Chapter 531 – The Same World
At dawn, as the moonlight and starlight faded, the winter sun rising from the horizon brightly illuminated the vast continent's largest city.
From the indulgence of the night, people weary with drink and fatigue staggered along their paths.
In contrast, those who had just filled their stomachs with breakfast and were starting a lively day passed right by them.
Thus, the lives each person experienced were all different.
Living diligently did not always mean one would meet a rewarding life, and living only for today did not mean one could not see tomorrow.
That was the natural order of society—no, of the world—making it all the more interesting.
The Sanctuary of Illusion.
Ignacia often sat atop the tallest building in Gargant, her gaze cast down in fascination as she observed countless lives.
To be precise, it was more of a watch than involvement.
Like the Scales of Ignacia, unless the matter was directly tied to her, she almost never interfered in the affairs of the city.
Whether a slaughter erupted in the back alleys over market profits, or whether someone met an unjust death—it was all the same.
The Transcendent of Illusion cared nothing for safety or peace. She was merely a hedonist wandering in search of ideal pleasures, a sovereign reveling in her own delights.
Those captivated by her willingly became vassals, dedicating themselves to guarding Ignacia's comfort.
Even now, it was the same.
Tap.
Ignacia's followers occupied the skies of Gargant. A leisurely cold wind brushed past the rooftops of buildings rising at different heights.
At the very center of it all, an "outsider" drew their eyes.
An intruder.
For some reason, they could not clearly perceive him, as though his very presence was beyond precise recognition, and the unfamiliar sensation gnawed at their nerves.
'Something's not right.'
Acknowledging the danger, a man with ivory-colored long hair clenched his fist. The muscles swelling beneath his clothes exuded an oppressive aura.
Illusory Wings, Urban.
A warrior who had reached the pinnacle of mastering aura, and one of the two who worshipped Ignacia most closely.
"Who dares step into illusion?"
His grave voice stilled the air. The followers under him gathered their aura and magic power, eyes fixed upon the uninvited guest.
Even the slightest wrong move of a finger would bring instant death.
The intruder's reply was brief.
"Beyond the boundary, I have business with Ignacia. Lead me."
The tone was insolent and arrogant, more than enough to irritate Urban, who especially despised haughty behavior.
In an instant, aura flared at his hand, violently rippling.
"How dare you…."
"Oh my, did you come to see me?"
But before Urban could unleash his fury, Ignacia appeared like a mirage above the rooftop where the intruder stood.
Taking on her adult form, her lips curved in a cold smile.
Not only had he crossed the boundary of her domain uninvited, but he had also dared to summon her as he pleased. She did not seem to welcome such a trespasser.
The currents of air around them froze.
A silence, forced by transcendental power, radiated displeasure.
"To trespass into my territory with your face concealed, then to brazenly demand an audience with me… it's novel, I admit, since I've rarely experienced such a thing. But more than that, it makes me feel quite unpleasant."
Ignacia tilted her head.
"Your identity, and your purpose. If either one fails to entertain me, you'll die."
It was no empty threat.
For someone who loved sleep second only to pleasure, being disturbed from her slumber left her already in a foul mood.
Depending on the answer, the matter would end either in conversation or in slaughter.
Fwoosh.
At that moment, the intruder—Verden—lifted the
"…! That man…."
Recognizing the familiar appearance, Urban's brow twitched in surprise. Not only he, but even Ignacia reacted the same.
She stared blankly for a moment, then her eyes widened.
"Asher? You…."
"Do you still intend to kill me?"
Verden's commanding tone.
The Gauntlets of Dahit on Verden's hands.
The overwhelming presence Verden exuded.
Witnessing it all, Ignacia drew a sharp breath. The fierce stimulus struck her mind like lightning. Her shoulders soon quivered as she burst into laughter.
"Ahahahahahaha! Kill you, you ask? Hahahaha…! Of course not! Why would I ever do that to you of all people? You make me so entertained."
In the blink of an eye, Ignacia appeared at Verden's side, locking her arm firmly with his. A radiant smile spread wide across her face.
"Have you had breakfast?"
Her eyes, like violet galaxies, gazed at the new Transcendent.
***
Without any friction, the intruder had become an honored guest, invited to breakfast in the Sanctuary of Illusion.
