Chapter: 736
“Is there any way to kill a soul?” Unfortunately, mere mortals couldn’t answer that question.
Knights, who are like walking physical damage dealers, are hardly worth discussing. Even the wise symbolized by mages lack knowledge about psyche or soul-related matters, and even priests serving gods may bestow blessings on souls but don’t know how to destroy them. They can shred a body into thousands of pieces, but if you hand them a soul, they’re entirely helpless. That’s just the fate of mortals.
However, there are immortals on this continent. And they have extensive battle experience and once sought eternal rest themselves.
“Not all dragons are well-versed in souls, but ancient beings like me have a certain level of knowledge. The very act of abandoning an immortal body to embrace rest requires some knowledge of the soul in the first place.”
Indeed, Atelius responded to my question with a nonchalant tone and displayed his years of wisdom.
Of course, it’s Atelius. I believed without a doubt he would have some answers.
“To cut to the chase, dragons can’t completely annihilate another’s soul.”
“Huh?”
My faith momentarily wavered.
“I heard you’ve lived long among dragons, so you don’t have a method?”
“Just because I’ve lived long doesn’t mean I’m highly capable. I can handle my own soul, but annihilating another’s? That’s an achievement no previous Lord could achieve.”
It felt a little disappointing, but in a way, it was to be expected. If dragons could kill not just bodies but the souls themselves, then there wouldn’t be a history of suffering at the hands of Apels. Even if Apels brought hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dragon-killers, they could have just wiped out souls instead.
“But there is a way to control the Four Kings.”
‘Oh.’
At those words, my shaken faith regained its strength.
Right. Atelius is the one who once plastered the evil gods and put dragons in their place during his prime. For Atelius not to have a strategy for tackling the Four Kings would be unthinkable.
“First, you need both the body and the soul of the Four Kings.”
“Here they are.”
Before Atelius finished speaking, I flipped the bag I was holding upside down.
Then, the remnants of Risianna spilled onto the floor.
“Uhh… wheeze…”
“What a sight.”
Despite her body being in shambles, Risianna kept on sniffling. Atelius let out a small sigh.
“It’s bizarre to see in person. An entity that doesn’t die even after being shattered.”
“They say for the Four Kings, the body is merely clothing.”
“That’s indeed an apt expression. Even if the clothing is torn and burned, the essence of life remains unaffected.”
Saying this, Atelius waved his right hand lightly and muttered in a voice just a bit different from usual, “Submit.”
Weird chills ran down my spine. Even as someone not skilled in magic, I instinctively felt that those few words carried immense weight. A dragon that has lived for thousands of years is inherently different.
“Uhh…?”
In an instant, Risianna’s body, which had scattered like dust on the floor, began to reform, and her formerly sky-blue hair gradually turned black.
“It’s done.”
“Already?”
“Yeah. I’ve connected the soul of the Four Kings to myself. As long as I’m alive, the Four Kings won’t wreak havoc again.”
He casually stated this profound matter as if it were nothing, leaving me speechless.
Is connecting souls really this straightforward? It seems he can’t annihilate them, but everything else seems like child’s play.
“Since we’re now linked, if I die, she’ll break free again, but that’s not something you need to worry about.”
That declaration, indicating he would absolutely not die—or at least, would not die anytime soon—naturally brought a smile to my face.
To think that a dragon, who once considered drastic choices, could now save a life through my persuasion felt incredibly gratifying.
“If I end up in a pinch, I’ll pass her on to another dragon before I leave.”
“Let’s not say such things. Who on this continent would dare harm you, elder?”
“Just saying.”
Atelius chuckled and waved his right hand again.
“Uh? Huh?”
‘What the heck?’
Suddenly, Risianna, her body restored, flew into my arms.
Of course, since she was still the size of my finger, it didn’t hurt, but I found myself wondering why she was being handed to me.
“I took steps to ensure she won’t act out, so take her back.”
“…You want me to do that?”
“Should I be the one to manage her? Suddenly having something I haven’t seen before in my house will scare the rabbits.”
At that, I glanced over at the small group of cave rabbits, their ears perked up.
Honestly, aren’t they bigger than Risianna right now? It almost seems like Risianna should be worried about a rabbit attack.
“And while it probably won’t happen, if her hair starts returning to its original color, come find me. That means the connection is loosening, and I’ll need to reinforce it.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
He’s essentially offering unlimited complimentary A/S, so I instinctively nodded.
‘Not so bad.’
I let out a sigh of relief internally. I really wanted to hand Risianna completely over to Atelius, but I ended up reducing the chances of her causing accidents by binding her soul. The risk factor plummeted from an extraordinary monster level down to something much more manageable.
Plus, her hair had transformed from sky blue to black. The fake corpse she created had sky-blue hair, so nobody would mistake this tiny being for the Four Kings. No longer would there be rumors saying, “The Prosecutor’s Office has the true form of the Four Kings!”
‘I’ve done all I can.’
