I’m Going to Destroy this Country

Bloodlord.

So this guy was a loyal servant of Isaac. Bloodlord was a nickname given to each of the 14 lords who guarded the king’s treasures.

Bloodlord (also known as Blood Spider), the Master of Blood – his real name was Shabnak.

One of the closest bodyguards of the Skeleton King, a silently devoted butler who carried out his duties.

In short, he was so wholeheartedly loyal that he would die if ordered.

Well, he seemed so docile that Isaac didn’t expect him to barge into the Holy Empire alone.

And he knew he valued his Master more than his own life, but…

[Gah! That guy has completely lost his mind?!]

He didn’t expect this guy to get excited first and cast ‘You Die I Live.’

Thud! Thud!

His subordinate was getting excited looking at the priests who brought Isaac. More than excited, he looked ready to kill the priests.

Well, Isaac didn’t mind letting him deal with those priest bastards, but before that, his subordinate looked like he was about to die.

Why?

Responding to the magic power, the restraining collars filled all over his neck, hands, and body reacted.

These restraining collars are made of a special material that demons can never break, and on top of that, they are inscribed with the Pope’s divine techniques.

The principle is that if he shows aggression, the Pope’s power immediately bursts out from the shackles and explodes, killing his subordinate.

He seems to know this, but he couldn’t contain himself at the sight of his Master being captured.

But calm down, you fool. I wasn’t captured.

[You’re right. Not captured, but brought here against your will.]

At Whisper’s words, his subordinate’s magic power surged up… what, man?!

The Pope’s shackles also reacted faster and faster. No, more than reacting, his subordinate’s body was already melting from the holy power… What? Melting?!

[Wow, he’s going to die.]

Hey! Are you picking a fight? Who provoked his docile child!

[Ah, my apologies. You weren’t brought against your will, but threatened to come.]

Kuang! Kang! Kuooo!!!

Hey!! If you leave out the most important part of what you’re saying, what do you expect! You have to speak properly as the subject!

‘He misunderstood! He thought I was threatened to come!’

[Ah, I didn’t mean that… Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that, but my Master bit his tongue and said he would die, but fortunately it ended with just bowing his head!]

Boom!!

Kuo, kuoooo!

The prison cracked, and his subordinate was on the verge of losing his mind and escaping.

How dare you make my Master bow his head! How dare you make those words come out of my Master’s mouth!

It seems he was furious like that, more or less.

The prison shook violently as if it would break apart, and the Pope’s power, which suppresses even 9th rank demons, activated mercilessly.

Isaac and the priests turned pale for different reasons.

“Wait, that demon is going to die before we can even execute him!”

Isaac also glared at Whisper.

You crazy fool! Because of you, he’s going to melt before we can save him!! Do you know how poisonous holy power is to demons?! Don’t you see him melting?!

[Ah… That’s not it. It’s not that, hump!]

Isaac forcibly sealed Whisper’s power.

You bastard. I have a lot I want to say, but you did well in a way.

When his subordinate caused a disturbance, the vigilance focused on Isaac was diverted elsewhere.

“First, bring the Bishop!”

“He might be trying to escape!”

At the flustered priests’ words, Isaac grinned.

This was an opportunity.

An opportunity to pass a tool to his subordinate to unlock those shackles.

‘Now’s the time.’

Of course, that didn’t mean it was safe.

The priests went from three to two, just the object of concern divided. The watchful eyes continued.

And these guys weren’t idiots – no matter how sudden the situation, they couldn’t fail to notice slipping an escape tool into the prison.

‘What do I do? Should I use the magic to divert their attention as originally planned?’

Since they were already so suspicious of Isaac, using magic might only raise more suspicion… But this was an emergency situation.

It would be risky, but fine for a moment…

But then it happened.

Tug tug.

“!”

The little skeleton hiding on Isaac’s back tugged at his clothes.

“Clack, clack, clack. (Master, I’ll deliver it. I’ll deliver it.)”

Oh! Cute little guy!

Moreover, the skeleton that had come down to his waist looked different.

Perhaps thanks to the rewarded ribbon from the Blue Pentagon, the skeleton that was only as big as a forearm was now the size of a palm.

