The Goddess Granted Me the [Hatching] Skill and Somehow I Became the Strongest Tamer, Commanding Mythical and Divine Beasts - Chapter 96: King Kings IV

Chapter 96: King Kings IV

I could feel the heavy atmosphere filling the room.

In a rarely used conference room deep inside the royal castle, I sat across from my guardian at the table.

To my left and right sat Douglas and Marguerite, while directly in front of me were Xavier, the Treasurer; Dwight, the Minister of War; and Nicholas, the Prime Minister. The seat at the head of the table remained empty.

Being surrounded by the nation’s key figures was uncomfortable enough, but the awkwardness was made even worse by the fact that everyone was silent.

It felt like they were waiting for something, creating a tense air that made it hard to breathe.

“The arrival of King Kings IV.”

At those words, the heavy doors opened, and a man stepped inside.

He was a robust man in his mid-forties with a thick beard—King Kings IV, the current ruler of the Kingdom of Stessia.

Everyone in the room immediately stood and saluted. I followed their example, bowing my head and maintaining that position.

“Raise your heads. Be at ease.”

After a few seconds, once permission was given, I sensed the others returning to their normal postures. When I lifted my face again, my eyes met King Kings IV’s.

He didn’t seem particularly muscular, but he looked healthy. The wrinkles on his face were striking.

He didn’t feel as intimidating as I had expected. Instead, he reminded me of the kind and gentle lord of my hometown.

“Well then, this is our first meeting, isn’t it, Klaus?”

While I was lost in thought, he spoke to me.

“Yes! It is an honor to meet you. I am Klaus, a national adventurer.”

“Don’t be so stiff. This may be an official meeting, but only your guardian is present. There’s no need to be overly tense.”

I was touched by his effort to ease my nerves.

Just a year ago, I had been an ordinary townsperson. I had heard that even among nobles, only those of certain ranks could meet the king.

Being suddenly brought into this situation had made me incredibly nervous, but hearing the king’s words helped me relax slightly.

“Yes! I deeply appreciate Your Majesty’s kindness!”

I responded with the formal language I had learned during my training as a national adventurer.

With the introductions completed, the meeting began. Once everyone was seated, King Kings IV spoke.

“Now then, I appreciate you all answering this emergency summons.”

I focused on his words, eager to understand why I had been called to this emergency meeting.

Marguerite had brought me here, but I had no idea why I was included in this group.

“In our previous meeting, we discussed many things regarding Klaus. His abilities remain unknown. I thought it best to hear from him directly.”

King Kings IV explained the situation.

“Yes! Please ask me anything.”

If I made any mistakes here, it wouldn’t just affect me—it could cause trouble for Celia and my parents as well.

I vowed to answer his questions carefully.

“The reports state that you possess the skill ‘Hatching’ and can hatch any egg. Is that true?”

“The difficulty varies depending on the type of egg, but in general, Your Majesty is correct.”

I hadn’t tested it on everything, but since I had successfully hatched a phoenix egg, it was likely possible.

“Hmm.”

King Kings IV stroked his beard and observed me closely.

“In the past, when the kingdom’s mage census assessed your status, you had no skills. So, this ‘Hatching’ skill must have been acquired later. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Every year, a survey team traveled through the kingdom to assess people’s aptitudes.

They carried expensive magical tools to check whether someone had any skills and recorded that information in the national registry. Celia and I had undergone the assessment five years ago.

At that time, I had no skills. The ‘Hatching’ skill I have now was granted to me by the goddess Muse.

But if I told the truth, people would either doubt my sanity or accuse me of falsely claiming divine favor—both of which could lead to serious punishment. So, I had never spoken about it to anyone.

“Give me a summary of his background again.”

King Kings IV instructed Nicholas, who stood up and read from a document.

“Klaus, 17 years old. Son of Paul and Talis. Lives with his adopted sister, Celia. Moved his base to the royal capital last year and passed the national adventurer exam. He is also a member of the Tamer Guild and currently has four contracted beasts: a Phoenix, a Rainbow Butterfly, a Petit Golem, and a Crystal Cockatrice. He is currently the most promising young man in the royal capital and has gained the support of the people.”

Hearing my own story read aloud in front of me was embarrassing.

“Your accomplishments resemble those of a hero from a tale.”

At King Kings IV’s words, everyone in the room nodded.

“However, the heroes of legend all possessed more straightforward skills. They led people into battle against monsters and protected humanity.”

He must have been referring to those whom the goddess Muse had empowered in the past. Unlike me, they had wielded powerful skills from the start and had made a name for themselves through their abilities.

“Now then, Klaus. Is there anything you desire?”

King Kings IV asked me an unexpected question.