Chapter 19

Chapter 19

It is formally recognized that there exist only five mages of the 8th tier. Among this esteemed group is Selime Micarlo, the master of the Blue Tower. Having concluded a months-long journey to the northern territories inhabited by barbarian tribes, he came back and instantly perceived that something was wrong within his tower.

His initial clue was the absence of Shimon’s distinctive presence, which he always detected when coming home. The second indicator was his apprentice, Penia, herself an 8th-tier mage, endowed with an ability so remarkable it could only be termed brilliant.

Penia, armed with her prodigious gift, had cultivated a pride of immense proportions. While she had previously demonstrated a fundamental deference to her instructor, Selime, her manner had grown progressively more disrespectful ever since she attained the 6th tier at a youthful age and was named the tower’s deputy master. Her conduct towards him had become increasingly bold.

…In reality, Selime understood that Penia’s actions were not solely rooted in a lack of regard for him. A major factor was the immense burden of administrative duties she handled during his repeated absences. Still, even considering that, Penia had accomplished more than anyone her age, and her conceit had grown too pronounced. Yet, Selime had no plans to curb this trait.

While hubris is a characteristic a mage must guard against, particularly in the study of magic, Penia’s arrogance did not spill over into her scholarly work. Furthermore, Selime was confident that upon reaching the 7th tier, her disposition would naturally improve to a degree. No mage, regardless of their genius or self-importance, could avoid being humbled at that stage. It is there one starts to grasp how trivial their prior successes truly are.

And so, Selime had allowed her to continue… until this moment.

“You are saying Count Palatio arrived and sealed Shimon away?” Selime inquired.
“Yes,” Penia replied, her voice faint.

Selime observed his disciple. Her typically intense gaze, which seldom softened even for her master, was now clouded with doubt. She spoke with careful hesitation, as if anxious about something, a most uncommon sight.

“The count employed the Oath of Magic to seal Shimon, so I cannot discuss the method.”
“…Indeed.” Penia muttered, her demeanor subdued.

Noticing her uncharacteristic attitude, Selime released a quiet breath and considered Count Palatio. Regrettably, he possessed very little knowledge about the count. The Blue Tower was distant from the Kingdom of Asteria, so his scant information was derived from gossip circulating a few years prior. He had heard the present Count Palatio had slain all his brothers to secure his title. That was all he knew.

Still, Selime found his interest in the count growing. He was aware that Penia was not one to easily relinquish her pride, a trait fortified by her exceptional ability. If someone had managed to humble her, there was only one logical conclusion.

‘Sorcery so advanced that even Penia could not fully grasp it… or perhaps, a spell of the Origin level.’

Selime allowed himself a slight smile as he reached this deduction. For the first time, he felt a genuine curiosity about this count from a minor, little-known kingdom.

***

The following day, Alon reviewed a letter from Yutia, a now-customary event happening every few months. As he read, he noted, “Nothing out of the ordinary this time.”

As was typical, Yutia’s letter was filled with the commonplace details of daily life. It described her existence at the monastery and the recent doings of the Five Deadly Sins. Alon, however, favored these ordinary accounts over strange happenings.

The lack of any especially notable news implied that the Five Deadly Sins were living peaceful lives. Of course, it was somewhat disappointing that none of the others had troubled themselves to send a single letter, but Alon comprehended.

‘It is likely because I have never encountered them in person.’

He had never gone to the orphanage, so naturally, he had never met the Five Deadly Sins face-to-face. Although he had offered significant monetary support, from their viewpoint, Alon was probably just considered a generous patron. In fact, he suspected they might not even regard him as a patron, but merely as some benevolent figure from their past. Nevertheless, it did not upset him greatly.

His objective was never to gain the fondness of the Five Deadly Sins. His principal aim was to steer them towards a righteous direction, making certain they would not bring ruin to the kingdoms. Since that purpose was already fulfilled, he felt no remorse.

“Hmm…”

Even so, Alon could not suppress a touch of melancholy. Despite his detached exterior, a faint, contented smile appeared on his face as he read Yutia’s letter. The others had never written from the start, but Yutia, despite living as a nun, had faithfully written to him each month.

It was not a lot, but the notion of it brought a warmth to Alon’s heart. It was akin to raising five children, only for all but one to forget his efforts and never send a word—except for the eldest daughter, who still recalled and valued his dedication.

‘Yutia is the only one who genuinely understands,’ he reflected.

As Alon indulged in this strangely poignant, paternal sentiment, a gentle rap sounded at the door.

Knock knock—

Evan walked into the room.
“What is it?” Alon asked.
“Ah, I intended to inform you yesterday when I saw you at the training grounds, but it escaped my mind. Do you recall when you requested I look into that matter previously?”
“Yes, I remember.”

As Evan stated, Alon had earlier asked him to consult with the information guild to confirm the Five Deadly Sins were faring well. While Yutia’s letters had once offered a window into the others’ activities, recently, her correspondence contained fewer specifics about the rest.

“So, did you discover anything?”
“Yes, but there was little necessity to involve the guild. A few of them have become quite notorious. Particularly Deus and Seolrang.”

Alon gestured for him to go on, and Evan stepped further inside, arranging his thoughts before speaking.

