Chapter 6 – Solomon (&David)
"King of Magic, heh? Really, what is it with your world that they put the title 'King' for everything" Loki joked while few others chuckled
"Hahaha, I assure you goddess Loki that only the most deserving got such title" Zelretch said, laughing a little bit
"However, to understand the man himself…we need to first watch what leads to him in the first place" the vampire said as he snapped his fingers, causing the mirror to activate once again
'I wonder what kind of Hero he is…is he gonna be like Gilgamesh?' Bell thought to himself
'King of Magic…wonder what that means' Ryuu thought
'Umm, that title implies he's a very powerful magic user…I wonder if he's an elf…if he is, that means I can use some of his spells!' Lefiya thought in excitement
Lefiya's ability, Elf Ring, allows her to use any magic used by an elf so long she knows the chant and effects of said magic. That's the reason why she got the title 'Thousand Elf', signifying her ability to use a thousand different magics.
'Hmm…a fellow magic user' Riveria thought, curious about what kind of man this 'King of Magic' was. Hopefully not an arrogant bastard like the previous one
It's a small house in the middle of a plain field
A young green haired boy stood, shepherding a group of sheep. His facial feature clearly shows his youth. Behind him was an old man covered in white robe.
"A prophet? I assume you brought some important messages from God?" the green eyed youth asked of the man without facing him
"Your assumption is correct, David, son of Jesse. My name is Samuel and I bring to you the words of God" the old man, Samuel, said with a nod
"Wait, why do they keep mentioning god instead of gods? Is there only one god in that land?" Hermes asked in confusion
"Correct god Hermes, these two are the people of Yahweh" Zelretch answered him
"Yahweh, huh…never meet him but Zeus visited him sometimes back when we were still in Tenkai" Hestia commented which followed by Loki
"Heh, only Odin and Tyr ever visited that guy from where Freya and I came from"
"Our King, Saul, has lost the Lord's favor. I was ordered to anointed you as the new king"
"Well…if that's what God has commanded, it would be blasphemous for me to reject it right?" David chuckled
Samuel lightly laughed at that
"In a few days, a messenger from King Saul will arrive to fetch you. From there, your path to kingship will begin"
True to Samuel' words, a royal messenger arrived 3 days later for David
"The King has asked for your presence"
"Heh, that was quick"
Soon they arrived at the King's court where David can see that the King doesn't look well. He looks troubled and restless, as if he was being haunted by something. After introducing himself to Saul, the King says
"One of my servant has said that you're a very skillful with your harp, and that you are blessed by God…seeing you now, I can feel our Lord's presence within you. Will you play that harp of yours for me?"
"It's an honor, my King" David bowed and starts to play his harp. The sounds generated was so beautiful that everyone in the court were entranced
"Oh my, it's so beautiful" Freya happily said
"Not even the minstrels back in the court can come to this.." Riveria mused
"It's so relaxing that I feel like I don't want to do anything!" Hestia joyfully said
"But you never do anything anyway, goddess" Lily said which earned her a hard pinch on the cheek by the Hestia
The King is beyond impressed by David's skill that he made David his new royal armor-bearer and his personal assistant. Any signs of fatigue and discomfort completely disappeared. Thus David's life within the Royal Court begins.
Then, a war broke out
It's a war between the Kingdom of Israel and the Philistines
The 2 armies face off against one another in the Valley of Elah
For the younger adventurers, it was a surreal sight to watch 2 large armies marching to war. They had participated in large scale battle, sure, but seeing thousands of soldiers facing off against each other is a completely different experience
"So…this is a REAL war" Bell weakly said
"Hmmm, I forgot that many of you young ones have never experienced or saw wars before" Loki said in response
"While it's no longer common, back in the days…wars between races and kingdoms were a common sight" Hermes informed
"Now days, it's mostly Rakia and that meathead, Ares, that waged wars…foolish endeavors if you ask me" Freya muttered
The Philistines' army suddenly parted in the middle, making a path for someone
A massive man, clad in bronze armor and helm decorated with jewelries, appeared. In his left hand, was a massive round shield made of bronze, its surface reflecting the light of the sun. In his right hand, a long spear with cruel barbs. On his back, a javelin. On his wrist, a sword decorated with precious stones.
