Episode 970 Day 77 (1)
Have you been waiting long?
[Time unavailable. Suddenly, His Majesty Verden’s eyes snapped open.]
Alpha showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever, as if he hadn’t been waiting long.While his sense of time in his inner world was strange, Alpha was an artificial golem to begin with, so he could not feel fatigue like a human.
Well, if Alpha is intact, that’s fine.
[His Majesty Verden’s appearance changes. Staff also appear.]
The moment Verden awoke from meditation, the gray [Einber] was already enveloping his body. [Interis], which had not undergone any external change, was leaning against the giant tree of the inner world alongside Verden. Thiswas the result of both of them taking on the attributes of divine power and becoming connected to Verden’s mind.
There was a reason for it. I’ll tell you about it step by step later.
Verden lifted Alpha and naturally placed him on his right shoulder. Suddenly, he felt something light resting on his head.The area around the giant tree was also decorated somewhat more ornately than it had been before he began meditating.
“I guess I was bored.”
[Alpha. Wreath-making Master.]
Crowns woven from the grass and flowers scattered nearby wrapped around the giant tree.Among them, the wreath placed on Verden was remarkably well-crafted. The trimmed flowers were like jewels. Alpha, who had been gazing at it intently, tossed the wreath down.
[Looking at it again, it doesn’t suit.]
Is that so?
Verden, having savored the joy of the reunion, slowly rose from his seat. Alpha was not the only one waiting for Verden.
You have successfully attained divinity. Congratulations.
Hiante appeared from the side, leaning against a large tree with her hands clasped behind her back. Silence fell. Alpha tilted his head and looked back and forth between the two.
“As expected, you were watching everything.”“Because time exists even in the rifts of the world.”
Verden spoke belatedly.
Many demons have disappeared.
Over thousands of demons were killed by the Second Apostle who had tracked Verden. Some had learned their names, while others were nameless.Had Verden retreated as Hadras had instructed, or had the battle been pushed back even slightly further, more than double the number of demons would have been trampled or annihilated without exception.
They said it was a sacrifice the demons willingly offered, but I couldn’t simply accept it that way.It was no coincidence that I met demons seeking faith in the rift of the world.
“……Do you resent me?”“I do not resent you. It is my fault for being inadequate…… But.”
Verden turned his head.
“It is true that you made me attain divinity at the expense of demons. Regardless of my gratitude toward you.”
Hiante discerned the characteristics of his soul and the power of the gray dragon residing in [Einber], and guided the situation in the shadow of the gap.
Since there is no predetermined fate, even Hiante would not have known how it would end.She drew a faint sketch, and Verden overlaid thick, uncorrectable lines over the draft and added his own colors to complete the painting.
As a result, Verden realized the 8th rank he had long ago ascended, obtained divinity, and succeeded in splitting the world to keep the demons of the rift away from the threat of the apostles, but this is only the result.
On the stage of that process, Verden was like a puppet with its strings cut in a puppet show. Not knowing how it would move, yet even that becoming a play…
There is no malice.
It is just as the Gray Dragon said. Metaphorically speaking, she is like a signpost placed by the roadside.Like time flowing in only one direction, she simply points the way. The shortest path to the destination among countless roads.
I will speak for the first and last time.
The current of the inner world has changed.
Do not arbitrarily decide the path I must take.
If I had wanted only results, I wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of coming this far. If I had sacrificed everything for the outcome, I wouldn’t have even mentioned responsibility.
Why walk the difficult path when there is an easy one?
This is because it is the right thing to do.
If the process is ignored, Verden is no different from the wicked and ruthless people he has killed so far. His ideals do not remain with the individual but encompass the world.
Kuuuuuuuuu.
The pure white clouds turned dark red and intertwined chaotically, engulfing the entire forest in a storm. Leaves and grass fluttered in the field of vision due to a sudden gust of wind.
The blue eyes held a grayish tint.
Even Hiante, a conceptual being, reflexively trembled his fingertips.He felt endless madness and primal concepts.
A god pursuing another ideal.
In a sense, he might be more than ‘you’ and Oldark. Unlike them, Verden rose from the bottom as a weakling.
The anomaly that occurred in the inner world quickly subsided.
Verden composed himself and swept Alpha’s frame.Then he asked.
“When can we meet again?”
Just as Verden returned to his inner world from the rift of the world, he is now able to move from his inner world into reality.Now that he understands the soul, Verden can enter and exit his inner world at any time.
Hiante answered.
“I don’t know when it will be; that, too, depends on ‘possibility.’ But as time, I will always remain by Verden’s side with Aisha. And of course, by Alpha’s side as well.”
[check.]
“Then…… it’s time to go back.”
Hiante pulled away from the giant tree.
“Verden might achieve his ideal someday, or he might not. It is truly a future that cannot be guaranteed. After all, the ‘possibility’ is infinitely open.”
Hiante stopped right in front.
Did you say that if a sacrifice is absolutely necessary, you just need to sacrifice more yourself?
