What Did You Just Say? (2)
"This is…!"
At the startled gasp from the crowd, Isaac craned his neck to get a better look.
The people of Eshua stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief.
And no wonder—because what the messenger had produced was none other than a medal of honor.
It lay gleaming on a golden ribbon inside a gilded box.
And engraved on the radiant metal, shaped almost like a halo, was the symbol of the Pope:
A triple crown, a shield, and crossed staves with wings.
The Triple Crown.
The crown of victory that led the Empire down the path of glory!
It was the personal crest of the Pope.
And the name inscribed on the medal? None other than Isaac's.
Wait—did the Pope actually bestow this… on Isaac?
Naturally, all of Eshua was left speechless.
The Pope awarding a medal of honor?
In the Holy Empire, that was the highest glory imaginable—an honor no one could refuse.
Never mind the blessings imbued in it; just selling it would fetch a fortune.
Frankly, the gift was too grand.
As if to confirm it, the Pope's messenger beamed brightly.
"Lord Rilai, please accept this. It belongs to Lord Isaac. It's a token of His Holiness's gratitude for defeating the vile demon and rescuing the precious souls destined for sainthood."
Isaac clenched his fist, eyes blazing.
Hell yeah! These bastards actually know what's up!
But the expressions on the faces of the Eshua people only grew darker—palpably hostile.
Especially Rilai, whose gaze now shimmered with a dangerous glint.
"He truly told you… to hand this to me?"
Isaac cocked his head in confusion.
What? What is it?
Why's everyone so pissed?
But the Pope's messenger kept smiling serenely.
"Yes, indeed. His Holiness has specially awarded this to honor Lord Isaac's valor."
The Pope?
Goddamn it—where the hell did that bastard's stuff come from?
Isaac's eyes flashed with personal spite, but logically, there was no real reason for the Eshua people to be upset.
It was an official commendation, after all.
So why were they reacting like this?
Just as Isaac was starting to wonder, Rilai asked again, his eyes practically brimming with murder.
"I'll ask one more time. If you're making this up, you will lose your head. Did he really tell you to give this to me? Not to Isaac?"
Still smiling innocently, the messenger replied, "Yes! I was instructed to deliver it specifically to Lord Rilai, not anyone else."
"You bastards!"
The elders nearby instantly sprang to their feet, ready to storm the Pope's estate.
"Those arrogant bastards have lost their minds! How dare they send Isaac's medal to his family instead?!"
Why, though?
Isaac's just a baby—wouldn't it make sense for his family to accept it on his behalf?
But then Whisper, ever the eager servant who prided himself on having read every sacred text in the Holy Empire, chimed in with a proud little cough.
["There's no issue with awarding the medal itself. The problem is who receives it."]
Why? If the recipient doesn't accept it personally, does it lose its blessing or something?
Goddamn clerics and their ridiculous superstitions…
["In the Holy Empire, when a medal is delivered to a family member instead of the recipient, it's a 'memorial honor.' It signifies recognition of a deceased person's merits."]
Those goddamn sons of—!
Why are you all just standing there?! Grab them by the throat already!
Isaac's neck bulged with fury, and he looked ready to hurl his rattle.
Do you know how hard I worked to be born in this body?!
And now these bastards are treating me like I'm already dead?!
In other words, the Pope's house had basically handed over a memorial tribute for their nephew—to his uncle.
Way, way over the line.
Sure enough, Rilai, Isaac's blood relative, looked absolutely livid.
There was no way he didn't understand the message behind this.
But the Pope's messenger just kept smiling innocently, as if baffled by all the anger.
"Lord Isaac Eshua is so very young, so His Holiness thought it best to entrust it to a family member."
Oh, screw you!
You mean to put it in my damn coffin, don't you?!
And that wasn't even the worst part.
"What's this—embroidered flowers on the ribbon too? Are they trying to start a fight?!"
Flowers?
Why? Isn't that just a sunflower motif?
I've seen that on a ton of luxury goods—it's supposed to represent honor, right?
["That's true… but it's the color that matters. It's not an absolute rule, but in white, it typically signifies fallen warriors."]
Those goddamn bastards—doing it again?!*
Not once, but twice—this is a deliberate provocation!
The elders, eyes bloodshot, began whispering furiously.
"Don't tell me you really think Isaac died just because he ate the Skeleton King's flesh?"
"At this point, it's basically a curse wishing him dead."
"Or maybe it's a mockery of the 'curse' placed on Eshua?"
