Chapter 939: 131. Rotgut
“okillaCrownedoneacrossranks...”
earingMom’sexplanation,Muen’sheartjoltedinstinctively.
ACrownedone.
versincetheWitchofRepentancebeganhuntinghim,thosethreewordshadweighedonhimwithcrushingpressure.nsomeways,theysurpassedtheoppressioncertainvilodshadonceplacedonhim.
Afterall,vilodscouldnotdescendinperson.hepowertheyprojectedintothisworldwasrestricted.
ACrownedonewasdifferent.
heytrulyexistedinthisworld.heycouldstandbeforeyouface-to-facewithoutlimitation,andtheywere“transcendents”whosecombatpowervastlysurpassedordinarypeople.
hedifferencewaslikethedifferenceinfearanordinarypersonfelttowardadragonandatiger.
Adragonwasmoreterrifying,butitexistedonlyinlegend.Untiloneactuallysawit,thefearitinspiredremainedonlyinimagination.
Atigerwasdifferent.nceyouwerealreadyinsideitsterritory,youwereboundtobecomeitsprey,hunteddownanddevouredbyitwithbrutalcertainty.
Andforgetallthatnonsenseaboutwhataslidingtacklecouldsupposedlydo.ncesomeonecrossedthatthreshold,theyhadeffectivelysteppedintoanentirelynewlevel.twasatremendoussublimationfarbeyondeverypreviousstage—aqualitativeleap.
Anyonebeneaththatthreshold,nomatterhowhardtheystruggled,couldscarcelyevenglimpsethebackofsuchaperson.
JustasMuenhadonceexhaustedeverythinghehad,onlytoleavenothingmorethanasinglewoundontheWitchofRepentance.
hatwoundhadlookedimpressiveenough,buttoaCrownedone’slife,itsactualeffect...wasbasicallynoeffectatall.Atmost,itwasablowtopride.
ikebeingunexpectedlystungbyaninsectyouhadlookeddownon.Anyonewouldgetangry.
“Canitreallydoit?fuseit,’llbeabletokillaCrownedone?”
Muengentlyliftedthegoldendaggerfromtheboxwithbothhands.tfeltcoldtothetouch,butitgaveoffnothingespeciallysharpordeadly.nthecontrary,itsexquisiteengravingsandflowinglinesweresobeautifulthatevenatrueartistwouldhavepraisedthem.
hemorecarefullyheexaminedit,themoreitfeltlesslikeaweaponmeanttobringdeathandslaughter,andmorelikearitualimplementusedinsacrifice.Merelyrestingthere,itseemedcapableoflendingseveraldegreesmoresolemnityandsanctitytoanentireceremony.
“Pleaserestassured,mylord.hisblade,Absolution,livesuptoitsname.twillabsolutelyachievetheeffectyoudesire,”Momsaidseriously.
“Absolution?”
“Yes.hatisitsname.WithafragmentoftheolySwordasitsmainmaterialandthepurestolyightpersonallybestowedbytheoddessasitssecondarymaterial,itwasforgedbytheJudgmentArchbishopherself.tsbirthsymbolizesjudgmentandheavenlypunishmentforsinners.Afterall,onlybypassingthistrialcanonetrulywashawayone’ssins...andsoitiscalledAbsolution.”
“tsoundsimpressive.”
“fcourse.”
Momsaid,“nlybyusingsuchanincomparablyprecious‘baseform’weretheyabletoobtainabsolutelethalitythatignoresrealms.RumorsaysthereareonlythreeAbsolutionsintheentireChurch.nlysinnersoftheveryhighestorderarequalifiedtobe‘purified’byone.”
“Sinnersofthehighestorder...tseemsthisresponsecarriesevenmoreweightthanexpected.”
Muendrewinabreath.edidnotlingeronthethoughtforlong.nstead,hesuddenlytightenedhisgriparoundAbsolution’shilt,socolditwasalmostpiercingtothebone,andsaidgravely,
“understand.henpleasetakemyreplybackforme.willdoeverythinginmypowertoaccomplishtheobjective.hopeallofyouwillactaccordingtotheplanaswell.Justasyousaid...weonlyhaveonechance.Weabsolutelycannotfail.”
