Chapter 6
Rudis couldn’t fully trust Lavane yet, but she didn’t think he would hurt her.
Her body slowly relaxed, and she carefully held Lavane’s hand. As soon as their hands touched, Rudis felt energy being transmitted between their palms.
She just grabbed his hand, but her whole body felt warm as if he were embracing her. She felt strange, cozy, and a little excited. When Rudis took her hands away, Lavane gently released her. Interestingly, her left leg no longer felt numb.
“Lavane!”
At the same time, the emperor, who was nervously watching the situation, suddenly spoke. He slowly stepped forward. Lavane sighed and turned towards the emperor.
“…!”
Cold sweat began to form on the emperor’s forehead, as Lavane looked at him. Rudis was just as surprised as the emperor.
Lavane’s gaze towards the emperor was so cold and filled with terrible boredom that even Rudis became a little afraid.
“I brought you here with the person who woke you up as promised.”
“Yes.”
Lavane answered the emperor with a look of indifference as if he were looking at a parchment with nothing on it.
Rudis became horrified as she saw a flash in her father’s eyes. It was a look that the emperor would show when he’s planning something bad along with his excessive greed.
“So now do us a favor.”
The emperor said as he bowed to Lavane.
Rudis then recalled what her father had said earlier.
-Didn’t you hear him? He said he would not obey the words of the emperor.
She didn’t know at that time, but the emperor was probably talking about Lavane, the ancient god. The summoning of him was successful, but for some reason the ancient god stated that he would not listen to the emperor’s words.
“Please?”
“Yes, please.”
The emperor stressed out the word ‘please’. His attitude was the exact opposite from the ancient god who was complaining about not listening to his ‘commands’.
Rudis could tell right away that her father wanted to use the power of the ancient gods as a tool, and then looked at Lavane without realizing it. Now that he’s here, does he now belong to the emperor?
“Good.”
Lavane spoke positively. The emperor’s face brightened in an instant.
“Well, first of all…”
As soon as the emperor tried to speak, Lavane opened his mouth again.
“Then give me the power of the emperor.”
“…Yes?”
The emperor’s expression hardened at his unexpected words and looked at Lavane with a look of incomprehension.
Lavane grinned.
“If you make me the emperor while handing over this empire and become my subordinate, then I’ll do my best to consider your request.”
The emperor became speechless when he was asked to give up his position and become a servant.
“What… do you mean by that.”
After a long time, the emperor asked in a trembling tone after being unable to control his emotions.
“Literally.”
Lavane did not explain further and turned his head away as he became annoyed with him. He then directed his gaze at Rudis.
She was looking at him with a curious gaze. As Bennett said, the ancient gods did not have to obey human orders, but it was clear that they lent power to them in exchange for sacrifices. If there was no gain, what kind of crazy man would even sacrifice a human and call out the ancient gods?
“It’s been thousands of years since the services have begun, but why don’t any of the human beings know properly…”
Lavane said with a long sigh.
“I have never once said I belonged to you.”
To the emperor, those words were like a bolt striking him.
Silence overtook the room.
For the first time in her life, Rudis saw the face of the absent-minded emperor. It wasn’t suitable for him, since he has always been cruel and confident.
“That’s ridiculous.”
The emperor murmured.
“I brought Rudis because that’s what he wanted. I should’ve beaten her, but instead, I gave her Selena’s room.”
At the emperor’s words, a corner of Rudis’s chest froze. Her guess was correct earlier, for the reason why he gave her Selena’s room was just to pretend to take care of her and buy her favor. Even when she was losing her mind, she was still being used as a tool by the emperor.
After realizing that fact, her heart cooled and her fingertips began to tremble. She never expected the emperor to feel guilty, but he should at least feel a basic conscience as a father like a normal human being.
However, it’s amazing… since he doesn’t even have one.
“Rudis?”
She then heard Lavane’s voice calling her from the side, but she didn’t answer nor turn her head. Lavane followed her silence, and it soon became alarming.
The emperor, who did not notice, began to shout and puff.
“No way! The ancient documents clearly stated that the ancestral gods are at our disposal after the ritual!”
Bennett shook his head violently while looking at the emperor. It was supposed to mean for them not to go against the ancient gods. The emperor didn’t notice the signal sent by Bennett and strode towards Lavane with threatening steps.
