthen your equipment. I can even give you part of the East India Company’s shares. Through the G.M. Foundation.”eulBF
ITvowQFJust 1% equals 100,000,000,000 won. This guy is completely insane.bHFBf
y65e“That… you’d already figured it out too?”Srh7
5xNOo“When knowledge accumulates, it becomes wisdom.”Ixk
6yXYThe emperor took a breath and continued.cnusGU
lBbLo“When wisdom accumulates, it approaches truth.”v5SOsd
GHQ0WG***TpTgA
ajlHs‘I’m exhausted.’mqy5q
xUkFI returned to the limousine feeling like my soul had been violated. Thankfully, I didn’t have to share a seat with the emperor.EKu2BNM
e6z4Y06“Um…”MLGQvy
M9HylQAs soon as I slumped into the seat, Victoria couldn’t hold back and spoke to me.GBA
0ZNq2“What did you talk about with His Majesty…?”BkcCs
a8BMaybe she thought she was overstepping, because she bit her lip after saying it.Rq904a
saYk6I thought about telling her but let it go. There were too many things too difficult to explain to a teenager.Ddy
55eCCI can’t tell her the content, but!1mZd
sQlRI suppose I can share my impression. After carefully choosing my words, I told Victoria.yQ88fI9
jM06“Your father, Princess.”xx6zC
wOGC0Victoria straightened up and paid attention.YNP
fM8d“Yes.”8FZ8i
iivGm0H“He’s insane.”JrL
tJclF“Excuse me?”Oxj
AQEY0t“You’ve grown up well under a father like that, Princess. If it were me, I’d have stabbed him several times already. But don’t worry. I already put some pressure on him.”gh1B
sFfv8“Cough, cough!”FikAfk
WE2With the dry cough, the limousine window trembled slightly.xatEQ
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