Chapter 150
Ru the Luminescent released his mana, brimming with considerable hostility.
Now, among Hazlodein's seven dragons, only two remained.
Perhaps the other dragons, aside from himself, had been waiting for precisely such a situation to arise.
"Kukuku... Did you not expect me to come find you myself?"
"What foul scheme are you plotting? You will never surpass me."
"That's a most irritating taunt, but I can't deny it. Killing you is no easy feat."
The dragon with black scales answered resolutely, letting out a mirthless chuckle.
Ru the Luminescent was the overseer of order and the one who governed the seven dragons.
Thus, he and the six other dragons had no choice but to be unilaterally driven back by Ru the Luminescent.
"However... you will not be able to annihilate me. How do you intend to confront me, when I am corrosion itself?"
"You told Mwin the Thunderstorm about the origin of the world. Was it not you who hastened Mwin's destruction?"
"Hahaha! Who am I to deny it? I had hoped for a fiercer fight... but he died far too quickly. Stronger than the humans imagined, yes."
Lailnetia the Devouring, one of Hazlodein's seven dragons, glared at Ru the Luminescent, his gray eyes gleaming.
To overthrow the law of nature inscribed in the universe, only he could incarnate as a dragon.
Thus, he had no choice but to annihilate or seal away the remaining dragons.
"... Was Benelrode another you incited?"
"Ah, Benelrode lasted quite a while. To be defeated twice and then die—how disgraceful."
"Was your aim not the destruction of humankind?"
"Oh... That cannot be allowed. Now is not the time for ruin. You know this, don't you?"
"Are you not deliberately trying to hasten that moment?"
Ru the Luminescent had already seen through his intentions.
Lailnetia the Devouring, having witnessed the secrets carved into the universe, had utterly fallen.
Thus corrupted by the power of corrosion, he sought to destroy the worlds bound to the universe.
"You know this universe is manipulated by something as trivial as a book. And yet! Citing the observer's duty, you merely stand by and watch!"
Lailnetia the Devouring, consumed by rage, unleashed a bizarre mana.
A universe containing countless worlds and living things naturally should reach an untouchable existence.
Yet, in the end, this universe and its twisted concepts all originated from a hollow beginning.
"The Record of All Things was written for the universe to persist. It is not something you can mention lightly."
"Even so, it's still just a book! My fate determined by a single tome? How dare such a thing decide for me!"
Lailnetia the Devouring blindly rejected the contents of the Record of All Things.
In that book was written the ending he would reach.
If one's life could be erased with a single sentence, should one not resist all the more?
"Even that book did not predict my actions. Could it have expected that I, of all beings, would embody the origin of corrosion?"
"No—it is still being written, even now. Born from law of nature, you can never escape it."
"... My fate will change now. In the end, I will tear the Record of All Things to shreds and become the law of nature itself!"
Lailnetia the Devouring gradually condensed his blackened, corrupted mana.
His massive body began to melt, soon displaying a formless, squirming shape.
He corroded his own body, erasing the rules that bound physical form.
"All is but vanity! If one began from law of nature, then one cannot help but be bound to the Record of All Things. Will you even deny that law?"
"Even that rule was created by the Record of All Things, wasn't it? I will not follow that book. My fate is mine alone!"
For the first time, Lailnetia the Devouring began to doubt his own existence.
He could not accept it, and was so revolted that he wanted to erase his own twisted self.
Thus, he only grew to hate the Record of All Things all the more, desperately trying to escape his predestined fate.
"Do you think I'll vanish so meaninglessly? I will transcend law of nature and devour everything!"
"How arrogant and foolish! While Ru the Luminescent still exists, how dare you seek to profane law of nature?"
Ru the Luminescent radiated a pure white aura, suppressing the force of corrosion.
As one who valued law of nature and neutrality above all, he could not let slide the atrocities being committed by Lailnetia the Devouring.
No matter the cost, it seemed he must annihilate Lailnetia the Devouring.
"If you've read the Record of All Things, you ought to know. Ekexax, Benelrode, and Mwin—their fates were distorted because I intervened. But Tiksa and Grafden are different. Why did they meet different ends?"
"......."
"Tiksa sealed himself. Just to extend a mere human's lifespan. Yet—ironically—his deed twisted fate!"
"......."
"Tiksa's descendant bound themselves to the endings of both Benelrode and Mwin. That was likely not their intention. It simply connected them, as fate. That wasn't enough—Grafden entwined himself with Tiksa's descendant and even you."
"......."
"What do you think this means? The Record of All Things is using Tiksa's descendant. Setting up dragons to annihilate dragons. Now, even you and I will be threatened."
"... If that is the will of law of nature, then I must obey."
"Enough with such foolishness! That a book would decide a dragon's fate... That is why I must become established as law of nature itself!"
