Chapter 345: Train Track (3)

The anonymous

Analysis Report on the Lighthouse

, published by Louina, was stirring up the entire continent—from the nobles of the Empire and kingdoms to the lowliest commoners of every class and even the inmates confined within prisons—all discussing the comet that threatened the continent's destruction.

It was not a surprising turn of events. Even if one couldn't understand Louina's theory or read the written word, one only had to look to the sky to know—the distinct fall of a meteor across the sky.

"The continent will collapse! God's punishment will bring humanity to ruin!"

All the voices that debated destruction shook the continent, causing chaos in society to become a certainty, as civil commotions arose everywhere and crimes such as murder and looting spread like a plague.

"There is no need to rush. The advance has already been decided," Sophien said.

However, in the deepest private chamber of the Imperial Palace, Sophien, who was the sovereign of the continent, remained unperturbed, and she was merely practicing a game of Go as she received the ministers from a certain nation who had sought her out.

Tap—

Sophien first placed a black stone, then with her other hand, laid down a white one.

Tap—

Once more, Sophien laid down a black stone, followed by a white stone.

Tap—

Following an extended match played by Sophien alone, Maho from the Principality finally broke the silence.

“Your Majesty, the Empress,” Maho said.

Sophien lifted her head and glared at Maho.

“There was a time when I stayed in the Imperial Palace that we conversed together,” Maho continued, betraying no fear before the Empress. “However, now Your Majesty has ascended as Empress, and I have become the Leader of the Principality.”

"What then?" Sophien replied.

“... And that continent now stands on the brink of destruction,” Maho said, her face hardening as a somber expression clouded it.

It was Maho's polite way of saying that Sophien should not be occupied with mere Go games.

However, for Sophien, this match of Go was more important than anything else, even more than the destruction of the continent.

“You will wait until it is over.”

It was for a last match against Deculein, to finally win against the man she had never once managed to defeat, even at that late hour.

“But, Your Majesty...”

To Maho, who spoke unrestrained and sought to interrupt, Sophien offered nothing more than an official letter.

“Take this.”

Maho remained silent.

"They are those chosen by my own hand. They are the very individuals destined for the Land of Destruction," Sophien added.

Maho read the official letter Sophien had handed over, which listed the Red Garnet Adventure Team, along with Gawain, Delic, Yeriel, and...

"... Your Majesty, these names are..."

Maho's eyes were drawn to a single section—the names of the Scarletborn, including Ellie of the Desert, Elesol, and Karixel—and among them, Elesol was a wanted criminal and the Scarletborn's great elder.

"Does not the continent face destruction with the meteor upon it? When the greatest enemy and evil are directly before us, there is no need to ignite the hatred between humans," Sophien replied, brushing a Go stone.

Though Sophien's voice held a lazy declaration, Maho swallowed hard, more anxious than she had ever been.

“Your Majesty...”

At this moment, Maho felt the Empress as utterly magnificent and filled with greatness—she who with such nonchalance had severed the chain of hatred that had spanned centuries...

"Yes, Your Majesty, those are wholeheartedly righteous words."

Tap—

Sophien placed the black stone, while Maho silently regarded the Empress.

"However, Your Majesty, about this anonymous Analysis Report on the Lighthouse..." Maho continued, setting down the anonymous theoretical work she had taken from within her inner pocket.

"... I am aware of it. It is the analysis of the Altar's lighthouse. I have indeed read through it," Sophien replied, a scoff escaping her as she regarded the anonymous theoretical text.

"

Oh

, is that so, Your Majesty?" Maho said, clearing her throat.

Maho, as the leader of Yuren, now faced the Empress with several matters she urgently wished to inform her of.

"Furthermore, Your Majesty, we have conducted an investigation of our own."

“An investigation?”

Tap—

Sophien placed a white stone.

Watching the Go board slowly take shape, Maho continued, "Yes, enemies of Your Majesty exist within the Empire, scattered throughout the Mage Tower and various knightly orders. Initially, we must identify them and—"

"I am already aware," Sophien interrupted.

Maho tilted her head and then, momentarily forgetting all dignity, her eyes widened.

"I am aware of the enemies scattered throughout the Empire, and I know who created the lighthouse's spell."

"

Oh!

Is that really the case, Your Majesty?!"

