Mastermind
-6-

Chapter 251: What’s Going On(3)

The first thing Alon saw upon arriving at the colony was—

Crack!

“Masterrrrrr~!”

“……Seolrang?”

It was Seolrang who jumped into his arms without warning.

Since his body wasn’t fully healed yet, they decided to talk in detail later and take a rest for now.

Strictly speaking, it happened even before they arrived at the colony.

Seolrang smashed into the carriage and clung to Alon.

How long had he been comforting the suddenly crying Seolrang?

“……Have you calmed down a bit?”

“…”

Seeing Seolrang nod with a swollen, teary smile— Alon felt both warmth and a slight heaviness in his heart.

Because he felt he might have made her worry too much.

So, just like he always did when they met, he gently pressed down her two ears.

Seolrang leaned further into Alon’s hand, seemingly pleased.

Then Alon naturally shifted his gaze outside the carriage.

Thanks to Seolrang’s overly enthusiastic greeting(?), the ceiling had blown off, revealing the clear sky.

As he felt the breeze coming in—

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you hurt?”

Seolrang, who had been giggling moments ago, suddenly asked when she noticed the bandages wrapped around Alon’s body.

“……A lot happened.”

He had no choice but to be vague.

Most of the wounds hadn’t come from someone else’s attack— but from using Reverse Heaven.

The Reverse Heaven technique, by its nature, reverses the mana burn law to endlessly generate magical power.

But what Alon hadn’t considered was the speed at which that power was generated.

The speed at which Reverse Heaven released mana was overwhelmingly faster than Alon could control it himself.

During the battle at Baarma, the only reason Alon had been able to sustain mana for several minutes— was because he pushed his body to the limit using the divinity of the Primordial Elf that he had recreated.

In other words, if Alon hadn’t had that divinity— his body might’ve exploded the moment he used Reverse Heaven.

‘…Even with the divinity, it was tough just maintaining the constant release of mana.’

That’s why most of the injuries remaining on his body came from the mana that couldn’t be released quickly enough.

Of course, they were now far smaller than when they first appeared.

Regardless, if Alon wanted to properly use Reverse Heaven, he still had a lot of research to do.

Even the divine regeneration through the Elf’s divinity wasn’t fully complete.

Alon recalled the battle against Baarma.

At first, his body regenerated well.

But as time went on, the regeneration from the divinity started to slow down.

Even though the divine power being consumed seemed the same…

He had postponed thinking about it due to being busy.

But now those thoughts all rushed in at once, momentarily pulling his focus.

“Who did this to you?”

A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

When Alon looked down, he saw Seolrang staring up at him, her face now expressionless—different from before.

“Who was it, Master?”

Her voice was the same as always.

So were her twitching ears.

But her eyes were different.

Her golden irises, which always sparkled brightly even through swollen lids— were now dull and sunken.

“Tell me. Who did it.”

She asked again.

“……”

Alon felt an inexplicable pressure.

‘…Was Seolrang always like this?’

He didn’t think he’d ever sensed this kind of danger from her before.

Breaking into a cold sweat, Alon quickly reached out to pat her head.

“Don’t worry. Really, no one did this to me.”

“……Really?”

“Yeah, it just happened while I was coming back. So don’t worry too much.”

“That’s a relief.”

Seeing the golden eyes return to their usual gleam, Alon let out a quiet sigh.

Seolrang looked at him intently, then said—

“Still, Master.”

“What is it?”

“If anyone ever lays a hand on you, promise you’ll tell me?”

She said this while clutching tightly to the hem of his clothes.

Noticing the deep concern in her golden eyes—

“Alright.”

Alon nodded without hesitation.

####

Exactly six hours later, around late evening— Alon’s group finally arrived at the colony.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Brother. You’ve clearly had a tough time, so please rest well tonight. I’ll handle any pending matters in advance.”

“Thank you for being considerate.”

“Not at all, Brother.”

Yuman left after saying his goodbyes first.

“Marquis!”

“Penia.”

“I’ll be gone just for a day! Something came up that I need to do!”

“Something to do?”

“Yes! I want to talk with the Tower Master about a few things.”

Penia reported excitedly, full of anticipation.

She was clearly planning to talk about the past with Celaime.

Alon nodded without hesitation.

“Alright.”

“Yes! Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

As soon as he gave permission, Penia disappeared in a flash.

‘But… was it really necessary to get my permission?’

Though a bit puzzled, Alon made his way to Seolrang’s guild house, where they planned to stay for the night.

And the moment he stepped into the guild house—

“Welcome, sir!”

“Hello, Marquis!”

He was met with the Golden Mane Tribe’s enthusiastic hospitality.

“Welcome!”

“Yes! So glad you’re here!”

“Really! Really really really really! We’re so glad you’re here!”

…?

An overly intense welcome.

And on top of that—

“Marquis!”

“…Lime, was it?”

“Yes, yes! That’s me! I’m Lime! So glad you’re here! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Well, nothing serious.”

“That’s a huge relief!”

It was as if Alon’s very presence was a blessing—Lime’s eyes welled up with tears as she looked deeply moved, leaving Alon utterly bewildered.

He had met the Golden Mane Tribe several times before.

But not once had they ever made such a fuss.

If anything, they had always been proper and formal.

‘…Did I accidentally cause a change in the past somehow?’

A faint doubt crossed his mind.

But Alon soon realized why their reaction had been so intense.

“……Seolrang?”

“Yes. When the rumor spread that the Marquis had died, oh, it was truly unbearable. She was practically spreading malice in every direction.”

Even now, Evan crossed his arms and shivered as though the memory still haunted him.

“Anyway, that’s probably why everyone is in a festive mood over your return.”

Only then did Alon get a vague sense of how things had gone down.

He recalled the Golden Mane Tribe from earlier.

All of them exhaling deeply in relief, as though they could finally breathe.

‘…Was it really that bad?’

Alon had a strange expression on his face.

He had only ever seen Seolrang in her usual energetic state, so he couldn’t even imagine her filled with malice.

But Evan had no reason to lie to him.

‘Yes, yes! That’s right! I’m Lime! I’m so glad you’re here! You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?’

Even the usually composed Lime had been teary-eyed, anxiously checking him all over.

Alon suddenly recalled Seolrang’s expression earlier.

Her voice and face had remained the same— but those brilliant golden eyes had turned dark and murky in an instant.

“Marquis. I haven’t heard the full story yet, but what exactly happened?”

Evan’s voice broke through Alon’s reverie.

“You mean from the moment I disappeared with the Agu?”

“Yes. You were completely out of contact for three whole months.”

Thinking back, he hadn’t properly explained everything to Evan since returning.

After a moment of thought, Alon decided to tell Evan the truth.

And— time passed.

“…Is all of that really true?”

“There’s no reason for me to lie about it, is there?”

“I know there’s no need to lie, but… right, well… I’ll take your word for it.”

Even as he said that, Evan furrowed his brow multiple times, clearly finding it hard to believe.

Eventually, he nodded in understanding.

“Then please get some rest for today.”

He left Alon’s room after a final farewell.

“…Ah.”

Alon suddenly remembered that he hadn’t asked Evan more about the current near-war situation he had mentioned earlier.

But he simply shrugged.

He’d find out everything tomorrow anyway.

‘…For now, I just need to rest.’

Alon lay down on the bed.

####

The next day.

Having completely passed out the moment he lay down due to accumulated fatigue, Alon woke his heavy body and headed toward the royal palace of the colony.

“……Marquis! I’m so glad you’re alive!”

“It’s been a while.”

He exchanged brief greetings with Karsem, who greeted him with a very bright smile.

Then, Alon was granted an audience with King Carmaxes III.

And—

“You’ve come. Truly, I’m so glad you’re here…!”

Carmaxes III gave him a warm and heartfelt welcome.

For a moment, the déjà vu of it all left Alon confused again.

But that didn’t last long, as Alon tried to receive a full update on the current situation from the king—

“Ahem, well, you see, the thing is~”

—But he couldn’t get anything useful.

“……”

Alon shifted his gaze slightly.

There was Seolrang, pretending to be distracted and looking elsewhere.

