The World I Was Supporting Was Real - Chapter 106



106. What Happens to Us If We Vanish?

* * *

It has been quite a while since they started selling cola.

A few dilettantes had gossiped, calling the divine beverage a “fleeting fad that will vanish like the foam on beer”—

“I’m sorry! We’re already completely out of on-site sales stock…”

“It seems like reservations are going to take more than a month, is that alright?”

—Contrary to their thoughts, the demand for cola showed absolutely no sign of dying down.

It was becoming more than just a hot-selling item; it was evolving into a social phenomenon.

The fact that the number of people converting to the religion simply for cheap cola was a bonus.

“I’m going to start believing in the Gwedon faith because of this.”

“Lord Lohengrin was right. Why did we stubbornly resist…”

Particularly noticeable was the conversion of most of the noble families gathered in the capital, and influential figures of near-noble status.

Come to think of it, as it was essentially a luxury good, it was inevitable that there would be a greater response from this demographic than from the populace struggling to make ends meet.

And, while its excellent taste and refreshing quality as a luxury item were also key factors –

for these people, cola’s greatest value and purpose was as a replacement for alcohol.

The capital’s location, where the ratio of people who could afford to live, so to speak, was high, rather than those barely scraping by.

And a great number of people spent a good portion of their earnings on alcohol – it was a commonplace to become addicted to the alcohol itself.

Naturally, alcohol addiction didn’t bring about any positive effects, and one could view the situation as a kind of social issue—

but what good would it do to tell people who had nothing to do and nowhere to go, “You shouldn’t drink so much?”

In that respect, cola was close to a perfect alternative.

The sensation was a bit different from the fullness one felt when drinking alcohol or the unique fizz experienced with beer – but the mere fact that it was alcohol-free made cola more than valuable.

In any case, the majority of the profits from selling cola to these relatively well-off people were invested in relief for the poor and in education.

From noble mtl dot com

Pope Agnus III was a man who understood that this was a moment when he needed to be more virtuous than at any other time.

Even a single mistake would be a fatal blow to the Gwedon faith, which was expanding its influence with the support of the imperial family.

That was also why he transparently disclosed even financial details that didn’t necessarily need to be made public, so that even the lowest-ranking priests could check them.

Moreover, the fact that they didn’t forcefully impose the religion when helping the poor was further contributing to the rise of Gwedon’s image, as an added bonus.

“Thank you, priest…”

“I never even imagined I’d get to eat bread… thank you so much.”

The wealthy and nobles got cola. The church, capital, its social image, and its congregation. The poor, opportunities for education and meals they could eat.

This absurd cycle created by just one cola was, in effect, solving the continent’s social problems more efficiently than anything else!

And—

“……”

The Third Prince Ares, now a formal member of the Goden Church, was also witnessing this entire process with his own eyes.

‘It’s incredible.’

At first, when he heard that the Saintess and the Wood-Attribute Magic Tower were collaborating to create something called ‘cola’—

Ares had, naturally, assumed it was just to shore up the Church’s finances.

Now he believed in the existence of a god. He no longer doubted that holy being.

Even so, he didn’t think that god would be preoccupied with spreading a mere luxury beverage, so—

He’d honestly thought that, like the way the Goden Church people were treating a new fried chicken dish called “chicken,” they were simply adding value to their own creation by labeling the drink a ‘gift from god’.

But.

If a virtuous cycle this unbelievable were actually occurring?

If a fairy-tale world where ‘everyone is happy’, with no side effects and no one left behind, were actually unfolding in reality?

God’s love.

It was something that truly could not be explained by anything else than the words ‘God’s love’.

Ares quietly placed a hand on his chest.

Something within him felt full. God’s warm concern for humanity—it was a sensation he’d been feeling intensely for some time now.

But, for some reason—

Ares finds himself thinking he can’t just relax.

What if.

‘What if, just what if, the gods change their minds and stop watching over our world… what happens then?’

See—the reason Ares didn’t believe in the gods at first was because the world didn’t work like this before Saint Erin appeared.

