What a Windfall (1)
The Holy Empire — Southeastern Region, Prison near the Capital
Cardinal Berit glared coldly into the prison cell.
Inside, a bishop who had been tortured and interrogated by the imperial family was sobbing pathetically.
This fool had been ordered to take care of Eshua's infant — a task so simple — and yet had failed spectacularly, bringing disgrace upon the Papal House.
"Utterly useless to the end, aren't you? It wasn't enough that you got caught by the Emperor — now you're saying you were helping Eshua? Were you secretly a follower of Azure rather than Gold all along?"
"I-It's not true! I, I... ugh!"
"Stop flapping that mouth."
At the Cardinal's feet, a knight of light erupted upward in a flash of golden radiance.
Silent, arrogant, and radiating a murderous intent colder than ice, the spirit's blade turned toward the bishop.
"If that infant dares to parade around claiming to be a Saint after learning Eshua's vision... now that would be quite the spectacle."
"N-No! That child could never become a Saint! Because that brat is—!"
"A demon?"
Cardinal Berit sneered faintly.
"And I'm supposed to believe that nonsense?"
The derisive curve of his lips carried a disgust akin to gazing at a worm.
Desperate, the bishop clutched at the Cardinal's leg.
"Please, you must believe me! If you save me here, I will—!"
"Unfortunately for you, that infant's identity has already been verified."
"Then...!"
"A demon capable of using divine power cannot exist in this world. Surely you realize that what you're saying is tantamount to blaspheming both God and His Holiness the Pope?"
"Th-That's... ugh!!"
With a clean stroke, the bishop's head was severed, and he collapsed.
Cardinal Berit dismissed the spirit of light that had executed the blow and turned away.
"Clean it up."
The servant beside him swallowed nervously and glared at the bishop's corpse.
Eshua — one of the Empire's five great noble houses — was the only lineage capable of producing a Saint, a superhuman blessed by divinity.
As the guiding house that stood alongside the Papal House, it was a pillar upholding the Holy Empire.
And now, the idea that a Saint's child might fall into the hands of their sworn enemy, Eshua — this was a disaster in the making.
'That infant could become the greatest threat to our young master.'
The next Saint had to come from the Papal House of Berit — anyone else would have to be eliminated.
Sensing his servant's growing unease, the Cardinal spoke without turning back.
"Relax. The Emperor will surely try to take that infant in himself. As long as the child doesn't end up with Eshua, it's fine. If the child enters the Imperial Family, the Papacy will still have a chance to deal with them."
"Understood. I will make all necessary preparations near the Imperial Palace."
"We cannot allow that infant to achieve anything further."
"Yes, Your Eminence."
If the child accomplished any more feats — like defeating more demons — they would inevitably be hailed as a Saint. That alone twisted the servant's insides.
Isaac, was it?
Failed at poisoning, got the bishop killed, and even pulled off divine techniques that should be impossible for a mere child.
Who the hell is that kid, anyway?
But it would end here.
The loyal servant smiled coldly.
Once that child arrived at the Imperial Palace — their life would end right then and there.
Meanwhile...
Far from heading to the Imperial Palace, the Skull King was on his way to Eshua.
And certainly not for something as outdated and sentimental as "family ties."
A few days prior—
The Skull King, having abandoned Eshua — who had promised him things like honor and indomitable spirit — chose instead to follow the Emperor, who could provide the things a man truly needed most.
'What? All that gold is useless?'
'These crazy bastards — isn't silk, land, fortresses, and gold bars the ultimate prize? Isn't that all you need?'
The Skull King clung to the Emperor like glue.
The Emperor was delighted, while the members of House Eshua were thoroughly flustered.
Even his uncle, once so confident, now hesitated and glanced between the child and the Emperor with an awkward expression.
He had immediately grasped the Emperor's mood.
Sure enough—
"Y-Your Majesty... Naturally, I trust your judgment, but wouldn't it be right for the child to return to their bloodline?"
But the Emperor, embracing the Skull King tightly, raised an amused eyebrow.
"Heh. I would love nothing more than to return him to his family... but should we not respect the child's wishes? Even if he's young, I'd like to honor him as an individual with his own will."
"W-Well..."
"Surely you, a member of Eshua's Council and the child's own uncle, wouldn't intend to silence your nephew's wishes? I never took you for that kind of man."
This damn Emperor...
Though he remained composed in front of the Emperor, his uncle's tightly shut mouth said everything.
Since the uncle offered no objection, it was instead Eshua's Knight Commander who whispered anxiously to him.
"Are you truly going to send your nephew to the Imperial Family?"
"If it's for the child's sake... it might be the better option."
"Pardon?"
"We haven't yet found the one who took his parents. They might come after the child next."
"But still..."
"And besides, it's true we have far less to offer the child than the Imperial Family does."
"Young Master..."
"Honestly, our house has nothing but demon corpses and magic cores. Hardly an ideal environment for raising a child. The most valuable thing we have left is the Skull King's body..."
And at that moment—
Roll roll.
"Huh?"
The Skeleton King, who had been carried by an attendant, tumbled out of his arms.
"B-baby sir?!"
