Chapter 115
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: The Meaning of the Curse
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“Ugh, urk. Uwaaack.”
“What’s there to even vomit up?”
As the princess lay sprawled on the floor, dry-heaving nonstop, I scanned our surroundings.
This place looked just like it did in the original story—virtually identical.
Which meant there was something here we could take with us.
The proof of the pact between the founding emperor, Donapart, and Elise—back when the Empire was still truly an empire.
There would be a sword forged from Elise’s power at her peak and Radon’s flames.
It was also what held this greenhouse-like space together.
Pull it out, and everything would collapse...
‘Sealed alongside it, huh.’
Its ivory-hued blade exuded heat from its surface, and its immense thermal output meant the unworthy couldn’t even grasp it—but put another way, this sword forged from a dragon’s fang had no equal in the story.
It was tempting, since it was something we could claim.
The seal on this mausoleum was going to break anyway, so there was nothing we couldn’t touch, but it was obvious the roots would rot in an instant.
‘I’ll grab it later.’
Even if I took it, it’s a longsword—kinda awkward for me to use.
The princess was still reeling from the shock, staring at the roots with a troubled expression.
“...This is my ancestor?”
“That’s right.”
“Ha, hahaha...”
She let out a rustling chuckle, then after a long pause, the princess murmured.
“...They’re all really dead, right?”
“If you’re asking whether they’re dead or alive, it’d be more accurate to say they’re still alive.”
Her face paled, just as her unease had suggested.
“Of course, it’s not like they’re alive in one piece. They haven’t died, but they’ve lost all higher brain function. In other words... vegetables. It fits in every sense of the word.”
“...I, I just can’t accept this...”
“This was a seal they had to protect at all costs. Had to.”
That subtle shift in tone made Princess Lilian’s eyes widen, as if she’d heard it meant we could no longer protect it.
The princess hugged her slender shoulders, then bit her lip hard.
“...What happens if that great demon breaks free?”
I could guess the intent behind her question, so I softened my response a bit.
“The Empire has what they pompously call the Three Swords, but there are three Masters. All of them are powerhouses beyond the heavens.”
“......”
“You’re probably thinking that with them around, they could handle it somehow if it escaped. Or rather, you want to believe that.”
“......”
I stroked my chin.
“I can give you a definitive answer to that doubt. I told you before—you can escape. But everyone else, excluding another Master like me, dies without running.”
“Professor!”
Princess Lilian collapsed to her knees and screamed.
“You’re so strong, Professor. Is it still impossible?”
“Utterly.”
The unspoken follow-up faintly conveyed that it was impossible.
“Why? Why...”
I stroked my chin again, lost in thought.
If even Aiden could’ve handled it alone, he wouldn’t have been a mid-story dropout.
Aiden—the strongest superhuman who could pierce the heavens solo, split the earth, and cleave the seas—was still just a dropout.
He’d been consumed by ennui and tedium, living like a vegetable, but his skills were undeniably top-tier—no one could call him anything less than the strongest.
And yet, he’d been killed by a great demon in his own ducal estate.
Whether this was the same great demon sealed here or another lurking in some remote area was unclear, but they were definitely in the same league.
“Well... If you’re asking why it’s impossible, even I don’t have the words. But it’s because they’re shackled by the past.”
“Shackled...?”
To her question about what could oppose it, I replied.
“It’s providence. A challenge to purity. The process of Aer becoming Aiter. They’re devices meant to incinerate the dregs of history all at once and rebirth everything anew.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Are there any living beings born without mana?”
The princess wiped the tears pooling in her eyes and shook her head.
Even wild beasts were born with a modicum of mana in their bodies.
It circulated through their veins alongside their heartbeat and stopped naturally when the heart did—like a second heart, in a way.
“There are three substances of Aer. The magi wielded by those underground, the mana handled by those on the surface, and the divine power of the heavens.”
I held up three fingers for the princess to see.
The purest forms of each element: pitch-black darkness, flawless primary colors, and unblemished white.
All converging at their extremes back to the origin.
‘The one fundamental that concludes all existence.’
A metaphysical phenomenon where water becomes fire, overseeing higher realms.
“Now, demons wield magi, humans and demi-humans wield mana, and the rare few chosen by angels wield holy power.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“In the past, those on the surface wiped out everything underground and in the heavens, turning it all into Aiter. That’s why everyone’s born with mana now. Proof of our victory.”
“And... so?”
“But now people can’t use runes anymore—the mark of wielding Aiter. So all three are back on equal footing.”
I gave her a wry smile.
“So now, we have to decide the hierarchy once more.”
“No way, you don’t mean...”
