Invincible
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#151
🕑 Added 2024-11-20 15:36:34 +0000 UTCThe Outside World (2)
Gedgar swept his gaze across the red carpet of the chapel and looked up at the platform. As he raised his eyes a bit further, a statue of the goddess hanging on the wall smiled benevolently.
"For something made from a prostitute, it's quite well done."
In response to Gedgar's sneer, a pot-bellied man in luxurious attire spoke up.
"Now, now, stop calling her a prostitute. She was a woman as pure as ivory, you know."
Gedgar stared blankly at the pot-bellied man. The true power behind the empire that made his sister a queen—Gillem. It was obvious that the statue reflected his twisted tastes.
"So what? She's probably rotted away by now," Gedgar sneered, causing Gillem to click his tongue in disapproval.
"Beauty is preserved in its original form before it fades from memory. That’s aesthetics."
"I can never understand your tastes."
"That's my line, Gedgar."
After a few seconds of silence, Gillem stepped onto the platform.
"I apologize for the long introduction. Now that it seems everyone is here, shall we get to the main topic?"
Gedgar scanned the room. The people sat with dazed expressions, as if indifferent to life. Including himself, there were only six.
"Didn’t I say one of them wouldn’t be present?"
"Judging by the recent lack of news, there must be an obvious reason."
"Ah, so that's it."
Gedgar immediately understood. There were only two reasons someone wouldn’t attend this gathering: either they had just been born, or they were too old to even move.
'Of all times… They should have known about the meeting, but it seems they couldn't align with the cycle of life.'
Everyone present here was a Reincarnator. They were beings who had lived countless human lives over an extremely long time, their existence worn down by repeated reincarnation. Gillem then uttered words meant to resonate with them.
"As you all know, the Day of Rest is approaching."
Reincarnation was a curse. Being forcibly born by someone’s will and forming new relationships—everything was an experience they had already endured. There was likely not a single act they hadn’t attempted in their lifetimes, whether virtuous deeds or vile acts. Their greatest wish, therefore, was the eternal rest of never being reborn again—a perfect death.
"But."
Gillem’s face suddenly grew grim as he looked down.
"What have you all been doing? I was born a vagrant and created this fraudulent religion. I rose from a wretched household and turned vermin into nobles, even placing a brainless creature on the throne as queen. Why? Because if things went wrong even once, we would never escape this eternal cycle."
The others seemed disinterested in participating in the conversation. Left with no choice, Gedgar humored Gillem, who was ranting alone.
"Destruction is already destined. The world is bound to perish. You're the only one overreacting here. Anyway, you did all that without being told to, and now you're seeking credit? It’s ridiculous."
Gedgar reclined in his chair. Perhaps the sight irked him, for Gillem shouted in anger.
"Stay alert, Gedgar! No, not just you—all of you!!"
Gillem gasped for breath, having exhausted his rage. Gedgar couldn’t understand where Gillem's energy came from.
'Despite having lived so long, he’s still full of ambition. It’s all pointless, though.'
The creation of a nonsensical religion called the Church of the Sun, his takeover of the royal family’s authority—these were all the same. A man who delayed the world’s demise at the cost of his own life. Gillem’s paranoia was driven by fear that this man might return someday.
'No one here is sane, but this one is particularly unhinged.'
To shut Gillem up, Gedgar spoke.
"The arrogant immortal no longer exists. He's gone for good. So, stop fretting and keep your mouth shut."
"Don’t be foolish, Gedgar. Do you truly believe that immortal is completely gone?"
Gedgar let out a deep sigh.
"Did you find any trace of him in the relics you were searching for?"
Gillem's rise to power in the empire was driven by one reason: the suspicion that the Immortal’s Heart might still exist somewhere. There was also the possibility that his subordinates had hidden it away. If it did exist, the destruction of the world could be averted. However, even after thousands of years of searching, it had not been found. Admittedly, with just seven of them scouring the vast labyrinth, many areas remained unexplored. But even considering this, Gillem's obsession had become excessive.
