83
I Killed the Demon King. It Was a Mistake.
Chapter 83
Raven furrowed her brows.
"...Tell me honestly."
"I genuinely don't know honestly. No, wait, I feel like I know something but also feel like I don't know. It's ambiguous."
Magic is spread everywhere and responds to human emotions, showing subtle movements.
Of course, ordinary wizards cannot feel this at all, but Raven is extremely sensitive to magic changes.
So depending on what emotions the other person feels, she could understand the mysterious dance of magic spreading around that person...
'It doesn't seem like he's lying… But he seems to be hiding something... It's ambiguous.'
Raven was about to press further but stopped after seeing the man's stupid expression.
Raven put down her wand.
"This is my private room. Originally, no one should be allowed to enter."
Raven stood up and looked down at the man.
"However, you don't seem to be a wizard and appear to have been caught in this Great Ark Library's strange magic. By any chance, can you tell me how you entered this place?"
That man doesn't seem to be lying.
But if a new magical path leading to this private room has opened, it would be best to block it.
"I entered with this."
The man handed Raven a lens that emitted a blue light like the moon.
Raven carefully accepted the lens.
This is definitely an artifact.
But it's incredibly unique.
It's not a method using magic stones as a battery, but a method that absorbs energy through natural objects.
It's a classic method, but it seems made by a high-level wizard, as the magic floating around this artifact was extremely stable.
"How do you use it?"
"Try using it like you would a telescope or monocle."
Raven followed the man's instructions and brought the lens in front of her eyes and looked around.
"....."
Raven was astonished by the spectacular array of magical formulas that filled her surroundings to the point of feeling mentally overwhelmed.
Hundreds of diverse magics that compose Raven's secret hideout - space distortion magic, gravity chain magic, concealment magic, temperature control magic, search magic - were intricately intertwined to create this space.
Raven was overwhelmingly moved that she could directly see with her own eyes the positions and relationships of the mysterious magics she had only known sensibly.
"...Where did you get this?"
"That's a secret."
"Why?"
"It's similar to how Raven wants to protect this hideout. I want to keep this secret to myself."
Just as Raven has things she wants to hide, this man also has things he wants to hide.
Raven understood the man's words but felt uncomfortable.
So she decided to challenge him.
Raven crossed her arms and pouted her lips.
"How do you know I'm Raven?"
"Wouldn't someone from Homigraph not knowing Raven be considered a spy? Your face has been plastered across newspapers several times."
"That's unfair. What's your name?"
The man thought for a moment before speaking.
"Caesar. Caesar Sylvatil."
"Don't think about lying."
"It's true. I even have an invitation."
Raven looked at Caesar's invitation and spoke.
"I suppose that's not your real name. I can tell whether a person is lying or not."
Raven's eyes could very precisely see how the surrounding magic waves became chaotic when Caesar spoke.
"I do have a complicated backstory."
"I don't particularly like secrets."
"That's my charm. Anyway, return that to me."
Raven was stunned by the man's shamelessness.
Who could stand so confidently and shamelessly in front of Raven?
The only one who had ever treated Raven like this was... Barre, and Barre alone was enough.
Raven instantly pulled the lens to her chest.
"...This will be much more useful to me than to you. I'll buy it if you're willing to sell."
"I understand. But selling such an amazing artifact for money seems a bit off."
"...What did you say? Amazing?"
"So I'll play with it a bit before selling."
"Play with it? This masterpiece?"
"It's beautiful. It emits a soft light when left alone and can show what magic is around."
"Can you even understand magic? You're not a wizard."
"I don't know. But it's beautiful."
Raven burst out in anger. "This isn't just a simple glowing jewel! It's an artifact that might appear once in a century, capable of precisely examining what magic is around and how they interact!"
"But it's mine, right?"
"Aaaaaah! Why does such a treasure go to this idiot!"
Caesar chuckled.
"Then I'll lend it to you."
"...Lend? For how much?"
"Hmm… 1 hour?"
