Chapter 309

C309. Laksas (5)

“……What is that supposed to mean?”

Alon frowned, as if he couldn’t comprehend the words he had just heard at all, and asked again. The former Observer, also known as the Predecessor, spoke again.

[I meant it literally. But… do you happen to know about the curse of the elves?]

“I know it.”

The curse of the elves.

A curse that ‘The One with Closed Eyes’, a True Mage allied with the black things, cast upon the elves, reducing their lifespan to a quarter.

When Alon mentioned that curse—

[It is the same. Just as the elves suffered the curse of The One with Closed Eyes and their lives were shortened, the True Mages also suffered something… no, calling it just a “curse” doesn’t do it justice. What would be the adequate word…?]

The Predecessor reflected for a few moments.

[Ah, I know. Let’s call it this: ‘Elimination’.]

She pronounced those words.

“…Elimination?”

[Yes. The black things, including The One with Closed Eyes, eliminated the True Mages. Not only did they ensure they could no longer exist in this world, but they even erased their traces… and even the concepts they had engraved.]

“…Why?”

[Didn’t you already know about the curse of the elves?]

“And what does that have to do with this?”

The Predecessor looked at him as if she didn’t understand why he was asking that question, until she finally let out a small sigh and spoke.

[I see. You know the curse, but you don’t know why the elves were cursed.]

“Can you tell me the reason?”

[It is so simple that it almost doesn’t deserve to be called a reason. Because they were a threat to Sin. That is the only reason.]

“A threat…?”

[Yes.]

The Predecessor nodded a couple of times and continued.

[The Mages were a threat to Sin. Although they all lost their lives, Sin did not achieve its ultimate purpose either. That is why The One with Closed Eyes erased the True Mages from this world.]

So that the True Mages would not hinder Sin. So that everything would flow according to inevitability.

Alon, looking at the Predecessor who was murmuring in a low voice, continued asking.

“Then the elves also—”

[The same. Their long lives made them capable of producing someone who could counter Sin. That is why he cursed them. So that they could never break the inevitability.]

Alon remained silent.

He couldn’t understand it.

“…Why?”

[Which part do you not understand?]

“Why does that ‘The One with Closed Eyes’ desire to destroy the world so much?”

Furthermore, there were many things Alon failed to understand.

Neither why, despite having created Sin, that entity seemed to treat him with certain benevolence.

Nor could he comprehend the magic that, they said, The One with Closed Eyes had eliminated from the world.

But among all the doubts, the biggest one was this:

Why did they create Sin and why did they wish to destroy the world?

That was the question he threw out, and the Predecessor looked at him fixedly.

Without saying anything. Just calmly.

Then Alon had a strange revelation.

‘She isn’t looking at me.’

At first, he had thought the Predecessor was looking directly into his eyes.

But no.

‘Then, where is she looking?’

Alon observed the Predecessor’s eyes. As he suspected, they were diverted, unfocused.

And then—

[May I ask you a question?]

She asked suddenly.

“Speak.”

[You… how much do you know?]

“……How much do I know?”

[Yes. Literally. How much do you know about this world? It doesn’t matter if it’s long, tell me absolutely everything you know.]

The sudden question disconcerted Alon, but he finally began to explain.

“That is all I know.”

When he finished, the Predecessor remained thoughtful for a few seconds and then said:

[I know that which you wish to know. But I cannot tell you.]

“…Why?”

[Because your eyes and ears will not be able to see the truth.]

Just after Alon and Radan left the place where the Observer was—

Alon looked at the sun floating high above, as if he weren’t really there.

“Big brother?”

“What is it?”

“It’s just… since we left the cave, you’ve been in a trance.”

“……Ah, really?”

“Yes.”

Hearing Radan, Alon snapped back to reality, but soon fell into his thoughts again.

‘What did she mean by that?’

“Your eyes and ears are covered from the truth. No matter how much you ask, you will never reach it.”

Remembering the conversation, Alon thought:

‘Someone… is covering my eyes and ears.’

The Predecessor didn’t explain who it was.

Or rather, she couldn’t explain it.

But knowing that didn’t cause confusion in Alon, only more curiosity.

For two reasons:

Even if someone was covering his eyes and ears, his goal didn’t change.

He had to stop Sin.

That goal remained intact.

And second, because of her final words:

“Gather the objects and find that existence. That existence will be able to tear away the hand that covers you.”

That was what she said. That by gathering the objects he could find that existence, and that existence could release the truth before his eyes.

