“The currents of the continent are shifting in an ominous direction.”
“They say the death toll is mounting. Among the city-states of the Western Continent, numerous nations are engaged in formal warfare that far exceeds mere border skirmishes. Some lands have already descended into lawless zones after losing their monarchs.”
“The seeds Ian Chervil sowed have begun to sprout. Just as the flap of a butterfly’s wings can trigger a storm on the other side of the world.”
“Every living soul across this vast continent is starting a war, each brandishing their own justifications. Different races, different nations, different religions. They all claim to fight for their beliefs, but in truth, it is for profit. Do we not all know the truth? War is a terrible thing, but it allows one to seize things of equal value.”
“Ian Chervil, the monarch of the Iron Kingdom, provided the spark. The continent is vast, but land is ultimately finite. The six Free Cities—the most fertile and valuable lands—fell into the Iron Kingdom’s hands so easily that it was only natural for other nations to be overcome by greed. In truth, was our own Empire not eyeing them as well? If not for the ancient pact never to break the eternal peace…”
“It was bound to happen eventually. The heavenly order established by the Empire cannot last forever. The chaos won’t end here. Valuable lands still abound across the vast continent. In particular, many Southern Continent nations remain unsettled, lacking even a proper standing army. Other nations with powerful legions will look at the Iron Kingdom’s actions and grow hungry. To avoid losing fertile lands to others—and rather than watching from the sidelines and losing everything—they will seek to occupy them first and plant their flags, even if it means facing international condemnation. All to possess just one more thing.”
“This is the age of conquest. Next will come the age of colonization. They will wage war to claim as many colonies as possible. Countries will spring up like mushrooms, erasing the will of uncivilized lands and forcing them to produce only for their masters. It is a dishonorable path, but soon an era will arrive where you are treated as a fool if you do not follow it.”
“Conflicts will be incessant. Coups will erupt due to the backlash from forced conscription, tyrants will be born from those coups, and people will distrust one another, huddling only with those who share their traits. Perhaps the racialism of the past will return. An age of hatred where people harshly discriminate against, prey upon, and exclude those different from themselves.”
“This time, it will be even worse. Even within a single nation, people will splinter into countless factions. Ideologies worse than racialism will emerge. People will group by race, then by religion, then by their home city, their family, or even their alma mater. Numerous factions will be born, and they will act with mindless aggression.”
“Factions will split even within a tiny village. Once divided, they will cease all productive work and spend their days at each other’s throats. Instead of farming, they will only plot to slander others, seek empty praise, and plunder the property of their neighbors. The alliances might collapse. The balance of the seven races that have lived in harmony since the War Era might be shattered once again.”
“It will become a world where right and wrong no longer matter, and only the presence of a fault is scrutinized. A world where everyone prattles on about politics or beliefs with shallow knowledge while no one tends the fields. Then, once again, monarchs and nobles will pray for war.”
“Indeed. What is more efficient than war for uniting those who have splintered? One can even forcibly drive up productivity through the demands of conflict. If they win and establish a colony, they can erase the inhabitants’ will and use them entirely as slaves.”
“Starting with war, leading to division, fighting another war to prevent that division, only for those temporarily united to splinter once more… The cycle will repeat. Endless war, endless death, and the gold and glory that only a tiny few will ever possess.”
“It is the same flow as the past. As the ancients said: a people who forget their history have no future, and history repeats itself. An era where the sword, spear, and shield were the only standards for right and wrong. The War Era is returning—in a form more insidious and blood-soaked than ever before.”
“Then, as expected, there is only one conclusion.”
The moment the word ‘conclusion’ was uttered, the eight sages who had been huddled together raised their heads. They sat at a round table bathed in the most brilliant light. The eight sages surrounding the table looked toward the ‘Sky’ of the Empire, seated at the highest point. The apex of the Great Empire of Velma, commonly known as the Sky Empire. The Emperor.
“Sages, have you reached a decision?”
“We have, O Greatest Sky.”
“Speak.”
A sage bowed his head respectfully.
“The Empire shall not participate in the war. Instead, we will wage a different war on the periphery of the battlefields that will soon unfold. A war where we can seize only gold and glory without shedding a single drop of blood.”
“Ho? Is such a thing possible?”
