Chapter 212 - The Things That God Possesses (2)

2

A country hurtling toward ruin.

Ja Sujeong raced through the rotten kingdom.

“Go wild however you please.”

She had won the favor of the Idle-Eater Duchess, one of only six nobles of her stature in the kingdom. She now enjoyed the protection of someone powerful. Nothing stood in her way.

The girl leveled her blade at the age itself.

[Act One.]

[Witch Hunt.]

The first boss was a demihuman terrorist.

The Black Witch, leader of the rebel organization Red Nails.

Originally, the Black Witch had been a mage who reigned supreme in the magic tower. The elite of the elite. Why had an elite Conforming Human, not even a demihuman, suddenly degenerated into a fanatical terrorist? The people of the world did not know.

“It’s not that you don’t know. You don’t want to know.”

The pitch-black witch sneered.

“Live long enough, and you see all sorts of things. You stuffed children into rice sacks and kicked them until they died. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of demihumans are worked as slaves. I don’t expect you to have a change of heart now. Asking humans for miracles is far more unrealistic than asking the gods. We simply...”

The rebellion of [Red Nails] shook the entire kingdom.

“Would be so very happy to see you suffer.”

Young noblewomen were kidnapped and tortured in the royal capital. A great noble who had reigned as the absolute ruler of the south for seven hundred years was attacked and killed while on a tour. Special operatives serving directly under the royal family disappeared in the southeast. Thousands of slaves escaped from a county and joined the rebels.

Regardless of rank, noble or commoner, [Red Nails] tortured and slaughtered Conforming Humans. A bounty was placed on the Black Witch’s head, but no one could catch her. The powerful trembled in terror.

“How interesting.”

Ja Sujeong smiled brightly.

“I’ll make it a little more interesting for you.”

Through the Idle-Eater Duchess’s connections, Ja Sujeong approached a princess. The Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death. An ascended human renowned for her cruelty, she headed the Royal Special Operations Corps. Her hobby was cutting off criminals’ right arms and collecting them.

“I shall deliver victory to Your Excellency.”

Ja Sujeong enticed the princess.

“I know that Red Nails has been giving Your Excellency a headache.”

“More of a toothache than a headache.”

“Teeth loosen because the gums have crumbled, Your Excellency.”

Ja Sujeong whispered.

“The demihumans are restless now because the kingdom has failed to support them. Only a tiny minority of demihumans commit massacres, blinded by revenge. Guarantee their lives, equality, and honor, and Red Nails will naturally lose strength.”

+

[Royal Preceptor]

Rank: B+

Effect: An innate gift for strategy. The acumen to serve a sovereign.

The holder of this skill instinctively sees through an enemy’s weaknesses. Furthermore, they can conceive of the measures needed to exploit those weaknesses.

Quite literally, the makings of a king’s counselor. From politics to warfare, few schemes will escape this person’s insight.

※However, this skill activates only when sufficient information is available.

+

“...”

The crown princess silently regarded the noble who had approached her.

“Your proposal is reasonable, Viscountess, but difficult to carry out. These people have already turned their backs on the kingdom once. If we embrace them as our subjects again, the Conforming Humans and the nobles won’t stand for it. We cannot risk a backlash from Conforming Humans to prevent a demihuman rebellion. That would be putting the cart before the horse.”

“How would I dare advise Your Excellency to embrace such lowly people?”

Ja Sujeong did not hurry.

The Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death had lost dozens of siblings in childhood. Though renowned for her cruelty, that cruelty stemmed from the brutality of her early years. Ja Sujeong instinctively understood how to melt away unhappiness conceived in childhood.

“I, too, am a noble.”

Ja Sujeong decided to become like an older sister to the princess.

“A noble may take someone into their household as a retainer, enlist them as a private soldier, or accept them as a subject of their domain. There is absolutely no need for Your Excellency to embrace the rebels personally.”

Warm eyes. A merciful smile. A gentle touch.

Slowly, Ja Sujeong corroded the Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death.

As it melted the ice, the poison smelled sweet.

“Your Highness.”

When the princess lamented her life, she listened calmly. When she grew irritable, she stroked the back of her hand.

At every opportunity, Viscountess Ja Sujeong whispered how extraordinary the crown princess was, and how much more precarious the kingdom would have been without her.

“... Ja Sujeong.”

By the time Ja Sujeong’s caresses had moved from the back of her hand to her shoulder, from her shoulder to her bangs, and from her bangs to her cheek, the crown princess was calling her [Ja Sujeong], not [Viscountess].

“Tell me your plan.”

