There is not just one person who has mastered the Intrinsic Demon Path.
Naturally, the number of Relics is not one either.
Not everyone who has mastered the Intrinsic Demon Path leaves behind a Relic, but if they have the will, they can leave one. In the first place, a Relic is what remains when only the will remains from the Intrinsic Demon Path.
"The achievements of great men are passed down through generations, and do not freeze even in the bitter cold."
"The Celsius are all those who have inherited the true teachings of our ancestor Kelvin Celsius."
"The family's Relics shall assist the Governing Law, and further solidify the rules of the territory."
Seven of Celsius, all possessing Relics, with two including Elsia being Magi. The rest were also mages of such caliber that it wouldn't be strange for them to ascend to the Floating Castle.
With this military force, they could redraw the map. If a new island of ice rose beyond that sea, they would probably be the first to be suspected.
"Knowledge is a tower that someone lays the foundation for and later generations build upon to complete."
"Those who do not pursue truth have no right to climb this tower."
The world seems to distort. Seven Relics bearing the Intrinsic Demon Path. They haven't even been activated yet, but diamond-shaped crystals keep shattering into existence and disappearing in midair.
The Intrinsic Demon Path is the manifestation of one's mental image into the world. With seven such mental images overlapping, the laws of nature change only in this area. The conflicting parts cancel each other out, and the matching parts become even more powerful. Here, even a single drop of sweat would quickly freeze solid.
Elsia walked lightly through the empty air. Ice formed in the vacant air, supporting her. Pale blue wings shimmered behind her back.
In this space where seven Relics coexisted, Celsius was the law itself.
"While all Intrinsic Demon Paths are different, we grew up learning his magic within Kelvin Celsius's rule since childhood. Magi born in the Celsius territory have the right to become part of the Governing Law."
Hearing those words, what came to my mind was the Golden Mirror. The Golden Mirror, the founder of alchemy and a Demon God, wandered as a god across many nations, exerting powerful influence.
Is that why? Most of the Association Heads of the various nations awakened Intrinsic Demon Paths with a similar nature to alchemy.
It can't be helped. The Golden Mirror's power was that extraordinary and powerful. Humans who survived under the shadow of the Demon God had no choice but to resemble that Demon God. People resemble gods.
Though smaller in scale and much safer, Celsius was the same.
"Knowledge is the starlight that rises in the night sky. Everyone gazes up at that distant light, draws constellations, and builds towers to reach those stars. However, your black magic is the dark cloud cast beneath them. Because it is close, it covers the distant and precious starlight. The common folk who have lost the light will flounder in the darkness, and disappear miserably without leaving anything behind."
The admiration for mages was the fundamental principle that formed this Magus Federation.
Things like black magic cannot be tolerated.
Even if it makes humans convenient for the moment.
"What are you keep explaining, Elsia. Open the Heirloom Vault quickly."
As the conversation dragged on, a Celsius mage wearing a white robe interrupted. Elsia glanced at me and said.
"Pointing out foolishness and guiding them in the right direction is what qualifies one as a descendant of a prestigious family."
"No conversation is needed. We have already reached an answer after careful deliberation. We will not accept the rule that the Demon God Temple seeks to establish."
Demon God Temple.
Where did I hear this before? First, I heard it passingly in Shei's flashback, and next, I heard it at the Floating Castle. They reacted as if having a seizure at the mention of the Demon God. That Lankart was the Demon God Temple was an open secret.
The story that couldn't be concluded at the Floating Castle continues on this land.
"Celsius has rejected the Demon God Temple. We will protect the Governing Law as we have done until now. But if the Demon God Temple's World Law is tested in our territory, that is no different from saying they want to cause conflict."
"What? Wait a moment. Demon God Temple?"
Why are they telling me that? I've never even seen the Demon God Temple face to face.
"Your power is that of a Demon God. Did you think we wouldn't know that?"
"Mr. Temporus didn't seem to know."
"A guard dog has no need to read letters."
"Though it would be convenient if they learned."
The mage pointed his staff at me and said.
"Even Fahrenheit, which was the most prosperous in this northern land, was annihilated because their rule overlapped with another. The Celsius territory was built on the Governing Law, and prospers through the Governing Law. There is no need for another rule."
Indeed, the Celsius territory is prospering. Even in this northern land, it would be hard to find a city as prosperous as this. Some commoners are abandoned, but that much is the same in any country, any city.
Elsia took out a transparent key. When she thrust the crude, pale blue key into the air, a subspace opened and a fierce wind blew.
Rene's pocket. It's probably the same structure as Shei's pocket. But its use is different from Shei's pocket, which was used as a convenient bag.
It was a subspace for controlling and tuning the overwhelmingly powerful and destructive power of the Relics.
"Long live Celsius. We shall protect and cultivate the great achievements of our ancestor."
Elsia, who had opened the Heirloom Vault, the subspace where the heirlooms were kept, took off her glove and reached her hand toward me. A large shadow wavered behind her. Swish. That hand reached me, transcending space.
Huh? When I actually try to escape, my body won't move. It's as if I'm trapped in ice.
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"Phase Out."
No, I am the ice!
The 'state' of the space that covered me itself was fixed as a solid. I can't move even a fingertip. But it feels natural. Because that's what a solid is.
"There might come a time when we need to release you later. But cool your head in there."
Elsia turned her back within the slowly darkening ice. Unable to move even a fingertip, I continued to sink in a world where everything was fixed….
….
….
….
Blink. I opened my eyes.
The Celsius Heirloom Vault. The secret technique of a magical prestigious family that can only be used when the family's Relics are gathered in one place. I was hit without even a moment to resist. It's a terrifyingly powerful force. There's a reason why the vassal state instigated by the Empire was defeated.
