I’m Going to Destroy this Country

“Lilai. If you’re going to give a gift, do it right. Why would you give this kind of junk?”

“It’s junk? This item is from the Saintess…”

Asili tried to say something, but Goel, looking as if a servant had butted in, glared and then smiled at Isaac.

“Isaac is a very precious nephew to me. He’s going into a place where his life might be in danger. It’s better to give him something much better than an item that might not even work.”

Goel took out a box of a similar size from his pocket. He took the ring case from Isaac as if exchanging it.

Hmm, so this guy wants to switch items.

“Young brother, it’s a gathering with other family candidates. Consider our reputation. Giving such a thing will ruin the name of the Five Great Duke families. Even you, representing the Saintess family, going to the front line where money is worthless, can only give this kind of junk.”

“…!”

The ring offered by Goel looked much more expensive than the one Lilai gave.

It was undeniably a product containing the latest technology. For Lilai, it was an item hard to obtain.

“It’s a special item blessed by the Papacy. It will be much more helpful in the treasure vault he’ll enter tomorrow.”

Lilai bit his lip hard at the sight of the shining ring.

He knows in his heart that the item of the Saintess is not inferior. But it was between a faded old relic and a shiny new item.

Considering the decreasing honor of the Saintess and the rising status of the Papacy and other Five Great Families, it’s clear which one looked better to the nephew.

Seeing his expression, Goel, with a smug smile, tried to retrieve the ring of the Saintess.

“I’ll return this and bring it back… Huh?”

Goel looked at Isaac in surprise.

Squeeze.

Isaac wouldn’t let go of the ring of the Saintess that Goel was trying to take.

He looked as if to say, ‘Who are you to take it?’

Goel awkwardly tried to pry the ring away.

“Isaac…! Didn’t I give you something better? Not this, this one is yours… Ahh!!”

As if to shoo him away, Isaac hit Goel’s face with the ring box that Goel handed him.

Thud!

“My, my lord!”

A flustered Asili held Isaac and stepped back, while Goel covered his bleeding face.

Goel’s servant rushed over in shock.

“Are you alright? We should get a doctor…!”

But Goel, who would normally be furious, smiled and said it was fine.

“Yes, I understand. You probably can’t appreciate sacred relics yet. But that item was given by the Pope himself. It’s much better for you…”

Yeah, damn it, I don’t need any more.

Isaac threw the Pope’s ring into the pond.

Splash!

“Ahh!”

Everyone was shocked when Goel’s item fell into the pond, and Goel rushed towards it.

One might wonder why he did that, but Isaac just smirked.

‘Do you think I would use something imbued with the power of the Pope?’

It’s so disgusting that even if they begged him to accept it, he wouldn’t use it.

And even though it has lost much of its original color due to age, it was still a treasure.

It was a noble item of a Saintess who had fought with the Demon King for hundreds of years. Do they think the involved parties wouldn’t recognize it?

‘I don’t know why the Saintess is considered past her prime… but I do know. Damn it.’

Anyway, the Saintess’s item is worth thousands of times more than dozens of mediocre relics!

Well, they know that too, so they’re trying to discreetly exchange it.

Of course, he himself belittled its value earlier, but that was purely as a mere ring. The story changes completely when you evaluate its value as a relic.

To the eyes of the current generation, it may look like a cheap old trinket.

‘This is a premium item that you can’t even buy with money. That’s why they’re doing this?’

What he gave isn’t even comparable.

That’s not all.

Although its durability is running out, the Skeleton King had a way to restore it to new.

‘Maybe I can restore all the other faded treasures?’

But Lilai, not knowing this, was at a loss for words.

Because the young one seemed to imply that even if it was old and worn out, the Saintess’s item had more value than the Papacy’s.

It was already known that the Papacy belittled the Saintess. For Lilai, the Saintess’s son, it was a deeply gratifying and thankful moment.

Even if it was just a child’s whim.

Goel couldn’t help but feel hot under the collar.

“What is this mess? Get it out immediately!”

At Goel’s command, his servant quickly extended a wooden stick and stirred it.

“I’m sorry! I can’t find it.”

“Why can’t you find something that just went in?”

“It seems it sank deep while we were distracted…”

“Why would it sink deep from just being thrown! Are you simply not looking properly?!”

Do they think they can find it?

It may have seemed like a simple toss, but it wasn’t.

He secretly cast a weight magic to make sure it could never be found again.

It probably pierced the bottom of the pond and went all the way to the bedrock layer below.

Whisper, not knowing this, again praised his master.

[My Master who won’t bend even to the leader of the holy faction! The spirit of not even touching the filthy things of filthy creatures, a true example of the demon tribe…!]

‘Come back at dawn.’

[Excuse me?]

‘I’ll sell it more expensive later with a premium attached.’

[…]

Whisper, silent, seemed to question his sincerity.

[Really, should I retrieve it?]

‘Or should I retrieve it?’

Whisper was disappointed.

* * *

“So, did the Saintess’s ring eventually become young master Isaac’s?”

Upon hearing the words of the escort knight, Goel was furious.

“Don’t even mention that Isaac!”

Just hearing Isaac’s name angered him.

The knight, who was only scolded, was uncomfortable.

“Isn’t the Saintess’s ring a relic that absorbs the sacred power from its surroundings and activates blessings automatically? The Madam has already called candidates for Sainthood. To young master Isaac, it might be even more…”

“Beneficial?”

“Yes, yes…”

The knight was wary, but Goel just scoffed.

“Yes, that ring. Without using one’s own holy power, it’s the perfect item for a child who can’t even use sacred techniques yet. So, the one who chose it deserves praise. But.”

“!”

“To use it properly, you need at least 20 people around. How many people do you think will come to the first-birthday party? All the Saint candidates?”

“That…”

“Public opinion about the Saintess is already bad, and it was originally proposed by Eshua. Everyone thinks it’s Eshua’s trap now. We kept quiet since we don’t have a loss, but maybe 10 people in total will come?”

The venue for the first-birthday party was like Eshua’s bedroom. For the nobles with Saint candidates, it felt like a provocation, so they would likely ignore it.

They would realize their status when they see the barren banquet hall.

Thus, Goel sneered at the naivety of handing over such a ring.

He definitely said it, but…

“What? How many?”

On the day of the first-birthday party, Goel couldn’t believe his ears.

“148?! You said 148 Saint candidates? That many people came? Here?”

“Yes. To be precise, 148 Saint candidates and 3,789 attendants and nobles following them… It seems there’s unexpectedly high interest.”

Goel, holding the back of his neck, had a lot to say but refrained from swearing.

“They’re probably just no-name people flocking like moths to a flame.”

“No, the thing is… many central nobles you’d know, even great nobles like the Marquis…”

“What?”

Goel’s pupils shook.

The servant looked at Goel’s reaction and hesitated.

“And also…”

“What more! Who else came?”

“The Emperor himself…”

Goel couldn’t close his mouth.

Why did those prideful noble brats come?

This number of people, what the hell?