Late afternoon.
It was the time I should have returned to my lodging, but now I am surrounded by soldiers, heading toward the castle.
They had asked me to come very politely, but seeing how they sent soldiers like this, it’s clear they don’t want me to escape.
I have no intention of escaping, so there’s no need for this.
I walk around the royal academy’s main gate, following the wall. The grounds of the royal palace and the royal academy are adjacent, but there’s no passage between them.
In fact, there’s a heavily guarded military base between the palace and the academy. So, it’s far if you want to walk from one to the other.
If you walk, that is. I’m heading toward the castle in a car.
By the way, it’s a vehicle similar to a limousine. The power source seems related to magic, but the overall design is similar. It has wheels, a cockpit, and space for passengers.
When I think of the royal family, I imagine carriages, but here they use vehicles.
There are still vehicles pulled by beasts like carriages in this world. However, they are only used in areas outside the city or where the poor live.
Of course, I did see the slums I visited. It wasn’t a carriage carrying people, only a cart for goods.
Once I enter the castle, I’m immediately escorted to a room.
It’s the place where King Hipion works.
“Hello.”
“Still no emotion in your greeting. Well, come and sit.”
The king pointed to a table in front of him. So, I walked over and sat down.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
A look of disgust briefly crossed the king’s face. It’s not polite to sit down first, after all. There’s information about such manners in Aurora’s memories, so I could follow them, but I didn’t.
Why? Because, considering the time, there’s no way I could have learned such things, right?
Since every moment meeting others is under surveillance, I never had the chance to learn them. It’s strange that I even know about them.
So, I sat down first and looked up at him, and he also came to sit down.
By the way, his expressions aren’t easy to read.
If I hadn’t been sensitive to other people’s emotions, I wouldn’t have been able to pick up on them at all, because his face showed no change.
But the memories of people who died tragically are sensitive to others’ emotions. They tear apart every little thing, shining brightly.
What can I discern from that?
That he feels disgusted as he looks at me?
“You treated many people yesterday. But the place was the Brightshin slums, a dangerous area, isn’t it? At least, when going to such places, you should let someone know.”
Brightshin slums.
That’s the official name. I wasn’t sure which name was correct because I knew many different names for it, but now I know.
Anyway, though it sounds like a concerned remark, he doesn’t really care about me at all.
Rather, his annoyance is more about why I’m moving so freely. I’m sure I didn’t just head there without saying anything.
“Yes. I understand.”
After the harvest season incident in Vern City, I might have the option to go somewhere else if the numbers shrink too much, so I nodded obediently.
“If you get hurt, it’ll be a big problem.”
He adds, as if he just remembered. Of course, there’s no actual concern in his words. It’s just a formality. Hm?
I should just accept it here, but that would be a repetition of the previous world.
This time, just a little more.
Let’s go a little further.
“No. I don’t die easily. Even if my arm gets cut off, my heart pierced, or my head cut off.”
As I say that, I point to my head with my hand.
“This is just a simple meat vessel.”
I’m emphasizing that I’m not human. By showing that I’m not human, I want them to treat me more casually. People are often cruel to things they don’t see as human.
Once I’m treated as an easy-to-use object, I can dig into the deep parts of their hearts. It’s a method used by cults to cling to those in power.
"I know your dirty parts. Feel free to open up. I’ll help you. Your desires will be fulfilled."
Empathy is a critical factor.
And the second point.
This was something Solindigus had told me.
There’s a witch who cursed this royal family, and the witch who realizes the curse has been broken is highly likely to attack me.
They’ll use me as bait.
Oh, right. Now that I think about it, on the day I went to the slums, it’s possible that the prince or someone from the royal family followed me. It’s hard to pick them out from the crowd of onlookers, and my memory isn’t clear enough to find them immediately.
There are a few people involved, but I don’t have enough details to track them down on the spot.
They were probably measuring physical abilities at their labs, attaching various things to the body for tests. That’s how I knew how much stronger the harvest seasons were.
There was a quite important person among the patients, so it was lucky that I got to see the results.
It turns out that physical ability increased by more than twice the average.
However, the amount of mana didn’t increase.
But the ability to control mana did improve.
This might be due to a better head, as there are no techniques in this world to measure intelligence.
No, I digressed, but to summarize, it means I saw firsthand how harvest seasons are made.
It’s important to act in accordance with the facts to ensure that no lies are created.
“As far as I know, it’s impossible for me to die.”
I included the meaning that I’m free to use myself to approach the witch.
The king stares at me intently.
“Why did you go to the slums and treat them? Until now, you’ve been doing absolutely nothing, haven’t you?”
He doesn’t ask the boring question of whether I’m human or not.
Right. At least, I’m sure he’s clearly aware that I’m some sort of monster.
