Ch.175Emperor, Aria. (3)

“…Do you really believe what that person is saying?”

Kiel, who had been silent until now, asked. Melina, unsatisfied with just listening, had begun searching for materials related to the Demon God. Aria, sipping her black tea as always, replied.

“There’s no reason not to believe it.”

“But Your Majesty. Even I, a knight, know that crossing world-lines is a task one cannot even attempt without touching the truth. But that person…”

“Hasn’t touched the truth like I have. Yes, I know that too. That’s what makes it more fascinating.”

Aria’s insight isn’t limited to just the intellectual realm.

Whether wielding a sword or holding a book, she possessed the enlightenment to touch the truth.

The problem was that she had been wasting this ability until she met Olivia.

Of course, even after becoming Emperor, Aria never practiced swordsmanship or magic. They were of no help in governing the nation.

But after Olivia left this world, things changed.

From the beginning, Aria wasn’t the type to easily accept her friend’s death.

Whether turning back time or resurrecting Olivia.

She wanted to meet Olivia somehow, even if just to say goodbye.

She didn’t want to end this relationship in such an absurd way, hearing about her death through someone else’s mouth.

That’s why she had studied magic for a full 15 years.

“Hmm.”

Aria looked at the cover of the book she had been reading.

[Introduction to Spatiotemporal Studies]

A theoretical work that Melina of this world-line had written just before her death.

However, since she passed away before completing it, it remained an unfortunate, unfinished work.

“…When coincidences continue, they become fate.”

It was already unbelievable that Melina, who hadn’t touched the truth, had crossed world-lines, but of all places, she arrived in a world-line with “Emperor Aria” who was struggling to master time magic.

“What do you think, Kiel? Isn’t it too coincidental? If this is a trap, whoever designed it must be an incredible genius.”

Making it impossible to resist jumping in.

Kiel smiled bitterly. After serving Aria for many years, he was certain.

“You intend to join forces with that person, don’t you?”

“Indeed.”

“But Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous.”

“I know.”

“…”

Aria laughed silently.

“Isn’t it about time you realized? It’s impossible to change my mind.”

“Couldn’t you have been like this in front of the Grandmaster too?”

“Oh my, how insolent.”

Aria turned her head to look at Melina, who was engrossed in searching for materials.

[In her previous life, Olivia destroyed the continent. But that wasn’t Olivia’s true intention. According to Your Majesty, what controlled Olivia wasn’t Asmodeus but the remnants of the Demon God.]

In Aria’s opinion, there were several discrepancies in Melina’s claims.

First, Olivia wasn’t someone who would fall to mere remnants of the Demon God.

“Kiel, what do you think? Do you really believe Olivia was that kind of person?”

“Even a Grandmaster would break down in the face of eternal time, wouldn’t they?”

“Are you saying Olivia would say, ‘I don’t care anymore, let’s just kill everyone to vent my anger’?”

“…”

“Ah, this is why knights… I heard the Kiel from that world was friends with Olivia. Couldn’t you have tried to befriend her too?”

Kiel showed no reaction to Aria’s words. Aria twisted her lips.

“Olivia wasn’t that kind of person. If she could save only one between a child and herself, she would save the child without hesitation.”

Aria gazed at the blue lanterns floating outside.

“Therefore.”

Every time I see those, I feel.

They truly make a part of my heart ache.

“…If she committed genocide, it must have been an absolutely necessary process.”

This wasn’t denial of reality, but an expression born from conviction.

However, even Aria couldn’t understand why Olivia had chosen “genocide” as the method.

Aria approached Melina and said:

“Teach me spatiotemporal magic.”

“…There’s no time.”

Melina couldn’t stay in this world-line permanently.

Despite paying the price of ten years, she could stay for three days at most.

After three days, she would be mercilessly expelled back to her original world.

She couldn’t waste precious time teaching the Emperor. Honestly, just investigating the existence of the Demon God was overwhelming enough.

As Melina turned her head back to the books, Aria’s magical power spread like ripples. Melina turned her head again.

“…”

When she came to her senses, the library was gone, and she found herself on a small boat.

Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu-tsu…!

Blue lanterns danced over the clear water surface. They looked similar to the lanterns that had floated during Olivia’s memorial service earlier.

Extending a finger to the water’s surface, she felt a cold sensation.

A fantasy incredibly close to reality.

Melina knew the name of this magic.

Phantasmal Realm.

“This is a magic I realized when I reached the pinnacle of fire magic.”

Aria was sitting on the opposite end of the boat.

“…Are you trying to boast?”

“No, I’m showing you my talent. I know you don’t have much time. Judging by your remaining magical power, you have about three days left at most.”

“Even if you’ve reached the truth, it’s impossible to fully understand spatiotemporal magic in just three days.”

Aria smiled.

“Hehe. It’s possible if limited to ‘theory.'”

“It’s still the same. There’s no time to teach.”

Because she couldn’t use all three days fully.

As if expecting such a response, Aria shook her head.

“Your real reason for crossing world-lines was to undo Olivia’s ‘genocide’ and prevent the upcoming war, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“But you’ve fallen into a completely different world-line, so achieving that goal seems distant now. However, if I help, there might be a way.”

Melina cautiously asked:

“…What’s the method?”

“I will regress.”

Aria had somehow moved right in front of Melina.

“Regressing dozens, hundreds, thousands of times, catching up to your and Olivia’s time.”

No way…

What she’s planning is.

“Then I will devour that ‘Aria’s’ personality.”

There would be no need to fight, no war would occur.

Because ‘Emperor’ Aria would know the full details of the incident.

Saa-aak…

As the Phantasmal Realm collapsed, they returned to the imperial library.

“Of course, for that to happen, I need to learn time magic from you first.”

Aria’s face as she said this.

“What will you do? Tower Master of Golden Tower from another world-line.”

Looked incredibly similar to Olivia’s.

*****

Melina had no choice.

Because a definitive solution was right in front of her, more certain than any other.

However, what worried her was…

“Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous.”

“Hehe. I can endure it. Do you think I can’t do what Olivia did? Besides, my regression will be shorter than Olivia’s at most.”

After all, she couldn’t go to world-lines that existed before ‘Emperor Aria.’

Anyway.

“So, it’s fine.”

“…”

Kiel kept his mouth shut. Before being the Duke of the Empire, he was a knight serving his lord.

Reading Kiel’s mind, Aria smiled as if to say not to worry.

“I don’t mean I’ll regress right now. I can only attempt it after abdicating to my successor and reaching the extreme of time magic.”

“…I see.”

After hearing that, Kiel had no grounds to stop Aria anymore.

“I’m rather looking forward to it. It means I can meet Olivia thousands of times while traversing thousands of world-lines.”

As she spoke, Aria’s eyes held a childlike enthusiasm.

Like someone who had just regained vitality lost for over a decade.

“…”

Kiel, momentarily speechless, soon displayed a gentle smile. It was the smile a knight shows when seeing his lord’s happiness.

When his lord is so joyful, what knight could stand in the way?

Even if the end of that path is destruction, one must welcome it gladly.

Kiel bowed respectfully and said:

“Your Majesty, please tell me what I should do from now on.”

“For the next three days, don’t let anyone into the imperial library.”

“I will obey your command.”

A response without a moment’s hesitation.

That was enough.

For the next three days, she could focus solely on time magic.

By now, a pleasant smile had bloomed on Aria’s lips.

“Now, Tower Master! From this moment, teach me to the best of your ability! If you waste even a moment in your teaching, I might not reach the extreme of time magic!”

Melina also nodded with a determined face.

And so began the most valuable three days for them.