Ch.385Chapter 385 – To the Land of Beast-men (1) (Revised)

# The Philosopher’s Stone

The material needed for the Hero’s Awakening had once again become a topic of discussion.

“The only person who might know the whereabouts of the Philosopher’s Stone would be Maria Medimaker, Sera’s grandmother…”

Naturally, Maria Medimaker had died long ago. The only clue left behind was the book in the possession of her granddaughter, Sera. There were no other leads.

“But Somnus was absolutely certain that Maria had created the Philosopher’s Stone.”

I didn’t want to believe him based on his behavior, but Somnus’s true identity was Emiris. Despite his manner making it difficult to imagine, he was a being called a god in this world.

Moreover, his own life was at stake. If I had to pick someone who would have tracked the Philosopher’s Stone with all their might, it would be none other than him.

Yet even he couldn’t find it in the end. That’s why he must have attacked Sera, believing she had inherited something from her grandmother.

‘Conversely, the fact that he was so certain and pursued it so persistently means that he could at least detect the fact that it was created?’

While I was formulating this hypothesis alone, Sera quietly spoke up.

“…I personally believe my grandmother really did create the Philosopher’s Stone.”

“Why do you think so?” asked Eve.

Sera answered, “My grandmother did create something similar, though it was imperfect. Dvel testified that while something crucial was missing, the feel and composition were very similar.”

If Dvel, the dwarf member of the Hero’s party, was one of those who had definitely seen the Philosopher’s Stone, then according to his testimony, Maria had indeed created something very close to it.

And if Maria had found that crucial missing element, there would be no reason she couldn’t have created the Philosopher’s Stone.

There had always been circumstances suggesting Maria had created the Philosopher’s Stone, but with this information, it would be stranger to think she hadn’t made it.

‘She wouldn’t have hidden such an important item just anywhere.’

It was something that even Emiris couldn’t find to this day.

The very person who needed it most couldn’t find it. Despite wielding the power of a god. Maria wasn’t a god, so she should have been at an overwhelming disadvantage when it came to hiding the Philosopher’s Stone.

Yet Maria had perfectly concealed the Philosopher’s Stone from a god.

How did she find a place where that would be possible…?

‘…found it, huh.’

Come to think of it.

Maria had been able to discover the location of Evgenia’s fourth seal through calculations and reckless methods.

Chronologically, after that, she had also visited the third seal guarded by Rubrum.

Although she didn’t delve deeply into the seals, she had definitely noticed the locations of several of Evgenia’s seals.

‘The seals were guarded extremely strictly.’

Some were protected by powerful guardians, while others were difficult to approach. They were seals that seemed to have been created with every effort to ensure they would never be discovered by someone.

And as I considered the purpose of the seals, I remembered Maria’s hypothesis.

‘She said that in the end, gods would cease to exist…’

Maria had clearly stated that. She had hypothesized that Evgenia’s seals were created for that purpose.

If so.

If someone knew the purpose of the seals, who would be most likely to try to remove them? If the seals were meant to eliminate gods, who would suffer the most from their power?

Following the causal relationship, only a foolish answer remains.

‘It would be Emiris.’

Excluding Chris who had newly become a god, Emiris was the only god left now. And he had backstabbed and devoured all the others.

That would mean Evgenia’s seals pose the greatest threat to Emiris.

‘That’s why the seals were so strictly hidden.’

To hide them from Emiris himself. To ensure that even Emiris couldn’t find them. As this thought occurred to me, I recalled something I had heard long ago.

‘What Rubrum said was true.’

Rubrum had also mentioned it. That the seals had been specially processed to prevent other gods from detecting them.

Judging by the fact that Emiris had never directly mentioned the seals, his words were likely true.

There was a high probability that Emiris was unable to properly perceive the seals.

“…Kay, have you figured something out?”

“I was thinking that Emiris might not be able to properly perceive Evgenia’s seals.”

I answered Eve’s question while quietly sharing my thoughts.

“Considering Maria’s hypothesis about Evgenia’s seals—that in the end, no gods would remain—it makes sense that the seals would be so strictly hidden to conceal them from gods.”

I quietly addressed my companions.

“Rubrum also mentioned it. Evgenia’s seals were specially processed to prevent other gods from detecting them. So if someone wanted to hide something from Emiris, there would be no safer place than inside Evgenia’s seals.”

“Plus, my grandmother had already identified the locations of several of Evgenia’s seals,” Sera quietly added.

Eve spoke with a slightly excited voice.

“Then, that means, we need to go to Evgenia’s seals.”

“And we’ve already visited four of the seals.”

There were five seals in total.

Among the four we’d visited, the only thing Maria had hidden was a single note she left at the fourth seal.

That meant only one remained.

“The Seal of Bestia.”

The final seal remaining in the land of the beast-folk.

That’s where we needed to go.

+

After it became clear why we needed to go to the Seal of Bestia.

After hearing a few more simple pieces of information, Diana seemed to think there was nothing more to discuss and sighed deeply before speaking.

“…This has certainly been a day of hearing things beyond my imagination.”

Diana asked dejectedly what kind of days we had been having.

I quietly responded to her.

“This is just how things turned out before I knew it.”

“I suppose so. Honestly, I thought just lifting the heresy charge would take ages.”

“Uh, ahem!”

Kara cleared her throat as if feeling a bit guilty.

It was true that Kara was the one who had imposed the heresy charge, and we had suffered greatly because of it.

She had reason to feel guilty.

“So is that all you have to report today?”

“Yes.”

I quietly answered Diana.

There was nothing more to report. Nothing at all.

“…Um, what about me?”

“Huh?”

I was momentarily dumbfounded by Sia’s words.

