That he was living harmoniously playing with dolls inside the Golden Palace was what was strange. It wouldn't have been strange if he had been like this from the start. Because the Golden Mirror's desire was always the same.
However, burdened by guilt, the Golden Mirror hesitated at creation accompanied by destruction. Thus, he only repeated vain creation while wandering the Yeokguk.
But now, having awakened to his inner self and broken free from his shackles. There is nothing to stop that.
It breaks and crumbles. The things turned into materials soon take on new forms and descend upon this land. As a part of the Geumguk.
For the sake of true creation, the Golden Mirror advanced, causing certain destruction.
The legion surrounding us retreated. No, it felt more like the legion moved away. The Golden Palace itself moved, giving the feeling as if the world was moving forward.
Hilde, who watched its figure until it was far enough away, let out a sigh of relief and turned around. She then approached my side with a buoyant attitude.
"As expected, Father! 'I' believed in you!"
'Oh my? You succeeded at this? I thought you'd only fuel the anger!'
Her inner thoughts and her words are completely different. How dare she lie in front of me? I raised my body and retorted.
"You believed in me? Really?"
"Of course. If 'I' don't believe in you, who will? 'I' know you better than anyone else!"
"What do you know. Lie after wetting your lips with spit."
"Lick. I wet them!"
"Wetting them with spit means you're lying, you know."
"Aah! I'm caught!"
Hilde didn't believe in me 100%. Rather than doubting my power, it was because she wished for this plan to go awry, but seeing as she still followed along and cooperated with the plan in the meantime, she's definitely not in her right mind. Is it that she has a gambler's mindset, or did she just immerse herself too much in her acting?
Anyway, as Hilde said, the mission was a success. A war will not break out.
The problem is because of the side effects it will bring... How should I explain this? I need to think a bit.
More than anyone else....
"...What happened? Where is the Golden Mirror going?"
How to explain it to Peru. I need to seriously consider this. For the sake of my life, if nothing else.
Let's just explain it quickly and move on. Should I list it out so it's easy to understand?
"Everyone. I have good news and bad news."
Hilde took my words in a theatrical tone.
"I wonder why, but I'm suddenly feeling scared~. If it's 'bad' news even from Father's perspective, is the world going to end tomorrow or something?"
"No. The world won't end."
"...?"
'What could that mean? Does it mean something else will be destroyed? Nah, no way!'
She understood well. Why isn't she reacting to this? Feeling that I might miss the golden time if I dragged it out longer, I spoke somewhat faster.
"Let me tell you the good news first."
"Is there no choice~? 'I' wanted to hear the bad news first~."
"Enough. After having a serious conversation with the Golden Mirror, it seems a war with the Military Nation won't happen!"
Huh, why is the reaction so cold? It's clearly good news, but the reaction is smaller than expected. Hilde whined with a reluctant tone to the news I delivered.
"It's not really good news for 'me'~? I'd rather go to war. If we just get rid of the Golden Mirror, the Yeokguk is nothing~."
"...The bad news?"
Peru interrupted Hilde's words and urged me.
Ugh. I tried to soften the blow with the good news, but did it fail? From now on, attitude is important. Clearing my throat, I delivered the bad news while making it seem like I was truly regretful.
"The Golden Mirror is trying to erase the Yeokguk."
It was a plain fact with nothing added or subtracted. Perhaps because it was too plain without any fat. Both Peru and Hilde couldn't understand it right away and ruminated on those words for a moment.
Hilde, who came to her senses relatively early, tilted her head.
"Huh? This is good news for 'me'."
Good news to someone can be a terrible omen to someone else. We learn a truth of life here.
Peru asked back with an expression of disbelief.
"...What?"
'...What? What did you do? Why would the Golden Mirror do that?'
"Let me explain briefly. Peru, the Bell of Gold is the Golden Mirror's relic. I was going to take a test to gain the relic's recognition. But the relic, unlike a relic should be, refused to take the test and kept saying it would rebuild the Geumguk, you see? So I criticized it, asking if this thing that would be torn apart and eaten by wild dogs in two days leaving not even a trace could even be called a country. And guess what."
