Chapter 267

Volume 2 Ch 10: Us

“Iruya.” ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Ryan cut her off. He gave a slight shake of his head, as though brushing aside emotions that served no purpose. “I know. But panic and complaints are useless. The Gospel is already inside my body. That is a fact.”

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gaze shifted toward the darkening sky beyond the window.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍sky above the Imperial Capital had filled with lead-gray clouds, pressing heavily over the pointed rooftops of the city. His voice sounded unusually clear in the quiet room, each word carrying a cold, metallic weight.

“And ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍among the knowledge fragments Serandil forced into me, there were a number of scattered pieces of information. One of them was written in a mixture of ancient astrological divination terms and prophetic verse. It mentioned a window of time.” He seemed to be recalling those obscure lines burned into his mind. “Judging from the hints in those fragments, a catastrophe that will sweep across the entire continent—not a border clash, not some local conflict, but a chaos great enough to shake the foundations of existing civilization, something even more thorough than the collapse of the Elven Empire—may descend within eight years.”

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gaze pulled back from the gloomy sky outside and fell on Iruya’s face. He clearly saw the flash of disbelief and alarm that passed through her violet eyes.

“Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍without this damned Gospel curse, when a war of that scale sets the entire continent ablaze, how great are my chances of surviving? Dying on the battlefield, or dying because my Mana collapses out of control... the ending may not be all that different.”

“That is impossible!” Iruya shot back instinctively. The elves’ long lives had given her an instinctive wariness toward things like prophecy, especially when it came from the mouth of Serandil, the Transgressor. “Astrological divination? Prophetic verse? Those things are vague by nature. They can be interpreted in countless ways. Serandil himself was a madman. How can you be sure this is not just some delusion from his fractured memories, or some deliberate attempt to mislead you?”

“I cannot be sure,” Ryan admitted calmly. “But the displacement of the celestial zones corresponding to those star coordinates, the models deduced from Mana tide cycles and fluctuations in the continental ley lines—the internal logic of it all is consistent. Iruya, you know history better than I do. A thousand years ago, the invasion of the Demon Race nearly dragged the continent into the abyss. Before that came the glory of Avalon, and then its sudden collapse. Peace on this continent has never been anything more than a fragile pause between two vast upheavals.”

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharpening.

“Look at the present. The Empire and the Northlands orcs are in constant conflict. The great noble houses, the royal family, and the Church are all seething with hidden currents. Elven ruins keep being unearthed, bringing with them dangerous knowledge that should never have been dug up. Beneath the surface calm, the cracks have already been there for a long time. Serandil’s prophecy may only be the worst possible scenario among many, but the trend it points to—the approach of some vast conflict capable of overturning everything—I do not believe that is merely the babbling of a madman.”

Iruya fell silent.

She wanted to refute him. She wanted to say that the continent had enjoyed nearly a thousand years of relative peace, that the human Empire stood at the height of its power, that prophecies like these were alarmist nonsense.

But when the words reached her lips, they stopped there.

A true calamity was never some childish border skirmish. It meant the collapse of entire civilizations. It meant the cries of countless living beings. It meant that someone like her—an elven princess—had been forced to abandon her homeland, conceal her name, and infiltrate the human world in search of a hopelessly faint chance.

“Eight years...” she repeated softly, her voice dry.

To an elf, eight years were the span of a breath. But if the prophecy was true, then eight years would be the last and most urgent preparation time before the sword hanging over their heads finally fell.

“The prophecy may not be exact, but the sense of crisis is real,” Ryan concluded, leaning back into his chair. “So, Iruya, whether the Gospel is a curse or something else, right now it is the only power within my grasp that might let me survive the turmoil to come. I do not have the luxury of choosing.”

“At the very least,” his gaze swept over the ancient scrolls and those deranged manuscripts on the table, and his eyes sharpened, “I know what it is now. I know how it works. I know how dangerous it is. The knowledge Serandil left behind is vast and chaotic, but it also points out the construction principles of the Gospel, how its Mana circulates, and even some of the failed attempts and danger warnings surrounding later inscriptions.”

“Based on that, and on my current condition, if I were to inscribe the third Gospel, my own estimate is that I would have about a sixty percent chance. As for the fourth, and anything beyond that, it is too early to think that far.”

“Sixty percent?!” Iruya’s voice rose despite herself, then she quickly forced it back down. But the anxiety and disbelief in her eyes were almost spilling over.

Her hand clenched tight against the armrest, the knuckles turning white.

“How is that any different from gambling with your life? Even if you succeed this time, all you have done is push the dead end a little farther away, only to find a deeper cliff ahead! Ryan, this is your life! How can you... how can you gamble with it so lightly?”

“It is not lightness. It is because I have no other choice.” Ryan shook his head. “Serandil was indeed a madman, but he was also a genius unlike any other. What he left behind is poison, but it may also be the only antidote. At the very least, he identified the existence of the Law-Devouring Ancient Dragons and revealed the source of the Gospel. That is better than knowing nothing and simply waiting.”

His gaze settled on Iruya’s face again.

“Iruya, I need your help. Your knowledge, your understanding of ancient elven texts—those are crucial to me. And as for the prophecy of the Demon Race’s invasion, these ancient dragons, the truth about Serandil and the Transgressor... I do not think those are things either of us, or even the elves, can face alone.”

“Us?” Iruya caught that word at once. A faint light trembled in her violet eyes.

“Yes. Us.” Ryan answered firmly. “You told me the truth. You shared these secrets with me. This matter is already something neither you nor I can stand apart from any longer. And I need your knowledge and your strength.”

Iruya fell silent again.

She looked at the boy before her. After learning that he had been burdened with a curse so hopeless, that his life had entered a merciless countdown, he had not collapsed. Instead, in the shortest possible time, he had forced himself into calmness, dissected his own dead end, and searched for the almost nonexistent crack in it. He had even begun planning how to use the very thing that threatened his life.

The resilience he displayed at the edge of the abyss made her heart pound painfully.

Slowly, she released her clenched hand, though her fingertips still trembled faintly.

Then, little by little, she leaned back into the sofa, lowering her lashes. The long fringe of her eyelashes cast shadows over her cheeks, hiding every trace of emotion in her eyes.

Silence filled the room once more. The air seemed to freeze, yet at the same time something heavy seemed to be flowing quietly through it, settling into place.

Only after a long while did she lift her eyes again. Her violet gaze had returned to a cool, deep stillness.

“...I understand.” She looked at Ryan and spoke each word carefully. “I will help you. But you must promise me this: any attempt involving the Gospel, no matter how large or small, must be told to me first. We will analyze it together. You absolutely must not risk it alone.”

Ryan met her gaze and, without the slightest hesitation, nodded.

“All right.”