Chapter: 78
After the Second Prince of the Arcad Kingdom suddenly fell from the sky, it took a miraculous six months for him to recover.
It was indeed a miracle that his shattered limbs healed without proper treatment, but honestly, the Second Prince’s drama wasn’t really the hot topic of the town.
“The pilgrims… they’re still MIA…”
“Hmm. It’s about time the medicine runs out. What on earth is happening?”
“Beats me, really.”
The first ones to sense the chaos were the weary commoners, desperate for a little help from the beloved pilgrims who healed their sore, tired bodies post-labor.
Honestly, those commoners considered the pilgrims’ healing to be like a heavenly spa treatment.
Just the thought of their tired bodies getting healed must have felt like a sweet vacation.
“What? The pilgrims aren’t showing up in the neighboring village either?”
“What is going on here?! Village chief! Hey, get out here!!!”
“Uh, I honestly don’t know! I have no clue why the pilgrims decided to ghost us!”
The absence of those who had wandered the world since before these folks were even born was starting to leave a gaping hole. The lack of the patrons who healed their aches was a serious predicament.
“What do we do? The fever is still raging…”
“Well, too bad, it looks like we have to trek to the neighboring village.”
“But that village is in another country! Is that wise?”
“Wise or not, the little one is sick! We have to do something! Damn it… if only the pilgrims were here…”
The first folks to feel the pinch were the sick ones.
The absence of the pilgrims, who normally healed injuries and ailments, was an existential crisis for them.
Their families were left with two options: brave the journey to another country to save them, or tragically let them die.
Of course, dashing off to another country wasn’t a walk in the park.
It was a time filled with nightmares, where terrifying monsters could leap out at you for just veering off the beaten path, and now there were no pilgrims around to act as bodyguards!
Still, some bold souls risked their lives and fled to other lands.
Some carried their sick children on their backs; others awkwardly wheeled their immobilized parents in carts.
And so, little by little, the common folk began to skedaddle to foreign territories.
With every empty house appearing in what used to be a bustling village, those who remained couldn’t help but panic.
“Village chief! Half of the houses are empty already! At this rate, the entire village is going to be a ghost town! Do something!”
“Mmm… I’ve heard from the traders that it’s the same situation in the cities.”
“In the cities too?”
“Yup. Rumor has it some cities are even showing signs of an epidemic. We’re absolutely doomed. It’s the end times, folks.”
But they had no clue that the departure of the pilgrims was just the beginning of their troubles.
“The crops… they’re just refusing to grow.”
“The sprouting season, it’s already come and gone! What in the world is happening?”
“It’s not just the crops, okay? Hunting is a disaster too! I set a bunch of traps, and guess what? Zip! Not a single catch!”
“Fishing’s in the same boat. We used to haul in more than ten fish at once, but now? Not even a nibble!”
Life itself had turned its back on their land.
Nothing new was sprouting, and nothing was bearing fruit.
All the animals that could move scurried off to distant lands, while the plants that couldn’t move decided to take a long nap just to survive the unforgiving times.
The folks of the Arcad Kingdom were getting next to nothing.
“At this rate, we’re all toast! Damn it!”
“The neighboring country is fine, but we’re the only ones suffering like this. What gives?”
As the last remaining villagers fought to keep their lives going…
“Bad news, everyone! An epidemic is starting to spread from the cities!!”
“What?!”
“It’s already out of control! If this keeps up, it’s only a matter of time before it reaches our village!! I’m getting the heck out of here!!”
“Damn it… we have no choice! If we want to live, we’ve got to head off to another country!!”
“Hey, wait! What do you mean, leave the village?!”
“Village chief, do you really think we can endure this epidemic without the pilgrims? Get real!”
“But… I’m the village chief recognized by the King, you know…”
“Yeah, and look where that got us! What has that king done for us lately?! If you don’t want to end up dead, get moving! If we stick together, we might fend off the monsters!”
Death had become particularly merciless to their people.
Famine and disease mercilessly ravaged the Arcad Kingdom, and the death toll was steadily rising. Those who had the will to survive had to flee to other lands.
Of course, that journey wasn’t exactly risk-free, but many braved it, driven by the sheer desire to live.
Before long, news of the exodus reached the capital of the kingdom.
