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Free meal center
‘It’s going surprisingly smoothly.’
Originally, I had planned to beat the first and second children as well.
First, I could guess the level from the number I had divided last time, and second, I proceeded with the calculation that I could deal with both since I had already beaten them once.
The fourth one was somewhat variable, so it was the one I grabbed first.
However, the kids were more docile than I expected.
‘I thought the second one could be like that… but the first one is unexpected.’
First, he was a guy who used to act prickly. He used to hold onto his weight as if he had something to do, but now he was avoiding eye contact like a dog with its tail waggled.
‘Have I ever been a fan of him?’
He tried to recall his memories, but nothing in particular came to mind.
Anyway, things worked out better than expected.
They were each staring at me with different eyes.
Everyone had thoughtful eyes.
Although they seemed to have different thoughts, there seemed to be no opposition.
Under the focused gaze, I pointed to the unconscious fourth with my chin, sweeping my beard like a king.
The Devil Candies were not used to social life and none of them moved.
“Wake him up.”
Even though I brought it up, the second one just wiggled its long legs and the first one still had its head down.
I glanced at the five eldest sons, and the boy sighed softly and wiggled his fingers.
The fourth eldest son, who had been rolling around a few times, suddenly stood up.
His face was completely swollen and bruised, and his facial features were not visible.
“Are there any complaints?”
I looked at that guy and asked.
“Your Majesty-!”
The man who had bent his knees in a hurry raised both his hands.
I expected him to be a weakling, but he was easier than I thought.
I made a light gesture and the guy quickly got up and sat down on the chair.
The face of the unmasked man looked just like a mole. An ugly, bearded mole. He looked like he liked sweet potatoes.
The guy who caught my eye was so startled that he put on a mask.
“Okay, then I am the king of demons.”
When I asked them that, they nodded.
Becoming king was easier than I thought.
“Don’t be too upset, I’ll pass it on to you later when the time is right.”
I said this to try to cheer them up, but there was no real response.
I glanced at the mole.
“Wow! As expected, you are the king of demons!”
The guy cheered and clapped his hands.
He was a pretty quick-witted guy.
The other guys followed suit quietly.
After enjoying the warm atmosphere, I waved my hand to silence them.
“Have you all heard the news of the coronation rebellion?”
When I asked that, the atmosphere became heavy again.
I didn’t like the lackluster response, but there was no need to provoke it further.
And the saint could laugh off such trivial things.
“We will attend too.”
I said briefly.
This time the reaction was more violent.
“······But the royal family also knows about it.”
The fourth eldest son asked, groping.
At that, I clenched my fist and tried to open it.
It wasn’t a feat to just be a fan.
Sometimes you have to explain and then lose.
“Rumors have spread to the ends of the continent, and all those who are dissatisfied with the Empire are gathering there. Furthermore, the imperial family has been weakened due to our pressure. In addition, the demon king that the prophecy foretold has appeared.”
As the king spoke firmly, the fourth eldest son groaned as if he had to take a dump.
I looked around at them slowly.
There were many eyes focused on me, each with different thoughts.
“Could there be a better time than this?”
He asked softly.
“······.”
The first one avoided eye contact.
“That’s right. As expected, he’s the younger brother of the king.”
The second eldest son said with a wink.
“I agree.”
The fifth eldest son answered in a more excited voice than usual.
Lastly, the fourth is···.
“The King of Demons! That’s right! That’s right, but there is still a master of the sword in the royal family. How can he deal with that monster······.”
The man kneeling on the chair asked with a voice that was even more trembling than before.
It was really unpleasant to see him tilt his head slightly as if he was worried that he might get hit.
“Master of the sword?”
“Yes! There is a truly monstrous man who claims to be the master of the sword! He is said to have a talent for swordsmanship that is beyond the reach of the gods, and he will definitely participate in the coronation ceremony. If there is no way to deal with such a master of the sword, then you will suffer a bitter defeat.”
When I asked again, the fourth eldest son hurriedly explained the owner of the sword.
The bastard’s voice was filled with the same horror as the mercenary describing the troll.
At the end, he pretended to pray and quietly covered his face.
“Master of the sword.”
I put my hands carefully in my pockets, letting out a sigh. I had to be very careful because there were also a lot of explosive sticks in my pockets.
“Yes! The master of the sword! The one called the sword of the empire! It is rumored that his talent reaches the heavens. It is because of the master of the sword that we have been waiting for the king of demons! If he is here, we will surely be defeated miserably!”