Everything that could be called a miracle in the Guoden faith began with Erin’s arrival, so before his enlightenment, Ares naturally had no choice but to believe that miracles were a type of white magic.

But, the gods do exist. He himself is living a life that proves that fact more vividly than anyone.

If so.

It was reasonable to believe that the gods had begun to cherish and care for this world—from the moment the Saint descended upon it.

Karen-noona said that the gods’ grace is finite, not infinite.

Like that, if the gods were to suddenly disappear…

In a world where so many people can no longer live without that grace, if they were to leave as suddenly as they had appeared.

We who are loved by God Guoguo… what would become of us?

“Your Highness-!”

What stopped Ares’s endlessly spreading thoughts was the sight of Karen running toward him from the distance, cradling something precious.

Ridiculously, his gaze was drawn to her bouncing chest as she ran, and Ares quickly averted his eyes.

“Haa, haa… I, I’m back…! Hehe. Did you wait long?”

“No, noona. Not much time has passed. Did you do what you needed to do well?”

“Yes! I finished it well. Oh, that’s right! This!”

Karen carefully untied the bundle she had brought.

And inside it was—

“This is…?”

“It’s cola! I got a bottle from Linea!”

“…It’s something in short supply, is it really okay to just get it like that?”

“It wasn’t for sale, it seems like Linea got it as a gift!”

Karen said, smiling as she handed it to Ares.

“Here! You go first, Your Highness!”

“……”

Ares accepted it silently.

Cold. As if it had been submerged in water filled with ice.

As he popped the cork, a puff of pure white steam rose. – A stark fact.

Ares easily recognized that it was the lingering scent of stark fact.

Cola.

He hadn’t tasted it before, but, well…

– Glug, glug.

“……!”

With a tingling sensation that vibrated through his mouth and an immense wave of refreshment that enveloped his head –

Ares understood, with little difficulty, why this was called the love of the gods.

“Wow… this is really good.”

“Me too! I want to try it too!”

Ares, without much thought, handed the bottle of cola to Karen.

Karen, being Karen, just gulped it down without a second thought.

“……Ah! Seriously! You were right, Your Highness! This is delicious! If I’d known, I would’ve gotten a few more bottles….”

“Even if it’s you, I don’t think he’d just give us several bottles of something so expensive…”

That’s how it was.

Ares, who spoke so casually, –

– *whipped* his head around!

“?”

Only then did he finally notice something, his face flushing as he turned.

“Your Highness?”

Karen’s voice didn’t reach his ears.

Because… he’d realized what just happened.

The bottle he had just taken a swig from, Karen had just taken a swig from without wiping it –

‘This… this is, ii-indirect… indirect… kk-k*ss… !!’

“???”

“A-Ah, it’s nothing! Um… l-let’s go, Sis! Uh… a… aren’t you hungry? Let’s go eat something tasty, come on!”

“I don’t know why you’re so flustered all of a sudden but… sure! Let’s go!”

Hand in hand, the two crossed Igugwodeon Square, where a new breeze had begun to blow.

– Youth.

The man who once wanted to overturn the world, now wanted to protect it.

* * *

“Alright, that concludes this meeting. Everyone’s had a long journey.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Your Majesty!”

Having finished speaking with her retainers, Eirene let out a short sigh.

She’d approved additional support for the Wood-Attribute Magic Tower, and revised parts of the agreements with the demon race that didn’t fit reality.

The demon pact was an area where the Emperor could make unilateral decisions—but making a portion of the forest land owned by the Wood-Attribute Magic Tower to expand its size was a rather cumbersome process.

It wouldn’t have been an issue if it were within the capital city, Iggu-geo-deon—but the land that included the Wood-Attribute Magic Tower was owned by the Ashfield Duchy, not the Imperial Family.

Even an Emperor, who stood above all other lords, could not manipulate the nobles’ territories as they pleased, so negotiation was unavoidable.

Fortunately or unluckily, the Duke of Ashfield was satisfied with being provided a certain amount of cola each month, so things didn’t get complicated.

After finishing one task, and before starting the next, sitting blankly on the throne, a thought would come—

‘… I’m lonely.’

—The desire to lean on someone.