“Understood!”
Momplacedonehandovertheholycrosshangingathischest,hisexpressionsolemnandreverent.
“verything...fortheoddess!”
...
...
heluxuriousprivateroombecamespaciousandquietagain.
MuenloweredhisheadandsilentlystudiedAbsolutioninhishand,turningitoverandover.
tsexquisitelinesandchiseledpatternsrevolvedthroughhisfingers,graduallytakingonmoredimension,makingitsextraordinaryartistrystandoutallthemore.Andthedeeperhesensedit,themoreMuenunderstoodthatAbsolutiontrulywasexactlyasMomhaddescribed—agenuinekillingweapon.
Aterrifyingpowerlayhiddenwithinitscicada-thinblade,asthoughallitneededwastheslightestsparktoeruptinaninstantandutterlycrusheverythingbeforeit.
“UsingafragmentoftheolySwordasadisposableitem...asexpectedoftheChurch.Whatextravagance,”Muenmurmured.
Clink...
wosnow-whitebladetipspokedoutfromhisspatialmagicdeviceinapparentdispleasure.
“Allright,allright,know.YoutwowereforgedfromacompleteolySwordbaseform,sofragmentslikethiscan’tcompare.’mnotsayingyou’reinferiortoit.Andwouldn’twanttoturnyouintoone-usesuicidetrucksanyway.”
Ashesoothedthem,MuencontinuedfamiliarizinghimselfwithAbsolution.
edidnotknowwhetherasingledaggerwouldtrulybeenoughtowashawaythatfakearchbishop’ssins.
Buthedidknowonething...
“omatterwhetherthissucceedsorfails,it’llallbeoververysoon...”
Unlikethesilenceinsidetheroom,theclamoroutsideonthestreethadnotdiminishedintheleast.venthoughthewelcomingprocessionhadlongsincepassed,thedevoutbelieversstillwaitedthereinferventanticipation.
Muenwatchedthemandlistenedcarefullytotheirprayers.
“oddess,Saintess,pleaseblessmyhusbandandlethimcomebacksafelyfromthebattlefield.”
“oddess,Saintess,pleasesenddownamiracle.Mysonhasbeensickforthreemonthsnow...”
“oddess,Saintess,pleasepunishthosegreedyofficials.Pricesinthecityhavealreadydoubledtwiceover.fthiskeepsup,won’tevenbeabletoaffordblackbread...”
“oddess,Saintess...”
heprayersrepeatedoverandover,mixedintothesurroundingnoise.therthanMuen,whowasdeliberatelylisteningforthem,nooneseemedtocare.
Andyetthatwaspreciselywhytheyfeltso...real.
“ordBruce.”
hedoorsuddenlyopenedagain,andyroncautiouslypokedhisheadinside.
“Allfinishedwithyourbusiness?”
“Business?Whatbusinesscouldpossiblyhavehad?wasjustchattingwithadistantrelativewhohappenedtoarriveunexpectedly.Don’toverthinkit.”
“see.hen’llcomein.”
yronenteredtheroomandploppedhimselfdownacrossfromMuenwitheasyfamiliarity.
“Youlookinagoodmood.”
Muennudgedupthebrimofhishatandgaveyron,wholookedflushedwithsuccessandspringtimeconfidence,ameasuredlook.
“heardyoulaunchedasurpriseattackontheneighboringorosganglastnight.Judgingbythelookofyou,itwentwell?”
“eh.justhappenedtochopobur’sbosstodeathbyaccident.othingmuch,really.”
“henbeforelong,eventhesoutherndistrictwillbegraduallyswallowedupbyyou.”
Muensmiled.
“Congratulations.You’llsoonachieveyourgoalandbecomethebiggestbossintheroyalcapital’sunderworld.”
“h,notatall,notatall.’mjustmakingalittlenoiseundertheprotectionofordBruce’sprestige.”yronscratchedhisheadandsmiled“shyly.”“Youshould’veseenthelookonthatoldbastardobur’sfacebeforehedied,tryingtoguesswhowasbackingme.’veneverfeltsosatisfiedinmylife.Allofitisbecauseofyou,ordBruce...”
