After a brief but intense period of contemplation, I ca to a conclusion.
However, before voicing my decision, I thought it would be too arbitrary to settle this matter alone.
Thus, I decided to ask the young ladies who had accompanied to this strange place for their opinions.
"I'd like each of you to share your thoughts, if you would."
Each of the young ladies lived with her own individuality and subjective nature. I figured they would surely present opinions that I could accept with good reason.
In the past, I would have decided everything on my own.
And I would have borne the responsibility for those choices entirely by myself.
But that was precisely why I had taken five wives. Having a family ant having people you could lean on—or ask—in tis of urgent need, didn't it?
"I,"
The first to open her mouth was Mirna.
"I'm torn. But in the long history of House Draco, choices have always been unavoidable. When they introduced what could be seen as heretical arts like necromancy or black magic, I heard they wrestled with similar concerns."
Resurrecting corpses or using curses and hexes to tornt others was bound to stir unease in people's hearts.
Mighty power—and the scrutiny of the world.
Torn between those two forces, House Draco, as evidenced by the Mirna-Nare sisters, ultimately chose power.
"And I'm sure our father had to make a choice too. Whether to let Nare and rge into one... Had he not, one of us would probably have died."
One of them might have died if Mirna and Nare had not been born into a single body? That was a story I felt like I was hearing for the first ti.
As if reading my mind, Mirna continued speaking.
"I've never told you about this. But it's true. Nare and I were absorbing each other inside the womb. If it had gone on like that, both of us would have been in danger."
Mirna did not elaborate further.
But from her words, I could tell that the fact they were born as strange twins was not simply the result of so mad necromantic experint, but the outco of deep deliberation and choice.
Mirna said,
"If it were , I think... I would save the child's life."
At that, Ayra let out a long, curious hum, "Hmmm?"
"Mirna, I thought you would insist, stubbornly, that we mustn't sacrifice others for selfish reasons."
"There's no guarantee soone else would actually be sacrificed, is there? The world isn't the sa as it used to be. Even without magic or mana, humans won't necessarily fall prey to monsters."
Stella chid in to support her.
"That's true. There's been a lot of research on monsters over the years. Our population is large. Weapon-making techniques and tactics have also advanced. Even if we lose magicians now, civilization won't collapse."
Shff.
Stella pulled sothing out from the waistband of her pants. It was a long, thin cylindrical object, about the size of a human finger, gleaming yellow.
"There's stuff like this, after all."
It was a bullet.
I didn't need to ask where she got it. It was obvious she must have snagged one from Fallen Village, the scavengers' base.
Spinning the bullet lightly between her fingers, Stella said,
"If mass production becos possible, magicians could be completely replaced—and then so. Bellhawk has plenty of technology, money, and talent. So, I'm in favor too."
"I'm in favor too!"
Nare threw her hand up in the air.
"I don't have any special reason!"
She said she didn't have any particular reason.
"If I had to give a reason... it just feels aningful, you know? When else would I get to experience sothing like this? I want to see the ends of the sky with my own two hands, my own two feet."
Nare clenched her hand tightly into the empty air. It was such a typical Nare thought process that I didn't feel the need to ask further. Now, it seed only Elga and Ayra were left.
Ayra spoke up.
"If it's all right, I'd like to speak after hearing Elga's opinion."
All eyes now turned to Elga. Elga was simply sitting heavily on an old stone pillar, wearing a gloomy expression. But once it was her turn, she slowly lifted her head.
"I..."
Even Elga, who always made decisions boldly, seed hesitant this ti. After all, she was one of the people directly involved in the choice. The burden must be enormous.
After a short but heavy silence, Elga let out a small sigh.
"Whatever I choose, I feel like I'll regret it. So... if I'm going to regret it either way, I'll do what I want. I'll see it too—the end of the sky."
Shff.
Elga brushed off her backside and stood up with newfound determination and strength. Now, only Ayra's opinion remained.
Ayra casually said,
"We already have a majority. My opinion isn't really necessary."
It was a slightly different attitude from the one she usually took, where she led the charge in pushing her opinions forward. Because of that, we were all a little surprised. Finally, upon hearing the now-unified decision, the Saint sighed.
"You're all nothing short of villains."
Villains.
Perhaps finding that label hilarious, soone let out a snicker. Soon after, everyone joined in, breaking into peals of laughter.
Of course, the Saint frowned and said,
"What's so funny?"
But there was no sign of the laughter dying down.
To make such selfish choices at a pivotal mont weighing the fate of the world—and to laugh about it afterward—yes, it was only natural to call us villains.
But when I thought about it more, these won had always been villains.
The villainous young ladies of my story.
They had rely made the selfish choice that suited them best.
Realizing that, I couldn't help but laugh too.
Taming villainous young ladies?
It had been an impossible idea from the very beginning.
***
I placed my hand against the Saint's forehead, as if performing a benediction.
Imdiately, I began to feel a surge of intense power flooding into . What entered my body was not just power, but authority—and a concept itself.
