Ch.103The Herald from the Past (3)

After hearing Knemon’s confession-like story, Lampades was shocked.

‘Ortes, you crazy bastard. Are you planning to add such a weapon of destruction to an already chaotic world?’

Ortes, who was behind Argyrion’s active operations, was clearly the one responsible for the great confusion spreading throughout the magical society.

Though he didn’t know what methods were used, Ortes had his underlings overthrow the elders of the Ten Towers, creating cracks in the trust of the Ten Towers system—essentially, in the fear of the absolute power held by the Ten Towers.

What if the Erasure Bubbles were added to such a situation?

Lampades imagined a moment when one of Argyrion’s soldiers would use an Erasure Bubble. Quietly blowing soap bubbles in an urban center, then popping them—and a magic tower disappearing without a trace.

Since it was said that no magical energy could be detected, mages wouldn’t even be able to guess what power caused such destruction.

‘Could that otherworldly marvel harm the Ten Towers?’

After much thought, Lampades soon realized that ‘it doesn’t matter.’

Even if it couldn’t harm the Ten Towers themselves, just destroying other magic towers would be enough to gather both fear and awe. Whether it was the great magic of the Ten Towers or artifacts from other dimensions, both were beyond the understanding of ordinary magic towers.

The ‘incomprehensible power’ that no one else could match was the Ten Towers’ most powerful authority. Now, authority of the same quality would be given to Argyrion.

‘Authority through power’ had been transferred from the religious order to the Magic King. It was a symbolic event marking the fall of the mythical age.

That authority might now transfer from the Ten Towers to Argyrion.

It was truly a frightening plan. Not only because of the boldness and scale of a plan that would shake the very structure of magical society, but what was truly terrifying was Ortes himself, the architect of the plan.

Lampades was now the only one who could connect Argyrion and Ortes.

No one else in this world would know about Ortes operating behind Argyrion’s advance.

Even Lampades himself would never have known about the connection between the two if Ortes hadn’t revealed himself in Elysion. It was natural that others wouldn’t even hear the name Ortes.

Lampades’ eyes trembled as he looked at the Erasure Bubble.

He couldn’t predict what would happen if he delivered this to Ortes. It was a choice made to protect the members of his magic tower, but what was the point if the society to which the tower belonged collapsed?

Sensing Lampades’ hesitation, Knemon spoke.

“Ortes is a being that even other apocalyptists cannot understand. He’s like someone from a completely different world. I don’t know what he’ll do with this artifact, but it certainly won’t be good for society.”

“For you to say such things, that’s unexpected.”

The question implied: Weren’t you an apocalyptist too? Knemon nodded.

“I quit. I was afraid of the future that faceless one would bring.”

“…”

Lampades’ hesitation grew. He rubbed his forehead in agony, then let out a short exclamation, “Ah.”

“He had one more message for you.”

“Ortes did?”

“He says, ‘I regret what happened before.'”

What intention did Ortes have in sending such a message? Was it a hint about the use of the Erasure Bubble?

Lampades tried to guess Ortes’ intentions from Knemon’s reaction. If there was any hint about Ortes’ plans for using the bubble in that message, Knemon would surely be able to understand it.

‘If what Ortes plans to do with the bubble is to completely collapse magical society…’

He had to take a gamble.

In a world where order had collapsed, there was no guarantee that the members of the magic tower would survive, let alone live happily.

“Was there nothing else?”

After a moment of silence, Knemon asked. Despite having accompanied Ortes on otherworldly explorations for a long time, this message was too abrupt. He needed more context.

‘We’ve already discussed payment.’

“Well, he only mentioned that he used too many Erasure Bubbles and gave the rest to you. And that your relationship soured because of that distribution.”

Only then could Knemon understand Ortes’ implication.

‘He attributed the reason for our separation solely to the distribution of bubbles…?’

Furthermore, he clearly drew a line that he no longer had ownership of the bubbles. Knemon thought he understood what Ortes meant.

The real reason Knemon had fled. It meant burying the fear of Ortes’ obsession with more powerful artifacts.

