EPILOGUE 2
The First Siblings in the World
Imperial territory, border checkpoint.
Dozens of cars were lined up and stopped in front of the entry checkpoint.
The station separated the Empire from the outside world. The Imperial forces were permanently stationed in the location, as was a large astral energy detector.
The detector was currently blaring in a way it never had before, continually warning of a powerful witch’s approach. It continued for ten seconds… Then for minutes… Yet there was no sign of any Imperial soldiers rushing to the machine.
“So they’ve withdrawn. The best decision they could have made.”
The safety inspection area was up in flames. A man in black watched, looking up at the crumbling walls as he muttered to himself.
The Black Steel Gladiator, Crossweil. He was the former first seat of the Saint Disciples, Iska’s teacher, and the former possessor of the astral swords. He walked ahead toward a depression about ten meters wide.
“She’s in a bad mood after being woken up. She hasn’t changed in the last hundred years.”
The cavity was the aftermath of a direct missile, sent by a lone witch in place of a greeting. Faced with her power, the permanently stationed forces had no choice but to retreat.
That had been the right choice. Had they faced her with all the weapons and personnel they had on hand, they still would not have been a match for her.
“She’s the strongest and most barbaric woman in the world, after all. I’d actually rather not see her, either. I’m far from perfect condition. And even if that weren’t the case…huh!”
His eyes opened wide. His heart sunk in his chest. Crossweil gritted his teeth as he felt a sensation like the very marrow in his bones were burning from the inside out.
“Tsk…this is why…”
The incidents of rejection were starting to get worse. The astral power in his body feared the thing that was awakening within the planet’s core. That was what Yunmelngen had told him.
“The Eight Great Apostles…” They were the supreme authority who ruled the Empire behind the scenes. “They’ve seen the condition I’m in and think that stuff is still wonderful…”
It had happened a century ago. The Planet’s Navel had released two things from its eruption. One was astral power. The other was a calamity that had slept in the planet’s core. That was what they sought, an astral power that would transcend astral power itself.
“After seeing me…they still think that calamity is the ideal power to have?”
It wasn’t something that could be controlled. Yunmelngen’s transformation had resulted from making contact with that calamity and being unable to adapt, resulting in rejection. He hadn’t realized it until after finding the astral swords.
No astral mage could fight against the Great Planetary Calamity in the planet’s core. He was no exception. Even with the astral swords, he had realized he couldn’t have done it as long as he was the wielder of the swords.
That was why…
In order to fight the calamity, he had searched for a person who wasn’t an astral mage.
He had continued on in his search ever since his sister Alicerose’s death and his fight with Eve.
“Iska.”
That idiot disciple. Did Iska still remember what he had told him?
“Iska, you’re the last of the candidates I brought with me. I’ll be direct, you are…”
“Y-yes, master?!”
“You had the least potential.”
“You could stand to be a little less direct!”
“You were the most similar to me. That’s why I thought you had the least potential.”
But partway through, he changed his mind.
If he were to choose a successor, he had wondered who Alicerose would have been happiest with. Only Iska had come to mind.
The talent he wanted in his successor was stupidity.
For example…
He needed someone with endless optimism who would genuinely believe it possible for the Empire and Sovereignty to be at peace.
He needed someone so dedicated to maintaining peace that they would attempt to release an imprisoned witch despite being an Imperial.
“Knock it off, everyone!”
“Please, listen to me. No one wants this war!”
A century ago…
Had an Imperial soldier like Iska been on the battlefield, the future might have been different. Instead of pointing guns at them, perhaps he would have offered a hand. That was why he had picked Iska.
…I’m sure you’d be smiling, Alice.
…That there’s still someone like him in the Empire. Even you would feel reassured if it’s him.
It made him want to make that bet. It made him want to entrust his swords to this Imperial.
“Don’t you forget, Iska. Your enemy isn’t the astral mages or the Sovereignty. Your true enemy to challenge is—”
There was something that couldn’t be defeated without the astral swords. In this planet’s core.
“That’s why this is my role here.”
He looked up at the sky. In the all-engulfing, deep blue sky, he saw one black splotch. That was a dark-skinned girl.
“…”
The Founder Nebulis. Her many golden locks of hair fluttered in the wind as she, the sister he had parted from in a fight, looked down upon him.
“You’ve aged, Crow.”
“I prefer ‘matured.’”
It had been a hundred years. After fusing with the astral power, Eve still looked like a young girl. Crossweil’s less potent fusion had allowed time to slowly chisel away at him.
“Crow… So you’re planning on doing it again.” The Founder’s eyes glinted with dangerous intent, and her voice was filled with wrath. “Do you plan to stand in my way?”
“I’d like a chat.”
“……What?”
She raised an eyebrow. After waiting for some time, Crossweil continued.
“It’s been a while since we’ve spoken. What do you say we have a nice brother-sister chat, without anyone getting in our way?”
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