Chapter 184
It happened right after the items began to emit light.
A new hologram popped up before Franz’s eyes.
“All conditions have been met. The creation of the Divine Artifact Mistilteinn is commencing.”
After staring blankly at the hologram for a moment, he noticed the items began to float up on their own.
The same went for the holy relics and the World Tree Staff he had placed in the bag at his waist. The bag’s flap opened, and they popped out on their own, rising into the air.
“Just what is about to happen…?”
Franz couldn’t predict what would happen next either. Up until now, he had simply been moving as the damn hologram dictated.
But because of that, it was incredibly intriguing.
What was about to unfold before his eyes was an unknown that no one knew of, so he couldn’t take his eyes off it at all.
At that moment, the items floating in the air slowly began to spin in a circle.
With the sparkling things spinning round and round, it felt as if he had come to a club.
Of course, that was merely a guess; he couldn’t be certain.
He had been to noble banquets a few times, but he had never once been to a club.
'I didn’t have the time to go…'
Thinking that, Franz sighed inwardly.
Meanwhile, the circle that the items were drawing gradually grew smaller until they gathered in the center.
Bzz -, bzzzt -, bzzt - .
An immense power could be felt as sparks began to fly around, and soon after, a tremendous light burst forth.
Franz immediately squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head. It was his body’s reflexive action to protect his eyes.
Eventually, the moment the light vanished, Franz looked back at the spot, and something slowly fell in front of him.
“A branch…?”
Divine Artifact Mistilteinn.
Its exterior, unlike its grandiose name, was nothing more than a slightly large branch.
However, the power contained within it was superior to any artifact he had seen so far.
Its magic amplification rate was at a level that overwhelmed the World Tree Staff, and at the same time, it was emitting a divine power stronger than any holy relic.
It truly suited the moniker of a divine artifact perfectly.
'Now that I look at it, its exterior isn’t that ordinary either.'
The branch was so dried up that he could barely feel its weight, yet its nine leaves still maintained their vitality.
Thinking that he had suffered so much for this made him feel a bit empty, for some reason, but still, he figured this wasn’t too bad.
However, apart from that sense of satisfaction, a feeling of unease was creeping up in his heart.
The fact that it had given him this, even going so far as to use a hologram, meant that a crisis of equal magnitude was approaching.
Not to mention, the hologram had stayed quiet even when the Demon Lord appeared, so what more needed to be said? It clearly meant a trial greater than that was coming.
Sure enough, that prediction did not miss the mark. When it came to ominous predictions, Franz was practically a fortune teller.
“The cult’s leader Deliaspi Dyne is proceeding with the resurrection ritual of the Demon God!”
Thwart his plans within the time limit!
Time Limit 239: 59: 58
Success Reward - Battle with the incomplete Demon God
In the event of failure, the world will be ruined!”
The damn hologram kindly explained the cause of his unease.
As he slowly read through it, Franz let out a hollow laugh.
'Even if I succeed, it’s bullshit.'
If failure led to the world’s ruin, shouldn’t success normally lead to the world’s salvation?
Yet the hologram stated that he had to fight the Demon God even if he succeeded, which was a more unreasonable treatment than a cruel master’s demands. It was on the same level as being told to toil without end.
If he had his way, he would have quit right this instant, but there was no way that was possible.
Because this wasn’t a game, but undeniable reality.
The world gets destroyed? Then I die along with it.
Haa - .
Franz let out a sigh and calmed his mind.
In truth, he had expected this to some extent. All the suffering he had gone through up until now was to create a weapon to oppose the Demon God.
It was just that actually facing the truth pissed him off more than he thought it would.
“Anyway, Deliaspi Dyne…”
It was a name far too familiar to Franz.
Because the one who had created the 5th basement floor, where he had treated Seri-ah’s body, was none other than he.
“Now I understand.”
The fact that a holy relic could be inside Seri-ah’s body, and the fact that Zeni-ah could learn unique magic, were entirely possible with his abilities as the Magic Tower lord from the distant past.
