Ch.442Chapter 442 – What’s Hidden in the Seal (1)

Looking around at the alchemy materials and magical tools, Sera seemed lost in thought.

Though she said nothing, admiration gleamed in her eyes.

Seeing how Beatrice had been similarly admiring the surroundings, this place must hold tremendous value for mages and alchemists.

Sera appeared to be feeling something profound about the fact that her grandmother had created such a place.

After looking around for quite some time, Sera quietly spoke up.

“I thought I had learned a lot from my grandmother, thought I had done plenty of research on my own, but just looking at the items here makes me realize how far behind I still am.”

Sera picked up a magical tool and spoke softly.

I couldn’t tell what it was, but when she infused it with magical power, it began to float on its own and emit light.

At the same time, I felt a slight warmth, and I realized it had the same effect as the lamp Sera had made during our journey.

The difference was that unlike the lamp that needed to be held, this floated on its own, making it more convenient.

“Despite its appearance, it’s far superior in both efficiency and effectiveness. It doesn’t even compare to what I’ve made. Grandmother must have traveled here much more comfortably.”

Looking at it differently, it was because she was an alchemist with such incredible technical skills that she was able to create a kind of dungeon by piggybacking on Evgenia’s seal, but Sera didn’t bother mentioning that part.

There was no need to.

“The gap between grandmother and me is still so wide.”

Sera let out a small sigh.

Then, in a slightly frustrated voice, she quietly said:

“In the end, it was grandmother who saved you, Kay.”

Sera spoke bitterly, looking at the Philosopher’s Stone I still possessed.

I quietly asked her:

“Are you jealous?”

“I won’t deny it. I thought I had improved a lot, but then I saw someone so far above me.”

Sera laughed weakly.

“But when I think that I couldn’t save you myself, that part frustrates me a bit.”

“I see.”

Looking at Sera, I spoke quietly:

“From my perspective, I believe you’ll definitely surpass your grandmother.”

“How can you be so certain?”

In response to Sera’s question, I smiled and answered:

“You’ve seen someone more skilled than you, and you’ve seen their results, right?”

Feeling Sia looking at me with slight interest, I continued speaking to Sera:

“That means you can absorb that knowledge and become even better than them.”

Perhaps Sera’s grandmother had shown an excellent answer to the time it would take to reach that level.

It was as good as saying that just by absorbing that knowledge, she could greatly reduce the time spent on trial and error.

“Do you think I can do it?”

“I know you can.”

Even before meeting me, she had learned much from her grandmother and continued to learn.

That’s why I could say it with certainty.

Sera quietly asked:

“Why?”

“Because I believe in you. And because you have someone who believes you can surpass yourself.”

It wasn’t just me who had been watching Sera for a long time.

Sophia herself had said Sera could surpass her.

It wasn’t just comfort for her granddaughter; she had meant it sincerely.

“She didn’t leave any information about the Philosopher’s Stone for your safety, yet she told Sophia about you and left everything to you. If you made it this far, she must have believed you could accomplish more than she did.”

Though she couldn’t tell Sera much because of the risk of being targeted by Emiris, she had left many things for when Sera reached this point on her own.

And Sera had reached it with us.

All while diligently conducting research and improving her skills.

I could say this because I knew her from before we started our journey, and because I had heard her grandmother’s assurance.

Hearing this, Sera quietly asked:

“Aren’t you thinking too optimistically?”

“Maybe.”

I’m not an alchemist to begin with, so I don’t know what qualities her grandmother saw that made her believe Sera could surpass her.

However…

“Your grandmother told me that you could surpass her because you’re a kind person who can pour everything into helping others.”

Maria was full of conviction as she said those words.

It was guaranteed by an alchemist so remarkable that even mages were amazed.

Sera would surely be capable.

And…

“Besides, whether you surpass your grandmother or not isn’t that important to me.”

I looked at Sera as I spoke.

“Why not?”

“Because to me, you’re the only greatest alchemist.”

It might not be the right phrase for this situation, but there’s a saying that a close neighbor is better than a distant relative.

To me, Sera, who was always by my side helping me, was a more excellent alchemist than her grandmother whom I had never seen in life.

“So I don’t want you to feel intimidated. You’re more wonderful.”

I said that with sincerity.

