We all turned to look at Lisel.
Neril spoke up on our behalf.
“What are you talking about? And what’s with that look on your face?”
“In this room… ugh, fine. Neaera Broderu!”
Lisel suddenly chanted in spirit language.
The next moment, all of our jaws dropped.
“W-What the heck?”
“Something’s filling the room? No, was it already here the whole time?”
“We couldn’t see it at all, though.”
“They are spirits, right? Spirits?”To Serein’s last question, Lisel nodded.
She rubbed her forehead like it was throbbing, probably overwhelmed by having to communicate with so many spirits.
“I just gave them a temporary order to reveal themselves to us.”
“…”
“They weren’t here before. But as soon as Mide blew the horn, they appeared out of nowhere.”
“Is that even possible? Spirits are supposed to be beings that dwell in nature.”
“I don’t get it either. Even they are asking why they were called.”
Called, she said?
Does that mean this trumpet summons spirits?
Despite the complete absence of nature, the room was suddenly alive with spirits.
There’s really no other way to interpret it.
Then Adwin spoke up.
“It’s incredible… but it has nothing to do with a divine oracle. If all it does is summon spirits, then—”
At that moment,
I felt a jolt down my spine, an almost electric thrill.
Like a bolt of lightning piercing straight into my crown.
Trail had said he felt a hunch and led me here.
And I believe in Trail’s hunches.
In other words…
[In other words?]
‘I think… this might be able to summon the Celestial God.’
[What are you talking about?]
‘Maybe there’s an extra condition we need to meet first.’
[I mean, I was the one who guided you to this room, but even I’m sceptical. Why are you so convinced? Isn’t that thing clearly just a spirit horn?]
…
Unless…
The Celestial God was a spirit all along?
No. That’s going too far.
I decided to focus on the issue at hand.
“Xenia. Sere….no, Xenia.”
“Were you going to call me just now? Why did you skip me?”
“Thought you would have nothing to say on this question.”
“What question?”
“In scripture or doctrine, what places are considered most sacred? Give me an actual place name.”
As expected, Serein kept her mouth shut.
Xenia, on the other hand, replied without a moment’s hesitation.
“Obviously, the place where God created humanity and the world, ‘the Starting Point.’ Oh right, you asked for a geographical name.”
She pulled a map out of her bag.
Xenia pointed to a spot.
The Empire ruled the continent, but that just meant there were no other countries.
It didn’t mean every corner of the continent was populated.
And the place Xenia pointed to was one of those uninhabited regions.
A vast stretch of untouched wilderness.
“The Kiar Great Plains. I’d forgotten the name since we always just call it the Starting Point.”
“So, it’s in the west. Why doesn’t anyone live there?”
“Part of it is because the way there is blocked by a dense jungle. But more importantly, it’s forbidden. The Celestial God has strictly forbidden anyone from going there.”
“Then we are going.”
“Did you hear a word I just said?”
“We will blow the trumpet there. Maybe that will be what calls the Celestial God.”
Everyone’s mouths hung open.
They looked like they couldn’t handle how absurdly grand the idea had become.
That’s when Serein spoke up.
“Uh… even if you are a Hero, that’s a bit much. No Hero in history has ever attempted something like this.”
“That’s because I’m a very special Hero.”
“Yeah, I get that, but you realize if you do this, your fame will tank. Like, to the bottom!”
“Then I’ll just go in secret.”
Serein let out a long sigh.
I looked around at everyone and said firmly,
“If anyone’s uncomfortable with this, you don’t have to come.”
“…”
“I know what the Celestial God means to humanity. If stepping foot on forbidden ground feels wrong to you, I will go alone.”
But starting with Neril, everyone replied at once:
“Are you kidding?”
“If the Celestial God has any conscience, they will forgive us. They are the one refusing to give oracles, after all.”
“Hmm. Should we prepare an offering just in case?”
“Don’t you dare think about going alone, Hyung.”
“But what if Serein gets struck by divine lightning the moment we arrive?”
“Why am I always the target?!”
A smile welled up from deep within me.
My comrades, who would walk with me to a place forbidden by gods, men, history, and the world itself, without even a second’s hesitation.
I really am a blessed man.
Idria was preparing her oracle.
But she didn’t look like one of those low-tier magicians sweating bullets as they set up a magic circle.
No, she was leisurely going about her business.
Honestly, to Kaeld, it looked like she was slacking off while “preparing an oracle.”
“Are you sure this is really going well?”
“I’m starting to regret sparing you.”
“What?”
“You talk way too much.”
Kaeld scowled.
“Ha. Then go find someone else, why don’t you?”
“Thing is, there’s no one quite like you. Which just pisses me off more.”
“…I hate to say it, but am I really that special? I have been losing a lot of confidence lately.”
“Don’t say you have lost confidence. Say you have finally found your place.”
As usual, Idria grated on Kaeld’s nerves before continuing.
“But one thing is certain, you are someone who can kill the Hero.”
“What?”
“The Demon King can’t kill the Hero. That’s a divine law that’s existed since the beginning of time.”
“…”
“More precisely, no one is supposed to be able to kill the Hero. But by killing Bion Kunze, you proved that it’s possible.”
“How… how is that even possible?”
“Why are you asking me? I even tried researching it in secret behind your back and still couldn’t figure it out.”
Kaeld wondered if being “the one who killed the Hero” was something to be proud of.
Then Idria added:
“Anyway, the oracle is coming along just fine. Don’t worry about it…”
Huh?
Suddenly, she stood bolt upright.
Idria, who had been lazing around, suddenly shot up to her feet.
