Chapter 71: What the Hell Did You Do? (2)

The Oracle of the Starry Sky.

Her real name, Elora.

From long ago, she was evaluated to possess talent equal to, or even greater than, Ocera’s.

Perhaps even more in terms of potential and expectations.

The sole inheritor of celestial magic.

Regardless of talent, everyone wished for her return because it was an ability rare across the entire continent.

Talent itself may be equal, but in terms of rarity alone, Elora was unique.

It’s been a while, everyone.

……Sis?

And so she returned.

Naturally, everyone rejoiced.

Finally, a genius had come back on her own two feet!

The Tower of Space-Time desires talent.

It has great interest in talent. It simply maintains standards that are too high and a closed-door policy.

Lately, Evan Alkart and Acela Frauss had become targets of interest, and recruitment preparations were underway.

At the perfect timing, Elora returned.

An aura and atmosphere that had clearly changed at a glance.

Whether for better or worse, she returned with a noticeable transformation.

The welcoming elders.

The other members of the tower.

If it were her usual personality, she would have smiled and accepted each person one by one.

She would have answered even slightly mischievous questions with a troubled look.

Whether she dodged or not.

The one thing in common was that she absolutely never ignored anyone.

She was kind and friendly enough to meet each person’s eyes and respond.

But this Elora was different.

She gave her gaze to no one.

As if all the kindness she had shown before was fake.

As if it had merely been a mask.

Without giving her gaze to anyone, wearing the same smile that used to feel so warm and friendly.

She looked only at Ocera.

……Uh, sis?

Yeah. Ocera. You missed me all this time, right?

A strange sense of wrongness.

Ocera unconsciously stepped back, but Elora simply kept smiling and looking at her.

Not the smile that used to suit her so well.

A smile that somehow felt twisted.

Her face, which she always shyly covered, now fully revealed.

No longer wearing loose robes.

Instead, clothes adorned with countless ornaments that only ‘witches’ who imitate someone would wear.

Yet there was no exposure.

That one thing felt alien and unique.

As if wrapped tightly so that only one person should ever see it……

How should this appearance be described?

Could the Elora that Ocera knew still be called ‘Elora’?

A time neither long nor short.

What on earth had happened in the interval she was gone?

You…… didn’t miss me?

……No. Sis. But……

Ah, yeah. I’ve changed a bit, haven’t I?

Elora looked over her own body and smiled brightly.

I…… had a lot happen to me during that time.

..A lot?

Yeah. Aren’t you curious?

Curious?

Of course she was curious.

They had lived like real sisters.

For someone like that to suddenly change and return, who wouldn’t be curious?

But……

But.

‘Something…… feels……’

Goosebumps rose on her arms.

Sis, I just want to ask one thing.

Yeah. My lovely little sister…… say anything.

That overly intense affection,

The way she spoke.

It didn’t suit her at all.

Did someone…… touch your body or mind? Or did you find love?

Huh? Ahahaha. You’re asking if someone touched me because I changed too much.

Sometimes

How could mere dogs playing under fate dare touch me.

Huh?

What did I just hear?

Ocera looked at her with creaking, disbelieving eyes.

Dogs playing under fate.

Rough words that only cranky old hags would spit out.

Yet not a single trace of awkwardness as she said them.

As if she had grown completely accustomed to saying such things.

Ocera. You know, only after meeting Him did I realize.

Him?

How stifled I had been acting all this time, how tightly bound I had been……

So that person called Him changed your ideology?

Yes. He didn’t say much, but just with His gaze…… I understood everything.

What is this.

Not even a believer who witnessed a god.

Sometimes people change like that, claiming they saw a god directly.

Most of the time, it’s fake.

They are simply strong.

They lack the nobility, greatness, or anything worthy of being called a god.

To the weak, they are merely powerhouses whose strength is never lacking to be called gods.

But the Oracle’s martial prowess can never be called weak.

As the inheritor of the unique celestial magic, she cannot be bound by any hierarchy.

Yet one thing is certain.

Her realm is equal to a Sword Master. Or perhaps even higher.

For her to be enchanted like this……

‘At least 9th circle?’

……No.

That’s not it.

It’s not even possible to assume.

For someone with uniqueness beyond 7th circle to be enchanted?

By a 9th circle?

Not even an Ascendant?

If they had surpassed 9th circle and reached the realm called Ascendant?

Yes.

At that level, it could be acknowledged.

The title Ascendant is given to those who have reached a realm worthy of being called a god.

But.

For such a person to have approached the Oracle?

And we didn’t know?

That doesn’t make sense.

Ascendants are so rare they can be counted on one hand in this world, and everyone watches them.

The moment they move, no one knows how the rules of this world will flow.

The moment they move, space-time twists.

They are beings with power strong enough to warrant such sayings.

We couldn’t possibly have missed their movement.

‘Even if she met a 9th circle, someone of sis’s level could have escaped easily.’

