—There is little to take from the minstrel’s songs. No noteworthy facts, nothing. Only the final line of one song, “the giant and the emperor,” troubles me. Lyrics close to a prophecy: the giant recognizes the emperor, and the emperor recognizes the giant. Reading those strange words, I find myself, for some reason, wishing for Sophien to be happy……
Sophien searched the pages of the poetry collection again. The passage was quickly found.
[The emperor and the giant recognize one another; the human above all men, and the giant who could not cling to the world, wander in search of something that is nothing at all. When a fire is lit in the dark world, a light darker still shall cover the continent. Only then will mankind come to know. Only then will mankind realize, as the giant did. What they wandered for was, in the end, a knot—the end not given to them. A stigma left behind like a curse……]
The lyrics, deprived of melody, sounded idiotic.
The emperor closed the book. With a hardened face, she picked up another volume.
「Archaeology: Evidence of Giants」.
This document was steeped in Deculein’s many thoughts.
Sophien rested her chin on her hand and read his memories.
—The continent is vast. That fact must have been the same for the giants. Giants possessed enormous bodies and profound wisdom, but that alone would not have been enough. Yet once time was added to them, they must have been able to see everything in the world. They must have crossed the continent, crossed the seas, and reached the end of the world. Upon arriving at that end, the giants must have lost the will to live.
Sophien suddenly raised her eyes and looked across from her.
In that empty space, Deculein appeared like an illusion. He sat with upright posture, reading a book.
His thoughts reached her as though being recited.
—But humans were not so. This world, so vast, could not be endured by the human body. It could not be contained in human eyes, nor could humans dare traverse it. Humans harbored the desires of giants, but they did not possess their enormous legs or infinite time. They wished to tread upon every land in the world, but could not. They wished to reach the truth, but could not. They wished to become the mightiest beings, but could not. In the end, humans are “beings who die without accomplishing what they wished”……
……Now I understand.
What the giant and I have in common.
“Hmph.”
Sophien does not know the distant future.
When time passes, aging continues, and the moment comes for her to return to nature, will she repeat an endless regression again, or will that moment be her last?
Until that last comes, she cannot know if the last will be the last; and even if the last comes, if it is not the last, then for her, the last does not exist.
“……”
Humans always wish for their deficiencies to be fulfilled. If they lack money, then money; if they have no one to keep by their side, then people; if their dignity is disregarded, then honor.
Thus, an immortal human, in a truly strange way, will someday come to desire “death” in the end.
The reason Deculein wished for her happiness stemmed from that contradiction.
“Do you think that if an entire life is happy, one will not desire death?”
Perhaps that may be so.
If this life is as happy as winter, perhaps I might not even harbor the thought of dying.
But if an entire life is truly nothing but happiness, then that is a mental illness. In technical terms, they call it mania.
“Librarian.”
Sophien called Lexil, who stood beside her. Lexil bowed his head and answered.
“Yes. I am here.”
For a moment, she stared wordlessly at the cover of the book. After pondering for a long while, she spoke in a voice that had sunk deeply.
“Can you erase it?”
“Yes. It is possible.”
Lexil answered as if he had been waiting. Sophien slowly closed her eyes and nodded.
“Erase it.”
“Yes.”
Lexil placed his hand on the book again, and Deculein’s thoughts were erased.
Sophien picked up the book again. She opened the pages. Deculein’s thoughts were no longer inside.
She slowly read the book.
Rustle…… rustle……
The cadence of paper brushing in the silent library. Sophien quietly sank into herself as she took in countless sentences.
But at some point, she suddenly lifted her face. With sunken eyes, she looked at the empty space across from her.
“For some reason…… I wish you were here.”
* * *
The Round Table’s grand assembly hall. Epherene and Allen sat in the gallery under the qualification of being Deculein’s disciples. It was a place separated from the main chamber by glass.
“……The atmosphere feels strange somehow.”
“I know, right?”
