Children of the Holy Emperor
chapter-144

Although he had told the Holy Emperor that he had stopped by on a whim, there was another reason why Seongjin had reluctantly come to the palace.

At the time when Cardmos, who had acquired Seo Yi-seos body, was pushing aside all the priests and heading towards the palace with a menacing air.

Seongjin, Masain, and Bruno, who were heading to the training hall for morning practice, almost simultaneously sensed an ominous aura heading towards the palace.

It was a violent aura that did not hide its presence at all, like a storm.

“Come to think of it, an emergency action directive was issued to the entire imperial guard corps this morning.”

Masain said, after staring at the palace for a moment.

“The guards are to stop guarding the palace, and instead block all paths leading to the palace and go on high alert. The knights stationed at Pearl Palace didn’t pay much attention to it because there was nothing specific about it, but it seems something happened at the palace.”

“……?”

Seongjin was momentarily speechless because his expression was so calm.

Hey, Sir Masain? If something happens at the palace, shouldn’t the guards prioritize guarding the palace? Why aren’t you worried at all, even though you received such an order?

“I don’t know who it is, but they’re a great warrior. Even Balthazar can’t compare to them. It’s the first time I’ve seen His Majesty the Holy Emperor with such a great aura. Who could it be?”

“……?!”

Even Bruno spoke with a peaceful face.

No, sir? You’re saying he’s a great warrior you’ve never seen since the Holy Emperor? Why is everyone so relaxed when such a guy is rushing towards the palace?

“Well, His Majesty the Holy Emperor is in the palace, isn’t he?”

“There must be a reason why His Majesty lifted the guard.”

Oh, my God. These people are all crazy.

‘Am I the only one worried about that gentleman here?’

Seongjin’s head was spinning.

W, weird? I’m sure I’m normal, but why do I feel like I’m the only one overreacting?

“I think we should reconfirm the security status of Pearl Palace just in case. Your Highness, please postpone your training for now and return to your room.”

Masain strangely worried about the state of Pearl Palace and left to find Maria, the head of security for the day.

“This is a message from Arenja. The Knights of St. Terbacchia are on their way here. I will join them, so it would be better for Your Highness not to leave the palace for the time being, as Master Masain said.”

Bruno also frowned and channeled, then suddenly disappeared towards the main gate.

“…….”

Seongjin, who was suddenly left alone, turned around and saw Sir Haven, who was in charge of today’s escort duty, smiling foolishly.

“Are you going in, Your Highness? Everyone is busy with the high alert, but I’m the only one on indoor escort duty. Isn’t that great?”

…You jerk. Why are you saying that now?

Anyway, Seongjin quietly returned to his room, and as soon as the door closed, he unfolded his aura concealment and headed for the terrace.

Of course, Haven outside the door didn’t notice a thing. Seongjin’s concealment technique had improved by leaps and bounds recently, so it would be difficult for anyone below a certain level of knight to easily sense his aura.

Seongjin, who had thus safely escaped through the back door of Pearl Palace, immediately began to run towards the palace.

[Why are you in such a hurry? Whatever happens, your father will try to figure it out on his own.]

The demon king asked curiously.

Of course, Seongjin couldn’t imagine that guy being in danger either.

‘But that’s not the point, is it?’

Think about it, Demon King.

Something is happening right in front of your eyes, and you’re just going to leave someone there alone? No matter how safe you think it is.

In the past, our parents always told us this. They said that they knew I would overcome the adversities that life would throw at me, but that they would never leave me alone.

[…Your parents? They said that?]

Yes, you bastard of my parents’ enemy.

You should be grateful that you only got three days of beating from me.

[…….]

And as Seongjin got closer to the palace, he realized that the situation at the palace was more serious than he had thought.

[Uh? A huge divine barrier over there?]

According to the demon king, a huge barrier was being deployed on the side of the Silver Labyrinth.

Kuuung!

In the palace, the buildings were already shaking from the violent aura of the two sides clashing before the battle even began. It was so intense that he was worried that the palace would suddenly collapse.

Above all, the aura.

The flow of aura that was swirling around the palace and growing stronger was strangely agitated.

‘Is this guy in a bad mood right now?’

