Became a tyrant of defense games - Episode 538
◈ 538. [Side Story] Hannibal
3 years later. 14 years ago from now.
Western Fog Kingdom. Temporary Temple of the Goddess Church.
“Priest, Mr.~!”
“Play with me-!”
Children from the slums ran into the temple yard and screamed loudly..
Not long after, the old door of the temporary temple opened with a squeak, and Zenith appeared, scratching her matted hair..
“……Not a priest, but a priest.”
Between the shaggy hair, the sharp eyes that could not be hidden, unique to the Heretic Questioner, flashed..
“And how many times do I tell you it's not you! I'm still in my 20s……!”
But even in the face of Zenith's cruel attitude, the children remained calm. He stuck his tongue out at Janice and pulled under his eyes..
“Ebebe~ You’re acting harsh again..”
“Priest or priest, whatever! In Korea, they are called Shingwannim..”
“Well, the priests don't even care about people like us, but the priest plays with us every day. Is it a little different??”
In response to the children's words, Zenith placed her hands on her hips and nodded heavily..
“okay. That's the difference between your foggy religion and our goddess religion. So, if you also take refuge in our goddess religion,…….”
“Ah, I'm saying something boring again..”
“Okay, let’s play ball today, play ball.!”
The children came into the temple as they pleased, screaming, but eventually found the ball, picked it up, and rushed out..
“Hey, hey! for a moment! Before taking the ball, say a prayer of thanks…….”
“Thank you, Mr. Priest.!”
“Uncle, come quickly too.~!”
“So, it's not you... … Ha, it's done.”
Carrying the ball, the children ran to a nearby vacant lot. Zenith, looking at his back, sighed, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. And he looked up blankly at the sky.
This was a damn country..
From the terrible weather with dark clouds all year round, the indigenous religion strictly considered class, class, and ethnicity, and the existing power class, which benefited from this indigenous religion, was hostile to the goddess religion..
Naturally, the priest, Zenith, was also looked down on..
Zenith's heart was gradually weakened by all the poor treatment and hostile treatment..
Infiltrating the leadership was difficult, and support at home became increasingly thin. In the end, I managed to find a place to rent in a corner of this slum where the price was cheapest and had to move the temporary temple..
As life became more difficult, the unmanaged beard grew darker, and Zenith's neat appearance, which had exuded a cold charm just three years ago, became shabbier with each passing day..
‘Getting old, getting old.’
Looking at the stained mirror, Janice tidied her hair back angrily..
Still, this slum was the only place that accepted Zenith, a goddess priest..
He treated people's wounds for free and became friendly with children using balls and toys..
The people in the slums, who had a lot to gain from Zenith, gradually opened their hearts to her. Missionaries were still refusing, but.
I lived like this with people in the slums for three years. Even Zenith's heart, which used to be sharp like a well-honed knife, has now become dull..
‘difficult…….’
In the first place, Zenith was a combat agent. He was not skilled in healing magic, nor was he good at missionary work..
Although there was no one suitable for defeating the radical followers of the Anglican Church who attacked the temple from time to time, the rest of the mission was extremely difficult..
The reason I was able to survive in a place like this for 3 years even though every day was difficult was,
“priest~!”
At least it was thanks to this girl.
When Zenith turned to look at the sound of innocent laughter, a round girl with a nice plump figure in a loose dress waved her hand..
“Priest! How you doing?”
“……princess.”
Janice quickly put out her cigarette and a faint smile appeared on her lips without realizing it..
Cloudy, the youngest princess of the Fog Kingdom.
She was a rare royal who took an interest in the lives of the poor..
In this country where status and class are clearly divided, it was a rare case in the history of this country for a princess to personally visit slums and care for the lives of the poor..
So it was especially popular among the poor, but it was ostracized in aristocratic society because it smelled like cattle..
But, not caring about such evaluations, she showed up in the slums again today, accompanied only by her bodyguard..
“Welcome, princess. which… … escort friend.”
When Zenith said hello, Cloudy smiled brightly and the guard warrior also bowed his head gravely..
Even the warriors he brought with him as guards were slaves from the beastman tribe. Zenith thought that they were truly great royals who fought against discrimination and evil with their whole being..
‘He's the only high-ranking person I can somehow become friends with..’