“For the Empire, it is. We have never been defeated since the War Era; we are the superpower that holds hegemony over the vast continent. As the strongest alliance including all nations and groups, and the guardian of the continent who protects the order, it is within our power.”
The Emperor tilted his head slightly. The sage continued immediately.
“War is a terrible thing. Much blood will flow. However, as history proves, those who bleed are the losers, and death and compensation always follow. And—”
“—We are not those who bleed, but those who possess the gold.”
The sages nodded at the Emperor’s words.
The Emperor was not a being inferior to the eight sages. He was born of the most sacred bloodline on the vast continent. No one suited the title ‘Sky’ better than him. At least, as far as the sages knew.
“Crisis is another word for opportunity. The Empire has more than enough ability to turn crisis into opportunity. Just as we did when the War Era arrived in the past.”
The War Era.
The era when the most blood had flowed throughout all of history. It was called the darkest of times, but paradoxically, the Sky Empire gained its brilliance through that era. It was after the War Era that the Empire of Velma was reborn as a Great Empire and came to be called the Sky Empire.
“After the War Era, the Velma Empire became the Sky Empire and grew into the continent’s greatest superpower. The Empire, which had been a debtor nation beholden to the Black Archipelago, took possession of all territories in the central continent and unified everything from tiny nations to various kingdoms into an alliance under the Empire’s name. The Empire, which used to bow to the Archipelago, became the continent’s largest creditor nation after the war. It became the Sky… that all nations, all alliances, and all races look up to.”
The sage concluded.
“War is the best business, O Great Sky. In the second War Era that will soon arrive, the Sky Empire will enjoy unparalleled prosperity.”
“I understand what you mean. However.”
“Do you have a concern?”
“Is there a guarantee that the swelling vortex will not wound the Empire?”
“There is no way the Empire will be wounded. All wars are wrapped in justification, but in the end, their essence is for honor and victory. What nation, group, or alliance would dare knock on the gates of the Sky Empire? Far from provoking us, they will pray that the sleeping giant does not wake.”
Those were words of utmost rationality. However, there was one thing the sage did not know.
“Greed is the most powerful emotion. Could there possibly be a madman among the monarchs of the vast continent who… sets aside greed and purely desires ruin, death, and only war? They might pretend to be a madman, but there will be no truly bloodthirsty madman.”
War is, by nature, something far removed from reason.
The being who first brought about this chaos—a certain monarch who sat on the Iron Throne wearing a crown stained with his father’s blood—was also a person far removed from ‘reason.’ Very much so.
Therefore, the sages could not have guessed in the slightest what kind of future a man named Ian Chervil was dreaming of.
* * *
In the Great Empire of Velma, commonly known as the Sky Empire, there exist numerous cities. Every single city in the Sky Empire was so massive it felt wrong to call them ‘cities,’ largely because most of them had been independent nations in the past. From the beginning, the Sky Empire was closer to an alliance unified under the concept of ‘one made of many.’
Among them, the magic city called Oz was a place established by numerous magical beings who used to live in the central continent. Spirit users, wizards, shamans training in the Great Forest… it was as if every being in the Sky Empire who belonged to the spiritual world had gathered here.
“Oh.”
It didn’t take long to cross the Empire’s border from the Sky Mountain Range and reach the magic city. Reaching the Empire from the mountains took quite a while, but once inside the Empire, moving between cities was incredibly convenient. All cities in the Sky Empire, including the capital, were connected by gates.
“It feels like… I’ve come to another world.”
That was my impression upon first setting foot in Oz. It felt like a different world. Compared to the Iron Kingdom, this place was truly a new realm. Skyscrapers high enough to touch the sky were packed together, and instead of carriages, bizarre things made of steel filled the streets. There were even iron masses flying through the sky with a roar. What is this?
“It’s understandable.”
“Is it because I’m a country bumpkin?”
“No. There is a significant difference between the Sky Empire and other countries, so foreigners are always surprised.”
Sherizik did not tease me after seeing my reaction. She truly was the perfect companion. If Audrey or Seol-yoon had been here, they would have nagged me to no end about acting like a peasant. Showing a kind, killer smile, Sherizik walked ahead.
“Airships are the pride of the Sky Empire. They are said to be a means of transportation manufactured based on objects created by certain inventors called the Wright Brothers in the past. In the Eastern Continent, they call them iron birds.”
