Ch.36Ep.36 Rank

Three days had passed since witnessing Veichel’s corruption.

During that time, Radios had been discussing future plans with Arsia.

When to draw the sword against Olympus, how long to focus on exterminating the Outer Gods.

Where the dokkaebi belonged, and how to restore Elysse to her original state while avoiding Hades’ eyes.

Ah, it turned out Hades was indeed the reason why Elysse had been acting like a robot.

After asking for her permission and examining what magic had been cast on her inner self.

There was an extremely advanced spell that was beyond human comprehension.

Arsia had been analyzing the magic formation she saw inside Elysse since then, and the conclusion was.

“You’re saying we need the Necronomicon?”

“Yes. This brainwashing… it’s not ordinary brainwashing. We need a power that’s the opposite of Olympus’s energy.”

“That’s a big problem… That means we have to completely destroy the Outer God cult and then fight Olympus.”

The Necronomicon.

The worst forbidden book possessed by Yog-Sothoth, the cursed grimoire used in Namgung Ihyun’s massacre.

If it’s that grimoire said to contain all magic existing across dimensions, it could certainly break the brainwashing cast on Elysse.

But recklessly charging into the Cult of the Boundary Dweller would be nothing short of suicide.

Breaking Elysse’s brainwashing seemed like a distant future goal, so they would have to be careful around her gaze.

Anyway, after those three days that felt historically long, news arrived from Brina.

“Dad says he can meet you now, so come whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“Really? Then I should go right away.”

At the mere mention of being able to meet Kraud, Radios jumped up.

Naturally, the group prepared to leave the inn and followed Brina to where the dokkaebi resided.

“Hey~ Brina! Over here!”

“It’s been three days, Uncle!”

“Okay, four people entering now! Open the door!”

Creeeeak.

With the sound of metal friction, the empty lot rippled and wavered.

A small village identical to the dokkaebi village they had seen in the Demonic Prison appeared.

“Wow, so it’s possible to hide something like this with a formation…”

Arsia marveled at the sight, seemingly trying to memorize something intently.

Brina looked comfortable with it, while Elysse maintained her usual expressionless face.

“Let’s go in then.”

Under the dokkaebi’s guidance, Radios’s group entered the new dokkaebi village.

Not long after, they encountered two monstrous creatures that appeared to be giant wolves? Dogs?

Brina looked at them with curiosity, but Radios and Arsia had different reactions.

“Arsia… those are…”

“Hounds of Tindalos… So this is why we couldn’t meet for three days?”

“That’s right. The chief had a bit of trouble taming those fierce creatures.”

Now he understood why they couldn’t meet Kraud despite him not being injured.

He had suspected that Kraud might have been injured but was downplaying it.

If taming those Hounds of Tindalos was the reason, that was more than sufficient.

“They’ve become docile pups, but don’t get too close. It’ll be troublesome if they start acting up.”

“Yes… understood.”

What on earth was this race doing?

It was truly a moment that made him wonder.

***

“So. You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.”

Radios had requested a private meeting with Kraud, and he had accepted.

While he felt relieved seeing that Kraud hadn’t changed at all since they last met, he was also somewhat wary.

Though they were currently bound by a deal, were the dokkaebi truly allies?

After becoming suspicious of everything in the world, that suspicion had eventually extended to the dokkaebi.

But no matter how foolish Kraud might be, he must have noticed that Radios was being cautious of him.

Yet he said nothing about it, which meant…

‘Is he waiting for my reaction?’

It seemed clear what needed to be said first.

“Lord Kraud… are you on Olympus’s side?”

“An interesting question. A mere magical beast might oppose Olympus, but to be on their side?”

“You are… a race born from absorbing Cronos’s essence, aren’t you?”

He was prepared.

Even if it meant dying here, he needed to properly establish his relationship with Kraud.

Just as a certain enemy is better than an uncertain ally.

He could no longer tolerate any more betrayal.

What was unexpected was that despite touching on a sensitive topic, Kraud’s reaction wasn’t significant.

Rather, he stared intently with an amused expression, which was somewhat chilling.

“You want to clarify our relationship before moving forward, is that it?”

“Yes.”

“Then why mention Cronos? The current Olympian regime consists of treacherous children who deposed Cronos, doesn’t it?”

“..!”

Come to think of it, the current Olympus is the faction that initiated the Titanomachy and purged Cronos.

From the perspective of the dokkaebi who absorbed Cronos’s essence, they would be like traitors to their father.

“My thinking was shallow. I apologize.”

“No need. I too have been contemplating our relationship, but…”

Kraud subtly raised his magical power and scanned Radios’s body.

