Chapter 414
Chapter 414
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 414
>Chapter Title: If You Don't Cooperate Willingly
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Early dawn.
Aster draped a robe over his shoulders and stepped out of the barracks.
The sun hadn’t yet risen. With the moon and stars adorning the sky, Aster looked up.
‘……The moon.’
Truth be told, Aster didn’t particularly like the moon. No, he couldn’t bring himself to like it.
‘The moon illuminates the darkness.’
On nights when the moon was out, shadows sharpened, and sentries’ eyes grew keener.
A single small shadow could give away a stealth mission, and if you made a sound, you’d be sprinting under the moonlight.
Of course, once his stealth skills reached mastery, he stopped caring much about whether the moon was up or down. But back in his rookie Troubleshooter days, nothing terrified him more than moonlight.
That must have been when it started.
‘The moon…… is justice.’
So, what is justice, then?
‘The moon.’
Of course, one could ask it that way.
By that logic, isn’t true justice the sun? Isn’t the sun far brighter than the moon?
For the record, that was a question Lucifer had posed in his previous life.
It seemed reasonable at first glance.
After all, even a three-year-old knew the sun was brighter than the moon.
Unfortunately, Lucifer wasn’t as strong as Aster, nor did he support the “solar justice theory” fervently enough to resist with violence.
That was why.
The moon became a symbol of justice for Aster.
Even if it wasn’t as radiant as the sun, it lit up the darkness. And in that illuminated darkness, justice was enforced.
So then……
‘……Am I just, bathed in moonlight?’
Standing still, gazing at the moon, Aster posed the question to himself.
But the answer……
‘……No.’
Right, it was no.
Aiming for good doesn’t make you good, and shunning evil doesn’t make you not evil.
Aster aimed for justice, but he wasn’t justice itself.
Why?
Simple reason.
“……Power.”
Overwhelming power.
Some say justice belongs to the victor.
Aster agreed. He thought it was spot on.
That was why, even bathed in moonlight, he wasn’t just.
He lacked power.
Once, he believed that reaching transcendence would finally grant true justice.
He thought that after achieving perfect transcendence, he’d grasp true justice.
But.
“How much more…….”
How much stronger did he need to become to be just?
Aster stared at the full moon before closing his eyes. Sorrow welled up from deep in his chest.
This sorrow was probably from knowing he could never truly become just.
‘……Shine.’
Evil.
‘……Muspell senior.’
Evil.
‘……Patriarch Leodis, Patriarch Muhard, First Seat of the Seven Mages Aevilon, One Sword Hamelan…….’
Evil.
Aster listed names of those stronger than him—or who might become stronger—and labeled them one by one.
They were evil.
But there was an evil greater than all those evils combined.
‘Pahren von Decullan.’
That bastard was the worst.
Archmage?
Life…… was an egg, unfair, he knew that. But this was just too much.
‘Those meant to succeed will, no matter what.’
Some regress, grovel like dogs, claw their way up, and transcendence is the best they get. Others aim for Archmage faster than in the original history.
On the other hand, such thoughts crept in.
‘Must I become……’
……evil to gain power?
If so, could becoming evil, gaining power, and pursuing justice make him true justice?
Drip—
A single tear slid down his cheek. The droplet at his chin gleamed, reflecting the moonlight above.
This was real crying.
Out of resentment and frustration.
‘I struggle with a pitch-black half-assed grimoire, while others get obedient ones and rise effortlessly.’
Someone once said it.
If you don’t seem just…… it’s not that you’re truly unjust—it’s that you lack power.
In that case—
“I’ll become evil…… Gah!”
“You little shit again. How much eviler do you plan to get, spouting crap like that?”
“Damn…….”
Aster rubbed his stinging nape and glared at Shine. Lately, with some power gained, the guy smacked his head like a punching bag. Unfair as hell.
‘Come to think of it, that bastard’s pretty damn evil too.’
“What’re you glaring at? Whack.”
“Ow.”
Aster sighed deeply and turned away. He couldn’t help the regret.
‘How is the world so full of evil?’
Tempted to abandon justice for power, but corrupt power came with a price.
Aster embraced the moonlight in his heart……
“Sun’s rising.”
“Didn’t notice? Soldiers were buzzing, so I came. You’ve been crying for hours, they said.”
“……I see.”
Feeling awkward, Aster glanced around. Soldiers with fierce glares flinched and looked away.
He wasn’t even wearing a mask anymore, but the pressure from their level gap was real.
Watching them, Aster nodded proudly.
‘This is justice.’
Strong against the strong.
Not oppressing the weak. Strong against the weak too. True equality.
Anyway.
‘No need to rush.’
Pahren went at Pahren’s pace; he’d go at his own.
‘First goal: 6th circle.’
No clue when. He’d climbed to 5th pretty fast, but 6th felt different.
