Chapter 21: The Owl Lady and the Truth (1)

Eda's POV

A lot of things aren't going right recently in the Boiling Isles.

First, a shockwave from a distant island shook the entire Boiling Isles.

Second, and also the scariest part, wasn't surprisingly the shockwave, but the explosion visible in the distance.

After that, a suspicious telepathic announcement resonated throughout the Boiling Isles from a mysterious individual.

Exercising such control over oracle magic, and on such a large scale, is already incredible, but the most shocking thing was what the person capable of such a feat had to say.

"Honestly, it's not so foolish to think that this person could really be the Titan." I'm not even sure I could affect so many minds at once just to transmit a telepathic message.

I would need at least a catalyst on every person in the Boiling Isles or relay points to extend and amplify my magic through resonance. But even then, it would cost me enormously in magic.

*sighs* "Things are really getting out of control, and the Emperor still hasn't shown up to dispel the residents' concerns." This specific point really makes me think that the individual capable of contacting so many people telepathically is the real Titan.

"Eda, I'm not sure it's a good idea to get this close to the Emperor's coven," King's voice resonated, not hiding his concern.

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He's not wrong, we're fugitives, and it's not very wise of me to get this close to our pursuers' base.

"King, trust me. I feel that the abnormal events that happened recently are connected to Emperor Belos." This conclusion came to me after hearing the speech of this so-called Titan.

I also notice that people with a minimum of intelligence have come to the same conclusion as me, given the crowd gathered here.

I tucked King into my clothes, then continued to sneak around, looking to get a better view of the podium.

It didn't take long before a representative of the emperor's coven showed up in public.

"People of the Boiling Isles, the new emperor is coming to dispel your current confusion. I would ask you to please be patient." After his announcement, whispers resonated everywhere chaotically.

Although I couldn't catch all their content, I understood that the crowd quickly came to the same conclusion as me.

Emperor Belos has been replaced by the individual mentioned in the telepathic announcement.

"What did I tell you, King? Things are getting interesting around here." King just grunted in response, the little guy doesn't like being wrong against me hehe.

I need to find Lilith for more information. I wonder what the new emperor thinks about wild magic, I hope a bit to have some respite to focus on my healing.

....

Stan's POV

"I am... Stan Pines, Emperor of the Boiling Isles and heir to the Titan." I answered Number 5 before paying more attention.

She seemed slightly frozen under my gaze, and she wasn't the only one observing me with curiosity, but also... with fear.

"Stan?" The Collector approached me, looking at me carefully before starting to pat me all over, grabbing onto my horns and pulling on my tail.

*Bam!* I just wanted to push him back a little with my tail, but he ended up thrown against a pillar.

"Hehe, sorry, kiddo, but I still don't properly control the power the Titan gave me to rule the Boiling Isles." The Collector got up from the rubble without too much damage, but he seemed a bit upset.

"Calm down, calm down, it's shameful for a big boy like you, heir to this emperor, to sulk over so little, right?" To my surprise, when I helped the Collector out of the rubble, he stuck to me and started rubbing his head against my fur.

"So soft~" This little rascal is acting, and he's doing it well.

I could go back to how I was before, but I feel I've already lost my original clothes in the Titan's heart during my transformation into... this.

Anyway, I'll have to run this place. After Belos, humans probably won't have the best reputation in the Boiling Isles, so staying in this appearance isn't so bad.

I turned my attention back to the coven heads, Lilith and the Golden Guard.

"I can feel a lot of agitation outside. We should deal with this quickly."

When I arrived in this dimension, I didn't have the ambition to take control of this place, but the attraction of the Titan's heart led me to Belos's castle and brought me to meet Number 5.

I wanted to ignore it and just plunder the knowledge, but... my morals prevented me from turning a blind eye to the situation, so I tried to convince Belos.

Unfortunately, his grudge was already too deep after all these centuries spent nurturing it.

I could have simply killed Belos and replaced him with a puppet, but would that have been right?

No... that would have been immature. I would have acted like Itsuki Kawasumi from the manga The Rising of the Shield Hero, who saved a people without becoming their guide or putting a competent individual in charge.

There's no competent individual for the leadership position currently, I'm forced to wear the crown.

"I will immediately send someone to calm the crowd and announce your arrival," said Lilith before withdrawing, obedient.

Although she has always been loyal to the emperor's coven, I know this woman has always been zealous about everything concerning the Titan, and I can even see a flame of adoration in her eyes.

"Tell me, kid, why have you been clenching your fists while looking at me?" I turned to Hunter.

He seemed frozen for a moment, caught off guard by my question.

I started healing and de-petrifying the coven heads I had injured. I no longer had my nanomachines after my mutation in the Titan's heart. It seems they were destroyed by the violent change in my body.

I can also feel that my artificial organs have become extremely different, particularly my organic artificial heart and the Titan's heart, which have fused.

This has created something strange; I can see that it resembles the Titan's heart above Belos's throne, but there's a strange organ attached to it.

I suspect it's the magical organ of the Boiling Isles' witches and demons. I need to test this.

"You killed... my uncle!!" Hunter finally spoke.

I looked at him as if he were an idiot, before approaching him. He tightened his grip on his staff before relaxing, probably realizing that all resistance was futile.

"I didn't kill Belos... at least, I don't wish it by my son's hand," I said honestly to the kid in front of me.

"LIAR!! YOU KILLED HIM AND NOW YOU'RE STEALING EVERYTHING HE BUILT!" Tears were flowing down Hunter's cheeks. Anger and resignation emanated from him.

"*Sigh* I'm not going to explain with words. Collector, can you show this innocent one the origin of the Golden Guard and how his 'uncle' became emperor of the Boiling Isles?" The Collector looked at me before sketching a wide sadistic smile.

I feel that Hunter won't see his uncle as a hero anymore, but it's necessary. I can't let this kid grow up adoring someone like Belos, it could create a new tragedy.

The Collector touched the ground, and the room started to glow before everyone found themselves floating in front of a shocking scene.

"Who... who are these people?!" Darius had an idea of the identity of the individuals before him, but he refused to admit that his mentor could have met such a cruel fate.

"You know well, don't you? These are all Golden Guards."