This man, without a doubt, is a great and decorated warrior
The champion of the Philistines, Goliath
The giant of a man stood in the middle of the field that separated the 2 armies…then the man yelled
"Will one of you fight me, Israelites!?" the man stopped as his gaze meets Saul's before continuing on with his challenge
"You win, and the Philistines will be your slaves! I win, and YOU will be our slaves!"
"What kind of wager is that!?" Bell was horrified while Ryuu looks disgusted as well. Aiz's face was impassive…as always
"It's not surprising really" Hermes said, garnering the attention to himself
"What do you mean by that, lord Hermes?" Mikoto asked
"War was always waged for something…be it lands, honors, and resources…including slaves"
"Some countries even fully depended on slaves to keep their economies going" Loki chimed in
Bell feels like he's gonna puke
'You're still too naïve, Bell' Hestia sadly thought to herself
Honestly, who can blame the young boy? He's like the embodiment of purity.
"The warrior who defeats him, will be a rich man!" Saul shouted
Yet, none of his soldiers step forward even with the promise of riches from their king. They're too intimidated by the giant in front of them.
"Not one man in Israel!? Not one of God's people?" Goliath scoffed
Saul became dejected and, but David suddenly say
"Let me face him, my king" his face is serious
"David…you're no soldier, you're a shepherd" Saul said in response
David about to speak again but Goliath interrupted them once more
"Where is your faith? Where is your GOD!?" the giant yelled
A look of anger crossed David's face as he marches forward
"David…at least use this!" Saul said as he threw a large shield and a spear at the green-haired youth
David just glanced at the items and shook his head
"There's no need for that, King Saul. I promised you this, by the end of the day I will present to you the head of Goliath" he said and continue marching forward to his destination
Soon, the two warriors stood in the middle of the 2 armies
For Aiz and some members of Loki Familia, this sight reminded them of a scene they have witnessed several months ago. A young boy, facing off against an opponent that dwarfs him. Yet, the boy didn't retreat in the face of the threat.
Goliath and the Philistines laughed
"Israel has have a champion!" In his arrogance, Goliath take off his helmet and threw it to the ground. He then gestured his army to stop their laughter
"Don't waste my time, little boy. You're too young to die" he said before turning his back on David with the intention of making his way back to his camp
Thus, David speaks. Amusement in his voice
"You come up to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied"
Goliath stopped in his tracks
"This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all earth may know that there is a God in Israel" David darkly said
Angered by the young man's sheer audacity, Goliath faced his opponent. He will not give this fools any mercy.
Without any warning, the giant of a man sprinted with a speed that should be impossible for a man his size.
However, David is ready for it. In his hand was a sling with a rock, ready to be launched. With his keen eyes, he calmly watches as Goliath getting closer to him…then he slings.
The rock was thrown with such force that it splits the air and struck Goliath's forehead. The Champion of Philistines screamed in pain as he fell down to the ground. He just lay there for few minutes, unresponsive.
Goliath has been defeated, his blood is flowing freely from the wound
The armies of both sides are stunned, the battle was over as quickly as it started. The Israelites cheers in joy while their enemy was dismayed.
"His arrogance is his own downfall" Ottar commented for the first time
"Indeed…let it be a lesson for all of you. Never underestimated your opponent" Zelretch said
All of the adventurers nodded in agreement. Especially in the dungeon where the monsters and the dungeon itself can be unpredictable, underestimating your opponent means death.
After the battle, many people starts to elate David as a great hero. Jealousy starts to creep in within Saul and soon he orchestrated various assassination attempts on David. Even with all of the assassination attempts, David bore no hatred towards his former liege. The green-haired man does not hold hostility thoughtlessly as he considered everything to be parts of God's plan.
Few years after his battle with Goliath, another war broke out between Israel and the Philistines. The army of Israel was defeated and Saul was on the run. David leads his loyal men and ride out to save the king. They managed to beat back the pursuers but Saul himself was dying, his body is covered in wounds. David rushed to the king's side, tending to his wounds.
