“On the first ring, you engrave the heaviest foundational pattern. It does not matter which of the twenty-four original patterns you engrave, but if you consider the path you will walk as a mage in the future, you should choose carefully.”
Rustle—turning to the next page with a movement of his hand, it explained how to sense mana, how one ought to handle it, and how to engrave patterns.
Such things were written in neat handwriting.
By nature, grimoires were books written in ancient languages, utterly impossible to understand.
Having often watched Hio conduct his research from beside him, Airaitz knew.
The book he was looking at now, 〔You Can Do It Too! The First Step into Magic!〕, was one Hio had personally translated and copied down for him.
As if to prove it, the next page was densely filled with Hio’s advice in tiny letters.
Not just here—throughout the book, tips left by Hio remained.
They had been left for none other than Airaitz himself.
It meant Hio had carved time out of his busy schedule, thought of him, translated the book, and brought it to him.
It was more than enough to set Airaitz’s motivation ablaze.
“When engraving a pattern, take special care not to engrave it on the heart……. No, what kind of idiot would engrave it on their heart?”
He no longer knew how many times he had read it over.
There were no parts he failed to understand.
That was thanks to Hio’s little comments, which had invariably been added wherever something was difficult or impossible to grasp through common sense.
Yet creating the first circle was still far, far away.
Simply sensing mana was already this difficult, so how was he supposed to handle it?
Beyond that, creating a pattern through precise control, then using that power to form a sturdy ring… he could not even begin to guess how much effort it would take.
If even a mere 1st Circle was like this, then as one went higher, the number of patterns to engrave would increase drastically, and the way of handling them would become several times more difficult.
And Hio had already created five such rings.
“As expected, he’s amazing.”
Trying it himself made him realize many things.
How difficult this was, and how much delicacy it demanded.
He even had the feeling that if he continued handling mana like this, he would surely be able to unravel the secret of skills.
So this was a study and an investment with more than enough value.
He could not join Hio in the攻略 for now, but if he could make just one ring, he would be able to roam the continent freely and be with him.
He might even become strong enough to be of help to him.
“No, to make this shape, I have to draw mana out as thin as thread… Is that really possible?”
Of course, the road ahead was still long.
It had not been long since he had begun to sense the mana that existed somewhere inside his body, yet now he had to handle it according to his will.
And was merely handling it the end?
With it, he had to create and engrave complex patterns, draw out that power, weave mana together, gather it, make a ring, and then do all sorts of things with it… Ah, whatever.
He had thought making a single ring near his heart could not be that difficult, but it was more complicated and difficult than he had ever imagined.
“Still, it isn’t impossible.”
It was difficult—truly difficult enough to make his head ache—but it did not seem impossible.
He had the feeling that with a few months’ time, he would be able to succeed.
That was enough.
All he had to do was endure and work hard for a few months.
He was used to that.
Compared to the days when he had wandered for two years searching for Hio, not knowing whether he was dead or alive, this was a time overflowing with blessings.
“Hmm… mana like this……?”
The capital of Hiberunia, where darkness had settled.
The house of the divine mage.
The flame burning quietly in one corner of the room showed no sign of going out even until dawn, when the sunlight began to rise dimly.
* * *
The Imperial Palace.
Meetings continued day after day in the Grand Hall.
An unreasonable war in which a single failed攻略 led directly to enormous damage.
For this reason, meetings were held every day in which all related parties and nobles responded with one heart and one mind.
Sylvia sat upon the throne, with the Death Knight Theordo standing as always behind her, while many people sat below them in a circle, exchanging opinions.
“The Rifyue priests dispatched to the Tarans region have withdrawn.”
“A report has also come in that the restoration of Rafia Castle has been completed.”
“Only after half a year are things slowly returning to their places.”
Before the Empire participated in the攻略, there had been the disastrous failure on the 51st floor.
Abyss monsters had poured out from Abyss Gates across the continent, especially from the many concentrated within the Empire.
The damage caused by them was one thing, but the true great problem was the cursed energy that had come along with them.
It was a dreadful energy against which ordinary people, having no immunity whatsoever, could only become infected without the slightest resistance.
“We should consider it fortunate that the damage ended at this level, thanks to the Guardian Knight and the high-ranking priests of Rifyue putting in their efforts.”
It was an energy impossible to drive out without divinity, but thanks to the Guardian Knight Hio Pavlenko and the priests of Rifyue, the damage caused by the energy had not been great.
And with the Tarans region as the last, the Abyss energy throughout the entire Empire had been purified without leaving so much as a speck behind.
“The expected time for the next攻略 is right before us.”
“If it is early, this week; at the latest, sometime next week… No, in truth, it would not be strange for it to appear at any moment.”
