I’m Going to Destroy this Country

What Isaac caught in his hand was a gaseous magical beast. It looked like a small worm with a stinger on its tail.

As Isaac grabbed the wriggling worm, Shuri tilted his head.

“What are you doing? Did you catch a fly or something?”

At that, Isaac showed the gaseous worm as if asking what he was talking about.

“Can’t you see this?”

“…What am I supposed to see?”

It seemed others couldn’t see it.

“It’s a modified magical beast with poison. It didn’t poison the wine, but directly stung with poison.”

At those words, Shuri was startled. Aren’t modified magical beasts ones that have had harmful demonic energy removed and been brainwashed?

In other words, they could be considered domesticated.

And those capable of that are…

“The Magic Empire?”

“No. There’s one more.”

“What?”

Isaac’s subtle gaze turned somewhere. Following that gaze, Shuri was startled.

‘The Pope!’

At the same time, Shuri frowned with displeasure. That’s because the situation in the banquet hall wasn’t very good.

“His Highness Shablis poisoned His Majesty the Emperor’s wine!”

“Is he trying to hasten the succession to the throne?”

Shablis, who had prepared the wine for the Emperor, was starting to be framed.

But this situation itself… is a conspiracy?

“Don’t tell me the Pope’s family attacked His Majesty?”

“Almost 100%?”

Shuri’s eyes flashed.

Shablis had chosen the wine very carefully for His Majesty’s birthday. Although it was Isaac’s recommendation, Shuri, who knew wine well, had helped with it.

-I hope Father will like it.

But to use his feelings for his father like this.

As Shuri tried to move towards the Pope’s faction, someone grabbed his shoulder. It was the Blue family head, Elai.

He held Shuri back as if he shouldn’t go and looked at Isaac.

“Well found, Isaac. You caught it.”

“Grandpa!”

Elai took the worm Isaac was holding. Then as he exerted force while holding it, its form immediately became visible and went limp. As the magical beast died, its invisibility was dispelled.

“You did very well. Without this, His Highness the Crown Prince would have been framed.”

“Then…”

“The culprit is someone else.”

Soon Isaac said:

“Grandpa, the culprit is the Po… Mmph!”

Elai, who subtly covered Isaac’s mouth, frowned.

“The Cardinals are already suspecting.”

“!”

Elai glared subtly at the Pope with displeasure.

There were five Cardinals in this banquet hall.

If this wasn’t Shablis’s doing, the only one who could plant such a thing while avoiding the Cardinals’ gaze was the Pope alone. Whether directly or indirectly.

The Pope’s purpose would be one.

‘Shablis’s dethronement.’

Of course, he’s probably not trying to dethrone the Crown Prince by making him a petty poisoner. Because an investigation would reveal it wasn’t the Crown Prince’s doing anyway.

This is just entertainment to torment Shablis until evidence comes out.

Sure enough, the Pope smiled while looking at the worm Elai was holding. It was a twisted smile as if asking why they found it so quickly.

If they had found it later, they could have imprisoned the Crown Prince and interrogated him, his expression seemed to say.

Soon the inquisitors who discovered the worm apologized for suspecting the Crown Prince and withdrew.

Seeing that, the Pope said with a very regretful face:

“The Blue has thankfully found the culprit who attacked His Majesty first.”

The priests and knights admired.

“As expected of the Blue! You found it right away!”

“This is the culprit who attacked His Majesty!”

“So this was the poison sting mark on his leg…”

Isaac turned to the White Cardinal. She was treating the collapsed Emperor.

“Your Excellency. How is His Majesty’s condition?”

“Fortunately, it’s not a poison that threatens his life. Thanks to the young master finding the magical beast so quickly, we were able to identify the type of poison and administer an antidote quickly. Thanks to that, there shouldn’t be any aftereffects, but…”

“But?”

“It seems he won’t regain consciousness.”

“!”

“You can consider him to be in a vegetative state. That’s in the realm of the mind, so White healing doesn’t work.”

At those words, Isaac chuckled, kuk.

‘As expected. The goal wasn’t to assassinate the Emperor.’

From the beginning, the purpose was to put the Emperor in a vegetative state.

‘No. If I hadn’t found the magical beast quickly, there would have been aftereffects, so they would have preferred that.’

It’s obvious what they were planning to do after taking the Emperor’s consciousness.