Then, like a cockroach skittering away, the Skeleton King scurried over and clung tightly to his uncle's leg.
The knights of Eshua were left speechless in awe at the sight.
They had thought for sure the young master was going to leave for the imperial palace.
"Young master!"
"Are you choosing to come to us?!"
But the Skeleton King, clutching onto the uncle, was glaring at them with wide, furious eyes.
"My body? The Skeleton King's body?!"
That should've been the first thing out of your mouths, you fools!
It was only a whisper, but for the Skeleton King who had crafted his own mana core, it was perfectly audible.
And his body?
You sons of—!
My body!
The body I painstakingly raised by scamming naïve young dragons, draining their mana while pretending to mentor them!
"Once I recover my original body, reaching the 10th Circle is nothing."
The higher-ranking a demon, the more not just their core but their very flesh was steeped in mana.
The deeper their mana reserves, the more it would soak into every corner of their body — muscles, bones, even down to a single fragment.
And this body was the Demon King's?
Did they really think some random mana core rolling around out there could even compare?
Sure, being a skeleton came with its natural limitations, but for centuries he had crushed all other demons beneath his feet and honed this body to the point where it could rival even the gods.
In short — a supreme-grade elixir.
Regaining his full strength would be exponentially faster.
And yet Eshua had it?
How it ended up in the Saintess' family was a mystery, but after being sealed away for 150 years, anything could have happened.
Thus, the Skeleton King made up his mind.
He wasn't going to the Imperial Palace — he was going to Eshua.
More importantly, there was another reason to head there.
Vrrrm Vrrrm!
The survival instinct embedded within him — the "Instinct of Survival" — was reacting again, just like it had when he faced the Emperor.
That strange sense — an instinct that always guided him away from danger and toward gain — was reacting to his uncle.
Boom boom boom!
And its reaction was even stronger than it had been to the Emperor.
At first, the Skeleton King had thought to ignore it — after all, Eshua had gone on and on about honor and indomitable spirit — but then the Instinct of Survival practically shone from the uncle's head like a beacon.
Only visible to him.
He'd thought the Emperor had given a strong signal, but the uncle — an incredibly handsome man — was practically invisible from the overwhelming glow.
Flash!
Seriously? Even after all these signs, you still want me to go to the army? No thanks.
Flash! Flash!
I said I'm not joining the army! I don't want to!
Flaaaash! Flaaaash! Flaaaash! FLASH FLASH FLASH FLASH!
Enough already, damn it!
This wasn't just good fortune — this was divine-level fortune.
Was this a sign to choose Eshua now and keep the Emperor in reserve?
The Instinct of Survival had never steered him wrong — not once, even when he was a lowly skeleton.
The Skeleton King furrowed his bony brow.
Sure, he'd lost his cool over his original body, but if this was the Saintess' family — that meant they were a family of exorcists.
"Which means they'll have plenty of mana cores lying around."
If there were many demon corpses, it also meant they handled clean-up duties.
To the priests, those mana cores might be garbage — but to the Skeleton King, they were precious elixirs.
Besides, if the Instinct of Survival was reacting this strongly, it had to be about more than just his body or mana cores.
So, with his growth and appetite piqued, the Skeleton King chose Eshua.
When he did, the Emperor — as if expecting it — had a chest of gold brought forth by his attendant.
"I had originally planned to give this to you during the child's departure. A compensation fee of sorts. But since this child saved both me and the Crown Prince, take it as a token of my gratitude."
But the uncle immediately tried to decline.
"The child merely fulfilled his duty as one who protects. There is no need for such material compensation to an Eshua knight..."
But before he could finish, the Skeleton King rolled over toward the Emperor.
As if to say, When did I ever say I was definitely going to Eshua? — he tried to crawl back into the Emperor's arms.
Panicking, the uncle spoke quickly.
"...I-I shall save everything given for the child's future. Thank you, Your Majesty."
That's more like it.
Satisfied, the Skeleton King scurried back to the Eshua knight captain and threw himself into his arms.
The uncle stared at the Skeleton King like he was some bizarre creature.
...It really does understand speech, doesn't it?
And so, the Skeleton King was headed for Eshua.
Traveling by carriage back home was nice and all, but...
How did things end up like this?
The Skeleton King glanced at the nervous Eshua knights watching him closely.
"Young master, do you need anything else?"
"Just say the word. We will provide anything you desire."
They looked terrified he might suddenly decide to run back to the Emperor.
No wonder — after all, clutched tightly in the Skeleton King's hand was the Imperial Lion Pass the Emperor had given him before he left.
"Give this to the child."
Even the uncle, knowing full well that this pass allowed unrestricted entry into the Imperial Palace, had furrowed his brow.
And yet, he'd also torn a blue-and-white ornament from his own robe and pressed it firmly into the Skeleton King's other hand.
Having obtained not only a rare mineral but also a direct connection to the Imperial Palace, the Skeleton King chuckled slyly.
"I didn't plan it this way... but this tightrope act ended up pretty profitable."
Now he had a link to the Imperial family — meaning he could start working that angle whenever he wanted.
But that wasn't the real problem.
