Chapter 288: Fragments of the Past – Silderay (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 288: Fragments of the Past – Silderay (1)
To hear a voice from the distant past.
And to hear it so vividly...
Jin looked around, but he saw nothing but a vortex composed entirely of spirit energy. In his forty-seven years across his past and present lives, Jin had experienced many mystical phenomena, but never a moment as jarring as this.
Hearing a voice from a millennium ago was surreal enough, but the fact that Solderet spoke as if he had already foreseen "a thousand years later" back in that era was deeply disorienting. It felt as if someone had reached into his mind and was rummaging through his thoughts; he nearly retched.
He couldn't possibly dismiss this as a cruel prank. He had never heard of magic capable of recording a voice like this, and even if such a technique existed, who could possibly imitate the voice of Solderet?
‘This can’t be a prank or a trap. And I haven't lost my mind after the battle. This is undoubtedly a message Solderet left for me.’
If it wasn't, there was no logical explanation for this bizarre occurrence.
Bzzzt, crackle...!
A faint noise, like straw being crushed, lingered in his ears. As his concentration wavered, the voice began to fade.
‘I must stay calm. I need to hear the rest of it first.’
Jin steadied his heart and focused his mind once more on the sounds leaking from the vortex.
Then, the conversation from a thousand years ago began to reach him again. No, it went beyond merely hearing it. Swept up by the vortex of spirit energy, Jin was pulled somewhere else entirely.
When he opened his eyes, he was met with a void of total darkness.
A subspace within a subspace.
The darkness was far deeper than the landscape he had just been standing in, painting everything in an abyss of black. In this pitch-black void, where one shouldn't be able to see an inch ahead, Jin strangely maintained his full color.
Though this bizarre subspace should have felt alien, Jin found it eerily familiar. It was because he had briefly fallen into a similar space when he first contracted with Solderet in his previous life.
‘It’s similar to the day I contracted with Solderet.’
Even though that had been his first experience with such a subspace, Jin hadn't felt a sense of disconnect back then. Rather, as a Contractor of Shadows, he had felt an instinctive sense of security. The moment he stepped into it, he had realized that this was a space where no one but those belonging to the shadows could ever enter.
It was the same now. Jin was no longer confused.
However, there was one difference: the voices of the past were now audible with even greater clarity.
—Hey, Solderet. Why aren't you answering? This is getting creepy.
—Hey, Solderet. Why aren't you answering? This is...
—Hey, Solderet. Why aren't you...
Temar’s voice echoed through the void.
Jin moved aimlessly toward the source of the sound. Looking ahead, he saw a massive, gray-glowing sphere in the distance. As he reached it, the scene solidified before his eyes.
He was witnessing Solderet and Temar conversing a thousand years ago.
The two were talking inside the gray sphere. The surface was hazy, preventing Jin from seeing every detail, but he could make out their general shapes and positions. Everything was tinted in a deep gray, like a weathered, faded painting.
In essence, Jin had become an "observer" peeking into the world of a millennium ago.
‘Is that man sitting at the table Temar...? Yes. He looks exactly like the figure I saw in the Great Desert.’
Solderet was manifested in a human form, though only his back was visible. Since Jin had never seen him manifest, even in his previous life, it was difficult to imagine his face.
Jin pressed his eyes close to the gray sphere. The setting felt strangely familiar, and he soon realized why.
‘It’s the central hall of the Storm Castle. It looked like that even back then.’
The central hall of the Storm Castle hadn't changed much compared to recent times.
—Well, as you know, I am the God of Swords and Shadows. I cannot see the future as clearly as Az Mil.
—What? Then how has a guy like you already decided on a contractor for a thousand years from now?
—That is a separate matter from the future. Let’s just say it’s something I can designate in advance as a god.
Clang, thud—!
The great doors of the central hall opened.
The person who entered was none other than Silderay Runcandel. He looked exactly as he did when he fought Jin just moments ago, clad in his armor with a massive greatsword slung over his shoulder.
—Silderay, do you really have to carry that intimidating greatsword around indoors?
Silderay lightly ignored Temar’s jab and bowed respectfully to Solderet.
—Silderay Runcandel greets the Guardian God of the family.
—He doesn't listen to a word the Patriarch says. Ha, really. Hey, Silderay. What do you think?
—About what, Patriarch?
—Solderet says he doesn't know if we’ll win or lose against the Zipple. He’s claiming he doesn't know what’s right in front of him, even though he’s already picked a contractor for a thousand years later.
—Patriarch.
—What.
—Are you anxious?
Temar didn't answer, meeting Silderay’s eyes for a long moment.
—I’m just curious about Solderet’s opinion.
—Everyone is looking only to you, Patriarch. Do you not know how much weight your every word carries? Please do not toss such frivolous questions to the Guardian God in front of the other clansmen.
Temar shrugged his shoulders.
—Well, that’s true. But honestly, to tell you the truth... I am anxious. Silderay, aren't you the same?
—I am not anxious.
—Your lies are only getting better. Even I, who have reached the Realm of Creation, find the prospect of fighting the Zipple fearsome. How much more afraid must you and the others be?
—Runcandel is, without a doubt, the strongest, Patriarch.
