Ch.354Chapter 354 – Malevolent Star

The threat of war that had been looming over the Western Continent completely disappeared.

No matter how much the southern kingdoms of the Western Continent tried to form an alliance to secure their interests, they were no match for the religious orders of the Pantheon.

Even the Gelebrio Empire, where people were somewhat educated, couldn’t escape the influence of the Pantheon.

How much worse would it be for the southern kingdoms of the continent, where most people were nearly illiterate?

Most people living on the Western Continent couldn’t read and only knew how to speak and listen.

For them, law wasn’t something learned from the ruler who governed the country, but something learned through religious activities they attended every weekend.

So when the religious orders affiliated with the Pantheon declared, “Starting a war will bring divine punishment!” people came to believe that “War is bad!”

The southern kingdoms of the continent, which had been secretly preparing an alliance for war, were struck by a bolt from the blue.

If the religious orders affiliated with the Pantheon had intervened just a little later, the United Kingdoms would have been established, and the Western Continent would have been engulfed in war.

But the orders of the Pantheon moved quickly to inform people that “War is an act not permitted by the gods and will bring divine punishment.”

With divine oracles being delivered to the high priests of each order, the situation essentially became “If you wage war, you’re all heretics.”

In this situation, the southern kingdoms that had been preparing for war were left like dogs that had lost their chase…

“It seems we must postpone the war.”

“Hmm, the situation isn’t favorable, so let’s do that.”

The monarchs of the southern kingdoms had no choice but to put off the war for another day.

As the atmosphere that had seemed ripe for war completely dissipated across the Western Continent, an astrologer was gazing up at the night sky from an observatory he had built behind his house.

“Hmm?”

The astrologer, who had devoted his life to observing the movement of stars to study the fate and future of this world, spotted an exceptionally bright star.

It was a star that hadn’t been visible when he had observed that area before.

“Hmm… how curious. There wasn’t supposed to be a star there.”

The astrologer carefully observed where the star was shining.

Typically, the appearance of a new twinkling star signified that something good was about to happen in this world.

It is said that when the founding emperor of the Gelebrio Empire was born, a bright star shone in the sky.

Therefore, discovering a newly shining bright star could become a lifetime achievement for astrologers.

This astrologer quickly brought his notebook and began recording information about the star he had seen.

“The direction is roughly northeast? It rose about 35 degrees above the horizon in the northeast, and its brightness is stronger than other surrounding stars…”

While the astrologer was diligently recording details about the star, something strange happened.

A sinister red star appeared near the brilliantly shining star and suddenly seemed to devour it.

“Wh-what’s happening?”

The astrologer’s jaw dropped as he witnessed the scene unfolding before his eyes.

A star swallowing another star? It was a sight he had never seen in his 60 years of life.

Having witnessed a star devouring another star, the astrologer meticulously recorded every detail in his notebook.

His hand wouldn’t stop writing, thinking he might have made a great discovery that could be recorded in history books.

The brilliantly shining star flickered as the red ominous star approached, but eventually merged with it, becoming one.

Then the red ominous star began to blink like someone’s eye.

After recording all of this in his notebook, the astrologer hurriedly tried to leave the observatory.

He thought that if he quickly analyzed and published this record, it might become the discovery of the century.

But his steps halted as soon as he left the observatory.

[Can you see me, mortal?]

This was because the red ominous star that had been in the sky appeared before the observatory, looking at him.

The ominous star still appeared in the sky, but an exact copy of it had manifested before him—it was fortunate he didn’t faint.

“W-who are you?”

[I am burning hatred, the twilight of ending that dyes the world red, and the despair of all living beings.]

“U-ugh…”

The astrologer felt terror upon hearing the ominous star introduce itself.

[Spread word of me to the world. Soon, I shall visit this world. Then all creation shall know the name of fear.]

“Wh-what is your name?”

The astrologer mustered his courage to ask the ominous star’s name before its light faded.

[Mortals call me this.]

The ominous star looked at the astrologer and said:

[Arcturus.]

After revealing its name, the ominous star vanished from before the astrologer, and cold sweat began pouring down his body.

Information about this star had flowed into his mind when he faced the ominous star, Arcturus.

He instinctively realized that this information had been transmitted by Arcturus who had appeared before him.

The information about it was knowledge of such a high dimension that it was beyond his comprehension.

Nevertheless, with superhuman mental strength, he succeeded in recording all the information Arcturus had transmitted in his notebook.

“I-I must spread this information quickly.”

He realized that he must deliver this notebook with all the information organized to him.

“I must inform Duke Aurelion of this news!”

The astrologer, as if he couldn’t delay even a moment, immediately packed his belongings into a carriage and headed for Arcenium, where the Glesius Academy was located.

Upon arriving at Arcenium, the astrologer headed straight for Glesius Academy.

“Guard! Guard! I must meet Duke Aurelion!”

The astrologer shouted while knocking on the main gate of Glesius Academy, but the academy was closed as it was during vacation.

In such an urgent situation that he couldn’t even remember this fact, he kept knocking on the door, but there was no response.

“Oh, Mr. Tonel? What brings you here, Mr. Tonel?”

At that moment, someone who seemed to know him approached from behind and spoke to him.

“Oh, Professor Trion! What good timing. Is Duke Aurelion at the academy by any chance?”

After greeting Trion, a professor at Glesius Academy, he asked if the person he was looking for was inside the academy.

“Ah, yes, he is. But what’s the matter?”

“This, I must deliver this to him! I cannot enter, so I’ll entrust it to you. Can you deliver this for me?”

Astrologer Tonel handed his notebook to Professor Trion.

Normally, a notebook contains one’s research know-how and is too important to give to just anyone.

The fact that he readily handed it over made Trion realize that something had happened to Tonel.

“Mr. Tonel, what exactly is going on? You’re famous for never giving your research notebook to others, so why?”

“How can I protect my pride while watching the world perish?”

“What?”

Trion was shocked by Tonel’s words.

While most astrologers were charlatans who learned astrology and astronomy haphazardly to make a living, Tonel was the finest astrologer whose mystical powers were recognized by the Empire and various countries.

For such a person to mention the end of the world meant that he had definitely discovered something unusual in the flow or arrangement of stars.

“I understand, Mr. Tonel. I will definitely deliver this notebook to Duke Aurelion.”

“Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll be staying at the inn I frequently visit, so please make sure to deliver it.”

“Don’t worry and go get some rest.”

Only after seeing Professor Trion enter the academy with the notebook did Tonel finally breathe a sigh of relief and head to the city to find lodging.

Meanwhile, Professor Trion, who had entered the academy, met Regina who was about to return to her residence after finishing a meeting.

“Ah, Chancellor. Are you on your way back to your residence?”

“Professor Trion. I heard you went out to buy materials. Did you find anything useful?”

“More importantly, please take this.”

Professor Trion handed Tonel’s research notebook to Regina.

Regina was quite surprised by the name “Tonel” written on the cover of the research notebook.

In the world of astrology filled with charlatans, he was recognized as genuine.

“Tonel? Why would Astrologer Tonel give his research journal?”

“He said it must be delivered to Duke Aurelion.”

“To Pathos?”

Regina became curious about why Tonel wanted to deliver this to him.

He was someone who never revealed his know-how to others.

Something about revealing celestial secrets carelessly bringing more chaos to the world?

That’s why he was very selective in choosing disciples, but why was he suddenly doing this?

Regina’s doubts only deepened.

But with Professor Trion’s next words, all her doubts vanished like melting snow.

“He said it’s the only way to prevent the end of the world.”

“The end… of the world?”

Those words, however, were something that could never be taken lightly.