C521
"What?"
Unable to help himself, Lucas responded with a question at the unexpected words.
─The Blue Knight Pale, with whom Lucas had the deepest relationship since arriving in the Void World.
─The Black Knight Lucid, who now follows Diablo but was a close friend of Lucas in the past.
─The White Knight Agolet, whose identity remains largely a mystery, but at least the bare minimum has been uncovered.
Though with some differences, Lucas had information about them, whether large or small.
However, the Red Knight was an exception.
He had never met him and had no information about him. Agolet didn't respond to the question and just stared at Lucas with a distant look. Inevitably, Lucas asked again.
"Why me?"
"I thought you might be able to help the Red Knight."
"...Help him?"
That was a word that didn't fit with the Four Knights.
Agolet nodded calmly.
"Yes."
"Is he in danger?"
"Yes."
"What kind of danger?"
"You'll know when you see it."
"…"
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
Could there be a danger to a being like the Four Knights of the Apocalypse?
Judging by Agolet's words, the Red Knight seemed to be somewhere in the Northern Snowland.
A being that could threaten a Knight in the north…
'The Beginning Wizard?'
If the Beginning Wizard, who even made Pale nervous, could pose a threat to the Red Knight. Or maybe another puppet of the yet-to-be-found Rulers was there…
"…"
Lucas slowly nodded.
When there's nothing certain, conjectures and hypotheses only serve to complicate things. Besides, these matters were rarely resolved with deep reflection.
Lucas said:
"Where is he?"
"Didn't I say in the Northern Snowland?"
"It's a huge place. I want to know exactly where the Red Knight is."
At this, Agolet weakly smiled.
"It doesn't seem like you intend to find the Red Knight."
"……."
"But without revealing that fact, you're trying to get information from me. You want to know the exact location of the Red Knight not to 'find' him, but to 'avoid' him. Am I wrong?"
Lucas almost blushed internally.
He thought it was a natural flow, but in an instant, Agolet had completely read his intentions. Rarely had anyone seen so deeply into his inner self, and Lucas couldn't completely hide his embarrassment.
Agolet's words were to the point.
He was curious about the danger facing the Red Knight and what he was doing in the Northern Snowland, but Lucas didn't want to add to his workload at the moment. Just thinking about the tasks he had pending was enough to trigger an earthquake in his head.
"Perhaps I'm asking too much of you. You are the King of Pale."
He recognized me as a king?
Lucas's expression turned strange at that attitude.
"You neither desire nor acknowledge the existence of a King, do you?"
"That's a partial interpretation. Have you heard of me from someone?"
"…"
"If you don't want to answer, I won't ask further. I'm not very curious. Did you ask me about the existence of the King? To answer you, the only King I do not tolerate is the Void King. Therefore, you reigning as King of Pale does not go against my values."
…Does it not matter if it's not the Void King, but the King of Pale?
What's the difference?
"There's no difference."
Lucas frowned after thinking briefly. It was because he felt he couldn't find the answer solely with the information he had.
Instead, he changed the subject.
"...Destruction."
"…"
"Is the danger facing the Red Knight related to imminent destruction?"
It wouldn't be necessary to explain to Agolet what Lucas meant by "destruction."
Agolet looked at Lucas with eyes as clear as crystal. Just by looking into his eyes, Lucas felt a refreshing sensation, as if the fog in his head was dissipating.
After a while, Agolet nodded.
"It's surprising. Only a few in this world know that truth, but the fact that you, who come from 'outside,' are fully aware of the destruction... Judging by your expression, you're not faking it. You know the truth of destruction and the reason behind it."
"…"
"It's as you say. It's related. But I won't tell you exactly what that danger is."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell you that, you'll never approach the Red Knight."
At the moment he heard these words, Lucas's desire not to encounter the Red Knight grew stronger.
In other words.
'Does it mean that if Agolet reveals the truth, I'll have no choice but to feel even more reluctant towards the Red Knight?'
