WHAT?!
Unable to believe his ears, Shen shouted in disbelief and the devil in the shadow’s lap smiled amused while staring mockingly at Shen’s stupefied face.
[If you keep me here, you will never be able to achieve your true potential. But as you are now, if you take me out it will be my win, Omisus~.]
[… This devil is right. Your fears, your rage, your weakness… All of these have made you close your eyes to who you truly are, such getting engulfed by the lies and illusions fabricated by not just the world around, but by your own thoughts as well. You have as an end-goal something that you already are. You travel the world in the search of what you’re holding in your hands. You think you can go forward on your own when even gods are traveling together. Many times I sent messengers your way to at least wake you up to reality, only to have them return with sour faces.]
The colossus said while looking at the devil as if he had been had, not able to even feel angry at Shen’s own stupidity to be tricked by a devil. He then looked at Shen’s frozen self once again and, with heavy movements, he lifted his chained arm and reached towards him.
[Shen Omisus. When you’ll reach the level of Johan Hanover, I will ask of you to return, free me and help this poor devil one more time. Until then, go out there and learn from the beginning how valuable a “heart” truly is.]
Seeing the humongous arm reach towards him, Shen couldn’t even flinch from the monstrous pressure. Unable to think, to move, to speak, Shen observed how that one palm covered the starry sky and befell upon him like a hammer of gods, such destroying the wall he so hardly climbed, the road he walked on for so long now, and the world that took so many forms along his travel. All turning now into nothingness as only darkness befell onto all.
.
“Gah!”
While gasping and sweating, Shen suddenly wakes up from his trance, only to find himself in the same exact kneeling position as before.
“Boss…? You cool?”
“Shht, don’t interrupt the ceremony.”
Sabin looked from a side somewhat confused, whispering curiously but another Clerk hastily rebuked him to keep quiet. Hearing them, Shen understood that everything has been just an illusion. Or better said, a dream which made him aware and confused of many things about himself.
And the one who showed it to me was…
Shen looked upwards and observed how the High Clerk’s eyes were still blue, staring intently at him with a severe look. The next moment, Kaveh’s voice resounded in his mind once again, making Shen frown.
[Your path has been cut short. You were supposed to continue forward, but it seems this was just too much for you.]
…What are you implying?
Shen asked back with a grave tone, then the high clerk’s hand retreated as Kaveh’s aura disappeared, his blue eyes changing back to brown. Shaking his head as if he just woke up, Sarmin scratched his head then, as if he suddenly heard something, he opened his eyes wide for a moment then looked back at Shen with a frown.
“… I suppose you know your answer.”
Feeling nothing like a blessing has been bestowed upon him, Shen got up and turned away from the High Clerk.
“If I failed, then I have no more reasons to remain here.”
As Shen continued forward, the queen, the Patriarch, Leorio, Sabin, and everyone else looked stunned at what they just heard.
“W-wait, Boss! What do you mean fail? You gained no blessing?!”
Sabin woke up from his shock and asked hurriedly as Shen got closer.
“Indeed. Well, it was to be expected. Kaveh never really fancied me to start with.”
“S-say what…?”
Sabin’s eyes opened wide, stupefied by what he heard.
H-he said it as if he met him face to face or something… But that’s ridiculous… right?
“Seeing how there’s no chance for me, I’ll ask for someone else from my kingdom to come and teach in my place.”
“S-Shen, please. There is no need to do this…”
With quite some irritation Shen bowed his head to the troubled Yuri as he was unable to fulfill his promise to teach the children himself, then wished to go, only to have Patriarch Astaroth stop him with a calm voice.
“Founder Johan, please hold on for a moment.”
Confused, Shen turned back and asked,
“What is it, Patriarch Astaroth? Do I even have the right to teach if I have no blessing?”
“Yes, it is possible. Am I right? Great Clerk Sarmin?”
Feeling Astaroth’s neutral gaze, Sarmin glanced at Shen and explained,
“Indeed. You can become a priest of Victoria’s main school of magic. However, because you have no blessing, you will only receive the rank of a Low-Class Priest. I wonder if you’ll even agree with such a-“
“Alright.”
Without even waiting for the Great Clerk to finish his words, Shen agreed in a heart-beat, shocking the clergy and making even Sarmin look with a dumbfounded expression.
“Boahahahaha~! Perfect! Truly marvelous!”
Astaroth started laughing, but rather than amused, he was relieved as he never in his wildest dreams has he expected for Shen to accept the lowest rank: the Low-Class Priest, which was known to receive the most troublesome children or the ones no teacher wanted to help with their studies.
The queen then stepped forward, already annoyed with how the priests’ did things and asked Shen with a serious and worried frown.
“Lord Johan, are you truly fine with such a rank? Although you got no such thing as a blessing, I did hear from my father, the Elder King, that you have 3 successful disciples, the youngest being 11 and also reaching the Grandmaster power-rank. I find the title of Low Class as being unbefitting for your standards.”
