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chapter 171




Shortly after arriving at Elliah’s hideout, Frey saw something that made him speechless.
It was someone he had never expected to meet again.
“Isaka Blake?”
He was still alive?
Isaka turned to look at Frey before looking away again. It seemed he was in a bad mood.
Frey wasn’t sure what happened, but Isaka’s entire body was a mess. There was even a bright bruise on his face.
“You don’t even call me father anymore.”
Well. It was also the same back then.
Isaka smiled deprecatingly.
Ignoring his words, Frey turned to Elliah.
“Why is he alive? No. More than that, why is he here?”
“I brought him here. I think he could be useful in the future. Don’t worry. By the time I’ve finished training him, he won’t dare mess around.”
Isaka shuddered at the word training.
Recalling his power, Frey couldn’t help but tilt his head.
“You want to make him your Apostle?”
“I have no intention of making an Apostle.”
Elliah snorted as she said those words.
“Didn’t you want to make Diablo your Apostle?”
“Do you think he’s comparable to that Lich?”
“…”
He wasn’t. This was something Frey could be certain of. He didn’t even have a good estimate of how powerful Diablo truly was.
Frey turned to look at Nix.
She looked exhausted. She really needed to rest.
“It’s safe here, so you can get some rest.”
“…then I’ll just rest for a little bit.”
After giving a stiff nod, Nix went to a corner and crouched. Her posture reminded him of an animal sleeping.
Frey took off his robe and covered her body before turning around.
Isaka was still ignoring him.
Frey looked at Elliah and tried to say something, but she beat him to it.
“Did you hear about the Kastkau Empire’s surrender?”
“…no.”
Frey was forced to swallow his words. As someone who had attained the stage of a heart and mind as calm as a lake, he wouldn’t react violently no matter what happened. In fact, it would be strange if an Archmage like him could lose their composure easily.
“Did the Empire fall?”
“It didn’t fall. In fact, it didn’t receive much damage at all. It wasn’t like Geotanbul or the few cities in Silkid that were annihilated. We could say it was just eaten. I heard that it was officially declared at dawn yesterday. In that country, the Circle is no different from pagans and fugitives.”
It had surrendered without suffering much damage.
Frey frowned.
“Lord moved personally.”
“It means he’s finally become serious. Congratulations. You’re the first person I’ve seen to make Lord so angry.”
Elliah’s soulless compliment made Frey’s heart feel heavy.
There was a large number of circles staying within the Kastkau Empire. At least a third of the entire Circle.
As it was called the Magic Empire, it was natural for many people from the Circle to have come from there.
However, the empire they risked their lives to protect was now turning its back on them. The Circle’s members would not be able to accept this fact easily.
‘No.’
That wasn’t the only problem.
Every Circle member currently staying in the empire was in danger. After all, it was an imperial edict declared by the emperor himself.
It wouldn’t be strange if punitive expeditions were carried out by Wizards and Knights of the Imperial family.
Furthermore, those who had ties with both the Circle and the Empire would be confused by their identities. There was even the chance that they would betray the Circle.
The chaos that would spread from this would soon shake the entire Circle.
In a sense, this situation was much worse than if several cities in Kastkau had been destroyed.
“How did you know Lord was heading to Silkid?”
“I heard about it.”
From who?
He didn’t say it out loud.
There was only one person who could read Lord’s movements.
Anastasia had said it, and Frey agreed.
“…Iris.”
“…”
Elliah didn’t answer.
Frey could only let out a heavy sigh.
It was a name that always came up when he wanted to forget it.
“And you believed it?”
“I didn’t believe her at first. So I tried to read Lord’s movements myself. Looking at the situation, I guessed that he had a 90% chance of going there. Well, it felt like she intended for me to think that.”
Elliah wrinkled her nose.
“It was an unpleasant conversation. I felt like I was being led around.”
That was to be expected.
It wouldn’t be enough even if you called Iris’ eloquence excellent. Even the most eloquent speakers would not be able to read Iris’ intentions, and would just dance in her palm. (TL: Speech: 100)
But he didn’t expect it to be so effective against Elliah, a Demigod.
‘As expected of Iris.’
He had the urge to say those words with a wry smile.
Frey shook his head because he knew he couldn’t do that.
“Why did Lord go to Silkid? To help Agni completely conquer it?”
