Chapter 171

“The sparks we kindled have all died out, but still the fire does not disappear. For every reed in the world, every tree in the world carries an ember within. The wind blows. Each leaf rubs its ember against another.”

Refinement spoke.

“The part that draws attention in this incantation is the hopeful message that ‘still the fire does not disappear.'”

Pan-Dalus nodded and continued Refinement’s words.

“The passage about how every tree in the world carries an ember within is also intriguing. Isn’t it presenting trees and reeds as a source that could revive the extinguished fire?”

“Exactly. All this time, we’ve focused on destruction. We used only the tragic incantations that mourned destruction because their spell power surged dramatically. That was only natural. As Divine Mage revealed, we’re living in an age of ruin where all gods have died and the world is falling toward catastrophe. But hope…”

“Right. It’s truly an amazing discovery that Beatrice reacted more strongly to hope than to despair. If we consider the hypothesis that spells become more powerful the more they reflect the dying gods’ feelings and the world’s truth…”

“Yes. This… couldn’t this be interpreted as meaning that even in the moment of their extinction, the gods never abandoned their hope for the world’s renewal?”

“I think so too. If that’s the case… somewhere there might unexpectedly be possibilities for restoring the world, or arrangements the gods made.”

“That’s a very intriguing research topic.”

Thwack! I felt like I’d been struck in the back of the head. Then I was swept with emotion.

I never could have imagined it.

To analyze effective spells to infer what happened in the past and pinpoint hidden secrets? The methodology was surprising, but the insight Refinement and Pan-Dalus had just shown was also incredible.

‘Could it be that arrangements the gods made… possibilities for renewal might exist in this world?’

Just the thought of that possibility made my vision clear and showed me the direction I needed to go.

Hypotheses I myself hadn’t thought of were pouring out of the ‘Magic Origin Research Institute.’

New magical theory.

These seeds I’d scattered in the world had already taken root and spread lush branches while I’d momentarily looked away. The people who until recently couldn’t distinguish between mana and magical power and cast spells haphazardly?

Thump. Thump.

My heart pounded against my chest. I couldn’t stay still. I wanted to immediately verify this idea I’d just heard about ‘arrangements the gods made.’

A way to verify it…?

There is one. I think there might be. If what I’m thinking is correct, I should be able to confirm it.

I’m also a mage. With curiosity taking the lead, I forgot everything else.

“Where are you going?”

I turned around and left the research institute. Sure enough, Yuria followed right behind me. Only then did I realize I didn’t know which direction my destination was.

“Guide me to Well of Wisdom Mimir.”

At my answer, Yuria grinned mischievously.

“What about talking to Beatrice?”

I shook my head firmly.

“Forget it. I was worried she might not adapt to Pathfinder, but… she’s already not a saint anymore but Pathfinder’s princess. Right now the question that just occurred to me is more urgent.”

“Hehe. Good thinking.”

Yuria looked proud as she led the way ahead.

I was proud too. That Pathfinder was this amazing. And that we belonged within it.

Every single member of Pathfinder must be feeling the same way.

Pathfinder, formed by gathering various different factions, was gradually becoming ‘us’ like this.

* * *

At the very center of Ragnarok’s holy ground stands a massive tree. A tree with bark as drab and hard as gray bricks standing desolately like a ruined tower. If not for the black leaves, I might have thought it was already a dead tree.

Beneath the tree called the ‘Divine Tree’ in Ragnarok, pillar-thick roots stretched in all directions, and among those roots was the passage leading to Well of Wisdom Mimir. Following the passage endlessly down underground, clear and vast spring water appeared between the thick roots. This was Well of Wisdom Mimir.

Drip. Drop.

I could hear the sound of water falling from somewhere.

“Oh? Senior Elder, have you awakened?”

Perhaps because of its importance, the personnel assigned to guard duty were all high-ranking 5th Circle mages.

“Ah, yes. I’m very healthy.”

“That’s a relief. Many friends were worried since you were bedridden for a month.”

Seeing their genuinely concerned expressions made me feel good.

“Thank you for standing such reliable guard while I was bedridden.”

“It’s our honor.”

After exchanging light greetings, I looked around Mimir.

“I just woke up and don’t understand the situation at all. Please give me a brief explanation.”

“Yes. Investigation of Mimir began immediately after we occupied the holy ground. But Mimir showed no reaction whatsoever. Not only the elders but even Beatrice, who had been Ragnarok’s saint, participated in the investigation, but we couldn’t find any solution. So we postponed the investigation until you awakened, Senior Elder.”

Hmm…? They couldn’t learn anything?

Could it be?

‘Cube.’

The silver cube flew up from within my robes. It circled around Mimir before flying back to me and speaking.

-I’m not sure. I also judged there was a high probability that the main network’s server was located here after hearing Administrator’s words… but I detect no server-specific signals at all. The location and appearance here also don’t match the server-related information Nadia provided. There’s a high probability this isn’t a server at all. Even if it were a server, it would be permanently stopped, but structurally, permanent shutdown is nearly impossible before the world’s destruction.

It’s not?

Hmm… this is getting frustrating…

I had speculated that Well of Wisdom Mimir was exactly the main network server the egos had mentioned.

