Ch.124Chapter 124 Interlude) Observation Begins

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Kneeling on his right knee with his head bowed, Laplace feels like he’s about to die.

“Hmm…”

His master is letting out a faint groan.

“Let’s see what condition the Hourglass of Eternity is in…”

After saying this.

Laplace is terrified of what might happen after his master reaches out with his right hand, picks up the hourglass he had been tending to until just now, lifts it, and examines it from various angles.

In Laplace’s mind, he recalls the expression his master wore just before he bowed his head.

A flat expression, so utterly flat that it seemed like it could naturally transition into either an upward or downward change without seeming strange.

It was a literal expressionlessness with nothing special about it whatsoever.

But Laplace knows better than anyone what that expression of his master’s means.

Though it displayed flatness on the surface.

That expression is the mechanism that appears right before the eruption of anger from his master, who is called the Demon God of Time and is an object of reverence among those tainted by demonic energy.

How many products of violence and rage has he witnessed behind that expressionless face?

Even now, he can recall them vividly if he closes his eyes.

He doesn’t need to look far.

When he had confidently volunteered for the mission to assassinate the Holy Sword Artist assigned by his lord.

Only to be blocked by a man who suddenly intervened, failing to achieve his objective and returning to this Palace of Time.

Though he didn’t receive any particular physical punishment.

He remembers the divine nature of his lord that rippled uncomfortably as he deliberately maintained a calm expression, suppressing the cracks that were about to form.

This is dangerous. Truly dangerous.

The hourglass now in his lord’s hand is one of his master’s most cherished possessions among the treasures kept in this palace.

How could it not be, when it was created by the Demon God of Time by melting part of his inherent power?

Having left even a tiny scratch on the surface of such a divine hourglass, might he not receive a real beating this time?

As all sorts of worries flooded his bowed head, engulfing Laplace in anguish as he tried to prepare a plausible excuse for his master, what reached his ears was…

“…Hmm?”

Following the questioning sound revealing the puzzlement from his lord’s lips as he examined the hourglass from various angles.

“Strange. Until just before I went out to attend to my business, my cherished possession was perfectly preserved without even the slightest scratch.”

It was a voice that suggested Laplace’s day was about to become extremely arduous.

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There’s a saying about finding fortune in misfortune.

After frowning at the scratch on the hourglass and briefly showing his agitation.

“I have no excuse.”

“Your period of self-reflection will be extended a bit, Laplace.”

“Everything happened because of my inadequacy. I will accept any punishment gladly.”

“Hmm. Admitting your fault cleanly without a single excuse. That’s just like you, Laplace.”

This was the attitude Renum showed toward Laplace, who immediately prostrated himself and admitted his fault.

Snap-!!

Along with the crisp sound made when the thumb and middle finger of his left hand, which wasn’t holding the hourglass, met.

“I am generous to those who admit their mistakes. I won’t extend your reflection period, so rest assured.”

The scratch on the hourglass caused by Laplace’s carelessness disappeared without a trace.

It was fortunate.

Just thinking about having his reflection period extended for scratching his lord’s most cherished possession was enough to make his whole body tremble.

Honestly, Renum’s figure, who didn’t blame him for honestly admitting his mistake and generously forgave him, was exactly the master Laplace remembered—one who could inspire both awe and adoration simultaneously.

Phew…

As Laplace inwardly breathed a tiny sigh of relief that no one could hear.

“Raise your head, Laplace. I have something for you to do.”

Renum’s gentle voice, noticeably more relaxed than before, reached his ears.

There was no way Laplace would refuse that command.

“As you wish.”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Laplace raised his head, and what entered his vision was his lord, whose expression had regained an appropriate balance of emotions from the previously flat one.

“From now on, I have something to observe, so place the hourglass on the floor as I instruct and then turn it upside down.”

He was giving him instructions.

“I will gladly obey.”

For Laplace, who possessed such loyalty that he would follow even an order to die if given by his lord, this was an extremely simple task.

“Excuse me.”

After showing respect to his lord, Laplace’s body moved toward the small hourglass that his master held out.

