Dawn's Sacred Relic

When Pernok turned his body toward the alley, something pitch black entered inside.

“Wait here.”

“Hey, where……!”

Pernok entered the alley where the obsidian’s Origin was faintly connected while activating Observation Eye.

The alley with only buildings erected without even a single sewer was open through to the opposite road.

The pitch-black something captured in Observation Eye was completely invisible.

But he couldn’t sever even the obsidian’s Origin.

Pernok wore the obsidian on his index finger and lightly swept the surroundings.

The energy that flowed out like a faint thread was heading toward a building’s wall.

Pernok stood before it and lightly tapped the wall.

When hollow sounds returned, he swept here and there on the wall.

Click.

The moment one flat surface sank inward, stairs descending underground appeared.

The obsidian’s energy was again heading underground.

The moment Pernok stepped on the stairs, the overhead filled again with the street’s wall. And the peculiar musty smell characteristic of underground rose from below.

Pernok strode down the stairs.

Though it was filled with darkness where not even an inch ahead was visible, Pernok’s Observation Eye precisely captured the obsidian’s energy weaving through it.

The place where he stepped while following the energy.

Where the stairs ended, a passage appeared where two or three people could walk.

And.

Clang!

Pernok extended his fist behind his back.

Something sharp rushed at him from within the darkness.

‘Origin?’

The obsidian’s energy fluctuated.

This was definitely Origin that rules darkness.

It was so dense that the form equipped to the soul was clearly captured in Observation Eye.

‘Small build. He’s not panicking.’

Hiding his body in the darkness was useless.

Observation Eye had precisely grasped him even within Ruin’s curtain.

Moreover, though the surroundings were dark, there was no way he’d miss the soul shining within it.

That soul was small but had a clear color, and Origin’s seed was stably embedded around the heart.

Judging by the build, he was presumably a child, but he showed no sign of panic even though Origin was blocked.

Rather, Pernok’s side was excited.

“I found you.”

The moment the voice echoed through the passage, the child moved the darkness again.

He was still just a seed so he only ruled part of the darkness, but in an instant all directions were sharply refined.

Appreciating the child who knows how to handle Origin, Pernok lightly brushed his hand.

Bang!

“Guh!”

The child panicked for the first time.

He seemed not to know how he was being precisely distinguished in this darkness.

“You damn bastard!”

Pernok chuckled and spread his palm forward.

Instantly, light burst out and his eyes met with the surprised child.

The child who was facing Pernok’s index finger hesitated while lifting the darkness.

“Huh?”

To the child who only now recognized the darkness Origin surrounding the obsidian, Pernok gladly flicked his finger at that forehead.

Thwack!

The child rolled backward three or four times before barely rising.

He sent a confused gaze without even time to touch the reddened swollen forehead.

Pernok expanded the light.

Though it was only level 3 for illuminating the surroundings, even that puzzled the child.

“What……?”

Light and darkness.

The moment he stared as if unable to understand Pernok who possessed both, other children began bursting from the passage as if drawn to the light.

“Marco!”^[1]

“We’ll help too!”

Each child who was laboriously carrying worn weapons had different Origins embedded in their hearts.

‘What is this?’

It’s strange.

The Lord of Despair planted darkness Origin in his last disciple.

If that seed was passed down through generations, they should all possess darkness like the child who just attacked him—that would be normal.

But the other children had Origins like fire and water embedded like seeds in their hearts.

“Wait!”

When Marco, the child possessing darkness Origin, shouted, the other children flinched.

“This one possesses the same thing as me!”

“He’s not a priest?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure……”

Marco rose and glared at Pernok.

“……You, you don’t intend to kill us, right?”

At the audacious attitude, Pernok responded with laughter.

“Who are you people to possess the same Origin as me?”

At that moment, the children murmured.

“Origin?”

“Did you hear? He says Origin!”

“There was another adult with Origin besides Boss!?”

“Everyone be quiet!”

When Marco shouted, the children shut their mouths.

The children read the mood and stepped back behind Marco.

And Marco stepped forward like a leader and asked Pernok again.

“Did you also receive the experiments?”

“Experiments?”

