LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 351
Parenting is not an easy task, but it’s also a rewarding one.
Seeing a little child, who knows nothing, grow up to contribute to society after being cared for and taught many things even shakes my heart a bit, even though I’m not human.
“O Goddess of Life, grant your blessings upon these many people today as well.”
The Dragon Priestess, who hadn’t physically grown much but had internally blossomed beyond comparison, bestowed blessings upon those who prayed for her.
With it, a dazzling light erupted and enveloped all those in the worship hall. After a brief moment, the light vanished.
The light of the blessings given by the Goddess of Life permeated all present in the worship hall, wrapping around their wounds.
It was a miraculous sight, where many were healed by a single prayer.
But—
“Didn’t you use too much power? That person over there without legs has grown new ones!”
“It’s fine. That person is a soldier. He’ll need both legs to protect others.”
The Dragon Priestess had grown into a very kind child.
She cared for others’ pain as if it were her own and aimed to help by sharing what she had.
She had grown into a person worthy of being called a saint.
Well, one might say her growth was a bit too rapid! But what can be done?
Listing every aspect of the parenting process would be like a continuous saga of sweet potatoes. I just want to brush over the fact that a lot has happened…
Anyway, the curious child who questioned everything she saw had grown into a proper Dragon Priestess.
“But why are so many people suffering?”
Of course, even after she grew up, her questions didn’t stop.
She threw out questions that required more thought, beyond basic knowledge.
“Living beings inevitably experience pain.”
“Why? Can’t we live without suffering?”
“Pain is a stimulus, and sensation is a thing. The kind of pain that can be endured and accepted does not become suffering. But if we exclude all stimuli just by labeling them as pain and refuse to accept any stimulus, then what happens if all sensations disappear?”
“Um… I don’t really know.”
“Yeah, it might be a bit too difficult for you. How about this… what would happen if you found yourself in a situation where you could see nothing, hear nothing, and feel nothing?”
Upon my words, the Dragon Priestess pondered for a moment before shaking her head.
“I think I wouldn’t like it.”
“Right. That’s enough for now. Anyway, if you cannot feel pain, you will also lose the ability to feel sensations. Then, as you said, it would become unpleasant.”
“I’m not quite sure. But I think I understand it a little.”
Seeing the Dragon Priestess say that, I nodded. Yes. That should suffice.
“Then can’t we lessen the pain?”
“If you work hard at your tasks. If you heal others’ wounds, lessen their suffering, and provide help, then you’ll be able to ease the pain of others.”
“But what’s causing their suffering is elsewhere, right? I heard the Demon King is the one making them suffer.”
The Demon King.
The King of Monsters.
The being who rules over beasts and fearsome monsters, now commanding numerous powerful subordinates… a demigod without a physical body.
The emergence of such a being had repercussions in the vicinity, with the most concerning issue being the overall strengthening of monsters.
While previous monsters had merely been ordinary creatures or plants that gained magical power and evolved, now they were undergoing even stranger transformations.
Whether it was the Demon King’s magic acting on the monsters causing these changes, or if the monsters evolved by devouring each other, or if someone had tampered with the monsters…
It’s unclear how it happened, but generally speaking, the monsters were becoming stronger and more ferocious.
Because of those monsters, the commoners suffered, adventurers suffered, knights suffered, and the entire situation began to unravel.
They faced the threat of the Demon King, which was only spreading by rumor, now becoming a palpable reality.
Thanks to this, the deities of the Divine Hall, who had been lax, began to stir and put in effort for their believers.
These gods granted strength to believers and priests, helping them to protect themselves from monsters.
Thanks to those gods, the overall situation was somewhat maintained.
I also mobilized the pilgrims to eliminate as many monsters as possible.
I even ordered the dragons who had strayed from the Church of Life to disguise themselves as humans and cull the monsters, permitting their return as priests of the Church of Life as a reward for such deeds.
Perhaps because of that, the fame of the dragons disguised as adventurers was growing, but… well, let’s leave that aside. It’s not the matter to discuss right now.
In any case, due to those monsters, every nation was in emergency mode, concentrating all their national power in eliminating them, while adventurers, soldiers, and knights were all busy taking down monsters.
Yet despite all that, damage was consistently occurring.
The never-ending stream of people visiting the temples of the Church of Life is one proof of that.
