Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Jewel in the Palm
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Edward was outraged upon receiving Dictree's report.
Not only had the operation failed, but they had also lost thirty members of the elite mercenary group he had painstakingly recruited.
'Is Berddin really that strong?'
Even though they had blocked him from using Aura, he had subdued them with nothing but his sword.
The Strange Family had held the title of the continent's strongest for ages.
But Berddin was still far too young to bear that reputation.
How much could an eight-year-old possibly understand about the weight of the family legacy?
His skills were undoubtedly insufficient to defend that position as well.
That was what Edward thought.
However, Berddin had resolved that issue.
"So the kid used Timeless to grow,"
Edward clicked his tongue and let out a sigh.
Dictree, gauging his mood, bowed his head and cautiously replied,
"Yes, Brother."
With a rustling sound, the bookshelves in Edward's room flew up, opening to pages about Timeless.
"The apostle guarding floors 20 to 30, Timeless. Known as the ruler of time and space, it lures adventurers to other dimensions. Those who succumb are trapped in its time and cannot return, so one must block their eyes and ears in its space and climb the stairs."
Edward tilted his head as he read the passage from the bookshelf.
"Ruler of time and space. So you're saying Berddin skipped time by overcoming this thing?"
"Probably. He looked about the same age as us. I suspect he spent at least ten years in the tower."
"Is time there slower than here?"
"Slow or fast doesn't matter. The moment they enter Timeless's space, they're no longer affected by this world's time."
"A transcendent space, then."
"Exactly."
"What an incredible apostle. To think the gods granted such omnipotent powers—not just time, but space manipulation as well."
Dictree nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but adventurers who've reached the 30th floor say it's the easiest trial."
"The easiest?"
"The apostle doesn't impose trials on adventurers. Or rather, some say every floor it guards is a trial in itself."
"...Either way, it means the apostle doesn't directly engage adventurers?"
"Yes."
Edward picked up a floating book beside him and continued.
"Understood. Good work. I'll handle the rest, so go rest."
"I'm sorry, Brother. I should have finished him off for sure—"
"Enough. Didn't you say he was an opponent you couldn't beat?"
"...I couldn't, but you can defeat him, Brother."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Why do you think that?"
"We knights have walls we can't overcome with strength alone. Mine was too low to stop him, but you're more than enough."
No sooner had Dictree finished speaking than a red-haired boy hidden behind the curtain burst into loud laughter.
"Kuhahaha! What touching brotherly love."
Thud, thud, thud.
As he stepped out, Edward ground his teeth in irritation.
"Asabragg."
The current Rothschild evaluated as closest to the divine, Rothschild de Asabragg.
He clapped his hands and continued mockingly.
"What is this? 'Brother, I lost, so please fight for me'? Such a pathetic plea. I can't watch with my eyes open!"
"Just like you running to your sister crying after losing to Berddin."
"What?"
"Cut the nonsense. Why are you here? We're both busy—say what you need and go."
Asabragg shrugged.
"Why? To get a report, obviously."
"A report?"
"On the progress so far. Don't we need to know?"
Edward fixed him with a cold glare.
"We have no obligation to tell you."
"Then make one now. If we split now, you'll be the ones regretting it."
"No, not at all. We haven't declared war yet, and there are plenty of points to negotiate with Strange."
"......"
"If we halt the war and expose your schemes, whose side do you think Strange's sword will turn to? It's obvious."
The two engaged in a tense standoff.
Unable to stand it, Dictree stepped in front of Edward and addressed Asabragg.
"Lord Asabragg, I'll give the report on this incident. Please leave now."
"...Thanks, Dictree."
"No need. But you must report your defeat against Strange to us as well."
"Our defeat?"
"Yes, as my brother mentioned. Your loss to Berddin. We need to know what abilities he used and the strategy to counter you, so we can prepare."
Asabragg's eyes hardened as he stomped the ground.
Boom!
"I don't know what tales you've heard, but I didn't lose."
Edward snorted derisively.
"So you went sobbing to your sister to erase Strange from the map?"
"Wh-who said that?!"
"Your brother visited. Said not to mind if his pathetic little brother caused a scene."
"...My brother?"
"Yes."
At the mention of his brother, Asabragg's fiery glare subsided.
"Hoo... Fine, I'll go."
"Wait."
"...Why?"
Edward approached with a smile, handing over the book on apostles he had been reading, his lips curling.
"Want me to tell you how to get even stronger?"
Maria Terezia awoke.
The fragments of my memories shown by Timeless had been so shocking that it took her half a day to regain her senses.
"I'm sorry, Lord Berddin. I don't think I can forget what I experienced there."
Maria Terezia was a woman who could overcome her own pain no matter what befell her.
But she had one great weakness: she couldn't bear the suffering of her comrades. It had been the same in her past life.
