99 – Forest (10)
“Seeing the future is indeed a great power. However, in essence, it is nothing but a byproduct.”
“A byproduct…?”
“Yes. It’s due to some innate characteristics that they ‘see’ the future.”
Having the ability to see the future is a tremendous power.
Yet, it’s nothing more than a byproduct…
“Do you know that? The fact that there exists something called the source in this world.”
“…The source?”
“Yes. It could be called the core. Or the center. Or even a massive flow.”
A cryptic statement emerged.
It would be good if she could explain clearly and simply, but it seemed she had a tendency to make things a bit difficult to understand.
“No need to complicate things. You already know that example.”
Saying so, she pointed upwards with her finger.
“God. That too is part of the source. The deity is the result of human hopes gathering and reaching the source, desiring something to lean on.”
“…”
Upon hearing that, I held my breath.
Well, there was no other way.
I had stumbled upon the unexpected story of the truth of God.
“Hard to believe?”
“…A bit.”
It was an utterly unbelievable story, difficult to accept.
That humans created gods, not the other way around.
“It’s a fact hard to accept indeed. If an inquisitor were present here, they might have flipped their eyes and tried to kill me. Of course, you wouldn’t have escaped unscathed either.”
As if telling an amusing joke, she chuckled.
From Noble mtl dot com
Indeed.
“…”
I couldn’t bring myself to laugh.
Just processing and organizing that story had already filled my mind with complexity.
“But in the end, even gods are just a ‘part’ of the source.”
“…It’s absurd.”
The scale is too vast.
I never believed in gods to begin with, but I am well aware of the power gods hold in this world.
The miracles performed by those who believe in that god, the kind of power they hold.
It’s hard to count how many times they were on the brink of death, only to be saved by the priest’s power.
Moreover, even someone like a saint or a pope can save a dying person with just a single use of their divine authority.
Yet, the being capable of performing such miracles is nothing more than a part of the ‘Origin.’
“So, does this ‘Origin’ mean it’s an all-powerful being?”
With a wry smile, she half-jokingly replied, “Not quite. It’s just… “
After a brief pause, El opened her mouth with a smile.
“One could say it’s on a level comparable to that.”
“….”
Words didn’t come easily now.
Perhaps finding my reaction amusing, El chuckled softly and spoke again.
“Well, that’s just a tale limited to this world. Besides, there’s no ego in the ‘Origin.’ It simply exists there as the center of this world.”
No ego, yet close to an all-powerful being.
That alone was enough to make my head spin.
“Let’s revisit the topic. Why do those who can see the future exist? How are they able to see the future? The answer lies in their ‘connection’ with the Origin.”
“Connected to the Origin…?”
Once again, perplexing words sprang from her lips, adding to the complexity in my mind.
El nodded.
“Yes. Born in a state connected to the Origin from birth in this world. And through that connection, they can see the future as a byproduct. In the case of the man, he was deeply connected to the Origin more than anyone else.”
I understood her words.
Why the man’s soul held such value to the demon.
Why the demon coveted the man’s soul so much.
“…Through the man’s soul, the Origin was sought.”
“Yes. Exactly. The demon aimed for the Origin through the man’s soul. Of course, it couldn’t swallow the Origin whole, but it gained a substantial ‘price.’ Satisfied with that price, the demon granted the man’s wish.”
“…Absurd.”
“Yes. Utterly absurd. With just one wish, a vast and splendid empire, along with countless imperial subjects, vanished from this world in an instant.”
El murmured calmly.
However, within her composed voice, I could sense a thread of bitterness.
Hence, I asked.
“So, how do you know all this?”
The reason for the empire’s downfall remains unknown.
Countless scholars poured sweat and effort into finding the reason, yet no one could uncover it.
But the one occupying El’s body knew the reason in great detail.
Not just knowing, but vividly describing it as if they had witnessed it firsthand.
And it didn’t end there.
Knowledge about the Origin, the connected one, and even the demon.
She knew things that an ordinary person would find hard to grasp.
Now was the time to ask about her true identity.
In response to my question, she smiled gently.