Seongjin thought unconsciously, because the flow was completely different from the well-organized aura that usually surrounded the Holy Emperor.

Furthermore.

[What is this again? Lee Seongjin. I feel a strange power coming from inside there. It feels impure for divine power, and it’s too holy to be magic. It’s the first time I’ve felt this kind of thing in this dimension, so it’s confusing.]

When even the demon king said that, Seongjin’s uneasiness grew even stronger.

Uprooted by the strong wind, Seongjin looked at the garden trees flying away and made up his mind.

‘I have to go in and stop them.’

[What? Are you crazy? Are you going in there?]

—Stop! I’ll die! I’m really going to die!

The demon king screamed in his head, but Seongjin ignored him and checked the aura in his body. He had a strong feeling that he couldn’t let them collide like this.

The countless turbulence created by the violently swirling collision of forces was like invisible blades spinning around wildly.

Even for a hardened person like Seongjin, he couldn’t help but sweat when he actually jumped into it.

‘…Let’s try to let out as much as I can.’

With that determination, he didn’t even reach the stairs to the second floor before he felt a bloody taste rising from his throat.

With the rough force stirring up his whole body, a silent roar rang in his ears and he felt like his blood vessels were being torn apart.

If this kept up, he would die from a ruptured aorta or a cerebral hemorrhage!

Seongjin hurriedly concentrated his aura on his head and heart, and gritted his teeth as he took one step forward at a time.

Thud thud.

Soon, blood was flowing from his nose and making a trail on the floor.

When he finally reached the office after suffering so much, Seongjin found a completely unexpected person.

‘…Seo Yi-seo?’

The person wearing a priestess garment and letting her black hair fly was definitely the suspicious saintess.

However, Seongjin could tell right away that it was not actually Seo Yi-seo herself. The aura she was giving off was completely different from before.

Her face, distorted with ferocity, briefly showed a glimpse of something like scales, and her golden eyes shone brightly with a terrible murderous aura.

[Hiiik! I didn’t know there would be two of those monsters!]

The demon king cowered in fear in his head.

—I don’t know who they are, but they’re very powerful. Even Balthazar can’t compare to them.

That was how Bruno had evaluated them. Certainly, even by the standards of Seongjin at his peak, they were definitely out of the ordinary strong.

But more than their strength, Seongjin was really concerned about something else.

‘…Isn’t that unlike him?’

The Holy Emperor, who was in a tense standoff with Seo Yi-seo, had an infinitely calm face on the outside.

But Seongjin could tell. That guy was really pissed off right now.

“Um, can you stop now?”

Seized by a strong feeling that he couldn’t leave them alone, Seongjin squeezed out the last of his strength and stepped in between them.

“Then you should have called the guards, or just waited for the situation to end from a distance!”

While scolding him and pouring divine power over Seongjin’s head, the Holy Emperor had quickly cooled down and regained his usual composure.

Only then did Seongjin, relieved by his usual calm eyes, let out a laugh without realizing it.

“Haha, as you know Father, I have a hard time holding back my curiosity.”

Well, thanks to that, he ended up cracking his forehead and rolling on the floor.

Let’s just say it was a noble sacrifice for the peace of Delcross.

[…Are you saying that you guys are ignoring me right now?]

As the thing that had possessed Seo Yi-seo’s body approached them and growled, the Holy Emperor explained to Seongjin with a slightly annoyed look on his face.

“The laws of the imaginary world are very unique. Sometimes, things happen that cannot be understood by the logic of power alone. Among them, the most important law is [Condition].”

Condition?

“For example, a door that will never open without a specific condition would be one of them.”

Aha, Seongjin quickly understood.

Come to think of it, the imaginary world was like a game. The laws that governed such a world would not be strange if they were like some kind of coded program.

“That’s why the souls of the imaginary world are not destroyed and preserved even with such strong divine power, and the bodies of the imaginary world can only contain him.”

As he finished speaking, the Holy Emperor snapped. Lightly flicked his finger.

[……!?]

For a moment, a great light of shock appeared in the saintess’ eyes.

[What is this? What is this! What have you done to me?]

Kuaaaak?

The saintess seemed to be greatly surprised by something and jumped around the office for a long time.

