"This is unexpected (1)"
Eshua Main Estate Area.
For some reason, the central sanctuary of the Church of Cheong was unusually crowded.
"Did he really come?"
"Wow, this is my first time seeing him in person."
"Is it true that he's going to receive the Holy Spirit from Young Lord Isaac?"
"Yeah! It's absolute chaos right now!"
They were Eshua's disciples, flocking in after hearing news of the family head's return.
Put simply, they were elite members who had gone through a grueling selection process to serve directly under Eshua.
From the third-class cadets called "Chiers" to the main first-class knights known as Eshua's "Orcas."
They would later serve as swords of Eshua, carrying out missions for the Church of Cheong, or be dispatched as bishops to other countries or regions to spread the faith.
Above all, they idolized Eshua as a figure of worship.
But now—the family head has returned?
A succession dispute?
And the opponent is a baby they had never even spared a glance at before?
In short, it was a critical matter that could lead to a change in their leader… No way they could focus on training in such an entertaining situation!
Naturally, the cadets were abuzz, and even the first-class knights pretended not to care while gathering around.
"I heard Sir Goel completely bombed. He must be furious."
Apparently, the events inside the mansion were already spreading fast.
The knights snickered.
"Well, Sir Goel kind of brought it on himself. How could he even think about driving out a pure-blooded Eshua?"
"And that annex? He tried to send him to the exact place where the Skeleton King once appeared, didn't he?"
"The children from the second madam's side are seriously ruthless. He's still their nephew, even if he's a half-brother. And wasn't the first birthday ritual actually a plot to kill Lord Isaac?"
As the second-class knights chattered excitedly, the first-class knights gave them warning glances.
"That's enough. Sir Goel is still half of the precious papal bloodline. Imagine how insulted he must feel. If he hadn't been born in Eshua, he'd have had a high position in the Papal House."
"Still, Eshua is a thousand times better than the Papal House!"
"Is it? He's outranked by his older brother in seniority and overshadowed in skill by the genius youngest, Lord Rilai. The only reason he's tolerated is because he runs the family well."
"Right. That's why he was trying to make Young Lord Shuri the family head so he could act as regent. But then out of nowhere, here comes Lord Isaac—with both the bloodline and the talent. No wonder he's panicking—oh crap."
The knights' faces went pale mid-sentence.
Sir Goel was glaring at them from the door connected to the wall.
"I didn't know the proud knights of Eshua had the habit of gossiping behind people's backs."
"Uh, no, we—seniors! Ah, they ran!"
The first-class knights had vanished like they were never there. No wonder they were ranked higher—there wasn't a trace of them left.
In the end, the second-class knights got kicked by Goel and had to bow their heads in apology, while Goel turned back, grinding his teeth.
'That damned son of the firstborn…!!'
Now he had to be the subject of gossip among what were essentially commoners—all because of Isaac?
But it was fine.
With fierce eyes resembling those of the Pope, Goel recalled what had happened inside the mansion.
He had been harshly rebuked by the family head and could do nothing but stand silent. The elders looked at the head in disbelief.
Unlike the council of senior elders, most of the current elders supported the Pope's lineage—descendants of the second wife.
The family head said this to them:
"You must be mistaken. I said I would give him the Holy Spirit—I never said I would give it for free."
"Pardon?"
"There's a specific reason I said I'd give it."
There's a reason?
Not because he was the son of the firstborn and adorable?
"If we want to extract the Skeleton King's flesh, putting it in fire or water will damage the boy."
"D-Damage?!"
"The fire and water in Cheong's temple are too powerful—they repel all approaching curses. For a high-level cleric who must use exorcism rites, that counts as a flaw. Rilai, you understand this better than anyone."
"It must be difficult to learn the Nine Exorcisms, a mandatory skill for a high-ranking priest."
"Yes. It's better to implant it after mastering the Nine Exorcisms. I only made the suggestion because I thought that child would never reach the fifth tier anyway."
"T-Then… Even if Isaac has talent, he'll have to live his whole life being satisfied at the fourth tier?"
"That's why he'll be made to choose one of the three: fire, water, or the Holy Spirit. If he chooses the Holy Spirit, it will purify the Skull King's demonic energy. If he picks fire or water—well, that's just his fate."
Of course! That's just like Father!
He may not show affection to his children, but as head of the household, he never fails to meet expectations!
Being fourth tier isn't bad, but in one of the Five Great Houses, that's practically the same as being a nobody!
Thinking back on what had happened at the mansion, Goel chuckled.
"You think a little brat like him can choose the Holy Spirit?"
The Holy Spirit's energy was incredibly faint to a child. Even sensing it required long training.
And now, everyone had gathered at the Temple of Blue.
"Choose."
The head of the family placed three orbs in front of Isaac.
Isaac looked at the commotion happening a short distance away.
"Isaac! You understand what your uncle is saying, right? The white one! If you pick that, I'll buy you a Skull King stress doll!"
"Isaac, ignore this bastard. If you're a true follower of the Temple of Blue, you should pick the blue one. If you do, I'll get you a doll of the Great God himself."
These damn uncles. Should I just kill them both?