Saul feels ashamed. Here is the man that he has attempted to assassinate so many times in the past, yet he's the first one to come to the king's aid while his army had abandoned him. Thus, Saul spoke:
"I leave the kingship of Israel to you, David…please forgive me for all of my wrongdoings to you"
"There's nothing to be forgiven, my king. Rest easy and let your soul peacefully departed to the House of the Lord"
Thus, King Saul died and David become the new king of Israel.
"Hmmm, that man might be a jerk…but I'm glad the he redeemed himself in the end, well sort of!" Hestia said, fuming. Lili nodded in agreement next to her
"I think it is true what they said. That before your death…you'll start reminiscing about the past and all of your mistakes" Finn mused
"Still, I applaud David for not bearing any hatred towards Saul. It takes a lot of courage to feels like that" Ouranos said
"Heh, probably thinking that all of this was Yahweh's plan and he just got along with it!" Loki commented
As a King, David's reign was a splendid one. The kingdom become even more prosperous than ever before, mostly due to David's great management of wealth and so the people lauded him as the greatest king. However…he's weak towards women. He have many wives and concubines and still desires more.
"…man-whore" Riveria said, her face showing disgust. Her expression was mirrored by Lefiya and several other females in the hall. Although those who heard her looks surprise at her choice of word. She must be really disgusted to said that.
"Hohoho, that's what you call 'Harem King'!" Hermes whistled with a grin, his eyes turning towards Bell, causing the boy to blushed red. That word earned him a smack on the head by Asfi
"Ehh, kinda resemble some people that I know…" Loki muttered. A god and 2 goddess come in mind.
"Oooh, who are you thinking of Loki?" Freya innocently asked with a smile
Loki just stared at her with blank expression
During his reign, David started to become infatuated with a very beautiful white-haired woman named Bathsheba and wants to make her his wife, even though she's married to one of his vassal, Uriah. He spies on her and use his authority as king to summon her to his chamber. She fell pregnant.
Fearing the scandal, he secretly ordered for Uriah to be placed in a position where the risk of dying is the greatest during the siege of the city of Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonite. Uriah was slain in battle and David married Bathsheba who has become a widow.
The female members of the group are glaring murderously towards David, including Aiz and surprisingly, Freya as well. Seems like the goddess of love is disapproved of such cowardly act.
Even Hermes and Ottar have an apprehensive look on their face
'To think that I have the potential to act like that…' Bell is shuddering. Luckily he has abandoned his dream of creating a harem after that eventful moment involving a certain girl
David's act greatly displeased God and another prophet, Nathan, come to reprimand the king for his sinful act
"What have you done can't be forgiven that easily, King David. Punishments from Our Lord God will surely come and the sword shall never depart from your house"
And for the first time, David truly shows remorse and acknowledges his sin
"You're forgiven, therefore you will not die…but your child will" Nathan cryptically said
"…huh?"
Suddenly, a soldier barged into the room. His face looks troubled
"My King! Prince Absalom has raised a rebellion. As we speak right now, his army is marching towards the capital!"
David was shocked while Nathan say nothing about the situation
"Dispatch Joab…no, I'm going out myself. Prepare the army, we set out in 3 hours!"
Thus it happened
A clash between a father and his son…with David coming out on top of the decisive battle
His son was slain Joab, a commander of his army
David can't help but weep as he cradles the body of his dead son
"O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son!"
Thus, Nathan's prophecy has been fulfilled. The Prince Absalom has died instead in David's place.
While what he has done is unforgivable for many, they can't help but feel pity for the broken man
Although some can't also help but feel that it was some sort of poetic justice
Blood for blood
After grieving the death of his favorite son, David, once again assume his task as a king of his people
And months later, Bathsheba gives birth to their son…Solomon
"You know…when that prophet told him that he will lose a child, I thought that it would be his unborn son" Loki muttered
"Heh, an unborn child bear no sin…that son of his, Absalom, probably already planning to rebel for some time now" Hermes nonchalantly said
"Umm, sir Zelretch…" Lefiya meekly said as she raised one of her hand, making some others to look at her curiously
"Yes, child?"
"I-I assume that the baby is the one that will become the King of Magic, right?"
