Chapter 539 – Room 207, Gate Room – Fourth Trial ‘Fallen King’ (25)
– Jonathan Swift
I grabbed the paper I’ve been scribbling on for days again.
“My name is Jonathan Swift, a seasoned reporter for the British Times with 7 years under my belt.
The facts I’m about to write hold not a single shred of falsehood.
Four days ago, Prime Minister David was assassinated—”
Even if it meant my life, I wrote this letter to reveal the truth!
But I just couldn’t get past the next line.
It felt too absurd to believe anyone would take it seriously.
The Prime Minister, who had been hailed as a genius since childhood, left behind nothing but disjointed words!
If I hadn’t personally experienced the bizarre events, I wouldn’t have believed his last will either.
“A ship is ready at the port of Dover. Jonathan, shall we head out soon?”
“Got it.”
As soon as we set off, Thomas in the front seat chimed in again.
“I rushed over after your message yesterday, but… I still don’t get it. You suddenly want to go to France? Are you prepping for emigration or something?”
“…”
“Can’t you just spill the beans?”
Thomas is a friend I’ve had since we roamed the back alleys of Manchester.
Even after my ridiculous request to prepare a smuggler’s ship at the Dover port, he went along with it like family.
Yet, I couldn’t reveal anything.
If I were to die, it should be just me; I couldn’t let this kind-hearted friend end up in danger too.
“Sorry.”
“Ha, come on… I’m helping a lot here, and you still won’t tell me?”
Listening to my friend’s grumbles, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
His demands for my secret in return for his favor, and his complaints for not getting it in return.
It’s only natural… but also not.
Shouldn’t one gladly help when asked desperately?
After all, the Virgin spread that logic!
“Oh no!”
—Click!
As I pulled out my gun and aimed at Thomas, he looked bewildered.
“What are you doing? Jonathan, if this is a joke, it’s not funny—”
—Bang!
There’s no time to hesitate.
I may have killed a Prime Minister, and now I was threatened!
The devil has the power to manipulate human flesh.
At the moment he demanded a ‘favor’ in return, Thomas was undoubtedly possessed by a demon!
*
Late at night.
Upon arriving at the port, I rushed toward the smuggler’s ship Thomas mentioned.
Soon, three burly men showed up.
“Hey~! You must be the reporter, right?”
“Yep. I’m ready to—”
“Where’s Thomas?”
“…He got off midway.”
“What? That’s not how this works! We came here trusting Thomas!”
“Guys, I absolutely must cross the Dover Strait to get to Europe. Please help me.”
With a desperate expression lowering my head, the burly men looked taken aback.
“Didn’t the Virgin say to trust and love everyone?”
“Umm…”
Even criminals, who live in the shadows, cannot completely escape the Virgin’s new world logic.
“…But how can we trust a reporter we’re seeing for the first time?”
Not again!
Something that shouldn’t be happening transpired!
This world should be filled with love and trust, yet this guy is talking about distrust?
Denying the Virgin’s teachings.
Proof he was infected by a demon!
—Click!
As I pulled out my gun, the atmosphere grew tense.
“Shall we die at your hands, or do you plan to steer the ship yourself?”
“…”
What a mess!
Even if I killed Thomas, I could still drive the car; but if I killed the sailors, then what happens to the ship?
What about the smuggling procedure once arriving on the mainland?
This was beyond my capability!
In the midst of my panic, a calm voice suddenly cut through.
“Let’s just let him go. We’ve already received our payment.”
“…Fine.”
*
Once aboard the ship, I finally felt at ease.
It was my beloved homeland, but now a land of madness seething with demons; if I could just escape England!
Let’s go to Germany, no, France.
I needed to meet with the journalists there to inform them about what transpired in England.
Actually, no need to meet; I can just use the internet.
While the situation in England has become a hell where even the internet is untrustworthy, mainland Europe should be fine still.
Then, surely the Spanish Papacy will—
“…Huh!”
The ship hasn’t set off.
There was no sign of departure, nor even the slightest indication of preparations to leave.
Thus, this was just a prison imprisoning me.
