The Magic Exhibition. The event, which Yuren prepared ambitiously for, was proceeding peacefully. Many native citizens enjoyed the expo while those from the Floating Island came down to the continent to demonstrate their new magic skills, and even the elders of the Round Table were willing to move their heavy buttocks to watch.
Addict Astal, Elder Zechtain, Ihelm, and so on.
“…”
Of course, I was also looking over the various inventions of the Magic Exhibition. Occasionally volcanic aftershocks could be felt in the air, but it was no cause for concern.
“There were no outstanding exhibits.”
“Great job.”
I heard a voice next to me while I was muttering alone. It was the final boss, Quay.
“You have prevented the damage from the volcano.”
“It was Epherene, not me.”
“It was with your help. But, will the child be okay?”
Quay was fiddling with a cogwheel doll that seemed to have been brought from somewhere in the expo.
“I think Epherene is too gifted for a human.”
“Is she?”
“Yes. To be precise, she doesn’t have enough mental strength to handle herself.”
“…”
That’s right. Epherene’s weakness was her mental strength. Of course, thanks to her unique will, she was above average among wizards, but the problem was that it was difficult to handle with only that much talent.
“She may not be able to distinguish her own time, or she may deviate from the timeline.”
I stopped walking to look back at him.
“Are you still taking a look at the continent?”
“Yes.”
The answer was cheerful. The way he spoke had changed slightly. Was it because he’d been hanging out with Epherene all this time? I frowned at the thought.
“And what’s your review?”
“…Not good.”
He smiled softly and shook his head.
“The human class system is disgusting. So is their greed. Of course, knowing that, I arranged my body for the emperor, but it was different from seeing it with my own two eyes.”
Small wrinkles spread around his eyes.
“The pawn who beat a child for splashing mud on his shoes. A coachman who is treated more harshly than a horse. Countless human beings kill, steal and rape others of the same species. And nobles who believe they have been chosen, and who take their superiority and privilege for granted.”
He paused for a moment and pointed at me.
“Deculein.”
“…”
Without saying a word, I moved forward again. He kept by my side.
“This world will be re-created. I will become a god and clean it up. I will save this unforgivable continent… full of so much evil and arrogance.”
The final chapter of this world, marked by Quay’s firm declaration. However, it might be a natural conclusion for the story to go like this. If I looked deeply, the human community was rotten inside. Perfect equality was impossible.
As I once said to Sylvia, there was no paradise where everyone could be happy.
“Quay.”
“Yes.”
Stomp- Stomp-
“Now, you are an enemy.”
“Weren’t we enemies before?”
“We could not have been. If you had given up.”
Quay smiled.
“What a shame, but it’s okay. Deculein, the opportunity is always open to you. There was a divine person in our society. We called him a priest. If you change your mind, I will grant you the same priesthood. No, even if you don’t change your mind, I’ll keep your soul.”
Saying that, he approached the expo wall and stuck something to it. Then, the character for the word [Revelation] appeared.
I asked, perplexed.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to spread my prophecies across the continent. From this eruption, I will reveal all the catastrophes that will follow this year.”
“…”
Entering the second half of the game, [Revelations] would suddenly pop up all over town. It was an event that would exponentially amplify the number of people who turned to the Altar in fear and were deceived by this book of Revelation. But…
“I’m going to put it there too. It will stand out more over there.”
I didn’t think that this self-proclaimed God would move on their own two legs and stick things here and there.
“Change that tone a bit.”
“Huh? What’s wrong with my tone?”
He tilted his head as he put up a poster over the wall.
“It seems that your actions and tone were transferred from Epherene.”
“Oh~, I am still watching that child. It’s okay, though. My real soul exists independently of this form. Right now, I’m just a memory. Rather, I heard that you are also exhibiting at the expo.”
“I will soon.”
“Yes. I’ll watch from afar-“
Beep-!
Just at that moment, a whistling caught their attention. Quay turned around to see a guard running up to them. He stopped a few feet away, pointing at the poster.
“What are you doing? You can’t put things like this here! Are you a street vendor?!”
“Look at this, you too. If you read it, it will be beneficial. Especially if you’re from Yuren.”
“What, please give me your ID!”
The fairgrounds were focused on the commotion around them. The eyes of those looking at Quay and the guard soon shifted naturally to the poster. That was what he wanted from the beginning.
“…Tsk.”
I pretended not to be a part of it as I casually walked through the hallway and reached a certain spot in the exhibition hall.