"Oh, yeah I forgot to make it clear! Hahahaha, I thank you child. This must be confusing for all of you?"
"Well…kinda. You said we gonna watch the life of this so called 'King of Magic' yet none of the people shown in the mirror has shown any capability or skill of magic" Finn said with a weak smile
"Of course, of course. Your assumption is correct, Lefiya Viridis. The baby, Solomon, is the one that will wield that title. It is important to show you the life of his father, David, first before proceeding to his story"
'Oooh…he's not an elf then' Lefiya thought, a little bit disappointed. It means that she can't copy any magic he will use
In all honesty, Bell doesn't mind the long story. It's interesting to see the life of David. His journey from a young shepherd to his kingship was inspiring. Though that one action of killing his vassal…was disgusting. Yet, Bell can't say that David is evil as the man shows his remorse and paid the price for his sin.
Years passed by and Solomon grew while David getting weaker as he aged. Soon, common people start to talk about who's gonna be the next king after David.
"If we follow the normal line of succession, it will be Prince Adonijah"
"I heard that Prince Adonijah has the support of the army and the head priest!"
"But…"
"I think that Prince Solomon is more fitting to be the next king"
"Agree…he has this heavy presence fitting for a king"
"I don't know…Prince Solomon seems…inhuman I must say"
Then, David died of old age. Before his death, he has proclaimed that Solomon will be his successor. This decision angered his surviving eldest son, Adonijah, who waged war to topple his younger half-brother, Solomon.
The war lasted for quite some time, but Adonijah ultimately defeated and there's no one left to challenge Solomon's kingship
Solomon has proven himself to be a magnificent leader and made the kingdom even more prosperous than before. He's just and speak without bias. The perfect king, that's what his people called him. His good looks caused many princesses from neighboring kingdoms proposing marriage to him.
'Hmmmm, reminds of me of someone' Hermes smirked while Asfi is looking suspiciously at her god
'White-haired, kinda good looking, many women likes him…hmmmm' the messenger god continue his train of thoughts
"That guy pissed me off for some reason…" Bete muttered earning snickers from the Amazon twin
"You just jealous, tsundere werewolf!" Tiona chimed in from her seat behind Bete's
"What's that, you idiot Amazon!?"
"You hear me!"
Yet, there's something intriguing about the king. He is dispassionate and rarely shows any emotion. It's almost like…he doesn't really sympathize with the people and everything he said is just a statement of fact. Even so, the people and neighboring kingdoms both respected and loved him.
One night, Solomon is sleeping alone in his Royal Chamber until a figure of light appears at the end of his bed. The sheer intensity of the light wakes up the resting king, whose eyes widened as he stares at the light.
"Am…I dreaming?" Solomon muttered
"No, my child…this is not a dream" the light said. Its voice was gentle and soothing, yet the amount of power and authority behind it are staggering
"That's…a god" Ouranos whispered causing many of the adventurers to look at him in surprise
"Huh? That light is a god?" Welf asked
"Indeed…a very powerful one as well" Hermes said, his eyes narrowing
"I see…so this is Yahweh from that world. I never met him before…wonder if he's that powerful in this world as well" Freya chuckled
"I'm at your service, Lord" Solomon bowed his head and about to get up from the bed to kneel but find himself not able to move his body
"Easy child, no need for such formality" the light, God, said
"What can I do for you, my Lord?"
Though his entire body covered in lights, Solomon can feel that God is smiling
"You, my son, are qualified. Speak your wishes. I shall grant them"
Solomon answered without any hesitation
"My Lord, you has made your servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in
"And your servant is in the midst of your people which you has chosen, a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to judge your people, so that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this great people of yours?"
Thus, God is satisfied
"Because you has asked this thing, and has not asked for a long life; neither has asked riches for yourself, nor has asked the life of your enemies; but has asked for yourself understanding to discern justice;
"Behold, I have done according to your word: lo, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there have been none like you before yourself, neither after you shall any arise like unto yourself.
"And I have also given you that which you has not asked, both riches and honor-so that there has not been any among the kings like yourself-all your days. And if you will walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David did walk, then I will lengthen your days"
Then God continued
"You're indeed possessed the qualifications…very well. Rest, Solomon, son of David" was the last thing God said before disappearing. Solomon, perhaps by some Divine authority, was knocked out as well.
