Chapter 191 – Between Past and Present

#191.

After chewing on the woman called the wise man for a while, I brushed off my thoughts and asked about one of the most important things.

“Then does the emperor know?”
“Yes.. You already know about the ancestors. It’s just not the kind of atmosphere I like.”
“That’s right..”

The Huang family strictly follows the law of the jungle.
No matter how great ancestors are, it is difficult to follow those weaker than oneself.
This means that as long as I am strong, there will be no problem.
I was worried about what to do with Sernia’s work, but if I am their ancestor, all problems will be solved.

“Is this the reason why the Duke of Caius broke away from the imperial family?”

It’s a question that has been around since I heard it from Sernia before.
Why did the imperial family, which values ​​lineage so much, send his blood relative out of the country while giving him the title of duke?
However, if someone had correctly interpreted the misinterpreted words and made the decision, it would make sense.
Ludwig confirmed my expectations.

“You’re right. 1000 years ago, His Majesty the Emperor, who ruled the empire, found a mural here and ordered one of his blood relatives to protect it.”
“Then one last thing. Why did the first emperor and the sage disappear?”

According to legend, the two are swordsmen and wizards who have reached the level of 11 stars.
It wasn’t normal for those two to go missing.
There was no talk about him in the public, so I asked him in case.

“Sorry. He didn’t figure it out.”
“What. Okay. So, does that end here?”

When I asked if it was time to bring out my case, Ludwig thought about it for a while and then carefully made a suggestion.

“Th… I think your ancestors will be angry, but what do you think about being guided by me?”
“A map..?”

As he blinked his eyes, wondering what kind of nonsense this was, Ludwig reached out his hand to form a strong flag in the air and said,

“I’m sorry, but aren’t your ancestors currently in a state of considerable weakness as they have lost all their powers? So I hope my swordsmanship will be of strength. Of course, complete transfer is impossible.”

This means that he will soon pass on the swordsmanship of the Caius family.
I readily accepted the proposal with a nod of my head.

“Then it’s me! Right Now..! It would be nice to go, but would you like to see this before that?”

No, I tried to accept it.

I was about to run out of the office right away, but I carefully took out the Oricalquim from the inventory that reminded me of the purpose of coming here.
I’m glad the office is so spacious.

“I want to smelt this into a sword. How is it? Also mixed with silver ore.”
“Of course I will. If you leave it here, I will take care of it and give you instructions.”
“Okay. Thank you. And there is one more.”

I was about to open my mouth to talk about Seria, but Ludwig struck first.

“I wonder if it’s about that apprentice knight called Seria…”
“That’s right. I heard you are here, can I meet you tomorrow?”
“Of course. I will give you instructions.”

It’s very comfortable. He never refused to say anything.
Looking at Ludwig with satisfaction, I touched the mural one last time.
This can also be seen as one of the ancient ruins, so the moment I put my hand on it out of curiosity, information about the place I was looking for came to mind.

『Temporary Dimension #0024.』

“Under..”
“Ancestor? What’s going on…”

Hearing a sigh of relief, Ludwig approached and asked.
Ludwig also notified with a smile as he wondered if he didn’t know that the temporary dimension I created was hidden in the ancient ruins.

“It’s cumbersome to explain. I’ll be gone for a while.”
“Yes? What the hell…!”

Looking at the expression asking for a proper explanation, I immediately cut my finger and drew blood, then buried it in the mural.
Light bursts out as blood permeates my image, which is all black.
The light engulfed my body in an instant, engulfed my vision, and soon blew my consciousness away.

***

“It is known that the smallest unit of the world is mana, but that is not the case. There is something more that makes up mana.”

As soon as he came to his senses, what he saw was paper full of mathematical formulas and geometric circles.
Although it is a bell, it was large enough to fill the entire field of vision, not enough to fit in the hand.
The things densely engraved there were so complex that it was impossible to grasp properly with my head.

“It is different from the intention formed by the combination of mana and will. It is a power with infinite potential.”

Intention.
The power you will use when you reach the level of 10 stars.
It is a unique and unique technology that reflects the image created by gathering all the will into one point with the opening of the Sangdanjeon in reality.
It is said to interfere with the providence of the world and surpass even the laws of physics.

There was a high possibility that the space jump that Lucas had shown in the past was also a use of it.
It’s hard to imagine that he would have exactly the same skills as me, so he probably does.
In other words, intention can even directly intervene in the system.

