Chapter 203: Episode 5 · Paradox Spiral! (1)
Durin's commentary was nothing if not accurate. The object Roy presented—a device bearing clear traces of magical alchemy—unmistakably resembled a massive flat-screen TV.
While Durin could grasp the concept behind such a device, no matter how hard he racked his brain, he simply couldn't comprehend how it had been constructed.
After all, whether it was movies or television, their essence lay in the generalized use of imaging crystals.
At most, the latter incorporated some advanced teleportation magic, but nothing that required an extraordinary level of technology.
Yet, the television in front of him—remarkably thin yet impressively large—clearly surpassed any conventional technical standard.
Forget about leveraging imaging crystals; even embedding a teleportation array into such a delicate framework seemed utterly impossible.
As Durin stood there, stunned and deep in thought about the technology behind it, Roy, standing in the distance, cast a knowing smile in his direction. It was a look that seemed to say, "Finally, something has managed to surprise you."
Soon, under the astonished gazes of the assembled nobles, Roy flipped what appeared to be a switch.
Instantly, the screen came to life, displaying images with a level of clarity that was nothing short of breathtaking.
"How on earth is this even possible?"
The more Durin tried to wrap his mind around the television's design, the more confused he became.
Then, through the crystal display, he caught sight of the intricate array of magic circles packed tightly on the back of the device.
In that moment, he couldn't help but gasp.
The sheer density of those magic arrays far exceeded what any ordinary mage could produce. Even a grand mage would struggle to achieve something of this magnitude.
"Could this be the work of Dean Hohenheim? But how is it that I haven't heard a single rumor about it?"
Durin's confusion only deepened. Before he could voice his questions, the lights in the entire venue were suddenly extinguished.
"What's happening?"
The nobles froze, bewildered by the sudden darkness. While the annual Southern Nobles' Gathering occasionally encountered surprises, an event like this was unprecedented for most of those present.
Among the crowd, only Durin seemed to have an inkling of the Southern Duke's intentions.
Even so, he found himself deeply shaken.
After all, even Durin wouldn't have dared to pull off something this bold in front of such a crowd.
While the nobles were still frozen in shock, the only source of light in the venue—the mysterious alchemical television—suddenly began displaying an image. A faint trace of magical energy radiated from the device.
In an instant, familiar text appeared on the screen before the eyes of the gathered nobles, including Durin:
"Kara no Kyoukai, Episode 5: Paradox Spiral!"
The moment they saw this, all the nobles realized that this mysterious alchemical contraption was, in fact, a television.
And not just any television—it was broadcasting the newest episode of Kara no Kyoukai, released today!
"Could it be that the timing of this Southern Nobles' Gathering was planned around this?"
Unable to suppress his curiosity, Durin muttered to himself. Before he could fully process the situation, a faint noise came from behind him.
Moments later, an unfamiliar female voice spoke softly:
"No, I didn't intentionally time it this way. The date of the gathering has always been the same each year. This is purely a coincidence."
"Coincidence? Wait… who are you?"
Turning around quickly, Durin was greeted by the sight of a woman with golden hair cascading down to her ankles, dressed in a white gown.
Although the dim lighting prevented him from seeing her face clearly, her elegance and beauty were undeniable.
For a moment, Durin instinctively assumed she must be the Southern Duke's wife—Daphne's mother.
However, to his surprise, Daphne, standing nearby, appeared utterly bewildered, clearly not recognizing the woman.
"This…"
Just as Durin was about to ask for her identity, Duke Constantine emerged once again from the shadows.
Taking advantage of the darkness, he hurried to Durin's side and, with an indescribable reverence, addressed the woman beside him:
"True Ancestor, why have you appeared so suddenly? Tonight is not a moonless night, and your unplanned actions could lead to complications…"
"True Ancestor?"
Hearing the title "True Ancestor," Durin was completely stunned, standing frozen for a long moment as he struggled to process what was happening.
The blonde woman, whom Duke Constantine treated with the utmost reverence, calmly shook her head. Then, with a faint smile, she turned to Durin and spoke slowly:
"So, you're Durin Edward, aren't you? I must say, I truly enjoy the films you've created. They've done a wonderful job of alleviating the monotony of my endlessly long existence."
"Uh… thank you?"
"Heh, you seem confused. Perhaps I owe you an explanation. Greetings, Durin Edward. I am Arcueid Constantine, the first Duke of the Southern Realm, one of the earliest pioneers of this empire, and the last True Ancestor still remaining in the human world."
"True Ancestor? So that means…"
"Exactly. In terms you're familiar with, I am a vampire who has lived for an unimaginably long time."
"…"
Hearing her self-introduction, Durin was completely floored.
The shock he felt from Duke Constantine earlier paled in comparison to what he was experiencing now.
After all, a vampire True Ancestor appearing openly in the human world, claiming to be the first Duke of the Southern Realm, was far beyond anything that could be dismissed as a joke.
Durin couldn't even sense a trace of absurdity—it simply felt like undeniable truth.
Noticing Durin's disbelief, Duke Constantine sighed and explained:
"The matter of the True Ancestor is the most tightly guarded secret within the Constantine family. My lord resides in an entirely separate dimension, possessing a lifespan utterly alien to humanity. From there, they oversee the overall development of the Southern Region, ensuring that the heirs of the Constantine family never stray from the correct path."
"In the past, my lord would typically enter a state of slumber after confirming an heir, awakening only when the next selection process began. However, during the last cycle, I happened to play a movie in the ducal estate, and it caught the True Ancestor's attention. From there…"
Duke Constantine trailed off, but Durin didn't need to hear the rest to guess what had happened.
The situation was clear enough even without further explanation.
Looking back, Durin recalled another immortal with a remarkable background, Laetitia, who had also been drawn to movies under similar circumstances. She had since smoothly integrated into the Edward Studio team.
"But... the first Duke of the Southern Region is a vampire True Ancestor? Does that mean the Constantine family is also—"
"Not at all," Duke Constantine interrupted. "The Constantine family's true ancestors were not vampires.
"They were ordinary humans who, by chance, received the True Ancestor's first embrace and were temporarily transformed into vampires."
"I don't know the full details of what happened back then, but I do know that, in the end, our ancestor was restored to humanity by the True Ancestor."
"They inherited the name Constantine and became the rulers of the Southern Region, founding a lineage that continues to this day."
"As for the True Ancestor, with her boundless lifespan, she has watched over our descendants for generations, becoming the protector of the Southern Region and, in a way, the entire empire."
"This..."
Just imagining the epic events of the past made Durin realize how extraordinary those times must have been.
Before he could probe further, the vampire True Ancestor, Arcueid, had already shifted her full attention to the television in the distance.
As the screen flickered to life, Kara no Kyoukai: Episode 5 - Paradox Spiral began its synchronized broadcast across the entire Southern Region and the Imperial Mage Academy.
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