263 – There’s no need to worry
Living in a time of destruction is difficult for a sober mind.
If everyone loses hope, no one can maintain authority from then on. That’s not something that can be helped by an individual’s charisma. Now, this imperial palace has become even more incompetent than before when Ardain left.
“Father…!”
The emperor’s eyes were full of fatigue, as if he was much more tired than before, and he looked much older than before he left. Ardein, who saw that face again after a long time, could not bear to speak.
He was still wearing a golden crown on his head and a colorful robe. But he knew that it didn’t matter anymore. He smiled at Ardain, then shook his head and put down his crown.
This golden crown, which was not very heavy thanks to the lightening magic, was so heavy today.
The moment he put it down, the emperor sighed. It felt like his head had become a little lighter. The burden this small crown had brought upon him during this time was indescribable.
“You’re back.”
So, in just a few weeks, he has aged so drastically. Ordinary people or the so-called nobles, when faced with something like this, can choose to fall asleep using drugs or alcohol. But who is he? He is the emperor of this country.
Although only nominally, all the people of the empire are his sons and daughters. Even though he knew that it was beyond his strength, he could not rely on alcohol or drugs. Would you be able to move your head properly while drunk on something like that? I had to face what had happened and endure it with a clear mind.
“Son, this father did his best. It’s just heartbreaking. Truly, the trend set by heaven cannot be reversed by human power. This time, no matter what method the imperial family has, they can’t handle it. “Just to make excuses, I’m probably not the only one on this continent who feels this way.”
That is the result. Even though he was in the position of emperor, he could not do anything. He couldn’t even think of trying it. Now we just have to wait so helplessly for the end to arrive.
If something like this happened because you were unscrupulous,
If anyone has a way to solve this problem,
It would have been better if that had happened.
Whoever he was, the emperor could have given him anything. Even if it meant asking for the throne, he was willing to honor it.
If some power on the continent conspired to get to this point,
If this is a scheme aimed at the empire and the imperial power,
It can also be said that it is better than now. There is no effect without a cause. If this is someone’s plot, it’s clear that he is greedy for the crown he just laid down.
If countless people can live in return for just one person stepping down from the throne, is the throne really that much of a problem? So, in such a sad situation, there is at least a last resort.
If something happened because you wanted something, you could at least negotiate. But now what threatens this empire and continent are giant lumps of flesh.
It is unclear whether they have any kind of intelligence.
But one thing is very certain: humans and giant lumps of flesh cannot communicate. When a reaper first appeared, people called it the devil. And I prayed for God’s mercy.
But if it is really the devil,
Then at least communication is possible.
It committed destruction with its large body as if it was judging the earth, but in fact, it had no such grand purpose at all. It did not come to judge humanity because of its fall.
They came simply to retrieve a sufficient amount of flesh.
“Demon Lord, Harmael has returned to the Demon World. It seems she couldn’t give up her empire. She stopped the Shinigami from advancing any further. Even though she knows it’s impossible, she seems to want to give it her last try. Who would have known that the war that everyone was anxious about would end like this?”
It would be better if only one appeared.
The very next day, another lump of flesh appeared within the empire’s precincts. Although their external appearances were different, their enormous size was no different.
Kalkamir, who is exceptionally large among the harvesters, has not yet arrived on the continent, but the humans have already lost all will to fight. The mountains move and the fields awaken. There were also those who appeared after wading through the sea. Either way, it was not something that could be dealt with by a human army.
“Father… No, Your Majesty. That is…”
Now that the princess had heard everything that had happened, she remained silent and could not bear to open her mouth. Now she knew for sure why her mother looked so desperate, why the system was so bleak.
She couldn’t bring herself to open her mouth and say another fact.
The largest lump of flesh moving south from the north. The southern slope of the largest mountain range on the continent, where no one can stop its advance.
