Chapter 25 – The Anti-Monarchists and the Church (5)

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We quickly packed our belongings and, guided by Selena, entered the escape route.  She cautiously led the way, while Claire and I followed behind, our steps heavy with the tension of anticipating imminent threats.

The narrow, dark passageway stretched out like a labyrinth. The stone walls were damp, and the faint sound of dripping water from various places strangely amplified our anxiety.  However, Selena seemed accustomed to such an environment, leading us without hesitation.

Following her, I posed a question. “Selena, what is the Anti-Monarchist Faction’s true objective? It doesn’t seem to be simply overthrowing the monarchy. Tell me honestly.”

Selena hesitated, then slowly turned to look at me. Her gaze was complex, and her lips remained closed for a moment. Then, as if making a decision, she answered in a low voice.

“You’ve noticed.” she said quietly. “That’s right. The Anti-Monarchist Faction’s objective isn’t simply to overthrow the monarchy. What we’re truly fighting against… is another entity hidden behind the monarchy, controlling this world.”

Claire, upon hearing this, asked with a surprised expression.  “Another entity? What does that mean?”

Selena sighed deeply and continued her explanation. “The monarchy outwardly appears to be the most powerful ruling power in this world, but in reality, it’s not. They have been controlled for a long time by something called a ‘superior being.’”

I stopped in my tracks at her words. “A superior being… What are you saying? Are you referring to a god-like entity?”

Selena shook her head and replied. “Beings older than gods. They manipulate the flow of this world, using our reality as their own testing ground. And the monarchy is merely their tool. They control this world through the monarchy, suppressing everyone’s freedom.”

Claire mumbled with an incredulous expression. “So… the Anti-Monarchist Faction is fighting to overthrow this superior being?”

Selena nodded. “That’s right. We are fighting to truly liberate this world. Overthrowing the monarchy is only the first step.”

I pondered Selena’s words, muttering to myself. ‘A superior being… something controlling this world…’

At that moment, the Bishop’s words flashed through my mind. His mention of the connection between Earth and this world, and his claim of bringing us here. Everything felt like it was fitting together somewhere.

“Then…” I spoke, looking at Selena. “Even if we overthrow this superior being, will this world truly become free?”

Selena seemed lost in thought for a moment, then nodded. “It will be free. But no one knows what sacrifices will be involved. Toppling the current order means there’s also the possibility of creating new chaos.”

Claire touched her forehead and mumbled. “This is too complicated… I don’t even know why we’re involved in this, and now we’re talking about superior beings.”

I gently patted her shoulder. “Claire, it’s complicated, but we’re already at the point where we have to make a choice.  Nothing will change if we just run away.”

At that moment, Selena gestured, leading us forward again. “We’ll reach the outer safe zone in a little while. From there, we can make new plans.”

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When we arrived at the outer safe zone, we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The place looked like an old underground shelter, with minimal supplies and simple beds prepared.

I approached Selena and asked again. “Selena, does your Anti-Monarchist Faction have any more specific information about the superior being? Or is there something we should know?”

Selena seemed to be pondering, but then she took out a small, worn book and handed it to me. “This is our oldest record. It describes the Transcendent, the superior being, and the origins of this world. Read it and judge for yourselves.”

I received the book and slowly flipped through it.  The aged paper was densely covered with complex patterns and writings in an ancient language. But among them, there was one sentence that stood out.

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I slowly turned the pages, reading the inscription on the aged paper.  The old language and unfamiliar symbols were densely packed, but one sentence particularly caught my eye.

“The chosen ones are born to pierce the heart of the superior being. But if their choice is not right, this world will fall into endless chaos.”

Upon reading that sentence, I felt as if my body had frozen.  Piercing the heart, what does that mean? The words “chosen ones” felt like they referred to Claire and me.

“Eli, what does it say?” Claire asked cautiously from beside me.

I slowly turned my head to look at her and read the sentence from the book. Her expression grew pale.

“Chosen ones… the heart of the superior being? What does that even mean?” she asked in a trembling voice.

