novelraw Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31 : Chapter 31
Chapter 31. Daniel (2)
“All the conditions to stop Primus have been met. We will definitely be able to stop him.”
“Aren’t you being a little too confident?”
“Huhu. We shall see. We’ll find out in due time.”
Daniel, clad in his choir dress, let out a benevolent smile.
‘How did a man like this become a member of the Unseen Ones?’
All the Unseen Ones Iris knew were individuals whose ages were impossible to guess and whose presence couldn’t even be felt.
However, the man before her was visibly very old, filled with warmth instead of coldness.
Far from erasing his presence, he flaunted his existence in all directions.
‘This feeling is definitely similar to the Saintess I saw at the Great Cathedral. He’s emitting a sacred aura, so he seems to be of a different breed than the Unseen Ones, which is strange.’
Perhaps he might be hiding his true self.
‘Number 1 said this man could see the future. Is it a similar ability to Noemi’s?’
Her younger sister, Noemi, could also see the future.
However, while Noemi frequently foresaw futures at unspecified times, ‘He said this man could see the near future, albeit very rarely.’
What would it feel like to be able to see the future?
At a light thought, it seemed like a very good ability, but I didn't think it would be very comforting.
For example, one would have to live in the present while knowing that the world would soon be destroyed.
If there was no hope for humanity, one wouldn't be able to feel any enjoyment.
What meaning would life have when the outcome was so obviously set?
As I was having such thoughts, Daniel once again delivered a meaningful line.
“Please do not hate your father too much.”
“What did you say?”
Iris tried to grab him, but he said it was too late and left his seat.
At the single word ‘father’, Iris' mood plummeted to its worst.
‘Tch. Why does he have to say something like that and disappear? How unlucky.’
Both Number 1 and Daniel.
I didn’t know why they kept mentioning my father to me.
As if they knew anything about the harsh times I had to endure because of Frank.
***
“To think she might not return for who knows how long. Things are getting more and more complicated.”
After reading all the letters from the Great Cathedral, I massaged my forehead with one hand and frowned.
I had sent a letter to Saintess Isabel to discuss the matter of Marquis Moltke, only to receive a reply that she had left for the Kingdom of Asturias a while ago for a Goddess Cult meeting.
The Kingdom of Asturias was the northern gateway closest to the Durani Empire.
Even if she were to return immediately after finishing her schedule, at least two months would have passed.
“This is difficult. It would be best to hold off on responding to the Marquis for the time being.”
If I were to face the Marquis alone, I might get counterattacked instead.
That was how meticulous the Marquis was, and how much power he held within the kingdom.
‘Since Bruno returned empty-handed, it’s not impossible that he’s plotting something else. What should I do about this.’
With the game knowledge I had no longer being perfect, two of my three daughters were away.
If I were a normal user, I would have waved the white flag and given up on the playthrough in nine cases out of ten.
But who was I?
The man who was called the King of PP.
‘Hmph. This is actually better. If the game is too easy, it’s not fun to play. I will definitely endure this crisis and see the ending.’
Just then, the faces of Noemi and Rude suddenly appeared in the Magic Crystal Ball, which had been quiet until now.
“Frank, can you see us?”
“I can see you clearly. Why haven’t you been in touch until now? Where’s Iris?”
“Well, about that……”
Rude hesitated, unable to easily get the words out.
It was Noemi who gave me the answer.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I failed to persuade Iris.”
Darn. I had expected it wouldn’t be easy, but it would be a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Of course, I couldn’t show it.
Weren’t they the ones who went to a den of death in my stead and took on the dangerous work?
“I see. You worked hard. By the way, where are you now?”
“We’re in the Baesin Desert. We should be able to reach the Kingdom of Asturias if we walk for a few more days.”
Baesin Desert.
A vast, barren land stretching between the Durani Empire and the Kingdom of Asturias.
And yet, the Kingdom of Asturias was a wondrous country located in the middle of such a desert.
