NOVEL NEXT Chapter 177 - Do You Have a Conscience? (3)
“What?! A special envoy? His Highness the Crown Prince?”
Shuri looked at Isaac in shock. He had an unbelieving face.
…Why you?
At Shuri’s gaze, Isaac glared.
“What’s with that look? It’s as if you’re saying ‘Why would they appoint someone like you as a special envoy?'”
“No…”
No, isn’t that right?
Not just an ordinary envoy, but a special envoy of the Imperial Family?
That tremendous authority that can be called the Emperor’s proxy, to this bastard??
‘What is this? Is it a sign that the country will fall?’
No… Even so, His Highness the Crown Prince must have his reasons. He needed a justification to ignore the Pope’s order and leave the country, so it’s probably just in name…
“If you can’t believe it, see for yourself.”
Shuri froze at the golden amethyst badge Isaac subtly held out.
The purple that only royalty can use. And the dragon and lion engraved on it.
It was the
“You see? It’s the proof of an Imperial special envoy.”
…Is this country really going to fall?!
Shuri fell into mental breakdown. Even he, a person of a Ducal family, was too scared to dare touch it. That’s how incredible it was.
‘Giving this bastard the Emperor’s proxy authority, what is His Highness thinking!’
It’s the authority to even move Imperial items and treasure vaults, and even troops, albeit partially!
‘This bastard looks like he’ll steal everything!’
More than that, is this okay diplomatically? Isn’t this bastard going to start a war?
No. There’s a problem before that.
Did he extort this from that Crown Prince?
‘This crazy… He rejected all other priests, but why Isaac?’
To explain how absurd this situation is, well. It’s like this.
It’s like giving away your inner room to the country that killed your parents, even though you know you’d become the world’s strongest if you formed an alliance, but still can’t be together.
To an enemy you wouldn’t even spit on!
No, it would be fortunate if it was just the inner room. This is like saying ‘Please take this country’ and giving command authority too?
What’s going on?
What the hell did this bastard do?
“Oh! I also received a gift from Her Highness the Imperial Princess?”
Even who did he receive what from?!
“I heard all Imperial items have sacred dragon magic cast on them, so they can quickly detect things like poison.”
…He even received a gift that protects his life?!
Isaac rubbed his face against the gift box lovingly and laughed.
Of course, in reality, poison and such are meaningless. Since most poisons that would enter Isaac, a priest, would be holy poisons, it was rather beneficial to Isaac.
The important thing is that this has sacred dragon magic cast on it.
‘It’s valuable, and if I analyze it, I might be able to steal the dragon’s magic.’
On the other hand, Shuri couldn’t help but be shocked.
‘This is impossible.’
The Imperial Princess is kind and polite to everyone, but she’s someone who hates nobles more than anyone and harbors thorns!
“What kind of magic did you use on the Imperial Family?”
“The Skeleton King’s magic?”
…What, man?
“Love is great?”
“Fanboys save the world?”
“Fanboys are precious?”
Shuri, who had given up on understanding Isaac, sighed.
Even if this created a possibility for promotion, a big problem remained.
“What about guards?”
“Guards? Do I need such things?”
“Are you kidding?! Do you have any idea how valuable this is? You’ll have thieves and assassins hanging all over you!”
The enemies targeting a special envoy weren’t just ordinary thieves. Even the Empire’s spies or Kingdom’s direct special forces could be mobilized.
Even more so if the Skeleton King’s body was involved. His life could really be in danger.
“Probably an enemy will appear every 1 meter you walk?”
Isaac stared blankly as if asking what nonsense he was talking about.
“Then I can just take my slaves with me, right?”
Shuri looked at Isaac with an even more distant gaze.
You’re going to take those… thugs?
Those guys whose personalities have become terrible while Isaac only raised their abilities?
“What’s the problem?”
Does this bastard really not understand the problem?
“Please at least maintain the Blue’s image as the Blue’s junior family head!”
It was right then.
“If it’s that, I’ll solve it.”
“!”
Shuri was startled and bowed his head at the presence that appeared before them.
“Empress.”
