Chapter: 30
Sun and Sky
However, Ekiel showed no reaction, silently staring ahead, while Ritain simply shrugged.
Urna continued to speak.
“As you know, humans do not receive the blessing of the Beast God. I’ve heard that the beastmen who receive this blessing are gifted with enhanced physical abilities and a special power known as a supernatural ability.”
“That’s correct.”
Impressed that the Rilberg Empire knew more about beastmen than he expected, Ritain smiled.
Urna continued her explanation.
“You mentioned you are well-versed in the ancient battle.”
Everyone nodded.
The ancient battle.
A thousand years ago, when the Dark Divine Beast descended upon this continent and mercilessly slaughtered living beings with its immense power, the Divine Beasts stepped forward.
But as the Divine Beasts faced imminent defeat, the White Tiger, Anash, sacrificed herself, using her formidable power to kill and seal the creature.
There was also a human Archmage who fought in that battle, leading the charge to protect the world.
However, it is said that he lost his most cherished son to the Dark Divine Beast.
Even after peace returned to the world, the Archmage, unable to overcome the grief of losing his child, came to resent and hate the Divine Beasts and beastmen.
Thus, those who revered the Archmage, along with his descendants, prepared to leave.
To a land without sorrow.
“Afterward, the Archmage’s descendants migrated to the Western Continent, where the Beast God’s influence does not reach.”
Urna’s story, which had captivated Ritain from the very beginning, grew more and more enthralling, leaving the audience with no choice but to be completely absorbed.
The tale of how humans settled in the Western Continent, created their own culture, and prospered was one unknown anywhere in the Eastern Continent.
What particularly piqued Ritain’s interest was the story of mana.
The idea that the human body could naturally generate mana repeatedly sparked his curiosity about magic.
“Humans, who do not receive the blessing of the Beast God, are all born with a small amount of mana. The total amount of mana one can wield is called magical power, and the use of it is collectively referred to as magic.”
“In that case, do all people of the Western Continent use magic from birth and become mages?”
“No. Only a few can become mages.”
Ritain was puzzled.
If all humans can produce mana and know how to use it, wouldn’t they naturally become mages?
“Why is that? Is the study of magic too difficult and profound? Or is there a disparity in who is allowed to learn?”
“It’s more that… magic is ninety percent talent. One must be born with an innate aptitude for it.”
As Urna answered Ritain, she glanced at Ekiel.
That’s right.
Just like him, Ekiel Isles Rilberg.
A mage needed to possess outstanding talent from birth.
In addition, they needed innate magical power, along with the perseverance and effort to hone it.
When all those elements aligned, a great ‘star’ known as an Archmage was born.
“So you call them ‘stars’?”
“The ten stars who serve the Emperor, the ten Archmages, are called the Stars.”
At Ekiel’s answer, Ritain’s golden eyes flashed with interest.
“Then, what is the Emperor of Rilberg, who leads these stars?”
Ritain grinned, his chin still resting on his hand.
The Emperor of Penterin is typically called the Sun.
It is the color and symbol of the Golden Tiger—the one and only being in this world that illuminates the day.
The Penterin nobles felt their throats go dry and swallowed hard.
*Ah, why must you ask such a difficult question at a friendly gathering, Your Majesty!*
Count Talon simply closed his eyes.
“I am…”
Just then, the young Emperor of Rilberg opened his mouth.
The Penterin nobles were visibly tense, but Ekiel himself showed no sign of displeasure.
“The sky.”
“Ah.”
“I am the sky for my stars.”
At the calm reply, the Penterin nobles, whose tension had dissipated, could only stare with their mouths agape.
“Ah, the sky.”
“I-I see.”
The nobles let out sighs of relief mixed with laughter.
“Does that answer your question?”
Ekiel’s impassive gaze fell upon him as he returned the question.
Ritain chuckled at the young emperor’s seemingly harmless yet deep eyes, which could pull one into a mire, and nodded.
He’d been bested.