Epherene agreed with Allen. That was how oppressive the layout of the grand assembly hall was.
Deculein, who had been “invited,” sat in the center of the chamber, while the twenty-four heads on the circular tier around him looked down upon him.
—Monarch Deculein.
At that moment, the oldest-looking archmage opened his mouth. Epherene knew his name.
Jektain. He was the head of “Pagon,” a school of the destruction category.
Epherene focused her gaze on the proceedings on the other side.
—You submitted a thesis you could not even prove to the Floating Island without a word to the Round Table. Do you have anything to say regarding this point?
His tone was rather aggressive, but Deculein answered while looking directly into Jektain’s eyes.
—What does it matter if it is a thesis that has yet to be proven?
—……
Jektain’s brow twitched. The heads of the other schools showed similar reactions. Even Ihelm did.
Epherene was not particularly surprised. Ihelm had already hinted that he would “put on an act.”
—Has Yukline forgotten the Round Table?
—There is nothing to forget or not forget. I merely submitted my thesis.
—……
Jektain was quickly rendered speechless.
At that moment, a thought occurred to Epherene. This meeting would not last long; one side or the other would break it off first.
—It seems the documents we prepared will not be necessary. I never imagined Yukline would treat the Round Table so lightly.
—Treat it lightly…… Have you forgotten the sum Yukline has sponsored to the Round Table?
At that, simultaneous dry coughs rang out. Most of the old mages cleared their throats—Ahem—while glaring at Deculein.
Jektain spoke again.
—Even if the Floating Island recognizes your thesis, it will not be entirely your achievement. Kagan Luna. That dead man, the assistant who worked under you—you merely inherited his will, did you not?
At that moment, Epherene bit her lip.
Why that damned old geezer was suddenly using her father’s name, and why he was using it to attack Deculein.
—That is correct.
Deculein answered. Hmph—the old men twisted their lips and shook their heads.
However.
—But that man’s daughter will become my disciple.
—……Disciple?
At that moment, Epherene flinched in surprise, and the faces of everyone at the Round Table distorted.
Allen also turned to look at Epherene. For some reason, his narrowed gaze pierced Epherene with a zing.
“Ah, that’s. Um…… Come on. Assistant Professor Allen is less a disciple and more of a companion? That kind of…… relationship.”
“……Hmph.”
Allen turned his head sharply, as if jealous, and Deculein continued speaking.
—In any case, if a school is founded, it will be led not by me, but by that child.
—……The reason?
Jektain asked back. Epherene looked at Deculein with a rather stiff expression.
—Because that child will be the one to prove it. Because that is how it has been decided.
—……
Jektain’s wrinkles deepened. He clicked his tongue and said,
—It seems we will not be able to communicate. The Round Table will not stand by and watch you.
At that, a sneer appeared at the corner of Deculein’s mouth.
—Hm. If you will not stand by and watch, then neither will I.
Even while receiving the gazes of twenty-four people, he was not cowed in the slightest. He did not retreat at all.
—However, I doubt all of you share the same opinion.
Rather, the pressure of that one man alone seemed to overwhelm the Round Table. Every member of the Round Table concealed their expression, but they surely knew what Deculein meant by those words.
Deculein looked around at them and smiled deeply.
—There is still plenty of time…… so I shall listen in detail.
It was a wicked, serpentine smile of the eyes that Epherene had not seen in a long time.
—How dare you, how dare you! The invitation ends here! Leave the Round Table at once!
Whether that chilly persuasion frightened him. Or whether he was afraid.
Jektain hurriedly drove Deculein out.
* * *
As soon as I returned from the Round Table, I received several threatening letters.
Most were from the Round Table, but there were also those presumed to be from the Altar or the Red Casket, and even one from “Rohakan.”
