N/T: Translation made by our friend 'Irving'. A big round of applause for him :)
Chapter 679
“Coronation?”
Raon fingertips trembled as he looked into Hopen's blue eyes.
"Then the reason everyone is gathered here is..."
“Yes, we were preparing for my coronation.”
Hopen gave a small, embarrassed smile.
“I see.”
Raon now understood why there were so many people gathered in the garden.
It seemed that the executives here were preparing for Hopen's coronation.
"Originally, there are many things that should be done before the coronation, but..."
Hopen looked beyond the garden. He let out a long sigh as he scanned the kingdom, which had not yet been fully restored.
“Due to the kingdom's immense damage, they insisted on filling the vacant throne first, so we are holding the coronation today.”
“I pushed for it.”
Saintess Olga nodded with her arms crossed. She had gotten more tattoos since he last saw her.
“To reassure the anxious citizens, we need a trustworthy ruler.”
“It wasn't just you, everyone agreed.”
Commander Kinear waved his hand towards Olga.
"You did an excellent job fulfilling the role of commander of the Holy Knights in my stead during this incident. Hopen has the support of not only the citizens but also the knights and priests."
He smiled, saying that Hopen’s reputation had risen rapidly.
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you, Sir Raon.”
Hopen exhaled a murky breath and bit his lip.
“Go ahead.”
Raon slightly lowered his chin, anticipating what Hopen would say.
“It's about my father.”
Hopen tousled his well-groomed blue hair and lowered his gaze.
"If it becomes known that my father, the late high priest Piren, and Sir Danieff joined hands with the demons and tried to sacrifice the citizens, the kingdom itself would collapse. So, we announced that the three of them were manipulated by the overwhelming power of the demons."
He bowed his head deeply, full of shame.
“I'm truly sorry...”
“…There was no other way.”
“I'm sorry.”
Not only Hopen, but Olga and Kinear also lowered their gazes.
“No, I think it was the right decision.”
Raon nodded calmly.
'It couldn't be helped.'
It was far better for the kingdom's future to say that demons had tricked them than to reveal that king Baurun, along with high priest Piren and commander of the royal guard Danieff, the three pillars of Schper, had colluded with the demons.
If the truth spread that the king himself had summoned demons, the kingdom could no longer remain a Holy Kingdom.
Cough...
Raon turned his gaze to Wrath, who let out a small cough.
'Why are you so quiet?'
Usually, he would cause a commotion and say not to underestimate the demons, but strangely, he was quiet.
To maintain the kingdom, this is the right approach. Besides, we did commit contract fraud on our end.
'Everyone in this kingdom will hate demons, won't they?'
Cough. It’s fine.
Wrath nodded calmly despite his rough cough.
We're used to being the villains.
‘…….’
Raon felt a strange sense of discomfort at those words.
‘Gods and Heavens…’
It seemed that the concepts of gods, heavens, demons, and demon kings were quite different from what he knew.
“…….”
“Sir Raon.”
While Raon was stroking his smooth chin, Hopen took a step closer to him.
"Would you do me the honor of bestowing the crown?"
“Isn't it the highest-ranking person in the kingdom who crowns the new king? Why me…?”
Raon leaned back slightly, looking into Hopen’s eyes that seemed to be burning.
“Because I, no, we survived thanks to you, Sir Raon.”
Hopen clasped his hands together.
“You stopped my father, who was shrouded in demonic energy. You defeated the demon named Silkret who appeared afterward. When no one else could even confront them, you alone fought with your sword. If it weren't for you, this kingdom would have already vanished."
He bowed his head deeply, his eyes filled with gratitude.
"If you bestow the crown upon me, I feel like I could walk this path with the same resolve as you."
Hopen's back trembled slightly as he bowed. He seemed more afraid than excited about the path ahead as King.
"There's one more reason besides that."
Olga raised a finger.
"Your reputation in Schper right now is beyond imagination."
“What do you mean?”
"There are many who witnessed you defeating the demon—a demon that toyed with the king, the high priest, and the captain of the royal guard—brought to his knees by a young, handsome swordsman. Of course, it caused a stir."