Perhaps not revealing the truth in the end was just to stimulate Lucas's curiosity. Indeed, that tactic worked to some extent. With a slight tilt of his head full of curiosity, Lucas probably wouldn't be able to get the man out of his head until he met the Red Knight.
However...
"I won't go to the Red Knight of my own will."
"Why? Don't you know about the destruction? The Red Knight might have clues to avoid it."
Agolet, as he said this, slightly moved the helmet he held in his hands. As if he was about to put it on.
"Isn't it something so good, right? The Destruction that all beings will soon experience."
"…"
Then Agolet chuckled softly and lowered the helmet again. The moment Lucas realized the meaning of that action, his eyebrows furrowed.
...He's a meticulous type.
He had been talking about how Lucas "knew a lot about destruction," and in the next moment, he mentioned false information himself.
If Lucas hadn't known about the Destruction accurately and was trying to deduce it from the conversation with Agolet, he would have inevitably fallen into the man's verbal traps. He would have nodded as if he knew what he was talking about, the "false information" the man deliberately mentioned.
'If that had happened.'
How would Agolet have reacted?
Immediately after asking the question, he tried to put on the helmet... in other words, he was trying to become the White Knight, not Agolet. He didn't know the man's exact intention, but just that fact chilled his heart.
"You're right. There's probably no way to avoid the Destruction. But it may be possible to delay its time."
It sounded like there really was such a method. Though he had a bit of curiosity, Lucas nodded coldly.
"Then wait for it from someone else. I feel like my knees are going to give out just with the things I'm already carrying."
"Haha... Is that so?"
Agolet laughed softly.
"It seems you were looking for a specific answer from me by starting this argument, but I have nothing more to say."
"Those words are..."
"Go. There's no point in further arguing with the sword."
It was a cold and distant tone, a complete contrast to his friendly attitude until now.
Lucas felt uncomfortable. In the end, the only thing he had learned from the White Knight Agolet was that the current Lucas was more a "King of Pale" than a "Void King."
'If I provoke him to a fight...'
The White Knight, of course, would accept the challenge. But there was no guarantee that Lucas's life wouldn't be jeopardized in that fight. Plus, the words of
the Lightning God, "despicable," still bothered him.
"It's a shame. If only you had..."
Agolet left the sentence hanging in the air and then nodded slowly.
"Hmm. A senseless conjecture..."
"Wait. I have one more question."
"If it's about the Red Knight, I have nothing more to say."
"It's not. It's about the Rulers."
A faint trace of curiosity appeared on Agolet's face at that word.
"You must know that the tentacles of the Rulers are spread throughout the Void World, right?"
"Yes, I know."
It's foolish to pretend you don't know something you do.
"Do you hate the Rulers?"
"......"
"A Knight I know couldn't tolerate their existence. So much so that she kills anyone who's associated with them. It was because she was a weakling by birth and cursed by fate."
"What do you mean?"
"You're not like her."
The White Knight Agolet isn't weak.
He was born as an innate Absolute, a 'Perfect One' who can rival the Rulers. What happened to him afterward is unknown, but it can't be thought that he holds an ideology hating naturally strong beings like Pale.
Because Agolet is also of the same type as the Rulers, if one wants to classify him.
"It's the first time I've been asked this question."
Agolet smiled.
"Don't worry. My feelings are as strong as Pale's."
"Then, if you encounter a Ruler's tentacle..."
"I'll unsheathe my sword before my shield."
For a moment, a black and unfathomable emotion gleamed in Agolet's eyes and then faded away. Lucas stayed silent for a moment and then turned. It was a bit uncomfortable, but once his doubts were resolved, there was no reason to stay any longer.
However, just before leaving, he heard a voice behind him.
"I have something to ask you too."
Lucas turned around.
"─Will you become stronger?"
It was a rather strange question. However, Lucas felt again the chill he had felt when Agolet was about to put on the helmet.
No, it's worse.
