416 Kings #2
Clap, clap.
Everyone looked bewildered as Thunderblade gave a round of applause.
But soon, they followed his lead and began clapping enthusiastically, filling the performance hall, which had been filled with the disappointed sighs of the audience and the pained expressions of the nymphs, with cheers and applause.
I found myself amidst the crowd, feeling utterly perplexed.
“So, the performance that I thought was utterly ruined is getting applause from people?”
Clap, clap, clap.
King Thunderblade, who had seemed on the brink of drawing his last breath, clapped with vigor as if trying to pour all his remaining youthful energy into it.
The louder his applause became, the more the noise in the auditorium intensified, sweeping away the uneasy atmosphere like a tidal wave.
And after some time had passed,
Finally, when Thunderblade stopped clapping.
…
Everyone anticipated his words and once again, a solemn silence enveloped the hall.
The elderly man smiled and spoke.
“That was a very amusing comedy. The play effectively captured the innocent nature of nymphs.”
Comedy? Play? Acting?
Everyone seemed confused by these unexpected terms, though no one voiced it. I was baffled myself.
“Particularly, the best moment was when the young lady came to console the crying nymphs. Her acting was extraordinary. That pink-haired young lady must symbolize maternity, a magnificent metaphor.”
At that moment, my mind sparked.
Without anyone prompting me, I found myself shouting.
“Yes, indeed! It seems the ruler of the land possesses excellent taste. This play was, in fact, called ‘The Great Chaos of the Nymphs’!”
“The Great Chaos of the Nymphs? What a splendid name. It was a very entertaining play, with an excellent direction and vibrant performances.”
The Great Chaos of the Nymphs?
Was it a play all along? Wow, I didn’t even suspect it. This whole situation was a grand performance.
I foolishly thought it was a completely failed song.
Tch, tch, people who don’t understand art. I’ve known it all from the very beginning.
It seems that the king’s voice carries authority.
His brief evaluation somehow overshadowed our improvised performance and unexpected situations, turning it all into a mere part of the play.
Of course, people knew this wasn’t a play but a mishap caused by naive nymphs. It was almost impossible for anyone with any sense not to realize it.
However, they weren’t fools, and they knew well that arguing with the king would be even more foolish and absurd.
“That was a fun play!”
“Awesome!”
In this series of events, I could even feel a strange kind of madness.
Is this what power feels like?
So, people threw flowers and candies at the nymphs who had been crying uncontrollably.
“Hey, kids, take these! These are coupon flowers. They are very sweet and delicious. You can eat the petals entirely!”
At this, the nymphs, who had been troubled by the Shrine Knights’ aura just moments ago, quickly recovered and hurriedly stuffed their pockets with whatever they could get.
“Ah, most of them are being scooped up by Paranoi!”
“Slow nymphs are bound to be left out! From this moment, this place has become a survival arena!”
Thunderblade Theodor Friedrich, who didn’t take his eyes off the scene and the crowd, silently chewed his lips.
“From the young gods and the new sect, it’s gratifying to see such entertaining preparations made to welcome this old man. Well observed, and I am thoroughly satisfied.”
It was clear: Thunderblade was no fool either. He was indeed a wise king, having long ruled the nation.
Perhaps that man used his wit to navigate what could have been an embarrassing situation, offering me an opportunity.
Should I simply rejoice in this situation?
An enemy of the gods and Hypos.
And a wise and astute person blocking my way like a large rock—should I celebrate that?
*
After the performance, many children and nymphs approached King Theo.
The curiosity about the king would be the same for both children and nymphs, wouldn’t it?
“Don’t approach recklessly.”
Of course, the guards from the Shrine Knights tried to stop them, but King Theo waved them off.
“Let them come. Young children are innocent and pure beings. The kingdom is a land for these pure ones, and I have no right to stop them.”
Thus, the children and nymphs freely pulled at his beard and long cloak, satisfying their boundless curiosity.
“Ah, this grandpa smells like alcohol! Doris, a girl friend of mine, really dislikes you!”
“Boy, I’m not quite at the age to be called grandpa yet.”
Of course, among them were some who made onlookers’ hearts drop.