[Deculein von Grahan Yukline]
It was the most spacious and splendid spot in the exhibition, called the Yukline Pavilion. It was allotted to the center of the expo. This was the stage for the Demon Spirit Core.
“…”
Without saying a word, I imagined Decalane’s Magic Core placed there for a moment. I thought about the moment I would present to the world what was originally Decalane’s achievement instead of him.
-Gosh. Stop sticking that on the wall! I just took it off, so why are you putting it back?
—You take it off. I’ll stick it on again.
-Man! Somebody get this guy out!
…Ignoring the fuss behind me. Anyway, what if it was Decalane? Would he proudly present his invention with a long speech? Or would he call everyone in his family and treat it like a national holiday? Perhaps openly announce it and crush his competitors?
No. It would be none of those. If it were Decalane, who remained in my memory as Deculein and Kim Woojin…
* * *
The next day, we were inside the airship from Yuren to the Empire.
“Can we leave just like this? We didn’t catch the formula thief. Or brag about our achievements. I also contributed to the Demon Spirit Core. More than anything, what is Vervaldi?”
Epherene asked with clear frustration. I shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“What is Vervaldi, or whose name is it?”
“I don’t know.”
‘Vervaldi.’ This was the name of the unknown wizard who submitted the Demon Spirit Core. I borrowed the identity from Arlos, and Arlos’s doll submitted it. So right now, the Demon Spirit Core was probably attracting guests from only the lower levels rather than the higher-ranked wizards.
And this was Decalane’s method. If this core were submitted under the name of another wizard, some reporters and competing families would scuffle and put the name Decalane in the headlines. [Beyond Decalane], [Exceeding the magical achievements of Decalane, the founder of Yukline at once]…
Watching them run around was Decalane’s hobby. My personality also seemed to enjoy it to some extent.
“And why am I going? Suppose that you’re satisfied with this; I have to get praise for my power machine, you know?”
“Then you go back.”
“So… what?”
Epherene blinked.
“Go back. To enjoy the admiration pouring down on your machine.”
“…”
Epherene stopped to ponder for a while. She glanced out the window of the airship that hadn’t taken off yet and cleared her throat.
“No, me too. I have some things to do when I get back to the continent. I want to return right away too.”
She buried herself back in her chair, and I watched her.
─She may not distinguish her own time, or she may deviate from the timeline.
What Quay said was correct. Time was not a force that humans could handle. The more Epherene’s talent grew, the more time would try to deal with her instead of her dealing with time. Because of that, she needed mental strength, stronger and more certain than when she overcame Decalane.
But how could one develop enough mental power? Could she grow it?
…A certain word came to mind when I thought about it. Nagging. How rough would a graduate student have it, being nagged by a vicious professor? How much nagging would she accept? How much patience would she show?
Of course, mental power may not be nurtured by nagging at her. However, the current Epherene was facing it rather than escaping. As I could see from the volcanic eruption this time, Epherene was the type that became lazy if left unattended.
I could tell just by looking at the girl who’d been ‘working hard on the thesis for quite some time’. She even went through a few regressions and still could not understand half of it. I knew she spent most of her time just running away, though this incident had served as an awakening.
“I’m hungry. As soon as I get back to the Empire, I need to eat a Roahawk.”
“…Hmm. Close your mouth.”
“What?”
She was reading a book with her mouth wide open.
“Close your mouth. Why do you keep your mouth open like that? A fly could get in there.”
“…What? What is this all of a sudden?”
“…”
Epherene reacted with confusion, and I was a bit ashamed this time too.
“Ahem. It’s nothing.”
An excuse would come later anyway. I focused back on the science and chemistry magazines I was reading.
“Whoa. I should refer to this in my thesis.”
Just like now, there would come a time when Epherene would suffer, but she would have to overcome it by herself.
“Let’s see.”
The connection between science and magic. As soon as that was announced, the wizards from magic towers across the continent would attack this girl…
…
At the same time, at Yuren’s Magic Exhibition.
“Nothing is interesting… why is it so boring?”
Magic Professor Louina looked around the high-level hall, but there was little to see. The Floating Island side and the other university magic towers as well. Didn’t they have something better to show off?
“I know. I see a few new magic, but there’s no such thing as innovation.”
Ihelm sneered as he walked beside her. Off to the side, Maho, Rose, and Charlotte, hiding and pretending to be spectators, watched their reactions nervously. Louina, unaware of that fact, responded calmly.
“Since the venue is Yuren, don’t you think they’re deliberately hiding something?”
