Chapter 338 – Episode 338 ― Dreamer’s Dream (4)
Episode 338 – Dreamer’s Dream (4)
— I heard they give you bread.
— Don’t you feel uncomfortable?
It was a conversation between middle-aged men. The voice that bluntly reprimands is a bit rougher and more crude.
— What?
— This guy doesn’t know anything.
Nervous words continued.
— I thought the devil had done something to the bread he gave me.
— Then, why are you standing here?
A new voice chimed in. A youthful voice before the transformation. It was a thin voice, but filled with the unique vitality of a child.
Then the man’s voice gave a rough and unexpected answer.
— The agent is coming.
A moment of silence followed.
— It is said that He can make even hands that do not exist, so maybe… I don’t know.
Roan pondered the emotions in his voice. The reason the people around him stopped talking was probably because they were feeling a variety of emotions, similar to Roan.
Wary of the new ruler, the Demon King. On the other hand, I felt hope in his words about the goddess’ agent.
Could it be that the very conflicting attitudes toward the two objects, or sympathy, silenced the people around them?
“What would it be like to know that the two are the same thing?”
Should I despair or accept?
You won’t know which emotion is stronger unless you face it yourself, right?
“Those two?”
Roan suddenly stopped concentrating on ‘listening’ to the distant conversation and turned his head. Green eyes in sharp eyes turned towards him.
“You mean His Majesty is the agent?”
“Hmm.”
Even without explanation, Aina quickly understood Roan’s words. The whispers of the women surrounding Roan quieted down. Even though I didn’t have the ability to hear conversations like Roan, I was able to guess what the commotion outside was.
She smoothed her collar as if choosing her words. Aina, unlike usual, was wearing simple, rust-colored robes.
Forest fairy-like attire that allows you to move comfortably without completely hiding the lines of your body.
Nevertheless, the reason why elaborate decorative embroidery, which can be seen only if you look closely, is engraved on various parts of the clothes is because of respect for the duke family that has been passed down from generation to generation.
“I guess I have no choice but to accept it.”
His movements were cautious, but his words were bitter. Grünent smiled slightly bitterly.
“King. Or the Pope. That’s what those humans treated like gods. If you see them bowing their heads to His Majesty, wouldn’t that be inevitable? “Humans accept it easily.”
Aina adjusted the hem of her clothes and straightened her body. It was soon time for her to wake up.
“Besides, as that person said, Your Majesty’s abilities are unrivaled. “Is there anyone who would dare to defy the words of a being who grows arms that were not there before?”
“You are saying painful things. Her Royal Highness Princess Aina.”
“… Ugh.”
Aina frowned slightly and nodded her head in a gesture that was unclear whether it was a greeting or not.
“Grave. Like that…”
Aina barely managed to swallow the words ‘don’t call me’. She clearly knew that this was not the case.
“… Yes.”
“There are many perspectives on the people, and there are many scholars who see them as foolish, but based on my personal experience, there are many reasons for humans to follow Your Majesty, even if it is not the need Aina mentioned.”
The grizzled man gently bowed his head to the women. Grünent responded.
“Count Gravet.”
The title of Arteala was given to Grabe, who had met the Demon King for the first time as a human, sold goods, and even established diplomatic ties.
However, when he became a count, he could not stay in his newly received land for long.
Because the human king was turned into a demon.
“I think the best king is the one who guarantees the safety of himself and his family and makes his stomach full. Hasn’t Your Majesty already achieved it?”
“Thank you.”
The wrinkled eyes behind the monocle were folded.
Humans often say that we should not trust all the humans of Arteala, but in the eyes of Roan, who had a ‘listening ear’, that smile appeared to be pure goodwill.
“I will greet you again after the mass.”
Behind Count Gravet, who bowed his head, a group of humans greeted Roan.
Except for Grave, the human envoys were still cautious towards the Demon King.
To them, the devil was someone who captured bad children when they were young, and when they grew up, they were ready to ravage humans at any time.
Their imagination could not reach the point that the Demon King would open the dark forest that had been closed for thousands of years, subdue Merde, the largest kingdom of humans, and then request a state relationship with them.
So the envoys were still afraid of the Demon King, whom they had already met face to face once. I felt even more cognitive dissonance at the fact that such a demon lord was attending a mass honoring the goddess.
The envoys do not yet know that the Demon King is their agent. Helen, recalling that fact, laughed alone.
“What?”
The moment Aina slightly raises her eyebrows while looking at Helen’s smile.
“Your majesty. Majesty. “Please come out now.”
The tired old man opened the door to the waiting room.
Although his clothes were simpler than when he held the position of leader of the Church of Laurecia, Sermo is now the archbishop of the Church of Life.
Sermo turned down numerous requests from believers to become the first pope. He was loved by the goddess even more than that, and he knew the one who works miracles.
In the end, the position of Pope remained vacant, and the religious order moved around the Archbishop.
“Shall we go?”
At the scene that unfolded next, the envoys, who had been whispering among themselves, all fell silent.
The moment the devil rose up.
