Ch.136136. Succession

The soft touch of the blanket covering my body was warm. I wanted to keep my eyes closed, indulging in this comfort, but that wouldn’t do. Rex struggled to lift his eyelids.

“…Where am I?”

An unfamiliar ceiling. Perhaps because I had just awakened, my mind was foggy. Rex raised his upper body while trying to recall his memories. Surely, with Shaharon’s help, I escaped from Albheim… but my memory cut off after that.

“You’re awake?”

Rex pushed the blanket aside and turned his head. Charlotte stood with her arms crossed in a crooked posture. Beside her, Chloe was also visible, looking at him with concerned eyes.

“What happened?”

“You lost consciousness.”

Though Rex had asked Charlotte, it was Shaharon who answered, not her. He had been leaning against a corner wall and now slowly approached the bed.

“Black Lotus is a demanding technique. And it wasn’t just a short distance—we moved directly from Albheim to Lornaroc. It’s no wonder you fainted. Still, you woke up earlier than expected. I thought you’d be bedridden for three or four days.”

“What?”

“A day has passed since you lost consciousness. This is Lornaroc. The headquarters of the Chaos Order.”

At those words, Rex gaped blankly. Lornaroc? He had heard about going there while in Albheim. But he couldn’t easily accept that a day had already passed.

‘Elin.’

The ritual must be stopped. If it had already been neglected for a day, the ritual might already be complete. But he couldn’t just sit still. Rex urgently tried to get up, but groaned as pain struck his muscles.

“I need to return to Albheim…”

“Don’t be hasty. What you’re worried about hasn’t happened yet.”

Shaharon spoke with an indifferent face. Rex, sitting on the edge of the bed, wore a puzzled expression.

“There’s about a fortnight left before the ritual is complete. Rushing there blindly won’t help—in your current state, you can’t stop the ritual. First, you need to recover your body to normal and make proper preparations.”

“…How do you know that?”

“A foolish question. I cannot read your mind. Then, would three apostles of Lornaroc have gone to Albheim to help you without reason? We helped you in Albheim, even at the cost of opposing the Apostle of Judgment.”

Shaharon chuckled and murmured.

“There was a reason for that. While I hold you in high regard, I don’t think you failed to realize such an obvious fact. Or am I mistaken? Or perhaps you simply harbor ill feelings toward me and doubt me without reason.”

Rex glared at Shaharon with a twisted mouth. Ignoring his fierce gaze, Shaharon shrugged. Finally, Charlotte clicked her tongue and intervened.

“Calm down. We can’t trust him unconditionally, but for now, his words are true. You can’t save Elin just by going to Albheim right now.”

“Do you know something, Lady Charlotte?”

“We had a brief conversation while you were asleep. Not everything, but enough. Anyway, this time we need to join forces with him.”

“That’s enough small talk. It’s time to move. I’ll answer your questions, so follow me.”

Shaharon turned his back without waiting for a reply. As Rex gritted his teeth and tried to stand, a hand suddenly extended from beside him.

“…”

A man with his eyes wrapped in red cloth. The Apostle of Void, Absian. Rex looked at him with a sour expression. Was he trying to help because Rex seemed uncomfortable? But Rex didn’t want to hold hands with a suspicious apostle of Lornaroc whom he had just met. When Rex stared blankly, Absian tilted his head, withdrew his extended hand, and followed Shaharon.

“Are you okay? Your injuries weren’t the kind to heal in just a day…”

“Somewhat.”

Chloe cautiously spoke to him. Rex responded with a deliberately nonchalant face. It wasn’t a lie. Thanks to sleeping soundly for a whole day, his physical condition had recovered considerably. Though various parts of his body still ached and accumulated fatigue remained, it was much better than when he had directly suffered the aftereffects of Kaiserion’s descent.

Back then, he couldn’t even walk and needed support, but now he was walking just fine on his own. The wounds eaten away by Elandir’s storm had mostly healed. The internal injuries would completely disappear in a few days.

The problem was that Elin’s ritual might end during those few days. But if Shaharon’s words were true, there was a fortnight of leeway left.

Rex stared at Shaharon’s back as he strode down the corridor, then shifted his gaze to his surroundings.

Lornaroc. A forsaken city where those rejected by the world gather. This place, in particular, was the headquarters of the Chaos Order, the heart of Lornaroc. Rex had been entangled with the Chaos Order before, not just with Shaharon.

A sanctifier of the Chaos Order whose name he couldn’t even remember now. The one who used Pandemius’s seed in the dungeon. Based on that memory, he had inwardly assumed the Chaos Order would be a strange and gloomy place—but it was different from his imagination. Surprisingly, the headquarters of the Chaos Order had an ordinary structure like any other building.

