Book 1 Chapter 1024
1024.
Late at night.
[…….]
Luna gazed at the countless magic formulas unfolding before her eyes.
‘Why?’
[No, I'm just a little surprised.]
The reconstruction of the magic to go back to the past happened faster than Luna had anticipated.
A very short time, just one day.
She had thought it would take several days, but the result far exceeded her expectations.
Luna's gaze turned to Seirun, who wore a tense expression.
“So… how is it?”
Seirun asked with a nervous face.
The young Luna read the grimoire that Seirun had completed and brought.
The grimoire was full of magic formulas so difficult that just looking at them made one's head spin.
‘It’s messy.’
The magic formulas were very messy, but not impossible to understand.
Even if she was young, Luna was Luna.
Even if she didn’t fully understand them, she could complete this magic if given enough time.
Of course…
‘My future self would be able to complete it right away.’
The young Luna was certain of that.
[This is enough to materialize the magic.]
“She says the magic can be materialized sufficiently.”
At those words, Seirun let out a sigh of relief.
Looking at Seirun, the young Luna wore an incomprehensible expression.
“Why aren’t you prouder?”
“Pardon?”
“You created the magic to go back to the past.”
It was Luna who completed the magic to go back to the past.
But it was Seirun, not anyone else, who laid the foundation for it.
Yet, Seirun showed no sign of pride or satisfaction.
Seeing Luna, who looked perplexed in her youth, Seirun smiled bitterly.
“Because it’s not the magic I created.”
There were foundational magic formulas.
And talented mages, including Luna, all rushed to interpret those magic formulas.
“I merely combined the results that were created.”
Seirun smiled wryly.
“And I even used all sorts of tricks because I couldn’t combine them properly.”
It was as she said.
Seirun combined the formulas interpreted by the mages, led by Luna, and created the framework for the magic.
But that wasn't enough, so she forcibly wove the formulas together to make the magic materialize.
Indeed, the activation conditions for the time-travel magic that Seirun had structured were extremely strict.
‘Humans in the current timeline cannot travel through time.’
The condition was that only beings with a singularity of a twisted timeline could cross the gate.
In fact, it was a magic whose activation was almost impossible.
‘Moreover, she couldn’t even properly complete that magic.’
It was impossible for Seirun's abilities to perfectly combine the formulas.
Ultimately, it was Luna who completed the formulas.
At Seirun's words, the young Luna looked at herself and asked.
‘Isn’t that amazing enough?’
[It’s amazing enough. This child is a genius too.]
‘But why are you so down?’
[Hmph. Because the one being compared is me.]
Seeing her future self puffing out her chest, the young Luna sighed softly.
[Well, the problem is that Seirun wants to be like me in the first place.]
‘Is that bad? It’s not wrong, is it?’
The young Luna looked puzzled.
Luna Rubinerus, the progenitor of the nebula, was the greatest archmage in this world.
Every mage respected her and wished to emulate her.
That was by no means a bad thing.
[No, it’s not wrong.]
Luna smiled bitterly.
[But it’s not good for a mage of Seirun’s caliber to be excessively obsessed with a particular mage.]
‘Why?’
[Because she loses faith in herself.]
Luna sighed deeply, looking at Seirun.
[In the first place, what they're good at is different.]
Luna was a mage skilled at creating something from nothing.
No mage could surpass Luna in creating magic that didn’t exist.
And sadly, Seirun lacked the talent to create something from nothing.
Instead, Seirun had a special ability to make existing things shine even brighter.
[In that regard, Seirun is far superior to me.]
The ability to create something new and the ability to refine something existing are distinctly different.
To the extent that one cannot determine which is superior.
After a moment of looking at her junior, Luna vigorously thumped her chest.
[Ugh! It’s frustrating! If I had a body, I would have beaten her senseless to make her snap out of it!]
‘Should I hit her instead?’
[It’s meaningless if she doesn’t realize it herself.]
Luna clicked her tongue.
Just then.
Leo, who had been observing the situation, spoke.
“Time is urgent. If the magic is complete, can you tell exactly which timeline we went to?”
Seirun nodded at Leo's question.
“Yes. Although the fragment of Erebus left Rena in this timeline, Rena's magic returning to the future and Erebus's magic going to the past are connected. If we reverse time, we’ll naturally be able to follow them to that timeline.”
“Really? Then can we use the magic right away?”
“We can, but only you, I, Seirun, and Rena will be able to go to the past.”
Seirun, Luna, and Rena were beings whose timelines were twisted from the start.
And in Leo's case, a reincarnated soul.
Even though he was living in the present, he was a being with a twisted timeline where past and present coexisted.
“It’s a shame we can’t bring more forces.”
They were in a situation where they had to fight a fragment of Erebus.
It was a regrettable situation even if they brought as many forces as possible.
But there was a clear restriction.
‘Is that still a relief, at least?’
Luna and Rena might not be of much help in direct combat right now, but with Seirun, it might be manageable.
Leo sighed and said to Seirun.
“Let’s go immediately. Call Rena.”
***
“I told you not to come, so why did you come?”
Elena replied to Leo’s question.
“Leo, you’re really heartless. We came to see Rena off since she’s going back to her original timeline.”
“Aren’t all memories forgotten once she leaves this timeline anyway?”
When Leo tapped Rena’s head and said that, Elena clicked her tongue.
“Wow, he’s really cold. This human.”
Meanwhile, Eiran was handing Rena a huge bag.
“Rena, this is full of emergency rations and food, so make sure you eat it.”
“No… I can’t eat this much.”
“You’re still in your growth spurt. You have to eat it all.”
