Children of the Holy Emperor - Chapter 382



Only Noblemtl

382. Red (5)

“What the hell is going on!?”

“A spark has fallen on one of the boxes containing the ‘Ancient Fire’!”

“What? Then why did the explosion occur?”

A sudden explosion completely collapsed a corner of the council building.

A couple of rooms that had been adjacent to the hallway were completely exposed, without any boundaries, and the outer wall on the opposite side was also badly destroyed, revealing a clear view of the adjacent courtyard.

And all of those spaces are quickly covered with hot, crimson flames.

Whoosh whoosh!

“Bring me water! Quickly!”

“Are you crazy? No water! It’ll just spread the fire further!”

“Dirt! Get some dirt without hesitation! As much as you can! We need to cover all the fires you see!”

While the workers were running around in confusion, Logan easily navigated the crowded crowd and arrived at the scene of the accident in an instant.

“… … !”

In the hallway where the flames were rising, three people were lying side by side. Luckily, they were not yet engulfed in the flames.

Logan spotted a familiar silver hair among them and ran straight to the edge of the flames, spreading out his Auror curtain.

“Sisley!”

I quickly hugged the little girl and examined her condition carefully. Fortunately, there were no visible external injuries. It seemed that she had simply been caught in a violent explosion and lost consciousness for a moment.

Logan, sensing his younger brother’s steady aura, let out a deep sigh of relief and drew up his divine power.

Hwaaaaak!

Only after pouring out his divine powers on Sisley like that did Logan finally come to his senses to look around him.

And then, at that moment, I was speechless at the sight that unfolded before my eyes.

“… … .”

It is a terrible hell of flames.

Fueled by a secret flammable substance passed down from ancient times, the giant fireball was devouring everything around it moment by moment.

Thud-thud-

Due to the aftermath of the explosion, the outer walls of the building were still crumbling, raising dust little by little. Then, the dust produced there would quickly burst into flames, engulfing not only the floor but also the surrounding air.

A vicious cycle where one fire creates another.

‘… You managed to stay safe in this situation!’

Logan watched with slightly tired eyes as hot flames spread out, splitting the curtain to the left and right.

“lowering!”

“Logan, lower your head!”

“Huh! Saintess?!”

The knights of Lilium, who had been chasing Logan late, were startled and opened their curtains one after another.

“Your Majesty! You must dodge! Get over here!”

Logan held Sisley in his arms and slowly retreated along the path the knights had secured.

Then, Sir Otto and Sir Eli rush in and drag the Inquisitor and the attendant who were lying nearby to the back safely.

Hwaruk! Hwaruk!

Meanwhile, the site was busy with the evolution work. Guards came running from all directions and joined the workers, carrying dirt without rest.

But that alone wasn’t enough. The fire that had already begun to gain momentum only spread further and showed no signs of extinguishing.

“What a truly terrifying flame. I guess this is the [Ancient Fire] that the Council was talking about.”

Logan nodded at the murmur of the backseat attendant.

Judging from the fact that the fire was not easily extinguished, it seemed that it would be easy to launch a fire attack on the sea as well.

Just then, Sisley, who was in my arms, flinched slightly.

“… Logan Oraboni.”

“Yes, Sisley. Are you awake?”

Sisley blinked his eyes for a moment to focus, then quickly opened them as if he had come to his senses.

“Brother! Inquisitor Boris?”

“If you mean the Inquisitor who was with us, don’t worry. He’s fine.”

Sisley turned his head and saw the Inquisitor and servant lying on one side of the hallway. He frowned slightly and slowly got up.

“By the way, what happened, Sisley? Why did you get caught in the explosion?”

“I… am supposed to meet someone here.”

“Who are you meeting?”

Sisley turned his head without answering. Towards a large room whose walls had collapsed and whose interior was completely exposed.

Logan, who was absentmindedly following the girl’s gaze, suddenly sensed something and flinched.

“person……?!”

Beyond the huge wall of fire, there was indeed another person lying there. He seemed to have completely lost consciousness, and he did not move at all even though parts of his body were engulfed in flames.

Logan was quite embarrassed.