No. Rather, it was clean and serene. If anything, it had an atmosphere similar to a dungeon, or rather, a temple. Perhaps that was natural for an order’s headquarters, but wasn’t the object of their worship the ominous Chaos? Honestly, Rex had to admit he had held prejudices against the Chaos Order.

“This way.”

There were few devotees inside the building. Even the devotees looked no different from ordinary people. They bowed respectfully and made way when they encountered Shaharon. And even those few devotees disappeared completely once Shaharon descended a long staircase to the underground.

“Beyond here is the forbidden ground, accessible only to an extremely small number who have been certified.”

Shaharon placed his hand on a massive door. After a slight vibration, the door began to open by itself. The statement that only qualified individuals could enter wasn’t just a formality. This door led to the sanctuary of the Chaos Order. No matter how hard someone without qualification pushed, the door would never grant entry.

The one who manages that qualification is…

“You’ve arrived.”

The Saint of the Chaos Order. The first thing that came into view was light illuminating the darkness. A radiance like the Milky Way flowed from her pitch-black pupils. The girl in dark blue sacred clothes looked at the group with a benevolent smile.

“Since receiving the oracle from the revered Pandemius, I’ve been eagerly awaiting this moment. Finally, the day has come for the oracle’s revelation to be fulfilled.”

Before Rex could speak, the girl quickly placed both her hands on top of his. Rex looked at her with surprised eyes.

“…Who are you?”

“Oh my, I’m late with my introduction. I apologize. I was so moved to see the subject of the oracle with my own eyes.”

Despite saying this, the girl didn’t release Rex’s hands. Instead, she stared at him with an even more intense gaze before slowly continuing.

“My name is Pia. I am the Saint of the Chaos Order. Today, I was waiting for Rex at the sacred place to fulfill the oracle.”

Pia gently released Rex’s hands and stepped back. Chloe, who had been watching with wide eyes, pouted her lips and blocked Rex’s path.

“Just Rex alone, not us?”

“That’s right. Actually, everyone except Rex… I’m sorry, but I don’t know your names. I believe the person beside you is Lady Charlotte, the Apostle of the Sword, but may I ask the lovely young lady’s name?”

“Ah, lovely…? Ahem, I’m Chloe.”

“I see. Lady Chloe, as I mentioned, originally only Rex was designated as the subject of the oracle. He was the only one scheduled to come here today. If I may be so bold, what is your relationship with Rex? I know Lady Charlotte is Rex’s master, but…”

Pia asked with an innocent face, blinking her eyes. What relationship? Before answering the question, a mischievous thought crossed Chloe’s mind. …She couldn’t say it straightforwardly. Clearing her throat to erase the thought, Chloe replied with a reddened face.

“…I’m Rex’s friend. Not just any friend, but a very, very close friend.”

“I see. Normally, bringing outsiders to the sacred place is forbidden, but in this case, since both of you are involved in the matter, I’ll make an exception. Now, please come in.”

Pia nodded and moved forward. Shaharon had already gone ahead, and soon Absian followed behind him.

The sacred place of the Chaos Order. However, the inside was shabbier than the building upstairs. It was just a vast cavern with no daily necessities. Scattered candles provided light, but they were insufficient to fill the darkness of the spacious cavern. Rex looked around and blurted out.

“So, what exactly is this oracle?”

“It is to guide Rex to the Chaos Order.”

Pia’s legs stopped. She knelt before a large stone monument.

“To explain that, I must discuss what happened three years ago.”

Unrecognizable letters were engraved on the monument. But the symbol drawn in the center was familiar. An unidentified eye that evoked revulsion in viewers. The symbol of Pandemius.

“You must remember, Rex. The day Shaharon headed to Lindveil.”

Actually, it wasn’t Lindveil but a nearby village. It wasn’t a particularly good memory. If Rex hadn’t ascended to Hwigwang at that time. If Berger and his companions hadn’t fought risking their lives. And decisively, if Charlotte hadn’t arrived at the right time.

Rex would have been kidnapped by Shaharon and taken to the Chaos Order.

“…I knew Rex harbored ill feelings toward the Chaos Order. It’s understandable. Anyone would. As the Saint of the Chaos Order, I formally apologize to you.”

“A mere apology won’t resolve this grudge.”

Rex snorted and retorted. Pia’s smile didn’t fade. It only turned bitter. Pia spoke with a rueful expression.

“You’re right. Even if you blame and reproach me, I will humbly accept your anger. Shaharon’s actions were extreme and inappropriate. But please understand that both then and now, the Chaos Order holds goodwill toward you.”

“…Goodwill?”

“Yes. The will of the Chaos Order is the will of Pandemius. Pandemius shows extreme favor toward you. So much so that he issued a direct oracle to halt all tasks and prioritize bringing you to the order.”