The next morning, the King wakes up and wonder whether all of that is a dream…until he see 10 rings attached on his fingers.
The proof of a Wise Man, personally recognized by God
The rings that granted him true omnipotence
"That is impressive" Ouranos suddenly said
"True, to pick that answer without any hesitation show you the strength of his character" Hestia nodded
Aiz can't help but feel ashamed when Hestia said that. Should she ever be faced with such choice, her answer will be obvious
Strength. Enough strength to defeat that Dragon and save her mother
Does that make her selfish?
"…Aiz?" Bell said worriedly, Ryuu is also looking at her in confusion
"…it's nothing" was her answer
Sometimes, Solomon just sit in his throne emotionlessly and he just gaze all day long. It is as if he's seeing something that nobody can see. Some speculated that the king can see the future and that is why he's able to make every decisions correctly.
One day, two women seeks an audience with him. He's curious with what they want made his way into the center of the city where the women have been waiting, with a baby in their middle. A large crowd already gathered, trying to see what's going on.
"What's wrong?" Solomon said in his usual dispassionate voice
"Oh, my lord, this woman and I dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And three days afterward, this woman also delivered a child. There're no one else in the house except for the both of us
"And then, the child of this woman suddenly died in the middle of the night, because she accidently smoothers him in her sleep. She woke up in the middle of the night and took my son from me and laid her dead child in my bosom.
"When I woke up in the morning to feed my child, he's dead! But when I observed him, the child is not my son whom I did bear" the first woman said
"No, for the living one is my son, and your son is dead!" the other woman said, pointing an accusing finger at the first woman
"No! But your son is the one that died, and my son is the living!"
Both women continue to accuse each other. Even the crowd is confused on what to think of this strange case and how to solve it.
"Ummm…" Hestia muttered
"This is a complicated case…" Freya mused
"For a mortal, that is" Hermes chuckled
"Huh? What do you mean Lord Hermes?" Haruhime asked the blonde god
"Hmmm? You forgot that mortals can't lie to deities, right?" Hermes said with a smile
"Oooo"
"We already knew who's the real mother is…we're just curious on how this guy going to solve this case" Loki said as she took a sip of her wine
"I think the second woman is lying…" Ryuu said
"Huh? What do you mean Ryuu?" Bell asked of the elf
"The way she speaks, her tone, and her expression…all of that seems fake to me"
"Wow, you're incredible!" Bell excitedly said, his eyes sparkling
"….t-thank you"
Aiz is pouting at their interaction, while Hestia and Lili are glaring daggers at them
Solomon is sitting on his chair that has been provided by the soldiers. His face not showing any emotion
"One said: this is my son that lived, and your son is the dead; and the other one said: No, but your son is the dead, and my son is the living" he summarized what he has heard
Then he gestured to a soldier
"Fetch me a sword"
The soldier nodded and gave the king his sword
"Eh…why did he need a sword?" Tiona asked, confused
Finn, Gareth, Riveria, and Ottar narrowed their eyes
"Divide the living child into two, give half to the one, and half to the other" The king nonchalantly said, surprising the crowd
"WHAT!?" was the most common response among the occupants of the hall
"What kind of solution was that!?" Tione yelled
"…that's just cruel" Lefiya muttered darkly
Even Riveria and Ottar just shook their head, disappointed at the king's solution
However, the deities seem to understand Solomon's intention
The first woman looks shocked at the King's decision before bowing her head to the ground
"Oh my Lord, please give her the living child! I beg of you, please don't kill the child!"