"What? 1 hour? What do you want to do with that?"
"Don't you want to uncover the secrets of this Great Ark Library?"
Caesar's words subtly changed Raven's expression.
"A secret?"
"This Great Ark Library has been modified and used by countless wizards for over 200 years but never collapsed. Aren't you curious why?"
Of course he was curious.
Perhaps most wizards would be curious?
But this problem was a challenge Raven had already given up on.
Not because it was difficult, but because it would take an incredibly long time.
To unravel the library's secret, he would need to dismantle each magic woven into this library and find the 'source magic' underlying it.
It would take a very long time, and he might accidentally cause the library to collapse or get trapped in spatial cracks.
Raven stared at the lens.
'But if I had this...'
With this artifact that could analyze and verify all magic, she might be able to reach the source magic at the heart of this Great Ark Library.
"Anyway, neither you nor I seem to want to enjoy a party. So shall we go on an adventure together? What do you think?"
Like throwing bait to a fish, Raven's mind was swaying back and forth with the lure of curiosity.
'He doesn't seem to have any ulterior motives.'
However, the magic around Caesar was full of anticipation, dancing energetically while quietly suppressing its breath.
Like a cat's excited hip dance.
"...Okay. But can you tell me why you're grinning like that?"
Caesar chuckled.
"Wouldn't anyone feel like this if they met the green eyed wizard? I have strong patience, so I'm holding back wanting an autograph."
"...Is that so?"
"Of course."
Raven looked at Caesar with slightly suspicious eyes, but Caesar pointed to his pocket watch.
"Let's stop this boring talk and go quickly. Only 55 minutes left now."
"You'll really only lend it for an hour?"
"Of course. So let's hurry."
Raven set aside her unease towards Caesar and decided to focus on the moonlight lens.
The Great Ark Library was 100 times more interesting than Caesar.
***
Caesar stared at Raven's back as he moved forward, illuminating various places with the moonlight lens.
'She really is like a cat.'
For most wizards, curiosity is what kills them.
Who would know what kind of person this first-time stranger is and bring him to the heart of the Great Ark Library?
'What am I going to do with this guy?'
She's usually very serious and intelligent, but when it comes to magic or adventure, she completely loses composure.
Who knows what man might carry them off later.
Raven grabbed Caesar's wrist.
"We must enter simultaneously. We might fall into spatial cracks otherwise."
Caesar also gripped Raven's wrist.
"Let's go in."
"3, 2, 1, now!"
Caesar jumped into the void with Raven.
They reached a world where up, down, left, and right were indistinguishable, and space was strangely broken.
Looking up, they saw the party hall interior. Looking down, they saw ravens sleeping on the library roof.
"Are we in the right place?"
"Yes. From now on, don't let go of my hand."
Caesar also gripped Raven's wrist.
And followed Raven's lead.
With each step, the surroundings changed dramatically.
Suddenly entering the party hall and startling staff, causing them to break wine glasses.
Entering private rooms where couples were kissing.
Men's bathroom, women's bathroom.
Between bookshelves.
Ceiling and walls.
Like walking through a dream, the wind's temperature, smell, and visual perception all twisted in an instant.
The only vivid sensation was Raven's pulse flowing through their wrist and her warm, soft skin.
Relying solely on that clear sensation, he walked until Raven suddenly stopped.
Caesar stood behind Raven, looking at a book bathed in beautiful moonlight from afar.
"...Found it."
Raven's pulse beat even more roughly.
Forgetting she was holding Caesar, Raven walked towards the book.
"This is the heart of the Arc Great Library."
Raven placed the moonlight lens on the table and examined the book.
Text in an incomprehensible language was being written in real-time.
'Something feels strange.'
Caesar knows what this book is.
But this book doesn't look like this.
It should definitely be a 'completed book'... So why is it being written in real-time?
And why isn't 'that person' here?
As the scenario diverged completely from his expectations, Caesar also began to feel slightly nervous.
Raven examined the book further with the moonlight lens and turned back one page.
