novelraw Chapter 63 : The Name of the Empire (1)
Chapter 63 : The Name of the Empire (1)
Chapter 63: The Name of the Empire (1)
After eating the potato, my hunger grew even stronger.
I went straight into eating a full meal.
Munch, munch.
I ate anything my hands could reach. I felt eyes on me, but I didn’t care. Perhaps it was because I had accepted the power of the World Tree.
I felt the strength in my body had drained away. If I didn’t eat, I wouldn’t be able to endure it.
Bowls kept piling up. It reached a point where I wondered if there would be enough space for them.
At that sight, Ryan spoke.
“Hey, slow down a bit. It’s not like someone’s going to steal it from you, so why are you like this?”
I didn’t respond. He wasn’t wrong. Every bit of food here was prepared solely for me.
If I needed proof, wasn’t Riolfolt quietly waiting for me as well?
…Wait, Riolfolt?
My gaze shifted toward a corner. There, Riolfolt was watching me with mysterious eyes. For a moment, our eyes met in midair.
Blink, blink— I looked at Riolfolt. Soon after, I resumed eating.
Munch, munch.
Now, I need to recover my stamina.
It was a habit from my ronin days. Stamina had to be preserved whenever possible. The world wasn’t generous. You never knew when or where something would happen— that was life.
If I could rest, I rested. When I needed to fight, I fought.
And right now, it was time to devote myself completely to resting. I had been unconscious for ten days, after all. Recovering ten days’ worth of strength was only natural.
Since I eat five meals a day, I just need to eat fifty meals before today ends.
That was what ten days of rest meant.
Three hours passed like that.
“Whew, I finally feel alive again.”
I tapped my stomach as I spoke. My voice felt drowsy, as if sleep was creeping up on me.
For three hours straight, I had done nothing but eat. I hadn’t spoken to anyone. I had devoted myself entirely to eating.
Maybe that was why.
People looked at me as if they were watching something bizarre.
I had devoured the amount forty grown men would eat. They probably didn’t think I was the same kind of human.
All the more so because the people here were elves— a race that valued light eating. From their perspective, I must have been something incomprehensible.
“Can we talk now?”
Riolfolt approached me and spoke. He was the king of a nation. Normally, I should have shown proper respect.
Just as I was about to get off the bed, Riolfolt spoke.
“Stay as you are. I heard from Rahan. You’re no different from a hero to us elves. If I make you show me courtesy, I won’t be able to look my people in the eye.”
I nodded. I wasn’t someone accustomed to etiquette anyway. If I could avoid it, it was better not to do it.
“Let me introduce myself properly. I am Riolfolt, the High Elf who rules Aurel. The calamity that unfolded this time was stopped thanks to your help. I express my gratitude.”
A tedious, scholarly speech followed.
I listened to all of it. These were the words of a king— if I didn’t pay attention, who knew what trouble might follow.
“Truly, thank you. Thanks to you, we elves were able to obtain the Blessing of the World Tree. You could say we’ve finally gained true freedom.”
Riolfolt expressed nothing but gratitude. It was natural. The Blessing of the World Tree was said to be the origin of elves— practically their life itself.
Of course, Riolfolt must have had many questions. What had happened in the Prison Forest Ground. What became of the humanoid demon beast.
Maybe he already heard it from someone else, but hearing it from the person involved is different.
Yet he held back his curiosity and conveyed only pure gratitude. It meant Riolfolt had excellent character.
“Then I shall take my leave. I cannot tire the hero of Aurel. Rest well. You are the hero of the elves. You’re welcome to stay in Aurel as long as you wish.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Even if they treated me like a hero, I was still human. I couldn’t speak rudely to the king of the elves. I answered as politely as possible.
Riolfolt burst into laughter— a cheerful-sounding laugh.
It didn’t suit his young-looking face. Riolfolt stared at me quietly and murmured.
“If Lenel grows just a little more…”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. Rest well.”
With that, Riolfolt left the room, walking in a strangely delighted manner.
I tilted my head and muttered,
“Maybe he lost a few screws after getting a hole punched through his stomach…”
He had hovered between life and death. It wouldn’t be strange if his mind wasn’t fully intact.
I should whisper a warning to Elbin later.
Just then—
“I heard you woke up. You look healthy.”
Through the door Riolfolt had left through, Irena entered.
“We have plenty to talk about between us, don’t we?”
Her voice was sunken, heavy. Deep dark circles drooped beneath her eyes.
Looking at her ruined, almost lifeless appearance, I couldn’t help showing clear surprise.
* * *
“First, I must offer my gratitude as well. Thanks to you, I was able to make up for my mistake. Truly, thank you.”
“……”
I stared quietly at Irena. Her face looked weary. The eyes that once brimmed with vitality were now soaked in exhaustion.
I thought to myself,
‘I knew she’d be struggling, but this is more than I expected.’
Irena had caused an incident that nearly brought harm to humanity—driven by her own greed.
Of course, her greed wasn’t unjustified. The Empire’s power rightfully belonged to the Empire. Her desire to reclaim it wasn’t something incomprehensible.