The world remained unaware of who had built the lighthouse—whose very spell now aimed for the continent’s destruction—and they had no way of discerning its true purpose.

“Indeed.”

Then, Sophien nodded her head as if speaking of a daily occurrence.

After all, does the Empress, even in her lethargy, know all?

Maho thought.

“As expected—”

The moment Maho’s admiration flowed out from her mouth...

"It is Deculein," Sophien said.

At that moment, Maho's face hardened rigidly.

Tap—!

Sophien’s black stone cleaved a corner of the wooden board, and that brilliant move, consuming a white stone, was a miraculous play no master could have conceived, while, as if content, Sophien curved her lips and turned her attention to Maho.

"I speak of Deculein."

"That cannot be...

Oh

, Your Majesty, surely you cannot mean it..."

“

Hmph

, you say I surely don’t mean it? The man who saved your life, Maho, who preserved your Yuren,” Sophien replied, resting her chin on her hands, her eyes burning as if to scorch the sweating Maho. “He is now attempting to bring about the continent's destruction.”

Maho swallowed hard, her fingers clenching the fabric of her skirt.

“That evidence lies scattered indeed. What is more, those professors who served him have sent me anonymous letters,” Sophien continued, holding a sheet of paper between her fingers.

It was a handwritten whistleblower's report from Relin and the other Imperial University professors, born of their fear, claiming that the insane act of the continent's destruction was the sole responsibility of Deculein.

“You, too, take a look at it."

With trembling hands, Maho accepted the handwritten letter Sophien offered.

"Then, take part in the expedition as we are going to kill Deculein...” Sophien concluded.

***

I ascended the lighthouse in the Land of Destruction. The interior of this supreme building, first designed by Quay and then reinforced and completed by me, was comfortable due to the imbued characteristics of my Snowflower Stone, and beautiful as my

Aesthetic Sense

bathed it like art.

From the summit of that lighthouse, I stared at the sky, watching the celestial movement descent upon the continent.

Then, a sudden concern for the condition of the knight standing behind me arose.

"Yulie, is it well here?" I asked.

“Yes, Professor, it is only natural."

Yulie, as she answered, had an exceptionally good complexion and color.

"After all, it is a space entirely made of Snowflower Stone, is it not?” Yulie continued.

“... Well.”

This place, in other words, was the most harmonious space for Yulie—or, more precisely, for Yulie's soul contained within the puppet's body—for the Snowflower Stone would envelop her with its optimal coolness.

“However, Professor, how is the state of your body now?” Yulie asked, taking a step closer.

I looked up at the sky again, and the occasional glimmers of starlight and moonlight in the dark, clouded heavens of the Land of Destruction were beautiful.

"... It feels as though a pendulum swings within my body."

Tick, tock— Tick, tock—

Tick, tock— Tick, tock—

My heart had already failed me ages ago, yet something else within me—perhaps what one might call it, a soul—kept me moving.

“How strange,” I continued, closing my eyes for a moment.

The air of the Land of Destruction, the mana in the sky, the dust on the ground—their vibrations and resonances were felt, and all those minor details gradually came under my

Comprehension

.

“They say that humanity finds their greatest enlightenment at the precipice of death, and perhaps I, too, might be experiencing something similar?”

Of course, Rohakan had the attribute of

Final Radiance

, yet perhaps being most free at the moment of death was a commonality among all humans.

It felt as though, liberated from all constraints—the ground where one stood upon, the sky stretched above, the very heaven and earth that were inescapable boundaries—one’s unconstrained thoughts, unfettered by the world, would break free from their shackles. My insight would pierce the very essence, and one’s mind would become completely unique.

“It is as if I sense I will be able to have my

Comprehension

of this very world,” I added, closing my eyes. “I sense that, it seems, the moment of transcendence is soon upon me.”

Then, Yulie moved one step closer, pressed against me, and wrapped both her arms around my waist.

“

Hmm?

”

"... Professor, you promised me you wouldn't leave before I do."

A smile, which I didn’t even realize, formed on my face at Yulie’s words, and I chuckled lightly, nodding my head.

“... Indeed.”

I placed my hand over Yulie’s, gradually activating my mana. Not much power was needed because the mana stored within my mana tree staff was enough, for I now felt I understood the world’s principles, making any wasteful expenditure of mana unnecessary.