It’s a power that has infinite potential beyond that kind of will.
It was an opinion that could be seen as absurd at first glance.

I want to look around, but I don’t have the right to do that now.
I can only do nothing but steal the memories that are trapped in this body.
As I continued to watch the muttering scene, I felt a hand wrapped around my waist with a presence from behind.

“Are you still doing that? Honey.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Serenity. I was late because I was lost in my thoughts again.”
“Are you okay. Let’s go eat soon.”
“Okay. Before that, say hello to my baby.”

The man who is expected to be me, who is probably from a previous life or from a previous life, carefully untied his arm wrapped around his waist and turned around.
The woman’s face revealed in this way was very beautiful.
The face of the woman with her dark eyes and black hair…

‘She looks like Sernia.’

Unlike Sernia, she had gentle eyes with the corners of her eyes down, but other than that, her features were quite similar.
But he, too, lowered my vision for a moment and contained a slightly distended stomach.

“Stra. Good morning.”

At that time, I said that, and then pulled the boat and put my ear there.

Pounding! Pounding!

It was still small and weak, but the beating sound of the beating heart gave me a strange feeling.
I don’t know why I feel so moved at the fact that my life has already ended 2000 years ago and I even possessed it.

Because this body is feeling that way right now? Or is it just being emotional?
As I stared at the complex thoughts that no one could define, the sound of my heartbeat started to fade away.
After falling off the boat, I left the lab holding Serinity’s hand.

The memory that followed after that was a happy everyday life.
I did research on magic, and then Serenity came and announced mealtime as always.
I smile as I see my belly expanding day by day.

It was happy to see memories that seemed boring at first glance, but it was just as sad.
Because this memory is a life that has already ended.
A thousand years have passed, and her wife, Il Serenity, is dead and will never be seen again.

Stra, who could be considered a son, the first emperor is missing.
As time passed, only unknown anger and longing filled me.
I don’t want to see it, but I still want to see it.
I was fed up with contradictory emotions.

‘These are not my feelings.’

The me in my past life and the me now are different people.
It’s just that I’m strongly affected now, but when I eventually wake up from my memory, I’m back to being the same light-hearted guy who always lights up women.

The daily life, which seemed to continue without knowing the end, was shattered with the attack of the Church of Extinction.

Kwakwang—!

“Kyaaaaagh!”
“Serenity! You should dodge first. I’ll be holding them.”
“Oh no! I can’t leave you alone!”
“Hurry! I’m going to let even the suit die!!”
“Ha, but… Without you, I…”

Even Serenity, who had been vehemently rejecting the mention of her child, hesitated.
Is it right to prioritize only your feelings and decide the fate of your child at will?
Serenity, who had fallen into trouble about him, was awakened by my plea.

“Please go. Huh? I’ll come pick you up soon.”
“Huh..! Hehe..”

At this time, I had reached the level of 10 stars.
As much as that, the place I live in is a place that can be seen as a fortress covered with all sorts of magic.
If a place like that was enough to destroy half of the magic defense barrier with a single blow, then their power could be considered enormous.

Serenity stared at my face until the end, shedding tears as if this was the last time.
If I don’t avoid it first, it’s going to be like that forever.
Those thoughts turned my back on Serenity to the point where I wondered if I was the same now.

“You know the way to escape, so there’s no problem…”

Even in the middle of my memory, I saw him checking the escape route from time to time.
I couldn’t figure out where it was connected, but if I used the magic circle full of mana stones, I’d probably be able to send it to a very distant place.

While I was thinking about that, I reached right in front of the magic barrier, and whether the timing was good or bad, the barrier cracked and eventually broke.

And what turned out…

“Ha.. I really… I can’t keep my promise.”
“Whoops.. Is that so? That’s too bad.”

A long golden staff and a stuffed toy with stitches placed on either side of the shoulder.
A man in the shape of a clown, who was also funny, was there.

When I look around, I see terrible figures.
On one side Jack the gardener was hacking up his son with a knife, and on the other side my servant Emma, ​​who had recently been married, was strangling her husband.

Haha! Isn’t that an interesting sight? Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot. But it’s a farce when you look at it up close. I really enjoy it.”
“Who are you.”

