Chapter 46: Twisted Things (1)

Purity was undeniably strong.

One of the pillars upholding the Kingdom of Demisia.

Like standing alone holding a log, the reason the empire couldn’t invade the Kingdom of Demisia was solely because of that one man.

He had long transcended the limits of lifespan.

He had already reached the realm of a superhuman and single-handedly defeated even chimeras, the crystallizations created by ancient black mages and alchemists.

‘That doesn’t mean he has no flaws.’

The higher the realm, the more likely something is twisted somewhere.

The Saintess with her obsession with god,

Arthur with his obsession with the sword,

The Shadow King with his obsession with non-possession.

Everyone had some physical defect or mental issue.

By having some ‘restriction,’ they could reach higher realms.

Becoming strong without restrictions?

Practically impossible.

Just as the law of equivalent exchange always applies in alchemy, restrictions were essential.

So what was Purity’s flaw?

Nothing was known, but Evan, having played the original game, knew.

‘A broken brain.’

Excessive prolonged wars, aura, and the burden of protecting the nation.

Gradually, problems arose in his brain, leading to madness.

What if this were the modern world?

Could it have been treated?

Unknown.

The brain issue was a fact revealed later by the leader of the black mages whom he himself killed.

-You… are filthy to the end, Purity~! Where did that proud white of yours go!

-To me… it no longer matters. Only white arms are important.

-This, crazy bastard…!

Pure madness.

A character who maintained purity to the end and met death.

That was Purity.

And such a man… was staring intently at Evan.

“Is there a problem.”

“…No.”

Ah, goosebumps again.

A stiffly frozen expression.

Evan answered, forcing down the twitching corner of his mouth like a spasm.

“I was just looking because it was fascinating.”

“I see.”

Purity replied as if convinced.

S-Saved!

But really, why are there skulls??’

Could Purity be the culprit?

No way.

Even so, that couldn’t be.

What king kidnaps his own citizens?

Purity’s values were ‘Everything for the nation.’

A knight who devoted his body to the nation.

Maybe the madness got too severe?

Then it could be possible.

When met in the future, the madness might have been slightly treated by chance.

Now it’s extremely severe, leading to strange actions…

‘Fuck.’

Anything would ruin life.

Evan swallowed dryly.

‘Should I just pick a decent shield?’

Then leave immediately.

He had met the shrine maiden, so all objectives were achieved.

He had packed elixirs and small items before coming.

Seems he got everything?

The shrine maiden could just be persuaded.

She’s a good person; suggest relief activities elsewhere, and she’d agree.

That was when.

“…It’s different from what I saw before.”

The shrine maiden spoke.

Before?

Had she been here once?

“Shrine maiden.”

“I respect individual free will. Even if I know someone’s fate, even if a better direction is visible, I only inform. I never force. That is free will.”

The shrine maiden closed her eyes tightly.

“…So I respected your opinion too, Purity. But…”

The shrine maiden closed her eyes tightly again.

“I think I was wrong.”

“…!”

“I feel countless threads of fate severed here.”

Countless severed threads of fate.

In simple terms, many people died here.

‘No, really?’

“Not long ago… all young and youthful, pitiful ones with bright futures…”

“None were fated to die here…”

The moment the shrine maiden opened her eyes again.

Aegis flinched slightly.

“They were forcibly severed by someone.”

The shrine maiden, she was clearly.

“Purity. What… are you plotting?”

Angry.

KU GU GU GU GU GU!

The sky began shaking greatly with the shrine maiden’s anger.

The shrine maiden wasn’t just able to see constellations.

She had long qualified to see them.

Seeing constellations was merely the basis of [Celestial Magic].

True celestial magic manipulates the sky.

[Celestial Magic]

[6th Tier]

[Heaven-Earth Resonance]

A unique magic among the higher tiers of celestial magic!

The ground and sky began vibrating greatly.

As if heaven and earth were being remade.

Heaven and earth responding to the shrine maiden’s anger.

“You are quite excited. Shrine maiden.”

Purity didn’t stay still either.

“Calm down for a moment.”

“Calm down, my foot!”

The shrine maiden clenched her fist tightly.

“How many fates severed by your hand, and you display them boldly for me to see. Telling me to calm down?”

“That is why you are bound by those fates. You pursue freedom, but if bound by it, how is that different from a slave?”

The two powerhouses no longer conversed.

KU GU GU GU GU GU!

Two massive presences clashed.

The shrine maiden at least 7th tier, Purity a Sword Master evaluated equivalent to 7th tier.

“No, crazy!”

“Evan! Hurry inside here!”

Aegis clapped to create an opaque wall using air in the void, and Lapis made a cocoon with threads.

Done.

No. 5 hurriedly ran over and shielded Evan, Aegis, and Lapis with its body.

‘Aaaah!’

Evan screamed inwardly.

Don’t fight here!

If you’re going to fight, do it somewhere else, not in front of me!

***

Fortunately, the shrine maiden and Purity’s quarrel didn’t last long.

Just a brief battle of auras.

Soon entering a lull.

‘I am not the culprit. Why they were severed here—you will understand if you listen.’

Somehow convinced by Purity’s explanation that wasn’t quite an excuse.

“Shrine maiden. Aren’t your eyes open too scarily?”

“Hmph!”

The shrine maiden turned her head.

Purity paid no mind. Her reaction seemed to anger her more, twitching lips.

Tap—

Placing the teacup down without a glance, Purity looked at Evan.

“I offer thanks for today’s matter. Evan Alkart.”

“…It was nothing.”

Perhaps from witnessing the two powerhouses’ aura clash.

