Chapter 881

Chapter 881: Reply Across the Starry River

At Emanas, the Fortress Academy.

In the forest near the lake, along the hillside, there were scattered wooden buildings. Their style was elegant, hidden beneath the jacaranda trees, allowing the dappled shadows to fall upon them.

In a classroom no longer in use, several wooden chairs and tables were arranged haphazardly. The smooth edges and the dust caught in the corners suggested that they had been used for many years.

Creaking, the classroom door opened, and a man wearing a long robe with a hood entered. He carried a book in one hand and pushed his glasses up with the other before finding a scenic spot to sit down casually.

After a while, another guest arrived. She wore a tight black witch’s robe with slits at the waist, revealing much of her pale skin, accentuating her full figure.

The two seemed to know each other, nodding briefly before sitting apart. The mature woman removed her witch’s hat, placing it over her face as she rested against the bench.

More people came in one after another, until the eighth person entered, scanned the room, then closed the door and sat at the table.

“This time, it’s quite impressive that everyone actually made it,” he said, with golden hair like the sun.

“Yarde, is there something important you need to discuss? You specifically asked us not to let anyone else know about this meeting,” the first scholar asked.

“There is indeed something to discuss,” the white-robed sage said, exuding an unspoken leadership quality that made others willing to listen.

“Several months ago, you all should have heard the proposal from that Star Magess, right?” he referred to Lolan Hill’s suggestion at the council of sages.

“Yes,” several nodded, and one spoke up.

“But I’m more interested in her appearance and wisdom. Are all magesses beautiful and smart?” he inadvertently revealed his preferences.

“If we go by records, they do seem to be quite beautiful. But as for wisdom, it’s not guaranteed,” one of the witches said lazily, seemingly not fully awake yet.

“Some magesses are like immature children, always being whimsical and unreasonable.”

“Haha, I’ve heard the older sages complain about this before,” someone remarked, given the informal nature of the meeting, they were quite relaxed.

After the laughter died down, one of the sages continued, “But the magesses do have the confidence to be whimsical, only because they possess such strength that allows them to refuse to grow up and remain whimsical.”

“So, what is it that you want to discuss, Yarde?” the topic veered off, but finally returned to the point.

“There is indeed something,” Yarde nodded.

“I didn’t know much about this magess before, so I did a lot of investigations in Clancia, the Holy Land, and the Gufia Grasslands. I visited all these places,” he explained his recent travels.

“Did you find anything significant? You’re always so diligent, truly impressive,” the elderly sage looked at Yarde. Despite being younger, this junior had far greater prestige, even among the sages.

“The magess was sincere. This is her true intention,” Yarde said again, pulling out a rolled-up paper depicting a map of Clancia, with notes beside it.

“She is genuinely sincere and wise. These are precious qualities. Though she might still be young and not fully mature in emotional aspects, compared to those cold ancient magesses, I think everyone would prefer her,” although Yarde himself wasn’t interested in beauty or emotion, he understood their impact on others.

“That’s hard to argue against. But you know, we won’t support her just because of such reasons,” the elder sage stroked his beard, laughing heartily.

“I understand, but here’s this report.” Yarde pulled out another page, filled with meticulous and detailed notes, accompanied by a memory gem.

“This is the observation report of ‘Electro-Shifter’ Schultel. This special sage, using the sacred artifact ‘Night Port Meria,’ broke free from the world’s constraints and ventured beyond. After nearly 50 years of traveling through the stars, he returned to the Ivar World earlier this year.”

“The power of ‘Night Port Meria’ can protect his spirit form, allowing him to remain himself even when traversing the astral plane for long periods. With this transcendent speed, he could finally witness the scenes of the starry river.”

“Though it was a small attempt, it was our furthest exploration since the passing of the temporal magess Dorothy.”

“In his observations and reports, some content aligns with the magess’s statements.”

“———”

Year 37, June: I changed direction again, heading toward a vast and deep red sun.

Year 39, February: It’s hard to describe with words, but I saw the most terrifying scene.

Those chaotic shadows resembled countless soldier ants, sweeping through the void, moving toward a single direction. Even from afar, their silent cries twisted and terrified me.

Even in the empty starry sky and the void sea, the number of these chaotic illusions remained astonishing, enough to drown several Ivar Worlds. If this were true, then hundreds of years ago, the prediction of the temporal magess Dorothy would be confirmed.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t observe such a large scale back then, or she would have left a record.

After a month of observation and comparison, I confirmed that their target was the Ivar World.

There might be slight deviations along the way, but they always adjusted, as if drawn by something.

Initially, I didn’t know what it was until later.

Year 44, October: A radiant and sacred light emanated from the Ivar World, even from afar, I could feel it. A tiny golden star flashed in the Ivar World, perhaps five to six years ago.

Based on the current movement speed of these illusions, they will reach the Ivar World in roughly 100 years. It’s both joyous and sorrowful.

Joyful to see this ahead of time, sorrowful that there’s only 100 years to prepare.

To do this, I had to fully immerse myself in the astral plane and return to this former home, informing my old friends of this painful news. ——Schultel’s Journey Through the Electrosphere.