Risianna seemed to be fiddling with her newly black hair as I gently returned her to the bag.
“Um, if you’re putting me back, can’t it be in your arms instead of the bag?”
She seemed to be about to say something, but once I tied the bag’s opening, her voice was lost.
Guess her size affects her volume too.
*
So much had happened, but anyway, the operation against the Four Kings was officially concluded.
Though we didn’t get the blood-and-tears battle and the grand spectacle of the divine and the evil clashing that we envisioned—still, we had managed to take down a major menace like the Four Kings without too much damage. From a continental perspective, that’s just about the best thing that could happen right now.
I was just pondering how to deal with Risianna while Tannian and the Cardinal dealt with the emotional burden of learning the truth of the Four Kings.
“Minister.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I asked you to aid in subduing the Four Kings, not to capture them.”
“I deeply apologize…”
And on top of that, the Emperor’s mental state was on shaky ground due to the reports of the truth. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pope felt similarly right now.
“Now we’re bringing back the Four Kings, of all things.”
With another deep sigh, the Emperor began to gulp down vodka.
It was already his second bottle, but I couldn’t bring myself to stop him. How could I possibly tell him to slow down when I’m the reason for this rapid-fire alcohol intake?
“So, what do you know so far?”
“Excluding Your Majesty and Elder Atelius, the only ones who know are the Cardinal and the future Saint, as well as His Holiness the Pope.”
“That’s pretty minimal.”
The Emperor nervously set the bottle down and leaned back, gazing blankly at the ceiling.
“Minister.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Right before you arrived, I received a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The entire continent is rejoicing over the subjugation of the Four Kings and praising the Sect for their victory.”
At that, I quietly bowed my head.
“They say the bells of St. Togara Cathedral rang five times again, proclaiming that we must recapture the hearts of mercy and tolerance now that the evil has been dealt with.”
I bowed my head even lower.
“I’m curious what His Holiness must be feeling after ringing the bells five times. I’m dying to know.”
“I have no words to express…”
With that heartfelt apology, awkward silence settled in the office. I felt I had no right to speak first, and the Emperor probably didn’t have the mental space for it either.
“…But you couldn’t help it, could you? What can we do against an existence that refuses to die no matter how hard we try?”
“Y-Your Majesty.”
Finally, as I raised my head at the quiet voice, I regained my focus.
What the Emperor said was true. I didn’t get hit by a meteor in the head or take the foolish decision voluntarily to capture the Four Kings. This was the least bad option I found after searching thoroughly for an answer. I somehow managed to elevate it to a tolerable level.
I did what I could. As the Vice-Captain of the subjugation force and a noble of the Empire, I made an effort.
“Is it safe?”
“Elder Atelius assured me it is.”
“Then I can trust that.”
As the Emperor spoke, he looked toward the bag on the table—not exactly the bag, but where Risianna was contained.
“Eleven evil deities and the Four Kings… It seems there’s no dungeon more wicked than your residence, Minister.”
I kept silent, unable to dispute that comment.
Even I recognized that our house was starting to feel a bit eerie.
*
The Four Kings have been subdued.
The great evil that posed a threat to the continent and the Sect 800 years ago was brought down by the hands of the subjugation force—again threatening to turn the continent upside down.
And the continent’s strongest swordsman, Carl, participated in the subjugation force.
“Count Tailglehen defeated the Four Kings in a one-on-one battle!”
He single-handedly took down the Four Kings.
“It’s truly the Second Coming of the Saint Berlo! A living Blessed truly is different!”
“Of course, a swordsman who can even cut through the heavens wouldn’t falter against such a creature! That was only the natural outcome!”
Thanks to this, the citizens of the capital buzzed with discussions about Carl after hearing the triumph announcement from the Sect.
What a remarkable event. While we knew Carl was strong, and I believed he wouldn’t get hurt, I never imagined he would defeat the Four Kings all by himself.
Of course, as a wife it was heartbreaking that my husband faced off with the Four Kings. While I wished he would remain safely among the soldiers, it’s a wife’s instinct.
But it was all in the past now. Instead of interrogating him about why he did that after returning from the war, it’s better to celebrate his safe return.
Yeah, that’s certainly true, but…
“Carl. Could you say that one more time?”
“T-this was the Four Kings.”
“Please repeat yourself.”
“Four Kings…”
“Again.”
“I’m sorry, Mar.”
It was strange. Why was Carl apologizing? Why was he making such a boring joke?
“I certainly intended to kill it. But no matter what I did, it wouldn’t die, and the most I managed to do was bind its soul.”
Why was he pleading like a child holding a small doll?
“Hey. Say something back too.”
“Me? What should I say?”
Why does that tiny doll speak like a person?
Like how our household pets transformed from evil gods to holy spirits.
“Carl.”
“Y-yeah?”
“As the lady of the house, I’m disappointed in the Patriarch.”
It was an odd sentence, but it poured out involuntarily.
There’s no better sentence to capture how I feel than that.
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