The guy who was even more excited by my reaction explained with spit flying.
He nodded and took the sword out of his pocket.
Then the braggart shut his mouth.
The sword, which had exposed its entire body, emitted a dazzling light that illuminated the surroundings.
Anyone who saw it would know that this was a legendary sword.
“That… that?!”
The fourth eldest son opened his eyes wide and stuttered.
The guy kept blinking as if he couldn’t believe his own eyes.
I turned my sword around nonchalantly.
Then the imperial emblem in the middle was revealed brilliantly.
Seeing the eyes widen behind the mask, it seemed like everyone recognized him.
The silence continued, as if speechless.
After a while, the fourth eldest son, who was shaking his head, stammered and opened his mouth.
“Then there is a rumor that the sword’s master was defeated······.”
The fourth eldest son, whose eyes were so wide that they seemed to pop out, asked cautiously.
“You wouldn’t know it if you looked.”
I laughed as I struck my sword.
“Uh··· how···.”
The fourth eldest son groped and his hands shook.
‘You’re a good fit for a windbreaker.’
I nodded while looking at the guy whose reaction was richer than I expected.
I deliberately didn’t answer right away, but looked around at them carefully.
Finally, when the time was right, I lightly twirled my sword and said:
“It was shit food.”
As if they had heard a sneeze, the five elders coughed repeatedly.
What a clueless kid he was.
***
After the five elders’ quarrels calmed down, I assessed their forces.
Everyone answered obediently, whether it was because of the story about beating the master of the sword or because of the fourth one.
‘There’s more than I thought.’
Their forces were greater than I expected. Considering that they were demons, their numbers would be even greater.
The religious community said that even the Pope would come out to give a blessing at the inauguration ceremony, so it fit well with what I had in mind.
“Does the Pope even worship?”
“Yes? Yes.”
I nodded at the bastard’s stupid answer.
“The noble alliance is also participating.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I clicked my tongue at the second one’s playful tone.
‘The rebels already know about it···.’
Finally, I looked at the first one.
“That… I have a limit to what I can answer. First, I need to meet him and talk to him….”
He avoided my gaze and answered in a strangely uncomfortable voice.
In particular, the part where he says, ‘When we met-‘ was stiff.
“Did he tell you to bring me here?”
When I looked up, my eldest son coughed loudly.
“How impertinent. To tell someone to come to the king.”
“···He cannot escape the royal family.”
“Have you been banned from going out?”
There was no answer, but it didn’t seem like the bastard was lying.
It was a good story and a good excuse for me, who happened to have business at the palace.
I don’t know what the eldest son’s intentions were, but it was a welcome suggestion to me.
“Yeah, what are the available troops for that guy?”
There was silence for a moment.
I thought I could hear the bastard’s eyes rolling.
“One hundred and fifty-eight imperial knights.”
I’m not sure if they reduced or increased the number, but it was a pretty satisfactory number.
Of course, it’s just bait to get me to come in.
“I definitely have to go.”
I smiled broadly, looking at the trembling eyes behind the mask.
***
“Ahem.”
On the return carriage, the five elders kept coughing as if they had something to say.
“what.”
“Why did you send those guys to the coronation ceremony?”
The guy’s words were fast, as if he was urging me.
As the five elders said, I was planning to send them to the coronation ceremony.
Moreover, I did not tell them about my plan to blow up the palace.
How can you trust those devils in the first place?
“The first one is limited to two people.”
“You shouldn’t trust the firstborn. He was the main culprit when you betrayed the third eldest son before. He was a high-ranking member of the royal family, but he didn’t tell anyone.”
The guy said this while gritting his teeth.
His voice was filled with desperate anger.
“Do I trust him?”
I clucked my tongue at his stupid words. There was no way I, who considered murder the greatest of all, among faith, hope, and murder, could trust him.
“Then why is that······.”
“I’ll let you enter the palace.”
The five elders chewed their lips at my answer. They seemed to have no understanding at all.
Without even explaining, he took off the mask from his face and put it in his pocket.
How much time had passed? When the rattling of the carriage had lessened, the five elders opened their mouths.
“What are you going to do after entering the palace?”
The bastard’s straight eyes seemed as if they were trying to dig into me.
However, it was too clear for that.
“We must destroy the palace.”
I smiled arrogantly like a king.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Take care of it-.”
When I answered with a smile, the guy’s face immediately crumpled.
The guy who had been twitching his lips for a moment soon became quiet. He looked a little disappointed, but there was nothing he could do about it.
He was a devil too.