Isaac looked at them with pity, then turned his gaze to the orbs on the ground.
A red orb imbued with the energy of fire.
A blue orb imbued with the energy of water.
A white orb imbued with the Holy Spirit's energy.
"Choose."
It was clearly an instruction to pick one of them.
Isaac quietly looked at the head of the family.
He looked to be around forty. With silver hair symbolizing Eshua and icy blue eyes that looked like they'd scorn any joke.
A man like a noble wolf.
And clearly an Eshua by blood—if Melissa was a peerless beauty, this guy must have been a notorious womanizer in his youth.
Yes, perfect to inherit the house.
He might look like a gentleman in that neat black priest's robe, but Isaac could see it clearly.
He might seem like a priest who only used sacred techniques, but his body underneath was honed and muscular.
'If I fought him… I'd get my ass… No, I'd just die right now.'
There was a reason he had singlehandedly wiped out past Demon Kings.
Though he hid his strength, it felt like standing naked before a giant wave.
Since becoming a baby, Isaac had never seen a priest this powerful. Even counting his time as the Skull King, this man was among the strongest.
Compared to him, Lilai looked like a kid with a rattle.
Still, this body is stronger.
Anyway, it was clear this guy brought up the 'implantation' talk just to test him.
'This brat thinks he can take on a Demon King.'
Isaac sighed and reached out his hand.
Both uncles tensed.
Tap!
As Isaac picked up an orb, the head of the house frowned.
"Pick just one."
"...."
Tch. Guess the kid won't fall for it.
Though calling him a grandson might be a stretch—more like a nemesis—Isaac dropped the three orbs he had grabbed.
Then he reached out again.
And the moment he lifted one and held it out—
The mood split in two.
"Ah...!"
"Ah!"
The orb Isaac chose was none other than the red one—the orb of fire.
Lilai froze, crushed.
"To think such a child must remain satisfied at the fourth tier…!"
But one of the elders in Goel's faction scolded Lilai, seemingly annoyed.
"Hmph. Is that something to despair over? A male heir of Eshua reaching the fourth tier is already enough to bring honor to the family! How greedy are you to weigh a child's life against ambition?"
Yeah, pretending to care about the baby's life while doing everything to block him from becoming a saint—I see right through you.
And Goel, I can see your lips twitching. Try to control your expression at least.
The head of the house let out a resigned sigh.
"Very well. That must be your fate."
Lilai was crushed, Goel smirked—but inside, he still criticized his father.
'Father really is a cold man.'
He was still just a kid who hadn't even started proper sacred training.
Did they seriously think he'd be able to read the sealed divine power in the orb, like a saint?
It's fine to have hope, but it should at least be realistic.
The head of the house sighed and snapped his fingers.
"If that's what you want, then so be it."
With those words, the red orb that Isaac had chosen cracked open with a loud crack, and flames erupted skyward.
And at the very moment those sacred, anti-magic flames surged, Goel began to smile…
"Huh?"
Huhhh?
They could hardly believe their eyes at the spirit emerging from the fire.
"A Holy Spirit?!"
"What the—why is there a Holy Spirit?!"
Everyone was stunned at the sight of a small fairy radiating intense sacred flames.
Even after rubbing their eyes and looking again, it was unmistakably a Holy Spirit.
Goel turned to the head of the house with a look of complete confusion.
"Father! What is going on?! Why did a Holy Spirit come out of that orb?!"
But the head of the house, arms crossed, simply tilted his head.
"I never said there was only one Holy Spirit."
What?!
Goel and Rilai were both stunned, though for very different reasons, by the shameless remark.
The man who adhered to rules and principles so rigidly… saying something like this?
But the head of the house was serious.
Of course, under normal circumstances, he would never have put a Holy Spirit in any of the orbs.
Why would the family need a boy who only made Gamo feel guilty?
But a child who could use sacred fire?
In Eshua, a land fundamentally tied to water?
The reason the head of the house took interest was clear.
Eshua's faith was originally centered around water.
But even in such a place, fire, its extreme opposite, held special significance.
" is a crucial lost legacy in Eshua."
It was the light that once illuminated Eshua.
That's why the head of the house had decided to test it.
To see how far this nursing infant could go.
Was the Skeleton King's body really retrieved with someone else's help?
Was melting the papal gold just coincidence—or fate?
That's why he deliberately unsealed a portion of power only in the white orb.
It was a trap.
Normally, someone would be drawn to that power—but the best outcome was choosing .
The white orb was a dud.
If the child had chosen the white orb, there would've been no further reason to watch.
And yet the child chose fire, as if mocking that very notion.
"But this… this is unexpected."
Summoning a fire spirit was impressive enough—but that one, of all spirits?
[Elai! You dare summon me, a king, into the mortal world? You must be completely, utterly mad!]
Of all things, he had summoned a leader-level spirit—one even the pope found difficult to handle.
Had any human ever formed a contract with that creature?
The spirit wasn't even interested in a contract—instead, it seemed ready to burn down the entire Cheong estate.
Yet for the first time, the head of the house faintly smiled, clearly pleased.
"This kid might actually die, you know."
This little brat.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]