Chapter 23. Kalmash (3)

Primordial Language, Runes.

It is the language of the gods, and the supreme power containing the fundamental laws of the world.

To wield this power, a special resource is necessary, and that is the trace of Divinity engraved within the soul… in other words, the Mind's Eye.

For the forgotten gods, the Mind's Eye was infinite.

Because they were connected to the origin of the world, they could regenerate their depleted Mind's Eye at any time.

However, humans are different.

With the bodies of mortals, they could never reach the origin of the world, and therefore…

'Once the Mind's Eye is depleted, it cannot be recharged.'

This is the fundamental difference between gods and humans, and the fatal limitation of mortals.

And the Ring of Yphrasia is what allows one to transcend that limitation.

A Precious Artifact that defies the laws of the world, an object imbued with the original sin of twisting Causality.

But to Arkan, who couldn't possibly know of the ring's existence, the current spectacle must seem like…

'…as if I've surpassed a wall.'

Maintaining a poker face, I glanced back.

She had admirably blocked all the aftereffects of the surging explosion.

Rudine and Adina also seemed safe under Arkan's protection.

However, Arkan's gaze towards me was unusual.

She seemed shocked, yet at the same time, as if enraptured.

'…What do I do now?'

Suddenly, a passage from the original novel where Arkan evaluated humans came to mind.

Humans are inherently a weak race.

But at the same time, they are the beings that hold the most potential.

In their short lifespans of less than a hundred years, they repeatedly encounter, converge with, and break through their limits.

If an individual cannot, the family will, if the family cannot, all of humanity inherits and carries on that brilliant flame.

Arkan loved that flame.

For her, who had lived for hundreds of years, the brilliant flame inherited by humanity was one of the few sources of amusement.

But in the end, humans are just humans.

Although they were moving towards new milestones step by step, they were still absurdly weak.

It was a wall.

A massive wall that the human race could never overcome.

And now, she would think that she had met a human who had crossed the wall for the first time.

……Of course, that was nothing but a huge misconception.

“…Haha!”

As expected.

The corners of Arkan's mouth rose as if they were about to tear.

This was the exact same reaction as in a scene from the original novel.

Later, she witnesses the protagonist of the original novel overcoming the wall, and from that moment on, the Arkan Monarch Society, which had maintained neutrality for hundreds of years, sides with the protagonist for the first time.

And now.

The obsession that should have been directed towards the original protagonist…

began to stray in the wrong direction.

“Luke Richter.”

Arkan’s eyes sparkled.

She looked like a child anticipating a gift, not knowing what to do.

The line she was about to utter to me was highly likely to be…

“Do you want to be a Lord?”

Ah, shit.

I knew this would happen.

****

Elfriede Trivia.

She began wandering the streets alone around the age of eight.

The time when she was driven away by her parents for the reason that a mere commoner had abused Divine Power without the Holy Order's permission.

“Mother! I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”

“Get out! Are you going to leave or not? Who are your parents, anyway!”

“It’s cold… please…”

“Get that wrist away before I cut it off!”

“I’m sorry, I’m wrong…”

The holy power to heal wounds and purify evil.

It was exclusively the property of the Holy Order.

Therefore, if someone not belonging to the Holy Order abused such power, they would be branded as a heretic and ostracized.

In such a harsh world, being branded a heretic as an eight-year-old child with no backing was practically a death sentence.

To abandon their own child for such a trivial reason as violating the Holy Order’s precepts.

It was unbelievably primitive, but that primitiveness was the very spirit and madness of the era they lived in.

The propagation of rumors spread by word of mouth was beyond imagination, making it nearly impossible to find a normal job.

There were no humane employers who would accept a young girl branded a heretic as an employee.

In an instant, she lost her family and home, reduced to begging on the streets.

She had no choice but to continue a miserable life, surviving by rummaging through trash cans.

“Child.”

“……”

“Won’t you come with me to the Holy Order?”

“……Okay.”

So when she finally caught the eye of the Holy Order.

And when she received an offer from a man to join the Holy Order.

Elfriede couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

It was like the whisper of an angel who had come to save her.

“From today onwards, you are a member of the Holy Order. It means you have become family.”

“……Then you won’t abandon me?”

“Of course. God never abandons his followers. Unlike your parents.”

Unlike her parents, who had discarded her like baggage, the man’s words, that God never abandons his followers, were sweet.

It was an obsession stemming from deprivation, but Elfriede didn’t bother to care.

She didn’t want to think about it too much.

She was quite satisfied with her current situation, where she no longer had to starve or shiver in the cold.

“You were born with Divine Power.”

“……”

“Don’t be afraid. Being born with God’s power is something to be celebrated. It must be God’s will that you were born with such power. However, with power comes responsibility. There is something you can do for the Holy Order. What do you think?”

“Yes, I’ll do it.”

Elfriede accepted the Holy Order’s proposal without hesitation.

At the time, the Holy Order was everything to her, and going against their will was unimaginable, so there was no reason for her to refuse their request for her abilities.