"!"
Isaac's eyebrows shot up at that unsettling word.
'A curse on Eshua?'
What's that supposed to mean?
But the elders looked ready to grind every last skeleton in the world into powder.
"Argh! Damn Skeleton King! If it weren't for that bastard! This humiliation—!"
Hey, what did I do?
Meanwhile, the Pope's courier smiled as if his arm might fall off from holding the thing up.
"Sir Rilai, are you not accepting it?"
The elders frowned and chided him.
"Rilai, don't take it."
"Yes, exactly. I thought it was too extravagant a tribute. It's so blatantly obvious what they mean…"
Then Goel chimed in with a warning.
"Elders, don't interfere unnecessarily."
"!"
After all, the medal was supposed to be a gift infused with the Pope's blessing.
If they rejected it just because it offended them, what would happen?
"It would be seen as a strong declaration that Eshua is hostile to the Papal House. It'll escalate."
"You still say that after seeing that embroidered flower?"
"It symbolized death in the Skeleton King's era, but nowadays the meaning's blurred. It's hard to make a clear accusation. They designed it so only those in the know would catch the insult."
As if mocking the living, just like back in the Skeleton King's time.
"In any case, let's not get involved."
"What…!"
The elders seethed with frustration.
"Isn't it despicable? Sending something like this precisely when the Lady and the Head of the House are absent…!"
Goel just snorted.
That's exactly why they sent it now.
It was probably Cardinal Berit who sent it.
And that man… was that kind of man.
'Even if he shares some of my blood, he's truly repulsive.'
A man who excelled at tormenting others.
In short, it was a warning to Rilai—and to Eshua—not to overstep.
The medal was a way of telling them to know their place.
Like a mudfish, they should stay wallowing in the muck where they belong.
'Well, humiliating Rilai, who's actually family, is a bit much.'
As an uncle who cared about Isaac, it was infuriating. But for the good of the House, it was simplest to thank the Pope politely and swallow the humiliation.
'He knows that well enough.'
Goel wasn't exactly pleased either, but since he didn't care much for Rilai and Isaac, this worked in his favor.
Those brash fools might finally back off a little now.
And before the House head returned, their standing could be lowered too.
'That whole treasury success was just dumb luck anyway, thanks to his mother's power.'
Sure, they probably had Shuri's help, and now they were acting like heroes?
Well, still, they were his nephew and brother. If they behaved, he might throw them a few crumbs.
The Papal courier smiled brightly.
"Oh, right. I was told to make sure I get a response about the gift after delivering it. What shall I report back?"
What? A response?
They give that and expect a reply?
Is this bastard out of his mind?
The elders' faces turned red with rage.
But the courier just kept smiling slyly.
"It's a bit out of the norm, I admit, but he's just a child, too young to receive the medal himself. What can we do? Surely you won't not give a word of thanks? His Holiness personally blessed the medal, after all."
Instead of answering, Rilai looked at the courier.
He might seem like just a lackey, but he was a Papal envoy—a fifth-rank clergyman at minimum and a noble from the Papal faction.
'Isn't he the second son of Count Yobel?'
Yeah, one of the Pope's close aides, probably bent on revenge.
Likely over how Isaac embarrassed Kina in front of the nobles.
And he was one of those eager to see Eshua humiliated.
They knew no one could dare lay a hand on a Papal envoy, so he acted like this, pushing the limits but never crossing the line.
At that moment, as Rilai bit his lip, Goel urged him.
"What are you waiting for? Just accept it and thank him. You can deal with it later."
"!"
"It's just a kid's issue. No need to make a fuss over something trivial."
Yeah, that was the smart move.
Rilai knew that too.
But as an uncle, he couldn't bear to let his nephew be insulted like this. Accepting it would mean acknowledging their submission.
'Still, there's no real alternative…'
And then it happened.
FWOOSH!
"W-what?"
The smug courier recoiled in shock.
"Huh? Ahhh—!!"
The medal he'd been holding suddenly burst into flames.
And not just any flames.
The fire engulfing the medal was blue!
Everyone from Eshua gasped in astonishment.
'Sacred fire!'
It wasn't ordinary fire—it was fire created with holy power.
In other words, a flame conjured through sacred arts.
Low-level sacred fire wasn't even hot to the touch, but at higher levels, it could mercilessly burn even one's soul.
Most importantly, a blessed object like that medal couldn't be burned by anything except sacred fire.
And that blue flame? Only Eshua could produce that color.