“Don’t play innocent. You have Origin, don’t you? Didn’t you get it from a high priest?”

At the incomprehensible words coming consecutively, Pernok’s head also became complicated.

“Have you heard the name Lord of Despair?”

“What’s that?”

“Do you know who Lyle is?”

“What’s that again?”

The light wavered.

It seemed a long conversation would be necessary.

* * *

Though Pernok said he wasn’t an enemy and withdrew his mana, the children couldn’t believe him and kept being vigilant.

Then Marco provided a very clear answer.

“If this person had wanted to, we’d all be dead.”

Marco persuaded the children that he had spared them because he held friendly thoughts.

Eventually, when the children lowered their weapons, Marco led Pernok through the long passage.

They passed through the dim passage and reached a wide space where sunlight seeped in.

The children timidly returned to their respective places.

Seeing the old shabby blankets laid out, it seemed to be their bedroom.

He examined Marco again in the bright place.

The pale body that seemed to have not received sunlight was stick-thin with bones protruding, yet the eyes were alive.

“Sit there. Let’s talk.”

He’s an audacious kid.

“What are you doing? I said I won’t fight, didn’t I?”

When Marco offered an iron barrel, Pernok crossed his arms and stared down.

“If you don’t want to sit, then don’t.”

Then Marco spoke curtly while sitting on the iron barrel instead.

“Hey, you. Are you just going to keep watching? How about talking about how you knew and found this place?”

A child who doesn’t know the Lord of Despair and Lyle.

Yet in this strange situation where he possesses darkness Origin, Pernok asked.

“I’m Pernok. As you can see, I have the same Origin as you. But this is strange. I received this Origin transmitted from ‘Lyle’. Who did you receive yours from?”

“I don’t know who Lyle is. But are you saying someone with Origin exists ‘again’ without receiving the experiments?”

“Experiments?”

“You really don’t know anything?”

“Talk from the beginning. Without omitting anything.”

“Seeing you, you don’t seem to be from the Holy Kingdom either—can you believe what we say?”

“I’ll judge after hearing it.”

Marco curled up one corner of his mouth.

“How old do I look to you?”

“Seven.”

“No, I’m nineteen. These kids are similar to me. Our growth stopped 10 years ago. Thanks to that damn priest bastard.”

“……?”

“Since you seem to know nothing, this is perfect. Then you should know too, before you end up living with a time limit like us.”

At Marco’s words spat out as if chewing, the children responded with silence.

“The Dawn Temple has been researching the power called Origin for a long time.”

“What?”

“Are you surprised? Well, I suppose people who naturally possess Origin wouldn’t know. In the facility…… that laboratory. In that place the Silver priest created under the Dawn Temple. Experiments forcibly transplanting Origin are being conducted.”

Pernok’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Transplanting Origin? How?’

The serpent could sow the sea’s Origin like seeds to Krade.

But such acts are only possible when Origin exists.

‘A priest with Origin?’

He thought the Silver priest might be Lyle’s successor or descendant, but he soon shook his head.

The children here possess various Origins besides darkness. This would be unthinkable if he were Lyle’s successor.

“The Silver priest has Origin? Do you think that makes sense?”

“Don’t seek answers from us. The Silver priest just said like a habit that he found Origin and cultivated it to plant in us.”

Cultivating Origin.

It’s unfamiliar information that doesn’t exist even in the Lord of Despair’s memories.

“He began finding those compatible with the Origin he created. There were 100 people, and only we six survived. And we began learning how to handle Origin. From then, our growth stopped and we became eternal children while staying that way.”

That voice was filled more with fury than sorrow.

“If we hadn’t met Boss, we’d still be getting worked by the high priest.”

“Boss?”

“Someone with real Origin like you.”

Pernok’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Was it 30 years ago? He said he cut the Silver priest’s arm.”

The initial incident.

The darkness that attacked the Pope and Dawn Temple.

‘Could it be……’

Pernok showed the obsidian again before Marco’s eyes.

“Did that Boss person have Origin the same as this?”

Marco nodded.

“The dark but warm point is similar. That’s why I brought you here. You resemble Boss a lot.”

