Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 204

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 204

* * *

That night when Leo gained a new goal.

Someone knocked on Belinda’s study door.

When Belinda, who had been holding her pen without rest until late at night, looked up, she saw Terry holding a lamp.

“Master, everyone has arrived.”

Despite it being a time when everyone in the manor was asleep, both Belinda and Terry were dressed in perfect uniforms without a single hair out of place.

“Be careful, it’s dark underfoot.”

Belinda carefully headed downstairs, relying on the light Terry provided.

Their steps then stopped in front of the Velvet Room.

When they quietly opened the door, in the center of the room that should have been filled with treasures, an entrance leading underground gaped open like a maw.

The secret room that had sealed Suga for over 100 years, whose very existence had been forgotten from people’s memories.

Standing at the entrance, a cool and damp wind swept through Belinda’s hair.

“I’ll wait here until it’s finished.”

“If you see anyone suspicious…”

“Yes, I’ll put them to sleep so deeply they won’t notice this place exists.”

Though it was questionable whether they’d ever wake up again, it was indeed a reassuring answer.

Belinda nodded, took the lamp from Terry, and immediately stepped down the stairs.

How far down the underground stairs had she gone, with the lamp as the only source of light?

A whitish light like a campfire could be seen from below.

Before Belinda could even step on the last stair, yellow butterflies that had come to greet her fluttered their wings around her.

Following the butterflies’ path with her eyes, she saw a white round table sitting alone in a small clearing.

Belinda asked those who filled the round table.

“Am I very late?”

“It’s customary for the host to be a little late.”

Chaser, who occupied one seat at the round table, casually responded to her words.

Standing leisurely in front of the empty seat at the round table, Belinda surveyed the faces of the meeting participants.

The Crown Prince, the legitimate heir to the kingdom.

The Duke, the great lord of the vast North.

The Master of the Magetowers, one of only five in the world.

And finally, the High Priest who once rose to the position of cardinal and now governed all temples in Jenos Kingdom.

She keenly felt anew just how precious the status of those gathered here was.

However, Belinda showed no sign of being intimidated and sat down confidently in her place, speaking boldly.

“Then let’s devise countermeasures for the apocalypse.”

* * *

In the carriage returning from the port city to the Royal Capital, Giuseppe told me about the future shown by the power of divine insight.

The world’s destruction he conveyed began when the Barrier Forest suddenly withered one day, and a being stepped inside humanity’s boundary line, treading on the fallen leaves of the forest.

“Originally, magical beasts are known to not form groups and only think at the level of cunning animals. However, that thing had an appearance infinitely close to human, and was leading a horde of magical beasts like a king.”

An attack by a swarm of magical beasts forming a colony.

The North fought desperately, but what came over the forest that day were not ordinary magical beasts.

Eventually, after the North was annihilated, the continent began to crumble helplessly like a sandcastle swept away by waves.

Then why did such a being suddenly appear from beyond the forest?

Cheri held the answer to that.

“The reason the Baluashten family goes to the lands beyond the forest to periodically hunt magical beasts is because magical beasts are creatures that learn and evolve through predation. Therefore, theoretically, if there were a magical beast that had accumulated wisdom through cannibalism for decades, no, hundreds of years… it wouldn’t be impossible for a being evolved enough to lead magical beasts to be born.”

Then how did such a being break through the Barrier Forest?

Chaser added the answer to that.

“The Barrier Forest looks solid but isn’t perfect. So if it receives attacks beyond what the forest can withstand, it would become nothing more than dead trees.”

The scattered information like puzzle pieces fit together in my hands, creating one big picture.

“In 6 years, a being that commands magical beasts, commonly called the Beast King, will appear. It’s a being that has infinitely raised its level through repeated cannibalism. Because of it, the Barrier Forest will wither, and the North’s magical beasts will invade the continent. That’s the reason for the apocalypse.”

Even after my words that opened the meeting, no one gave any response. It wasn’t because they thought it was absurd.

Probably because each had their own suspicions.

After a long while, Cheri was the first to speak.

“Interpreting those words differently, it means the being called the Beast King is currently not powerful enough to cross the Barrier Forest.”