The Wright Brothers.
That was the name the former master of 「Ascension」 used for the twin grandsons he saw at the very end. For some reason, I felt proud. It felt like seeing that the old adventurer’s end was not in vain, and that his legacy had left something behind in the world. I followed Sherizik while admiring the new sights for a moment.
“I felt this in Cloud Garden too, but the people here are truly carefree. Even though two months have passed since the last timeline. I heard the world has been quite grim lately.”
“It’s a characteristic of the Sky Empire. The subjects of the Great Empire of Velma always live without worry. They take pride in being subjects of Velma and have a strong sense of self-importance in the fact that their country is the center of the continent. Thanks to that, they don’t feel worry or anxiety no matter what happens in the world. They are firmly convinced that their daily lives won’t change in the slightest.”
According to Sherizik, war was in full swing in various parts of the world, and the shadow of conflict was covering everywhere. But what did it look like here? The streets were overflowing with people; young couples and families were dining out at restaurants. Bards with instruments performed on the streets, several men and women were kissing, and people were lining up at taverns waiting for their turn. I felt a strange emotion as I looked at the street, which was like a paradise overflowing with beautiful melodies and happiness. A faint voice flowed through my mind.
『You used to describe your city from time to time. It was a city always overflowing with peace and love. Perhaps your lovely nature was formed in that city full of love. My life, which is like the wind, must have originated from my hometown, which is steeped in blood and dust.』
The Ronin.
The memory held by the old master of 「Gale」.
Upon arriving in the city associated with the wizard he loved, faint memories were beginning to surface. Thanks to that, I was feeling a stinging ache for a love I had never even experienced.
『That city must have been as lovely and precious as you. Someday, I wanted to take your hand and become a whirlwind, leaving this blood-scented wilderness to walk those streets together.』
『Of course, that is but a dream like the wind.』
『A dream that brushes by for a moment and then disappears somewhere.』
The Ronin’s emotions were restrained like calm water, yet they left a strong lingering resonance that couldn’t be easily brushed away. While walking behind Sherizik, those emotions wavered like smoke. Feeling the power of 「Gale」 occasionally trembling within me, I felt for some reason that I was continuously drawn to this city.
“Sightseeing is fine, but let’s hurry for now.”
“Ah, yes.”
It was as if… as if I were about to meet some new connection here.
* * *
“Witch Audrey told you to just give her name in the magic city, but you shouldn’t actually do that. There are clear factions here, and there are those who don’t particularly like witches. So we have to find a friendly faction and talk to them.”
“I would have been in big trouble if I had come alone.”
“I suspect the Witch omitted that, thinking, ‘Surely he wouldn’t be ignorant of such basic common sense.’ Witches enjoy speaking like that. They often speak assuming that others naturally know what they know. The only time they speak kindly is when they are criticizing, slandering, or being sarcastic.”
“I strongly agree.”
Sherizik, who had been walking steadily, came to a sudden halt.
“We’re here. If we ask here, we’ll be able to meet the witches.”
“Ah, is this the faction friendly to witches?”
“No. They aren’t friendly. In fact, they’re hostile.”
“What?”
“Instead, they are hostile to everyone. The only ones they treat friendly are those who belong to their own faction. They are very equal in that regard. They even fight among themselves dozens of times a day. They are truly wonderful kin.”
“Kin…?”
Did I hear that wrong? I prayed that Sherizik had made a slip of the tongue.
However, our wonderful Sherizik did not make slips of the tongue.
“They are my father’s friends, so they will be kind enough to help. In a strange land, there is no race as trustworthy as Orcs. They are more reliable than any other race, you can ask them for favors with a light heart, and they are a race that can provide excellent help to those in trouble.”
“Everything you just said… doesn’t suit Orcs at all…”
“We’re going in!”
Bam!
The door of an ordinary, old building swung open. Unlike its exterior, the inside looked incredibly spacious and luxurious. Amidst the brilliant lights and elegant scenery, green lumps were swarming. Orcs, baring their fangs and wearing next to nothing.
“Ch-chwik!”
Ah.
This familiar breathing sound.
I felt like I was going to cry.
“A… A total beauty! Chwik!”
Hmm.
I want to leave already.
