Returning to my room, I let out a sigh, stretching my tensed muscles. I had exerted quite a bit, thanks to the apprentices of the Grand Mage.
[Youve worked hard.]
Dark Sage appears, thinking its finally ti for a conversation. I had glared at her several tis to stay still, so she had avoided talking altogether.
I sneak a peek at her, then start to remove my jacket.
When Eleanor was asleep, did you see anything?
To my question, Dark Sage firmly shakes her head.
[Not at all. Do you really think theres an evil spirit inside? The more I see, the more I feel thats not the case.]
......
Seeing stay silent, she subtly moves closer, mimicking an offer to hold my jacket for . Of course, she cant physically hold it, so I hang it on the coat rack, disregarding her gesture.
Seemingly miffed, she crosses her arms and poses a counter-question.
[And you? In this domain, youre more of an expert than I am, arent you?]
I know.
That she didnt see anything.
Still, I had to ask.
Because...
I, too, didnt see anything.
No presence of any evil spirit or monster I didnt feel any energy whatsoever. I had suggested to the princess that maybe if she slept I might see sothing.
Yet I saw nothing, which left a bit perplexed.
.
Seated on the chair, I crossed my legs, but soon stood up again, yearning for a sip of coffee or tea. The room was equipped with essentials for : tea leaves, coffee beans, a grinder, and a teapot.
Normally, Id boil tea, but tonight, given that Id likely pull an all-nighter, I started grinding coffee beans.
*Whirr, whirr.*
As I turned the hand grip, the rich aroma of coffee playfully teased my nose.
Suddenly, I thought of Finden Ai.
I had once told her not to touch the tea leaves as when she prepared the tea, it tasted like pigs urine. But after that, she seed to have developed a taste for brewing and kept bringing more without my asking.
All of them tasted atrociously bad. Honestly, it was mostly lukewarm water.
I bet shes doing well right now.
She might be tackling a highly challenging dungeon, but it was the combination of Aria and Finden Ai. Given their prowess in close combat, possibly the best, my trust in them was absolute.
Yes, all I need to do is perform well here.
To roam the kingdom proudly as a necromancer, I need to resolve this matter.
After brewing the coffee, I sat back down on the chair. Dark Sage was gazing at , seemingly irritated.
[Since you also didnt see anything, dont you think its not related to evil spirits? I heard the saintess also failed, so it seems like its not a spiritual issue but sothing else.]
......
[No, is the princess even truly having nightmares in the first place? Isnt she just ntally ill? Maybe delusional?]
... Is there a way to enter soones dream?
I too had felt sothing was amiss, and thus, wanted to dive into the dream myself.
To that, Dark Sage replied with a peculiar expression.
[Is it even possible? Even if so sort of soul-to-soul connection is feasible, entering dreams might be impossible. We dont even understand the nature of dreams in the first place.]
Hmm, youre right.
As I firmly shut my mouth, deep in thought, Dark Sage, after observing for a mont, proposed with a hint of pity.
[Lets run away at dawn.]
Hmm?
Her sudden statent seed out of place, but she was dead serious.
[This isnt sothing we can handle. Its not our expertise to begin with. So, lets run away. After all, its normal for a dark mage to flee.]
Haah.
Such needless words and worries. I sip my coffee, not even deeming it worthy of a response.
Considering it was brewed by an amateur like , the flavor and aroma were rather impressive, probably due to the good ingredients.
[You shouldnt be so nonchalant like this.]
Just as I decided to remain silent, preparing to address all matters in one go, the door swung open, admitting two figures.
It was King Orpheus and the Grand Mage Rockfelican.
Normally, it would be customary for to seek them out. But currently, I was essentially a prisoner. Given that I had defeated the Chief Magistrate, I was considered highly dangerous, and they seed to prefer keeping in this prison-like place.
Honestly, it was more comfortable for , so I didnt mind.
So, any updates?
King Orpheus imdiately asked about my progress. A faint glimr of hope shone in his eyes.
And so, I answered him candidly.
Its not related to evil spirits. Just as the saintess failed, my necromancy hasnt been able to identify the entity appearing in the princesss dreams.
Ah...
[Are, are, are you out of your mind?!]
Thats how disappointed King Orpheus and startled Dark Sage reacted.
The implication of failing a trial is linked back to the execution, which probably explains their reactions.
However, I continued without pause.
But a solution is possible.
A solution is... possible?
Hmm.
[Eh?]
The king, the Grand Mage, and Dark Sage all turned to look at simultaneously. Explaining everything all at once turned out to be quite convenient.
While its impossible to verify what the entity is, isnt the dream itself the main issue for the princess?
Indeed.
We simply need to eliminate that dream.
Its not a complete solution.
There may be a parasite within the princess that could lead us into a maze of problems. But resolving the issue at hand was possible.
