Goddess Kingmaker Chapter 1

# Prologue 

 

The Capital of the Caronin Empire, Antias.

 

The world was completely covered in darkness as the dark night came around once a year. Not a little light leaked into the bustling streets and the vast plains.

 

Yet, amidst the complete darkness, there was one place that remained as bright as day—the Duchy of Berk, located on the outskirts of the imperial capital.

 

From the dense forest entrance to the worn-out staircase leading to the main building, torches blazed fiercely

 

Dozens of elite knights, dressed in full ceremonial armor, lined up in two rows to form a path. Below the staircase, nobles and members of the royal family, adorned in splendid garments, anxiously waited.

 

“His Majesty, the Emperor, arrives!”

 

“……”

 

As soon as the announcement rang out, everyone knelt in unison.

 

In their midst appeared Emperor Arnoa II.

 

With silver-gray hair and ashen eyes, he carried the dignified presence of a man in his fifties.

 

Though aged, his striking handsomeness was enough to illuminate the surroundings.

 

Despite his sudden visit in the middle of the night, his buttons up to the neck and his neat uniform revealed his stubborn personality.

 

“….. Where the hell is that bastard?”

 

However, the way he spoke was not very gentle.

 

“Where on earth did Targa go?” he asked.

 

“That, that…..”

 

“Isn’t it obvious? He’s probably drowning in a barrel of liquor somewhere.”

 

The one who scoffed was the emperor’s third son, Grand Duke Erno, a man known for his sharp tongue.

 

Seemingly pleased with something, he had even brought along his wife and children, though his gaze as he surveyed the gloomy mansion was filled with disdain.

 

“It’s worse than the rumors. Is this the duke’s residence or a ruin? Who would have the heart to crawl inside when the house is in this state?”

 

“Erno. Mind your words in front of Father.”

 

Kerix, the emperor’s second son, who had remained silent until now, shook his head disapprovingly.

 

He seemed a little more polite than his younger brother, yet his expression as he observed the mansion revealed his displeasure just the same.

 

“It seems Targa still hasn’t come to his senses, Father.”

 

“…. Of course he hasn’t.”

 

With an irritated grunt, the emperor struck his cane against the ground with a loud thud.

 

At that signal, the royal family and nobles lowered their bodies and bowed their heads.

 

“I thought he was finally keeping quiet, but he couldn’t even last a while before causing this mess?”

 

“Y-Your Majesty.”

 

“Enough. Bring that guy’s bloodline here now.”

 

Finally, the reason why so many people had come to the Berk Duke’s residence, which was no different from a place of exile, was revealed.

 

As if unwilling to wait any longer, the emperor’s face twisted in frustration. At his command, the chamberlain rushed toward the barn and flung open the door.

 

-Creak

 

Through the gap of the old, creaking door, a man in a black robe briefly lifted his head.

 

Locking eyes with the emperor, he stiffened for a moment before hastily kneeling.

 

“Your Majesty. Forgive me. I—”

 

“Bring it here quickly!”

 

But it was not the robed man who had summoned the emperor and his family there.

 

As he knelt before the emperor, the fabric of his robe stirred—his chest moving slightly.

 

“Ah, aang.”

 

The bundle squirmed.

 

A child, no older than seven or eight months, emerged from the folds of the robe as if it knew it was its turn.

 

Golden curls shimmered under the torchlight, peeking out from beneath the dark fabric. Large, transparent pink eyes, round, chubby cheeks—features so adorable that that would make anyone exclaim in admiration.

 

Yet, the emperor remained indifferent.

 

“That’s supposed to be Targa’s child?”

 

“Haph-.”

 

The Emperor’s blunt, almost explicit, speech made several people hold their breath.

 

Only the Emperor’s family members glared at that with a mean expression, as if they found it quite amusing, but the Emperor had not finished speaking yet.

 

“Explain. Why should I believe that this child carries Targa’s blood?”

 

“When the Duke of Berk participated in the great battle in the south about a year and a half ago, this child was conceived. The mother left behind this, saying it would prove the child’s lineage.”

 

The robed man took off the necklace from around the baby’s neck. The emperor held up the ring with the seal of the Duke of Berk.

 

Holding the ring up to the light, the emperor examined it briefly before tossing it to the floor.

 

That was all the confirmation he needed.

 

“So that bastard went to war, and instead of fighting, he went off and fathered a child!”