Someone might say what are you doing without attacking right now.
But I was able to know, the me of this world too.
That the man in front of me is a formidable magician who has reached the fantasy level of 12 stars.
When I asked the question, the man smiled with his eyes widened like crescent moons and introduced himself with the courtesy of a gentleman.

“Hello. My name is Kayuran, the former apostle of the Church of Destruction. Huhu.. Nice to meet you.”
“…”
“Aha! You seem to be curious about what the Guardian Church is doing.”

I didn’t say anything, but Kayuran giggled knowing what I was thinking.
As if this current situation was nothing but a game, the guy with a relaxed attitude explained slowly.

“The Guardian Church is currently busy playing with my soldiers. The Guardian Goddess is playing with her death properly. Haha! Don’t you think I’m too kind? If there’s anything you’d like to ask, tell me more.”

Even after hearing that, I tried to escape by using space magic.
The mana was instantly arranged in a formula and began to devour the body.

But..

“Please stop.”

With one simple word, the mana faded and the magic was canceled.
No, me I in this world deliberately stopped magic.
As she turns her eyes around Kay Yu-ran, she sees her stroking the doll on his shoulder.

Upon closer inspection, the faceless doll turned into me, like a cursed doll.
The doll with black eyes and black hair swayed helplessly at Kayuran’s gestures.

“I can’t just let it go. Haha! Do you have any last words?”
“…Why are you pursuing me so persistently? I did not pretend to be with you guys.”

Kay Yu-ran widened her eyes as if surprised at the question, which even mixed with her injustice, then lifted the corner of her mouth and smiled.

“Kuh-kuh-kuh.. I see. You know nothing. Hmm.. Where should I start explaining?”

They talked about everything as if there was no meaning to any variable as long as they came.
Even the fact that I have the power of immortality and that I am a god who fought against the Apocalypse in the distant past.

“I was… A god? Is that why?”
“Of course. Because immortality is such a nuisance.
“…Do you think it will work out as you like?”
“Of course. Die.”

Doo kung!

“Keugh..! Zenjaaang!”

One word that is not a big deal that anyone can say.
My body reacted immediately to that one word.
The heart beats like it’s going to explode, telling you something’s wrong with your body.
I can’t breathe, and the whole world has become an enemy, and I’ve been putting pressure on my soul to crush it.

Even so, how could she hold on, Kay Yu-ran came forward and held out her doll.

“You are holding up well. Huhuhu.. It seems that the words that he was a god were true.”

Pooh-!

Kayuran didn’t waste any more time there.
Without mercy, she pierced her doll’s heart with an awl, and at the same time a huge hole was pierced right in the middle of my heart.

“Kuheuuu..!”

As a result, blood fountains came out of my mouth, and at the same time, my body began to freeze with the exhaustion of vitality.

“Whoops.. This time, I will definitely kill you without even leaving your soul behind.”

When Kay Yu-ran and her eyes meet, the thrill rises like a thunderbolt.
He was staring right into my soul, just like I once did.

‘It’s like fucking shit..’

Clearly I was only peeping at memories, but that gaze gave me goosebumps.
It’s to the point where I wonder if even the soul will really disappear after staying with this body like this.
The moment when the approaching hand eats up your vision and is about to be completely captured by the darkness.

[Stop!!]

A gray pillar of light hit Kayuran with a familiar soft voice.

Kwaaang-!

“This..! You are already here.”

[Get off now!]

“Haha! It’s already too late. Since the curse has permeated even the soul, it will not stop dying. I’ll just go for it.”

After Kayuran disappeared, a woman appeared in the blurred vision.
A woman dressed in an oriental-style dress that was walking in the sky gave an impression that she was beautiful even though her face was not properly imaged.
The crackling shape, as if it would disappear at any moment, is at stake.

[Sorry.. I’m late.]

“…”

Almost all of my vitality had already drained out, and I had no strength left to speak.
He just moved his eyes and pointed to the place where Serenity and Stra would be.
Seeing that gaze, the woman nodded her head.

[Don’t worry. I will keep your wife and child safe. But… For now, it’s you first.]

As the woman said, she immediately began to radiate her tremendous energy.
The gray divine power that enveloped her whole body was compressed to such an extent that it gave off her dazzling brilliance.

But she, on the contrary, my vision gradually fell into darkness.
My consciousness faded again after the guilt-laden hand stroked my hair.

And..

─Break it!

Opening my eyes, I muttered while rubbing my wet face.

“What..? I.. Why are you crying?”