Ch.13446. The Truth of Memory (1)

At Zerfield’s words, the attendees murmured among themselves.

“The colorless key and the Dragon-Slaying Spear? Do those ancient legends truly exist?”

The Archmage seemed to know something about the story. He continued speaking.

“The Dragon-Slaying Spear has been passed down as legend in Ailetan for ages. The sacred spear of a warrior that can uniquely sever the breath of the resurrected evil god on earth. But it’s already an extremely ancient legend even in Ailetan…”

The Grand Elder of the Celestial Demon Sect added to this.

“It’s likely just a legend in the literal sense. In our Martial Nation as well, stories of the evil god… that is, the Red Dragon, and the great warrior who defeated it have been passed down. But those stories are closer to ancient mythology.”

The group nodded. Zerfield said:

“Your reactions are natural. As you mentioned, even when the New Empire of Ailetan was established, it was already nothing more than an old tale.”

But the Cardinal responded:

“However, as I mentioned, the prophecy book is genuine, and the resurrection of the evil god has been foretold. So please listen without dismissing it as unrealistic talk. The Dragon-Slaying Spear Epitheus does exist. And before that…”

What the Cardinal explained first was about the Sages of the East.

He said that the Cross Society’s prophecy book recorded that in the era of the Great End, when the resurrection of the evil god approached, the Sages of the East would appear.

“Humanity is now in the midst of a great calamity. Even the 72 demons of the King of Wisdom, which human power cannot resist… even the great demons whose names are blasphemous to mention have manifested on earth, driving humanity into despair.”

Looking at the screen displaying Flame’s achievements, he continued:

“But the prophecy book records that the Sages of the East will appear in these troubled times. They will find Epitheus, which can resist the evil god.”

Zerfield nodded.

“And as His Eminence the Cardinal said, we didn’t designate the Sages of the East without any basis.”

This time Zerfield took the lead again. He displayed a translated version of the prophecy book on the screen.

He read the passage directly:

“The Holy Maiden of Light blessed by Ayel shall be the first Sage of the East. And the apostle of God who has accompanied the Holy Maiden’s will, the unquenchable fire, is the colorless key. The Holy Maiden will manifest through devotion and faith for that key. Only the will possessed by the colorless key will find the remaining sages.”

At his words, the Cardinal made the sign of the cross.

A prophecy book recognized by the Vatican. Thus, each sentence was as good as Ayel’s oracle. Zerfield explained to the group:

“Sister Arin Seong, a member of the Flame guild, has officially awakened Ayel’s power and manifested as a Holy Maiden. And the person who has a close relationship with Arin and directly helped her awaken as a Holy Maiden is none other than Minsu Lee here.”

Then Zerfield pointed to several more sentences.

“That’s not all. There is more evidence that he is the colorless key. The prophecy says the colorless key will show proof of being God’s apostle by himself at the time of the end. As you can see, it’s mentioned in the prophecy book.”

As the attendees confirmed the passage, the Cardinal added:

“Mr. Lee was directly chosen by the Flame of Parma, a sacred relic of our Cross Society. And he has already been involved in all the missions where Flame confronted demons. That is undeniable proof that he is the colorless key.”

The conversation moved to the main point. The Cardinal and Zerfield told the attendees:

“According to this prophecy book, the only way to defeat the evil god is through the Dragon-Slaying Spear Epitheus. And those who can find Epitheus are the Sages of the East.”

“And the Sages of the East will be near the colorless key, just like the current Holy Maiden.”

At those words, the Elder and the Archmage responded simultaneously:

“Could it be that our Young Sect Leader…”

“Could it be that the Grand Duchess…”

The Cardinal nodded.

“Do you understand why we talked about Flame before all this? In the end, all the Sages of the East will be accompanying the colorless key, just as the Holy Maiden does. And Minsu Lee, the colorless key, is a member of the Flame guild.”

“Are you saying that Yuri Tarkovskaya and Soso Yeon are the Sages of the East?”

I inadvertently asked the Cardinal. He stared at me and then nodded.

“Brother Minsu has been with those two when confronting demons. And Brother Soso recently regained the sacred object of the Celestial Demon Sect, the Ancient Gear.”

At those words, the Elder of the Celestial Demon Sect exclaimed:

“That’s right! Our Young Sect Leader transformed the sacred Phantom Shadow Sword into its third form! He reclaimed that treasure that was stolen by the Hell Blood Demon Lee Seonwoo…”

“And that Hell Blood Demon was captured by Brother Minsu here and Brother Soso, just the two of them.”

The Elder’s expression was filled with astonishment. His gaze remained fixed on me.

Finally, the Cardinal proclaimed to the group with a resolute voice:

“So there could be no more certain evidence. Brother Minsu is the most definite key to finding the Sages of the East. He is the colorless key.”

Simultaneously, Cardinal Atiani displayed a map on the screen.

“And Brother Minsu, together with the Sages of the East, is the only hope to find Epitheus right here!”

***

Immediately after the secret meeting ended, I left Korea.

The plane was heading to the western border of the Martial Nation. Geographically speaking, it was near the old Chinese province of Sichuan.

I was heading there alone, without any members of Flame. Sitting in my airplane seat, I thought about what I had heard at the Association’s secret meeting hours ago.

‘I’m the colorless key?’

The existence of the colorless key mentioned in the prophecy book. This was the first time I’d heard of such a thing.

I knew about the Sages of the East. The original protagonists Siwoo Kwon and Mina Chae. In the original work, they were called the Sages of the East by the Papal Office.

