Roy asked curiously, "Compared to having a go with the incarnated 'Holy Guardian Angel,' I'm more interested in the connection between these isolated worlds."
"Split a particle in two and place the halves at opposite ends of the universe, yet they still resonate with each other... You can understand my existence in that way. If you're willing, I can provide you with everything about that man Aleister's actions and thoughts and become your... Hmm, let's call it an undercover agent."
Aiwass betrayed Aleister without hesitation. To Aiwass, the observer, Aleister was merely interesting, whereas Roy was the indispensable existence she pursued. The importance of the two was obvious.
"I'm becoming more and more interested in the form of your existence, Aiwass! As the 'Secret Chief,' what exactly is your state?"
Roy studied Aiwass's faintly glowing body with great interest. It was not a man appraising a woman, but Roy contemplating the unknown.
"The Fourfold World of Kabbalah divides the world into the 'Archetypal Realm,' the 'Creative Realm,' the 'Forming Realm,' and the 'Material World.' I am an angel of the 'Material World,' and I control everything closely related to humanity."
Aiwass's voice became ethereal again, mixed with electromagnetic noise. It seemed some of her explanations were still being automatically blocked by Roy's brain.
"So you're actually a 'physics angel'? But the knowledge you teach and the abilities you use all belong to 'magic.'"
Roy was somewhat bewildered. In his impression, a "physics angel" should have been made entirely of metal, like a Transformer, carrying a positron city-destroying cannon, or casually producing sophons, two-dimensional foils, and faster-than-light engines.
Perhaps sensing what Roy was thinking, Aiwass burst out laughing. Her mysterious holiness was mixed with demonic allure. "...What you're thinking of is physics on the macroscopic level. Haven't humans already entered part of the microscopic level? In quantum physics at the microscopic level, some phenomena don't conform to human scientific understanding and seem more like magic."
Hearing Aiwass's words, Roy shrugged. "...When in doubt, blame quantum mechanics. But you're right. Phenomena in quantum physics are practically magical. Even paradoxes, which are contradictions in human thought, are allowed to exist in the microscopic realm."
He exhaled, glanced at the electronic screen on the wall, and waved listlessly. "...Forget it. These matters are still too distant. I'd rather move forward one step at a time. We've already reached Jerusalem. After I rest for a few days and recover all my Authorities, I'll directly perform the summoning ritual for a Disobedient God."
Fifty-Eighth Chapter: An Afternoon with the Princess
The bedroom door in the cabin opened. When Roy stepped out, he saw two girls standing in the corridor. Upon seeing him, both tensed and instinctively stood straight.
They were Yuri Wanitangi and Ena Kiyōin. Fear and disgust flashed through Yuri's eyes when she saw Roy, and she quickly lowered her head. Although Ena also showed a trace of fear, her expression was filled more with melancholy.
"Are you feeling better?"
Roy glanced at Ena's slightly stooped body. Her abdomen had previously been pierced by the angelic sword he had summoned.
Ena's face stiffened. She no longer possessed the high spirits she had shown when she met Roy in Tokyo. Cautiously and fearfully, she said, "...I've already received emergency treatment. It's nothing serious, Roy 'King.'"
"That's good. Rest properly over the next few days. I don't want you to have any physical problems when I perform the ritual."
Roy gave the order indifferently, then looked toward Yuri. "...The Historical Records Compilation Committee in Japan has already found some miko. They'll be sent to Jerusalem soon. By the way, one of them is named Wangu Li Guang. Is she an acquaintance of yours?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Roy saw Yuri's expression change dramatically. The miko, who had kept her head lowered and desperately tried to conceal her disgust, suddenly looked up. Her face was anxious, and she cried out almost tearfully, "...Xiao Guang is only ten years old! She's just an 'apprentice miko,' 'King.' Please don't hurt her. Please let her go! I'll do anything you want, I beg you!"
Overcome with emotion, Yuri tried to grab Roy, but Ena stopped her at the crucial moment.
"So she really is your acquaintance. Your younger sister or something? Hmm, whether that ten-year-old girl stays safe will depend on your role in the ritual, Yuri Wanitangi. As long as your contribution is sufficient, I doubt such a young miko will need to be used. Don't you agree?"
