Louina was still analyzing Deculein's lighthouse. Of course, his spell was so perfect that it had already penetrated the essence of the world so the best Louina could do was admire it. But because of a wizard's sixth sense, she was sure it held something deeper, something more ambitious. Like a mosaic, this gigantic spell’s tiny fragments were undoubtedly harmonious and beautiful...
"Are you still studying?"
Louina flinched and turned around, then tilted her head.
"Yeriel…?"
"Yes. Long time no see."
Yeriel nodded and sat beside her. Then, she pointed to the magic spell Louina was analyzing.
"…So, I heard that magic is Deculein's. Did you figure out anything?"
"…"
Louina hid a bitter smile.
"I did find out something. But I've revealed it all."
"The destruction of the continent?"
Yeriel's tone was blunt. Well, this kid hated Deculein.
"Yeah. But…."
"But?"
Yeriel asked. Louina thought about it.
She still didn't know what hidden meaning Deculein had placed inside the lighthouse. Since she didn’t know, it was best not to say something carelessly.
"…Nothing."
Louina smiled and shook her head. Yeriel clenched her teeth.
"What's nothing?"
Yeriel placed her palms on Louina's desk, drawing Louina’s gaze to her nails. As if she’d been gnawing them, there wasn't one intact among all ten fingers, and it looked like she bit into some flesh and her nails.
Indeed. Because of Deculein, Yukline's position would be shaken.
"I know that you hate Deculein. Still, can you not take it out on me?"
"…"
Then, a hot breath flowed through Yeriel's teeth. Louina looked up belatedly. Sorrow and anger were mixing in Yeriel’s eyes.
"…Yukline will be fine because you cooperate with Her Majesty."
She assumed it was because of their family's fate. However, Yeriel’s expression remained still. Her body trembled with her face bowed as if pushing down the words inside her throat with all her might.
Louina took her hands in her own.
"Do you hate Deculein that much?"
Yeriel shook her grasp away.
"…Is there any reason for you to hate him?"
"Thanks to him, I will be the head of the family."
Louina nodded as if she was convinced too.
"…Indeed."
Louina knew Yeriel. From the days when she attended the academy, they shared a clear common enemy in that they hated Deculein, although they only stumbled upon each other two or three times a week to talk.
"You've been like that ever since before."
Yeriel always valued her family and did everything for them. She hated Deculein but loved Yukline.
"I understand."
Rumble-!
At that moment, the heavens and earth shook. Louina felt it, her hair standing on end.
"…!"
She mumbled softly as she stared out the window with wide eyes.
"It started."
"…What started?"
Yeriel asked. Louina looked back and burst into laughter.
"That… pff."
"…What, why are you laughing?"
Suddenly, her mana went awry, and Yeriel's hair stood upright as if struck by lightning... no. This wasn’t the time.
Louina cleared her throat.
"Ahem. Deculein's lighthouse started operating."
"…"
Yeriel's expression hardened.
"So, we have to go now. To the lighthouse."
Louina said so and took up her materials. There wasn't much more she could find out stuck in this office anyway. She thought she could get some inspiration after seeing the lighthouse; maybe the real thing would be different.
"…I'll go with you."
"What?"
Yeriel asked. Louina looked slightly startled before shaking her head.
"No. It's dangerous."
She put on her overcoat.
"Dangerous? Don't be presumptuous."
"…Presumptuous?"
Louina frowned.
"Yeah. You were just being presumptuous. All the time."
"…What do you mean? Anyway. You stay here."
"Who said I hate him?"
Yeriel's words caught Louina as she was about to leave. Louina turned to look at her, hand clutching the doorknob.
"…I don't hate him."
"…?"
Louina's eyes went blank as she noticed the moisture formed around Yeriel's eyes. Water droplets of past worries and sorrows condensed, and as she shook her head, they scattered like starlight.
"I don't want him to die."
Yeriel confessed. With a soft, shaky voice, she tried to ignore the tears welling up.
"Deculein. That shitty bastard."
The man is named Deculein. Even though they were biologically unrelated, Deculein accepted her as Yeriel.
She couldn’t hide her love for him, nor did she want to hide it.
"I don't hate him… I don't. So..."
Even though Deculein wanted his death, even though his wish was about to come true...
"I wish that damn bastard wouldn't die."
How could there be a sister who wanted her brother to die?
"…"
…And, Louina felt the inspiration she needed from Yeriel. The only trigger she needed was Yeriel.
"If it's not to break…."
Louina's eyes turned blue. Spells floated up in the air around Yeriel. Calculations no one knew about, magic circles, circuits, dots, lines, bloomed…
"But to protect."
…And assembled arbitrarily.
