Episode 19. A Real Jackpot (3)
Gasps of astonishment erupted from all around.
Clearly, Rillai was a rare genius even among Eshua's male descendants.
Even with discerning eyes, how could they claim he'd be Pope?
Yet unlike the displeased stepmother, the elders' eyes gleamed.
"The Skeleton King...?"
"You're saying he can kill that bastard who wouldn't be satisfied even if you chewed him up?"
"!"
The elders' expressions changed instantly at the Skeleton King's name. Of all Rillai's words, this seemed to have struck deepest.
The murderous glares that flashed made young Isaac choke momentarily - these were warriors who'd charge into battle against monsters without hesitation.
The problem being...he was the 'monster' in question.
'If discovered, I'll be dismantled and displayed across the continent.'
The demon Whisper nearly went berserk at the elders' holy energy: [Damn it! These half-dead old farts radiating holy energy! Is this a declaration of war?! You insects want to die?! Huh?!]
But Isaac restrained himself - he was still only 1st rank.
Their burning hatred for the Skeleton King was palpable.
"That bastard...! Not even worth making into joint supplements!"
They'd probably grind him to powder. And with Melissa still alive too...
Honestly, with this much resentment, some might have fought him personally long ago.
But the bloodlust faded quickly.
"Honored Elders."
"Ah."
The sharp-voiced stepmother made them cough awkwardly - ashamed to have lost reason momentarily at the Skeleton King's name.
"Rillai. If you vouch for him, he must have skill...but to that degree?"
"Yes. He's capable of tearing apart the Skeleton King's very soul."
As the elders' eyes turned monstrous again, the stepmother raised an eyebrow as if prompting more.
"Rillai."
"I'm certain this child will become the next Pope."
The room erupted. Understandable - in the Holy Empire, the Pope was king. And with an established papal family, this was practically treason to pro-papal factions.
Right on cue, Squakbajee raised his voice:
"Do you take His Holiness's title for some village headman's name?!"
He glared at Rillai as if warning against blaspheming the papal seat.
"There are limits even to nepotism! The papacy requires supreme lineage, legitimacy, and power! That brat couldn't surpass 3rd rank no matter how he struggles—"
"He defeated a demonic beast using totem transformation."
"See? Totem transfor—...what?"
Squakbajee's eyes bulged; elders gaped as if doubting their ears. "Did you say totem transformation?! That sacred art only usable by the Saintess and family heads?!"
Rillai pushed Isaac forward with a smile.
"Indeed. Moreover, this child repelled a 6th-rank demonic beast at the temple, protecting both His and Her Majesty."
"Exorcism sacred art...!"
"A technique only usable after reaching adulthood!"
"That's not all. He blew off Bishop Verit's teeth using pure holy energy."
The elders' eyes widened further in disbelief, their hands trembling. Striking a powerful blow with holy energy alone...
"Could it be...the lost sacred arts from the Skeleton King's era?!"
"The martial sacred arts of the Saintesses' golden age?!"
"That depends on the elders' interpretation."
At these words, the elders who'd dismissed male heirs abruptly changed their stance like flipping palms. They began whispering among themselves:
"Totem transformation and martial arts? This transcends mere talent! Not a mediocre genius but an unparalleled one!"
"If true, he could seize the papal throne itself!"
"Imagine sending that trembling Verit to his grave!"
"The current Pope is irrelevant! He could annihilate the Skeleton King for eternity!"
"Perhaps as a Saint, he can even use the Saintesses' sacred arts. If those are restored, Eshua could regain its honor!"
"A child bearing blessings!"
Rillai smiled as planned. Yet dissent remained:
"Unbelievable. I sense no holy energy from that boy."
Under the fierce deputy family head's words, the silent elder faction glared at Isaac with disgust.
"Exactly. Such skill should have already contracted with a god. There's no reason holy energy wouldn't be felt."
"Rather than auspicious, this seems ominous. Why not sever ties before calamity strikes?"