‘A place I can’t go to even if I wanted to right now. Since I have no magical power in my body, I wouldn’t be able to put up a barrier, and if someone didn’t replenish my fluids, I would soon die of thirst.’
Although I was only seeing it through the Magic Crystal Ball, I felt as if the heat from that place was being transmitted all the way here.
Noemi was about to take something out from her bosom but hesitated.
“Is Teacher Anonymous by any chance next to you?”
“Anonymous? She is not here. I am alone right now.”
A look of relief appeared on Noemi’s face.
“That’s a relief.”
“What is it about?”
“I found something that will be helpful to you, Dad.”
Something that will be helpful to me?
What in the world did she find to be saying that?
But when I saw the item Noemi held up, I couldn’t help but shout for joy inwardly.
‘That’s the very item I was looking for!’
I’m talking about the potion that lifts the Demon King’s curse.
Although it came with the description of a potion that subjugates dragons, it was also effective in lifting the Demon King’s curse.
However, among all the PP users, I was probably the only one who knew that fact.
‘I had accidentally double-clicked, making Frank drink this, and it turned out to be effective in lifting his curse too.’
However, it wasn't perfect, so my abilities only returned at night when the sun wasn't up.
The curse continued during the day and was only lifted at night, a half-assed performance, you could say.
In the end, I had to clear the game without getting much enjoyment out of it.
Strangely, major events like confrontations with the Demon Tribe only happened during the day.
‘I couldn’t use it even if I wanted to because there was rarely an opportunity. At night, I had to put my daughters to sleep, and no incidents happened at all.’
PP had a strangely strong setting where one had to sleep at night.
However, this was reality, not a game.
Just yesterday, didn’t Bruno come looking for me at dawn?
In any case, it was a potion I needed more than anything else, in that I could regain some of Frank’s abilities.
Noemi, unaware of this fact, continued to ramble on about unrelated things.
“With this, we’ll be able to make Teacher Anonymous a definite ally. I’m sorry to Teacher, but we don’t know when she might leave us.”
“Were you able to find that thanks to your Future Foresight?”
“Yes! That’s right.”
“And did Anonymous, after drinking it, definitely become my ally?”
“Uh…… It didn’t show up to that point.”
That was a relief.
If it were inevitable that Anonymous drank that potion, it would mean that I couldn’t drink it.
But if such a future wasn't seen, then what to do with the potion would depend on my choice.
Having Anonymous as a definite ally would be like gaining a thousand troops, but in the end, the core of PP was the Hero dad and the Children of God daughters.
‘Unless those two become the main axis, I won't be able to defeat the final boss.’
She was just one of the heroine candidates.
She was in no position to ever become the main character of this game.
***
After finishing her call with Frank, Noemi tilted her head with a strange look on her face.
Rude looked at her and asked.
“What is the matter?”
“It seemed like Dad knew about this potion.”
“Is he not the Hero? He would know much more about wondrous items than I do. There is probably no one more knowledgeable about magical tools.”
“But why wasn't he happy? With this, we could make Teacher Anonymous a definite ally.”
Rude narrowed his eyes and took the magic potion from Noemi’s hand.
A small glass bottle, like a potion.
It was filled to the brim with a dark green liquid, and on the back of the bottle, these words were written in an ancient language.
Rude didn’t believe these words at face value, but since there were many bizarre items that came from ancient ruins, he said, half in doubt.
“Perhaps Frank was bothered by the idea of using this on Anticus?”
“Why?”
Seeing Noemi ask so casually, Rude had to let out a bitter smile.
‘She’s prepared to do anything for Frank’s sake.’
Rude shook his head and continued.
“My dear, this is not an ethical method at all. You even call her Teacher, so why are you trying to restrain her?”
“But isn't Dad the center of this world? If it's not helpful to Dad, then no one has any reason to exist. Don’t you think so?”
“Hoho. This is quite chilling. How did she end up like this.”
Noemi was an outstanding Mage, but she lacked basic common sense and emotions.