If so, the situation would become much worse than he expected.
He didn’t have the confidence to defeat Agni at that moment, but if Lord was to join him, then they would inevitably fail.
Even if he became twice as powerful as he was now, he wouldn’t succeed.
But Elliah shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“Because Silkid is Agni’s territory, so he wouldn’t try to touch it. Because it would be like touching Agni’s pride right in front of him. He probably met Agni and asked for his understanding before he moved to Silkid.”
“Even though he’s Lord?”
“Especially because he’s Lord. Because he has to respect the rights and pride of the Demigods as much as possible.”
Frey almost snorted at those words.
Respect their rights. That was the same as saying Silkid already belonged to Agni.
“Iris said he went to look for something.”
“Went to look…”
Frey didn’t know why, but the missing Dro came to mind at that moment. However, there was no conclusion to his suspicions since he didn’t have enough information.
There were too few leads.
“Then, Lord will leave after he’s finished his business?”
“Probably.”
“I need to know exactly when he leaves.”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Iris said she’d tell me.”
Frey’s expression stiffened.
“Tell you… how?”
“She will come personally to tell me.”
“…”
“Why?”
“Nothing.”
Didn’t that mean that Iris was coming here?
He didn’t like the thought of that. This was proof that he was still reluctant to accept reality.
But it couldn’t be helped.
Instead, it would be better to treat this meeting as an opportunity.
‘I can’t keep avoiding it.’
He had to talk to Iris at some point.
“As for the Nornir sisters I froze…”
“Sisters.”
Hearing the strangeness in Frey’s voice, Elliah scratched her cheek.
“Uh… Demigods don’t really have family. We’re each individual entities. We’re not related by blood. Well, it can be argued that we were born from the same parent, but it’s true that we don’t have any brothers or sisters.
The Will of the World.
If it could be considered a parent, then Elliah’s words made sense.
Frey already knew the story. Riki had told him.
Elliah continued in a slightly strained tone.
“That woman was a bit of a strange case. She was originally a single Demigod, but she separated into three.”
“…that’s possible?”
“Perhaps. She was the only one who managed to do it, so I’m not sure. So she was unique.”
Frey wasn’t completely convinced, but he understood what she was saying.
This also explained why they were particularly weak compared to the other Demigods.
“So when I go back to that place, she will be much stronger than she was?” (TL: I made another mistake, mini explanation at the bottom)
“That’s right. But I don’t know just how strong she would be. I also don’t know what power ‘Norn’ has.”
“…so it’s Norn.”
“I froze her with my power, but it won’t last very long. A day at best.”
Frey clicked his tongue.
A day was too short. But he couldn’t complain.
Rather, he should be grateful that she was even able to buy him time even for a day. If it weren’t for her, he certainly wouldn’t have gotten this chance.
“Even if Lord returns to Kastkau. If Norn, who’s returned to her original form, joins Agni, the fight in Silkid will be hopeless.”
Frey nodded.
It was a cold statement, but it was the truth. In fact, it could even be called a fairly positive outlook.
The worst-case scenario would be the complete annihilation of the rebel forces before they were able to escape Silkid.
If that happened, then it would be over for the continent.
“You have to kill Norn. Before she joins Agni.”
“It’s not going to be easy, but-.”
Just as Frey was about to continue, Elliah cut him off.
“I can’t help you. I had to run away today just to keep my life.”
“I don’t want that. Rather, the help you’ve given me so far…”
Frey hesitated for a moment before saying what he wanted.
“…makes me wonder.”
“Hah. I thought you were going to say thank you.”
Elliah gave a light snort at his words.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“Why are you helping us?”
“…”
Elliah fell silent.
Frey spoke with a quiet voice.
“I heard the reason Riki betrayed the Demigods directly from his own mouth. It was a reason I could understand.”
The doubts he’d felt during his fight with Lucid, Lord’s interference, and the inner changes he experienced. Those all made sense.
But what about Elliah?
He only knew of one reason why she was helping them.
“Riki’s will. Is that really enough to stand by us?”
“…ahaha.”
Elliah burst into laughter. There was also a soft smile on her lips.
Frey became speechless for a moment because it was a smile she’d never shown before.
“You are so dense.”
“What?”
Frey fell silent at the unexpected remark.
Elliah smiled and said.
