Chapter 55

The situation was coming to a rough resolution. The Blasphemia agents deployed in Elysion swiftly eliminated the hosts infected by Eunsa and began tracking the mana fluctuations linked to it.

Soon, another wizard from Argeyirion would also be slain.

Lampades looked around.

Ortes was speaking with a young female mage from the emergency relief team. It seemed like the chairman of Hydra Corp was consoling Kine, described as one of their corporate scholars.

Perhaps once this incident was resolved, Lampades and Carisia would never get a chance for a one-on-one conversation. Watching Ortes carefully, Lampades fortified his resolve.

‘There’s no time but now if I have to say it…!’

Ortes might find out. No, he will find out.

But he couldn’t ignore the person playing into Ortes’ hands like a puppet.

Especially not if that person was becoming a second Ortes.

Taking a deep breath, Lampades approached Carisia.

Carisia turned her head upon hearing the approaching footsteps.

“Director Lampades. Have you made a decision regarding our partnership proposal?”

“No. What I wish to say is…”

Lampades glanced at Kine, the corporate scholar of Hydra Corp. She was likely acting on Ortes’ orders, willingly making herself bait.

‘Seeing her initiative, she must be considered an adherent of Ortes. Deeply brainwashed, no doubt.’

Carisia caught onto Lampades’ gaze. His concerned look towards Kine.

“Ahh. Is it perhaps some business secret that shouldn’t be heard by students?”

“Yes, precisely. Excuse me, Miss Kine. Could you step aside for a moment?”

Kine tilted her head slightly before walking away. Astrape approached the isolated Kine. It seemed like the two prospective students of Museion had something to discuss.

Lampades felt a slight unease. Was it wise to leave Kine, who might be Ortes’ subordinate, alone with Astrape?

Shaking his head, Lampades decided to focus on the conversation at hand.

Turning back to Carisia, Lampades noticed how eerily quiet the surroundings had become.

All the noise from the examination hall had vanished. An advanced soundproofing barrier was in place. More astonishingly, Lampades hadn’t detected any signs of such powerful magic being cast.

‘I see why Ortes wants this. This magician is incredibly strong, appearing from nowhere.’

“So, what is it you wish to say?”

As Lampades opened his mouth, tension rose. Despite his determination, hesitation crept in.

“Ortes…”

He closed his eyes tightly to block out fear.

***

“He’s not as good a person as you think.”

What nonsense. Carisia suppressed a sigh of exasperation.

Honestly, getting stabbed by a Blasphemia agent’s blade would have been easier than hearing this.

The single sentence squeezed out by the Dark Elf Tower Master left no ripple in Carisia’s heart.

Well, almost none. A flicker of doubt did emerge.

‘Ortes, what exactly is your relationship like?’

Not about his humanity, but his social nature.

‘The people you so confidently introduced as friends seem to regard you with great disdain.’

With no response from Carisia, Lampades cautiously opened his eyes.

“Seriously. If you ever get the chance, ask the frontline problem-solvers about faceless Ortes. Ortes…”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

A playful smile appeared on Carisia’s lips. Lampades had said Ortes wasn’t a ‘good’ person.

However, Carisia’s mind focused on the part about him not being a good ‘human’.

The guardian of sacred artifacts in Phobos’ temple. What had Ortes declared to the soul of the old priest?

“Priest. You have completed your mission. The fate entrusted to you has ended here; return to peaceful slumber.”

To which the ghostly priest replied, “Has the destiny we foresaw truly disappeared?”

Surely those who could foresee destiny most clearly among humans were Phobos’ priests, the prophets.

Who could possibly discuss the end of destiny with someone who was once the leader of such prophets in life?

A being capable of twisting the fates foreseen by mortals.

Two titles particularly guarded by the lost gods’ sect Blasphemia came to mind. One was the Pope. The other…

Half serious, half joking, Carisia responded.