A round table was laden with cakes, soufflés, and sweets—practically a dessert buffet in place of a morning meal.
"I had the menu tailored exactly to my tastes, so it should suit yours too. Even if not, it will still be delicious. Food that tastes bad is boring, you know?"
Propping her chin on one hand, Ignacia used only a fork to cut into pastries one after another, savoring them purely for the joy of indulgence.
"You like sweet things?"
"If it's tasty, I like it, no matter what it is. Enjoying dessert first thing in the morning, right after waking up, is one of life's little pleasures. But, why isn't he eating anything?"
She pointed at Alpha.
The mini-golem's invisibility function was useless before a Transcendent's senses, so it openly revealed itself.
Seated in a chair beside Verden, Alpha's single eye gleamed.
[Consumption unnecessary. Mouth absent by design.]
"Oh my, really? My, my. Not only unable to eat, but a body without taste as well. How pitiful, to be unable to enjoy one of life's delights."
[Pleasure is a form of motive force. Motive force already fulfilled. Not pitiful.]
"No, I think it is pitiful."
[Not pitiful—]
"Look, I can eat this very expensive chocolate cake, but you can't. Do you even know what sweetness is?"
Grinning mischievously, Ignacia waggled a fork with a piece of cake speared on it. As always, she was brimming with playfulness.
[…]
Alpha, with remarkable processing, concluded it could not win in a verbal exchange. It tugged lightly on the hem of Verden's robe with a tiny hand.
[Requesting
With no solution within its own capabilities, Alpha had arrived at the most rational conclusion—to have Verden's second Mado remove the problem.
Of course, Ignacia, unfamiliar with what "Destruction" meant, only laughed harder at Alpha's reaction.
"Ahahaha, what a tiny thing with such a temper, so cute. And so clever too, from the way it talks. Where on earth did you pick it up? Even the Artison Magic Tower, after pouring their entire budget, could only reproduce clunky golems fit for menial labor. Did you discover some ancient ruin?"
"Who knows."
In truth, he had found it from the experiments of the First Demon King, but naturally, he had no intention of telling her that. Alpha, for its part, turned away in silent agreement.
That only deepened Ignacia's curiosity, her eyes glimmering with intrigue.
"As expected, I like secrets. But let's leave that for later, and move on to the next topic—your realm."
She brushed crumbs from her lips and leaned back in her chair.
"Even before becoming a Transcendent, you had half a foot already inside that realm. I was certain you'd achieve it before long. I never imagined you'd awaken in just a few months. And beyond that… that you'd become the one to perfect the ideal of Amwol."
Her gaze shifted to the jet-black gauntlets adorning Verden's hands.
"From what I can tell, Asher, you could never be Dahit Wethroel's perfect successor. You and he differed too greatly, both in reason and in passion. Yet, the fact that Dahit entrusted you with all his memories means he was convinced you alone were worthy of his ideal. That trust—perhaps you earned it in the Magic Festival?"
"..."
"How was Amwol's end?"
Verden answered firmly.
"Worthy of a Transcendent."
"That's a relief. Though, in a way, I'm envious."
Ignacia, as one Transcendent, paid her respects to Dahit, who had realized his ideal, tinged with a hint of jealousy.
"By the way, what's happening with Black Hour? Dissolution? Or absorption?"
"The succession ceremony is already over."
"The new leader of Black Hour, Asher…. Hm, not bad, though the epithet 'Divine' suits you more. Ah, and what did you do with Dahit Wethroel's body? Even in death, a Transcendent's body must hold immense value for magical research."
"I held a funeral. His flesh no longer remains in this world."
Without the slightest hesitation, Verden had destroyed the body of a Transcendent, even if curiosity lingered about Dahit's blue eyes.
Experiments on the body were out of the question.
Even if long lifeless, there would never be any intention to dissect it for magical study.
"Well done. Admirable! I never cared for such things either. Now that I see, don't we share more in common than I thought?"
"No."
[No.]
"Haha, both of you are so blunt. For the record, I really like your new way of speaking. It feels closer, more genuine than before. Anyway, enough small talk—let's get to the point."
Ignacia tilted her chin.
