419 To the City of Kings, Jeruite #1
“That guy’s name is Pride Friedrich. For now, he is known as my son.”
At the king’s words, the face of a man appeared in my mind.
The day of the trial when Elpride nearly became a slave.
It seemed there had been pressure from the higher-ups that delayed Elpride’s trial, and Prince Friedrich, who appeared on the trial day, was the very person behind it.
Time has passed since then, and the circumstances back then were chaotic, so I don’t remember much about his appearance. However, the peculiar aura of that prince remains vivid in my memory.
The people-loving prince.
Unlike me, who was once the arsonist, the prince seemed like a flawless superhero straight out of a Disney fairy tale.
Blessed by the gods and endowed with noble pride, Friedrich was known by the nickname “The Proud One.”
And that prince is the son of the Thunderblade before me.
Because of this, I couldn’t understand.
When the king entrusted me with the task of eliminating the monster in the royal castle, I had expected to face some ancient demon or dragon bound there by the royal family. But saying that this monster he spoke of was his own son was hard to wrap my head around.
The immediate possibility that came to mind was perhaps an issue of power between father and son. Could the king be trying to restrain the growing influence of the prince?
It’s a story similar to what happened with many kings during the Joseon Dynasty, or without going back to Joseon, there exists a tragic archetype of fathers and sons even on the Gaia Continent—like how Lord Jupiter and his father, Saturn, had clashed and how Saturn with his father, Kailus, had met the same fate. It could happen between me and my father too, someday.
So, I asked.
“Is this a political struggle? Is the king trying to restrain the growing power of the prince?”
“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be saying any of this. Pride is a real monster. To be honest, my son died a long time ago; only the shell remains.”
Sshh-.
Then Thunderblade got down on his knees. He even pressed his elderly face and forehead to the ground, bowing deeply before me.
I was quite taken aback.
Knight Lieutenant Natalos, who guarded the king, seemed equally troubled and did not hide his anxiety from beneath his armor.
“Your Majesty, as the earthly agent of Jupiter, how can you submit like this to a mere young deity?”
Ignoring all of that, the king, with his head bowed, continued.
“This is the karmic debt of me, an incompetent father, for going against the will of the world. But I cannot tolerate living any longer with this creature pretending to be my son.”
“…”
“To beg you, as a father who has lost his child—not as a king of this nation or a high-ranking official—I humbly ask for your help.”
Shiver-shiver-.
The old man was trembling. Even in the cold autumn night breeze, his continuous coughing betrayed signs of a grave illness.
If he continued kneeling on the cold ground, his condition could worsen.
So, I decided to pull the old man up by the wrist.
Ding-.
『Name: Theo Friedrich, Level 24
Condition: Curse of Agedness》Chronic Arthritis》Alcohol Dependence』
Arthritis and alcohol dependence, huh. That’s common enough.
I’ve never seen a “Curse of Agedness” before, but it likely explains his frail appearance and condition despite his age.
As Thunderblade brushed the dust from his brow and spoke,
“There aren’t many people I can trust in the kingdom right now. Knowing who are his people and who are his puppets is impossible, so I’ve had to act as if I know nothing.”
An act?
Could it be this man has been pretending all along?
I asked.
“Is your supposed fondness for nymphs an act too?”
“No, that is genuine. Nymphs are pure and straightforward. In this deceitful world, they’re like a ray of light.”
This guy, an unrelenting maniac.
“So, because you have no one else to trust, you’re asking me for help?”
“Yes. Right now in this situation, I trust you more than anyone.”
After that, the old king quickly continued the story. “We don’t have much time. Soon, his followers will realize my absence.”
The story goes as such.
When Pride Friedrich was very young, he fell severely ill and hovered near d*ath for days. After recovering, the boy reportedly acted like an entirely different person.
For instance, the boy who previously couldn’t eat peanuts because of allergies started munching them greedily. He awakened magical talents he never had before. Various things like that.
It was certainly his child, but the boy just didn’t seem quite himself.
“But, since he came back from the brink of d*ath, everyone rejoiced. His personality even seemed brighter. However, deep down, I could feel it. That boy is a monster.”
The king went on to say that the prince now runs the royal castle’s affairs in place of his aging father, leading various reforms and changes.
“All the accomplishments I’m credited for are actually his doing. Even the illustrious nickname ‘Thunderblade’ stems from his efforts.”
The king’s story was a bit disorganized, but it was clear he felt a sense of urgency.
“He’s imported countless elves who worship foreign gods, and he’s levying high taxes on the old temples. I do not know what he plans, and I cannot stop it.”
“…”
“Of course, I will d*e eventually. Once he no longer finds me useful, like a pig in the slaughterhouse, I will be killed. That doesn’t bother me. But I must prevent that unknown entity from sitting on the throne.”
Right at that moment,
Beeeep-.
A sharp, hawk-like sound of a horn erupted in the sky. Both the king and Lieutenant Natalos, who had been quietly listening, flinched involuntarily.
“d*mn it, time’s up. If you believe my words, please come to the royal castle.”
He seemed about to rush off when I decided to ask a single question.
“Why should I trust you? If the prince has stationed his spies everywhere in the kingdom, couldn’t I be one of them?”
“That’s no issue. That fiend hates the god Pluto. Surely, the god’s son wouldn’t favor someone like that.”
And he added,
“Plus, there’s a saying here on the Gaia Continent: There’s no one bad who is accompanied by nymphs. Since you travel with so many nymphs, it’s difficult to find someone more trustworthy.”