“You are the substitute from today.”

“Substitute?”

“What do you know about the Saintess?”

“An Apostle of God. A being who fights against evil and corruption.”

“You know well. From today, you will be the Saintess's substitute.”

'Me? How?'

“We need your Divine Power.”

“...Does the Saintess not possess Divine Power?”

“That's not your concern. Simply put, a situation has arisen where your Divine Power will be put to good use.”

“What situation?”

It was a serious question.

As a member of the Holy Order family and a devout believer, she had no reason to refuse their request.

“The Demon King has descended upon the mortal realm.”

“Demon King?”

“Yes, a Fragment of Chaos that pursues primordial evil.”

“Is he dangerous?”

“Dangerous indeed! Fragments of Chaos are beings born to manifest evil. They are rotten to the core.”

The Demon King's descent.

It plunged the continent into chaos once again.

To counter this, the Imperial Family formed an expedition to subjugate the Demon King, which soon came to be known as the "Hero Party."

Rumors spread that the Saintess of the Holy Order had also joined this expedition, but in truth, it was not so.

The reality was that Elfriede, possessing immense Divine Power, was impersonating the incompetent Saintess and participating in the expedition.

Subjugating the Demon King was arduous.

They faced numerous obstacles, faltered in the face of crises, and ultimately overcame them.

Through such trials, Elfriede also grew.

And in doing so, she realized something: her Divine Power was far from ordinary.

“Are you really just a fake Saintess?”

“…Yes.”

“Seriously. What kind of fake is more capable than the real deal? No matter how I look at it, you were tricked by the Holy Order. Do you even know what those bastards are doing in the name of God?”

“……”

The Hero's words were true.

Elfriede was the true Saintess, not a fake.

An Apostle chosen and appointed directly by God, not the Holy Order.

However, she shook her head, dispelling the thought.

There was no need nor reason to be greedy anymore.

Completing her assigned mission and returning, that was all Elfriede had to do now.

Non-interference.

That was the choice she made.

And the price of non-interference was devastating.

“…Th-Thoughts!”

“Everyone, scatter!”

“Elfriede! What are you doing! Move!”

The Demon King's physical body was merely a shell.

Though they succeeded in severing the Demon King’s head with the holy sword, the Fragments of Chaos dwelling within the Demon King's soul erupted with terrifying speed.

And the place where those erupting Thoughts headed was…

“Elfriede!!!!”

Elfriede Trivia.

The Saintess.

The curse of Chaos burrowed deep into her soul.

It gnawed at her reason and instilled madness.

Her skin gradually decayed, and even controlling her mind became a struggle.

In excruciating pain, she wished for a swift death.

But the immense Divine Power residing within her wouldn’t even allow that.

“You’ve worked hard, Elfriede.”

“Save… me…”

“Haha, what are you talking about? You’re clearly alive and well.”

Barely clinging to hope, she turned to the Holy Order.

But the man who had taken her in simply smiled.

“I’d rather die…”

“That won't do. Do you think the Causality of the world will permit your death?”

'What? Causality?'

“Causality signifies a role. But it would be problematic if a person assigned a role suddenly dies, wouldn’t it? That’s why the world protects them. Until they can fulfill their assigned role. That is what it means to be bound by Causality.”

“Then this Divine Power is also…”

“Exactly! It exists because it would be troublesome if you, Elfriede, died before fulfilling your assigned role. If you don't believe me, try it now. See if you can achieve your desired form of death.”

His words were true.

Whether she threw herself from a building or stabbed herself with a knife, she couldn't die.

A being protected by the world… a being bound by Causality… that was what she was.

“Anyway, good work. Now that your usefulness has come to an end, the Holy Order can no longer accept you.”

“……What?”

“Did you say you wanted to die? Then go to Blackmore. Who knows? You might be able to embrace death if you cross the Border of Chaos.”

She was abandoned.

The saying that God doesn't forsake his followers was a lie.

Everything was a sham.

She wanted revenge. She wanted to burn the world, but the desire to die was even stronger.

As if a person's mind followed the state of their body, that desire intensified.

She walked endlessly.

Aimlessly, she walked and walked and walked.

She left the city and headed for the Magical Boundary, finally crossing the Border.

Bound by the endless chain of pain, she awaited only death.

But then…

“……”

…A man appeared before Elfriede.

Her vision was blurry.

Only the blurry image of a man approaching her, reaching out his hand towards her, was etched in her mind.

The man's cerulean eyes fixed on Elfriede.

The moment their gazes met, a wave of nausea washed over her, as if her throat was closing up.

The man’s hand reached out and grazed her forehead.

A soft and warm, indescribable body temperature held onto her reason.

*Whoosh!*

Her thoughts couldn't keep up with the unfolding situation.

But, for some reason, the unbearable, horrific pain gradually subsided.

In that very instant, hot tears streamed down Elfriede's cheeks.

It was an utterly unfamiliar feeling.

It was… salvation.