Chapter 81
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: The Age of Myth
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The story begins with my assignment to the unit that would later be recorded in history as the ‘Holy Elimine Knights.’
[Universal Century, 4th Generation - April 4, 635.]
Enuel—that is, I—left the laboratory aboard a ‘D36-CC Class VTOL Transport: Keltoros.’
A transport.
This strange object was an assembly of metal plates shaped like a bird, and I had no idea how something of such immense mass could possibly fly.
‘Halvaron once said that [The Ones Who Came] were a civilization thousands of years ahead in technology…’
I couldn't even begin to guess whether it was thousands of years ahead, or tens of thousands.
[Planetary Coordinates: Valadon.]
The dull drone of the engines. The sway of the fuselage as it glided through the sky.
The ache in my eardrums from the pressure change, the smell of oil, and...
Leaning against my shoulder, the True Holy Sword Sharrilion flickered with a brilliant silver light. A sorrowful radiance.
- I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise.
With nowhere to turn in my grief, I could only clutch Sharrilion's hilt to my chest and weep in silence.
Through the window of the descending transport, the view of the world beyond was truly devastating.
The stench of the land and sea, corroded and rotting from the Abyss, seeped even into the transport.
‘A familiar scent, the stench of death…’
That stench, which devoured, shattered, and rotted all creation in this world, flipped the switch in my consciousness to combat mode.
Gripping Sharrilion, I stood and prepared to disembark.
Sharrilion had no scabbard, but I needed no sword belt or bandages (like Scherpang's) to carry it.
‘If I just bring it to my back like this…’
A hard, mechanical sound came from my armor as the backplate drew in Sharrilion's blade with magnetic force, securing it in place.
Just then, the transport landed on the tarmac with a slight jolt.
As the massive ramp slowly lowered, the pressure scattered the dark blue fog that had blanketed the landing zone, sending it swirling away.
[New Area: Reltaron.]
<Reltaron> was a land of mystery, located in the south-central part of the Idea Peninsula, the land of the elves.
- They say it's the most beautiful city in the world.
Tarsiyo's eyes had sparkled as she read from a travelogue.
- The holy ground where [The Ones Who Came] first descended.
But in this era, there was no beauty to be found; it felt strongly of a military forward base.
Even though I had lived on battlefields since childhood, <Reltaron> was an utterly alien place.
It was the first time I had witnessed a land touched by [The Ones Who Came], and I repeatedly found myself stopping, lost in a daze.
The structures were a mystery in themselves.
In my era, structures were built from wood, earth, or brick, but here, something of an unknown material formed the foundation.
‘I can tell at a glance that it's hundreds of times sturdier.’
The roads were just as mysterious.
Lamps lining both sides illuminated the entire area as bright as day, a brilliance incomparable to the gaslights of my time.
But what was most astonishing were the soldiers.
[Infantry Unit: Krael.]
ㆍ Identification Number - KA82-1114.
ㆍ Krael units are a clone army created by replicating the genetic information of 'Tersia, the Sorrowful Moon'.
Their armor and bodies were uniform.
Clad head to toe in sturdy iron armor, wielding strangely long spears and shields, they marched in perfect step—a magnificent sight.
Around them, transports and wheeled vehicles passed endlessly, kicking up dust.
“Ru-ella (O, angels).”
“Ru-ella (O, angels).”
“Ru-ella (O, angels).”
I also saw humans, filthy and emaciated to the bone, prostrating themselves on the road.
[The First Liberated.]
- Located on the Idea Peninsula, they were the first to have the opportunity to experience the restoration of the light.
- They volunteered to join the liberation front around the time the Krael forces were being annihilated.
- They wished for a mark of their devotion and received from Karenden the blessing of a ritual incision that elongated their ears, distinguishing them from humanity.
A ritual incision? A ritual incision? Does that mean these people are the ancestors of the elves?
Where did the long-standing conflict between humans and elves begin?
Did it not stem from the history of elves calling themselves the 'Firstborn,' looking down on all other races and considering them filthy?
‘So this is a part of history that was never properly known…’
As I watched, the liberated people began to notice me, one by one, and bowed even lower.
“Ru-saela.”
“Ru-saela.”
“Ru-saela.”