‘What? There was no sound until just now? When did you get there?’

Those who were putting out the fire also seemed to have noticed the person’s presence.

“Ambrose has been engulfed in fire!”

“Priest! Call the priest!”

“Wait a minute! We have to put out the fire first! Hurry up!”

At the commotion, Sisley seemed to come to his senses and quickly sat up.

“Ah…! Ambrose of Helios! I was supposed to meet him, but I think he was engulfed in flames while coming to meet me!”

It meant that the author was the one who had called Sisley here without permission.

‘But is that really the presence of a living person? How could it have been so close that I didn’t notice it until now?’

As Logan hesitated, feeling a strange sensation, Sisley looked at Logan with an earnest face.

“Logan, I’m fine. You go ahead and help that guy.”

“Sisley.”

“It may be too late, but we can’t just leave people in the fire, right? I’ll take care of the others who have fallen, so hurry!”

It was a valid point. Logan nodded and quickly jumped into the flames.

Hwaaak-

As a powerful silver-blue curtain unfolded, the fierce flames soon parted helplessly, willingly opening a path for the Sword Master.

* * *

The aftermath of the explosion was so great that even Sungjin, who had actually started the fire, was unable to avoid the impact.

No, maybe it had a bigger impact because I hadn’t expected it.

‘Kkuek… …!’

Seongjin’s soul was instantly blown towards Delcross. The soul terminals of the twins who were chattering nearby also seemed to have received a similar shock, as they flew away somewhere and their presence was no longer felt.

Seongjin thought in the midst of dizzying confusion.

‘What is that? Why is it exploding like that?’

As far as Sungjin knew, the substance in that box wasn’t something that would explode instantly. It was just a liquid fuel that spread the fire quite quickly and was difficult to extinguish.

So Sungjin just quietly started a fire to block Sisley’s path. He thought it would be the icing on the cake if he could just change the direction a little and completely burn down one of the troublemakers.

‘Yes. What I was after was that puppeteer’s life!’

To get rid of the puppeteer’s soul, you have to hit the body it’s inhabiting.

But at the same time, Sungjin knew very well that the person himself was not actually a [puppeteer].

It was an unforgivable sin, just like attempting to murder a complete stranger. Even to do it with one’s soul would obviously consume an unimaginable amount of causality.

but-

‘There will never be another opportunity like this again. So I’m going to catch him off guard here! Even the puppeteer wouldn’t have expected that I would twist cause and effect and use my hands directly!’

It’s very precarious. But if you make good use of the things around you, you probably won’t completely exceed the tolerance of causality.

At least that’s what Sungjin thought.

‘You bastard who’s after Sisley and Logan! I’ll completely wipe you out here and now!’

Even though he had set the fire with such gusto, this is the result. It was completely different from what he had expected.

I couldn’t figure out why.

‘Just pulling the spark wouldn’t have caused such an explosion.’

I guess something must have intervened in the middle. Someone had manipulated the tiny amount of causality that even Sungjin hadn’t noticed, and had completely reversed the outcome of the situation!

‘Who the hell is it?’

Are they the six-person meeting guys? No, they still don’t know what the puppeteer is up to.

Perhaps one of the high-ranking demon lords? But there’s nothing to be gained by interfering with me right now, right?

or not…….

‘… No way, Father?’

That was when Seongjin thought about it.

Beep-

Soon, along with the loud tinnitus, his mind began to become clouded as usual. Sungjin struggled to keep his thoughts together with his head rapidly becoming dizzy.

‘Not yet, not yet! I need to figure out more about what happened! I need to tell Logan and Sisley! That box is… … !’

… But wait. A box?

How do I know what that box is?

No, more than that, where was I just now? What the hell was I for… … .

Swaaaah-

Memories are slipping away like the tide. It’s so vain, but it’s become familiar now, as it always has been.

Seongjin finally gave up on the idea, drained his soul’s power, and waited for his memories to completely disappear. He returned to his body and waited for him to open his eyes as Mores again.

[Lee Seong-jin.]

Just then, someone called Sungjin. He turned his head and saw a small spark that looked quite familiar, faintly glowing.

‘Adversary?’

