Black-Haired Dad Isn’t Something You Reap - Chapter 161
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 161. Side Story: Revenge Is My Strength (2)
“No, wait. Let me think about this a bit more.”
It wasn’t necessarily Princess Vishnabel who was the root cause. I methodically retraced my life, and with each major event, I realized Princess Vishnabel had been there.
“….”
My life is ruined because of Vishnabel, isn’t it? She’s the one who destroyed my life, right?
“It’s all Vishnabel’s fault!”
Sudden clarity struck me, and I bolted upright from the bed.
That’s right. I was just a humble Emperor’s Son who dreamed of living quietly in the Imperial Palace, marrying into some decent household, and living happily. The thought of marrying into Kisomalos, being targeted by my brothers, and ultimately Hisperon’s death—it was all because of Princess Vishnabel!
“Revenge, I’ll have my revenge! I’ll kill you, Vishnabel Lorowi Kisomalos!”
I’ll destroy everything. The Astiages Empire, the Kisomalos Empire, Princess Vishnabel—I’ll erase it all!
As I made this vow, a book suddenly shimmered into existence in the air and smacked me across the shin with its edge.
“Ow!”
“I recover my divine power and come back to find my descendant spouting nonsense.”
“Who are you?!”
“Who am I? I’m your adoptive ancestor deity, you fool.”
“Ow! Ow!”
An ancestor deity? The Unnamed Deity is supposed to be an absolutely massive bird, and those without direct lineage rarely get the chance to meet them. I’d only heard descriptions. In any case, they weren’t in book form. When I earnestly explained this, the book deity drove the 90-degree edge of their form into my shin again.
“What do you mean the Unnamed Deity? Don’t confuse me with that barbaric creature.”
“That’s incredibly disrespectful to say!”
“It’s not disrespectful. In another world, that one would’ve been a demonic cult leader.”
“What are you even talking about?!”
After striking me repeatedly with sharp taps, the book deity, who called themselves Grant, the sole scripture, brought up Hisperon.
“My first target was Hisperon. But my first descendant wanted to die for you. What could I do?”
“Huh?”
“Healing divine power alone wasn’t enough. I used Hisperon’s remaining lifespan and divine energy to save you.”
Remaining lifespan? Hisperon was a young man with a bright future ahead. Was he destined to die young?
“Throughout all of Hisperon’s life, you were the only one he considered family. It’s only right that you become the second Grant.”
“….”
“What? Why that face?”
“Waaahhh! Hisperooooon!”
“Hey! Don’t cry, you fool!”
As I wailed again thinking of Hisperon, Grant gently stroked my back with their book wings. Considering they could descend into the Mortal Realm, had a physical form, and could speak, they must possess tremendous divine power. Had Hisperon been someone capable of founding a nation?
“My specialty is religion, but founding a nation would be possible too. Every believer desires a sacred site.”
Come to think of it, Astiages is essentially a theocratic state. The ancestor deity’s symbol is a massive bird, but the state religion, the Astiages Faith, worships fire. There’s no better tool for uniting and controlling the people than religion.
“While recovering my divine power, I created a gift for you. And you happen to have exactly five subordinates, don’t you?”
Grant said that while resting in the Heavenly Realm, they had created five spirits bearing symbols representative of their faith.
Wait, even for a deity, was spirit creation possible? Just how remarkable was the god who descended upon Hisperon?
“I told them to find someone they liked, so by now they’re probably introducing themselves.”
The spirits’ names were Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kachera, and Kirpan, each symbolizing devotion, purity, equality, asceticism, and indomitable spirit, respectively.
Hmm… I can roughly guess which of my subordinates each spirit approached. Their characteristics align perfectly with each person.
“First, I should explain the basic doctrines of our family’s faith.”
“Yes. I will listen attentively.”
“The most important principle is… equality.”
“Pardon?”
“All people are equal. There is no distinction of rank, no discrimination between men and women. We are all the same humans, and we all defecate after eating.”
