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The situation was being sorted out. The Blasphemia agents deployed in Elysion swiftly eradicated hosts infected with the Silver Thread and began tracking the mana wavelength linked to it.Soon, the other Argyron mages would be killed too.
Lampades looked around.
Orthes was talking with the young mage from the emergency rescue team. The head of Hydra Corporation seemed to be comforting Kine, who was supposedly their corporate scholarship student.
Probably, once this incident was resolved, Lampades wouldn't have another chance to speak with Carisia one-on-one. Watching Orthes closely, Lampades firmed his resolve.
'If I have to speak, it's now…!'
He might get caught by Orthes. No, he surely would.
But he couldn't ignore someone being manipulated by the faceless Orthes.
Especially if that person was being completed into a second Orthes.
Taking a deep breath, Lampades stepped towards Carisia.
Carisia turned her head at the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Tower Master Lampades, have you decided on our alliance proposal?"
"No, what I want to talk about is…"
Lampades looked at Kine. The corporate scholarship student from Hydra Corporation. She likely volunteered to be bait under Orthes' orders.
'Considering her eagerness, she must be a follower of Orthes. She's deeply brainwashed.'
Carisia noticed Lampades' gaze. He seemed concerned about Kine.
"Oh. Is it something confidential that the student shouldn't hear?"
"Yes, it is. Sorry, Kine. Could you step away for a moment?"
Kine tilted her head slightly and walked towards a direction with no people. Astraphe could be seen approaching her, seeming like they wanted to talk as fellow Musaeion applicants.
Lampades felt a bit uneasy. Was it safe to leave Kine and Astraphe together, considering Kine might be Orthes' pawn?
But he soon shook his head. He needed to focus on this conversation now.
Turning back to Carisia, Lampades noticed the surrounding noise had completely vanished.
The noise from various parts of the examination hall was entirely blocked out. It was an advanced soundproof barrier. Even more astonishing was that he hadn't sensed its formation.
'I understand why Orthes wants her. She's a mage of incredible power, almost incomprehensible.'
"So, what do you want to say?"
As Lampades opened his mouth, tension surged. No matter how resolved he was, hesitation at the moment of action was inevitable.
"Orthes is…"
He closed his eyes tightly to ignore his fear.
***
"He's not the good person you think he is."
What was he saying now? Carisia suppressed a hollow laugh.
Honestly, it was harder than holding back a scream when a Blasphemia agent stabbed her.
The words of the Dark Elf Tower Master, who mustered all his courage, caused no ripples in Carisia's heart.
No, some doubts arose within Carisia.
'Orthes, what kind of relationships do you really have?'
It wasn't about Orthes' humanity but his social skills.
'The person you proudly introduced as a friend seems to have no trust in you at all.'
Seeing Carisia not respond, Lampades cautiously opened his eyes.
"It's true. If you get the chance, ask the troubleshooters at the extra-dimensional frontlines about the faceless Orthes. Orthes is…"
"I know."
"What?"
A playful smile appeared on Carisia's lips. Lampades said Orthes wasn't a 'good' person.
But what Carisia heard was not a 'person' at all.
In Phoibos' temple, what did Orthes declare to the guardian spirit of the ancient priest?
'Priest, your task is complete. Your destined role ends here, return to peaceful slumber.'
To this, the ghostly priest replied, 'Has the fate we foresaw truly vanished?'
Who could talk about the end of fate to a prophet, the leader of those who foresaw the farthest future among humans?
A being who could twist the fate foreseen by mortals.
Two titles that Blasphemia specially warned about among the Cult of the Vanished Gods came to mind. One was Pope. The other was…
Half-joking, half-serious, Carisia answered.
"Orthes may not be the person I think he is. But."
No matter his true nature, Carisia's choice remained unchanged.
"He's someone I chose."
Orthes chose Carisia, and Carisia chose Orthes.
***
When I finished talking to Niobe and turned around, Lampades was walking away from Carisia with a confused look on his face.
Did he sign a scam contract while discussing business terms?
Lampades isn't that foolish, but I know Carisia's frighteningly shrewd ways well. As a friend, I should at least appeal to the boss if Lampades got into trouble.
As I approached Lampades to hear what happened, he flinched and shrank back.
"Orthes?"
"Yes. What did you discuss with Carisia?"
"Well, that is…"
He stammered, unable to speak. Did he really mess up the contract?
"If there's something you can't say, please tell me. If it's related to the boss, I'll find a way─"
"I said you're a sly person."
Carisia approached, her radiant silver hair fluttering. I laughed off her joke lightly.
"Sly? I always give my best for the boss."
"Isn't it said you were quite reckless at the extra-dimensional frontline?"
No wonder he couldn't look me in the eye properly. They were talking about my past.
Carisia doesn't know everything about my time at the extra-dimensional frontline, so she might have been curious.
I didn't tell Carisia all of it since I lived quite recklessly back then. Did she use contract terms as bait to pry my past out of him?
I shot a glance at Lampades and shook my head.
"There's some exaggeration in what the boss heard. You know how friends' stories go."
As I made a light-hearted joke to dilute my past, a crackling noise echoed through Elysion.
***
The explosion from the loudspeaker was proof of a battle. Amid the crashing sounds of magic, human shouts were heard.
"Abandon the magic-engraved drive and shut down the Enchantware's power!"
"Fools. The Ten Towers' brainwashing has blinded you."
As the fight intensified, the loudspeaker crackled with more noise. Labored breathing could be heard. It seemed like the Argyron mage was on the defensive.
"I've done enough. Heh heh…"
The low mumble of the mage was followed by a deep breath.
"Ten Towers! We, Argyron, have already sown the seeds of blessing spread in Elysion today to the world! Anyone seeking new eyes and ears should find the Silver Threads and seek the truth!"
"The broadcast line…?! Cut the transmission immediately!"
"For truth and righteousness!"
A powerful explosion that hadn't been heard before. It wasn't a sound transmitted through the loudspeaker. A deafening noise spread throughout Elysion.
With flames engulfing an entire building in the Elysion cityscape.
***
The last words of the dying Argyron mage eerily mirrored Orthes' prediction.
Kine observed Orthes' expression. He was still smiling.
In other words, his usual expression didn't change. This unchanging expression indicated that Orthes felt no particular joy or excitement.
Whether he truly saw the future or it was the result of logical deduction, shouldn't he feel some satisfaction for such accurate predictions?
It was as if he was calmly accepting, 'What was meant to happen, happened.'
That cold calmness made Kine recall the conversation she had with Carisia before stepping away because of Lampades.
'Is there really an artifact that shows the future?'
'Did Orthes tell you? Don't speak specifically about it here; there are too many listening ears.'
Kine looked up at Carisia, demanding an answer with her eyes. Carisia nodded.
'I have it.'
So, Orthes hadn't even used the artifact's power when prophesying to Enyalius' priest.
'How did he get it?'
'By proving his qualifications at a place that had preserved it from ages past?'
'…Who had the qualifications?'
'Orthes.'
Let's summarize the situation.
The person who proved his qualifications at Phoibos' temple and became the rightful owner of the artifact.
Accurately prophesying future events.
And he claims not to be a prophet?
"Bullshit to the extreme…"
If he isn't a prophet, then what the hell is he?
To read over 200 fully translated episodes, patreon.com/Denji02