In fact, in this situation where most political maneuvers have failed, Cloudy is the only connection that Janice can rely on..
So Zenith behaved calmly in front of Cloudy like a dog with its tail down..
“What are you going to do today, priest? I will follow you wherever you go and help you.!”
“hmm… … After playing ball with the kids, I'll set up a regular clinic in the center of the village..”
“It's all very rewarding! Is it okay if I follow you around??”
Cloudy covered his mouth and laughed. Even his voice felt round and warm..
“sure. If the princess helps me, I can't be more confident..”
Zenith also smiled..
In this awful neighborhood, Cloudy was one of the few refreshers. If it weren't for this girl, Zenith thought to herself, the missionary high school would have been kicked out a long time ago..
***
Late afternoon, ball game, clinic, all over..
Cloudy, who was helping clean up after the clinic, suddenly said while wiping the sweat from his forehead..
“The priest is truly amazing..”
“yes?”
“If you are a priest of the Goddess Church and a diplomat from the Everblack Empire, you must be a very high-ranking person, but you make such efforts for the poor people in such a distant and foreign country..”
Zenith scratched the back of her head shyly..
“No, well... … As a priest of the Goddess Church, this is natural..”
“The great thing about Goddess is that it is a religion that loves everyone..”
Cloudy smiled bitterly, which did not suit his young face..
“As you know, our country has a strict caste system, and our state religion is the same... … I also want to help people in low places like the priest, but it doesn't work out as well as I want..”
“You are doing well enough..”
“But I don't have the courage to devote my whole life like the priest..”
“Well, I'm just living by the doctrine. ‘If you can save even one believer, be willing to risk even a holy war.’…….”
As Zenith recited the phrase out of habit, Cloudy looked at her with a blank expression. Zenith, who was embarrassed and cleared her throat, slightly got lucky..
“Do you like our doctrine? So, are you willing to convert?……?”
“Hehe, that's a bit too much. As a member of the royal family, I am also a priest of the state religion..”
In any case, even though the people of this country opened their hearts to other things, they did not open their hearts to missionary work. Janice had a bitter taste in her mouth..
“However, I think the noble intentions of Zenith and the Goddess Church are amazing. I will follow suit too..”
Cloudy smiled brightly with a youthful face..
Zenith thought without realizing it..
‘Cute, nice…….’
Such pure goodwill in this harsh country... … . I was moved just by being next to you..
“I'll leave for today! See you again, priest.!”
Cloudy waved his chubby hand and walked away. A bodyguard was silently following behind her..
Zenith waved her hand in that direction and returned to the temple..
“Today too, after finishing a rewarding day of work,~”
Zenith, who was humming a strange song on the spot, shook her shoulders..
Characteristics of men. I sing along with a strange humming tune..
Without realizing it, he was doing things that only older priests in the church did..
“They're all dead, Janice.…….”
Let's open the door with a clatter.,
Tuk.
The paper that was stuck in the door gap fell to the floor..
“…….”
Zenith's face, which had been dripping for the past three years, suddenly hardened like cold metal..
‘Instructions……!’
Janice quickly picked up the paper and looked at it. It looked like a meaningless scribble, but it was actually a complex code used only by the Knights Templar..
It was a letter of instructions from his sister, Rosetta. Janice read the content quickly..
‘There is good news… … Diplomacy between the Empire and the Mist Kingdom has improved dramatically, and an alliance agreement will soon be signed between the two countries.…….’
‘The Goddess Church was also able to officially build a temple and begin official missionary work... … There will soon be a large-scale personnel announcement at the denominational level... … Your hard work over the past three years has been great, now come back.…….’
A smile appeared on Zenith's lips as she read the instructions..
Even though they worked hard to spread the word, no one seemed to listen, and as soon as diplomacy developed between the two countries, they immediately granted permission for an official temple..
‘Well, is it better than an order to beat everyone to death because they made a mistake?.’
If the situation arises, we always neglect to prepare military force to turn this Kingdom of Fog into a wasteland..
There was no need to use such force, and there was no need for his missionary work to see the light of day. In the end, Zenith herself was just a tiny chess piece in the larger political arena..
‘done. Good is good.’
Zenith crumpled the instructions and looked inside the shabby temporary temple..
It was time to get out of here..
***
The incident happened that night.
Grumbling…….
Zenith was lighting a fire inside the temple and burning all of her belongings..
