Chapter 308 : Raksas (4)

“The Egg of Sin?”

“Don’t tell me you brought it without knowing what it was?”

“That’s the Egg of Sin?”

“Yes. At first, I thought I might be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure it’s the real thing.”

Alon couldn’t understand it at all.

He turned to the Observer, who was staring at the orb, and asked, “Is sin something that’s born?”

As far as he knew, sins weren’t born—they already existed.

The Observer, still staring at the orb, spoke.

“No, just as you know, sins are entities that already exist. Even if you manage to deal with the ones that surface, you can’t truly destroy them.”

“Because that’s the kind of beings they were made to be,” the Observer added.

“Didn’t you avoid speaking properly about the black ones when we first met?”

“I did. But now that the black ones have surfaced, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

“You knew the sins had surfaced?”

“Yes. If nothing else, being here means I would have no choice but to know that much.”

Muttering to herself with a slightly dark expression, the Observer changed the topic.

“But this is definitely the Egg of Sin. Or, to be more precise, an egg that was created but has not yet been born.”

“...Created but not yet born?”

“Exactly. It was made as an Egg of Sin, but it hasn’t hatched. It still remains in egg form.”

“You seem to know a lot.”

“I heard about this egg from my predecessor. And with the magic power it emits, it’s unmistakable.”

After a brief silence, Alon asked again.

“Is there anything else you know about that orb?”

“You want to know more about this orb?”

“No, not exactly for that reason.”

Alon explained to the Observer why he had come here, and after hearing the full story, the Observer summarized.

“So if I understand correctly, someone you yourself aren’t fully aware of told you that if you brought this orb to me, a way to communicate would become possible.”

“That’s right.”

Alon nodded.

After a moment of calm thought, the Observer said, “Let me start by saying, I don’t know who that person is. And I also don’t know how to use this orb to communicate with... whatever it is.”

“Is that so?”

“But I can at least lead you to someone who might know how to speak with the one you can’t recognize.”

Then, handing the orb to Alon,

“There’s a door behind here. Follow it and go inside. You’ll naturally find yourself able to talk once you’re there.”

He pointed toward the rear.

Just as Alon was about to move with Radan, “And, if possible, could I speak with you for a moment?”

The Observer turned to Radan and asked.

“...Me?”

“Yes.”

Radan glanced at Alon.

Alon gave a small nod.

“Alright.”

Radan accepted the Observer’s request.

Alon followed the instructions and walked behind the massive pillar.

“You are—”

“Me?”

As Radan and the Observer’s voices faded into the distance,

Alon found a door.

A wooden door that looked slightly out of place with the rest of the cave.

Staring at it for a moment, Alon stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, a passageway stretched out before him.

Following it for only a few minutes, Alon reached a room at the end.

Inside was what appeared to be an altar, as if meant to enshrine something.

Alon stared at it quietly.

‘Feels... familiar, somehow?’

Without realizing it, he stroked his chin.

He had the feeling he’d seen a similarly shaped altar somewhere before.

But before the thought could go further—

Wooooong~!

The black orb, which had been still until now, suddenly began to vibrate.

Looking down at it, Alon instinctively turned his gaze back toward the altar.

Then—

Tuk—

As he placed the orb in the center of the altar,

Saaaaa—

A black aura began to spread.

“P—”

Alon instinctively made a startled expression.

The aura that began to fill the entire room in an instant—

It felt eerily similar to that of Sin.

Flustered, Alon opened his mouth to begin forming seals.

[There’s no need for that.]

A voice was heard.

A very calm, soft voice.

When Alon turned, in the space that had been empty only moments ago—

[Sin will not appear here.]

—stood a person.

No, it would be more accurate to say a soul in human form.

She was right in front of Alon, yet her figure was extremely hazy.

“...Who are you?”

Alon asked immediately.

[I have a name, but I doubt the person who brought that thing here came to ask that.]

She muttered to herself, then addressed Alon.

[I am the former Observer.]

That was her answer.

“The Observers are connected to Sin, then?”

After a brief silence, Alon asked.

He could understand the sequence of events so far.

But he couldn’t understand why offering the so-called Egg of Sin had caused a former Observer to appear.

[No, not quite.]

“Then why does it carry such a similar aura?”

[That’s simply because I’m borrowing the power of the orb to manifest.]

As she said that, she gestured toward the orb.

When Alon looked, the black energy spewed by the orb began to get sucked into the altar.

“So you can’t manifest without the orb’s power?”

[No, that’s not it either. Strictly speaking, I can’t manifest like this unless it’s with the level of power the Egg of Sin holds.]

The former Observer added, “Well, it’s more like this altar simply absorbs more mana than it can handle—I'm not some grand existence.”

[So, why have you come looking for me?]

She asked Alon.

“From the East—”

Alon began explaining to her everything that had happened so far.

From the moment he obtained the orb in the East to how the current Observer led him to this room.

The former Observer listened quietly to every word.

