◈ Episode 110. Even If You Regret It, It's Too Late
I checked the quest that had appeared.
[Class Quest: Extinction of Akshan]
The extinction of Akshan and the Demon Hunters.
O last Demon Hunter.
Unearth the truth entwined with the Holy War.
─Train your weakened body. (Repeatable)
─Identify the forces that participated in the Holy War. (In Progress)
●Encounter the Saint of the Order of the Goddess. (In Progress)
●Identify the original sin of the Magic Tower. (Success)
Wait, what does this mean……?
So this means the Magic Tower was involved in the Holy War too.
The Holy War that led to Akshan's extinction.‘No, perhaps it’s only natural.’
The leadership.
It was understandable, since the ones who decided the major and minor affairs of the Magic Tower were a majority of demon worshippers, including the Elder Wizard, Karimjeba.
Moreover, the Magic Tower was not a force that had actively participated in the Holy War.
"I realized upon seeing you, my Lord. That turning a blind eye cannot become an indulgence. As you said, great power comes with great responsibility."
According to Marcelo.
The Magic Tower had merely turned a blind eye to the Holy War.
Just as they had always done.
Marcelo added thus.
"You must have already known everything, my Lord. That I have only now been able to lay it all bare, I have no words. The Magic Tower has incurred a great debt to you, my Lord, and to Akshan as well."
No, maybe not to Akshan, but……
There’s no need to apologize so formally to me, is there?
If it weren’t for this quest or whatever about the Holy War, I would have been completely in the dark.
I have a blank gap of ten-some years!
But everything was led by the heavy pride in my heart.
I answered Marcelo.
Shamelessly, without changing expression.
"I understand you. Marcelo."
Don’t pretend to be benevolent, Grangpel.
You may not know, but I do.
The absurdity of corporate life. ‘When the upper stream is rotten, what can the lower stream possibly do?’
You have to bow when they tell you to bow.
Marcelo probably couldn’t voice his opinion during the Holy War either.
But from my standpoint, there was nothing bad about it.
The Order of the Goddess.
Tens of thousands of paladins waiting in the holy land, Myuon.
To stand against that colossal force.
I had thought that I myself needed to become a big shot.
"My Lord, would you not entrust this matter to me?"
To think that the Magic Tower, a force surpassing even the Order of the Goddess, would move for me…….
As if to show he wasn’t speaking empty words, Marcelo even brought up ‘propriety’ to demonstrate his resolve to me.
What I had to say was extremely simple.
"If that is the pride of the Magic Tower, then I shall accept that request."
Oh my, thank you.
Even though I should be bowing my head to the ground in gratitude.
To act as if I were the one in charge.
But being impressed by my own shamelessness was nothing new.
I instead wracked my brain. ‘If the Magic Tower moves for me.’
I might not need to go through the trouble of returning.
Even if we are both chief mages, a parachute appointee and an elite are treated differently.
For one, unlike me, Marcelo has a reputation. ‘Myuon might withdraw its hostile attitude.’
Thinking of the Magic Tower’s prestige.
Wouldn’t they at least hear Marcelo out?
With that in mind, I said to Marcelo.
"What I question is the very existence of Freija."
Leaving the quest aside.
She was the Saint, Freija, who showed conduct unacceptable as Grangpel’s pride.
She was particularly suspicious. But I was the only one merely guessing, wasn’t I? ‘Obviously, a concrete explanation is needed.’
If I don’t want to get beaten by the Order of the Goddess for blasphemy…….
That was what I had thought.
"I understand, my Lord. You suspect her."
As expected, Marcelo was overestimating me.
He didn’t raise even the slightest doubt about my words.
Marcelo didn’t hesitate.
"Then, I shall go and return."
He immediately rose from his seat right then and there.……
Already? He’s going? Does he not need any mental preparation?
I felt concerned, but Marcelo had already left the laboratory.
In the end, I had no choice but to watch and wait. ‘I wish it could be resolved through words if possible…….’
Before long, I witnessed it through a breaking news report.
Marcelo appearing in Myuon.
At the same time, the tightly shut holy gates swung wide open.
Even the sight of the paladin greeting Marcelo with a bowed head.……
Is this for real?
I knew the greatness of the Magic Tower better than anyone.
As the Magic Tower’s parachute appointee.
Because I was the one who had benefited most from the Magic Tower’s halo.
But as expected, the real chief mage is different in a class of his own.
Of course, regardless of such inner thoughts, I picked up my teacup.
Clink─
Watching that sight, I blabbered nonchalantly.
"As befitting knights, they observed the minimum propriety."
The bean-husks of propriety fitted over my pupils.
Of course, the fact that they maintained propriety didn’t mean my doubts about the Order of the Goddess disappeared.
The conversation between Marcelo and the paladin wasn’t long. Before long, a portal manifested.
