Chapter 243
Seeing Nahun after nearly eight years, Sernius III was shocked to the point of panic.
However, he quickly regained his composure. As the head of a nation, he managed to stay quite calm while addressing the remarkably surprising situation.
“…What brings you here?”
“You don’t seem very surprised. How boring.”
“I thought you had lost interest in us since you hadn’t come for a while.”
“Not at all.”
Nahun smirked.
“Did you really think so, especially after what might have happened to the Holy Kingdom?”
“…Was it all your doing?”
“Not necessarily.”
Nahun simply denied the Pope’s incredulous inquiry.
“But I can’t say I wasn’t involved.”
“…!”
“I still do not wish for the downfall of the Holy Kingdom. As I mentioned before.”
“…That’s hard to believe, especially with so many attacks on us. If the Great Celestial God hadn’t helped us…”
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m saying I have had no involvement here at all. My interference has occurred on the exact opposite side.”
Nahun was referring to a nation that had already been destroyed due to the aftermath of the Great Demon War.
“You must have seen it from here too?”
“…No way!”
The Pope could sense that Nahun was talking about the Piast Kingdom. The black shadows that had covered the capital, Alborg, and the massive beams of light that had soared from there were visible even in the Holy Kingdom.
Realizing this, Sernius III trembled momentarily. Even though the man before him came from a small nation, he had single-handedly brought down an entire country in an instant. It was truly overwhelming.
“What are you so afraid of? I’ve said it before, I do not wish for the fall of the Holy Kingdom. I didn’t come here to threaten with such things.”
Though Nahun said so, simply bringing it up seemed to imply he meant to exert pressure on the Holy Kingdom. The Pope noticed this but had no means to counter it.
If what happened in the Piast Kingdom was indeed orchestrated by him, then resisting would likely lead to a similar fate for the Holy Kingdom. Believing that remaining silent was the wisest course of action, the Pope cautiously asked him.
“Then what brings you here?”
“I just wanted to check in; I was wondering if your kingdom is suppressing the arts or culture in any way?”
“…Why would we do something that would only invite backlash?”
Nahun smiled bitterly. Such rulers did indeed exist in reality.
“Well, that’s a relief. What I wish for is an expansion of the art trade.”
“You have an interest in human art?”
“Let’s say that I do.”
“…Understood for now.”
Sernius III replied as he retrieved paper and a pen from a small table. After quickly writing something down, he stamped it and handed it delicately to Nahun.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a letter of introduction. Since it has my seal, it should be effective at any trading house.”
“…Good sense.”
“I hope next time you’ll at least give me a heads up before your arrival. Sometimes it feels like my heart might stop.”
“Isn’t it about enough to have lived as much as I have?”
“…I’m still in my fifties. I could be at an age to die, but I’m not at the age where I must die.”
Nahun’s eyes widened. For the first time, he wore a look of astonishment at what the Pope was saying. He did not look like someone who had just crossed over the sixties at all.
“……Really?”
“Yes. I am fifty-two this year.”
Nahun frowned thoughtfully, trying to come up with an appropriate response. After a while, he finally spoke.
“Hmm… you must have had quite a difficult time.”
“You don’t need to dress it up for me like that… But I do have one question.”
“What is it?”
“One of our Holy Knights went missing after crossing over to the Demon World during this war… I wonder if you happen to know anything about their whereabouts.”
Nahun slightly raised his head to look at the Pope.
“An important figure?”
“Yes. He was one of our most promising young Holy Knights and was actually regarded as the best among the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom.”
“I see.”
Nahun spoke as if feeling pity.
“Unfortunately, I haven’t seen him. I won’t say I haven’t faced human troops, but I have not encountered a Holy Knight of such caliber.”
“…I see. Well, having gone to the Demon World, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had died somewhere.”
He actually knew. It was only natural. The Holy Knight the Pope spoke of was currently moving like Nahun’s appendage after losing an arm. However, there was no way he would return that information innocently… the Pope would remain unaware of her fate for a lifetime.
“Is that all for the conversation?”
“Yes, but… Ah, I do have one more question.”
“What is it?”
“Did the Demon World suffer quite a bit due to this incident?”
Nahun chuckled lightly. He reacted as if the Pope’s question was somewhat amusing.
“Are you hoping for that?”
“It’s just curiosity.”
“Yeah, it was pretty significant. The damage isn’t small, but…”
Nahun said in a chilling voice.
