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Chapter 353: Peace - Aftermath (1)
Two weeks ago.
[It's been a while.]
The Tower Master stood before the gates of the Empire's capital.
He had delivered his message to Ketal and immediately made his way here.
[It's always massive, no matter how many times I see it.]
The Tower Master murmured in awe.
The walls guarding the capital were colossal—so vast they seemed to reach the clouds.
In addition to their sheer size, they were imbued with special magical fortifications, making them nearly impenetrable, even for the Tower Master.
These walls enveloped the entire capital, concealing its interior so thoroughly that it resembled a prison.
After marveling at the walls for a moment, the Tower Master approached the city gates.
A guard stationed there asked in a low voice,
“Who are you?”
[It’s me, you fool.]
“Ah, the Tower Master.”
Despite recognizing the Tower Master, the guard showed no particular reaction.
As if this were routine, he calmly addressed him.
“What is your purpose here?”
[I’ve come to meet His Majesty the Emperor.]
“I’ll relay your message inside. Please wait a moment.”
With that, the guard entered the gate.
Even the mighty master of the tower, a figure revered as a teacher to all magicians, had to wait for approval like an ordinary merchant.
The Tower Master seemed accustomed to this process; every visit to the Empire required him to follow these steps before gaining entry.
Shortly after, the guard returned.
“Please, come in.”
[Such meticulous procedures, as always.]
The Tower Master followed the guard into the capital.
The Empire's capital, veiled in mystery, unfolded before the Tower Master's eyes.
The place was silent.
Everything was perfectly spotless and immaculate, without even a speck of dust.
[This place always feels so devoid of humanity. So cold.]
As he observed the capital, the Tower Master asked the guard with a hint of curiosity,
[Where are all the people?]
There wasn’t a single soul on the streets.
On previous visits, the streets were sparsely populated, but there was always at least one or two people in sight.
Now, even in broad daylight, not a shadow could be seen.
It was a strange sight, but the guard spoke stoically.
“This is not something for the Tower Master to concern himself with.”
[Well, you lot have always been peculiar. I suppose this is just more of the same.]
The Tower Master dismissed the thought.
After all, even during the war against hell itself, they had remained unmoved.
A lack of visible people seemed trivial in comparison.
Following the guard’s lead, the Tower Master entered the imperial palace.
He finally stood before the Emperor after a series of complicated procedures.
[It’s been a while.]
“You’ve arrived, Tower Master.”
The Emperor, seated on his throne, gazed down at the Tower Master with calm indifference.
Despite ruling over a vast empire, the Emperor appeared astonishingly youthful.
Yet, the Tower Master knew that this appearance was deceptive; the Emperor had looked the same decades ago.
[What, have you been drinking some elixir of immortality? You never seem to age.]
“What brings you here?”
[Are you seriously asking me that?]
The Tower Master spoke with disbelief.
[You must be aware of what’s happening outside. Hell descended upon the earth, and the seal on the Demon King was broken. This world nearly collapsed.]
During this crisis, the Empire had remained utterly still.
[Why did you not act?]
The Tower Master’s voice echoed through the palace, heavy with discontent.
Many kingdoms had been destroyed while waiting for the Empire’s aid, and had the Empire moved, countless lives could have been saved.
[Don’t think you can respond with silence this time. I will have an answer.]
The Tower Master’s tone was firm, demanding accountability.
After a brief pause, the Emperor finally spoke.
“Why should the Empire have acted?”
[…What?]
The unexpected response left the Tower Master momentarily speechless.
[The Demon King descended. If not for intervention, hell would have overtaken the earth. The gods would have been cast out, and we would have been enslaved by them forever. And you’re seriously asking why you should have acted? Are you being sincere?]
The Tower Master’s voice rose in anger, but the Emperor’s expression remained unmoved.
“The battles outside are merely a struggle for supremacy between gods and demons. Why should I interfere in such a conflict?”
The Emperor’s words were unsettling, causing the Tower Master to pause.
“From the beginning, we have served neither gods nor demons.”
It didn’t matter who won in their struggle; it had no relevance to the Emperor.
“We serve another being entirely.”
[Emperor?]
“We serve the Great Abomination. The Empire was created for its sake. To resurrect it and bring it once more to this world—that has always been our purpose. You just never realized it.”
The Emperor’s voice grew distant as he continued.
“But another interfered. The victorious one took advantage of the opened passage and consumed us. Our faith in the Abomination was forcibly corrupted. A tragedy, isn’t it? Or perhaps, does it even matter? It’s still bliss, isn’t it?”
The Emperor murmured to himself, his voice devoid of humanity, twisted and fragmented as though his words bypassed thought altogether.
[What nonsense are you spouting?]
“Ultimately,”
The Emperor laughed—a distorted, grotesque sound.
In that moment, the Tower Master realized the truth: the figure before him was no longer human.
“We were never truly on the side of this world.”
[……!]
The Tower Master instinctively began casting magic.
But before he could act, the palace itself transformed.
The being that had concealed itself in physical form revealed its true nature.
[You are—]
A voice echoed, vast and horrifyingly alien.
Merely hearing it threatened to unravel the Tower Master’s mind.
‘This can’t be!’
The Tower Master was horrified.
Such an otherworldly presence—he had seen something similar before.
It was like the Abomination that Ketal had commanded.
