189. Fate
189. Fate
- 1 -
"Are you saying the war here has ended?"
The voice of Saintess Esther, clad in silver armor, echoed through Yohan's office. Her clear eyes held a question.
"Yes. That is correct."
Adelaide, the heir of the Border Count, answered cautiously.
A delicately prepared bloom of regret surfaced on her face.
"By the time I received word that the Saintess would be coming to mediate the conflict here as well, the agreement between Zenota and Hysen had already been concluded."
"Is that so? That is truly wonderful."
Adelaide fell momentarily silent at the armored saintess's gentle smile.
'They've come anyway, I see.'
Her face remained outwardly calm. But Adelaide's inner thoughts were complicated.
One of the Holy Kingdom's primary sources of income was the money and concessions received in return for mediating wars. Moreover, they often charged a certain fee even for wars that had already ended.
From the perspective of Ironfield or Hysen, it was literally money going out for nothing.
'I must minimize whatever we have to give.'
This was a matter of responsibility that would inevitably fall upon her, even if it wasn't her fault.
Adelaide's shoulders grew heavy.
"Well then. I shall take my leave."
Adelaide was momentarily flustered when Esther unexpectedly rose from her seat.
It was because her demeanor was so drastically different from the saintesses who always made difficult demands.
"You had... no other business here?"
"Yes. That is correct. The mission assigned by the Holy Kingdom was clearly the mediation and peace of this region. But if the war has already ended, then my mission here is complete."
As Adelaide watched her answer with a sincere smile, she cast a brief glance of doubt.
But that doubt quickly subsided.
For there was no falsehood in the saintess's eyes.
'So there were still people like this left in the Holy Kingdom...'
Adelaide's heart grew remarkably generous.
All the saintesses she had met until now possessed the power and beauty befitting the position, but their character was invariably nothing more than vulgar.
As such, Esther's appearance struck her with a refreshing shock.
Paat!
"...!"
Having received such a good impression, Adelaide couldn't help but feel worry seep into her heart at Esther's sudden, startled expression.
She cautiously asked the saintess, who was staring wide-eyed toward the east.
"...What is the matter, Saintess?"
As the eldest daughter of the Ironfield Border Count, who had long governed herself and observed others, she could read multiple emotions in Esther's eyes.
Clear alarm, fear, and finally...
'Joy?'
"...No. It is nothing. I must have been mistaken."
However, as she shook her head and smiled again, Esther's face was remarkably peaceful. If Adelaide had not just witnessed that agitation, she would have doubted her own eyes.
'This feeling... it's just like the feeling I had when I received a revelation.'
Esther's heart was pounding fiercely.
She was only maintaining her outward appearance through superhuman patience.
The appointment of a saintess is carried out through only one procedure.
That is, the revelation of Heaven.
And historically, that revelation has always, without exception, been carried out through the advent of an angel.
In other words, Esther was currently feeling 'a sensation as if an angel had descended upon the surface'.
Having lived her whole life under God's grace, she couldn't help but wonder what this sensation was.
'But something is different.'
Furrowing her brow, Esther fell into thought.
It clearly wasn't an angel descending upon the surface. If such a massive divinity had appeared, she should be able to feel its presence even now.
'If so, then it must be a different cause...'
Esther thought of the prophecy and precognition granted to saintesses as a power of Heaven. And she immediately made a decision.
Originally, she had planned to visit the Zenota government first, but this time she decided to go to the Hysen royal capital first.
Because it was certain that the source of this 'revelation-like feeling' was in the east.
"Thank you, Lady Adelaide. I shall be going then."
"Ah, yes."
'I must find it.'
Esther felt a pull akin to fate from that precognition-like feeling.
- 2 -
At the same time, in the capital of Hysen, there was one who found herself in a situation similar to Esther's.
"...!"
A woman hiding within the shadows turned her gaze southward.
The beauty mark near her eye glimmered faintly before subsiding.
'This feeling... it's closer than before.'
The premonition she had lived with her entire life was now resonating more intensely than ever.