“Woah, it looks like this here too? It’s ruined. Man, I’m really screwed now. So no matter where you run to on the continent… Doesn’t that mean it’s meaningless? No, I came all the way here to avoid the threat…”
Kisea, who was always full of energy, not only had her eyes widened now, but she even trembled with fear. Our house started to burn, so despite our shame, we had to take refuge in someone else’s house. But here too, the fire has already spread and is on the verge of burning brightly.
So which house should we run to now?
Even Kisea, the woman of the Gray Wolf Clan who had a reputation for running away, could not help but admit it now. She has survived until now by running away when faced with a crisis, but it seemed like she couldn’t overcome this crisis that way…
To be honest, the most dangerous crises so far have often ended with the country turning upside down and the monarch changing. Even if the royal family changes, the nobility does not change, and in most cases, even if the name of the country changes or is taken over by another country, people maintain the name and live.
But this time, no one will be able to escape the magical beast that has loomed over the continent.
No matter where you go, who you meet, or how much you wrap your head around it, there will be no way.
At least with human power.
“You shouldn’t be like this, then you should evacuate quickly! To the place furthest from danger…”
“Viscount. Just tell me where. No matter where you go, it’s all the same. “The order will just be a little different.”
Even though she realized that, she couldn’t help but struggle. The wolf shouted hurriedly, but no one agreed with his words. The Empire’s Master, the Magic Tower’s Tower lord, and the Temple’s Archbishop simply kept their mouths shut and expressed their unspoken intentions.
“You could hide deep in the ground, or you could build an airship in the sky and escape. But does that make any sense? Not everyone can evacuate like that. And even if I could survive that way, I have no desire to turn my back on the Empire and survive so poorly.”
It is not safe even if it rises into the sky. The air is no longer a safe place.
Does it seem like there is no flesh in the sky? The day before yesterday, a swarm of ominous locusts swept through the skies and passed by the islands. They were too big to be bugs, almost the size of a dog and had sharp teeth.
It marched along, eating everything it could reach its mouth, and even just one individual ate all the vegetation that looked good. Those things gathered together in groups and moved forward so that it almost looked like a yellow cloud, so everyone on the island held their breath and couldn’t move.
Sky. Earth. And the sea.
No matter where you run, harvest day cannot be stopped.
It is nothing more than a temporary postponement of an unfortunate death, so it has no meaning. No amount of treasures and treasures possessed by the empire can correct the trend that has already passed.
“Now you have done everything a person can do. Since there is no way to turn the situation around with human power, we can only rely on God and pray. Let’s believe it. “I guess God hasn’t abandoned us yet.”
When the emperor looked around his audience, he saw no one making eye contact with him. The people here were all loyalists and all had great abilities, but they were of no use in front of a living lump of flesh. Neither the Archmage nor the Master could come up with a solution.
If he could avert this crisis by bending his knees, the emperor could do so as many times as he wanted. He could even endure the humiliation of bowing nine times. He was able to throw away any and all face.
But he was not even given the opportunity to do so.
As the emperor of humans, he was denied any value. How would you feel? He sighed, feeling his heart break.
“If you say God, do you mean the one whom the Son serves?””
“Who else but Him?”
The archbishops of the Trinity Church looked uncomfortable at the emperor’s words, but could not open their mouths to refute them. Their mothers had no way to turn the situation around, so even if they had mouths, they had nothing to say.
God shows that humans cannot rely on him, so what is the point of preaching faith?
“But will that unknown god really help us? To such an exalted person, we are nothing more than insignificant things that can be discarded at any time. “Having a high status as a god is not always a good thing.”
Arseria, a saint of the Church of Elysia, remained silent before spitting out a single word. However she was, as a saint who served the goddess, she could not just ignore the emperor’s words and move on.
“On the contrary, it can also be said that no matter how great our vices are, God will understand. “If not, if today is truly His will, if this is just a predetermined judgment, then it is no longer God and there is no need to worry about being abandoned.”
I don’t deny it,
Without even affirming that,
The emperor simply opened his mouth and said so.