"Don't be such a perfectionist, Gillem. If that many people couldn't find the Immortal’s Heart after all this time, it likely doesn't exist anymore."
Gillem seemed to calm down, relaxing his shoulders as he replied, "If that's the case, then it's good news, I suppose... but there's something else that's been bothering me."
Gedgar wasn’t even annoyed anymore. He closed his eyes as if signaling Gillem to keep talking, and Gillem voiced his new concern.
"Have you all heard? The reckless fool of House Tenest who survived the breath of the monstrous bird."
Though it was old news, it did pique some interest.
"You don’t think he’s the reincarnation of the arrogant Immortal, do you?" Gedgar asked, surprised.
Gillem nodded. "The chances are low, of course. But it’s not impossible."
Some of the others snickered at this, finding it amusing.
"The arrogant Immortal, reduced to a mere fool?"
Avoiding eye contact, Gillem responded, "...It’s a possibility."
"Seems like you've lost perspective from our constant belittling. Let me ask again: the man once called the King of Immortals, who united the races, now reduced to a mere fool?"
This time, Gillem fell silent entirely, prompting Gedgar to sigh in exasperation.
"The one who killed the monstrous bird was an Aol, wasn’t it? Stories like that tend to be exaggerated to enhance the family’s reputation. They probably just wanted to make that fool of a child seem more dignified. After living this long, you should’ve seen it often enough—seems like you’re starting to lose your mind."
Everyone except Gillem nodded in agreement. Gedgar then offered some genuine advice, looking at him pitifully.
"Why don’t you just die and reincarnate? Get yourself a new brain."
What was once a common joke among the Reincarnators was, in this moment, a sincere suggestion.
***
Clouds drifted smoothly across the sky. The weather was perfectly clear, and I lay idly on a sunbed on the terrace of Schlaphe Hall. After a few minutes of emptying my mind, thoughts slowly began to resurface.
Judging by the lack of comments from Professor Gomon, it seemed Luon had successfully retreated alive. It was plausible enough, especially with Felia’s support, who had the Crimson Grimoire.
Hmm, should I ask directly?
I turned to Professor Gomon, who was lying on the sunbed next to me.
"Professor, did you fail to catch him again?"
“Huh? Oh, oh?”
Professor Gomon, who had been dozing off, sat up groggily.
"Ah, I must’ve dozed off. This spot is so nice; it’s perfect for a nap. Oh, right. You mean Luon, right?"
"Yes."
"Judging by the lack of news, probably. Besides, it’s better if he’s not caught. It helps spread the rumor that he’s uncontrollable, saving us some embarrassment."
So, they managed him diligently but failed because he was a lost cause. A pathetic excuse.
"But any more news from the outside? There seems to have been a lot going on lately."
I subtly hinted at the playable characters active in distant lands. By now, the early scenario should’ve progressed significantly. Given the magnitude of events, Professor Gomon was likely aware.
"There’s a lot, actually. In Wizdom, a mirage-like fortress appeared in the sky."
Wizdom, the academy of magic. The key players there would be uncovering the secrets of the fortress. Presumably, professors who had previously investigated the site had deemed it suitable for educational purposes. The story would likely involve them getting trapped inside and struggling to escape.
"And what else?"
"Valiant had an incident too. An earthquake struck, and then strange giant trees sprouted up everywhere."
The knight academy Valiant was likely undergoing a transformation into a jungle, preparing its inhabitants to become jungle dwellers.
Professor Gomon then shared news about the other two academies.
"At Everblaze, a professor lost his mind and tried to kill the students. As for Scarlet, well, it’s near the coast, so they’ve been mobilized to hunt sea monsters."
Everblaze and Scarlet were relatively moderate in difficulty, so there was nothing particularly noteworthy.
