Chapter 154

Knowledge flowed from top to bottom.

When I taught the key figures of Pathfinder, they digested and conveyed it, and the flow of knowledge thus created ultimately descended to the children.

“This brings back memories.”

It was a scene that seemed to instantly wash away the fatigue from staying up all week.

In the center of Floating Island Sion rose Lanciel Mountain, towering high. Its dusky peak now sparkled with glittering lanterns and the bustling chatter of children.

“Teacher! Teacher! When do we start?”

“We’ll begin soon.”

“Teacher! What does Nadia look like?”

“Well, no one has ever seen her yet, apparently?”

“Really? She must be very shy.”

The children chattering away endlessly and the teachers caring for them. It was both a heartwarming scene and a guilt-inducing one. Too much blood flows on the path I’m taking. Many of these children’s parents must have died, right? And more will die.

It’s not my fault, but… I can’t turn away from the responsibility either.

“What do you mean ‘old times’? There’s hardly any age difference between you and me, is there?”

Refinement, with sunken eyes, picked a fight. This old man had stayed up several nights too, and it seems everything in the world looks crooked to him now.

“It’s not a matter of how much time has passed, but how much I miss it.”

“…Don’t think too much about old times. It’s poison for a mage, you fool.”

“The nagging… I just like it.”

I lifted my head.

It happened to be nighttime.

There sure are a lot of stars.

Leave the past behind.

Right. It was time to begin the flight.

“Nadia. Begin.”

-Understood.

For the past week, Pathfinder had put all its effort into repairing Floating Island Sion.

Just repairing the power unit beneath Lanciel City cost 10 million Morning worth of Philosopher’s Stone. Even after depleting all the resources obtained from Shilo de Medissa, we nearly had to dig up Pathfinder’s foundation pillars.

And when repairing the flight devices at the four corners and bottom of the Floating Island, beyond just resources, it was truly back-breaking labor.

Thanks to the disciples of Ak-hu, the Wizard of Extraction, working like heavy machinery, we were able to meet the schedule. Now they’re all laid up with Ki-blood exhaustion. They’re probably watching this historic moment from their beds.

At last, Nadia, having completed preparations, called out.

-Power system activated!

Vooooom-!

A faint vibration embraced the entirety of Floating Island—no, Floating Island Sion.

“Wow! Amazing!”

“The ground is alive, Teacher!”

The children buzzed like a swarm of bees.

-Flight system ready. Flight!

Clunk!

Far in the distance, even in this darkness, the Sky Bridge shining white could be seen folding upward. And at some moment, as if gravity was pulling our stomachs downward, inertia pressed down on us, and the stars in the night sky felt suddenly much closer.

Ascent.

The flight of an island the size of Jeju.

Waaaaaah!

Young and old alike screamed with delight.

Flash! Flash!

From atop Lanciel Mountain, from the four corners of Floating Island Sion, brilliant lights poured forth illuminating everything around. Down below, the Sand Plateau was visible. The wind reeds that bloomed throughout the desert swayed in pale green waves as they caught the light.

Not just the Sand Plateau. From the Saharan Plains to Alpine Mountain at the continent’s edge beyond. All the various plants that had bloomed from <Sowing> were waving their hands toward us.

It was departure.

Suddenly, I saw the Wizard of Debt Shilo de Medissa, whose eyes sparkled like a child’s. Hadn’t he said he was a human whose life was always boring?

Now, far from boredom, his eyes sparkled with interest.

Right. Having joined Pathfinder, there won’t be time for boredom.

“Lucky bastard.”

I’ll wring you out to the bone and use you thoroughly.

Even if it makes me sick to my stomach. That’s the path I chose.

Damn bastards and grateful people and those I’m sorry to. Right. Let’s all go to the end of the world together.

* * *

The captain was Pan-Dalus. The navigators were experienced field researchers. They determined direction by looking at the stars in the sky.

“That pink star to the northwest is the Cherry Blossom Continent.”

“If it’s the Cherry Blossom Continent, wasn’t it connected to the 50th floor of the Tower of Covenant?”