The empire was destroyed overnight by the wish of a man, and all the empire’s people met their death in an instant. However, in reality, there was one empire dweller who survived without perishing.
With a smile, she divulged the details.
“The last survivor of the empire escaped the desolate empire and went to another country. There, he established a new foundation for life. Fortunately, he had quite the ability, so he didn’t have to worry about making a living. The lone survivor of the empire lived peacefully, enjoying his days without any trouble, until he passed away.”
“…It’s a story that’s hard to put into words.”
“It’s a tale devoid of artistry.”
Responding with a grin, I spoke once more to El.
“So, that can’t be all, the last survivor of the empire.”
“….”
Given the timing of bringing up this story and the flow of the conversation, it’s apparent who that survivor of the empire is.
The being claiming to have borrowed El’s body in front of me is undoubtedly the last survivor of the empire.
“Well, there’s no need to dwell on it unnecessarily.”
El, who briefly shared her thoughts, spoke again.
“Yes. I am indeed the last survivor of the empire. Lucky enough to escape disaster and survive.”
As if it were nothing extraordinary, she revealed the details of the story.
“So, why did you summon me here? What’s the reason behind going through all this trouble?”
It was a fact that had intrigued me from the start.
Why did she call me here and wait for me?
“Do you know how that survivor of the empire managed to evade disaster?”
Whether El had no intention of answering straightforwardly or was deflecting questions with more questions, I pondered my response seriously.
“Well… Was it because he was an exceptionally skilled magician?”
I didn’t know when I first entered this space, but now I understood.
That this place was crafted by magic.
Just considering that creating such a space was impossible without reaching the level of being called a grand sorcerer, it hinted at her being a remarkable magician in her lifetime.
“As expected. Your insight is impressive.”
El let out a small laugh.
“As you guessed, I was indeed a rather remarkable magician. I was even called the most talented in the empire.”
Naturally, she applied makeup to her face.
“However, that wasn’t the reason. No matter how great a magician, even if I were the best in the empire, it’s impossible to counter the power of the devil. I just… ‘appeared,’ that’s all.”
With those words, I realized the truth.
“…You were also a ‘linked one.'”
“That’s right.”
Nodding her head, she affirmed my guess.
At that time, I was outside the empire for work. But the day before I was to return, I had a terribly ominous dream. Because of that, I didn’t go back to the empire, and not long after, the empire vanished from the continent. When I went back to check, there was no one left alive but me.
With a gaze that exuded loneliness, she spoke.
She, too, was a ‘linked one.’
Surviving disaster and creating this space.
Knowing that one day I would come here.
“Well, now it’s time to tell the truth. The reason I created this space, and the reason I waited for you.”
The smile vanished from her face.
With a stern expression, she opened her mouth.
“One day, I saw it. An impending disaster greater than the one that brought the Empire to ruin in the distant future… No, even more catastrophic. The fact that this time, the continent will face destruction and doom.”
“…!”
Endless, frivolous talk about the destruction of the continent.
However, I did not deny that frivolous talk.
No, I couldn’t deny it.
“You seem to have a hunch, don’t you?”
“….”
As she said, there was indeed a hint of suspicion.
The existence of a group plotting a war to engulf the entire continent momentarily crossed my mind.
“….”
I vaguely knew.
That the ‘organization’ would bring disaster to this world.
But hearing it directly from someone’s mouth brought a different weight of realization.
“…Is it possible to prevent that future?”
In the end, I could only pose a fundamental question.
The upcoming future, the impending disaster.
Could I really prevent it?
It was a doubt that also carried a hint of suspicion that involuntarily emerged—doubting myself whether I could truly stop the plans of an organization whose identity and extent of power were unknown.
Such doubts,
“Of course.”
She denied with just one word.
“Although it may be expressed as foreseeing the future, it’s merely metaphorical. In reality, it’s just about seeing the most probable outcome. So, it can be changed. Of course… it will be extremely difficult.”
With an unwavering gaze.
“But. You can do it. …No.”
With eyes devoid of any hint of doubt, she said,
“Wade Heblon, only you can prevent the ruin.”
As if truly believing without a shadow of doubt.