Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: The Secret of the World - 1
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Adwin was right.
Acteon hadn't died.
Rewind time a few minutes.
Bartore's body had disintegrated, but Acteon's soul was still enduring the punishment known as "Retribution of Sins."
‘Cough. How many times has it been already?’
His soul revived right before annihilation.
Racking his memory, he recalled it was exactly the twenty-ninth time.
This couldn't even be called starting after recalling the number of his sins.
He quietly awaited the thirtieth torment.
But no matter how long he waited, the next pain never came.
‘It's over. My abilities are back.’
He breathed a sigh of relief.
But problems still loomed large.
First off, Maide had escaped with Idria and her minions.
Now they would launch a coordinated assault.
That strategy would surely skyrocket Maide's fame to the heavens.
‘Yeah. Just like Impellium at the height of his glory.’
If Maide could wield fame equal to Impellium's as power, things would get messy.
He had to stop them before they could coordinate.
But without a way out of this special chamber, it was impossible.
‘Above all, I have no body. No body.’
Finding a vessel to house Acteon's soul wasn't easy.
Before he could locate such a fine body, the laws of the world would drag him to the afterlife.
Once in the afterlife, he couldn't return without Bellosian's help.
‘And that Bellosian is asleep... Damn it all.’
For the first time in ages, he felt genuine anxiety.
That was when it hit him.
A brilliant idea.
‘There's a body right here.’
In this very special chamber.
Acteon's soul soared off somewhere.
It stopped where a man lay sleeping.
Just as he had for fifty thousand years, Acteon possessed the man's body without a hint of hesitation.
Kaild Wake's body.
That night.
As I opened my eyes, Impellium's voice reached me.
"You've been through a lot."
I rubbed my eyes and looked around.
This wasn't Impellium's room that I'd seen so many times, nor the banquet hall where I'd savored delightful dishes.
It was a vast garden.
Neatly arranged tables dotted the garden.
Atop them sat turkey roasts the size of a human torso, soft breads, and all sorts of vegetable dishes.
"If anything's lacking, just let us know!"
Turning at the sudden cheerful voice, I saw Serad smiling brightly as she made her rounds between the tables.
Then, as if on cue, Jenia's voice rang out.
"It's lacking!"
"Ah... That table was definitely restocked five minutes ago."
"Three minutes ago."
"I see. Yes. Of course."
Serad gave an awkward smile and clapped lightly.
Servants who had been serving here and there approached.
She gave some orders, and they swiftly vanished—probably to fetch more food.
I scanned the surroundings again.
Neril sat at one table, enjoying some tea and snacks.
She met my eyes and mouthed something.
‘You were sleeping soundly, so we started without you... or something.’
I replied with lip movements alone.
-I didn't expect an actual party. I'll chat with Impellium and join you. Have fun.
-Okay.
I looked around once more.
Instead of enjoying the party, Risel trailed Serad closely, furiously jotting down notes.
Learning recipes, maybe.
Serein and Ophense weren't partaking in the festivities either; they were deep in conversation.
Curious, I listened in, but it was utterly mundane.
"How much should we sell this duck roast for?"
"Why are you even agonizing over that?"
"I've been thinking—there's no rule saying we have to stick to potions. Jenia was considering jumping into the food business instead of returning to the Knights of Light anyway."
"More money is always better, eh?"
"Oho. You're starting to get it."
Over there, Trail was giving Adwin a piggyback ride.
"Hahaha. So high up. Humans look like ants!"
"Adwin, why do you get drunk on juice?"
"Speak casually. You're a comrade I've chosen for this body."
Anyway, everyone was enjoying themselves.
I leaned back in my chair.
Impellium, who had waited patiently until then, spoke up.
"Feeling relieved now?"
"What about?"
"The first thing you did upon waking was check on your party members. Seeing them safe and enjoying the party puts you at ease."
"You know me too well."
"I would. I was the same once."
Impellium poured a glass of wine and handed it to me.
It was far from my usual drink, but I accepted and clinked glasses lightly.
After sipping his wine, Impellium continued.
"Of course, I never got the gratitude I deserved from my party members despite my efforts. My own shortcomings, I suppose."
"Adin was trash from the start, and Acteon planned to betray you even before joining your party, or so he said. No need to blame yourself."
"......"
"Besides, at least one was firmly on your side."
"True. Without Serad, I would've crumbled long ago. She's my wife and my savior."
"She'd think the same."
He smiled softly.
"Receiving comfort from a junior like this... I guess I really am getting old."
"You're ten thousand years old. Bound to happen."
"Heh."
"Can you tell me everything? I've wielded the 'complete' Eye of Omniscience once upon a time myself."
"What's on your mind?"
Good question.
What was I most curious about?
Various questions flitted through my head, but the top one was this.
"Acteon said he sinned against me."
"You saw his Blood Letters."
"Yeah. How could that bastard have sinned against me? I didn't even know who he was."
"Hmm. That'll become clear when I answer your next question."
"Next question? You know what I'll ask next?"
"Don't you want to know where we are?"
......
Yeah.
This guy's as sharp as me.
"Fine. Where are we?"
"You've probably already seen it with the complete Eye of Omniscience, but this is the world's embrace."