Soon, Sera mulled over my words a few times, then blushed slightly and said:

“You’re trying hard to comfort me.”

Sera smiled gently and said:

“Thank you, Kay.”

“For what?”

“For encouraging me.”

Sera smiled.

The atmosphere softened slightly, and for a moment, we just looked at each other.

Then Sophia, who had been waiting, quietly spoke up.

[It seems your conversation is over. Is there anything you wish to take from here?]

“Read the room, will you?”

Sera sighed regretfully, but soon shook her head and looked at Sophia.

“Honestly, I’d like to take many things. Precious materials that are now difficult to recreate, fascinating magical tools, and all the research journals my grandmother left behind.”

[Shall I prepare them?]

At Sophia’s words, Sera shook her head and said:

“Not right now. Time is of the essence. Please continue to preserve the materials for any future need. And for now, I’d like to go down, Sophia.”

Looking at Sophia, Sera continued:

“First, I want to check Evgenia’s seal. We need to see what that deity left for Chris.”

[Understood.]

Sophia moved through the air.

[I will guide you.]

“Please do.”

Sophia nodded once at Chris’s voice.

Soon, we began following Sophia again.

As we walked, Sera gently took my hand, and I held it firmly as we walked slowly.

+

After passing through the storage room, another long corridor appeared.

As soon as we entered the corridor, Lizanis spoke up:

“This place is also filled with the smell of gunpowder, White Dragon.”

[You need not worry about traps. It is merely maintaining a defensive posture.]

I looked at Sophia.

“Defensive posture?”

[Maria said that since she used the divine seal to hide the Philosopher’s Stone, she should at least protect the divine seal.]

Sophia looked at me and continued:

[She did not tell me the exact reason. However, she did say that protecting both the Philosopher’s Stone and this seal was important.]

Sophia explained that this place had a similar level of security as the areas we had passed through.

“That’s good, but if someone doesn’t know the bypass route, wouldn’t they just break through that massive platform to get in? We were going to make a hole in the wall to go down because the seal is important, but someone who doesn’t know its value might just try to break through that wall.”

[Indeed, if that wall were breached, the seal would break. However, Maria judged that even if the seal were destroyed, as long as the divine power inside doesn’t completely disperse, the final function the seal must perform would survive.]

After responding to Beatrice’s question, Sophia looked at her and quietly said:

[According to her, she wondered if the deity wouldn’t have considered natural disasters like earthquakes. Of course, it would be problematic if it remained destroyed for a long time, but as long as the divine power inside doesn’t leak out, it should still function.]

“So it’s fine for now.”

[Still, there’s a possibility of some functional issues if it breaks. Ideally, the seal should remain intact. And it’s truly fortunate that none of the seals have been damaged.]

There was always a non-zero chance that an unexpected disaster could break the seal.

In that sense, it was almost a stroke of heaven’s luck that all the seals were safe.

[Beyond this, I have no more information about Evgenia’s seal. I suspect you all know more than I do.]

It was natural that we, who had visited all four seals directly, would know more than Sophia, who had only guarded one seal from the outside.

After quietly agreeing with that opinion, Sophia twitched as if shrugging her shoulders, then began flying through the air again.

Finally, the end of the corridor came into view, with elite golems appearing to guard the entrance.

Whether Sophia gave some instruction or the golems moved on their own, they stepped aside, and as the door opened, the familiar divine power began to be felt again.

[Beyond that door, you will see stairs again. Go down those stairs, and you will find Evgenia’s seal. You’re almost there, so you should arrive shortly.]

“Thank you for guiding us, Sophia.”

Sera said to Sophia.

[I only did what was expected of me.]

Seeing Sophia speaking so respectfully, Sera smiled slightly.

Then, as if remembering something, Sophia approached Sera and said:

[I almost forgot. I believe there will be no danger beyond this point, but just in case, I will give you a summoning magical tool.]

With those words, Sophia looked at one of the elite golems behind her.

The golem approached, picked up the spherical Sophia, and took something out from inside her.

A small magic stone engraved with a tiny magic circle emerged, and the elite golem handed it to Sera.

As Sera carefully received it, a voice came from the golem:

[Seraphina is our master. If you are in danger, please summon us anytime.]

“Th-thank you.”

As Sera smiled and spoke, the elite golem stepped back.