To be precise, the Golden Mirror took my test, but whatever. It's roughly similar, so let's just skip over it like this. I wet my lips with spit and continued speaking.
"Even though I didn't say much, he said he'd kill all the wild dogs to grant permanence to the Geumguk that was going to disappear!"
"...A lie. No way."
"I also wish it were a lie. Please go check. There probably isn't much time. Because the Golden Mirror has now moved to burn down the wild dogs' nest."
At the last moment, the Golden Mirror recalled a certain place. I read that location before I was ejected back into reality.
The reason the Yeokguk has become half a nomadic nation is entirely because the Golden Mirror moves around. The people of Yeokguk had to avoid him, who constantly wreaked destruction for the sake of creation, while also scavenging the byproducts he left behind. Therefore, no one could build a settlement, and they ended up wandering.
However, there is only one place. A single village located at the foot of the mountain was untouched by the Golden Mirror's footsteps, and thus it became the Yeokguk's only settled city.
Ruled by the greatest Hoiju, the Thunder Hoiju, it is a city that teaches alchemy to children and provides wholesome food to free them from the Golden Mirror's curse.
"Claudia. The only settled land in the Yeokguk, and the city with the most people living in it."
The Golden Mirror, who had only ever created things for the sake of rebuilding the Geumguk until now, changed his stance.
The 'Geumguk' left behind with no one living in it becomes prey to the wild dogs. If so, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone to kill all the wild dogs and use them as homunculi to protect the Geumguk? With such a conclusion, he is moving to catch the wild dogs to use them as guard dogs.
The Golden Mirror, as a relic, will try to kill the wild dogs with rational and methodical means, and he would not overlook the simplest method. Morality? That belongs to the living. It's none of the Golden Mirror's business, who has already died a terrible death.
"The Golden Mirror will destroy that place first, and turn everyone living there into homunculi. Into homunculi that will protect the Geumguk for eternity!"
Moreover, the homunculi the Golden Mirror will newly create will be on a completely different level from the current ones. The Golden Mirror, who was deeply disappointed in humans, hadn't sincerely 'designed' only humans until I undid his shackles! Just how far can the Golden Mirror, now giving it his all, create humans? Where does the boundary of humanity lie?
I'm curious as the King of Humans, but before that, Peru reached out and grabbed me by the collar. My back bent involuntarily.
"...What have, you done...?"
Peru was glaring at me fiercely, as if to kill me, harboring the greatest emotion I had seen in her recently.
Hilde tried to stop Peru, but I stopped her with a glance. The human heart is like a boiling pot, so at times like this, you have to let them let off some steam once so they can calm down faster.
It can't be helped. Her country is about to perish. Well, I would welcome it with both hands if a rumor spread that the Military Nation had perished, though.
I spoke with completely dry lips.
"I didn't wish for this result either. I didn't know it would turn out like this. But..."
Looking at the Golden Palace fading into the distance, I chose my words with the most regretful expression possible.
"The Golden Mirror wished for this result. Because he was not the ruler of the Yeokguk, but the rebuilder of the Geumguk. To him, the Yeokguk was also one of the countries that needed to be destroyed. The fact that he actually has the power and will to destroy it is also a problem. Well, that too is the Golden Mirror's dignity, I suppose."
Whatever I do, I cannot force any action upon the Golden Mirror. This is the Golden Mirror's own will.
Realizing that, Peru ground her teeth and pushed my collar away. Since her strength wasn't superhuman, I easily regained my balance. Glaring at me resentfully, Peru turned her back and muttered self-deprecatingly.
"...It wasn't, to help you guys."
"Help? There's some misunderstanding, Peru."
Even if I admit to everything else, that's a bit unfair.
"I didn't bring you along to achieve our goal. It was quite helpful, but even without Peru, a similar result would have been achieved."
