Chapter 131: Release of "The Garden Of Sinners"(5)
Imperial Mage Academy—after the first chapter of "The Garden of Sinners: Overlooking View" ended, the students in the hall began to discuss it eagerly. Clearly, everyone had their own interpretation of the mysterious ending.
"I can't quite understand. What kind of ability did Shiki Ryougi use to kill that intangible ghost? When the ghost died, it felt different from a normal death, almost like it was being cut into pieces."
"It must be some sort of special ability. Whether it's something Shiki inherently possesses or something Aozaki Touko modified is unclear."
"That prosthetic arm obviously has special abilities. If not for it, Shiki wouldn't have been able to grab the ghost floating in the air."
"Why are you still talking about that? Didn't you find the ending sweet? I'm really curious about the relationship between Shiki and Mikiya Kokutou. The clues are still too scattered."
"Yeah, so how long is 'The Garden of Sinners'? Will it be like 'Fate/Zero' where we have to wait half a year for the next part?"
"That would be too long! I might just die from waiting! Remember to send the sequels of 'Fate/Zero' and 'The Garden of Sinners' to me in the afterlife!"
"..."
While the students' discussion mostly focused on the plot's surface, a group of great archmages atop the Alchemy Tower were having a more profound debate about the film's ending. Judging by their contemplative and serious expressions, it would be hard to believe that these experienced mages were discussing a television film.
The first to speak was Dean Hohenheim. He glanced at Archmage Rosa beside him, then, after some thought, addressed the other mages: "Many of you have likely encountered ghosts before. What do you think of Fujo Kirie's situation? She's clearly human, yet she possesses the 'Overlooking' ability. It's hard to classify her as an esper. Her abilities seem to have awakened due to her illness and being confined to her room. As for that ghost-like entity, is it a doppelganger?"
"It's more than a doppelganger. Her personality has split, creating a second being. Fujo Kirie's second 'self' isn't another human, but a ghost."
"Is it really possible? To give a second personality a new body, ultimately creating a dual existence?"
"In theory, it is possible, but it remains purely theoretical. After all, the soul and the brain are the two most difficult concepts for humans to analyze. If someone were able to fully comprehend them, they would likely be considered a deity."
"However, in this story, Fujo Kirie succeeded, and it's clear that it wasn't a natural occurrence but rather deliberately instigated by someone. Let's set aside the motives of this instigator for now. At the very least, Fuko Kirie's creation of a dual existence concept bears resemblance to the previous undead school. Those madmen once conceived a notion where they could achieve undead by creating a soul completely identical to their own, conducting experiments to make it immortal, gathering data, and ultimately achieving risk-free research into immortality through their own consciousness. One could say it was a crazy idea."
Upon hearing Archmage Rosa's words, nearby wise archmage expressed surprise. "You actually study these things? In my life, I've least wanted to delve into those studies. Besides gaining a deeper understanding of the soul, there's hardly any additional value. It could also cause a lot of trouble."
To this, archmage Rosa simply replied quietly, "I just believe that such research shouldn't go to waste. Even though the study of undead in some sense violates ethics, the data obtained from those who sacrificed so much for it isn't inherently wrong. My observations are solely aimed at better understanding humanity itself, as long as I don't misuse it."
"That's true. After all, it's the person who kills, not the weapon. Even if judgment were to be passed, it would only be on those scholars of the insane undead school. However, such research easily seduces young mages. After all, young people's moral compasses are still being formed, and at this stage, they're susceptible to the temptation of eternal life."
Hearing their discussion, the surrounding Archmages couldn't help but join in on the topic of immortality.
"That last statement is quite intriguing. Death isn't bravery; rather, it's escapism. Choosing to live on and take responsibility for one's mistakes is the only act that truly proves courage. It feels like a collective consciousness statement because individual entities often fail to realize the impact their death would have on the world. For most people, death signifies the end of their 'world.' Unfortunately, your death won't impact the world; or rather, the effects of your death will continue to linger in the world. Saying farewell to everything through death might seem courageous, but it actually leaves behind many challenges for those who are still alive. In such cases, could it be that the undead are the ones with the courage of sin?"
"You're quite pragmatic. However, we mages, due to our advanced understanding of the world, often avoid theories based on consciousness or idealism, right? Following this theory, discussing the choice of immortality truly requires great courage. Of course, if those who choose immortality aren't aware of the consequences it brings, then forget what I said. Otherwise, just imagining the eternal, endless loneliness and fate would be quite terrifying indeed, leaving no room for escape."
"Thus, it's understandable why undead beings are often viewed with hostility by human communities, because their ultimate fate often involves the prolonged detachment of consciousness brought about by eternal life, eventually leading to madness and transformation into another kind of monstrous form, where they can no longer be considered human."
"In that case, how do the deities in myths maintain their consciousness? Or is it that because deities have transcended the concept of humanity, their consciousness remains unaffected regardless of the ravages of time?"
"So, if undead could possess some organ that transcends humanity and approaches that of deities, could they then approach the status of deities? In other words, does the non-existence of the seventh tier exist due to the limitations of the human body?"
As the conversation among the archmages continued, a terrifying idea slowly began to take shape in the mind of each archmage.
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