Chapter 595 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

The kingdom of the king thrives alongside the rise and fall of its human rulers. When the previous human king was taken by the mountain spirit, the reign of the newly ascended young girl-king was expected to be as fragile and chaotic as her tender age suggested. Yet, the governance of the “Elder Sister” shone more brilliantly and majestically than ever. Voices praising the king echoed throughout the kingdom, and people traveled great distances just to express their gratitude to the king. The fields bore plentiful crops, and gatherings of people proudly shared and boasted of their knowledge with one another. It blossomed. The splendid civilization finally bore fruit. The citizens ceased their conflicts, driven by the sole reason of serving the same king. Instead, they shared knowledge, boasting, and becoming each other's teachers. Songs extolling the "Elder Sister" resounded everywhere, and portraits of the "Elder Sister" were sold in the markets. The lands that benefited from her reign shed tears of gratitude, and humans afar awaited with bated breath for the day she would arrive. It was a season where both body and mind flourished and thrived—a true autumn for humankind. "My majesty, what if you leave a tent behind here?" One day, El the Chronicler appeared suddenly, as was her custom, and proposed her usual unexpected ideas. The warriors serving the “Elder Sister” naturally furrowed their brows in disagreement at such a suggestion. "What is this talk? We have just the right number of tents as it is. Why leave behind perfectly good ones?" "This is a point where one waterway and seven land roads converge. Leaving a tent here and setting up a wooden marker would make it easier for travelers to find their way. People would gather, forming a village, and it would serve as a guidepost to show someone the right path." El was always like that. While her body remained in one place, her gaze looked far beyond, and her words sang of events yet to unfold. Though her ideas seemed random, her voice carried too much weight to be easily dismissed, for it was El who had ushered in humankind's fall season. If the human king was a tree bearing fruit, the Chronicler was like the wind scattering pollen, the butterfly aiding in pollination, and the bird spreading seeds far and wide. Knowledge and wisdom spread from El's fingertips. El, who became a chronicler of history, created scripts and scrolls, fostering knowledge as something to be boasted about, not kept secret. She introduced ingenious and novel technologies, surprising the king's warriors and piquing the “Elder Sister”'s curiosity. Thanks to her repeated achievements, before long, the Chronicler had become second only to one. "The tent you leave behind will grow into a village, and the path you tread will become the path of humanity. The marigold seeds you sow here will eventually be reborn as a proud nation. My majesty, I implore you." On the land destined to become the capital of the future Marigold Duchy, El pleaded with the “Elder Sister.” Before the “Elder Sister” could respond, the king’s warriors, angered, cried out. "I have no idea what you're talking about! Do you know how much material and effort it takes to make just one tent? Do you intend to let the majesty sleep on bare ground?" The king’s warriors, who swore absolute loyalty to the “Elder Sister,” shouted at the Chronicler in outrage. They harbored jealousy towards the Chronicler, seizing this opportunity to teach her a lesson. Even relatively younger warriors who were favorably disposed towards the Chronicler looked troubled as they scolded El. Despite the Chronicler's accomplishments, her demand to leave behind the king's tent was seen as presumptuous. Yet, there was one who showed favor to her suggestion. The “Elder Sister” said. "Let’s do that!" "My majesty!" The shocked warriors urgently tried to speak, but the “Elder Sister” merely waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. We can just make another one." The “Elder Sister” was still a beast at heart. Some expected a king befitting regal authority from her, but the beastly king maintained a simplicity where kindness was met with kindness, and hostility with hostility. Though the nation had moved beyond its primitive tribe state towards something greater, humans still remained beasts. The king of humans was none other than a beastly king. "El worked hard, so I should work hard too." It was the king’s warriors who felt uneasy now, as the “Elder Sister” sided with the Chronicler. They were angered and ashamed that their loyalty had gone unrewarded and the Chronicler's brazenness had been entertained. Nevida, too, felt a similar emotion, but as the “Elder Sister”'s friend before being a warrior, she sought to understand her majesty’s mind first. “My majesty….” “Nevida? What’s wrong?” “The warriors spoke up for your sake. The Chronicler’s request benefits no one; you should respond to their loyalty.” “Huh? If they’re doing it for me, I have to reciprocate?” “Affection is also something that is exchanged.” “Ah, like bartering?” The “Elder Sister” nodded as if she understood, though it didn’t mean she would act according to Nevida’s wishes. The “Elder Sister” told Nevida. “I don’t want to listen to requests that tell me not to do something. If I listen to those, I’ll end up standing still here unable to move.” “I worry it may burden you.” “It’s okay, Nevida. I’m not burdened at all. I didn’t think it was a bother when I wrote