The Knight King Who Returned with a God - Chapter 203:

Meriel is referring to the self-indulgence of the humans who built Earth’s civilization and the nonsensical beliefs they hold.

Unlike the omniscient gods of the story, the gods of the pantheon are not omniscient but merciful, not omnipotent but acting.

So the proper subjects of faith would have to be themselves.

“America thinks that before long, King Leon will take over Korea and Asia, but I’m thinking bigger.”

TTG Temple will soon take over the world.

“I don’t mean all of it, because there are a lot of fanatics in this world who have the wrong faith, and we’re going to have to clear some traffic, but we’re not going to get rid of them all.”

“Conversion by force is not part of the Lionheart’s agenda.”

“But you’re someone that makes sure to fight back if you’re attacked, aren’t you? You seem to have a strong aversion to having your authority eroded.”

He was right.

The Lionhearts are tolerant of their fellow humans, to the point of sanctioning the existence of the Empire.

Distrust is also a human choice. As long as they don’t insult the actual gods, they don’t force them to believe.

However,

Go beyond disbelief and show aggression, and the Knights of the Lionheart will gladly draw their swords.

“Times will change, and in the course of that change, you will surely be challenged by the vested interests, as you might have guessed from your decision to accept the deity of the God of Gold and Contracts into the pantheon.”

Dragonia, God of Gold and Contracts.

Leon was not unaware of Dragonia’s intentions to overrun modern capitalism with dragon greed and flaying, but the gods were.

Meriel had already guessed that Leon was determined to take over the world.

‘I guess you can’t fool divine wisdom after all.’

[Yes, but this goddess would not tell her ally.]

I could guess why.

“Goddess of Fate, if you desire a place in the pantheon, the gods are said to be willing.”

At that, Meriel laughed wordlessly.

She might have business dealings with mortals, but she was a goddess. To a being of eons, the transactions of a moment are unclear.

Meriel answered with a bright smile.

“I see I’ve kept you busy long enough, so I’ll leave you to it.”

Leon followed her to her feet and placed a respectful kiss on the back of her hand.

“I look forward to the day when the Goddess of Destiny returns to the Pantheon.”

“Hee hee hee— I’m looking forward to the day when I get a good representative like King Leon.”

-Poof! Pow! Pow!

Outside, a fireworks display was in full bloom.

The fireworks were spreading in all their splendor as if to hide the tacit agreement that had been made here.

* * * *

After the fireworks display, the finale of the Christmas celebration, the TTG Temple naturally gathered together.

Magician Queen Beatrice, Yakt Spinner the Holy Knight of Iron and Blacksmithing, Vulcanus the Holy Knight of War and Flame, and the Flaming Sword Knights.

The Knights of Naju, including Knight Commander Chun So-yeon and Han Ha-ri, the Priestess of two gods.

And the curious who naturally followed the TTG Temple.

-Kiruk. Finalizing the process. Finalizing the process.

As Yappy approached and reported, Leon saw the piles of rice and stones being piled up in the center of the circle surrounding the temple.

Blessed rice was flown in from Naju, South Korea, and blessed corn and wheat grown in the Great Plains of the Midwest of North America.

The amount must have been dozens of tons, and this was not the only offering piled up like a tribute.

Stardust, enough to forge hundreds of armaments, pearls and coral from the sea, brought by the Kikiruks. Mountains of gold.

They were the riches of the world, to be sure, but all the more precious because the gods had blessed them and allowed them to be harvested.

For this moment, it was as if the land had returned to the glory days of Lionheart, as if it were trying to recreate them.

Leon went to the center of it and saw stones surrounded by all sorts of precious things.

The responsibility that Karina, Archduke of Dragonia, had carried for two hundred years, for those who had followed her.

For their souls, Karina surrendered herself, soul and body, to the dragon.

Leon does not deny his daughter’s life and sacrifice for them, knowing that it is not a worthless task, but an honorable duty as a nobleman, as an archduke, as royalty.

“Archduke–nay, my lord, this is my grandson, Delvoske, and he will be in charge of Lady Karina.”

There was a butler who had served the Grand Duke for generations.

“I beg your pardon, Gaspar. I will serve Grand Duchess Karina with my life.”

There was a knight from the North who had fought alongside him on the battlefield.

“You have done well, Your Highness, and the North is honored to have such a great Lionheart King.”

There were vassals who had long been advisors to the Archduke.

They served the Archduke of Dragonia to the end, and their shining lives were fading.

As the first Archduke of Dragonia, Leon must remain loyal to them to the end.

“Once upon a time there was a great war.”

It was a harsh time for all. Everyone in this room faced a foe that was unstoppable.

“Many times we fought, defended, and proved our honor, no matter how hard it was.”

In the midst of a harsh battle with the demons, in the midst of the end of the world, they didn’t run away, they fought.

How honorable and proud that is.

“These here are the spirits who fell in that fight, spirits who still roam the Nine Heavens.”

