kscans

Chapter 122 - The Secrets of the Claudia Kingdom and the Little One

"…And?"

"We heard the King calls. We make haste."

"Excellent speed. If you fly with my children, you will arrive in no time."

Before Romel, who had no idea what they were saying, the giant honeybee and the giant sea serpent were giggling and cooing. They had each gathered their kin and were assembled in the sea of trees at the edge of the royal capital.

The kin of the Lords of the Forest could communicate telepathically. They could receive reports in an instant from the children the Little One had with her. By the time Romel, who had learned of the situation through a transmission faster than the magic of the palace’s covert ops, rushed over, the sea serpent and her entourage had already reached the forest.

"It seems Merda and the others have taken King’s children. I hear Joker has gone himself as well."

"Oh my. Then we must hurry too."

The Queen and the sea serpent exchanged a look and nodded. The young honeybees scooped up the young sea serpents and took off all at once. Romel was left behind, speechless, watching them go.

A report had come from his spies via wind message. That Chihiro had picked a fight with the Claudia Kingdom. That the cause was an abducted priest and the beast-humans, and that she was currently barricaded in a basement. That the outcome was uncertain. Then came another report that the Lords of the Sea were on the move in great numbers, and he had rushed to the Queen’s forest, but… he had no idea what was happening. But… well, it would probably work out somehow.

It was Chihiro, after all.

With a small sigh, Romel heard the details from the Queen and her companion, then raced back to the palace at full speed.

"That girl, again!"

This was a complete case of internal interference, robbery, and a declaration of war.

Realizing that she intended to use her monsters to snatch the beast-humans by force, Romel’s mind went into overdrive.

The distance between the Claudia Kingdom and the Frontier Kingdom was too great for a war. But this kind of plunder would spread through the world with fins and tails attached to the story. It would hinder her future pilgrimage and could severely damage Frontier’s image. Furthermore, the Claudia Kingdom was one of the few countries that could reach Frontier by sea. While the land routes of Arcadia were harsh, the sea routes were relatively stable. If the Forests of the Sea had not been allied with Frontier, the Kilfan of the past would likely have launched more frequent attacks on Frontier. Due to the depletion of magic, sea monsters now only existed around the forests. In other words, if it chose to, the Claudia Kingdom could wage war on Frontier by sea. This was also why many merchant caravans used the sea routes. However, Frontier, with its entire coastline covered by the Lords’ forests, had never suffered such an attack.

But there was no guarantee that the Claudia Kingdom, which valued its honor, would not do it. They had a legitimate reason. It was Frontier that had brought the spark of conflict. He had to somehow put out the fire.

While Romel was desperately racking his brain and formulating a cleanup plan, the Little One was surrounded by the Claudia Kingdom’s knights.

"What a warm welcome."

"Hiro… this isn’t a welcome."

"About thirty men per person. We can take them, right?"

""""Yeah!!""""

"Not yeah! Dorfen, don’t egg them on!"

Chihaya was the lone voice of reason. Chihiro wore a nonchalant smile. Dorfen and the others bared their teeth in ferocious grins, their eyes glinting. Behind them, the beast-humans trembled.

"Why does Nii-nii assume from the get-go that I’m looking for a fight?"

With a soft, gentle smile, the Little One donned the dress-like overcoat that Pochiko-san had retrieved for her. Wearing the gown-like garment, which was open at the front, she was once again a lovely young girl. She snapped open her fan with a sharp sound, held it to her lips, and elegantly swished the hem of her dress.

"Stand aside. I have business with His Majesty the King."

The Claudia knights didn’t know what to do as the Little One advanced gracefully. If they tried to capture her, the Frontier knights were fiercely intimidating them, and the monsters flying around were terrifying. In the end, the Claudia knights could only form a thick human wall and watch the Little One’s progress.

"They keep increasing. I’ve never seen so many monsters."

The monsters had crossed the Claudia border and reached the royal capital. Most of them were the kin of the Lords, each a unique individual. The world-renowned guardian deity of Frontier’s skies, the giant honeybees, and likewise, the guardian deity of the sea, the giant sea serpents. Plus spiders, frogs, and various others.

"What in the world is happening…?"