Peru's juggernaut, the Golden Ship, guaranteed a pleasant journey. That is certainly true.
To put it differently, that's it.
Even without the Golden Ship, we would have desperately found the Golden Palace, met the Golden Mirror, and he would have rampaged much like now. It was just a matter of taking more or less time; reaching that point was set in stone. Because the regressor and I had the will for it, and the obstacles were insignificant.
Rather, what changes is...
"The reason I came with Peru was, rather, to help Peru."
"...Help, me?"
Even without Peru, this journey that has unfolded until now would have happened exactly the same. Even without being a prophet, I know that much.
But from here on out, it's different.
"If you weren't here, the Yeokguk would have perished as is. Because the Golden Mirror, who heard my words, would have made the same choice. However, by some coincidence, you are here right now. A Hoiju with the power of Residual Rust, which renders all alchemy powerless and useless."
The unique demonic path of the Residual Rust Hoiju Peru is the natural enemy of alchemy. Her power not only seals alchemy but also denies the very power that forms its basis. She doesn't even have a homunculus.
Therefore, Peru stands at the antithesis of the Golden Mirror.
The people of Yeokguk need the Golden Mirror but cannot be by his side. The Golden Mirror creates what is needed out of everything that is not needed as materials, and thus, others are unnecessary in his world. He doesn't even allow approach unless one is at the Hoiju level who can 'communicate' with the Golden Mirror.
In contrast, the people of Yeokguk don't need Peru... but there is no hesitation in approaching her. Because of her unique demonic path, she rather needs other people, so she doesn't harm them. It is safe to keep her around, and in times of need, they even ask for her help.
Does such power create the personality? Or did she gain the power because of such a personality? I'm not sure about the cause and effect either.
"Peru. You always wanted to use your ability for a worthy cause, right? But the power of Residual Rust destroys alchemic value. Originally, your wish couldn't be granted. As long as the value you think of is 'alchemic value'."
If a person who can live on their own places no value on other humans. And so tries to get rid of everyone else.
That is the moment Peru's wish will be fulfilled.
"However, the scale that measures the world is not a double-pan balance. Alchemic value is not the only scale mark. The 'Yeokguk' the Golden Mirror is trying to destroy is a place of no value to him, but it will have value to you. You have to stop it somehow, right?"
"...You."
"The first, and perhaps the last, opportunity. An opportunity to protect the country where you were born, and to stop the Golden Mirror you respect from becoming a disaster."
The unique demonic path of the Residual Rust Hoiju. It is not the materialization of an image or a desired ability. The power of Residual Rust only holds negative value in the Yeokguk.
She wanted to help the Yeokguk. So she farmed and drove away enemies. If you receive her care, you might not become wealthy, but there's no risk of being plundered. Because if you try to attack, you'll only have something to lose.
Peru always wished for an opportunity to be of help to someone.
And the opportunity came. Peru realized that fact to her marrow, and answered in a small, trembling voice.
"...I didn't wish, for something like this."
She's sincere. Well, an opportunity to fulfill a wish doesn't always come at just the right timing. Rather, it only appears at the moment when the deficiency reaches its peak.
It doesn't matter if she didn't wish for it. I can tolerate giving up on the opportunity, but I can't tolerate missing it. I reached out my finger. Pointing at the back of the Golden Mirror, which was already out of sight in the distance, I urged Peru.
"Go. To fulfill your wish."
There's no more time. Lest she miss the Golden Mirror, Peru ran with her fists tightly clenched.
The tents set up in preparation for war also disappeared. The soldiers also retreated. What remains now is the road where the Golden Mirror's royal road begins.
"Phew, it's tough."
I was just being tormented in the mental world a moment ago. My body is fine, but my mind is slightly exhausted.
Hilde approached me as I flopped down at the start of the road. Hilde asked me, full of curiosity.
"Father, did you perhaps bring Peru along for this?"
'Did you choose Peru as the Golden Mirror's antithesis from the start? To heighten the story of the Yeokguk through their conflict?'