“Your Majesty, you must leave right now. If we delay any further, someone may notice our absence.”
As they bustled around, I added one more question.
“If that’s the case, why exactly should I trust you?”
“That’s true. It’s an important point. Here, take this. It’s a gift from me. Do with it what you see fit.”
Pingg-.
Thunderblade threw something towards me and disappeared into the darkness whence he came.
The item that he tossed to me turned out to be a key. I had secretly hoped it was the Skeleton Key, but it looked different from that.
A small note was attached to the key.
“Temporary prison cell #5, Mar’s Guild basement, Sodomora.”
—
By dawn, the weather grew somewhat chilly.
It was a time when everyone should be asleep.
Since the king had given me this gift—a key to the basement prison—I decided to visit the Mar’s Guild basement prison at that hour.
“Don’t stay too long. And could you sign something for me before you go? My parents really admire Hassan, you.”
“Understood. Thank you for your hard work.”
With that, I gave the guard at the entrance a single silver coin and opened the basement door.
Clang-.
The musty smell of mold wafted through the chilly basement, strangely comforting. Why does this smell feel good? Am I some kind of weirdo?
Thud, thud-.
As I descended the stairs one by one, I heard a faint rustling sound.
“Light-.”
Using the most basic illumination magic I could, I proceeded to shine light around the space, noticing a beast curled up in a corner behind the iron-barred cell.
It resembled a captured wild beast on all fours, its brown and black fur giving it the appearance of a lonely predator.
Of course, that creature was Gloria.
The mighty Gloria, locked up in a strong steel cell.
The key given to me by the king was the key to the temporary prison where Gloria was confined.
But would a prison really hold someone like Gloria?
The sturdiness of the prison seemed laughable. Given her strength, Gloria breaking out should be quite possible.
However, she didn’t.
She merely curled up on the floor in a tight ball.
She looked like an animal who had broken the rules and was being punished, eliciting a sense of pity.
She must have sensed my presence.
Given her sharp instincts.
But instead of reacting, she turned her back to the bars and continued to pretend to sleep, making soft breathing sounds.
I said,
“You could easily break these bars and escape. Why don’t you?”
“Escape for what? No one would welcome me anyway.”
“I see.”
I had worried for nothing—thinking she might not answer me. Fortunately, her voice still carried some spirit.
“And this is my punishment.”
“Punishment?”
“For allowing myself to lose control again. Because of me, my friends and family left. I have to change. This is my punishment.”
“Will you go back to roaming freely in the outside world once you’ve served your punishment?”
“…”
Squish-.
Instead of answering, Gloria pulled the fur over her head and curled into an even smaller ball. She clearly didn’t want to talk about it.
Jingle-.
I played with the key in my hand.
This key was a gift from Thunderblade.
Since he said I could do what I wanted with it, it must be my choice to lock or unlock Gloria’s prison.
I paused for a moment.
After exchanging silence for a few seconds, I unlocked the iron gate with the key in my hand.
Clunk-cluck-.
With my back still turned, Gloria said,
“I already said it—I’m not leaving. Opening the door makes no difference.”
“That’s fine. I didn’t open the door for you to leave. I opened it to come inside.”
“What?”
The Gloria who had been so disinterested in me finally made a sound of confusion, the first since our meeting.
Nonetheless, I proceeded slowly into the prison cell.
Thump-thump-.
At that moment, my heart started pounding fiercely, feeling the same nervousness that lion tamers might feel when entering their predator’s den without protection.
Shh-.
Gloria sat up. In the dim light cast by my amateur glowing magic, her eyes shone pitch black.
The emotions in her gaze were likely filled with suspicion.
Naturally, she should be suspicious. How wouldn’t you be suspicious when a strange man sneaks into the woman’s cell in the dead of night? It’s completely understandable.
Of course, her calm exterior suggested a confidence in her own strength.
She spoke.
“You think you’ve won and are flaunting that with the intention of touching me?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Men have been interested in me before. All their wrists broke. Are you thinking the same thing now?”
“Somewhat, somewhat similar.”
The Gloria I met before was like someone who lost her temper completely. But now locked in the cell, she seemed almost like a different person.
The glint in her eyes now carried not just suspicion but also a certain wisdom.
Could it be that her anger management issues have caused a double personality?
Although it was interesting, it mattered little right now. I slowly extended my hand to grab Gloria’s wrist, but
Swish-.
True to form, she instinctively raised her guard, eliciting a small chuckle from me. Does she really think I want to hit her?
I suppose, around her, only people who intend to harm her exist.
Regardless, I decided to do what I had planned to do. I gently grasped her wrist with one hand.
Ding-.
As always, the words appeared before me.
『Gloria Level 45
Condition: Curse of Infidelity》Family’s Wrath》Dragon’s Hatred》』
The level 45 was truly a jaw-dropping number. I clearly remember how amazed I was seeing this number before.
But instead of focusing on her level, I should focus on the curses and hatred listed under her condition, things I overlooked last time.
Swish-.
Then Gloria tried to pull her wrist away from my hand. Perhaps my touch offended her.
To which I said,
“Didn’t the rules of the Samaritans say that the loser must submit to the winner? You lost to me earlier, and everyone witnessed it clearly. So, let me examine you for a moment without resistance.”
“What kind of perverted thing are you saying? ‘Examine me and I’ll be good’?”
“No, it’s not perverse. Big brother just wants to take a look…”
After saying it, I realized it sounded exactly like grooming dialogue.
At any rate, what I intended to do would actually help her.
—
To the City of Kings, Jeruite
