Chapter 214

El Dorado’s Spring (2)

I expected this, but it’s even more intense than I imagined.

I stared at the Gallery, which was erupting like an active volcano.

The citizens of El Dorado were protesting as though they might burn down the Papal Palace at any moment.

They had become far more aggressive than before, throwing stones and bottles. Their hostility was palpable.

At this rate, would they start throwing Molotov cocktails next?

I did upload it just as the board manager asked.

At the board manager’s desperate request, I had posted the update about Hans.

She had pleaded with me, saying that I was the only one capable of countering every move the Papal Palace might make. She promised to grant me any favor I wanted if I would only upload the evidence.

There was nothing I needed from the board manager right now, but I agreed to do it anyway.

Earning her goodwill would make using the Gallery more convenient in the future.

Besides, I personally felt that the Papal Palace had gone far too far, so I willingly agreed.

No matter how calculating I might be, I had no desire to bargain with someone’s life.

Title: Warning) Update on Hans from El Dorado

Wild Grylls

(Video of Hans being interrogated)

(Video of Hans being dragged away)

(Video of the remaining interrogators talking)

Here’s an update on Hans, the fruit seller from El Dorado.

I don’t know who he is, but I feel terrible for him. Why are they doing this to him?

└ Heavenly Demon: Those wretches deserve divine punishment.

└ SwordMaster: Torture is internationally condemned;;

└ Starlight Princess: How could anyone be so wicked...?!

└ Passing Dwarf: What happened? Why are they doing that to him?

That was roughly how I wrote the post.

Countless comments immediately poured in.

It received so many upvotes that it became firmly pinned near the top of the trending posts.

Everyone protesting over there had probably seen it by now.

And there’s no risk to me whatsoever.

The Papal Palace had been saddled with a terrifying risk, but none of it affected me.

The Papal Palace now had two choices.

They could either release Hans or enter the Forest of Four Seasons.

Even if they released Hans, they would not be able to placate the furious public.

And they would never agree to the latter.

There was nowhere for them to run.

The Papal Palace had only two choices.

They can relinquish power peacefully, or...

Like a cornered rat lashing out, they could resort to something extreme.

Judging by the Papal Palace’s past conduct, they were more likely to choose the latter.

Regrettably.

The overall culture of this world was comparable to Earth’s past.

Even when someone personally judged and killed a villain instead of leaving it to the law, people would merely say, "They deserved it," without particularly condemning the act.

Even on Earth, widespread concern for human rights had only grown in the wake of World War II.

Still, they seem to respect human rights fairly well for this era.

Perhaps it was because so many different races coexisted here, or perhaps there was some other reason.

I watched countless new posts appear every time I refreshed the Gallery, then finally closed it.

There was nothing more I could do.

All that remained was to wait and see what happened.

I could only hope that it would not end in tragedy.

"Munch, munch, munch."

"Is it good?"

"Piik!"

For now, I needed to do something about this pig-lizard—no, this hatchling—who had become addicted to sweet potatoes.

Only three days had passed since winter began, yet Tyrano had already grown plump enough for his cheeks to fill out.

And it wasn’t just Tyrano.

The animals living in the brick house had also put on weight.

Kkobong kept stealing sweet potatoes and sharing them, so all of them had grown noticeably rounder.

Even the deer had developed an interest and started nibbling on them.

Fortunately, I had harvested plenty of sweet potatoes, so we were in no danger of running out.

If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve made kimchi too.

I dismissed the pointless thought and turned my head.

Ludwig was standing nearby.

At the moment, he was completely absorbed in admiring his rejuvenated face.

It wasn’t something he had done only at first. He kept doing it, which left me with mixed feelings.

I considered posting about it on the Gallery, but decided against it.

It would probably cause an uproar, and it wasn’t as though I had any more golden apples.

I decided to focus on the work that needed doing: gathering medicinal herbs and cutting firewood.

"Old man, let’s go to work."

"Mm."

Which meant I needed to bring Ludwig along.

At my call, he stopped looking in the mirror and rose to his feet.