“We have called you, so you have to listen to our orders!”
He then proceeded to slap Lavane, for that’s what he does to people who never listen to his orders. Lavane then looked down at the angry emperor. Although he is not short, Lavane is still taller.
At that moment, chills crept around the emperor, and it was much more creepy and intense than before.
“…Orders?”
Lavane asked quietly, and the small smile he had disappeared from his face.
“…”
The emperor wanted to say something, but he couldn’t open his mouth. No matter how hard he tried, he was sweating like a frightened child in front of an adult. Rudis could see the tendon popping out from the emperor.
She could tell that his pride has been hurt, and then she remembered the figures of those who had been crying and begging for mercy in front of him. He was used to surrendering, but not surrendering to a person.
The fact that Rudis was watching the entire situation made the emperor even more upset.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone who is so arrogant.”
Lavane made a dull remark.
“It’s very rare.”
He didn’t even lift a finger, but no one had doubted what happened next was done by him.
“Ahhhhhh!”
The emperor screamed as he collapsed on his knees. Rudis could see his eyes shaking wildly, and both hers and Bennett’s eyes widened.
“Are you alright?”
Bennett, who was looking at Lavane, asked the emperor. He didn’t actively try to support him and instead stood still from afar.
“Oh my… god.”
Within seconds, the emperor vomited and began to breathe again.
“What happened just now…?”
He looked at Lavane with a blank expression, not even realizing that he was on his knees.
“You must’ve understood by now.”
The emperor nodded his head.
“If you’re not going to be my servant, don’t ever ask me for anything again.”
Rudis didn’t know what Lavane showed the emperor, but the effect was excellent.
“…Yes.”
Now the emperor obediently listened to Lavane. His eyes were still fierce, as if thinking it was disgraceful, but he could no longer slap him.
Rudis, who knew the nature of the emperor, was slightly worried. The emperor would chase those who have even put the littlest shame on him till the end of the world and then destroy them.
That cruelty sometimes led to the resentment of the nobles. Of course, Lavane is an ancient god, so he won’t be helpless against the emperor, but there was still one thing. If his ability is not suitable for battle, he may be defeated by the emperor…
‘By the way, what can the ancient gods do?’
A question suddenly occurred to Rudis, who was worried about Lavane’s ability. The power of the ancient gods has always been veiled. Bennett searched through numerous texts about the rituals but did not find out exactly what powers they had.
The documents were clearly written by many people over the course of thousands of years but there was no content that explained the ancient god’s power. Instead, it was mostly about the ritual process.
It had long descriptions about how sad the family of the sacrifice was and the tragedy that occurred during the offerings. Then the sentences would end with ‘so those who sacrificed made their wishes come true’.
Rudis read all the materials that were handed over by the priest and somehow felt that the last sentence was ominous. The part where it talked about the tearing of the flesh was described in detail, compared to the desire that they originally wanted to achieve through the sacrifice.
‘Then it turns out that I…’
While Rudis was retracing the records in her mind, she realized something.
‘I was a sacrifice, but I didn’t die.’
There were no records of those being sacrificed and survived the ritual. Plus, Lavane, who was summoned in exchange, had said that he was not the ‘human’s strength.’
However, if the ancient gods that have been called during the rituals do not give power to humans, then whose power is it? It was then Rudis’s thought was interrupted.
“Mr. Lavane!”
In the corner of the room, Bennett, who was lying face down on the floor, shouted.
“Yes.”
Lavane had a look on his face that said ‘I just cleaned up a mess and now there’s another one’. Bennett’s shoulders trembled after seeing his cold eyes. He is only 17 years old, and thought that the emperor’s presence could never be compared to Lavanes’. But, he managed not to fall down because there was something he wanted to say.
“I know that my knowledge is short, and I also know that humans are sacrificed to summon ancient gods in order to exchange interests.”
Bennett proceeded to put his forehead on the ground. Lavane waited without saying anything. Encouraged by the silence, Bennett continued.
“Now, I will never try to be arrogant and show a disrespectful attitude by giving orders to Lavane, however…”
Bennett closed his eyes tightly and gulped.
“But… as part of the contract, we need help…”