The Empress seemed to have lingering attachment to Isaac, who had the supreme god.
“I heard you’re going as an Imperial special envoy. How is that child always causing trouble and not knowing how to do anything. Not even assigning Imperial knights to the special envoy.”
It was words disparaging the Crown Prince, but Isaac let out a chuckle.
‘Does she think Shablis didn’t assign Imperial troops for no reason?’
The Crown Prince was very intelligent. If Imperial troops were attached to someone going as an Imperial special envoy, wouldn’t it be like advertising ‘Here’s a precious person, make sure to rob them!’
Even if they try to hide their identity, the elite smell and movement habits unique to Imperial knights wouldn’t be erased.
‘Experienced ones would notice immediately.’
Above all, Imperial knights monitored priests.
In that sense, Shablis had rather been considerate of Isaac. Telling Isaac to directly choose and bring people from a family he was comfortable with.
Well, the Empress seemed to think differently.
“That child is lacking in many ways. It’s shameful, but that child is not recognized by His Holiness the Pope or God. I’m just grateful that the Blue’s junior family head is associating with that child.”
“…?”
Isaac chuckled as if it was detestable.
“Are you saying the Blue’s junior family head has no discerning eye right now?”
“?!”
Everyone was shocked at Isaac’s words, but Isaac smiled with crescent-shaped eyes.
‘She probably wants to bring down and pull out the Crown Prince.’
Crown Prince Shablis was extremely outstanding.
The youngest Sword Master, magic, contracting with dragons, even leading national projects well, and moreover, looking like a genius but an incredible hard worker…
Even I would feel sick if someone who wasn’t my child was that outstanding.
That’s why she’s wary of the Crown Prince gaining power. At the same time, she’s interfering with the Pope and considering Isaac, who’s close to the Crown Prince, as a thorn in her side.
Trying to raise their own value through alienation and disparagement.
‘These bastards are ignoring me too much.’
“I didn’t know Her Majesty the Empress would speak so lightly.”
Then the Empress, who flinched, made a displeased sneer. And she attacked Isaac in front of the knights as if to disparage him.
“The Young Duke has a vulgar poison on his tongue with such an innocent face. Is a demon king reincarnated? Right, just like the Skeleton King.”
Shuri was indignant. How dare she say he’s like the Skeleton King!
This was a tremendous insult in the Empire! Especially to people of the Blue.
But Isaac, far from being offended, just tilted his head.
‘I am the Skeleton King… Is there a problem?’
Seeing Isaac not moving at all, the Empress rather disappeared as if displeased, and the Empress’s knights were looking at Isaac with displeasure.
“Since you’re going as a special envoy to the Imperial Family, we will attach as guards.”
What are these bastards saying?
Isaac was about to open his mouth as if telling them to get lost, but Shuri gave him a look.
“Hey. That person is the commander of the Imperial 2nd Knight Division.”
So what?
“Even for a junior family head, it’s not a status you can mess with carelessly!”
…Ah. In short, he’s a strong guy?
They spoke as if displeased with the Crown Prince and Isaac.
“Since you’re carrying the precious Imperial special envoy badge, you’ll need reliable guards. It would look good to others if Imperial knights are attached too.”
Isaac glared as if it was detestable.
Damn it. At a glance, they’re people on the Empress and Pope’s side intending to interfere.
“I’m going to take people from our family, so you guys back off.”
Then the knight commander let out a sneer.
“Ah, the Blue?”
“?”
“Excuse me for saying this, but-“
If you know it’s rude, don’t say it.
“I don’t think the Blue’s knights will be of much help going to the Julius Kingdom.”
He’s even disparaging the Blue in front of the successor?
“Isn’t the Blue’s doctrine specialized in exorcism and not attacking people? You should know that the enemies that will attach to the junior family head on the way to Julius are ‘humans’, not demons.”
On the surface, it’s not wrong. The Blue teaches to use that powerful strength for humans, not to wield it to harm humans.
Well, it’s correct, but…
Shuri frowned.
‘This is disparaging the Blue. Saying it’s a faith that can’t exert power if there are no demons, so don’t try to climb too high.’
