By Zephyria 
Gloria naturally assumed the proposal was a mistake. The Crown Prince, who had just come of age at fifteen, was the only child the aging King of Bivan had in his twilight years. He had lived like royalty since he was five. She thought there was no way he would propose to her, who already had two children.
Gloria politely replied that her daughter was only two years old and not ready for marriage. Then the prince came to her directly. “You are my first love, and I am yours, so abandon your children and choose me.” Gloria flatly refused the absurd request.
And after some time had passed.
When she came to her senses, Gloria was already the Queen of Bivan. Before her bewildered eyes stood a young man with a pained expression, Queion Bis Biban. He asked,
“Do you remember what you did with me yesterday?”
But her yesterday had been spent dealing with the headache of her mischievous son breaking a window with a ball. It had been the time she spent reading fairy tales to her young daughter. She already had what was precious to her, and she had no need for love with a stranger.
Gloria did not love Queion. She had not remembered him for a single moment. Therefore, she was certain that Queion had only loved her shell. So, to get her children back, Gloria threatened Queion with her own life.
The siblings, who were barely recovered, were suffering daily torments worse than death due to the King’s resentment…
“Then, the Divine Revelation I heard three days ago was that the apostles would be sent to help me. What were you doing all this time while I was suffering? At first, I didn’t believe it. Nothing in my life has ever been given without a price.”
“…”
“But… there was a price I had to pay. So, I decided to believe.”
Gloria continued, holding Linsey close.
“He told me to find the location of Vivian’s Divine Object. It’s on Queion’s bedside table. It’s a small, lovely ceramic bowl that holds 500g of grain. It’s white, with a painting of a wheat field with golden grains encircling it.”
“…What function does it have?”
“They say that if someone with Vivian’s Divine Blood puts well-polished fresh grain into it, the land becomes fertile. Now, that bastard is pouring sacks of grain into it, asking if I love him now. No matter how much grain I put in, it disappears in the blink of an eye.”
“The location of that bedroom.”
“I have to return to that room today, so you can follow me. It’s the room immediately to the left of the study. He usually doesn’t leave the throne room, the study, or his bedroom. As if something terrible would happen if he strayed far from the main palace. …Will that man die today? Is there anything I can do to help?”
And then Ruben said something insane.
“I wish for you to take your son as your fourth husband.”
“…What?”
“Queion Bis Biban neglected his royal duties to seal the God of Records and satisfy his own desires. Because of that, all the citizens of the Kingdom of Bivan are trapped under the Ninth God’s influence. Therefore, the God of Records wishes for one of your two children to become the next King of Bivan.”
“…He was sealed?”
“Yes. However, the laws of the gods do not align with human regulations. If Brett reveals himself as your child and becomes the next king, countless nobles will object, and it will take a very long time. Our apostles cannot assist you on that arduous path. Everything must be concluded within the next two weeks.”
“…That’s, no, I…”
Gloria was extremely bewildered. “I, I…” her stammering voice sounded incredibly frail. But Ruben did not hesitate for a moment. He declared in a rough, firm voice,
“You are currently thirty-five years old, and Brett Liberty is sixteen. If he begins learning the king’s duties from now on, your son will be able to rule properly around the age of twenty.”
“…”
“Currently, due to the influence of Black Magic, the minds of everyone in Bivan are clouded. The former Queen of Bivan is no longer in Bivan, and you are the one who spends the most time with the current king. If you call Brett ‘Queion,’ everyone will believe it. The God of Records will also help you.”
Ruben no longer looked at Gloria. His gaze was fixed on Brett Liberty.
The man who had been sitting arrogantly on the bed without a word while his sister comforted their mother, a man with a terrifying appearance that looked twenty years older than his age, asked abruptly,
“Do you need my consent?”
“Yes. If both of you refuse to become king, you can escape. It’s better for the current king to not exist. Even if it’s not the way the gods intended, wouldn’t the remaining people form a nation and elect a new king?”
A long silence followed.
Brett stood up from his seat.
“I… will do it. I can do it.”
“Hey, Brett…”
“While Mother was away.”
Brett slowly murmured,
“I only imagined killing that bastard. It would be even better if I could become king in his place. I’ll try. Even if you brought a stray cat off the street and made it rule, it would be better than him.”
“Yes. Then, let’s do that. First, I will take both of you to the God of Records today to be healed. After some basic training, we will kill the king and place Liberty in his stead. Future plans will be communicated through Divine Revelation.”