“Then I shall proceed with the time reversal for observation.”

Skillfully placing the glowing hourglass imbued with divinity on the floor.

“How much time do you need for the observation?”

When he asked in a respectful voice about the time setting his master wished to observe.

“Go back about 20 minutes from the current time. The observation location is Night Haven. A fortress built by humans.”

From Renum’s lips came information about the time and place he wanted to observe.

“As you command.”

Having received the instructions, Laplace’s hands very skillfully caressed the hourglass, setting the time his master desired.

Though it was a simple task of holding the hourglass, placing it on the floor, and then just turning it upside down.

While performing this simple task, Laplace’s mind was going through complex calculations trying to resolve the question of why his lord wanted to observe this particular time period.

He knew roughly.

Despite possessing power on a completely different dimension from other demon gods.

And because of that power, unable to freely manifest in the material world and exert influence.

Their comrades who were striving to establish a new order and utopia in the world they coveted.

Were now leading armies to challenge and occupy the fortress-like stronghold built by those humans.

Well, though it’s called a challenge, it would be more of a one-sided invasion to the point where the term “challenge” is somewhat inappropriate.

That’s because.

Under his lord’s command, during his reflection period, he had taught one of his old friends one of the arcane arts that only those belonging to the Palace of Time could perform.

The power of time stop.

Though it sounds simple, unlike humans who control space-time with magical power.

This power of time stop, implemented by borrowing his lord’s authority, doesn’t require consuming massive amounts of power.

Though brief, it’s a power that completely stops time in a set area for everyone except the person who implements it and those they choose to exempt.

Without a doubt, his old friend would be using this newly acquired power to vigorously proceed with the conquest of the fortress built by humans.

This was where Laplace’s concerns began.

A human fortress that was bound to be conquered anyway.

If he was going to observe, couldn’t he just observe the current time when the conquest would already be over, without manipulating the hourglass?

“You might be disappointed to hear this, having taught them the power under my command.”

Laplace’s endless train of thought was interrupted by his lord’s voice penetrating his ears.

“The fortress conquest. It will end in failure.”

“I see… What?!”

Rather, the calm words that followed from his lord made Laplace exclaim in shock.

“Ah!”

Questioning his lord’s words is the greatest disloyalty a servant can show.

Realizing that such a question had escaped his lips, Laplace’s response was swift.

Thud-!!

Kneeling on both knees with a sound.

“…I have committed an irreverence. Please forgive me.”

He immediately bowed his head and apologized to his lord.

But, as if even this reaction from Laplace had been predicted.

“No, no. It’s understandable to be surprised. I completely understand.”

Waving his hand lightly and accepting his apology, Renum didn’t seem to be bothered much by his servant’s irreverence.

“Rather, we should start the observation quickly.”

Instead, he was more interested in what would happen in the time period he was about to observe.

“We need to carefully observe what kind of appearance this tremendous uninvited guest who blocks our path will show.”

After his apology was accepted, Laplace raised his head and saw.

His lord, who rarely showed emotions related to anger among the spectrum of emotions.

Glaring

Now revealing his extreme displeasure by opening his eyes wide.

What could it be? What on earth could it be?

What could be in that human fortress right now that would cause such passion to be displayed by the lord he revered?

While questioning and trying to compile what variables could cause this based on his knowledge of the current time period.

“Hmm…”

Still, no answer emerged.

No matter how much he thought about it, within the limits of his knowledge, there was no being with enough power to attract his lord’s attention in the time period they were about to observe.

At best, there was one descendant of a hero’s bloodline whom both his lord and Laplace himself hated.

An aging knight who had received divine equipment from on high.

And that Holy Sword Artist who could freely wield the holy sword that was the natural enemy of those tainted by demonic energy like his lord and himself, whom they had tried to nip in the bud.

‘I don’t know about the aging knight, but those two at this point in time are not yet threats.’

Laplace shook his head, knowing well the abilities of those individuals at the current time.

The skills of those two human women, who would in the not-too-distant future become beings that disrupt the utopia of his lord and other revered existences, were not yet powerful enough to attract his lord’s attention.

