Chapter 456: Why Are You Doing This…? (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 456: Why Are You Doing This…? (4)
A day had passed since Serdea and Irenena had swept through like a storm and departed.
In the end, why had they come all this way?
Unable to resolve that question, Alon was in the middle of a conversation with Kailas.
"…You’ve become quite usable now."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I have nothing more to teach you. Or more accurately, this is enough for your purposes. You don't exactly specialize in handling Spirit Dragons, after all."
"Hmm—"
Alon turned his gaze away.
Before him lay the same ruined world as always.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. My eyes just happened to wander."
"…Your eyes?"
Alon nodded.
"Didn't you say this place was my Mental World?"
"Well, yes."
"To be honest, I still don't quite understand it."
Alon scanned the empty world before withdrawing his gaze. He was curious as to why his Mental World took this specific form, but unfortunately, there was no way to find out.
Without lingering on the thought, Alon pushed the subject aside. He exchanged a few more words with Kailas before bidding him farewell.
"I’ll be going now."
Kailas, who was about to nod as usual, suddenly spoke.
"…Wait."
He brought Alon to a halt.
"What is it? Do you have something to say?"
Kailas stared at Alon in silence for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
"Regarding what you told me before."
"Yes?"
"Surely—"
"…?"
Kailas hesitated, his mouth working as if he were choosing his words carefully. But after a moment, he shook his head.
"…Never mind."
"?"
"Go on."
"Wait, didn't you call me back because you had something to say?"
Kailas waved his hand dismissively. Though puzzled, Alon shrugged and withdrew from the Feet Running Through the Past.
And then.
"You’re awake."
"…."
The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Rainisius. He was standing right in front of Alon as if he had been waiting, his face uncomfortably close.
"What are you doing?"
"Normally, I would have come to tell you something, but I was busy observing because it seemed like something fascinating was happening."
"…What?"
"Your mana was moving in a peculiar way. Differently than usual."
Rainisius pulled his face back and cast a glance at the Feet Running Through the Past.
Alon let out a low exclamation of realization. He hadn't given it much thought until now, but he suddenly remembered that Kailas and Rainisius knew each other. In fact, they were quite close.
"What is it?"
Rainisius tilted his head at Alon’s reaction. After a brief hesitation, Alon answered.
"…I’m a bit late in mentioning this, but I was just meeting with Kailas."
"Kailas?"
"Yes."
"…?"
For a moment, Rainisius looked bewildered. Alon calmly explained the nature of the Feet Running Through the Past.
Rainisius stared at the artifact for a long time before asking, "…You mean you meet Kailas through this artifact?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"According to Kailas, it’s a method of summoning a soul through a medium."
Rainisius’s brow furrowed slightly as if something felt off.
"Alon. I have a few things I’d like to ask. Is that alright?"
"By all means."
"What do you mean by 'summoning' Kailas?"
"Exactly what I said."
"…Are you saying you’re summoning a dead soul?"
"A soul?"
"Yes."
"…Ah."
Alon was momentarily confused by the conversation that seemed to be running on parallel tracks, but he soon remembered that Rainisius had been exiled alone in the void for hundreds of years.
‘He said the only person he met during that time was Duke Comallon,’ Alon recalled.
Realizing the gap in Rainisius's knowledge, Alon spoke up. "Didn't you hear about it from Duke Comallon?"
"I heard nothing from that brat. Even though there were many things he did tell me."
Only then did Alon realize that Rainisius hadn't grasped as much about the current state of the world as he’d thought—specifically, he realized Rainisius knew nothing about the existence of 'Outer Gods.' Alon began to explain.
Time passed.
"…Don't you think something is strange?"
"Which part?"
"The Outer Gods."
"…The Outer Gods?"
Rainisius nodded at Alon’s question.
"Yes. Based on what you’ve told me, the Outer Gods appear to be the gods from the Forgotten Age of Gods—the era I lived in."
"That’s correct."
"But how can those who were clearly killed by the Sins be alive again?"
"That’s because—"
Alon started to answer naturally but stopped mid-sentence. He had never questioned it until now. To him, it was simply a given fact because that was how he had perceived it through the game Psychedelia.
Only then did Alon break free from his misconception. It was like solving a math problem where you know the formula but don't understand the underlying principle, yet you confidently believe you 'know the subject.'
"…."
"To me, this ecology is abnormal," Rainisius added, sensing Alon had recognized the issue. "As you know, gods are beings who survive through faith. The reason they obtained immortality was faith. It is impossible for gods who lost that faith and were annihilated to reappear as Outer Gods."
"…Is there a possibility it’s the power of the Five Great Sins?"
Rainisius shook his head firmly at Alon’s counter-question.
"Regrettably, there is no such possibility. It is even more impossible considering what you told me later."
Rainisius answered and then stared silently at the Feet Running Through the Past.
"However, regardless of how this situation came to be, it isn't necessarily a bad thing for us."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Of course, it’s merely a hypothesis—"
Rainisius began to explain a certain possibility to Alon.
Alon’s eyes widened in surprise.
"That… is possible?"
"It’s not certain yet. I’m saying it might be possible if I can grasp the principle. However, that requires research. Would you mind lending me this artifact for a while?"
Alon pondered Rainisius’s request for a moment.
"…Very well."
He soon accepted. He felt it was a necessary step.
"Come to think of it, didn't you say you came to tell me something?"
Rainisius finally brought up the topic he had set aside.