Marcelo, who had immediately returned to the Magic Tower, confided to me what he had learned.
"Your concerns were correct, my Lord."
……My concerns were correct?
"Even the Captain of the Paladins, Tarim, says he has never seen the face of the Saint, Freija."
So it was.
The Saint of the Order of the Goddess, Freija.
She had only conveyed her voice and prophecies from beyond the covered veil.
Naturally, what I had to say was simple.
"Conduct in which not a speck of propriety can be found."
There’s a limit to ignoring someone’s good faith. ‘……No, I shouldn’t be nitpicking about propriety here.’
Let’s think about this logically. ‘This is blatantly fishy, isn’t it?’
Not only did they lock the gates of Myuon.
The mysterious existence, Freija, hides her identity even from her close aides.
I could be certain. ‘She definitely reeks of a demon.’
How did the Order of the Goddess fall for the words of a so-called saint whose face they haven’t even seen?
That too could be explained by the demon’s power, [Abnormal Status].
Since [Abnormal Status] had been effective even against demigods and Elder Wizards. ‘……Things won’t be easy on this front either.’
Would a demon being that cautious reveal itself easily?
Of course not. Seeing as it specifically mentioned ‘the Day of Judgment.’
Freija probably won’t show herself before then. ‘If only I could approach Myuon…….’
Once I enter, everything will become clear.
The Demon Hunter’s unique skill, [Natural Enemy], was sharper than ever before. If a demon existed within Myuon, I would be able to sense its presence.
However.
At Marcelo’s following words, I was astonished.
"As you said, my Lord. I too had doubts about her identity."
I could understand that much.
You could ask a naive country bumpkin and they’d think it strange.
What kind of saint in the world never reveals her true form even once?
"That is why I have invited the Saint, Freija, to the Magic Tower."
So when I heard those words.
I wondered if I had misheard.
Marcelo must have guessed that Freija wouldn’t accept the invitation.
But I had forgotten for a moment.
What kind of organization the Magic Tower was.
"If she does not comply, we gain justification."
At those chilling words, I finally recalled.
Yes, the Magic Tower was universally acknowledged as Arcana’s strongest military force.
When the Magic Tower sought to seize something, nothing stood in its way.
One either disappeared without a trace from the continent of Arcana, or stepped aside on one’s own before disappearing.
Those who faced the Magic Tower had only one of two choices.
I felt it anew.
That such an enormous Magic Tower.
Was moving simply to keep up appearances toward me……!
But Grangpel’s ego was equally enormous.
How could I possibly feel burdened?
I spoke without wavering.
"We need only watch how they respond."
Indeed.
At this moment, I wasn’t the one who should feel burdened.
There must be someone else truly sweating bullets right now.
The so-called Saint Freija, I’m talking about you.
*Captain of the Paladins of the Order of the Goddess, Tarim.
He knelt before the veil.
The shadow of the Saint, Freija, flickering beneath the draped curtain.
Tarim confessed everything honestly.
"……The Magic Tower, they have come to Myuon."
He was a paladin who should protect the Saint.
Tarim had no face to show.
He had never imagined he would confront the Magic Tower—not on the continent of Arcana, but in this world.
Much less that the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower would come to Myuon personally.
"I had no choice but to break your rules, Saint."
Thinking back, it was still dizzying.
"!"
Had he not recalled the face of Marcelo, the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower, from his memories……. By now, Myuon would have been reduced to ashes with a wave of Marcelo’s hand.
Because he knew the capabilities of the Magic Tower’s mages.
Tarim had no choice but to step outside Myuon.
And he ended up speaking with Marcelo.
"They wished to speak with you, Saint. Chief Mage Marcelo has conveyed his intention to formally invite you to the Magic Tower."
Tarim thought with his head bowed. ‘Why would the Magic Tower want to speak with the Saint?’
As he tried to guess the reason one by one.
The Saint Freija’s voice was heard.
"Is that so. What do you think, Tarim?"
There was power in that languid voice.
"!"
Enough to scatter the thoughts rising in his head completely.
An irresistible force.
"I believe the Saint’s will must take priority."
An answer came from beyond the veil.
"Is that so, Tarim. Then why did you come to me?"
"……That is."
"I know. You were afraid, weren’t you."
The Saint’s words were correct.
The Magic Tower was an entity anyone would fear.
But Tarim realized his thoughts were wrong.
"Unfortunately, it seems you lack faith."
"F-faith? I lack nothing of the sort. That isn’t it, Saint……!"
"No. I can fully understand. You must be confused too. Not only are there demons, but our holy land, Myuon, has fallen into a strange world. But do not worry, Tarim. Do you not know this as well?"
"……?"
"That even in this strange world, the Goddess’s care remains unchanged."
"!"