He didn’t know why someone who was once praised by humanity had forsaken everything to become the leader of the cult.
But such trivial reasons weren’t important, and even if he found out, he had no intention of understanding them.
The only important thing right now was that he was a rare villain who would lead the world to ruin.
So what else could he do?
“If I want to survive, I have no choice but to kill him…”
What he had to do from now on was no different from what had already been decided.
Having made that decision, Franz immediately went into his room.
The clothes he was currently wearing had large holes in them, so it was time to change into intact clothes.
Eventually, when Franz came out after changing his clothes, Arian greeted him as if she had been waiting.
“Magic Tower master, you’ve returned. If it’s alright with you, perhaps we could have dinner together…”
“Sorry, let’s do it next time. I’m heading out right now, so you should get off work immediately too.”
Franz planned to go straight to the Imperial Palace and inform the emperor of this fact.
He had to find the guy within the next 10 days no matter what it took, and the more people he had, the better.
And the emperor was the person who could mobilize the most people out of anyone Franz knew.
Just as Franz was about to snap his fingers.
“W-Wait a moment…!”
Arian spoke urgently.
“What is it?”
“Magic Tower master, your expression looks really bad right now…”
Arian’s eyes were filled with worry.
Franz’s mind couldn’t help but be complicated, and that showed on his face.
“Sorry, I made you worry.”
Franz forced a smile, trying to look like his usual self.
But the worry did not disappear from Arian’s eyes.
“Something must have definitely happened. You seem busy, so I won’t ask. But still. Later, no, whenever you have some free time, please make sure to tell me.”
A sense of desperation could be felt in Arian’s voice. It meant she was worrying so much, so he felt both sorry and thankful.
Slowly approaching her, Franz carefully patted her head.
“Arian, I’ll definitely tell you, to you and to everyone else too. So could you wait just a little bit?”
“Of course. I am the Magic Tower master’s secretary, after all.”
The worry that had filled Arian’s expression vanished, and a smile took its place.
Stepping back from her, Franz immediately snapped his fingers.
A magic circle was drawn on the floor, and his figure instantly disappeared.
Right before he disappeared, Franz was definitely smiling.
Though he himself probably didn’t know that fact.
* * *
When the sun disappeared beyond the mountain ridge and the sky was dyed in twilight, it was evening.
Unlike usual, Franz did not go through the entrance of the Imperial Palace but moved straight to the front of the office.
Going through all sorts of complicated procedures would be too much of a waste of time.
Still, he had to show the bare minimum of courtesy, so he knocked on the door and stated his identity.
Then, permission was granted shortly after.
“Enter.”
Franz immediately opened the door, went inside, and bowed his head.
“Your Majesty, please forgive my lack of courtesy. I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.”
“Between you and me, courtesy doesn’t matter, but what on earth is this urgent matter?”
The emperor, who had been wrestling with paperwork as usual, shifted his gaze to Franz and expressed his question.
“Ruin may befall the world.”
“Ruin…? How could such a thing suddenly happen? Speak in more detail.”
Straightening his posture, Franz immediately continued his explanation.
From the fact that the cult’s bishop was executing a plan to proceed with the resurrection of the Demon God, to the fact that there were fewer than 10 days left until the completion of that plan.
He lied that he had found out by killing a cultist instead of saying the hologram told him, but the lie wasn’t very important.
“The culprit behind all of this is Deliaspi Dyne.”
“Is that not the Magic Tower lord from the distant past?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“How on earth could someone who devoted himself to the empire… No, before that, it is a wonder how he is even still alive.”
Franz felt he knew the answer to that part to some extent.
There was a high probability that he had utilized the body of a monster. The things he had been researching were of that nature, after all.
Anyway, that wasn’t what was important right now.
“I will also desperately search for his whereabouts. So please, Your Majesty, make your move as well.”
“Very well, I shall do so.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Then, I will now take my leave, as I have things to do.”
Franz bowed his head politely and immediately exited the emperor’s office.
What he had to do now was inform the girls of this fact.
Snap - .
His figure disappeared from the corridor of the Imperial Palace.