As I felt a deep sense of despair and stepped out from hiding in the cabin, the people on deck were staring at me with eerie calmness.
I impulsively raised the gun.
Just as I was about to pull the trigger—
The five sailors opened their mouths simultaneously.
“Come here.”
Their eyes all looked the same.
—Creeeeak!
The five of them tilted their heads to the right all at once.
Though they were distinctly different bodies, their movements were perfectly synchronized.
“Come here, won’t you?”
“Uh, uh…”
Fear, terror seeped into my psyche.
Rationality screamed that I must escape, yet my body started crawling forward like a marionette.
“Jonathan, come and look into my eyes.”
“With, with so many eyes, what am I supposed to see!”
“Ha! That’s right.”
The five men burst into laughter as if they found our exchange entertaining.
A slowly advancing hand reached toward me.
“I-I saw what the Prime Minister left behind! There’s a demon, a vile being, that manipulates human bodies—”
“Were the demon’s true nature described?”
“…”
The demon’s true nature.
It was simply hard to believe.
“Prince Harrison…!”
“Prince?”
Strangely, my answer seemed to disappoint them a bit.
“That’s not my identity. He’s just a remarkably capable vessel.”
“A remarkably capable vessel?”
“Reporter. Do you know why you or the Prime Minister can be in your right mind?”
“…”
“Occasionally, there are those born with resilience against vile powers. Such humans are not easily defeated by the strength of the inferior vessel. Therefore, a well-honed blade is necessary.”
—Clang!
I could hear someone approaching.
“Yikes!”
I understood.
This luck of mine—whatever degree of ‘resistance’ it might be—certainly wouldn’t be enough to withstand the approaching ‘well-honed blade’!
When ‘Prince Harrison’ appeared from behind, I laid everything down.
“What are you? What’s your purpose?”
The young man with dazzling golden hair smiled brightly.
“If the Virgin has brought peace to the world, I have come to bring the sword. I shall make sons and fathers, daughters and mothers see each other as enemies.”
And when the young man’s gripping ‘well-honed blade’ touched me, I finally realized I was liberated from all fear and pain.
…
“Hey? What’s wrong with the reporter’s memory? I never laid a hand on Thomas!”
The prince asked, and one of the sailors replied.
“True. No memory exists of the Prince laying a hand on Thomas.”
Of course, the essence of this conversation is just self-questioning.
“It seems the reporter must have made a mistake? Thomas was never touched. In other words…”
In the end, the English prince smiled brightly.
“This means the subjects of the British Empire are gradually awaking from the curse of the Virgin’s induced ignorance! Thus, I will be the one to save England and, in turn, the world!”
*
– Jin Mookgyeong
“…”
I pondered over the paper set upon the table.
This moment, right now…
Is my greatest crisis as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Jin Mookgyeong!
The paper read the following song.
“The Five-Starred Red Flag flutters in the wind,
The Chinese dragon shines brightly in the world.
The Yellow River and Yangtze flow and flow through the endless mountains.
Let’s chase the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, all under the guidance of our leader.”
“…”
Up to this point, I thought it was just ordinary lyrics to inspire patriotism.
But the next part was a bit…
“Marry a man like Jin Mookgyeong.
He is decisive and gives his all to everything.
Whether it’s a rat or a tiger, he can take them all down.”
“No, this is too much!”
“Marry a man like Jin Mookgyeong.
He is bold and steadfast.
Heroic, never bending…”
“What the hell! These idiots in the propaganda department must have gone crazy!”
I couldn’t bear to listen to the song blasting from all directions with a sane mind.
Thus, I turned to the only other person in the room, my personal bodyguard.
“What do you think?”
‘Her’ reaction was calm.
“It’s funny.”
“Is this a joke?”
“It says to marry a man like you. The best groom on the mainland, Jin Mookgyeong, fighting!”
“…Ari, I want to hear a serious answer.”
“I’m being serious. Isn’t your goal to rally the faith of 1.4 billion people?”