“Whii— Whii—”

She puckered her lips to whistle but only let out silly puffs of air.

“Seolrang.”

“Yes! What is it, Master?”

“I’d like to speak privately with His Majesty for a moment. Is that alright?”

“With me!?”

“Eh—”

Her expression screamed Nooo.

But when Alon calmly stared her down, Seolrang reluctantly gave in.

“…Okay…”

She trudged out of the audience chamber.

“Phew— Thank you. Now I can finally speak freely.”

“Not at all. So, can you explain the situation in more detail?”

Carmaxes III sighed in relief the moment Seolrang stepped out.

He hesitated for a moment at Alon’s request, then began to speak slowly.

“…Would you prefer a detailed explanation or just the basics?”

“Let’s save the detailed explanation for later. For now, I’d like to get a general understanding of the situation.”

Carmaxes III nodded.

“Are you familiar with the first prince of the Ashtalon Kingdom?”

“I do know of him.”

“He sent his condolences regarding your death.”

“Yes.”

“This is what he said: ‘The death of Marquis Palatio is truly unfortunate, and I offer my deepest condolences. However, even so, we cannot remain stagnant. The Kingdom of Asteria must move forward, overcoming its sorrow.’”

“…That’s the gist of it.”

As he carefully mulled over the words, Alon nodded.

There were a few unnecessary embellishments, but— overall, it came off as a message of encouragement.

So he quietly waited for what would come next.

“…That’s what started it.”

“…Excuse me?”

“…That message is why we’re now on the brink of war.”

“…???”

Alon’s mind filled with question marks at what he just heard.

“Did I hear that correctly?”

“…You did.”

“How could that possibly be the trigger for a war?”

“…That’s what I want to know…”

Carmaxes III sighed deeply and turned to look at one side of the room.

“I really want to know… how this ended up being the spark for war.”

He muttered gloomily.

Following the king’s gaze, Alon turned toward the window—

“……”

There—

Twitch—

Two golden ears, poorly hidden, twitched slightly behind the edge.

‘…So it was you.’

Chapter 252: What’s Going On(4)

The twitching ears peeked up over the window, and when the golden eyes that appeared met Alon’s gaze, they flashed a shy smile.

Then, perhaps realizing she had been hiding, Seolrang quickly lowered her head again.

Alon quietly watched her for a moment, then turned his gaze and asked, “……I’ve more or less grasped the situation.”

“I’m glad you understood…………… It’s been quite difficult.”

“……”

“In many ways, I mean.”

Carmakses III let out a sigh, genuinely relieved.

Alon now understood why the man had been so enthusiastic when he first arrived at the royal palace.

“But I’ve heard that Caliban and Raksas are also preparing for war with Ashtalon. What’s going on there?”

Of course, he could roughly imagine the situation.

Still, out of caution, Alon asked—and the one who answered wasn’t Carmakses III.

“That’s because of Deus and Radan!”

It was Seolrang, who had been spying on them from the window just moments ago.

As if she’d been waiting for this moment, she suddenly popped out and said, “……Deus and Radan?”

“Yup! They got angry and declared war!”

She spoke like she was tattling on someone, and though he nodded, Alon couldn’t help but feel curious.

‘……Do those two really have the influence to declare war?’

Sure, Deus was the first sword of Caliban, and Radan had maintained a good relationship with Raksas after uniting all the pirates.

But still, they weren’t the rulers of their respective nations.

Alon turned his eyes toward Carmakses III.

“……”

Seeing the man’s expression turn awkward, as if he were checking Seolrang’s reaction, Alon suddenly felt all his previous doubts become meaningless.

“Seolrang.”

“Yeah!”

“But, is that really the kind of message that justifies declaring war?”

“Of course it is!”

Seolrang answered without hesitation.

“That guy told me to forget about my master because he’s dead, acting like he knows everything even though he doesn’t!”

Seolrang began radiating hostility, clearly upset, but then her eyes widened as if something had occurred to her. She coughed lightly and added,

“Maybe that’s just what Deus and Radan were thinking, Master?”

“……Is that so?”

“Yup. And for the record, I didn’t say anything! It was all Karsem!”

She pointed her finger toward Karsem, who had been standing by Carmakses III.

Karsem, who had merely been observing the situation until now, gave a “Huh??? Me???” look and pointed at himself, but then,

“Ahem, yes, it was me.”

Upon confirming Seolrang had turned away from him, he nodded with a face full of injustice.

“See! Told you so!”

Now Seolrang puffed up her chest proudly.

Watching her act so confidently, Alon could only sigh softly as he patted her head.

“Just to confirm, has the news of my survival spread everywhere?”

“Yes. I believe it’s reached most places—though there’s one issue.”

“May I ask what it is?”

Carmakses III cleared his throat and began to speak.

“As you may know, war isn’t something you can just start on a whim. There’s much to prepare, and many factors to consider.”

As he glanced at Seolrang while speaking, Alon roughly understood what he meant.

To put it simply— they were pretending to go to war just to appease Seolrang.

In other words, using a term from Alon’s original world—it was all WWE.

“I completely understand.”

“From what I know, it’s much the same in other countries. But because things were delayed too long, Caliban sent its first sword ahead.”

“……You mean Deus?”

“That’s right. It seems he went straight to the capital…………. So he may not have heard the news yet.”

Inevitably, Alon had one more stop to make.

“……I suppose I’ll have to stop by the capital of Ashtalon.”

“I can assure you, you’ll be welcomed.”

Alon began preparing to head to Ashtalon.

####

He needed to find Rine as soon as possible.

‘I need to take care of this quickly……………..’

Rine’s voice echoed in his ears, and his heart grew anxious.

Even so, the current situation had to be resolved first, so Alon set his course for Ashtalon.

“It’s unfortunate. I had some questions to ask…………… But you seem busy, so I’ll save them for next time.”

“Yes, I was planning to visit you soon anyway. Let’s talk then.”

“Understood, brother.”

“Marquis! I’ll head to the Mage Tower and join you shortly!”

“Got it.”

He left brief farewells with Yuman and Penia.

“Can’t I come with you too?”

“Stay here for now.”

“But I’m worried……………”

“There won’t be any trouble. I’ll be back after I finish everything.”

“So, we’re going on a trip then?”

“Yes, we’ll do that.”

“……Alright!”

Seolrang nodded at last, though her eyes were still filled with concern, and then she continued.

“And, Master.”

“What is it?”

“Rine is… she’s okay, right?”

A quiet question laced with Seolrang’s worry.

At that, Alon hesitated to answer for a moment.

Yesterday, when Seolrang had casually asked, he’d said she’d return soon—but in truth, even Alon hadn’t yet confirmed what exactly had happened to her.

However—

“Yes, she’ll be fine.”

That’s what Alon told Seolrang.

Even if something had gone wrong, and she truly wasn’t fine— he would do whatever it took to bring her back.

Perhaps reassured by the certainty in his words,

“Okay, got it.”

Seolrang nodded and stepped back.

And with his goodbyes to her complete, Alon departed from the colony.

Once he had traveled a fair distance away from the colony—

[Huaa-!]

“Meow?”

Blackie and Basiliora, who had remained unseen until now, suddenly appeared.

[Seriously, why are you heading straight to the colony the moment I’m allowed out?!]

“Meow—”

Blackie climbed onto Alon’s shoulder, shifting around, while Basiliora shouted in frustration.

“……Was it because Seolrang was there that you couldn’t come out?”

[Yeah! You know exactly what happens to us when that person is around, and you’re still saying that!? Ugh, it was already painful enough when we were in the past—I wanted to go out but couldn’t! It was torture………………]

At those words, Alon recalled that Basiliora had never shown itself once when they were in the past timeline.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t you appear back then?”

[I didn’t choose not to appear—I couldn’t.]

“Why not?”

[That, I don’t know either. Even when I tried to go out, I couldn’t. It was like something forbade me.]

“……Like something forbade you?”

[Yeah. It was a really strange feeling.]

Curling its body as if still uncomfortable, Basiliora suddenly seemed to recall something.

[Now that I think about it, why did I stay still back then?]

“……Back then?”

