Chapter 137-138

Chapter 137 – It was a prophecy!?

After I finished talking to Balpas about the agreement, I headed out towards the pier.

There was the royal navy's battleship… I had come in hopes of meeting my father who was repairing it.

However, when I arrived, I saw that the ship was already fully repaired.

The hull and masts were fixed and there wasn't a hole in sight.

And while the island residents had helped, I was surprised to see it finished so quickly…

Just then Ashton, who had been monitoring my father, walked up to me.

"Lord Heal… How did things go with the agreement?"

"Ah, yes. I've just finished making some adjustments with my brother. We won't exactly be allies, but we will not fight and will be able to trade with one another."

"I see. That is good to hear…"

Ashton sighed with an expression of great relief.

"Did something happen?"

"I believe it would be unwise to fight with someone like your father."

Ashton said. Then he pointed towards one of the ship's masts.

"Your father carried that up by himself, and fixed it…"

"He carried that mast…"

He must have cut off the parts he could still use and reconnected them to make a new mast.

It was about a man's height shorter than a typical battleship mast.

Still, it wasn't a weight that a human would be able to carry. It would take machinery if not magic to move it.

"Besides, as you are family, I'm sure you get along."

"We're not exactly like you and Haines. That being said, is father…ah…"

I followed his magic energy and saw that he was looking at something with deep interest as Baris and Haines kept their eyes on him.

As for what he was looking at, it was Mappa, who was hammering away at a giant clump of metal. Next to him, Fal the Fire Dragon was adding heat.

Were they making something?

It seemed like he had already finished repairing the ship.

But perhaps that giant clump of metal was to be made into an anchor.

However, there was already a chain lowered on the side of the ship, which suggested that they had an anchor.

"Was there something they still needed for the ship…"

I wondered. But the answer came shortly.

"Ohh! It's a…"

The crew around me raised their voices.

Their faces lit up as they saw that Mappa had finished the hair of what was now clearly a head.

The hair was long and full as it waved… They probably recognized it as a statue of the king.

I see. So it was a figurehead.

A figurehead was the statue that was placed in front of the ship.

Usually, they were modeled after gods and great historical figures.

And so the crew must have assumed Mappa was making a statue of my father.

However, I wasn't convinced Mappa would make a statue of other people…

As I looked at him suspiciously, the men of the ship all looked on with eager expressions.

And my prediction turned out to be true. The crew looked at the finished statue and tilted their heads.

"…Huh?"

Then Mappa boastfully stood next to his finished creation.

Without a doubt, it was a statue of Mappa.

Not only that, but just like the Mappa Golem who stood in the sea, his eyes were rolled back in a foolish expression.

Everyone looked at it with confusion.

However, without a hint of reservation, Mappa walked up to father and gestured for him to carry the statue.

"Yo-Your Majesty…this is too… Uh, the craftsmanship is excellent, no doubt. Perhaps you should accept and it can be placed in the treasure house in the palace. But for a flagship bearing the royal crest…it's uh…I…"

The captain sputtered as he tried to advise the king.

He wasn't able to openly express his disdain, as Mappa had helped them with the ship. And the fact that the craftsmanship was actually quite good insured that his reaction felt even more unsure.

However, Haines immediately stepped out and angrily shouted, 'Make it again!' at Mappa. And then he tried to make Mappa apologize to the king.

But my father used wind magic to cool it off, and then picked it up off of the ground.

"Well, since he was so kind to make it for us, we should use it. It is a good representation of this island's landmark. A fine souvenir."

A souvenir… And landmark? This wasn't some tourist location.

Well, it was true that the first thing people would see when they visited was the Mappa Golem. So perhaps it really would be the most famous landmark of the island.

Hmm… I would have preferred to be known for something better.

The ship's crew then turned to the Mappa Golem and nodded their heads in a show of satisfaction that seemed rather forced.

But they were likely more astonished by the king's ability to lift the statue than his quick acceptance of it.

I had told Mappa to only use metals that were common on the continent, such as iron and copper, when repairing the ship. And so I knew that it wasn't made of Mithril or Orichalcum.

As for the crew…actually, even Balpas and Oren hadn't known that father had such power…so why had he decided to show it now?

Father stood on the pier after he finished setting the figurehead, and so I approached him.

"…Father. I have a question."

I expected him to say that he was too busy for such things. He always did.

However, he surprised me.

"I know what it is that you wish to ask. Why am I here? Isn't that right?"

"Yes… And is it true that you knew about my crest?"

"It was all done in order to test the truth of an ancient prophecy. Currently, it's proving to be accurate."

"…Prophecy?"

"Heal. Have you not felt any changes since coming to this island?"

"Of-of course, I have. Everything that's happened here has been surprising… Wait, now that I think about it…"

I thought about all the monsters that came to this island in great swarms.

The Killer Birds, Scissor Crabs, Devil Hoppers, Satan Shellfish… And there were also the giant fish that had been gathering around the island.

I had assumed that all of that was related to the World Tree.

Father seemed to have read my mind as he said,

"There must have been others who came to this island in order to make it their own."

"Why do you think that?"

