Chapter 262 : Chapter 262

Volume 2 Ch 5: Unrealistic Fantasies

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the original setting, Star Magic was absurdly powerful, so much so that it defied common sense.

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not simply command elements or energy. At the level of essence, it temporarily interfered with—or even rewrote—the local rules by which the world operated.

Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did water extinguish fire?

Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did things fall downward?

Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did Mana circulate according to certain fixed laws?

Within ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a limited scope, Star Magic could partially alter or exempt the very foundations of those truths.

That was precisely why, in the later stages of the game, Iruya—the Witch of Pride, who wielded Star Magic—was recognized as one of the most terrifyingly powerful and difficult of all the Seven Deadly Sin Witches.

The moment Ryan saw the stars kindling in Ilyss’s palm amid that world-destroying radiance, and saw the anxious beauty of her face, all his guesses and uncertainties settled into certainty.

The elven guard traveling under the name Ilyss was the future Witch of Pride, the last princess of the elves, Iruya.

That confirmation left him with rather mixed feelings.

There was the chill of realizing that the track of fate had veered completely away from expectations. There was the stir of knowing that she had been willing to expose her identity and use the power of her very origin just to save him. And there were also some... subtler emotions, harder to put into words.

After all, in the storyline he knew, this proud elven princess would eventually form an extraordinarily deep bond with the protagonist.

And now, by a twist of fate, he—the original villainous stepping stone—seemed to have taken the protagonist’s place and received that desperate salvation from her instead.

It was a strange feeling, as though he had picked up the wrong script and been forced onto the protagonist’s stage. And at this moment, one of the most important characters on that stage was walking toward him with all her secrets and all her power, knocking on his door.

Ryan drew a deep breath and temporarily suppressed the many thoughts surging through his mind.

No matter what, Ilyss was now sitting in the drawing room just beyond one wall.

She had brought questions, and perhaps answers as well—answers about the secrets of the ruins, about the mystery of her own identity, and perhaps, faintly, about the blurred tracks of the future itself.

He raised a hand and smoothed his still-damp silver hair back, his fingertips brushing over wrinkles that did not exist in the fabric of his robe. His face returned to its usual calm.

Then he turned and strode toward the door.

Whatever had to be faced would be faced in the end.

Whether it was Ilyss, or Iruya.

...

The servant walked ahead with respectful composure, leading the way through the neatly trimmed front courtyard toward the main building of the estate. Ilyss followed in silence, her gaze passing over the flowerbeds that had clearly been freshly tended, the polished stone paths, and the ornamental magical plants in the corners of the courtyard that gave off faint Mana fluctuations.

This was the residence the Emperor had bestowed upon Ryan.

It stood in the Upper City of Augustus, in a prime location near the Royal Grove. A property of this scale, whose outward appearance alone spoke of enormous wealth, meant far more than a mere house.

It was a clear signal.

Recognition and favor from the supreme ruler of the Empire.

Cecilia had vaguely mentioned that Ryan had also been granted quite a bit of land, along with a noble title of Silver Radiance.

That meant that so long as Ryan graduated from the academy without incident, what awaited him would certainly not be a return to that crumbling viscount’s territory in the Northlands. It was far more likely that he would enter some department of real power within the Empire, or even be retained close to the Emperor himself.

If he had not been the son of a viscount, but rather a commoner, then this time he probably would have been granted an actual noble rank outright, stepping directly into the aristocracy in a single bound.

All of this had come because of his performance in the ruins.

So many confidants of the princes, elite border soldiers, and veteran scholars had perished inside, yet in the end it was this seemingly unremarkable viscount’s son, along with her—the Royal Princess’s nominally filler guard—who had brought back the most valuable results.

Naturally, the Emperor’s gaze had fallen upon them, and especially upon Ryan.

Ilyss’s mood was complicated.

In theory, she ought to have felt some degree of happiness for Ryan. This represented safety, resources, and a smooth road into the future.

But for some reason, whenever she thought of the Emperor’s meaningful smile, and of the perfectly timed way Cecilia had pushed all the credit onto Ryan, a faint discomfort rose in her heart.

She could not help remembering that final moment in the ruins, when the Illusion Spider’s claw came crashing down over her head and a figure stepped in front of her.

There had been no hesitation.

No weighing of pros and cons.

He had not even said an extra word.

She also remembered the moment when she had exhausted herself, used the power of her origin without regard for the cost, and caught his falling body. At that time, her mind had gone completely blank, leaving behind only one thought:

He could not be allowed to die.

That feeling had been pure.

It was the most direct reaction possible, stripped of all identity and calculation in the face of life and death.

Set against that, Cecilia’s attitude after they left the ruins stood in sharp contrast.

The visit that looked like concern, the careful and detailed questioning—hidden beneath all of it was a gaze measuring how much value Ryan still had left.

During these past two days, Cecilia had frequently come and gone from this estate.

Was that really because she was worried about Ryan?

Ilyss found it far easier to believe that the princess was simply confirming whether her investment still promised returns.

How much value did a hero who had completely lost his Mana still possess, in Cecilia’s eyes?

The thought sent a chill through Ilyss’s heart.

Perhaps once, she really had entertained a small, unrealistic fantasy.

When Cecilia first extended a hand to her, offering protection and promising to help her search for clues about her people, Ilyss had thought this human princess was different.

She had restrained the pride proper to an elven princess, fulfilled the role of a guard with all due care, and had even developed toward Cecilia a vague sense of dependence and... trust?

After all, it was Cecilia who had given her a relatively safe place to remain, provided her with a chance to access the core knowledge of the human world, and through this expedition into the ruins had indeed enabled her to bring back important documents concerning her people.

When Cecilia withheld the truly important documents and manuscripts while only allowing a few splendid but useless relics to be turned over, Ilyss had initially even felt moved, thinking that the princess was acting for her sake—and for the elves’.

But now it seemed that perhaps it had merely been Cecilia’s way of keeping the truly valuable things in her own hands.

The Emperor had been overjoyed by the results of the ruins expedition. Not only had he greatly rewarded Ryan and the others, he had also agreed to establish a dedicated research institution and place its leadership in Cecilia’s hands.

During the last two days, she had been so busy that Ilyss had barely seen her.

Selecting a site, constructing the initial framework, searching for suitable personnel—Cecilia was genuinely serious about building the thing, and on no small scale either. Judging by the way she was proceeding, she intended to turn it into a research institute of real weight.

Because the materials involved were sensitive and precious, the Emperor had even assigned a guard unit specifically to her. Officially, it was for the protection of the research materials, but the size and level of that guard detail clearly exceeded what an ordinary princess ought to have been given.

What the other princes thought, Ilyss did not know.

But this matter, together with Cecilia’s entirely natural, fully committed manner, finally made one thing unmistakably clear to her.

This princess wanted far more than she appeared to on the surface.