29 – The Sincerity of the Ugly Duckling’s Divinity
“Gasp…!”
Prince Rainerus, startled, exhaled a quick breath. Inevitably, the attention of Harte and Elficia, who were in a state of dismay, turned toward the embarrassed Rainerus.
“Your Highness, the Second Prince…?”
“I greet Your Highness, the Prince.”
Elficia skillfully hid her emotions and immediately presented herself with courtesy. And Harte, who had been flustered, awkwardly followed suit.
Rainerus, unable to hide his bewilderment, extended his hand.
“Uh, please raise your faces.”
“Ahem…”
After the unexpected encounter, all that remained was a deep awkwardness.
Elphiciana, who had been longing for Harte without regard for dignity, Harte, who confidently slammed the door after declaring outdoor play, and the only thing they both wanted to say was a mystery.
“Well, then… I’ll be on my way. I hope you can continue with your work without any problems.”
Rainerus turned around and walked away. He could feel the piercing gazes of the two men and women who were staring at his back. It was truly an awkward moment for both of them.
It was when a distance of about ten steps had opened up between them.
In Rainerus’s mind, the image of Linnia Chandler flashed. He thought naively that if he stayed at the banquet hall, she might be gossiping about him.
As soon as he thought of her fragile appearance, Rainerus’s thoughts came to a halt.
“… Your Highness!?”
“Why are you suddenly like this…!”
…It was only when he belatedly regained his senses that he saw two pairs of feet in front of him.
Elphiciana’s and Harte’s feet.
And there was the second prince, completely forgetting his dignity, lying face down on the grass, clutching his head.
Rainerus kept his posture low and raised only his gaze.
The bewildered faces of the two people shone under the moonlight.
Facing them, Rainerus opened his mouth.
“Harte, my lord.”
“Yes, yes…! Your Highness!”
“I know very well how impressive the owner of the baptismal name is. Because the nobility has the right to read various confidential documents of the empire.”
Rainerus knew very well by what other name the person with the baptismal name was called.
The Last Bastion of Humanity.
The first warrior of the gods, revealing itself to the world only when an obscure era befell humankind. Hartera, standing before them, was the embodiment of a human.
“Your mouth will proclaim miracles, and your hands will balance the world. I still vividly remember the scriptures that were written in such a way.”
“… Is there something you desire from me?”
“…”
Rainers sealed his lips.
It was embarrassing to acknowledge the fact that, while chanting praises with three tongues, he harbored desires deep within. Nevertheless, if not now, it seemed unlikely that he would be given another chance.
Thus, he crawled to Hartera’s feet, tears welling up, and pleaded.
“Change my body. I don’t want something grand. Just… even if only this flesh disappears… It’s terribly vulgar and embarrassing to admit, but I want to be someone my fiancée won’t be ashamed of…!!!”
“I understand…”
“It’s not because I lack the will for weight loss. But when I became human from a beast, it felt like that person wouldn’t be by my side… endlessly anxious. You can insult and trample me, just please share your miracle with me…”
He was too late to muster the determination.
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He never expected someone like Linnia Chandler to appear as if she had been driven to the edge of a cliff overnight.
Mistakenly thinking she would be strong due to her excessive nature.
So, he indulged in laziness. Unaware of the grim price he would pay.
At least if his fiancée hadn’t been repulsive, the shadow cast on his face might have lightened a bit.
Hartera, kneeling with one knee, spoke to Rainers, who was fondly caressing his head.
“Your Highness… I understand your sincerity, but that is impossible.”
“…”
“I’m sorry.”
Miraculously impossible does not mean it lacked significance. It was a matter of profound importance.
The general sequence of manifesting miracles can be broadly divided into three steps.
1. Hope – the process of defining one’s desires.
2. Bonding – constructing the foundation of the desired miracle using the divine.
3. The final manifestation – the stage where the miracle is brought forth based on the established foundation.
In other words, if one were to recite a prayer for weight loss during ‘Hope,’ it was entirely possible to transform their body sufficiently.
“…But that’s too extreme.”
Raynes’ weight loss wasn’t a matter of someone’s life hanging in the balance. Moreover, there was no guarantee that it would significantly alleviate someone else’s misfortune.
While Harte occasionally used the divine in the outside world, she did not completely disregard principles.
Even in the case of Arwel Gungjeongbaek’s son, Tina’s circumstances, Glenn’s tragedy, and even when hunting dragons, the revelation of the divine was only prompted by exceptionally grave situations.
It was so because there was no improvement unless a miracle occurred.
“Even this was a gamble…”
In reality, whether it was Tina or Glenn, it was right to remain indifferent. It was the rule and destiny of those with the baptismal name.
Even now, there were many who led a life worse than Tina and Glenn.
So, should miracles be bestowed upon all those people?
The answer was no.
The beneficiaries of miracles were merely fortunate.
It was akin to the luck of finding a coin while walking down the street, nothing more than a stroke of luck.
Therefore, Harthe had no choice but to lift the fallen crown prince.
“Please… please… don’t push me away. I’ll give up anything I have, so please…”
“Crown Prince, I’m truly sorry.”
Harthe spoke, looking straight into his tear-soaked eyes.
“Your Highness, your wish is not as heavy as the misfortune and illegal auctions of some girl, or something that can justify justice.”
“Ugh… huff…”
“So let’s make a deal like this.”