But the king didn’t seem to mind, giving the nymphs free access to his royal staff, crown, and even his beard.
“Children, I’ll give you candies. Sir Antiope, please take out gifts and candies from the prepared package and distribute them to everyone.”
“Yes, indeed!”
Actually, it seemed Thunderblade didn’t care whether the nymphs were acting, gathered to sing, or wept. Simply having many nymphs gathered probably made him feel good. Indeed, his reputation as the top nymph enthusiast in the continent seemed well-deserved.
After some time spent distributing gifts ended,
A man standing next to Thunderblade, perhaps a secretary or advisor, leaned in to whisper to the king.
Let’s sneak a listen to that, shall we?
The Astral Eavesdrop!
Your Majesty, the time for the meeting with Count Hawkins is almost up. It seems we should depart from here soon.
Hmph.
Not much of a conversation—simply that, as a busy man, he couldn’t stay long here.
However, the king’s gaze lingered sadly on the nymphs who were excitedly tearing open the gift wrappers. Then he added one more word.
“That was a truly impressive performance. These days, it’s not easy to see so many nymphs gathered in one place, even for someone like me who’s the king of this country. It’s not easy.”
The king’s eyes swept from the nymphs’ heads, searching for something, and then locked onto my gaze, and he spoke.
“Given this fascinating performance, I would like to show it to the nobles in the capital and my subordinates in my royal castle. It would be proper to first seek your permission.”
“…”
“Young God, Sir Zigress. I would like to invite you and your small companions to the castle. Of course, if you refuse, it’s fine. But, by my honor, I vow to treat you with the utmost hospitality.”
Got it.
I celebrated internally.
Despite some hiccups and the fear that everything would be botched, luckily, Thunderblade’s immense fondness for nymphs made everything work out.
Anyway, this was the setup we had orchestrated with Paranoi.
I glanced at Paranoi and noticed him mouthing something. It was clear he wanted me to deliver the speech as we had agreed upon multiple times for this moment.
Thumping heart.
I calmed my trembling heart and spoke with the pretense of nonchalance.
“Thank you for the kind invitation. It is the highest honor. Fortunately, my followers, the nymphs, happen to have a great interest in the royal castle. We will agree to the invitation if you give us permission for a tour.”
I articulated clearly, pouring earnest effort into my fluent words. Now, I awaited the response with slightly nervous eyes.
Instead of the king, a thin man standing nearby, who seemed like an advisor or secretary, spoke up.
“A tour of the royal castle? That place is not a playground for children, Sir Zigress. It seems to me that this is a rather rude request.”
“That’s enough, Scipio. Since I have extended my invitation, it’s only proper to accommodate the guest’s request.”
“Your Majesty, but there might be some dangerous incidents…”
“Minister of the Interior, are you suggesting that the newly recognized God of Hypotes, Sir Zigress, plans to threaten my safety?”
“No, I didn’t mean…”
“And even if unforeseen accidents occur, I have my griffins and my honorable knights, don’t I? Is that not correct, Acting Commander?”
Clunk…
Swish…
Suddenly, something fell from midair.
It would be better to describe it as descending.
A figure that had been previously absent landed as though in a special forces operation, kneeling before the king.
“…”
It was a knight in golden armor. The helmet and sharp decorations on the shoulders, the imposing red cloak—everything about the full plate armor was striking.
The gleaming scales and the iron covering his entire body made the gear look incredibly expensive, which often reflects the affluence and skill of the wearer.
Generally, wealthy warriors are skilled, or more accurately, they are wealthy because they are skilled.
So I understood the impressive level of this knight’s strength without relying on amateurish methods like judging appearances.
Go-o-o-o!!
A presence as overwhelming as the magnificent golden armor itself filled the vicinity.
Sizzle, sizzle!
It was almost as if my skin stung from the aura. Everyone around gasped in surprise.
It was then that I distinctly heard several murmurs among the crowd.
That armor shaped like a dragon.
That guy’s Nathatos, right? I’ve seen that armor before in a magazine.
Nathatos? Is that the human who was given the title of Dragon?
