Chapter 12: The Second Ostinato

Ian trudged back to his room after being dragged away by the guards.

She will die.

She could have lived if she had chosen to marry him, but she adamantly chose death instead.

"...Ha. I suppose marriage to a pet frog would be worse than death."

Perhaps I loved her without knowing my place.

As Ian lay there in a daze, time passed and the next day arrived.

The day the war criminals would be executed.

Ian rose from his bed.

Even if he was just a rejected pet frog, he couldn't let her die.

"Execute."

Count Kali-Yuga waved his hand.

*THWACK-*

Another neck was severed by the golem's axe blade.

A fountain of blood spurted from the severed neck.

"Next."

As the headless corpse was cleared away, the neck of the woman who was once a Saintess was placed on the execution block.

"Ready."

The golem's axe blade was raised.

Just as Count Kali-Yuga was about to raise his hand

"...Stop."

Ian appeared, his hair disheveled from running in a hurry.

"Ian Kali-Yuga. What are you doing?"

Count Kali-Yuga's pale face frowned.

"I'm afraid I can't keep my promise."

Magic power sparkled in Ian's hands.

*WHOOM-*

At the same time, all the golems responded to his magic.

"I'm taking back the golems I made with my techniques."

"...Are you committing treason, you foolish son?"

"Treason or not, I'm just taking back what's mine."

The golems knelt and bowed before Ian.

But even seeing this sight, Count Kali-Yuga laughed.

"You're too soft, my son."

*WHOOM-*

Magic power also sparkled in Count Kali-Yuga's hands.

"You may be a genius at magi-engineering, but you've never once fought for control over golems."

*SNAP-*

When the Count snapped his fingers, the golems rose again to follow his commands.

"Did you think I wouldn't have prepared for something like this!"

"...Tch!"

Ian clicked his tongue and stretched out both hands.

Magic power swirled around his hands.

He had to win.

Even if it cost him his life, he couldn't let her die here.

The underwater struggle between the two Kali-Yugas over the golems was fierce.

"...Impossible. Such rapid adaptation!"

The Count's face hardened.

Having lost his composure, he shouted.

"Someone! Anyone! Cut off this fool's head!"

Though the Count gave the urgent order

*WHAM!*

The golem's fist struck him down faster.

The Count writhed on the ground, horribly mangled and covered in blood.

"Kate!"

Ian undid the iron chains binding Kate's hands.

While Ian was distracted with Kate, the Count issued one final command with pure malice.

The last command he gave before losing his life spread to all the golems.

*WHIRR-*

-Exterminate.

-Exterminate all living beings.

After fully freeing Kate, Ian tried to embrace her.

*CRASH!*

A golem's attack came down on them.

Thanks to Kate grabbing Ian and rolling away, they both survived.

"What is this...!"

Ian quickly tried to stop the golems with magic but couldn't.

Count Kali-Yuga had used his final will to pour all his magic and life force into making the golems go berserk.

The golems' circuits, already strained from the control battle between the two Kali-Yugas, began to rampage after receiving commands beyond their limits.

"Watch out Ian!"

*CRASH!*

Kate destroyed a golem with her fist enhanced by divine power.

"Th-thanks Kate..."

Still holding Ian, Kate looked around.

"KYAAAH!"

"Help! I don't want to die!"

"The golems have gone mad!"

The scene of countless spectators who had gathered to watch the execution being slaughtered by the golems.

With the golems' circuits completely destroyed, it was impossible to control any of the golems present.

As he was now, there was nothing he could do without bringing new golems.

"L-let's run away Kate! I'll bring new golems! For now, somewhere safe...!"

Kate faced Ian with a sorrowful expression.

"I'm sorry Ian."

"No. Don't Kate. You don't even have weapons or equipment right now."

"But I am the Saintess. Saint Cartesia who protects people and guides them on the right path."

Kate set Ian down and leaped.

"No Kate!"

She began saving people while destroying the golems.

However, in this situation where even the knights had all fled, there was a limit to what a Saintess could do alone with her bare hands.

Ian ran.

There must be emergency golems in the mansion basement.

He had to quickly bring the golems to save Kate.

Running faster than he ever had in his life, he awakened the army of golems sleeping in the mansion and ran back.

And upon his return, he found her lying horribly mangled on the ground.

Her left arm was nowhere to be seen, and her right arm was bent at an angle too grotesque to look at.

The organs spilling from the massive hole in her stomach were torn and crushed beyond recognition as human.

"Kate!"

Ian lifted the girl in his arms.

"No Kate! Open your eyes! Please! Priest! Where is the priest!"

The boy wailed but no one remained in the execution grounds filled with golem debris.

"Ian..."

"Kate! Kate!"

"I want... to hear... Ian's music..."

Then the flame of life vanished from the girl's eyes.

AAAAAHHHHHHH!

Raindrops fell upon the wailing boy.

Next Vision

Ian, who became the Mage King after brutally killing other rulers.

He held a grand funeral for Kate and sorted through her belongings.

Despite being the kingdom's greatest Saintess, her bundle was meager.

*Rustle-*

The boy found a diary, a small storybook, and a magic recording device inside.

The storybook was worn and tattered from being read so many times.

[The Prince Who Became a Frog]

Ian's eyes widened as he read the title.

With a sinking feeling, the boy played what was recorded in the magic device.

*Ding-*

A familiar melody played.

The basic tune of the ostinato he had always played for the girl.

Ian frantically grabbed the diary.

And upon opening it, the boy wailed.

He was not a pet frog.

He was a prince who had become a frog.

She hadn't become a Saintess because she disliked him and his family.

She had reluctantly taken the unwanted position of Saintess to try changing society's perception of him from within the religion.

She had not rejected marriage to him.

She had desperately rejected him to save his life from Count Kali-Yuga's threats before Ian came.

She did not dislike the boy.

From the day they first met, she had fallen for him just as he had for her.

The vision ended with Ian screaming and wailing madly.

Next Vision.

Ian installed a massive magic circle in the Mage Kingdom.

He conducted countless experiments seeking a way to revive the girl.

He used all the kingdom's jewels as materials for alchemy

And sacrificed hundreds of innocents.

No matter what he did, turning back time was impossible.

But he did not give up.

He intended to revive her even if it meant destroying the world.

Then upon reaching transcendence, he discovered the world's secret.

The existence of the [Akashic Archive] that governs all stories in the universe.

The omnipotence of that institution that could store and influence all history in story form.

"Your situation is tragic but it's impossible."

The Supervisor managing the [Archive] blocked him.

"Changing history would destroy the world's balance. As Supervisor of the [Archive], I absolutely cannot allow it."

Ian attacked the Supervisor but was no match for their power.

"If it can't be done the [Archive's] way, I'll have to borrow power from the Abyss."

"You'll regret it."

"...I've already regretted enough. More than I could ever regret again."

The Supervisor could only watch sadly as Ian left.

Ian faced the Abyss.

"I'll give you everything I have."

The power of the Abyss flowed into him.

"Give her back to me."

Eroded and stained black by the Abyss, he became Orpheus, Apostle of the Abyss and Extinction Star.

He could feel the Abyss mocking him but he deliberately looked away.

He could do anything if it meant saving her.