Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 16 - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Gerd’s Legacy

Getting out of the carriage in front of a historic-looking mansion, Katou Mana took a look around. Archbishop Gerd Kruger’s home was located fairly close to the grand cathedral. There didn’t seem to be anybody in the area. Harrison’s arrival had been announced beforehand and all people in the area had been cleared out. Gerd had apparently instructed his family to do this in the case of his death. It was likely a means of keeping the truth about the world from being carelessly exposed. Seeing that Gerbera was accompanying the group, this was convenient.

“Okay then, Mana. I’ll wait out here.”

“Yes, please do.”

Mitarai Aoi had followed the group here and was once more made to wait outside. Katou Mana felt guilty about this, but the girl seemed to be firing herself up with a sense of duty.

“Let’s do our best as guards!”

She slammed her fist into her palm and spoke to the knight who’d come along with them. She seemed to be having fun, so Katou Mana decided not to put a damper on her spirits.

Everyone else entered the mansion. Gordon was the one pushing Harrison’s wheelchair. He’d taken command during the marshal’s absence, but had rushed over once he’d heard Harrison would be visiting Gerd’s mansion. Having come here a few times before, Harrison guided the group to Gerd’s private room. This wasn’t where their objective was, though.

“This is a magic tool that Lord Gerd entrusted to me,” Harrison said, pulling out a key. “In the case that he passed away from an unfortunate accident or disease, he left it to me so that his knowledge wasn’t lost. This is the key. As insurance to prevent anyone from coming to steal it, it was set to be impossible to use while Lord Gerd was alive.”

Harrison closed his eyes in grief for a brief moment, then poured his mana into the key.

“Hmm...” Gerbera muttered in admiration. A staircase had suddenly appeared in the floor leading down to the basement. “I see, I see. How impressive. This isn’t simply an illusion hiding a staircase, is it?”

“You can tell?” Harrison said. “Exactly. This magic tool creates the space itself.”

“Is that different from creating another world?” Gerbera asked, narrowing her eyes.

“The fundamental theory is probably the same, but it has nothing to do with the Dimensional Cornerstones. This is a relic of salvation that one of the saviors of the past created. It has extremely limited power, but it’s more than enough to hide top secret documents.”

Just like he said, the staircase was short and led to a tiny room, not some vast world. Turning on the lamp, many books could be seen lining the walls.

“Are these all secret documents?” Rose asked, taking a look around. “If so, it’ll take quite some time to investigate them.”

“It would if we had to read them all,” Harrison said as he directed Gordon to start searching the bookshelves. “But that probably isn’t necessary. Lord Gerd mentioned that the records gathered in this room are compilations of the truth. There should be one that sums up everything for a successor to go through.”

After a short search, Gordon pulled out a book.

“That’s it,” Harrison said, flipping through the pages as he nodded. “This is Lord Gerd’s handwriting. He must’ve been in the middle of it. It looks about eighty percent full.”

Just maybe, Gerd had intended to let Harrison read this once it was done.

“I suppose I’ll have to fill in the rest with my knowledge... For now, let’s check its contents.”

Harrison started reading through the book in his lap. It was relatively thick. Even if he was skimming things he already knew, it would take some time to get through. With that in mind, Katou Mana took a casual look around, then suddenly cocked her head. This was because Rose had suddenly turned to look at the door they’d come through.

“Rose? What’s wrong?” Mana asked.

“Just now...”

Rose had a hand to her heart. Seeing her like that, Katou Mana had an idea why. These two girls had spent so much time together ever since the days Rose had been no more than a featureless mannequin. Now that they were connected by the mental path, it was simple for them to know what the other was thinking.

“Did you sense something?” Mana asked. “Something to do with Majima-senpai?”

Having only recently formed a connection with the mental path, much like Gerbera, Katou Mana wasn’t very good at parsing information from its source. In that regard, Rose had a relatively high affinity with the mental path. Still, considering the extreme distance and the fact that he was in an entirely different world, it was unrealistic that she’d sensed something through it.

“No... It must be my imagination,” Rose said.

“Is that so?”

Katou Mana was a little bothered by this. Rose was extremely dedicated to protecting her master, so it wouldn’t be strange for her to be sensitive to his being in danger. Katou Mana was anxious that something had happened to him.

