Antirianus was not just knowledgeable about Cantus Magna but had been active within it.
Surprisingly, Lucynil seemed even more flabbergasted than I was, and she abruptly stood up and bombarded him with questions.
"Is that, is that okay? It's not a place you can easily enter and leave, is it?"
"Of course it isn't, Lucynil."
Her eyes were not only sparkling but also seemed to be leaning towards Antirianus as if wanting to hear more.
"So how on earth did you manage to get out?"
"They demanded my life as the price for attempting to leave."
Antirianus calmly spread his arms.
They had tried to kill him to prevent his escape, and yet he was still alive now.
It was a clear statement that something had happened. Antirianus had been part of Cantus Magna, escaped from there, and fought in the process.
Lucynil stared blankly, her mouth agape.
"Antirianus, why did you join Cantus Magna in the first place?"
Eleris, who had been watching the situation, suddenly asked him.
"Hmm... I wanted to become an immortal being."
He pointed to his own body.
The body of a Vampire Lord.
"I'm talking about true immortality, not this half-hearted version."
He seemed to think that even the body of a vampire who had overcome the sun was only a half measure.
According to Lucynil, he had debated between becoming a lich or a vampire and ultimately chose the latter because it seemed less inconvenient.
His elderly appearance was likely because he had failed to find the true path to immortality while he was old and became a vampire instead.
"It's not really my place to say, but Antirianus seems to talk about grim things quite casually."
At Lucynil's comment, Antirianus let out a laugh.
"Haha, isn't that true for all beings? Especially for us."
None of the other Vampire Lords seemed to disagree with him. Luvien looked at Antirianus with interest.
"So, was there no way to achieve immortality?"
"I'm not sure."
Everyone's expression became strange again at that answer.
Not sure?
"Cantus Magna collects the Forbidden Magic, but not for their use. They don't even review what they possess, and as generations pass, they forget what magic they have. I tried to seize the opportunity to study their secret arts, but I was discovered midway and severed my ties with Cantus Magna."
He had joined the magic organization in search of immortality and worked as a member, but after being discovered, he fought and fled.
It was a bit disconcerting how casually he spoke of such a sinister past.
It was almost fitting for a Vampire Lord's past.
Antirianus, who had failed to find the perfect way to immortality, had debated between becoming a lich or a vampire and ultimately chose the latter.
Antirianus had been active, but he wasn't knowledgeable enough about Cantus Magna.
It felt a bit crude, but saying it bluntly made it seem less so.
"Why do they collect forbidden magic then? They're not going to use it, and they'll probably forget they have it, right?"
Lucynil asked.
"Could it be, like the rumors say, that they seal dangerous magic to protect the world? Is that true?"
Luvien inquired.
The purpose of the forbidden magic hunters, Cantus Magna, was unclear.
I was curious to hear Antirianus's response, as I didn't know either. Magic outlaws had their own goals and were neither good nor evil.
"No, absolutely not, Luvien. Haha... They certainly don't have such noble intentions."
Antirianus burst into laughter as if he had heard something ridiculous. Luvien, annoyed by his reaction, perked up her ears and glared at him.
"Then what is their goal?"
In response to Gallarsh's question, Antirianus wiped the smile from his lips and spoke softly.
"It is to complete the Akasha."
"...Akasha?"
Even the Vampire Lords seemed to be hearing the term for the first time.
It sounded like the Akashic Records, though I couldn't be sure if the concept was an exact match to what I remembered.
"I don't know if it should be called an artifact... Of course, I don't know what it looks like either. However, Akasha is an artifact that holds magic. Cantus Magna's goal is to complete such a peculiar object. No one knows how much it needs to be filled."
"So, to be precise, they're not hunting forbidden magic but rather filling the container with magic. Since they've already stored completed magic, they need to find new magic to add, hence their pursuit of forbidden magic. Of course, they also develop new magic themselves, but forbidden magic has complex rituals and intricate structures, so its capacity is quite large. That's why they're so obsessed with it."
The mysterious artifact called Akasha seemed to be an object designed to contain magic.
Cantus Magna's goal was its completion. The mere mention of it sent shivers down my spine.
"What will happen once Akasha is complete?"
I asked, and Antirianus shook his head.
"I don't know. The leader of Cantus Magna or their top officials might know."
What would happen once Akasha was complete? Would it pose a threat to the world?