"Even if the rest of the world was coming to an end, I think that Sheorl would be a place of safety. Everyone will come in order to save themselves. I suppose that means there are other people who continue to speak of the ancient prophecy."

According to father, the Scissor Crabs and monsters had somehow inherited those instincts. They were to come to this island when the end of the world was near.

But the prophecy wasn't the only surprising thing that father said.

He continued.

"And the one who is to rule this land is the 'Cave King.' In other words, you."

"So it was already decided that I would be lord of this island… It was prophesied?"

"As I was unable to make you my successor, there is no more doubt in my mind that the prophecy is true. Of course, it is also true that I intended on choosing either you, Oren, or Balpas."

Well, it was likely to be Balpas now.

Still, if that was the case, I couldn't help but feel that the results had less to do with a prophecy, and more to do with how he raised us… However, there were more important matters.

"Wait a minute, what's this about the world ending?"

"I don't know. However, now that you have been born with 'Cave King,' and rule this island… Tomorrow, no, even today…anything can happen. If I am not wrong, anyway."

He answered without any change in his expression.

The end of the world… After hearing the stories of meteors from Shiel, it did not seem so very unlikely.

But he was saying that this island would be safe?

Of course, I and the island residents could not just ignore what was happening elsewhere.

Besides, if the prophecy was true, more monsters that couldn't talk, like Scissor Crabs and Devil Hoppers would be coming here.

It was a problem that affected us as well.

"Father… Surely you see that this is no time to be arguing about monsters in Sanfaris. There is no reason for there to be any fighting in the whole continent. Surely you must call for alliances to be made?"

"Heal. This is an ancient prophecy that even the priests do not believe. Do you really think people and monsters will accept something that some foreign lord said?"

"That… I think they might believe, if they saw this island."

After saying this much, I thought I saw him smile a little.

"Then you should show them. Do things your way. You are the ruler of this place, after all."

He said, and then headed to the storage house where he was staying.

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Chapter 138 – Things were settled!

That night, after speaking with my father, long tables and chairs were brought out onto the pier.

Purple cloth was laid out on the tables. The cloth was made from Cave Spider webs and dyed using Satan Shellfish.

The tables had an assortment of food that was acquired on this island.

While some were fish that would be familiar to people from Sanfaris, there were also unusual dishes made of Scissor Crabs and Killer Birds as well.

There were also large baskets of fruit that were picked on this island.

The ship's crew sat down in their seats and looked at all of this in astonishment.

"How can such food be prepared on this island…"

"And this tableware. Iron…or is it silver?"

It had all been made by Mappa and his apprentices. And while they were made of iron, they looked expensive due to their intricate engravings.

However, father and Balpas were given gold plates and utensils. I had ordered this so as not to give offense.

Balpas couldn't stop looking at the golden plate.

"I-I can see my own face… So this too was made by that hairy old man…"

Balpas saw that Mappa was standing proudly behind him, and sweat dripped from his forehead.

In any case, all the food had now been served, and Rienna addressed them.

"Now, everyone. Please eat. I hope that it's to your liking…"

"Thank you!"

The crew began to gobble down the food before Rienna could finish talking.

"Delicious! I've never eaten something so good…"

"Scissor Crabs are a rare delicacy."

It looked like they were all enjoying our island's food.

I had been worried, since we didn't have flour and other grains, but it was for nothing.

And so I sighed with relief.

However, Rienna looked anxious as she gazed towards my father.

Seeing this, I tried to reassure her.

"Don't worry. Your cooking is the best in the whole world."

"Lo-Lord Heal… Th-thank you."

She said a little bashfully.

It was then that father picked up his fork and knife and slowly began to cut up his Killer Bird meat.

Then he took a bite and became very silent.

Rienna gulped as she waited.

And then he slowly opened his mouth.

"…It's good."

Balpas looked very surprised as he heard this.

Not only was father not one to show any emotion on his face, but he also didn't talk about what he was feeling.

Balpas was surprised to hear such a straightforward reaction.

After that, Balpas tasted the Killer Bird and agreed, quickly taking a second and third bite.

"…Phew. Thank goodness."

Rienna sighed with relief.

Next, everyone was served some wine. It was taken out from the underground cellar, and we decided to offer them just a little.

According to Shiel, we just needed to grow some grapes, and then we could produce more wine with the machine in the cellar. And so I didn't mind sharing some of it.

It was the monsters who poured the wine into the glasses.

I was worried the crew would object to this at first, but they all seemed very pleased as they held out their cups.

As for Balpas, it was Mappa's identical twin, Macha, who poured wine into his cup.

"I-it's you, Macha. Thank you."

He said a little frantically.

When the cup was filled, Balpas tried to pick it up.

However, Macha quickly got a hold of him.

"Oh, wa-wait! N-not here! I-I promise to play with you later!"

"Hm? You have a new lover already?"

Father asked him.

"N-no, that's not what this is…he-hey…"

Father saw that Macha was kissing Balpas now, and he said,

"Hmm, the time is ripe. It is important that you settle down soon. I am usually not one to interfere with the affairs of my children, but as you are now my successor, I will order you now. You will marry this girl."

