Chapter 36: Duamutep (3)
by fnovelpia
“Ha. This is ridiculous.”
A man with golden hair sprawled across an entire sofa, his legs spread wide.
He was the second prince of the empire, a frontrunner in the competition for the imperial throne alongside the first princess.
“When I first heard the rumor that you and the saintess were lovers, I thought it was just a lie you spread to get attention.”
As soon as the rumor started circulating, he had his subordinates investigate the man thoroughly.
The target seemed to prefer a quiet life, making the prince initially believe the rumor was a misunderstanding.
Crash.
“He has a child?”
The sofa’s armrest crumpled under his grip.
“The saintess, so pure and innocent, would never be attracted to such a scoundrel.”
Despite Albus never doing anything particularly wrong, the prince now saw him as a womanizer.
Usually rational and composed, the prince found it hard to maintain his sanity when it came to matters involving the woman he adored.
He first met her years ago at the grand harvest festival in the capital.
She radiated a holy and mystical aura, likely due to her devotion to God.
Although he once thought all women were either materialistic or trivial, he couldn’t help but be captivated by the saintess.
How much had he struggled to earn even a sliver of her attention since that day?
Why had he joined the imperial succession race he had no interest in?
How ecstatic had he been upon hearing she would attend the academy?
He dreamt that if he won the throne, she would place the crown on his head at his coronation, and he would confess his love, holding her hand and whispering sweet words.
The union of the empire’s pinnacle and the daughter of God would be a beautiful testament to the empire’s thousand-year prosperity and Deus’s blessing.
But another man’s child?
What scoundrel dared to impregnate the saintess?
Normally, he would consider the possibility of a rumor being exaggerated and investigate further, but his rationality was already slipping.
“He must have used some vile trick.”
Perhaps he used hypnosis or another dirty spell.
Maybe he exploited her kind heart.
Grinding his teeth, the prince seethed.
“Lugal.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
A student in academy uniform, waiting by the prince’s side, responded to his call.
“You said his name was Albus Vernier? We need to capture and interrogate him. Personally.”
Was he really involved with the saintess?
Was the child causing a commotion in the academy truly theirs?
He would confirm it himself.
“Your Highness, Albus Vernier is a member of the noble Vernier family. Arbitrarily interrogating him without cause is dangerous.”
It was just a rumor.
Malicious gossip about prominent figures was common, and it was alarming to see his lord so swayed by it.
“If we rashly interrogate Albus Vernier, the Vernier family, who have declared neutrality in the succession struggle, might turn to support the first princess.”
So many princes and princesses had tried to win over that formidable house.
Turning them into enemies by interrogating their heir was too risky.
His lord’s obsession with the saintess was well-known.
The dormant dragon had entered the succession race in earnest because of her.
But it was preposterous for him to personally confirm a ridiculous rumor about the saintess and a duke’s son having a child.
“Moreover, it’s just a frivolous rumor. There’s no need for Your Highness to act personally. Let me discreetly verify the truth.”
As a loyal servant, he had to prevent his lord from making a mistake.
“No.”
The prince rose slowly.
“I will do it myself.”
His eyes were already filled with madness.
“I can interrogate him without revealing my identity.”
“Your Highness…!”
“Enough. Do not make me repeat myself.”
His eyes were bloodshot.
Lugal realized he could no longer dissuade the prince.
“If you’re worried about revealing your identity, don’t be. There’s a perfect world for that.”
The prince gestured towards the device on the table.
“…A connector? Your Highness, you don’t mean…”
“In Rudera, there’s an item called the [Polymorph Scroll].”
[Polymorph Scroll], a rare item that temporarily changes the user’s appearance through polymorph magic.
“I can interrogate him without revealing my identity. Put surveillance on him.”
If they knew when and where Albus connected to Rudera, they could capture him without revealing their identities.
Once the truth was verified through interrogation, if everything turned out to be true…
The prince’s eyes glowed ominously.
He would show no mercy to the man who dared take the woman he had pursued his entire life.
“No! That’s not it!”
Perhaps it was her desire to be endearing to her father.
The girl with perky animal ears on her head stuttered.
“No!”
“Is this right?”
The light that had been shining from Albus’s palm disappeared.
“Like this?”
“Like this!”
When Duamutep fiddled with the air, a tree resembling Albus sprouted from the ground.
“Like this!”
Duamutep scolded Albus, hands on her hips.
“…Even if you say so.”
Albus felt dejected seeing the girl achieve effortlessly what he couldn’t despite trying so hard.
Receiving guidance from his daughter on how to use divine power, he thought he would soon be able to use it.
Despite wielding god-like power in Rudera, he struggled in reality.
“No! Like this!”
“Like this?”
“No! Like this!”
Reality was not so simple.
‘Is it because I can’t understand Duamutep’s explanation or do I lack talent?’
Albus sat down in defeat.
‘The saintess said my future self used divine power. That means I will be able to use it eventually. Maybe I just need more time.’
Seeing Albus slump to the ground, Duamutep looked worried.
“Daddy…are you mad?”
“Huh?”
“You said Duamutep was being mean…”
The girl was now downcast, her ears drooping.
“No, no! Daddy’s not mad! Why would I be mad at you? You were just trying to teach me!”
“Really?”
“Really, really.”
“Yay.”
As Albus nodded vigorously, Duamutep beamed and hugged him tightly.
‘I need to be careful. Even my smallest actions could hurt her.’
Adopting a god with abandonment issues as his daughter. How did it come to this?
Growl.
Albus’s stomach growled.
‘Did I forget to eat?’
He had been about to have dinner with Wald after their classes when Duamutep had abducted him.
The series of shocking events had made him forget, but now his hunger was catching up.
“Duamutep.”
“Hmm?”
“Want to have dinner with Daddy?”
“Yeah, yeah!”
Though he hadn’t mastered divine power yet, he had plenty of time.
Watching Duamutep use it, he would soon be able to as well.
Now that he understood her loneliness, he couldn’t leave her in the desolate desert.
He had to bring her to the academy.
“Not that I could go back alone anyway.”
Albus chuckled.
He intended to learn to use divine power and return to the academy, but he would need Duamutep’s help.
“Hmm? What’s that sound?”
Duamutep looked up at him with curious eyes.
“Nothing. Let’s go eat. Can you take us back to where you brought me from?”
“Okay!”
Duamutep hugged Albus’s waist.
Woosh.
The next moment, Albus and Duamutep stood inside the academy’s research building.
‘We’re back.’
The building was deserted now that the sun had set.
‘A great wizard, no, even Carthesia would show signs when teleporting such a long distance.’
While wizards needed incantations and preparation, and Carthesia displayed magical fluctuations, Duamutep’s spatial movement had no such prelude.
It was as if they had seamlessly transitioned from the desert to the academy.
‘This is divine power?’
A symbol of the gods, wielded by gods alone.
The overwhelming power sent shivers through Albus.
‘I will wield this power someday…’
“Albus?”
Lost in thought, he heard a voice calling him from behind.
“Hmm?”
Turning around, he saw Ferizit holding a bundle of bread.
“What are you doing here… Hmm?”
Her gaze shifted to Duamutep standing beside him.
“That child is…”
Ferizit believed in GM and Duamutep, yet she hadn’t met Duamutep before.
How coincidental.
But there was no way she would recognize Duamutep.
Who would believe their god appeared as a little girl with animal ears?
She would think she was a beast-kin girl.
“Human child?”
Ferizit tilted her head.
‘Not a beast-kin but human?’
Puzzled by Ferizit’s reaction, Albus looked down at Duamutep.
The animal ears that had been on her head were gone, leaving her looking like a regular human child.
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