“No, well…”
How could people possibly be equal? If you’re born into the Imperial Family, you have the duties of the Imperial Family. If you’re born a commoner, you have the responsibilities of a commoner. Everyone does their best in their own station. Isn’t that just… normal?
“But humans are not born equal, are they?”
“Yes, I can see you need considerable education.”
Grant struck the back of my head again.
After that came days of relentless violence and spiritual discipline. I was beaten for every careless word, beaten for any discrimination, beaten whenever I ranted about burning with vengeance and destroying Astiages and Princess Vishnabel.
Grant’s divine power was so abundant that even while descending continuously to the Mortal Realm to educate me, his divine rank never diminished. In fact, as my followers deepened their cultivation and discipline, his power only grew stronger.
After about a year of rolling around and getting pummeled, I finally gained one insight.
“People are all the same! We all defecate after eating!”
“Well said! Equality doesn’t require grand conviction! It begins with the mindset that people are all the same!”
That’s right. Whether born into a good family or born into grinding poverty, we’re all creatures that defecate after eating. We all bleed when pierced by a blade, and we all die from losing too much blood.
Clearly we’re the same humans, yet some are blessed from birth while others aren’t even treated as illegitimate children and met their end rolling about on battlefields. Hisperon wasn’t at fault. The world was.
“The Imperial Family is rotten! May Vishnabel Lorowi Kisomalos perish!”
“Stop obsessing over her already!”
But it’s a fact that my life was ruined because of her!
Thanks to Grant, I let go of many attachments, but I couldn’t abandon my vendetta against Astiages or my obsession with reducing Princess Vishnabel’s life to the same ruins as mine.
Grant seemed to have given up on this point too, telling me to do as I wished, and gave me a service gift before returning to the Heavenly Realm to watch over me.
“People tend to look down on those younger than them. That body would hinder your missionary work.”
Honestly, this didn’t feel like a gift at all. In an instant, I aged about ten years and grew into a complete adult.
“Wait, now Princess Vishnabel won’t recognize me!”
“You mad bastard, you said you’d take revenge.”
Ah, revenge is a separate matter! I tried to throw a tantrum demanding to be restored, but Grant fled like a coward, ending his descent and returning to the Heavenly Realm. It was unjust, but I had to admit that an adult body was more convenient for social life.
I carefully built my foundation with massive capital. I formally established a religious corporation through proper procedures and engaged in charitable works. Under the name Dharma Religion, I made it known that all were equal beneath this sect and its doctrines.
The first to entrust themselves to us were refugees who had lost their nations. This region had once been reduced to ruins by war. They all harbored resentment toward Kisomalos, and they devoted themselves to our sect, which enabled them to live with human dignity.
The Dharma Religion grew its numbers starting from the vulnerable classes. Grant probably didn’t intend this, but this ‘equality’ slogan proved remarkably effective at gathering people.
That made sense—those drawn to equality were mostly from the lower classes. And nine-tenths of the world were commoners. Having cast bait before the most numerous class, we simply had to keep pulling in the nets.
After concentrating on missionary work for a year, our followers swelled to a million. As the Dharma Religion’s congregation grew, the next to bite the bait were businessmen who smelled profit.
This was practically my specialty, so making the already wealthy even richer was laughably easy.
I had enriched them purely through my own business acumen, but when they attributed it all to the Dharma Religion’s doctrines and Grant’s grace, wealthy merchants came flocking, eager to become believers themselves.
Thus I gained followers and came to control Ljubljana’s economy.
To make Vishnabel seek me out first now that I’d become so prominent, I kept using the name Nanakda…
“…”
But this Little One never came looking for me no matter how much time passed.
“I’ll take my revenge, Vishnabel!”
There was no choice then. If she wouldn’t come to me, I’d have to go find her myself. Using the pretext of purchasing land to establish a holy site, I arranged a meeting with the Emperor of Kisomalos.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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