Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Callias’ Prophecy
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It felt like a book left forgotten in a corner of some library, untouched by librarians.
That was the impression Calias's Prophecy Book gave off, looking so worn and weathered.
Though it had been stored in a dry place and protected with magic and blessings, the wear of time was nothing compared to the marks left by human hands.
The book's tattered state was proof of the countless people who had held it.
Just as Celia is now quietly examining the old prophecies, her ancestors must have also read about the distant past and the far future, over and over again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"It's... really amazing."
How could all of this have been prophesied, and how was it all possible to come true?
Anyone else reading this would have dismissed it as nonsense.
But it was already the past, and the recorded history proved it.
The more she read, the more unbelievable the contents became.
XXXX Year X Month Someone will be harmed by a dragon's wrath.
○○○○ Year ○ Month Squids will cover the continent's sky.
□□□□ Year □ Month A cult will bring a great threat to the continent.
◇◇◇◇ Year ◇ Month A large-scale gambling ring will form. The continent's economy will shake.
... .. .
That was why her ancestors must have read it until the pages fell apart.
She spread the Prophecy Book on one side of the desk and pulled out another book.
─ Prophecy Journal ─
It was another book in relatively good condition.
This journal, believed to be from a much later era than Calias's Prophecy Book, was also an old artifact.
'The other ancestors must have had a lot on their minds too.'
The journal collected the anecdotes of the ancestors who read the prophecies, and it contained their worries.
─We initially found it hard to believe Calias's Prophecy Book.
─The contents were so groundbreaking, we wondered if it was just a prank or a delusion on her part.
─At first, we were skeptical. The moment dozens of the predictions came true, we realized this was no lie.
The handwriting was filled with fear of the prophecy.
─Is she a god who can manipulate the world? Or did she merely catch a glimpse of the future?
─Knowing the future is not permitted for us. It would be an insult to God.
─Calias was our ancestor, but we are merely mortals. Do we even have the right to possess this prophecy book?
─We agonized over it every time.
─Should we burn this book? Or should we pass it down to future generations? In the end, we decided to pass it down.
─However, having read the severe contents of the distant future, we made a decision.
─To cast a spell that conceals the contents of the prophecy book.
─It must be the right judgment for the future.
What did they see?
The contents they saw might have already been the past.
But the ambiguous and cunningly written lines only hindered her guesses.
─With the help of the Tower Master and a priest, we were able to apply magical treatments and blessings.
─We believe our choice was correct.
─We cannot be sure that a despairing future awaits, but we can definitely say it is shocking.
─It was a natural choice as the family members who would suffer from the stress of a future they didn't need to know about would only increase.
And so, the Prophecy Book of Calias was treated to prevent anyone from knowing the distant future.
There was also a mention that there were countless discussions about the prophecy.
─We fought again this time.
─When the prophecy was vague, we fought over whether this prophecy was 'despairing' or 'hopeful'. A new perspective emerged.
─If we interfere with the prophecy, will it still come true?
─If we, who know of the prophecy, interfere, doesn't the prophecy become meaningless?
─We decided to try to find an answer to this proposition.
After that, the sentence was cut off, and a line was written in a frantic-looking handwriting.
─We tried to twist the prophecy that the Marquis would be assassinated.
─We blocked all possibilities of assassination, poisoning, murder, and so on.
─Despite that, assassins came for him. We believed we had succeeded when we prepared with certainty and scale.
─The work went smoothly. We succeeded in eliminating all the assassins. And when the last assassin drew a blind arrow, we couldn't believe it.
─In an instant, the flow of magic was twisted, the protective magic vanished, and in that gap, the arrow shattered the glass window and lodged in the Marquis's head.
─How could such a thing happen?
─Could we attribute this to mere coincidence?
─We didn't stop there and tried again.
─We discovered a prophecy that a merchant leading a large trading company would die in an accident.
─We told him of his future and asked for his cooperation to prevent his death.
─He was furious about his future, but in the end, he took our hand.
─An accident... What kind of accident would kill him? We took him to the desert to prevent all accidents.
─We protected him with magic so he wouldn't die in the barren desert.
─We hardened the ground with magic so he wouldn't be bitten by a venomous scorpion, and protected him with magic.
─From our perspective, we thought there was no way for him to die.
─He had plenty of food and water, and we checked the surroundings so he wouldn't be hit by hail or turtles falling from the sky.
─We thought we could twist the prophecy this time.
─Until a lightning bolt struck from a clear sky and killed him with a heart attack.
─He died from the lightning strike. It felt as if the sky itself refused to let him live.
─After several more experiences, we came to a conclusion.
─Prophecies can be twisted or delayed, but they will happen in some form.
─Because of this, we even realized the terrible truth that the prophecies are written ambiguously and vaguely.
─If... there are any descendants who wish to twist the prophecy, we will cheer them on.
─We failed.
The written account ended there.
Celia placed her hand on the prophecy book.
The magic and blessings cast on the prophecy book were from the past. They were crude and simple in structure.
It was a magic that prevented pages from turning and made characters disappear until a certain date arrived.
If she wanted, she could spend the time to dispel the magic.
But she didn't.
She didn't want to know about events in the distant future.
**** Year * Month The Head Admin of the Gallery will die.
She checked the prophecy for the nearest future.
Probably, the Head Admin will die. According to the prophecy, that is.
That was why Celia could only give a bitter smile when Nerisa talked about the Head Admin.
The Head Admin's death was a certainty, so her question was meaningless.
Swish.
She read the prophecy written on the very first page.
─ The Final Prophecy ─
The Continent is...
Why did the ancestor, Calias, write the final prophecy at the very beginning?
The prophecy, written without a date and left unfinished, was written in a decisive font.
As if it were a certainty.
"What will happen?"