At this moment, she cursed her own circumstances.
- I am a Shadow.
The light held in her beauty mark was, this time, an expression of genuine emotion, not magic.
Her eyes, which revealed no sorrowful feelings, quietly closed.
- 3 -
I stopped breathing for a moment as I watched the status window rise up.
The first thing that caught my eye was the 'Class' column.
『Grade - Elite』
『Class - Lich』
'As expected, this one didn't change.'
In the game, the higher class of a 'Sinister Necromancer' had also been Lich.
It was an extremely common occurrence for a Lich to be mentioned as a superior existence of a Necromancer. There was no need to elaborate further.
Nor was there any need to worry. The changes that had occurred in me were different from the Lich in stories.
I hadn't transformed into the appearance of an undead, nor had my flesh and muscles disappeared, leaving my skin clinging to the bone.
Seureureuk.
With a light gesture in the empty air, water and light gathered to form a mirror of magic.
My reflection within it was still beautiful.
Pale yet vibrant skin, violet eyes shimmering with magic. The newly acquired power made the aura of my appearance seem even deeper.
I stared for a moment at the light of magic glistening over my pupils, then lowered my gaze to examine my trait window.
『Traits - Necromancy, Lofty Profundity, Alpha Tester, Elementalist, Soul Mage, Black Sea, Advanced Specialization: Swordsmanship, Magic Combat, Requiem for Divinity, Lord of Necropolis』
The trait window had become much simpler than before. Among them, the most eye-catching was the changed trait.
The 「Nobility」 that had always aided me since arriving in this world had transformed into 「Lofty Profundity」.
'Lofty and black. Or perhaps profound... I suppose.'
I did have questions.
There were many words that could give a higher sense of 'Nobility'— 'Dignity,' 'Solemnity,' or 'Sublimity,' for instance.
But why, of all things, did a word encompassing loftiness and profundity emerge?
'Perhaps because I am a demon.'
There was surely a hidden meaning, but I couldn't know it right away.
The grade was still Legend. But the name surely hadn't been the only thing that changed.
『Lofty Profundity - It draws the beholder into depths beyond measure. Impurity cannot reach it, chaos cannot shake it, and the one who looks shall sink into silence.』
Reading through the trait's description, I gave a slight bitter smile.
It was because the things I had previously felt only vaguely were now stated far more clearly there.
『■ Poised Conduct - An impeccable bearing.
■ Purity - A cleanliness that transcends defilement.
■ Calmness - A rationality that transcends chaos.
■ Aristocratic Charm - A fascination drawn by loftiness.
■ Charisma - A presence that captivates the masses.
A composite trait combining the above characteristics.』
An explanation that instantly clarified various situations that had occurred around me until now.
On the other hand, it also resolved some of the anxiety I had harbored.
'So they are all just things that adorn my appearance.'
Every trait except 「Calmness」 was composed of outward appearances, not personality.
There didn't seem to be any element that changed my inner self into something else.
Below that, there were also details about me that I hadn't known well.
『Hereafter, your innate nature is enhanced.
□ Aptitude Assessment - See the brilliant potential in others or objects.
□ Insight into Evil - Penetrate the essence of darkness within sentient beings.
□ Strategic Eye - Read the flow of victory and defeat.
□ Deep Charm - You are a person who becomes more attractive the more one looks.
□ Talent of a Monarch - Speech, conduct, and charm as a leader.』
This both pleased me and made me feel a strange sensation.
To think that what I believed had helped me navigate crises in this world was merely a slight enhancement of my abilities.
'Should I say I was deceived?'
Of course, no one had deceived me. I had simply not understood myself properly.
'"Insight into Evil"... huh.'
The assessment that I had originally possessed 'Talent of a Monarch' or 'Charm' was perplexing, but what complicated my feelings the most was this.
The remnants of the dark deeds my family from my original world had left upon me.
I hadn't expected the experience I'd accumulated executing countless criminals to manifest in this way.
Shaking off the bitter feeling, I turned my gaze next.