Since there was no killing intent, Radios didn’t object to his actions.

After examining him carefully, Kraud smiled with satisfaction.

“If you’re planning to bring down both the Outer Gods and Olympus… I should cooperate.”

“..! Really?”

“Just because something was created doesn’t mean it must unconditionally obey its creator.”

“Thank you!”

He had successfully transformed their relationship from a mere transaction to that of comrades pursuing a common enemy.

Thanks to Radios’s sincerity reaching Kraud, he had gained the best possible ally.

“Now that our awkward relationship has changed from a deal to a partnership… let’s move on. You had something to ask?”

“Yes. It’s about the Order.”

“Order. Order…”

Had he anticipated this question?

Kraud wore a faint smile as he tapped the floor with his staff.

“What do you think Order is?”

“…Pardon?”

“Are you asking about Order without knowing what it is?”

“…Isn’t a question typically about something you don’t know?”

Seriously, am I supposed to self-study without even basic knowledge? Without a teacher?

Radios was so taken aback that his question came out unfiltered.

Kraud’s expression stiffened slightly.

“True. A question is about something you don’t know.”

“I apologize if I offended you.”

“No, this seems to be my fault. Let me explain from the beginning.”

Kraud waved his staff, and the surroundings turned black.

He too disappeared, with only his voice coming from an unknown location.

[How is this place?]

“It’s dark. I can’t see anything.”

[Then how about this?]

A faint light appeared somewhere, and Radios’s gaze was drawn to it.

Eventually, the light flickered and moved to another location, then to yet another when he shifted his gaze.

Finally, unable to contain himself, Radios asked.

“What is this?”

[This is the concept of Order.]

“This is?”

Is Order some kind of firefly? Flickering and then flickering again elsewhere?

Perhaps because his face clearly showed his confusion.

Kraud continued before Radios could speak further.

[A small light illuminating the thick darkness. But it cannot stay in one place and wanders eternally.]

“What does that…”

[Order is something all beings are born with. People live with their own Orders.]

“..?”

I don’t understand any of this.

Isn’t there someone who can properly interpret this?

[Order is something sleeping within your body. It could be your skeleton, your muscles, or something mysterious hidden behind something else. Or it might not be fixed at all.]

“That’s quite abstract.”

It’s somewhat disappointing that what Order is differs from person to person.

That means he can’t immediately grasp Order.

[To put it simply, it’s belief. The more firm your belief becomes, the more likely you’ll find clues to your Order. My Order is… time.]

Tick-tock-tick-tock.

With the sound of a pocket watch’s second hand turning, the surrounding time reverses to the past.

So that’s the power of Order possessed by Kraud, the dokkaebi chief!

It seems that since Cronos was a god who wielded the authority over time, Kraud also has that characteristic.

[Gods each have different Orders. Zeus has lightning, Poseidon has water currents, Hades has death… Yog-Sothoth has boundaries, Idr has daydreams, and Nyarlathotep has chaos.]

“This is difficult.”

[Of course it’s difficult. Just as a newborn baby cannot walk immediately after birth, you cannot consciously perceive Order by trying to be conscious of it.]

With those words, the dark space returned to normal, and Kraud reappeared.

“Can you grasp the concept of Order now?”

“It’s difficult… this Order thing.”

“Actually, that Arsia who travels with you? She might realize her Order before you do.”

“What?”

Why is Arsia suddenly being mentioned here? This was unexpected.

“That girl has been steadily moving forward on her path from the beginning. That path has become solid as she experienced despair along the way.”

“…”

“Both you and Arsia will eventually awaken your Orders. It’s just a matter of timing.”

A matter of timing.

Being human, Radios felt a bit unsettled hearing that Arsia might awaken her Order first.

Well, she had been using her brain for years.

Unlike the past when they didn’t know about the existence of Order, now that the concept had been explained, Arsia could move forward.

She was exceptionally intelligent, after all.

“Then let’s leave the discussion about Order here… Do you know about the fragments?”

“Well, I know that the Blind Idiot God’s fragment was divided into four pieces.”

“Then, do you know their locations?”

“…”

Kraud narrowed his eyes as he examined Radios.

He wouldn’t want to know the fragments’ locations merely for power.

He must have another objective.

“I thought your temperament had changed, so this was the reason?”

“Pardon?”

“If you’re going to hide it, hide it properly. It would be disastrous if those Olympus vermin found out.”

“..!”

He knew.

He definitely knew that Radios had become an apostle of the Blind Idiot God.

If it had been Hades who discovered this, it would have been the end.

Perhaps it was better that Kraud found out first.

“It seems we have much to discuss. Follow me.”