"Asher, the Transcendent Slayer. Why have you come to see me? Is it because of that unprecedented feat—erasing the function of mana circuits that suppress hierarchy?"
***
Naturally, Dahit's ideal had already impacted Gargant. For instance, the Academy, where most were low-tier magicians, was in chaos.
Verden spoke.
"It's deeply related. To be precise, what I need is time."
"Time?"
"Yes, time."
Even now, Dahit Wethroel's name as a Transcendent was spreading across the continent, dream by dream.
Before long, the Transcendents of magic would gather, hold a conference, and ultimately agree on sanctions against Dahit.
'But for now, I have no leisure to contend with them all.'
Thus Verden had come straight to Gargant.
Ignacia, who had directly aided Dahit Wethroel, would be one of the participants in that Transcendent conference.
"Hm? That sounds strange. If you just announced that the leadership had changed, Black Hour wouldn't be targeted at all, so why… ah!"
Ignacia clapped her hands.
"You plan to use Amwol's death, don't you? I don't know for what purpose, but."
"Yes."
Verden admitted.
Though he couldn't reveal details, this much was fine to acknowledge.
'Before the plans ahead, Ignacia's cooperation is indispensable.'
He considered the possibility of rejection, but he was sure it wouldn't happen. Two reasons supported that conviction.
First, complicity.
If it became known that Ignacia was deeply involved in the disappearance of hierarchy suppression, she would not escape unscathed.
Even with light sanctions, she would never be free.
Of course, Ignacia was not one to be cowed by such threats, but it didn't matter. There was still the second reason.
Most importantly—fun.
"I can delay it for at most half a year. Will that suffice?"
"That's enough."
"Then I'll grant your wish, just this once. Ahaha, I'm excited. To think you'd hide not only your identity, but even a Transcendent's death. It's been a long time since I've felt this way."
Agreeing readily, Ignacia glanced sidelong at Verden, lips curling. Unlike before, her joy was vivid.
She was genuinely delighted.
"I assure you, it won't be a boring spectacle. Anyway, thanks for granting this sudden request. Then, I'll be off."
With both his purpose and breakfast concluded, he rose. Alpha climbed up his robe and perched on Verden's shoulder.
At that moment, Ignacia stepped closer.
"Just a word of thanks? That's all?"
She held out the back of her hand.
"I've granted you all sorts of favors until now, returned the dragonbone that was once an auction item, and even gave you a vast sum as prize money. Leaving like this would be rather disappointing. Surely you could at least give me a gentleman's farewell? I'm not asking for much."
"My apologies."
Without bending his back, Verden lifted her arm, pressed his lips lightly to the back of her hand, and let it drop.
"Is that enough?"
"Oh my, how rough."
Ignacia laughed, saying it was the first time she had ever received such a brusque farewell. True to a Transcendent who pursued stimulation, she laughed heartily.
As Verden departed, Ignacia whispered softly.
"Welcome, to the same world as ours."
The Transcendent of Illusion truly welcomed the birth of the Transcendent of Destruction.
***
Originally, Verden had planned to meet Ignacia alone, but Alpha's company along the way was for no special reason.
It was simply Alpha's pure curiosity, wanting to see what another Transcendent was like. Verden had no reason to refuse.
Ignacia, who never rushed to sate her curiosity, had shown interest in Alpha's origin, but she would not press the matter relentlessly.
[Beyond the boundary, Ignacia. Understood as a Transcendent who prioritizes her own amusement. Confirmed excessive playfulness.]
Alpha reported its impression from the encounter. Though mechanical in tone, it carried even more emotion than before.
First impression, unfavorable.
That was the summarized interpretation of Alpha's assessment.
'Well, in any case.'
Having concluded his meeting with Ignacia successfully, it was time to move on to the next destination.
There were matters to settle nearby, conveniently.
The Golden Relic.
After acquiring the femur from Viola of the Glory of the Dead, and the rib from the secret treasury of the Beldirn Republic in Tersau, it was now time to seek the whereabouts of the final skull—by requesting aid from the "Federated of Iderat".
And then, using the key he had received from Jack in the Beldirn Republic—to unlock the slush fund of the slain Councilor Nellonian, stored in the "Anonium Bank."
Their respective destinations lay northwest and east of Gargant.
Though quite far apart, it mattered little.
With