Selena also looked at the sentence, nodded, and said, “That sentence is considered the most important prophecy within the Anti-Monarchist Faction. To overthrow the superior being, we must find the heart, and that heart is considered not a simple physical entity but the center of their control, the core of the world.”

I listened to her words and turned the pages, searching for more clues.  But the next page, instead of specific details about the heart, contained a map seemingly indicating a place.

In the center of the map was a name written in old script.

“Lagnal Village”

“Lagnal Village?” I muttered, looking at Selena. “Where is this place?”

Selena pondered for a moment, then nodded. “Lagnal Village is a small village in the mountainous region not far from here. But it’s known to be in ruins now.  No one has tried to go there for several years.”

Claire tilted her head and asked. “Why? Is there something dangerous there?”

Selena said in a low voice. “Lagnal Village was where the sanctuary that once served the chosen ones was located. But the village was destroyed by the Monarchist faction, and since then, it has been considered cursed land. There are many rumors that no one has ever returned alive.”

I closed the book and looked at Selena. “Then we should go there.”

Claire exclaimed with a surprised expression. “What? Go there? It’s cursed land! Why do we have to go there?”

I looked straight at her and said firmly. “The map and the sentence in this book can’t be a coincidence. If we stop here, we won’t find out anything. We have to go to Lagnal Village to find clues for our next steps.”

Claire still had an anxious expression, but finally sighed and nodded. “Okay. Let’s do as you say. But if anything seems suspicious, we’re getting out of there immediately, okay?”

I nodded at her resolve and asked Selena. “How can we get to Lagnal Village?”

Selena chuckled lightly and replied. “I will guide you. Since you’ve signed the contract, it’s my role to help you to the end.”

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The mountainous region was rugged, and the wind was cold. But as time passed, an increasingly strange aura enveloped the surroundings. The wind howled, and the trees swayed as if alive.

Claire huddled and whispered. “Eli, I don’t like this feeling. Are you sure we should keep going?”

I tried to reassure her, but my own anxiety grew. However, I couldn’t stop. I had to follow the clues from the prophecy and the map.

Selena quietly led the way and said. “Be careful. Near Lagnal Village, ordinary logic and common sense often don’t work. There are even rumors that it’s no longer part of this world.”

I nodded at her words and looked around.  And not far away, I began to see the faint outline of a ruined building.

“That… is Lagnal Village?” I muttered, stopping in my tracks.

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Looking at the blurred ruins, I felt something strange. A peculiar magical residue hung in the air, and the ruins before me seemed somehow veiled. I raised my hand, exploring the surroundings, searching for traces of magic.

“Eli, what are you doing?” Claire asked cautiously.

“Something’s strange.” I answered in a low voice. “What we see here might not be all there is.”

Selena looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression.  “What do you mean? This is clearly the ruin of Lagnal Village.”

I shook my head. “No… something is hidden.  It seems like a powerful illusion magic is cast here. We won’t see the true form unless we dispel it.”

I raised my hand, beginning preparations to dispel the magic. Claire watched me with an anxious expression, whispering, “Eli, is this okay? We won’t cause a bigger problem, will we?”

“It’ll be alright.” I reassured her. “We need to clear this to get closer to the truth.”

Having grasped the structure of the magic, I slowly began to chant the incantation. A gentle light spread from my fingertips, enveloping the air. And after a moment, an intense wave occurred, and the scenery before my eyes shook.

“Ugh!” Claire gasped in surprise and stepped back.

And finally, the illusion dissipated, revealing a new landscape. The ruined village had been transformed into a peaceful village filled with warm light. The houses looked sturdy and clean, and villagers were walking in the streets. The people stopped when they saw us appear, staring at us with surprised expressions.

“This…” Claire couldn’t finish her sentence, looking around. “How…?”

I closed my mouth and looked around.  This place was definitely completely different from the ruins we had initially seen. But there was apprehension and fear in the villagers’ eyes.

Then, an old man slowly walked out from the center of the village.  He was slightly bent over, leaning on a cane, but his gaze was intense. He stared intently at us, then shouted in a deep voice.

“Leave immediately! This isn’t a place for you!”

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Thank you for reading.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Once upon a time, there was a—WHOOPS EVERYONE DIED, THE END.

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