[Yeah. When you were fighting that guy—Baarma, wasn’t it? Didn’t the masked person take your ring?]

“Wait, what?”

Alon blinked, startled by the new information, and Basiliora made a face like, Huh?

[…………Don’t tell me you didn’t know?]

‘Obviously not. I only know now because you told me.’

“Tell me everything.”

Though still confused, Basiliora began explaining what Alon had completely missed.

“You mean when the ground collapsed as I blocked Baarma’s attack?”

[Yeah, then. Suddenly, blue threads appeared and pulled your ring right off.]

“I had no idea that even happened.”

As Alon fidgeted with the finger where the ring used to be, Basiliora nodded.

[You really didn’t seem to pay any attention to it.]

Alon rubbed his chin with the now-empty finger.

“Do you remember the face of the one who took the ring?”

[There’s no face to remember. They were wrapped head to toe in black. But one thing is certain.]

“What is it?”

[They had blue eyes.]

“……Blue eyes?”

[Yeah, and not just blue—vividly blue.]

“Blue eyes, huh…”

Alon let out a sigh.

With just that one detail, it was impossible to figure out who it was.

‘No, even if I knew—it wouldn’t matter much.’

After all, that ring had been left behind 700 years ago.

But one thing bugged him.

‘If someone took my ring, that means they knew what it really was?’

That person probably knew exactly what the ring was.

‘Now that I think about it… did I have to lose the ring back then in order to find it again later? ……Wait a second, if that’s true, didn’t I also have to leave the glove behind?’

On the way to Ashtalon, Alon was lost in uncertain speculation.

####

A few weeks later—

“Thank you so much for coming. Really, thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you~”

Alon arrived in Ashtalon, where the tense atmosphere made it clear preparations for war were in full swing.

Soldiers were lined up, their faces tight with nervous energy.

“Whoa—they’re gathered like it’s the final battle.”

“Looks like it.”

Once he reached the palace, Prince Mondala of Ashtalon greeted him with a deep bow—

“Thank you for coming.”

“……It’s nothing.”

Then Alon was led to meet King Stalian V, who clasped both his hands and expressed heartfelt gratitude.

‘……To be honest, being thanked like this felt kind of weird.’

Soon after, Alon was briefed on the situation by Stalian.

“……So, Radan and Deus are moving together. That’s what you’re saying?”

“That’s right.”

Alon glanced to the side.

Tremble tremble tremble—

The prince’s hands were shaking like he had tremors.

He looked absolutely pitiful.

‘He looks way too scared, no matter how strong they are.’

Of course, Alon knew roughly how powerful Deus and Radan were.

Even so, Mondala was the first prince.

‘And if I recall correctly, kind of an arrogant one.’

Granted, if Deus and Radan had truly come with the intent to destroy, that would be serious.

But even so, it was strange for a prince with such overwhelming military power to be this frightened.

Not to mention—

‘I’m sure Zukurak is with them too.’

He briefly pictured the giant clad in dark armor.

“……First, it seems they haven’t properly received the news yet. I should go deliver it.”

Alon tried to steer the situation toward diplomacy.

But while King Stalian nodded with a heavy expression, the prince kept trembling nervously.

“If they blow us up before we even get to talk—”

“Blow you up?”

Alon tilted his head at the prince’s muttering.

He’d been told the two were moving together, but this talk of bombing didn’t quite make sense.

“Y-Your Majesty is on their way!”

Just then— a knight burst into the audience chamber with urgent news.

Alon pushed aside his confusion and quickly stood.

He was about to head to the wall to meet Deus and Radan when—

“?”

Alon saw it.

Far off in the distance— floating in the sky—

“A… ship?”

A massive ship.

No—more than just one or two. Easily more than ten.

They were gliding through the air, approaching the capital.

And then—

[You will pay here for the insult you showed my brother.]

Radan’s voice thundered across the sky, amplified so all could hear.

There was never any room for negotiation.

Over ten ships simultaneously opened their cannons.

“Ah……”

Only then did Alon understand why the prince had been shaking so much.

He clutched his spinning head in disbelief.

‘I appreciate that they’re angry on my behalf but………….. still—’

Wasn’t this… a bit too much?

A familiar thought passed through his mind.

Chapter 253: What’s Going On(5)

In any case, the conclusion was that Alon had stopped Deus and Radan.

“Brother!”

“Marquis!”

As soon as Alon revealed himself, Radan and Deus immediately stopped the bombardment and came rushing down, gasping for breath.

He explained the situation to them right away.

They listened silently for a while.

Then let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Ah, I feel like I aged ten years, brother. I really thought you were dead and got the shock of my life.”

“…I’m so glad, Marquis.”

Radan smiled brightly while Deus showed deep relief.

Though both looked visibly at ease now, their haggard faces revealed the mental strain of the past days.

Seeing that, Alon felt a warm sensation in his chest once again.

And at the same time, he asked, “So, what is that?”

He pointed to the massive ship floating in the sky.

That was that, but this was another issue entirely.

At his question, Radan’s shoulders straightened.

“Oh, that? That’s an artifact we got recently, brother.”

“An artifact?”

“Yes. I figured it’d be useful in times like this, so I made sure it was properly fixed up. Though it won’t last long.”

Ten ships hovered in perfect symmetry in the sky.

“I appreciate you thinking of me like that, but now that you know I’m alive, that should be enough. Go back.”

However, at Alon’s words, Radan and Deus exchanged subtle looks.

“Well, if that’s what you say, brother, then we have no choice.”

“Understood.”

They nodded as if they had expected this outcome.

Watching them, Alon recalled the words of the First Prince.

「The death of Marquis Palatio is truly regrettable, and we offer our condolences. However, we cannot remain stagnant. The Kingdom of Asteria must move forward, overcoming its sorrow.」

‘…Of course, it wasn’t a message filled entirely with goodwill.’

Alon wondered what had made them so angry.

Rather than pondering further, he decided to ask directly.

“Deus, Radan.”

“Yes, Marquis.”

“Please speak, brother.”

“…Just asking to be sure—did the First Prince say anything else that I don’t know about?”

He figured there was no way Deus, Radan, and Seolrang would’ve reacted so strongly otherwise.

But—

“No, he didn’t say anything else.”

“…Hm?”

“Yes.”

“Then—”

Alon glanced upward.

The giant ship was floating in the sky with its cannons open, ready to bombard the royal palace at any moment.

“…Never mind.”

Staring at that scene, Alon swallowed the question he was about to ask.

They had overdone it.

All three of them had.

Still, in the end— they had done it for him.

‘…Well, even so, it was clearly excessive.’

Therefore—

“…Next time, try to stay a little calmer.”

With those parting words, Alon, having settled the situation quickly, sent Radan and Deus away.

Saying he would visit them soon.

“S-Survived—!”

“I really thought I was going to die…”

Only after the two had completely disappeared did the soldiers finally let out breaths of relief and murmurs of gratitude.

“Thank you so much.”

“…Thank you.”

The First Prince bowed deeply, and King Stalian V looked at him with emotional eyes.

Alon felt strangely conflicted again.

Was he the one who should be receiving thanks?

Shouldn’t he be the one apologizing?

—That guilt lingered in his mind.

But there was no need to offer an apology they didn’t want.

So Alon simply waved his hand lightly and returned the gesture of respect.

With the situation wrapped up— Alon stayed one night in Ashtalon and immediately left the next day.

He had come rushing in to stop things.

But now, he had something very important to do.

On the road to Greynifra— unlike the day before, the city was peaceful now that the soldiers had dispersed.

As Alon looked around, Evan struck up a conversation.

“Marquis, did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“Remember how you found it odd that the Black Knight or whatever disappeared?”

“Yeah. Did you find something out?”

“Yes.”

Evan nodded and continued.

“I only heard it by chance, but apparently it was because of you, Marquis.”

“Because of me?”

“Yes. They say the First Prince said something ridiculous and because of that, even the only method to stop those monsters was gone… We’re doomed— If that bastard hadn’t said anything, we wouldn’t have died so pointlessly—”

‘Like that?’ Evan mimicked someone’s tone from yesterday.

Alon, quietly listening, recalled a memory.

