I’m Going to Destroy this Country

Because it’s the origin that has never given wrong information since the skeleton days, the Skeleton King narrowed his brow.

Of course, in the end, his eyes did spin at the words that his physical body exists, but if it’s a Saintess’ family, it’s a demon-slaying family.

‘Then there must be a lot of magic cores inevitably.’

Seeing that there are many corpses of demons, it means that there are a lot of aftercare work.

Magic cores, to the clergy, are nothing more than garbage, but to the Skeleton King, it’s no different from an elixir.

And the fact that the origin showed such a strong reaction, it wouldn’t only be because of the physical body or magic cores.

So, he decided to choose Eshua, anticipating the growth of the magic cores and becoming excited.

When the Skeleton King chose Eshua, the Emperor had the attendant bring a box of gold ingots as if he had expected it.

“I was originally going to give this to you while taking the child. It’s a responsibility fee. It’s useless now, but think of it as a thank you for saving my and the Crown Prince’s lives thanks to that child.”

The uncle immediately asked him to recollect it.

“The child only did what he had to do as ‘the one with the mission to protect’. Eshua people don’t need such materialistic rewards…”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Skeleton King rolled towards the Emperor.

And as if to say when he said he would go to Eshua, he tried to cuddle up to the Emperor again, causing the uncle to speak in surprise.

“…We will save everything that you give us for the child. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Huh, kid. You should have done that earlier.

The Skeleton King, satisfied at last, crawled to Eshua’s knight commander again and hugged him tightly.

The uncle looked at the Skeleton King as if he was a strange artifact.

He seems to understand the words…?

So that’s how the Skeleton King ended up going to Eshua.

Anyway, it’s nice to be on the way home in a carriage, but how did this happen?

The Skeleton King looked at Eshua’s paladins, who were watching his every move.

“Young master, do you need anything else?”

“Just tell us. We will take care of whatever you need.”

They seemed to be afraid that the Skeleton King might go to the Emperor again.

It’s understandable considering the golden lion badge in the Skeleton King’s hand. The Emperor gave it to him before he left.

-Give this to that child.

The uncle, who would know that it was a pass allowing free access to the palace, furrowed his brow. Then he tore off his own blue and white garment decoration and firmly placed it in the other’s hand.

The Skeleton King, who had even received a precious mineral, chuckled to himself.

‘I didn’t plan it, but I’ve ended up profiting from the situation.’

Now that he has a connection to the imperial family, he can work with them whenever he needs.

But that wasn’t the problem.

“I worry that the Pope’s faction could target this child.”

At the uncle’s words, the knights tilted their heads.

“Why would they, of all people, target Eshua’s son?”

“Because he has been mentioned as a candidate for the Saint. The position of a Saint could potentially be higher than that of the Pope.”

At that, the knights couldn’t hide their confusion.

“Even so, His Holiness the Pope is the highest leader of the Holy faction. It would be too much to say that a Saint could be above him…”

“It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but it is said that the gods have made a prophecy. They will appoint the Saint as the child of God.”

“…!”

The knights were taken aback. They had no other choice.

“If he is the child of God, could it possibly mean…”

“Yes. It’s the position of the next Pope.”

The knights’ expressions hardened.

They couldn’t not know what that meant.

The ‘Pope’ is the highest priest who uses 10 ranks of holy arts. He is essentially the king of all the priests and paladins spread across the continent.

At a time when the power of the demons is growing stronger, the influence of the Pope is something other countries can’t ignore.

In fact, there was an incident where all priests who were on missions abroad abandoned their tasks at the Pope’s summoning command and returned to the Holy Empire. Because of that, a small country couldn’t resist the invasion of demons and silently disappeared.

It was a famous anecdote that resulted from a king of a country going against the Pope’s wishes.

And because that precedent was so well-known, all the rulers of the continent couldn’t ignore the existence of the Pope.

But what if the unwavering power that hasn’t been shaken for hundreds, thousands of years changes?

Whether it’s the Pope or not, it was enough to drive all the people on the continent mad.

“So, that’s why Berit had such a strong response to the Saint? Because the position of the highest leader could be transferred to another family?”

“The Pope’s faction even tried to kill the Saintess when she first appeared.”

“That’s what happened… At least the Saintess was a woman, and there was a specific goal of subduing the Skeleton King, so the Pope didn’t pay much attention.”

“No. After failing to catch the Skeleton King, they just ignored her.”

“Cough-cough! Cough!”

“Young master Isaac! What’s wrong with you!”

“Did you catch a cold!”

The Skeleton King, who had been listening well, coughed as if he was vomiting blood.

Damn, stop pricking me!

It’s heartbreaking!

By then, the knights of Eshua had swallowed their saliva.

“So, do you believe that young master Isaac is the Saint, Sir Lilai?”

At that question, the uncle chuckled.

“The gods never favor their own children. Even if that were the case, would they unfairly give the Saintess and the Saint to the same family.”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

The Skeleton King’s eyes widened.

Those gods, they have no sense of fairness.

He didn’t know how they package their image, but they were cheap, filthy, and disgusting bastards.

“So, who harmed the Saintess and the Duke?”

“It must have been the Skeleton King. He must harbor deep resentment against the gods.”

The Skeleton King looked at the uncle with a sense of injustice.

It’s unfair enough that he fell in a child’s body, but now the uncle turned him into a pervert who harms parents.

“No, the culprit has to be the Skeleton King. It has to be. I cannot accept any other culprit.”

Hey!!

Seeing the uncle’s eyes change like mad, the Skeleton King was flabbergasted.

As if I’m not Eshua’s bloodline.

Hate for the Skeleton King!

I’m already a criminal even though I haven’t done anything!

But even if it comes out like that, he wasn’t the culprit, so it didn’t matter.

But then it happened.

The carriage stopped, and voices were heard from outside.

They had finally arrived at the Duchy of Eshua.

And the gatekeepers at the entrance to the first village of the territory began to check the entrants.

But something strange happened.

“Do you not recognize the young master’s face and crest now!”

“!”

At the shout, the Skeleton King flinched, and the uncle furrowed his brow and opened the window.

“What’s going on?”

“That is, these men can’t open the gate even after seeing Eshua’s crest… Tsk!”

When the guards opened the carriage door, the uncle put his hand on his sword. The Skeleton King quickly raised an eyebrow at the familiar magic.

‘Wait. Those guys are…’

Sure enough, the guards looked at the Skeleton King inside the carriage and chuckled.

“Of course you can’t enter.”

“We must eliminate that child, who has inherited the blood of the Saintess!”

“Demons!”

The knights bulged their eyes, and the uncle, curling the corners of his mouth fiercely, rose with a holy power.

“See. Didn’t I tell you? The culprit would be a demon.”

“If the demons are targeting him, it means that young master Isaac has a special power….!”

The Skeleton King’s eyebrows twitched.

Well, okay.

They are strangers, but it’s good that demons have appeared. Because magic cores have appeared by themselves.

Anyway, it seems like you’re right that the culprit is a demon. Regardless, it has nothing to do with me now, so let’s get along….

“Listen up, inferior humans!”

“Our glorious king, the <Skeleton King>, has commanded us to deal with both the Saintess and the Saint!”

“…”

The Skeleton King smirked.

Let’s deal with those clueless fools first, then think about the rest.