Thirty thousand knights, nobles, and soldiers from the Grand Duchy of Dragonia and its subordinate families.

On that day, old comrades fell one by one, in a realm beyond the care of the gods.

“Know this. Our enemy is a common enemy, across all dimensions.”

In the days ahead, Earth will face a clash of cultures and a new world of survivors, but there is one thing that must be dealt with first.

“Demons. The cause of it all, the invaders who have caused so many to lose their homes. The souls of these men here are heroes who died fighting against them.”

Leon picked up a stone. The name was familiar, it was the name of a friend of Leon’s.

“Gods. Our grateful, gracious gods who love us and watch over us. Here are the warriors of the gods, returning to your bosom after a long wander.”

And that’s not all. Every single name here was a soldier, knight, vassal, or rider of Leon’s.

For them, Leon willingly dropped to one knee.

“Please take away their souls. If they have sins while alive, please wash them away with your sins. Appreciate their bravery even in the face of death so that they can enjoy a feast with the gods.”

From the Magic Stones that Karina named Middle Stones, a place of temporary sojourn, a soul’s light rose.

The moment when the soul flowed into the Holy Grail on the altar was an amazing moment that everyone admired.

The reverent moment of the soul being embraced by God brought tears to the eyes of the onlookers.

While everyone was intoxicated by the miracle before them, Leon looked at their departing souls without speaking.

“Let’s have a drink sometime.”

Since we are mortal, we promise to meet the end we deserve.

* * * * *

Karina closed her eyes at the departing souls since she could not bear to see their last.

Karina had made a deal with the dragon to trap their souls in stone.

She did this because she could not bear to see their souls scattered and returned to nothingness, and she feared that they would be trapped in that cramped stone for all eternity.

‘I have succeeded.’

But in the end, the Agent of the Gods returned with a paradise for their souls.

Two hundred years of sinful, sorry years come to an end.

Now she was tired.

“The winter weather is cold.”

At that moment, Leon stepped forward and draped his suit over Karina’s shoulders. The warmth of the suit warmed her skin.

“Thank you. Their souls will now rest in peace.”

“It was the right thing to do. You did what this king should have done.”

“——”

Karina glanced at Leon, who sat next to her.

There was no rebuke, no resentment in his eyes.

No resentment for herself, for the Northern Army, for slipping out of the Alliance to seek revenge that day, on the brink of a desperate fight.

In the end, he prevailed.

She didn’t trust him and left his side to seek her own revenge.

When the prodigal son returns, you greet him with no anger, no scorn, only joy and gratitude.

But——

Even though you consider it unforgivable, I——

“Take it.”

The words rolled around in her mouth as Leon pulled a candy out of his hand.

“Suddenly——”

“It’s your favorite candy since you were a kid. I chewed a lot of candies looking for a similar flavor.”

As Karina casually popped the candy into her mouth, she realized that it was indeed the flavor she remembered.

Not the flamboyant sweetness of modern times, but something plain and bland–more like a nibble than a candy, something that might have been a staple food in the Northern Grand Duchy.

Far from the fancy desserts of the royal court, it was a flavor commonly consumed in the northern provinces.

“Did you find it yourself?”

“The sweetness lingers on my tongue, but it wasn’t too hard to find.”

“Hoo-hoo——”

Karina laughed, remembering her father popping dozens of candies in and out of his mouth to find the taste of old memories.

It was so good to hear that laugh, and it made Leon feel like his hard work was worth it.

“It’s delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it. Is there anything else you want?”

“Of course not. It would be greedy to ask for more.”

“You are my daughter. What a daughter asks of her father is not greedy.”

“I’m also an unfaithful daughter who deserted her father in his hour of need.”

“——”

Leon knew what Karina’s words meant.

The Northern army that had left the Alliance before the final battle and the Archduke who had led them away from the Lionheart King.

The Lionheart King knew what Karina was guilty of.

“I still remember what I said to you then.”

I don’t want to see you again. Disappear from my sight, were Leon’s last words to her.

“I regret it even now. Knowing that I would not see you for so long, knowing that it would be the last time, I said such a rash thing.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is also this father’s fault.”

“——”

Leon stroked Karina’s dark hair. She had her mother’s coloring, and he could see much of it in her dark hair.

The upright posture, the strong air, the blue eyes, the natural strength.

The proof of his love for his wife is so clear that he can recognize her blood at a glance.

It’s a love so precious that a mistake doesn’t matter.

Parents can never give enough love to their children.

“This father’s love will never change, no matter when or what happens. You may abandon me, but I will never abandon you.”

There’s not a bit of that anger left in Leon. The only feelings he has left from two hundred years ago are remorse and regret.

“My daughter. My dear child, the one I thought I would never see again. What parent in the world can feel anything but joy?”

To the returned prodigal, the father offers no rebuke.

For a parent’s unconditional love is always infinite.

“——”

Karina leaned her head against Leon’s shoulder without a word, recalling happy memories from the distant past, now only a memory.

“Thank you, Dad.”

That was enough for all the fathers in the world.