Crack
Changes began to stir within Sirin’s body as the battle continued.
The chains that had bound her heart due to breaking the regulations weakened, as did the power that had limited her strength.
The prohibition caused by these regulations was a truth of this world that even Sirin, the embodiment of the regulations, could not escape from.
However, it was now on the verge of complete release.
The reason?
The awakening of Jong-eon.
It was incomprehensible.
There was still plenty of time. It couldn’t have been half a day since the Nameless One returned to the cradle.
Yet, why had Jong-eon opened its eyes?
Retrieving the great sword that she had swung toward Frey, Sirin gazed into the horizon stretched far ahead with her ‘eyes.’
Ordinary eyes, even if they were dragon eyes, could see nothing at the horizon’s end.
Yet, Sirin saw it.
The awakening of Jong-eon.
The Nameless One had broken the regulations.
Losing her own standing, she had hastened the awakening of Jong-eon.
There was no time left.
At this rate, Jong-eon would arrive in the world within less than a day. If that happened, everything would be over.
All the ‘incomplete’ humans would return to nothingness, and the ‘complete’ humans, including Noah, would step into a false paradise under the guidance of the Nameless One.
She chewed at her lips and unleashed her magical power.
The torrent of magical power that was restored to its full strength distanced Frey and Carpen from each other, giving her a moment to think.
In that space, Sirin thought.
No, there was no need to think.
What she had to do was already decided.
Lowering her gaze from the horizon, she looked at Noah, who was now isolated.
There was no room for hesitation any longer.
She had already earned ‘her’ hatred.
Now, it was time to earn Noah’s hatred too.
It stung a little, but what could she do?
This was her karma.
She wiped the smile off her face.
She freed all the strength that had been trapped by the prohibition.
The haze rising from her body began to distort her vision and gradually spread outward.
Her desiccated eyes looked at Ser.
Seeing the change in Sirin’s momentum, Ser widened her eyes in surprise but soon calmed down.
Then, she appeared to communicate something to Frey and Carpen, moving the surrounding spirits.
To that, Sirin proudly smiled inwardly and opened her palm.
A golden orb, the same color as her irises, rose. It was small enough to be grasped in her human-sized hand.
Within it lay not only the history of the ancient dragon Siriniuus, but also the causality of a forgotten past, with no one left to remember it.
As Sirin quietly gazed down at it, she sensed the awakening of Jong-eon with all her might.
She saw Noah, who was still unable to rise.
To forcibly lift such a Noah, she raised her great sword and swung it toward Carpen, who was the first to charge in.
With a terrible bang, Carpen’s half body was torn apart, refusing to give up despite the carnage.
Next, she exhaled spells through a throat that felt like it was buried in sand.
As dry twigs snapped, even Frey, who had been the strongest of all, crumbled helplessly.
Above her, countless lights settled.
The spirits rushed to revive Frey and Carpen, hurriedly healing their wounds.
Life returned. Despite their state of immobility, they glared at Sirin with wide-open eyes.
In response, Sirin waved her hand.
Clack — the sound of stones colliding.
The necks of the spirits healing Carpen and Frey snapped. Transparent energies emerged from their gradually disintegrating small forms.
In Sirin’s eyes, which could observe everything with the ‘regulation’ gaze, the spirits’ essences were absorbed into the golden orb resting on her hand.
Sirin’s attention drifted as she quietly gazed at it.
She saw Ser, her distorted face, open her lips. She began to chant a spell — a single one she had never uttered before.
The foundation of magic is in its incantation.
An incantation is a prayer to convey one’s intent to the magic that exists in the world to create miracles.
However, for highly advanced mages, incantations are unnecessary fringes.
The great mages could perform miracles simply by wishing in their hearts.
Yet, Ser, who had surpassed even great mages long ago, was whispering incantations.
To visualize her desires more distinctly, not content with merely wishing in her heart.
In the very foundation that forms this world, she sought to convey her will.
Shimmer — a magic circle unfolded before Ser.
There were multiple magical formations intricately intertwined there. A magic circle that could be called a miracle, surpassing even great magic.
Sirin’s ‘eyes’ saw it, fixating on the scales hovering at its center.
Creak — the scale began to tilt to one side with an unpleasant sound.
Simultaneously, Sirin took a step forward. A bit harder.
And the great sword stretched out.
