Book Eater

Chapter 346: Dragon Lord (3)

Theo didn’t understand Geros’ words, but he soon realized that the ancient elemental had no intention of explaining anything. He was simply delivering the words Prometheus had left behind in the distant past. Geros’ body blurred and faded away without any further explanation.

In spite of her great confusion, Titania tried to maintain the summoning. However, despite her efforts, Geros disappeared after delivering the key.

“Geros,” Titania muttered blankly as she stared at the empty space.

The ancient elemental that had been with her for dozens of years had a strange story she didn’t know about. So, it was natural for her to be shocked.

Theo approached Titania and asked cautiously, “What happened? Why is the ancient elemental you signed with acting like this?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I tried to summon him again, but he isn’t responding to my words. It is as if he is sleeping.”

Theo thought out loud. “Titania, if it isn’t something you ordered, then it must be an arrangement left behind by the previous contractor...”

Theo was referring to the former contractor of the ancient elemental Geros, Myrdal Herseim. Clipeus watched the two converse before stepping forward. It was time to move forward, regardless of the clues they had dug up.

[Gluttony and Theodore Miller. It looks like the situation has changed. Can you look over here?]

“What...” Theo looked in the direction that Clipeus pointed, and his expression stiffened.

There was now a single crack at the center of the Cage of Chronos, where Sloth was located. Although it was difficult to get a sense of the size from this distance, it seemed wide enough to accommodate one or two human-sized creatures. This was the only way to pass through the darkness.

No, really??

Theo couldn’t accept his intuition.

If that passage is a trap, we will be putting our heads in the tiger’s mouth. It is hard to move on the outskirts of the time stagnation. Moreover, with the influence in the center…

There was no way to escape, even for Theo who could use space magic reasonably well. Strictly speaking, time manipulation was in the upper echelon of space manipulation. The possibility of escaping from a region with time stagnation was close to zero.

Even the dragons would inevitably hesitate… except for one being. The dragon lord.

[Go inside.]

“Lord! You don’t know what threat might dwell in there!”

[Your words are reasonable, Brasmati. But this threat is the reason why I appeared in the material world.]

Brasmati tried, “Perhaps the passage itself is a trap?”

[Well, I don’t think so. Isn’t that right? Theodore Miller.]

Theo smiled bitterly since he had come to the same conclusion.

“... We can enter or not enter. This means that our choice isn’t important. Whatever we choose, things will happen. It isn’t any safer staying here.”

[I think so as well. However, we have to assume the worst situation in case we are wrong.]

Clipeus added.

[Sword master, you stay here. Your Aura Ability can unnecessarily stimulate time and space.]

“...” Randolph was dissatisfied with the instructions, but Theo nodded in agreement.

Acceleration and Time Stagnation were opposing forces, so they could cause some backlash. Randolph simply didn’t have a chance to win against Sloth, who had killed over a dozen transcendents.

Clipeus didn’t stop there.

[Erucus, Aquilo. You remain here as well. If Brasmati and I don’t come back, you must preserve the dragon species.]

Erucus spoke immediately, “B-But Lord!”

[I won’t tolerate any objections.]

The dragon lord’s command was absolute. Erucus, who was about to raise objections, immediately closed his mouth. Clipeus turned to Titania. She was a high elf who brought great grace to the material world, and Clipeus wanted her to stay here if possible.

“I respect your authority, but I will go with Theo.” Titania had decided that the moment Myrdal’s name had emerged. “My teacher might be in there. I came to this swamp in order to meet him.”

[... It can’t be helped. I respect your decision, child of the Arv. Brasmati and I, along with you and Theodore Miller, will enter.]

***

Thus, an expedition of unprecedented nature was formed by one human, one high elf, and two dragons. Dragon Lord Clipeus took the lead, followed by the other three. Just like how it had been seen from afar, the path was narrow. It was barely wide enough for two adults to pass through, so it was impossible for the two dragons to change into dragon form.

“There is a gap, but it is pretty dark inside.”

They were surrounded by a strange darkness. Theo summoned a ball of light and looked around. Light magic spread out before them, but the light failed to come back. The landscape where the light disappeared was even more mysterious. Even Brasmati, who was accustomed to ancient mysteries, found it mysterious.

“This is an unpleasant space. Both light and heat are stopped. It is no wonder that idiot Galatea was caught.”

“Galatea?” Theo asked.

Brasmati replied, “An earth dragon who became an adult eight hundred years ago. She entered the darkness without waiting for the lord. Now, she is somewhere in this darkness.”

[I wish it was just falling asleep...]

Clipeus read the hope in Brasmati’s voice and muttered with a long sigh.

[Maybe I can relieve her pain.]

