C376. A Birthday Without Memories (1)
"Marquis?"
"……What is it?"
"No, it's just that your expression doesn't look very good."
"Mine?"
"Ah, although your face doesn't usually change much, one can still sense something."
While Alon was lost in thought, Evan asked him.
Alon remained silent for a moment before responding.
"It is nothing."
"……Really? How strange–"
"Huh-"
"¿...? What's wrong?"
"No, it's just that I got a chill a moment ago……"
"…Why do you treat me like this…?"
Penia started scolding immediately and without taking a breath.
Evan responded naturally, kicking off a light quarrel between the two.
Alon stared at them while thinking.
"What the hell was that?"
In conclusion, Alon received no answer as to why the Ancestor—no, that thing—knew such a thing.
[You will know naturally. If you can truly reach the Creation of the Heavenly Law and become a god.]
That was the only thing he heard in return.
Alon considered asking one more time… but gave up.
The reason was simple.
He had no way of making that being, with its lips sealed, speak.
And, furthermore, time was running out.
"….Then, how the hell was I able to become Divine Blood?"
Instead, Alon asked something else.
How he had been able to become Divine Blood.
She shrugged slightly.
[I told you already, didn't I? Those born as living beings in this world can never become Divine Blood. This place exists only to spawn gods.]
[No matter how much faith and devotion they obtain, the most they achieve is living longer or producing incomplete imitations of a Divine Manifestation. But you are different, right?]
[Of course, just with that, you cannot become a god. To be Divine Blood you need faith and devotion. But by pure chance… you had all of that.]
As if everything had been prepared beforehand.
Her voice resonated in his memories.
[You had believers. You had people who would make your devotion as Divine Blood blossom. And in the battle against the Bearer, you engraved upon the humans of this world the idea that you were a “god”. All too smooth, don't you think?]
It fit too well, she added, smiling.
[That is the reason why you were able to become Divine Blood.]
That was how she gave him the answer.
And Alon listened in silence to what came next.
It was about Creation.
[First of all, I'll tell you: it will take time to reach Creation.]
"A long time?"
[The stages of the Circle are four.]
[First, to witness the Myriad.]
[Second, to move within its Rhythm.]
[Third, to engrave the Reason.]
[Fourth, to become Providence itself.]
[And the place you must reach is the second stage: the Rhythm.]
"Then, will I be able to reach Creation?"
[You will be able to imitate it.]
She responded with a luminous smile.
"…And how do I train?"
[Don't worry. Even if I don't teach you, you will discover it by yourself. Besides, that isn't the most important thing right now.]
"Didn't you say that was the most important thing?"
[Yes, but before reaching the second stage, you need to survive, right?]
[Remember: increasing your Circle is important, but the first thing you must prioritize is your mastery of magic.]
"Mastery…"
[Yes, mastery. You need to fill what you are currently missing. Only then will you be able to fight against them. I repeat: you have potential, but…]
"…until that potential blossoms, you are dangerously fragile."
Alon sighed, remembering her last words.
He had heard too much information, and his head was a mess.
Because what that thing told him contained a truth too great to ignore.
But most of all, there was something that hadn't stopped bothering him since then.
"…Eliban."
Alon recalled Eliban's movements.
Before, he might not have known, but now that all the pieces were in his hands, it wasn't difficult to deduce.
The path of Eliban, who had prepared absolutely everything.
"What the hell were you…?"
Alon thought about it.
But even turning it over in his mind, he found no answer.
He couldn't understand why Eliban had moved as if he had foreseen everything.
Because of that, his worry only deepened.
For whole weeks.
After that time, Alon returned to the House of Marquis Palatio to rest.
……Although, to be honest, there were a thousand things to do: the proclamation of the kingdom, the meeting request from Siyan, matters regarding the Divine Land, the region… but he was exhausted.
And above all, he had already received a clear warning from that thing. His mind wasn't so dull as to ignore it and play around.
Even so, it wasn't as if he spent his time lazing about either.
That is why…
"Hmm, there is still no clear progress."
"I see."
Alon was investigating magic together with Penia. More precisely, they were working on complementing his magic, just as that thing told him.
"But Marquis, honestly… isn't this a bit impossible?"
"…You think so?"
"Yes. You basically use Phrases and Sentences to raise the power of your spells to the extreme, right?"
Alon nodded wordlessly. Penia continued.
"And now you want to reduce the chanting almost completely and cast spells of the same level as now… doesn't that seem a little bit absurd to you?"
Penia said it respectfully, but deep down it meant: Do you have any shame?