“And the preparations?”
“We have issued orders to the existing expedition members to prepare for assembly, and have just instructed each lord to search for the entrances to the Demon Realm.”
Listening to that conversation, Sylvia had been about to sink into the throne, but instead straightened her posture.
There were many in this place whose souls had not been touched, so as emperor, she could not show the slightest disarray.
‘…I’m tired.’
Even so, it was difficult to hide even her languid expression.
Ever since the 51st floor攻略 had failed, she had been busy without a proper moment to rest.
She had to prepare for Abyss Gates that appeared at intervals as short as one month and as long as two, calm the public sentiment, restore the damaged regions, and so on—she had truly been busy enough to have no time to breathe.
As fatigue washed over her, her mind went blank.
‘Those were good times.’
With this sort of life repeating for months, did it not seem as though the days when she had been an imperial princess were better instead?
No, to be precise, after she had fled the Imperial Palace.
Meeting Hio in the southern Empire, going to Yon Torno Castle in the east, bringing the Eastern Noble Alliance over to her side, and so on.
Though the process had been uneasy and tense, had she not had a goal and looked forward to the future?
For Sylvia, that time was one of her few memories of freedom.
In her early, precocious childhood, she had lived with bated breath between the two imperial princes, under the constant threat that she might lose her life at any moment.
And now that she had become emperor, was she not living each day crushed by responsibility—no, simply by work?
Of course, looking back, the anxiety she had felt at the time had been enough to squeeze her heart, and with the energy of death rising all the way into her marrow, it would not have been strange for her to collapse at any moment.
Even so, she had been free.
She had been anxious, but because she had a dream, she had been able to hope for the future.
Though her body could have collapsed at any time, she had a goal: to save at least her own people.
Compared to then, now was…….
“An urgent report from the Defense Knights!”
A desperate voice shattered Sylvia’s languid thoughts.
“An entrance to the Demon Realm has appeared!”
An entrance to the Demon Realm had appeared.
News announcing the beginning of the攻略.
At that, a heavy silence settled over the conference hall for a brief moment.
“Issue the assembly order to the expedition!”
“We will need to further reinforce the search parties.”
“We must not miss a single entrance. Relay the order with emphasis that they are to search thoroughly!”
“Contact the Guild at once as well…….”
Soon, the place grew noisy as each person set about fulfilling their assigned role.
‘…Yes. For now, let’s focus on the present.’
This was not a situation where she had the leisure to think about other things.
For now, if she focused on the present and solved the problems before her, the end would come someday.
This war, whose beginning no one knew, would eventually come to an end as well, and peace would arrive.
When that day came, she would lay down everything—emperor or whatever else—and spend the rest of her life in peace.
After all, the position of emperor was something she had sought only to survive, and for the honor of her one and only knight.
To do that, she would have to continue the line and marry.
But she did not want to grab just anyone and marry solely for the sake of an heir.
What would that even be? It would be no different from an animal.
If she was going to do it anyway, then someone who was enjoyable and amusing to be with.
Someone with whom she did not need to stand on ceremony, someone who put her heart at ease—would it not be best if she married such a person, bore children, and spent the rest of her life peacefully?
In truth, when she thought of such a person, only one came to mind.
As Sylvia thought of him, a warm smile settled on her lips.
A fairly happy future that allowed her to endure these hectic days.
Such an imagination.
“Your Majesty, I believe we should conclude today’s meeting here and hurry to begin preparations.”
Sylvia nodded and looked around at those assembled.
“This meeting is concluded. Prepare to march.”
The meeting was over.
It would be held again the next day anyway, but in any case, there were now many things that needed to be done at once, so today’s meeting ended here.
The doors of the Grand Hall were flung wide open, and people moved busily.
They hurried off to relay the decided orders and fulfill their respective duties.
Their directions of travel and the tasks they had to perform were all different.
But if there was one thing common to them all—
“The days have grown much colder.”
It was probably the cold wind blowing over their heads.
“Please, take care of yourself…….”
Winter was coming.
* * *
Entrances to the Demon Realm had appeared throughout the Empire.
Search operations were carried out to find them, and the moment one was found, it was placed under control.
Not a single person harbored other intentions, and all tried to carry out their assigned roles thoroughly.
The central nobles.
The high-ranking officials.
All of them became of one heart and one mind, advancing solely for the peace and prosperity of the Empire, and thus every cogwheel meshed smoothly and moved.
This was the power of the Empress of the Empire, Sylvia Verden.
Had someone other than her ascended the throne, the situation would likely have been several times more difficult than it was now.
But even Sylvia had a group she could not completely control.
That was the group of the possessed.
To the continent, they were known as the Adventurer’s Guild.
