Episode 162
“Kkurururuk!”
Baembaemi, letting out a brave cry, bit down on the back of the priest’s hand with all his might.
“Ugh!”
“Baembaemi!”
A startled Asil quickly retrieved Baembaemi.
Nevertheless, Baembaemi emerged from between her fingers and glared at the opponent with his eyes wide open.
The priest, who had retreated a few steps, clutched the back of his hand.
Even if he was still young, he was a Basilisk; the bitten area was rapidly turning purple.
Asil inadvertently looked at the back of the priest’s hand and flinched.
‘Scales are sprouting!’
Starting from the bitten area, white snake scales were sprouting up unevenly.
Not only that, but perhaps the poison had spread to the blood vessels, as the veins throughout his body swelled bright red, becoming a sight too gruesome to behold.
The priest, who had turned like a demon, tried to grab Asil.
“Lady Erzébet—!”
“Hyang!”
Terrified, Asil reflexively struck out with all her strength, infused with mana.
Boom!
The priest was sent flying.
Given the situation, people were bound to gather even if it was a restricted area.
Just then, Holy Knights passing nearby appeared in a swarm.
“What is the matter!”
“A snake!”
In her urgent state of mind, she pointed a finger at the priest.
The gazes of the Holy Knights, looking where Asil pointed, were stained with horror.
The priest’s brown hair, which had been poking out of the hood, was being stained with a brilliant silver light.
It meant his current appearance was a fake.
Sensing that the situation was turning sour, the priest turned around and began to flee.
“Catch him!”
“We must not lose him!”
The Holy Knights swarmed in pursuit of him.
A few of them took Asil to Arcian in case there were other intruders.
Arcian looked surprised to see Asil appear trembling in less than an hour.
“What happened?”
“…….”
Perhaps because she had seen something so scary, her pounding heart did not easily calm down even though she had safely met her father.
Asil waited for her heart to settle while held in Arcian’s arms, then spoke while holding his arm tightly.
“Papa, I saw a snake.”
“A snake?”
“Yes. I think the Crown Prince is a snake.”
The Holy Knights failed to catch the priest who fled. It was because the priest disappeared as soon as he left the restricted area.
“We were following him, but he literally vanished before our eyes.”
“Considering how his appearance was changing, I suspect he escaped using magic.”
Based on the testimony of the Holy Knights, the Great Temple created and distributed a montage of the intruder, who was presumed to be a magician.
However, as the appearance at the time was a fake, the culprit could not be caught.
A short while after such a disturbing incident occurred.
Asil was gathered in a meeting room of the Imperial Palace with Eokaste and Selena.
It was to discuss the event to reveal the Divine Origin, and the venue had been moved to the Imperial Palace under the judgment that the Great Temple was not safe.
“To think they would reveal the Divine Origin to the public even after such an incident.”
Eokaste smirked with a face full of disbelief.
“Keeping it locked away wouldn’t even be enough; the Pope is just as stubborn a human as His Majesty.”
“That is exactly what I mean.”
For some reason, Selena, who seemed to have turned dark, muttered incessantly while holding her head.
“According to the original work, it will definitely be stolen, yet they are pushing ahead recklessly saying they must increase the faith of the imperial citizens; if it goes on like this, I’m the only one who will die trying to clean up the mess; if this damn old man wants to die, he should die alone; why do I have to clean up a mess that isn’t even mine, aahhh…….”
“……The Saintess’s condition doesn’t look good; shouldn’t she go and take a rest?”
“No, hahaha. How far did I get?”
“You were talking about why a magician tried to seize the holy relic.”
“Ah, right.”
Selena laughed as if a screw had come loose.
“The Divine Origin is a holy relic bestowed by God; it is a mass of divine power and a mass of mana as well. It is said that if a magician gets their hands on it, they gain immense power.”
“Weren’t mana and divine power different from each other?”
“No. I don’t know the details either, but the origin of the two is the same in the original—ahem. Anyway, that magician likely tried to steal the Divine Origin to gain power.”
“I see. If so, shouldn’t the public event really be canceled and the item be stored in a place where no one knows? Even if it’s not just that magician, it would be a disaster if it were lost by any chance.”