"Y-you can't be serious!! Why must I marry this thing! Also, did you just say something terribly important as if it was nothing!?"

"I think it will deepen the relationship between our countries… No, no, it will not be that simple."

Father's eyes turned to something else.

It was Mappa. His face was a scorching red as he glared angrily at Balpas.

"So she's your lover! Don't worry, I have no intention of…ah!"

Mappa had taken out a fan and tried to hit Balpas with it. Balpas stood up and dodged the attack.

The fan was made out of leaves from the World Tree, and did not look very lethal.

Macha then hid behind Balpas as if she were scared.

Father said,

"If you wish to be with her, you have no choice but to fight. You are a man of Sanfaris."

"Wait! I really have no interest in this hairball! Hey!"

And like this, Balpas and Mappa's fight began.

Of course, it was nothing serious for either of them…though Mappa's anger was probably real.

But the crew clearly believed it to be part of the night's entertainment, and they shouted 'get him!' as they watched.

I wondered if I should still cast Shield on them, just in case…

Well, in spite of everything, everyone seemed to be comfortable together.

Perhaps sailors, who often moved from country to country, were more capable of getting along with others.

In any case, it was a relief…

Father said that they would be leaving this island tomorrow.

We made the agreement, and everything had been resolved. Yes, everything…

"Lord Heal. Is something wrong?"

Rienna looked at me with concern.

"Huh? No, not really…"

"Are you…thinking about Oren?"

I was. Sometimes it was like Rienna could read my mind.

"According to Elto, he doesn't need to eat in that body, but…"

"Well, he is your brother… Why don't you go and see him?"

"Yes, I think I will."

"Then I will go with you."

Rienna said, and then she glanced towards Baris.

Baris nodded understandingly. He would take care of things in our absence.

And so the two of us headed to the storage house where Oren was being kept.

Elto and some other monsters that took care of him were also there.

Elto was holding the small Lopez to her chest.

Lopez waved his hands upon seeing me.

However, Oren was curled up in the corner.

"Oren…"

"Don't look at me!! No one should look at me!! I won't tell you anything!"

In spite of what he said, there was always medicine that could be used.

I doubted that Balpas would use anything unethical, but it would still be difficult for everyone involved.

I would prefer to not have to go down that road. I wanted the truth to come to light as soon as possible.

"Oren… When you return to the continent, I want you to confess to everything you've done up until now."

"…"

Oren did not answer.

Well, I would just say my part then.

"Oren. I don't know what punishment awaits you there, but it won't be enough considering your crimes. …However, if you swear to spend the rest of your life trying to make amends, and you confess everything, and if you are one day free…"

I doubted such a day would come. Even if he somehow escaped the death penalty, he would likely be imprisoned for life.

Still, I just wanted to say this to him…

"You can come and visit us. We will accept you."

I wanted to accept anyone that wanted to be accepted. Even if that person was once an enemy.

However, upon hearing these words, Oren burst into laughter.

"Accept me? How would that benefit you!?"

"It's not a matter of benefitting. That is just what Sheorl is."

"I…I can't understand you. Well, it doesn't matter. That day will never come."

"There is a small possibility."

"No, there is not. Now…leave me alone."

Oren said as he curled up in the corner again.

"…Elto, please continue to watch him."

"Leave it to me, master. Huh?"

Lopez then jumped out of Elto's arms and flew over to Oren. Then he gently patted him on the head.

Oren didn't reject him. He just shook.

Oren was the one who had tormented Lopez. And now Lopez was showing him kindness… What was Oren thinking now?

I had no more words for him. It was up to him.

"…Let's go, Rienna."

"Yes, Lord Heal."

And so we left the storage house.

I turned to Rienna and asked,

"Do you think that I'm wrong?"

"No, Lord Heal. A place where everyone is welcome…that is Sheorl. I think even Oren will understand how you feel. Surely he will have a change of heart."

I nodded at Rienna's words.

～～～～～

～～～～～

Once Heal and Rienna were gone, Elto said to Oren,

"He is a kind brother… Perhaps if you confess to your sins…"

"…No. I will never return to this island again."

"Heal is right. You do not know what the future holds."

"It's not that. This place…someone like me should not be allowed to be here."

As Oren talked, Lopez offered him an apple.

However, Oren shook his head and then bowed to Lopez.

"…I've done things to you that are unforgivable. Not just you, but I've taken so many lives… The place that I'm going to is already decided. It is there that I will repent for eternity."

Upon hearing this, Elto nodded with satisfaction.

"…It is the path you have decided for yourself. And I commend you for it. I'll tell my friends about you if I meet them. After all, even if you die, you are still my thrall."

"Thank you. Though what you say is harsh, I will accept it."

After that, Oren stopped shouting and shaking.

Later, after returning to the continent, Oren confessed to all of his crimes and wished for a public trial and the death penalty.

It was said that during the trial, he was attacked multiple times by past victims and their families. His appearance and the list of crimes also caused spectators to throw stones at him.

However, Oren did not try to hide himself or run away.

After that, while his identity as being part of the royal family was still hidden, Oren was executed, just as he had wished.