"I wasn't asking for vague terms like that. What exactly is this 'world's embrace'? Is it the afterlife?"
Impellium answered leisurely.
"No. The afterlife is where the souls of the dead go. But I'm no soul, nor is Serad, and neither are you and your guests who were invited. We all have bodies."
"......"
"When a 'hero chosen by the world' defeats the Demon King, the world rewards their labors with one gift."
"What gift?"
"A new world."
"......?"
"Exactly as it sounds. It creates a new world and gifts it to them."
Hearing that, instead of parsing the words, this thought hit me first.
‘The banquet food didn't fill me up even after returning—that time.’
Because it was another world?
So nothing that happens here affects the original world when I go back?
‘No. Not the time for idle thoughts.’
The sheer absurdity must've short-circuited my brain for a moment.
Impellium pressed on regardless.
"To reiterate, this is my world. In Adin's childish terms, a world where I'm god."
"......"
"Not like the so-called heavenly gods, of course. I've subtly spread the idea of relying on their own strength and effort as much as possible."
"......"
"But it's not easy. They eventually realize some entity is helping us—leaning on me, that is. They call me different names by region and culture. Well, I'll do my best to keep them from turning into Adins."
My head was spinning.
I wanted to beg him to slow down.
But before I could, Impellium continued.
"And the special chamber? That's the world Acteon was gifted. It's another 'world's embrace.'"
"......!"
"That's why Acteon is literally a god inside the special chamber. The wild climate and terrain shifts are because his mental state is a mess."
I drew in a deep breath.
Then exhaled very slowly.
"You just gave me chills."
"......"
"Even if I say something weird, just hear me out."
"Take your time."
"We're in Impellium's world right now. The special chamber is Acteon's world, right?"
"Yes."
"Then what about the world I originally lived in? Where Maide Mohan was born, lived as a mercenary, where the Empire exists with Alcahad and the Knights of Light... where my party members were born and raised."
"......"
"Whose world is that?"
Impellium stared at me silently instead of answering.
That gaze was answer enough.
For a moment, it felt like my breath stopped.
"That's your world, Maide."
"......!"
"Countless eons ago—in a timeframe beyond human numbers—you slew a Demon King from somewhere else. You've been a hero since then."
"......"
"And as reward for that feat, you were gifted the 'world of Maide.' That's the place where you were born and raised."
My vision went white.
I covered my eyes with my hand and leaned back in the chair.
After several deep breaths, I asked.
"Why phrase it as speculation?"
"My Eye of Omniscience can't confirm it."
"It's the complete one."
"It says I can't see it. Or maybe it refuses to show."
Huh?
Not that my level's too low to see secrets, but it can see yet won't show?
As I opened my mouth to press further, Impellium changed the subject.
"Now you know what sin Acteon committed against you, right?"
"Ruining my world?"
"Yes. By cooperating with Bellosian, who altered your world's laws."
"......"
"The most insidious and grave sin. Acteon deserves to die a hundred times over."
Impellium paused there, closing his eyes briefly.
Probably calming his excitement.
I appreciated it.
I needed time to cool my head too.
A long while later, Impellium spoke.
"Anyway... Now that I've explained this much, I'll use formal speech. Sir Maide."
"......"
"First, my apologies for calling you a junior earlier. Truth is, you're leagues my senior."
"Don't."
"Oh? Casual it is then."
I let out a brief chuckle.
"Switching tones like you were waiting for it."
"Haven't used formal speech in ages; it doesn't sit right."
"......Whew. Anyway, thanks—that calmed me a bit. Keep explaining step by step."
"Sure. But it'd be better if you asked what you want to know instead of me monologuing."
Impellium refilled his glass.
And swirled it around.
Before questions, I sorted my thoughts.
When humanity's greed amplifies, the Demon King descends.
And when the Demon King descends, a hero inevitably appears.
The hero defeats the Demon King, and the world gifts a "new world."
Even in the hero's new world, a Demon King descends.
In "Maide Mohan's world," Bellosian, Idria, Demon Kings of Destruction, Greed, and Corruption descended.
Each time, Impellium, Grade, Lepia, Leon appeared.
Those heroes slew the Demon Kings and received new worlds.
Then Demon Kings descended in those new worlds too.
‘So what I need to ask is.’
I looked at Impellium.
"Why is the world's system like this?"
"Because that's humanity's instinct."
"......?"
"Think about it. During the brief respite between a Demon King's death and the next one's descent, how much did humans fight among themselves?"
Impellium's voice turned cynical for the first time.
"I'm not saying I empathize with Acteon, but I can understand why he turned out so twisted."
"......"
"The world didn't want humanity to self-destruct. So it created a common enemy instead."
"The Demon King."
"Yes. With a massive foe like the Demon King before them, humans stop fighting each other."
He let out a light sigh.
"Plus, when a Demon King descends, the laws ensure a hero appears. The victorious hero gets a new world and departs there?"
"......."
"That's how humanity spreads across the universe and dimensions. Expanding their domain, advancing and prospering."
"......."
"A method to prevent self-destruction while achieving that. A win-win, as they say."
Is that it?
I nodded for now.
But soon, a question arose.
"What about Sir Grade, Lady Lepia, and Sir Leon?"