She shrugged, saying it was a natural outcome.
"Unfortunately, she's right."
Kinear nodded.
"Your achievements are spreading beyond this kingdom to the entire continent. With looks similar to mine, you make for a good picture as one bestowing the crown."
He flicked his hair and smiled.
"What a load of bullshit."
Olga and Martha frowned deeply, glaring at him as if to say his words were absurd.
"You're ugly as hell."
"You have nothing in common with Raon except for having eyes, a nose, and a mouth."
The two, usually at odds, glared at Kinier as if they wanted to kill him.
“No one resembles handsome Raon.”
Runaan also glared at Kinear with displeasure.
“Ugh…”
Kinear, seemingly genuinely hurt, took a step back with a tearful expression.
"I beseech you."
Hopen bowed his head again, asking for the crown to be bestowed upon him for the sake of himself and the kingdom.
“Hmm…”
Raon turned around instead of answering immediately.
“No need to hesitate.”
Rimmer nodded, suggesting he should accept.
“It might be burdensome, but for the sake of the Schper kingdom, it would be best to accept.”
“It will benefit both parties.”
Burren and Mark Goetten advised that it was a good thing and encouraged him to accept.
“Alright.”
Raon nodded calmly.
“Thank you.”
Hopen lifted his head and smiled brightly.
"Please prepare for the coronation right away!"
He ordered to proceed with the coronation quickly, as if afraid Raon might change his mind.
Since most of the preparations were already complete, the garden was soon filled with executives, and countless citizens gathered in the royal palace.
Strangely, the citizens chanted not only the name of the new king but also Raon's name.
“Hmm…”
Raon touched his earlobe as he heard his name rising from the royal palace.
‘This is embarrassing.’
Since it was Hopen's coronation, hearing his own name louder felt more burdensome than pleasing.
However, he resolved to fully commit to the coronation to ease the citizens' worries.
As the kingdom was not yet fully restored, the coronation was conducted simply.
After praying to God in the name of the new king and offering condolences to the dead, it was time for the crown bestowal ceremony.
"Bestower, leader of the Light Wind division, please come up to the platform."
Hearing the moderator's call, Raon stepped onto the golden platform where only the king could stand. His name echoed countless times in the royal palace.
“…….”
Olga, with a serene saintly demeanor instead of her usual fierce look, stood beside him holding the crown.
"New King, please kneel before the bestower."
With a flushed face, Hopen knelt on one knee before Raon.
Cough! Traditionally, the bestower offers brief advice when giving the crown.
Wrath smacked his lips as if recalling old memories.
It means you should say something! Even a word!
‘I know.’
Raon nodded, holding the crown with all ten fingers that Olga brought. It was light, yet heavy. Crowning a king from another kingdom felt incredibly weighty.
As he brought the crown above Hopen's head, he thought of king Baurun.
He thought that what king Baurun needed most was someone to show genuine concern and to whom he could express all his pain.
"Suffering alone and enduring pain in silence doesn't make you strong. There are many good people around you. Share your pain with them, talk about your struggles. Enduring until the end is what makes a truly strong king."
Reflecting on this incident and his own life, he placed the crown on Hopen's head.
"I will keep that in mind."
Hopen replied with his head bowed, as if feeling the weight of the crown.
Raon bowed to the new king and descended from the platform, and Hopen returned the gesture before ascending the platform himself.
"I am not a great person worthy of this position. I am weak and inexperienced. However, I love this kingdom more than anyone else. I swear to God that even if I cannot make Schper a wealthy and powerful kingdom, I will make it the most livable kingdom in the world."
Hopen knelt before the citizens on the platform. The setting sun cast a brilliant light on the platinum crown, as if God was blessing the new King.
"Uooohhhh!"
The executives in the garden and the citizens cheered and applauded.
Although it should have been Hopen's name alone being called, many were also shouting Raon's name.
Grrrr....
Wrath gritted his teeth, dissatisfied.
'What now?'
The name they should be calling is not yours, but mine, the King of Essence!
He shook his chubby fist, looking down at the royal garden.