The ribbon that removes magic power must have had the effect of sealing the skeleton’s power as a demon.

The size of the skeleton’s body had shrunk due to its sealed power.

Anyway, it’s a mini-sized lowly demon about this big with almost no magic power left.

‘It can pass through the iron bars.’

It had a higher chance of success to have the unnoticed tiny skeleton move around rather than himself under surveillance.

Isaac handed the tool to the little skeleton, looking pleased. It was a stone wrapped in a small cloth – the only thing that could break his subordinate’s shackles.

‘I spent all the gold that had been given to me to get that little thing.’

It hurt his heart to see a fortune that could have fed him for life disappear at once, but well. Money is meant to be spent when needed.

The Pope’s family would probably be sick to their stomachs if they knew their wealth was used to free the Skeleton King’s subordinate.

Soon, the skeleton that received the item from Isaac scurried into the prison with it on its head. Even knowing it’d die if caught, it was remarkably brave.

Well, its shaking hands giving away its fear showed it wasn’t entirely fearless.

Anyway, Isaac couldn’t just let our little skeleton get caught so easily. As expected, he grinned at the Red priests.

“You guys are really impressive.”

“…?”

The Red priests looked at Isaac as if he was crazy at his words.

…Did Isaac Eshua of the Blue just say we’re impressive? The Red?

What was his scheme?

Mocking them? Provoking them?

But Isaac smiled brightly.

“Why the looks? I really mean it, you guys are respectable.”

[…Have you finally surrendered to the priests?]

No, not at all. Shut up.

During the operation, he needed to draw the watchers’ attention. The poor lowly demon will die if caught.

‘So watch closely how I grill these guys.’

Isaac gave them a smile that would make any viewer swoon.

“Why, you know, the Fourteen Demons? I almost pissed myself when I saw one.”

The Red priests’ eyes bulged in shock.

…This bastard. Didn’t he laugh brazenly in front of its magic?

“I couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably.”

…Didn’t this guy already lose his mind??

“That’s why I respect you guys. That you have wardens like them. I would have kept my cool after seeing that?”

“What does that even mean…”

“Those guys would be knight commanders in the Blue.”

“What. What?”

What is he even saying?

Isaac sighed loudly like a child.

“Brothers, actually it’s a secret, but I came here on orders from the head of the Blue House.”

“!”

The priests pricked up their ears at Isaac’s words.

“Orders from the Blue Cardinal?”

Isaac grinned at their quick reaction.

Yes. If provocation gets people’s attention, then I have to keep them focused.

The best way to focus people is to reveal a secret about something they’re interested in. There’s no better way to raise focus than hearing secrets about someone they dislike.

“It was a test for the family. Actually, the Blue has begun trials to select the next heir.”

Of course, a blatant lie. His grandfather has no intention of selecting an heir yet.

“My task was to see the Sixth Demons and return.”

If the lie is exposed, he may face disciplinary action for violating Blue’s doctrine and his position as successor may be lost, but who cares?

The Red priests looked at each other in shock.

The Blue has already started selecting a successor?

Wait, isn’t this a normal story?

This was sensitive information for all faiths, and especially for Cardinals, it is as important as changing the head of the Duchy?!

The whole country will be in an uproar.

They couldn’t help but concentrate.

‘Rather than that, the task is to meet the Fourteen Demons?’

‘But… Yeah. Because they are the family that hunts the Skeleton King.’

‘Even so, telling a 10-year-old to handle a 9th rank demon, isn’t that tantamount to suicide?’

“In that sense, don’t you brothers want to join the Blue?”

The Red priests caused a ground tremor with their shaking pupils.

The, the Blue?

What you said earlier about the Knight Commander wasn’t just empty words?!

‘Could it be a scouting offer?’

“If you want, I can really take you to the Blue as the Knight Commander. The pay would be incomparably higher than what you get now.”

Around this point, it seems Whisper became worried.

[…But how are you going to handle the consequences?]

But regardless, Isaac’s eyes narrowed as he checked the prison area.

‘Oh! That’s right!’

While he was roasting these idiots alive, Baby Skelly completed the mission!

Hiding something in his subordinate’s hem, the hurried Skelly was coming out through the iron bars.

