Only God-Chapter 586 - 497: Conspiracy Among the Divine (2-in-1)_2
Compared to the others, Utus preferred direct action, such as descending among mortals and issuing lethal warnings. But it was clear this approach was futile, which left Utus no choice but to endure the banquet.
"I hear that things aren’t going well over at the night side, and even Curse God Yikabe and his kin have faced defeat. These pieces of news are simply the best accompaniment to a drink."
Wine God Sibos, while discussing other factions, refilled his glass with exquisite wine,
"So, what shall we do next, Laren, to move towards another victory?"
Dream God Laren also topped up his drink and leaned against a pillar, half-closing his eyes as he gazed into the distant land.
He didn’t respond directly but asked,
"You say ’tyrant’ is such a heavy word, such a disgraceful one. If a person is a tyrant, then his family will be despised by all the people.
If a person doesn’t want to go down in history as a tyrant, what must he do to win back the praise of his subjects?"
Curious, Wine God Sibos asked,
"What must he do?"
Dream God Laren slowly spoke,
"He must expand the territory, establish achievements, and create a splendid legacy that future generations will admire. In this way, no matter how much his previous subjects suffered under his rule, there will be descendants who will sing his praises.
After all, the sufferings of the past need not be borne by future generations, right?"
.........
As a scholar, Belvan had little connection to the riot. He was on neutral terms with the Gold Silver Clan and not among the craftsmen who used steam technology. In fact, on that day, Belvan spent his time in panic and confusion. As he was researching, he suddenly heard a thunderous roar of shouting, followed by chaos engulfing the entire Palace. Belvan sought to understand what happened, but no one in the Palace could give him a clear explanation.
By the time Belvan roughly grasped the full picture of the events, the riot had been quelled for several days. He and his fellow scholars had hidden inside the Palace for a few days, not witnessing the sea of blood that had spread across the square, but he heard many tales of cruel and bloody deeds from others, with over a thousand people dead at the hands of Kafu the Sixth’s suppression.
When Belvan learned of this, he found it hard to believe and then began to retch sitting in his chair. Goosebumps broke out all over his body, a mix of nausea, pain, and regret.
The reason lay with Kafu the Sixth, who, to Belvan, was not an abstract figure, a lofty King, but a benefactor who financed his research, met with him multiple times, and whose son was Belvan’s proudest student. Without a doubt, Kafu the Sixth was one of the few people close to Belvan, yet that very person had inflicted such cruel and bloody violence on the subjects of the Kingdom.
To illustrate, imagine the benefactor of a good person, the closest friend of a good person, committing a grave crime, carried out in a moment of rage. How complex, awkward, and agonizing must the feelings of that good person be?
But what could Belvan do? He was merely a scholar serving the Royal Family; he could neither intervene in politics nor change the King’s mind. Even he was aware that his hands were tied, that there was nothing he could do.
These days, a shadow hung over Belvan’s face. Over a thousand had died, right in the square in front of the Palace. Every time he thought of it, he felt an indescribable torment. Even though he had secretly donated to the victims and visited the Craftsmen Temple to pay homage to the great Hiris several times, he could not find release.
"Mura, what your father has done... oh..."
Before his student, Belvan sighed, his words trailing off.
Prince Mura furrowed his brows and spoke softly,
"I know my father has gone too far..."
Suddenly, Belvan burst out,
"Too far? Is that all it is, just simply ’too far’?"
The teacher’s reaction was beyond Prince Mura’s expectations, the latter standing agape, stunned.
Realizing his outburst, Belvan slowly composed himself, and upon seeing Mura’s expression, he understood that the latter couldn’t empathize with him.
The schism between mentor and student was so sudden that Belvan still didn’t know how to handle it.
Belvan only let out a deep sigh, saying in a lowered voice,
"Let’s continue our research; after all, there’s nothing else we can do.
Mura...no matter what, I hope you take this as a warning."
Having said that, Belvan turned away and, with a group of scholars, delved back into their research.
The rebellion that shook the Kingdom did not cause much uproar among these scholars; after all, their primary duties were unrelated to it, and they lacked the influence to affect the Kingdom’s political affairs.
Thanks to the collective effort of the scholars, research on the Divine Pathways had reached a new stage. The framework that Belvan initially set had been progressively filled in. Their greatest achievement was the refinement of five Divine Pathways, with research on transitioning from First Rank to Second Rank now near perfection, and the corresponding Ascension Ceremonies far more stable and complete than before.
Without a doubt, this result was quickly presented to King Kafu the Sixth.
"Their success is beyond my expectations," King Kafu the Sixth murmured as he listened to his eldest son’s report.
Mura promptly chimed in,
"Father, the teacher shall not fail your expectations."
King Kafu the Sixth didn’t respond; his eyes were slightly narrowed, as if contemplating something.
After a moment, the King abruptly changed the subject,
"After that rebellion, the complaints and reactions of the Gold Silver Clan were particularly intense."
Prince Mura nodded in agreement,
"It’s to be expected; those craftsmen, no matter what, still rely on Your Majesty’s favor. Without money, their inventions are hard to sustain.
But it’s different for the Gold Silver Clan; they believe they’ve never received Your favor, and they have their own mines, estates, towns, and even armies. Naturally, they can’t swallow this slight."
King Kafu the Sixth said bitterly,
"Yes, that’s why I must do everything in my power to appease the Gold Silver Clan.
But how can I appease them? Gold and silver? They don’t lack it; machinery? The very steam technology they loathe the most; towns? They already have plenty of territories... After much thought, there’s only one thing that can temporarily quell their anger."
Listening to this, Prince Mura couldn’t help but ask curiously,
"What is it?"
King Kafu the Sixth spoke slowly,
"Power... the power of the Divine Pathways."
As these words fell, Prince Mura shivered.
"Do you know what the people now call me? ’Tyrant,’ ’hypocrite,’ ’vermin’—they are so ignorant. Well, let them stay ignorant, because in time, their praises will drown out the insults.
We’ll first use this power to attract the Gold Silver Clan, placate them, ease the atmosphere filled with conflict, until finally, I achieve my feat—reclaiming the Helong Mountain Range. By then, no one will call me a tyrant anymore."
King Kafu the Sixth spoke quickly, laying bare all his plans to his eldest son without reservation; it was an idea that had been fermenting in his mind for days.
Prince Mura kept shivering; for some reason, he found his father standing before him somewhat unrecognizable, crazed and obsessed—emotions he had never before seen in him.
But regardless, King Kafu the Sixth’s mind was made up. He grasped Mura’s shoulders, spreading out a map before him. He seemed to have already planned the attack routes and all the preparations for the days of battle.
"For the next two years, we’ll focus on constructing steam trains in the main towns, then within two months, mobilize three legions. Yes, next year I must send envoys to Danschel to seek their support and assistance, to draw away Golan’s northern border army..."