“Allright.’vetoldyoubefore—cutdownontheflattery.”
MuenputawayAbsolutionandtappedhisfingersagainstthetable.
“fyouhavesomethingtosay,sayit.”
“t’snothing,reallynothing!”
yron’sgrinimmediatelyturnedbroadandheartyasheraisedwhathewasholding.
“justwantedtohaveadrinkwithyou,ordBruce.”
“Adrink?”
“Afterkilledthatoldbastard,neverexpectedtofindtrulytop-shelfwineinhiscellar.Andfiguredthatwithwinethisgood,ofcourseoughttopresentittoordBruce,right?”
yronpulledouttwowineglassesfromwhoknewwhere.euncorkedthebottleandpouredwithpracticedease,everymovementasfullaseverofdiligenceandgoodsense.
“tdoeslooklikegoodwine.”
nthecrystalglasses,theliquidwasclearandvivid.
ikeblood.
WithMuen’sexperience,oneglancewasenoughtotellhimthisreallywaswineofakindevengreatnoblesrarelyhadachancetodrink.hefactthatithadendedupinthehandsofagangbosswasalmostabsurd.
henagain,consideringhowrottentheKingdomwas,itwasnotallthatstrange.
nsomeblackmarkets,onecouldprobablyevenbuytheking’susedunderwear.
“eh,knewyou’ddefinitelylikethiskindofhigh-endstuff.”
Afterpouring,yronevenswirledthewineseveraltimesinanexaggeratedfashion.ehadheardsomewherethatdoingsoimprovedtheflavor.nlythendidhepresenttheglasstoMuenwithbothhands.
“Please.”
“hankyou.”
Muendidnotbotherwithceremony.esimplydraineditinoneswallow.
Unexpectedly,though,thewinedidnotcarrythemellowbodyandlingeringsweetnesshehadanticipated.nstead...
twassourandharsh.
“Damnit!”
yroncursedaftertakingasiphimself.
“hiswine...it’sgonebad!owlongdidthatoldbastardkeepithidden?”
“Winegoingbadhasnothingtodowithbeingstoredtoolong.”
Muenpickedupthebottleandexaminedit.
“hisbottlewasopenedalongtimeago.Butonlyaverysmallamountwasdrunkbeforeitwassealedagainandstoredaway.”
“uh?”
yronwasstunned.
“knowit’sgoodwine,butnottothatextent...What,hadthatoldbastardgonehundredsofyearswithoutadecentdrink?eranagangthatbigandstillactedlikethis?mbarrassing.”
“Whoknows?Maybehereallycouldn’tbeartopartwithsuchagoodbottle.”
Muensmiledfaintly.
“Peoplearecomplicatedcreatures.Somesitinhighplacesandstillpinchpenniesovereverything.thersownnothingatallandspendwithopenhands.”
“ch.hekindofpersondespisemostisexactlythatsort.”
yronpoundedthetableandspatindisgust.
“faman’salive,heoughttoenjoywhateverdayhecan.What’sthepointintorturingyourselflikethat?,theBeastofPosies,despisepettysmall-fistedpeoplemorethananyone!hey’readisgracetotheunderworld...houghthisbottlestilllooksuseful.atercanfillitwithsomecheapredwineandswindleafewfatpignobles.Maybesomeidiotwillfallforit.eh.”
“...”
WatchingthemightyBeastofPosiespouroutthespoiledwinewithaleeringlook,thentucktheemptybottleintohischestlikeatreasuredpossession,Muenfoundhimselfspeechless.
Wasn’thetheonewhohadjustsaidhedespisedpeoplelikethatmost?
“But...nevermind.”
Muensmiled,setdowntheglass,andturnedtolookoutoncemoreoverthegreatcityintherainymist.
“yron.”
“Y-yeah...’mhere.”
“Whatdoyouthinkofthiscity?”
“Whatdoyoumean,whatdothink?”
“hefeelingitgivesyou.Doyoulikeit,ordoyouhateit?”Muenasked.