His words were correct. So thinking simply, we just needed to find and eliminate the seed that would become the Beast King in 6 years, somewhere beyond the forest.

However, there was one big problem here.

“Is it even possible to find the Beast King’s existence in that vast land? Unless we could exterminate all the magical beasts.”

Chaser hit the core issue while resting his chin crookedly on his arm propped up on the round table.

Chaser’s gaze, which had been examining the messenger bird on his finger with a bored expression, turned to Giuseppe.

“Unless the Holy Empire, which knows better than anyone about the apocalypse in 6 years, sends armies to the North, exterminating the magical beasts would be impossible with just the North’s forces.”

Chaser’s barbed words were blatantly targeting the Holy Empire.

Giuseppe answered those words in a businesslike tone.

“The Papacy refused to oppose fate. Therefore, His Holiness has decided to humbly accept the apocalypse in 6 years and seal the Holy Empire.”

The Holy Empire’s stance toward the prophecy was somewhat shocking.

They would surround the entire holy city with a massive barrier to prevent magical beast invasion.

They said preparations for this had been ongoing for over 100 years, but to me, it seemed like nothing but a selfish decision.

They said they would accept fate, but in the end, they just wanted to save themselves.

I wasn’t the only one who thought so, as a sarcastic response immediately followed.

“Ha, becoming beasts trapped in their own cage. What a noble conclusion truly befitting the holy men who preach justice and sacrifice.”

“What will happen will happen, and attempts to change prophecy might actually accelerate fate. His Holiness is trying to protect at least the lives that can be saved.”

“The holy man seems to agree with the Papacy too, so there’s no need to be here, right? What do you think, Your Grace?”

“If the Beast King exists beyond the forest, we must find it and take its life.”

“Hey, Your Grace. Did you hear what I said? I said finding the Beast King is impossible.”

“We won’t know without trying.”

“No, why would Your Grace do that alone? Since it’s a prophecy from the temple bastards, shouldn’t we drag some priests along by their hair?”

“If the temple wishes it, I’ll accept their help.”

“The Holy Empire won’t step forward.”

“See that! They’re pulling out like that.”

“I’m curious about the Mage Republic’s policy on this matter.”

“Why are you curious about our policy? When the holy men are staying put.”

About 30 minutes since I came down to the basement.

“Haha, it’s been a while since I’ve seen such a chaotic meeting.”

Mikhail, who had been observing the meeting without adding a single word, smiled with his benevolent face.

Even during this, the meeting was racing madly toward the terminal station of failure like a runaway train with broken brakes.

“The Magic Tower won’t move a single step until the temple steps forward, so know that.”

“I’ve already said several times that the Holy Empire won’t step forward, so you must not hear well.”

“My going beyond the forest remains unchanged.”

Aaaah! Please stop making such barking sounds!

Every time these guys spouted nonsense instead of devising the countermeasures they were supposed to create, I felt like holes were being drilled in my stomach.

Bang!

Finally, unable to bear it anymore, I slammed the round table to shut everyone’s mouths.

“I understand everyone’s positions well. Including the fact that you absolutely refuse to cooperate.”

I calmly met everyone’s gaze directed at me and spoke each word with emphasis.

“But despite that, didn’t we all gather here today?”

The Magister and High Priest, who could never cooperate, sat at the same table.

Not only that, but even the Crown Prince, who always maintained a third-party stance to preserve the balance between the Magic Tower and Temple within the kingdom, personally attended this meeting.

Fortunately, my words helped settle the ice-cold atmosphere of the meeting a little.

I let out a sigh of relief and gave Mikhail a meaningful look.

Mikhail, who had somehow put on a menacing smile befitting his nickname as the slaughterer of state councils, opened his mouth.

“Let me make a proposal.”

Mikhail’s voice had an oddly resonant quality that commanded people’s attention.

“Destruction isn’t just the kingdom’s problem—it’s a continental disaster. So if we want to bring someone in, shouldn’t we think bigger?”

After gauging everyone’s reactions and pausing for a beat, he concluded lightly as if making a joke.

“As it happens, the regular meeting of the Council of Five Nations, held every five years, is scheduled for next summer. How about we bring up the prophecy there?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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