Roy's tone was gentle, like that of a considerate older brother, but to Yuri, he was nothing more than a devil who deserved to go to hell.
"I... I'll do my best. I definitely won't make any mistakes. As long as you spare Xiao Guang, 'King'..."
Yuri sobbed, making Roy shake his head.
"We've arrived at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport. Prepare to disembark."
Roy started walking, passing the crying Yuri and Ena, who was comforting her. Then he stopped and said gently, "...Ena Kiyōin, I know your family has cut ties with you, but you don't need to be too sad. Life is unpredictable. As the child of a great family, you should have anticipated something like this."
With that, he left without looking back.
Ena stood there blankly. Was that... the "King's" gentle consolation?
She didn't quite understand.
The top floor of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem had been booked out. Whether it had been arranged by the Council of Sages, the Bronze Black Cross, or the Bronze Black Cross, no one knew.
On a warm afternoon, Princess Alice wore a Victorian-style long dress and a Bohemian shawl as she sat at a small table on the hotel balcony, sipping black tea.
She closed her beautiful eyes and inhaled the faint fragrance of the tea, her expression serene.
Once her body could move again, she was finally able to enjoy the stimulation of taste. She had immediately taken out the tea leaves treasured by the Godou family, and whenever she had free time each afternoon, she savored these ladylike moments, reclaiming the life she had lost as a socialite.
"Beep—"
The electronic lock on the door sounded. Princess Alice then heard the room door open. Even with her back to it, she knew who had arrived.
"Roy 'King,' walking straight into a lady's room without permission—isn't that rather too uncouth and impolite?"
Other than that carefree and unrestrained Demon King, there was no one else who could enter her room so casually.
"Aren't these electronic cards meant to let you sneak into a girl's boudoir?"
Roy's quiet laughter came from behind Princess Alice. He walked onto the balcony, pulled out the chair opposite the princess, and sat down, smugly waving the card in his hand.
"You didn't take the cards to all the rooms, did you?"
"Correct. I have the electronic cards to every girl's room. As a 'King,' I naturally have to move unhindered through my own territory."
Roy joked as he picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of black tea. But after one sip, he frowned and set it down. "...You English are strange, adding milk to black tea. How can anyone drink this?"
Roy, who thoroughly disliked the taste, went back into the room and found a bottle of soda in the refrigerator.
"Coke really is most comfortable to drink on a warm afternoon like this..."
He popped the tab, took a gulp, and sighed contentedly.
"Drinking something like that has no ladylike elegance at all."
Princess Alice's fair hand lifted the white porcelain teacup, her little finger slightly raised. Her posture was as graceful as a flower.
"That's why you nobles are such a nuisance. No wonder history discarded you... By the way, Alexander Gascoyne came to see you when we were in Tokyo, didn't he?"
Roy leaned back in his chair to make himself more comfortable and asked Princess Alice with a smile.
"You know about it, Roy 'King'? That man really wasn't cautious enough if you managed to notice."
Princess Alice's eyelashes fluttered. Her beautiful eyes shone with moist light as she smiled brightly at Roy.
"Why didn't you leave with him? If it was Alexander Gascoyne, even I might have found it difficult to take you back."
"If I were lying, I would say that I feared you, Roy 'King.' A Demon King as willful as you made me afraid to resist..."
"And the truth?"
Roy tilted his head and asked with amusement.
"The truth is that Roy 'King,' you're more interesting than Alexander. My intuition as a Witch tells me that my life will be more extraordinary and colorful if I stay by your side, and many of my past doubts will be resolved."
Princess Alice blinked her lively eyes like a mischievous, willful little girl.
"Ha. You're staying with me just to satisfy your love of excitement? Still, that isn't unacceptable, as long as you can pay the price, Princess Alice."
Roy's gaze gradually turned serious.
"The price? What do I need to pay? I'm already entirely your prisoner. I don't know what else I have left to offer."
Alice's voice caught. She put down her teacup and asked with a frown.