———

“So, in about 100 years, the chaotic calamity will inevitably descend again, coming across the starry river, and Dorothy’s hypothesis is true?”

“Indeed, Dorothy’s methods were somewhat extreme, but her goal might have been correct,” the elderly sage sighed.

“If it weren’t for the mages of Oz Country going astray and using the Ejika secret arts, the council of sages would have remained neutral.”

“But what happened later gradually became unbearable. If the Ejika secret arts spread unchecked, it would be no different from the descent of chaos.”

“And this led to the subsequent tragedy. The magesses began to harbor resentment towards the council of sages, even if it wasn’t our fault, they lost much of their goodwill.”

“Now, only the Star Magess, who saved Ruerna and brought the Solar Crown, dares to boldly propose this plan again.”

They whispered among themselves, then picked up the memory gem to view its contents.

Moments later, they resumed their discussion.

“Could the wandering dragons at the edge of the galaxy fend off these chaotic illusions?”

“Not likely. If it were a smaller-scale threat, having the Destruction Dragon in charge could ensure the safety of the Ivar World. But such a massive presence, even the dragon legions cannot withstand,”

“Moreover, after so much time, their numbers have dwindled significantly. The legacy of these ancients is slowly fading away.”

“What about the Angel Legion? Those angels with wings, the most loyal followers of the Solar Crown?”

“That depends on the Pope of the Holy Land. Only they retain a slight connection to the celestial realm.”

“I’ve already asked about the celestial realm,” Yarde said again.

“Unfortunately, since that year, the celestial realm has entered a state of dormancy. All angels no longer respond, as if they are in a state of sleep and rest.”

“So, we cannot rely on the remnants of the past,” Yarde tapped the table.

“Uniting the entire world’s power is urgent.”

“But, Yarde, you must understand that this is not achieved overnight or by mere words.”

“Countless conflicts will arise from this. Behind the glorious unity lies an incredibly violent process. Because human nature is such, people are unwilling to submit.”

“Even if you present the facts, they will doubt and disbelieve as long as the pain and suffering haven’t touched them,” the scholar said calmly, adjusting his glasses.

“Yes, but what does that mean? Do you want to stand idly by and wait for the worst to happen?” Yarde’s gaze swept over everyone.

These sages were familiar and trustworthy individuals, which is why he called them together.

Silence fell in the classroom.

They were not impulsive or simple-minded. As the most knowledgeable and wise humans, they understood better than most what agreeing now would entail.

It was not just about reputation, effort, and time, but potentially their lives and the future of billions.

Change meant conflict, conflict meant war, and a world-spanning war meant a terrifying trial. And no one could guarantee that the unified world would be the one they desired.

Reflecting on the past, the Mercury Dynasty once briefly unified the world, even the distant East followed the will of this powerful dynasty.

But was such a dynasty truly good? It was merely a product of oppressive conditions, and internal contradictions eventually erupted, leading to its downfall.

The necromancers of the dynasty were purged, countless high-ranking officials executed, and the descendants of the meritorious had to flee to a desolate island.

After a long silence, the elderly sage stood up, looking at the ancient wooden boards on the ceiling and touching the worn-out chair beside him.

“You know, Yarde. I attended classes here almost a century ago.”

His voice was filled with memories.

“At that time, I was a student, very young. My teacher, Mr. Grant, was the one who guided me into the council of sages.”

“Mr. Grant was a forest elf, already over 600 years old, an extremely old age even among elves.”

“But he was still very energetic. During breaks, he would sit by the window, watching the blooming yellow jacarandas, telling stories of his youth.”

“He was a veteran of the Verdant Empire, having participated in the great war between the Verdant Empire and Oz Country, witnessing the fall of that powerful magic nation. Many learned mages were marched to execution, their wise heads cheaply severed and rolling into the mud.”

“Having knowledge is wonderful; it gives us many advantages.”

“But this advantage, over time, leads to a certain feeling.”

“That I am different from others, I should be nobler than farmers in the fields, I shouldn’t do manual labor, I should live a dignified life, I should be above others.”

“It’s a terrifying thought because you place your understanding above everything else, believing that if you hold the truth, others must respect and obey you.”

“Do the excellent and powerful necessarily need to be in high positions? Is it about forcing others to acknowledge you with a curved blade, or making them willingly trust you through actions? These are two completely different paths.”

“The logic of the former is crude and straightforward, easy to understand, while the latter is chaotic, making it hard to find a clear path.”

“So, most people ultimately choose the former. Because I am stronger than you, I can kill you, so you must obey my will.”

“It’s indeed easier. But the cost is that as the country and the whole become larger, this oppressive system becomes increasingly fragile, until it collapses.”

“Truth is beautiful, but if it doesn’t benefit me, it’s just a piece of paper. Power is exhilarating, but if it causes me suffering, I will curse it fiercely.”

“What truly conquers people, makes them willingly kneel and follow, is not truth nor power, but tangible benefits. That is something that makes you marvel at its peace, truth, and beauty.”

“If you want everyone to unite, you must show a real and genuine world.”

“If you only force them with so-called righteousness, it will end in tragedy.”

Keep working hard, Skyblue >.<

(End of Chapter)