Chapter 4: Departure

The next day.

Holy Calendar of Luvaphos, Year 1853, Month of Gram, 25th—Early Morning.

Having prepared to depart from Fejite, Glenn donned a heavy winter coat and shouldered a backpack before leaving the Arfonia residence.

The moment he stepped outside, the biting chill of a winter morning greeted him.

The surroundings were still dim, the sky shrouded in thick clouds.

In the distance, the snow-draped streets of Fejite lay silent and serene.

“Quite a bit of snow piled up…”

As Glenn crunched through the snow, making his way across the white-blanketed front yard.

‘…So, you’re really going. To see Celica.’

Nameless appeared before him.

Glenn was already used to this girl’s knack for popping up out of nowhere. Unfazed, he responded.

“Yeah, that’s right. A lot happened last night…”

‘…I see. So that’s how it turned out…’

“I don’t quite get it, but Celica’s important to you too, isn’t she? When I wasn’t around, you told those guys about her… You were hoping for something, weren’t you?”

‘…’

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to bring Celica back. No need to stress.”

Glenn said this with a cheerful tone.

‘…’

But for some reason, Nameless’s expression grew even darker, her eyes dropping with a sorrowful shadow.

“…What’s wrong?”

Sensing something odd in Nameless’s demeanor, Glenn tossed out the question.

‘It’s nothing…’

Nameless merely shook her head.

“Is that so? Alright then, I’m off. Knowing you, you might sneak along anyway… but see ya.”

With that, Glenn passed by Nameless and started walking.

It was in that fleeting moment as they brushed past each other.

‘Please don’t lose. Do your best… My Master…’

It felt like Nameless had whispered those words in his ear.

“…Nameless?”

Glenn turned around.

But Nameless was already gone.

Glenn arrived at the carriage station plaza near Fejite’s northern city gate.

Normally, this place would be bustling with early morning travelers, but given the current circumstances, it was eerily quiet.

A single military covered wagon, pulled by two horses, stood ready, already loaded with food and supplies necessary for the ruins exploration.

Eve had arranged it all last night. Though she apologized for not being able to spare even a single Hræsvelgr, the empire’s air forces, this was more than generous given the situation.

In any case, this wagon would take about a day to reach the Taum Celestial Temple.

(Well, the real journey starts from there… Damn it, Celica, what a pain.)

Grumbling to himself, Glenn approached the wagon.

“Hm?”

He sensed several presences waiting for him.

“…You’re here.”

There stood Albert, Eve, and Re=L, all dressed in the formal attire of the Special Missions Annex mages.

“Whoa, Albert! Looks like the spiritual surgery went off without a hitch, huh?”

“Thanks to you.”

Glenn glanced at Albert.

A bandage inscribed with countless runes was wrapped around Albert’s head, covering his right eye. It appeared to be some kind of magical sealing formula.

“So? Why are you all here? Don’t tell me you came to see me off?”

Glenn, fully intending to set off alone, eyed the trio suspiciously.

“Well, there’s a lot to go over, so let’s take it one step at a time,” Eve said, arms crossed.

“Glenn, there’s something I need to tell you. The truth is—”

What came out of Eve’s mouth next was—

“What!? The exploration danger level’s gone up!?”

“Yes, exactly. Last night, I had Christoph investigate the Taum Celestial Temple through the ley line network.”

Eve thrust a stack of documents at Glenn.

“Read those, and you’ll understand. For some reason, the surrounding ley lines are incredibly agitated compared to before. Powerful rogue spirits are roaming, and traps that were previously inactive are likely now operational.”

“Estimated exploration danger level: S-rank…? Are you serious…?”

“This change… based on what you’ve told us, it likely happened around the time Professor Arfonia reached the deepest part of the ruins—the Grand Planetarium chamber. In other words, though the details are unclear, Professor Arfonia did something in the depths of the ruins.”

“…!?”

“Be careful, Glenn. This probably won’t be as simple as just bringing Professor Arfonia back.”