Then Isaac let out a chuckle as if asking what nonsense this was.
“Why can’t the Blue attack humans? Our slaves do it just fine…”
“Aaaaah!”
Shuri hurriedly stopped Isaac. Everything else is fine, but let’s not mention those thugs!
“We will serve you wholeheartedly…”
It was right then.
“There’s no need for that. I’ll be attached as the Imperial special envoy’s guard.”
“!”
Everyone was surprised at the unexpected figure.
“Sister Leia!”
Leia was standing behind the knight commander with a look of disgust.
“A Saintess should be superior to you as a guard, I think.”
The knight commander let out a hollow laugh.
“So the Blue is…”
At that moment, a sword was drawn with a swish. The blade was chillingly pointed at the knight commander’s neck as if about to cut it off immediately.
Leia’s eyes flashed ominously.
“If we can attack people, it’s fine, right?”
The knights were startled at her fierce gaze.
“Shall we test here and now whether we can cut a person’s neck or not?”
“…Huk!”
In the end, the knight commander bit his lip.
“…I apologize for being rude.”
“That’s enough.”
Soon the knights bowed deeply and retreated.
Leia approached, saying such insignificant things were trying to hold him back.
“You have quite a lot of enemies trying to hold you back, Isaac.”
“It’s inevitable the more noticeable you are. Then Leia will be the guard. Shuri, you come too.”
…Why me…?
At that expression, Isaac looked as if asking what he was saying.
“We have to greet the Prince after a long time.”
…Greet?
With that confident face ready to extort?
“It’s good to go together, but we might lose the Skeleton King’s body.”
“Huh?”
“The Papacy’s envoys have already left after receiving thousand-li horses. Those knights probably deliberately held us back to buy time? Just looking at the speed…”
Then Isaac laughed as if that was nothing.
“Thousand-li horses? They’re just puppies running on all fours.”
…P-Puppies?
“Do you not know what kind of divine beast that is?”
Instead of answering, Isaac chuckled.
* * *
Around that time, priests who had left Hella were increasing their speed.
“Bring the Skeleton King’s body!”
“Do you think they’ll give the Skeleton King’s body to Eshua?”
Those who received the Pope’s order were moving in a hurry.
“Eshua must continue to be unable to catch the Skeleton King.”
They harbored resentment for losing new recruits to the Blue for three years straight. Do you think they’ll just watch Eshua accumulate more achievements?
There was even a rumor that Isaac had asked the Papacy about ‘unresolved missions’.
‘It must be to pass the promotion exam.’
And if Isaac takes the Skeleton King’s body, Isaac will pass the promotion exam right away.
That must be prevented.
‘If we block Isaac Eshua’s promotion, the Saint position will naturally go to our young master.’
‘No, to our young master…!’
That’s why they were busy moving for their own benefits.
“His Holiness the Pope even gave us thousand-li horses!”
Although they need to rest because they’re divine beasts, they were overwhelming in speed.
“With these divine beasts, we can reach Julius in 5 days, right?”
Using the Skeleton King’s body as an opportunity to devour Julius and claim honor.
“We’ll arrive in Julius first. Those guys are too late even if they start running now.”
“Yeah, so…!”
But it was then.
“Huh…?”
A large shadow appeared over the heads of those riding the thousand-li horses.
They were startled when they looked up.
That passing over their heads…
“A d-dragon?!”
It’s a bit smaller in size, and judging by its form it’s a young dragon, but undoubtedly a dragon. And dragons are the fastest creatures in the world.
They’re overwhelmingly faster than divine beasts, don’t follow terrain, and can move without limits to stamina.
“Is it His Highness the Crown Prince’s expedition?!”
“…No!”
They were shocked to see the person riding it.
“W-Wait! That’s!”
Platinum blonde hair noticeable even from afar.
And the one with that hair is…!
“Isaac Eshua?!”
Isaac grinned.
“Puhahah. You guys crawl here slowly over 5 days. I’m going ahead for lunch.”
Wh-What??
Wait! What is this!