The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 143

The Earl’s Wastrel is a Genius – Chapter 143 (143/200)

18. Mermaid: The Crafting Wastrel

Valkyrie fell.

With Repli’s death, everyone was released from the spell.

The reactions of the Holy Nation’s people varied.

Sadness, anger, fear, confusion, joy.

That was how significant lust’s influence had been on the Bellanus Nation.

But it’s alright.

The Holy Nation has a new sun.

I stroked Merian’s head as she stared blankly into the air.

Caught off guard, she seemed to snap back to reality at the unfamiliar touch, startled.

“What are you doing? These are the people you need to take care of.”

Understanding my words, Merian bit her lip and stepped forward.

“Everyone, I am Saintess Merian!”

Her voice was thin but had a strange appeal. Above all, the divine power overflowing from her whole body drew attention.

“Please return home today. As soon as the situation is sorted out, I will tell you about the direction Bellanus Church will take.”

What would have happened if she had lacked even a little bit of leadership?

Starting with an explanation about the woman rescued from the basement, why the former Saintess was a high-ranking executive of the Twilight Church, whether there were internal figures who knew and condoned or cooperated with this, and why the Pope was not showing himself, they would have risen up like a swarm of bees and turned the Holonium Main Temple upside down.

However, everyone here owed Merian their lives.

She had been a steadfast protector in the battle against lust through the Holy Domain.

They suppressed many doubts and calmly dispersed.

As soon as I returned to the temple, there was a lot to do.

First, I met John.

“Henon, I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

“It’s alright. There’s something more important. Please look at this first.”

I handed John the list I had obtained when I worked under lust in the past.

The list was filled with the names of people inside the Holy Nation who had cooperated with the Twilight Church.

John, who saw various positions from ordinary soldiers to Holy Knights, Bishops, and Archbishops, sighed.

“The Holy Nation was practically a ruined country. What on earth was I doing… The name Seven Stars is truly embarrassing.”

“Start rebuilding from now on. There’s also Merian, who was chosen by Bellanus [the God of this world]. Cheer up with a fresh start.”

As I offered words of comfort, John lowered his head.

Large tears streamed from his eyes.

“I don’t know how much I owe you. I misunderstood you and tried to kill you, but you found the Saintess and saved this country from hell.”

“I also did it for my own benefit. Please don’t worry too much about it.”

“I will repay this favor without fail. From now on, you can call yourself John’s friend.”

Gordon’s son, Karina’s ward, Tom’s junior, and John’s friend?

Why do all the Seven Stars like me?

Anyway, it was a good thing to befriend a master-level expert, as there was nothing to lose.

“From now on, I plan to punish the bugs written on the list and formally greet Lady Merian. What will you do?”

“I’m going to see His Holiness the Pope.”

To be precise, I need to find the Golden Branch in the Pope’s place of worship.

“I understand. I’ll see His Holiness as soon as I’m done, so greet him first.”

I parted with John and ran to the chapel as if flying.

The splendid gate I had seen before appeared.

This time, there were no Holy Knights blocking the way, so I freely opened the door.

Creak.

Unlike the outside, the inside was simple.

There were no particular sacred objects, and it was an empty chapel.

Where could the Pope be?

“?”

A black coffin was in the center.

This feels ominous…

I opened the coffin and saw a skeleton wearing pure white clothes lying down.

A sun-patterned necklace hung around its neck.

It seemed that the corpse was the Pope.

“What a bizarre situation.”

Lust had killed the Pope and pretended he was in seclusion for ten years.

In addition, he had John, who was rigid, guard the door to strictly prohibit everyone from entering.

‘Since the Pope is dead, Merian will lead the Bellanus Church from now on.’

It will be tough for a young girl alone, but she will manage somehow with John’s help.

Worry about it later.

First, let’s search for the Golden Branch.

I asked the Heavenly Demon for its location.

-I feel a strong energy from the wooden box in front of the coffin.

As the Heavenly Demon said, a wooden box was placed in front of the coffin.

When I opened the wooden box, the Pope’s personal belongings were neatly arranged, and the fourth Golden Branch, which I had been waiting for, emitted a brilliant light and exuded its presence.

[You have discovered the Golden Branch.]

[You must take a test to acquire it.]

[Would you like to take the World Tree’s test?]

[Y/N]

I have to take a test after all.

The case of the Eastern Great Forest last time was a special case.

[You have responded to the World Tree’s test.]

[Initiating the test.]

Swaaa!

Light spread.

* * *

A deep, lush forest.

A hooded man walks.

I know who this man is.

It’s the Druid Merlin from a thousand years ago.

So far, the Golden Branch’s tests have been based on Merlin’s memories.

The first test was the process of escaping from a troll, and the second test was the process of fleeing from the villagers.

Unfortunately, Merlin’s own mother died in the second test.

The third test was omitted due to various circumstances, but Merlin’s memories were replayed.

In the memory, Merlin was sold as a slave to humans and suffered all kinds of hardships and humiliating experiences that made him shudder.

It was so painful that I couldn’t bear to watch.

How will the fourth test proceed?

Until now, it has shown memories in chronological order.

Based on this, the current point in time should be after Merlin’s slave life.

I happened to find a stream over there.

I cupped my hands to quench my thirst and looked at Merlin’s reflection in the water.

‘He’s gotten older.’

Thick beard and sunken eyes.

The lines etched between his eyebrows and the wrinkles around his mouth.

The pure and courageous child had disappeared, and a masculine man remained.

After taking care of his business, Merlin walked again.

How far did he move?

A village could be seen in the distance.

A village that seemed familiar.

‘Ah! It’s the village where Merlin lived.’

