Chapter: 251
“Dragon Priestess…?”
Arthur repeated what he had heard.
Dragon Priestess. A Dragon Priestess, you say? Isn’t that the kind of character found in the legends of heroes? What on earth does it mean to possess such qualities? His expression seemed to ask.
But it’s true.
The bloodline flowing within this child’s body, and the magical power sealed within.
It was undoubtedly a quality that could make her infinitely close to… me.
If this girl were to receive a great shock… the seal flowing with her blood would be released in an instant.
And she would be overwhelmed by a power far too great for any single individual to contain.
Well, if she were just a healthy child, it would have been perfectly fine to check the seal and tweak it a little… but alas, the poison and illness that had seeped into her body kept gnawing away at her.
As she became weaker and her life was threatened by the poison, the moment she took her last breath, the sealed magic would burst forth, driving out all the poison and transforming her body.
That would be the simplest method to alleviate both illness and poison.
Oh, by the way, Arthur also had a considerable amount of magical power flowing through his body.
But he’s a boy, and he doesn’t have enough magical power to potentially become a Dragon Priestess like Vivian.
Hmm. What if a man possesses the potential to become a Dragon Priestess? What would happen? Would he turn back into a man? Or would he change his gender altogether?
I’m not quite certain, but one day, I guess we’ll find out.
“If she’s the Dragon Priestess… isn’t she a character from a hero’s legend? What exactly does it mean to possess the qualities of a Dragon Priestess?”
Hmm. Apparently, the Dragon Priestess is a specific individual… In other words, it seems you associate that term with me, the one who traveled alongside the hero.
Well, considering there hasn’t been another Dragon Priestess besides me until now, it’s a perfectly reasonable response, I suppose.
“The Dragon Priestess isn’t a term that refers to a specific individual. It signifies a being chosen by the Goddess of Life, one who can directly hear her voice.”
That’s a lie. Until now, I’ve been the only one serving under the name of Dragon Priestess.
Aldin might fool the public into thinking there’s not just one Dragon Priestess.
The fact that the one who taught magic to the elves of old, adventured with the hero, and all those Dragon Priestesses who have been active for eons… are actually all the same person? That’s a bit lacking in romantic flair, don’t you think?
If that truth comes out, interest in the Dragon Priestess—essentially, me—would burgeon.
As interest grows, it tends to get annoying. Annoyance is something I can do without.
So let’s pretend that the Dragon Priestess is a saint handpicked by the Goddess of Life.
By the way, how fortuitous that the child’s descendant…the hero’s descendant, is right here too.
“A being chosen by the Goddess of Life…?”
“Yes. You will become an infinitely noble being. If that happens, all the poison and sickness eating away at you will simply vanish.”
Your body will transform. You’ll become someone infinitely close to me.
You will be reborn as a being with such powerful magical energy that poison and disease can’t even come close.
As a bonus, should I add some horns too? One of the symbols of the Dragon Priestess is dragon horns, after all.
It might be entertaining to use them as antennas for communicating directly.
“Are you saying that I can become healthy…?”
“Yes. Well, you don’t necessarily have to become a Dragon Priestess, but temporary treatment is certainly possible.”
I suppressed the poison that was spreading through the girl’s body, easing her suffering. The change in her expression seemed to indicate that she was considerably more relaxed, with her distressed look diminishing.
Even though it’s just a temporary fix, I’m merely repressing the poison and helping her body recover from being ravaged by the illness. It’s really not that hard.
However, because the toxic energy and illness have invaded every nook and cranny of her body and intermixed with her flesh… it won’t be long ’til she’s back in tatters again. Completely curing her would certainly be a hassle.
It’s almost easier to just tear her body down and create a new one.
If there hadn’t been a magic seal, I would have had to strain a bit to repair her body, but if I attempted that, the seal on her body would no doubt release instantaneously. That would be such a bother!
“Of course, since it’s only a temporary treatment, it will worsen again shortly. However, if you accept your potential as a Dragon Priestess and embrace that fate, awakening… your body will change and become healthy.”
“The body, changes…?”
“Yes. Your appearance will change too, and your very being will alter. Your soul will remain intact, but your body will transform to be like someone else’s.”