 

“……”

 

For a long while, only the emperor’s furious shouting filled the night.

 

The chamberlain worried that the child might start crying and make the situation even worse, glanced over nervously.

 

But the baby was surprisingly calm.

 

‘Well. Of course, this is absurd.’

 

The baby, who still had no name, blinked at the emperor.

 

What was the use of being the mightiest empire on the continent?

 

None of the emperor’s sons were worthy of inheriting the throne.

 

In particular, his youngest son Targa, who was an illegitimate child, was always wandering around the battlefield, so it was rare to hear news of whether he was alive or dead.

 

That is, until news suddenly arrived that he had fathered a child.

 

“… …That crazy bastard.”

 

The emperor’s cursing was almost expected at that point.

 

But no matter how furious he was—no matter how much his patience had worn thin—there was one being in that entire scene who had it worse than him.

 

‘I am that crazy bastard’s daughter.’

 

The illegitimate child of an illegitimate child.

 

The forsaken daughter of a disgraced duke.

 

A wretched existence, uncertain whether she would even survive the night.

 

‘And to think… I once ruled over the heavens!’

 

◇ ◆ ◇

 

To be honest, saying I “ruled” was a bit of an exaggeration. My life was comfortable, fulfilling, and without major regrets.

 

I never envied or hated anyone, and I never regretted anything that happened in the past.

 

‘Well, that’s because I was a god.’

 

That’s right. I was a god.

 

The Celestial Realm, the Middle Realm, the Lower Realm.

 

Among the three of them, I lived as a god of the Middle Realm, dreaming of the day I would ascend to the Celestial Realm. I had been living diligently—at least, by my own standards.

 

But my ordinary life plummeted into ruin in an instant.

 

And shockingly, it was all because of a single, insignificant sentence.

 

『Hey, Siren. Come here and and place a bet too!』

 

In the Far East, there is a saying called ‘the play of immortals.’

 

It means that those who are mainly bored and have nothing to do gather and play with each other for small bets.

 

It was the same that day.

 

A group of gods on break had gathered under the laurel tree, calling out to me as I passed by.

 

Judging by their flushed faces, it seemed like they had had a drink since midday.

 

‘Ugh, these drunkards…’

 

I have to be very careful because I will soon be entering the Celestial Realm.

 

Normally, I would have ignored them without a second thought.

 

But that day, I couldn’t.

 

『Siren, over here, over here!』

 

『Arwen!』

 

My best friend, Arwen.

 

She might not have been a particularly powerful god, but she was kind and pure-hearted.

 

She waved at me enthusiastically, and beneath her hand, a celestial mirror shimmered—it was showing the human realm.

 

『You come here too and pick just one person.』

 

『What is it?』

 

『It’s about the Caronin Empire. Things are getting pretty chaotic over there.』

 

As if there was ever a time when the human world wasn’t in chaos.

Having just returned from my latest incarnation, I knew that better than anyone.

For gods of the Middle Realm—who frequently reincarnated as humans—it was common knowledge.

 

So if they were all agreeing that it was particularly chaotic, that meant it was a real mess.

 

『The emperor has three sons, and we’re betting on which one will inherit the throne.』

 

『What are you betting on?』

 

『Obviously, the points we earned in the human world.』

 

I was shocked at Arwen speaking so calmly.

 

How could she so easily risk the precious points needed to ascend to the Celestial realm?

 

I grabbed her sleeve and whispered urgently.

 

『Hey. You can tell they’re thieves just by looking at them. You too, don’t waste your points and get out of here quickly.』

 

『No. That’s true. I heard it from the goddess of fate.…』

 

The information Arwen was relaying sounded convincing.

 

She had apparently heard from the Goddess of Fate herself that the emperor’s youngest son would eventually take the throne.

 

However, knowing how capricious the Goddess of Fate was, it was not something to be taken lightly.

 

‘Yeah no thanks.’

 

I waved my hand telling her to try to do it on her own, but Arwen grabbed my hand again.

 

『Okay, then just have a glass of wine and go. Even if you don’t bet, you can still stay by my side, right? Okay?』

 

After that, well, it was a story that was quite predictable.

 

When I came to my senses, clutching my pounding head, I had lost everything.

 

Not only had I lost all the points I had accumulated over the nine lifetimes, but I had also been kicked down from the brink of ascension, reduced to a mere repeat reincarnation.

 

Worst of all, I had been utterly scammed—by my own best friend.

 

* * *