Ru-saela.
It means Archangel.
To the liberated, [The Ones Who Came] were gods, so were the warriors who aided them seen as angels?
「Eldia Kata (05).」
Yet all that mystery was nothing compared to the person I faced the next moment.
Stunned, my mouth fell open.
How could anyone in this world radiate such a divine light from their entire being?
[New Character: Karenden.]
[New Character: Karenden.]
- Karenden, later recorded as the 'Black Sun,' is the first successor of the Genesis Psalm.
- Karenden found the light he wielded to be a burden and created a black mist to hide it. This became the origin of his title, the Black Sun.
But in contrast to such an intense holy aura, his appearance was surprisingly ordinary.
「You're a little late, but the result is quite perfect.」
A freckled face beneath a shaggy mop of brown hair.
His attire was also simple—just a pure white robe over light armor—making him look more like a technician than a lord of light.
Above all, like the Ain (though not quite to that extent), he was on the shorter side.
「From now on, your name is Enuel. It means 'a voice crying out in the wilderness.'」
But on that face...
Somewhere on that face was a trace of Tarsiyo, and my heart ached as if it would break.
As I clutched my chest with a fist, gasping for breath, Karenden's eyes narrowed.
「Is there a problem with the compatibility between the Eldia Primor and the body? There shouldn't be any errors.」
I was about to shake my head and apologize for my rudeness when voices rose in disagreement.
“It's an error!”
“It's an error.”
“It might be an error, Father.”
That was when I first saw them.
Beings more ferocious than any flame, more dazzling than any sunlight, and clearer than any sea—beings of wonder.
Even before my brain could process the information about them, I felt the fragment of the Light Dragon Haraderiman embedded in my soul stir, sorrowfully and hotly.
[Three-Headed Dragon, Asura.]
- Asura is a biological weapon created by Karenden, modeled after the appearance of Yotos, the Lord of the Abyss. It is the progenitor of the dragon race.
- The Majesty of Flame, Vel'dakidun. The Allure of Dawn, Haraderiman. The Hue of Silence, Yeriserika.
- In later ages, they would be known as the Three Divine Dragons, protectors of the world after [The Ones Who Came] vanished.
Wriggling and flying around Karenden, flaunting their pure beauty... were baby dragons.
‘These are the Three Divine Dragons...?’
I couldn't even manage a hollow laugh.
Weren't these the beings who achieved deeds even greater than the Three Heroic Dragons?
Before I knew it, I was offering my sincere reverence to the childhood forms of these holy beings.
[Dialogue Synchronization: I am Enuel.]
「I am Enuel.」
The moment I spoke the line prompted by the text string and gave a silent nod...
The fire dragon, Vel'dakidun, flew over, landed on my head, and began to squawk.
But the warmth of its body was so, so... comforting.
“Enuel is an error! An error! An error!”
A scent like firewood on a winter day... It was familiar.
Yes, this was the same scent as the one Her Grace, Akirea of Crimson Flame, carried. No, it was stronger.
「Stop messing around and come here.」
“Here, here, here, coming!”
「My apologies. Unlike you, these are failures, so they're far too talkative. Only the blue one is remotely behaved; the other two are wild and nothing but trouble. I'm planning to dispose of them soon.」
He only said that; he didn't so much as raise a hand to Vel'dakidun, who had returned from its mischief.
He just doesn't express it with words, but could he have the same kindness as Tarsiyo in his heart?
The light of that resemblance, the way a father and daughter naturally come to be alike in body and soul, was both truly welcome and sad.
「Follow me now, Enuel. Any later and I would have left without you. I need your strength.」
His voice was cold, devoid of any hint of emotion, and his expression was blank.
However... was it because the three baby dragons were perched on his shoulders and the crown of his head, chirping away?
Despite his unapproachable dignity, Karenden looked both ridiculous and approachable.
‘Ah, Tarsiyo.’
If only you could have seen this with me.
‘No, if only you could be here seeing this instead of me...’
I thought this over and over as I followed Karenden toward the massive command center in the heart of <Reltaron>.
「Is that the newly completed Kata (05)? That was a close call.」
But that thought, painful because it was sad, and agonizing because it was painful...
...shattered into a red haze the moment I stepped inside the command center, as blood rushed to my head.