—Regardless, fear is not a sin. Not running away despite being afraid is something to be proud of.
—I beg to differ.
—Of course you do. But unfortunately, in Runcandel, my word is law and truth. I heard you’ve been harshly scolding the clansmen lately if they show signs of anxiety. That is very wrong of you. A person can be a little scared. Especially in a situation where we are facing an unprecedentedly large war.
His tone wasn't particularly overbearing, but Temar’s soft, playful voice carried an undeniable dignity.
—Aren't you just acting sharper toward the clansmen and me because you’re afraid too? Do not deceive yourself, Silderay. Acknowledge it, accept it, but control it. Carrying that vicious greatsword at all times is just another expression of your fear.
—...I understand.
—Right, right. So, why did you come?
—Ah, I came to report that an unusual atmosphere has been detected at the Zipple’s 1st Magic Tower recently.
—The 1st Magic Tower... that would be the Tower of Stories.
—Yes, Patriarch. Over three hundred dragons are suddenly gathering at the 1st Magic Tower, so Sarah Runcandel has taken five magic swordsmen to investigate the situation.
—With that many, they should be able to escape without issue even if they’re caught. No, wait. Since we’re talking about it, maybe I should go too. I’m curious what they’re trying to do by gathering three hundred dragons. Get ready, Silderay.
—Yes.
—Solderet, I’ll be back soon—
Bzzzt, screeech—!
Suddenly, the gray sphere distorted.
‘What is it?’
Jin flinched and examined the sphere. The images continued inside the distorted sphere, but they were crushed beyond recognition. The voices were also bizarrely jumbled and unintelligible.
It felt as if someone had intentionally cut out a portion of a book.
However, since Jin knew absolutely nothing about this unique form of "recording device," there was nothing he could do. If he touched it recklessly, the situation might get worse.
Time seemed to flow slowly.
"Oh."
After a long while, the moment the gray sphere returned to normal, Jin let out an involuntary exclamation. The gray sphere was once again showing scenes from a thousand years ago.
However, the perspective had changed.
The scene shown by the gray sphere was no longer the central hall of the Storm Castle where Solderet, Temar, and Silderay had been. Nor was it a scene of Temar going to support Sarah Runcandel with Silderay.
What Jin saw was an infirmary from a thousand years ago. He saw a man sitting in front of a sickbed with his head hung low in weakness; it was Silderay.
It seemed a significant amount of time had passed inside the sphere after the distortion. He could infer this from the thick beard covering Silderay’s face.
However, Jin had no way of knowing what had happened between the two points in time shown by the sphere.
—...Patriarch, everyone was looking only to you...
Lying on the sickbed was Temar. Though there were no visible external wounds, he was gaunt and barely breathing. Silderay let out heavy sighs repeatedly, looking back and forth between the bed and the ceiling with resentment.
—Everyone... the Patriarch... Damn it! Solderet, you dog-like traitor! Was this what you meant by keeping the promise! Come out, show yourself, you bast—!
As Silderay wailed, a group of knights outside rushed into the room. They tried to restrain Silderay, but they were no match for his monstrous strength.
—Sir Silderay! If even you act like this, what are the other clansmen supposed to do? Please, calm yourself!
—It wasn't the Guardian God who made the Patriarch like this. Lower your voice, Sir Silderay.
—If not Solderet, then who made the Patriarch like this? When the Patriarch was being struck down, where was that incompetent god and what was he doing!
—How dare you speak such blasphemy against the Guardian God, Silderay!
A woman who entered late grabbed Silderay’s shoulder. Like Silderay, she was one of the Ten Great Knights.
—Blasphemy?
—Did you not hear the Patriarch’s final command? He told us never to resent the Guardian God and to fulfill the promise made with him. Even as he was losing consciousness, he urged us several times.
At that, Silderay trembled as if he were appalled.
—Diana, do you still believe in Solderet even after seeing the Patriarch like this...?
—Whether I believe or not is irrelevant.
—Look at you, you don't believe in Solderet anymore either! You feel the same way I do, Diana. Do you think I don't know you?
—My feelings are also irrelevant. Silderay, what matters is... the fact that it is the Patriarch’s command. The Patriarch’s command is absolute. We are the ones who established the laws of Runcandel! If you continue to show such an unsightly display, I will not let it slide, even if it’s you.
—Ha.
—Uphold the Patriarch’s command. That is the only duty and hope we have left.
At Diana’s gesture, all the other knights except Silderay left the bedside. For a long time, she held the man of monstrous strength as he sobbed like a child.
Screeech—!
Bzzzt... fwoosh...
The gray sphere distorted once again.
But this time, it didn't look like it would return after an unstable twist. The spirit energy forming the gray sphere was scattering into particles. Not only that, but the subspace itself was crumbling into spirit energy particles.
It happened in an instant.
Jin emerged from the double subspace and found himself standing in the middle of Baolai on the Anz Great Plain. It was the exact spot where he had activated the "key" with Murakan.
Just as he took a long breath to steady himself and organize his thoughts...
Two unfamiliar objects appeared before Jin’s eyes.
They were a black bead made of spirit energy and a fragment of the greatsword that Silderay Runcandel had used a thousand years ago.