But the entity before him was far more alien and grotesque.
The entity spoke softly.
[You are worthy. Become my foundation.]
[You fucking—!]
The Tower Master hastily surrounded himself with protective magic.
But the warped palace engulfed him.
* * *
Present Time
"Hmm."
Ketal sat at the table, propping his chin with a bored expression.
"When is the Tower Master coming back, anyway?"
It had already been more than two weeks since the Tower Master left for the Empire.
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He had said he would return in a week, but there was still no sign of him.
Milena, sitting next to him, spoke casually.
"Perhaps His Majesty, the Emperor, has detained him? His Majesty is famous for being unpredictable. Now that the war is over, they might be having some profound discussions."
Ketal had returned to the Kingdom of Denian along with Arkamis.
When Milena saw Ketal, she greeted him with a bright smile and warmly welcomed him.
After they shared all that had transpired during their time apart, they were now resting at her family's estate.
"Even if that’s the case, it’s taking a while. I’d like to visit the Empire myself."
Ketal groaned.
The great Empire—the most powerful entity on the continent—was shrouded in mystery.
Though he wanted to see it for himself, with the Tower Master still absent, he could only wait idly.
Out of boredom, Ketal asked Milena,
"Milena, isn’t there any way for you to take me to the Empire?"
"Impossible."
Milena replied immediately.
"Even kings or saints of the Church require explicit permission. Only powerful figures like the Tower Master, classified as hero-class elites, or a select few granted the Emperor’s approval can enter the capital."
"A place truly cloaked in secrecy, huh?"
Everything was hidden.
Milena leaned closer and lowered her voice, as though afraid someone might overhear.
"Everything about the Empire is concealed. There are only a handful of people who know anything about it."
"Is that even possible? If it's called an empire, its lands must be vast. No matter how much you control information, it’s hard to believe they can conceal everything when people move in and out."
"Normally, you’d be right. But the Empire is different. All of its power is concentrated in the capital."
To the Empire, lands outside the capital were akin to colonies.
They only collected tributes, offering no protection or resources in return.
Ketal raised an eyebrow in fascination.
"Are they really able to rule such vast lands with just one capital? Is that even feasible?"
"The Empire has the power to do so."
There had been kingdoms that doubted the Empire's ability to control its expansive territory and refused to pay tribute.
The Empire issued a warning, which the kingdom ignored, instead gathering its entire military force in preparation for an attack.
It wasn’t an empty show of confidence, as they even had two superhuman-class warriors among them.
A week later, the kingdom was annihilated.
"No one knows how they did it. But the royal capital vanished without a trace, leaving not even its foundation. It happened in a single day."
Since then, no one dared defy the Empire's commands.
"Impressive strength, then."
Ketal stroked his chin, intrigued.
"Even the Tower Master cannot disobey the Empire’s orders. Some rumors claim they have several hero-class elites, but… surely, that can’t be true."
Though Milena dismissed the thought, her expression showed uncertainty.
It suggested the Empire truly had such strength.
"But why didn’t such a powerful Empire intervene in the war against Hell?"
"...That’s the mystery."
It was a question everyone shared.
Ketal asked curiously,
"Is it common for the Empire to refrain from getting involved in such matters?"
"They’ve always been somewhat passive in external affairs, but… this was a crisis for the entire surface world. Many thought they would act."
Milena muttered in puzzlement but didn’t press the matter further.
"The Empire must have had its reasons. Perhaps they dealt with the demons’ covert movements behind the scenes."
It was a reasonable assumption.
The Empire, after all, was part of the surface world.
If the surface collapsed, so would the Empire.
It was hard to believe they had truly been idle during the invasion.
Most people trusted that the Empire had acted in some capacity.
"Is that so?"
Ketal murmured, his eyes gleaming with a peculiar light.
* * *
Two more days passed, yet the Tower Master had not returned.
Though curious, Ketal could only continue to wait.
During this time, a familiar face appeared to visit him.
"Ah, Elene. It’s been a while."
"It has indeed."
A woman with golden hair and sapphire eyes.
Now a being entirely replaced by nanos—the princess of Theseus.
Although it had been some time since their last meeting, Elene looked unchanged, save for a faint weariness.
Ketal greeted her warmly.
"It’s been a while. How have you been?"
"A lot has happened. I’ve faced criticism and even rebellion. But still, I remain the queen of my land."
Elene spoke with composure.
Her appearance hadn’t changed a bit, but the emotions she carried were vastly different.
"You’ve had a tough time."
"Not as tough as you, Ketal."
Elene smiled faintly.
No matter how hard her trials had been, they were nothing compared to Ketal’s battle against the Demon King.
"So, what brings you to me?"
"I have something to tell you."
Elene raised her arm.
Ketal, observing her closely, soon noticed something.
"...Is that trembling?"
Though faint, nearly imperceptible, Elene’s arm was indeed trembling.
"My body, made of nanos—what you call them—is under my complete control, so there’s usually no issue."
She lowered her arm.
"But about three weeks ago, the nanos that constitute my body began reacting to something, as if feeling… joy or liberation."
"Liberation."
Ketal repeated, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Before him, as always—but this time strangely unfamiliar—a system window appeared.
[Quest #791]
[Respond immediately.]
[Respond. Respond. Respond. Respond.]
[Warning: If you fail to respond, the world you wish for will collapse.]
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