Rex’s expression crumpled at those words. Who would treat someone they hold goodwill toward in such a crude manner? From the beginning, the Chaos Order’s actions were closer to obsession than goodwill.

“It’s all because of Shaharon. If he had approached more gently, you wouldn’t have misunderstood the intentions of the Chaos Order…”

“I was only doing my best for Lord Pandemius.”

“I’m sure you were.”

Pia glanced at Shaharon with a curt look. Shaharon subtly turned his head to stare into the distant void.

“I understand that Pandemius issued an oracle to bring me to the Chaos Order. So what do I need to do now? You called me here to help me, right?”

Rex cut off the small talk and got to the point. His hostility toward the Chaos Order couldn’t be resolved by mere excuses. However, he couldn’t dwell on past events forever. Unlike Shaharon, the Saint of the Chaos Order—Pia—was continuously expressing regret.

It wasn’t that he decided to forgive her out of consideration for her sincerity. After all, he had received help from the Chaos Order and come here, so he needed to know the content of the oracle.

“A valid point. However, I am not the one to reveal the specific content of the oracle.”

“What?”

Pia didn’t answer and instead recited a prayer.

“O twisted circle. O snake that bites its own tail. O spiral that extends in all directions. You who encompass all disorder in this world, O Chaos.”

A shadow stretched long beneath Pia. As the prayer continued, the shadow gradually became denser and darker. What little light existed in the cavern completely extinguished. Rex unconsciously swallowed.

“Descend upon this place.”

The moment Pia’s prayer ended.

Something sticky lightly licked Rex’s cheek. Rex widened his eyes and turned his head. —Nothing was there. Everyone who had been standing here until just now had suddenly disappeared. Perhaps.

I might have been transported somewhere else. Just as that thought occurred to him, a voice was heard.

[Is this child the successor of Kaiserion.]

[At last.]

The voice wasn’t singular. But neither gender nor age could be predicted. Is it right to call this a voice? Rex felt dizzy from the will that directly penetrated his mind. His head buzzed and rang.

[Oh my.]

[I momentarily forgot after meeting a human child after so long. Humans break and shatter so easily.]

[Lower your intensity.]

In an instant, the pressure binding his flesh disappeared. Only then did he have the leisure to look around. Rex raised his head, breathing heavily.

“Child.”

“Do not fear.”

His vision was dyed in darkness without a single point of light. Nevertheless, the figure standing before him was clearly visible. A girl in a black dress gently descended to the ground. Her ebony-like hair flowed long and rippling. She opened her mouth with a strange smile.

“My name is Death.”

The girl’s appearance was more beautiful than any woman Rex had ever seen in his life. But Rex couldn’t admire the girl. A sense of alienation overshadowing her beauty, an aura of death as if she weren’t alive, wafted strongly.

Above all, there wasn’t just one who appeared. The woman beside the girl… just as he thought that, her appearance changed. To a middle-aged man, to a young boy, and then back to a young woman. The rapidly changing body finally stopped at that of a woman. She spoke with an expressionless face.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Rex somehow felt he knew her identity.

“…Pandemius?”

“Yes.”

Chaos nodded.

“I am Chaos. If it weren’t for that damned war, we could have met much earlier.”

“Knowing what sinister intentions you might harbor, did you think I would willingly hand over my precious servant to you?”

A grumpy voice interrupted the conversation. Rex turned around with a surprised face.

“Lord Kaordics?”

Kaordics, whom he had only seen in the mental realm. Though considerably smaller in size than before, his intense eyes like the sun remained unchanged. Kaordics patted Rex’s shoulder with a pleased smile.

“Do not worry, my warrior. Even if those evil gods covet you, I shall protect you without fail.”

“I never coveted him. I merely showed interest because he was fascinating. I was trying to help him escape from crises that you, with your narrow vision, missed.”

“Silence!”

Kaordics shouted. While Chaos—Pandemius—seemed unfazed, Rex, who heard the loud voice up close, felt like his ears would burst. As Rex clutched his ears and groaned, Kaordics was startled and wore a helpless expression.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Did you come to put on a farce?”

The girl laughed with an incredulous face.

“Kaordics, you remain as ignorant as ever.”

“…Elnebra.”

“Your feud with Chaos is of little concern to me. Enough, now that the three gods and Kaiserion’s successor have gathered, let’s get to the point.”

The girl approached Rex with light steps.

“Successor of Kaiserion, my name is Death. The children of the world call me Elnebra, but call me as you please.”

Rex stared blankly at Elnebra.

“The reason we called you here today is, as you might have guessed, about Albheim.”

Elnebra added.

“Elturas is devouring my mother.”