In short: nothing changed in what Alon had to do.

He was curious, yes, but he decided to endure it.

“I will know everything once I have the objects.”

After organizing his thoughts, he looked at Radan, who also seemed worried.

“Do you have something in mind?”

“Ah.”

Radan reacted late and let out a small sound, but immediately scratched his head with an awkward smile.

“No, it’s nothing serious.”

Alon nodded.

“Good. Let’s head back.”

And they left the east coast heading for Radan’s ship.

“Is it… true?”

“Yes, it’s true! Why do you think I would lie?”

Beran listened incredulously to the stories of Karam, who had enlisted as a soldier of the Palatio Household.

After more than a month stuck in the labyrinth making money, he came out to the surface and met his partner Cop, who told him an incredible rumor.

“Was that rumor really true?”

“Yes. A total mess has started because of it.”

The origin of the rumor was the two of them, but it was already completely distorted.

“So Karam wasn’t lying?”

“No. They say that if you carry out true justice, bring the proof to the territory, and train there, you can use the power of Kalanon.”

Although the rumor was already totally exaggerated…

“…Heh.”

Beran smiled involuntarily and stood up abruptly.

“Where are you going?”

“To do my thing, obviously.”

“Eh? Hey, wait—”

Without listening to the full explanation, Beran ran out towards the Mercenary Guild.

He wanted to obtain a bandit elimination request.

‘Actually, I’d like to gather a team and destroy bandits on my own, but…’

He knew that nowadays there were so many bandits that he could find them almost anywhere without needing a request.

But he wanted a request for two reasons: the payment and the location.

‘If I’m going to catch them, better to get paid and have them give me the location already.’

“I want the power of Kalanon too!”

With a smile full of hope, he entered the guild.

“……?”

But when he saw the request board, he was bewildered.

It was so long that ten adult men lined up would barely cover its length, and so high that Beran, who was tall, could barely touch the top if he stretched his arm.

……And the worst part:

“There isn’t… not even one?”

The bandit requests that previously crowded the board had disappeared completely.

Not a single one.

He checked again and asked the nearby receptionist:

“Um… sister?”

“Oh, Beran. What’s up?”

She greeted him with an exhausted face.

“What happened? Did they take them down for cleaning?”

“Cleaning? have you ever seen us clean?”

“That’s true… but it’s very empty.”

“Do you seriously not know?”

“Know what?”

“Marquis Palatio.”

“……Don’t tell me it’s because of entering his territory…”

“Exactly. That’s why there isn’t a single bandit request.”

“…Seriously?”

The receptionist nodded and pointed her finger to the side.

“Ah, look, here comes someone to post a new request. Looks like it’s for bandits.”

An employee was approaching with a new request.

Beran, happy, prepared to go towards him— but the instant they placed it…

BAM!

“It’s mine!”

A dwarf appeared out of nowhere and ripped off the paper.

But it only lasted an instant.

“Guaah!”

A human kicked him in the jaw and snatched the paper.

“Get lost!”

A werewolf appeared trying to grab it too.

“What—!?”

“What is it!? A request came out!?”

“Move, dammit!!!!”

In seconds, the mercenaries pounced on him and the guild became chaos.

The receptionist sighed.

And Beran, stunned, finally began to realize the general picture.

“Please! Take me with you!”

“Huh? You think you have the right to face bandits being that weak?”

A mercenary A who normally despised bandit requests (B-rank) was begging.

“Hey. I have good information.”

“The hidden bandits?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Near the border.”

“What—?! That’s a month away from here! Let’s go, let’s go now!”

A request that was previously avoided even if it was hours away now excited entire groups even if it was a month’s journey away, and even if they were probably already exterminated.

And furthermore—

“I have info too!”

“What is it?”

“I found bandits!”

“Seriously!?”

“Well… actually it’s a village that could turn into bandits~”

“Idiot! That’s just a village of itinerant farmers! Do you want God to fry you with lightning for punishing innocents!?”

The scene was so absurd that Beran was left in shock.

“Bandits in the northern forest!”

Someone shouted outside.

“Move! I’m going!”

“Me tooooo!”

“Leave it to me!”

“Moooove!!!!”

Everyone abandoned the fight and ran out.

The guild was left empty in seconds.

Beran was left alone in the middle of the silent hall.

“W-what… what is this…?”

The atmosphere of Lartania had changed too much in just one month.

“…It’s scary.”

He felt a strange terror.