Chapter 241: Formula (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 241: Formula (4)
It was a stark contrast to when they had first met.
Magrina, now dressed in neat, elegant attire, gave a polite bow. Alon, who had been staring blankly at her, asked with a look of confusion, “You were an elf?”
“Yes. I apologize for hiding my true identity, God. The situation left me with no other choice...”
Magrina offered a piteous smile.
However, Alon still didn't understand why she had been disguised as a human. He had already seen with his own eyes several times that humans were not treated well within the Nonhuman Alliance.
“I don't particularly mind that you hid your identity, but wouldn't being a human be more dangerous for your safety?” Alon asked, directly expressing his curiosity.
It was Kalandra who answered.
“Normally, that would be the case, but the situation is a bit different now. It is because my daughter is the only one who hasn't been cursed.”
“...A curse?”
“Yes. You might not be able to tell just by looking, but all elves are currently burdened with a curse. One that halves our lifespan.”
“Their lifespan... by half?”
Kalandra let out a sigh and stroked Magrina’s head.
“High Elves like myself, who can usually live for well over a thousand years, have had half of our lives snatched away by this curse.”
“Is it Baarma’s curse?”
“No. Baarma is certainly an entity capable of destroying our Alliance, but he is not that omnipotent.”
“Then—?”
“The one who reaped our lifespans was a Magus.”
“...A Magus?”
“Yes. A Magus who stood on the side of the Black Things. No—perhaps I should say that entity itself was a Black Thing.”
Kalandra muttered the last part as if talking to himself.
“If that’s the case, didn't this happen before the war with Baarma?”
At Alon’s question, Kalandra paused his hand, which had been stroking Magrina’s hair.
“Go back to your room. I will come find you in a moment.”
“...Yes, Father.”
He sent Magrina out of the room. Only after the heavy thud of the door closing did he continue.
“You are right; that is the undeniable truth. But—unfortunately, the world does not always look at the truth.”
“That means—”
“I’ll put it simply. The elves suspect Magrina. They believe she is a traitor who sold out her race to the Black Things for her own benefit.”
“...”
Alon fell silent, lost for words. Even if she wasn't as young as Ryanga or Nangwon, Magrina was still a child who hadn't reached adulthood. In other words, the suspicion spreading among the elves was irrational to anyone who heard it.
Perhaps sensing Alon’s thoughts, Kalandra gave a bitter smile.
“I know as well. I know how ridiculous that suspicion is.”
“And yet—”
“But as I said, the world does not always look at the truth.”
“...”
A brief silence settled over the room. Alon spoke up cautiously.
“...A scapegoat?”
“Exactly. Even though they know it’s an irrational suspicion and something that could never happen, they look for a scapegoat. They need a place to vent their anxiety and resentment.”
Kalandra exhaled a hot breath.
“Of course, not everyone is like that. But it is also true that such people certainly exist.”
“...So that’s why she was in disguise.”
“Yes. My daughter is being targeted even by her own kin.”
“Why is it that only Magrina was unaffected by the curse?”
“The fact that they don't know the reason is precisely what makes their irrationality seem 'rational' to them.”
Letting out a hollow laugh, he bowed to Alon once more.
“At any rate, I am truly grateful. I never dreamed I would see the daughter I thought I’d lost so pointlessly in the last war again.”
“...”
Straightening his back, he gazed longingly at the door Magrina had exited through.
“To some, she is a scapegoat to vent their fury on, but to me, she is my one and only precious daughter.”
* * *
Immediately after his conversation with Kalandra ended, Alon returned to his room to organize the situation.
“In the end, it comes down to this: we have two months—no, is it about a month now? We’re in a situation where we have no choice but to deal with Baarma after that, Godfather.”
“...It seems so.”
Alon let out a long sigh and called for Line.
“Line.”
“Yes, Godfather.”
“Is there nothing in the Library regarding this current era?”
At that, Line’s expression turned subtle for a moment.
“I’ve actually already looked, and there are records—but I don't think they’ll be of much help at this point, Godfather.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It only says things like, ‘The Nonhuman Alliance fought Baarma.’”
“Hmm.”
“Other than that, the detailed records are...”
Line’s expression grew increasingly gloomy. Alon patted her on the shoulder.
“It’s alright.”
“...Yes.”
However, the shadow cast over Line’s face showed no sign of disappearing. Just then, with a click, Penia entered the room.
“Penia?”
“Yes, ye-yes—Marquis.”
She was carrying a mountain of books that towered over her head.
“...What are those books?”
Penia walked awkwardly and dumped the pile onto the desk. Only then did Alon ask his question. Penia shifted her eyes nervously before sticking out her index finger.
“Ahem! We have to deal with Baarma eventually anyway, right? Since that god named Yongrin is dead too.”
“Right.”
“So, I thought maybe there might be something like Baarma’s weakness in these books—”
At that moment, Line approached the desk and began scanning the titles.