『Traits: ... Elementalist, Soul Mage, Black Sea ...』
What caught my eye were these three legend-grade traits.
I could guess the former two just from their names. They must be the integration of traits related to multiple elemental magics and soul magics into one.
Of course, it wasn't a mere integration. It felt like rising to a higher level of understanding.
Hwareuk—!
I could feel it vividly just from the magic flowing and burning in my hand, without even needing to read the trait descriptions.
The flow of magic had become smoother, and the result was far more intense.
Magic that previously required my full power could now produce the same might with only half the effort.
Could there be any clearer evidence than this?
『Black Sea - The source of magic whose depth is unfathomable. All flows return here in the end, and its power deepens endlessly.』
The final trait, 'Black Sea', was a bit more special.
It had been formed by combining the magic over-adaptation and control abilities I originally possessed with the 'Mana Plunder' trait absorbed this time from Arpina's body.
『Mana Plunder - Your talent for stealing and controlling the mana of others is not ordinary.』
Simply put, it meant that the efficiency and output of the things I could already do had greatly increased.
Additionally, since the total amount of magic itself had increased, the upper limit of the power I could use had also risen.
『Necromancy - A ruler of death. Corpses move according to his will, souls answer his call, and life fades at his fingertips.
■ Necromancy
■ Special-grade Specialization: Dark Magic
■ Special-grade Specialization: Curse
A composite trait combining the above characteristics.』
The last thing I checked was, unsurprisingly, the traits related to Necromancy.
The first thing that caught my eye was the subdivided specialization entries.
I had wondered where the specialization for curses had gone, and it turned out it was integrated right here.
The details about dark magic and necromancy, which hadn't been specified before, were now displayed like this, probably thanks to my 'Necromancer' trait also being promoted to 'Legend' as I reached 'Elite'.
『Lord of Necropolis - The absolute one who rules the city of the dead. Be praised eternally.
■ Army of Necropolis - The highest stats of the Skeleton army following you increase.
■ Lord of Skeletons - As the number of your Skeleton army grows, your magic increases slightly, and your resistance increases minutely.
■ Monarch's Grace - Temporarily, the increased abilities of all Skeletons in the army can be concentrated upon entities with a rank of 'Knight' or higher.
A composite trait combining the above three characteristics.』
The Necropolis Lord trait, which pairs with Necromancy, had also been promoted to 'Monarch' and its details had been established.
Now, among those who followed me, there were entities designated not simply as 'member' but with titles like 'Knight' or higher.
『Traits - ... Consul of Necropolis』
For example, Evangeline.
Perhaps reflecting that she was an entity focused on governing as my proxy, the name differed from the 'Chancellor' title she was called within the army in the past, but it properly inherited the meaning.
『Consul of Necropolis - The one who oversees your domain. Gains additional stat bonuses to technique and magic, and draws power from all higher entities.』
Besides this, Shue was given the trait 'Arbiter', and Ran the trait 'Prime Minister'.
There was one unexpected point here.
'Honestly, I thought at least one of the Seth would become an Archbishop or something.'
Considering the near-fanatical faith and affection they normally displayed toward me, it would be stranger not to think this.
And in this case, there was only one possibility.
'There must be a designated successor. In the religious aspect.'
Earlier, Seth had said there were two more close associates who had yet to join me.
And he had said one of them was in the 'Holy Kingdom'.
'A cleric who serves a demon... huh.'
It was something generally unacceptable, but I already had a similar precedent.
Grace Eivano.
A test subject who could use holy magic but whose power source was in a state infinitely close to neutral.
If the 'previous iteration of me' had created a similar case, it wouldn't be strange even if the position of Archbishop was already reserved.
'Come to think of it.'
At that moment, the sensation I had felt during the 'ascension' process suddenly returned to me.
The two presences I had detected when my senses had become extremely heightened.
The brilliant radiance felt from the west, and the complexly tangled, thread-like presence sensed from the north.
'So it is those two.'
I murmured with conviction.
What I needed to do after finishing this visit to the Demon Realm was now clearly visible to me.