“In the past, those on the surface swept away everything underground and heavenly. Don’t you think we’re on equal ground again?”
This was the original story’s ending I feared.
‘Ah.’
I knew the original ending. A downfall worthy of the word apocalypse, countless nations obliterated, an endless cycle of plunder and slaughter for scraps—like a true asura realm.
“It’s about hegemony. A war to decide who takes root on the surface.”
“......”
“But this is just the prelude. In the old pact era, they wielded runes to challenge the throne of god and were punished for it. And so we endured three calamities.”
There was once a giant who led the sinners,
a dragon to devour that giant,
and a great demon to finish off those who still clung to life.
“Fortunately, we dodged, mitigated, and borrowed others’ hands to win each time.”
“What do you mean?”
“Cheap tricks. We just postponed the homework. Like leaving toxic waste for future generations.”
“So...”
“The ones who should’ve been wiped out once got sealed away instead. Don’t you think they’ll try to fulfill their role once they break free?”
War upon war, plus the postponed homework.
I couldn’t help but admire humanity’s laziness across the ages.
Of course, I was the one who’d added this to the story.
Before anyone calls it karma, let me say again...
‘I never thought this would become reality.’
Giants, dragons, demons—how cool was that?
With their minions descending into the present, you could churn out infinite content and raids.
Don’t skimp on world-building; scale big from the start, trim as needed without breaking logic, and push the story forward.
As director, I’d made the right call...
“The future looks bleak.”
If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I’d have gone for a brighter, more upbeat story.
Less combat focus, no raids, a cozy world vibe—like that game.
Of course, the higher-ups would’ve axed it if I tried.
‘All my karma, huh.’
As I nursed my headache, the princess looked at me with a gloomy expression.
“...You must have it way worse than me, Professor, and here I am snapping...”
“Don’t waste energy on pointless crap. Buck up. It’s gonna happen anyway. Gotta do what we gotta do.”
“R-Right?”
I waved her off and looked around.
There were no more demon worshippers left here since Bielle said to meet on basement level 4.
They were probably borrowing power from the crazed holy water and corrupted spirits in the sanctuary below the mausoleum to fight together, so resting up beforehand wasn’t a bad idea.
“Don’t overthink it. There are just some disgustingly strong monsters, and lackeys stuck to them leeching scraps. So we smash the ones we see. That’s it.”
“You say it so bluntly and simply.”
“Better than inflating it into some complicated mess. Get scared ahead of time, and you won’t even do what you can.”
Even in this clusterfuck five minutes to doom world, there was a solid lifeline: the protagonist.
Not some rotting fairy tale rope, but a chain tougher than steel wire.
I just had to keep renewing my professorship and raise those protagonists.
‘Of course, I’ll need time to buy until those unreliable brats find their roles.’
Elin turning my office into a beaver dam even after Archchancellor Amelia arrived still lingered in my mind.
“That door over there leads to basement level 4.”
“Really? So how do we go down...”
“Elise’s blessing, right? Bring that over, and it opens.”
“Can we do it now?”
“No need.”
The princess narrowed her eyes, as if asking what I meant.
“She said she’d wait on basement level 4...”
“Yeah, so we don’t have to rush because they’re waiting.”
“...Ah!”
“Let ‘em wait. If I say I’m not coming, they wait. Not like we’re dragging them. We’ve walked enough—time to rest.”
When I suggested she sleep a bit, her eyebrows twitched faintly.
“Professor, you’ve got kind of a bad personality, don’t you?”
After facing that demon, her calling me out on my personality meant she’d perked up a little.
“If you’re telling me to sleep, that means you’re not planning to head in right away...”
“‘Cause screw ‘em.”
“......”
“Make ‘em stomp their feet wondering when we’ll show.”
Time they learned some patience virtues—instead of popping up and being annoying.
Seeing me show true character against demons, the princess gasped in admiration.
“That’s impressive.”
She never imagined I’d unleash my personality on a demon, and clapped like a seal.
“Definitely satisfying, making someone annoying wait after calling them out for a promise.”
I ignored her nodding along in agreement.
Stuff like this is for insufferable Aiden-types.
God, don’t let her pick it up.
After the princess said to wake her later and dozed off, I toured the mausoleum.
I’m no saint either, but that princess actually sleeping was kinda off too.
After circling the not-so-spacious area, I spotted a channel carved into the floor with water flowing through it.
And the odd devices placed beside it.
At first, I thought they were for growing the mausoleum’s roots, but nothing like this was in my memory of the original story.
‘Which means Bielle set them up...’
Why? For what?
As I approached to investigate, I let out a small chuckle.
“I see. So ‘the Imperial Capital is cursed’ meant this.”