Eve’s warning made Glenn swallow hard.

An S-rank exploration danger level… That was nearly on par with the difficulty of floors 10 to 49 of the academy’s underground labyrinth, “The Trial of the Fool.” Against a ruin like this, bringing Celica back was one thing—surviving himself might be just as uncertain.

But—

“It’s fine. I won’t lose. I’ll definitely come back.”

Glenn declared with resolve, nodding firmly.

However.

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s no way you can handle it.”

Eve, arms still crossed, let out an exasperated sigh, her response cold and dismissive.

“Hey, isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to say something like, ‘I believe in you’!?”

“Ugh, gross. Stop joking around.”

Eve turned away, waving her hand dismissively.

“Face reality. You might be decent as a mage, but as a magician, you’re third-rate at best. There’s no way you can conquer an S-rank exploration alone.”

“Say what you want, but I’ve got no choice but to do it! You picking a fight or what!?”

“…Ugh, that’s not what I mean. You’re so dense…”

Eve shot Glenn a sidelong glance with half-lidded eyes.

“You need backup… don’t you?”

“Huh?”

The moment Glenn let out a dumbfounded sound—

“Sensei!”

“Hehe, good morning!”

Sistine and Rumia poked their heads out from inside the covered wagon, greeting Glenn.

“What!? Why are you two here!? And dressed like that…”

As Glenn pointed out, Sistine and Rumia were also clad in winter gear and exploration outfits.

“Hey, Eve… don’t tell me…?”

“Exactly what you’re thinking. Take those two with you. They’ll definitely be useful.”

Eve said this with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry. Your class’s students all agreed to let these two go with you, and in Rumia’s case, even Her Majesty has given her approval.”

“Wait, hold on! Do you two even understand!? This is an S-rank danger level! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is—!?”

As Glenn hurriedly protested, Sistine and Rumia responded confidently.

“That’s exactly why you need us, isn’t it? Knowing you, Sensei, you’d probably do something reckless if you were alone.”

“It’ll be fine. We absolutely won’t hold you back. We’ll prove we can be useful to you, Sensei.”

Sistine, the genius girl whose prodigious magical talent had recently begun to blossom rapidly.

And Rumia, the girl who wielded the powerful ability known as《Ars Magna》and《Silver Key》.

Indeed, with these two by his side, there couldn’t be more reliable allies.

“Ugh… Even if I refuse, you’re just gonna follow me anyway, aren’t you?”

“Yep. If you really don’t want us, you can try leaving us behind. Heh, good luck escaping my《Gale Kick》boosted by Rumia’s《Ars Magna》!”

“Oh, right, Sistie, you’ve gotten good enough to carry someone with《Gale Kick》, haven’t you?”

Sistine and Rumia giggled together.

With a wry smile, Glenn raised both hands in surrender.

“…I give up. There’s no way I’m outrunning that. Geez, growing up too fast is its own problem… Alright, I’m counting on you guys. I need your strength.”

Glenn said honestly, and Sistine and Rumia beamed with delight.

“…Glenn.”

Then, Re=L poked Glenn in the side.

“What’s up?”

Re=L’s expression remained as sleepy and blank as ever, but there was a hint of loneliness in it.

“I… really want to go with you, Glenn… but…”

As if holding something back, Re=L looked down.

Re=L was Number 11 of the Imperial Court Mage Corps’ Special Missions Annex,《The Chariot》.

With Fejite’s final defense battle looming, she naturally couldn’t leave.

“I… have to protect everyone…”

Seeing Re=L gaze up at him with such quiet longing, Glenn thought to himself.

(She’s really grown, hasn’t she…)

When they first met, she was like an emotionless doll. She had nothing she valued, relied entirely on others, and could only follow orders. She couldn’t think for herself, couldn’t act independently, and was prone to impulsive, thoughtless actions—an empty girl.

And now?

“Re=L, I’m leaving everyone in your hands.”