‘In the end, it didn’t lead to a catastrophe, but… had things gone wrong, the Elves might have become slaves to the Demon Beasts.’
And not just that.
If Ira had succeeded in seizing the power of the World Tree—
If I hadn’t risked my life to accept that power myself—
‘The Demon King would have been resurrected.’
A horrifying thought. That thing was once called the “Return of the Evil God.”
If it had happened, perhaps the war with the gods from a thousand years ago would have repeated itself.
‘Well, that’s all in the past now. So, what brings her to me?’
She’d said it had been ten days since I fell asleep, hadn’t she?
Think about it rationally.
Why would the Emperor of an Empire personally wait ten whole days for a single man?
Sure, that man might be the son of the Conqueror—but still. Would the Emperor of the Empire have any reason to wait that long?
“Irena Belgarion.”
At that moment, Irena spoke. Her voice was filled with conviction, and her eyes flickered with sudden light—like a child thrilled after receiving a gift.
“Speak the name of the Empire.”
“Belgarion. So that was your—your Empire’s name.”
“You are the only one who can speak it in full. Do you understand what that means?”
“It means I possess the power of the Empire, doesn’t it?”
Naturally. The World Tree in my memory had stolen the power of the Empire—by seizing a fragment of its very soul, its name.
That power, now within me, must have been inherited through the World Tree’s blessing.
‘As proof, I’ve already reached an incredible realm. I could probably even use Force without much effort now.’
All thanks to the Empire’s power. I’d taken the power once belonging to the Emperor a thousand years ago.
Just what kind of realm had that Emperor reached back then?
Even now, without the World Tree’s blessing, that power felt overwhelming. That alone showed how tremendous the Empire’s strength was.
It was no wonder Irena looked so drained.
“Please, I beg you. Return the Empire’s power to me. Whatever you wish for, I shall grant it. If it is immortality, I will offer you an Elixir. If it is eternal life, I will even bring you the Blood of the Gods. Please—return that power to me.”
Such blasphemous words. The Elixir, perhaps—but the Blood of the Gods? That meant killing a divine being.
That showed how desperate she was…
‘Still, that’s not something you should say aloud.’
Not that I didn’t understand. Right now, I was standing among the ranks of the truly powerful.
Even if I faced Amon himself, I wouldn’t lose.
‘No—I’d probably overwhelm him.’
That was why Irena was practically begging me.
There was no one in the world right now who could stand against me. Perhaps only someone like Reinhardt, the Empire’s finest swordsman, might manage to hold me back.
In other words, I could take this power and flee at any time.
And I was a warrior of Elphrel. Even if the Empire issued a bounty on my head, it would mean little.
I already had the strength to shrug it off.
Most people, in my position, would never give this power back.
They had reached a height unattainable even after a lifetime of training.
No one without a heart free of greed would ever relinquish such strength.
Yes—no ordinary person would.
“I don’t want anything. Still, I’ll return your power.”
“……Are you serious?”
Irena’s eyes widened. Her expression was a portrait of disbelief.
“You should know better than anyone. That power is enough to destroy a nation. It may even be greater than the strength of your father, the Conqueror.”
“That’s exactly why.”
I frowned slightly as I replied.
“This isn’t my power, is it?”
I had always wanted to earn admiration and respect from others—but not like this.
“Sure, this power is remarkable. With my own talent, I probably couldn’t reach this level even after a lifetime of effort. And that’s why I dislike it. Because it’s not something I achieved through my own strength.”
Irena’s eyes went blank, as if she couldn’t comprehend the words I’d just spoken. A natural reaction.
What I said was so far removed from common sense that most people would call it nonsense.
“What I want is my power. Not someone else’s effort turned into my own. Only power that I have earned myself. I need neither immortality nor eternal life. I was planning to throw it away anyway. It’s just fortunate that its rightful owner has appeared—saves me the trouble of disposing of the trash.”
Irena’s eyes shook violently, disbelief flashing across her face. Amon, watching from the side, looked equally stunned.
‘He’s insane.’
Irena thought to herself. Calling the power of Belgarion “trash”?
He was the benefactor returning the Empire’s strength—yet such words bordered on sacrilege.
Still, she couldn’t bring herself to think otherwise.
‘He obtained the power to become the absolute ruler of the world—and yet he’s throwing it away without a second thought?’
It was madness. Pure madness.
‘Or perhaps… that’s a good thing.’
If anyone other than Leon had acquired this power, they would’ve acted differently.
They would’ve desired immortality—and perhaps even aimed for Irena’s throne.
And Irena would have given it up willingly if that was the price.
The power of the Empire was worth that much.
Even if Leon had refused to return it, she would’ve swallowed her pride and begged.
Begged for him to give it back. Because that power was her everything. That was how desperate she had become—
Willing to burn everything she had for even a speck of hope.
“Ah, and I almost forgot the most important thing.”
“…? More important than what you just said?”
“Emperor, you’re mistaken. You’re right—the power I hold could destroy a nation. But…”
I smiled faintly.
“It’s still not strong enough to surpass my father.”
“……”
Irena was speechless.