“Yes. If the passage hasn’t collapsed, it should be.”

We had to completely redraw the map of the Tower. The already complexly tangled paths had become even more complicated as stairs collapsed.

Much as I’d like to ascend from the bottom by the shortest route, that wasn’t easy. We had to avoid the treacherous terrain lurking throughout the Tower of Covenant, and we also had to avoid paths controlled by hostile forces like Magic Tower or Ragnarok.

That’s why we decided to directly target stars connected to the Tower’s upper floors. Most continents are connected to the 10th floor or below, but among them, some special continents are directly connected to high floors.

“Truth Tower is on the 63rd floor… the closest places we can reach from here are the 37th, 43rd, and 50th floors.”

“Calculating the route, it’s better to visit the Cherry Blossom Continent connected to the 50th floor, the Rock Continent on the 43rd floor, and the Island Continent on the 37th floor in that order.”

“I hope the passage connected to the 50th floor is still intact.”

Pan-Dalus muttered seriously, and I added my thoughts beside him.

“Right. If it’s the 50th floor where food is produced, it would have been the first target for each faction. Not only can we make contact with Truth Tower, but it would be perfect for checking how the Tower is operating.”

Pan-Dalus smiled faintly in agreement.

“Exactly.”

The voyage proceeded smoothly.

The sun rose and set in spiraling whirls, and each time night came, the constellations had changed dramatically.

Once, Yuria called all of us nomads to the observatory at the edge of ‘Sion.’

“Look, look over there!”

We looked down at the star she was pointing to. Originally from our homeland, it was a nameless little star that used to twinkle at the western edge of the sky… but now it appeared closer than Erasmus.

Using enhanced vision to examine it closely, we could see people with their mouths wide open. On carts crossing the wilderness, atop buildings protected by high castle walls, people were waving their hands and shouting to gather others to watch us.

Somehow, it felt like our eyes met.

The first intercontinental voyage without going through the Tower of Covenant.

They would become witnesses to this history.

“The liquor tastes good.”

Fel gulped down the strong drink fermented from wind reeds. Each time he poured liquor into his cup, a sharp alcoholic aroma spread instantly before quickly dissipating. Fresh liquor fragrance that didn’t linger long, renewed each time.

“Give me a drink too.”

“What’s a patient doing asking for alcohol?”

“Just give me some anyway.”

Hwarin sat beside Fel and received a drink.

“Ahhhh-”

After dramatically emptying her cup, Hwarin spoke in a melancholy voice.

“Magic is truly a damn thing.”

Fel frowned as if he knew what Hwarin was trying to say.

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

But Hwarin shook her head. Then she stroked Ann’s red hair as the girl sipped lami sap beside her and made a request.

“Miss Ann Jack. You must learn Ki-blood magic. Really, I’m a mage—someone who handles magical power—yet here I am, suffering from magical power poisoning like this. You need to learn Ki-blood magic at least to endure it… Ah, really, this damn world has nothing easy about it.”

Hwarin rolled up the side of her clothing to show red-stained bandages. The bleeding still hadn’t stopped.

Ann’s gray eyes glistened with tears.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Hwarin smiled gently as she leaned back in her simple chair. Looking down at the sparkling continent below, she sighed.

“Poor Mister Horatio, though. He went like that without even seeing such a magnificent view.”

“…Hwarin.”

Fel’s voice lowered. Hwarin just grinned cheerfully.

“I’m just saying. Just talking. No need to be serious. Actually, it’s an honor. The fact that lower-class mages like us can contribute to history like this.”

Her gaze became distant, then turned toward me.

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, Divine Mage, we would have died pathetically long ago. Thanks to you, we’re all living meaningful lives.”

Hearing those words, I somehow couldn’t lift my head.

Why am I suddenly like this?

Embarrassed.

…Sorry.

“So don’t blame yourself.”

Only after hearing those words did I realize.

Ah, I was blaming myself.

Horatio had died, and Del, Magiro, and Lytol still couldn’t rise from their sickbeds.

Iron Blood was still dead too. We were researching ways to somehow revive him… but even if we could bring him back, it was becoming increasingly clear that he wouldn’t be the same one I knew.