"Lady Terezia, the scenes Timeless showed you are not our future."
"They're not?"
"Just memories from another dimension."
"Memories... from another dimension?"
"Yes."
Past and present lives are different.
I won't repeat the same mistakes, and I'll never lose another comrade.
That's why I could give her a firm assurance.
'What you saw will never happen.'
Maria Terezia bowed her head.
"Do you know what I saw, Lord Berddin?"
"Yes."
"You know?"
"Yes."
"How? Cynthia and Rox said they didn't see anything."
"I just know; I didn't see it."
I gently placed my palm on her head and continued.
"I simply know what memory you witnessed."
"...How?"
"I can't tell you that yet. But I can answer this clearly now."
"What?"
"I will never kill a comrade."
Not just Maria Terezia, Cynthia, and Rox—but everyone who will stand with me from now on.
The day they die by my hand will never come. Not now that I'm immune to his illusions.
"As you know, Lady Terezia, I never lie to comrades, no matter what."
Terezia stared piercingly into my eyes. Fresh from sleep, she had been tearful, but now her emotions had calmed during our talk—her lips pouted slightly, but her eyes sparkled with life.
"My head understands, but my heart is racing. If what I saw in the tower becomes reality..."
"I promise. If such a thing happens, the one to die won't be Cynthia or you, Lady Terezia."
I took a ring from my pocket and slipped it onto her fourth finger.
"It will be me."
A red ruby ring engraved with the Strange Family's symbol, the crossed sword.
It was an item crafted to prove one's words were true, imposing severe restrictions if lied.
The only drawback was that it had to be worn on the fourth finger to activate. Fortunately, it fit Terezia perfectly.
'It's one of a kind, such a shame.'
But it was necessary to calm her.
"Eh, eh? Eek! N-no, I can't accept this. I can't take this ring."
"Why not?"
"B-because I'm a nun..."
"Do nuns not wear rings?"
"No, that's not it."
"Then wear it if it's uncomfortable otherwise. That ring will protect you, Lady Terezia."
"Me?"
"Yes. Its name is the 'Oath Ring.' Our family uses it when pursuing truth."
Maria Terezia tilted her head.
"Oath Ring?"
"Yes. It prevents Aura use if you speak a falsehood."
"...So lying imposes restrictions on Aura?"
"Exactly. Now I can't point my sword at you or Cynthia. Doesn't that resolve your worries?"
Terezia gently touched the ring on her finger, pondering deeply before...
"Hmm."
Her lips twitched into a smile as she said to me,
"Can I really keep this?"
"Of course."
"Have you given it to anyone else?"
"No, it's the only Oath Ring I have."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
"Then from today... we're bound by oath, right?"
"Not from today—from now."
The wave that began in the east started spreading across the entire continent.
Monsters of unimaginable strength and bizarre forms invaded and attacked human territories.
The capital predicted casualties greater than the Anti-Demon War a century ago.
Yet the imperial army hesitated to act. Rumors swirled that Strange and Glazer were about to go to war; deploying troops to hunt monsters now could spark rebellion.
"Forgive me, my people."
The aged emperor bowed his head in misery. Knowing his subjects suffered, yet powerless to act.
How could the imperial court break through this? The advisor sought his old friend, the mage, for answers.
"It's been a while, Sage Dirgof."
The advisor spoke into the darkness between the great tree's roots, paused in thought, then shook his head and continued.
"No, your name now isn't Dirgof. Yu... What was it? It's been so long, I can't recall."
The one hidden in the shadows replied in a weary voice.
"Good to see you... old friend..."
"Have you been well? I heard one of your clones vanished from Pabloza Luisnes Academy."
"......"
"Some incident, I suppose? I don't know the details, but my condolences."
The figure amid the roots coughed harshly.
Cough, cough.
"The time had come. That clone was already nearing the end of its life anyway..."
"Is that so? I wouldn't know how long you'll live."
"So... why summon me today...?"
"Ah, I'm in a bind and need to borrow your wisdom."
"...My wisdom?"
"Yes."
The advisor confided the court's plight to his friend.
Soon, the friend offered a solution.
"Tell the court to hold the middle path... History's wheel always seeks balance... Stay on that road..."
The advisor clapped.
Clap!
"Thank you, friend! I knew you'd have the answer."
"No need... Just the ramblings of a dying old man."
Cough, cough!
"Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine. I know my body best... I won't last much longer..."
"Don't say that."
"...Friend, since you're here, can you grant me one request?"
"Of course! Anything. I'll do whatever I can."
A withered, wrinkled old hand emerged from the darkness between the roots. It trembled so much the letter it held fluttered like insect wings.
"Can you deliver this letter... for me."
"To you?"
"Yes... to my second clone in the Papal Court."
The mysterious figure pushed the letter into the advisor's chest.
Thud.
"Deliver this letter to Archbishop Juda."