[I see. Now I understand why that person sent you.]

She nodded in understanding.

“You know who that being is?”

[Yes. But I can’t say their name.]

“Why not?”

[It’s purely for your own sake.]

“...Is it really that difficult to even hear their name?”

[Yes. Even if I were to tell you, you likely wouldn’t be able to hear it.]

“Then is there a way to communicate with that being?”

[I do know a method. But finding the required items will be a bit difficult.]

“What are they?”

The former Observer took a moment to collect her thoughts and calmly spoke.

[The Mask of the One Who Walks Ahead, the Crying Blessing, and the Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One. You’ll need all three.]

“If I bring all of those, I’ll be able to speak with that being?”

[That’s right.]

Alon was familiar with the artifacts she listed—except one.

‘The Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One… I’ve never heard of that.’

He pondered for a moment, then pushed the thought aside.

In the end, this meant—

He wouldn’t be able to speak to that being here and now.

So—

“Can I ask you something else, then?”

[About what?]

“Do you know anything about the Star-Eater?”

Alon shifted his focus and posed a different question.

The former Observer shook her head.

[No, I don’t know much about that.]

“Really.”

[Yes. If it was a name that circulated in the past, I definitely would have heard it. But there’s no remaining information about a ‘Star-Eater.’]

“I see...”

Alon murmured quietly, then asked another question.

“Then can you tell me anything at all about that being?”

[That being—]

“The one I want to meet. There’s something I don’t quite understand.”

[What is it?]

“To be honest, there are a lot of things I don’t understand.”

[Then would you be willing to tell me everything you spoke about with that being?]

Alon calmly recalled and began relaying the conversation to the former Observer.

Recalling it wasn’t difficult.

After all, the only topics they had really discussed were rebellion and sin.

“That’s about it.”

After Alon finished recounting the conversation, the former Observer fell deep into thought.

After a moment—

[I think I can explain that conversation for you.]

“Now that’s what I wanted to hear.”

[First, about the rebellion. I don’t know about the ‘becoming the Star-Eater’ part, but ‘rebellion’ refers to True Mages.]

“...Why would ‘rebellion’ mean True Mages?”

[Because—]

The former Observer continued—

[Just like the ‘Closed-Eyed One’ cursed the elves,

that being completely erased the existence of True Mages from this world.]

“What?”

—Such a statement left Alon stunned.

***

Around the time Alon began his serious conversation with the former Observer—

“Is the operation going well?”

“Yes, Lord Zukurak is currently working hard to gather the items promised in the Strange Text.”

“That’s a relief.”

King Stalian V, en route to Tern for a meeting, was receiving a report from his informant.

“Any other notable developments?”

“There’s nothing else regarding Lord Zukurak, but there is something else to report.”

“What is it?”

“Do you recall how I mentioned Marquis Palatio forming a knight order?”

Stalian V nodded.

“Yes, I remember. Sounds like he completed recruitment?”

“That’s right. However, the number of soldiers recruited is—”

“How many?”

“Fifty knights and six hundred soldiers.”

“That’s... certainly quite a number.”

Stalian V nodded again.

But otherwise, showed little reaction.

‘Well, that’s within reason—’

For a man like Marquis Palatio, it wasn’t strange to command such forces.

“In addition, they say he’s moved those knights and soldiers to a new territory and is putting them through very intense training.”

“Hm, is that so?”

Even with that follow-up, Stalian V continued to nod.

He figured it could be justified if it were for training.

And perhaps he had received new territory.

However—

“And this is the last part.”

“There’s more?”

“Yes. Apparently, followers of Kalannon are also relocating to the territory where Marquis Palatio is conscripting new soldiers.”

“...?”

Upon hearing the final report, a subtle change came over Stalian V’s expression.

“Followers of Kalannon... aren’t most of them mages and knights?”

“That’s correct.”

“And they’re all heading there?”

“Yes.”

“How many followers are we talking about?”

“We haven’t been able to get an exact count, but it’s believed to be a significant number.”

“......”

Stalian V’s expression turned serious.

‘What is this…?’

Fifty knights and six hundred soldiers?

Still plausible.

It was a bit much just to protect a fief, but if it was a new territory, it was a reasonable number.

Training the knights and soldiers rigorously?

To be honest, training a mere defense force that thoroughly seemed excessive.

But still, it was somewhat understandable.

But now even mages and knights were flocking to the same new territory?

Stalian V’s pupils trembled slightly.

Was it possible—

Was something really about to happen?

Even the mere thought of that passing through his mind made him uneasy.

But Stalian V quickly shook it off.

No matter how he looked at it, there was no way Marquis Palatio would make such a move.

It would be far too disadvantageous for him—

...?

Suddenly, a scene from memory surfaced in his mind.

How just one misplaced word from the prince had caused a political storm—

And how the strategic weapons moved without concern for politics just to bring down Stalian.

Because of that—

Was it really so… disadvantageous?

A shadow of concern began to spread across Stalian V’s face.