Rattling-.
“Don’t worry. I destroyed the palace last time. It’s hard the first time, but it gets easier the second time.”
“I’m sure it was the first one that did that last time···.”
I ignored the guy’s uneasy mutterings.
I looked at the palace map I received from the first guy.
It was said that it was distributed to the palace knights in case they got lost, and since he was a marshal, the map was quite detailed.
It was so detailed that it didn’t even need a guide.
‘This is totally an ant hole.’
It was more complex and deeper than it appeared on the outside.
In addition, there were many secrets, and even though it was a enemy-level map, there were many places that were not marked.
Above it was written in red letters: “No Trespassing.”
I looked at the map and made several escape routes.
“···Why are your eyes open like that?”
“Magic Eye is an advanced technology.”
I clicked my tongue at the uncivilized medieval bastard and memorized the map again.
I found the place that said “Administration” at the very bottom.
‘Avery.’
The corners of his mouth went up as he muttered softly out loud.
When it was time to get off, I raised my head and saw the five elders’ pupils gathered in the middle.
I laughed out loud at that stupid sight.
***
‘···What is this?’
I returned to my accommodations, and there was a familiar figure crouching in front of me.
However, the outfit was quite shabby, so it took some time to recognize it.
“···Abbot? What are you doing here?”
“Ah, Aaron’s Honor… No, Aaron.”
The abbot, with his nose red, called me in his usual voice.
The abbot was wearing not the white habit he had previously worn, but a simple, shabby tunic like that worn by commoners.
There was a familiar face next to him. Judging by its small size, it was a mini-lung.
Instead of his fancy white armor, Mini Lunge wore a tunic similar to that of an abbot, but due to his short stature, the lower part of his body dragged on the ground.
“···.”
Mini Lunge avoided my gaze and hid behind the abbot.
“Oh, I got fired.”
The abbot looked at me and spoke calmly.
“···Are you talking about dismissal?”
“That’s right. He was fired.”
The abbot nodded. His face looked strangely relieved, despite the heavy content.
There were about five more behind the abbot. They were all dressed in shabby clothes, but judging from the strength they had gained from their clothes, they seemed to have trained hard.
They were bowing their heads with a gloomy look on their faces, as if they had been slapped.
‘They were unemployed.’
The abbot had a dignified expression. As I looked at his straight eyes staring at me, a strange sense of unease arose.
Are you waiting here with all these unemployed people who don’t seem to have a penny to spare?
Moreover, those proud eyes were very unsettling.
“Accept us.”
The abbot spoke calmly.
“I don’t like it.”
I declined without a moment’s hesitation.
“Thank you.”
The abbot nodded and opened the door and went in.
I scratched my head at the shamelessness of it.
Then, those behind him flinched with a stinging look on their faces.
I clicked my tongue and went inside, looking at the cowering unemployed people.
“Yes, it seems you wanted to study the Bible too. Did you read the Bible I gave you? Reading the Bible early in life is an asset that will last a lifetime.”
Kanna, who was caught by the abbot, opened her eyes wide in confusion.
Looking at his awkward posture, it seemed like he thought it was me and tried to hit me with his torso, but was caught.
Kanna blinked her eyes repeatedly and looked at me. Her eyes were asking me to save her, but-.
‘It might be necessary···.’
I even saw the tattoo on Park Dae-gari, the peak.
The crop had already failed, but it seemed better to ask for help from the abbot rather than leave it as it was.
I don’t know about anything else, but the abbot was the best at being upright. He also seemed to have raised children, so I thought he would be able to handle things somehow.
“Ah… Aaron! Aaron!”
I heard Kanna’s desperate voice, but I tried to look away and pretend not to see it.
“You haven’t read a single one. Who would have thought that someone would say that she’s Aaron’s daughter… This won’t do. If we leave it like this, it’ll end up being Aaron. Come this way.”
“I’m going to be Aaron! That’s my dream… Aaron! Ah…”
Kanna, who had been screaming softly, was dragged towards the abbot while waving her hands. Park Dae-gari, who had been coming out from inside, followed Kanna with a smile.
‘Even though you’ve been fired, you’re still the same.’
He muttered while looking at the abbot’s back.
He was the abbot who worked harder than anyone else in his monastic life. He was probably even more diligent than the Pope.
This man rose to the rank of cardinal, was demoted, and became the abbot of a remote monastery. And as if that wasn’t enough, he was now dismissed.
And that too in the church he had been so devoted to.
But how can you remain so indifferent?
