Duke Yuma called over Legores of the Join Tribe, who was well-versed in curses.
Legores sat beside Yuma.
“Did I mention I have a way to observe dreams?”
Legores began to tremble again.
“Y-Yes, that’s right.”
Yuma locked eyes with Legores.
“Explain the method.”
Legores steadied his breath and started explaining.
“The only reason this method can be attempted is that you, Lord Yuma, are a god. And it’s possible because the two currently caught in a nightmare are your disciples.”
Legores continued.
“Both of their dreams are progressing individually. Even if Hestia appears in Cloney’s dream, it’s still just Cloney’s dream. Hestia must wake up from her own nightmare separately.”
It meant they weren’t dreaming the same dream, but were trapped in their respective nightmares.
Dream.
While Yuma listened to Legores explain how he could enter the nightmare as an [Observer], Cloney’s dream had already progressed to a considerable extent.
*
“….”
The black-haired, golden-eyed girl slowly lifted her body.
Cloney gazed at the grave before her.
It was Yuma’s grave.
The grave of Yuma, who met death at the hands of the god Barbatos.
It was a fierce battle.
God of War Yuma fought valiantly and cornered the god Barbatos, but in the end, Yuma could not defeat Barbatos.
Barbatos, his body in tatters, hastily returned to the Divine Realm, but Yuma was already lifeless.
One month after the god’s passing.
A deep shadow loomed over the Astes Empire on the Gehergen Continent.
The god Yuma, who had been the empire’s cornerstone, had died.
Empress Brigitte von Astes had been holed up in her chamber, secluded from the outside world for a month.
Grand Sword Master Bell swung her sword all day in the training grounds. The only time her face was seen was at breakfast, early in the morning at seven.
What about her own situation?
“Lord Yuma.”
Cloney gently caressed the large tombstone engraved with Yuma’s name.
“I’m researching the magic of time regression.”
A forbidden spell.
Magic that most wizards in this world dream of, yet not a single wizard has ever succeeded in casting it.
“Lord Yuma might say it’s an escape from reality….”
Cloney’s right hand, resting on the tombstone, trembled uncontrollably.
“I can’t believe it. Not at all.”
Cloney knelt and sat before the grave.
“Even if I die… Even if everyone else dies… I thought you wouldn’t die, Duke Yuma.”
Cloney’s golden eyes were endlessly hollow, as if she had completely lost her spirit.
Hooah…
With a sigh that seemed deep enough to bury the ground, Cloney slowly rose to her feet.
Then she stepped down from the royal tomb and entered the royal magic tower.
Creak—
She opened the door and stepped inside.
She checked the research materials on time regression.
Many questions remained about her research.
Is time regression even possible?
Even if the magic succeeded, could we change the future?
Wouldn’t it just be me witnessing the horrific scene of Duke Yuma dying again?
Am I the only one regressing?
Even if the time regression magic were to succeed, wouldn’t it make sense for the whole world to reverse as well?
Countless questions were written in her notebook.
These questions had sprouted in her mind since the moment she first delved into [Time Regression] magic.
“This is not the time to nitpick.”
In Cloney’s mind, there was only one thought: reviving Yuma.
That thought filled her brain to the brim.
The ground was a vast blank sheet.
Sitting on the floor, Cloney started writing on the blank page.
Endlessly, she scrawled formulas. The enormous sheet became densely filled with black letters.
Beyond the curtains, the scenery began to change countless times.
The sun slowly fell, and darkness settled.
Despite the pounding headache, Cloney kept her eyes wide open and continued her calculations.
Her dark circles grew deeper.
Her mind turned pitch black, and the sweet smell of exhaustion surged from her mouth until her endlessly moving right arm finally stopped.
“…Is this how it works?”
The theory of time regression magic had somewhat been established.
Cloney mindlessly checked the documents she had written with hollowed eyes.
“This doesn’t… make sense. If this continues, the order of the world could get mixed up during the regression.”
Cloney slowly opened her mouth. The rich coffee that flowed into her dry mouth was extremely strong.
Cloney had felt her body’s balance warping for a week now.
Yet, she couldn’t stop this obsessive act. It was a desire created by her longing to see Yuma—alive and in front of her.
“I must, I must… find a way.”
Scrap!
Cloney continued to search for materials, not even caring that her finger got cut on the sharp edge of the paper.
