Chapter 67
In the secret hideout, there wasn’t a single piece of proper furniture to be found. The only tool for a comfortable life was an old mattress to lie on. Apart from that, the space was neatly organized with items necessary for work and survival.
A week’s worth of food, primarily canned goods. Two pistols and five bullets. A large map of the city hung prominently on the wall. A necklace with a strange pattern. And an assortment of seditious books and documents.
“It really gives off the vibe of a base prepared solely for investigation. I didn’t expect there wouldn’t even be a chair.”
“Well, that signifies they paid a lot of attention to the mission.”
Tara looked around and spotted a pistol, picking it up with apparent interest in the lethality of the small weapon.
“Is this the thing that just pierced Bennett’s shoulder?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Niolle, lucky for us, there’s a whiteboard here. It’s smaller than the one you used to carry, but……”
Bennett handed over the whiteboard he discovered in the hideout to Niolle. As soon as she took it with both hands, she started scribbling something down.
“No need to apologize. Don’t waste the ink.”
[……Yes.]
At Bennett’s interjection, she halted her hand.
Bennett lightly tapped the outer wall to capture their attention and summarized the situation. Two pairs of eyes were now fixed on him.
“First, let’s wrap up our investigation of the hideout. We might uncover more information about the Order of the Silver Twilight. Afterwards, we’ll discuss our course of action and move forward.”
[Yes, I understand, Bennett. I’ll work hard. I’ll help this time.]
“It seems there isn’t much here…… Can I take this gun?”
“The one lacking lethality here is Niolle, though……”
As Bennett recalled Niolle’s earlier state, he considered giving her the pistol, but then a thought struck him about the ominous spell she had used against the fanatics. A gigantic pillar with thousands of mouths.
Frowning, he turned to Niolle.
“Niolle. I think an explanation is in order.”
[⋯⋯⋯⋯.]
“It looked like the same type of spell that the fanatics used. The spell’s cost was extreme. I need to know how you learned it and what you consumed for that spell.”
[Isaac gave this to me.]
“……Abraham’s daughter?”
Niolle pulled a grimoire from her bosom. Just by glancing at the cover, Bennett could tell it wasn’t a normal book. It felt ominous and creepy.
[It’s hard to understand the content and takes time, but it’s a beneficial book that can provide a lot of wisdom.]
“It doesn’t look beneficial at all. From where I stand, it’s no different from a Demonic Sword. It’s a harmful item for the user. You’d be better off not u—”
Niolle hugged the grimoire tightly to her chest, shaking her head like a child being told to hand over their favorite toy. Then she started to hurriedly make excuses.
[It’ll be helpful!]
“Just like a Demonic Sword, evil artifacts ultimately lead the user to ruin. You’re already helpful enough without using it. I’ll seal it, so just hand it over obediently.”
“………Ugh, woo.”
Niolle started shaking her head violently, looking up at Bennett with teary eyes. She desperately wanted to make amends. If she could have dealt with the fanatic in one blow, perhaps it wouldn’t have been too late.
Bennett had concluded that the grimoire possessed brainwashing effects, and as he contemplated forcibly taking it from her, Tara, who had been loading her pistol with bullets, jumped in.
“Why not just leave it be? Bennett.”
“What?”
“We do need power, don’t we? The Order of the Silver Twilight is still out there, and we have a lot of them to kill. We need some magic capable of mass destruction.”
“So you’re suggesting we just let it sit here? There’s always a price for abnormally strong power—”
Click. The click of the mechanism engaging and a bullet being loaded interrupted Bennett’s words. Tara, who had been staring at the pistol, then raised her gaze to meet Bennett’s.
“It’s not you who pays that price. Am I right?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
[I’m prepared. This is my decision, Bennett. I don’t want any regrets.]
Bennett quickly realized that he wasn’t in a position to lecture Niolle. Moreover, according to Tara, it wasn’t his concern. Having a comrade willing to take risks like this could actually work to their advantage.
Yet, it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Bennett stepped back. The three of them continued to examine the items in silence. The necklace from the Order of the Silver Twilight appeared useful for disguising their identities. Perhaps they could even sneak into the order’s building.
Among the various seditious books and documents, they could gauge the size of the Order of the Silver Twilight. The number of official members alone was about a hundred. Including unofficial members, the number would double or even triple.
Going in for a frontal assault was out of the question. Numbers equal power, and it was even more pronounced for those willing to sacrifice their lives to cast bizarre spells. If they fought head-on, they would undoubtedly meet their doom after an exhausting battle of attrition.
Additionally, they had managed to uncover the objective of the Order of the Silver Twilight; it was a great find.
Among the documents, there seemed to be confidential materials that had been stolen from within the order. Wrapped in blasphemous names of divine beings and twisted metaphors, Niolle nonetheless successfully deciphered the content.
She scribbled down the words with a somewhat dazed expression.
[They are trying to summon a god.]
“……A god? Like the Goddess?”
[I don’t know. But it is certainly a huge and… powerful being. This being is referred to as the Viceroy, ranked second in this universe, possessing the power over time and space.]
“So the fanatics’ spells are drawing power from that… being.”
[That being is moving towards this place from a distant universe. Normally, it’s an entity that mere mortals cannot summon, but as it draws closer, the Order of the Silver Twilight believes they have a chance to summon at least part of it.]
Summoning.
Niolle’s explanation seemed somewhat aloof, drifting like a cloud and not very intuitive, so Bennett quickly organized the information in his head. Then he articulated it.
1. The evil god called the Viceroy possesses the power to manipulate time and space. Hence, the fanatics of the Order of the Silver Twilight, who borrow strength from the god they worship, also navigate time and space.
