Book 11 Chapter 21

Episode 1 of the Side Story.

The Forgotten War, the Extermination of the Spider Lord (1)

It is forbidden to speak or write about the Lord of the Abyss.

For the fearful whispers about the Lord become its power, ultimately leading to cracks in the seal.

Therefore, all history books, by my command, summarize this story into one or two sentences, but…

I wish to record the truth here now.

Someday, in a distant era.

Because a day will come when even stories like this will be needed.

* * *

On the way back to the imperial capital from Harbadonia, I sometimes had dreams.

No, to be honest, I had 'that dream' often, very often.

The dream was darkness, despair, madness, and the abyss.

Volcanic ash and blizzards sweeping from north and south, covering the world.

In the blizzard, heaven and earth are strangely distorted, and in the volcanic ash, all things melt eerily.

And.

At the feet of the beings who dominate the frozen polar permafrost and the burning tropical volcanic ash… I see children who died in agony.

Aki.

Nen.

Mir.

My children shriek and groan, and when I scream in helplessness, unable to do anything, the dream vanishes as if fleeing.

When the dream ended, fever raged through my body, and my limbs ached as if they would fall off.

Is it just a nightmare? No, it has too much continuity to be just that.

But a premonitory dream…

That can't be. I couldn't possibly have that kind of ability.

"Rain, are you alright?"

"Your condition has been strange since you returned from the North. Are you perhaps afflicted with the plague?"

My long-unseen, dear classmates, Lilian Karain and Logan, approached me with concern.

I feigned a calm smile, but I couldn't hide my pale complexion and haggard face.

In the hallway leading to the War Council chamber, I finally had to sigh honestly.

"I wish I knew what I should be doing right now."

"You should attend the War Council. As the Minister of Magic."

"That's not what I mean…"

It must have been a joke to try and ease the tension.

Seeing that I couldn't even answer that seriously, I realized how little composure I had left.

Everyone from the Ministry of Imperial Affairs, as well as key figures from each military department, attended the War Council.

A special individual, whom one would never see in peacetime, was Kirian Wolf Blado, the leader of the White Wolves.

"We have gathered information from the reconnaissance teams sent to various regions. Not only the Necrakne but also the ancient ones have awakened, filling the snowy plains. 5 out of 10 reconnaissance teams are missing. This is worse than when the White Lord awakened before. There is a being commanding them."

The chamber became boisterous.

Anxiety permeated the murmuring voices.

"General Commander, how long can the <Snow Spirit Fortress> hold?"

"The <Snow Spirit Fortress> was built to defend against the undead and the ancient ones. But if an ancient noble awakens… I cannot give you a definitive answer."

"But what is there to worry about? We have Yonghyun, don't we?"

Respectful gazes turned towards me, and sighs of relief emanated from various places.

"With the power of Yonghyun, one of the three great Sages, I believe it would not be difficult to reinforce the seals of the gods."

Can I do it, I asked myself.

Perhaps the reason I was given this power was to tend to the seals at this very moment.

But is that all? Really? I cautiously opened my mouth.

"I believe there must be a reason why I possess such power."

"…?"

"It is not yet clear to me… That is why I feel I must meet with His Holiness the Water Dragon."

Confusion flickered in the eyes of the officials. Rem, who had calmly yawned in front of the emperor, spoke.

"So, exactly what do you propose we do?"

"I will go to the Idea Peninsula within a month to meet His Holiness and return."

"Are you saying you'll leave Harbadonia like that for a month? Knowing what might happen?"

I know better than anyone how precarious this judgment is.

How quickly did Shar'kas expand his power when he awakened from his long slumber in his youth?

I know.

I know, but.

I absolutely cannot, by any means, put that judgment into action.

Every time I try to make a rational decision in my head, the contents of 'that dream' come to mind and grip my shoulders.

It's ridiculous.

As one who has faced the truth, I, of all people on this land, should be the most rational, yet I am acting emotionally, like a foolish beast.

"What if the Spider Lord is unsealed during that month?"

Krista Ejin, who was arrogantly dangling her crossed legs beside the throne, spoke.

Setting aside her status as empress, her talent as a sorceress alone had already earned her the qualification to participate in the War Council as a legendary figure of this era.

Unlike Yonghyun, who was considered an anomalous being not of human standards, she was the greatest talented sorceress among 'fellow humans' in the current generation.

Raida was proud of the empress's talent and skill, and as proud as he was, he tried to bring her to every public occasion.

"In that case, I believe Her Majesty the Empress will demonstrate her skill and buy us time."

No matter how much she had matured physically, she was still vulnerable to straightforward compliments.

"Well… hmm, well, yes! I can do that much. Who do you think I am?"

As Krista responded boldly, Emperor Raida laughed heartily and nodded.

"You're as unreasonable and headstrong now as you ever were. Good. I approve."

"Your Majesty! We must prioritize inspecting the seal formations urgently before their power grows further, how can you…"

"But it's only one month. We cannot delay longer than that. I plan to declare martial law and mobilize national forces. You must be in your position."

