Chapter 20. What a Jackpot (4)
"Good heavens, you gathered all the Saint candidates?"
Isaac narrowed his brows.
Something big was clearly afoot.
The attendant excitedly raised his voice: "So even the papal family and the other five great noble houses are sending their heirs?"
"That's not all. All the rumored Saint candidates who've only exchanged words until now are gathering."
"I heard His Imperial Majesty is giving full support too."
"The citizens are eagerly anticipating it too."
The first birthday celebration had ballooned into a national festival. At this point, it wasn't just a doljabi anymore - it had effectively become a Saint selection tournament.
For Isaac, this was excellent news.
'More competitors means better for me.'
Why would more competition be good?
"Young Master, all candidates enter the Treasure Vault at once, correct?"
"Indeed."
Perfect!
Isaac's tiny fist clenched as he slurped his milk. His target wasn't some filthy relic - it was the Skeleton King's physical body. But heading straight for it would draw too much attention. With multiple entrants, their gazes would scatter, making retrieval easier.
As for choosing the best relic? What could children who'd barely lived a year or two know compared to someone who'd battled the holy faction for centuries? Just grabbing something impressive enough to make priests faint would suffice.
They claimed the vault was deadly dangerous for non-Saint candidates, but really...
'How dangerous could a baby's doljabi event possibly be?'
"They say captured demons guard the interior?"
Ah, so that's why they said it was dangerous without holy power - demon gatekeepers. But they're just demons. Former and current Demon Kings having demon gatekeepers? What pathetic underlings.
Though in his current infant state, anything above 7th rank might be tough... but no high-ranker would work as a gatekeeper. Below 6th rank, he could handle them instantly with [Intimidation]...
"I hear there's an 8th rank demon inside?"
"......"
The hell? Why would an 8th rank high demon be working as a gatekeeper there? Who exactly... That might actually be slightly dangerous. So that explains the casualties?
But no matter - demons were easy to detect and avoid. He'd just ignore them and retrieve the body...
"Apparently there's also a 9th rank dragon guarding inside?"
Goddammit! What kind of perverted bastards hold a damn doljabi in such a place! Dragons were vicious higher beings beyond human control. Did they seriously think infants could survive there?
Isaac had particularly bad history with dragons:
He'd scammed young dragons!
Sold them who-knows-what!
"That skull-faced bastard looked shady from the start!"
He was currently wanted by them. Though he did trick an elder dragon sent to deal with him into eternal slumber... relations remained poor.
Worse, dragons might sense his soul. But accepting the risks made this an unparalleled opportunity. Even Lillai who brought him here called it extremely fortunate.
"The Church never intended to recognize Isaac as a Saint candidate anyway."
True enough - hadn't that bishop spouted nonsense about Saints being pre-selected?
"But returning from the Treasure Vault will make you impossible to ignore."
"Indeed Young Master, though what item you might bring..."
"Slay the demons inside instead! Isaac!"
"But Young Master! The task is retrieving items, not defeating gatekeepers...!"
"Items don't matter! Prove yourself by killing demons!"
The flustered attendants watched as Lillai handed Isaac a toy dagger like parents teaching coin shapes to children: "A sword! With your bloodline that destroyed the Skeleton King, bring back a holy sword! To smash that skull bastard's head!"
Holy sword my ass - I'll smash YOUR head first!
Isaac barely restrained himself from striking - Lillai was too useful despite everything. Promoting an infant heir and securing Treasure Vault access...
"This uncle will now teach you holy magic through accelerated training!"
"Young Master!"
The uncle personally demonstrated holy magic techniques. Though Isaac cared little for priestly arts, this was holy ground - using holy magic instead of regular spells would be wiser.
He welcomed this crash course. Normally, learning holy magic required fasting while studying scriptures and hymns - were they insane?
'Why starve? Masochistic perverts.'
Moreover, hymns and scriptures contained inherent power poisonous to demons. Accidentally reading about the Skeleton King's defeats would be...
'Damn mental torture.'
Still, holy magic used by humans could be instantly understood by someone of the Skeleton King's caliber. Though listening would take time, this method halved the learning period...
Then it happened.
[Gyaaak! You damned paladin! What are you injecting into master's body?!]
"!"
Whisper, the shadow lich, foamed at the mouth as holy energy flooded in. Isaac flinched at the surge but soon widened his eyes.
Wait - was this bastard teaching through practical immersion rather than lectures?
Though it looked like defensive magic application, Isaac immediately recognized...
'Holy energy circulation!'
Creating pathways for holy energy to flow through his body. The observers looked alarmed.