Hiante repeated what Verden had said to the second apostle.
“At first, both ‘you’ and Oldarc discussed a kind of self-sacrifice similar to Verden’s. However, that sacrifice eventually became corrupted. That was the conclusion they reached after overcoming their own frustrations.”“…….”“From the Great Divergence to the Battle of Destiny, and from the Battle of Destiny to the present. Countless years have passed, far beyond what a mortal could dare to imagine. If even the world changes, how can the countless lives upon it remain unchanged? Even if they have no lifespan, they cannot remain immutable forever.”
It was a vivid whisper.
That is time.
Hiante gently reaches out and asks, keeping the future in mind.
“Will Verden really be able to remain unchanged?”
A touch that reached [Einber].
The light of the inner world intensifies. My entire field of vision began to turn pure white.A floating sensation lifted my mind.
Their gazes crossed.
Hiante’s gaze seemed to be filled with anticipation or sadness.Verden focused on the meaningful question of her, who knew the full inside story of the Battle of Destiny, while Alpha concentrated on the various emotions reflected in her eyes.
And so, a pure white light enveloped everyone.
* * *
Verden’s consciousness awakened.
This place is… … .
Tree roots flowing with pure magical power supported Verden’s body. It was the giant tree of life. In other words, this place was Nuhar of the Desert of Silence.
Did Isabella move it?
Verden rolled his eyes as he imagined the circumstances of why he had come to Nuhar.
The top of the trunk of the giant tree of life.
Aisha, who was practically in his arms, caught my eye first, followed by the white wizard maintaining the magic.
“Master.”“Congratulations on your ascent, Verden. And on attaining divinity.”
The administrator nodded, indicating that he was aware of the changes that had occurred in the realm. His gaze turned toward Aisha, who was sleeping while drooling.
“The moment you woke up, this girl appeared without a warning. Who is she? She seems like an ordinary human, yet I sense a strange presence.”“The owner of this body is Aisha, and the power residing within is called Hiante.”“Hiante… was she one of the Second Legends?”
The administrator was aware of the Six Legends, but he never imagined that the Two Legends—representing the tenses of past, present, and future—could be sentient concepts.After all, his knowledge base was merely a fraction derived from the main body.
“I don’t know what happened, but it seems you’ve been through a lot. I never imagined [Einber] would evolve once again.”“I have a lot to tell you.”
Verden contemplated his body and attempted to raise his upper body, which was lying at an angle. As his senses returned, his range of perception expanded.
I feel a bit unsettled.
First, he intended to wake up Alpha’s mini-golem, which was in [Reindia]’s subspace. At that moment, the administrator stopped Verden’s actions.
“It is best not to move for the time being. Your level has risen so high that even delaying the union of soul and body is becoming a burden for me.”“Yes?”“Currently, there is a serious discrepancy between your soul and body. If left alone, the changes applied to your soul will be transmitted to your body all at once. The process of achieving harmony will not be smooth, to the point where it will be difficult to maintain your sanity.”
Although the realm of the soul had ascended, the absence of a physical body prevented a balance between spirit and body. It was a tuning that operated from the inner to the outer.The problem, which had been temporarily set aside to deal with the Apostles, returned to Verden.
But… … it is a mountain that must be climbed in the end.
“Is the manager buying time to give Verden time to prepare?” Verden, who had been staring into the turquoise eyes, twitched the corners of his eyes and asked immediately.
“How many days has it been since I lost consciousness?”“There are a few things you need to know before entering the realm of harmony.”
The air settled.
“Seventy-seven days have passed since the island in the Hiaremar Inland Sea was destroyed. During that time…….”
The manager spoke in a low voice.
“Something has happened on the continent.”
* * *
While Verden stayed in the gap between the inner world and the world in turn, the same amount of time naturally flowed on the continent as well.
Around the time Verden was talking with Hiante, a heavy resonance spread through the corridor of the Iderat Confederation in the central continent.
Boom, boom, boom. Boom, boom.
As befitting a multi-racial nation, the building was designed to allow even a massive beastman to come and go comfortably, but it could not fully withstand the Beast King’s weight and the power he naturally exuded, causing it to tremble continuously.
Has the Cardinal of the Ruas Church not arrived yet?
Raselt Barha, the multi-racial deputy diplomat of the Iderat Confederacy, answered immediately.
“I expect to arrive in the capital within four days, but…”“Judging by how you’re making such a fuss, are you trying to put some serious pressure on the Allied nations? The way I see it, it looks like it will take a bit longer. We’ll be up all night polishing our claws.”
King Antiathus clicked his tongue.
“It would have been better if that effort had been used to protect the sanctuary.”“…….”
omg.
The people around broke out in a cold sweat.
Numerous casualties occurred near the sanctuary of the Ruas Theocracy. Right in front of the sanctuary, that is. Those who died that day are the veryepitome of a wrath. If the words spat out by the Water King reach the ears of the Theocracy, it will be a major diplomatic disaster.
