Book 12 Chapter 28

Side Story Part 2, Episode 21

The Child Who Weaves Hearts (21)

It was in the year 1453 of the Tersia calendar that Mir made her debut as the Mirngadia of Cheongseong.

At this time, five years had passed since Nen had passed the Limites (2-star) exam.

Grandfather Skalzi Ludwig closed his eyes that spring, and Nen was so deeply saddened by his death that a somber shadow hung over the first half of the year.

However, Rain definitely had to inform Nen about such deaths.

"Nen, you will… send off many people before you in the future."

For the Dragon race, who live eternally, mortal beings are granted an extremely short lifespan.

The speed of life is different.

Nen possessed a human heart and human frailty, yet her vessel held the contradiction of immortality.

"Just as animals, no matter how lovingly raised by humans, fleetingly depart first, so too will humans be to you."

From this death, Nen had to learn about the severance of ties that mortal beings must face.

Rain and Miria were no exception to such partings.

On the contrary, Rain and Miria knew better than anyone what sorrow and solitude such severances brought, so they had to teach her well this time.

"Then, must I always… hurt like this? I don't want that."

Nen's manner of speaking had matured now. Perhaps the existence of her younger sibling had been a catalyst.

Or perhaps her training in magic and swordsmanship had matured both her body and mind.

Rain gently caressed Nen's sorrow and replied.

"Just because it hurts, don't think about not forming any bonds."

"It hurts too much, too much…"

"You will certainly live for an unimaginably long time. I don't know how many partings you will have to experience. But remember this. I had a quite long time being alone… but Nen, you will never be alone."

Because Aki and Mir will always be by your side.

Until that very last day…

Each will support the other's mission and heart.

"So don't worry too much."

It was during such a time that Mir's visit took place, so everyone couldn't help but welcome her.

Aki had become so busy with the arduous work of leading the Red Pilgrims that she hadn't visited for the past few years.

He sometimes wondered if he should have told her not to create such an organization if he had known this would happen, but it wasn't right to hinder his daughter's dream.

Alakish would also be pleased with this direction.

Nen acquired the rank of Atlas (3-star) under Rain's assessment.

From Atlas onward, strict personnel limits were enforced, so he deemed it inappropriate for Nen to participate in that competition.

He did not want a future where Nen would be subjected to envy, accused of abusing the power of the dragon race to seize positions of honor.

"Father, I have arrived. It has been 8 years since then."

Mir, her education from the Water Dragon at the World Tree complete, reappeared with the dignified air of adulthood.

A serene presence.

Mir, the only one among the Three Divine Dragons to inherit the power of a divine dragon, seemed like a being from an entirely different world, having inherited the presence of the Water Dragon Yeriserika herself.

"Mir? Are you really Mir?"

Even her dictionary-like manner of speech had been completely corrected, so while he was proud of her grown-up appearance, he also felt a pang of regret that he could no longer see her cute self.

"Mir! Mir Mir! Mir Mir Mir Mir Mir!"

Nen, almost leaping at the reunion with her younger sibling.

No, even though she now had an appearance that bordered between adolescence and youth…

She joyfully skipped around like a young girl, genuinely happy.

"I really dislike that nickname, but I can't deny that I missed it deep down."

Mir's height had already become comparable to Rain's.

Naturally, she was much taller than the current Nen, and as a true dragon who had congenitally received two yeouiju, and now having received a divine dragon's yeouiju on top of that, she would surely grow even taller.

Ellaham and Seire were scared, finding Mir unfamiliar after a long time, but Rain, Miria, and Nen's joy was impossible to describe.

"Father, you once showed me the dawn and asked me, didn't you? What I wanted to achieve with this knowledge."

As Mir placed her hand on her chest and offered a serene smile, it seemed as if nature itself was singing. The forest swayed pleasantly, and flowers bloomed in variegated patterns.

"The dawn I saw then, I wish to spread its light across all lands. I will show the dawn that Father showed me to all the people of this world."

What Mir chose to spread that dawn was the creation of a language.

The language previously used was a simplified version of the language of <Those Who Came> and the Dragonic tongue.