The women surrounding him, the people of Merde, and the people of the church all stood up and slightly bowed their heads in sync with his movements.
“Count…”
“Shh.”
One of the envoys from Kihan called out to Count Gravet without realizing it and then closed his mouth due to his attention.
As if in a ritual, the humans who had filled the waiting room with Roan at the forefront left in order, and only then did the envoys exhale.
“This… It’s true.”
“Do you believe it now?”
Among the envoys, the only one who could afford it was Gravet, who had already seen this scene several times.
The other envoys had only seen Roan’s face from afar on the day they first arrived in Merde, but it was their first time seeing him in daily life like this.
“It’s too natural to be called magic or ability.”
“If you say that magic can affect not only humans but even the forest fairy princess… Even if that’s true, it’s scary.”
“You must have a lot of doubts.”
Leaving Grave’s light lament behind, the envoys lowered their voices and quickly exchanged opinions.
The reason the humans of Merde surrendered to the devil was not simply because they were scared or manipulated.
The envoys realized once again that it was born out of respect, affection, and a little fear.
A forest fairy princess from the dark forest who had no interaction with humans at all and was doubtful of her existence. Human envoys thought that Aina, the child of the clan’s ruler and the child of a duke, was naturally a princess and called her that. Even to the emperor. There was no resistance to lowering one’s head.
“Count Hana Grave. “How could I have believed what he said when he said he would attend mass wearing ‘devil-like’ horns?”
Even though they lowered their voices when speaking of dangerous words, all the envoys opened their eyes and glared at the envoy from the small country at such a profane statement.
“No, is it just me…”
The relatively young and tall king of a small country was a little taken aback by the terrifying force.
Gravet sighed softly.
It is familiar to people and demons near the Merde border.
In fact, he rarely even saw demons himself. It was even more difficult to see humanoid demons with horns, who were considered precious among demons. Even though he was from Arteala, which had been trading with the northern demons of Evirzio before the war.
It literally looks like the ‘devil’ that appears in the story has been brought in.
Not only the horns, but also the eyes, appearance, and charisma that seem to entice humans.
However, the ‘devil’ does not win people’s hearts in such a foolish way.
“The magic stone of Dragon Duke Bültz would not have betrayed himself to the evil being you are talking about.”
It was not actually Count Gravet who cautioned the young envoy.
An old man whose hair has all turned white. He came to Merde as an envoy from the Duchy of Wültz.
“It would be a great disrespect if we drag on like this. “Let’s just move.”
Gravet bowed silently to Bültz’s envoy and led the envoys outside. Now that the distinguished guests have entered, the mass has already begun.
**
“It’s noisy.”
As Aina frowned, Grünent narrowed his eyes. I can hear whispering after mass, but it’s not loud enough.
“What is it?”
“Humans.”
“…”
Grünent quickly glanced around with his narrowed eyes. And once again, I smiled at the handsome devil sitting next to me.
Aina made a puzzled expression.
“What are you smiling about?”
“If there is a person like this, no one can calm down.”
Roan pretended not to hear Gruenent’s fuss and suppressed his laughter. But Aina wasn’t like that. She snorted
“Joy. It’s not that good of a story. Everyone is scared of what will happen. There is also a base curiosity.”
“Oh my.”
“Majesty. “Princess.”
Fritz cautioned. After being kicked out of the Church of Laurecia for using his holy powers at will, he was able to become a priest again in the Church of Life.
He gave them a somewhat stern look, but he looked moved by Aina’s next words.
“The Goddess is not angry at me for making such a fuss at these useless Masses. Because the goddess is always watching.”
“I know the order, Fritz. Helen, please do me a favor.”
Next, Grünent gave an answer to the priest instead of making an excuse and winked at Helen.
“Your Majesty.”
Helen raised her body politely.
She was in charge of guiding the agent.
After the mass, it was time for the goddess’ representative to reveal herself.
The pulpit where Fritz had just finished his sermon soon became busy. An agent stepped in to create a space to treat a few patients.
Even if it wasn’t just that, the crowd soon began to chatter.
‘She is a saint.’
‘The agent is coming.’
‘As expected, the saint was the agent.’
There were many people who saw the saint of Laurecia. As she stood up, not only the common people behind her but also the nobles and envoys right behind her opened their eyes wide.
Because they could not contain their excitement even if they were only whispering, the chapel was quickly filled with buzzing like a swarm of bees.
“It’s really noisy now. Aina.”
“Hmph.”
Aina looked around at the surrounding humans with wary eyes. Because she is a forest fairy who knows humans well, she was able to predict the reaction that would occur.
“Your majesty. Looks like we’re ready. “Shall we move?”
“Yes.”
And then Roan slowly got up.
The murmur that had reached its peak began to subside.
Since this was where everyone was sitting, even the people in the back could see Roan standing up.
A black uniform covering a strong body.
Tall, straight, healthy, long arms and a pure white sword beneath them.
Beautiful hair,
Stuck between them is a foreign, large curved horn.
“Shall we go? Helen.”
As Amethyst’s cold eyes scanned the chapel, a silence of astonishment poured over her like cold water.