Antias lowered his gaze to the side.
“What do you think of Eon?”“Since ominous rumors are circulating everywhere that there are humans colluding with the Glory of the Dead, and that the Leader of the Iderat Alliance is among them, the Theocracy’s wrath is only natural. Of course, we should avoid jumping to conclusions until the investigation is complete.”
Coincidentally, Isabella’s party is being guided along with the Water King and his entourage.
As Isabella came out bearing the name of Eon, she treated Antias on equal footing without showing any signs of being intimidated.
“But isn’t there something strange about saying she was simply enraged?”“What kind of…?”“If she had been truly twisted, she would have overturned the Alliance long ago. The Saintess of that era is not the type to tolerate such things. Yet, she is still hiding her fangs. They say that even when the sanctuary was reduced to such a state on the day of the Black Mage’s attack, not a single shadow was cast until the very end.”
Information networks across various countries were already actively scrutinizing the Saintess, and Eon was no exception.
Actually, I had a hunch to some extent.
Information has recently come in that a city called Goldhill disappeared without leaving a trace at around the same time as the city of Zantra in the Free State of Formene.
Traces of a massive collision.
Those who investigated Goldhill have concluded that the Saintess and someone else engaged in battle.There are certainly not many beings capable of blowing up a city and altering the surrounding terrain.
“Hmm, the strongest Saintess of all time was defeated by someone who doesn’t even know what she is… I’ll have to ask the Cardinal when he arrives. If the Saintess is dead, the repercussions will be huge.”“Uh, Lord Beast.”“That is enough for the tour, so you may take your leave.”
Deputy Diplomat Raselt tried to dissuade them but withdrew with his subordinates at the order to expel them. Only after their presence had quickly vanished did Antias speak again.
“Let’s talk.”“……With me?”
Isabella frowned and dismissed Melad and the others. She didn’t know what on earth he was up to, but avoiding him wouldn’t be the best course of action.
The garden outside the hallway.
The escort of the Great Beast Tribe and the members of Eon moved away, and only Antias and Isabella remained in their places.
“What do you want from me?”“Eon is indeed an interesting group. Or perhaps I should say Verden is peculiar.”
Antias twitched the bridge of his nose.
“To think I’d openly keep a monster mixed in with human parts as my left hand and lover.”“…….”
She was seen through as a demon.They probably don’t know the term “demon,” but they noticed the abnormal form Isabella possessed.
It’s not surprising.
For a beastkin with senses as keen as the Beast King’s, it was a foregone conclusion that she would eventually be discovered.They must have suspected her uniqueness ever since the World Conference.
Isabella placed one hand on her hip.
“So what’s the problem?”“It’s not a problem. I’m just personally curious.”
Antias crossed his arms.
“I sense a ‘demon realm’ in your scent. Do you happen to know anything about it?”
A demonic realm?
Isabella was momentarily speechless at the unexpected question. Reading her reaction, Antias shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter.
“If you don’t know, that’s fine.”“Suddenly a demonic realm? I need an explanation.”“I came to hear an explanation, not to explain it myself.”
Antias displayed a sly side, just as he did at the World Council.We must not get entangled.
Isabella immediately changed the subject.
“What is your purpose in personally visiting the Alliance nation without prior notice? It certainly isn’t just because you’re bored.”“Hahaha.”
Antias laughed softly as he watched Isabella, who was not intimidated by his presence.
“Magic that obliterated an island of that size. The Grave King was terrified by Verden’s sorcery. Furthermore, the former king has ultimately been resurrected, and the masterminds behind the humans who betrayed the Ruas Theocracy have yet to be revealed. The international community is engulfed in the chaos of the calm before the storm.”“…….”“It is a pity that Verden did not come, but…… precisely because of this, the conflict is bound to deepen. The peace we have enjoyed until now is vanishing almost without a trace. Will it be salvageable, or will it lead to international division?”
Antias bared his fangs.
I find the situation itself very interesting.
* * *
“Inevitable clouds of war may gather over the Iderat Alliance. Prepare for every possible scenario and stand by with vigilance.”“Yes, Commander.”
The commander leading the two wing knight orders of the Alliance nation reorganized his subordinates and returned to his office.He had to prepare for battle, given the possibility of a serious conflict with the Ruas Theocracy. That was how wary he was of the Ruas Theocracy’s wrath.
Hmm.
Commander Yangik relaxed his expression as soon as he entered the office. Even though the situation facing the Allied nations was dire, he clearly looked pleased.
Everything is for fate.
Reciting his usual resolve to himself, Commander Yang-ik brewed some tea and took a sip. It was right after he picked up the documents, having soothed his stomach as usual.
Whoosh!
Blood gushed from the mouth and nose.The same was true for the eyes and ears.
Poison?
Poisoned before he could even react, he trembled and soon collapsed. Who poisoned him?Commander Yangik breathed his last without ever knowing the truth.