Looking at the golem, I asked:

“Nothing else to give us?”

[No. I will now prepare for your comfortable return.]

The voice of the golem sending us off flowed out.

[May Evgenia’s guidance be with you. I wish you good fortune.]

I nodded at Sophia’s words.

Chris took the lead at the front of the corridor again and looked back at us.

“Then, I’ll lead the way.”

“Please do.”

Nodding to Chris, she took the lead with her staff.

The seal was now right in front of us.

+

Several minutes passed as we continued down the stairs after parting with Sophia.

As the familiar murals appeared again, Noah and Lizanis were busy examining them as they descended.

And as Sophia had said, after some time, the end of the stairs came into view.

“We’ve arrived.”

“There’s no smell of traps, but this is…”

Lizanis muttered in amazement.

Slowly, one by one, we descended the stairs, and finally, as the last step ended, a flat floor appeared.

Looking at the center of the room filled with golden divine power, Noah exclaimed in admiration:

“That huge fragment…”

“Yes.”

I nodded to Noah and said:

“It’s Evgenia’s seal.”

That final seal was before us.

Despite everything that had happened above, we took a moment to appreciate the seal that had remained safe without any interference.

“Finally, this is the last seal.”

We had been on a truly long journey.

Not just me, but Eve, Sera, Chris, and Beatrice seemed to share similar feelings.

We were all lost in appreciation for a while, and soon Sia quietly brought us back to reality.

“Well, shouldn’t we start now?”

“Yes.”

Chris nodded at Sia’s words.

Soon, she quietly floated her staff in front of the seal, knelt down, and clasping her hands together, began to pray.

“‘Great Evgenia.'”

Chris quietly opened her mouth with a voice filled with divine power.

“‘Show us the path we must take.'”

As if responding to Chris’s divine power, Evgenia’s fragment began to vibrate.

Soon, an enormous amount of divine power began to pour out from the fragment.

The golden divine power began to fill the surroundings even more.

+

Golden divine power poured out from the fragment.

Soon, the presence of all people disappeared from Chris’s awareness, and she entered her mental space.

‘This is the final seal.’

After passing through four seals, she had finally arrived at the last one.

‘At last, I can learn the purpose of this seal.’

What had started as a journey to nullify the heresy charge against Kay had now extended to problems caused by ancient deities.

In the process, Chris had learned what had happened.

‘Deity Emiris, who desires omnipotence.’

Chris wasn’t sure what kind of personality this deity originally had.

She was only certain that it was an evil deity who, gripped by the fear of death, became obsessed with omnipotence, devoured another deity, and then plotted anew.

‘Surely, this seal was created to counter that evil deity.’

Otherwise, there would be no reason to make it undetectable to the deity’s eyes.

Moreover, Chris had realized that secrecy had been strictly maintained at some point to avoid detection.

And finally, the time had come for that secret to be revealed.

Chris clasped her hands together.

Quietly offering a prayer, she closed her eyes.

‘Great Evgenia, please show me what path you intended to guide me on.’

The golden divine power seeped into Chris again.

An enormous amount of divine power strengthened Chris’s vessel, and the amount of divine power contained in her body began to increase exponentially.

The nun, who was beginning to approach a true deity by handling such a vast amount of divine power, closed her eyes and began to receive that power.

She began to read the secrets and messages contained in that power.

The first thing that came to mind was…

‘Deities grow stronger by consuming faith.’

More precisely, they gather faith and can convert it into power.

It was the most fundamental characteristic of a deity.

‘The current deities are beings who crossed over from another world to this one.’

‘The beings who crossed over from another world waged war against the indigenous deities of this world.’

‘Gathering faith is also possible for the indigenous deities of this world.’

‘The ability to convert that faith into one’s own power is a characteristic of deities who came from another world.’

The knowledge she had gained so far gradually surfaced.

And then, newly.

Another piece of information was engraved.

A wave of information engulfed Chris.

Detailed information about the truths Evgenia had been hiding came to her.

And.

‘The purpose of the seal is…’

The moment she learned the true purpose of the seal.

Chris, without realizing it, called out one person’s name.

‘Maria was right.’

What the seal had been hiding.

Its identity was.

‘It was a ritual to ensure that no deity exists in this world.’