“What…?”
“The people are leaving in droves. At this rate, the Arcad Kingdom will cease to exist.”
“H-How could this happen…?”
“The main culprit is that the pilgrims from the Temple of Life aren’t coming anymore, and then there’s the devastating famine. The crops can’t grow, the hunting is a bust, and even livestock refuses to breed.”
Facing divine retribution that thoroughly tormented a nation, the king, trembling, rubbed the crown he wore.
A crown that had been passed down through generations. The symbol of his right to rule this world.
He had been overjoyed the moment he put that crown on. Honestly, he felt as if he held the world in his hands.
So why, gods above, had they thrown such a cruel trial at him?
The king despaired.
The king mourned.
The king desperately wanted to toss that crown aside.
But not now.
“There was definitely something a departing pilgrim said when the Second Prince took a nosedive from the sky and got seriously hurt back then, right?”
“Yep. According to the guards, the Second Prince was said to have offended the Goddess of Life, and that’s why divine punishment fell on him. That info has been kept on the down-low, known only to us.”
“What are your thoughts on this?”
No one dared to answer the king’s question.
Well, the truth was, they all knew.
To save the kingdom, the Second Prince needed to embark on a pilgrimage of atonement.
Like the pilgrims from the Temple of Life. He would have to undertake a grueling journey.
But they couldn’t bring themselves to say it out loud.
The Second Prince, Orcus. The royal troublemaker, Orcus.
Born a late child, he was the prince that the king doted on way too much.
And because of that, he believed everything in the kingdom belonged to him, making him a real headache for everyone.
If they didn’t send the Second Prince on that pilgrimage… well, the Arcad Kingdom was destined to vanish.
“Is there really no other way? Can’t we calm the Goddess’s anger somehow?”
It was a straightforward question, but no answer came.
The Goddess of Life had always been a compassionate deity. She was so kind that her devoted followers were entrusted with caring for other humans.
What kind of antics had Orcus pulled to rile up such a kind Goddess?
Knowing the answer but unable to vocalize it, the king exhaled a mighty sigh.
And then…
“I’ve heard the story.”
A man strutted into the council room.
“We’re in serious trouble! The country is going downhill rapidly!”
Repeating what everyone already knew, this was the First Prince, Shtur.
The rightful heir to the Arcad Kingdom, destined to take over the throne.
“Your Majesty, it’s decision-making time. You can either let the kingdom perish with you, or send my clueless brother on that pilgrimage.”
“Shtur…”
“Your Majesty, no, Father. We’re out of time. We have no idea how long our food reserves will last. Buying food with the treasury is going to hit a wall soon. You must make a wise choice.”
Listening to Shtur’s calm demeanor, King Sharkal rubbed his pounding head and said,
“Are you not just saying this out of jealousy for your brother?”
“Jealousy…”
Shtur replied,
“I was once jealous of that brat who got all the love from our parents. But I put that jealousy aside after hearing that he insulted the Goddess. Why would I be jealous of a foolish little brother who doesn’t even realize what he’s done?”
Shtur’s words made the king let out a heavy sigh.
“Well, he’s still your brother…”
“Once he messed up with the Goddess, he’s no longer my brother. Just look at how this kingdom is collapsing because of him.”
The king had no words left.
It was painfully evident that the Second Prince was the one who brought this catastrophe upon the kingdom.
“And forcing that idiot onto a pilgrimage of atonement won’t be the end of it. When there’s still a bit of energy left, we need to gather all the villagers and attempt to migrate somewhere else.”
“Migrate, First Prince? Are you saying we should abandon the homeland that our ancestors lived in for generations?!”
“We don’t know when my brother’s pilgrimage will end. It could take years; it’s such an uncertain journey. Even if that foolish brother finishes his pilgrimage, what’s the point if all the people of this kingdom have already perished?”
“But that’s…”
“Perhaps we might even need to let go of the name of this kingdom. We may have to leave this land, discard the kingdom’s name, and give up everything just to survive.”
At the First Prince’s words, the vassals wore expressions of resignation.
If they didn’t, only doom awaited them.
With a face that seemed suddenly aged by decades, the king slowly lifted the crown off his head.
Everything felt like it was his fault.
He felt like he had failed to properly look after his foolish son.
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