42. Coronation! Xiling! The Silver King!
With the arrival of Goldmask, everyone in the chat group felt a sense of relief. After all, with the arrival of a laborer—I mean, a formidable master—would definitely bring immense assistance to this campaign, for example, like weaving the Scripture.
In the chat group :
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: Done.
[Great Magician Tarnished]: Awesome.
[Fire Moth Warrior]: Thank you for all the thought.
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: A Hero's potential is limitless.
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: By the way, why did you change your name?
[Fire Moth Warrior]: After all, I'm not a high school student anymore, so of course I had to change my name.
[I'm Not a Foodie]: Everyone! Something's happened!
[I'm the Savior]: Something's happened!
[I'm Not a Foodie]: There are so many people in the city... who are struggling on the ground, clutching their stomachs.
[I'm the Savior]: They have agonized expressions, as if they've been poisoned.
[I'm Not a Foodie]: What should we do? Everyone, should I try using the Voice of the Stars?
[I Don't Want to Be a Hero Anymore]: Calm down for a moment. Let's go over and see what's going on.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside the conference room. A soldier clutched his stomach, his face grim. But when he saw Xiling exit the room, he instinctively straightened his back. However, even the slightest movement only made his expression even uglier.
Morgott's hoarse voice asked the soldier, "What happened?"
"Lord... Lord Morgott... Lord Silver King..." Every breath the soldier took was accompanied by a surge of pain in his stomach. He forced his trembling arms up and gave a broken, yet powerful, military salute.
Morgott nodded at him, and Xiling frowned at the soldier, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. After saluting the two lords, the soldier reluctantly spoke, "Your Majesty, for unknown reasons, everyone in the Leyndell Royal Capital is clutching their stomachs in severe pain with a painful expression. We tried investigating, but soon, even we soldiers began to suffer the same symptoms."
Morgott's expression grew heavy. Could it be that an enemy had entered the Leyndell Royal Capital, silently using some form of curse magic?
But just as he was pondering this, Xiling stepped forward and placed his hand on the soldier's shoulder. Under the soldier's gaze of astonishment and excitement, Xiling said, "Satisfy your stomach."
As Xiling uttered these words, something within him was instantly ripped away.
The soldier clutched his stomach in disbelief. The previous intense pain completely vanished, replaced by an indescribable sense of satisfaction. "This...this..." The soldier's voice trembled, filled with the bewilderment of surviving a catastrophe. Then, overwhelmed by a surge of gratitude and a near-miraculous enthusiasm, his knees buckled, and he fell heavily to the cold ground, his forehead pressed against it: "Thank you, King, for your grace!!!"
The soldier's voice and actions awoke Xiling from his earlier trance.
"If I could help you," Xiling's voice, with a gentleness that healed all wounds, "it would be wonderful."
Xiling leaned forward slightly and lightly supported the soldier's trembling shoulders. "Now, please stand, loyal warrior. I need your assistance in one more matter."
"Yes!!!" As if receiving divine instruction, the soldier sprang to his feet with astonishing strength, standing tall as a pine tree.
Xiling looked into the distance. Within the Leyndell Royal Capital, countless people lay prostrate on the ground, wailing incessantly.
"Go tell your companions not to panic."
Xiling's voice reached the soldier's ears clearly.
"This is not a disaster, but the first echo of the Rule. Soon, everything will subside. Tell them I will resolve this."
Hearing Xiling's words, the soldier's eyes blazed even brighter.
"As you command, my king!"
Watching the soldiers' retreat, Morgott turned his gaze to Xiling. His voice was heavy.
"What exactly happened?"
Morgott's eyes were filled with caution, but Xiling smiled at his question, a smile so bright that Morgott was somewhat bewildered.
"Morgott," Xiling whispered, his voice carrying an immense weight. "This is not a curse, nor a disaster. This is a good thing."
Meeting Morgott's increasingly confused and solemn gaze, Xiling's smile deepened, and each word he spoke was resounding: "A truly great thing."
