The strange standoff continued only briefly.
“......Ahem.”
Alon broke that bizarre confrontation by clearing his throat, then looked at the sage and asked,
“So, in the end, what do we need to do?”
Through the sage’s words, he had grasped the current situation to some extent.
‘In conclusion, to fight the Seat of Karma, we have to deal with Al-Akulakka.’
The Seat of War that Alon had faced had been weakened, unable to obtain all of its power yet.
‘......She said it lost its ability, so the power the Seat of War would have received must be...... the power of faith.’
In other words, if the Seat of War had joined hands with Al-Akulakka as she said, then what Alon would have to face would certainly be the complete Seat of War.
So they absolutely had to eliminate Al-Akulakka.
‘......Still, in a way, this is fortunate at least.’
According to what he had heard from the sage, there were no surviving groups left except Keremenia.
It was depressing news with nothing good about it.
But for Alon, paradoxically, it was also positive.
As long as there were no survivors, if they dealt only with Al-Akulakka, there would be no variable that could make the Seat of War stronger.
Alon looked at Sia while thinking that.
Sia continued speaking.
“What all of you need to do is simple. In the final battle that will happen one month from now, please deal with Al-Akulakka.”
“The final battle......?”
“Yes. At that time, every living being gathered here in Keremenia will give everything they have.”
“......Are there still people left to gather?”
At Alon’s question,
Sia shook her head.
“Of course not. No more life will gather here from now on. Lord Reber and all of you were the last.”
Seeing her look strangely bitter, yet at the same time somewhat peaceful, Alon continued.
“Then is there any reason to deliberately leave that much time?”
Alon’s question.
Of course, he needed time.
He had not properly established his system yet, and his proficiency with the newly created, clumsy system was not very high either.
But separate from that, waiting until one month later seemed strange, so when Alon asked, Sia nodded and answered.
“Mm, there are two reasons.”
“Two reasons?”
“Yes. The first is the soldiers’ training. Since it is the final battle, we need to raise even one more person’s fighting strength, so time is necessary. And the second is because Al-Akulakka’s Ascension is one month from now.”
“......You mean you intend to drag things out as long as possible and prepare?”
“There is that too, but we are also aiming for when Al-Akulakka is at its weakest.”
“......At its weakest?”
“Yes. You may not know this, but to meet Al-Akulakka, you must cross the giant city currently covered in flesh.”
“......A giant city?”
At Alon’s question, Sia nodded.
“Yes. And you have to break through the flesh masses around it, though there is no telling how many are left now. But from the moment Al-Akulakka begins its Ascension, it loses control over the flesh masses.”
“......So in other words, when its control is gone, you will quickly get us inside?”
“That is right. We will open the path you take.”
At Sia’s words, Alon nodded.
“Is what you just told us something you saw through prophecy as well?”
“That is right. Though it was not a pleasant prophecy.”
“What do you mean, not pleasant......?”
“I mean exactly that. Every time I prophesy, the situation changes.”
Well, I do not always see the conclusion, though, she answered with a strange bitterness.
“In any case, in conclusion, there is only one thing all of you need to do. As humans, all of you—”
“Deal with Al-Akulakka.”
She soon stated the conclusion.
“That is right. Could you please help us?”
At the sage’s request that followed, Alon nodded.
He was in a situation where he had no choice but to help her anyway.
At that answer, a smile appeared on Sia’s lips.
“Thank you for accepting without hesitation. Then I will also try to help Lord Alon in my own way.”
####
After speaking with the sage, evening arrived.
A world where red light still remained even in the pitch-dark night.
Alon quietly looked at that scenery.
“What are you thinking about so hard?”
At that moment, Evan came out to the terrace where Alon was and spoke to him.
“I was just thinking about what we discussed today.”
“What we heard from the sage?”
“Yes.”
Alon nodded, then suddenly let out a sigh.
‘......This will not be easy.’
When he had first heard the story from the sage, he had not thought it was all that bad.
After all, they had taken one step beyond wandering aimlessly in search of the Seat of War, and now had a clear objective.
But separate from that, thinking about Al-Akulakka and the Seat of War made his head hurt.
‘I am worried.’
It was not that he lacked confidence.
Although he currently had no laws, he could use power to replace them.
He had even already found a method in his head for how to face the Seat of War.
But the reason Alon could not help agonizing despite constantly establishing plans was, as expected, because of variables.
‘Can we not know any more detailed information?’
‘No. The information I can see with my power goes only this far.’
Alon recalled the words he had exchanged with the sage.
‘......The information is too limited.’
Of course, he had obtained all the information he needed.
But he had truly obtained only the information he “needed,” and nothing sufficient to reduce the variables, so his worries continued.
“What are you so worried about?”
Evan asked again.
As though he could see through Alon’s heart.
Alon looked at him.
“You knew?”
“I can tell just by the mood.”
Evan grinned and met Alon’s gaze.
“Do not worry.”
“Out of nowhere......?”
“You looked as though you were worrying too much.”
Alon made a strange expression.
“For some reason, that feels awkward.”
“Huh? What does?”
“......You normally do not say things like that, do you?”
Because Evan basically maintained an utterly carefree attitude no matter what happened, laughing and saying somehow things would work out.
“What are you talking about? I have always said things like this!”
“......Did you?”
“I did! Think carefully......?”
Evan protested as though wronged.
Alon looked at him for a moment, then let out a small sigh.
“......This is not a situation where I can simply not worry.”
“But on the other hand, worrying will not change anything either, will it?”
Evan admired the dark crimson scenery together with Alon for a moment, then continued.
“Did I not tell you once before? About my past.”
“You did.”
Alon nodded, remembering when Evan had brought up his own past.
“I also had a great many worries back then.”