Ryukael.
My breath quickened, and my hand shot up, about to grasp the hilt of Sharrilion.
I would have gripped it and swung immediately.
Had the world not frozen, had a warning message not consumed my entire field of vision.
[Warning: Synchronization rate plummeting. Repeated actions not performed by Enuel will trigger a compatibility reassessment.]
The blade of hatred deep within me cried out, and the hand gripping the hilt convulsed.
Cut her down. I must cut her down. Here, again, I must...
[Warning: Synchronization rate plummeting. Repeated actions not performed by Enuel will trigger a compatibility reassessment.]
As if bound by invisible chains, my arm would not move.
My whole body was drenched in a cold sweat.
If I'm deemed incompatible here... I'll be sent back to the other side without becoming an Eldia...
If that happens, then what... for what reason did Tarsiyo... die for...?
[Warning: Synchronization rate plummeting. Repeated actions not performed by Enuel will trigger a compatibility reassessment.]
I swallowed a painful, hot lump in my throat.
As soon as I calmed my fury, the world, which had frozen in grayscale, regained its color and motion.
As I gasped for breath, something small and short gently took my wrist. A shy voice stammered,
「Y-You... you look like you're in a lot of p-pain. Here, sit over there.」
My breath caught.
For a moment, I almost said, 'Isla?'
She was a small girl who looked as if she might break if hugged too tightly. A warrior who carried a great hammer on her back, as large as her own body.
Her personality was different from Isla's.
I could tell from the way she hid her face below her eyes with a book-like data terminal, cautiously shifting her gaze.
‘Who is she?’
Who is this child?
Who is she to make me recall a dead comrade so vividly?
As soon as I had the thought, an explanation appeared above her head.
[New Character: Shurviel.]
- Shurviel is the third Eldia, identification number Del (03).
- Her armament is the 11th-Tier equipment, Aizaiya, and her special ability is 'Light Pressure Crush'.
A dazed groan.
No, a child this small...?
「Alkaios, I'm leaving Enuel to you now. We deploy in three minutes, so handle squad assignments on the move.」
「Yes, Master.」
Karenden's body was enveloped in black mist, and then, he vanished along with the Three Divine Dragons.
My eyes widened.
To think there was someone who could use dimensional teleportation magic more simply and swiftly than Her Excellency of Thunderous Fragrance...
「Eldia Kata (05), we'll talk on the move. I am Eldia Alma (01), Alkaios. The name our master gave you?」
Is this what it feels like when even a voice carries the dignity of the martial arts? A killing intent honed like the edge of a blade.
Noble, deep, and lofty.
It was different from the raw killing intent of the Ryukael from two thousand years later. This killing intent possessed an unfathomable dignity.
[New Character: Alkaios.]
- Alkaios, the first Eldia.
- Alkaios is the Eldia prototype and has served in the war for [The Ones Who Came] since the beginning of the conflict.
- He is the only Eldia capable of wielding two 11th-Tier armaments.
- The armament he wielded, Galadiel, became the prototype for the tachi-type Supreme Holy Swords Rnod and Aradamanthel, while Rivelden became the prototype for the longsword-type Supreme Holy Swords Solang and Tassalpo.
Alkaios was more than a head taller than me and more powerfully built than any other Eldia.
The tachi Galadiel at his left hip looked like a sword of ordinary length on him, and the longsword Rivelden seemed like a shortsword.
I see... so Aradamanthel wasn't originally a tachi.
It was just a single-edged sword made to Alkaios's specific size.
「I am Enuel.」
I recited the synchronized dialogue.
At that, the gray-haired heroine, Ryukael, who was heading out with her helmet tucked under her arm, smiled faintly.
「A fine name. Master Karenden is quite good at coming up with poetic names. I guess that's natural since he has to memorize that Genesis Psalm thing, right?」
I didn't understand.
Two thousand years from now, she hated Karenden so much...
「I'm Eldia Mu (04), Ryukael. The one fidgeting with her fingers next to me is Del (03), Shurviel. She's very shy, but she's scarier than anyone in a fight, so be careful.」
「N-No, I'm not...」
At her bright expression, a vein in my eye throbbed. To think she could speak with such a pure and beautiful face.