‘Now that I think about it, the Lizardmen also called me a dear friend.’

As he recalled Kurak’s words, he tilted his head in confusion.

‘A god… A god, huh.’

While Alon had indeed formed bonds during his activities 700 years ago— he didn’t remember ever getting close to a god.

‘The closest would be Dowon.’

But when he met Dowon, she had said she didn’t have much time left.

So the odds of her still being alive were slim.

‘…Hmm.’

Then several questions began to fill his mind.

The Hyakki he met in the past—Ryanga—had white hair.

But here, her hair was black.

And he also became curious about the Lizardmen god calling him their friend.

On top of that, he wondered how the others were doing now.

‘What’s Arquilainisis doing, I wonder.’

For a moment, he recalled the Black Dragon who had rarely left his side back then, always wrapping her tail around his waist and whimpering.

‘Once I free Rine from the seal, maybe I should visit her.’

Thoughts of Rine soon drowned out everything else.

After solving the most important issue— he thought he’d go meet the Lizardman who called him a friend.

Alon turned his gaze back out the window.

The scene outside was truly peaceful.

####

“Phew~”

Right after seeing Alon off, Deus let out a sigh of relief aboard Radan’s ship.

That was a relief.

Truly, a relief.

Of course, he had been sure of it.

That Alon was alive.

There was no evidence.  

He simply believed.  

A firm belief that his savior could not have died so meaninglessly.  

And Deus was not the only one.  

Even his younger sister, Sili, refused to believe that Alon had died.  

After all, she was a saintess.  

She continued to use the power of Kalannon, and that alone was proof that Alon was still alive— something she firmly believed.  

However, unlike the siblings’ conviction, the world gradually began to accept Alon’s death as fact.  

A funeral was held, and various nations expressed their condolences.  

But public perception did nothing to shake the siblings’ belief.  

They declared with certainty.  

That Alon—their benefactor—was undoubtedly alive.  

‘…Of course, Deus’s personality had become overly sensitive, and his gaze grew sharper.’  

Someone once made the mistake of saying, “It’s truly a shame that Marquis Palatio is dead,” in front of him— and had both arms shattered by the Fifth Sword. They were still recuperating to this day.  

Still, after seeing it with his own eyes, he could finally breathe easy.  

Deus placed a hand on his chest and let out a deep breath, then immediately pulled out a crystal orb from his coat.  

He wanted to share this joyful news with Sili.  

She wasn’t in Caliban anymore, but in a newly established temple after Alon went missing.  

Wuuuung~!  

The crystal glowed the moment mana was infused.  

After a short while, Sili’s image was projected onto the surface.  

[…What’s going on?]  

Sili looked emaciated.  

Her cheeks were hollow, and her gaze was intense.  

It was a bit hard to believe she still held faith in Alon’s survival.  

But Deus immediately shouted,  

“Sili, the Marquis is alive…!”  

[…Huh? Really!?]  

Her eyes widened.  

As Deus smiled and nodded, the corners of her lips rose.  

[Hmph, well—of course! Brother, didn’t I tell you so?]  

She quickly cleared her throat as if she hadn’t just reacted like that.  

…Though she couldn’t quite hide her smile, so she raised her hand to cover her mouth.  

“Anyway, what a relief.”  

[It really is… But, what about Ashtalon? Was everything resolved?]  

As if suddenly remembering, Deus began to explain what had happened when he met Alon.  

[He stopped you, you say?]  

“Yeah.”  

[…Then there’s no helping it.]  

A faintly grumbling voice escaped her lips.  

But Sili soon let out a sigh, as if resigned.  

Then, all of a sudden, she turned her head slightly.  

[I think it’s safe to say we can end the standby mode.]  

She muttered quietly.  

“…Standby mode?”  

Deus asked with a puzzled look.  

[Ah, I wasn’t talking to you, brother. I meant that.]  

Sili turned the orb, revealing a massive lightning rod-like structure in the center of the temple.  

“…What is that?”  

It looked like a lightning rod, but he had no idea what it was for.  

[It’s a device that can gather and unleash Kalannon’s divine power all at once.]  

Sili answered brightly.  

“…When did you set that up?”  

[It was built with the help of some mages who chose to believe in Kalannon. Honestly, I figured you’d take care of everything, but just in case something happened…]  

“That divine power you’ve gathered isn’t exactly small.”  

Sili paused for a moment, then smiled with her eyes.  

[Of course. I figured it’d take at least this much to reduce the kingdom to ashes in one go.]  

…??  

[Ah, naturally, we can’t use it right away. It’d take at least ten years. Still, someone had to prepare it, right?]  

“If Brother failed, I planned to unleash divine punishment myself,”  

—she murmured, barely audible.  

“I see.”  

Deus felt a chill down his spine for some reason.  

He decided he should probably shut the orb quickly.  

####

About a month passed after Alon successfully settled things in Ashtalon.  

“Marquis, looks like once we return, things are going to get crazy busy.”  

Alon hadn’t even stopped by his estate.  

He had delayed all reports and greetings and was heading straight to Greynifra.  

The view outside the window slowly began to change.  

Trees that were more vibrant and lively than elsewhere came into view.  

“I suppose so.”  

“After Greynifra, it’s off to the Lizardmen. Then to Teria to report to His Majesty. And then back to Colony… This schedule is no joke.”  

“…There’s no helping it.”  

Eventually, the carriage stopped.  

Alon got off and began walking toward Greynifra with Evan.  

While the black kitten from his chest stared curiously at the green leaves it remembered from last time— the group exited the forest.  

“We’ve been expecting you.”  

The moment they left the woods— Alon was greeted by a very familiar sight.  

Just like the first time he visited Greynifra, a long line of elves stood in formation.  

“Her Majesty is awaiting you.”  

Alon, receiving their familiar  gazes, followed the bowing elf inside.  

Upon arriving at the kingdom of the elves—  

“…It’s been a while.”  

Magrina was already there to greet him.  

A bittersweet smile played on her lips.  

Just like the first time he saw her.  

Her first words were the same, too.  

Back then, Alon had thought she was just laboring under a ridiculous misunderstanding.  

But now— Alon understood the meaning behind her greeting perfectly.  

“Yes. It’s been a while.”  

He smiled faintly in return.  

Then—  

“…Then, may I call you brother again?”  

At Magrina’s teary and cautious question— Alon silently nodded.

Chapter 254: God..? Me..?(1)

After exchanging brief greetings with Magrina, Alon asked her to postpone their long-awaited reunion and let him visit the roots of the World Tree first.

Magrina puffed out her cheeks in protest, but soon nodded.  

Thanks to her consideration, Alon was able to descend underground.

There was nothing left beneath the roots. So no guards were necessary.

Alon, accompanied only by Evan, looked once more at the lush greenery forming beneath the roots.  

“Marquis.”

“What is it?”  

“This feels… a bit odd.”  

“…All of a sudden?”  

Evan shrugged his shoulders.  

“Well, I did hear last time that you visited the past or something.”

Alon had already told Evan what he experienced inside the strange portal that sucked him and the maw in, when he traveled to Ashtalon.  

“You heard it, but?”

“It just feels a little like that. Like I’m left out or something… What exactly happened in there?”  

“I thought I already explained that?”  

“You didn’t say anything about the Elf Queen’s eyes dripping with honey.”  

“…Huh?”  

“You looked all nostalgic, even though you didn’t seem all that different… and that Elf Queen—she was just overflowing with affection from her eyes.”

Muttering to himself about how it was totally different from last time, Evan trailed off.  

Alon retraced his memories and asked.

“…Didn’t I explain it properly before?”  

“You said you went to the past, stopped someone named Baarma, and that Rine sacrificed herself because of some mishap. That was about it.”  

“I suppose that was a bit lacking.”  

“Since it’ll take a while to reach the bottom, why don’t you tell me more now? We don’t have anything else to talk about anyway.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Alon began to speak.  

By the time they fully reached the depths of the roots,  the long tale had finally reached its conclusion.

“So, to summarize, you helped people while dealing with Baarma, and one of those people you helped was the Elf Queen?”  

“That’s right.”  

Evan nodded as if he got the gist, but he still looked disappointed.  