2. The difficulty and mana expenditure of Summoning Magic diminish as the distance to the target lessens, provided the target’s location is accurately known. Conveniently, the Evil God is moving closer to this world. Over time, the chances of successfully summoning the Evil God will increase.
Thinking of this brought Abraham’s research to mind. He had spoken of a massive energy that was invisible to the human eye… crossing through the universe. If this energy mass was named the Viceroy, the narrative fits perfectly.
Abraham had foreseen the consequences of summoning it. The death of everything. Entire planets would be shattered and wiped out. This scheme was a grand suicidal ritual orchestrated by the Order of the Silver Twilight.
So why did the Order of the Silver Twilight obstruct Abraham’s research?
What could the old man’s humble research contribute to the grand narrative involving the descent of an Evil God? Why go to such lengths to hinder the research, kill the old man, and obliterate the mansion?
Bennett, with his broad yet superficial knowledge of magic, was aware of the workings of summoning spells. If Summoning Spells were reversed, they become Reverse-Summoning Spells. Like two sides of a coin, summoning and reverse-summoning were inextricably linked.
If it could be summoned, it could also be sent back.
α value.
The calculated acceleration of the approaching energy mass. And the vast amounts of observational data of the universe that Abraham had gathered. If they had these…
They’d be able to determine which part of the universe the Viceroy was currently passing through— in other words, pinpointing its location. Then they could cast a Reverse-Summoning Spell. Sending back a divine being would require immense power, naturally.
Whether it could be achieved would depend on the existence of the α value.
Perhaps, Abraham’s research could— save humanity.
“……It seems Abraham’s research wasn’t in vain. So it was indeed a threat. To them.”
[Then we should hurry to the Forbidden Stacks, find the α value, and save the world……]
“Hold on. There are risks. After all, having coordinates makes the summoning easier.”
If the α value fell into the hands of the Order of the Silver Twilight, they would be able to summon the Evil God far too easily. It was a double-edged sword.
Tara’s stance was clear.
“If this can give the Order of the Silver Twilight a hard time, I’m all for it. If this was their objective, even at the cost of killing Abraham, I’ll smash it to pieces along with their skulls!”
Niolle wasn’t hesitating either.
[If that being is summoned, devoured souls will endure endless suffering. In a time stretched infinitely. We must prevent the entire world from being turned into hell.]
But Bennett hesitated.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
He needed to think again. Was there a reason? The group’s goal—no, his goal—was acquiring the Shining Trapezohedron. Even if this world was swallowed whole by the Evil God and turned into mere filth and dust, it wouldn’t concern him.
Even if Abraham’s research faded without a trace and not a single memory of it remained, it wouldn’t matter.
The only purpose was to save his sister; perhaps it would be better to ignore this mess. Nevertheless, a nagging feeling began to prick at him.
Hastily, Bennett searched his mind for a justification.
“……It could serve as a bargaining chip.”
“Bargaining?”
“Exactly. The chances that the Order of the Silver Twilight holds the Shining Trapezohedron has increased. We could negotiate its transfer in exchange for the α value and…”
“You’re still the same, Bennett.”
Bennett averted his gaze and shifted the topic.
“So, we at least agreed on obtaining the research materials. Our next destination is… the Forbidden Stacks of the Miskatonic University Library.”
The plan was set.
===============================================================
Day 6. The clock tattoo on their wrists was inching toward 0.
Everyone agreed that there was ‘no time’. Even if the time ran out and they had to return midway, they concluded that securing Abraham’s research was crucial.
However, after countless battles and tense moments, the group was significantly depleted. So…
[Even if we leave right now……]
“Let’s rest for an hour before heading out.”
“Three hours.”
As Bennett made his statement, Tara and Niolle expressed their dissatisfaction and anxiety.
“Isn’t three hours a bit too much? Two hours.”
[Shouldn’t we be hurrying? I think an hour’s rest should be enough……]
“Three hours. I won’t entertain any objections, so just try to catch some shut-eye.”
Bennett crossed his arms, leaned back against the wall, and closed his eyes. Adequate rest wasn’t a choice; it was a necessity since the group had been awake through the night. So even three hours was a tight time for rest.
Tara grumbled but soon fell asleep. Within minutes, she was softly snoring, occasionally munching on hair that slipped into her mouth— perhaps dreaming of joyfully dining with her family.
Niolle glanced around, ensuring no one was watching, before opening the grimoire. If this book contained spells for borrowing the Evil God’s power, it might also have a Reverse-Summoning Spell. She needed to find the magic, save the world, and justify Abraham’s death…
Reading the grimoire made her head itch. Although the brain had no pain receptors, it felt as if ants crawled deep inside, tickling a place that could never be scratched.
She endured and endured. And if it became too unbearable, she would bang her forehead against the wall or even pull her hair in frustration. That was how she plowed through the grimoire. She must be useful. Because of her, Bennett had been shot. She could still make amends. No, she absolutely had to make amends…
And as for Bennett, he didn’t dream.
===============================================================
In a white, empty space, Bennett opened his eyes.
In front of him stood a girl with distinctive pink-tinted, purple eyes. Her blonde hair, tied in pigtails, danced gently. The girl wore an expression of notable anxiety and urgency.
It felt fuzzy. Is this… a dream?
“Hey, Bennett. I have a favor to ask. It’s really important…!”
How important could it be?
“It’s about saving one person.”
Well, that doesn’t sound too important.
“That’s not true. It’s important for your future too! The lectures are going to get incredibly difficult, and next time, you might find yourself in a hell worse than Cthulhu!”
I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
“I’ll explain more outside, but… Just remember this. If you expel the Viceroy, everything will turn out fine. Got it?”
After spouting those strange words, the girl vanished. Bennett looked around, caught in a liminal space where reality and illusion blurred together. Then, like a candle being extinguished, he too disappeared.
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