Moved by the warmth swelling in his chest, Glenn placed a hand on Re=L’s head and gently patted her.

Re=L closed her eyes, leaning into it with a look of contentment.

“While I’m gone… please, protect everyone… protect the students.”

“Got it. Leave it to me… I’ll protect them. They’re all important to me.”

And so.

For a while, Glenn continued to pat Re=L’s head.

“I’ve got something to tell you too.”

Albert stepped forward, pulling something from his pocket.

“What’s that? A magic crystal?”

“There’s a rumor that in the《Sealed Realm》, there exists a forbidden magical recording medium called the ‘Chronicle Stone,’ which automatically records all information within the empire since its founding… You’ve heard of it, right?”

“Yeah… I’ve heard rumors about something like that. If it really exists, who knows where it’d be in that chaotic hellhole…”

The Alzano Empire’s capital housed a place known as the《Sealed Realm》.

It was a dark, chaotic dumping ground for everything the empire’s people were never meant to touch—top-secret information that could shake the nation, forbidden magical tomes, cursed artifacts, rogue magicians who dabbled in taboo spells, and even magical beasts too dangerous to handle.

Built upon an ancient ruin, this《Sealed Realm》was the empire’s greatest magical abyss.

“Wait… you’re bringing this up now, which means…?”

“Exactly. During a routine maintenance mission in the《Sealed Realm》, I—whether by chance or some guiding force—reached the ‘Chronicle Stone.’ This magic crystal contains information I searched for and extracted from it.”

“Seriously…? Why would you…?”

“…There was something I couldn’t stop thinking about.”

Albert continued calmly, remaining unfazed.

“I once asked Jatice… ‘What changed you so much?’”

“…!?”

“And he answered… ‘The《Akashic Records》,’ ‘the truth of this nation,’ ‘the truth hidden in the royal bloodline…’”

“No way… You looked it up? Using the ‘Chronicle Stone’?”

Albert nodded as Glenn swallowed hard.

“Rumia Tingel, listen closely. This is a harsh truth, but it likely ties to your ability as well.”

“Huh? Me…?”

Caught off guard by the sudden shift, Rumia blinked in surprise.

Albert held up the magic crystal, murmuring a spell.

The crystal began to glow faintly, its light stretching into threads that wove together in the air, projecting a massive diagram above Glenn and the others.

“This is…?”

“The royal family tree. It traces the lineage of the Alzano Empire’s royal family, from its founder, the first king Titus, to the present Alicia VII.”

The family tree was so vast it was hard to take in at a glance.

From the name of the first king, Titus, at the top, lines extended downward, branching out into countless connections—marriages, parent-child relationships, and names of various individuals.

Around the middle, the names of Alicia III, her husband Lucius, and their daughter Mariabelle II were linked, with the tree continuing downward… finally reaching Alicia VII and her daughters, Renilia and Ermiana—Rumia’s name was there too.

(…Huh?)

As Glenn skimmed the tree, something curious caught his eye.

Near the top, someone from the imperial royal family had branched off significantly, forming a separate lineage. At the end of that branch was the name of Rezalia’s king, Rox El Kel Rezalia V.

(What the… So Rezalia’s royal family is actually a offshoot of the Alzano Empire’s royal family? And they’ve been picking fights with the empire over nothing…)

There was something else that stood out.

(Man, looking at this, the imperial royal family has a crazy high female birth rate. It’s practically 100%. The only male king was the first one… every ruler since has been a queen.)

Well, that aside for now.

“So? What’s the deal with this?”

Glenn glared at Albert with half-lidded eyes.

“You’re not seriously saying you brought this up just to point out that Rezalia’s royal family is a branch of the Alzano Empire’s, are you?”

“Of course not. Now, this is information from the ‘Chronicle Stone,’ which automatically records all data within the empire. That includes the ‘Soul Patterns’ of everyone listed here.”

“‘Soul Patterns’? What’s that got to do with anything?”

“I’m going to scan this family tree to highlight those who share the same ‘Soul Pattern.’”