"I need your knowledge. This ritual for summoning a Disobedient God is missing its final link, but I lack the necessary knowledge. Only you, the most powerful Witch, can provide it."
Roy leaned forward slightly.
Princess Alice sighed with relief. "...I was wondering what you wanted. If it's knowledge, of course I'm willing to give it to you."
"Can you give it to me with your body?"
Roy took a deep breath and reminded himself that, as a man and an uninhibited Demon King of the earth, he had no need to feel shy or avert his eyes. He stared earnestly at the elegant, exquisite face of the girl opposite him and met her astonished gaze.
Fifty-Ninth Chapter: The Summoning Ritual of King Solomon
The astonishment came and went quickly. Princess Alice soon calmed down. She used a finger to brush aside the platinum hair at her temple, lifted her porcelain-white teacup again, and took a small sip of tea before smiling. "...Roy 'King,' you really have made a move on this lady, haven't you?"
"Really? That word is rather subtle. Could a Witch's Spiritual Vision predict what I'm about to do?"
Roy raised an eyebrow.
"Of course not. Witches are said to possess a certain ability to foresee the future, but in the face of beings such as Disobedient Gods and Campiones, so-called future prediction is impossible. I guessed your purpose because Erica told me."
Princess Alice's moist, cherry-red lips curved up slightly, her smile blooming like a flower.
"Erica? She actually told you all that?"
Roy was startled. He had not expected Erica to tell Alice about the intimate matters between them.
"A girls' tea party is something men can never understand. You should know that girls love sharing little secrets."
Princess Alice crooked a fair little finger as though teasing Roy, her manner full of charm. "...But Erica said that you refuse to give her a title. Can you tell me why? Is it because you don't like her?"
"There's no harm in telling you. To be honest, I don't feel the kind of passionate love that would make me die for either Erica or you, Princess Alice. I merely covet your beauty and your knowledge."
Roy spoke with complete frankness, presenting his scoundrel-like words as though they were perfectly honorable. "...But I must admit that Erica is a good girl, and I do like her. It simply hasn't reached the level of love. In fact, whether it's Erica or you, Princess, we haven't known each other for long, and I don't really believe in love at first sight."
"...My refusal to give her a title is simple. Modern men can have countless lovers, but only one wife. Ancient emperors might have had three thousand beauties in their harems, but only one could be called the 'Empress.' The struggle within the harem was so dangerous. They would fight to the death for the position of 'Empress'; at best, they were sent to the cold palace, and at worst, beaten to death."
"Erica is a clever girl, but she's too clever. If I gave her a title, she would certainly develop ambitions and want more. That's human nature—the desire and motivation to advance... There can only be one 'wife.' Fighting within the harem for that position would lead to endless intrigue. Throughout history, emperors have always treated handling the harem as a top priority. If the harem is not harmonious, it affects the emperor's work and even matters of state."
Roy spoke with righteous conviction, directly turning the simple matter of establishing a harem into a world crisis. "...A true man should set his sights on the world. I consider myself a good man, so how could I let romantic entanglements delay or restrain me? Since that's the case, I simply shouldn't give any woman a title from the beginning. Then they won't harbor unrealistic hopes and can obediently become members of my harem, becoming my lovers. Isn't that perfect?"
Princess Alice's cherry lips fell open. She did not even notice that tea had spilled from her cup. She stared at Roy in shock, and only after a long while did she force a dry laugh. "...Roy 'King,' I think that if the Eastern Patriarch were here, she would definitely agree with you... How should I put it? You were previously domineering beyond compare, but I felt that you were putting on an act. Now you've completely acquired the Campione's domineering nature."
"...To speak of establishing a harem, something modern society cannot accept, so casually and without the slightest guilt... That self-willed determination is truly worthy of a Campione."
Princess Alice sighed softly. "...Then am I the same? Can I only be given the title of lover?"
"You're the same, because you're also a clever woman, Princess."
"Should women be a little more foolish if they want to obtain more?"
"If it's in front of me, I'll treat clever women and foolish women equally."
Princess Alice gave a self-mocking smile. "...I never thought I'd reach a point of having nowhere left to go. I thought that as an elegant princess of noble bearing, I would ultimately meet a prince on a white horse."