Pernok clenched his fist.

‘That Boss person is Lyle’s successor.’

Thinking he’d naturally be with the children, Pernok asked.

“When do your Boss come?”

“He’s captured. He was ultimately caught by the Silver priest.”

“What?”

“After we handled Origin 10 years ago, we were immediately deployed somewhere. It was a strange mountain, and we met Boss there. Boss explained Origin to us while opening a path for us to escape. But he was already weakened and ended up getting caught by the high priest.”

Instantly, the children emitted killing intent.

It was probably directed toward the Silver priest who wasn’t here.

“Originally, this Origin dwelling in us is fake. If we don’t receive the stabilizer from the high priest once a month, it runs wild on its own. But Boss stabilized our Origin for us. We’re here now to find that person again.”

Marco spoke with a resolute expression.

“Boss is now imprisoned in a secret laboratory in the capital Armosa. We found a way to enter there, but the key to the rescue is right here.”

“A key?”

“The Dawn Temple’s sacred relic. Only with that can we release the barrier confining Boss.”

Pernok finally saw the messy incident organize into one.

He doesn’t know why this Boss attacked the Pope.

But all the darkness traces left at the Dawn Temple afterward were Marco’s group’s doing.

They had merely been persistently watching for opportunities to steal the symbolic sacred relic.

“Is this Boss of yours alive?”

“When that person stabilized my fake Origin, we connected however shallowly. I can feel it even from far away. That person is alive right now.”

“We’ll rescue Boss!”

While watching the children burning with fighting spirit, Pernok spoke indifferently.

“Steal the Dawn Temple’s sacred relic, enter the Holy Kingdom’s capital, and raid the place the Silver priest guards? Do you think this makes sense?”

“The Silver priest is currently away, and we dug a tunnel to enter the Dawn Temple’s back way. It’s a secret passage completed over 10 years. We just need to think of a way to infiltrate the capital after bringing the sacred relic.”

Marco faced Pernok and spoke clearly.

“That person is a benefactor who pulled us from that sewer-like experiment lab. Live in hiding while pretending not to see? No way! We must do whatever we can! If we’re human, we must know propriety!”

Pernok exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

‘Lord of Despair, you bastard……’

He thought the descendants of an absolute being who dominated an era would be living abundantly.

He had intended to gladly fill any lacking parts, but they’re in a state of being manipulated and captured by someone.

‘……I think I know why you declined reincarnation.’

He guarded against the descendants’ weakness.

He hoped that they at least would live in a world without despair.

He believed the descendants would carry on the modest and faint dream.

He just wanted to confirm that, but the thought that even such small futures might break stirred Pernok’s anger.

‘Scolding them and embracing them forward are rightfully things I must do.’

The Lord of Despair, who first discovered a half-living person yet gladly gave the half-living opportunity to him.

If his descendants are killed as mere experimental rats and sent to Netherworld, how bitterly would that loyal retainer who believed in him and dreamed of hope wail in grief?

He couldn’t let go of this connection he’d barely found.

Pernok opened his eyes.

“I’ll help you get that Boss back.”

Marco’s eyes widened.

“Wasn’t telling me this messy past aiming for such a glimmer of hope?”

“You did seem like someone I could communicate with.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Do you trust us whom you’re seeing for the first time?”

When Pernok stared wordlessly, Marco grinned.

“Boss said this. Between people with similar Origin, there’s something that communicates. I trust the warmth of the Origin you have.”

Marco and the children have nowhere to go.

They would probably also think that rescuing Boss is gambling.

In the Holy Kingdom where they don’t have a single person to trust, since another person with Origin appeared, they can only be in the state of mind to grasp at straws.

“Your unfortunate past has no value to me whatsoever. But that impudent priest bastard’s behavior of cultivating Origin and the Boss’s existence are quite intriguing.”

While feeling the desperation hidden in the fury toward the priest, Pernok asked.

“Can you absolutely obey my words?”

Marco answered firmly.

“If we can rescue Boss, we’ll do it absolutely.”

Pernok swept over the children’s fighting spirit and nodded.

“We’ll settle the Dawn Temple first.”