‘The Crown Prince’s dethronement.’

Sure enough. The Pope looked at Shablis who was worried about the Emperor.

“It’s a thousand blessings that His Majesty the Emperor is only this much, but it’s regrettable.”

“!”

Shablis flinched. Soon the Pope smiled meaningfully.

“Modified magical beasts are items from the Magic Empire. If the ‘Sacred Dragon contractor’ had just done his role, this kind of thing wouldn’t have happened to His Majesty in the first place.”

“…!!”

Shablis’s eyes shook greatly.

At the same time, the Cardinals and Isaac immediately noticed the Pope’s real purpose.

“Sacred Dragons are beings that protect the Imperial Family. If there was a Sacred Dragon, it could have defended against poison and attacks with the dragon’s blessing. If Your Highness had properly fulfilled your role, your father wouldn’t have been poisoned in the first place.”

Shablis’s face twitched.

This bastard, don’t tell me…

The Pope turned and spoke to the nobles.

“It’s truly regrettable. That’s why I opposed so much saying the Crown Prince should be chosen carefully. His Majesty would be sad too. You should have listened carefully to the guide’s advice after all.”

At the Pope’s words, the nobles stirred.

“Seeing His Majesty in this state, there’s no protection from Sacred Dragons, right?”

“So the contract was a lie after all…”

“We chose the wrong Crown Prince…”

“Before, the barrier disappeared and imperial citizens were hurt. Now even His Majesty…”

“The Empire will be ruined…”

At the nobles’ whispers, Shablis gritted his teeth.

The Pope looked at Shablis.

“Crown Prince. Did you really contract with Sacred Dragons?”

Shablis glared with gritted teeth.

“I said I did.”

“Then that’s good. With Sacred Dragons’ ability, His Majesty could be awakened in an instant.”

“!”

“No, only Sacred Dragons can treat him. So call them.”

“…!”

“What’s wrong? If you contracted, you can summon them right away, can’t you? Surely you’re not deliberately not calling them. Prove it. Otherwise, we’ll have no choice but to discuss dethronement.”

Shablis seemed to choke up and was about to emit an aura.

Even without Sacred Dragons, Shablis was already at the level of a sword master. He could cut the throats of nobles spouting nonsense with just a gesture.

As Shablis’s aura fluctuated roughly in that anger, the Pope raised the corners of his mouth as if he had been waiting.

But it was right then.

Grab!

“!”

Isaac grabbed Shablis’s shoulder. And while suppressing Shablis’s aura, he looked at the Pope.

“Do you have no hands or feet?”

“!”

“Why ask Sacred Dragons for treatment when the Papacy is nearby? Is the Pope saying he doesn’t even have that much ability?”

Isaaaaac!!

Everyone looked at Isaac in shock.

But regardless, Isaac suppressed Shablis’s aura.

Shablis’s rampage was exactly what the Pope wanted. There’s nothing easier than pulling down a crazy tyrant.

‘So control your temper, kid.’

There’s no better Empire shuttle than you, you know?

However, from the moment Isaac appeared, Shablis’s anger was already subsiding. The real problem was that another’s anger was rising.

“Isaac Eshua.”

The Pope looked at Isaac as if asking why he was interfering at a time like this. However, Isaac provoked the Pope while raising the corners of his mouth, kuk.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? His Majesty the Emperor has collapsed, so why entrust the treatment to the Crown Prince? If that’s the case, what’s the point of the Papacy’s existence? Isn’t the Papacy there to save people?”

At the continued outrageous remarks, the nobles froze.

A-Ah, no. That bastard…

Is he crazy now? Who does he dare to…?!

Does he not know who’s in front of him?

Shuri had already fainted while standing, and the Cardinals rubbed their faces as if having a fever.

‘…Really, that crazy bastard!’

They had no idea how to deal with that.

Even the great Elai froze, not knowing how to react to his grandson’s recklessness.

“Isn’t that right? If you’re going to let everyone handle everything, you just need the Imperial Family. Huh? Is the Pope super incompetent?”

You Blue bastard, please!

As all the nobles trembled, the Pope smiled unpleasantly.

“Are you provoking the Pope now? You have no manners.”

At those words, Elai seemed to come to his senses and stepped forward.

“That’s right. He has no manners.”