“First, regarding Seolrang. I have heard whispers that she has already become a combatant nearing the rank of ‘Baba Yaga.’ She has triumphed in 32 consecutive duels.”
“…Thirty-two consecutive victories?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds implausible.”
“To be honest, I also doubted it initially, but the rumors appear accurate. Of those 32 wins, only a single bout lasted more than ten exchanges. The other Baba Yagas are growing quite apprehensive.”
“That is understandable,” Alon agreed, still astonished by what he was hearing.

The title ‘Baba Yaga’ was a distinguished rank within the Colonie, and only four individuals ever held that title at one time. The number never increased. Therefore, if Seolrang were to achieve the record of 100 victories required to contend for the title, one of the current four would be forced to confront her.

‘If I remember correctly, wasn’t the Lion King the warrior with the most consecutive wins in the Colonie’s history?’
“Yes, that is correct. He had 41 wins, if I recall,” Evan verified.
“She is only nine victories away from exceeding the Lion King.”
“Precisely.”

Evan nodded as Alon contemplated, briefly picturing the Lion King, who became a companion in one of the games. It was then that Alon fully grasped the extraordinary talent of the Five Deadly Sins. The Colonie was a place that attracted not just ordinary fighters but also immensely powerful ones. Even though it was a martial superpower, the neighboring kingdoms were reluctant to provoke them.

Sustaining such a streak in a place like that was testament to her gift, and as Alon considered this with an amazed expression, Evan continued.

“And there is a rumor concerning Deus as well.”
“What is the rumor?”
“They say that Deus and his order, the Eclipse, recently vanquished Kurga of the Snow Plains, one of the eight barbarian chiefs.”
“…One of the eight chiefs?”
“Yes, one of them. You know of them, correct? Those monstrous beings who have transcended into superhumans via their rituals, despite being mere barbarians.”

Even without Evan’s clarification, Alon was already well-acquainted with the eight chiefs. More specifically, he knew from the game how formidably powerful they were. To obtain the unique magical equipment required to become a glass cannon in Psychedelia, one had to battle the barbarians and defeat the deity they venerated.

‘Just remembering it is disorienting…’

For an instant, Alon felt dizzy, recalling it had been over five years since he faced Ultultus in the game. Even now, the mere idea of Ultultus turned his stomach due to its sheer power. According to the lore, should Ultultus awaken and ascend to a true god, it would attain a might comparable to that of the Five Deadly Sins.

In other words, if Ultultus were to awaken in the north, the kingdoms would be utterly overwhelmed, even without the involvement of the Five Deadly Sins. However, Alon was not overly concerned.

‘Fortunately, there is no possibility of encountering it.’

As far as Alon knew, Ultultus did not manifest unless the Five Deadly Sins descended. In the game’s background, Ultultus only appeared when gods descended and shattered the world’s laws, merging with the Five Deadly Sins. Unless a god descended and broke the world’s laws in a way Alon could not predict, there was no cause for Ultultus to appear.

“…Deus is doing quite well for himself, then.”
“It is more than that. Successfully defeating a chief that even a master knight would find challenging has elevated him to the level of figures like Reinhardt, the Swordmaster.”

Hearing this, Alon felt a slight twinge of regret.

‘…Perhaps I should have visited him at least three times per year?’

Thinking about how advantageous it would have been to have connections with a master knight, Alon set aside his mixed feelings and listened as Evan provided an update on Rine, who was now employed as an appraiser in the labyrinth city.

“The Black Imprint?”
“Yes. Rine’s establishment focuses on imprinting black marks that amplify the powers of relics.”
“That is fascinating.”

Captivated by this ability, which he had not come across in the game, Alon marveled for a moment before inquiring about the final member.

“What of Ladan?”

In truth, Alon had asked Evan to investigate the Five Deadly Sins primarily due to his curiosity about Ladan. Although Ladan had fallen behind Seolrang, Alon had lost all news of him roughly half a year ago when Yutia’s letters ceased to mention him.

Naturally, he was not overly worried, having heard that Ladan had safely reached Raxas and was learning his trade. But the absence of any updates since then had piqued his interest.

However…
“I have not uncovered any solid information on him yet. The information guild has some leads, but they requested a little more time—about a week—to confirm the information’s reliability.”
“I see…”

Alon nodded, feeling a mild curiosity, but he accepted Evan’s report.

***

Two weeks later, as Alon was, per usual, examining relics in his office, he found himself weighing whether to attend the Asteria social gathering, a event held every three years for all the nobility. He was pondering this while looking at the invitation when—

“My Count…!”
“…?”

The door suddenly flew open without any warning knock, and Evan hurried in. Alon was on the verge of speaking when—
“Ladan… It seems he has become a pirate…”
“…What?”

Alon’s face stiffened at Evan’s next words.
“Have you heard of the Seven Islands?”
“…Are you referring to the region near Raxas where the seven great pirates reside?”
“Yes. It appears Ladan has become the captain of the largest of those islands, commanding it completely.”
“…Is that true?”
“Yes.”

Hearing Evan’s confirmation, a specific internet post flashed through Alon’s mind—a post he had seen long ago about a child who, after receiving eight years of steady UNICEF donations, had grown up to become a Somali pirate.

Alon, now frozen solid with the understanding that Ladan had transformed into a great pirate, felt he could finally, truly relate to the author of that post.