“So ridiculously dense. I wonder if you could be a little sweet even to a woman you’re in love with.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Elliah was no longer looking at Frey.
While seeming to look somewhere far away, she muttered.
“That was all I needed.”
“…”
She shook her head for a moment. Then, she seemed to come back to her senses as she said.
“Lord might find Norn trapped in my ice. He will know I’ve betrayed him, but he won’t be able to melt it.”
Ice that even Lord couldn’t melt.
It was a statement that hinted at Elliah’s powers.
“The ice will melt after a day. By then, it’s likely that Lord will have left Silkid. So you can return tomorrow.”
One day. A day in which he could do nothing.
Frey felt an itch in his throat.
Perhaps because the situation was urgent, a day felt like an eternity.
But he decided to change his thoughts.
In other words, this meant that he had a free day.
He could not let it pass in vain.
‘I have to take down Norn.’
As soon as the ice melted tomorrow, she had to be removed before she could join forces with Agni.
It wouldn’t be easy. But he’d managed to find a lead.
It was his divine power.
Buzz.
“…”
Frey felt a gaze as he began combining his power of lightning and his power of Absolute.
It was Elliah.
“Is that a combination of divine power and mana?”
“Right.”
“How?”
“I don’t understand the principles behind it yet. I’ll probably have to carry out concentrated research for a year before I can even begin to understand it.”
And that was just his minimum estimate.
“Your divine power has also increased by several times.”
“Because I absorbed Milled’s crystal.”
Elliah frowned.
“You absorbed his crystal?”
“Right.”
“Hmm…”
Elliah’s expression became serious.
Then she gestured to Frey.
“Sit here. I need to take a look at your body.”
Frey listened to her.
He also wanted to ask for advice on how to use divine power. After all, there were no beings more adept at using it than the Demigods themselves.
He sat on the chair and took off his coat.
Elliah’s hands which rested on his bare back felt so cold that he almost mistook them for pieces of ice.
“…this shouldn’t be possible.”
Elliah’s muttering could be heard.
After a while, Elliah lifted her palms with a complicated expression on her face.
“Leyrin really made something amazing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your divine power and mana are coexisting in harmony. Well. It appears to be stable at first glance… but you’re in an incredibly dangerous state right now.”
Elliah’s serious expression showed that she wasn’t joking.
But Frey tilted his head.
“It doesn’t seem dangerous.”
It was his body, so he knew its condition best.
At the moment, Frey’s body was in an extremely stable state. Using the combination of mana and divine power had a bit of risk, but it wasn’t enough to be life threatening.
But Elliah’s meaning was a little different.
“The root of your power is mana.”
“That’s right.”
Even when he was trapped in the Abyss as Lukas, his thoughts remained on mana, and when he acquired Frey’s body, this focus didn’t change.
Therefore, calling mana his root was not wrong.
“The two powers in your body. Mana and divine power. It doesn’t matter if mana is more powerful. Because that is your root. But if it’s the other way around… you’ve never had more divine power in your body before, have you?”
Frey nodded.
Although his divine power grew rapidly, it was not enough to threaten the supremacy of his mana.
Right. Until recently.
The moment he had this thought, Frey’s expression changed.
“Is this about the rapid growth of my divine power?”
“I’m not sure about the details, but if you absorb another crystal, the balance will be broken. Your divine power will surpass your mana.”
Elliah glanced at Isaka.
Isaka was only 7 stars, so it didn’t really matter much at his level. He didn’t have the power of ‘Absolute’. So he didn’t have to be wary of his divine power.
But Frey was different. His mana had reached 9 stars and had manifested the power of Absolute.
His divine power was silent now. Because it knew it was too weak.
But if it found that it was powerful enough to consume the mana…
“If you absorb even one more crystal, the balance will be broken.”
What exactly would happen if the balance broke?
As if she could read the question in Frey’s expression, Elliah continued.
“At least, you would become a being that could no longer be called a Wizard.”
(TL: In the last chapter, when Elliah appears. What she really says is more like ‘Ah. I did something bad.’ or ‘Ah. I made a mistake.’. But I translated it to ‘Ah. I killed her.’ because it had a stronger air of finality to it. Turns out I was overstepping my bounds since Verdandy(Norn) isn’t actually dead. Sorry about the mix up. I usually fix them so the future readers don’t see my mistakes, but at least you guys can get to enjoy the uncensored Sevenisms.)