I clicked my tongue as I looked at the back of the abbot.
At that moment, a cold wind blew in from behind.
I turned my head and saw a mini-dump just beyond the door.
“If you’re not going to come in, close the door.”
The mini-lungs, who flinched greatly, came in cautiously, followed by the rest of them, one by one.
“Brother, what are these?”
“Oh, my gosh…”
I turned my head in surprise at the sound I heard next to me, and there was a weasel lurking next to the door.
I don’t know where I got it, but it was completely invisible because I was wrapped in a cloth similar to a wall.
I barely managed to stop the sword I was stabbing. The weasel gulped as it looked at the sword aimed at its forehead.
“What are you doing?”
“······Yes? I was standing guard.”
The weasel, who had been flinching, smiled awkwardly and took off the cloth.
Then I saw that they had even put up a wooden plank to make it easier to lean on.
‘What on earth is this kid trying to become…’
I sighed softly and put the sword back.
Since I couldn’t recognize it, it was obvious that other guys wouldn’t notice it easily.
I don’t know why, but it was a stealth technique that had reached a certain level.
“But if I stand here for too long, my legs······. Brother?”
The weasel, who had been turning his ankle, opened his eyes wide and asked.
“Go on.”
I put the fallen cloth back on the weasel.
The weasel, who had been mumbling something, slowly slowed down its breathing and eventually faded away.
However, after realizing it, I could feel a slight movement.
I sat at the table facing Mini Lungeup. Mini Lungeup kept fiddling with her neck as if her tunic was uncomfortable.
“What do you mean, dismissal?”
“It is literally a dismissal. The Pope dismissed us.”
Mini Lungeup answered with a subtle frown.
Mini-Abbess was the older sister of the abbess, so she deserved to be dismissed, but it was somewhat difficult to understand why the abbess was dismissed.
“What did you do to deserve dismissal?”
“···We don’t know either. However, they are all people who do not belong to any faction.”
Mini Lungeup answered with a somewhat pouty face.
He certainly didn’t look very trustworthy, as he resembled a swindler, but he didn’t seem like someone who would embezzle money.
‘Even the abbot was dismissed along with him.’
It was clear that something had happened at the church.
“Can you guess what it is?”
Just in case, I asked Mini Lung again.
Mini Lungeup hesitated for a moment. His face looked as if something was pricking him.
Mini Lungeup took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
“Other than sending five requests for Joanna’s return every day… Ah, I collected the silver coins from the operation expenses and bought Joanna her favorite cake… Hmm.”
Mini Lung-gyeop slowly opened his mouth and started pouring out a series of things. They were all trivial stories related to Lung-gyeop.
“No. We saved the money that came out as operational expenses and used it separately.”
Mini Lunggyup said firmly, sensing my gaze.
It was certainly not an ordinary act. However, unlike other religious groups, he did not seem to have taken money from the common people or favored the nobles.
The unemployed people standing behind also had honest faces.
“Then what happened to the lungs… no, Inquisitor Joanna Ethan?”
“She was fired. Why Joanna…! Joanna has done so much for the church, and she was fired just because she took a break for over a year!”
Looking at the mini-lodges that were causing outrage, it seemed like the church had done a good job.
I looked around at them for a moment.
Despite being fired, everyone was in perfect condition.
However, judging from his behavior, it was clear that he had no money.
“So what are you going to do?”
“I intend to follow Brighton.”
The eyes of the mini-lung that answered like that were truly stern.
It held quite a bit of weight, like a knight swearing an oath, but…
Gulp.
“That is to say… it is merely an appeal of the flesh. Our faith and belief are not broken by mere dismissal, but are engraved in the soul….”
I clicked my tongue and pushed the bread off the table.
Mini Lungeup swallowed hard for a moment, then picked up some bread and approached the guys behind him.
Then the men knelt down, and Mini Lung-gyup looked at them with a pious expression.
“From now on, we are a suicide squad. He called it a dismissal, but he knows that it is not because we are wrong, but because the church is corrupt. This is the first step in protesting against the church’s corruption. This is not just bread······.”
Mini-lungs tearing off bread and handing it out one by one, and guys chanting along in tears. They even put their fists to their foreheads and prayed.
The content of that conversation was truly tragic and pious, but…
In reality, they were unemployed people sharing a single piece of hard bread.
It was really poor.
‘I think the church has done a good job at this point.’
I clicked my tongue at the sight of the pile of trash.
‘If we follow the abbot, we will go to Cassidy. That’s good timing.’