The sky, he says.
A very profound answer.
It is a well-known fact that the Emperor of Penterin is called the Sun.
So much so that the crest of the Penterin imperial family bears the emblem of the sun.
But this was the first he’d heard of the Rilberg Emperor being called the sky.
A world where two empires exist.
There cannot be two suns, but if one is the sun and the other is the sky…
…does the sky embrace the sun, or does the sun rule the sky?
*So that’s why he deliberately said ‘the sky for my stars.’*
The young emperor had avoided a dispute.
Ritain became even more wary of the emperor of the magic empire, who looked younger than his own son.
He was clearly no ordinary boy.
He may have the appearance of a child, but he was the ruler of a nation—an ’emperor’.
And in a country that selects its emperor based on merit, no less.
The Rilberg Empire was not so foolish as to place an idiot on the throne.
*That must be how he became emperor.*
As Ritain inwardly marveled, reassessing Ekiel, Urna continued the story.
“Ahem. To be frank, magical power varies greatly from person to person. Each family of mages also has its own unique lineage.”
“So, a prestigious bloodline also has an influence?”
“Mm. That seems to be the case.”
Urna continued her explanation, occasionally answering questions from Duke Atashix.
For a child born with the recognized aptitude of a mage, the magical power they possess from birth greatly influences their intelligence.
Magical power, which manifests highly complex formulas—magic circles—into reality to produce various effects, is the force that moves the human mind.
Therefore, the more talented one was in magic, the higher the likelihood of them being a prodigy.
And then, Ekiel appeared as definitive proof of this.
“His Majesty was born with such vast magical power that all the Stars of the empire and the previous emperor were astonished.”
Urna said.
The baby, Ekiel, born with unprecedented magical power.
It was said that there was an uproar, with everyone claiming that if he continued on this path, he would become an Archmage great enough to ascend to the throne as the next emperor.
“And he was an extraordinary genius.”
Another Archmage couldn’t help but chime in.
“Despite his young age, he has already surpassed the level of an Archmage. His intelligence and character are also magnificent!”
As everyone began to chatter excitedly, Ekiel let out a soft sigh.
Then, as if this were a familiar situation, he lowered his voice.
“That’s enough.”
Duke Atashix chuckled to himself, thinking it was plain to see how much the Archmages not only respected but also adored their young emperor.
He was envious.
If only he, too, could genuinely like his emperor for once…
He naturally respected Ritain immensely as an emperor, but he was far too fearsome and intimidating to be ‘liked’.
Moreover, Ritain was the strongest of the apex predators, the ‘Golden Tiger’. Even for Duke Atashix, a fellow predator—a brown bear—his beastman instincts made him fear and stand in awe of the emperor.
“Why.”
“…It’s nothing.”
The duke glanced at Emperor Ritain, but immediately corrected his thoughts the moment he met the emperor’s cold, golden eyes.
*Ugh.*
Like that crazy tiger? As if.
This kind of ruler-subject relationship is the cleanest, after all.
He looked back toward Ekiel, as if trying to forget the emperor’s murderous gaze.
“If he’s such an extraordinary genius, his memory must also be exceptional.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Just as Marquis Skoten and Urna were speaking, Ekiel interjected in a casual tone.
“But it is rather troublesome to have so many memories densely packed from such a young age.”
The Stars laughed at the young emperor’s feigned complaint, but the beastmen listening didn’t understand.
“What does that…”
Marquis Skoten tilted his head, a look of confusion on his face.
Just then, Ritain, who had been observing Ekiel intently, spoke with a look of understanding.
“Ah. So, with all those memories and all that magic piling up…”
Ritain pointed a finger at Ekiel’s head and continued in a serious tone.
“One wrong step, and you could go mad.”
In that instant, a chilling silence fell over the room.
Everyone’s face turned ashen.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Emperor of Penterin! What is the meaning of such crude words!”
The Archmages and the Penterin nobles were all aghast at the unfiltered expression.