Why, two millennia later, did you have such cruel eyes and exude such killing intent?
Why on earth did Tarsiyo have to die at the hands of someone like you?
「Captain, the transport is ready, and the deployment order has been given. The top priority is the subjugation of a Class-1 Abyss.」
Amid the pain of this unfamiliarity, there was also a reunion with a familiar face.
[New Character: Kaduel.]
- Kaduel is the second Eldia, identification number Bete (02).
- He was the brains of the Elimine Knights.
- His unique armament is Hisgibide, a weapon that controls dimensions, which later became the prototype for the bowsword-type Supreme Holy Swords Jierda and Volvier.
In this era, Kaduel was not some being whose soul was bound to scrap metal, speaking through light.
He was a handsome young man with an intellectual air and a slender build. The goggles worn beneath his gray hair shone with intelligence, and his voice, though business-like, was gentle.
When our eyes met, Kaduel greeted me first with a nod. Alkaios spoke as he walked toward the tarmac.
「Eldia Kata, you're aware that Karenden created us by combining fragments of the Creator God with the Genesis Psalm, correct?」
It was only then that I truly understood.
That the origin of the old heroes, the Eldia, was that they were life forms created by weaving together fragments of the Creator God scattered across the universe with the Genesis Psalm.
That's why they were so strong.
That's why they're so perfect.
Alkaios then said something that completely shattered that thought.
「You were born from a combination of the most fragments and the most powerful psalm, the Psalm of Revelation. That power wasn't given to you to show off, understand? Always remember that we are kindling. Beings who protect the light that illuminates this age. With great power comes great responsibility. You were born with a greater responsibility than anyone.」
So they aren't strong just because they were born strong.
Alkaios's conviction was brilliant.
It was so dazzling I couldn't even discern the intensity of its light. It seemed to hold an enlightenment I had never been able to reach.
「Yes, Captain.」
The transport that had brought me to <Reltaron> was still waiting on the tarmac.
Beside it, dozens more transports were landed, and hundreds more were taking off.
Alkaios and Kaduel boarded transport E-72, while I followed Ryukael onto K-102.
Ryukael let out another small laugh.
Ryukael really did laugh a lot. To a confusing, and hateful, degree.
「Your sword, that's Sharrilion, right? The specs are on a whole different level from what we use. The latest version of the Captain's sword, Rivelden? Release ability with seven times amplified output? Damn, that's awesome.」
「...」
「Hey, you're just gonna let me talk to myself? I just checked your data and Sharrilion's, and your physical specs are insane. They said your model was different from ours, and they weren't kidding.」
It seemed that Enuel and Sharrilion, being the latest creations, had the most superior abilities.
「W-With the fragments needed to make... f-five of us, you c-can't even make one Enuel, they say.」
Shurviel spoke up then.
She had just followed us up the ramp of the transport's hatch.
A hollow laugh escaped me. *Pitter-patter*. It was the first time I'd ever seen someone run with a sound like that.
Isla was different. *Thump, thump, thump*. She was the type to stomp deliberately, announcing her presence.
「Let's get along. Of course, there's no hierarchy between us, aside from the Captain, but if you get cocky and look down on us just because we're weaker than you, I seriously won't let it slide.」
「How so?」
「A direct fight would be a little scary, so I guess we'll have to ostracize you. That sounds good, right, Shurviel?」
「O-Ostracize? We can't do that.」
Ryukael giggled, lifting Shurviel onto her lap.
Then she started stretching her small, soft cheeks, and Shurviel, blushing, struggled to get away.
I was confused.
Everything I was seeing was so different from the figures I'd read about in history and fairy tales. So different from the person I'd actually met.
‘They're just... no different from how we were back then…’
As my daily life with Isla and Seira—a life I could never get back—overlaid this scene, the rims of my eyes grew red.
I muttered in a trembling voice.
The exact words Enuel had spoken two thousand years ago, just like a script.
「...Yes, I understand.」
The rotor blades of the Keltoros transport began to spin in unison, and the massive craft started to lift off, kicking up a storm of dust.
That was the beginning of history.
The history of how the world came to be founded upon countless sorrows and bloody sacrifices—a history no record could ever dare, or manage, to fully capture.