"Young Master, is such excessive holy energy expenditure necessary?!"
"Nothing serious. Just acclimation training. The real lessons haven't even started."
Haven't started my ass!
"Tayayaya!" (Jackpot!)
Isaac cheered. He'd only needed theoretical knowledge to move holy energy - once he felt its flow, mastery would be instant. Just like manipulating fire versus water.
Though Lillai was merely dipping a newborn in water for adaptation, his student was far too abnormal.
"Do you feel the flow, Isaac?"
Oh yes, uncle. I feel it disgustingly well!
So well I don't need your damn lectures!
This was enough to control holy energy at will. As for holy magic? He could copy most spells at a glance.
Stealing others' techniques for survival...
His survival instinct included spell analysis traits after all.
Though Lillai called this "acclimation training," even this required considerable skill. Given the trust from 6th-rank knight commanders, he must be a genius paladin nearing 7th rank.
Alright then, capable and pretty uncle.
Keep going!
I've mastered holy energy - now show me holy magic!
"First spell should be offensive holy magic."
"What?! Not defensive?"
"To destroy the Skeleton King, offense is everything. Anything else is luxury against that monster."
Exactly!
That's it!
The best defense is overwhelming offense!
So hurry up and show me!
The moment I learn offensive holy magic, I'll blast your head off first...
"Let's stop here to avoid burdening the child."
Bastard! Hey!
"Ah, look at the time. I must attend training. Put the child to bed."
"Yes."
Hey! Don't walk away!
Show me first!
But Lillai carried Isaac to bed and tucked him in.
"Ah, this looks dangerous. I'll take it."
He even confiscated the shadow lich transformed into a totem from Isaac's tiny hand.
"Isaac's first precious totem. Display it in our finest hall."
"Yes."
Hey! I need that for resurrection! Why take my rattle substitute?!!
"Sleep well now. Behave until the doljabi."
Dammit! Maybe I should just kill them with magic!
Though Isaac's eyes burned with rage, his lips soon curled upward.
Fine.
Their departure actually helped.
'Escape to the annex.'
He needed to absorb the piled magic cores there anyway.
Then...
As the attendants left and the uncle finally closed the door...
Isaac crawled from bed to the locked entrance.
Staring at the grand door, the infant grinned.
A mere lock? Materialize Whisper to open it...
Click.
...Click?
Isaac furrowed his brows at the stuck door.
...Clack?
[They locked it. That uncle bastard.]
Fucking bastard! Locked it on his way out?!
Isaac's tiny fist trembled with murderous intent.
"Taya!" (Open!)
[The lock's external with holy seals. I can't exit.]
Who cares? Break it!
[They'll swarm us thinking it's an attack.]
Ugh, damn!
Isaac grimaced. Worse yet...
This was a ducal mansion - absurdly vast with the annex frustratingly distant. How long would a baby's crawl take?
'Levitation requires 5th rank...'
Without alternative transport...
Then...
Clack!
The door opened.
Not the returning uncle, but an unexpected face.
"What's this? My rival's a brat?"
Isaac's lips naturally curved upward.
Shuri Eshua.
The Eshua direct descendant had recently received vexing news.
"Another Saint candidate besides me?"
Eshua males were generally considered useless compared to their saintly female relatives. Few inherited family businesses through merit. Most married off through political alliances or became low-ranking paladins.
But Shuri was different.
A prodigy who reached 3rd rank at three years old, now nearing 4th rank at five. When holy marks confirmed his Saint candidacy, his father rejoiced.
He thought he'd escape Eshua's curse to become Pope...
'Saintess's son?'
And Uncle Lillai brought him as Saint candidate?
Shuri burned with resentment, especially when attendants tried displaying the infant's totem in their finest display case.
"This is a totem! Why here?"
"But Young Master Isaac made this with saintly power! Shouldn't we-"
"Displaying cursed objects near the family head? You'll take responsibility?"
"I said hand it over!"
He stole it. What totem? He couldn't make one himself! Clearly Uncle Lillai's twisted gift for Skeleton King obsession.
Carrying the totem, Shuri came to establish dominance over his infant cousin.
Or perhaps...
'He'll make good target practice for alternating attack/heal drills. Can't even talk anyway.'
Smirking, Shuri opened his uncle's door.
An even younger child sat poised by the entrance.
"Why's this brat my rival?"
"Taya?"
"You... Pfghhk!!!!"
Shuri collapsed before finishing.
Thud!
The child didn't know his opponent.
But Isaac's eyes sparkled as he hurled a golden rattle at the face.
"Tyaya taya!" (Found my vroom-vroom car!)