“Spells Cast by a Magus.”
“...”
“Marna’s Magus Dictionary—”
“...”
“The Relationship Between Magi and Gods, The Essence of a Magus.”
“...”
However.
“A Magus’s Hot Lov—”
“Waaaaaaagh—!!!!!!!”
The reading of the titles ended abruptly. Penia let out a shriek and hid the book behind her back. Her eyes darted around, and cold sweat trickled down her face.
Line and Alon stared at Penia with deadpan expressions. Penia desperately tried to come up with an excuse, muttering “Um... uh...” before pointing her finger upward.
“Y-you see? This—once we go back to reality, we won't be able to find data on Magi anywhere, right? So, I thought I’d research it here in various ways to help the Marquis with his Magus studies? And maybe check if there are parts that can be applied to magic?”
“...”
“Anyway, helping the Marquis with his research is the priority, but maybe? Just maybe, there’s material that could really open a new horizon for magic, and I could use it to get public recognition and knock my Master down a peg? That kind of... feeling?”
But all that came out was gibberish. Alon asked the desperately struggling Penia, “...I don't mind that, but isn't that only possible once we go back?”
“Well, that’s true. But I believe.”
“In what?”
“That the Marquis will show us the way.”
Penia clenched her fist with an expression that said, ‘Hey, hey, I’m counting on you!’ Alon felt a strange sense of irritation for some reason, but he reached a conclusion for now.
‘Regardless, fighting Baarma is unavoidable. I’ll have to talk to them tomorrow and find out more.’
* * *
The next day.
Alon, who was once again granted an audience with the three kings, realized the situation was more serious than he had thought.
“...You’re saying the weapon was destroyed?”
Surang let out a heavy, groaning sigh. Alon calmly organized the information in his head.
The reason Yongrin, the god leading the Alliance, had sacrificed herself to cast a barrier and stop Baarma’s advance was to buy time to use the weapon ‘Agathon.’
Agathon.
It was a weapon Magi had used to deal with the Black Things, and they needed time to maintain it so it could be used to eliminate Baarma.
But unfortunately, Yongrin’s plan had gone awry from the start. To use Agathon, the World Tree had to provide an overwhelming amount of mana as its power source.
However, as if they had known about this plan, Baarma’s believers had attacked right when Yongrin made her sacrifice. Because of them, the World Tree had suffered a massive blow.
Even with the World Tree damaged, they had finished maintenance to somehow activate Agathon using the people’s mana as a power source, but in the end, Agathon could not be used either.
In other words, the two months Yongrin had bought them might end up being meaningless. The kings’ expressions were understandably grim.
“...”
Just as Alon was rubbing his forehead in thought, Line, who had been silent until now, stepped forward.
“Can I take a look at Agathon?”
“That isn't difficult, but our checks showed that the equipment can only be handled by a Magus... Wait, are you perhaps a Magus?”
A flicker of hope appeared on Surang’s face, but it was short-lived.
“No, I am not.”
“...I suppose not. All the Magi perished back then.”
He immediately slumped back into gloom. Meanwhile, Alon, remembering Line’s abilities, asked once more.
“Still, could we check it just in case?”
Surang still looked skeptical, but he eventually nodded.
“...Fine. Let us go right now. We can't really discuss anything else in this current situation anyway.”
He stood up. Around that time, Ashir, who had been watching quietly, intervened.
“Wait a moment.”
“What is it?”
“Would it be alright if Alon went with me separately?”
“...Why?”
“Dowon is looking for him.”
“Looking for Lord Alon?”
“Yes.”
At Riosh’s nod, Alon was puzzled. “Who is this person named Dowon?”
“I heard from my son, but I didn't think you’d truly know nothing... Dowon is a god who leads the Alliance alongside Yongrin. She is also the only remaining God of Cargunias at this point.”
Alon heard the name Cargunias again and asked, “May I know why she is looking for me?”
“Unfortunately, I don't know the details. She simply told me she wanted to see your face once.”
Ashir gave a light shrug. Alon felt a moment of doubt but soon accepted the proposal.
“I will do that.”
Separating from Line, Alon followed Ashir out of the palace.
‘...Every time I see it, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before.’
How much time had passed while he was lost in such thoughts at the sight of the royal palace? After leaving the palace and walking for a while, a massive temple began to appear in the distance.
It was a temple so vast and magnificent that it looked as if it had been built by a giant. Upon arriving, Alon was told by Ashir, “Go on in.”
“Aren't you coming with me?”
“She only wishes to see you.”
Following Ashir’s words, Alon walked toward the front of the temple alone. The moment he reached it—
Rumble—!!
The massive doors opened on their own as if welcoming him. Alon slowly stepped inside. He didn't have to go far. He saw a giant immediately.
A blue-eyed goddess was looking at Alon as if she were seeing a very peculiar existence. And then...
[...The time has finally come to fulfill the promise.]
The goddess’s voice resonated through the hall.