He had previously heard from the Radiant Dragon that this language was chosen to disrupt observations from outside the universe.

This language was a barrier of status.

Those whom <Those Who Came> had granted titles, with the meaning "to serve and teach," solidified their dominance through this language and were unwilling to share the light of that knowledge.

Barricaded by language, the sad could not weep freely, and the joyful could not laugh together.

Even in the republic, knowledge was inherited as sustenance for power, dividing the wealthy and the poor.

Although people learned the language through basic education, they did not master it completely.

During this period, the ability to handle writing directly led to power.

Mir declared her intention to confront and break through the core of that social conflict.

It was something Rain had never even conceived of.

"It is a language that can be learned simply by writing it down as it sounds. It can represent all everyday language, making it easy to learn and easy to share, so we expect illiteracy to be completely eradicated within five years of its promulgation."

Mir revealed to her family the language she had conceived and dreamed of during her studies at the World Tree.

When Mir spoke about something, she resembled Rin, who used to excitedly talk about mathematics.

Miria silently chuckled, seeing Rin overlaid on Mir's face, and then silently swallowed her sorrow.

"The name of this language is Wern. It was named Wern Language to bestow upon the very concept of language the mission of illuminating the dawn."

Rain gazed blankly at the results of Mir's extensive and consolidated research, thinking.

'If Nen had resembled me…'

Mir resembled Rin.

If Rin, with her cool and collected nature, had been beautifully refined, she might have become like that.

Thureina, who had wished to resemble everything about Rin during her apprenticeship, felt her eyes well up, as if that wish had been expressed through Mir's "resemblance."

"However, to realize this ambition, I need Father's help. I do not yet have influence, but you do, Father. If you help me just this once, I will independently pursue my goals in the future, based on the standing I build through the Wern Language."

Rain clearly understood what Mir was saying.

It would mean asking him to appease the backlash from the vested interests. It wouldn't end with appeasement; he also had to encourage everyone to learn it.

Rain instinctively knew that the time had come for him to return to the world.

'Anyway, I was already planning to wrap up my life here to pave the way for hyper-dimensional research… and it would be good for Ellaham and Seire to receive formal education to properly develop their social skills.'

The main areas of activity would likely be the headquarters of the Mage Alliance, <Delaiten>, or the Papal Court.

This is because hyper-dimensional books are all forbidden, and only these three places handle them all.

Rain returned to the magic world in his mid-40s, and after just one year of transition, he took over the leadership position from the Archmage Krysta Aijin.

'To fully support Mir, it would be good to build a more solid foundation of support.'

For seven years from that point, Rain began to codify the magical theories he had established himself during the process of educating Nen.

Attribute Theory.

Elemental Theory.

Borrowing the appraisal of later generations, this was "truly a baptism of wisdom, allowing even ordinary people to easily understand the common sense of a genius."

It was truly spring for the magic world, as people worldwide could learn mathematics and magic several times more easily than before.

From this period onwards, the professions of mages became specialized, with the emergence of mages who professionally handled multiple elements.

Pseudoluminics.

Among them, the field of study considered the most outstanding invention was this, literally "false light."

Magic originally had no light attribute; it was only upon reaching the 7th star that all attributes could be integrated to create this light… and he had established that as a theory!

The original intention of the invention, however, was to give Nen, who loved light, the gift of being able to control that light with magic.

Finally, hyper-dimensional geometry.

It is a field of study established to measure the breadth of the universe, from 3D to 4D.

This was secretly passed down only to Nen, and a few disciples also came to learn it.

To fully document the influence this field of study wielded until the final era, several books would not be enough.

* * *

"Everyone has gathered."

Yonghyeon, Rain Ludwig, summoned the leaders of all nations with established social hierarchies to the Papal Court plaza.

His age had now surpassed his 50s, and his majesty was so great that no one dared to point out that his manner of speech had changed to one suitable for addressing inferiors.

Rain inquired about the progress of magic, and the leaders of each nation offered praise, stating that the quality of mages had improved severalfold thanks to Yonghyeon's scholarship.