Hummmm...

The mana from the staff saturated the lighthouse, and as it thrummed throughout the structure, a torrent of blue and white light erupted, drenching the lighthouse, and within the trembling of its tilt, the lighthouse delicately emitted the Path of Light, its reach extending to the distant alien comet rushing toward this place.

"... Yulie," I said, turning toward her. "Will you protect me for but three days?"

The mana would circulate within the lighthouse for dozens of cycles, and in three days, it would manifest the magic I willed, with the conclusion of that magic being not a mere meteor collision but rather a miracle manifested using the mana produced by the impact as its energy.

“Of course,” Yulie replied, a smile of happiness forming as she gripped her sword and dropped to one knee. “I, Yulie, swear to be your eternal blade, Professor..."

I, too, found myself smiling as I looked at Yulie.

Deculein and Yulie would ultimately not be together, nor would they reach the destination of love...

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"And I will stand as your unwavering guard.”

However, because Yulie found happiness in protecting me, her happiness would therefore be my own pleasure.

***

Hummmm...

At the same moment, the lighthouse’s reverberations spread across the entire continent, reaching the mountain ridge near the Land of Destruction.

With wide eyes, Ria looked around, and the Demonicide team members, who had been sleeping rough in the same location, were now stirring awake one by one.

"Did you feel that?!" Ria asked.

Ganesha nodded, and Gawain already had his hand on his scabbard.

"And what might it have been?" Gawain replied.

Ria stood up and looked out across the expanse.

“

... Ah.

”

Their reason for their rough camp here was simple—life could not survive in the Land of Destruction, preventing the growth of weeds or grass, and as a result, from this ridge, the lighthouse was visible at a glance.

"Look at that over there," Ria said, pointing a finger toward the Land of Destruction.

The Demonicide team, too, turned their eyes toward it.

"... It's shining, isn't it~?" Ganesha replied.

Booooooooom—!

At that very moment, concurrent with a tremendous boom that rattled the ground, a certain phrase formed itself upon Ria's vision.

[Lighthouse Activation — 72:00]

The remaining time on the clock, announcing the time attack, was a mere three days, and Ria's eyes flew wide open as she peered into the inside of the faraway lighthouse through

Elementalization

.

At that moment, Ria's heart trembled violently.

“Why?”

“... Deculein is...”

Deculein was watching Ria, his eyes directly on where she stood, and when their eyes met, he offered a faint smile.

"It's alright," Ganesha said, placing a hand on Ria's shoulder. "Support will come from every corner of the world."

The support that would arrive from all corners of the world.

Yeah, just like Ganesha said, everyone on the continent trying to stop the destruction will come here to stop him, and they’ll try to kill Deculein and break the lighthouse,

Ria thought.

"We will be victorious," Gawain said with conviction.

Looking at the lighthouse, shining with white and blue light—the most beautiful among the buildings that brought forth destruction—Ganesha wore a slightly mesmerized expression.

“That building, though, is definitely to the Professor’s liking. It’s beautiful.”

“... Yes.”

The lighthouse was stunningly beautiful, evident not only in its outer appearance but also in the Path of Light that now streamed from it.

"Leo? Carlos?" Ria called, getting their attention.

Leo and Carlos, who had been lost in mesmerized admiration, belatedly snapped back to reality.

“Yes? What is it?”

"Could you guys go ahead of us, as the Altar people won't be suspicious of you?"

Because of their childlike innocence, Leo and Carlos were rather close to the Altar.

“Okay!”

“Okay.”

I'm a little worried about making the children scouts, but they're not that weak to begin with. It'll be fine,

Ria thought.

Leo seemed ready to rush forward immediately, but Carlos, with a hesitation on his face, turned to look at Ria.

"But Ria, say, if I run into Deculein first, is it alright if I'm the one who kills him?" Carlos asked.

Ria hesitated in thought, but the reply came not from her, but from another place.

“No.”

It was the tone of the red-furred Munchkin, a voice touched with anger, coming from a corner of the sleeping bag where it was sleeping.

“No one but me shall kill Deculein, that treacherous villain who betrayed me—that right belongs to me alone...” the red-furred Munchkin concluded.

At the Empress's most earnest statement, everyone remained speechless, able only to agree.