Chapter 42 - Seollang (4)

Immediately after arriving at Kahara, the City of the Old Gods, the Red Magic Tower mages, Riyan, Seollang, and the Golden Mane Tribe decided to wait near the entrance, which offered the best view of the city.

Naturally, Seollang and Evan tried to accompany Alon, but he left them both at the entrance and descended into the city alone.

There was only one reason.

["Since you can hear my voice, you possess at least the minimum stature. Come alone to the tower at the center of Kahara."]

The voice he had heard upon entering Kahara had whispered those words to him.

Of course, he had no idea whose voice was whispering in his ear. He had visited this city dozens of times, yet never once had a voice spoken inside his head like this.

Still, he instinctively recognized that it was connected to the words the God of Strange Powers and Untamed Spirits had left him. Without hesitation, he set off and eventually reached the center of Kahara.

Alon stared blankly at the tower, which rose remarkably high for an underground structure. This place looked more like a fortress than a forgotten city. Then he stepped inside.

A spiral staircase leading upward greeted him.

"..."

He began climbing in silence.

WHOOSH!

As he began climbing, lamps lit one after another, as though illuminating his path.

The sight, something he had never encountered in the game, made him hesitate briefly, but nothing more. He continued along the trail of lights until, at last, he reached the end of the lengthy staircase and saw a vast room.

CLATTER-CLATTER-CLATTER!

"!"

A magic circle activated, and he watched the clearly empty room fill with enormous bookshelves.

The shelves sprang from the bare floor and swiftly filled the tower. Soon, with only the floor and ceiling to orient him, he could no longer distinguish front from back wherever he looked.

["You've come."]

####

In truth, not every member of the Golden Mane Tribe felt an unusually deep affection for their fellow kin.

Compared with other beastfolk, they did feel a fairly strong affinity for others of their own kind. Though it meant nothing now, five hundred years ago, the Golden Mane Tribe had stood above all other beastfolk.

Even so, that affection was not deeper than what they felt for their families. They simply liked one another a little more than other peoples did, and that was all.

Ultimately, they were still strangers.

Yet the reason Seollang was so obsessed with kin and family, and treasured her fellow Golden Mane tribespeople so fiercely, lay in her past.

Her happiness belonged to the past.

Living with her kin had been a joy. Finishing the day's work by helping her father had been rewarding. Sitting down at the table in the evening to eat with her family had made her happy.

That life, shared only with the Golden Mane Tribe, where no lines divided one family from another and everyone lived together as kin, still remained her image of happiness.

That was why Seollang intended to take revenge on the Black Dragon that had shattered her happiness, and to gather her kin to reclaim it.

Her respect for the Great Moon stemmed from the same source. She believed the Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe that Alon had given her could grant her both revenge and happiness once more.

And for someone like her...

CRUNCH!

"Huh?"

The death of a Golden Mane tribesperson was enough to send her reason boiling away in terrible rage.

Before her eyes, the body of a kinsman who had been chatting just moments earlier crumpled with horrifying ease.

And standing before the fallen body was—

"Hmm. Is that all?"

Maliam.

"Nothing special."

Baba Yaga Maliam.

His hideous face twisted into an ugly expression, as though he found the situation quite entertaining. He tossed the Golden Mane tribesperson's corpse aside, and dozens of black-clad figures appeared behind him.

"Damn—"

"Prepare for battle!"

The Red Magic Tower mages and the mercenaries he had hired raised their staffs, their faces tense. The Golden Mane tribespeople, who had been relaxed just moments before, were now filled with alarm and confusion.

And then—

"What do you think you're doing?"

Maliam stared at Seollang's unmistakably chilling expression, his mouth twisting into a grin.

"Are you stupid because you're beastfolk? You must be, asking me that in a situation like this."

His voice dripped with mockery.

Seollang's eyes widened, as though she had no need to hear another word.

CRACKLE!

Electricity leaped in every direction, enveloping her body. Just as her brilliantly shining golden eyes fixed on Maliam—

"!"

A chilling sensation flashed through her, and Seollang twisted her body to evade an attack.

BOOM!

The ground burst apart in an instant. The enormous cavern reverberated thunderously, as though a massive meteor had struck.

"Wow, you dodged that? You're definitely something else."

"..."

The man who had completely demolished the entrance—Kalman Arentz—strolled out of the dust with utter ease, a broad smile on his face.

Watching him take his place beside Maliam as though he had been waiting for this, Seollang let out a hollow laugh.

What had just happened told her exactly what was going on.

She clenched her fists.

CRACKLE!

Electricity burst forth in response to her will. She settled into a fighting stance, making it obvious that further conversation was unnecessary.