I can’t understand.

The unknown.

They say humans fear what they do not know.

She was feeling it directly.

Cold sweat formed on the back of Ocera’s hand.

You know, Ocera.

She approached.

Elora, smiling, slowly leaned forward, embracing her as if overlapping,

and very softly.

So that only she could hear.

Whispered.

Only now do I realize. How stifled I had been acting. How much I had been chained by the shackles called fate…… how much I had lived like a slave.

.Sis.

I have now escaped fate.

Escaped fate.

At those words, she could no longer maintain composure.

One who has escaped fate.

The blasphemous name the Tower of Space-Time and Ocera call them.

Defier of Heaven.

Those who reject, defy, and break free from the fate bestowed by the heavens.

Only those who have reached 9th circle and ascension can arrive there.

She became a Defier of Heaven?

Elora?

Then……

·Sis. Your realm, just how……

Ah…… don’t worry. I’m still far too distant to dream of ascension.

Unless I’m together with the witch who was my ‘other fate’~

Her eyes shook greatly once more.

Another fate?

There was such a thing?

‘Sis. Just……’

What happened to you?

No.

Let’s say it exists.

But how on earth did you get here……?

Her pupils endlessly vibrated before the incomprehensible unknown.

Oh! Elora!

Did she not know Ocera’s feelings?

From behind, Elora’s master approached.

No, more precisely, the one who had climbed to a high position by feeding on Elora’s talent.

The characteristic foul stench.

A stench only those who had experienced it once could smell.

Ocera’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

And Elora’s face bloomed even brighter.

Come back to our embrace……!

No. I came to inform you.

Elora quietly pushed Ocera back.

Though feeling an inexplicable anxiety, Ocera stepped back.

I will no longer be bound by fate.

Different…… from usual.

Not the eyes that once held warmth, but eyes swirling with boredom, anger, and all manner of negative emotions.

And from now on, I will give nothing more to you who never gave me anything.

.What did you say? You ungrateful!

You little! Elora! Don’t you know that we let you leave quietly was our grace?! Do you not know how much power we bestowed upon you……!

No. My power…… is what I built. Even when I was a slave crushed beneath fate, you never helped. You only urged me to be crushed more to make you shine.

Elora raised her hand.

At that moment, the sky turned black.

Countless halos filling the heavens.

Each one shining on its own.

Stars.

Elora, you wretch!! Ungrateful thing! If that’s the case, return all the magic we gave!

You can no longer take anything from me.

Oracle of the Starry Sky.

The reason for that title is simple.

Because she is as warm as the night sky.

Because she always stands with the constellations at her back, guiding toward a better fate.

However.

The current Elora

Our connection ends here, old fools.

[Celestial Magic]

[7th Circle]

[Celestial Fall.]

CRUNCH!

ARRRGH!

A-AAAAAAGH!

Everything twisted.

The ground, the walls, and the people.

As if something enormous had stepped over them, the mages instantly lost their original forms and crumpled.

.Ha, haa.

Ocera gasped roughly and felt her body.

Clearly……

It had stepped over.

Though it was only a wave of energy, she could feel it.

Am I…… alive?

Am I really breathing right now?

No…… injuries?

Of course. Ocera. You’re not trash like them. You’re just a poor child trapped by fate.

Elora approached Ocera and stroked her cheek.

Ocera fell silent, unable to say anything at that chilling touch.

Elora chuckled as she watched,

then felt her chest and tore off the necklace she always wore.

Snap, crack.

I’ll return this too.

……Sis.

I’m no longer part of the Tower of Space-Time.

She tore off the necklace, but something remained.

A small ring.

The ring Ocera had once given as a token of affection.

But I’ll keep this memory.

Elora smiled.

Her body gradually began to fade.

The moonlight illuminating her from the sky began to blur.

One of the celestial magicsmovement to anywhere touched by moonlight.

Goodbye, Ocera.

.Elora sis.

Shimmer.

Elora vanished.

After Elora disappeared, the cruel scene that unfolded……

Ugh…… urgh…. hahaha

Urk, urgh……

M-my leg……

Ocera vowed.

She had to find out what on earth had happened.

No matter what.

After asking around, she found the place where she had been.

The Kingdom of Demisia.

The place where the mad king, Innocence, resided.

The one who attached the title “berserker” was none other than the Tower of Space-Time.

The Tower of Space-Time had at least that much intelligence capability.

But one day, Innocence’s madness was cured.

Then, the Oracle disappeared.

……Evan Alkart.

The miraculous events that began the moment he arrived.

So Ocera thought.

No, she was certain.

Evan Alkart.

He must be the culprit.

He must be clearly connected to this incident!

Evan, having heard the whole story.

“Now. Please answer.”

‘……No.’

There was only one thing he could say.

No.

The Oracle……?

And I’m the mastermind?

‘……I didn’t do anything?’