* * *

What Akirea did for three years in <Fiery Expanse (火焰萬里)> was to grasp the majestic flow of nature.

The scorching sun.

The wall of fire erupting beneath it.

On the high-temperature dunes where the atmosphere was so dry it became thin, he sat cross-legged and explored the grand beginning and end of life.

「We are fire, Akirea. Why do you think that is? How do you think it came to be?」

The ancient flame, Grydaone, occasionally visited the dunes and posed difficult questions.

"Because we breathe fire!"

Grydaone would leave with a faint smile, but Jakan was more solemn in comparison.

「Fire is the beginning of life. Without fire, the world is plunged into darkness. You must become fire. Akirea, do you understand what this means?」

He didn't answer, as he still didn't quite understand.

The Dragonic language was difficult to comprehend, as it was characterized by grand rhetoric and complex forms even when using spoken language.

Thus, it was not a pleasant experience.

Often, he thought of his siblings left behind on distant continents and across the sea.

Are they growing up well?

What would happen if they came all this way, missing him?

Would the True Dragons chase them away, saying he was in training?

「First, you must know yourself. You must look into the origin of your life.」

He felt sorry for his siblings, but his thoughts of his father were numerous and desperate.

Memories of the worlds they had seen together resurfaced vividly, as if they had just happened moments ago.

But it wasn't just due to simple longing… something felt off.

Wasn't there one more person at each of those moments?

'Who is it?'

Fiery red hair, like his own.

Always holding him close during the days of bitter cold, pressing forehead to forehead, and smiling gently…

The form was unclear, yet the presence was so comforting and certain…

'I don't know who it is.'

* * *

The Idea Peninsula, where the elves resided, was indeed a mysterious wonderland.

"Yonghyun Rain Ludwig, the Elder Council has approved your visit. But only you."

There were nine branches among the elven race.

The elves, whose ancestors were the first spirits to aid the gods in the age of gods, possessed extremely high self-esteem.

The firstborn, the elves called themselves that, claiming to be the eldest children of the gods.

"Opening the Tirende sluice gate."

Of course, not all elves were the same.

The white elves, with their noble appearance and skin whiter than milk, were the most numerous, comprising five branches.

The blue elves, who lived by the water, with blue hair and transparent skin, controlled waterways, comprising three branches.

These branches advocated openness and reform, opening numerous special economic zones, and now exerted widespread influence over humanity's political and economic spheres.

In contrast, the dark elves, who occupied the northern part of the Idea Peninsula, steadfastly maintained a closed and mystical stance.

Dark elves.

Guardians of ancient traditions and servants of the World Tree.

In short, for them, who even ostracized other elves, to permit entry was highly unusual.

But since only I was allowed, I transferred from the merchant ship to a dinghy and had to row with telekinesis.

The jungle blocking the way vanished. And a pier woven from fresh greenery like ropes appeared.

Five dark elves, clad in dark green cloaks and carrying recurve bows, waited in front of it.

"My name is Aethelkina. I am the 125th attendant, tasked with guiding you to the World Tree."

The land of the dark elves held the appearance of how humanity would have treated nature with love, not desire.

Mansions were built on trees, and each mansion was connected by suspension bridges.

No structures harming nature were visible, and the elves moved about with animals as their companions.

"I heard you were blessed by the Black Sun, so this child will follow you too."

Could this be the legendary elk?

Much larger than a deer, with three or four-pronged antlers, it displayed formidable power as a guardian of the forest.

I heard that dark elves rode elks instead of horses, and it was true.

"Can I really ride it?"

"Of course. That's why I brought it. Nemetes. It's a very gentle child."

"Really?"

As my eyes sparkled, Aethelkina stroked Nemetes's head and whispered something in Elven.

Then the elk bent its legs. Riding that elk through the sacred forest path was an incredible experience.

I wished Aki and Nen could have come too… That regret remained.

Since there was no proper social infrastructure, it took nine days to walk the forest path to reach Lake Yelanata, where the World Tree was located.

"You are different from other elves."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have that… arrogance unique to other elves. And white elves and blue elves don't use bows, saying they're cowardly, do they?"

Aethelkina, who was setting up a hammock between tree branches for camping, answered with a stoic expression.

"It is blasphemous to stain hands that should serve the gods with blood. We are the priestly branch; such things are not tolerated."

I had many questions, but the atmosphere didn't permit asking many.

It was quite stiff, you see.

The dark elves treated me as one who had faced the truth, and I felt they expected a dignity befitting such a person.

When nine days had passed.

Suddenly, the leafy canopy, which had been scattering sunlight in droplets on the ground, disappeared.

Finally… the forest ended.

Is this a giant clearing?

Is the World Tree ahead? Could I perhaps meet Mir, even for a moment?

As I thought that, I saw the back of a man kneeling in the distance.

Before I could wonder what he was doing, Aethelkina and the other elves knelt on one knee before him, showing respect.