This simultaneously implied that Ortes didn’t place much significance on the bubbles. Ortes was calling for Knemon because he had found the ‘powerful artifact’ that they couldn’t find back then.

An invitation to join a plan that would overturn the world.

Knemon couldn’t even imagine an artifact more dangerous than the Erasure Bubble. Unless it was the exceptional Ten Commandments.

“Hahaha…”

A hollow laugh escaped him. All this time, he had fled with the Erasure Bubble, fearing Ortes would burn the world.

But now Ortes was calling him, saying he had found an even greater artifact.

‘Whether I accept this invitation or not, the world will be overturned anyway.’

No matter what desperate measures Knemon took, Ortes’ apocalyptic plan would move forward steadily. A shadow of deep resignation fell over Knemon.

“Let’s go.”

“What?”

“To that faceless one. I made the wrong choice the moment I showed him the research records of other dimensions.”

Knemon muttered as if talking to himself with his eyes closed. After he left, Ortes must have endlessly explored the contaminated areas of other dimensions and obtained something that would destroy the world.

‘Facing that moment of destruction is the least responsibility I have left.’

The only choice for the one who provided the catalyst for the great destruction. Not to turn away from his own fault.

***

“I’ve brought him.”

“…?”

I couldn’t understand the situation even as I looked at Knemon’s face, whom Lampades had brought. No, how did he bring him so quickly?

It hasn’t even been a week since I mentioned it?

Is there some kind of problem solver industry group chat that I’m not in? How did he bring him so quickly?

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has been a while, Mr. Knemon. How have you been?”

Even though I was perplexed, I had to do what needed to be done. I extended my hand with what had now become a habitual greeting. Knemon shook my hand with a strangely tired-looking face.

“Haha. Mr. Lampades. I didn’t expect you to handle this matter so quickly. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“…I’m curious about what task you want to assign to Knemon. Can you tell me?”

“Pardon?”

This was an unexpected response. If he had asked for the artifact or increased investment in technology, I would have gladly complied.

What I wanted to ask Knemon was to provide a list of magic towers secretly possessing ancient relics. Given the current situation, such information would inevitably appear to be for use in black propaganda, incitement, or fabrication.

Knemon, who was originally a revolutionary warrior openly shouting “I’ll overthrow this corrupt society of magical disparity!” probably wouldn’t find such a request strange.

But I couldn’t say something that would sound like “Haha, I want to find weaknesses of other magic towers to do this and that” in front of a “magic tower master” who had made his own way in that “society of magical disparity.”

Even if I tried to excuse it by saying I wasn’t looking for blackmail material but for items to steal, it would be the same thing.

There are things you can and cannot say depending on the friend, and this was definitely something I couldn’t say.

“Haha, it’s a personal matter. It wouldn’t be very interesting for you to hear.”

I tried to change the subject with an appropriate response.

“No. I am also a party to this matter. Don’t I have every right to hear it?”

But Lampades was firm.

My head is throbbing. If this were purely a personal matter, I could close my eyes and tell him, but it was also related to Hydra Company’s divine investigation.

In other words, the details of what I wanted to ask Knemon were also company confidential information. To casually share such things…

Oh.

Business confidential?

“…This is not something I can decide on my own. I’ll report to the president first and then let you know.”

I escaped the awkward situation by leveraging Karisia’s position.

***

Both Lampades and Knemon couldn’t help but be shocked by Ortes’ reaction.

They knew he was planning something grand using Knemon. But Ortes reporting to someone and taking orders?

Unlike Knemon, who was surprised by the mere fact that someone was controlling Ortes, Lampades, who had directly met Karisia, could harbor more specific doubts.

‘So she wasn’t just a figurehead set up to divert public attention?’

At first, he had considered Karisia as Ortes’ scapegoat.

Then, he thought she might be an ambitious person who employed Ortes despite knowing his true nature.

And now…

‘What exactly is going on?’

An inexplicable mystery that no reasoning or hypothesis could explain. A deep shadow seemed to have fallen over Karisia and Hydra Company.