Ancestor. What exactly did Calias see?
But as she lives on, she will eventually reach that sentence one day.
Celia put the prophecy book and the ancestors' journal back into the drawer.
'With the Head Admin's death, everything in the Gallery will turn to ash, I suppose.'
The prophecy will be fulfilled. This time as well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The Gallery was peaceful today as well.
It was noisy with people busy only saying what they wanted to say, and others busy listening to those people's stories.
The ones who only say what they want to say.
They write consistent posts even if it means giving up on life.
What's so different about being a moderator?
The habit of writing consistent posts was something they couldn't give up.
— Head Admin —
Title) Finished chicken skewers today (Delicious chicken skewer pic.jpg) Delicious
💬 Comments
— User1 —
How can you eat chicken skewers every day?
— Head Admin —
Doesn't get boring.
— User2 —
There's an auction house, why go outside to buy and eat?
— Head Admin —
For a walk.
— User3 —
Why a walk??
— Head Admin —
Health.
— User4 —
Huh?
— User5 —
What? Hahaha?
— User6 —
A guy who does gallery-ing for 20 hours a day is worried about his health lol fuck
— User7 —
Walking while looking at the Gallery isn't a walk.
— User8 —
Dude, you should start by cutting down on the Gallery.
— User9 —
Their way of thinking is different from ours.
— User10 —
Gallery-ing is their lifestyle.
— User11 —
For real lol
— Head Admin —
If I stop gallery-ing, I'll lose the Gallery.
— User12 —
Loss of the Gallery lol
— User13 —
Is that why you sleep less?
— Head Admin —
How'd you know?
— User14 —
How could we not know, you bitch lol
— User15 —
It's obvious just by looking at what you do.
— Plant Druid —
Title) Today... the flower bloomed fully...! (Pretty pink flower.jpg) It finally bore fruit...
💬 Comments
— User1 —
Oh, you're really a master. Must be on the level of a queen managing the World Tree or a Druid.
— User2 —
Didn't you say you picked this up on the side of the road before?
— User3 —
It grew really well. Damn.
— User4 —
As expected, they're good at raising things because of their age lol
— User5 —
Wow, a mother-level raising skill.
— User6 —
By any chance, do you also raise mushrooms?
— Plant Druid —
I also... raise mushrooms...
— User7 —
Then, can you take a look at my mushroom?
— User8 —
Title) How's my mushroom? (Mushroom growing on a body.jpg)
💬 Comments
— Plant Druid —
That's... not a mushroom growing on a body!!!!!!!!!!!
— User9 —
LOL LOL LOL
— User10 —
Mush?
— User11 —
Ah lol
— User12 —
This guy is 100% getting banned lol
— User13 —
For real, even the Elf old-timer couldn't stand this one.
— User14 —
Why is there a button mushroom growing on your body lol
— User15 —
Cute lol
— User16 —
Title) What's this mushroom? (A mushroom growing on top of another mushroom.jpg) Can mushrooms grow on other mushrooms?
💬 Comments
— Plant Druid —
This is... my first time seeing this too...
— User17 —
Elf old-timer is shocked lol
— User18 —
A scene never seen in 900 years of life lol
— User19 —
But this is my first time seeing it too lol
— User20 —
What is a mushroom on top of a mushroom?
— User21 —
Is this the mystery of nature...?
— User22 —
Title) Is it okay to eat this? (Mushroom that looks like a red deer antler.jpg) My parents said it's okay to eat.
💬 Comments
— User23 —
You can eat it.
— User24 —
For real?
— User25 —
But you can only eat it once lol
— User26 —
lolololol
— User27 —
Why would your parents give you this lol
— User28 —
Galleries... if you have any sense, eat it now...
— User29 —
Ah.
— User30 —
Get some sense, for real lol
— User31 —
Please eat it lol
— User32 —
He didn't get the hint until the very end lol
— Demon King-chan —
Title) Feelin' good today as well~~ Am takin' a nap~~
💬 Comments
— User1 —
Huh?
— User2 —
It's evening in Maderos right now...
— Demon King-chan —
It's a nap~
— User3 —
A genius who even insults the sky lol
— User4 —
Just do whatever you want lol
— User5 —
Just a normal NEET.
— User6 —
A normal gallery-er lol
— User7 —
Why do you hit me
— User8 —
I've gotten tired too, so I should go take a nap.
— User9 —
Huh?
— User10 —
We don't call that a nap.
— User11 —
What are you talking about, it's still day when the sun is down lol
— User12 —
Which continent is this?
— User13 —
Ah, I accidentally came to Continent 57 lol
— User14 —
A world where common sense has collapsed?
— User15 —
It's common sense to sleep when the sun is out, isn't it?
— User16 —
For real, you should be active when it's dark lol
— User17 —
You have to sleep after your parents leave for work lol
— User18 —
So you don't get caught lol
— User19 —
NEET gallery-ers...
— Hero —
Title) Looking for Hero party members...! (A text file roughly saying it's difficult and there's no reward) The Hero party is always open!
💬 Comments
— User1 —
The strange thing is, no one says anything even when they recruit like this.
— User2 —
Maybe the people who went to find the Hero all disappeared?
— User3 —
Is the Hero some kind of evil mine owner?
— User4 —
For real, if only I could meet the Hero...
— User5 —
No one has ever returned.
— User6 —
Recruiting only those with healthy bodies and no chronic illnesses.
— User7 —
Maybe they just came in and left because it's always open?
— User8 —
?? : Ah, this place is lame, I'm leaving.
— User9 —
lol
— User10 —
So leaving was also free lol
It was the usual appearance of the Gallery.
But could there have been something in the Gallery's consistent posts?
Someone's eyes, who had been watching the Gallery, shone in the darkness.
"Aah... Head Admin. I've found you..."