Chapter 226

Wealth creates power, and power attracts splendor. Money doesn’t go to those who truly need it but to those who already bask in authority.

Thus, every abode of the powerful I’ve seen had its own unique beauty. Sometimes it was antique charm, other times sheer luxury. Even the texture of a single table could evoke admiration. The Magic Tower was like that, and so was the Temple. The Imperial Palace, of course, was no exception.

Even the Demon Race struggled to resist the allure of wealth and splendor. When I was with the Hero Party, after defeating high-ranking demons, their lairs were always extravagantly decorated.

Imperial goods, precious silk garments, jewels scattered everywhere—I’ve seen it all. So, I assumed Epirna’s palace would be the same.

“Is this… really a palace? It doesn’t even compare to the golden statues in the museum.”

But it wasn’t. Empty hallways, bare walls. No art, no treasures—not even windows. Nothing sparkled, and the materials used to build the palace were nothing special.

“Epirna cared about her authority but not her wealth. She had no greed for such things. That’s why the palace is so plain.”

Pedro, who had been trembling with anxiety and unable to eat, finally relaxed after confirming the battle’s outcome and volunteered to guide us. He wandered the palace, showering Roka with flattery.

“By the way, Sir Leon. Didn’t you promise to work as the Empire’s Master? But if you’re the Beastman Kingdom’s general, doesn’t that complicate things?”

“Ah, right! I did make that promise… I acted without thinking about the consequences…”

Behind us, the Princess and Sir Leon bickered. If the self-proclaimed Beastman Kingdom’s general were to submit to the Empire, it would be tantamount to admitting vassal status from the start.

That would, of course, plummet the dynasty’s popularity from the get-go. Roka, however, had no interest in such weighty matters. She seemed to view her position as nothing more than a bothersome flea.

“But I never said I’d submit to the Empire, so let’s discuss that later. It’s not important right now. What’s important is that we’ve taken the palace. Let’s take a look around.”

“There doesn’t seem to be anything here.”

“Oh, our Beast King. You never know until you check. Maybe Epirna hid some important treasure.”

“Can’t we just smash that golden statue from the museum? I keep thinking it’s the most valuable thing here.”

Sir Leon laughed.

“I’d like to, but I can’t.”

“Huh?”

“The world moves fast. As soon as news spread that Epirna self-destructed, people tied ropes around the statue, toppled it, and swarmed like ants to dismantle it.”

“……”

“It was quite a sight. I should’ve gone there instead of the Beast King’s battle. Even a single fragment would’ve been worth a fortune.”

Haha. What an amusing story…

The tale of a woman who made a golden statue to flaunt her authority. It felt like it could be turned into a fairy tale.

If only it had been made of stone, it wouldn’t have sparkled as brightly, but it wouldn’t have shattered either. Even if it did, the pieces could’ve been reassembled. It could’ve been a true museum piece.

But now, people will melt every scrap into gold bars. The golden statue, for all its splendor, was the first to fall.

If it had been made of stone, it might have lasted longer. There’s a lesson in that.

“Anna’s going to nag me about this for the rest of my life… So, we’d better find some treasure here to avoid her wrath.”

Roka seemed to have lost all interest in the Beastman Kingdom. She sighed, as if giving up. It seemed she thought there was nothing left here.

“The treasure’s already in my hands.”

“That sword?”

“This sword.”

This kid is as indifferent to money as Epirna. Instead, she’s greedy for things that can enhance her strength.

Roka hasn’t stopped smiling since earlier. She hasn’t let go of the sword. Apparently, the core left by her master recognized her and took the form of this sword.

“A sword forged with my own Power Techniques, refined from the core. There’s no treasure here that can surpass this.”

Roka’s confident words seemed true. Epirna’s palace had less than a wealthy merchant’s house.

As we explored the palace, Roka’s gaze grew colder. Her already nonexistent desire to be the Beast King seemed to hit rock bottom.

“The Imperial Palace’s guest rooms would be more luxurious than this…”

“Is there really nothing good here? Shouldn’t there be something decent if we search thoroughly? Did she spend all her money on that statue?”

Sir Leon scoured the palace, convinced there must be something. I doubted anything would turn up, but once again, I was wrong.

Thinking always leads me astray. Stereotypes breed prejudice, as if the Lord Himself reminded me. Whether it’s treasure or not, something was indeed found in the palace courtyard.

“Huh? There’s a statue here too? Kisea, if you were going to run away, you could’ve at least undone the petrification on others… Wait, is this… Robo? No, the face is too weathered to tell…”

Another petrified person? Hearing Sir Leon’s voice, I went inside and saw a familiar-looking statue. My eyes narrowed. It was an entirely unexpected encounter.

“Huh, sis? Didn’t you run away? Why are you here?”

Roka, who had been trailing behind me, scratched her head. Of course, Lady Kisea, now stone, couldn’t answer.

In hindsight, this reunion was a tragic one, but the Lord’s power ensures that tragedy isn’t truly tragic. Roka wasn’t sad at all—she seemed indifferent, as if she had no doubt I’d restore her.

“She didn’t run away; she was petrified. Tch, I feel a bit sorry now. I thought she’d really run away, but you never know how things will turn out.”

“If she hadn’t been petrified, would she have run away? Or would she have come back?”

“Why ask such a question? The answer’s obvious.”

The Princess’s question left Sir Leon pondering.

“I’d say she’d have run away. But at least she didn’t run away now.”

If this change had been irreversible, everyone would’ve been sad. I’m sure of it.

I firmly believe everyone here is a good person. It’s just that they’re reacting this way because Divine Power can reverse it.

*****

Krrrr.

The nine-headed monster slowly wandering the Eastern Plains hissed warily upon seeing something as large as itself. The dragon, basking in the sun, slowly rose and stared at the mysterious creature.

[What? Do you have a problem with me being here?]

Hiss! Hiss!

For the dragon, who had just regained its body, even the breeze was worth savoring. Kyle’s affairs could wait; it was enjoying a leisurely moment when the sudden appearance of the monster soured its mood.

However, the monster was wise. The Hydra wasn’t cowardly, but it was smart enough to avoid conflict. Among monsters, it was the least aggressive. Most importantly, it had no orders to follow.

Its true master, the Demon King, hadn’t given any recent commands, and its temporary master, Epirna, was dead. Her last order was to stay out of fights.

So, the Hydra felt free. It had the liberty to avoid battles. Not wanting to clash with something its own size, it slowly backed away, maintaining its guard. The dragon didn’t pursue it.

[Oh, look at that thing. For a lowly creature, it’s smarter than that brutish gray wolf.]

Now that it had regained its body, Azahadaka was in a good mood. A very good mood. The past slights could be generously overlooked.

Except for one. That brat who grabbed and shook it, spoke rudely, called it a lizard skewer, and seriously tried to brew alcohol with it—that one, it could never forgive.

[Still, that wolf’s better at running away.]

Watching the Hydra leave, the dragon yawned. It canceled the spell it was preparing. No matter how strong the monster was, it couldn’t compare to the dragon in its restored form. A simple spell would suffice—no need for breath attacks. Maybe even physical combat would do.

That thing made the right choice. Its danger sense was impeccable.

But Kisea’s even better. That damn wolf ran off to who-knows-where before I could teach it a lesson. The dragon thought so.

[This time, I’ll let it slide, but if we meet again, I’ll give it a proper beating.]

So what if it’s a Master? That’s just a human’s limit.

The dragon truly believed that. Even the one from the Arctic wasn’t that important.

Among the surface dwellers, it’s somewhat capable.

But in the end, it’s just that—nothing more.