“Right. If the exposition venue were the Empire, they wouldn’t do it like this.”
“…It’s a bit poor.”
“Hmph. What about you?”
Ihelm asked while looking at Louina. Louina cleared her throat.
“Our team is not ready yet.”
“Not ready, my ass. If there were an exposition in the Islands, you would have prepared it on time.”
“…Haah. Okay. I get it. Okay? It’s just because I’m also from Yuren. Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry.”
At that moment, Maho collapsed into Charlotte’s arms and wept. At the quiet sound of sobbing, Ihelm and Louina tilted their heads.
“But, hey. What about Deculein?”
Louina asked. Ihelm shook his head.
“His entry has been withdrawn.”
“…Withdrawal?”
Louina’s jaw fell.
“Why? I mean, why? He got the best spot.”
Hearing that Deculain would present his invention, Yuren arranged the best spot for him. But what’s with him, withdrawing his entry in the middle of the expo? Wasn’t that too much?
“Then is that big spot empty? I want to take a look at it.”
“I already did; it was empty. It looks like he was trying to screw Yuren on purpose. Did they do something wrong?”
Louina ran to the Yukline spot, and Ihelm followed.
“…It’s true.”
Here, at the most important place in the whole expo…
[Deculein von Grahan Yukline]
[Withdrawal of entry]
All that remained was a plaque saying that the entry was withdrawn.
“Wow… how could he do this?”
“Hmph! What do you mean?”
Suddenly, a heavy, old-fashioned voice cut in between the two of them. It was one of the elders of the Round Table who hated Deculein, Zechtain.
“Since his invention didn’t come out as well as he thought, he canceled the entry pretending to shame Yuren. It’s obvious, looking at his personality.”
“…Oh. Is that so?”
As Louina played along to be polite, he nodded in agreement.
“Yes! Of course. I mean, he said he would follow his father’s will. That’s ridiculous. This is unforgivable even in the magical world. Cancellation of entry without previous notice. Is this his father’s will?”
As if he had been waiting for something, Zechtain poured out the hate he was holding.
“Haha…”
“Well, that’s right.”
Louina just laughed, and Ihelm agreed formally; they felt a buzz coming from elsewhere.
─.
It was a mixture of sighs and muted cries of awe coming from the lower-level side of the expo. Louina looked around, and her eyes widened.
“…Huh? Why does the low level have so many people?”
Ihelm and Zechtain glanced over.
“I don’t know either. I haven’t been there.”
“People are surprised by anything.”
─.
…However, despite saying that, the sounds from within were so intriguing that they moved closer without thought. Louina, Ihelm, and even Zechtain.
─This is… I’m seeing it for the first time.
-No, this name. Vervaldi? Who is this wizard?
They could now make out words as they neared. Each walked a little faster.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Louina was speechless, but it wasn’t just her. Ihelm and even the arrogant Zechtain had nothing they could say.
─Curator! What wizard made this? Vervaldi?
-I don’t know them well. A certain wizard suddenly brought it and put it down…
At the furthest and most cramped corner of the low level, a mana core was floating around.
Whoosh…
It shone like a blue star, emitting mana particles. It seemed to be made of only mana. The person that immediately came to mind upon seeing it was, after all, Artifact Wizard Decalane, but this invention could overtake even Decalane.
“T-This is…”
There Elder Zechtain walked through the crowds. He pushed them all away and reached the front row. He reached his hand out hesitantly near the plaque labeled ‘Mana Star.’
“Um, you can’t touch it.”
At the curator’s restraint, Zechtain returned to his senses. Even an elder couldn’t touch other people’s inventions. Zechtain spun on the curator.
“…Who made it?”
“A wizard named Vervaldi.”
“Who is that…?”
[Exhibitor: Vervaldi (Independent)]
A wooden nameplate announced the creator, not silver or even bronze. The owner of a talent to trample on Decalane was treated like this.
“It is anonymous. It is a personal exhibition that does not seem to belong to a magic tower. He asked to exhibit this only in a place where there was no room for exhibiting-“
“Find it out.”
Zechtain muttered blankly. The curator tilted his head.
“Yes?”
“Find it out! I am Zechtain, an Elder of the Round Table!”
His shout echoed through the fairgrounds.
“It’s not a talent to be stuck in Yuren! This invention is beyond Decalane! No, it’s a talent that can break Decalane! So, find out right now—!”
Nearly all the famous wizards gathered in the expo hall felt similar sentiments to Zechtain, though they were less vocal about them.