“It’s simple. Red Nails operates in cells. I’ll lead an elite force and crush their dens one by one. Each time I do, I’ll accept those who surrender as my retainers or subjects. In Your Highness’s stead, I shall embrace the people abandoned by the kingdom.”

“You mean to step forward in my place and draw their attention and resentment.”

“Yes.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Please love me.”

The poison was sweet.

“... In private, then.”

And it was lethal.

Under the favor of the Idle-Eater Duchess and the Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death, Ja Sujeong won over the demihuman rebels. She guaranteed the surrendered terrorists ‘absolute safety.’ The former terrorists became the viscountess’s private soldiers, her subjects, and her slaves.

“That mad dog is at it again!”

Naturally, the conservatives could not tolerate such conduct.

“That wretch caused havoc in my domain. Return him!”

“Several years ago, while my younger sibling was on a trading journey, a slave broke free of his bonds and fled. My sibling lost both eyes and was killed. I hear that slave now serves as Your Excellency’s retainer. I will compensate you generously, so please hand him over.”

“How can you privately shelter enemies of the state? If you are loyal to the kingdom, you ought to dispose of the rebel scum you have captured!”

Lords, merchants, and priests descended like swarms of bees from every corner of the kingdom.

Ja Sujeong smiled.

“What a fucking spectacle.”

Ja Sujeong was strong.

“Whatever their pasts, these people are now my retainers. My slaves. Under the laws of the kingdom, I own them. If you still wish to take them from me, please challenge me to a duel or declare war between our houses.”

She won all three duels and the one war between houses.

She did not surrender a single demihuman who had come under her command.

+

[Guardian of Demihumans]

Rank: B

Effect: It becomes easier to earn the trust of races other than Conforming Humans.

Those groaning under racial discrimination long for your arrival. Break the ancient chains of slavery and liberate the kingdom’s people. Unless you betray them first, the demihumans will follow you.

※However, Conforming Humans despise you.

+

Even the demihumans who had initially distrusted Ja Sujeong gradually set their suspicions aside.

Viscountess Ja Sujeong built a village in an immense forest near the capital. She gave the former terrorists of [Red Nails] places to sleep and jobs. Every time a [Red Nails] hideout was crushed, her village grew more prosperous.

“...”

The Black Witch made her move.

“Yes, I thought you’d be making a move about now.”

Ja Sujeong used the crown princess as bait to lure in the main force of [Red Nails]. She surrounded them on every side. The terrorists had nowhere to flee. Even if they escaped, their organization had no future assured.

The Black Witch ground her teeth.

“You insolent brat... You’re rather good.”

“You were rather good yourself, you incompetent old fossil.”

“Do you think killing me will bring down Red Nails? We are the blood flowing from a wound. As long as your kingdom exists, we will never perish.”

“I intend to do something about that.”

Viscountess Ja Sujeong swung her sword.

“I intend to create a new noble faction. Even if it takes decades, I will abolish slavery, then gradually free the mine slaves and serfs as well. I already have the support of the Performance Faction and the Nonhuman Faction. It’s simple.”

“Ha.”

The Black Witch bled black blood.

“You really are a child. You know nothing.”

“Oh dear, what slander is this? If I know nothing, then 99.9 percent of the people in this world must be monkeys.”

“We aren’t asking for anything in return. Much less compensation. No matter how peaceful an age you promise, the people who are already dead will not return.”

Blood-red light filled the witch’s eyes.

“There are children who died with the flesh of their backs torn away by your whips. Slaves whose ribs were broken in torture you inflicted for fun, whose lungs were pierced, who drowned in their own blood. You may not know, but we remember. Mad Dog of the Royal Capital! Unless you can bring back the dead children, whatever you spout is nothing but bullshit!”

“...”

Ja Sujeong paused.

Her violet eyes looked down.

The Black Witch was bleeding, her heart pierced by the sword Ja Sujeong had driven down into her.

“You don’t want compensation...?”

For the person named Ja Sujeong, this was a new and startling revelation.

“I can abolish slavery for you, you know? It will take a little time, but I can also resolve the discrimination between Conforming Humans and demihumans. I am that capable. That should be the future you desire. Are you saying it doesn’t matter?”

“The future never mattered in the first place.”

The Black Witch gathered her last reserves of mana and counterattacked. The instant Ja Sujeong detected a sign of magic, she twisted the tip of her blade.

CRUNCH!

The heart shattered further. The Black Witch coughed up blood.

“Die.”

“...”

“All of you, every last one of you, die.”

Ja Sujeong sensed truth in the witch’s curse.