"...Please tell me what happened..."
"They're just...hungry."
Morgott couldn't believe his ears. Hungry?
Xiling chuckled.
The stomachs of the people of this Lands Between have long since shriveled, become silent, and forgotten amidst the endless cycle of torment! The curse has long eroded their nerve endings, and their longing for "food" has long been annihilated in twisted pain and eternal numbness! Pain itself has become corrupted, and their bodies and minds have been twisted into inhuman forms.
Hungry? That's the long-forgotten feeling of "being alive."
Their stomachs have been silent for years, their nerve endings have forgotten the craving for food, and their pain has become dull and strange.
However, when the seeds of the Silver Rule quietly took root in their desperate souls, when the light of the Rule, symbolizing order and rebirth, began to flow, a dormant life instinct began to slowly and laboriously revive!
When the cursed, rusted body's functions recovered to a delicate critical point—like the first click of jerky gears—the long-defunct organ, the stomach, symbolizing life's most basic need, after an incalculable period of silence, let out its first belated, tearing, painful sound—
Squirming!
This squirming brought no nourishing satisfaction, but rather the most primal, purest, and most horrifying pain of "living mortals," forcibly stripped away by the curse and long forgotten—
Hunger!
The excruciating pain that enveloped the city was not the deepening of the curse, but its being stripped away! It was not the wail of death, but the first cry of life! Xiling looked away from Morgott.
"Looks like it's time."
"...What are you going to do?"
"Although I'm an acting king, I'm the only one left to take over now."
Xiling turned and smiled. "Let's call it an ascension. We must let those who believe in the Silver Rule see clearly the true nature of the glory they follow, and we must also let—"
Xiling looked into the distance. "Our enemies must understand the true face of the Silver King."
Morgott was silent, finally letting out a muffled sigh.
He understood this was an inevitable step. Royal power needed to be demonstrated, and chaos needed to be deterred.
"What are you going to do?" he asked in a low voice.
The faint smile on Xiling's face deepened. "How can a new king's ascension to the throne be silent? There must be witnesses, there must be cheers, and every living being must 'know' the king's power!"
After saying this, Xiling looked at Lemuen.
"Lemuen, I'll be asking for your assistance in a moment."
Lemuen gave an OK sign.
"Then—"
"Let's begin! "
With this announcement, Xiling lifted his right foot and took his first steady step forward into the void!
DONG—!!!
A drumbeat, heavy enough to shake the soul, exploded without warning, instantly piercing the thick walls of the Leyndell Royal Capital and the clamoring agony, spreading in all directions! Even the air trembled wherever its sound waves reached!
DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG...
The drumbeats didn't stop! They seemed to have a life of their own, accompanying Xiling's determined steps forward, one after another, becoming clearer, louder, and more magnificent!
A miracle was born!
The heartbreaking cries of the people lying prostrate in the streets, throbbing with hunger, miraculously subsided as if caressed by an invisible warm current at the sound of these strange drumbeats! The unbearable pain in their stomachs began to wane. The unbearable churning pain, like a raging tide soothed by rhythm, quickly subsided. In its place was a long-lost, unbelievable, sinking feeling of fullness! Bewildered, they stopped tumbling around, clutching their seemingly pain-free abdomens, feeling the unfamiliar yet comforting fullness. Just then, specks of silver light began to fall from the sky!
People looked up in astonishment. It wasn't snow, but the condensed light of the silver trees. Like billions of tiny stars, they fluttered and fell silently from the heavens, blanketing all of Leyndell Royal Capital. The light fell on the cold stone slabs, on the tops of the withered ancient trees, and on the people who had just escaped their suffering, bringing a touch of coolness and a strange peace.
At that moment, someone in the crowd was the first to cry out in disbelief!
"Look... look up at the sky!!" All eyes, as if drawn by invisible threads, turned toward the highest palace in the heart of the royal city.
