Chapter 379: The Die(2)
Chapter 379: The Die(2)
After sending the manuscript for Volume 28 of Xenon Biography to the mansion, my heart was filled with tension.
The die hadn't been cast yet. Volume 28 was about making the die.
The actual toss would happen at the end of Volume 29 or 30, when Jin is reborn as the final boss.
I planned for Volume 29 to cover the post-war cleanup and the process of reclaiming Albenheim.
The members of Xenon’s party are important, of course, but since this was a battle for the very survival of the world, an epilogue is essential.
Furthermore, I need to explain Lily’s condition in detail, so the story will likely be longer than expected.
‘Will Mother be able to hold back until then?’
As everyone knows, my mother’s favorite couple is Jin and Lily.
This couple has the largest fanbase due to their uniquely sorrowful love story.
The Xenon-Mary couple is just as popular, but the support for Jin and Lily is much stronger. Or rather, more intense.
Compared to other romantic subplots, I designed the Jin-Lily couple to be easily relatable, so their popularity was inevitable.
And my mother has been one of the most ardent fans of the Jin-Lily couple since long before Xenon Biography started causing such a stir.
‘I just hope she doesn't come chasing after me like last time.’
Everyone probably remembers the scene where Jin is pierced through the chest during the battle with Gluttony and awakens through that ordeal.
As soon as Mother saw that scene, she immediately came looking for me in Helium, where I had fled. She even went as far as summoning Gartz.
I was worried she might do the same this time, but since she’s already had a strong "preventative shot," surely she’ll be able to endure it to some extent.
Of course, if she sees Jin appearing as the final boss and then being reduced to ash by Xenon’s strike...
‘...I’ll worry about that when the time comes.’
Again, this is merely the process of making the die.
For now, I might be able to reassure her by telling her to wait, but after that, there will be no mercy.
I wasn't just saying it; I might actually have to flee somewhere else. I was already planning where to run.
But what else could I do? I had decided on that ending a long time ago.
Even if I show a happy future in a side story, it won't be considered the official canon.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Just... thinking about the future?"
"You must have a lot on your mind too."
Lina, sitting across from me, spoke quietly as she lifted her teacup. Every single one of her movements was imbued with elegance.
I nodded silently at her words. What she was thinking and what I was thinking were different, but there was no need to say that.
Anyway, the reason Lina visited my dormitory today was simple. It had been scheduled that way.
Since I live in the dormitory, I’m naturally out of the loop regarding outside affairs unless there’s a newspaper.
In fact, when the innocent victims appeared, Lina was the first to break the news to me. Afterward, Kate headed to the Church to confirm.
Currently, there are few people around me who serve as such a reliable source of information as Lina.
‘There’s Cecile and Arwen too... but I can’t call on them every time.’
Cecile is busy purging the nobles who conspired with the demon worshippers, and Arwen was only on a brief holiday; she’s been busy from the start.
That’s not to say Lina isn't busy. Currently, the Minerva Empire is in a state where they need every bit of help they can get due to the cascading disasters.
In particular, Leort, who is slated to be the next Emperor, is said to be having a miserable time. It’s been nearly a month since he last showed his face at the Academy.
The upper echelons of the Empire are currently nearing a state of paralysis as the atrocities of the demon worshippers are revealed one by one.
"So, what do you plan to do about the innocent victims? This time it was a setup by the demon worshippers, but real innocent victims could actually appear."
"The Church said they would handle everything. However, if it happens more than three times, the event will be stopped immediately."
"If the Church says so, I suppose they'll handle it. Even if I don't like it."
Lina grumbled with a somewhat dissatisfied voice. The event is being conducted by the Church, not the state.
The state is merely playing a supporting role. That’s why the Minerva Empire is having such a hard time.
On the other hand, for the Holy Nation of Savior, this is an unprecedented golden opportunity. Their prestige had already hit rock bottom, so this was a chance to recover it.
Of course, even if the event ends in a grand success, it will be very difficult for Savior to regain its former status.
"Setting the Church of Luminous aside, what about the Church of Mora?"
"The Church of Mora is tracking the main threads. As you know, it was the Church of Mora that discovered the incident where an entire village was brainwashed."
"I didn't know that. Then, how is the situation in the Empire?"
Flinch—
When I asked about the current state of the Empire, Lina flinched visibly.