“Oh?”
Shen looked surprised at the queen’s serious and firm eyes, not expecting her to have such a righteous spirit even with an outsider like him. He smiled with more respect as his view of her changed and answered calmly,
“I appreciate your feelings, but I’m pretty sure even your highness can’t change the rules over which the schools have been built.”
“Yes, but even so-“
Shen then got closer as he made a mana connection between the two of them, talking with a knowing smile,
“Please listen to me, Queen Lorana. Although you’re the ruler, angering your subjects won’t do you, or to your people, any good. Please don’t start any discord between the churches and the royal family, especially for an outsider like me.”
At first surprised, the Queen then smiled and with a calm gaze she said,
“I heard from Yuri that you and the Antara’s king became best friends with him. I can sincerely say that’s close to sworn brothers after his logic, isn’t it the same for you two?”
“Kind of… Yes. Why?”
“Then you’re no longer an outsider, as Yuri is already like a family for me.”
The queen smiled and Shen was able to observe a slight blush on her face. With a confused look, Shen thought to himself,
Why is she suddenly so shy about it…? So Yuri is like family? Like a bigger bro? Or…
“So basically Yuri is up for the seat of the king by your side?”
“Huh?”
At first surprised, the queen looked at Shen with big eyes, then she smiled weakly as a sad glint flashed through her eyes. Afterward, her face turned serious once again and said:
“Although Yuri is a fine man, able for the throne, our policy is to marry into the royal family or of a high noble, while mister Yuri is only a secondary representative with no clear power inside our kingdom. If not for my father to be with him, this alliance would not have been made so easily and so quick.”
“… And what if he will grow in rank? I heard there is this possibility as well.”
“And how many years will it take? And just how many great achievements will he have to accomplish? I’m sorry to say, but until he’ll reach at least the rank of Duke, my future partner would already have been decided, especially knowing that he barely reached the rank of Knight after so many struggles…”
“…”
Shen couldn’t help but stare confused at the queen’s neutral expression, unable to read her feelings at all. Or at least, to some extent.
She seems fine with marrying some other guy than the one she likes… But I can see some kind of a revolting feeling inside. However, until he’ll reach a befitting rank you’ll be long taken by another?
“Well, my queen. We’ll see that.”
His eyes shone red as he observed inside her tranquil and bluish aura, a darkish-red spark inside her heart as if a part of her was simply wishing to run away and hide from the world that pressured her. Shen smiled knowingly then he looked at Yuri and, after making eye contact, Shen observed a feeling of relief and possibly even some happiness. Yuri came closer and with a happy smile he said,
“Lord Johan, although the rank of Low-Class Priest is truly unbefitting, it will help you with keeping unwanted attention away. Like this, you’ll be fully able to focus on teaching the children.”
“Yeah. That’s true.”
Seeing his sincere smile, Shen simply sighed once then the queen got closer to Yuri and rebuked him with a revolted tone,
“Yuri! What are you so happy for? This rank is truly unbefitting and lowly.”
Seeing her so revolted, Yuri calmly tried to explain to her as he couldn’t help but feel amused by how just his queen is,
“My queen, please be reasonable. Lord Johan only wishes to teach the children. As long as he was accepted, I see no reason to not be happy even if the rank is low.”
“Sigh~ you are just so…”
“So?”
“So easy to please! With such a mentality, how will you grow in ranks? Even more, is there any need for that?”
Shen, who was for now simply listening, couldn’t help but be stunned by her remark, while Yuri also froze as his face turned bright red. While stuttering helplessly he hastily tried to explain himself.
“P-please don’t worry, my queen. I’ll be sure to be of great help to Victoria Kingdom and show my worth in any way possible!”
“Hm~? Only to the kingdom?”
The queen stared at Yuri with a questioning gaze and he retracted his face from hers that was closing in, feeling some weird pressure on him.
“F-for my queen as well, of course.”
“that’s better.”
While Lorana and Yuri continued to express their circle of feelings, Astaroth walked toward Shen and patted his shoulder in a friendly manner while he sneakily connected a mana-string to his aura, talking only for Shen.
“Founder Johan, please tell me the truth: Have you felt anything wrong while the ritual was taking place? Normally anyone would receive such a blessing, only if the ritual has been sabotaged in any way…”
Hearing his almost irritated voice, Shen couldn’t help but feel like laughing at Astaroth’s sense of justice, just like Lorana’s.
Like master, like disciple.
After shaking his head amused, Shen answered through the same string of mana.
“Worry not, Patriarch Astaroth. From what I felt, nothing went wrong. But you should know better if something went wrong, no? I mean, I actually have no idea how he could have framed the ritual. Weren’t you all there to prevent that from happening?”