With a harsh lunge, the great sword smashed through the magic circle and plunged into Ser’s abdomen.
Splatter — blood spilled from Ser’s abdomen, dripping from her mouth and falling onto the sword’s blade. It stained the dry floor with an unpleasant color.
Sirin’s grip on the great sword tightened. The orb floating in her other hand vibrated, squish — snap.
It held enough power to kill everyone present.
It had the strength to plunge this world into an abyss of ruin.
However, Sirin did not wish for that.
Noah, no, the adversary wanted her to end her life.
Thus, she smiled.
Because the adversary had risen from her seat.
Because she faced the world with the great sword in hand.
Although it didn’t seem like she wanted to, the fact that she wielded the sword slightly calmed Sirin’s urgent heart.
Even amidst losing everything, she had risen to move to the next stage.
If that sight wouldn’t bring joy, it would be a lie.
Sirin’s eyes, wearing a faint smile, watched the great sword that swept toward the sky.
That great sword depicted the image of a great swordsman, one she thought could never touch the world.
Rustle — Laila, too, seemed to have healed from the wounds inflicted by the Nameless One, beginning to fill the area with flowers.
It looked extremely beautiful, but Sirin couldn’t just stand by.
If this continued, Carpen, Frey, and even Ser would be at the risk of dying due to her attack.
In a world where sounds were fading, Sirin’s lips twitched.
As the flowers bloomed by Laila touched their bodies, Sirin completed her spell.
The bleeding stopped. The gaping wounds closed, and the twisted bones returned to their places.
A twinge—a pain stabbed her heart like a thorn, but it no longer mattered.
Thus, feeling the adversary’s sword beginning to sever her causality, Sirin closed her eyes.
At the moment it was severed, at the moment her allies’ safety was assured, that great sword would swing toward her.
Just as ‘she’ had done in the past.
It would grasp all her attacks and preemptively know her every move, rushing toward her neck.
However, that sword would be filled with hesitation.
Not only would there be a lack of will, but it would also lack intent.
Surely, it was not the ‘her’ who arrived after knowing everything, but for Noah, she was not an evil entity.
Even if she spoke of all her actions, that timid girl would lack the capacity for malice.
Instead, she would pity her.
Just as ‘she’ who opened a new path for her had done.
It couldn’t be helped.
If one followed the flowing river upstream, it ultimately converged at a single point.
A bitter smile escaped from Sirin’s lips.
Had she ever called ‘her’ hypocrisy?
Even now, could it truly still be called hypocrisy?
What should the continuous hypocrisy, as it is now, be called?
If something that was done with hope became hypocrisy and ultimately turned into good, what should be said about it?
A hypocrisy with no process left, only a good outcome.
Is it good or evil?
Before that thought could finish.
The adversary’s sword reached the center of causality.
Sirin’s eyes opened. Golden dragon eyes gazed at the adversary.
Simultaneously.
An unforeseen event that even Sirin had not anticipated.
An anomaly that transcended the regulations of the world struck Noah.
*
A sky so clear it felt transparent.
A vast land unfolded beneath it.
In that place, a being was born.
That being did not know why it was there, nor what it was, but…
It clearly felt what it had to do.
So it moved.
Shedding its superficial shell, it took on the form of ‘regulation.’
In the world beneath it, it was the most feared appearance.
And it looked on.
Crouching down, lowering its head.
To the existence that had shaped it, the almost extinct ‘Lilith.’
[I’m sorry for putting this on you.]
Lilith’s hand touched the bridge of the formless being’s nose.
[Everything stems from my sins.]
Her voice was incredibly sweet yet heavy.
[So, please don’t be sad.]
That touch was incredibly gentle yet painful.
[Please do what you have to do.]
That smile was incredibly kind yet bittersweet.
[Please, Siriniuus.]
Rustle
Lilith’s figure, brushing against Siriniuus’s nose, became blurry.
Just as she was about to completely disappear,
Lilith slowly turned her head.
Passing by Siriniuus, who had bowed down, she looked at the girl standing blankly in one corner.
Siriniuus wouldn’t see.
A girl who should not exist in this place.
To Noah.
[Lilah. Please don’t hate this child too much.]
Lilith, looking just like Rubia, said with a sorrowful smile.
[Everything is my fault.]
“Ru, bia…?”
Noah’s hand slowly reached out.
At the same time, — whoosh!
With a fierce light, her vision twisted.