She usually maintains her composure at all times, so for her to react like that meant things were worse than I thought.
Lina then carefully set down her teacup with a troubled expression.
It wasn't her usual smiling face, but one that clearly showed her bitterness.
"......I can't say it's good, even as a lie. Have you heard of it? The 'Nest of Demons'."
"I've seen it in the newspapers."
"At first, I thought it was simply because the territory was vast. But that wasn't it. Sigh..."
Lina brushed back the hair that had fallen forward. How bad must the situation be for someone like Lina to let out a deep sigh in front of another person?
Until recently, I had perceived her as a somewhat wicked princess who pressured me, but not anymore. Now she feels like a civil servant being tossed around by an overwhelming workload.
I’m not sure when my perception changed, but I think it was around the time her secret tastes were discovered.
Lina is a princess revered by all, but in the end, she is a human being just like me.
‘She’s much better off than the Ters side, though.’
She really is. If it had been the Kingdom of Ters, they would have tried all sorts of things before I even gained fame.
I waited quietly for her to speak. There was another reason we could talk like this.
Ariel was sleeping on the bed. Naturally, she was photosynthesizing under the sunlight streaming through the window.
"Whew... First, to start with the relatively smaller issues, there's the Stavirk region problem. You like history, so you probably know what the issue is, right?"
"Of course. What did they say over there?"
"What else? They said they have no intention of becoming a nest for demons, or something like that."
As if the disasters weren't enough, the Stavirk side has started acting up too. But the Minerva Empire doesn't have the luxury to worry about Stavirk right now.
Regardless of time or place, matters between nations—especially those related to independence—are quite complex. Furthermore, the Stavirk region has more than enough justification.
During the Race War, the Human Alliance, recognizing their craftsmanship, gave them aid, and they became the Stavirk of today.
At the time, the residents of the Stavirk region were living as indigenous people, so they were able to enjoy enormous benefits.
The problem came afterward. For various complex reasons, they have been crying out for independence until now.
"Well, for you, this is strictly a national matter, so I'll move on. Next is the Kerison Count Family."
"The Kerison Count? Isn't that Jackson's family?"
"That's right. The young lord who made that ridiculous proposal to me and Cecile on the first day of the semester."
Those words clearly revealed Lina's perception of Jackson. To be fair, he was quite a pathetic sight back then.
Anyway, for a problem to arise in the Kerison Count Family... unlike Stavirk, this wasn't something that could be easily overlooked.
The Kerison Count Family was essentially the Minerva Empire's largest source of funding. To begin with, the region the Count managed was far better than others.
Being adjacent to the sea, it could be used as a port city, and furthermore, it could faithfully serve as a trade route.
If a problem occurred in such a place, it would likely be a fatal blow to the Empire, which supports everything with its economic power.
"What's wrong with the Kerison Count Family? Did they join hands with the demon worshippers?"
"We're still confirming. However, the Count of Kerison is someone with a sharp eye for commercial interests. You know how the demon worshippers earn their funds, right?"
"I know... Ah."
"It's exactly what you're thinking."
I think I knew what Lina was saying. It didn't matter whether the Kerison Count Family had joined hands with the demon worshippers or not.
They could just be executed without question. From the Imperial Family's perspective, it was a good way to get rid of an eyesore.
But the point was that the Minerva Empire's funds had been leaking out to the demon worshippers.
As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, the Minerva Empire is a country with an insane amount of money, as its economic power supports everything.
And the Kerison Count Family is a major artery of the Empire's wealth. Even a small puncture would be enormous, but it was more serious because they had essentially become parasites.
"There's a high probability that most of the demon worshippers' funds came from our Empire. There are plenty of people in this world who will do anything for money, so expanding their influence wouldn't have been difficult."
"Then why haven't they made a move in earnest? The demon worshippers are a force that existed even before the Empire was founded. By now, they could have established a whole country."
"That's the problem right now. We don't know where they're spending their money. We're tracking it for now, but... it's not easy."
It was a fairly complex and serious matter. As Musk said, money can't solve everything, but it can solve a lot.
Targeting the slums was likely part of this. If they just threw some money around and proselytized, everyone would believe them.
I didn't know what the demon worshippers' true goal was, but even from the news trickling out, these were things that absolutely had to be resolved.