"Then it shall be neither mine nor her, divide the child!" the 2nd woman said, earning her glares from the crowd and the 1st woman
"Oh…so that's what he's after" Finn said, a smile on his face
"The best solution indeed…it shows the true color of the women" Gareth said
"Indeed. The real mother readily give up her child to spare him from death. There's no question and doubt who's the real mother" Riveria nodded in agreement
"Wow, Ryuu…you correctly guessed it!" Bell said with a smile to the elf
"I-I spent a lot of time reading people…so I know when they're genuine or not" The elf said with a blush, feeling embarrassed by his praise
Solomon give the sword back to the soldier and motioned his head to the 1st woman
"Give her the child, for she's the real mother" and he left his position to return to his residence
The crowd cheered loudly at the king's judgement and words start to spread across Israel and the neighboring kingdoms, of the event and of Solomon's judgement. Thus, their respect and fear for him grew
His 10 Rings however, will finally show its true power
It's in the middle of the night, and Solomon stood alone in the middle of the underground chamber he has ordered to be built. The rings starts to glow and he say
"Come"
And behold, shadowy figures of various sizes suddenly appeared all around him. They all have one thing in common, they resemble some kind of a pillar or a stake. There are 72 of them in total, and they all wield great power.
"W-what the heck!?" Loki freaked out, even Freya is narrowing her eyes
"These feelings!" Finn said as his toes start to twitch
'They…each of them is more powerful than Revis' Aiz worriedly thought
The fight against the Creature was a tough one for the Level 6 adventurer, and it was thanks to the boy sitting next to her. The bell sounds generated when he activated Argonaut had helped her to push back the black flames inside of her, canceling Avenger, and finally defeated Revis.
"Oi vampire! What are those things!?" Loki shouted to Zelretch
"Hmmm? In my world, we call them the 72 Demon Gods or the Lesser Keys of Solomon" Zelretch said, his tone is so relax when he said that. It's like he's talking about the weather instead of casually mentioning the term 'Demon Gods'
"D-Demon Gods?" Hestia squeaked
"And there're 72 of them!?" Riveria urgently said
'D-Demon Gods? So they're like evil gods?' Bell thought
"We have come" a voice said
"What do you wish of us?" another voice
"The Rings Bearer…"
"Speak, and we will do our best to grant it"
"Tell us"
"Tell us"
"Tell us"
"Very well" Solomon said with a small nod
"You all shall become my familiars and my shadow, and to do everything I order you to do"
The Demons look like they want to protest but they all begrudgingly nodded and melted into one shadow that always follows Solomon
"H-he made them his familiars!?" it was Bete
"To have authority and allegiance of those creatures…it's a terrifying ability" Finn muttered
For some reason, these 'Demon Gods' reminds him of the Demi-Spirits they had fought sometimes ago
"Aye, must be something to do with those rings" Gareth commented
"Honestly speaking…even the entire Orario won't be able to stand against those 72 Demons" Riveria said, she's purposely omitted out the term gods as she doesn't see them as gods
'Hmmm, I wonder if I can create something that compel monsters to obey…' Welf thought to himself
"Your world truly is something, Kischur" Freya chuckled, earning a small laugh from the vampire as well
This time, Solomon stood alone in the middle of desert
He looked around, making sure that there're no one within the radius of 5 km
He start chanting in the old language of Israel
And then…dozens of magic circles appeared in the air, causing a wanton destruction around him
Wind, lighting, fire, ice, and various other elements spew out from the circles
It reach the point where there are probably more than 100 magic circles floating in the air, unleashing hell
Finally, the bombardment of magic ceased and Solomon no longer stood in the middle of a desert
It is now nothing but hell. Flames endlessly burning, impregnable ices covering the ground, massive holes created by lightning strikes, raging hurricanes…this is the true power of Solomon
Everyone just gaped at Solomon's display of power
"Yup…stupidly overpowered" Bete said in shock, which is rare for him
Even Riveria can't help but feel inadequate after watching Solomon's power while Lefiya is trembling, intimidated by the scale of power disparity between them.