Time was more powerful than anything else. An elf who lived for hundreds of years and a dragon who lived for tens of thousands of years were nothing in front of time. It might be temporary, but a spirit crushed by eternity would be ruined beyond healing.

Shadows filled Brasmati’s face, but no one could comfort him. They somberly moved on. It didn’t take them long to reach the end of the passage, and a space where time moved normally greeted them. No, it was more appropriate to call it an empty space.

If the darkness of Time Stagnation was water that filled an aquarium, then this space was an air bubble. It was proof that the power of Sloth wasn’t functioning properly. The space which had been created by artificial means would collapse in thirty minutes.

An old man was sitting in an armchair in the middle. They couldn’t see his face because he was turned away, but he had impressively white hair and wrinkles. However, this was a space that shouldn’t exist. Brasmati guarded Clipeus while Theo and Titania moved forward, but the two of them didn’t try to fight the old man.

Titania called out before Theo, “... Teacher?”

The old man sitting comfortably in the chair replied, “Finally, the time has come.”

He turned around. With a beard that flowed down like hair and eyes that contained deep depths which anyone who saw it couldn’t forget… Titania’s and Theo’s eyes opened wider. As expected, he really was inside. It was the greatest elementalist of the century, Myrdal Herseim!

“It has been a long time,” Myrdal continued without caring about their reaction. “I have been waiting so many years for just today... in order to extinguish the fire of this age and change my life into a handful of ashes.”

“T-Teacher?”

As all types of emotions crossed Titania’s face, Myrdal looked at Theo’s left hand with a grim expression.

“Do you understand the plan now, Gluttony?”

In response, a hole opened on Theo’s left palm, and Gluttony replied,

- I see. You... Did you make a deal with Sloth?

“Yes.”

- That was quite smart. You are the first to deceive Sloth in such a way, Myrdal Herseim.

The two beings didn’t waste time.

Myrdal shook his head. “Call me Myrdal. Now that I’ve finished my last work, I am no longer Prometheus’ avatar.”

- Hah, I see. How much time do you have till the end?

Myrdal half replied to Gluttony as he gazed at. “Fifteen minutes or so. I have enough time for my goodbyes.”

His emotionless mask cracked as the old man smiled softly. “It has been a while, Titania. My only apprentice. I knew it would be like this, but it is nice to meet you again.”

“I feel the same. But Teacher, what are you trying to do?” Fear, confusion, and joy filled Titania’s eyes.

Despite reuniting with the person she missed for many years, her intuition was warning her against stepping forward. It saw straight through to the true essence of her wise and affectionate teacher. Titania didn’t know what Prometheus’ avatar meant, but this old man was different from the teacher in her memory.

“... Yes, you are right. There is still time left. Our hero must know my will.” Myrdal looked at Theo and then at the ground.

Four chairs of dirt rose up, with a particularly dirty one in front of Clipeus. Myrdal laughed at the group of strangers.

“Sit, Dragon Lord. It is just perfect for you.”

.

“You dare!” Brasmati was outraged. “Lord! Please allow me to kill this old man!”

[It isn’t possible.]

Clipeus was calm despite the provocation.

[That old man is the core of this space. If you kill him, we will be eaten by the darkness and drown forever. I don’t want to suffer that senseless pain.]

“Hoh, sharp senses. As expected from the dragon lord.”

Why was Myrdal acting maliciously toward the dragons, especially the dragon lord? He didn’t actually harm them, but it was obvious from his tone and behavior that there might be something bad between them that Titania and Theo didn’t know about.

Once the dragons sat down, Myrdal looked at Theo, “I want to ask you something. You are now one of the greatest magicians on the continent. Do you know me? Not Myrdal, but Prometheus.”

“....” Theo thought for a moment before recounting what he knew from Gluttony and his own studies, “In the early days of the Age of Mythology, he rejected the ways of the old gods who ruled and handed the first fire to the humans of that time. As punishment, he was cursed with immortality and forced to carry eternal pain. That is all I know.”

“Well, it’s okay. The story behind it wasn’t passed on,” Myrdal said, casually overlooking Theo’s words. Then he asked a question that was difficult for anyone to answer,

“Before revealing my identity and purpose, guess what the first fire is. What do you think fire is an expression of?”

Theo fell silent. However, he wasn’t trying to figure out the answer. He already knew the correct answer. He was just afraid of confirming it. Thirty seconds of silence passed by, but they felt like thirty minutes. He couldn’t flee forever.

Theo answered quietly, “... It is the power to control mana.”

Titania’s eyes widened, and the eyes of the dragons sharpened. Meanwhile, Myrdal laughed loudly, “Hahaha! That is correct!”

It was one of the continent’s greatest secrets.