"Cough!"
Ulrich immediately vomited black, dead blood. He had internal injuries.
The magicians' attack magic was of no use either. The magic they poured out didn't even reach Lark, turning into a puff of smoke and collapsing entirely.
"It can't be..."
This was something a human couldn't do.
That meant he... wasn't human.
"Dad."
At that moment, a calm whisper reached Lark's ears. He turned his head and met the deep gaze of the same red eyes as his.
"You remember our promise, don't you?"
"......"
"This isn't victory."
It was nothing but a kind of terror.
"Let me win."
Lark quickly regained composure at the small whisper.
Victory... Yes, this wasn't victory.
It was a massacre. Burning the royal palace and trampling everything would surely lead to war, and sacrifice was inevitable.
Whether it was life or daily life, everything would shatter.
Lark's eyes cleared.
This was the world where his daughter lived. A nest to cherish his child.
The divinity was retracted.
The ferocious landscape that had been distorted returned to its original form as if it had never been.
But once the divinity was released, its aftereffects did not disappear.
The humans near the temple were still terrified. They were all either collapsed or crouching on the ground.
When people witness something terribly terrifying, they paradoxically can't take their eyes off it.
That was the case now.
They were afraid of Lark. They wished someone would save them. And the savior appeared, and it was Navia.
Lark was a huge, ferocious beast, a terrible monster.
The dreaded black mansion had been the cage that kept this monster from the world.
They now realized how much of a blessing it was that Lark hadn't come out into the world until now.
They also understood what it meant to control a person who was polite even when being called a hooligan.
Navia.
This little girl was the weakness and the only control for the mad dog-like Lark.
Thus, the real power of Eseled was also Navia.
While people held their breath, fearing being torn to shreds, Navia calmly soothed Lark.
"I'll spend a week without working and be with you, Dad."
To others, it might seem like the roles of father and daughter were reversed, but it was fitting.
Navia was a busier child than an adult, constantly disappointing Lark, who had plans to play with his precious daughter.
As expected, Lark looked tempted.
"Really?"
Nod nod.
Navia nodded her head vigorously.
"You have to keep your word. If you suddenly get busy and disappear, Dad will cry."
"I understand."
Lark, as if he had finished his business, glanced briefly at the devastated surroundings and approached the trembling witness Ulrich, who was crouching on the ground.
"Your Majesty."
Ulrich raised his frightened eyes.
"I hope Prince Ares does not threaten my daughter anymore. Otherwise, I don't know what I'll do."
Navia recognized that Lark was exerting his utmost patience to act gentlemanly.
"Behave yourself, Your Majesty."
Ulrich was very angry at Lark for treating him, the Emperor, like this.
But he didn't dare attack.
The smell of blood in his mouth proved that the opponent was a being of a different class.
Then Navia calmly said,
"I hope today's incident is as if it never happened."
People's eyes turned back to Navia.
"I will forget the rudeness of Prince Ares. So I hope the royal family also covers up today's incident."
It was not a request, but a gentle threat.
"In Eseled, we want to maintain a friendly relationship with the royal family."
"Friendly, what."
Lark, still not satisfied, kicked a pillar with his foot.
Bang!
The pillar crumbled under his foot, and the debris fell down.
Everyone trembled at the brutal scene.
Navia quickly scolded Lark's actions.
"Dad!"
"What? I didn't do anything."
I didn't hit anyone, did I?
Lark grumbled with a brazen face, as if he was unjustly accused.
Navia pressed her forehead in frustration.
Lark had already approached Erkin, who was standing with a shocked expression, and gestured with his chin.
"Let's go."
* * *
"...Disappearing all of a sudden, what happened?"
Erkin glanced at the people who were still unable to get up, swallowing dryly upon realizing the Emperor was among them.
Lark spoke through gritted teeth.
"Prince Ares messed with Navia."
"Prince Ares? Oh, surely not."
Erkin's face twisted into a look of disgust, as if he understood.
"I've heard he collects animals with silver fur and red eyes."
"Should I have killed him after all?"
Navia shook her head with a look that said that was absolutely not an option, and spoke lightly.
