Ch.183Epilogue. The King’s Inspection (End)

Now it’s truly over.

I was planning to return to the imperial capital after achieving my goal. It was time to wrap up the vacation I’d been enjoying under the pretext of an inspection.

However, one more place was added to my final itinerary.

“Your Highness. The Saintess has requested that you visit the Holy See in the Papal State. The Saintess is currently on her way there as well.”

This was the message Katie of the Wellington Knights had rushed to deliver to me.

A knightly order composed of knights who had sworn loyalty to me, not to the Empire. For a knightly order serving a single family, their caliber was exceptionally high. Even the current commander Katie, who came from the Hero’s party, was one of the Masters.

No matter how I looked at it, she wasn’t someone to be tasked with trivial errands. From the beginning, Hannah wasn’t the type to treat her retainers like personal servants.

“Did she mention what it was about?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know. She only said that if you weren’t inclined to come, you didn’t have to. What would you like to do?”

Instead of responding immediately, I suddenly looked down at the holy sword.

The holy sword I’d been carrying throughout my vacation. Of course, I hadn’t carried it because I wanted to, but because I was following Hannah’s advice.

‘So it was because of this after all.’

Did Hannah receive some revelation from the Goddess again? What was the meaning behind her saying I didn’t have to come if I didn’t want to? Did it mean I could disregard the Goddess’s call, or was she hoping I would ignore it and move on? I couldn’t tell.

To be honest, I didn’t care either way.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

“Your Highness. If the Goddess causes you distress again…”

She seemed worried that the Goddess might burden me with more troubles.

While I appreciated her concern, I didn’t hold the Goddess in such high regard anyway.

And I wasn’t the only one who disregarded the Goddess.

“…Katie.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“During my inspection, I briefly visited a monastery. In the past, it was a closed monastery completely cut off from the outside world. The monks there would pray eight times a day, and spend the rest of their time farming or reading scriptures.”

“Your Highness…?”

“But this time, I saw no one looking at the scriptures. They would offer one perfunctory prayer in the morning and spend the rest of their time mostly studying. They were passionately trying to solve some mathematical contradiction.”

“……”

“Churches where people worship are no different. Since they’ve merged with schools, more people come and go, but faith has actually weakened.”

Even the number of people praying for lottery numbers had decreased. Because the Goddess had never picked them anyway.

The clergy weren’t particularly devout either. They had already transformed into a group dedicated to scholarship, or one that mechanically sold divine power to contribute money to the church’s finances.

The church itself would probably maintain its influence for the foreseeable future. However, the population worshipping the Goddess was expected to continue decreasing.

What was the big deal about responding to such a Goddess’s call? Sparing a little time wouldn’t ruin my vacation.

“Let’s go. Right now.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“How are things in the imperial capital?”

“Everyone seems tense. Quite a few people suspect that Your Highness deliberately left to root out disloyal elements.”

“That’s to be expected.”

“And the draft of the law codifying the imperial authority and the scope of the imperial family has been completed. Additionally…”

Everyone seemed to be waiting for my return.

Of course, each had their own purpose. Some were anxious (or hopeful) that I might purge someone as soon as I returned, others were stomping their feet like children hoping for a word of praise from me, and a small number of people who genuinely missed me.

I wouldn’t need to waste much time with the Goddess, so I’d be able to see them soon.

***

“You’ve arrived, Hero King. The Saintess is waiting for you in the ‘Holy Place.'”

There was only one Holy Place within the Holy See.

The summoning circle.

Despite the rise and fall of countless nations, the sanctity of the summoning circle had never been questioned. Only the faces of the powers welcoming the Heroes had changed with the times.

However, after the Cordana incident, the prevailing view was that nothing beneficial would emerge from the summoning circle. Rather, it was suspected to be a source of calamity.

“You came, Erick.”

Hannah greeted me with a bitter smile. Unlike when she was taking care of the baby at the Grand Prince’s residence, she was dressed in a modest nun’s habit.

Perhaps because of the location, I naturally recalled the day she first set foot in this world.

Contrary to people’s concerns at that time, she was far from being a calamity.

Quite the opposite.

Not a single thing she had done for me had been harmful. This was something I felt even more keenly during this inspection. Of course, the Goddess’s status hadn’t been restored thanks to Hannah’s devotion, but still.

“If you’re the messenger, I suppose I should respond at least once.”

“What do you think I’m going to tell you?”

“If it was something harmful to me, you wouldn’t have conveyed it no matter what the Goddess said. We’ve lived together for all these years, after all.”

“That’s true.”

There was much I wanted to say, but I didn’t bother voicing it.

I could roughly guess why Hannah had advised me to bring the holy sword, and why she was waiting for me at the Holy See.

Jumping to conclusions isn’t a good habit, but throughout those long years, my predictions had rarely been wrong.