Then Sia opened her mouth, seeming somewhat dissatisfied.

“Look here. I revealed that I’m a Demon Lord, isn’t that being treated too lightly?”

“Oh.”

I forgot.

Or rather, there hadn’t been time to be surprised.

We glanced at each other briefly, and soon Beatrice nodded and exclaimed loudly.

“Oh my! Sia was the Demon Lord!”

“Are you mocking me?”

Sia immediately reacted to Beatrice’s joke.

Then she sighed deeply and said.

“I was feeling quite conflicted about it, but this treatment is too much.”

Sia grumbled, seemingly displeased that she had been relegated to the background.

I answered her honestly.

“…Well, from our perspective, we don’t really know how to react.”

“You mean you’re not interested?”

“It’s more that we know you’re a good person regardless of your identity.”

We had spent time together, received help from her, and fought alongside her.

At this point, her identity wouldn’t change our opinion of her…

Come to think of it, she had revealed herself to be a Demon Lord who had a grudge against us, yet we felt neither hostility nor concern about what she might be harboring.

I just thought that regardless of her identity, Sia was still Sia.

“If that’s your way of expressing trust in me, well, I don’t feel bad about it…”

Sia lowered her gaze, seeming a bit embarrassed.

“I apologize if it made you uncomfortable, Demon Lord.”

“It’s fine. And since we’re on the subject, just treat me as you did before. Honestly, it’s uncomfortable otherwise.”

“Sure.”

No problem.

Sia looked at me with a slightly bewildered expression.

“…Really? You’re not going to ask anything else?”

“Between us?”

At my words, Sia once again looked bewildered.

But soon she laughed loudly, seemingly pleased.

“This is ridiculous.”

Though she said that, Sia looked happy.

Soon she spoke again.

“…Well, just let my identity slide. I am Lisilia Bael. Nickname Sia. For you all, I’d prefer to be remembered simply as Sia.”

Everyone nodded at Sia’s explanation.

Beatrice quietly asked her.

“Sia is kind… but I think you’ll have to take responsibility for that incident.”

“Which incident?”

“The battle at Albheim.”

Beatrice spoke quietly.

“As you know, demons and elves waged war there. …As a result, you were barely summoned. We know your character, but the elves are surely bearing grudges against the demons.”

“I suppose so.”

Sia nodded at Beatrice’s words.

Chris quietly asked.

“What do you plan to do about that…?”

“I’ll take responsibility. What else can I do?”

Sia spoke quietly.

“Though to make an excuse, I didn’t want to cause so many casualties. But we were desperate for survival. And the elves were desperate to protect their homeland.”

Sia looked at me and said.

“That’s why I wanted to resolve it through dialogue if possible.”

“But the situation didn’t allow for that?”

Sia nodded at Sera’s words.

Indeed, if demons who were spoken of as the perpetrators of war and objects of terror suddenly showed a friendly attitude, everyone would be suspicious, so it wasn’t wrong to say dialogue would be difficult.

“And from the demons’ perspective, we had finally found a chance to escape from the demon realm, which was becoming barren with depleted resources and where we were starving to death. It seemed like an opportunity that would never come again.”

Sia explained that if the operation had failed at that time, or if for some reason they couldn’t summon Sia, there was no guarantee when the demons would have another chance to leave the demon realm.

In other words, the demons had no fallback plan.

“Still, I take responsibility for that battle. I am the king. I have a duty to take responsibility for what my people did.”

Sia quietly added that she might be accused of hypocrisy, but…

“However, I would like some time. …For the sake of my comrades who helped me when I was injured and are still with me, I need to deliver a blow to the god who brings misfortune to everyone.”

“You don’t need to risk yourself for our sake.”

Because the opponent is a god.

When I said this to Sia, she smiled slightly and then became serious.

“I have a personal grudge too.”

Sia spoke quietly.

“It seems Emiris, or Somnus, was also manipulating the followers of the Demon God from behind. He wore the mask of their patron and incited the Demon Lord from behind. Because of that, I had to suffer greater injuries even when my internal organs were already damaged, and my former comrades and subordinates suffered greatly because of that Demon Lord.”

Sia’s voice was growing colder.

Though her expression remained gentle, it seemed difficult for her to suppress her anger toward Somnus and the Demon Lord.

“At the very least, I must exact retribution from them.”

“…I see.”

So Sia also has a debt to settle with Somnus.

Too many people owed Somnus a debt.

Perhaps sensing the atmosphere might become heavy, Sia immediately smiled brightly and said.

“Well, apart from that, if the opponent is a god, wouldn’t you feel more at ease with the King of Demons watching your back?”

“You certainly have a way with words.”

Eve answered with a smile.

It was definitely reassuring.

“Thank you. For saying you’ll help.”

“It’s nothing. We’re comrades. If anything, I’m just grateful that you treat me comfortably despite knowing my identity.”

Sia quietly complained that others were too formal with her.

“Anyway, our next steps are decided now.”

“That’s right.”

I nodded toward Sia and said.

“First, we’ll return to Firenze and drop off Diana and Kara.”

“And then head to our next destination.”

I nodded at Chris’s words.

“Mark our destination accurately on the map, Chris.”

I quietly said to Chris.

“So we can head there directly from Bestia.”

+

At the moment they decided to head to Bestia according to Kay’s words.

One question was blooming in Beatrice’s mind.

‘…It’s not particularly relevant to the topic, so I didn’t report it, but…’

In the memories of the Platinum Saint.

For some reason, there was a phrase that wouldn’t leave Beatrice’s mind.

[Divinity is contagious.]

‘What could that mean?’

While observing Chris’s divinity that could still be felt within Kay’s body.

Beatrice’s question continued to deepen.