She shook her head roughly, waved her hands in the air, and even jumped around here and there. She looked crazy.

During that time, the Holy Emperor briefly explained the situation to Seongjin.

So, the one who is wearing the appearance of that fake saintess is actually a guy named Cardmos, the first Holy Emperor of the Holy Emperor’s family.

To think that the disgusting bastard had survived for 700 years as a soul, even though he was called a demigod! He had possessed the saintess through the Holy Emperor’s coronation ceremony and was now running wild.

‘Wow, even though he’s a long-time ancestor, isn’t that flick just now too merciless?’

As he was thinking this, the Holy Emperor sternly rebuked Seongjin.

“Anyway, Morres. Didn’t I tell you not to cause trouble? You must never do something so dangerous again. Do you understand?”

Seongjin protested with a feeling of injustice.

“Um? But father. I didn’t cause an accident today, I came to prevent an accident.”

“…….”

“Really.”

The Holy Emperor stared at Seongjin silently for a moment. The strange silver light that always lingered in his eyes flickered.

Seongjin always wondered whenever he did that.

What on earth is he seeing with those eyes? Is that the special eye of the Oracle?

“…Alright.”

After a short while, the Holy Emperor gave a short answer and sighed as if he didn’t like something.

Then, he reached out and lightly patted Seongjin on the head.

“That’s right. You’ve worked hard.”

Pat pat.

“Um…….”

Seongjin was caught in a subtle mood.

It was hard to describe. He felt proud, but also a little embarrassed. It was a very ticklish feeling.

In the meantime, Cardmos, the ancestor, who seemed to have finally calmed down, approached them with a fierce face.

[How did you lock me in this body? What on earth did you do?]

A faint smile appeared on the Holy Emperor’s face.

“It seems that even after being trapped in that small coffin for 700 years, you are still so ignorant of the laws of the imaginary world. If you had known, you would not have entered that body so easily.”

[What?]

Cardmos gritted his teeth fiercely.

[I’ll smash this artificial body to pieces! Do you think I can’t do it?]

“It would be wise to be more careful with that decision. If it wasn’t for the saintess’ body, do you think you would be able to crawl out of the church basement again?”

[…….]

“Who else but the humans of the imaginary world can contain your soul and still survive? Surely you didn’t think I would offer you the body of another person, knowing full well that it would destroy your soul?”

After staring at the Holy Emperor for a long time, Cardmos asked.

[Then what’s the point of taking me out of there like this? I can’t fully express my divine power in this body.]

“Of course I don’t plan to release you.”

[Then why!]

“But liberating you is also possible for the original owner of that body.”

[……!]

“Then you will have to take good care of that tricky soul.”

Cardmos, who had been standing there blankly for a moment, finally smiled with a dispirited face.

[In that case, I have no choice but to protect this woman from the puppeteer. And this woman will try to stay by your daughter’s side.]

“…….”

[…Have you ever seen such a cunning thing?]

The Holy Emperor did not respond to his sharp criticism. Instead, Seongjin, who was feeling unnecessarily wronged, raised his hand towards him.

“Excuse me for a moment, ancestor?”

[Don’t you dare call me ancestor, you wretched thing!]

“Hmm, then Mr. Cardmos?”

[…What?]

Although his expression became even more ferocious, Seongjin did not bat an eye.

Seongjin looked around the devastated office with slightly exaggerated gestures and said.

“You almost destroyed the palace, so you should at least clean up what you yourself did, right?”

[…….]

“Come on! Please show me how to take responsibility for your actions, like a great ancestor. Okay?”

Cardmos fell silent at that.

Soon, the brilliant golden light from his eyes disappeared, and his dark brown pupils wavered with a faint light as if waking up from sleep.

Huh? Did he run away?

“…Huh?”

Seo Yi-seo, who had been blinking her eyes for a moment, unable to understand the situation, suddenly widened her eyes when she saw Seongjin and the Holy Emperor.

Then she jumped up and down and screamed.

“No, what the hell is going on! Why are the two villains1 and villains2 together!”

…Why does this woman seem less sane when she’s sane?

And so, that afternoon, Seo Yi-seo had her first official schedule as the new saintess.

It was to clean the palace all day long with the servants of the palace, encouraging them.

“Why me?!”