Ch.252Coronation (2)

Just before the fruit, or more precisely, the upper part of the nest that could be considered the management level of the Pantheon, descended to connect.

Llewellyn, seated on the throne, felt the changing lands of the three clans through the divinity flowing within him, while simultaneously extending his senses to read everything around him.

Perhaps because he had directly seen and experienced Netel, he was already handling divinity more precisely than his own limbs, and thanks to this, divinity allowed him to perceive his surroundings more accurately than any sensory organ.

Llewellyn saw the approaching Pantheon and the people looking up at it in fear.

They were Llewellyn’s people.

How could he reassure them? After pondering, Llewellyn closed his eyes briefly and concentrated more deeply on his divinity.

Thump!

His heart beat violently, and with a fierce heartbeat that felt like it would tear through his chest, divinity spread outward from the fruit.

Ashen divinity that had now completely become Llewellyn’s color. A deep energy that no one else but the God of Dreams or his sister Lucilla would recognize.

Using the emanating divinity like sight, Llewellyn observed his sister’s reaction as she looked up from the Pantheon.

She flinched in surprise upon detecting the divinity, then her expression softened.

She said something to those around her, and while his sister was helping, Llewellyn lowered the altitude further.

‘The nest and the fruit… they’re designed to connect.’

The nest itself had many functions and was quite large, but its true value lay in connecting with the fruit.

Although the fruit was overwhelmingly larger in size, he instinctively knew they could connect.

Considering that ‘Father Steward’ and ‘Mother Netel’ were the first contractors, transcendents, and that the nest was created by the Steward.

Such a purpose must exist. Llewellyn silently moved the fruit, guiding it toward the nest.

Netel’s branches slowly descended toward the spire-like structure protruding from the top of the nest.

The sight of lightning-like branches wrapping around and firmly securing the top of the nest was magnificent even to Llewellyn’s divine senses.

Even more so if such branches extended to the distant sky, reaching the end of the world.

‘It’s a bit disappointing that we won’t be able to see the night sky anymore.’

But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. Llewellyn continued making precise adjustments to ensure a secure landing.

Amidst this, he felt a presence. When Llewellyn opened his eyes while adjusting with his divinity, he saw the Court Count, the Prophet, and the Empress looking at him.

And as soon as their eyes met, the Court Count spoke.

“I have something to report.”

The Court Count’s suddenly respectful tone startled Llewellyn, who almost lost control of what he was adjusting.

Naturally, the fruit shook, causing the Court Count to freeze momentarily before awkwardly reaching out his hand.

“Shit, you scared me. If I had dropped it, we’d all be dead.”

Of course, not everyone would die. Even if this whole structure collapsed, only the people of the Pantheon and many members of the three clans would perish.

There wouldn’t be many exceptions.

Only overwhelming powers like the Court Count, the Empress, the Prophet, Llewellyn, Lucilla, the Sword Saint, Valterok, and the Blazing Void would survive.

But what would be the point of surviving then? The Court Count spoke with a noticeably anxious expression.

“There’s no need to be so startled, is there? Since you’ve claimed the title of ‘King,’ it’s only fitting to treat you accordingly…”

“At least turn on your blinker or something. Whew, I’m breaking out in a cold sweat.”

If everything had been ruined because of that, it would have been truly difficult to face anyone.

While Llewellyn felt relieved, he couldn’t relax the tension in his shoulders. They had really almost failed.

As he wiped away his cold sweat and sighed, even Lorian cautiously approached, stiffly tearing off a piece of her already tattered dress to offer him something to wipe with.

The Court Count squirmed under Llewellyn’s scolding, while the Empress just laughed, finding it amusing.

The Prophet wore a somewhat blank expression; though he had pledged loyalty due to the pressure, his face showed he was reconsidering whether it had been the right decision.

And behind them stood one presence, silent.

“You should be careful.”

The Emperor. The master of the Empire and Mother’s limb. Llewellyn listened to her strange voice.