Didn’t he defeat the sea monster recently? Wow, I’m seeing him for the first time.
That’s Sir Nathatos, the Dragon Champion, isn’t it?
I had heard his name quite a lot.
The second-in-command of the Shrine Knights, reportedly possessing strength that surpassed human limitations.
According to Antiope, the members of the Knight’s order from the third to the top rank were monstrous.
Sizzle, sizzle!
Now I understood.
This Dragon Knight indeed possessed strength that could rightfully earn him the title of Dragon. His aura was one of the strongest I’ve encountered.
Could I defeat him in my current state?
I carefully analyzed the situation with a squint.
In terms of Karma value, I was undoubtedly higher. I had reached level 45, and I had been told that only Gloria had achieved a similar level in this continent.
However, given that Nathatos has lived as a strong person for a long time, his proficiency and skill would far surpass mine.
He must be fully capable of utilizing his Karma value that has exceeded level 40.
In any case, he was definitely someone to watch out for.
“That guy is—”
Even Elpride, who had only shown interest in reading the “Ducal Demon’s Collar” despite the grand event of the king’s arrival, seemed captivated by this individual.
“The sole human to have passed the dragon trials. Even more than I imagined, he radiates an extraordinary aura. Is that person truly human…?”
Elpride, the experienced mage, appeared to sense unusual magical energy.
Perhaps intrigued by Simada’s lineage, who is called a human yet bears the title of dragon, her red eyes gleamed with interest, which was quite rare.
“Your Majesty—”
A soft voice came from under the helmet.
“Your Majesty, this humble servant, Nathatos. I’ve just returned from my mission. Since I came on the griffin you lent me, I was able to return quickly.”
It was a calm and steady voice. However, I couldn’t help but be astonished because this clear, soft tone unmistakably belonged to a woman, not a man.
A voice so beautiful it felt like a professional voice actor’s. It instantly stirred something within me.
Moved simply by the voice.
This was truly a first for me, and I was quite flustered when I heard more words from under the armor.
“And Your Majesty, please forgive this insolence. I had no choice but to touch your body. I deeply apologize for bringing unnecessary passengers on the griffin.”
Suddenly, Nathatos, who had been kneeling and bowing her head, stood up and grabbed King Thunderblade by the shoulder, pulling him toward her.
Eh, what?
Sir Nathatos, what exactly…
Before anyone had a chance to react to this sudden turn of events,
BOOM!!
Something massive crashed into the place where Thunderblade’s chair had been, creating a great cloud of dust and shockwaves. The astrologers had foretold clear skies today.
What the heck, things keep falling from the sky.
Cough, cough, what is it? What fell?
Don’t know, we must protect the king first! An attack! A surprise attack!
Amid the chaos of dust and smoke, voices of startled people could be heard.
The figures of knights in armor pointing their weapons in all directions began to emerge from behind the cloud of dust as people on the ground who had collapsed unconscious were revealed.
Swoosh…
And then, from within the chaos, a new figure emerged.
A waste really, King Theo. I was about to end your sorrowful life with a single, painless blow—
It was a giant four-legged beast resembling a raccoon. Its strange laugh echoed with eerie sounds and made my heart race in a 16-bit rhythm.
And get out of the way with your weapons. You’re no match for me, you know that well? Let me show you the taste of an olive? Not the fruit though, an olive tree stick instead!
Snort, crunch…
As the volcanic ash-like dust settled,
And at the moment we discovered that what appeared to be a simple four-legged beast was, in fact, a woman with black hair wrapped in a reverse leather coat,
I found myself face to face with dark eyes like my own.
“I am here, body and soul!”
[Author’s Notes]
I wanted to describe the members of the Templar Knights one by one, but it felt like it might eat up too many pages, so I roughly grouped them for now.
It’s not yet their time.
Anyway, I wanted to write something a bit fast-paced and chaotic.
Nymphs… the new characters’ appearance… and the messy, dynamic situations that evoke Hassan’s tension… hoping it was conveyed well.
The afterthoughts grew long…
Here we enter a new episode. I will serve up the in-flight meal and some rice cakes. Step aboard with peace of mind!
7-9 minutes
The Kings
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