Chapter 140
－Emperas Kingdom: Senior Mage's Perspective－
I felt something was off when I looked over the list of mages assigned to the ancient ruins expedition.
Because every one of them was a newly minted mage of the lowest rank.
I could probably investigate the reason, but instead I looked at the face of the First Knight Order's commander, who had brought the documents.
After seeing that expression, I signed my approval without saying a word.
Something must be about to happen, but I have no right to stop it.
The Mage Commander and the other two senior mages besides me must have noticed as well.
But we simply watched in silence as the mages selected for the expedition departed.
Tears spilled at the realization that even someone like me had lives I could protect.
The investigation into the magic stone made no progress.
Pained expressions had begun to appear on every face.
"Perhaps it's time to call it quits."
I heard the Mage Commander's quiet voice.
I let out a long breath, and the tension left my shoulders.
I had known it would come to this.
But it seemed I still valued my own life.
Thinking about what lay ahead made my body tremble with fear.
The king would never forgive us.
Suddenly, light flooded the room, turning it pure white.
I squeezed my eyes shut and shielded them with my arm from the glare.
Even so, spots danced before my eyes.
How long had I remained like that?
Gradually, the light began to fade.
At that moment, a sharp crack rang out in the room.
My whole body tensed, thinking it was some kind of attack, but nothing seemed to happen.
The room was enveloped in silence.
I opened my eyes and blinked several times.
At last, the strange sensation in my eyes disappeared.
When I finally relaxed in relief, a subordinate's scream echoed through the room.
I turned toward the subordinate who had cried out in surprise, but they were trembling, their face deathly pale.
I looked toward what my subordinate was staring at and saw the magic stone.
...The magic stone, split cleanly in two.
It seemed the moment had finally arrived.
Suddenly, my body grew heavier.
...I see. Yes, that's right.
The Mage Commander sank to the floor where they stood.
I slowly approached.
When our eyes met, the Mage Commander looked startled, but soon nodded as if understanding.
The other two senior mages seemed to quietly accept the changes in their own bodies as well.
When I sat down beside the Mage Commander, my hand was gripped tightly.
Though there was no strength in the grip.
I quietly bowed to the three of them, then slowly headed out of the room.
I tried to leave the room, but the door was locked.
I knocked on the door, but sensed no sign of anyone.
I broke the lock with magic and opened the door, but no one was there.
They must have fled, terrified by the light just now.
...Thank goodness. In my current state, it would be impossible to defeat them.
...
I reached the king's bedroom door without encountering any obstacles.
It was fortunate for me in my current state, but I couldn't help laughing.
At the fact that no one remained willing to protect the king even at the cost of their life.
I knocked on the door a few times, then opened it and entered without calling out.
As befitted the king's bedroom, it was spacious, but the entire room was in disarray.
Inside, I found the king's daughter, the princess.
One look at her face told me she was already dead.
Nearby, the king was sitting on the floor.
I had once thought him frightening, even terrifying.
But now I felt nothing.
As I moved toward the king, I heard the door open behind me.
When I turned, I saw the commander and deputy commander of the First Knight Order.
The commander of the Fourth Knight Order stood there as well.
Each had a sword in hand.
They weren't here to protect the king... were they?
When our eyes met, all three looked surprised and froze.
I couldn't help giving a soft laugh.
How hideous must I look now?
"A senior mage..."
They must have been unsure, but seemed to identify me by what I was wearing.
"The magic stone has completely shattered. This is the result."
"The result?"
"The king and the rest of us used the magic stone's power to slow our aging."
We used the magic stone to extend the king's lifespan and searched for a way to stop aging.
But we never found one, and time passed mercilessly.
In the end, all we managed was to find a way to slow aging.
The king wasn't satisfied, but decided it would buy us time.
Once the success of the four of us, including the Mage Commander, had been confirmed, the king slowed his aging.
To slow aging, magic power had to be continuously supplied from the magic stone through a magic circle for regeneration magic.
When the magic stone broke, that supply stopped.
In other words, the aging we had slowed began to progress.
Even so, I thought the aging would progress slowly.
But...
...It seems all the aging came rushing back at once.
For a moment, I failed to realize that the hoarse voice was my own.
I tried to put a hand over my mouth, but stopped when my own hand entered my field of vision.
A hand of nothing but bone and skin, covered in wrinkles.
"I am the king... The king... acknowledged... by the one... and only... god... in this world..."
A faint, hoarse voice other than my own could be heard in the room.
When I looked over, I saw the king, a grotesque figure with a face covered in wrinkles and only his eyes shining with an eerie light.
...I must look like that, too... Like a monster.
No... I must have been a monster all along...
I collapsed where I stood, struggling to breathe.
Every part of my body screamed, but all that escaped my mouth was the sound of ragged breathing.
I heard what sounded like the bones inside my body breaking.
With breathing so difficult, I somehow managed to raise my arm toward my throat, but halfway there, it fell limply to the floor.
My consciousness quietly faded.