Probably because the circles around his heart had thickened.
‘This…… soon enough.’
He had more urgent matters now.
“Today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“The Urbuna Family’s former patriarch…… Please, restrain from wicked deeds and end the talk peacefully.”
Aster smiled at the worried Shine.
“Of course.”
Right hand: justice. Left hand: peace.
His clenched fists proved the talk would end peacefully.
* * *
The meeting spot with Urbuna’s former patriarch was a rocky mountain midway between the camps.
Aster and the Grand Duchess ascended to the summit alone, as per the former patriarch’s request—no escorts.
They’d considered it might be a trap.
No, they hoped it was.
‘If it’s a trap…….’
……All the better.
Why?
Because though it seemed just the two of them, it wasn’t.
Our friend the dragon soared above the clouds, and though invisible to the naked eye, the evil leader Shine lurked far off.
Meaning, even if the former patriarch brought Otto and mages for a trap, they could handle it.
“You…… have such vile tastes.”
“Hm? Me?”
The Grand Duchess shook her head at Aster’s innocent question.
Understandably, Aster climbed utterly defenseless, as if begging for a surprise attack.
Even his ally felt her hands itch; how about the enemy?
Anyway.
How long had they climbed?
“Looks like we’re here…….”
Aster confirmed no higher path and looked around.
An empty summit greeted him and the Grand Duchess.
“Not yet, I suppose. Bit early for the appointed time, so let’s wait.”
“Sure, whatever.”
Aster replied and settled in. The ground flattened, and a chair rose from it.
‘Wait, stone chair?’
Stone chair reminded him of one spell.
So……
‘……Zaifo, was it?’
Decullan’s Seven Mages. Couldn’t recall the seat number. But he remembered Zaifo was an earth mage and……
‘……Earth Bind, right?’
Yeah, that sounded right.
It canceled the sitter’s magic, and the effect lingered even after standing if sat too long—a restriction.
Experienced it rescuing the Kallia mercenary leader; thanks to his ‘circle’s’ uniqueness, Aster was immune to Earth Bind.
‘No particular imagery, but…… maybe I can mimic it?’
Didn’t know the principle. Just insight from experience.
That thought sparked a question.
Would Zaifo’s painstaking Earth Bind work on a grand mage?
Curiosity stirred.
‘So, what to do…….’
The Grand Duchess spoke then.
“What’re you thinking right now?”
“Hm? Why me?”
“Bad vibes. The Sword Garden Lord said so. Suspect you if you’re too quiet.”
“N-No…….”
Aster shook his head with a sigh. Couldn’t trust people like this.
That was when.
Swish, thud.
Presence stirred where they looked, and two mages appeared. Taking them in, Aster let out a low exclamation.
‘This is…… impressive.’
Two old mages.
One was a burly elder, built like a tank in youth—spitting image of Patriarch Otto.
Probably the former patriarch.
‘Expected this much.’
His presence was natural, easy to gauge.
Grand mage, as anticipated.
The surprise was the one beside him.
‘That old guy’s transcendent too?’
Even rotten, top-grade fish. A renowned house indeed.
Unexpected firepower.
Didn’t seem blood-related.
As Aster thought that, the Grand Duchess stepped forward.
“No need for formalities between us, so let’s skip to introductions. I am Iris de Lamburg.”
“Tower Master, Aster.”
Aster revealed himself readily. A sign of intent to settle the grudge with Urbuna.
At that, former patriarch Heoorn’s eyes gleamed briefly before he introduced himself.
“I am Heoorn von Urbuna. Here in place of my fool of a son—forgive the imposition.”
Aster eyed him, then conjured two more chairs opposite. Their shape resembled Zaifo’s? Just imagination.
“Have a seat.”
“Didn’t expect you’d prepare seats.”
“Senior treatment.”
“Hah, senior…….”
Heoorn sat as he spoke. Then Aster’s gaze shifted to the mystery mage.
“And that one?”
“This is Hamun. No family name. Former head of Black Stone. He tagged along just in case—ignore him.”
Aster stared plainly at Hamun standing to Heoorn’s left.
“Senior, sit too?”
“No thanks.”
Hamun half-closed his eyes at that. Aster eyed him regretfully, smacking his lips.
‘Talks should be face-to-face with everyone.’
Anyway, not the point.
Aster’s gaze moved to Heoorn.
“You wanted to see my face.”
“Indeed.”
“Alright, straight to it then. No idea what you’ll say, but hear our side first.”
“Speak.”
Hmm…… what to say here.
Ah, that.
Aster chose words carefully, polite to avoid irking the senior mage.
“If you don’t cooperate willingly, I can’t guarantee your son’s life?”
“…….”
Heoorn fell silent.
“…….”
Hamun stayed silent.
Only one didn’t.
The Grand Duchess alone broke the silence.
[Are you insane?]
……Of course, Aster went silent too.