“There were the most people who needed me there. There were many who couldn’t do what they wanted.”
So, just a little bit of light shining, and there are people who will run like fools.
People whose vessels are too empty to hold anything else.
The king asks me.
“What did they want to do?”
That question is wrong.
“What they want to do.”
If you ask that, I’ll answer like this.
“You’re like a god from an ancient story. A god who gives strength to people deeply in despair to help them take revenge. That god is also depicted in purple. It’s the same in every country.”
Ah.
Yeah. There it is. Almost every world has a trace left by me. The traces of when I hunted the light near the surface of the water.
“Is that you?”
There are correct and incorrect answers.
“I’m not a god. I’m a monster full of deficiencies, not omnipotent.”
So, I say what isn’t true, declaring that it’s not true.
By using the word “monster,” I cover it up. How does Hipion react to this answer?
“Alright. So, if I ask this: Is it the monster who gives strength to deeply despairing people to help them take revenge?”
Yes. He’s sharp. He doesn’t get swayed by wordplay. Is the king really a king?
He quickly digs into the truth. Normally, at this point, people would think I’m not a god.
Let’s correct it again.
“I don’t think about revenge.”
That’s the correct meaning. It’s an answer that carries that meaning.
Hipion rubs his eyes and leans back in his chair.
“Why did you appear before us?”
His tone is strangely knowing. Does he know something?
I’m getting nervous that King Hipion might become a harvest season.
If I had known this would happen, I should have just stuck with the ‘Yes, yes’ routine. Then, I could have gained memories, too.
It’s too late for regrets, so let’s push forward in this world!
“The question was wrong. I always appear when someone calls me. I should be the one asking.”
To make it simple.
“Did someone call to give me something?”
It was you who called me.
I passionately assert the desires I want. I declare that I am here solely for that. It’s fine if they hear that I came just because I was called. It’s fine if they understand that I truly want that.
In any case, I just need to gain warmth.
“You’re so annoyingly resolute. The nameless gods in mythology were nameless because they weren’t gods.”
Mythology?
Even when I go through Aurora’s memories, there’s no such mythology. The god of hunting, the god of rivers, the god of herding. There were myths of polytheism that got lost over time.
“There are gods. I’ve even been beaten by them. But I’m not a god.”
The holy god of the first world. Even when attacked directly, it couldn’t reach me. Someday, I want to gain their warmth. Daegon and the Primordial Heavenly Sovereign are gods too, but since they stole my warmth, let’s consider them not gods.
A god has to be greater.
Omnipotent. Able to know everything and do everything. I’m neither omniscient nor omnipotent.
Therefore, I am not a god.
“Can a monster not defeat a god?”
“Yes. It couldn’t reach me. I was simply defeated.”
Instead, I took all the warmth of the world. But defeat is defeat.
I’m not foolish enough to deny when I’ve lost. I have to accept defeat and think about how to win next.
“You’re trying to paint everyone with your color.”
“You’re wrong. I can’t handle that many people. I don’t have the ability to give myself to everyone who comes. I’ll only give myself to those who come to me.”
This world can’t handle that many people, and a world with many people has no ability to sustain itself.
Some parts are omitted, but I’m speaking the truth. So, let’s understand it as a monster with moderate abilities.
“If I forbid you from using your abilities, what will you do?”
“Will you make a contract?”
I asked casually, as if the opportunity had just come up. It’s clear that King Hipion knows something.
I’ve already created more than 20,000 harvest seasons.
Even if it’s 200 years, I don’t need to make more harvest seasons during that time.
Before the contract ends, he’ll beg me to make more harvest seasons, so I’m fine if the contract is made with that condition.
Just like I did for Aurora.
“No, it’s fine. You’re just giving it to those who want it, so I, who benefited, don’t need to complain.”
If it’s for the country, I thought he might limit it a little more, but perhaps he understood that I couldn’t handle too many people?
If there are limitations, it’ll be controlled on its own, so I can understand if it’s left alone.
It’s a pity, but there will be another chance.
Since there’s plenty of time, I’ll wait for the right moment. I have confidence that I’ll succeed again, having had experience with this technique.
After that, the conversation shifted to casual topics.
How’s the Royal Academy, what do I do in my spare time, trivial discussions.
King Hipion asked the questions, and I answered. He gave me the opportunity to ask, but I said I had nothing to ask.
I feigned complete indifference.
It’s always easier to hunt when the prey doesn’t know there’s a hunter nearby. Though, maybe there’s a plot twist where I turn out to be the prey.
I’ll think about that when the time comes.
Both of us have many things hidden, and there’s plenty of time.
Then, the king told me a guard would be assigned and sent me back to where I was staying.
A guard... I’m worried about how I’ll manage to get along with Victoria.