When I first awakened Lanciel’s Cube, it had said this,

‘…I don’t know what happened after I fell asleep or how much time has passed. Too much of my memory has been lost and everything is confusing. I need to find another administrator or the main network’s server.’

The main network server for which I couldn’t find a single clue anywhere. I was certain it was Mimir. Seeing past-present-future required connecting to the Akashic Records. It was hard to imagine there could be another divine artifact capable of such things besides the main network.

But… it’s not?

To confirm more thoroughly, I tried to approach the Well of Wisdom, but suddenly Yuria intervened.

“Wait, wait a minute. I called some people ahead of time, you know? It would be better to listen to them first before moving.”

Yuria stretched out her finger and pointed in one direction. Looking back, I could see Evan and Monggu walking down the stairs. Evan had his usual composed expression while Monggu looked somehow moved.

“Y-you’re awake, Jun-woo!”

Monggu… he seemed relaxed somehow. His voice was bright and full of confidence, so even when he stammered, it wasn’t very noticeable.

He strode over and hugged me. It felt like a bear pouncing on me.

Whew. Looking at him again, he’s really gotten big.

“Oh, yeah. You look good too?”

“R-really? Haha, I’ve been working hard at this and that lately. More. I’ll keep getting better.”

It was just a casual greeting, but he responded with such intense determination that I was a bit taken aback. Yuria giggled.

“This kid’s really funny, you know? He’s super busy these days. He’s teaching knight techniques to children among Pathfinder’s members who have no talent for magic, and he’s overflowing with passion.”

Oho?

Was this the source of his confidence? Because he’s a teacher? Somehow he seemed more mature.

Monggu’s face flushed with embarrassment, but he looked directly at me with confidence and spoke.

“A-actually, I didn’t have confidence before. After all, mages and knight orders are enemies… I thought it would be difficult for me, someone who uses knight techniques, to do my part in Pathfinder. B-but seeing the knights’ relationship progress this time gave me confidence too! I’ll pass on knight techniques to Pathfinder. Th-this will become our new weapon.”

Eyes shining with passion. He’d definitely changed. For the better.

“S-so, what I’m saying is.”

Monggu stepped toward Mimir and spoke.

“I learned something about Mimir while trying various things.”

Oh?

What’s this about?

Monggu’s gaze fixed on Mimir’s clear ripples. Unlike before, his eyes held an ominous killing intent.

“At first, Evan and I asked the Coin of Rebellion to investigate Mimir’s spring water. But the Coin of Rebellion couldn’t answer either. It said this was the first time it had seen something like this. So…”

“So?”

“I dissected it.”

What, you what?

“It’s not something I did randomly.”

Monggu explained calmly.

“The Coin of Rebellion couldn’t find anything, but I felt something was off. Something tickling… like I could see it but couldn’t. So I tried cutting a cross-section.”

I was having trouble understanding what Monggu was saying from the start.

Dissection? Cut a cross-section? Of spring water? That’s literally trying to cut water with a sword, isn’t it?

“Um… this is hard to explain. I just felt like it would work, so I tried it, and it really did work.”

Monggu shook his head and stepped forward.

“You’d better see for yourself. Summon light sword.”

Space distorted and a beam hilt crossed over from the Shadow Library into Monggu’s hand. A brilliant golden beam extended endlessly from the beam hilt.

Aiming the light sword blade drawn long enough to bisect Well of Wisdom Mimir, Monggu held his breath.

‘Ah…’

For a moment, it felt like time had been cut away. Monggu’s light sword blade was already cutting through Mimir and pointing at the ground. The golden beam that had been shooting out evaporated like it was disappearing.

I blinked.

This guy… what exactly did he just do?

“Hmm… there’s no visible change as expected.”

The 5th Circle mages who had been watching with interest commented briefly.

Right. That’s how it would look to them.

From the outside, Mimir didn’t even have a ripple. But it was completely different to my eyes. To my eyes that can see mana, it was completely different.

“How is it? I didn’t cut the phenomenon but cut the veil that hides what’s beyond the phenomenon. One day while training, I became certain I could do it, so I tried… here, I got a very ominous feeling.”

Earlier, Monggu had told me he ‘dissected’ it. Now I could understand what he meant.

What Monggu had just shown wasn’t an attack technique. That sword couldn’t cut a single blade of grass. At least not ‘yet.’ But… it was more profound than any magic I’d seen so far.

Previously, I had discovered that all records in the Akashic Records originated from a single record and were all connected. So our world was like a pyramid. A universe defined at one point that gradually extended downward. We recognize this as the ‘floors’ of the Tower of Covenant.

What Monggu did was cut the partition between those floors. An act of glimpsing the primordial source of the universe that could never be perceived from the current floor we inhabit. While it couldn’t produce any phenomena by itself, it enabled the sharpest insight possible. A miracle that allowed seeing the reverse side of phenomena.

Insane…!

How on earth?

I might be shocked but at least accept it if Refinement or Yuria had pulled off something like this. But what is this? I’m just speechless.

Monggu. You… you’re a knight, aren’t you? You’re not a mage, are you?