As the faction opposing Isaac spoke, Rillai curled his lip as if inviting more challenges.
"A child who can use totem transformation? Naturally, he'd conceal such abilities."
He'd even arbitrarily upgraded his nephew's capabilities.
Meanwhile, Squakbajee sneered.
"Then we must expel him all the more! Who would welcome such cowardly, demon-like skills?"
But the elders' eyes glittered with greed instead.
"He can hide holy energy?!"
"If true, he'd make an exceptional assassin capable of killing even the Skeleton King!"
"Shall we take him under our wing?"
"Don't you dare steal what's ours!"
Ha! You perverted bastards—no, failed priest bastards.
This is why the holy faction can't be trusted.
Not that it mattered to the Skeleton King who'd witnessed centuries of sacred arts. Mastering forgotten techniques and divine arts would be trivial.
When some previously supportive elders shifted stance, Squakbajee's eyes bulged. At this point, Rillai knew exactly what to say.
"Come to think of it, Brother Goel mentioned we shouldn't forget about the Saint candidate in our household."
All turned shocked.
"Saint candidate? Goel, what nonsense is this?"
Under the sharp inquiry, Squakbajee bit his lip while glaring at Rillai and Isaac—clearly angry this was being revealed publicly. Yet he soon laughed triumphantly.
"I intended to keep silent until officially recognized by His Holiness, but...my child has manifested a Holy Mark."
"A what?!"
"Holy Mark?!"
The Holy Mark—a divine blessing marking potential Saints.
"Then your recent absence...!"
"Yes. With the Matriarch away, I visited the Papal Court first. The Holy Mark is irrefutable proof of sainthood. But that child? Does he bear any mark?"
"Rillai."
"He does not."
"See? To claim sainthood requires evidence. Without even minimum qualifications—the true prodigy is my child!"
Only then did Isaac realize why Squakbajee opposed him—he'd been promoting his own offspring as Saint candidate.
The elders' demeanor shifted, their distrust of Rillai growing.
"And you believe this markless child is a Saint?"
"Yes. He'll undoubtedly gain Matriarch's recognition."
"!"
Recognition from Melissa, the strongest Saintess in history who treated emperors and cardinals as mere children?
While others gasped, Isaac remained nonchalant.
Melissa's the one trying to kill me.
Why would I seek approval from someone I'd die meeting?
But Squakbajee burst into mocking laughter.
"Such confidence deserves a test then."
"Test?"
"The Sacred Treasure Vault."
All flinched.
This was Eshua's special treasury envied by nations—a space where Eshua's female descendants traditionally selected treasures as infants to enhance their abilities. Only children could enter, keeping whatever they retrieved.
"Since you're causing such fuss to legitimize that brat, why not have him undergo its trials?"
"Goel. Stop spouting nonsense. That place kills non-Saintess candidates. It's been closed since the last casualty!"
But Squakbajee smirked.
"If he's so remarkable, he'll overcome the trials and retrieve Great Saintess Melissa's artifact."
"Then you'll acknowledge him?"
Who needs your acknowledgment? Just send me to the annex!
"Objections?"
"None. It's worth attempting for a child wielding high-tier sacred arts."
At his uncle's confident words, Isaac broke into cold sweat.
I appreciate the trust, Uncle...
But I can't control holy energy yet, damn it!
Moreover—I've lived centuries!
You want this ancient being to play grabby-hands with baby toys?
Divine artifacts held zero interest for Isaac.
'Just exile me already...'
"But the vault contains the Skeleton King's remains. Wouldn't that be dangerous?"
Isaac's pupils dilated.
You bastards—let me play that grabby game RIGHT NOW!
Northwest of the Holy Empire Hela lay a forest where humans couldn't survive—the Black Woods.
A lawless wasteland bordering demon territory, where plants and soil alike were pitch black. Humans dumped convicts and undesirables here, leaving only bones within moments.