"It was nothing."
It was just a nine-year-old obsessing over making her his wife, after all. Of course, that's not normal, but still.
"You called me, how could it be nothing? Besides, I heard that bastard told them to catch you."
Navia, fearing that Lark might erupt in anger again, quickly called a courtier and ordered them to bring the carriage.
It seemed that Lark's reputation for ruthlessness had effectively instilled fear, as no one dared to stop them.
Erkin was the first to climb into the carriage of the Vladina Marquisate and said,
"Then, I'll just finish up here and head to Eseled in the evening."
"Alright."
Afterwards, Lark and Navia also boarded the carriage and were just leaving the royal palace.
Crack!
Lark hurriedly covered his cheek. It had cracked.
"Ah, damn it..."
His body was not yet completely free from the curse.
His body had broken down, having exerted a great deal of magic and even revealing his divinity.
Snap!
As soon as Navia saw the crack that had spread up his cheek, she hastily drew upon the power of the White Moon to heal it.
"What should I do..."
She was heartbroken.
So heartbroken it felt like she would go mad.
Navia, with a face as if she was about to cry, tightly gripped Lark's hand.
Please, I hope there hasn't been a fracture. I wish my father's curse and the incarnation contract would just disappear...
"It's okay. It's just a minor crack."
Lark muttered in a cowering voice, a far cry from his earlier brash attitude.
At that moment, Cesare's eyes sparkled brightly.
- You crazy bastard.
Navia, forgetting all her sorrow, blankly turned her head.
Lark reacted similarly.
How could this rabbit doll, which only had the capability to detect its master's crisis and guard, suddenly start swearing out of nowhere?
While he was dumbfounded, Cesare abruptly stood up and swung his staff.
- I really wanted to talk to you, you good-for-nothing brat!
His remark was pointedly directed at Lark.
Lark's eyebrows shot up.
"What's with this damn rabbit? Why is it acting like this all of a sudden?"
He grabbed and lifted the rabbit's ears. Just as he was about to sense its condition with magic...
Snap!
Cesare struck Lark's hand with his staff.
- How dare you, you insolent fool!
"This is real......"
Navia felt a strange sensation from Cesare. It was an oddly familiar and gentle aura that seemed to flow into her.
With swift movements, Cesare broke free from Lark's grasp and landed imposingly across from them.
Cesare revealed his identity.
- I am Nyx, the god who rules the night of this world.
Blink.
'...Nyx, all of a sudden?'
Caught off guard, Navia's lips parted slightly.
Cesare... No, Nyx inspected the body he had descended into and brushed off the dust on his white body.
- Oh, I usually don't descend like this. But I had no choice but to do so because I couldn't meet that damned’s incarnation otherwise.
Navia, confused, suddenly realized that she couldn't hear some of the words Nyx was spilling out.
"What incarnation did you mention?"
-Huh? Ah, it seems you can't hear it since it's the name of an external god in the human realm.
Lark narrowed his eyes and looked at Nyx.
Even for him, this was the first time he had met another god.
That made sense, as Lark was an incarnation of an external god, positioned in opposition to the gods of this world.
"You wanted to meet me?"
-Yes, you damned incarnation. After searching for a way to manifest in the human realm, I barely managed to borrow this rabbit doll's body!
Lark tilted his head slightly.
"Why?"
- Because you, with the power of an external god, are disturbing this place! Did you not just recklessly unleash your divinity? Do you know how troublesome it is to restore the twisted magical power of this world because of that?
"Should I care?"
Lark responded indifferently.
Nyx's fury at his rogue-like attitude went without saying.
- The more you use your divinity, the closer you get to your god, you know? Although many regressions make it seem like it never happened, it's not omnipotent.
Navia's expression turned grave upon hearing Nyx's explanation.
"…So, is it difficult to end my father's infinite regressions?"
At that moment, Nyx turned to look at Navia.
Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. Access 5 advance chapters with the Agnes of Water Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Duffman of Dominion Tier ($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support me' button! Join our discord server for latest release updates and novel discussions. Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters on reaching milestones. Happy reading!