"I'm worried the Papal faction might target this child."
At the Duke's words, the knights tilted their heads in confusion.
"Would those people really go so far as to target a boy from Eshua, of all places?"
"It's because he was mentioned as a potential candidate for the next Saint. The position of Saint could even surpass that of the Pope."
The knights couldn't hide their shock at that.
"With all due respect, His Holiness the Pope and His Majesty the Emperor are the supreme leaders of the Holy Faction. No matter how special the Saint may be, to outrank them seems a bit... far-fetched."
"The prophecy hasn't been officially announced yet, but it's said the gods have decreed it themselves. That they would take the Saint as their own child."
"...!"
The knights flinched. They had every reason to.
"A child of the gods... then surely—"
"Yes. The next Pope."
The knights' expressions hardened in unison.
They knew exactly what that meant.
The Pope — the highest priest capable of using the Tenfold Holy Arts. A being who was, for all intents and purposes, the king of all priests and holy knights across the continent.
At a time when the power of the demonic races was growing stronger, even other nations could not ignore the Pope's influence.
There had even been an incident where, at the Pope's single command, every priest dispatched across the continent abandoned their missions mid-way and returned to the Holy Empire.
Because of that, a small kingdom failed to repel a demonic invasion and quietly vanished from the map.
It was a famous story — the downfall of a nation for offending the Pope.
And with such a precedent, no ruler on the continent dared to disregard the Pope's authority.
But now, the seat of power that had remained unshaken for hundreds, even thousands of years... was about to change?
Whether Pope or not, whether ally or enemy, it was enough to drive everyone on the continent mad.
"So that's why Berit was so desperate to produce a Saint... afraid that the position of supreme leader might fall to another family?"
"They say even when the Saintess first appeared, the Papal Palace tried everything they could to suppress her influence."
"I see... Well, since the Saintess was a woman and her purpose was focused on subjugating the Skull King, the Pope must not have paid too much attention."
"No. They ignored her because she failed to kill the Skull King and fell into disgrace on her own."
Cough! Hack!
"Young Master Isaac! Are you alright?!"
"Are you ill, sir?!"
The so-called Skull King, who had been quietly listening, suddenly coughed as if spitting up blood.
Damn it. Stop hitting where it hurts!
My heart's not made of stone!
By now, the knights of Eshua swallowed nervously.
"Then... do you truly believe, Lord Rilai, that Young Master Isaac is the Saint?"
At that question, the Duke let out a dry chuckle.
"The gods would never show favoritism toward their own children. Do you really think they'd give both the Saintess and the Saint to the same family without any regard for fairness?"
"Ah... that's true."
The Skull King's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Those gods... are seriously the least fair bastards I've ever seen.
I don't know how they keep up that image, but let me tell you — they're petty, dirty, underhanded little shits.
"Then... who could have harmed the Saintess and the Young Duke?"
"Obviously the Skull King. He must resent the gods for his defeat."
The Skull King glared resentfully at the Duke.
As if it wasn't bad enough being stuck in a kid's body, now this guy was painting him as some kind of parent-killing degenerate.
"No, the culprit has to be the Skull King. It must be him. I refuse to accept anyone else as the culprit."
Hey!!
The Skull King looked dumbfounded as the Duke's eyes shifted from normal to borderline psychotic.
Definitely an Eshua by blood.
Man, these people really hate me.
I haven't even done anything yet and I'm already the villain.
Not that it mattered — he knew he wasn't the culprit, so they could think whatever they wanted.
But just then—
The carriage came to a stop, and voices could be heard from outside.
They had finally arrived at the Duchy of Eshua.
The guards at the gate of the border village began checking the identities of those seeking entry.
But something strange was happening.
"You dare not recognize the face and crest of the Young Master?!"
"!"
Startled by the shout, the Skull King flinched. The Duke frowned and lowered the carriage window.
"What's going on here?"
"Well, these men claim that even after seeing Eshua's crest, they cannot open the gates...!"
As the guards opened the carriage door, the Duke rested his hand on his sword.
The Skull King raised an eyebrow at the familiar sensation of demonic energy.
'Wait a minute... these guys...'
Sure enough, the guards grinned wickedly at the sight of the Skull King inside the carriage.
"Of course we can't let you through."
"After all, we need to eliminate the child who carries the Saintess's blood!"
"Demons!"
The holy knights widened their eyes, and the Duke raised the corners of his mouth with a chilling smile, holy energy radiating from him.
"See? Didn't I tell you? The culprits would be demons."
"If demons are after him to this extent... then Young Master Isaac truly must possess some special power...!"
The Skull King's eyebrow twitched.
Ha... well, whatever.
I don't know these guys, but if demons show up, that's good for me. It means magic cores are walking right up to me.
And besides, it is true the culprits are demons — it's just got nothing to do with me anymore, so—
"Listen well, lowly humans!"
"Our great king, the , has ordered us to eliminate both the Saintess and the Saint!"
"..."
The Skull King smiled brightly.
Alright.
First things first — let's deal with these tactless bastards.
SUPPORT ME HERE: ko-fi.com/pokemon1920