Yet now, a strange figure walked where even drunkards feared to tread.
"Kyehk!"
"Kyeehk!"
A middle-aged man in black clergy robes with a special blue sash stood surrounded by demon corpses. Demons charging to devail him were sliced apart by dark blue energy enveloping his form.
His silver hair remained immaculate amidst carnage, not a drop of demon blood permitted to touch him as he interrogated a choking demon:
"Speak. Where is the Skeleton King?"
The demon groaned as if facing madness.
'So this is a Cardinal.'
The Pope's highest aides—far beyond ordinary clergy. If the Pope was the holy faction's king, these were queens. Potential next Popes absent a Saint.
Eshua's family head, Ilai Eshua, narrowed his eyes.
"I asked where he is."
[Futile...Our glorious king resides where vermin like you—]
Splat!
The demon's head exploded.
"Another dead end."
Ilai turned away. He'd ventured deep into demon territory to stem their growing forces while searching for traces of the Skeleton King who vanished 150 years ago after divine defeat.
No clues. No new Demon King either—the Skeleton King remained unparalleled. Yet demons invoking his power proved he still influenced events.
Perhaps this entire situation was his scheme. He'd toyed with Saintesses and dominated human realms before.
Thus, Ilai redoubled his search—until:
"L-Lord Family Head!"
A blue-clad knight knelt before him, barely conscious—a direct retainer linking family and head.
"What happened?"
The knight panted, marveling at Ilai's pristine attire amidst carnage. As a senior knight, merely passing through here should break minds.
"W-we sought permission...to use the Sacred Treasure Vault!"
Ilai began dismembering demons barehanded, particularly vicious with those mentioning the Skeleton King.
"The vault? No suitable child exists now."
"But...!"
"Didn't I say? One chance per person. Even if unsatisfied with their pick."
"But the candidate isn't a Saintess!"
Ilai frowned. The vault killed non-Saintess candidates. Who else would use it?
"The young masters wish to confirm which child is the Saint..."
"A Saint? In my house?"
Ilai's brow furrowed deeper. Had the Pope's absurd claim about an impossible being come true? In the Saintess bloodline?
"Denied. That place kills male Eshuas. Tell them to stop petty power struggles."
"Yes."
Then—
Crash!!
House-sized demons flew like cannonballs. Ilai dodged effortlessly while the knight barely kept footing.
Only Ilai recognized who could slaughter such beasts barehanded.
"Melissa. Finished quickly."
"Small fry. Our sons want the vault opened?"
A silver-haired woman in her late twenties approached—Melissa, Eshua's Matriarch, beauty surpassing mortal limits.
"Let them. No harm allowing it."
Ilai stared incredulously.
"The vault entry privilege is yours, but why indulge this?"
"That Isaac child turned a demon into a totem at his age. Promising sprouts shouldn't be stifled."
"!"
"Condition: test all Saint candidates together."
Ilai grimaced like facing a demon king.
"Why slaughter innocent children?"
"They won't die. They're 'Saint candidates' with Holy Marks."
"...What of the Pope?"
"Why care? He raved about his grandson being Saint when that brat couldn't even retrieve an item from a 'normal warehouse'?"
"...!"
People died there—hardly normal. Ilai sighed.
"They might retrieve 'that.' Are you prepared to lose it?"
"Frankly, I wish someone would take it."
"!"
Melissa's long lashes cast sorrowful shadows.
"Countless peak Saintesses failed. Not one retrieved it."
"Melissa..."
Her mournful eyes suddenly blazed monstrously.
"With it, we could track and kill the Skeleton King instantly."
"!"
"Thus, we must offer rewards for its retrieval."
The knight paled.
"You mean—?!"
"Announce this: I'll grant rewards beyond the Pope's reach to whoever brings it."
"!"
"Eshua's Saintess heirlooms too."
"My personal tutorship in secret arts."
"Matriarch!"
"Spare no expense."
Meanwhile, Isaac sneezed violently.