Of course… this battle wasn’t commanded by me but by Yuria. But including that, I was sorry. To Yuria too.

The reason for my apology was that this wouldn’t be the last time. The real fighting hadn’t even begun yet.

My set goal. When we reach the end of that, how many will still be alive?

Determination is determination,

But being sorry is being sorry.

Is that why adults used to smile so bitterly?

“Still, there’s also the satisfaction of achieving a dream.”

Hwarin stood up quietly and sat beside me. Looking up at the sky, she said,

“Among people born on the Star Continent, who hasn’t dreamed of traveling between the stars? Everyone feels the same way. That’s why they willingly risk their lives.”

Sniffle. Sniffle.

Suddenly, I heard crying. It was Yuria.

“Th-this isn’t because I’m sad… it’s because the scenery is so beautiful…”

Sniffle.

She can’t even say she’s sad for fear of being hated by magical power.

She must have had a hard time emotionally too. These days she’s been saying her body keeps feeling unwell due to magical fever…

I should comfort her.

I was about to get up from my seat…

“Ah, jeez. Lady Yuria, even at a time like this…”

Hwarin glanced sourly at the sniffling Yuria, then stroked my hair. Because of that, I couldn’t stand up.

Huh, this is kind of unexpected? We’re not really at the level of casually touching each other like this…

But since injured Hwarin was doing this, I couldn’t be harsh about it, so I decided to just stay still for a moment.

“Black hair suits you well too. Hehe.”

Hwarin made incomprehensible comments while smiling brightly.

She had always been mature… but today she seemed to be revealing her inner thoughts without any filter.

“Divine Mage. No. Jun-woo… Leader. You’ll reach the 6th Circle now, won’t you?”

I nodded slowly. Since I had plenty of magical power left, I should advance my realm and awaken spirits too.

Hwarin smiled and patted my shoulder.

“You can go to the very end, Leader. I’m stating this with certainty.”

She pulled my hand to help me stand.

“Now, shouldn’t you go comfort Lady Yuria? Go and tell her this. To only think good thoughts. We are mages who make miracles happen.”

That was the last time.

The next day, or perhaps,

Hwarin died.

The cause of death was shock due to acute magical power addiction.

Following mage customs, we cremated her. The sparks that held her scattered among the stars.

“Everyone else was bedridden, but she alone was walking around healthy… Did she know her own fate…?”

When we were collecting her body, Fel’s words as his gray eyes glistened with tears stabbed painfully into my heart.

* * *

Cherry blossoms bloomed profusely on the Cherry Blossom Continent.

Unlike Earth’s cherry blossoms, these were cherry blossoms that endlessly produced honey-sweet sap.

Beautiful and abundant as well.

Floating Island Sion positioned itself above the cherry blossom groves.

We didn’t land. Landing and taking off again would consume too much energy, and it wouldn’t be easy to prevent those with ill intentions from infiltrating.

We organized an advance team and descended to the ground.

By the time the flying carts touched the ground, countless crowds had already gathered on the surface.

Residents from across the continent had flocked here, and delegations from cities were also visible.

“Ooh!”

“Waaaah!”

“It’s the Divine Mage!”

Perhaps because we had broadcast to the entire world, many people recognized me.

I calmly declared to them,

“I am not the Divine Mage.”

Thousands of gazes turned toward me.

“I am the Divine Wizard. Now.”

Waaaaaaah!

A roar three times louder than before erupted. There were quite a few who apparently hadn’t heard the news yet, as exclamations burst forth even among the advance team members.

Right.

In any case,

We continue moving forward.

Perhaps someday in the distant future, on all the stars where the floating island has passed, the people we encountered will gather young ones and boast like this,

‘When I was young, you know, I saw ‘Floating Island Sion’ crossing the sky as it headed toward the top of the tower.

‘Hah! I saw that Divine Wizard directly with my own eyes!’

Remembering successful myths with pride and satisfaction, they might say such things.

I hope so.

Such good thoughts I had.

On the way to meet the Magic Emperor.