It was an odd voice. It commanded attention as if power were infused into it, yet it felt like the power faded midway.

Like a human whose presence intensifies when pronouncing certain sounds. Llewellyn couldn’t tell if this was because she was well-made or poorly made.

Still, he was curious.

“Why are you here?”

The Emperor blinked expressionlessly at Llewellyn’s question.

It took some time for an answer to come.

“To devour your mistakes.”

It was a strange statement that could easily be interpreted as hostile.

But Llewellyn had met Netel, his divinity was elevated, and his senses were sharper than ever before.

He instinctively understood the Emperor’s words.

“You mean you’ll take over if I fail…?”

She nodded without answering verbally. Seeing her just nod made her seem somewhat cute, so Llewellyn closed his eyes to regain his composure.

That thing just looks identical to his sister, nothing more.

He shouldn’t be conscious of it… but…

If she looks exactly like his sister, isn’t that a good thing?

Llewellyn finally came to his senses after his thoughts reached that point.

He understood the Emperor’s purpose for following him. Since she couldn’t assert herself now that Llewellyn had been officially recognized by Netel, she intended to take his place if he gave up, failed, or disappeared.

Negatively speaking, she was like a beast waiting to eat leftovers; positively speaking, she was trying to handle the aftermath somehow.

It’s better to think positively, I suppose. Llewellyn roughly cut off his thoughts.

“So, why did you call me?”

Llewellyn opened his eyes again, and the Court Count stared at him with a dazed expression. He seemed unadapted to the shifts between frivolity and seriousness.

“Didn’t you say you had something to report? If it’s urgent, be quick.”

“…I wanted to inform you that there might be enemies.”

Enemies. Llewellyn didn’t think he meant the people of the Pantheon.

Though he had said he would take them in, as he had stated before sitting on the throne.

Meaningless slaughter was now over. Llewellyn intended to seriously ask them to find ways to coexist.

That didn’t leave many possibilities. Llewellyn looked at the Court Count.

“Transcendents?”

“Yes.”

It was to be expected. They wouldn’t stand by while the world was closed off and made permanently independent from the transcendents.

“Contractors?”

“Contractors will come too. But I can’t say they’ll be the only ones.”

The Court Count, despite his gaunt frame and seemingly irritable appearance, reported with a firm voice, conviction, and attitude.

He focused on his duties while being moved by the fact that the throne finally had its rightful owner. Just like Lorian.

“You must know about the Demon Realm well.”

Indeed he did. Llewellyn had fought transcendents there and glimpsed something of their true nature.

It wasn’t something humans could face. It was questionable whether they could even be in the same league.

Wasn’t that why they were trying to close off the world? Llewellyn gave him a look to continue, and the Court Count spoke.

“The Demon Realm is a trace of failure to suppress transcendents.”

“…What?”

It was an unexpected statement. He had thought it was just a land cursed by the death of a god.

“That can’t be. When I… killed the God of Life and Death, I saw the Demon Realm expand.”

“That’s because their very existence was suppressing the transcendents. If you lose your life, a truly massive Demon Realm will open… and the number of transcendents crossing the line drawn by ‘Netel’ will increase.”

Words suggesting that the Emperor’s “cleanup” would be impossible. Llewellyn’s expression hardened as he listened, but he found the explanation plausible.

If the Demon Realm was land where gods died without achieving transcendence, it made sense that no one knew its origins.

Enough time had passed that no one remembered transcendence, and no gods had died in the meantime.

It only happened after Llewellyn appeared.

“…So that’s why the Star Contractors could hold them back.”

The power of the stars is the power of transcendents. When facing fellow transcendents, it’s most effective.

The Prophet spoke up in response to Llewellyn’s conjecture.

“The servants of transcendents from that Demon Realm… will try to kill you to create an unprecedented massive Demon Realm. The more you try to close the world, the stronger they’ll resist and the stronger powers they’ll bring down.”