“The word faith is unpleasant. There are no gods in this world, only strong demons. As General Secretary and protector of the mainland—”
“Got it, got it. It’s just out of the pure desire to protect the world, right?”
“…”
Then, walking over to the window, she spoke with a chilling gaze.
“Jin Mookgyeong, this is a piece of advice from an ‘investor,’ so listen closely.”
“I’m listening.”
“Accept the truth.”
“…”
“You’ve spread extreme atheism as the General Secretary of the Communist Party and based on that justification, you’ve killed about 400,000 clergy.”
“Religion is the opium of the people.”
“Regardless! You’ve succeeded in gathering a whopping 7,824 fragments in the process. Many of which were masquerading as clergy.”
“…”
“I know of some fragments that are as strong as you. You’ve gathered so many pieces. Yet, you still can’t take that ‘last step.’”
“The last step?”
“Accept it. You are the deity’s vessel, fueled by atheism.”
It was an uncomfortable topic.
Feeling the heaviness of the conversation, ‘Ari’ didn’t push for further dialogue.
“Ari, you know many other fragments aside from me.”
“True.”
“Right now, who’s the most likely candidate?”
“You might guess by now due to the news or internet, but I’ll tell you. The wandering witch from America, the cunning pastor from Korea, the evil prince from England, the attractive general secretary from China. Those four are leading the race.”
“Is that all?”
“There could be more.”
The wandering witch from America.
The cunning pastor from Korea.
The evil prince from England.
The attractive—
“What’s so attractive about him?”
“Marry a man like Jin Mookgyeong~!”
As always, she was just being playful.
On the day we first met, she whispered to me.
“I will invest in you. It seems the best scenario will arise when the last winner is you.”
“…”
I still don’t fully understand her words.
What does it mean that I must be the last winner for the best outcome?
*
– Kim Mooksung
Living with this unpleasant coexistence with a creature that seems to house five intertwined serpents, or perhaps dragons, has been ongoing for about three years.
At some point, I began referring to this creature as ‘First.’
“Yes.”
That’s right, ‘First.’
Any other name had been rejected by it.
“I don’t need a name. If one arises, it becomes an impediment to my mission.”
A name being an obstacle to one’s mission?
What on earth does that mean?
I often sense that this being is distinctly different from Kain.
Kain was far better at ‘acting like a normal person’ than this thing.
While Kain’s friendly conversational demeanor made one feel he was just a pleasant young man, ‘First’ quickly raises alarms within a minute of starting a conversation.
“These days, I watch the news, so I can see a bit.”
“Well, it’s about time. The moment of reckoning is approaching.”
“Six? No, seven? That many stand out to me.”
“Is that so?”
“The scammer from Korea, the demon from England, the crazy guy from China, the moron from India, the beauty from America, and the beauty number two from Spain. And…”
I swallowed the final word: ‘you.’
“Scammer, demon, crazy guy, moron—those are all insults. Only beauty is a compliment. Elder, you have quite a strong tongue.”
“Who do you think will win?”
“Hmm…”
“Aren’t you supposed to have some idea?”
“What can I do if I don’t know?”
“Don’t you have a rough guess? Come on, whether it’s the grimoire side or the sun side, a strong country will have the advantage, right?”
“Is that how it works?”
“Population and national strength aren’t to be dismissed. In the end, it will probably be either China or America. And in the end…”
It would be you.
The young man smiled subtly.
“Sir, you’re missing one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“While the conflict among siblings may seem like a power struggle, the ultimate battle often turns into a one-on-one duel.”
“Seems that way.”
“There’s always a lot of variables in a fight. The stronger specs don’t always guarantee victory.”
“…”
“Another thing.”
“What is it?”
“The battle among siblings itself isn’t the goal. It’s just a means, and the real purpose is separate, don’t you think?”
A fundamental purpose.
What in the world has Kain been thinking while stirring this chaotic mess?
It gives me a headache.
Each time, I wish I were smarter.
“By the way, there’s a candidate I’m rooting for.”
“Who is it?”
“The wandering lady Serena from America.”
“Why?”
“She’s cute.”
“You crazy bastard! You should be put in jail!”
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