"W-wait! What in the world are you doing? We are mages of the Red Magic Tower! And aren't you Baba Yagas?!"

Unlike Seollang, one of the Red Magic Tower mages shouted, trying desperately to get them out of this situation unharmed. Maliam turned to look at them.

"Hmm, mages of the Red Magic Tower... Yes, laying a hand on you would certainly cause problems."

"Exactly. If any harm comes to us here—"

"But."

The mage immediately began elaborating, only to fall silent as Maliam interrupted without allowing him another word.

"That only applies if you make it out alive, doesn't it?"

At Maliam's twisted grin, the mage's face grew utterly rigid.

The mages were not stupid enough to miss his meaning.

And so...

"Tsk. If you hadn't gone on such a rampage, we wouldn't have had to do this, would we? Why did you have to run wild and make things exhausting for everyone?"

"Come to think of it, I don't see the noble we're supposed to dispose of. Where is he? He definitely came with them."

"Well, let's kill her first, then take our time looking."

Having answered Maliam casually, Kalman scattered black mana that anyone would find chilling.

"Now, then... Shall we run an experiment?"

BOOOOM!

He threw a punch at Seollang, and the battle began.

####

Realizing that the voice which had echoed inside his head was now coming from directly ahead, Alon looked up. A figure sat at a desk.

He could not define its appearance.

More precisely, its form was indistinct, as though constantly thwarting any attempt to define it. At times it looked human, at times like beastfolk, and at times like a monster.

As Alon stared blankly at the endlessly shifting, shadowlike form, it spoke.

["Do not stare so intently. You cannot comprehend my existence, however hard you try."]

Its words brought Alon back to his senses. After a brief silence, he spoke.

"Who are you?"

["You cannot even comprehend my form. Do you think you could comprehend my name?"]

"... Did you know I would come?"

["How could I have known? How long do you think I have been imprisoned here?"]

"For someone who didn't know, you certainly spoke as though you did."

["I did no such thing. Are you not mistaken?"]

"..."

For some reason, Alon wanted to flick the forehead of the shapeless, fluttering being sitting before him. He restrained himself and spoke instead.

"... I came here because of what Ultultus—no, the God of Strange Powers and Untamed Spirits told me."

["Hmm. Well, I had guessed as much."]

Sounding somewhat intrigued by Alon's words, it continued.

["Did he tell you his true name? ... Well, looking at you, I can certainly see why he thought you were worth taking a chance on."]

The being nodded as though it found that perfectly reasonable. Alon watched in silence for a moment before speaking.

"... Taking a chance on what?"

["On you, of course."]

"A chance...?"

As Alon murmured, the being spoke again.

["You seem to have a great many questions. Unfortunately, as I am now, I can tell you nothing. You lack the stature required."]

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He questioned this unfamiliar concept, something he had never heard of even in the game.

["Let me make this clear: I am not speaking of a rank I have assigned you. To be precise, I mean the standard by which this world judges 'you.'"]

Having said that, the being seemed to consider something, then spoke again.

["You must find this incomprehensible and have many questions. So I shall put it simply."]

["Before long, another Outer God will descend. Deal with him, then return."]

"... And then?"

["You will be able to fulfill the minimum requirements. The minimum requirements to see me, and to resolve the questions you have."]

"Then you're saying there's nothing I can learn right now."

["Well... I can at least give you one hint."]

Though Alon could not even discern its form properly, the being unmistakably looked at him and smiled.

["Once you leave the tower, read the writing at the easternmost end of this fortress. That will certainly give you a rough picture of this situation."]

"... The writing at the easternmost end."

As Alon murmured, the being drew out a thoughtful hum before speaking again.

["Very well. I have decided."]

["In truth, that is all I have to say here. But you must have gone to considerable trouble to come this far, so I shall share one interesting piece of knowledge with you."]

It continued before Alon could ask a question.

["In the magic of this world, the stage after phrases is something called the Natural Order. Are you aware of it?"]

"The Natural Order...?"

["Yes. Beyond that lies Manifestation of One's True Nature, but that is still premature for you."]

After murmuring briefly, it resumed its explanation to Alon.

["The Natural Order forms the foundation of the magic used by this world's fools, who hardly deserve to be called mages. In my view, you are considerably better than they are, but you are still using it incorrectly."]

The being continued speaking as though it found the situation entertaining.

["Magic manifested through phrases has a Natural Order. You do not simply throw phrases in at random. Only when you unfold the phrases and recite the name in accordance with the Natural Order specific to that magic does it become true magic."]

Then it extended its index finger.

And said:

["But you will not understand merely from hearing that, will you? So, as a gift, I shall teach you one Natural Order."]

["I shall show you what proper magic is."]