With a rare anxious expression, she traced her finger through the air.
Ziiik.
Space tore open, revealing a scene beyond.
Just like she had once demonstrated to Kaeld, she was now using her divine authority to spy on Mide and his group.
Kaeld spoke quickly.
“Where is that… ah, the Imperial Capital.”
“Right.”
“Did he meet the Emperor? He must have asked him to publicly declare the incident in the Dronoar territory.”
“Who knows.”
Idria couldn’t see into the underground of the Imperial Capital.
Her authority didn’t work there.
But Mide had realized he wouldn’t receive a divine oracle.
And that Idria was preparing a false one.
‘If I were Mide, what would I do?’
The oracle was her absolute trump card.
The only way to overturn it would be… to receive a true oracle himself.
‘And if he’s in the capital at this moment…’
No way…
A bead of cold sweat ran down Idria’s forehead.
Kaeld’s eyes widened at the sight.
If she weren’t the Demon King, it would’ve been a scene worth painting.
“He’s trying to summon the Celestial God? No way…”
“What?”
“There’s no way that’s possible. It shouldn’t be. But… this is Mide we are talking about. There’s no telling what he might pull off.”
“…”
“This is bad. I need at least two more weeks to finish preparing the oracle. If Mide manages to talk with the Celestial God before that…”
And what if he receives the oracle first?
That worst-case scenario flashed through Idria’s mind.
She hastily slashed open another rift in space.
Inside were the Fingers of the Lie.
Though now, only four remained.
Pulling out the fourth finger, Idria muttered:
“You will have to buy me time.”
“…”
“Mide cannot be allowed to receive the oracle first. Stop him.”
Whoosh.
She opened a portal and threw the fourth finger into it.
Kaeld asked:
“Is it okay to just send off one of your only five agents like that?”
“The Fourth Finger isn’t some weakling like Teranaim. The others aren’t either.”
“Still… wouldn’t it be better to just send all four at once?”
“If I had the luxury, I would. But preparing the oracle while lending them power. Even I can’t manage both easily.”
Kaeld nodded, seemingly convinced.
Idria gazed at him for a moment, then asked:
“Do you believe in the Celestial God?”
“What kind of random question is that?”
“If you do, you would better start praying. Because that’s exactly what I feel like doing right now.”
She continued:
“If Mide receives the oracle first… everything ends.”
Kiar Great Plains.
More commonly known as The Starting Point, we were now flying at full speed toward it.
Even riding Agril, a long-range journey like this would take at least another week.
Serein and Xenia took turns feeding Agril with divine energy to soothe the endlessly picky creature.
“Huff… It really takes after its master, eats so damn much…”
“…”
“Well, growing kids should eat a lot, right? Ahaha…”
“Agril debuted in the second generation, you know.”
While those two struggled, Neril and Lisel were enjoying a leisurely card game.
“Check. I win.”
“No way…”
Neril drooped her head in genuine despair.
She had never lost a single game against us, but against Lisel, she was on a losing streak.
Before regression, Lisel never joined us for card games…
She must have secretly wanted to play all along.
Thinking that, I let out a chuckle.
Neril shot me a glare.
“Is something funny? You think this is funny?”
“I wasn’t laughing at you.”
“Then at what?”
“At the fact that you lost.”
“That’s the same thing!”
Offense chimed in:
“This game clearly favors experience.”
“You really know how to ask for a beating.”
“Do you like being disliked, Mr. Offense?”
He just shrugged.
Then suddenly…
“Huh? Hyung, something in your bag’s glowing.”
Incredible timing, considering he had just been chatting with the spirit of Beyond out of boredom.
I rifled through the bag.
A communication orb.
“Everyone gather up. It’s the Emperor.”
“Pfft, just for a message from the Emperor?”
“Well… let’s just hear what he has to say.”
Everyone gathered, and I activated the orb.
The Emperor’s voice rang out.
—Where are you right now?!
“Good day, Your Majesty.”
—Ah, yes. Are you terribly busy?”
“Not at the moment. I will be soon, though.”
—Whatever that means… in any case, it’s good timing. I need to issue an emergency quest.”
Neril smirked.
Apparently disliking the phrase “issue a quest,” I spoke up quickly before she could interrupt.
“What kind of quest?”
—A rebellion.
“Sorry? Just like that?”
—I don’t understand it myself, but yes. I just received an official declaration from Alkahad a moment ago.
His voice dropped.
—The justification for the rebellion is this: ‘The fake Hero Mide is deceiving the people of the Empire. All of humanity must now unite under Kaeld in preparation for the Demon King’s descent.’
“…”
—‘Therefore, the Emperor must officially recognize Kaeld as the Hero. If not, we will make you.’ That was the message.
I tilted my head.
“That’s strange. Even the Dronoar territory, Kaeld’s faction, has already sworn allegiance to me.”
—Exactly. That’s why it’s so baffling. The territory where the rebellion started is one Kaeld was active in. His shadow still lingers there, perhaps.
“Which territory are we talking about?”
—The Atrium territory.
Atrium.
The name sounded familiar.
Something had happened there before the regression too, but…
So much had happened, I couldn’t quite recall what.
Then Neril spoke.
“Well, if it’s a rebellion, you will just crush it. You seem good at that.”
—If it were a military revolt, yes.
“If it’s not about force, then what? They said they would make you recognize Kaeld.”
—They have done something truly absurd. They have staked themselves as collateral.
Ah.
I remembered now.
What had happened in Atrium before the regression.
The Emperor let out a long sigh.
—They said if I don’t recognize Kaeld as the Hero… they will commit suicide. The entire territory. Including the lord.
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