Do you know how much the King of Essence has endured just to protect those people from being killed? The King of Essence likes being worshipped too!
'Then I'll call your name.'
Huh?
'Wrath. Wrath. Wrath.'
Raon called Wrath's name in a languid tone.
Don't do it! It sounds so pathetic!
Wrath shook his head, telling him to shut up.
'Wrath. Wrath. Wrath.'
Just shut up already!
Wrath waved his hands, telling him to be quiet.
"Now that I am king, I will issue my first order."
Hopen nodded, looking over the royal garden.
"Although it's a busy time, we can't let the coronation, which is no exaggeration to say is the biggest festival, pass like this."
As he clasped his hands together, a soft white light began to glimmer in the sky like starlight.
"A small feast has been prepared, so please enjoy it."
When Hopen mentioned the festival, a huge cheer erupted from the royal garden once again.
That guy knows what he's doing.
Wrath smiled, seemingly pleased for the first time.
Enough calling my name, now eat the food I want!
'Got it. But first....'
Raon smiled softly, looking at the steaming food.
'I want to experiment a bit, is there any nadine bread?'
This crazy bastard?
* * *
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Contrary to Wrath’s worries, the food spread out in the garden was a collection of extravagant dishes, each bursting with exceptional flavor.
Kuuhh....
Thanks to that, Wrath let out a moan of ecstasy every time he ate.
This is the taste of living! It was worth saving those people!
He smiled broadly, saying this was happiness.
Now try that one next. Cough!
Even while coughing, Wrath kept pointing at new dishes.
"Sigh...."
Raon sighed as he put the spicy grilled shrimp Wrath pointed at into his mouth.
His stomach was already full to the point of discomfort, but he couldn't stop because of Wrath.
Next, bring me that grilled beef!
'I'm already full, I think I've reached my limit...'
Cough! Cough!
Instead of arguing, Wrath just coughed. It felt like he was using his injured state as an excuse to keep Raon pouring food into his mouth, and since Raon couldn't examine him, he had no choice but to listen to him.
'Ugh...'
Raon shook his head and chewed on the grilled beef with bones.
Kuuuuuu!
Wrath sighed in contentment.
The texture is tender, but it's filled with juice! This is the taste! Chef! Bring the chef here! The King of Essence will personally praise them!
He licked his lips and smiled brightly.
'I really can't eat any more....'
Raon rubbed his stomach and sighed.
[You have fully satisfied your hunger.]
[The trait <Gluttony> is activated.]
[The trait is greatly amplified due to the first-time activation effect.]
[All stats have increased by 1 point.]
[The quality of your soul has increased.]
[As long as you remain full, your stamina and physical recovery rate are increased sixfold.]
A series of messages appeared as the Gluttony trait activated.
Urghh...?
'Kuuuuu!'
This time, it was Raon who let out a long sigh of contentment.
'This is the taste. This is what it means to live!'
Wh-what is this first trait activation! Are you just giving him things for free now!
Wrath yelled at the message in disbelief.
'Thank you, Wrath.'
Raon chuckled, looking at Wrath.
'I thought I was already full, but I was wrong.'
He had thought he was already in the middle of Gluttony activation because his stomach was full, but he was mistaken. To activate Gluttony, he had to eat until he was about to burst.
Thanks to Wrath, he learned something new. Wrath was indeed a generous fool.
Shut up! Cough! Cough!
Wrath, who had been smiling brightly until a moment ago, suddenly started coughing again.
While Raon was smiling at the pouting Wrath, Hopen approached with a glass of wine.
"Sir Raon."
He handed the glass to Raon.
"It seems the food suited your taste."
"Yes. Everything was delicious."
"To be honest, I didn't know you were such a big eater."
Hopen shook his head, looking at the pile of plates on the table.
"Seeing this, I understand the rumors about you eating all the bead ice cream."
"Ah, that..."
Raon glared at Wrath and scratched the back of his head. It was embarrassing, but he couldn't say that he didn't eat them himself.
"I'm just joking."
Hopen chuckled softly, shaking his head. He then looked down at the citizens, their laughter and the festival lights dispelling the darkness.