It wasn't just a cold breeze, but as if a block of ice had dropped onto his heart.
"Probably yes."
Lucas said with an even firmer tone to rid himself of that feeling. He had always grown and finally evolved. Although there have been occasions when he has regressed, ultimately it has been a stepping stone for further progress.
And so it will be in the future.
"...I see."
The White Knight smiled.
He smiled radiantly, as if he had heard the answer he desired.
"Please, don't forget the determination you have now."
Emerging from the space, Lucas returned to the rocky terrain.
Even before he could properly look around, a savory smell reached his nose. Lucas's gaze went forward.
Someone was sitting in front of a campfire, stirring the firewood. Meat skewered on a stick was roasting in the flickering light of the flames.
A being with a 3-meter tall reptilian body, pale skin and eyes... and armor of a type never seen before. A being with a right arm more peculiar than any other Lucas had seen.
The "Exile" turned its eyes towards him.
[Σ∨∧… ∠∂∪∃…….]
A strange language whose system couldn't even be guessed.
Lucas opened his mouth.
"Are you inviting me to eat?"
[…]
The expressionless, mechanical eyes moved back and forth.
Finally, the Exile spoke again.
[Have you met the White Knight...?]
With his distinctive, drawling voice.
Lucas approached the campfire and sat across from the Exile.
"Did I need your permission?"
[I am not the owner of this space... However...]
"However?"
The Exile pointed at the skewer.
[This is... my prey...]
"Ah, I see."
Of course, Lucas had no intention of eating an octopus with hundreds of eyes all over its body and even rough hairs on its legs.
The flames crackled and danced. Lucas spoke as the meat was half-cooked.
"I want to go to the Demon Castle."
[…]
"Can you take me?"
The Exile's eyes fixed on Lucas. In the moment their eyes met, Lucas remembered his past life. Back then too, when Lucas said he wanted to go to the Demon Castle, the Exile said to him:
─I know... the place you truly want to go isn't the Demon Castle...
And he also said:
─I have no intention of being your enemy... The reason I called you here is because I want to help you...
Then, the Exile presented Lucas with two paths he hadn't foreseen at that time.
One path led to the people of his native universe,
and the other to the people of Earth.
The most precious relationships Lucas had formed during his long life.
In the end, Lucas didn't choose, but due to the coercive force of the Exile and the interference of the Lightning God, he was sent to the "Three Thousand Worlds".
Perhaps fearing he might do something similar this time, Lucas remained vigilant, ready to respond to any trick he might attempt.
'At least this time there won't be the interference of the Lightning God.'
However, the Exile made no sudden moves. On the contrary, he averted his gaze from Lucas and nodded calmly.
[If that's what you desire... I will send you... You have... the qualifications now...]
"Qualifications?"
[But you must know one thing... If you go to the Demon Castle... you will die...]
“…”
It wasn't the first time Lucas had been warned of death or prophesied destruction. In fact, it had happened so many times he couldn't count them anymore. That's why Lucas didn't flinch or alarm himself, and remained calm.
"Who will kill me? The Beginning Wizard?"
[He won't kill you directly... but he will have a great influence on your death...]
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"It seems you know who he is."
[…]
"Who is the Beginning Wizard? Is he a being I know?"
[I... am the Exile...]
The Exile's unexpected words silenced Lucas.
[I was exiled from both the Three Thousand Worlds and the Void World...]
[See...? This hand... is an artifact I obtained in 'that place'...]
Occult Hand.
A strange light shimmered on the thick hand that was undoubtedly named so.
"What are you saying?"
[Aren't you curious...? Lucas Traumen... Where did I go... that I was banished from two worlds...? What did I see there...?]
Finally, the Exile uttered shocking words.
[I... have witnessed the 'Destruction'... ]
"What?"
Looking at Lucas,
[You... who now have the qualifications... I will tell you... The form of the Destruction I saw...]
The Exile extended his finger.
[It was... of five types...]
Tags:
TGMRA (Novel)