Bell' eyes are sparkling as he's trembling in excitement
'This…this is the power of a hero!' he thought
"…Hey Ouranos, what level do you think he is?" Hermes asked, his eyes never leaving the mirror
"…around the same as the King of Heroes" Ouranos answered
"L-level 12 or 13 huh" Tiona said
Even Ottar is looking at the man in wonder
A small satisfied smile appeared on Solomon's face
With one flick of his fingers, the landscape of hell he has created just a moment ago disappeared…only to become a desert as it once was
"Huh? Is all of that magic is just an illusion?" Asfi asked
"Nope, this is one of the skill possessed by Solomon, Territory Creation. It allows him to create or alter territories as he wish. You remember that huge temple in the middle of the city? It was created by this skill" Zelretch laughed
"T-that's insane!" Riveria said
"Such skill is completely broken! It's an ability that can put him in the same realm as the gods!" Loki said, her body is trembling
"Loki is correct, such skill should not be possible…nay, it should not have happened In the first place" Hermes said
"Honestly…this is even more impressive than Gilgamesh' weapons!" Gareth lightly laughed
'If only we have people like him in this word…we will definitely have much easier time dealing with Evilus...and so many won't have to died' Finn grimaced
Zelretch just give them a small smirk
'I'm enjoying this a little bit too much' the vampire thought
One day, a foreign entourage arrived in Jerusalem
The Queen of Sheba has arrived
She's a woman of great beauty. She's a well-endowed woman, with brown skin that is similar with Solomon's own, long purple hair, and…cat ears? Or is it Fox's?
"Such beauty!" Hermes joyfully exclaimed, before being smacked once more by his irritated captain
Even Bell had to admit that she's probably one of the most beautiful woman he ever seen as he just can't avert his eyes from her
"Bell…is a pervert" Aiz whispered while Ryuu is refusing to meet his face
It feels like his heart has just been stabbed by a Juggernaut
The Queen has heard of the wisdom of King Solomon and wanted to test him herself, whether he's as good as the rumors said
After the welcoming feast, the Queen said to the King
"I heard that you're a wish and clever man, but I wish to see it with my own eyes. I will give you some riddles for you to answer, how's that?" The Queen cheerfully said
Solomon just waved his hand, signaling her to start with her riddles
"Okay, 1st one. Seven exit and nine enter, two pour, and one drinks"
"Heh, that's a tough one" Loki muttered
"Indeed…even I'm not sure what the answer is" Freya commented as she starts thinking for the answer
"What do you think, Riveria? All that time spent reading books, you should know the answer, right?" Gareth laughed
"Shut it Dwarf! I don't read riddles" Riveria growled
"Surely, seven days of menstruation exit and nine months of pregnancy enter, two breasts pour and the baby drinks" Solomon calmly said without missing a beat
"Correct!" Queen of Sheba said as she clapped her hands
Everyone that is drinking spat it out from their mouths
"What kind of riddle was that!?" Lefiya yelled, blushing. Even Tiona and Tione is blushing
"HAHAHAHA, glorious! I'll ask this riddle to the other gods!" Hermes laughed
"Don't you dare, Hermes!" Hestia screamed
"Why are you all so embarrassed about it? That's actually a very good riddle" Freya chuckled
"I agreed, my Lady" Ottar said in agreement
"Of course it's you that will have no problem at all with that kind of riddle, Freya!" Loki yelled
"Because there's nothing wrong about it at all"
"Arghh!"
'Wow, they're all arguing about it' Bell thought. The 2 girls beside him still saying nothing at all
"Okay, another one. There is an enclosure with ten doors: when one is open nine are shut; when nine are open, one is shut"
"The womb, the bodily orifices, and the umbilical cord"
"Very good! Living, moves not, yet when its head is cut off it moves"
"A ship made from a tree in the sea"
"Wow, seems the rumors about you is no exaggeration after all. What was that which is produced from the ground, yet produces it, while its food is the fruit of the ground?"
"A wick"
"Ok, here's another one-"
The Queen threw in another fourteen or fifteen riddles, yet Solomon answered all of them correctly
"That's…a lot of riddles" Finn mused
"And he answered all of the correctly!" Tione said
"Perfect! I have all of them saved up in my notebook!" Hermes said, laughing
"…please don't cause any problem, Lord Hermes" Asfi sighed
Satisfied, the Queen left Jerusalem few days afterward. Unknowingly, already pregnant from a short tryst with Solomon.