[Hey! Disciple. It’s good to see you seem to be doing well. I hear you stirred up the Round Table? Those old men do need a good scolding one of these days, but I didn’t think you’d be the one to do it. Ah, you are scolding them, right? Don’t be the one getting scolded. And you know what the brass coin enclosed in this letter is, right? The World of Voices. It seems like it’ll be a long time before it officially opens, but keep it on you. This is a messenger token, so don’t throw it away. Let’s communicate from time to time. Kkul kkul kkul.]
“……So that is how I see it. Honestly, I also think the Round Table ought to be brought into some order now.”
While I was reading the letter.
A middle-aged mage who had come to my office spoke. With his robe hood pulled low, he was the former “Debrun.” It seemed this man had decided to attach himself to my camp.
“Understood.”
I nodded. Then I took a golden toad out of the drawer.
“Take this.”
“Ah, there is no need for something like—”
“It is both a decoration and a magic artifact. It reacts to aggressive mana and killing intent, so it would not be bad to keep it on you.”
“……Yes.”
When I said that, Debrun no longer declined and put the toad into his coat. Before I knew it, his response had also changed to honorific speech.
“There must certainly be mages whose views align with mine as well. I will approach them as carefully as possible.”
I nodded silently. Debrun bowed at the waist.
“Yes. Then. I will be going.”
“Take care on your way.”
“Yes.”
Debrun pressed down on his robe once more and went outside. Then, as if switching places with him, Epherene entered.
“……?”
Epherene glanced at Debrun’s retreating back, then looked at me again.
“What is it?”
“Ah. Here…… I organized the thesis up to the parts I understood.”
She held out all the documents in her arms. There were 300 pages in total.
I briefly skimmed through the contents. At a glance, there were no conspicuous problems.
“There do not seem to be any major mistakes or leaps in logic.”
“Ah, thank—”
“Have you prepared to leave?”
“……Pardon?”
Epherene asked back with bright, round eyes. I put down the thesis and glared at her.
“The day we leave for the north is not far. Have you forgotten?”
At that, Epherene’s mouth fell wide open.
“Ah, right!”
“Prepare yourself.”
“Yes!”
Epherene quickly ran out. I did not know what she intended to prepare, but since she had grown in her own way, she would probably manage on her own.
“The north……”
Now, enemies would gradually increase, and the world would enter its middle stage. It was not impossible to predict what the Altar would attempt, but…… thorough preparations would be necessary.
“……”
I looked out the window of my office.
The blue sky and the white earth.
Proof of winter filled the whole world, and the bare trees and knife-like wind formed one axis of the desolate scenery.
Winter.
That season so cold had finally arrived……
* * *
Since the business trip to the north was already next week, Epherene, Allen, and Drent devoted themselves to packing. The three of them went around together and gathered this and that.
“First, we packed all the emergency rations…… packed all the bedding too…… What are you doing, Drent?”
Drent was fiddling with a pebble in the middle of the market. For some reason, those hollow eyes looked pitiful.
“Are you still doing that pebble?”
“Huh? Ah…… I think I’m almost done.”
Deculein’s pebble test.
Starting with Roserio, then Epherene, Luina, Creto, and so on, mages had begun clearing it one by one, but Drent still seemed to be struggling.
“……Haa. I’m the one who gave the hint, so why am I the only one who can’t do it?”
Just as he said, Drent had been the first to propose the hypothesis that a “cipher” was embedded in the pebble.
“Forget it. They say that wasn’t even a test anyway. Just get ready to go north.”
“Huh? It isn’t a test?”
“Yeah. Apparently we misunderstood. It was just a performance assessment.”
“Ah…… But that still means it’s an assessment……”
Drent grew gloomy again, and Epherene and Allen moved busily once more.
“Enough! Now, that! Let’s get armor! We should wear at least leather armor underneath too. You know how many monsters there are up north, right?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
The three of them entered a shop with a sign that read 「Armory」.
And then……
The next week.
Wiiiiiiing—!
The whistle blares madly. Standing on the platform, Epherene and Allen watch the train come rushing in, scattering the wind.