With that, Albert began chanting something toward the magic crystal.

Countless runes appeared and vanished on the crystal’s surface, glowing as the scan began.

“What? The same ‘Soul Pattern’? Don’t be ridiculous. You forgetting? A ‘Soul Pattern’ is like a waveform unique to a person’s soul, like a fingerprint—completely one of a kind—”

Glenn was mid-sentence when—

“…Huh?”

He froze, stunned.

The imperial royal family tree projected above them.

The name of the first king, Titus, at the very top, glowed brightly.

Then, just below, the name of Titus’s child, the second queen Alyssa I’s husband, Laino, lit up in the same way.

And below that, the name of Alyssa I’s child, the third queen Floria I’s husband, Altos, glowed too.

Further down, the name of Floria I’s child, the fourth queen Alicia I’s husband, Randy, also glowed.

Flash! Flash! Flash! One after another, the names of the consorts who married the successive queens and fathered their heirs lit up.

Not every name glowed—some generations were skipped.

But many of the consorts’ names lit up, forming a nearly unbroken line of light, like some sick joke.

“Hey… what the hell… is this…?”

It was the embodiment of blasphemy and immorality.

The grotesque line of light made Glenn feel nauseous and chilled to the bone.

“…!?”

Even Rumia, pale as a ghost, clutched her mouth, trembling as she stared at it.

Eventually.

As the ghastly line of light reached the bottom, Albert spoke calmly.

“Physically different people, but with the same ‘Soul Pattern’ as Titus… In other words, this is proof that Titus’s soul has been living on through the empire’s history, somehow switching bodies.

Do you understand? The imperial royal family… is a cursed bloodline, endlessly producing heirs through marriages with the same man—the first king, Titus. I don’t know what means were used to accomplish this horrific act… but it’s an undeniable fact.”

“…!?”

At that moment, the anguished words of Alicia III, heard in the world of her memoirs, flashed through Glenn’s mind.

“We are nothing but vessels! Vessels to give birth to the monstrous blasphemy known as《The Celestial Taum》!”

“For that purpose, a curse was placed on this bloodline by the Demon King, ensuring only females are born!”

Glenn confirmed that Lucius, Alicia III’s husband, was indeed among the glowing names.

As was the husband of Alicia III’s child, Mariabelle II.

The only small mercy was that Alicia VII’s late husband—Rumia’s father—was one of the few exceptions whose name didn’t glow on the family tree.

(Wait, does this mean…!?)

A terrifying realization began to form in Glenn’s mind.

As if confirming his thoughts, Albert continued.

“This raises a question. Who exactly was the first king, Titus? Driven by that question, I searched the ‘Chronicle Stone’ even deeper. And I found a match for Titus’s ‘Soul Pattern.’”

“…No way. The Demon King who ruled the ancient Magic Kingdom… Titus Cruo?”

“That’s right. Alicia III, the queen with unparalleled abilities and a rare magical archaeologist, had reached that truth. She succeeded in deciphering the ‘Soul Pattern’ from the excavated sword. The ‘Soul Pattern’ of the ancient Demon King and Titus, the first king of the empire, were a perfect match.”

Albert stated calmly.

“In other words, this empire… or perhaps even the Rezalia Kingdom, which branched off from the royal family… was a nation created under some sort of scheme by that ancient Demon King. It means our nation was controlled and manipulated from behind the scenes by the Demon King.”

“What the hell… Our country… The Alzano Empire…”

Glenn, stunned, continued to glare at the horrifying family tree.

“Yes. Shameful as it is, when I learned this truth, I once thought that the true enemy I had to defeat was Her Majesty and the royal family… the empire itself.”

“And recently, an interesting fact came to light, didn’t it?”

Suddenly, Eve spoke up.

“The supreme leader of The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom,《Grandmaster》… During the incident in Milano, Jatice exposed his personal data, didn’t he? Naturally, that included his ‘Soul Pattern.’”

“‘Soul Pattern’? W-Wait… No way…?”