“If you must compare, it’s nothing compared to the damage the Heavens have suffered.”
The Pope flinched in shock. There was a sense of ‘pleasure’ emanating from Nahun as he spoke, which unsettled the Pope. He swallowed hard and bowed his head.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Sure, make good use of this. Ah, and.”
“Yes?”
“About the portal.”
Upon mentioning the portal, the Pope startled and spoke.
“That was not my will.”
“Perhaps, but it’s not just the Holy Kingdom; all countries are likely taking such measures, aren’t they?”
“Yes… that is correct.”
“Was it Charlotte von Bismarck’s intention?”
“……Yes.”
No nation would dare reject the proposal of the Bismarck Empire. Nahun nodded and addressed the Pope.
“The portal in the southern forest of Soter.”
“…!”
“Do not keep guards there any longer. That much should be doable.”
“Yes, understood.”
From his words, the Pope also realized that Nahun had come through that location. But if that was the case…
‘…What about the garrison that was keeping watch there?’
As the Pope thought this and glanced at Nahun, he received an answer with a slightly sinister smile. Seeing that, the Pope broke into a cold sweat and spoke.
“…I will make sure to leave it vacant.”
“Please do so.”
With that, Nahun opened a gate and vanished. Watching the empty space where Nahun had been, Sernius III let out a sigh of relief and murmured.
“…It seems I need to move the location of the chamber.”
#
‘…Who is this person?’
Roberon, who managed the largest art store in the capital of the Holy Kingdom, Babylon, was puzzled. Although he had let him into the VIP room, the man before him was someone he had never seen anywhere in the Holy Kingdom.
“Has the verification been completed?”
“Ah! Yes, yes. It’s complete. It’s indeed a letter from His Majesty Sernius.”
As someone who operated a large art firm, he generally recognized most faces in the industry. But this man was someone he had never encountered even once…
‘…Why would he bring a personal letter from the Pope?’
He couldn’t understand how he had become acquainted with the Pope, but it seemed the letter was genuine. While checking it for any signs of forgery, even the appraiser beside him found no traces of manipulation.
“Ahem, so I take it you want to do business with our firm and the art pieces mentioned in the letter?”
“Indeed.”
The man, who was actually Nahun disguised by magic, slightly changed his tone as he acted.
“What kinds are you looking for? Paintings? Sculptures? Instruments?”
“All of them.”
“Pardon?”
“I said all of them. I wish to purchase all items related to art. However, it doesn’t have to be an excessive quantity.”
Nahun wanted to buy items regardless of the field. Such customers were tremendously welcome from a merchant’s perspective. However…
“If you’re saying you don’t want a large quantity, then there shouldn’t be any problem preparing the items. However, considering that the prices of art pieces vary widely depending on their types, are you okay with that?”
It immediately came down to the issue of money. Nevertheless, Nahun spoke as if it were of no concern.
“I have no issues with that, but I would like to hear the prices first.”
“The prices vary significantly with each piece of art, as you know well. Generally speaking, the quality levels vary greatly between works. Of course, our firm only deals in top-quality items, but even within that range, differences do exist.”
“Of course.”
“Then, let me show you the level of the works that we can provide.”
Nahun nodded and stood up following Roberon’s guidance. From the way he presented the works, it was clear he possessed some confidence. It was fitting for what was probably the largest art firm in the area.
Roberon led Nahun to the display case and showcased various art pieces, excitedly explaining the nuances of each work. However, Nahun, having no interest in art, could only think about how confusing it all was.
In truth, the actual prices of the works didn’t matter much. Whatever he purchased for a high price could be sold for a high price in the Demon World. Additionally…
‘…I just have to compare it with what I bought from the Bismarck Empire.’
“Should you continue the trade regularly, I assure you that the quality of the items we provide will also improve.”
“Are you saying the quality of what you sell varies depending on credit?”
“Yes, that’s the philosophy and policy our firm pursues.”
“I see….”
After pondering for a moment, Nahun inquired.
“In that case, what level of works can you sell me now?”
“Typically, for a first-time customer, we start with items from the lowest tier in our store, but seeing as you have a letter from His Majesty, Sernius…”
Roberon cheerfully answered, as though he were being magnanimous.
“We will initiate the transaction with middle-tier items…”
“…Is that all?”
“Pardon?”