Evan spoke, desperately hoping he wouldn’t anger again.

“Merely caught up in the incident by chance. Something anyone else could do sufficiently.”

“Yet countless do not even do that.”

Purity closed his eyes tightly.

An aura like a sage detached from everything, but there was a driving force moving him.

The Kingdom of Demisia.

The only value left to him.

“I gladly praise and reward such people. But no one properly fulfills it. Always money, money, money on their lips.”

Certainly, money isn’t unimportant.

‘Seems there’s a shortage of talent.’

Money is important in this world too, but not all knights are blinded by it.

Many value honor over gold.

However, they already had plenty of money.

The poorer ones would be bound by gold.

The comfort and greatness money brings aren’t easily ignored.

“What do you think should be done? Son of Alkart.”

“…I wouldn’t know.”

Why ask me that suddenly?

He barely steadied his voice that nearly cracked in panic.

“I have no interest in power or strength.”

“Then?”

“Living quietly with friends. That would satisfy me.”

“Gasp. Evan. I’m so touched.”

Lapis covering her mouth.

Ignoring her, he stared at Purity.

“I see.”

Purity didn’t say he didn’t believe it.

Convinced!

Ah! Finally someone who understands.

It feels odd to be happy about this…

“Then what do you desire?”

“…Pardon?”

“I will give what you want. In return, I would like you to grant one request. I need ability like yours.”

Purity shifted his gaze to the shrine maiden.

“Shrine maiden, the same for your ability.”

“Hmph. Why should I?”

The shrine maiden spoke in a pouty voice.

Purity took out a scroll from his bosom and held it out.

“You will meet alone with Evan after he leaves—”

“There is a dungeon where space-time is twisted.”

Stand!

The shrine maiden shot up from her seat.

Shock filled her eyes.

“What did you say?”

“Time and space are twisted, creating a dungeon that reflects the past, no longer the present.”

Lapis looked blankly at Evan, not understanding.

Evan explained lightly.

“It means a dungeon appeared reflecting the past, not the present. Today is Imperial Year 589, but inside the dungeon, time could be Imperial Year 300.”

“That can happen???”

“That’s why it’s rare.”

Would “rare” be said for no reason?

The shrine maiden swallowed hard.

“Space-time twisting at this point… wasn’t in the plan. When did it appear?”

“Not long ago. I haven’t fully grasped it yet.”

“How long?”

“About 2 weeks, I believe.”

The shrine maiden clamped her mouth shut in silence, perhaps having a guess.

A dungeon with twisted space-time.

‘Naturally occurring dungeon?’

Dungeons are largely divided into two types.

One is naturally occurring, formed by gathering mana.

The other is artificial, created intentionally by humans or monsters.

Twisted space-time dungeons are the former.

They always cause major issues when naturally occurring, so must be subjugated.

“Why not do it yourself?”

“I am insufficient alone.”

Purity can’t handle it alone?

Could it be a top-tier dungeon?

‘Damn. I don’t like that.’

Can’t I not go?

Absolutely not because I’m scared.

I need to make a potion using space-time super to treat the Saintess’s illness.

I’m a busy man!

“You alone are insufficient. Astonishing. I will go.”

The shrine maiden clenched her fist.

She’s from the Space-Time Magic Tower.

She’d be sensitive in this area.

“Son of Alkart?”

“I’m fine.”

“Evan. Please, I beg you.”

The shrine maiden grabbed! Evan’s hands.

“If left wrong, this city—no, the kingdom could be swept into space-time distortion.”

‘That doesn’t happen…’

Even after the main story begins, the Kingdom of Demisia isn’t swept into space-time distortion.

It’s destroyed by the Sins.

But saying that would obviously not be believed.

Ignore and leave?

Might unnecessarily reduce built favorability.

Then, Purity spoke.

“Two upper-tier knights who entered with me died in an accident. But they came back to life.”

“?”

“They said they returned to the past and then back to the present.”

“!”

He knows the phenomenon.

[Time Leap]. 

The moment of death, thrown to the past and returning to the present.

A phenomenon that sometimes occurs in places with space-time distortion.

Such places always have it.

[Time Leap Gem]

Allows escape from mortal danger once.

A literal ‘death exemption!’

Returns body state to 1 hour before death.

Only for murder, not illness.

Only the body regresses, but that alone is a huge merit.

‘I have to go!’

Not just rare.

Extremely scarce, must secure when it appears!

“Will Sir Purity go too?”

“It is for my people. You may find the ‘missing persons’ you mentioned here, of course.”

Shrine maiden, Purity, Aegis, Lapis.

Just the party composition is luxuriously epic.

‘…Should I go?’

I’ve gotten a bit stronger now.

Wouldn’t it be okay?

Evan, deep in thought.

Finally decided.

“I will go.”

To participate in the conquest.

Purity looked at Evan with an expressionless face.

***

The dungeon’s location was underground in Purity’s garden.

Couldn’t enter immediately.

The shrine maiden said preparation was needed.

Places where constellations are well visible and flowers only seen in the desert are placed in star shapes, with a gem and a straw in the middle, and she sits.

“What is this?”

“A ritual. So wherever I am, the constellations recognize and follow me.”

“Why is this needed?”

“To keep my sanity.”

“?”

Aegis twirled her finger at her temple as if to say ‘crazy?’

The shrine maiden kindly ignored.

“Evan. I need your help. A strong alchemist must assist.”

“I’m strong too.”

“I will help.”

Agreeing readily to the shrine maiden’s proposal, she emitted a strangely dangerous look and asked.

“Have you ever committed a [Taboo]?”

Pardon?