As the Blue family head stepped forward, everyone was relieved. Damn it, yes! Duke Eshua is stepping in! Yes! Do something about that crazy grandson…

“The Pope was too hasty this time.”

Are you on that side?!

Elai, who said the Pope had no manners, spoke as if telling him to do it moderately.

“The Papacy is not only failing to guide to the right path but is also causing harm by meaninglessly uprooting sprouts and even setting fires.”

However, the Pope smiled as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“The Papacy has already been patient for a long time. Didn’t other nobles almost suffer damage because of this incident?”

“Think of the Pope’s duty.”

“Uprooting rotten sprouts is also the Pope’s duty.”

“!”

“In that sense, we need to discuss together about Shablis’s ‘qualifications’ as Crown Prince.”

It was then.

“Who lacks qualifications?”

What?

Isaac chuckled.

“His Highness Shablis has already summoned Sacred Dragons.”

What?

“I saw it.”

What did you say?!

At Isaac’s unexpected words, everyone gaped. Even Shuri was having a pupil earthquake. No, he knew that bastard would intervene in this matter somehow, but still!

‘Kid, can you just throw out empty promises like that?’

However, Isaac smiled shamelessly.

“His Highness’s Sacred Dragon is currently repairing the Empire’s barrier. He entrusted me with that task.”

The Crown Prince looked at Isaac.

…When?

“A few months ago. You told me not to tell anyone because it could be stolen by the Magic Empire.”

…I did?

The nobles seemed shocked. The Blue family head Elai nodded as if asking if that was the setting he went with.

‘Right. It’s not bad to pretend something that doesn’t actually exist does exist.’

That alone is enough to cause disturbance to the enemy. And to that extent, he could cover for it.

In fact, the noble faction aiming for Shablis’s dethronement stirred in confusion.

“Summoning Sacred Dragons, that’s impossible…”

“It must be a lie…!”

“Yes! I can’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes…”

“Then will you believe if I bring the Sacred Dragon directly?”

…What’s going on?!

At Isaac’s bombshell declaration, even Elai froze this time.

No, this bastard kid! Hey. I can’t cover for that either! Please, cause trouble within a coverable range!!

At his grandfather’s subtle pupil earthquake, a chuckle burst out.

“Fine. Let’s believe it.”

“Your Holiness!”

The Pope smiled while looking at Isaac.

“If you say you can bring it right away, what’s the problem?”

“But…!”

“How long will it take you to bring it?”

“Two days.”

The Pope chuckled, as if being generous.

“I’ll specially give you three days.”

However, Isaac isn’t one to end it here.

“What will you bet, Your Holiness?”

“Bet? Me?”

At that sneer, Isaac’s eyes flashed.

“Of course? If you’ve doubted to this extent and caused trouble, you should bet something too, Your Holiness.”

“What do you want?”

“Step down from the Pope position.”

Grandfather let out a silent scream. Isaaaaac! You bastard, that’s not a position you can just step down from as you please!

The Pope smiled.

“Since it’s a position appointed by God, I can’t step down at will. Instead, I’ll give up the right to review the imperial succession.”

At those words, the banquet hall stirred greatly as if shocked.

“Your Holiness!”

The Papacy priests, especially the Pope faction nobles, couldn’t close their mouths. That’s because the right to approve imperial succession was a major authority held by the Pope.

‘Why is the Pope giving up such power?’

It was one of the main reasons why the Imperial Family couldn’t stand up to the Pope. Even the Crown Prince couldn’t become Emperor without the Pope’s approval.

This means he won’t interfere with Shablis’s succession to the throne and will give up one of the Pope’s powers, but…

“Instead, if you can’t bring it, you’ll permanently lose your noble status and priest status for the crime of deceiving the Pope.”

“!!”

“And the Crown Prince will be dethroned immediately.”

At that bombshell declaration, everyone couldn’t close their mouths. This was no longer a problem that would end with just questioning the Crown Prince’s qualifications.

‘Isaac, if you make a mistake, it means you’ll lose your status as family head and won’t even become a saint.’

However, Isaac chuckled.

“Fine. Just don’t forget the promise.”

As Isaac turned around confidently, Shuri grabbed him in bewilderment.

“Isaac! Are you really okay?!”

“Just trust me.”

Isaac’s mouth corners rose to his ears.

Good. This bastard. I’ve got you now.