"It can truly be called a baptism of knowledge. All the world praises Yonghyeon's great achievement."

Yonghyeon waved his hand, dismissing the flattery.

"If this is true for mages, who are originally the intellectual class, what if ordinary commoners also receive this baptism of knowledge?"

"…?"

"I intend to promulgate a language. Since it is a language that anyone can easily learn, illiteracy will be eradicated in a short period. You, too, will benefit from it in all aspects of administration. Strive for education in each of your territories."

The nobles of each nation began to stir. The dissemination of a new script—it sounded utterly absurd.

"Your Excellency Yonghyeon, the script we currently use… embodies respect for <Those Who Came> and the Dragon race. How can we preserve that respect if it's merely a language written as it sounds?"

Then Yonghyeon laughed.

It was a benevolent yet cold laugh.

"Respect? You claim to respect <Those Who Came>, yet why do you not strive to emulate their lives?"

"…?"

"<Those Who Came> and the Dragon race bestowed light without cost. And they commanded you nobles to share that light."

"…!"

"But instead of sharing that light, you enjoyed it as your own culture, causing the spirit of <Those Who Came> to vanish, leaving only malpractices. Where in this phenomenon is there any respect?"

Just as someone was about to speak, Yonghyeon looked at the royal who had initially offered flattery on behalf of everyone.

"All the world praises my great achievement? How can that possibly be true? The common people have no voice now! You, the vested interests, have taken everything, down to the last handful, so they can express neither sorrow nor pain, nor joy! Be ashamed!"

"Your, Your Excellency!"

"I will implement this language education starting from the territories of the Ludwig family, whose head I am. I will give you five years, but for any place that fails to properly implement this education during those five years, I will strictly hold them accountable, regardless of their status."

Yonghyeon knew well.

That he could never suppress the vested interests with mere threats like this.

That is why Mir also sought help from Yonghyeon, not the Papal Court.

It was no exaggeration to say that these seven years of effort had been accumulated precisely for this moment.

Yonghyeon's promulgation of the language received active support from the mages, who were the highest intellectual class at the time.

For mages, Yonghyeon was already the most respected figure, and they had to repay him for the baptism of knowledge he had recently bestowed without cost.

As the highest intellectuals took the lead in language education, the speed at which the new language was distributed and took root was even faster than Mir had anticipated.

"Father, you always far exceed my expectations."

Mir said.

As the architect of the language creation was revealed, she became famous by the moniker Cheongseong (Clear Voice).

Her mystifyingly serene presence, the debut of Cheongseong's Mirngadia, was a success.

"No, all I could do was give you a push."

Cheongseong Mirngadia approached Yonghyeon's chair, where he was gazing down at the Elanor Great River.

And she held Yonghyeon's wrinkled arm with her long, pristine white fingers.

The difference in texture between the wrinkled hand and the unwrinkled hand felt like a vast and firm boundary between mortality and immortality, and a deadline for their parting, causing both father and son to swallow their respective tears.

"Mir, Black Sun Karenden said that the final time is coming."

"The Water Dragon also said so. She said I must observe the future in her stead and guide the world on the right path."

"If I had met you during a time when the final age had passed… when there was no distinction between this world and the next… when everyone lived in paradise… then there would have been no need to prepare for such a parting…"

Cheongseong felt the weeping quality seeping into Yonghyeon's voice.

Cheongseong realized then that her duty was not to cry with him, but to comfort his tears.

Cheongseong tightened her grip on Yonghyeon's hand and spoke.

"Don't worry, Father. I will surely lead this world into the final era."

"…!"

"And by transcending that era, I will ensure that future generations live in a world where there is no pain of parting, only the joy of meeting. We could not enjoy it, but then, they surely will."

Yonghyeon suppressed his sorrow and rested his head on Cheongseong's head.

For a long time, the father and son thus supported each other's weight and shared warmth.

Cheongseong Mirngadia, in later days, until the day she completed all the missions she had promised Yonghyeon and ascended to paradise beyond the skies… cherished and remembered the weight and warmth of this day as a treasure more precious than anything else.