Many came injured by monsters, some missing limbs, and others barely hanging onto life, coming in barely alive.
“Those people… they’re pitiful.”
The emergence of the Demon King was causing suffering for many.
If it’s for them… it’s of utmost priority to defeat the Demon King as soon as possible.
Then that’s just trivial.
“Do you want to defeat the Demon King?”
“Yes. I believe if the Demon King disappears, it could lessen the suffering of others.”
“But it won’t be easy, will it?”
“Even if it’s not easy, I want to try.”
Well. It seems her resolve is firm.
“First, let’s change your training routine to use your powers more skillfully. You have gotten better at controlling your power, but you need more training to fight alongside others.”
The adventure of the hero defeating the Demon King will need to be in a party.
Even if one were to take them all down alone, what’s appealing about that story?
It’s the condition of a good story to have many companions, overcome countless trials, and defeat formidable foes to achieve accomplishments.
So.
“In the future, let’s not just practice magic, but other training too. Learning swordsmanship could be beneficial as well.”
Until we select the hero, the Dragon Priestess will be the one carrying the hero’s sword.
Even if she’s not its master, she’ll still be able to wield it.
“Got it. I’ll do my best. You mean if I try, I could defeat the Demon King, right?”
“Of course, it’ll be tough alone. Let’s train steadily and find companions who will support you. There will be many powerful enemies. You’ll have great power as the Dragon Priestess, but you can’t end it all by yourself.”
In fact, I do have the power to end it.
But still… since this child’s identity is the body of the Demon King, the Demon King will desperately seek her.
So.
“Let’s become stronger. To save others.”
“Yes. I’ll grow stronger. Me.”
The girl, the Dragon Priestess, said with innocent eyes.
In those eyes, I felt a slight pang of conscience.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
“Is the Demon King still without a body?”
“Yes. It seems the Demon King’s subordinates have tried various ways, but nothing suitable for the Demon King’s body has come up yet.”
Asherat passed along the information she had collected while keeping an eye on the Demon King.
The situation of the Demon King. The formation of the forces called the Demon King’s Army. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s Army… Four Heavenly Kings? Did the subordinates increase again?
“What are the Four Heavenly Kings?”
“It refers to the four closest to the Demon King.”
“Four? Not three?”
“Yes. There used to be three, but one more has been added.”
I continued to examine the information provided by Asherat.
First, the Demon King. A powerful demigod without a physical form. Instinctually ruling over monsters, a monstrosity that exerts its power.
Then there are the Four Heavenly Kings under it. Among them, the Black Scholar, or the Black Magus. An old man cloaked in a black hood and cape.
Ah. This guy. He’s the old man who had killed the foolish Emperor, isn’t he? Didn’t even look human! Turns out he wasn’t a human!
Using magic that manipulates shadows, it seems he possesses considerable intelligence, causing damage to the territories around the Demon Castle with various strategies.
Well, there has to be someone using their head; a mindless Demon King’s Army would be boring.
Next, the giant fly that was the strongest among the monsters, calling itself Beelzebub.
Wait, isn’t this Zeus? After losing his divine status and falling, did he run away and turn into a monster?
Let’s put that aside for now.
Next is the pinnacle of necromancy, a lich who called itself the Lord of Death.
Let’s skip that. Lord of Death, my foot. You’ve turned into a skull bucket because you couldn’t withstand the Energy of Death.
Finally, the Knight of Darkness.
Using the ancient dragon’s bones dug up from the Dragon’s Tomb as material, it was forged with a strong skeleton created via necromancy, the noble Emperor’s soul as its core, and implanted with the exceptionally potent darkness extracted by the Black Magus, ending in being woven into the Demon King’s demesne.
That was… the final member of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings.
“This… seems a bit suspicious.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“No, it’s just… um…”
Should I tell Asherat this? Should I not? Hmm. I’m not sure.
This Knight of Darkness… gives me a strange vibe reminiscent of Erebus.
Of course, the Erebus I remember was a massive black dragon…
I don’t know. Hmm. I don’t know.
If there really is a piece of Erebus within that Knight of Darkness… I’d love to charge in right away and extract it, but…
That wouldn’t do. Yes. The story hasn’t even begun yet; I can’t overturn it.
So for now, let’s help the Dragon Priestess and keep watch.
If the hero’s party shines, they’ll defeat that Knight of Darkness as well.
Let’s see after that. After that.