Using the communication device she had, it was entirely possible to check on his safety. That said, it was possible she would get in the way of their operation, so they’d decided that she would only contact him in an emergency. She contemplated what to do, but didn’t get to act.

“What...?”

She heard a deep groan and looked up. Harrison was frozen, staring at the book in his lap.

“I can’t believe it... But I suppose it’s possible?”

He was mumbling to himself. His eyes scanned over the same page multiple times.

“There’s a precedent. There’s no guarantee he was the only one. I can see that. It also explains my doubts. But if that’s the case, it’s far too...”

“Hey, what’s wrong? Harrison, talk to us,” Gerbera said, irritated by his incomprehensible mumbling.

Harrison finally came back to his senses. He looked up from the book, his expression horribly stiff. His dry lips slowly parted and said one word.

“Conduit.”

“What...?”

“This text speaks of a being named as such.”

His voice was hoarse and had an ominous tone to it. Conduit—this being had a man of Harrison’s caliber trembling.

“It was only ever proposed as a theory,” he continued as everyone looked at him. “The first savior found out about the truth of the world and intervened. He established the world’s current state, so in a sense, you can say he created our world. That is why he is an object of great faith. However, speaking of a Conduit is considered a horrible blasphemy.”

To the people of this world, the first savior was beyond special. It was perfectly natural to deify him. Even those who knew about the truth of the world typically viewed him as special. They’d witnessed the grand enterprise he’d gone through to create the foundation that continued to support the world to this day. Such a way of thinking sometimes narrowed one’s viewpoint, though. Despite possessing peerless ability and having accomplished such a grand endeavor, the first savior had still been no more than a visitor who’d been granted an inherent ability. The one who’d proposed this theory had likely observed the world with utter composure. And thus, they’d come to realize a certain danger.

“Not only did the first savior find out the truth behind this world, he had the power to interfere with it. Rather, it was precisely because he possessed such power that he found the truth. Those who possess such abilities are called Conduits.”

Harrison’s finger slid across the page of the book.

“So, if the first savior is perceived as no more than another visitor—this isn’t necessarily a privilege only he possesses.”

“Meaning there are others who possess the same power?” Katou Mana asked, finding this unbelievable.

Thinking about it carefully, it was certainly possible. Excluding warriors, no two visitors possessed the same ability. However, they could possess very similar ones. For example, in strict terms, Malvina’s husband and the Dragon Jinguuji Tomoya had different abilities; however, they both transformed into dragons. In the same way, it wouldn’t be strange for someone to possess an ability much like the first savior’s that could form a connection to the world itself. If so...

“No way...” Katou Mana gulped. “You mean someone with the disposition to be a Conduit is among the many visitors who’ve appeared in this age?”

Harrison’s story pointed to the possibility. It sounded unlikely, but Katou Mana hadn’t forgotten why they were here in the first place.

“Is that how the person who gave Jinguuji Tomoya information knows about the truth of the world? Is that also why they know where the Dimensional Cornerstones are...?”

They’d come to this secret room to find clues as to how Jinguuji Tomoya had gained information related to the truth of the world. This was the answer. If the one who’d informed Jinguuji Tomoya was a Conduit, it wouldn’t have mattered how well Harrison and Gerd had hidden the truth. After all, they would’ve been able to reach the truth on their own, much like the first savior had. No amount of concealment would’ve made a difference.

Thinking of it like that, the biggest question lingering around this incident could be solved. It could, but... In that case, this was the worst-case scenario. Even Harrison, who possessed power beyond the majority of saviors, had problems manipulating a Dimensional Cornerstone. But if a Conduit possessed the same power as the first savior, it was highly likely they would have full mastery of one. That same Conduit had given Jinguuji Tomoya information about the Dimensional Cornerstones and had sent him into those fabricated worlds. If that hadn’t been a crime committed just to take delight in watching it unfold, this was really, really bad.

“Let’s call Majima-senpai.”

Jinguuji Tomoya and the Conduit were linked. If so, it was possible this Conduit was making their way to the Dimension Door. No—worst case, they were hiding among Jinguuji’s friends. If so, Majima Takahiro had to be informed immediately. With that in mind, Katou Mana didn’t hesitate to pull out the communication device.