“……Gulp.”
Before she knew it, the day of the business trip had arrived. Epherene swallowed, belated tension welling up inside her. But when she looked at Deculein’s face beside her, she calmed down at once.
He was so composed, as though he were truly on his way to some resort.
“Professor. What will we be doing in the North?”
Allen asked. Deculein answered simply.
“Exploration and investigation, first of all.”
“Exploration?”
“Yes. The North borders the Uncharted Lands.”
In truth, the North was called the farthest edge, but strictly speaking, it was not.
North of the North—that is, in the far north—there existed an unfamiliar land known as the “Uncharted Lands.” A continent not belonging to humanity, also famous by the name “Lands of Extinction.”
“We will infer and investigate the condition of the Uncharted Lands, and pursue magical discoveries based on the mana phenomena of the North.”
Deculein looked back at Epherene.
“If you are fortunate enough to witness an ‘aurora,’ even you may experience a momentary leap forward.”
Aurora. On this continent—no, in the magical world—it was likely the most famous mana phenomenon. An aurora was renowned as a special event that could raise a mage’s realm by a level simply by being “seen.”
Screeeeeech—
With a bizarre metallic shriek, the train came to a halt. The conductor and stationmaster, who got off first, rushed over to Deculein and greeted him.
“It is an honor to serve you, Professor! An honor!”
Without another word, Deculein said to Epherene, Allen, and Drent, who was still fiddling with a pebble.
“Board.”
* * *
……The Imperial Palace, where flowers still bloomed even in winter. The atmosphere of that mysterious place, where eternal spring and eternal winter coexisted, was rather subdued today.
“He’s been moving all over the place lately, hasn’t he? Last time, they said he went to the Round Table. Now he’s already gone north.”
The cause of that overall gloom was, as expected, Emperor Sophien.
Today, she had heard something. News that Deculein had left for the North.
“It is likely because it is winter. The Round Table as well, and the North too. There must be many things to prepare.”
Jolang answered, bowing. Sophien looked down at the baduk board with a distinctly displeased expression.
“And the day we promised for our five-game baduk match is nearly here…… Hmph. He’s not a fly.”
Jolang gauged her mood. He was feeling out whether he ought to agree with her dissatisfaction or simply watch.
“What shall you do, Your Majesty? If Deculein does not return by the promised day—”
“It does not matter.”
“……Yes.”
It was a good thing I chose to watch, Jolang thought.
“We shall begin a northern inspection.”
“……?”
At Sophien’s declaration that followed, he was momentarily dumbfounded. He could hardly comprehend what he had just heard.
But Jolang was not so foolish a eunuch as to ask rashly.
“Why do you look so surprised? Did the late emperor not often conduct inspections of the North as well?”
Sophien said with a sneer. Jolang quickly bowed at the waist.
“That is so, Your Majesty. The late emperor, too, visited the northern territories at least once a year to encourage them through the winter—”
“Precisely.”
Sophien cut off Jolang’s words.
“Therefore, I am saying that I shall do the same.”
“Your grace is immeasurable……”
Without offering any rebuttal, Jolang prostrated himself. Sophien looked at Jolang’s bent back and said,
“Prepare. One horse should suffice. Its name was ‘Twilight,’ was it not?”
The imperial studhorse was special. In a sense, it could be said to resemble a tiger.
The most outstanding mare and stallion on the continent were bred, and among their offspring, only the single most exceptional horse was raised as the emperor’s mount. It was even treated as though it were a person.
Thus, “he” learned a cultivation technique from birth like a tiger, ran solely for the emperor, and quite literally flew through the air.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall make preparations.”
“Good. You may leave.”
“Your grace is immeasurable……”
As soon as Jolang retreated backward and departed, Sophien rose. Her destination was the “dress room.”
What clothes she would wear on her way to the North. What attire she would face him in—no, in what manner she would inspect the North.
“Hmm.”
Sophien pondered as she looked over countless outfits.