「Agares: High-Rank Word Command Sorcery. Grants force to all spoken language. Greatly enhances understanding of letters and words. The higher the caster's hierarchy, the greater the effect.」
The second-ranked sorcery, Agares, which Saint Priga had sealed within her body, had a simple effect. As the Saint had explained, it likely allowed one to imbue their words with "power" and forcibly influence others.
And instinctively, I understood that using Agares would also strengthen the effects of magical spells and incantations.
Currently, I had roughly reached a hierarchy of about 7.5.
If I amplified my chanting with Agares, I might be able to fire off magic at the equivalent of an eighth hierarchy or higher.
Being able to boost magical power without sacrificing life force was an extraordinary advantage.
━━Hioong...!
I know, Bael. But it'll probably require longer chants. Whether the enemies I'm about to face will give ti for such lengthy incantations, that's another question entirely.
"Ahem, ah—."
While I was clearing my throat to test the Word Command, Saint Priga, who had been sitting serenely on the floor, looked up at and asked,
"...Did you extract Ars Nova from inside ?"
"You could say that."
"But, I don't feel like I've changed in any way."
"That's because..."
Neither Professor Balan, who had her Gamigin extracted, nor the rogue monk Teodoros, who had Basago extracted, nor Ayra, who had Bael extracted, had undergone any miraculous changes in personality or nature.
Maybe it ant that once soone beca a host for a sorcery, they could never truly be free of its influence for the rest of their life. Perhaps Saint Priga realized this too, for she looked sowhat troubled.
"There was a ti when I dread of escaping Agares' grasp. But looking back now, it seems like such a futile hope. I..."
Saint Priga started to speak but then closed her mouth. She must have her own share of circumstances and worries. But we didn't have the leisure to listen to them.
We once again reentered the old temple. Maybe because we had steeled ourselves, but the atmosphere felt very different from when we first entered.
It seed even grander, gloomier, and more dangerous.
Now, we stood before a door made of thick stone walls.
On the ground before it, I could clearly see letters written in blood—letters left by Ayra's grandmother, Isabel von Tarantera.
Though it was an ancient language known as the "Dead Language," thanks to acquiring Agares and having my linguistic understanding vastly enhanced, the aning naturally entered my mind.
『We have buried history beyond this door. Those who open it without resolve shall lose everything they possess.』
It was the sa warning Mirna had ntioned earlier. Whoever opened the door without resolve would have everything taken from them.
But what caught my eye even more were so additional words written beneath it.
"There are a few more lines here."
When I said that lightly, all the young ladies turned their gaze to the floor.
Mirna shook her head.
"A few more lines...? I don't see anything at all. It must be sothing only visible to Sir Teo."
That seed to be the case. It was probably writing that could not be seen without obtaining Agares.
Curious about what might be written there, I slowly rolled my eyes over the text, deciphering the words one by one.
What was written there was...
"Teo, what does it say?"
Nare asked, and I answered casually.
"It's sothing like a spell."
"A spell...?"
"A spell to awaken."
I placed both my palms against the stone door beyond the inscriptions.
And then, I lightly pushed.
Of course,
The solid stone door didn't budge.
Probably because my hands were still full of hesitation.
What existed beyond this door was sothing far beyond my imagination ★ ★ or expectations. No one could predict what would happen next.
Perhaps because of that, my body instinctively resisted opening the door. And then, countless words floated before my eyes.
『Turn back.』
『Turn back.』
『Turn back.』
『Turn back.』
It seed this place had every intention of refusing to let pass.
『Turn back.』
『Turn back.』
『Turn back.』
Not only did my vision beco filled with letters, but my ears buzzed with the roaring cries of unseen voices. My arms weakened and my legs trembled.
Kkadeuk.
I clenched my teeth so hard I thought my jaw might shatter, forcing strength into my body.
Now, I would open this door and ask.
The one—or ones—who had spoken to , who exactly are you?
The hesitation that gripped my legs like iron chains. But sensing the gazes of the family standing behind gave strength once more.
Puuush.
As I poured power into my arms, a hot surge like molten fire burst forth from my belly, spreading through my shoulders, arms, thighs, and all the way to my toes.
Creeeaaak.
Finally, the stone door began to groan and slowly push open.
Through the widening crack, light and wind began to leak in, causing my hair to flutter.
"Ugh—."
"What's with this wind...?"
I heard chaotic voices from behind , but my feet remained planted firmly like the roots of an ancient tree.
Screeeech. Clang.
At last, the door fully opened, and a flood of light poured in—revealing the colossal figure of the Heavenly Throne.
The sheer presence it exuded.
As countless concepts flooded into my mind, I felt as if my head might burst.
And at that mont, the spell words I had seen at the entrance flashed through my mind like lightning.
I opened my heavy mouth.
"O ancient heavens, answer my question."
The unfamiliar phrases flowed naturally from my lips, as if I had experienced this mont once before.
Soon, the colossal shadow stirred, and the eyes that had been closed began to shine brilliantly.
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