Cloney, who was desperately searching for materials, whipped her head around. There, gathered together, were books tightly bound with the determination to never be opened easily.
“…If I can’t complete the magic of time regression, I might have to touch Duke Yuma’s corpse. I must find it.”
The materials huddled in the corner were related to dark magic.
Necromancy spells that resurrect the dead’s bodies and souls.
“I can’t infuse that kind of energy into Duke Yuma’s body.”
Cloney took another sip of her coffee.
She was already running on empty.
The recent coffee shot was like pouring water into a bottomless pit.
It was only when the morning sun began to rise that Cloney finally fell asleep.
Chirp chirp…
During the day, the sound of birds chirping filled the air.
“Cloney! Cloney!”
Cloney slowly opened her eyes to the sensation of someone shaking her shoulder vigorously.
“Who… are you?”
A weak voice slipped from her lips.
With great effort, Cloney opened her eyes and managed to face the person who woke her up.
“Cloney.”
Cloney pointed her dazed gaze at the figure in front of her.
“…Eldrie Tower Master.”
Scarlet Tower Master, Eldrie Freya.
He was her benefactor who helped her become a 5th circle mage and was known as the strongest mage in the Empire, having reached the rank of 7th circle.
“……”
Eldrie stared at the necromancer books tucked away in the corner with a hardened expression.
The red-haired mage, Eldrie, trembled.
“Even if the shock of losing Duke Yuma is great, do you think it’s right to mess with such a terrible taboo?”
Dark magic was a line that elemental mages should never cross.
And it applied to the [Time Regression] magic as well.
“Necromancer magic is, of course, too dangerous, Cloney. No matter how meticulously you plan, there will always be loopholes. Those loopholes can cause the very fabric of this world to collapse.”
Eldrie glared at Cloney with narrowed brows.
“Even if this world could be restored quickly, the chances of you, Cloney, ending up returned to nothing without leaving a trace are high.”
Cloney let out a dry sigh.
And slowly opened her parched lips.
“…Yes, I know.”
Cloney felt the throbbing in her head return.
This headache was definitely thanks to the man standing before her, Eldrie.
It was because of Eldrie.
“Do you think I don’t know that obvious thing?”
Eldrie’s eyes widened at the very sharp response.
“What?”
Cloney continued speaking. Her voice trembled fiercely, as if laced with an underlying rage.
“It’s you, Eldrie… who did nothing when Duke Yuma passed away.”
Eldrie couldn’t help but shudder at Cloney’s sudden change in attitude.
The fourth floor of the royal magic tower was used as Cloney’s personal lab, filled with the magic circles she had prepared in advance.
Zzzziiiiiing──!
Two magic circles activated on both the ceiling and the floor.
From the four magic circles, binding magic and telekinesis magic were simultaneously triggered.
Szzzzzzzzttt!
Red tendrils wrapped around Eldrie’s legs.
And from the magic circle drawn on the staff in Cloney’s right hand, a crimson spear surged forth, aiming for Eldrie’s heart.
Thwuuuuuck!
Eldrie’s heart was instantly pierced.
Crimson blood gushed out of Eldrie’s mouth.
“I’ll do whatever it takes… even if it means breaking the taboo of resurrecting the dead, I will save Duke Yuma.”
It was at that moment.
Swish…
Cloney suddenly felt the world around her go dark.
“Cloney!”
And a voice called out to her.
Along with a warm sensation on her shoulder, it was a very familiar voice.
“Cloney!”
Cloney slowly lifted her head off the desk. She turned back and saw Hestia, the Cat-Folk Swordswoman, standing there.
“…Sister Hestia.”
“When are you going to stop with this research? If you’re going to sleep, you should sleep in bed… doesn’t your back hurt?”
Looking at Hestia’s worried face, Cloney opened her mouth again.
“…What about Master Eldrie?”
“Huh? He went down from the capital yesterday.”
“…I see, so that was just a dream.”
With a sigh, Cloney stood up.
Even though her mind was worn from Duke Yuma’s death, it made no sense to kill someone like Eldrie, who was like a benefactor to her.
Eldrie wouldn’t just die that easily.
A dream within a dream.
Not only was killing Master Eldrie in the dream a dream, but Cloney hadn’t yet realized that this entire situation was also a dream of hers.
“Let’s go; we should eat something.”
At Hestia’s words, Cloney slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
The two of them walked slowly down from the royal magic tower.