Reflected in countless pairs of suddenly widening eyes, a tiny yet obvious figure ascended a staircase constructed of pure, condensed, and tangible silver magic, step by step, reaching above them.
And each step, precisely in time with the world-shaking drumbeat!
Boom! With each step, the steps of light trembled, radiating a ripple-like silver glow! Boom! Another step, and the drumbeat intensified; the people's stomachs felt even more satiated!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Who is that...?!" Some voices trembled, some were confused, some were fearful. However, the expressions on some faces in the crowd instantly transformed from initial shock to unspeakable ecstasy and utter devotion!
It was at this moment of universal attention, when faith and shock reached their peak!
In the sky, countless tiny, pure silver-white points of light appeared out of thin air, like billions of fireflies awakening from the void! They carried a warm and holy aura, and as if summoned by an absolute call, they frantically gathered from all directions towards Xiling's location!
That was the radiance of the Silver Rule, summoned by Lemuen for himself!
It was guidance, and also the prelude to the coronation!
The silver-white points of light were like a galaxy rolling back, surging. They surged and converged around Xiling, forming a swirling stream of brilliant light!
Surrounded and surrounded by this stream of light, as the people watched in breathless disbelief—
Clang!
Xiling, at this crucial moment, drew the holy sword from his waist! Unsheathed, the sword automatically absorbed the surrounding silver-white light, radiating a boundless holy radiance, like a silver sun rising from the dim borderland!
The holy sword's radiance seemed to dispel all confusion and darkness, clearly illuminating Xiling's sacred and majestic face.
"There is no need to worry, my people. The era of chaos is over. I will lead you into the future!"
"My name is—"
Xiling's voice was low, but it resounded clearly in the ears of every believer:
"Xiling! The Silver King!"
The proclamation ended, and the storm abruptly subsided!
As this proclamation-like name resounded throughout heaven and earth—
Buzz buzz buzz!
The vast silver-white light stream converging above Xiling's head suddenly contracted, condensed, and took shape! A crown composed of pure silver brilliance, its shape simple and majestic, like a work of nature, slowly formed from the swirling light stream under the gaze of the crowd. Then, with an unquestionable sense of fate, it gently and steadily landed on Xiling's white hair!
Ding!
It was as if the entire world's rule... A resounding cry resonated with them!
The silver crown, the gleaming holy sword, the silver light of order flowing throughout his body...
At this moment, all doubt, confusion, and perplexity melted away like snow in the sun!
No words, no proof needed!
The one standing before them, surrounded by billions of silver radiances, wearing the Crown of Rule, holding the holy sword—
It was the King of Rule they believed in! It was the one who had freed them from endless suffering... the Silver King!
"King—!!!" "
A cry, laced with tears and utter awe, erupted from nowhere, like the ignition of a long-dormant powder keg!
Crash!
As if swept by an invisible wave, the entire royal city's throng could no longer suppress their inner shock and faith! Countless figures, like falling wheat waves, fell to their knees and prostrated themselves!
Foreheads kissed the cold floor, hands pressed firmly to the ground, with the utmost piety, they offered a heartfelt homage to the center of the silvery glow, to their salvation and hope—the Silver King Xiling!
At this moment, the faith in Silver, weaving through pain and miracles, took root!
...
"...Lady Ranni, that new king is truly dazzling!" Outside the royal city, a werewolf in the forest, carrying a greatsword, gazed at the glittering light and couldn't help but sigh.
A hooded girl sat on a spirit horse, her eyes filled with confusion as she gazed at the glittering light. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction, but...
The girl reached out toward the silver tree. The golden tree had vanished. Could she still fulfill her mission?
Or could she even fulfill her mission...
Also on the outskirts of the royal city, a slightly hunched girl gazed at the light.
"Ah! So beautiful! No, no, no, this isn't the time to talk about this! We must quickly tell Lady Tanith that the Silver King has appeared!"
The girl, looking back every few steps, reluctantly left.