It was obvious. Llewellyn quietly listened, finding the Prophet’s informal speech annoying but acknowledging that his recent disgraceful behavior warranted it.

“In other words, once Netel begins her work in earnest… what needs to be done is simple.”

Words anyone could understand. The Prophet, belying his name, proclaimed what everyone already knew.

“The most terrible defensive battle in the history of this land, something no one has ever experienced before.”

Just then, countless gazes pierced Llewellyn’s extended divinity.

A momentary shudder in his shoulders and a brief suffocation from the immense pressure.

Pressure from so many directions it felt infinite.

The presence of transcendents looking down from beyond the universe. Llewellyn shuddered but completed the descent of the fruit.

Now it was time for the truly important task.

*

The fruit had landed.

Though connected through the nest, people from the fruit were slowly descending to the ground along beams of light that extended from the fruit like branches.

It was strange. But those who knew how and where Llewellyn had departed before he left didn’t act rashly.

They simply waited silently, wondering what good news Llewellyn had brought, how he had subdued the three clans.

After all, Llewellyn was a monster who knew nothing of negotiation or compromise, preferring solutions more brutal than most barbarian warriors.

So the expressions of the Pantheon people weren’t that bad. At least not until they saw the number of people coming down from the fruit, and especially the six figures at the front.

Three faces were familiar.

Llewellyn, Lorian, and…

“…There’s another Lucilla.”

As Isla quietly whispered, someone who looked exactly like Lucilla.

Even Lucilla herself was wide-eyed at the identical face, but soon the emblem fastening the cloak around that body revealed her identity.

“…The Emperor.”

A being who had hidden her true appearance in Lucilla’s presence until now. Lucilla frowned as she looked at what was essentially a copy of herself created through Netel’s contract.

It wasn’t simply displeasure at seeing the same face.

But only Eshatherna knew that fact, and a more important issue was approaching before their eyes.

“The three clans…”

It was exactly as the Inquisitor had murmured.

A noble beauty with blood-red eyes, snow-white hair, and deathly pale skin from a heart that didn’t beat.

A mature and elegant yet overwhelmingly intimidating beast-like lady with eyes like swirling chaos.

And a gloomy old man in a sage-like robe with a long tail and yellow split pupils that gave off an inexplicable chill.

Even a child could recognize who they were.

They were the beings who had oppressed, attacked, and plundered the world for a long time.

These monsters were slowly following behind Llewellyn.

They didn’t look like criminals being escorted. Naturally, tension rose. Many people moved their hands closer to their sword hilts, ready to draw weapons at any moment.

Meanwhile, the three clans remained quiet. They watched silently, knowing well that except for a few powerful individuals before them, the others would be easy opponents.

Yet they didn’t step forward or attack because the king had commanded it, and there was no need to act.

But tension gradually built. As gazes intensified and the sound of rattling weapons began to fill the space.

Llewellyn stepped forward.

Just a few steps, but all eyes turned to him.

It reminded him of when he had received birthday wishes recently. He still shielded his face when too many eyes were on him, but.

Llewellyn took another step, standing between the two groups.

With the gazes of the three clans at his back and those of the Pantheon before him.

Fearful, suspicious, yet lukewarm gazes thanks to some who still believed in Llewellyn.

It was clear that this situation couldn’t be resolved with just a few words. The rift between these two groups was too deep.

Llewellyn didn’t overestimate himself.

Even though he had obtained divinity, gained great power, and had the qualifications.

Llewellyn was still just a newly-minted adult, Yoon Sejin.

He spoke in a gentle tone.

“Shall we have a talk?”

A statement neither befitting a king nor a hero of the Pantheon.

He wasn’t charismatically swaying the crowd or pushing his iron-like convictions.

But it was very much like Llewellyn.

A young man who chose to remain human despite having power and qualifications.

As the atmosphere softened, Llewellyn smiled awkwardly.

Even that was the Llewellyn they knew.