It seemed like they had found cheap escorts to send back Kanna and Park’s heads.
Moreover, since he is faithful enough to be dismissed, his trust is guaranteed.
Mini Lunggyup was a person who did not run away even when faced with the threat of death from meeting the devil.
‘Even though he looks like that, he’s a knight of the temple… Not bad for an escort.’
I nodded and took out a few silver coins and handed them to Mini Lung.
“I will not forget this favor.”
Looking at his tearful eyes, it seemed like he had bought at the lowest point.
Then suddenly, a question arose.
I don’t know what the Pope was thinking, but it seemed like all the faithful and upright people in the church had been dismissed.
That means…
“Am I fired too?”
I got the position by accident, but I still liked the benefits, but I was a little disappointed.
‘The potion was really good as a fatigue reliever···.’
Mini Lunge was silent for a moment at my question.
After a while, Mini Lung-gyup, whose face had become trembling, shook his head.
“You have actually been promoted. I hear you are now an honorary abbot.”
Mini’s voice sounded strangely uncomfortable.
‘···My salary was cut, but I got promoted?’
I felt a feeling that was hard to describe.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
When I opened the door to him-.
“···Is Brighton here by any chance?”
There were a lot of poor, unemployed people.
What they had in common was that they were all thin and had sparkling eyes.
‘I heard it’s rumored to be a free cafeteria.’
I nodded, clicking my tongue.
Anyway, it was a bottom-point purchase.
***
“Why do you care so much about him?”
Hans turned his gaze to the question he heard from the side.
There was a man there who looked more like a warrior than a wizard.
“The follow-up to this White Tower incident, and the diversion of the Tower Alliance’s attention… was quite severe. I wonder why you are so considerate of his convenience.”
The man seemed to be asking, rather than arguing, why she was suffering such a great loss for him.
It was understandable. Hans had never suffered a single loss until now, so he must have been somewhat curious about his current actions, which were different from before.
I was in a good mood today, so I decided to answer.
My mouth also felt a bit ticklish.
“···Let’s say you knew the entire future. What would you think?”
Even though it was a somewhat unexpected question, the man seemed to be thinking hard with a hardened expression.
As expected from a serious and reserved man, the answer came after a while.
“I think I will be successful by using that future.”
The man’s answer did not live up to Hans’ expectations.
No, everyone would say that. That’s why they hang themselves on the prophet. That’s why Hans was able to come here so easily.
However, that was someone else’s point of view.
“It’s literally the future. That means it’s something that’s bound to happen. No matter what you do, it won’t change. For example, here…”
Hans’ hand flexed gently. Ancient text appeared to him, and a crackling sound was heard around the man’s neck.
“Even killing you.”
Hans shook his hand lightly. Ancient magic felt uncomfortable whenever he used it.
“Why are you sticking with the red tower? I picked it because it’s sturdy…”
That’s why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I chose Aaron because he was a solid guy, but then he started thinking differently.
Hans clicked his tongue and took out his handkerchief. He searched the man’s chest with his hand wrapped around the handkerchief.
Deep inside there was a piece of paper with a code written on it.
‘Are you targeting the one who receives Mana’s love after the transplant? You really are a thief.’
Of course, I already knew this, but it was a necessary action.
“Anyway, to explain further, knowing the entire future is not as blessed as you think. How would it feel to experience something you’ve already seen, and not be wrong no matter what you do? In that play… Oh, what was it…?”
Hans, who had been scratching his head for a moment, snapped his fingers.
“Yes, a puppet. That’s how I feel. It’s really, really unpleasant and boring. Nothing feels exciting. I don’t feel like I’m alive. I wonder if this is my will.”
Hans wiped the blood off the paper with his finger. He was going to give it as a gift, but it wouldn’t be good if there was blood on it.
“But then I met someone who moved differently than I had seen before. What do you think?”
There was no answer. Hans frowned and looked down.
“Oh, your throat was pierced. Don’t say things like this….”
Hans clicked his tongue at the bubbling blood.
The rough eyes like an ox stared at him, but he felt no emotion because he had already seen them.
Or what you are seeing right now.
“Is Seongsu fully prepared?”
Hans turned his head slightly and asked.
“Yes, as you said, it was possible because the Pope was away.”
“How long has it been like this?” the gloomy-looking woman answered softly.
Hans turned his gaze to the transparent window.
The sky was clear and cloudless, making it truly sunny.
“It should start raining soon.”
The voice that muttered like that was trembling greatly.
Just like a child before going out to play-.