Divine Blood was merely the qualification to handle a Divine Object. If one no longer possessed a Divine Object, anyone, not just someone with Divine Blood, could become king. However, she had never imagined they would try to create a new king in such a manner.
First, they decided to go to Cambio to heal the siblings.
I carried Ruben, Barton carried Marianne, Hugh carried Brett, and Samantha carried Linsey as we descended the stairs. Gloria followed behind, clutching her skirt tightly. But the moment we reached the first floor of the tower.
Grroooowwwl.
A massive wave of Mana erupted. Marianne, clinging to Barton’s shoulder like a lifeline, whispered rapidly,
“Damn it, it’s a conditional Barrier.”
“What kind?”
“It seems like it just rings like that once if these siblings try to leave the tower. It was like this when we came in, and there’s no special Mana movement now.”
Hugh Benson, his brow furrowed, asked quickly,
“Shall we just finish it now?”
“Where is that man now?”
“He’s usually in the reception room at this hour. Go past the throne room, through the left door, and you’ll find it. The golden door.”
Gloria answered quickly. Ruben, after a short breath, pushed my chest and commanded,
“Numbers 2, 3, and 4, go to the center of the anomaly and eliminate the enemy. Numbers 5 and 6, and the target, will return to the main base with me.”
It took less than a minute to decide. It seemed things would unfold as discussed before. I gently placed Ruben down from my embrace. Hugh Benson was about to detach Brett from his arms when the latter tightly hugged Hugh Benson’s neck.
“Take me too.”
“What?”
“In this state, I’ll take his place. You all probably haven’t seen humans with this much Contaminated Mana seeped into them. Even if my appearance or voice changes a bit, you won’t know. I can get treated when the time comes. I can imitate his way of speaking. I’ll try to hold on.”
“…”
“Mother, please take Mother to a safe place too.”
There was no time for a long argument.
Ruben nodded briefly and personally picked up Gloria. Barton, standing beside him, took Marianne and Linsey into his arms. It was fortunate that he had taught Ruben the divine law directly. However, he was worried because the boy’s realm was still low.
“After the task is done, we will communicate through Divine Revelation.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“We will meet again at the return point immediately after the execution.”
“Yes.”
As if sensing my thoughts or not, Ruben pointed his chin decisively to leave once he finished speaking.
Hugh Benson and I ran out at the forefront.
Samantha immediately followed us, but she made no effort to hide her footsteps or tracks. Glancing back, I saw her carrying a black mass of some sort on her shoulder. Was she trying to feign kidnapping the siblings? Her wit was incredible, even in this situation.
Knights running from a distance chased after Samantha and galloped towards the west gate.
Hugh Benson and I ran, concealed. It was fortunate that I had been to the Bivan Royal Castle before. We quickly reached the main road we had passed by carriage. Hiding between shadows, we swiftly passed through buildings with exposed red bricks.
Crows flew noisily above the withered ivy vines.
We ascended the stairs.
We passed by the corridor.
Guards standing before a closed hall door, their shoulders stiff with tension, looked around. Hugh Benson and I took down one guard each simultaneously. I used a Blood Point, and Hugh delivered a short blow to the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious.
As we opened the large door, the Contaminated Mana that had pooled inside the hall poured out like water from a broken dam.
Several chandeliers glowed eerily, reflecting a red light. The red carpet that still covered the floor looked black from the sheer accumulation of Contaminated Mana. A figure stood on a five-tiered platform at the far end.
The silhouette, clad in a black robe, held a long staff. His hood was not pulled down deeply, revealing his brown curly hair and round glasses. Unbelievably, it was a familiar face.
Hershey Milton.
The shy young man who had guided me on my first day at Shierun Academy, the son of a silk merchant family interested in Black Magic, was standing there. He nervously bit his lower lip several times, but upon seeing us, he began chanting a spell without hesitation.
“Bona Up, Soar de Banner, Hell Jewel Piena!”
Following the pale-faced youth’s incantation, the beasts carved from ebony wood standing on either side of the hall stirred as if stretching. The quadrupedal beasts stretched their tails as they yawned, and those with wings flapped them.
Hugh Benson could not detach Brett from his arms at this moment. My aura was also not responding properly due to the interference of the Contaminated Mana. It’s fine. What I possess is not just a technique that overwhelms with Mana and aura.
I unleashed my blue Sword energy. Without a moment’s hesitation.
I intended to eliminate anyone who stood in Ruben’s way.