“I should’ve gone with you.”

“…Suddenly?”  

“If I’d stood there looking cool too, maybe they would’ve thought I was some kind of god or something.”

[Pfft]  

“Why are you laughing?”  

[Well—]  

Suddenly popping out from the ring, Basiliora stared blankly at Evan.  

[Never mind. I suppose that’s one way to think.]  

With an open sneer, “This damn snake—do I need to beat the crap out of you to set your head straight?”

[Hmph, as if you could even lay a hand on me.]  

Soon enough, their usual bickering resumed.  

At some point, Blackie was perched with its feet hooked on the pocket over Alon’s chest, watching the two with a look of pity.  

A familiar sight.

Only now did Alon feel like he’d returned to reality.  

Feeling the warmth blooming quietly in his heart, Alon continued walking in silence until he reached the end of the roots.

“Is this the place?”  

“It is.”  

Alon looked around.  

There was nothing particularly special in sight.

Right after Alon had dealt with the Mother of Greed who once dwelled here, he had used his divine power to fill the underground with greenery.

So now, only fresh sprouts remained where he stood.  

Yet Alon didn’t stop and continued walking along the root’s end.  

And then—

Rumble~!  

The green foliage parted to reveal a spiral staircase.  

The same stairs that led to the place where he had once received a seed from the tree beneath the World Tree, after looking into a mirror.

Without hesitation, he descended the stairs.  

And finally, upon reaching what could truly be called the “end of the roots,” Alon was greeted by a vibrant inner garden.  

A lush garden and, at its center, a massive old tree— and behind that tree, he found a tunnel leading further underground that he hadn’t noticed last time.  

####

There was something that had been weighing on Alon ever since he came to Greynifra.  

It was what Magrina had told him when they first met.

‘If I had to guess the number of years…It was probably around 600 to 700 years ago.’

‘600 to 700 years?’

‘Yes, that’s when I heard the story.’  

That was in response to Alon’s question, when he first discovered the Mother of Greed—or rather, the Ash Seeder—underground.

At the time, Magrina hadn’t heard of the Sin of Greed appearing, but said the Ash Spreaders had started showing up around that time.

‘…That’s when the worst-case assumption started.’  

It was this that made Alon uneasy.  

He knew the Mother of Greed only manifested once the Sin of Greed had awakened.  

‘If that estimate is correct, Then the sealed Rine… Could essentially be the Sin of Greed now.’

And if it wasn’t Rine sealed away, but the Sin of Greed itself—

“Sigh.”  

Alon stopped himself there and let out a deep breath.  

It wasn’t a possibility he wanted to consider.  

So instead, choosing to withhold judgment for now, Alon entered the underground tunnel.  

“It’s strange. It should be dark in here, but everything is clearly visible.”  

[…This place is definitely… peculiar.]  

Hearing both Evan and Basiliora, who were ready to kill each other just moments ago, now in unison expressing their wonder, Alon walked further inside.

And finally, when they were completely underground—

“There.”

He saw it.  

A massive sealing circle.  

It was the same one Rine had used in her final moments to save Alon.  

The magic circle was drawn across what looked like a doorway, split into two sides.

“…Hah.”  

Without realizing it, Alon’s entire body tensed.  

The front sealing circle had clearly aged over the years.  

Calmly stepping forward, Alon began to prepare his magic.  

Breaking the seal wasn’t particularly difficult.  

If he simply scratched the seal with a bit of magic,  

it would shatter.

Knowing this, he prepared to use his magic without hesitation— Until suddenly.

“…?”

“…?”

Alon saw it.  

The writing beneath the seal.

As if someone expected Alon to see it, the writing was exactly at his eye level.

He stopped casting and stepped closer.  

And then—

Alon read it.  

[Please. If you, Godfather, are reading this message, then exactly ten months from now… please wake me up.]

The message left by Rine.

####

“Did your visit go well?”

“Yes.”

Magrina greeted Alon warmly.

In the end, he had left the underground of the World Tree without releasing Rine from her seal.

The reason was the message that seemed to be left by Rine.

‘…Ten months from now.’

He couldn’t fully understand why Rine would leave such a message, but the moment he read it, he realized there was a possibility that Rine might be conscious even now, and he had wanted to wake her immediately.

But would it be right to ignore her wishes, just to ease his own heart?

In the end, Alon had no choice but to suppress that impulse.

“I’m really happy to see you again, brother, but it doesn’t seem like you’re quite as happy as I am.”

While he was lost in thought, Magrina’s voice reached him.

Alon snapped back to his senses.

“Sorry, I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“It’s just a hunch, but… did you already know what was happening at the roots?”

“No, I honestly don’t know much about that part.”

Hearing her answer, Alon briefly explained what had happened underground.

Upon hearing everything, Magrina’s eyes trembled.

“…So that means Lady Rine is currently in the underground of the World Tree?”

“Yes. But she doesn’t seem to want to be released just yet.”

When Alon spoke, recalling the message he had seen earlier,  

Magrina also seemed to be thinking about something and made a puzzled face.

“…That’s strange to me as well.”

“Right?”

“Yes. But—if that’s what Lady Rine wanted, waiting ten months to release the seal won’t be too hard.”

Alon nodded in agreement.

‘Of course, there are still many unanswered questions…’

Honestly, Alon’s mind was still in chaos.

‘If the sealed Rine is okay, then how is the Mother of Greed down there?’

But his doubts were short-lived.

Remembering it was rude to think only of Rine while Magrina was right in front of him, he cleared his throat.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes, brother. But… isn’t it a little too late to ask that now?”

“Sorry.”

Magrina pouted slightly.

When Alon quickly apologized, she smiled brightly.

“No, you don’t need to think that way. I know you had a lot on your mind.”

“Thank you for understanding. By the way, I’ve been curious—can I ask something?”

“What is it?”

“Did you know from the start?”

“Know what…?”

“That I had traveled to the past and returned.”

Magrina shook her head.

“Of course not. I didn’t even know you were still alive.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. So when I first heard your name, I wasn’t sure whether to believe it. I only believed it after I saw you with my own eyes.”

“I see.”

She sighed deeply, as if recalling how upsetting that time was.

“Do you know how disappointed I was? I was so happy to see you, but you kept saying you weren’t the Primordial Elf, that you didn’t know anything— I thought, ‘This isn’t the brother I know. What kind of act is this?’”

Magrina shook her head as if just thinking about it made her dizzy.

“Ah—”

Alon let out a soft sigh.

Thinking about it now, it was only natural that Magrina felt hurt.

“But you don’t have to worry too much. I figured it out halfway through.”

“…You figured it out?”

“Yes, when you showed me the World Tree’s seed.”

“Ah…”

“That’s when I realized it. That the brother standing in front of me wasn’t the same one I remembered.”

It was only then that Alon truly grasped the flow of the situation.

The two continued talking about this and that afterward.

Then Magrina smiled playfully and said—

“By the way, brother, aren’t you going to praise me?”

“…Praise you?”

“You told me to lead the elves well, remember? So I worked really hard!”

She puffed out her chest proudly.

Alon, suddenly recalling what he’d said to her right before he disappeared, replied, “That’s right. Thank you for doing such a great job.”

Praising her, he also felt proud of her from the bottom of his heart.

Flushed with happiness, Magrina stood up.

“Now that we’ve shared our reunion, it’s time to move on to what’s next.”

“…What’s next?”

“Now that you’ve returned, you need to take your rightful place.”

“My rightful place…?”

Seeing Alon’s puzzled expression, she nodded matter-of-factly.

“Yes, we’re going to officially declare you the god of the elves. Everywhere!”

She spread her arms wide as she made her declaration.

“???”

Naturally, Alon’s head was once again filled with question marks.

Chapter 255: God..? Me..?(2)

From Alon’s perspective, Magrina’s choice wasn’t particularly bad.

The divine status of the Primordial Elf that he had newly gained—or more precisely, finally gained properly—was reassuring in many ways for Alon.

If Magrina were to declare Alon as the Primordial Elf, it would likely be helpful.

However, the reason Alon’s mind was filled with question marks— was because there was one part he couldn’t understand.

“……Magrina?”