I’m embellishing a tad. I can control such alterations to some extent. Even if someone ends up resembling me, I would prefer they not be an exact copy!
I’ll finish up by keeping the original face as close as possible while adding features like hair color and horns to give it a faint resemblance to me.
“Besides, if you are chosen as the Dragon Priestess… you’ll become an important figure in the Church of Life. That means you can live a life quite different from your current one… without any hardships. With a bit of exaggeration, you could even lead a life on par with the royalty of the Romania Empire.”
Arthur flinched ever so slightly at my words.
“The Church of Life…?”
“Because she is someone who can hear the voice of the Goddess directly. The Church of Life would be eager to serve her with the utmost devotion.”
While Asherath does respond to the prayers of the faithful, her replies are almost that of an answering machine, lacking a personal touch.
The last revelation she sent was decades ago.
Yet the faith held by the priests of the Church of Life shows no sign of waning; those kids are truly remarkable.
“Perhaps, rather than leading a life on the run from the Romania Empire… being cared for by the Church of Life might just be the happier option.”
I spoke calmly and looked at Arthur.
The still-young boy bore an expression that showed he couldn’t quite mask his emotions.
A look of bewilderment. An expression of helplessness. A little boy, sweating profusely and looking troubled.
Seeing this boy, I continued my story.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve been, what you’ve experienced, or the journey you’ve taken to arrive here. What matters is that you sought my help but didn’t honestly share about yourself.”
My gaze turned to the boy, focusing on what was hidden in his heart.
What is the boy concealing? What is he thinking? What does he desire? What makes up his heart? What emotions is he steeped in?
That emotion. Revenge.
A sticky, crimson vengeance simmered at the core of the boy.
“I am….”
The boy hesitated. What should he share, what should he hide? Despite his youth, it seemed he was struggling with these thoughts.
But it’s pointless.
I can see everything. I can read it all.
So, let’s give him a little push.
Let’s nudge the boy who’s still hesitating.
“If you don’t speak honestly, I won’t help you.”
Well then, I’ve set the stage. Shouldn’t he spill everything now? Right?
At my words, the boy opened his mouth with a look of determination.
“My name is… Lucius. Lucius Altrius III. I am the Crown Prince of Romania, and the rightful heir to the throne.”
Finally, he’s starting to be honest.
By the way, Lucius Altrius III? Quite the name; seems like he took it straight from the King of Knights.
“Is Arthur a pseudonym?”
“That’s a nickname from my childhood. My grandfather… well, to be precise, it’s a nickname my great-grandfather gave me due to the confusion about our names among others.”
“Great-great-grandfather….”
So this child is indeed the great-grandson of the King of Knights.
“Then, the grandfather who spoke of me must be the King of Knights.”
“Yes. He advised me to seek out someone’s wisdom if I were ever in need.”
Hmm… The King of Knights must have clearly told the next king… Does that mean that since he’s the crown prince, he’s destined to become the next king?
Or perhaps he simply babbled on, enamored by the cuteness of his grandson.
I might just have to shake the King of Knights down for information while he’s on trial in the underworld headed for paradise. Tsk.
“Yes, for the Crown Prince to arrive here in such a condition… must indicate that something extraordinary is going on.”
Arthur nodded slowly. In this state, he made it to this forest alongside his poisoned and ailing brother.
A rebellion? No, if it were widespread, I would have heard of it long ago.
It’s probably not an invasion by foreign forces. If war or insurrection were to break out, plenty of people would perish, and I’d inevitably hear about the casualties.
If something like that were to happen, Hades wouldn’t keep quiet either.
So if it’s neither a rebellion nor a war, how did the crown prince, with the right to the throne, end up in such a state…?
“Is it a struggle for the throne?”
Arthur could not respond.
In some ways, it reflects the palace’s inner turmoil.
In place of Arthur:
“Yes… My brother has had something taken from him…”
The girl, feeling a bit better due to the temporary relief from the poison and illness, sat up and spoke.
“Brother….”
“Let’s tell everything honestly. We really have no other choice.”
At Vivi’s urging, Arthur nodded slightly.
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