The vivid blue firestorm fiercely devoured the golden medal.
"Ahhh!"
It burned so hot that even a fifth-rank clergyman couldn't hold onto it. The courier had no choice but to let go.
The box, embroidery, and medal cords were all reduced to ash in an instant, and the metal turned pitch black.
"The Pope's medal—!"
"Ta-da."
Isaac gleefully waved his hand.
The adults were shocked.
"No way… did Isaac do this?"
"Isaac!"
But the messenger immediately flew into a rage.
"What is the meaning of this! How dare you deface the medal bestowed by His Holiness the Pope?! Are you committing treason against His Holiness?!"
At that, the elders spat on the ground as if they'd been waiting for this.
"You think we did it on purpose?"
"It was the kid! The kid did it!"
It was hard to tell if they were clergy or just a bunch of thugs.
Lilai smiled brightly.
"Well, what can you do? He's just a child—so young he can't even receive a medal directly."
"?!"
"Oh, since the accident happened before the medal was handed over, we'll just say it was never officially received."
"…What! How can you say that with a straight face?!"
"Or, unless—"
Lilai's smile turned icy.
"Are you seriously suggesting that His Holiness's item was melted by a flame… conjured by a child?"
"...?!"
The messenger's face turned deathly pale.
Reading his expression, the elders began to wail theatrically.
"Oh, heavens! To think a mere child, too young even to receive a medal, conjured blue flames that melted the Pope's gold! What a blasphemous scandal!"
"Yes! Blasphemy, sheer blasphemy! We must officially visit the Vatican and apologize for this at once!"
"Oh no, that won't be enough! We must announce it to the entire empire! Only then will His Holiness's anger be soothed!"
Their near-shouted outbursts caused a stir in the crowd.
Even the servants from other noble families, who had come to deliver gifts, started paying attention.
At that point, the messenger looked at Isaac with growing unease.
Did that little brat really conjure sacred flames?
'What is this? The power of a saint?'
He hadn't even sensed any magic being cast!
Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, the messenger quickly tried to retrieve the medal.
"Here, this item seems to be defective. I'll take it back and—AAAGH!!"
Suddenly, blue flames shot up from the messenger's backside.
"F-fire! Someone put it out!"
Normally, sacred flames can only be extinguished by someone of the same faith. Or, they can be suppressed by someone of an overwhelmingly higher rank. But weirdly enough, this one wouldn't go out.
As the searing heat scorched his rear, the messenger screamed. But everyone around him stayed calm.
"Oh my, Isaac sure is mischievous."
"Just wait a bit. The kid's too young even to get a medal, so the flames will probably fizzle out soon."
"Surely you're not saying you can't put out flames made by a child too young to receive a medal?"
"Come on, he's just a kid."
Shit, damn Eshua!
The messenger frantically looked for Goel.
Among these lunatic Eshua people, the only sane person—and his only ally—was Goel, the Pope's cousin!
"M-Mr. Goel, please help!"
Seeing the messenger running toward him, Goel's face turned red with anger.
That idiot. Absolute moron.
Goel ignored him, and the messenger turned desperately to Isaac.
If it's sacred flames, maybe if I cover the caster's eyes, it'll go out!
The messenger moved to act—but Lilai promptly kicked him into Eshua's lake with a splash.
Plop!
"Elders, you could at least help him out a bit. He is a messenger from the Pope's family."
"Eh, who would've thought someone from the Pope's house couldn't even put out flames made by a kid?"
"The Pope's people are really slipping these days!"
The elders chuckled smugly.
Isaac grinned as he watched the messenger flail in the water. But his eyes stayed cold and sharp.
'Stick a Shadow Lich on him. He's from the Pope's household—he might spill some useful info.'
[As you wish… but is that okay? If a Shadow Lich attaches to a human, they'll start hearing voices and spiral into madness…]
Exactly. Serves him right for flaunting the Pope's name in front of me.
[You did read that secret grimoire from the third treasury for the sacred flame, didn't you?]
Yeah. Not as strong as my own fire magic, but good enough.
[Should we keep hiding the grimoire? The family might flip out if they found out.]
Shut up! That's my secret stash!
Well, Lilai's been pretty clever—maybe I'll nurture her a bit…
"Alright, Isaac! Hurry up and eat these fruits so you can poop! Just 200 more to go!"
"Tdaaaagh (You son of a—why does the number keep going up)!!!"
God, this damn family—I need to sell them off and get out of here fast!
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]