"We have brought the Sage of Dragons."

"You may withdraw now."

The man turned towards me, fluttering the long sleeves of his cassock and clasping his hands together.

The sacred impressiveness of that moment…

Fundamentally different from the colossal beings of the abyss I had encountered so far, yet equally mighty and radiant in presence.

"Is your alias Yonghyun?"

"…?"

"Interesting. The alias the gods bestowed upon me when they anointed me as a Judge was Cheongeun (Azure Grace). Let us verify each other."

Verify?

Before I could even ask what,

the Judge of Azure Grace chanted a divine word, clenching his hands, and at that moment, the power of the gods manifested on this land.

Light.

Countless silver flowers blooming.

The ground, which I had thought was a clearing, was filled with a dazzling, swirling wave of flowers that rushed towards me.

"We, the firstborn, unlike you humans, can wield all the miracles of the gods."

The moment those flowers attempted to bind my ankles, shins, wrists, and entire limbs was fleeting.

"Asura Soul-Shattering Mirror."

A phantom dragon surged through the sky, splitting it. The sacred wave spewed forth from the golden dragon's head.

At the end of that light.

The fiercely fluttering flowers soon lost all their petals and finally fell weakly.

As Asura's other two dragon heads glared at the Judge of Azure Grace, the Judge waved his hand and chuckled.

"Truly remarkable power. That's enough. We've both confirmed who the other is."

What…

I was dumbfounded.

"Can't we just talk?"

"With this one clash, I confirmed you are Yonghyun, and you confirmed I am the Judge of Azure Grace. Isn't this more efficient than a few words of conversation? The abyss is adept at deception."

The Judge of Azure Grace kissed his ring.

It was a gem bluer and clearer than any water in this world. As he kissed it, gentle ripples spread across the gem.

Immediately, the world I had thought was a clearing scattered into light particles. My heart began to pound.

It wasn't a clearing, it was a lakeside.

Then this must be…

A single tree rose beautifully from the lake.

Up close, it was a tree so large it couldn't be encompassed in a single glance. Its leaves rustled regularly, as if the tree was breathing.

Without anyone explaining, I knew instantly from its majesty and delicate form. It was the World Tree.

Crucially, wasn't it imbued with the same energy as Baekchanggung Serwebon? And most of all…

"Mir!"

Sitting on a branch of the World Tree, a pure white child reading an old scroll in ancient dragonic language.

Mirngardia.

Clear eyes trembled amidst pure white eyelashes, then she leaped from the branch.

Though the lake was so vast that the opposite shore couldn't be seen, and its depth was unknown…

Mir seemed to approach with small steps, causing gentle ripples, then suddenly stopped.

"Mir?"

Then she transformed into her dragon form, climbed back onto the branch, and resumed her half-dragon form.

And then again.

As if completely uninterested, or as if greatly annoyed during her reading and moving reluctantly, she descended from the branch and approached.

Her gaze was pointedly fixed on the scroll, but an occasional glance upwards revealed her true feelings.

My child…

Hiding her true feelings…

And so clumsily…

I yearned to hug her tightly, being so adorable, but I thought it best to preserve Mir's dignity, as the Judge of Azure Grace was watching.

To me, she's Mir.

But isn't Mir Mirngardia, the White True Dragon?

Just as the Gwangryongjeonggyo Church was the representative of God to humanity, the White Dragon was the representative of God to the elves.

Look at that. The Judge of Azure Grace immediately knelt on one knee respectfully, didn't he?

So, after barely stifling a laugh with a cough, I exchanged a solemn reunion greeting with Mir.

"I came to see His Holiness Yeriserica, but where did he go?"

Mir shook her head.

And with a snap of her fingers, turtles with pure white shells lined up on the lake surface, opening a path to the World Tree.

A dragon is a being that reigns over all life; there was nothing surprising about it.

Nothing.

Yes, there shouldn't be.

Yet, seeing a facet of her growth in just a month made my chest swell and my shoulders tense for no reason.

Hah, this kid…

My lips are going to split from smiling. What am I going to do?

"Currently in the dream world. If you wish an audience, you must enter the dream world."

"How?"

"There is a method of physically touching the World Tree. Most efficient for humans."

Oh well, who cares?

Shielding the Judge's gaze with my back, I tousled her hair wildly, making it into a bird's nest, after a long time.

"Ungh…" she uttered a short sound under my strong touch, but she was as docile as before we parted.

She even seemed to like it. Since she didn't show her emotions on her face, the truth was beyond.

"Then I'll be back."

I stepped briskly towards the World Tree, treading on the turtles' shells.

The dream world, huh…

After taking a deep breath, as I placed my hand on the trunk of the World Tree, from which a warm breath emanated, Mir's warning was heard.

"Be careful. The dream world is fundamentally the primordial world. If a human mind stays too long, it can become a target of the abyss."

I should have taken that warning seriously then. To not be caught by the King of the Abyss…