“I’d like to follow you if I could… but we can’t.”
Chen Sia made a regretful expression.
Chloe, who was watching from a distance with Lunia, asked.
“Why are they so concerned about that child from the future?”
By then, Rena was receiving something from Lil and Chelsea.
Lunia hesitated at the question, then replied.
“She’s Leo’s granddaughter from the future.”
“What?!”
Chloe, who belatedly learned Rena’s identity, looked utterly surprised.
“W-with whom?”
“I don’t know that.”
Chloe stared blankly, watching Lunia shake her head.
Just then, Rena approached Lunia.
“What is it?”
Rena held out her hand.
“Aren’t you going to give me pocket money, Lunia?”
“…Are you extorting me?”
Lunia, though looking dumbfounded, took out a top-grade potion and handed it to her.
“Ah, I haven’t prepared anything to give…”
As Chloe panicked and fumbled through her belongings,
Rena looked at Chloe and smiled bitterly.
“I’m sorry, Chloe. Because of my inadequacy, the magic you created was misused.”
“…”
Chloe, who had paused at her words, soon shook her head.
“No. It’s wrong to misuse magic. So don’t worry about it.”
“…Yes.”
Rena nodded at Chloe’s words.
“Rena. Preparations are complete.”
Just then, Melina approached.
Rena often followed behind Melina.
Meanwhile, Seirun activated the time magic.
As the gate before their eyes was completed, Leo said.
“I’ll be back.”
Leaving those words behind, Leo entered the gate without hesitation.
Luna and Seirun followed behind him.
“Hey, Rena.”
As Rena was about to go last, Elena called out to stop her.
It was unknown how memories would change, but it was clear that memories of Rena would disappear.
Elena asked with a genuinely curious face.
“So, whose granddaughter are you?”
“Whose granddaughter, you ask?”
Rena stuck out her tongue, looking at those who were dying of curiosity.
“I’m the granddaughter of a rare scoundrel.”
Leaving those words, Rena entered the gate.
***
As the bright light faded from his vision, Leo regained his senses and immediately grabbed the face of the person in front of him.
Grab—!
“Hieek?!”
Leo’s eyes twitched at the elf woman’s instinctive scream.
‘Berkia?’
The aura the elf woman was emitting resembled Berki’s aura.
At that moment.
“Annelie?!”
Seirun, who was beside Leo, called out that name in a surprised voice.
“Seirun!”
Annelie wore a bright expression.
“You knew it was dangerous and came to help!”
“Uh, uhm… yes.”
“Listen! It’s an emergency! King Jiam, who was subjugated, and his legion have resurrected! The Necromancer King must have used a new trick!”
“What?!”
Seirun’s face hardened.
She quickly looked around.
Scanning the surrounding terrain, Seirun spotted a distant fortress.
Looking at the fortress’s shape, Seirun identified its location.
‘The gate protected by Rodia. And Annelie being alive means… we’re right before we go to subjugate Erebus.’
Seirun, who had even grasped the timeline, was aghast.
“How on earth did King Jiam resurrect?! No! More importantly, why are you alone on such a dangerous frontline?”
“I wasn’t alone. The knights who came out to intercept were in danger, so I stayed behind to buy them time to retreat!”
“There’s a limit to how reckless you can be!”
“I thought I could somehow get out alone…”
“Even so! What is Rodia doing?! Entrusting you with such a dangerous operation!”
“Rodia is fighting an unknown demon. This was my judgment.”
Annelie wore a serious expression, and just as Seirun was about to get angry about it.
Demons surged up through the ground.
At the sudden attack of the demons, Annelie and Seirun prepared to counterattack.
Flash—!
But a swirling gray aura was far faster than the two of them.
Thunk—! Splat—!
The heads of the high-ranking demons that had surged from the ground flew off simultaneously.
Seeing this, Annelie’s eyes widened.
“Wow! It’s like Lumern!”
Annelie admired the swordplay, reminiscent of Lumern, the Knight of Twilight.
“It’s not like Lumern; Lumern is like me.”
“Is that important right now?”
Seirun looked dumbfounded at Leo’s words.
Leo chuckled and asked, looking at the bleeding demons.
“By the way, what are these things?”
It was Annelie who answered that question instead.
“They are subordinates of King Jiam, Zicris!”
“King Jiam? What’s that?”
“Pardon? You don’t know King Jiam Zicris?”
“No.”
Annelie forgot the situation and looked blank.
“The legion commander who was ranked 4th in Tartarus, after the Necromancer King, the Monster Queen, and the Giant King! A dangerous demon that suddenly pops out from underground to attack!”
“Underground? What, is it a mole bastard?”
“…”
Annelie's mouth gaped at Leo’s reply.
Wham—!
Turning his back on Annelie, Leo slammed his palm into the ground.
Spiritual power and magic power began to surge from Leo’s body.
Seeing that, Luna said.
[Let’s get away. As far as possible.]
“She says to get away.”
Seirun flinched at Luna’s words and pulled Luna and Rena with both hands.
“Annelie! Get on my back!”
“Huh?”
Annelie, who had been flustered by the words, got on Seirun’s back.
At the same time Seirun used spatial magic.
Flash! Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gang!
Giant lava began to surge from the ground where Leo had been standing.
He had summoned a large amount of fire spirits underground and then simultaneously detonated them with an explosion spell.
—Groooowwwwl!
A moment later, with a pained roar from a demon, something massive shot up into the sky.
An appearance that would make anyone tremble with fear just by looking at it.
Seeing the giant centipede, Leo smiled chillingly.
“I thought it was a mole, but it was a bug?”