More specifically, it was a woman’s desire to be held in the broad arms of Lord Iggu-geo-deon.

She used to be perfectly suited to handle the Emperor’s duties alone. She thought that wanting to lean on someone was just the whining of the weak.

But, after knowing God.

And knowing a man, knowing love, things were different.

After finishing all her work and returning to her empty room, lying alone in bed, was just too lonely.

She would steady her heart with prayer, but a body that had come to know a man desperately yearned for the being who had first taught it.

“Lord Iggu-geo-deon…”

Eirene carefully moved her lips, containing the name.

Iggu geodeon.

My light, my only love, my master…

Every time I conjure that face, that voice, my heart hammers and my lower abdomen throbs.

Being human, not a god, made it so unbearably hard to withstand the serpent of desire coiled within my heart.

I wanted to be in Iggo-godon’s arms right now, to unleash everything I am, but—

‘… No.’

Eirene quickly shook her head.

A ripe woman should know how to wait in chastity until Iggo-godon deigns to come for her.

Hadn’t I made a promise to myself? That we would meet again when the day I descend finally comes.

She had never forgotten his words, not for a single moment.

‘I must go to pray to Iggo-godon this evening… ‘

As Eirene cautiously tried to call for someone,

From beyond, a soldier came running, a troubled look on his face.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“Well… There’s a person causing a disturbance in front of the Imperial Palace, demanding an audience with Your Majesty.”

“A disturbance, you say?”

“Yes.”

Could it be a commoner with a grievance?

If it were in the past, I would have been enraged at the audacity of trying to seek an audience with the Emperor without an appointment and would have mercilessly thrown them out, but a ripe woman now knows she must show a magnanimous nature no matter who the other person is.

“Explain in detail. “What business does this person have to come all the way here?”

“It’s… it’s just that, he’s claiming to be Duke Rengard von Euler.”

“……What?”

At the unexpected name, Eirene’s eyes went wide, pupils shrinking.

Duke Rengard von Euler.

She knew that name.

Back when she wasn’t even twenty, he was the exceptional head of the Euler family, commanded by her older sister, the previous queen Aisha—

“What should we do?”

“Have him brought in for now.”

“Yes!”

After the soldier turned away.

A short while later, a man with a disheveled appearance slowly walked in over the red carpet.

“……!”

Eirene carefully scrutinized the man’s face.

Though he looked much older, with a shaggy beard and shabby clothes—

It was the Euler Duke she’d faced in her younger days, the one who left with the expectations of so many, including the Emperor Aisha.

The man, upon seeing Eirene’s face, carefully opened his mouth.

“Are…are you Empress Aisha?”

“……Does it look like it?”

“Well, if you are, with all due respect, you appear much younger than I had imagined…”

“That would be because she’s dead. My sister, that is.”

“Died… gone, you say…?! No, you’re saying it’s my sister-“

Rengard bowed his head, as if at a loss… then, cautiously, he pulled out another name he remembered.

“…Could it be, Princess Eirene?”

“Yes. You remember.”

“Of course I remember, Princess…! You’ve grown so wonderfully… I should have, I should have sought you out sooner…”

“I was just about to bring that up, Rengard.”

The reason Eirene was surprised to hear Rengard’s name.

It was because he was listed as officially deceased, having gone missing.

The moment the ship he’d sailed on washed ashore, half-wrecked—no one had believed he could have survived.

The order he’d been given had become a failed order, and at that point, most had erased the word ‘possibility’ from their minds.

Yes.

‘The ship he’d sailed on’ had washed ashore, half-wrecked.

And now, he was alive and well, having returned—

“Your Majesty. It seems I suffered from amnesia. I suddenly remembered who I am, but too much time has passed already. I lived a life of futility, not knowing anything, merely existing day by day. It’s too late, but there is “a fact I must report, even now.”

—He carefully reports on the order he received from Aisha.

“Your Majesty. —It exists.”

“……!!!”

“The legend was true. The new continent… it exists!”

—The imperial decree he received from the Emperor, decades ago.

A report on the order to find the new continent, said to exist far beyond the sea.