I didn't want to meet that power by experiencing it with my own body... but it can't be helped. Because my contribution is in a way they don't want.
-…! Unbelievable!
-It's something to see after living so long. Even though I'm already dead. To think there's a human who has reached the mental image.
-Reached the mental image? It's more than that! We're having a conversation among ourselves! This isn't that person 'coming in'! We 'entered' inside that human!
-Why are you so surprised? I know too. I just thought it would be better to analyze in the time it takes to be shocked.
-Analyze what! The answer sheet is right in front of our eyes!
-We are Relics with only mental images remaining. What can tools that can't see or hear, only lending power, judge on their own? Here, it's more rational to wait for the person themselves to reveal it.
"Ah. Hello, everyone in the Heirloom Vault."
I greeted the blurry figures of the magi and surveyed my surroundings.
The appearance of the mental image world resembled the Heirloom Vault within the subspace. Like constellations, some far, some near. In rooms separated at regular intervals, there was one Relic each. The owners of the Relics stood as blurry mental images, looking at me.
"Nice to meet you. I am the King of Humanity."
When I revealed my identity, the Relic owners were greatly flustered.
-The King of Humanity?
-Good heavens. You used the power of the Heirloom Vault just now. What happened?
-Did our descendants perhaps pick a fight with the King of Humanity? That doesn't seem like a rational judgment no matter how I look at it.
"But you've lost your power."
-Ah, then I acknowledge it.
-Lost power but using the Heirloom Vault's power?
-Even a prestigious family lasts three generations after falling. If it's the King of Humanity, it would be more.
-If you're the King of Humanity, you can explain the reason we 'entered'. Since we're conceptual beings, can we converse like humans inside him?
Seeing the Relics conversing like friendly old men, it felt like I'd come to a senior center. With the Relics noisily debating among themselves in front of me, I calmly counted their numbers.
Eight. One too many.
Among them, the Relic with the clearest form spoke to me.
-What did you come to know?
"I came to see you all."
-That's obvious. There's no one but us here. What I mean is, what did you come here wanting to know?
"Just curious."
Relics cannot lie. In the first place, this is a mental image. Thoughts and whatnot, if something comes to mind, it's immediately reflected.
And there's no reason for mental images to lie. Lying is deceiving others to gain something, but what could they gain, having already died and leaving only mental images.
A Relic said.
-To uphold the will of Kelvin Celsius.
"What is Kelvin Celsius's will?"
-He left many wills behind. Theories on freezing and boiling points. Methods to preserve heat, magic to obtain water… But if I had to choose one, it's 'rule.' What is called the Governing Law, beyond freezing and boiling points.
This is a Relic who was once a mage. Even in death, their habit of showing off their knowledge remained. The Relic told me even what hadn't been asked.
-This land cannot survive without rules. Ice melts only in summer once a year, and only moss-like grass grows within that. Beasts with thick fur gather to eat that handful of grass, and wolves and bears come to prey on them. The northern sea has no days when it freezes. The sea current crushes icebergs and chews them like snacks.
There's a reason why history is short. The further north you go, the higher the proportion of large beasts. It's overwhelming for humans to deal with, and rather, they often get eaten instead.
If it were the south where everything is abundant, they could at least gather numbers to form groups, but even that is not feasible in this environment. Only a few Eskimos survived like beasts.
-Only magic is the sole ember that illuminates this cold and desolate land. The great Kelvin Celsius left behind Relics to protect the ember for future generations and gather firewood to make it burn even greater. We too, upholding that noble will, left behind Relics for future generations.
I could feel that the face of the Relic speaking so, even though I couldn't see it well, was filled with pride. He indeed lived a faithful life and died amidst everyone's welcome. He has no regrets.
-If even in death I can be of help to the people of future generations, wouldn't that be the most meaningful death?
That's why this Relic is very stable. Because lending power to descendants is the purpose of a Relic's existence.
-Even if my snowman eventually melts and disappears, if only it can make someone smile. Olaf would be happy too.
"You're the one who made Olaf?"
-Yes. A snowman that grows on its own.
"It looked cool."
-To recognize that! How surprising. Since it was a snowman that would become a Relic, I made it with special care. I even used a carving knife to make the snowman, and I knitted the red wool hat myself.
A red wool hat? It was so big I couldn't see it. Was there such a thing?
Anyway. His book was complete. Having read it well enough, I surveyed my surroundings and asked.
"But… where is the Relic of the most important first-generation Celsius?"
-Him? He is asleep.
"Asleep? When you're already dead?"
-Relics are not eternal. Everything in the world decays with time, and Relics are no exception. The fact that my voice is the loudest despite having the least experience is probably because I haven't been a Relic for long.
I said something I didn't mean for his sake.
"What a shame. If it were Kelvin Celsius, the ancestor of the most powerful Celsius territory and your role model, he could have aimed for the Demon God's seat."
-I agree. If it were Kelvin Celsius, he would have that qualification.
"Celsius stood firm even while other territories declined or were annihilated. I heard that was the power of Kelvin Celsius. I came to ask about that secret."
-What secret is there to speak of. Kelvin Celsius's achievements remain throughout the territory. We, no one else, are his achievements.
That was when. The mental image trembled. The largest Relic, which had been listening to our voices, was vibrating.
Kelvin Celsius, the ancestor of Celsius who had been quietly asleep, opened his eyes at the chattering noise. Kelvin Celsius, who stretched loudly, cried out.
-Stop it-! I, I'm not such a great person-!
He cried out in shame and embarrassment.