Having roasted the Red priests, Isaac inwardly applauded him.

That’s right! Good job!

Just come out! Come into my arms…

Kang!!!!

Suddenly, the sound of the skeleton’s head hitting the iron rang out. Skelly was in such a hurry to get out that it ended up slamming its head against the bars.

At the loud noise, the Red priests hurriedly looked at the prison.

“What was that noise!”

“Check inside the prison!”

Isaac’s face turned deathly pale.

…Skelly got knocked out before reaching my arms!!

What’s more, this idiot’s head is turned around backwards so he can’t get out!

Of course, it’s trying its best to turn its head and get out… Hey, not that way! Don’t go that way, it’s the prison!

And as the priests got closer, the skeleton desperately tried to find the way out. But it kept hitting its head again.

“There’s no way a noise like that could come from the prison.”

“It’s from around here…”

No! It’s really going to disappear!

It was then that the unusually flustered Isaac…

Bang!!!

“Argh!!”

The subordinate inside the prison unleashed a powerful burst of mana. And he slammed his own head against the iron bars.

Klang! Klang! Klang!

It seems the subordinate realized the situation and deliberately drew attention to himself, even taking the blame.

The flustered priests were startled.

“This bastard dares!”

The priests immediately used a torture spell.

Zwack!

With a flash of red lightning, the Red’s proud torture technique lashed at the subordinate.

The subordinate collapsed writhing in apparent agony.

And in that gap, the skeleton whose head was now turned right finally came scurrying back to Isaac wailing.

Isaac hastily hid it in his robe and leaned against the wall.

‘Ah… that took ten years off my life.’

The skeleton seemed to apologize for the trouble with sad rattles.

“Clack clack. (Sorry, sorry…)”

No, you did well.

That subordinate has thick skin, he can enjoy that much.

‘Anyway, it was a success.’

He delivered the tools too, so the subordinate can undo his own restraints. And once the restraints are off, well, then he can fly around.

Isaac greeted his subordinate.

‘I’ll get you out soon. See you at the execution ceremony.’

With the operation over, he pretended to be addicted to demonic energy and immediately started acting frail and sickly.

“Young master!”

“Ugh… it seems the Sixth Demon was too much for me after all.”

“Ah…!”

Was it because he shared the secret, or spoke kindly? For some reason, the Red priests suddenly showed goodwill as they rushed to support Isaac.

“Are you alright? Then why did you say come to see the demon!”

“…What kind of person trying to capture the Skeleton King can’t even handle his subordinate?”

Seeing his pained appearance, the Red priests looked at Isaac in apparent surprise.

They thought he was just a brat mouthing off, but did he already have such an ambitious goal in mind?

“We’ll escort you home!”

“…?”

Huh, these dwarves really want to be scouted, it seems. They may not be able to handle the consequences, but whatever. If he can just get out of this prison…

Get out and…

“Wait. Before you leave, we need to administer one test.”

“!!”

At the entrance building of the Papacy Prison.

The only building where one could exit the prison was full of people.

Red inquisitors. One of them boldly blocked Isaac’s path.

“Young master. Surely you remember me…”

“Nope, I don’t.”

“!”

At Isaac’s dismissive attitude, a familiar laugh and voice came from among the priests.

“Puhah! See, I told you he wouldn’t remember you.”

The one who emerged laughing was none other than the third son of the Red, Naiser Sephet.

“You merely crossed paths with him once in the dining hall as a novice. But this body is…”

“And you are who again?”

Bwak.

Naiser flushed at Isaac’s complete lack of interest. But he soon smiled, as if resigned.

“Before you leave, we’ll inspect the badge you were given.”

“Badge?”

“Yes. Don’t think the Red Cardinal gave you that Cardinal’s badge for nothing. That badge also checks one’s faith. Fool.”

“!”

Naiser laughed as if he’d been waiting for this.

“That badge you received changes color based on your faith. The lower your faith, the blacker it turns. So let’s see, what color is the rose on your badge?”

Naiser extended his hand.

Isaac sneered, his facial muscles twitching.

Haha. That hawkeyed bastard.

Once I’m out, I’ll gouge his eyes first.