The moon illuminating Raven from the front slightly moved back.
Turning one more page back, the moon moved further back.
Turning back.
Turning back.
As she turned further back, the moon disappeared and a distant sunset became visible.
"Time magic... Can this actually exist?"
Raven felt a shiver run through her body.
It was known that only legendary dragons could control time.
However, this artifact proves otherwise.
Time can be controlled by humans too.
Raven held the Moonflower.
"If I could just analyze this..."
"Right on time."
At that moment, an unexpected presence was heard from behind.
Raven turned around.
There stood a thin man with dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair.
Raven knew this person.
Raven knelt on one knee to show the highest respect.
"I greet the Arch Duke."
Caesar also paid his respects following Raven.
The Arch Duke waved his hand and said, "We have no time, so we'll save the formalities for later. Come and follow me first."
Raven looked at the Arch Duke with a questioning expression, but the Duke was already heading somewhere.
Caesar stood up and gestured to Raven.
"Let's go for now. At least it doesn't seem like he's going to eliminate us just because we discovered this book."
Raven stood up silently.
And Caesar took the Moonflower from Raven's hand.
"And since an hour has passed, I'll take this."
"Ah..."
***
The path following the Arch Duke was smoother than the path walked with Raven.
Unlike before, where space was flipped or teleported, it felt like continuously walking on a path made of bookshelves.
Caesar thought about the Arch Duke.
'This is a first.'
Caesar's reason for coming to the heart of the Great Ark Library was one thing.
To meet the Arch Duke.
The moment he reached that location, he would meet the Arch Duke and receive the 'Arch Completion Scenario Quest' with the Duke's great favor… But for some reason, the Duke's attitude had changed.
'After all, it's just a game.’
Caesar stood in front of a large door, slightly tense.
He used psychometry on the Arch Duke.
-Caesar, I know most of you. So don't even think about reading my thoughts.
-This is the last warning.
Caesar's spine tingled.
His psychometry was discovered.
He had never experienced this before.
How could the Arch Duke know Caesar's secrets?
Caesar looked back the way he came.
'...Could it be?'
The Arch Duke looked at his pocket watch and said,
"Since you arrived quickly, we have very little time left, so I'll take one question at a time."
Raven spoke first.
"Is that artifact capable of using time magic?"
"Yes. But that's not just an artifact. It's an ancient relic."
"If it's an ancient relic, are you talking about the dragon's legacy?"
"Exactly. So no matter how much you try to research it with the Moonflower, using time magic is impossible. Even we couldn't do it."
The Arch Duke continued to look at his pocket watch.
"Caesar, do you have no questions for me?"
"How much do you know about me?"
The Arch Duke smiled and said,
"As much as you've explained to me."
"...What?"
"Time."
Boom!
When the Arch Duke opened the door, the interior was revealed.
The room was a large conference room with dozens of doors stuck tightly to the walls.
Many people entered through those doors.
The problem was that everyone who entered was wearing the Arch Duke's symbol, a 'golden ship' brooch, on their left chest.
The Arch Duke moved to the center of the conference room and said,
"Then, let's start the meeting at exactly 6:06 PM."
The Arch Duke gestured to Caesar and Raven.
"Come here."
Caesar and Raven carefully approached the center of the conference room.
Raven looked at the faces of all the men around her and whispered softly,
"They're all Arch Dukes..."
Oh, that's right.
Their faces are all similar.
Their hair is a disheveled black.
Their skin is pale.
Their eyes are black.
And they have a thin, dry, and somehow sharp appearance.
They were all previous Arch Dukes.
"You two are smart, so you probably understand by now."
The Arch Duke pointed to a man who looked the healthiest.
"Here, this is the Prime Arch Duke, the first head of the Arch family."
He pointed to a young but very sickly-looking man.
"The person on the far right is my father and the previous Duke, the 35th head, Duke Regal Arch."
The Arch Duke pointed to himself.
"And I am the 36th head, Duke Laar Arch. Welcome to the 6:06 PM meeting."