At the words that followed, Alon found it unexpected.
“......You did?”
“Of course I did. I was incredibly serious back then too, you know? I was even young, was I not?”
As though recalling the old days, Evan’s expression stiffened briefly before he brushed it off with a light sigh.
“Starting with how I would survive the very next day, then whether a pursuit party might come after me because I was a fallen noble branded as a traitor, whether the mercenaries I worked with would stab me in the back...... I was under every kind of stress there was. But at some point, I realized something.”
“......What?”
“That there was no meaning to it.”
Evan’s calm voice continued.
“No matter how much I worried, nothing changed. In the end, what I had to face, I would face, and if it was a problem I could not solve, no matter how much I worried, it would not be solved.”
“......”
“So please do not worry too much. ......Of course, it is a little nonsense for me to say this to Lord Alon, who has to bear all the pressure alone, but—”
He seemed to think for a moment.
“Well, if Lord Alon ever ends up in danger, then I will save you again like last time. I may be weak, but I am still a guy with one good punch.”
He added it playfully with a faint laugh.
“......I appreciate that.”
Alon soon smiled faintly as well.
Evan’s confidence had a basis.
A peaceful silence settled for a moment.
“Come to think of it, there is something I am curious about.”
“What is it?”
Alon suddenly voiced the question that had occurred to him.
“If you were a fallen noble, then you must have a surname as well, correct?”
All nobles had surnames attached to their names.
But at that question, Evan made a dismissive sound.
“I do, but do not worry about it. It has already been well over twenty years since I stopped using it, so I have forgotten all of it.”
It was obvious at a glance that he did not particularly want to talk about it.
Alon also had no intention of digging into something the other person did not want to discuss.
“Well, understood.”
Alon buried his small curiosity aside.
####
The next day.
After seeing the world still dyed crimson, Alon headed alone to the small training ground where the sage was.
“You came?”
“Yes.”
At the sight of her smiling in greeting as though she had been waiting for him, Alon recalled what she had said yesterday.
“So, what is this help you can give me?”
“Naturally, help related to magic.”
“......Magic?”
“Yes. Despite how I may look, I am a mage.”
At Sia’s words, Alon made a slightly strange expression, but—
“Of course, I did not say I could help you simply because I am a mage. To be precise, the part I can help you with is related to my ‘power.’”
“......Power?”
“Yes. As I said, I can see the future.”
“Ah.”
At Sia’s following words, he let out a low sound.
Because he had realized it.
How Sia intended to help Alon.
“You intend to watch the magic I use and tell me?”
“That is right. Of course, because the magic you use is unusual, I may not be able to explain it precisely, but I think even that much should be enough to help you. What do you think?”
The answer was already decided.
“......Please.”
Alon accepted her proposal without hesitation.
####
Torino, a small kingdom at the southern end, did belong to the Allied Kingdoms, but its influence was not all that strong.
That was natural.
It did not have particularly strong military power, nor did the kingdom possess anything outstanding in any field.
Of course, in terms of territory alone, it was larger than the Luxible Duchy, but that was all.
Realistically speaking, it was a place no better than the Luxible Duchy.
Yet even in that situation, King Teleus Torino of Torino did not particularly consider it unfortunate.
Even if it was a small kingdom, Teleus was a king, and he could do everything he wished.
Because of that, Teleus had lived in a fairly decent mood until now.
Yes, until that thing came—
“Ah— Aah—!”
Teleus looked ahead, trembling in fear so badly he could hardly be called a king.
What lay before him was a scene of slaughter.
A scene of slaughter where the hundreds upon hundreds of royal guards meant to protect him, the only thing he had poured money into, had been brutally murdered.
And at the end of it—
“......”
He saw shining golden eyes reflected in the moonlight.
“Why— why are you doing this! Why in the world!!”
Teleus shouted.
Truly, at some point, before anyone knew it, she had appeared and swept away all the guard forces inside the royal castle, and he had realized long ago after seeing her.
No matter whom he called now, no one would be able to stop the beastkin before his eyes.
All he could do was cry out desperately.
Looking at Teleus, who was sunk in grief, the girl with golden eyes shining in the darkness—
“Because you—”
No.
“—were colluding with Divine blood to stab my benefactor in the back, weren’t you?”
Seollang answered his question.
And before Teleus could say anything—
“Ah—?”
He realized the world was spinning round and round.
He could see the sky.
Then the floor.
The sky and the floor appeared in turn.
At the end, what entered his vision along with a thud was the bright moon and sky.
And—
Thud.
His own body collapsing powerlessly.
Leaving Teleus staring at her in disbelief, Seollang—
“That will not do, will it? Something like you making things difficult for my benefactor. My benefactor is—”
—turned away without lingering.
“Far too softhearted.”
From the beginning, from Seollang’s perspective, Teleus’s answer had not been necessary.
As far as she knew.
And Teleus’s trembling eyes had already told Seollang that what she knew was the “truth.”
And the moment she stepped outside the audience chamber that had been smashed apart like that—
“You beat me to it.”
Seollang encountered a familiar face.
“......Radan?”
It was Radan.
“Long time no see—”
Radan leisurely waved a hand at Seollang.
He glanced around once, then grinned.
“......Looks like you found them all?”
He asked.
Seollang nodded.
“Not all of them. Just as many as necessary.”
“Is that not enough?”
“Mm— I suppose it is? Before my benefactor comes—”
“—enough to deal with the things that could harm Brother.”
Seollang and Radan quietly looked at each other.
Radan wore a playful smile.
Seollang was smiling as well, as though this was just right.
Neither of them said anything more.
But that was fine.
They had already confirmed each other’s hearts.
And so, the two simply—
“All for the Great Moon.”
—murmured quietly.