“That’s right.”

Eve clenched her fist tightly.

“Just as you suspected, the ‘Soul Pattern’ of the《Grandmaster》is identical to that of the first king, Titus, and by extension, the Demon King Titus Cruo. What a joke!”

The one who founded the empire and pulled its strings from behind.

The one leading the organization opposing the empire.

For them to be essentially the same person meant—

“The bloody struggles that have continued throughout the empire’s history… the battles between The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom and the Imperial Court Mage Corps! It was all one grand farce! All the blood we’ve shed… all the fighting… it was all a sham!”

Rarely showing such raw emotion, Eve shouted.

“How could… How could something this infuriating be allowed to happen!?”

“…!”

At that moment, for some reason, Sistine’s face twisted in a pained expression, but Glenn didn’t notice.

“…Hey, Albert. There’s one thing that doesn’t sit right with me.”

“What is it?”

“I can… pretty easily believe the story about the imperial royal family being descended from the ancient Demon King. After all, a lot has happened.”

Glenn pulled out Alicia III’s memoirs from his pocket and showed them.

“But… why did you believe it? Sure, it’s abnormal for so many royal consorts to have the same ‘Soul Pattern,’ but a Demon King is just a fairy tale. For a realist like you to come to such a conclusion… it just doesn’t add up.”

Then, Glenn fixed a sharp gaze on Albert and said:

“There’s more to this, isn’t there? Something that forced you to reach that conclusion.”

“…Hmph, sharp as ever.”

Albert responded calmly.

“When I arrived at the terrifying truth about the empire and the royal bloodline… a man appeared before me. Back then, I was suspicious of who he was, but now his identity is clear. The man who appeared before me was none other than the《Grandmaster》of The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom, Felord Belif.”

“What—!?”

“He affirmed that everything I had uncovered was true. And he said he wanted to show me what the Demon King sought by orchestrating the empire and its royal bloodline. …He showed me a certain emblem etched on his left hand… and then… I…”

As Albert began to explain further,

“Guh…”

Albert’s usually composed face contorted in agony as he clutched his head.

“Hey, what’s wrong, Albert?”

“That experience… Damn it, how do I even put it into words…? That was… something no human should touch… But still…!”

It seemed an intense headache was assaulting Albert. His hand gripped his head with such force it looked like he might crush his own skull.

“Hey, Albert!? Oi!?”

“Guh…! That was a glimpse of the truth… If what lies beyond it is the《Akashic Records》… then… guh… ughhh…!”

“Albert!”

Seeing his abnormal state, Glenn grabbed Albert by the collar and glared at him.

“Hey, don’t push yourself!”

“…!”

At that, Albert seemed to snap back to himself, letting out a deep breath.

“How pathetic… Sorry for the trouble.”

“N-No, it’s not a big deal, but… maybe it’s better not to touch on that?”

“Appreciated. In any case, that’s when I realized… it was all true.”

With that,

Albert steadied his breathing.

(Man… for a guy with his iron will to be shaken up like this… What the hell did he see in the Sealed Realm?)

Still, Glenn had a gut feeling.

(This must be why Jatice changed his tune too. He saw something in the Sealed Realm… He knew something. Well, even if you call it a change, that guy was always a nutcase.)

In any case, various pieces of the puzzle were starting to connect into a single thread… That was the intense sensation Glenn felt now.

“But… I don’t understand…”

At that moment, Rumia, looking pale, murmured.

“Why would the ancient Demon King…《Grandmaster》… do such a thing…?”

“That part is still unclear. But… Rumia Tingel, your unique ability is likely tied to all of this.”

“That’s almost certainly true. If we assume this horrific incest… or rather, soul-incest… was done to bring you into existence, it’s not entirely implausible.”

Eve followed up on Albert’s words.

“This has dragged on, but… Glenn, be careful. Your student, Rumia, is likely a key to something involving the empire, the ancient civilization… and the《Akashic Records》.”