"Let’s see, what else… Oh, the Shadow Watchers have started assassinating key figures, and more monsters are crossing into the human realm. Even the Tenest Estate—your family’s land—has frequent monster appearances. Honestly, it feels like the apocalypse is upon us. It’s absurd."
The world had fallen into chaos, with bizarre events happening simultaneously. For many, it was a catastrophe; for some, it was an opportunity to rise.
"Still, there’s some hope. They say heroes emerge in times of turmoil. More and more people are stepping forward, with new titles being bestowed on prominent figures from different regions. Dedication eventually becomes achievement."
I was secretly worried that things might go wrong, but it seemed everyone was doing well on their own. I took a sip of the cold drink I had placed on the side table, enjoying the current moment of peace. Professor Gomon spoke with a conflicted expression.
"I’m not sure if this is okay. The outside world is in chaos, but it’s so peaceful here."
"Professor, try thinking of it this way. How were things here when they were at peace?"
At my words, Professor Gomon cleared his throat.
"Ahem. That’s true. So much has happened, and it’s not even the end of the first semester for the first years."
The Felia of Loss incident. The Roaming Band during the Labyrinth Practicals. Luon’s takeover of the academy. And the Incubus, Irte, whose appearance was disguised as a research accident. Even excluding the things I caused, like the defeat of the Doppelganger, the slave revolt, the Battle of the Ten Elites, and the surprise visit by Pathfinder Elder Arental, this was still a lot.
"We deserve to rest, Professor."
"You’re right. We do deserve a break."
Professor Gomon also took a sip from the drink on the side table. After emptying his cup, he asked a heartbreaking question.
"By the way, Hersel, how did you do on the practical exam this time?"
“Haven’t you checked it yet?”
"Why bother when I can just ask you?"
I let out a deep sigh. It wasn’t as if my efforts had been in vain. Plus, the practical exam questions this time were ones that even I could manage to handle somehow. And the grade I received was…
"B minus."
Compared to my first day at the academy, it was a significant improvement. Still, I couldn’t help feeling disappointed. It was an issue rooted in my personal values.
"Wow, that’s impressive. You really worked hard."
"That’s not much comfort. I don’t really consider it a grade unless it’s an A."
I still hadn’t put in enough effort. My abilities were only at the level of an average student just entering the academy. To establish myself as a proper mage, I had to work twice as hard as others. But today, I decided to rest.
As I was about to close my eyes completely, Professor Gomon suddenly spoke with excitement, as if he’d remembered something.
"Oh, right! By the way, I heard you got assigned to Adele Hall?"
"...What?"
"Why are you so surprised? What, did you think it wouldn’t happen because of Professor Rockefeller again?"
That was true.
"Did he just sit back and let it happen this time?"
"You got the Triple Wolf Badge, didn’t you? That’s enough, kid."
Professor Gomon didn’t say it outright, but as expected, it seemed Rockefeller wasn’t happy about it. Still, getting assigned to Adele Hall was thanks to the badge. Since I was recognized by the elders, there wasn’t much choice, even if they didn’t like it. They had to treat me well.
"But why the long face? I thought you'd be overjoyed, but you seem indifferent."
"I’m not sure."
Why was that? I had set my sights on Adele Hall from the very first day, but I didn’t feel particularly happy about it. Moving to a place with better facilities and getting paid more was definitely a good thing. Yet, there was a sense of reluctance deep inside me. The reason was probably…
I looked down from the terrace. Ricks and Bellman were chatting as they made their way to the fortress. Soon after, Silla and Leana joined them. If I went to Adele Hall, Riamon and Edina would be there too.
Studying alongside those people? I felt the need to reconsider.
"Will Dorosian stay at Schlaphe Hall?"
"Oh, that... She’ll probably be sent to follow you… Ahem. Forget I said that."
Oh no. Just thinking about being in the same space as Dorosian made my heart race and chills run down my spine. Could I even survive among those thorny individuals? The door to Adele Hall was starting to look like the gate to hell.