Would the completion of Akasha lead to a gate crisis, or is that too far-fetched? What could happen due to the completion of such an incredibly powerful artifact with an unknown purpose and origin?
"Let's assume it's possible, regardless of whether it is or not. If Cantus Magna could access all the magic and forbidden spells gathered in Akasha, there might be a spell to open a portal to another world. Of course, it's not certain. What is certain is that most of the magic that has existed in the world is stored there."
For a very long time, they had been collecting mana, and if they could access the Akasha, they might be able to figure out how to open the dimensional gate.
"Of course, it's been a long time since I was in Cantus Magna, and time has passed. They've probably stored even more magic in the Akasha than when I was there. Perhaps they've even completed the Akasha by now."
The possibility was substantial.
I didn't actually need magic to open a gate to another world. My goal was to destroy it if it really existed.
Cantus Magna collected not only mana but also magic itself. So, they would be studying magic on their own as well as accessing public magic.
If there was magic that could open a path to another world, it would be embedded in the Akasha.
Although I didn't really need that magic, if it was in the Akasha, how would the gate incident unfold?
But now, I could distinctly sense that I was getting closer to the truth of the gate incident, which had been unclear until now.
I didn't know what would happen when the Akasha was completed.
But now, I had to find out.
The completion of the Akasha might be linked to the gate incident.
"I want to know how to contact Cantus Magna."
Antirianus.
Suspicious and dangerous-looking, but ultimately, he was the key.
***
"Isn't that too risky? I don't know what Akasha is, but they look incredibly dangerous. It seems like you're trying to meet dangerous people for something that might not even be worth attempting."
Lucynil strongly objected, as if it were a terrible idea, but Antirianus shook his head.
"Putting aside whether it's possible or not, if we can possess the Akasha, wouldn't the method to reach another world become irrelevant? The Akasha itself would be a source of immense power."
"Right... That makes sense..."
The method of reaching another world eventually became insignificant. After all, I had mentioned the other world under the pretext of wanting power. From now on, I would claim to want the Akasha under the guise of needing power.
"And besides, it's not an unknown matter, Lucynil."
"...What isn't?"
"Like how the true method of immortality might be in the Akasha, which I haven't found, there might also be a way for you to have a soul."
At those words, Lucynil stared blankly at Antirianus, seemingly shocked.
Lucynil had said that she wanted a soul for some unknown reason.
We didn't know what magic was in the Akasha, but it was now a vessel of possibilities.
Just as I might find what I wanted there, Lucynil might also find what she sought in the Akasha.
"Antirianus, if you knew about that, why haven't you mentioned it until now?"
Gallarsh asked in a low voice, and Antirianus narrowed his eyes.
"If it were such an easy task, I wouldn't have given up on immortality and become a vampire. Even now, I'm not particularly eager to confront Cantus Magna."
Antirianus looked at me.
"Of course, if everyone in this gathering had the same objective, the story would be a bit different," he said.
If I had to fight, I might not have to fight them directly.
I could make Cantus Magna and the Black Order fight each other. Of course, no matter how that battle ends, I would still have to secure Akasha somehow.
"I, I will... help," Lucynil said, standing up as if entranced.
Having a soul was Lucynil's deepest desire.
"That's why I didn't tell you about Akasha, Gallarsh," Antirianus said.
Gallarsh crossed his arms. "You deliberately hid that information from me just to release it now. Unbelievable."
Antirianus hadn't mentioned Akasha because he knew that once Lucynil got a hold of the clue, she would become obsessed with it.
But Antirianus had deliberately mentioned that there might be magic within Akasha that could grant her desire.
It was clear that Antirianus wanted Akasha as well.
However, he didn't want to take the risks himself, so he tried to make Lucynil take them instead.
If left alone, Lucynil, Eleris, and I would risk danger and sacrifice ourselves to approach Cantus Magna.
I appreciated the information, but he was still cunning.
"So, do you know where Cantus Magna is?" I asked.
"I know, but obviously, they must have moved by now. It's been a long time since they lost me," Antirianus replied.
Neither Antirianus nor I knew Cantus Magna's current whereabouts.
"So, unless you have a golden chalice that would tempt Cantus Magna, finding them is nearly impossible," Antirianus said.
His words were no different from what I had told Eleris before.
To find the chalice hunters, one must have a chalice. It's better to let them come to us instead of searching for them.
"Fine. Let's think about that problem later. There's no hurry for now."
At least, not yet.