“Ortes may not be the kind of person I thought he was. But…”

Regardless of his true identity, Carisia’s choice remained unchanged.

“He’s the person I’ve chosen.”

Ortes chose Carisia, and Carisia chose Ortes.

***

After finishing my talk with Niobe and looking back, I saw Lampades walking beside Carisia with a confused expression.

Did he just sign some fraudulent contract while listening to the business partnership terms?

Lampades isn’t that foolish, but I know well Carisia’s chillingly skillful ways. Still, we are friends, right? If Lampades got scammed, I’d at least have enough loyalty to appeal to the chairman on his behalf.

As I approached Lampades to inquire about the situation, he flinched and shrank back.

“Ortes?”

“Yes. What did you discuss with Carisia?”

“Well, it’s that…”

Struggling to speak, fumbling around. Did he mess up the contract?

“If there’s anything troubling you that you can’t say, please tell me. If it’s related to the chairman, I’ll─”

“You told her I’m a lecherous person.”

Carisia walked over, her radiant white hair flowing. I laughed off her joke appropriately.

“Lecherous? I always give my best to the chairman.”

“Weren’t you running rampant on the frontlines of the outer dimensions?”

That explains why he couldn’t look at me properly. They were talking about my past.

Since Carisia doesn’t know everything about my days on the frontlines, it’s understandable she’d be curious.

I didn’t tell her everything about those wild times. Did she use the contract terms as bait to learn about my history?

I gave Lampades a sidelong glance and shook my head.

“The story the chairman heard is somewhat exaggerated. Isn’t that true of all stories about friends?”

At that moment, a crackling noise echoed through Elysion.

***

The explosion sound coming from the loudspeaker was evidence of battle. Amidst the thunderous clashes of magic, human cries could be heard.

“Abandon the Magic Imprint Drive and shut down the Enchantwear power source!”

“Tch. Foolish ones. The indoctrination of the Ten Towers clouds your vision.”

The static in the loudspeaker worsened as the battle intensified. Breathing sounds grew heavier. The Argeyirion mage seemed to be on the defensive.

“I’ve done enough. Heh heh…”

The mage’s low muttering was followed by a deep breath.

“Oh Ten Towers! We of Argeyirion have already sown the seeds of blessing across Elysion worldwide! Those who seek new eyes and ears, come seek the truth through Eunsa!”

“The broadcast line…?! Cut the transmission immediately!”

“For the sake of truth and justice!”

An unprecedented intense explosion followed. It wasn’t transmitted through the loudspeaker—it was a deafening roar spreading across all of Elysion.

Accompanied by flames wrapping around an entire building in Elysion’s cityscape.

***

The final words of the Argeyirion mage were eerily similar to Ortes’ prophecy.

Kine observed Ortes’ expression. Still smiling.

Thus, not a single change from his usual demeanor. That unchanging state proved Ortes felt no particular joy or emotion.

Shouldn’t he feel some satisfaction for predicting things so accurately, whether he truly foresaw the future or deduced it logically?

A calmness as if saying, “What was going to happen, happened.”

From that chilling calmness, Kine recalled the conversation between Carisia and Lampades before she stepped away.

‘Does an artifact that shows the future really exist?’

“Ortes mentioned it, didn’t he? There are too many listening ears, so let’s not discuss specifics here.”

Kine looked up at Carisia with an inquiring expression. Carisia nodded.

“It’s with me.”

So, Ortes hadn’t relied on the artifact’s power when prophesying to the priest of Enyalius.

“How did you obtain it?”

“By proving eligibility at the place where it had been kept since ancient times.”

“Who was eligible?”

“Ortes.”

Let’s summarize the situation.

The person who proved eligibility at Phobos’ temple and became the rightful owner of the artifact.

Then foretold the future as it would come to pass.

And yet claims not to be a prophet?

“Come on, there’s a limit to how much nonsense one can take…”

If he’s not a prophet, then what the hell is he?