Seongjin’s soul, which was currently halfway out of his body, could be seen clearly even without borrowing the spiritual eye.

But for some reason, the Demon King was no longer crying. Rather, he was giving off a rather resolute vibe, unlike usual!

‘mind…….’

When Seongjin tried to call him again, the Demon King struck first and started the conversation.

[Wait a minute, Lee Sung-jin. Wait a minute, wouldn’t you like to talk to me for a moment while you’re at this point?]

‘Story? What, all of a sudden? If that’s the case, let’s talk later. First, I’ll get up and… . . . ‘

[No. It has to be now! I don’t want to lose any more of my precious memories!]

‘… … ?’

[Just this once! Okay?]

It’s a completely incomprehensible statement.

However, the emotions in the guy’s earnest voice were so vivid that Sungjin suddenly felt like he wanted to grant whatever request he made.

Then, somehow, without knowing the thought, the Demon King’s small flame gently wavered as if smiling.

[…thank you.]

‘… … .’

Seongjin looked at the shabby flame in front of him without answering.

Somehow, he didn’t act like the usual Demon King. He was just a lowly guy who whined like a child every day, but for some reason, I felt a different kind of dignity from him now.

[My business is nothing special. I just felt that today was the time to tell you my real name.]

Seongjin became puzzled.

‘Why now of all times?’

Didn’t he say that before? He said that his name shouldn’t be spoken out loud. There was something wrong with him.

[Because the gold that was hanging all over it has now become much lighter.]

‘taboo?’

[Yeah. You know, I just got permission.]

‘… … ?’

As he stared at the bastard in a puzzled manner, the Demon King blinked as if he was trying to meet Seongjin’s gaze.

And he spoke slowly, word by word, as if repeating to himself, with emphasis.

[Listen carefully, Lee Sung-jin. My name is Kalpagni. I am the great fire demon lord and the fire of Gehenna, who calls for the destruction of dimensions.]

Calphagni.

But that was the moment I heard that name.

Zzaung-

Seongjin suddenly felt a huge impact hitting his head and staggered.

‘This is… …!’

It was a pain that was not so unfamiliar. It was certainly like the shock I had received when I saw a puppet show going on in a mess on Rue Bertrand.

While Seongjin was deeply confused by the incomprehensible phenomenon, the Demon King asked in a sincere voice.

[Be honest, Lee Sung-jin. You were in a lot of pain just now, weren’t you?]

‘… … !’

[Yeah, I guess so.]

It felt like I had been hit out of nowhere. However, the Demon King, who was the one who had created this phenomenon, had a calm demeanor as if he had expected everything.

[It can’t be otherwise. Because that name is already a wrong name. The name of the Fire Lord may no longer be ‘Kalpagni’.]

‘what……?’

[Do you remember the puppet story you told me before?]

The Demon King was talking about a memory that Seongjin had just recalled.

[I’ve been thinking that something is strange since then. It must have been me, the Fire Lord, who attacked by calling the wrong name, so why did you get hit so hard too?]

‘… … .’

It’s a problem I don’t really want to think about. I knew that the more I dug into it, the more I would come to a conclusion I didn’t like.

But I couldn’t stop the devil from talking now. After all, didn’t I promise to listen to what he said this time?

but.

[Lee Seong-jin. Do you know how the Demon King’s generational change occurs?]

Don’t do it anyway.

Say no more, Demon King.

Sungjin wanted to say that. On one hand, he deeply felt that what was coming had finally come.

[Take everything you can while you have the power. And the weak let the stronger take everything. That’s how demons live.]

The truth that has been kept hidden and hidden by the Demon King’s true name until now.

[And it was the same for me, the king of one dimension.]

The Demon King’s soul, which continues its explanation, occasionally flashes an irregular light. A faint light that is so insignificant that it feels a little sad.

[You have killed the Demon King of a single dimension. And you have gained the right to rule over all of Gehenna.]

The Fire Demon King had completed the generational change at that time. The Demon King who said that seemed very sad, or perhaps a little happy.

[Do you understand? Lee Sung-jin. From the moment you first came to this world, you were already the Fire Lord and my monarch.]