“I see.”

And she understood.

“When it comes to deaths that have already occurred, I am utterly incapable.”

For the first time since the day she killed her father, Ja Sujeong felt helpless.

“I can do something for the people who are still alive. The Idle-Eater Duchess cherishes me, and Her Highness the Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death favors me. But... yes. I cannot resolve the unhappiness of those who have already died. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“...”

“I was still incapable.”

The Black Witch looked up at Ja Sujeong.

“What should I do, leader of Red Nails?”

“About what...?”

“How can I take responsibility even for those who are already dead? How can I console someone who lives not for themselves, but for those who have already died?”

Ja Sujeong’s eyes were clear.

Infinitely so.

Though her heart was already slowing to a stop, the Black Witch suddenly felt a chill.

“You don’t know?”

“...”

“You don’t know.”

Of course, Ja Sujeong thought, nodding.

“That must be why you went around slaughtering the wrong people.”

“You...”

“Murder is the ultimate incapacity. You kill because you cannot persuade, kill because you cannot change someone’s heart, and kill because you cannot rule them as you please. Just as I killed the father who imprisoned me.”

Reflected in the witch’s eyes, Ja Sujeong was expressionless.

“In the end, I couldn’t change my father. Even after trying for twelve years.”

There was no trace of the girl who had asked the duchess for love and bestowed love upon the princess. Not even the slightest remnant. There was only a single beast, groaning eternally.

“How dull.”

Ja Sujeong tilted her head.

“Miss Black Witch. If you don’t know how to help those who are already dead, might there be someone else somewhere who does? Do you happen to know such a person?”

“There’s... no way... someone like that exists...”

“Certainly. There would be no such human.”

Ja Sujeong nodded.

“Perhaps one of the dragons knows.”

As her life ebbed away, the leader of Red Nails understood.

“Thank you, Miss Black Witch. Thanks to you, I realized my own incapacity today.”

Something about this noble bowing politely before her was fatally broken.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to resolve this incapacity for a while. Most Dragon Emperors live outside the kingdom. If I abandon government affairs now to chase dragons’ tails, this kingdom will fall in no time... Hmm. Yes. First, I must learn the dragon tongue.”

Ja Sujeong smiled brightly.

“Please wait just a little. Once I discover how to help the dead, I’ll repay you first, Miss Black Witch.”

“Mon... ster...”

“Farewell.”

Ja Sujeong beheaded the witch.

“When you open your eyes again, a happy spring will be waiting for you.”

Viscountess Ja Sujeong rose to instant acclaim as a hero.

All but one of Red Nails’ officers surrendered to her. Those weary of terrorism retired to the forest village, while those still hungry for blood became her private soldiers. The kingdom was falling into ruin. Even without the conflict between Conforming Humans and demihumans, there were countless battlefields running with blood.

Ja Sujeong collected the kingdom’s poisons, one by one.

‘The Idle-Eater Duchess’s Pet,’ ‘The Teacher of the Princess of Cruel Punishment and Death,’ ‘The One Who Hunted the Black Witch.’ ‘The Successor to the Legitimate Line of Red Nails.’

Epithets too dazzling to dismiss with a sneer that she had merely been lucky at a young age.

Yet compared with the names she would acquire in the future, they could be called paltry.

“Hello, Golden Dragon.”

One year after the witch hunt.

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Ja Sujeong, a noble of the kingdom and head of the Viscountal House of Ja Sujeong.”

Ja Sujeong bowed politely.

Countless warriors stood behind her.

They were the ‘poisons’ she had collected over the past year.

[The Royal Capital’s Foremost Swordsman], the Duke of the Ultimate Sword. [Head of the Capital’s Warlords], Viscount Three Hungry Ghosts. [The Executor], Baron Winged Cat. [The Last Chief of Red Nails], Ju Tanhwa. [Phoenix of the Inner Realm], the Princess of Chaotic Pleasure. [Viscountess Ja Sujeong’s Flower], Viscount Sim Anchal...

Those who had once dreamed of the kingdom’s fall, desired it, tried to hasten it, welcomed it, or ignored it. A force more than capable of overthrowing the kingdom stood arrayed behind Viscountess Ja Sujeong. Blood stained their swords. It was the blood of the soldiers who had rushed in to protect the dragon.

“Though it is rude to ask at our first meeting...”

Ja Sujeong smiled brightly.

“Do you happen to know how to help those who are already dead?”

That day.

Ja Sujeong captured a dragon that had lived for thousands of years.

[Act Two.]

[Dragon Emperor Hunt.]