Chapter 92
MY9Never.KoiVCt
BtiVNot even once had he considered something like this.Pr4QLny
6ppFThat a bad future prophesied by the Book of Prophecies could turn into a good one—he understood that.mXnemO
uYi2OBut that a good future could end up worsening—that, he had never considered.Lij
da4zZJWhy, really?Jxp2O4
alBX92In what way?rbV2XV
530For what reason?172JZq
a5wgxJA‘I stopped it! We captured that damned Corrupt and handed him over to the border count!’vhFy6gy
8uFq9JHe was confused. His mind went completely blank.tp75tb
ghdQsThe rubble of the destroyed bell seemed to announce a dark future.quSnEI
HiOvSIn the Book of Prophecies it was written clearly: Aint and Professor Grad would protect it.vgexvG
rMpU‘Why was the Bell of Pasa destroyed? Why, why, why, why, why…!’Q4E5N
y1saThe future had twisted. Why had the future twisted?OVjABCg
g7gFU6‘What did I do wrong? Where was the mistake?’r4b
8DRI7uCWas it something caused by what he did at the Academy? Or by the changes he brought after arriving in Altrierc?a6a
ZSrCPneHe thought over and over again.awjf
EVMOv5In truth, there was only one concrete fact.ZEL0
91rWThe trap they had prepared beforehand, foiling Bairan’s plans and managing to capture him.h6B6djx
j1XOtThe problem was that, by capturing him, he thought the future would become more positive—but instead, it had twisted for the worse.1ZcW
m8lKNo matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t fully grasp the cause-and-effect relationship.3BvwuUd
vmeGM“The Bell of Pasa…?”FZnmKLW
Ee7“It can’t be…”R1AA2Lr
YbT7The Academy students who had arrived later also witnessed the shattered remains of the Bell of Pasa and were horrified.6Ko0BC
VrOG“How the hell could the Bell of Pasa break?”R8C
5i5idC8“What the hell happened?!”aBir
ZAjBbUTThe shouts echoing everywhere only accelerated the chaos.AxnsR9O
5blHcZr“…….”kDj
sVFKVsiFernan couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed to bring about this result.RQF
7cJjsBut there was only one thing certain.6qu4Lm
bbJ7yHe didn’t know what kind of future could be born from that butterfly effect, but—dNlj
7Xw‘I have to do something, anything….’5p9cf
RYqwP5bIt was clear it wouldn’t be a good future.6Bpf
Ljm***3kbrSx3
VsT9JDThe monsters had attacked Altrierc.Djyr
jznA4wBThe Bell of Pasa had been broken.yE8vtt
U9yLbThe border count, who had gone to the wall, returned immediately to the provincial capital.VJyoCB
huwhwAll the gates of the main city were closed, and all officials and administrators were summoned.O1x3m
gQbIThe atmosphere, with emergency meetings held day after day, was more tense and somber than ever.WldQEG
YD9L8VgAnd in the middle of that situation, all Academy students were returned to the institution.mHhB8jb
PE4They had a clear alibi, and in such a situation, it was best to remove them—which also helped the investigation.KlmY3i5
1CT9F“…What are we going to do now?”xU25
dAhtjPractice had ended. The students returned to their usual routine, and Aint returned to his dormitory.bgkMeY
3yj3QWBut his heart was not at peace.TBGSl
bSV【Breaking news! The provincial capital of Altrierc, Artc, has been attacked! The imperial wall was breached!】EMK9luc
HIz【The movements of the Corrupt become increasingly visible. They have destroyed the symbol of the Empire. The Bell of Pasa, shattered…】bJKknxN
wfcThe newspapers spoke of nothing but Altrierc and the Bell of Pasa.gwJpGoU
BUY5Naturally so. What was the Bell of Pasa?FCv
HbNiAlthough for a thousand years it had only been a symbol, in essence it was an artifact created to destroy demons and all corrupted creatures.c7jtvHP
