Chapter 81
＊ Etan = Ebenyu ＊
"—What is that?"
"—Isn't that Louis-sama of House Rosier?"
"—What does this mean?"
"—It looks almost as though—"
The nobles who had come to observe the ceremony grew agitated, voicing their questions one after another.
Louis's appearance was completely unexpected, and to them, what he had just said was—
—as though he were criticizing His Majesty the Holy King.
That was how it seemed.
In the Holy Kingdom of Kurvahn, openly opposing the Holy King was not permitted. Of course, this did not mean allowing the Holy King absolute tyranny; rather, the system of governance presented him as absolute and used him as the symbol of this nation, where diverse races gathered.
Thus, whenever the Holy King made a mistake, the six great ducal houses would either caution him or subtly bring it to his attention behind the scenes. The Holy King, for his part, possessed the discernment to heed advice from his subjects.
Consequently, objecting to the Holy King's methods in such a public setting—and in the middle of a religious rite unique to the Holy Kingdom at that—was utterly unthinkable.
The priests began to move, intending to remove this disruptive element before it could interfere with the ceremony.
"Priests, wait!"
The one who stopped them was none other than the Holy King himself.
"...You are a child of House Rosier, aren't you?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. But which family I belong to is irrelevant! To create an equal opportunity—"
"No—the fact that you are of House Rosier is what matters most."
"If I may, Your Majesty!"
"Silence!"
The head of House Rosier had called out from the noble seats. But the Holy King silenced him with a shout.
"—Louis, Louis! What do you think you're doing?! Are you trying to ruin the award ceremony!?"
Meanwhile, the boys and girls around Louis were growing restless as well.
Etan, a halfling from another of the six great ducal houses, grabbed Louis's arm, but Louis, who was larger than Etan, forcibly shook him off.
"Don't touch me!"
"Louis...?"
Etan was startled by the forceful rejection, unlike anything he had seen before. Louis's eyes were clouded with anger.
"Eva-sama!"
Mira's voice rang out. When Etan looked over, Eva was in her arms, looking as though she might lose consciousness at any moment.
(Something is wrong—This is wrong!)
Etan had not spoken with Eva today, but he had seen her several times before she arrived here. She had seemed to be walking normally then.
(Is that magic power deficiency...? And the thing she's wearing on her left hand—is that a magic item...?)
Eva was moving her mouth, trying to say something, but Mira apparently could not make out what she was saying.
"Louis Rosier. Then, will you accept the eight-star Talent Gem—if you have the resolve and aptitude to do so!"
The Holy King made an astonishing declaration, and the noble seats grew even more tumultuous.
"Your Majesty! Please stop! Louis, step back at once! That's an order!"
"Er, Your Majesty. That would be rather unreasonable."
The head of House Rosier cried out in anguish, and El stepped out from beside the Holy King.
(What? What's going on? What in the world is an eight-star Talent Gem?)
Etan found his father among the noble seats, but he merely sat there with a stern expression, saying nothing. Apparently, his father knew nothing—no, to be precise, only the head of House Rosier knew something about the matter.
"I'm serious, El. House Rosier is a ducal house. It is also a house descended from the bloodline of the Holy King."
"Er, Your Majesty, what has been handed down from ancient times is this: 'Grant an eight-star Talent Gem to a "Pure One" who possesses the "Holy King's Color."'"
"By bloodline, a ducal house is unquestionably part of the Holy King's line."
"Er, Your Majesty, that's sophistry."
"Silence! I didn't bring this up; House Rosier did!"
"N-no! Louis simply misunderstood—Louis! Apologize at once!"
"—I accept. This eight-star Talent Gem, as you call it... If I can fully wield it, that would be the first step toward changing the way things are done now, wouldn't it?"
"Louiiiiis!"
Ignoring his father's shout, Louis looked only at the Holy King.
(This is abnormal. Louis is acting strangely, and so is His Majesty the Holy King. What is this—?)
Etan realized that the Holy King's eyes were not the dignified eyes he usually had, but those of a desperate man who had found something to cling to, as though placing his last shred of hope in it.
Kurvshrat alone looked blankly confused, as though he had no idea what was happening, and by contrast, he seemed like the only normal person there.
"Bring me the Talent Gem, El!!"
"...Your Majesty."
"El!!"
"..."
The rabbit High Priest furrowed his brow, but—
"...Prepare the Talent Gem."
After calling to the priests, he descended the stone steps, apparently intending to carry it himself.
"Ah, Louis... You fool..."
The head of House Rosier covered his face with both hands and collapsed, while the nobles whispered among themselves: "What on earth is happening?" and "Was the eight-star Talent Gem once held by the Holy King's family?"
Meanwhile, Louis, the very person responsible for this mess, proudly puffed out his chest.
Eventually, El returned with it resting on a tray covered in holy-yellow cloth.
"Wha—"
Etan was speechless.
It was about two sizes larger than any Talent Gem he had ever seen.
Ordinary Talent Gems were about the size of ping-pong balls, but the one El had brought was roughly the size of a baseball.
And then there was its color.
Since it contained rainbow hues, there was no doubt it had a "Unique Trait." Yet several jet-black spots swirled ominously at its center, while the light it emitted shifted rapidly between red, blue, and yellow.
(I had never seen such an ominous Talent Gem.)
Etan shuddered. He wasn't the only one frightened; the noble children beside him had gone pale.
The characters were too far away for him to read. What in the world was the Talent called?
"Louis Rosier, come here."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Louis walked forward with a composed expression.
"Louis!"
"Let go."
Etan grabbed him by the arm, but Louis shook him off again. Not only that, Louis did not spare Etan so much as a glance—as if Etan did not exist.
(Weren't we friends?)
The distance opening between them seemed like the distance between their hearts.
Louis left the group and approached the Holy King. He climbed the stairs. He was already out of reach. No one could make Louis turn around anymore.
"...You claim that you have the resolve and aptitude?"
There it was again, Etan thought. The Holy King had used the word "aptitude." Talent Gems forcibly teach Skills, so there should be no question of aptitude. Of course, giving a magic Talent to someone who possessed almost no magic power would be meaningless—but even then, it was not as though they could not learn it.
"I do."
Louis did not hesitate.
"Then I shall grant you this Talent Gem, 【???★★★★★★★★】."
Though they heard the name of the Talent, it failed to linger in their ears as words, as though obscured by mist. Yet everyone present could sense the ominous, unsettling, uncanny resonance contained in that word alone.
Louis reached out and took the Talent Gem.
Then he raised the Talent Gem toward the sky—to acquire that Talent.
The world was enveloped in darkness.