He seemed to be gradually growing accustomed to his mithril foot as well.

Just as we were about to leave the cave—

Clunk!

A strange sound came from somewhere.

More precisely, it came from the statue.

I turned toward it in confusion.

[%$%%... #$%%^...]

An intense light erupted from the statue’s eyes.

Whoosh! Crash!

It shot upward, smashed through the cave roof, and flew into the sky.

"...."

Wonmo had been sleeping peacefully directly beneath that part of the ceiling.

Whoooooosh—

"Kkyuuuuung..."

Apparently chilled by the wind seeping through the new hole, Wonmo began shivering.

After watching him for a moment, I turned to Ludwig.

"...Let’s patch that up first."

I wished spring would hurry up and arrive.

***

A powder keg on the verge of exploding.

That was the best way to describe the situation in El Dorado.

The citizens hurled all manner of filth at the Papal Palace as they vented their fury.

Everything had happened so quickly that the two women could only stare blankly at the scene.

The atmosphere suggested that, given the opportunity, the citizens would storm the Papal Palace immediately.

The only reason that had not happened was because the Papal Palace had swiftly deployed its troops.

"You should enter the Forest of Four Seasons too!"

"If you want to uncover the truth, prove your sincerity by volunteering to enter the Forest of Four Seasons!"

"You don’t have Ludwig to send anymore, do you?! You damned cowards!"

"Send the Pope to the Forest of Four Seasons!"

The citizens would not have reacted like this if the Papal Palace had sincerely apologized for the Undying King incident.

But its history of loathsome conduct and accumulated scandals had already driven public resentment to the brink.

Now, the worst scandal of all had pushed it past the breaking point.

"Everyone, please calm down! This is all the work of a wicked—!"

"Down with the wicked Papal Palace!"

"The Gallery can never—!"

"Enter the Forest of Four Seasons!"

Attempts to control the crowd were meaningless.

The citizens were no longer listening.

Everything that came out of the Papal Palace’s mouth was a lie—with the sole exception of its breath.

"...."

That belief had become firmly lodged in the citizens’ minds.

Their trust in the Papal Palace had sunk through the ground and was now heading for the planet’s mantle.

—Those gathered before the Papal Palace must withdraw. This is a warning. I repeat: citizens must cease all excessive violence—

Eventually, the Papal Palace issued a chilling warning.

As on the previous day, groups of soldiers had gathered throughout the area, and the atmosphere was ominous.

Yesterday, only infantry and archers had been deployed.

Today, they had even brought cavalry.

"There are far too many of them. They aren’t actually planning to attack the citizens, are they?"

"...."

At Reina’s words, Asella watched the protest with anxious eyes.

They were not currently mixed in among the protesters. Instead, they stood on the roof of a nearby house.

The crowd was far larger than the day before, making it almost impossible to force their way inside.

"The Pope must step down!"

"Step down!"

"The Pope must step down!"

"Step down!"

The same was true of the surrounding rooftops.

Many citizens stood atop them, chanting slogans.

"Hey! Play louder!"

"This is as loud as I can play! You think playing an instrument is easy?! Why don’t you concentrate on your magic?"

"You think magic is easy?"

Citizens who knew how to play instruments performed enthusiastically from the rooftops.

The harmony between the people’s chants and the music gave the demonstration a solemn, heroic atmosphere.

"So that’s why people need bards."

"Pfft."

Asella, who had maintained a grim expression for so long, finally let out a laugh.

The citizens of El Dorado were generally like this.

They understood the dangers of violence better than anyone.

Having suffered at the hands of Demon Kings and demons in every generation, they had become a people who preferred peace.

That disposition was why they had not yet crossed the line.

But their opponent was the Papal Palace—

No, the Demon King.

A Demon King felt no guilt whatsoever about taking human lives.

—This is a warning to every citizen gathered here. I repeat: disperse immediately. If you refuse, we will have no choice but to consider you traitors acting against the will of the Holy Nation and God. God is merciful to all, but we have no choice but to take severe measures against traitors!