“Yes, brother.”

“First of all, you probably know this already, but… I’m human.”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it kind of strange for a human to be called the Primordial Elf?”

Of course, he had heard it from Evan.

That when rumors spread after Alon first used the divine status, the elves didn’t react badly.

But that was only the reaction of a few elves.

To be honest, since he’s human, he couldn’t predict what kind of reaction declaring him as the Primordial Elf would cause.

Whether good or bad, elves have always been exclusive toward other races.

Yet contrary to Alon’s worries, Magrina—

“Hmm, is it strange?”

Tilted her head as if it were nothing.

“……It might look a little strange, I suppose.”

“In that case, can’t we just explain it as a reincarnation? After all, no elf alive remembers ‘that time’ anyway.”

“That might actually work—”

“Then shall we go with that?”

Alon paused for a moment.

Having Magrina declare him the Primordial Elf.

That alone would certainly help him.

However, he had one more divine status.

The divine status of Kalannon.

‘Even if the divine status of the Primordial Elf spreads, will Kalannon’s divine status remain unaffected?’

Since they had coexisted somewhat unknowingly until now, maybe— there wouldn’t be a problem.

But that was just speculation.

Both divine statuses were of great help to Alon.

He wanted to avoid a situation where even one of them would be compromised.

As Alon’s silence dragged on,

“Hmm~ is this troubling you?”

Magrina cautiously asked.

“It’s not so much trouble, just… I have a lot to consider.”

“Then shall we delay the public announcement a bit?”

“……I’d appreciate that. There’s something I need to check first.”

“Got it.”

Magrina nodded, and after a brief pause—

“Then instead, let’s hold a coronation?”

She offered another suggestion.

“Coronation?”

“Yes. Since declaring you a god is the issue, how about just announcing you as royalty instead?”

“……I’m not royalty, though?”

“Don’t worry. We can make you honorary royalty—something like that is definitely possible.”

Alon, inwardly, thought: ‘Is that really necessary?’

But rejecting even that felt a little awkward.

“If it’s just that much, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then I’ll get started right away.”

“By the way, how long will it take?”

“Not that long. Maybe about five months?”

“……Five months?”

“Yes. It’s not that long, right?”

Though briefly puzzled, Alon soon understood.

They weren’t just any elves—five months must feel short to Magrina.

“I see.”

As Alon nodded, Magrina, who had been watching him—

“Pfft.”

“…Why are you laughing?”

Suddenly let out a small giggle.

“No, it’s just—I could totally see what you were thinking, brother. You were probably like, ‘Five months is really long, but since Magrina lives long, it must feel short to her,’ right?”

Alon went silent at her sharp observation, and she smiled softly.

“Of course not, brother. Even for me, five months is a long time.”

“…Is that so?”

“Of course. Time flows the same for everyone. Whether it’s elves cursed with shortened lifespans or someone like me.”

Magrina’s face briefly softened with a trace of emotion, but she soon composed herself.

“Anyway, since it’ll take about that long, I think it’s fine if you go elsewhere in the meantime. Honestly, I’d love to talk with you more here, but—”

“……”

“Because that would probably be hard for you,” she added quietly, and Alon nodded gently.

“Thanks for your consideration.”

“Not at all.”

Then suddenly, a question popped into Alon’s mind.

“Come to think of it, can I ask you something?”

“Yes, if it’s you, brother, anytime.”

He felt he might be able to gain even a little information from her.

“Do you happen to know about the Lizardman’s god?”

“…The god of the Lizardmen?”

“Yes.”

After a moment of thought, she nodded.

“Of course I do. I think you know him too, Marquis.”

“Really?”

“Yes, though I’m not too fond of him myself…”

Magrina slightly frowned.

Seeing that reaction, Alon grew curious and continued asking.

“Who exactly is it?”

“Hmm, rather than me telling you… since you’re going anyway, I think it’s better if you meet him yourself.”

“I see.”

“Yes. Actually, I’d love to go with you, but I have a lot to prepare from now on.”

Leaving that regret behind, their meeting came to an end.

The next day, Alon set out toward where the Lizardmen were.

####

Not long after leaving Greynifra.

“Marquis.”

“Oh?”

“Did you perhaps also meet a dragon in the past?”

“…Suddenly?”

Evan asked out of the blue.

“Well, after seeing the elf queen in the past call you ‘brother,’ it felt kind of weird. I got curious—who else did you charm back then?”

At the pointed question, Alon cleared his throat awkwardly.

“…I don’t think I ever charmed anyone while traveling the past.”

“And yet, the elf calls you brother?”

“That wasn’t me charming anyone, it was more like… um, that.”

“That?”

“Like we shared a connection or something. That kind of vibe.”

Evan gave Alon a strange look at his answer, then a deep look of regret crossed his face.

“I should’ve been the one who traveled to the past…”

“…Again with the suddenness?”

“If I had gone to the past, I could’ve at least filmed a touching romance with an elven beauty, don’t you think?”

[What utter nonsense.]

[Meow]

As if waiting for the moment, Basiliora interjected sharply.

This time, even Blackie surprisingly chimed in with agreement.

“Kuh—if I had gone to the past, I would’ve swooped in just in time to save an elven girl in danger—!”

However, Evan, now well-accustomed to Basiliora’s attacks, casually ignored the jab and began spinning his own fantasy.

And so, amid the usual light-hearted mood, Alon’s party arrived without issue at the land of the Lizardmen.

Alon’s curiosity only grew stronger.

‘Just who became a god?’

From Alon’s point of view, it was hard to guess the identity of the being the Lizardmen called “Hazad.”

That’s because he had never saved a Lizardman before.

Of course, he had rescued some soldiers a few times, but only to that extent.

He had no deep connection or interactions like he did with Magrina or the others.

And so, his curiosity deepened the closer they got.

“Whoa, it’s huge!”

They arrived in front of a pyramid-like structure.

Following Evan’s exclamation, Alon also let out a gasp.

The pyramid was enormous beyond description.

But the awe lasted only a moment.

“Please, come inside.”

Guided by a Lizardman with their face covered by a veil, Alon stepped into the building.

The first thing they saw inside was a long, endless staircase.

Just as Alon gasped again at the sight—

[You’ve come, my friend—!]

A voice rang in his ear.

Alon looked up in the direction of the sound.

At the top of the distant staircase, he saw—

A Lizardman.

Alon was confused.

In his memory, there was no Lizardman who had ever called him “friend.”

Not responding to Hazad’s words, Alon stood silently.

Then, Hazad gave a wide grin and moved down the stairs.

The moment he stepped forward, he had already descended the entire staircase.

He wore a bright smile, clearly delighted.

And then—

[Don’t you recognize me?]

Watching the Lizardman who drew nearer,

Alon realized something.

He had definitely seen that face somewhere before.

And that voice—he had heard it often as well.

Digging deeper into his memory,

“…Huh?”

Alon soon remembered something.

[Do you remember now?]

To the Lizardman’s follow-up question,

“…Rioche?”

He uttered a name.

The name of the “King of the Lizardmen” he had met during his time in the past.

At that name—

[Yes, it’s been a long time.]

The god of the Lizardmen, Hazad—no, Rioche—smiled broadly and nodded his head.

####

At the time Alon encountered Rioche—

“My queen, all the basic preparations are complete.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, now we just need to secure a few important materials, including some key ingredients.”

Mew, the loyal vassal of the elven queen, reported to her master.

Magrina offered a faint smile and praised her.

“Well done, Mew.”

“It’s nothing. More importantly… congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“Congratulations?”

“Yes, haven’t you always wished to proceed with the coronation?”

“That’s true.”

“It’s fortunate that the reactions from the council and others haven’t been negative. Even the expected opposition from Mirmal and Philianian has ceased, since they passed away recently.”

Mew spoke with a slight hint of laughter.

Magrina paused for a moment.

But soon—

“You’re right.”

She relaxed her expression and responded calmly.

A brief silence followed.

And then—

With a faint smile on her lips,

“But Mew,”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

She spoke again.

“Actually, there’s no real need to pay that much attention to the council or anyone else’s reaction.”