“Yes, indeed. However… the fact that such a mighty character like yourself has been ignored by the great God Kaveh… I am unable to fathom that.”
“I guess I still have a long way to go to please this God.”
Astaroth couldn’t help feeling perplexed as never has it ever happened for someone willing to impart their own knowledge to another, to be negated such a wish by the gods themselves. Maybe only when someone with wicked thoughts for their students appeared, but Astaroth was simply too experienced to be unable to read Shen’s character by now.
How come I’m unable to understand the reason? Although I’m around one thousand years old, I’m confident to say that my reasoning and intuition have yet to deteriorate from old age… Only if…
Astaroth then looked once again at Shen and observed a glint of frustration but also understanding in his eyes. He then understood something as he slightly nodded knowingly.
“I see now… Lord Johan, then I bid you good fortune on your way as your inner conflicts seem to be much deeper and profound than I thought at first.”
“Huh?”
Shen was surprised but also amazed that Astaroth was able to say something which pinpointed his troubles exactly. Astaroth then nodded lightly and said again,
“Indeed… Although you might find our God as troublesome, he is a just one until the very end. Even with demons or devils, gods are impartial as they don’t hate or despise, they only bestow blessings and punishments over our actions and judgments, based on the laws of the universe.”
“… I think you’re overestimating my understanding capacities, Patriarch Astaroth.”
With a confused frown Shen answered back then the Patriarch couldn’t help laughing, leaving towards his office as he was already a busy old man.
“Hahaha~! It might be so, but for sure you will understand, or you already understood at least the first part. Now I bid you farewell as I have many things to do as a Patriarch.”
Together with him, The Great Klerk, Arch Bishop, the queen, and the Elder King left as they also had their own things to do.
“I will be sure to visit in my free time, Founder Johan.”
Leorio waved his hand and said with a smile while leaving with the queen who also turned around and bowed lightly as she said,
“I as well will try to do so, and also take your words into consideration. Yuri, I will ask of you to assist Lord Johan whenever he needs something.”
Yuri, who was already by Shen’s side, bowed his waist and answered with a calm tone,
“Yes, my queen.”
The Great Klerk also turned around and looked at the mid-class priest from before, ordering him with a severe tone,
“Priest Earthen. I command you to show Lord Johan to his room. Now that he is a low-class priest, you will be the one to show him around at all times.”
“Yes, Great Clerk! I will do my best.”
The priest named Earthen kneeled on one knee and said in a serious and solemn tone. Rather than be annoyed for needing to take care of a new priest, he felt like only good things were bound to happen after aiding to a founder of a kingdom. And someone so strong at that.
“Heh, look at this guy all happy for being boss’ helper now. Lucky bastard.”
Sabin smirked amused then Shen rebuked him with a plain expression.
“At least I’m sure he will be less trouble than someone who sneaked inside my room through the window and almost started fighting with the royal guards just because they glared.”
“B-boss, I thought we forgot about that already…”
Sabin scratched his head embarrassed then kept quiet. The priest Earthen got closer and offered to show him around the campus, the class he’ll teach in, and also lastly the rooms where he and his servant Sabin will live from now until two years later when Shen will be freed from his promise.
Reaching the main building where the universitar priests were teaching, Shen looked quite surprised while Sabin was completely baffled by the prestigious building in front of him. Just like the main building through which everyone entered into, towers were levitating around a central building, while the design seemed to be a rather dark medieval, with even a few hints of Baroc here and there. While the building itself showed a sturdy structure made of stone, the materials used seemed of really great quality while the rooftops had curved and more dynamic forms with expressive faces at the corner of the rooftops, the towers themselves being circular. Another element of Baroc was the excessive amount of inclusions and decorations, be them in the form of red with white lines of paint, of golden and silver strings, or of whole magic circles painted in a rather symmetric form.
“This thing… is it a machine or something?”
Shen asked surprised after observing the magic circles united by the golden and silver strings, together with the circular lines of red and white going after a magic circle to another. Although as a whole it looked like a beautiful decoration with a unique design, someone who looked hard enough at a chip from back on Earth at least once in their life would be able to understand that those lines seemed as if trying to create an entire system, a working machine.
“Huh? A machine? You mean like a golem or something?”
Sabin asked confused as the only thing he heard being called as machine were the golems, those being created from tangent materials to work on mana, unlike Shen’s golems that were made from pure energy mostly, creating something more like “spirits” rather than “golems”. Meanwhile, Yuri smiled knowingly and Earthen rather surprised,
“Have you seen the structure of machines before? I’m amazed you found out simply by looking at it for the first time.”
Earthen asked surprised while Shen glanced at Earthen then at Yuri and turned back to look at the tower more intently,
“You got it wrong. I only know because we have something similar in our world as well…”
“Oh? Then lord Johan is also a player? Lord Yuri also understood from first glance. But, many other players observed it and never even thought of that. I suppose the two of you have more knowledge on this matter?”