The Papal Palace’s declaration could be heard clearly even from a great distance.

Reina and Asella stared in shock upon hearing it.

They hurriedly turned toward the Papal Palace and saw the army standing in formation.

"Th-Those insane bastards...! They’re really going to do it?"

"...."

Unlike the horrified Reina, Asella’s expression hardened as she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

The protesters, whose fury had already surpassed its limits, had no intention of retreating.

But most of them were ordinary civilians with no combat ability.

In contrast, the Papal Palace already had an army prepared.

The possibility of the worst imaginable massacre could not be ruled out.

—All units, prepare to fire!!!

In the end, the Papal Palace chose the worst possible option.

They were about to cross a point of no return.

The crossbowmen assembled before the Papal Palace took up firing positions.

The protesters were only a short distance away.

Worse still, the soldiers were armed not with ordinary bows, but with crossbows. A volley would be devastating.

O Ares...

Tap!

Asella offered a brief prayer and launched herself forward.

Reina shouted something behind her in alarm, but Asella paid no attention.

Please grant me the strength to protect them...!

Using her extraordinary physical abilities, Asella leaped from building to building and approached the front of the crowd.

Meanwhile, the paladins had prepared to pull their crossbow triggers at any moment.

Everything would explode the instant even the smallest spark appeared.

As neither side was willing to retreat, countless shouts merged into one.

"The Pope must step—!"

—Fire!!!

At the command, the paladins pulled their triggers.

A few of them hesitated, but dozens of bolts had already been launched.

Ordinarily, they should have used blunted bolts without arrowheads as a warning.

But like a cornered rat biting a cat, the Papal Palace had abandoned every such precaution.

Whoooooosh!!!

Dozens of bolts streaked straight toward the protesters in the front row.

At that desperate moment, when someone’s blood was about to stain the pages of history—

Crash!

Someone drove a sword radiating sacred light into the ground.

Shwaaaaa!

A colossal golden shield materialized around the sword.

Clink-clink-clink! Clink-clink!

The golden barrier covered the entire street, and the bolts fell harmlessly to the ground after striking it.

The protesters, who had nearly met a tragic end, were briefly stunned before turning toward the person who had protected them.

Her hood had fallen back in her haste to reach them, revealing her face.

She possessed orange hair, a color exceptionally rare throughout the world.

"...The Hero?"

"Th-The Hero?"

The protesters reacted with bewilderment.

And understandably so.

This was the Hero who had received an ominous prophecy from the Goddess, stolen the holy sword, and fled as a traitor.

Yet that very traitor had appeared in their moment of peril and saved them.

"Everyone, run! It’s dangerous here!"

Asella turned and shouted at them.

However, the protesters hesitated.

They had not yet fully comprehended the situation, and the order had come from a supposed traitor.

In the meantime, the Papal Palace had finished reorganizing its forces.

—Use mana! The traitor is standing before us!

—The traitor is controlling the protesters! All units, prepare for battle!

As expected from the Papal Palace, which specialized in incitement and fabrication.

One might have expected Asella’s appearance to leave them flustered, yet they had immediately concocted another lie.

But stopping them was what mattered now.

Asella gritted her teeth and maintained the barrier.

I need to buy time until the citizens can escape...!

The golden barrier blocked the entire street.

Because she had expanded it to such a ridiculous size, it consumed divine power and mana at an extreme rate.

—Fire!!!

Boom! Boom-boom!

Even so, she had to endure.

The bolts continued flying without pause.

They truly seemed to have infused the projectiles with mana, as each impact sounded like an exploding bomb.

"Th-They really fired at us!"

"Run! Everyone, run!"

"You fucking bastards! Divine punishment will fall upon you! You pieces of shit!!!"

Only then did the protesters fully grasp the situation and begin fleeing.

The problem was that there were simply far too many people.

Furthermore, the street was narrow.

Even a well-trained army often descended into chaos during a retreat.

With ordinary civilians, their evacuation was inevitably much slower.

—All units, draw your blades! The moment that traitor’s barrier breaks, charge!