Then who on earth could be drawing his lord’s attention?

This unresolved question continued to plague his mind.

“Well then…”

His master’s indifferent voice as he was about to observe what was happening beyond.

“Let’s see. After a thousand years, the resurrected.”

His master’s choice of words that seemed strangely familiar.

Snap-!!

Finally, as the clear sound of his master’s snapping fingers reached his ears and the scene of the fortress built by humans unfolded before his eyes.

The question he had been harboring was resolved in an instant.

As he saw the scene of a mixed legion, carefully selected and organized from the nearly depleted Obsidian Palace, fleeing with steps as if being chased by something, from his lord’s mouth came.

“The sight of my thousand-year nemesis rampaging.”

He heard the still indifferent voice flowing out.

…A thousand-year nemesis?

The only opponent who could elicit such words from his lord’s mouth was one who had given an unforgettable moment even to Laplace, the most senior among the demons belonging to the Palace of Time.

…Could it be.

Just as that thought crossed Laplace’s mind and a scream mixed with astonishment was about to burst from his lips.

Whoosh-!!

As the magnificent noise of flames rising was heard from the scene unfolding before his eyes, and he witnessed something appearing in the midst of the flames.

Laplace could precisely understand the meaning of the thousand-year nemesis his master had mentioned.

Despite walking out from the middle of the bright red flames.

The overwhelming power and spirit emanating from the being clad from head to toe in crimson armor that outshone the color emitted by the flames was swirling around.

“Ah…”

Letting out a soft exclamation, Laplace knew well what armor the one creating this spectacle was wearing.

A certain dragon that had troubled him no less than the human hero who had inflicted one of his few defeats.

The mystical armor that touched the realm of divinity, made by refining part of his own body, which he always wore when he transformed into human form rather than his true form due to the extreme consumption of power.

“The Crimson Dragon Armor…”

“That’s right. He’s resurrected.”

Whoosh-!!

“Fafnir, that is.”

Watching the scene unfolding in the vision and hearing his lord’s voice filled with resignation.

Laplace could understand why his lord had been expressing indifference even before watching this scene.

Though he might receive the favor of the one who resides loftily above, Laplace himself is merely a demon.

The gap between him and the demon god who bestows favor upon him is as vast as that between heaven and earth.

Yet the one rampaging in that vision now is a being who disregarded such gaps and inflicted humiliation upon numerous demon gods, including the one before him.

“Fafnir…”

Unlike his lord who called him with a voice filled with resignation.

“Finally…”

Unlike his lord, Laplace’s voice as he called Fafnir’s name was filled with elation at the thought of avenging the humiliation he had once received.

“We can’t touch him.”

“…What do you mean?”

“That Fafnir. He’s attached to an Irregular. We can’t lay hands on him, that’s what I mean.”

“…By Irregular, you mean?”

“The descendant of Ranos’s blood who stopped you when you went to assassinate the Holy Sword Artist with such confidence.”

“…”

“He’s attached to that one.”

“…”

With his lord’s subsequent words, Laplace realized that they couldn’t touch the creature, and his hopes dissipated like bubbles.

“My lord, then watching this vision means?”

“We need to prepare countermeasures.”

Removing some of the indifference that had been clouding his expression, Renum slowly opened his mouth while stroking his short hair with his left hand.

“Since we can’t directly intervene, we need to find a way to resolve this. If we sit idle, we might face the same situation as a thousand years ago.”

“Indeed, my lord is truly wise.”

“Don’t just admire, let’s put our heads together. That’s why I called for you.”

Seeing Laplace still kneeling, Renum beckoned with his left index finger, guiding him to a position where he could watch the vision together.

“I will do my utmost.”

Without hesitation, Laplace rose from his place and walked with measured steps to Renum’s side.

Tick-tock, tick-tock

As lord and servant engaged in various conversations, the silence in the Palace of Time was broken, though the sound of gears meshing, revealing the identity of this place, still rang out intermittently whenever there was a pause in their conversation.