For now, they cooperated out of mutual necessity, but in truth, it was a rather unstable relationship.
In fact, had it not been for the mediation and efforts of Hio Pavlenko, it was a relationship that would have erupted into serious conflict many times over.
But that was not a problem.
That was what would have happened if Hio Pavlenko had not been there; now, however, he plainly existed.
As the emperor’s Guardian Knight, he held the countless respect of the imperial people.
The admiration of knights.
As the unshakable number-one ranker, the envy of the possessed.
A being who brought them reassurance.
Hio Pavlenko.
He desired harmony and coexistence.
He said that only by doing so could they win.
Then everyone would agree with that will and move forward together.
—You are the ruler.
…With the exception of only one person.
—The one who will rule the abyss, and in the end, guide even light into the abyss.
Before the Abyss Gate where they had gathered for the攻略.
At the center of that complicated scene, where all sorts of information, words, and opinions were being exchanged, Antipus Praman merely stood there.
“The type of this floor is…….”
“The points we must be careful of are…….”
“In that case, how should we…….”
He was dazed.
His focus was hazy, and as if he had sunk beneath water, the surrounding sounds reached him faintly, blurred and distant.
—Kill the Supreme Heavenly Demon.
By contrast, the voice in his head was terribly clear.
—If only the Supreme Heavenly Demon is gone, there will be no being who can stand in your way.
—Remember this.
—You are the ruler. No one must exist above you, and no one is fated to be able to.
He was clearly not in a normal state.
Antipus himself knew that better than anyone.
If there was a cause, was it not that the Abyss energy had invaded his mind?
And so he had personally visited the Rifyue Order and even received purification, yet the sinister and sweet voice still did not disappear.
Then did that truly mean this was his own voice, and his own thought?
“…pus. Antipus!”
Only then did he come to his senses at the loud voice coming from right beside him.
His eyes came into focus, and when he turned his head, Sirbert was looking at him.
“What were you thinking so hard about that you didn’t answer when I called?”
“It’s nothing much.”
“If you’re not feeling well…….”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go get some air for a while.”
Antipus brushed aside Silbert’s concern, left the barracks, and headed somewhere far from the command post.
- How long are you going to keep this up?
The voice kept echoing inside his head.
- Hio Pavlenko. Hio Pavlenko. Everyone is chanting that name and that name alone.
As he wandered without purpose, before he knew it, the path was blocked.
He had arrived directly beneath a stone mountain that rose high as if it had been carved sheer.
His mind was in chaos.
All manner of thoughts refused to settle.
He braced both hands against the cliff.
- Beneath him, you will gradually lose your strength and your dominion.
And slammed his head down with all his might.
Kwaang!
- Not as a ruler, but as a failure……
Kwaang—!
Stone shattered, fragments flying, and crimson blood scattered between them.
- In the end, you will be pushed aside, and then forgotten……
Kwaang!
With the pain, the fog inside his head cleared.
The voice began to break up, little by little.
Kwaang!
Kwaang—!
Kwaaaang—!
Antipus continued to slam his head down.
“How dare you.”
Kwaang!
“How dare you!”
Kwaang—!
“How dare you! How dare you! How dare you!”
Only after striking his head several more times did the act come to an end.
Beneath the stone mountain, wrapped in silence.
Blood dripped steadily from his forehead.
Fragments of rock lay scattered about.
And.
“…How dare you.”
The voice no longer sounded.
“Do not try to control me.”
A rather severe wound had opened on his forehead.
As Antipus wiped away the blood smeared over it with his bare hand, his eyes were more ominous than ever.
“Even without such a thing, I will take down the Supreme Heavenly Demon.”
Antipus turned his back and headed once more toward the Abyss raid.
Just as his fierce vow and resolve declared, the 55th floor of the Abyss was swiftly concluded through Antipus’s outstanding efforts.
His sword swung with all his might, as if driven by pure spite.
The countless skills he unleashed at the right places and at the perfect moments saved many from danger, and shortened the time by just as much.
Yet.
“……”
After the raid ended, the name everyone praised was.
“The Empire’s great guardian knight! Hio Pavlenko!”
The name they joyfully chanted was.
Only Hio Pavlenko.
“The last remaining mage in this world!”
“Hio Pavlenko is the hope of the continent!”
“The saint chosen by the Goddess!”
“A true hero who will vanquish evil and bring peace to the continent!”
Hio Pavlenko.
Hio Pavlenko.
Hio Pavlenko……!
That name, enough to drive him mad.
They passed the 55th floor, cleared the 56th floor of the Abyss.
And even after he fought with all his life through the raid of the 57th floor, nothing changed.
He always shone the brightest.
And Antipus was always hidden by that light.
Who in the world could understand this wretched feeling?