◆ ◆ ◆

Katou Mana’s apprehensions that this was the worst-case scenario were perfectly reasonable. For example, the Lord of Darkness Kudou Riku had succeeded in infiltrating the fabricated world by matching his timing with Majima Takahiro’s entry. There was also the fact that the Absolute Blade Hibiya Kouji had slipped in among Jinguuji’s friends. It was more than possible that a Conduit had infiltrated those worlds too. That said, jumping straight to the conclusion, that wasn’t what had happened. It wasn’t what had happened at all. If only that were the case...

After all, that wouldn’t have been the worst-case scenario.

The real worst-case scenario was happening right now. Having made their way through three worlds, they’d reached their destination. Right after thinking they’d cornered the Evil Dragon...

“Huh...?”

Who was it who raised their voice in shock? It’d happened just a few seconds ago. The Evil Dragon’s unbelievable attack had coincidentally pierced one of the crystals that was keeping this castle floating, causing the defense mechanisms to activate. It was a horrible coincidence. That was what everyone in Majima Takahiro’s group believed. However, they’d misunderstood one thing.

Normally, there was no good or bad inherent in coincidence. People simply labeled these instances arbitrarily. It was therefore possible to reverse that label in hindsight. For Majima Takahiro’s group, this was a good coincidence—even if it opened the worst door possible.

“It stopped...?”

The defense mechanism wasn’t moving; nobody was hurt. However, it hadn’t been immobile this whole time. It had started up in an attempt to slaughter everyone in the room and then come to an immediate stop.

“Why...?”

Majima Takahiro muttered in astonishment. Being the only one capable of interfering with the mechanisms of this world, he knew exactly what had happened. Something had interfered with this world’s defense mechanism. Interference from the outside had neutralized the activation of the terrifying and indiscriminate attack.

However, despite being the only one capable of that, Majima Takahiro hadn’t been responsible. His power wouldn’t have stopped it in such a short time. What had interfered was a power tens, or even hundreds, of times more powerful than his. Fear of such an absurd being paralyzed his mind with shock. He spoke the name of the one responsible for this with trembling lips.

“Nakajima...?”

The boy who’d silenced the defense mechanism of this fabricated world looked back down at him with cold eyes.

◆ ◆ ◆

Majima Takahiro’s entire group was completely frozen as they stared up at the boy standing far in the distance. They couldn’t put their thoughts together properly. That only made sense. After all, if what they were thinking was true—everyone here was going to die.

“Senpai...? Senpai? What’s wrong, Senpai?!”

As that went on, Katou Mana’s voice played over the long-distance communication device Majima Takahiro was carrying. She’d come upon a certain possibility while acting independently of the group. She’d discovered that a Conduit—a visitor who had the power to interfere with the world itself—was pulling the strings behind this entire incident.

Nobody had the leisure to respond, though. Without even being given the chance to respond, the signal cut out. It had been forced to. Majima Takahiro had once interfered with Kaneki Mikihiko’s Aerial Knights inside a fabricated world. This had been accomplished far more naturally. The boy who’d done it pushed back his bangs.

“How can this be...?”

Within the perfect silence, his murmur reached everyone’s ears with strange clarity.

“This is the worst.”

There was clear grief in his voice. For some reason, just listening to him had shivers running down everyone’s spines.

“How could the curtain get pulled back in such a boring way?”

Nobody knew what he was grieving over. On the contrary, nobody could figure out what he was even thinking. Why had he instigated Jinguuji? And why had he gotten in Jinguuji’s way? Was his friendly behavior all fake? What was true and what was a lie? Nothing made sense. But that wasn’t the problem right now. Nakajima Kojirou didn’t deny it. That was the important part.

“You’re the mastermind...!”

In that instant, the tables turned utterly and completely.

The hero turned into a calamity.

Hope turned into despair.

Life turned into death.

Everyone tried to do something, but it was useless.

“Haaah... How boring...”

He held up his Sword of Light.

“It’s over. It’s all over.”

The inversion of their valiant leader into a conniving villain did nothing to diminish the truth of his power. This was the world’s strongest strike. Everything in sight was engulfed in light.