“With enemies closing in from the north and south… and our military completely exhausted… we don’t have the slightest leeway to protect Rumia right now. Glenn, we’ve judged it safest to keep her by your side.”

“…Protect her. Got it?”

To Albert and Eve’s words,

“Yeah, I understand.”

Glenn nodded firmly.

—And so,

Glenn, Sistine, and Rumia parted ways with Albert, Eve, and Re=L, setting off toward the Taum Celestial Temple.

They felt the chilling presence of a bottomless malice lurking behind the world, carried on the cold winter air—

——.

The Free City of Milano, located far to the southeast of the Alzano Empire.

At the ruins known as [Naiar’s Ritual Site], deep underground in Milano,

“…Phew… This should do for now, right?”

Felord Belif,《Grandmaster》of The Researchers of Heavenly Wisdom, stood in the domed chamber, letting out a breath.

Due to Jatice’s reckless actions, the ritual to summon the Evil God has been activated, with Maria《The Pure Maiden of Darkness》as its core. At this moment, in the ritual site, immense magical power surges along the celestial map etched into the inner walls, and at the center, on the tetrahedral altar, a grotesque, amorphous monster—《The Root》—is multiplying infinitely.

The proliferating 《Roots》 flow endlessly like a torrent of sludge, heading toward the countless entrances and exits in all directions.

Facing this blasphemous scene, Felord spoke with satisfaction.

“Yare yare, because of that twisted ‘justice,’ I had to drastically alter the role of these Evil God Soldiers… It took a bit of effort to adjust. But the script’s been revised… That ‘justice’ amounted to nothing.”

With that, Felord turned on his heel.

“…Now, how’s Fejite doing?”

Without chanting a spell, Felord activated magic, intervening in the [Ley Lines].

Through the [Ley Lines] network, he rapidly accessed information about Fejite’s situation directly into his mind.

A flood of vast information surged through Felord’s brain.

“…I see. Everything’s moving according to my script. The queen, the imperial army, everything… It’s all proceeding as planned. When the performance progresses this smoothly toward the grand finale, it almost feels a bit anticlimactic. A predictable, classic unfolding is fine, though.”

In that sense, the interference of that twisted “justice” had been a thrilling surprise, and looking back, Felord couldn’t deny it had gotten his blood pumping a little.

After all, noticing the mysterious operator controlling the game from behind and boldly standing against them… that, too, was a classic trope.

And while an ordinary mage’s brain circuits would have fried instantly under the sheer volume of information, Felord processed it with a cool expression… That’s when it happened.

“…Oh?”

Felord’s mental processing caught something intriguing, pulling it into focus.

“This is… hmm?《The Fool》, the《Priestess of Ithaqua》, and《My Beloved Angel》have all made their move… I see… To bring back Sora? And the《Twilight Swordsman》stays behind to protect Fejite… Got it. Good, good. That’s how it should be.”

But this, too, was part of the plan… Felord smiled as if to say so.

“Yes, this is the inevitability of history. I hope they give it their all. Still… even if it’s history’s inevitability, letting them proceed so easily feels a bit unsatisfying, doesn’t it? Besides, it might be time to reclaim《My Beloved Angel》.”

“So, how about we give them a trial? A great obstacle appearing before an unyielding goal is a storytelling staple. It’s sure to make things exciting.”

Muttering to himself, Felord snapped his fingers.

Lines of magical energy streaked across the floor like lightning, instantly forming two magical arrays.

“Come on, you two. It’s your turn.”

At Felord’s call, immense magical energy surged into the arrays, and pillars of light shot upward, nearly piercing the ceiling.

When the light finally faded,

Something had appeared atop each of the two magical arrays.

They were—a pair of men.

“Well, something like this, I suppose?”

Satisfied with the results of his summoning magic, Felord nodded.

“You two will come with me to the Taum Celestial Temple. I’ll let you fight your fated opponents once more. Sound good?”

At Felord’s words,

One of the men flashed a crude grin, while the other nodded silently—