* * *
Emperor Sophien chose those who would crush Annihilation with her. There were Demon Bloods, adventurers, knights, commoners, and the leader of the principalities. Of course, there was quite a bit of commotion when this team was announced, but everyone lowered their heads in front of their great cause.
If they didn't stop the Altar, the continent would perish. If the comet crashed, it would crush humanity.
—I will dig up the truth of the lighthouse myself.
Sophien declared that she would go to war. Immediately, the Imperial Palace declared martial law, and a legion was mobilized, but Sophien had no intention of moving with such weak bastards.
Instead, late at night, only the trustworthy were invited to a room under the Imperial Palace to prepare.
Rumble-!
The sound of mana echoed, shaking the Imperial Palace.
"…"
Sophien calmly sank into her chair and turned to her side, glancing at Maho. She was reading some documents with her shaking hands. These were the Deculein whistleblower documents delivered by Yeriel.
"Can this be true…?"
Maho muttered. Sophien remained silent, but Lawaine beside her spoke in her stead.
"It is true. Deculein killed several from the Floating Island and made his staff from their corpses. The evidence came from Yeriel herself."
It was an unbelievable fact for Maho. Deculein was the benefactor who saved her life. He wasn't someone who’d dedicate himself to the Altar.
"There must be a misunderstanding…."
"Shh."
Sophien placed her hand to her lips. In the silence, they could hear someone approach. Maho was startled, and Lawaine drew his sword, but Sophien stopped them.
"This Demon Blood will help us."
The emperor's words were strange and difficult to accept, but in any case, they could be seen as perfectly normal now, considering the continent was on the brink of destruction.
"Good to see you, Your Majesty."
The woman went down to one knee in front of Sophien.
"I'm Ellie."
Ellie politely introduced herself. Sophien smiled and looked at the knights behind her.
"It would be nice to look forward to the capricious talents of this Demon Blood."
Just being a Demon Blood was enough to be uncanny, but to even add capriciousness… the moment when Delric and Lawaine swallowed hard-
"Go."
Sophien commanded, and Ellie nodded, raised herself, and took a step. Only one step, but that one step changed the earth's axis. It felt as if the basement was turned upside down. All sense of balance was lost, and it felt as if their body's organs were being compressed.
After a wave of maddening nausea, they closed their eyes, exhaled, and opened them again.
"…We've arrived."
Ellie announced the end of their trip.
"Indeed, it's a convenient talent. As expected of a Demon Blood, I guess?"
While the emperor praised Ellie, Lawaine and Ihelm looked around blankly. Definitely, until three seconds ago, they were under the Imperial Palace. The dark energy clinging to the skin was thick, the dark sky was covered with poison, and the ground had already been destroyed. It was the land of death, Annihilation.
The barren landscape stretched into the horizon.
"Your Majesty. This is…?"
Lawaine asked with surprise, but Sophien's expression was rather cold. The emperor merely raised a finger and pointed.
"There is no time to be surprised. See, isn't the lighthouse moving?"
Deculein's Lighthouse stood stalwart above the desolate land, wrapped in a halo.
Sophien glanced around.
"Come on, let's go to the lighthouse. I have someone to meet over there."
Tying her long red hair in a ponytail as she went and pulled out her sword, Sophien had one name in her mind.
Deculein.
Deculein.
Deculein.
After reciting it three times, just a little bit... her heart seemed to be getting a little more relaxed.
*
The operation of the lighthouse was well on its way. Refined mana pierced the sky, guiding the way for celestial bodies. The believers prostrated themselves in the Sanctuary to pray, and the high priests of the Altar formed a line to stop any impediments.
On the other hand, they slowly approached the ending I wanted. Either by their trust or hatred of me. And I waited until they arrived.
"…It's quiet."
Julie said. Today's Annihilation and lighthouse were quieter than ever, but it was a silence pulled by tension. A solemnity full of faith.
I nodded as I struck my staff against the ground.
"Yes. Soon, everyone will reach this canvas."
"…Hmm?"
Julie's eyes widened. Her face was cutely doe-like as she looked at me.
"Are you telling me now?"
"…Oh."
I laughed a little. Come to think of it, I never told Julie what I would do. Epherene would, of course, know, and by this time, Louina and Idnik would've noticed, too...
"Yes. This lighthouse is an amplifier. I'm going to lock everyone from the continent into this canvas with it."
"Before the comet falls, you mean?"
"Right. All humans must be preserved."
A planetary collision was an unstoppable fate, but the extinction of mankind wasn’t part of it. Even if the planets collided, humanity could be preserved. That was Epherene's idea, and I agreed with it.
"And…."
When I was about to explain a little bit-
—This is terrible! There are intruders!
A priest's urgent cry came from the crystal ball.
—Two are going up there! Be careful!
I wore a soft smile, and Julie grabbed her sword. Then, she looked at me and muttered.