"Then what happens to the Kerison Count Family?"
"If evidence of collusion is found, the family will be wiped out immediately. If they truly didn't know, that's a problem in itself, so it might end with a demotion. It's a situation far more serious than mere treason."
"The Kerison Count Family might feel a bit wronged, then?"
"It's their fault for not managing their money properly. Even if it's not the Kerison Count Family, general measures are being taken. Someone in our own Imperial Family might even turn out to have colluded with the demon worshippers."
They’ve really sharpened their blades. I nodded as I looked at the exhausted Lina.
If the Minerva Empire handled this situation half-heartedly, it would crumble from within.
A country that collapses from the outside has a chance to be rebuilt, but if it collapses from within, there is no hope.
In fact, the Kingdom of Ters almost ended up like that before barely pulling itself together, and even the royalty there are now living in fear of the people.
"First of all, setting everything else aside, reassure the general citizens. What if the demon worshippers start an agitation? The ones who would benefit most from the Empire's collapse are the demon worshippers."
"That's true, but the news of my marriage to you will quickly quiet things down. We can handle the noble-related issues to some extent on our end. What comes after that is the key."
"Is there something more serious than that?"
"If there wasn't, I wouldn't have come looking for you. This is something I absolutely need to hear your opinion on."
What could it be? I listened more intently with a puzzled expression.
A story that required my opinion... was it related to Xenon Biography or the event?
Lina then took a deep breath and spoke in her characteristically elegant voice.
"You know, right? About the underground temple discovered last time."
"I know."
"That place wasn't just a temple. It was an altar."
"An altar?"
"Yes. An altar to gain special power by offering sacrifices. The stone statue there is also highly likely to be a 'vessel'."
"......"
Well. Another damn 'Why Is This Real?' moment. I wasn't even surprised anymore, so I just nodded.
It wasn't something related to me anyway...
"And as a result of the investigation by the dispatched mages, they even found evidence that the ritual was successful."
"......What?"
What was she talking about? I opened my eyes wide in shock.
The ritual was successful. That meant, in the same vein as Diabolus in Xenon Biography, they had summoned a demon from another dimension.
I didn't know how strong a demon actually was, but I could tell by looking at the demonized mages. I could confidently say they were walking disasters.
If such a demon had been summoned, the situation would become uncontrollably serious.
"Based on the ceremonial items and the human remains nearby, the ritual was performed about 20 years ago. However, the ritual wasn't a complete success. Evidence was also found that someone broke in and interfered midway."
"Then the ritual was only half-successful?"
"In a sense. But a demon is a being living in another dimension. Since they managed to link the dimensions, something from another dimension must have crossed over."
"......"
Wait a minute. Something was strange here.
A ritual performed 20 years ago that was only half-successful due to someone's interference.
"The investigation is still ongoing, but to be honest, it will be difficult to figure out even that much. My brother said it could just be a frog that crossed over from another dimension, so it's hard to announce it easily. That's why I'm asking you. What do you think it was?"
"......Why are you asking me that?"
"Because I feel like you would know. Think about it for a moment and tell me your opinion. I'll try to investigate based on that."
This woman also believes I’m a regressor. However, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. Based on the circumstances, it was definitely me.
Luminous had also told me that I, who lived on Earth, had crossed over here because the demon worshippers failed to connect the dimensions.
But to think there was such a backstory... I didn't know whether to laugh or be troubled.
Of course, it might not be me, but...
‘...I really think it's me.’
The timing overlapped so perfectly that I kept being drawn to that conclusion. Still, to prevent confusion, I would have to lie—
"What do you mean, it's me?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
The voice of a cute and clever girl cut in. Not only me, who was lost in thought, but also Lina, who was drinking tea to catch her breath, looked up.
Turning my head, I saw Ariel, who I didn't even know had woken up, staring at me with clear eyes. Because her stature was so small and I had been focused on the conversation, I hadn't noticed her.
"What do you mean, it's me, Dad?"
"......"
She just gave the finishing blow. Daddy really loves you, daughter.
As soon as I heard those words, my heart dropped for a moment, and then I let out a hollow laugh in despair. There was no escaping this now.
Even I was like this, so I wondered how Lina would react. I cautiously turned my head.
Trickle—
Like a scene from a drama, I could see Lina with her mouth agape, tea trickling down from it.