scrolls for you either!” The “Elder Sister’s” words were devoid of any emotion. It was merely a calm whisper to Nevida, as if reminiscing on memories. However, it was because of the “Elder Sister’s” whim and generosity that Nevida, now a recognized druid, couldn’t lift her head from embarrassment. The sudden appearance of the Chronicler left a strong impression. She knew everything, and her decisions always yielded good results. Her correct judgments led to trust, and as it became repetitive, doubting her became an entertaining jest. Though there were no such words then, had pundits observed, they might have claimed that term was coined here. “Faith,” they would say. "Chronicler...! Thank you! We survived the flood because of your foresight!" "Chronicler! You've uncovered secrets buried in the soil of our village! How can we possibly repay this gratitude?" “Thank you so much! The crops you suggested are flourishing wonderfully! There will be no more hunger in this area!” As if foreseeing the future, she always managed to produce the most optimal outcome. She didn't perform any grandiose feats. She simply shared the omens she read with passing travelers, lit a signal upon discovering ancient ruins on the road, or planted a small seed she picked up from somewhere. Though many sang praises of her, these were but a fraction of the countless deeds achieved by the Chronicler. Once, El instructed the felling of a tree during her travels. As a warrior accompanying El swiftly cut it down, she placed embers inside the split logs and moved on. As she left, a great smoke rose in her wake. In another instance, El caught a butterfly resting on a petal. She held it in her hands for half a day until she released it into a field of white flowers. The butterfly, wearied by its involuntary journey, stumbled onto the nearest bloom. One time, El had several people copy scrolls for her. Upon receiving the transcribed scrolls, she tore them without hesitation and stitched the pieces into her clothing. As she walked for days, pieces of the scroll trailed behind her like footprints. The Chronicler set up poles in the ground for no apparent reason, wove ceremonial cords around a large tree, and even painted on a hefty stone with a brush. When asked by her admirers about the meaning behind these actions, she simply said: "A butterfly's small flutter will return as a great storm." No one understood her answer, nor did the Chronicler seem interested in explaining it. As these events repeated, the king's warriors were divided into two factions: those who trusted and followed the Chronicler, and those who felt discontent towards her. The former had a focal point, while the latter had nothing but their dissent, and thus clung to their loyalty toward the “Elder Sister” as their raison d’être, claiming that the Chronicler merely rode on the “Elder Sister’s” grace. Their argument was fundamentally sound, leaving no room for refutation. Even the Chronicler’s followers did not entertain the idea of abandoning the human king. Even if they did harbor such thoughts, they dared not voice them. It was natural for the balance of power to tip in one direction, yet the human king, “Elder Sister,” cherished the Chronicler above all, maintaining a delicate balance. "Great Druid, I have matters of urgency to discuss." By this time, Nevida was known as the Great Druid. Her own talents were remarkable, further honed by the teachings of the human king and the knowledge of the Chronicler, allowing her to master all druidic magic across the world. She was especially revered among the king's warriors. More importantly, she was a loyalist who engaged solely in the service of the “Elder Sister,” steering clear of politics or power struggles, making the fundamentalists want to rally around her. "If it is as you say, I would have refused from the outset." However, Nevida was of an entirely different caliber than those who dared call themselves fundamentalists. "The words of the king are our laws, and her path our way. She alone commands us. If you truly care for her, uphold her will." Dogs that bite do not bark, for they reserve their mouths for biting. Similarly, Nevida did not boast of being a fundamentalist. She merely glared, prepared to bite should it be necessary. Those who cloaked themselves in the title of fundamentalists fell silent before the true article. "Sooner or later, the Chronicler will challenge the king’s authority." "The Chronicler is devoted to her. The king also returns that devotion. Let's wait and see. If the Chronicler does indeed plot treason, we can deal with it then." YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0WDREODc3Y0luL0MvRWUvalFsamFUOE54a2p1RXk2ZUdJRmJsdERzaFovZQ Dismissing their concerns, Nevida continued. "If the Chronicler is truly wise, she would never dare to rise against the king." The human king is strong, wise, capable, and benevolent. Even if the Chronicler's actions were not understood, they would all surely be for the "Elder Sister." Nevida believed that the "Elder Sister's" affection for the Chronicler was akin to how she had once cared for Nevida herself. "My majesty! Relieve my grievance, I implore you!" Yet it wasn't long before that belief was put to the test. "Those vile ones who burned my village, kidnapped maidens, and devoured infants...! Please, in the name of the king, slay them! I offer my life for this cause!" One subject, having walked until his feet were blistered, found the human king and, after voicing his blood-drenched grievances, collapsed dead.