“I think so too—but that old man—ah, no, His Holiness is so adamant. He only keeps saying it will be fine since one must satisfy a special condition to use the Divine Origin.”
“A condition?”
Asil, who had been listening quietly until then, tilted her head.
Since dragon Beastmen are fundamentally very curious about magic, she was naturally interested.
Selena glanced at Asil.
Actually, this was confidential, but since Asil was a possessor and knew the original work anyway, she felt it wouldn’t matter if she told her.
And Eokaste seemed like the type to let it go in one ear and out the other.
So she lowered her voice and whispered.
“Yes. The Divine Origin lends its power only to those with a very intense desire who do not fall for temptation.”
“Ho…….”
Eokaste marveled as if it were interesting.
“It won’t be me, then. I don’t have a desire that intense.”
“How does it tempt you?”
“Well, I’ve heard it varies from person to person. Wouldn’t it show them what they truly want?”
Selena shrugged her shoulders.
“If you can’t escape the temptation, you’ll be trapped in the Origin forever. That’s why they say it will be fine, but, hmmm…….”
“How complacent. If one is bold enough to try and steal the Origin, they would surely satisfy that level of desire.”
Eokaste, clicking her tongue, leaned her back against the backrest.
“Though the Divine Beasts are present, it is also true that the recent accidents are ominous. The Imperial Family will protect the Divine Origin with maximum military force.”
“The Great Temple will do the same.”
With Selena’s words, the conversation seemed to roughly conclude.
Just then, Asil, who had something she wanted to ask, looked at Eokaste carefully.
“Princess. Is the Crown Prince really sick?”
“Yes.”
A rumor was currently widespread in the Empire that the Crown Prince was bedridden.
It included all sorts of reasons, such as receiving divine punishment or being dumped by Asil.
“It is as the rumors say. He is staying indoors due to a high fever of unknown cause. Why do you ask that?”
“Because my parents said they want to visit him.”
“Count Erzébet and his wife?”
Eokaste wore a look of surprise.
That was because Erzébet and the Crown Prince had no particular point of contact until now.
Her doubt was brief; thinking they were simply visiting out of courtesy for the Crown Prince, she waved her hand.
“It is nothing to worry about. He is also one who will soon hold no position at all.”
“Yes?”
“It is nothing.”
Only a few people knew yet that the Crown Prince would be deposed.
It was because they decided to announce it to the public after the Thanksgiving Festival to prevent confusion.
Of course, just as there are no perfect secrets in the world, it was already spreading through word of mouth.
Anyway, it was still confidential for now.
“You will find out when the time comes, so don’t worry about it anyway. Besides, the Crown Prince’s palace is currently closed, so no one can enter or exit without His Majesty’s order.”
“But my parents said they must go…….”
To think they can’t even enter without the Emperor’s order.
Mom and Papa said that when he is weakened by the Basilisk’s poison is the chance to defeat him.
Asil became slightly gloomy.
“Your Highness, I have brought something for you to eat—”
“Did I not say I was fine!”
Reinhardt shouted at the servant outside the door. Then, the sound of the servant hurriedly returning was heard.
Reinhardt bit his lip.
The back of the hand bitten by the Basilisk while trying to seize the Divine Origin was still painful even now.
He was also a snake. If it were an ordinary poison, he would have detoxified it long ago.
However, for some reason, this stayed in his body and was tormenting him whenever it got the chance.
It was a matter of course that his mana circuit, which was already like a sugar bowl, became even more of a mess.
“This goddamn…….”
It was difficult to maintain a human body.
Every time the poison surged, he repeated transforming into his original form of a white snake and returning back.
He could not take over Asil’s body in this state. No, more than that, not being caught by humans was the priority.
But the key was how long he could hold out.
Rather, how about switching bodies with any human first……?
Since the mana required for molting decreases exponentially if there is the opponent’s consent, he could get consent through threats or conciliation…….
Thud.
Suddenly, the sound of something falling was heard from behind.
Reinhardt, in the form of half-human and half-snake, turned around.
“Cr, Crown Prince…….”
The Empress, who had dropped the meal she was going to give her son, was frozen in place.
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