Is that feasible?
In response to King Orpheuss inquiry, I calmly replied. Composure instills trust in the listener.
Yes, its possible. There are entities in this world distinct from magical beastsones ford from spiritual concepts.
Spiritual concepts?
Its an exceedingly rare concept; you may not be familiar with it. Nonetheless, thats what I plan to use.
The In-gol-Chung created by Marks and the angel ford from the wishes of the Setima girl was of this exact nature.
Just as the grudges of evil spirits activate mana in place of a physical body, phantoms or thought-forms can also beco tangible through accumulated desires.
The being I aim to create is known as Mack, a creature that consus nightmares.
Ive ntioned this unique creature before: its nose resembles that of an elephant, its body that of a bear, its tail that of an ox, and it has tigers claws. Ive heard it referred to as Baku in Japan.
As King Orpheus seed lost in the conversation, Grand Mage Rockfelican interjected.
So, you intend to create sothing based solely on a concept? Thats the realm of creation. No matter how you fra it as magic, its impossible.
Hes right.
What I aid to do essentially resided in the realm of creation.
While the In-gol-Chung and Setimas angel were concepts solidified by many, Mack existed only in my understanding.
While its challenging, its not impossible. With the backing of the royal family and the aid of the Grand Mage, we can achieve it.
It was indeed a shot in the dark. But Id witnessed a successful attempt in the underground chambers of Verdi mansion.
Moreover, here, we had access to more skilled mages, superior facilities, and ample resources.
Additionally,
I possessed an artifact called the Legeton - a ridiculously powerful item.
We dont need to create a perfect being. If we can harness it just once, thats enough.
I wasnt aiming to craft a flawless weapon like In-gol-Chung but rather a single-use being that consus nightmares.
Both of them seed skeptical, dealing with such an undefined concept.
But I asserted firmly,
Its to save the princess of this nation who has suffered for years. Doctors? Priests? Even the saintess and , a necromancer, have failed.
I gaze at King Orpheus.
His clenched fists already indicate his resolve to save his sister. So, I added fuel to the fire.
Thats the magnitude of the challenge. We must confront the impossible head-on.
* * *
Since yesterday, the plan has progressed rapidly.
Following the kings directive ready to do anything to save his sister on the surface, the research began centered around the Grand Mage. However, in reality, I would be leading the initiative.
After all, I was the only one with knowledge and understanding of the being nad Mack.
After changing my clothes and stepping outside, the Grand Mages disciples were still waiting for , clearly irritated.
To travel anywhere, I had to have these two by my side.
It was undeniably inconvenient, but it couldnt be helped.
As I walked with these thoughts, Princess Eleanor suddenly appeared from around a corner.
Seeing the princess, both the disciples and I promptly paid our respects. Eleanor, with a hint of awkwardness, cleared her throat and spoke.
Deus, is this reality?
Napoleon Bonaparte. Originally a soldier in France, he beca Emperor through the coup of the 18th Brumaire.
Having prepared the character in advance, I smoothly relayed the information. Eleanor, listening blankly, tilted her head in confusion.
France? Napoleon? Am I the only one not aware?
When I shrugged my shoulders, she asked the two disciples beside , and they too shook their heads in discomfort.
We... Were also unfamiliar.
Its the first ti weve heard of it.
Hmm, interesting.
The princess nodded, looking sowhat relieved, and walked past us. She probably thought it was a simple story I had crafted within .
Yet, after that, Princess Eleanor kept seeking out on a whim.
Even during al tis.
De, Deus? I think I just dozed off for a mont. Is... is this reality?
There was a website full of videos called YouTube. I used to frequent it quite often.
You, what? Vid... what are you talking about?
Even while conducting research.
Deus! Is this reality?
Theres a theory called the Theory of Relativity, posited by Albert Einstein. Its a vital concept that explains the fundantal laws of the universe.
...I really have no idea what youre talking about.
And as evening approached, on my way back to the room-
Is this reality, Deus?
...Theres sothing called a cell phone. Its a versatile device that can take photos, send texts, and make calls.
Hm, quite the peculiar object.
Eleanor nodded with satisfaction.
As she was about to turn away, I called out to her.
Princess, do you simply find pleasure in listening to these tales?
Wha-?!
Eleanor responded in alarm, fluttering her hands about. Her face turned a bright shade of red.
I-Its not like that! I genuinely need to verify if this is reality!
Although she said this, her embarrassed deanor made think I had so insight into why she acted the way she did.
eting and briefly discerning reality probably brought her relief from her ongoing stresses.
As if addicted to that sensation, she kept seeking out.
I, I, Ill excuse myself!
Whoosh!
Watching her swiftly turn and leave, I couldnt help but think Id be dealing with this quite often.
--- End of The Chapter ---
[TL: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chaptersahead of the release: /George227]
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