Asella wanted to rip out the speaker’s tongue right then and there.

She did not care if they called her a traitor.

But what crime had these citizens committed when they had merely been unable to tolerate injustice?

What did the citizens mean to those people?

They were the pillars who had supported El Dorado all this time.

What did the Papal Palace intend to do with them?

BOOM!

"?!"

As Asella desperately held on, an impact far louder than all the previous ones resounded.

Startled, she raised her head.

Smoke was rising from the barrier.

D-Don’t tell me...

She hurriedly looked toward the Papal Palace’s entrance and saw something horrifying being wheeled out.

Cannons—the kind normally used in siege warfare.

And there wasn’t merely one of them.

There were several.

The sight was shocking enough to make her swear aloud.

Th-These...!

She was so furious that she could not even form the words.

They were the ones at fault, yet they were contemplating mass slaughter?

Worse still, the cannons continued firing.

Even though she was the Hero, there was a clear limit to her strength.

To make matters worse, her life on the run had left her capable of wielding only around sixty percent of her full power.

"Waaaaah! Mommy!"

Then she heard a sound behind her that should never have been there.

Startled, Asella looked back.

A child had apparently been swept up in the fleeing crowd and now lay on the ground, crying.

The child had probably not participated in the protest.

They had merely been walking down the street and had been caught up in the chaos through sheer misfortune.

Crack! Crack-crack!

The shield was already reaching its limit.

Web-like fractures spread across the barrier.

Asella looked back and forth.

The paladins were advancing from the front, while the child was crying behind her.

To make matters worse, many of the protesters still had not managed to escape.

Nevertheless, the Papal Palace continued pouring firepower into the crowd.

"Hey! Are you all right?!"

"Waaaaaaah!"

Fortunately, Reina stepped forward at precisely the right moment.

Asella breathed a sigh of relief when Reina picked up the child, but—

Crack-crack-crack!

The barrier was not nearly as fortunate.

The overwhelming barrage had pushed it to its limit.

Asella drew out every last drop of her strength and desperately tried to repair it, but it was like pouring water into a bottomless vessel.

The technique had been extraordinarily inefficient from the beginning.

Asella could wield barely half her true strength.

And an overwhelming bombardment continued raining down upon her.

Eventually—

Shatter!

The barrier broke apart like glass and scattered into countless fragments.

—Fire!!!

The Papal Palace ordered another volley the instant it saw the barrier collapse.

Nothing now stood between its weapons and the crowd.

Whether the soldiers fired directly, launched their projectiles in an arc, or discharged the cannons, the resulting casualties were inevitable.

Leaving the holy sword embedded in the ground, Asella ran backward.

She had to protect Reina and the child, who had yet to escape.

O Ares...

She felt a cold presence approaching from behind.

Whether it was a bolt or a cannonball, she could not tell.

Asella expended every last trace of her mana, determined to serve as a human shield if necessary.

Please protect them.

She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around Reina and the child.

BOOM!!!

A tremendous vibration shook the ground, and Asella felt something envelop them.

It felt warm and reassuring.

She could sense that even with her eyes closed.

"...?"

Asella slowly opened her eyes.

For some reason, everything around them was dark, despite it having been a brilliantly sunny afternoon moments ago.

"What...?"

"Huh...?"

Reina and the child she was protecting were equally bewildered.

They had believed they would die when the barrier shattered, only for something completely unexpected to happen.

Swoosh—

As they stood there in confusion, the light slowly returned.

More precisely, whatever had enclosed them was gradually beginning to open.

As light entered the absolute darkness, they could finally examine their surroundings.

And then they realized what had protected them.

It was an enormous statue, so tall that they had to crane their necks back just to see its face.

It held a massive shield in one hand, and the wings on its back were particularly striking.

It had presumably shielded them with those wings.

Not even a scratch marked their surface.

[I am Cain, the first paladin of Lady Ares.]

As they stared up at it in a daze, the statue spoke in a deep, solemn voice.

[I have answered the summons.]

It had answered her call.