“You can say it like that as well.”
Shen continued to gaze intently as his thoughts rushed wildly, trying to remember when he was playing the game if he ever saw such details.
I remember there were some dungeons that appeared inside underground ruins, and those ruins had imprinted on them lines and curves which created similar forms… But outside those ruins, nowhere else have I seen them… Have they actually advanced technologically while they stagnated on the spiritual level? Or they simply continue to evolve, but their speed is simply too slow?
While Shen racked his brain to understand why the Goddess said that the world was crumbling because of stagnation when it was evolving just fine, Sabin turned somewhat annoyed for being ignored and asked Earthen again,
“And so, is this thing a golem or what? What kinda’ machine is this huge tower?”
“Well, you can say it’s a flying ship. But because of its unique structure, it’s more like a levitating ship.”
“…Just how many Energy Stones are you guys wasting on this?”
Sabin looked at them like at some idiots, thinking that wasting money for appearance was something ridiculous. However, Earthen shook his head and answered with a smile.
“Nothing is wasted. See those magic circles? They are conductors, amplifiers, and stabilizers for the huge Energy Crystals under them. Although it might prove to be an infinite source of energy, the magic circles wears out quite fast, in only five years, so there is someone who looks after them and redraws them in case of deterioration. The speed at which it travels, as you can see, is quite slow so is mostly used only for this kind of structures.”
Earthen informed with a serious expression. Although 5 years was anything but a short amount of time, comparing with other magic circles that would work just fine even after hundreds of years, some better made reaching even thousands, just 5 years were indeed just a drop in the bucket.
“Hoh~. Well, this is quite amazing. So this was Victoria’s main creation? I was never aware.”
“Huh?”
Hearing such a question, Shen turned confused and listened more intently at their conversation. Earthen then nodded with a smile and said,
“Indeed. This invention is Victoria’s main creation, but the core-mechanism is much more advanced and complicated than what is let out to be seen.”
“Sorry but, what main creation? Why do you say this is Victoria’s main creation? Was it invented here?”
Shen asked confused and Sabin then answered surprised,
“Boss, the main creations are spells, mechanisms, or knowledge known or met only in the respective kingdom.”
“Sir Sabin is right. While our Victoria has this flying type of mechanism, Urius has its offensive cannon-type machines. Each kingdom has its own unique inventions on some kind of faculty. Mostly, the mechanical faculty would be the most exploited, the second one being the magical faculty which makes spells, followed by the spiritual faculty that discovers cultivation methods.”
“Cannon-like? What?”
Shen became more surprised as he was never aware of this kind of unique technology for each kingdom.
This world might be more complex than I thought.
He then asked once again, thinking about the flying ships.
“So to understand, Victoria might as well be in the first place with the best flying ships in Vestria?”
“Haha~ no, no. The best flying ships are from the empire. However, theirs might be the best in wars, but ours are the best when it comes to long-distance traveling. Although we don’t have the strongest ships, we are confident to say that our engines are from the most efficient as their consumption is the lowest while the reachable maximum speed can rival most of the other warships from other kingdoms.”
Earthen explained quite proudly and Shen listened intently, an amused smile on his face.
“Heh… Yuri, you knew of this?”
“Yes, but not to such details-… Oh.”
“Oh indeed.”
Both of them then suddenly thought about Antara and cold sweat appeared on their foreheads.
I’m thinking just how many “main creations” Antara has by now after modifying, upgrading, and advancing all kinds of spells, cultivation formulas, and even machines. Plus, we have the craziest craftsman on Sario with us. That brat could create an armor comparable with Iron-Man’s in less than a month… If words of this get out from Antara, the world might turn arms against us in an instant, taking us for a great threat.
“Hm? Is there something wrong, boss?”
Sabin observed Shen’s complexion whiten while his face showed a somewhat troubled smile. But Shen simply shook his head and turned around.
“Nah, nothing. Well, anyway that. Yuri, I suppose you are quite busy at the moment, right? I’m sure that the three of us will be just fine on our own… And while at it please inform your superiors to… keep their peaks for themselves, if you know what I mean.”
Go like the wind and be sure to inform those damn heroes and your mates into keeping their mouths shut about the insides of Antara for now. Capiche?
With a simple smile but urgent eyes, Shen sent Yuri a hurried message, making the latter to immediately get it and step back in a hurry, ending his phrase while already running.
“O-oh! Right! Thank you for reminding me! I do have an urgent meeting with Sir Leorio. Lord Johan, Mister Earthen, Mister Sabin, please excuse me!”
“What the-…?”
Sabin asked baffled while even Earthen was stunned by Yuri’s hasty departure, wishing to ask but being interrupted by Shen who was gently but firmly pushing them to continue.