“Is the existence of His Majesty worth that little to you?”
At Nahun’s query, Roberon was taken aback. It could easily be perceived as an insult to the Pope, so he hurriedly responded.
“Oh, no, what do you mean? I have no intention of committing sacrilege.”
“It’s a letter from His Majesty. The letter was written personally by Sernius III, the head of this nation, just for me… What do you think it says about your quality if I left with lower-tier items?”
“…….”
“His Majesty would certainly take note. I can imagine he’d start looking for the shop I traded with…”
Hearing Nahun’s almost murmured words, Roberon panicked and shouted.
“Ah, understood!! Then I shall treat this as a high-grade transaction and offer you premium items!”
“…Yes, that should satisfy His Majesty.”
“Yes… that’s reasonable…”
Roberon guided Nahun to the area featuring high-quality items. Upon arrival, Nahun asked,
“Which piece do you recommend as the shop owner? Is there a piece that would evoke admiration from many people?”
“Although art is highly subjective and opinions can vary based on personal taste, there are indeed works that receive widespread acclaim.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“I recommend this one.”
Roberon suggested a particular painting, a landscape oil painting. Nahun looked at it for a moment before nodding in approval.
“It looks fine.”
“Yes, regarding this piece…”
Roberon passionately began to describe the artwork, but Nahun tuned out, merely responding suitably while waiting for him to finish.
“How much can I purchase this piece for?”
“At least fifty golden coins.”
“Certainly, that’s quite steep.”
“As you can see, the artwork is excellent. In fact, the original was sold at auction for four hundred eighty golden coins.”
“Then does that mean this is a forgery?”
“No. The same artist produced several pieces, but naturally, the original fetches the highest value. However, this is not a print; it was painted directly by the original artist, meaning it has both rarity and quality.”
The price was not a problem. The real issue was whether this piece would sell well in the Demon World…
‘…Still, being said to have a passion for human art…’
It seemed like there would be no issue.
“This appears to be the trend of contemporary works.”
“If you’re referring to trends, there may be even trendier pieces than this.”
“Show me that too. And I’ll buy the one I just saw as well.”
“Ah, yes, yes! Let me show you more, and we can make a single transaction!”
After looking at a few more artworks, Nahun ended up spending all the funds he had brought, successfully concluding the deal with Roberon.
“I’ll come again next time.”
“Yes, please do visit anytime!”
Roberon’s demeanor after the successful transaction was far more respectful. Nahun departed the store, fully aware of the power money held.
#
“Nahun.”
“Nahun.”
After returning to Germanium, Nahun spotted Dein and Iris approaching from a distance. They both had their hands full with various items.
“I wasn’t able to bring back sculptures, so I set aside the payment for now.”
“Good, you did well.”
Initially, he had intended only to take what could be carried. As for sculptures or large paintings, he planned to set up a transaction warehouse in the human realm.
Nahun placed all the paintings that Dein and Iris had brought in their hands into his pocket dimension, just like the ones he had purchased.
“Dein.”
“Yes.”
“Come back here later with a few of our kin and set up a trading house.”
“…Are you continuing with this?”
“I’ll develop it into a consistent business. Although it’s currently a small-scale trading operation…”
Nahun stated.
“I intend to keep expanding.”
“Isn’t that dangerous? It may be discovered that goods are being circulated into the Demon World…”
“Then you should be careful not to get caught.”
“…Yes, that is true.”
He couldn’t afford to let the good business idea given by Phynox go to waste. Nahun planned to elevate this business to the same level as the main industry of weapons in Devara Castle.
“So, was everything fine?”
“Yes, nothing in particular…”
“N, Nahun.”
“Hmm?”
“Dein keeps saying you’re not an uncle… but if you have a child, wouldn’t that make you an uncle?”
“…?”
“I’m not an uncle!”
Nahun was puzzled by Iris’ question, but he was equally surprised by Dein’s blunt reaction. He wondered if this was a question he needed to answer, but both Iris and Dein seemed genuinely curious about the response.
“…Dein, you have a child named Lukah.”
“Yes.”
“Therefore, you are an uncle.”
“…Pardon me?…Nahun!!”
“Am I wrong? Isn’t my point valid?”
While he wished to side with Dein, saying someone was not an uncle when they had a child seemed quite unreasonable. Nahun felt sorry and patted Dein’s shoulder, while Iris wore a victorious expression.