One day when he's sitting alone in his throne room, shadowy figures appeared from the ground
"Why?" one figure asked, Barbatos
Solomon just raised his brows questioningly
"Why have you done nothing?" Paimon
"Your clairvoyance allow you to see the future thousands of years from now" Belial
"We see what you see" Gremory
"You knew, of the nature of humanity" Andras
"The life of humans is nothing but suffering" Agares
"Why are you so indifference about them?" Valak
"God has given you mighty powers" Flauros
"So why? Why haven't you fix them?" Astaroth
"Surely if you speaks of it, they will change" Aamon
"Because there's nothing to fix" Solomon calmly answered them
The shadows are trembling in rage after hearing the man's answer
"Are you blind, Solomon!?" Marbas
"You saw the future! The countless wars they will waged against one another, and yet you said there's nothing wrong!?" Bael
"If you act now, all of those bloodsheds can be avoided. Mankind can at least live their life more peacefully" Sitri
"I'll speak no more of this" Solomon resolutely said
Seeing there's nothing they can do to change Solomon's mind, one by one they disappeared and melted back into Solomon's shadow
"Very well, we'll speak nothing more about this, O Greatest Fool of Mankind" Marbas said in mocking tone before he too disappeared
Then, it's all silence in the throne room
"That…is something" Welf said
"Hmmm, so the demons are worried about for humanity?" Mikoto asked to no one in particular
"Well, you can said that…though I do understand why Solomon is not acting at all" Hestia answered her Child
"Why is that? The demons said that it can bring peace, right?" Lily asked Hestia
"It's complicated" Ouranos answered
"And it would be better if we don't discuss any more of this" the aged god said with authority
Nobody complained
'Huh, I wonder what they all mean…' Bell thought, still confused with what's going on
In that Age, only those who are blessed by or directly related with the gods able to wield the power of magic and magecraft. However, their number are few while monsters and great beasts are plentiful. To give the common people a greater fighting chance, he introduced a concept that established a 'phenomena operation technique', magecraft that could be performed by the hands of the common people.
So great was that accomplishment, people from the neighboring kingdoms start call him 'The King of Magecraft' even though he never utilized it.
It was the only miracle, a revelation, he ever accomplished in his life.
Eventually, Solomon ruled Israel until he died of old age and his death marked a great acceleration in the decline of mystery, which will leads to the end of the Age of Gods.
Several months before his death, he ordered the 72 demons to go and search for precious stones. After he is sure that all 72 demons have left to carry out his task, he stood at the balcony of his palace.
He raised his hands to the heaven and say
"O Heavenly Father, I return to you your blessings. Omnipotence is too much for humans to handle. My work shall be done within the limitations of mankind"
And the rings slowly dissipating from his fingers, signaling that God has accepted the return of his gifts.
The one and only 'human' heroic legend attributed to Solomon
…
The King of Heroes, Gilgamesh, started the separation between the gods and humanity
Solomon accelerated it
Note:
If you noticed it, I used some of the sentences from the Bible and the documentary by History Channel.
Regarding Solomon's display of his magic, I took some liberation about it. We never really see Solomon fight before and the only thing we knew is that: He won his Holy Grail as a Caster class, and Goetia's statement that only a full-powered living Solomon has the chance to stop him (Excluding Ars Nova as even Goetia doesn't know about it). I also just assume that Yahweh/God actually exist in Danmachi but never leave tenkai/heaven
Some of you are asking why I don't mention Alaya or the Counter Force in the previous chapter. The reason is…it will be boring as only the gods are hearing about it. I want the explanation of Alaya and her Guardians took place where everyone can heard it lol. Probably will see if I can squeezed it in the background story of the Greek characters (It was said that Alaya and the Counter Force was responsible for the destruction of Atlantis, forcing the Greek gods to relocated to mainland Greece)
For now, only one Beast will appear the story and you should already knew who it is hahaha (Arturia's story)
Next chapter will be another break and the chapter after that will be of Asterios (& Theseus)
Confirmed Fate characters (For now): Asterios, Heracles, Achilles, Medusa, Karna, Cu Chulainn, Siegfried, Arturia (and her Knights/Merlin), EMIYA (Much much later).
Also, just finished reading Sword Oratoria Light Novel Volume 12…I need to change some of the casts' interaction and behavior after this chapter
Sorry for any grammatical/structural errors. Hope you enjoy the story!