A body that should disappear like fog. There was no need to leave any traces. Just like in the past life.
“…….”
The clothes and snacks I was planning to give to slum children tomorrow, as well as the ball I played with today, all turned into a handful of ashes..
Faced with the memories disappearing one by one, Zenith put a cigarette in her mouth to calm herself. It was then.
Knock knock-
I heard a knock on the temple door..
Are you a guest at this hour? Janice looked puzzled and opened the door. OK,
“Priest.”
The one who came here wearing a robe hood and hiding his identity... … It was none other than the youngest princess Cloudy..
Janice's eyes widened in surprise..
“princess?”
why here?
Did he even realize that he was leaving tomorrow??
Or to hear about diplomatic relations between the two countries and congratulate them.?
All kinds of thoughts ran through my head, but what came out of Cloudy's mouth was something completely unexpected..
“Help me!”
Cloudy shouted with a tear-filled face..
“Please save me, priest.!”
“……?”
Zenith's face froze in embarrassment..
“yes? Are you asking me to save you? Who is trying to harm the princess??”
“Ah, ah, Abama is trying to kill me.…….”
“Are you saying His Majesty the King is trying to kill the princess? why?”
“That, that…….”
Cloudy, who was hesitant, held his stomach and closed his eyes tightly..
“Because they found out I was pregnant.……!”
“……yes?”
pregnancy?
No, what does this mean? I'm too young…….
In front of a dumbfounded Zenith, a tearful Cloudy unbuttoned the stomach button of his dress..
I could see my bloated belly. I don't know how they hid it all this time, but it looked like she was about to go full term..
Zenith, who was examining the boat with her mouth open, asked carefully..
“……Princess, are you married??”
“Did you do it?! Of course, it was a child born out of wedlock, so Abama was furious.!”
Cloudy, who was shaking, snatched the cigarette that Janice was holding, put it in his mouth, and lit it..
And then he took a long breath of smoke with trembling hands. He was very skilled. Janice's mouth opened wider..
“……Since when did cigarettes start again?.”
“It's a basic requirement for royalty..”
“I have a baby in my stomach.”
“The situation is like this, but I think my child will understand if I just smoke one..”
Something… … The fantasy about Princess Cloudy was completely shattered.…….
“It looks like you're almost pregnant. How did you hide it all this time??”
“I'm a bit on the chubby side. I've been lying, saying I gained weight, but that excuse has reached its limit..”
Cloudy exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke with a round, innocent face..
“Whoa. I've been hiding it well all this time, but somehow it got discovered today... … All I had to do was hold on for a few more days, damn it.”
“……Well, who is her father??”
“My bodyguard is safe..”
“Oh, that friend.”
Then I remembered the beastman slave guard who always followed Cloudy by his side..
“He was my lover. We dated 10 years ago..”
“…….”
Zenith, who was in a bad mood for some reason, asked cautiously:.
“Then, by any chance, have you been helping slaves and the poor?……?”
“yes. It was all because I wanted to make him happy..”
“It wasn't that I had noble intentions.?”
“What do I need to know about being noble or being naive? I just need him.!”
My head hurt even more. Janice took a deep breath..
There was no refreshing agent. As expected, this country was a very shitty country.…….
“……So, where is that lovely guy now??”
“dead…….”
Cloudy, who was in tears again, bit his lip..
“As soon as Abama found out what was going on, she caught him and punished him.…….”
“…….”
“At least this child must be saved. It's the fruit of love between me and him.!”
Cloudy rushed to Janice, grabbed her collar and begged..
“Help me, priest! Abamama will try to kill the unborn child. Of course, you will kill me too.!”
“No, how are you asking me to help you?…….”
The footsteps of soldiers echoed outside the temple. Searching torches lit up the night..
Cloudy, who felt the siege narrowing and his complexion turned pale, immediately shouted at Zenith..
“I will convert!”
“……yes?”
“I will convert! Right from this moment! I believe in Goddess religion!”
Janice’s shoulders stiffened..
Cloudy shouted, shaking Zenith back and forth..
“The Goddess Church does not abandon its believers! They say they will go to war to save even just one believer! therefore!”
“…….”
“Help me.”
The soldiers' footsteps came right in front of the temple. cried Cloudy..
“Please save my unborn child……!”
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