uIeA relic forged jointly by the First Emperor and the Cult of the Dragon God.Edw1Fi
WmCWhen rung once, most monsters would fall immediately, and its influence even reached the Corrupt and demons. It was a weapon exclusively against high-level demons.5c7r
cHx8Hd“Did the Bell of Pasa really have such legendary power?”97F4RC
xhoz2O— Yes.Kv7u5
2m8l1D— The Bell of Pasa was the greatest artifact the First Emperor created alongside the Cult of the Dragon God.h4an
lm1G7z5— In fact, it was an amplifier.obT
uLj23S“An amplifier?”1WP1xG
d7KEUne— Only the First Emperor could use it. The Bell of Pasa, contrary to what its name might suggest, did not contain within itself the power to annihilate all evil. It was an amplifier that, through the medium of sound, multiplied mana, magic, and aura.oJ8FrA
Kfz— The power of the Pasa held by House Armian was amplified and spread by the bell.FRWzj
oKknIB— That’s why it affected not just monsters and the Corrupt so severely, but also demons.2hNac
pI5l— Naturally, because the source of that power was the First Emperor himself.h0Ly
D3AGIn great battles, the First Emperor used it frequently.VEZs
1OuX68YHe rang the bell and, instantly, the monsters would be incapacitated, allowing him to dominate the fight.RkxqzZC
MsI7XrY— Of course, the consumption of aura and mana was so enormous that he couldn’t use it often.YHv1ui
ggvY3exEven so, what this incident demonstrated was just how lethal the Bell of Pasa was to demons.SP2
8gJSK— The first thing they did, once they revealed their true existence, was divert Altrierc’s attention and destroy the Bell of Pasa.d72
j8gSP— That shows how dangerous it was to them.HLY5U
XpT3FUAn outstanding knight or mage might be a hero in their own kingdom, but in enemy territory they were just another greater demon to be torn apart without mercy.xmk9y
e10LThe reaction of the Corrupt was indisputable proof of how extraordinary the bell was.HiWdOa
v1yY“…Then, is this really serious?”h9K
CtYYAUd— Very serious.KSXRj
QHvmyU— The difference between having the Bell of Pasa or not will be clearly felt in a large-scale war.4PSKW
wVsVAint’s face paled.HNON8yq
7qrNxD6It was different hearing it from Gardner’s mouth than just suspecting it.bQvMAi
LjmrAnd the worst part was that, even understanding the gravity of the problem, Aint had nothing he could do about it.xFB
FUjL“We can’t just sit here. Isn’t there some way to do something?”7ijVB4
HZQh3— It’s frustrating, but right now the only thing you can do is become stronger.MllaUi4
QBKt— Because House Armian currently doesn’t have the power to take the lead.cPjk
OkfF9“…Again, a problem of the family.”646
lQ75fvAint bit his lips hard.BJ4fm9
E9uECHe had grown up since childhood hearing of his lineage’s past glories, which only intensified his frustration.nYvoK2l
usDNWhat good was it to have been emperors, to have shone in the past?00Pbt
23eToday, only an empty shell of an electoral prince remained, trapped in old vanities.ySX
fBJ6Why did House Armian live in isolation, without even sending their descendants to the Academy?EFFEh
oFZ1Because they didn’t want to face reality. They didn’t want to see and hear firsthand the decline of their name.9O9Oa
9cpIt was a pathetic family. That’s why Aint had decided to enter the Academy.jtrS
741OThe treasure map of the First Emperor his father gave him was only the trigger; even without it, he would eventually have left that familial prison.BV2hcK
BoRBThat’s why.sVzyVr
uvPAHe wanted to restore greatness to his lineage.5kdgb