Whether it was Tynadan, Glen, or anyone else, they were ultimately just beneficiaries of luck.
Beneficiaries who picked up a coin on the road, nothing more. If the fallen crown prince couldn’t see the coin on the ground… that, too, wouldn’t be strange.
“We can’t take away your life. But perhaps we can treat significant injuries.”
“What does that mean…?”
“It means creating an environment where your Highness can endure regardless of how much your body is tortured.”
There was hesitation.
Normally, even this couldn’t be guaranteed. However, thanks to the Pope’s mistake, an opportunity to justify it had arisen.
At least, for tonight…
“My wife, Elficia, received the Pope’s blessing today. You must have seen that.”
“Y-yes.”
“In summary, it’s a treatment for longevity. We can’t treat traumatic injuries like those from a sword, but for injuries like a sprained ankle or a dislocated knee, we can respond immediately.”
“Understood.”
“I shall bestow upon you the same blessing.”
“…Ah!”
The prince, as if understanding only now, let out a sigh.
Receiving the blessing meant the possibility of engaging in activities without injury.
No matter how much one pushed their body, it would not be a problem.
“If His Highness remains steadfast in his will, surely things can change.”
“Thank you… truly, thank you…!”
Above Reiner’s head,
Golden particles flowed down from Harte’s hand.
It was not a grand blessing.
It was a trick for a single night made possible by the Pope bestowing a personal blessing on Elphesia.
In that stroke of luck, at least one person grasped a fleeting thread of hope.
◇
“Oh… Harte, you’re once again dancing on the edge~.”
“The Holy Father seems to be looking beyond the horizon.”
“Rather than seeing, it can only be felt. The window you gave me looks out onto the world.”
“That window is truly wonderful. The boy’s demeanor from the coming-of-age ceremony is still maintained. This frail body now has to be careful even when walking.”
Currently, the Pope was holding court from the throne where the emperor sat.
The throne in the ballroom, excluding even the empress, was truly a sacred place. People dancing below could only sneak glances, busy speculating on the content of the conversation.
In such an environment, the Pope took a chance.
“Does His Imperial Majesty acknowledge the virtue held by the baptizer?”
“I am aware of such a thing.”
“Ah, I see. His Majesty knew, but it seems I failed to convey it properly.”
“Do you wish to be taught? Is it necessary?”
“Because His Majesty, being the one who governs humans, should know well. To avoid unnecessary decisions, you see?”
“…”
Originally, there was no need to know, no hint of doubt. However, since Hrathra, the first warrior of the gods, became known in the outside world, the Emperor had to be aware of their virtue for the sake of his peace.
“There are two virtues that the possessor of the baptizing name must not surpass.”
One is using sanctity for personal desires.
The other is betraying the justice one upholds and using sanctity.
The Pope, who succinctly finished explaining, shrugged his shoulders.
“… That’s all.”
“It truly sounds like a manual for clergy virtues.”
“Since it’s bestowed in the name of God, it’s only natural~.”
Silence lingered between the two for a while.
One was reminiscing, and the other was absentmindedly humming without any thoughts.
Eventually, the Emperor, recalling a distant past, broke the silence.
“I disliked the temple. More precisely, I disliked the gods you worship.”
“Honesty is a virtue.”
“If a being more perfect than humans were to govern them, there would be no trivial mistakes. I’ve always wondered why that doesn’t happen. Merely indulging in the indolence and extravagance of a dignified being.”
“Have you given an answer now?”
“It’s just a conjecture, but when I hear about the line possessed by the baptizer, I get a sense of it.”
“Oh?”
The emperor closed his eyes, leaning his head comfortably on the chair.
Then, for the first time in his life, he gave an answer ignoring reason.
“If omnipotence intervenes in human history, it can no longer be called human history. If a society where everything is abundant and resolved by simply believing and following comes, we can only say that we are similar to the relationship between humans and livestock and their caretakers.”
The paradox of losing freedom in paradise.
The irony of degenerating into livestock for a better world.
In place of sorrow, bondage.
In place of sin, control.
In place of diligence, pleasure.
Perhaps the rule of superior beings could be something like that. That was the answer the emperor derived in his own way.
“Ahahahaha.”
The pope chuckled lightly.
“It’s somewhat true. Without exaggeration, Your Majesty wishes to respect freedom.”
“That’s why the baptizer is the ‘ultimate protector of humanity.'”
“Indeed, Your Majesty, you have a clear understanding.”
Omnipotence appearing in an era rampant with corruption and decadence was indeed the baptism and ultimate protection of humanity.
It was the last mechanism to maintain human history.
After a while, the pope lowered his voice with a subtle sigh.
“Your Majesty, speak.”
“Balance has been disrupted. It seems unfathomable accidents have occurred under the divine being who respects humanity.”
“… Is it permissible for someone like the bearer of the divine’s will to say so?”
“Unfortunately, I am the only substitute available… hahahaha.”
The Pope spoke only up to that point, then froze his expression coldly.
“In the past, we maintained the balance of power worshiped by the demons in the power of the devil spirits… but now it’s different. Perhaps the devil may directly intervene in the devil spirits.”
“Is war approaching?”
“It might be. The circumstances are unclear, but there seems to be a lot of anger from that side. If we point to the fundamental cause, maybe…”
The Pope now observed the two men and women who had just returned from the ball.
Harte and Elpisia Luminel.
They were the anomalies of this era.
“They seem like the knight who left our house and his wife.”