Alon scratched his head.
But he still insisted. Because from his point of view, that was the only way to complement his magic.
Alon's magic was strong. Perhaps incomparable to any current mage.
But that strength came accompanied by the risk of the number of characters and Phrases.
That risk was a huge weakness.
Until now, he had compensated for it with the help of the kids.
And also because he knew the abilities of the Outer Gods and Sins in advance.
But that would no longer be possible.
Because the Divine Blood he would face now did not appear in the game.
"Ugh…"
Alon sighed.
He wanted to use magic that should only be strong WITH risk, but without ANY risk.
It was almost like a childish tantrum.
But the problem was…
That he had to find a way, tantrum or not.
While Alon scratched his head in worry, Penia watched him and spoke cautiously.
"…Marquis."
"What is it?"
"If you really can't give up, I have an idea… do you want to hear it?"
"You have a method?"
"Yes. Ah, but it isn't safe. It's more like… increasing creativity. Something like that."
"What does that mean?"
At Alon's interest, Penia looked around nervously and spoke slowly.
A few moments later…
"I mean, there is a potion called ‘potion of regression’, and if you drink it you temporarily return to a childlike state?"
"Well, technically only the mind."
"…How many years?"
"…Between 10 and 13 less than now."
"Mhmmm."
Alon hesitated.
More than hesitating, he tilted his head in disbelief.
"And that really helps?"
"Hmm… I think so."
"……Really?"
"Yes."
"…But if your mind goes back to 10 years ago, wouldn't I lose ALL my knowledge of magic? How on earth does that help?"
Penia answered as if it were obvious.
"Because an impression can be left."
"An impression?"
"Yes. An impression in the subconscious. Even if your self from 10 years ago doesn't understand it, it will be able to grasp clues of magic that today you can't even imagine. Simply put: you erase everything except magical knowledge."
"……Is that possible?"
"Yes. Well, you'll be somewhat confused for a couple of days."
Penia exhaled an "Ah" and added hurriedly:
"And I'm not speaking without basis, okay?"
"……No?"
"Of course not! In fact, the Red Tower Master and the Green Tower Master reached the 8th Circle using this method."
"…WITH this method?"
"Yes!"
At her conviction, Alon fell silent.
Until a moment ago, he thought Penia was trying to sell him something weird again.
But if there were precedents…
"And is there no risk of it going wrong?"
"As far as I know, no. And if something happens, it can be reversed. The duration is about two weeks."
"Two weeks…"
It was better than doing nothing.
So Alon nodded.
"When will it be ready?"
"Coincidentally, I have one that I prepared to use someday. You just need to learn how to leave the impression, and then you can take it."
"…Let's do it."
He accepted Penia's proposal.
One month later.
Yutia Bloodia was walking through the interior of the House of Marquis Palatio.
A pleasant smile adorned her face.
Normally, she should be in Rosario. But she was here because tomorrow was Marquis Palatio's birthday.
Ideally, she would have arrived on the day of the birthday itself, but Yutia decided to come earlier.
Because there would be many people celebrating Alon.
But she wanted to congratulate him alone.
For Yutia, that had a completely different meaning.
Besides, before disappearing, Rine had broken her brooch again, and for two months she hadn't been able to watch, cough cough—or rather protect—Alon.
Because of all that, she entered the mansion unannounced and opened the door to the office where he should be.
And there…
Just as she expected, were Alon and Penia.
"Ah–!"
Penia inhaled sharply upon seeing Yutia.
Yutia frowned almost imperceptibly at her reaction, but hid it immediately and smiled, remembering that Alon was watching her.
"Oh, it's been a long time."
"Ah, h–"
Penia's pupils trembled.
Yutia felt curious about that exaggerated reaction, but immediately looked away. Penia didn't matter to her.
Smiling, she turned towards Alon.
"Hello, Marquis."
She approached him naturally, greeting him softly.
And Alon also greeted Yu—
"…W-who are you?"
—he did not greet her.
Yutia looked at him, unable to maintain her smile.
Another gasp from Penia filled the silence that invaded the room.
But only for a moment.
"Y-you are so mischievous, Marquis…. Those kinds of jokes aren't funny, you know?"
Yutia forced a trembling smile. But instead of answering, Alon got up from his seat…
And walked instinctively behind Penia.
And Yutia saw it.
Alon's two hands, clinging to the back of the chair where Penia was sitting.
And, understanding the meaning…
"R-really, who are you…?"
With Alon's words.
"…Huh?"
Yutia's heart… broke.
…As if it were torn to shreds.