w5Mr7He didn’t dissuade Gardner from speaking of him becoming emperor.XDfRMY
oxYWlIn truth, he himself desired it.Oavxe9
GejO2C— Or you could ask the rich guy for help.mwO6
6xG63— I’m sure he also knows how serious it is that the bell has been broken.qowx
yVw7k“But what would we do by asking him for help?”MVsW0jl
u2hfyFXThey didn’t know where the Corrupt’s base was, nor how to restore the bell.zXiAFkj
kAx— I don’t know how to repair the Bell of Pasa either.XqRMk
FEd— Much less how to create it. I’m not an artisan, I’m a knight.thi
sqy“Then all we can do is sit and wait….”B68tEXq
g4B1RgJThat’s when it happened.KHZ
F1itKnock, knock.sJp
aGSSomeone knocked on Aint’s door.FcI
64lH“Who is it…?”HqLVW
JfxhJrDThe servants and maids of the Ravidus building usually announced themselves when knocking on a door.aaa8GA
ksIywSSMoreover, according to the rules, no student could enter another’s room, except authorized assistants.pFKMLXy
1PPBut there was someone who could bypass those rules easily.u0A3
3L9N— It’s the rich guy.tQ8C1Dh
fbvIX8I“Senior Fernan?”62qR
2SMmSjE“Yes, it’s me.”isC
vjJdSXFernan’s voice came from the hallway.lRDVC7H
wHXPFO“What’s going on?”NZBoRQ
djiy4U“Do you want to make a new Bell of Pasa with me?”sy3
wqArn0pAint, about to open the door, froze in place.URLO90
eHG2“…What?”Ay4
ZmC26What had he just said?ON6PsG9
Qq3XNz0***4Yb2t32
JOZFernan, back at the Academy, thought he couldn’t just sit idly by.YqKP5
twaAn eye for an eye, money for money.BcBG
hRUUFernan, who always believed that if he was harmed, he had to retaliate—Fernan, the perfectionist who couldn’t rest until he solved a problem—couldn’t allow the situation to become worse than what was in the Book of Prophecies.XDlL
rgpra68Anxiety pressed on his heart and head to the point that he couldn’t sleep.APVz
JRFr5vHe spent two nights awake. Unable to take it anymore, he immediately headed to the temple.2e9
R6IeThe most outstanding magic group he knew.P0Of
ve842“I also heard that the Bell of Pasa was destroyed, brother. It’s truly unfortunate.”jXTr2I
zynm“If you’ve heard, then you know why I came, right? If the Cult of the Dragon God, where the best mages gather, exists, I thought maybe there’d be a way to repair the Bell of Pasa.”ZMxW
c8A“It’s impossible.”cYaF
9OBfVJace shook his head firmly.RJ6
bYxV“The Bell of Pasa was created by the First Emperor along with the Cult of the Dragon God. To be precise, most of the manufacturing was done by the Cult, and the Emperor was in charge of providing materials and injecting mana, but anyway…”sON
bzFLCHe continued.zro9w4H
ycUlqU“The Bell of Pasa was forged in one piece from the beginning, with multiple engravings and complex mechanisms interwoven organically. In short—once destroyed, it cannot be repaired. It’s better to create a new one from scratch.”5cKOzH3
9iD3nARFernan felt disheartened. Among high-rank artifacts, some were like that.6LmVbcB
OXHY“Is it one of those things? Haa… if it can’t be restored, then we’ve no choice but to—wait a moment.”D84
5m4QWhat had Jace just said?SWTm7Z
lug“The Bell of Pasa was made by the Cult of the Dragon God?”2Y91U
JIEed“Yes, that’s right.”PaSyc
gYY9“Then… are there blueprints?”2zPR
OygsSm1“Of course. Though, being so old, there are parts that have been lost…”jaSVTv
dkupvAt that moment, Fernan felt the thick fog clear. As if, in absolute darkness, a beam of light pierced through.HryGe8
jucOHe shuddered.mF1uB
UTMCP“…Then. Then…”Dhg7B
6jwl03SHe tried to sound calm, but his voice trembled.WJM
WIZh0eU“Yes.”ahHG1qq
RIDb“If we follow those blueprints, would it be possible to create another Bell of Pasa?”1XS