If she were left like this, she might one day turn the entire world into an enemy just to side with Frank.
‘Of course, Frank would never harbor any ill intentions, but this has crossed the line by a long shot. It would be best to give her some stern discipline here.’
Rude grasped both of Noemi’s shoulders with a serious face and slowly opened his mouth.
“Noemi, listen carefully. There are things you can do, and things you can't. And right now, your plan is very, very wrong. That is something Frank would never want.”
“Dad?”
“Yes. Frank risked his own life to protect all of humanity from the Demon King. What he wants is the peace and stability of mankind, not to live well all by himself.”
“But without Dad, things like humanity’s peace are impossible, aren't they?”
Hooo. I couldn’t get through to her.
Rude was about to say more but soon gave up.
He had a long way to go to be arguing with his disciple here.
‘Would she have acted this way if the target had been me and not Anticus?’
A life of having to live as Frank’s slave.
Just the thought of it gave me goosebumps all over my body.
‘Horrifying.’
Rude slowly moved away from Noemi, maintaining a certain distance.
He was starting to feel more and more afraid of Noemi.
***
In Oviedo, the capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, exactly a five-day journey from where Noemi and Rude were.
An emergency meeting of the Goddess Cult was in full swing here.
Saintess Isabel sat at the head of the table, waiting for Cardinal Daniel of this place to appear.
‘Why is he so late?’
It had already been an hour since the meeting began.
But Daniel, who had convened the meeting, was nowhere to be seen.
Just as her patience was reaching its limit.
Daniel finally showed himself and expressed his apologies.
“My apologies, everyone. My body isn’t what it used to be. Hoho.”
All the cardinals, except for Saintess Isabel, rose from their seats and showed him their respect.
This was because he was the oldest among the cardinals and was also respected by many.
Saintess Isabel, too, could not ignore him.
Contrary to her inner thoughts, she defended him, saying it was fine.
“I understand. But for what reason have you called this meeting?”
Soon, Daniel’s expression turned solemn. He turned the conference hall upside down with a single sentence.
“Primus has been resurrected.”
The cardinals were flustered.
“What does that mean?”
“Primus? Isn’t that person an ancient figure who only exists in the scriptures?”
“Are you not mistaken about something?”
Saintess Isabel also spoke with a dumbfounded expression.
“Primus is the first Child of God created by the Goddess. Why would he be alive until now?”
“Because he has an immortal body.”
“There are stories that he is the ancestor of all humans and the Demon Tribe, but there areno immortal beings. Even the Dragon and Elf races can only live for a long time, they are not immortal, are they?”
But Daniel shook his head, saying that was not the case.
“That is the grace bestowed upon the first Child of God by the Goddess. An exceptional existence that defies all laws of the world, neither dying nor aging.”
“I understand well that Primus is real. But what about it? If he’s a Child of God, isn't he our ally?”
“No. He is planning to kill the Goddess and take this world for himself.”
“What?”
The conference hall was engulfed in silence.
The words that came out of his mouth were just that shocking.
As long as Daniel hadn't gone senile, his prophecies had never once been wrong.
Wasn’t it Daniel who had prophesied the appearance of the former Demon King?
But to bring up a mythological figure like Primus, let alone a Demon King.
Everyone just had expressions that said they didn't know what to say.
No one opened their mouths.
The one who broke the silence was Daniel, who had initiated this situation.
“But we have an alternative that can stop him.”
“What is it?”
At Saintess Isabel’s question, Daniel gestured with his chin toward the back.
Then, the door at the entrance opened, and a woman began to walk in slowly.
A woman whose entire body was wrapped in thick black clothes.
She even wore a veil that covered her face, making it difficult to guess not only her face but also her age.
But to Saintess Isabel, her eyes were not unfamiliar.
‘Who is she? I'm sure I've seen her somewhere, but I don't know who she is.’
The woman in black was someone Saintess Isabel had met before.
A Child of God and now the master of the Unseen Ones.
Because Iris was her true identity.