"Ah, it’s about the magic circles and Blackie."
The conversation between Alon and Rainisius continued for a long while after that.
* * *
The next day.
Alon left Palantia. He wanted to rest a bit more, but he had heard that the Divine Blood might arrive at any moment because of the fragment that had fallen in the Colony.
‘Besides, I have to stop by the Central Magic Tower….’
As Alon organized his schedule, he watched Blackie and Basiliora sleeping peacefully in the sun for the first time in a while. Evan, who had been quiet until then, spoke up.
"Lord Alon. Did your conversation yesterday end well?"
"Hmm?"
"The conversation you had with that unpleasant fellow."
Alon easily realized that 'unpleasant fellow' referred to Rainisius and replied.
"…Well, rather than ending well, it was more like a report."
"Is that so?"
Nodding, Alon recalled his conversation with Rainisius. In truth, their discussion had covered three main topics.
One was about Blackie.
Another was about the automation of divine power that Alon was considering.
The last was about the castle.
He had heard that they were currently researching Blackie and the divine power automation in their own way. However, the one thing that bothered Alon was the final topic.
‘You’re adding minor functions to the castle?’
‘Yes, the Tower Masters had some interesting ideas.’
‘…Is that really okay?’
‘There’s no problem. There will never be an issue with mana, even if we die.’
‘No… not that. I mean the—the appearance of the castle—’
‘The appearance? Well, it might change a little, but even so, it shouldn't be much different from how it is now.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘…Probably?’
"…Hmm."
Recalling how Rainisius had hesitated on that last answer, Alon shook off the thought and asked Evan.
"So, did you get in touch with Penia?"
Evan nodded. "Yes, I did."
"But what is she planning to do?"
"Well—it sounds like she’s preparing something?"
"Preparing…?"
"Yes. She said the timing was perfect."
Alon grew puzzled once again at the additional news Evan shared.
* * *
The Central Magic Tower was generally a quiet place unless a Magic Society meeting was being held.
Well, normally, that is.
However, it had become incredibly noisy ever since the mages of the Tower began researching Alon’s 'magic.' Now, a few weeks before the Grand Assembly, the population staying at the Magic Tower was much higher than usual.
Therefore, the Central Magic Tower should have been very loud.
Yes, normally.
" "…." "
But currently, the Central Magic Tower was eerily silent.
It wasn't that there were no mages. There were many. Not just many—there were a staggering number of them. So many mages were gathered that it felt as if the testing grounds on the first floor might burst.
Yet, despite the crowd, the mages remained silent, their eyes fixed on the center of the testing area.
More specifically, on the person in the center of the lab—
"Diffraction."
—the Vice Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower, who was using Alon’s magic.
And then.
Whoosh—!
They watched as the lightning created from her hand soared into the sky with a crackling sound.
Soon after.
"Lord Alon, who will be visiting the Magic Tower shortly, says he will 'specially' select mages to join him in Palantia."
A confident voice rang out.
"Along with the 'blessing' of being able to use the same magic that Lord Alon uses."
Penia gave a bright smile.
* * *
Immediately after Penia publicly demonstrated Alon’s magic, she became a superstar of the Magic Tower.
It was only natural. At this point, simply showing that someone other than Alon himself could use his magic was enough to make her a universal celebrity within the Tower. Alon’s journey thus far was more than enough for every mage to admire.
Because of that.
"Ahem—Vice Tower Master, do you happen to know about this? This is the famous Blood-letting Bird—"
"Vice Tower Master! It’s been a long time! Surely you haven't forgotten me?"
"Hello, Vice Tower Master. I believe we were introduced last time—"
Penia was currently enjoying the mages' praise in real-time.
In truth, Penia had lived with a certain level of authority before this. After all, she was the Vice Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower.
However, the reason she was enjoying herself more than usual was the changed attitude of the mages.
In the past, the mages had been obedient. But she knew that was only on the surface; behind her back, they were busy bad-mouthing her, calling her rude or arrogant.
But now? Everyone was sincerely bowing their heads to her, so she was having the most enjoyable time of her life at the Magic Tower.
Then.
"By the way, Vice Tower Master, may I ask you one thing?"
"You may."
"What… exactly is your relationship with Lord Alon?"
The question came from a rookie who had just joined the Blue Magic Tower.
"…."
Penia lowered her gaze slightly to look at the rookie, who seemed to be expecting something, and then glanced around to gauge the room.
As she shifted her eyes, she saw the other mages who had been busy flattering her just moments ago. They had stopped their fawning and were now focusing all their attention on her.
Naturally, Penia knew exactly what answer she should give here.
A cooperative relationship, or perhaps a lord-and-vassal relationship—those were the ideal answers Penia should provide. And even if she gave such a formal answer, the mages' outward attitude wouldn't change. Their current inflated expectations might vanish, but in the end, they would still have to stay on her good side.
Despite knowing this, Penia’s reason was locked in a fierce struggle. She was naturally the type who secretly enjoyed being put on a pedestal.
Furthermore, she had a certain hidden greed.
And so, in that brief moment, under the gaze of countless mages, Penia spoke.
"Ahem—my relationship with Lord Alon is, how should I put it—"
In the end.
"Well, it’s a bit of a special relationship, isn't it?"
"Gasp!"
She had gone and said it.
Internally, she thought, ‘What’s the worst that could happen from saying this much?’
…Without knowing what kind of chaos that one sentence would unleash.