At those words, Tarim recalled.
The Goddess’s care, a miracle.
The reason Myuon was called the holy land: ‘The Saint’s Tears.’
Yes, there was nothing wrong with Lady Freija’s words.
Tarim said, choked up.
"I have realized the meaning of your words."
"Is that so, Tarim. Then what must you do?"
"I……"
The moment he trailed off.
An intense thought swirled in Tarim’s mind.
It was the ‘Oracle of the Goddess’ that came upon him occasionally.
Tarim continued.
"……I shall open Myuon as the oracle commands. I shall prove the Goddess’s miracles in this world and spread the greatness of the Order far and wide. I shall forge a force that even the Magic Tower cannot stop."
At Tarim’s declaration, the veil shook slightly.
From somewhere indiscernible.
A satisfied laugh flowed out.
*──────[Breaking News] The Order of the Goddess’s Holy Land, Myuon, Fully Opened!
[Breaking News] Is this also the Magic Tower’s effect? The closed gates of Myuon open……!
[Breaking News] Player: "There is a miraculous spring in Myuon……!"──────
It was a turn of events no one could grasp.
It was surprising enough that Marcelo, the Chief Mage of the Magic Tower, had appeared in Myuon. Who would have thought that a few hours later, Myuon itself would step forward and open its gates.
"I think this is a situation where we can only see it as the Magic Tower intervening in Myuon in some way."
"But isn’t it strange? Before and after the Great Upheaval. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Magic Tower step forward and act so openly like this."
"That’s right. When the President of South Korea……. No, when the governments of countries around the world sent their offers, it was Chief Mage Marcelo who refused to show himself to the outside world, was it not?"
Just what change had occurred in the Magic Tower?
That the Magic Tower’s attitude had changed so.
There was only one possibility to speculate.
-Simply put, the Magic Tower of past and present.
What changed was the Chief Mage.
There was nothing but the existence of Hoyeol.
Though Hoyeol hadn’t even shown himself near Myuon.
Interest in Hoyeol was explosive.
No matter which channel or community one accessed, talk of him was in full swing.
-No, lolololol, if this isn’t a Nobel Peace Prize, what is!!
-When Guyver went down, I seriously thought we were screwed;;;
-That big picture was insane, for real lolololol
-So even while running the rifts, he was paying attention to Muon too??
-He pulled off two things at once when most people can barely manage one properly lolololol. Compared to the interest in Hoyeol,
it was still nothing more than a drop in the bucket for now.
But centered around the Nettuber players who had entered Muon,
there was also information spreading quickly.
Muon, the lake located at its very center.
It was the story of the spring water that filled that lake.
“……
The effects of this spring water are no joke, brothers.”
“The paladins weren’t calling it the goddess’s miracle for nothing.”
“W-With effects like this, even I’m tempted to convert to the Goddess Church?!”
Like ripples spreading outward—the news about the spring water in the lake spread.
There was no need to explain its effects in words.
Because the effect of the lake was being broadcast live through real-time streams.
As if the lake’s spring water truly were an elixir of rejuvenation, it had made the Nettuber’s skin look youthful.
Himself.
And no less than that,
the soaring interest in the goddess’s miracle, the spring water.
Naturally,
after confirming all of that,
Hoyeol was the same as ever.
Before the mirror, he neatly adjusted his attire.
Soon, Hoyeol began to move.
Click—
Toward Muon....
The self-proclaimed saintess is not half bad, is she?
I didn’t think she would open Muon herself.
Truly, it was nothing if not a despicable tactic.
Because no matter who looked at it, her intention to frame us was obvious……!
In fact, the media was making a fuss.
They said Muon had been opened entirely thanks to the Magic Tower, thanks to Marcelo making a move. Going even further, they said it was thanks to me, who had moved Marcelo.
Yes, that must be exactly what Freyja was aiming for.
If an incident occurred in the opened Muon, the arrow of responsibility would inevitably point toward the Magic Tower.
And further than that, toward me.
However, with this, it became clearer than ever.
“How fitting for a despicable breed.”
The only ones whose minds would work in that direction were demons, after all.
Well, I don’t know what kind of demon it is, but it certainly has talent.
As if swallowing Muon whole wasn’t enough,
it even tried to use the Goddess Church to frame the Magic Tower.
And what was that?
An eliiiiixir of rejuvenation?
How did it even know people go crazy over anything said to be good for the body?
So that’s how it plans to gather believers—no, hostages?
This could have become extremely troublesome.
In that sense, I could say the attempt was commendable.
Of course.
“There is nothing more insignificant than not knowing one’s place.”
If I
were not the natural enemy you tried to erase from existence,
even going so far as to pull the dirty trick of a holy war.
If I were not a demon hunter, that is.
[Skill, ‘Natural Enemy Relationship,’ activates.]