"But someone sitting on a white horse isn't necessarily a prince. He could also be a Demon King! Aren't Demon Kings and princesses a perfect match?"
At some point, Roy had already risen and approached Alice. He hooked a finger under her chin. As her head shifted slightly, Alice's platinum hair spilled over her fragrant shoulders.
Her pretty face flushed faintly. She slapped his hand away and lowered her head. "...Roy 'King'..."
Roy smiled slightly. Amid Princess Alice's soft cry, he swept her up in a bridal carry.
During his exchange with Princess Alice, Roy used the Witch's magic to forcibly extract her knowledge into his own mind. Before that knowledge could dissipate, he used his superhuman comprehension to rapidly understand and digest it.
The Witches of this world could be said to be the link most closely matched with Disobedient Gods. After the oldest Earth Mother Goddess lost her divine position, she fell into becoming a Divine Ancestor, and the descendants of the Divine Ancestors became Witches. In other words, Witches were descendants of the Earth Mother Goddess, natural bearers of divinity, and scholars possessing the greatest amount of knowledge about the gods.
During his exchange with Princess Alice, Roy learned much knowledge concerning Witches and Disobedient Gods. However, many Witch magics required Witch blood to perform. Even as a Campione, Roy could not cross that barrier. Of course, he was not interested in the female-oriented magic of Witches anyway.
Several days later, at Mount Murray, the heart of Ancient Jerusalem, Roy returned to the place once more. This time, however, he was not alone. Besides him, there were twenty-seven women, all miko with impressive spiritual power gathered from Japan.
With the instruction Aiwass had given him and the knowledge he had obtained from Alice and Erica, Roy had thoroughly mastered the ritual for summoning a Disobedient God and made it his own. He did not leave it to anyone else. He personally used magical materials to arrange the Grand Ritual, carved complex magical runes in the crucial places, and recited unintelligible incantations to activate it.
Under Roy's direction, all twenty-seven Witches and miko took their positions. This ritual would be led by Princess Alice and Yuri Wanitangi, the two most talented miko and Witches, with Liliana, Ena Kiyōin, and the other miko assisting. Although Erica also possessed Witch blood, it was ultimately too thin. The Knight Princess merely guarded Roy's side and watched the surroundings, preventing any unrelated people from appearing and disrupting the ritual.
"Alice, Yuri Wanitangi, are you ready?"
The burning candles lit up Mount Murray in the night. Roy intentionally—or perhaps unintentionally—walked over to a ten-year-old girl. This girl was none other than Yuri's younger sister, Wanitani Hikari. He wanted to use this method to tell Yuri that if she dared refuse to cooperate or sabotage the ritual, her sister would bear the consequences.
"'King,' are we performing a ritual?"
The ten-year-old girl was not afraid at all. She merely stared at Roy with innocent, wide eyes and asked timidly.
"That's right. Your sister just needs to complete a ritual, and then you can all go home. As a miko, you should understand this sort of thing."
"Okay! I'm a miko sent by Lady Sayaka. I'll definitely complete this ritual for the 'King.'"
The little girl nodded vigorously.
"Good girl!"
Roy slowly straightened from his slight bow, then said in a serious tone, "...Begin!"
The many miko and Witches did not dare delay. They immediately closed their eyes and entered a state of Spiritual Vision. They would use their own magical power to help Princess Alice and Yuri open a higher level of Spiritual Vision, thereby locating the Word Spirit of the Disobedient God and summoning him through Roy's magical ritual.
At the center of the ritual lay an ancient bronze ring. Alice and Yuri soon sank their spiritual senses into the Astral World, muttering as though they had lost their souls.
"He was the greatest king in the history of the Jewish people, and one of the most legendary kings in the world."
"In his dreams, he prayed to God for wisdom. God not only bestowed unparalleled wisdom upon him, but also endless glory, wealth, and virtue."
"With wisdom, he conquered the hearts of his people... He created immense wealth... He built the temple of Judaism... He brought back the Ark of the Covenant containing the divine edict..."
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