“uh?”
yronlookedcompletelybaffled,notunderstandingwhytheDarkmperorhadsuddenlyaskedsuchanunexpectedlyliteraryquestion.
Wasn’tthismakingthingsdifficultforhim?heBeastofPosieshadalwaysdisdained❖оvеl𝚒ght❖(xclusiveonоvеl𝚒ght)solvingwithcultureanyproblemhecouldsolvewithforce...
speciallysincehisculturallevelbarelyextendedtosoundingouthisownname.ewasthesortwhocouldswallowabellyfulofinkandstillhavenoideawhatittastedlike.
“wouldn’tsaylikeit,andwouldn’tsayhateiteither.”...Sincethequestioncamefromthemanbackinghim,yronfeltthatasanenterprisingman,hestillhadtogivesomekindofanswer.
“h?Whatdoyoumean?”
“grewupinthiscity.Mymotherwasawhore.Myfather...whothehellknowswhomyfatherwas?Atherbusiest,mymothertooksevenoreightcustomersanight.ryingtofigureoutwhichofthemwasmyfatherwould’vebeenharderthanpickingapileofpigshitoutfromaheapofcowdung.”
“...”
Muenlookedatyrondeeply.
“’msorry.”
“t’sfine.t’snothing’membarrassedtotalkabout.”yronshruggedindifferently.“nthedarkestpartsofthiscity,thereareplentyofpeoplelikeme.Wegotbullied,humiliated,wenthungryeveryday,hadnothingwarmtowear.Somenights,’dbeoutsidelisteningtomymothergetroughedupbythosebrutalcustomers,and’dthink,maybetheworldoughttojustendrightthere.Butsadly,theworlddoesn’tendjustbecausesomepoorkidcursesit.”
“Backthen,trulyhatedthiscity.thoughtitwasthesourceofallmysuffering.cursediteveryday.cursedeverythinghere.Butlater,learnedhowtomakemyselfstronger.learnedtousemyfistsandmyteethagainstbullyingandhumiliation.learnedhowtokickinthecrotchesofthemenwhohurtmymother.Andstartedtofeel...thatthisplacewasn’tentirelybad.”
“ook.gotmyownterritory.gothordesoffollowers.beateverybastardwholookeddownonmeintothedirt.canevensitinaprivateroominahigh-endrestaurantlikethis—oneworthitsweightingold—anddrinktop-shelfwineneverwould’vedareddreamofbefore.”
“Allofthatalsocamefromthisplace.So...”
yrongazedatthecitywithcompletefocusandansweredinavoicegentlerthanMuenhadeverheardfromhim.
“fhadtocompareittosomething,thenthisplaceisabottleofultimategarbagerotgut—sour,harsh,andawfultodrink.veryonewho’stasteditcan’thelpcursingitwiththefilthiestwordstheyknow.
Butnomatterhowviciouslywecurseit,nomatterhowuglythewords...inoureyes,itstillhasn’tgonecompletelybad.”
“...”
hreadsofraindriftedinthroughthegreatwindowandlandedonthebrimofMuen’shat.
heuproaronthestreetroseanotherlevel,becausewordhadcomefromupaheadthattheSaintesshadsuccessfullyenteredthecityandwouldsoonproceedalongthisroadinprocession,bestowingtheoddess’sgraceonthecrowdsasshewent.
Muenknewthatgracewasonlyabroadsweepoflow-densityolyight.tcouldcureminorailments,makepeoplefeelwarm,andevenallowthemostdevoutbelieverstoheartheoddess’svoicetosomedegree.
Butitcouldnotuprootastubbornillness.
“hat’sagoodmetaphor.”
oodenough...tomakeamanalmostunwillingtoshattertherealfalsehoodbeforehim.
“Drinkyourbestwinetonight.henhaveagooddream.”
Muenpattedyronontheshoulderandpreparedtoleavetheroom.
“You’regoing...”yronaskedinsurprise.
“odosomething.”
“Doyouwantmyhelp?”
“o.”
Muenglancedbackandshookhisheadwithasmile.
“Whatcomesnextissomethingonly,theDarkmperorwhohates‘darkness’mostofall,cando—andmustdo.”