I remembered it because I had seen it briefly during the first and second tests.

Why did Merlin come back here?

He wouldn’t have good memories.

Didn’t his mother die because of the village’s chief elder?

‘Could it be…’

An ominous premonition becomes reality.

Merlin raised his hand.

Numerous golems rise.

Even crystal golems were mixed in.

“Kill them all.”

Elf village.

The place that was once his foundation disappeared in an instant.

Without distinction between men and women, young and old, in an instant.

Merlin’s attack was like an irresistible natural disaster.

Was the Druid such a terrifying being?

Escape was useless.

Life Control had brightly illuminated the field of vision.

The level of taming was on a different dimension than mine.

Not only small mice, but also wild dogs, boars, hunting falcons, and beasts were controlled.

The forest, which was a haven for the elves, had become a prison.

The village became ruins.

The only survivor among the remaining debris was the chief elder.

Staggering and crawling out, he made eye contact with me.

To be exact, Merlin stared at each other.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Merlin speaks first.

“Apologies, that you didn’t intend to kill, that someone else incited you, or some other excuse?”

Kyak! Ptooey!

The chief elder, who spat out phlegm mixed with blood, chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“I do regret it.”

“Are you talking about my mother?”

“Hehehe… As if. I regret not killing a half-wit like you for sure and leaving room for you to survive… Keheok!!”

Thud!!

He stepped on and burst the chief elder’s head.

Merlin finally found freedom.

It was freedom in emptiness, though.

[Cleared the first test – Druid’s Memory Ⅰ.]

[Recalling the second test – Druid’s Memory Ⅱ.]

This time, it is also divided into two parts.

The vision spun around.

Shwaaaaa

A cool sound of waves was heard.

Looking around, a finely crafted white sandy beach and a blue sea unfolded.

Scattered tropical trees.

Sea spray containing sand grains wet my ankles.

‘Where is this?’

Merlin moved silently.

Judging from the wrinkles on his hands, it seemed that more time had passed since the destruction of the elf village.

He was strong back then, but I could feel that Merlin now was already a monster-level powerhouse.

He walked along the white sandy beach for a long time.

The pilgrimage that started in the morning ended around sunset.

He stopped abruptly in front of a rock.

It was a uniquely shaped rock.

To describe it, it looked like a comma turned upside down.

‘What is he trying to do?’

Merlin, in front of the teardrop rock, rummaged through his pockets and took something out.

A gem emitting a blue light.

Its appearance was very unfamiliar and familiar.

It was the mermaid’s tear I saw in Liang.

‘There were mermaid’s tears even a thousand years ago?’

Merlin put the mermaid’s tear against the rock.

Then, the blue light from the gem flowed into the rock!

The rock swallowed the blue mana like a child eating baby food.

The phenomenon that occurred afterward was truly earth-shattering.

Kugugugung…

The ground shook and the sky trembled.

The teardrop-shaped rock was just an entrance.

The important thing was the sea in front of it.

The whirlpool drawn on the surface of the water rotated fiercely.

Merlin threw himself into the center of the whirlpool.

‘Is he crazy?’

He was swept away by the strong current.

Spinning around and around, his breath was cut off.

Am I going to die like this…

Just as fear rushed in, his feet touched the bottom.

There was no water in the deep sea.

‘Amazing.’

I purely admired it.

Under the surface of the water, a huge city was hidden.

The residents of the city were special.

Like mermaids in imagination, their upper bodies were human and their lower bodies were fish.

In places without water, they metamorphosed into two legs like ordinary humans and walked bipedally.

Instead, they could be recognized as fish-men by the fins attached to the temples or the scales sprouting on the sides.

“■■■■■■■!!”

The language of the fish-men was difficult to understand.

Merlin didn’t bother trying to have a conversation.

He just subdued them with force.

The Druid’s power was strong even under the sea.

He seemed to have something he wanted.

He massacred the fish-men who stood in his way and entered inside.

He visited a place presumed to be a temple.

Going to the deepest part, a door with an eerie aura appeared.

Ropes with yellow talismans attached tightly sealed the entrance.

“■■■■!!!”

I couldn’t understand the language of the fish-men, but their intention was clear.

They don’t want the seal to be broken.

But Merlin’s purpose from the beginning was the seal.

“Don’t interfere. The being trapped beyond that is not someone you mere creatures can handle.”

Sharp wooden thorns summoned by Bind cut the ropes.

The black wind blowing from the inside shook the temple.

The fish-men had a look of despair.

Afterward, a grotesque creature appeared from the darkness.

‘Giant octopus?’

Eight legs with suckers.

Smooth, scarlet skin.

A long nose that looked like it would spew ink at any moment.

A long, torn mouth located below it.

When it opened its mouth, countless sharp teeth were embedded inside.

“Kraken, the legendary monster. Will you join me in destroying all the humans in the world?”

That octopus head was the Kraken.

To be honest, it had a disgusting appearance.

The monster did not answer Merlin’s words, but instead swallowed the fish-men in an instant with its long, thick legs.

The sound of them being chewed alive was eerie.

“Hun···gry···”

“There is plenty of food you like above the sea. Let’s go up together.”

“I’m···hun···gry!!!”

The ferocious octopus rushed towards Merlin.

Even in that scary moment, Merlin raised the corners of his mouth with a relaxed attitude.

“Instinct is suppressing reason. I think it’s necessary to imprint who’s above and below.”

At the same time, a system window appeared in front of my eyes.

[Starting the test.]

[Revealing the clear conditions.]

[Subdue the Kraken.]

I guess this test is about making takoyaki [Japanese snack made of octopus].