PZfY“…Well. If there are blueprints, it’s technically possible, but I’ll be frank. His Holiness has already reviewed them.”kTru
9uHvThe destruction of the Bell of Pasa wasn’t just a problem for Altrierc. Amid the agitation caused by the Corrupt, its value was incalculable.aV8
oDYyibThe fact that they attacked it first was the best proof of that.eui
fD11VE1So the Pope himself had taken out the blueprints resting in the archives of magic. And he gave up not only on repairing it but also on creating it anew.PEEGPRh
MNdtrPRepair was impossible from the start, and as for creating it—uMi7W
pgs“The materials are absurd.”7py5aX
JGuI“What kind of materials?”6A2J
a7IqX4R“The three great metals: adamantium, mithril, and orichalcum.”gdQcjXq
3dvIFernan’s mouth fell open.iitZ
DXbZG“You’re telling me that entire massive bell was made purely from those three metals?”IoJf
wdvjDid they use up all the mithril, orichalcum, and adamantium on the continent for that?cYVWb
hsteVOS“That’s what the blueprints indicate. That’s why His Holiness gave up. Gathering that much of all three metals is nearly impossible.”xGQP
miOaIt was logical. Even an organization the size of the Cult of the Dragon God would easily take a hundred years to gather that much—if they started right now.YLg77RY
quqIt was indisputable—gathering such volumes of legendary metals in one lifetime was impossible.OhqDBJh
yTLNo36‘Wait a second.’3Kl5R
Dn9eThen an idea crossed Fernan’s mind.oHfDd
dovPa“If I managed to gather all those metals, would it be possible to make it?”b95AYHp
g6rC“Of course.”L0ZbzZ
ynmpqar“And the cost?”wHbEmd
MGXZL“That would be the least of concerns. If someone brought those materials, do you think His Holiness or I would ask for compensation? On the contrary—we’d pay gladly for the chance to try! Wouldn’t it be the greatest artifact of all time?”zMH4
StWIqJace shrugged.jmazt
MBYUl“Of course, officially, we’d say we’re doing it for the cause. But can you really get them?”41Devl
cyDlMn“No. Not even I. It’s impossible.”gMN6
Ip1w1r“Then why…?”zBEfIU1
tML“Because maybe a miracle will happen.”q5X
mKjE“I’ll come back another time.” Fernan left the temple.HJ9NjY
vumVo“…Maybe I can get them. Maybe…”8t1Af4g
dtM— Kkuuuuuung…!jN9gvW
6SwiRAt that moment, Wooden’s body trembled. His red eyes sparkled with unease.nHvE
rma5“What do you mean ‘please don’t disassemble me’? What nonsense. I’d never melt your body down for mithril or adamantium, even if the bell were crucial. Don’t worry.”9fVA
GuasGkEThe Bell of Pasa was an object for everyone, and Wooden was his last resort.r4ZXkU
odbPr4uNo way would he sacrifice one for the other.3k38n
rDBc9— Kkung?YHvx19u
wY0“Then how will I get them? I’m not sure yet.”oB2dRt0
RRRS4OJBut there was a slim possibility.OSptY6x
5DW‘That place where I got the mithril.’t1P0R
eDvThe same place where Aint got adamantium.uKcGDW
ovaWhere the sea dragon had its nest, where spiritual herbs grew.Tn8
tyL8jNormally, it was impossible for adamantium and mithril to coexist in the same place—they were minerals of opposing natures.DEK
5NHngfOnly one person could’ve prepared such a site.dm0h5Hv
j2XnW‘If that’s the case… it was probably the First Emperor.’LhEkm
q5TX9Maybe that place was part of the Emperor’s plan to, one day, provide materials for weapons against demons.gLj
wtilk2AAnd if so, perhaps there were even more legendary metals there.Oba5W4Y
USE8qThat’s why—P2GbQeF
2M0k“Do you want to make the Bell of Pasa with me?”TbAx
tYZn9That was why Fernan had gone looking for Aint.mB6c
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