"I didn't realize the crown was this heavy. If I had known this weight a little sooner, I might have been able to save my father..."
"The past should be left in the past. The only thing we should take from the past is reflection."
Raon continued, looking at Hopen's shoulders, which seemed narrower than before.
"Your Majesty has a clear mind, so you will be able to distinguish right from wrong while communicating with many people. If you have any serious concerns, you can tell me. As the one who bestowed the crown, I will think it over with Your Majesty."
"Thank you. But...."
Hopen calmly shook his head, looking into Raon's sincere eyes.
"We should be the ones helping."
He reached out and placed a hand on Raon's shoulder.
"Schper and I will stand by you and the Light Wind division whenever you need help, no matter the time or the task."
Hopen clasped his hands together, saying this was his first vow as the new king.
"There's no need for that...."
"It is thanks to you that I am standing here, and the citizens are enjoying the festival with smiles."
He bowed his head slightly, asking Raon to accept this vow.
"There's no need for formalities. Thank you."
Raon smiled and helped Hopen up. Behind him, the snow-covered streets destroyed by Wrath were visible. It seemed there was still a long way to go for restoration.
"Is there any problem with the restoration?"
"It is quite difficult, to be honest."
Hopen sighed briefly.
"Several wars have recently broken out in various places, so we couldn't get supplies from the merchants we usually trade with. Some even seem unwilling to sell to us...."
He furrowed his brows, saying it was strange.
"Dorian."
Raon extended his hand to the right.
"Yes."
Dorian, who had been eating snacks, quickly ran over.
"This guy is the heir to the Sephia Company."
"Sep-Sephia's?"
Hopen's mouth fell open, not expecting Dorian's identity.
"Not officially yet, still in training."
Dorian chuckled, scratching his head.
"His Majesty said it's hard to get supplies for restoring the kingdom. Can you help?"
"I do have some construction materials...."
He pulled out a vast quantity of lumber from his belly pocket that could cover the entire garden.
"Wh-what...?"
Hopen's jaw dropped as he looked at Dorian and his belly pocket.
"But it would be better to establish a trade with our company."
Dorian smiled brightly, leading Hopen to a table.
"That is...."
"We can give you a first transaction discount and also offer a bulk purchase discount...."
Dorian, now in full merchant mode, held onto Hopen tightly, not letting him go.
Raon chuckled and looked up at the starlit sky.
'It's time to return to Zieghart now.'
* * *
After ending the festival a bit early, Raon returned to his lodgings.
Dessert! The King of Essence didn't get to eat the bead ice cream!
'You ate them all!'
The bead ice cream that Wrath and Gluttony ate hadn't been replenished yet.
They said it wasn't available around here either, so it seemed Gluttony had swept them all up.
Thanks to that, Runaan had been the only one looking gloomy at the festival.
Ugh! The King of Essence has done something unnecessary! He shouldn't have told that glutton rabbit about bead ice...
'Just be quiet.'
Raon was about to start his training when he pushed Wrath away.
Tap, tap.
A yellow sparrow flew to the window and fluttered its wings.
"A yellow sparrow... hmm?"
Raon looked at the sparrow, then his jaw trembled. The yellow sparrow curled the tip of its beak as if it were smiling like a person.
Gyaaaaa! Cough!
Wrath screamed and hid behind Raon.
"Merlin...."
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at the smiling sparrow.
He was relieved that she didn't appear suddenly, but her smile gave him chills.
Calming himself, he opened the window, and the sparrow fluttered in and perched on his shoulder.
"Raon!"
As expected, Merlin's bright and clear voice came from the sparrow's beak.
"When did you get here?"
"You're asking the wrong question."
She shook her head.
"I've been with you since the moment you arrived here."
"Since the moment I arrived... huh?"
Raon's eyes widened at Merlin's answer.
'So, from the beginning?'
If she had come in with him, she might have seen him conversing with the demon king.
Her animal possession magic was undetectable even by Wrath.
"You don't mean...."
"I watched everything while standing by to save you if anything dangerous happened. The demon king, huh...."
Merlin's voice deepened. At the same time, alarm rang in his head.