“…Forgive me, Your Majesty. I only meant—”

Mew quickly bowed her head.

But Magrina gently shook her head as if to say it was alright.

“I know. You were just trying to say it’s good that everything is proceeding peacefully and harmoniously without any major conflicts, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“I understand. So—”

Just as she was about to continue, Alon’s voice echoed in her mind.

—You’ll lead the elves well.

A very short phrase.

But it was a phrase that Magrina could never ignore.

Magrina looked down at Mew, her expression masked by a smile.

Would he ever know?

Why peace and harmony were such absolute virtues to her?

Why, despite how the elves had treated her, she still tried to protect them?

Why, even when she had finally gained full power, she didn’t strike down those hateful elves?

…He probably wouldn’t know.

And he never would.

As long as her brother was alive.

Magrina wanted to remain a good child.

A good child who listened to her brother.

That’s why—

“You don’t have to feel too sorry.”

Magrina smiled.

“I understand everything.”

The same smile she always wore.

Chapter 256: God..? Me..?(3)

“…Rioche?”

When Alon called his name with a bewildered expression, Rioche gave a deep smile.

[Though I’m now known by the name Hazad.]

Looking at Rioche’s confident expression, Alon looked even more confused.

Indeed, Alon had met Rioche in the past.

However, he never expected Rioche would become a god of the Lizardmen.

It was only natural.

Back then, Rioche was neither a god nor anything close to one, and above all, they weren’t close enough to be called ‘friends.’

[It’s awkward to talk while standing, so come with me.]

Rioche soon led Alon somewhere.

As Alon took just one step onto the stairs— they had already arrived at the top of the pyramid.

[Have a seat.]

Following Rioche’s lead, Alon and Evan sat on the chairs placed before them, and a brief silence followed.

“…What happened?”

Alon was the first to speak.

[Which part are you referring to?]

“Exactly as I said. From what I remember, in the past, you were—”

[Ah—starting from there, huh.]

Rioche nodded.

[It’s a bit of a long story, but I’ll try to summarize it.]

He calmly began to explain.

After some time had passed—

[…That’s how it happened.]

Alon quietly organized the contents of the story he had just heard.

“So, to summarize, after I disappeared, you began to gather faith, not as a king but as a god. Is that correct?”

[Yes. After you left, the great threat named Baarma disappeared and peace returned—but the problem didn’t end there.]

“Did something else happen?”

At Alon’s question, Rioche nodded.

[The elves and Eastern nations remained peaceful, but the Lizardmen were different.]

As Alon gave a look that asked him to go on, Rioche continued the story.

[As you know, I was more of a chieftain than a king—just a leader uniting various tribes. The tribes under my leadership followed me only temporarily, depending on the situation.]

[When the war ended, the tribes split again and began fighting amongst themselves. The weakened tribes from the Baarma war quickly became prey for others, leading to chaos.]

“So you became a god to stop the war?”

Rioche slowly shook his head.

[That was part of it, but it wasn’t the main reason. To be more precise, there was another reason.]

“Another reason?”

[Yes, but that’s not something I can reveal right now. It’s a personal matter. Still, aside from that, I began deifying myself and gathering faith—and eventually became a god.]

“……”

[Well, it was so difficult gathering faith that I even faked my death and resurrection for a hundred years just to pull it off,] Rioche said with a dry chuckle.

Alon felt he could guess how Rioche managed to become a god.

Just then—

[Hmph, talking however you please, aren’t you.]

A familiar voice was suddenly heard.

When Alon and Evan turned their heads—

“…Magrina?”

It was none other than Magrina’s face.

Upon seeing Alon, she immediately smiled brightly.

[Did you arrive safely, Brother? This is a magical projection.]

Only then did Alon realize her form was translucent and let out a soft gasp.

[…How? I never accepted anything like this.]

The crystal orb placed on one of the desks had suddenly activated, and a hint of panic appeared on Rioche’s face.

In response, Magrina narrowed her eyes and looked at him.

A look completely different from the gentle gaze she usually showed Alon.

[Who do you think gave you that magical orb in the first place?]

[……Isn’t this a clear breach of etiquette?]

[Etiquette aside, you seem to be hiding a lot from my brother. Isn’t that more of a breach?]

At that, Rioche averted his gaze with a guilty look.

As Alon and Evan stared at him simultaneously, Magrina revealed the truth.

[Brother, he used your divine authority to become a god.]

“…My divine authority?”

Magrina nodded and explained the whole situation.

Once again, after hearing everything, Alon responded—

“So in short, he forged a connection with me, the one who defeated Baarma, to gather faith. Is that it?”

[Exactly. Even though you two weren’t even that close, he shamelessly called you a Celestial Saint and all that… how cowardly.]

Magrina’s gaze turned even colder.

Rioche cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his eyes elsewhere.

[Well, you see… trying to gather faith on my own was really difficult. I’m not as talented or gifted as you are, you know… ahem.]

He began making excuses.

All signs of dignity were long gone.

“Uh…”

Evan, who was standing nearby, now wore the same expression as Magrina, as if he too understood the situation.

Rioche, embarrassed, cleared his throat again.

[…Anyway, I never intended to completely cover it up. If I did, I would’ve just pretended not to know you from the start.]

[Well, I guess it’s fortunate you had at least that much conscience left.]

Rioche groaned at Magrina’s sharp words but kept speaking resolutely.

[Anyway, it’s true that I became a god with your help. So now, I plan to return the favor by becoming your strength.]

“…My strength?”

[Yes. I acknowledge you as a god and plan to share divine power with you.]

“You mean—”

[You’ll possess the same power as me. What do you think? I may have shamelessly used our supposed bond, but doesn’t this outcome benefit you too?]

Alon nodded.

Rioche’s proposal, in fact, was not disadvantageous for him in any way.

As the conversation on the topic matured—

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“They want to see you in the East as well.”

Rioche brought up a new topic.

“…The Eastern Kingdom?”

“Yes. It’s quite far, so it’s best to visit when you have time later. But I’d recommend going when your schedule allows it.”

“Who exactly wants to see me in the East?”

At Alon’s question, Rioche shrugged.

“Sorry, I don’t really know either.”

“Could it be that someone like you—someone who was once in the past and became a god—exists there too?”

“That’s not it. But the king of that land said he wishes to meet the Marquis Palatio, and asked me to make sure to pass that on.”

Alon fell into brief thought.

“The Eastern Kingdom, huh…?”

The Eastern Kingdom.

As far as Alon knew— like the lands of Greynifra and the Lizardmen, it was an island nation to the east that only became accessible after purchasing DLC.

“…Who could it be?”

However, no matter how much he combed through his past memories and existing knowledge— Alon couldn’t quite figure out who would want to see him.

Among the people he saved in the past, there were no Easterners he had built a relationship with.

Therefore—

“For now, understood.”

He tentatively concluded that he’d visit if the opportunity arose.

Thus ended Alon’s audience with Rioche.

Alon exited the great pyramid-shaped temple.

“So, Marquis. It looks like the urgent matters are taken care of. What are your plans now?”

“Of course, we’ll also need to drop by the Teriana Colony,” Evan added.

He was right.

“Let’s head to the colony one last time.”

Alon made his way toward the colony.

####

At the center of the continent— A wasteland between the Allied Kingdom and the Empire.

A barren desert where nothing lived and no creature could easily be found.

In an underground chamber located somewhere within that wasteland—

“Hmmm~”

A man quietly stroked his chin.

In front of him knelt a masked man, his entire body covered in black robes, maintaining silence.

Then—

“They say Marquis Palatio has returned from the dead… Is that true?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The masked man bowed his head deeply as he answered the man’s question.

“I see~”

The man’s soft murmur echoed in the chamber.

The masked man cautiously glanced up to observe him— and soon, a look of surprise appeared on the face hidden behind the mask.

And for good reason— at the corner of his master’s lips— was a clear smile.

Had he ever seen his master smile before?

The masked man tried to recall but quickly shook his head inwardly.

To his knowledge— not once.

He had never seen his master smile before.

Which is why he blankly stared at him for a moment.

“Why? Surprised?”

The master’s sudden words brought him back to his senses.

He realized he had committed disrespect.