This time was no exception.

“Erick.”

Hannah soon stopped in front of the summoning circle.

The summoning circle was already emitting a subtle holy light, and the holy sword also began to shine as if in response. This was what we commonly called an omen. Usually, it was a sight seen only before the arrival of a Hero, the savior of humanity.

The reason an omen appeared while I, the Hero, was still alive was obvious.

“So you did receive a revelation.”

Hannah said she had received the revelation a month ago.

“Yes. She said that if Erick wishes, he can lay down the Hero’s duty at any time. She probably thinks that even without the Hero’s blessing, Erick’s work won’t be hindered now… If you place the holy sword in the Holy See, your status as the Hero will end.”

It didn’t seem like she was trying to spite me with this revelation.

Rather, I could sense that the being known as the Goddess had been closely observing humanity. Making such an offer after I had completely secured control of the Empire.

And… though I didn’t quite believe it, it seemed like she was trying to look out for me in her own way. Hannah added that “she said she would send a new Hero if there was even the slightest suspicious movement from the Demonic Land.” Perhaps she was doing this to lighten my burden.

“Watching everything and yet you did that.”

I was just muttering to myself, not expecting an answer, but surprisingly, Hannah provided one.

“…She said what happened to Gwon Heejin was a mistake. By the time she realized it was a mistake, it was too late, and when she tried to rectify it belatedly, there was nothing she could do.”

“Did you hear that now too?”

“No. A long time ago. I reached the Goddess after defeating the Demon Lord. That was the answer I got then. I’m sorry for keeping it from you all this time.”

There was no need for her to apologize.

It wasn’t hard to guess why Hannah had kept silent all this time.

Confirming the true nature of a being we thought was an omnipotent providence, one we believed would guide us according to a predetermined plan, was a distasteful experience. Especially when recalling the tremendous disaster caused by the Goddess’s mistake.

Even the olive branch the Goddess was now extending to lighten my burden felt, frankly speaking, ridiculous.

Still, it was right to respond.

I looked at Hannah for a moment before turning my gaze toward the summoning circle.

The summoning circle, still emitting a faint radiance, might send a new Hero depending on my decision.

Gripping the holy sword firmly in one hand, I spoke.

“I don’t want anything from you.”

“Whether you truly extended your hand to lighten my burden or not, it’s true that laying down the Hero’s duty would reduce my burden. I can control whoever comes as the new Hero.”

“Perhaps I might gain a useful card. The Hero might possess knowledge that could aid my rule.”

If things went well, I could accelerate development and, as a bonus, avoid a future where I’d have to personally lead an expedition against the Demon Lord’s army.

It might not be bad.

But my answer was already decided.

“I will not accept a new Hero. I’m truly grateful for sending Hannah, but I don’t want to be entangled with people from ‘Earth’ anymore.”

I wanted to stop entrusting our fate to otherworlders who had no connection to the land we stand on.

Of course, if the Goddess had any sense, she wouldn’t choose trash like Gwon Heejin again, but relying on her judgment would be foolish. It would be too degrading to tremble in hope that the Goddess would select a good person.

Rather than depending on that uncertainty, it was better for me to continue wielding the holy sword.

“I will not accept otherworlders. Not in my generation, nor in the next. If you’re willing to comply with this request, stop the omen right now.”

With my declaration, the holy light emitted by the holy sword and the summoning circle immediately subsided.

A moment of silence followed.

…It wasn’t that I was shaken by something so trivial.

Of course, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t affected at all. After all, I had rejected an opportunity to lighten some of the burden on my shoulders.

Because of this decision, I would have to govern the Empire until my death. And most likely, I would pass that duty on to my descendants.

But the time for deliberation wasn’t long. I had already shed even a fragment of hesitation during my inspection.

“Let’s go home, Hannah.”

I said this while extending my hand to Hannah. She hastily wiped away the moisture gathering at the corners of her eyes before taking my hand.

It was time to return to the home where our family was waiting.

…

Imperial Capital, Grand Prince’s Residence.

“The Grand Prince has arrived in the imperial capital.”

Upon hearing this report, Ember, who had been attending to the affairs of the Grand Prince’s household, immediately rose to her feet.

Erick has returned.

She knew why Erick had detoured through the Papal State, and why Hannah had accompanied him on that journey. But she hadn’t worried about it. She had already guessed what decision Erick would make.

She had only one task: to welcome her husband whom she hadn’t seen in a while.

Ember went to the front of the Grand Prince’s residence without a single maid in attendance.

A moment later, two figures came into view. Erick, carrying what appeared to be gifts purchased for the children, and Hannah, walking beside him.

The holy sword was still sheathed at Erick’s side.

“Welcome back, Erick.”

Ember greeted Erick with a bright smile. Erick smiled back.

Though they had done this countless times before, today her heart felt especially full.