Before the pale-faced Claudia knights, who were in a standoff with the monsters, a large mass of monsters began to move. No, what they thought was a mass of monsters was actually a giant spider, with many monsters clinging to the surface of its body. The giant spider shook its body with a shudder, dislodging the clinging monsters, and advanced before the Claudia knights. It stood well over five meters tall. Its height alone must have been at least three meters. Before the Claudia knights, who swallowed hard as they looked up at the towering giant spider, the spider scraped at the paving stones.

As if drawing on bread dough, its claws gouged the sturdy paving stones with ease. The Claudia knights were surprised by the strength of its claws, but what astonished them even more were the words it drew.

"We await our King’s command. Depending on the situation, this country will be wiped from the map. Be warned."

"A monster… writing?"

The eight eyes of the giant spider, which stood with a dignified air, held none of the savage, beast-like quality one would expect. Instead, a calm, tranquil light could be felt, as if it were observing the Claudia knights.

"A Lord of the Forest…?"

"Indeed."

The paving stones were scraped again.

It was common knowledge among the people of Arcadia that the Lords of the Forest were intelligent monsters. Though it was now spoken of like a fairy tale, they were famously known as the servants of the King of Claudia.

That was why another tale was so prevalent.

The legend of the Golden King.

That long ago, the Golden King had passed away in this land and was respectfully sent back to Frontier, and as a deep expression of gratitude for this kindness, the Lord of the Forest on the Claudia Kingdom’s border had served the Claudia royal family for generations.

It was a story that even a child in the Claudia Kingdom knew.

"Don’t the Lords of the Forest only move on the command of… the Golden King?"

"Indeed."

The giant spider pointed again to the words it had just written.

A great stir went through the Claudia knights.

"Does that mean…?"

"That the Golden King is here?"

The Frontier party was currently within the Claudia Kingdom. Among them was a princess of the royal family. And before them was a great swarm of monsters.

"M-messenger! The Golden King is present…! The monsters have been given a command! Relay this to the palace at once!"

Hearing the piercing scream, Joker looked up at the palace with a knowing expression. What will happen now? I’ve warned you. Do as you please.

Curling its legs, Joker sat down with a thud and began to dream. In a drifting haze, a Dark Spirit King groaned. I won’t let you have your way.

While blocking the abyss that connected to Arcadia with its web, Joker was also capturing the Dark Spirits that tried to slip through here and there. A golden-haired boy was helping him. He snatched the Dark Spirits one by one and dissolved them into magic crystals.

"Isn’t it your turn yet?"

‘I haven’t been called yet. Well, it’ll probably be after the Dark Soul is complete.’

His golden eyes softening, the boy smiled in puzzlement.

"You were born under a difficult star too. …As was I."

To protect Tsathoggua, Joker had moved from the abyss of the Earth world to Arcadia. If he could protect Arcadia, he should be able to receive a new life. Staring at the melancholic Joker, the boy also scratched his head.

‘I didn’t expect mine… to be reincarnated here and used as bait. But if it can save her, I’d give this soul away.’

Staring at the boy whose gaze was fixed on a distant place, Joker also felt his chest tighten with an unbearable feeling. The methods of the Higher Beings were sickening. Taking someone precious hostage to manipulate the people they needed at will.

The Dark Soul, too, was…

As Joker was lost in thought, the boy’s body began to fade.

‘Crap, looks like he’s waking up.’

"Yeah, you should go."

‘I’ll help again later, see ya!’

As the boy gave a small wave, his form dissipated.

"How long do we have to be their puppets?"

The completed material of the Soul of Light would often visit the abyss when its host was asleep and repel the interference of the Dark Spirits. Because of this relationship, Joker had learned of the schemes of the Higher Beings, which even the creator gods did not know.

But knowing did not mean he could do anything.

He could only watch from the sidelines and see how things unfolded.

"What a troublesome business."

Drifting in a dreamlike state, Joker remembered the Little One. And, with a soft smile, he continued to spin his web. The little girl who had yelled at and kicked down even the gods would surely pull something off in this life as well.

Something that even the gods could not imagine.

The current Little One had no way of knowing that Joker was unknowingly placing his hopes in her and feeling a sense of relief.