He quickly lowered his head and said,

“I apologize. I was being rude—”

He hurriedly tried to explain, but—

“No, it’s fine. After spending so long with me, it’s only natural you’d find this surprising.”

The man shook his head instead.

Then he asked the masked man,

“Anyway, is there anything else to report?”

“Yes, there is one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“It concerns the mutants that had recently drifted toward the border from the United Kingdom.”

“Mutants—ah, the ones spilling out of the jungle, you mean?”

“Yes.”

“How many were there?”

“Approximately 130 units.”

“And the result?”

“All were taken care of. We also eliminated all remnants of the Maw, as previously reported.”

The masked man bowed again in respect.

In response, the man said,

“Good work. You may go.”

He gave a dismissal order.

The masked man vanished without another word.

Soon after, as silence filled the room—

“Congratulations.”

A woman appeared, leaning on the man’s chair.

Like the man, the woman also had heterochromatic eyes.

“Suddenly…?”

“What do you mean suddenly? You’ve been dying to meet him.”

“…That’s—”

“Am I wrong?”

As if she already knew his thoughts, she spoke with certainty.

The man remained silent for a moment—

“Sis, enough with the teasing.”

“But you’re going to meet him, aren’t you? That strange guy’s predicted time has already passed anyway.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

—No. The King of Curses.

The man who led the Curse Weavers lowered his head and muttered.

“…I do want to meet him—”

“Then should we go say hello?”

“Sis, isn’t this a little too sudden?”

“You want to see him soon, don’t you?”

“Still, we should prepare some gifts or something—”

“Hearing he was still alive, you’ve been gathering all kinds of gifts for the past 300 years, haven’t you? And now you want to prepare even more?”

“Besides—”

“You’ve been secretly helping him through the information guild this whole time, haven’t you? Barely charging him any money. If you just mention that to him, I bet he’ll be thrilled.”

“…You think so?”

“Of course. That’s the kind of person he is.”

The King of Curses—

“Sis, since we’ve made up our minds, we should strike while the iron’s hot, right?”

“Let’s go right now. To meet the one who saved us.”

Nangwon looked up again.

And on the corners of his lips— there was an undeniable look of anticipation.

Chapter 257: Fork(1)

A dark temple beneath the roots.

There, two figures were seated.

One was the Apostle of Wrath, clad in a black robe.

The other was—

“Mm—”

A silver-haired man who didn’t quite match the gloom of the underground.

He let out a satisfied hum—or rather,

“This is nice.”

The Apostle of Purity nodded, clearly pleased with the current situation.

“……You think it’s nice?”

Like a bottomless abyss, nothing could be seen.

The Apostle of Wrath, cloaked in pitch-black robes, asked.

It was a grotesque voice—neither old nor young, male nor female—so eerie it made one frown just from hearing it.

“Yeah, I like it.”

The Apostle of Purity smiled unchanged.

“Look, the numbers are perfect now. Just two.”

He said brightly.

“Hoo—You see, others might not care, but it really bothered me. So, I find this situation quite satisfying. Oh, not that I wanted the Apostles to die, okay? Even just one dying would’ve been enough for me.”

Because then it’d be four, right? Two on each side—perfectly balanced—

He chuckled to himself while mumbling.

The Apostle of Wrath, silently watching him, finally spoke.

“So, what do you plan to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“You already know from the previous Apostles’ failure. You know what I’m talking about.”

At those words, Purity tilted his head, then let out a soft ‘ah—’.

“You mean the seed we planted got ruined? Yeah, that’s a shame. We put in a lot of effort, and now it’s going to waste without even being used properly. But still—”

Grin.

“I’m not too worried. We did tweak it a bit as that One’s vessel, but it’s not like it has to be used.”

“……Then?”

“There’s no need to cling to him. I’ll kill him to retrieve it, sure, but I don’t have to dirty my own hands.”

Purity smiled as he pulled out a dark-colored cube from his robe.

“Do you know what this is?”

“That’s—”

“It’s something made by some half-baked guy, but it turned out to be pretty useful. So I mass-produced it a bit. Added a touch of that One’s authority too.”

“……You’re thinking of using that to create a vessel?”

At that question, Purity placed the cube in front of Wrath.

“Of course not. This is just prep work for the others. Even if they’re not Apostles, they’ll need to come out eventually, right?”

“In that case—”

“I’ve already picked out the perfect vessel to receive my great one. Found a fine candidate, too.”

He walked to the other side of the table.

“Well, I think we’re done here. I’ll be going now. Let’s meet again sometime.”

Waving with a grin, the Apostle of Purity began to fade.

“Oh.”

Just as his form was vanishing, he let out a small exclamation, as if he remembered something.

“Just in case, I’ll take care of him too. Marquis Palatio? Seems like most of the failures were his fault.”

And with another wave—

“You don’t show it, but unlike me, you’re grieving over the Apostles’ deaths, aren’t you?”

—he disappeared completely.

Silence fell once again over the temple.

Left alone, the Apostle of Wrath.

Stared wordlessly at the abyssal object Purity left behind.

A hand slipped out from the unseen robe.

The hand picked up the abyssal cube.

Bringing it close to their face, the Apostle of Wrath muttered—

“……Marquess Palatio.”

They stared blankly at the abyssal object for some time.

For a long, long time.

####

Before returning to the marquessate, Alon visited Greynifra one last time—and received an unexpected item from Magrina.

“This is……”

“It’s your ring, right, brother?”

It was the ring Alon had lost in the past.

He examined the ring Magrina handed over.

It had a few faded spots, unable to withstand the ages.

But it was definitely the ring he used to wear.

“……Where did you get this?”

When Alon asked, Magrina closed her eyes for a moment, as if trying to recall an old memory.

“Someone gave it to me.”

“……Someone?”

“Yes, a person with blue eyes.”

[That must be the one I saw,] said Basiliora, curling his body around the ring.

“Do you know who he was?”

Alon asked, but Magrina shook her head.

“No, not at all. I also wondered why he had your ring, so I tried to investigate, but I found nothing.”

“Just in case—do you remember what he looked like?”

“Mm—no, his entire body was wrapped in a black robe. I could only see his eyes.”

[Exactly like I remember.]

As Basiliora agreed, Magrina tilted her head.

“I thought you might know who he was, but I guess not.”

“Right.”

Alon nodded, then suddenly realized something odd.

“Magrina, when did you receive this ring?”

“It was about a month or two after you disappeared, I think.”

At that answer, Alon frowned.

If what Magrina said was true, a strange contradiction emerged.

‘Wouldn’t that mean there should be two of this ring?’

Magrina had received the ring from the mysterious blue-eyed man.

And now, 700 years later, she gave it to Alon.

Which meant that for those 700 years, the ring Alon had lost had been with her.

At first glance, that seemed fine—but one undeniable contradiction remained.

If, as Alon knew, this ring was one-of-a-kind—

Then it didn’t make sense for him to have obtained it in the labyrinth a few years ago.

……Because the ring he had lost should have still been with Magrina.

‘Same goes for the glove.’

Alon looked down at his hand.

The glove—said to have once been used by the Primordial Elf as a staff—was another mystery.

When he went back in time, he hadn’t sealed it away or done anything with it.

He pondered the matter for a while.

“Well, I understand for now. Thanks for keeping the ring safe.”

“Not at all, brother.”

Alon stood up from his seat.

####

[What are you thinking about so deeply?]

About a week had passed since they left Greynifra.

As Alon stared silently out the window, Basiliora asked.

“……There are too many things that don’t add up.”

[Don’t add up? Oh, are you talking about the ring and the glove?]

“Yes. And also the man with blue eyes.”

“Ah—now that you say it, it does sound a little strange.”

Evan, who was listening nearby, nodded and then shrugged.

“But, well… in the end, didn’t it all work out?”

“There was no real problem.”

Alon rubbed his chin.

Evan was right.

No actual issues had occurred.

Even so, something kept bothering him.

In all of Alon’s experiences in Psychedelia— there had been differences from the original story and setting before.

But never had a unique setting like this changed.

‘It feels like something’s off.’

A sensation like something was stuck in the back of his mind.