But in this changed reality, the Sages of the East were different. Even their number had changed.

In the original work there were two, but in the prophecy book interpreted by Zerfield, there were three sages. Among them, Arin, who had awakened as the Holy Maiden, was confirmed.

‘Given the circumstances, Soso must certainly be one of the Sages of the East.’

Arin, who awakened the power of the Holy Maiden. And Soso, who became the true master of the Phantom Shadow Sword, the sacred object of the Celestial Demon Sect. Zerfield seemed to have already determined the remaining sage as well.

‘He clearly said it would be Yuri.’

And the reason Zerfield could make such an assumption was because of me.

The being who finds the Sages of the East, the colorless key. The Vatican and Zerfield seemed to have confirmed that I was the colorless key designated by the prophecy book.

There was evidence for designating all three members of Flame connected to me as sages.

‘Who has accompanied the Holy Maiden’s will… the unquenchable fire…’

The passage about the colorless key mentioned in the prophecy book. That passage was said to be the decisive evidence confirming me as that being.

‘Me, who was just a minor character, being such an important existence that I’m even mentioned in the prophecy book?’

Moreover, I would awaken all the Sages of the East and be the key to finding the sacred spear Epitheus with them.

That absurd fact was momentarily confusing, but as soon as I heard it, I recalled what I needed to do immediately.

‘I need to find the truth about the source of my memories. The truth about those memories that surface whenever I lose consciousness.’

Those memories that feel like real experiences despite never having experienced them since my possession. I hurriedly left Seoul to find clues about those memories.

‘If not now, I won’t have the time.’

The mission given to me through the secret meeting was to awaken Yuri as a sage and find Epitheus.

But that mission was impossible to carry out immediately.

The time mentioned in the prophecy book is after the resurrection of the evil god. Originally, Epitheus could not awaken unless the evil god was resurrected.

‘What Minsu needs to do is awaken all the Sages of the East before the evil god resurrects.’

Association President Jeon Taehyun told me that. The remaining Sage of the East was Yuri. And the place where Yuri’s awakening as a sage was foretold was Japan.

And a large-scale all-out war with villains was predicted in Japan soon.

Eastern Japan, controlled by the Soul-Devouring Demon Seo Munyeom. The Red Lake had expanded its power to control most of the Japanese archipelago.

The Three-Nation Alliance forces were barely holding on to Kyushu Island and the western part of Honshu Island. If all of Japan were to be seized, the villains would be at the doorstep of the Three-Nation Alliance.

The Three-Nation Alliance was concentrating its forces on Kyushu to recapture the main island of Japan. Naturally, Flame and the guilds under Flame would participate in that operation.

‘So Yuri will have an opportunity to awaken as a sage during the events in Japan.’

The time of the evil god’s resurrection would probably be after the all-out war in Japan.

If Yuri successfully awakened as a sage, I would have to head to North Africa with the three Sages of the East: Yuri, Soso, and Arin.

‘That’s the place where the ancient empire of Ailetan merged dimensions.’

I didn’t know what kind of interference there would be from the villains. But if we couldn’t find Epitheus there, there would be no future for this world.

And I, who had gone from a minor character to carrying such a heavy burden.

I, who had become the colorless key that didn’t exist in the original work, was heading to the western part of the Martial Nation to find the truth about myself.

There was an ancient temple there. A temple that had worshipped the divine beast Suzaku.

Now it’s just one of many Taoist gods worshipped in the Martial Nation. But in the era when the ancient empire of Ailetan existed,

The Divine Fire Religion, which worshipped Suzaku and fire, was said to be as large a religion as today’s White Cross Society.

When I got off at the airport, a car was already prepared by the Martial Nation.

It’s not easy to take a plane during the great war with villains. But I had no restrictions not only on taking planes but also on moving around in the Martial Nation.

The plane I took was a military transport aircraft of the Association. Although my visit to the Martial Nation was for personal purposes, a call from Secretary-General Choi Seunghun immediately made it possible for me to board the transport aircraft.

Also, the Elder of the Celestial Demon Sect, who had attended the secret meeting, quickly granted me a special access permit. Since that Elder was a high-ranking official of the ruling party of the Martial Nation,

With him accommodating me, there would be no problem getting to the temple of the Divine Fire Religion.

Sitting in the back seat of the car until we reached the temple, I thought again about the purpose of visiting this place.

‘Hong-ok. The truth about you and my memories…’

And that temple of the Divine Fire Religion was where I had obtained Hong-ok.

That temple might provide clues about the man who was with Hong-ok, or rather Ju Seohwa, in those memories that I thoughtlessly considered to be from a past life.

‘If I could learn even a little about the truth of this world within the novel…’

Closing my eyes briefly, I thought about the fire burning within me. Doing so would quickly bring to mind the image of Hong-ok, which was substituting for my mana heart.

But Hong-ok had not responded to my words for a while after returning from the holy land for the Holy Maiden manifestation. I seemed to understand why.

‘She must be preoccupied with holding back the leaking source mana.’

She’s suppressing the pain of her lifespan decreasing in real-time through the Archangel’s Sanctum. My current physical condition is probably no different from that of a terminal cancer patient.

The Sanctum had severe withdrawal symptoms. Because of those withdrawal symptoms, I couldn’t stop taking the drug even for a moment. I thought again about the remaining amount of Sanctum in my inventory and the time left in my life.

And about Hong-ok, who was desperately trying to somehow extend that short remaining time.

“We’ve arrived.”

The car came to a stop. Through the window, I could see the temple. I intended to reconnect with my memories of Hong-ok right here.