Lailnetia the Devouring utterly loathed Ru the Luminescent.
Despite knowing the existence of the Record of All Things and the fate of his kin, Ru the Luminescent remained aloof and indifferent.
In truth, it was not only his kin but the entire world that he had toyed with.
"You have not been granted such a power. A mere creation, yet you would rule law of nature?"
"Ru the Luminescent! You are the root of all malevolence. Concealing the truth, then claiming neutrality? Is that your ideal?"
"That is precisely why neutrality is necessary. Law of nature is the force sustaining this world. Yet you, have you not harbored sinister ambitions toward that very law?"
"It is not ambition, but a most rightful act! Who dares to decide my fate!"
Lailnetia the Devouring corrupted even the clouds as he revealed an unshakable murderous intent.
The area around them was steeped in darkness, to the point that even sunlight could not penetrate.
Now, after eliminating Ru the Luminescent, he intended to bring the world to its end.
"Your power cannot reach me. Only a futile result awaits you."
"Ah... Do not be impatient. Your destruction can wait until later."
"Surely... you...."
"I shall seal you in the abyss, Ru the Luminescent. After I bring the world to an end, I will see to your final moment."
* * *
Alter returned to the capital and quietly took his rest.
He exchanged only the most formal of words with the grand duke's house's heir—nothing more than what was required of family.
Perhaps, once he inherited the rank of grand duke, even exchanging greetings would become difficult.
'I should just think of it as having ended well.'
Of course, he knew this was a narrow point of view.
Among his half-siblings, it was rare for one to be forced into confinement at an outlying castle for a serious crime.
On top of that, his own wife had been indirectly implicated, which made him all the more conflicted.
'I don't ever want to see another rebellion.'
Alter composed his restless heart and sipped from his teacup.
The more power one garnered, the more enemies appeared, and the more one was forced to act ruthlessly.
Perhaps it would be better to carry out only the solitary role assigned to him.
'Even selecting a national document will probably become another web of intrigue.'
Alter was deliberately ignoring the Emperor's marriage arrangements.
The grand duke's house and the duke's house's lineage would be excluded anyway, and the marquis' house was ambiguously placed.
Most likely, the crown prince would choose the most promising candidate from either the count's family or the baron's family.
'All I want is to be granted the title of great mage. There's no good in wishing for more.'
The great mage supervised all the magical societies and became regarded as a figure to dominate an era.
Of course, he would have a hard time at first, but that was the price of authority and prestige.
As long as he didn't let greed overwhelm him, he should be able to hold that position with little trouble.
'More than that... I should focus on what's ahead.'
Alter realized the end was approaching.
According to the fortune-teller's prophecy, he would soon come face to face with Lailnetia the Devouring.
What method would Lailnetia the Devouring use to threaten himself and Brillie?
'Lailnetia the Devouring can corrode all matter—even his own form is subject to alteration.'
In fact, Lailnetia the Devouring could hardly be labeled a dragon any longer.
He had once been a dragon, but by now, he had been reborn as something utterly bizarre.
His very foundation was corrosion, so perhaps it was fitting to say he had transcended all life.
'I have to destroy the source of his mana. It must be something like the Frost Witch.'
Surely, he maintained his body and corrosion ability by means of mana.
Unless the source of his mana was eradicated, even if wounded, he could endlessly regenerate.
Of course, Lailnetia the Devouring would hardly expose the source, and even the means to destroy it were uncertain.
'Isn't that why the Radiance is necessary?'
Alter had heard the explanation of Radiance from Alraune.
Radiance was starlight awakened from the universe and a single-minded will to oppose malevolence.
Since Lailnetia the Devouring intended the destruction of the world, he could be designated as Radiance's target.
'Shattering the law of nature... Descending by following Radiance...'
That was what the fortune-teller and Goddess Semerune had mentioned.
Judging by those words, Brillie would bring upheaval by means of Radiance.
Perhaps his role was to guide Brillie toward that fate.
'If this is my destiny... I must accept it.'
Of course, Alter still did not truly understand fate.
He simply recalled the words his mother had once spoken to him.
What did she possibly see concerning his future?
'Does that mean the Knight of True Flame is even more dangerous than Lailnetia the Devouring?'
Judging by the general order, the Knight of True Flame was to be dealt with last among the monsters.
But since the Knight of True Flame was obsessed with the power of dragons, it was natural he would try to fight Lailnetia the Devouring.
Depending on the circumstances, even Ru the Luminescent could end up as an opponent.
'Or is it that the Knight of True Flame is destined to absorb the power of all dragons?'
While hard to say for sure, it was entirely possible.
As things stood, the Knight of True Flame alone could probably take on a dragon.
Thus, the Knight of True Flame was a threatening foe and inevitably considered an enemy of humanity.
'He must have wavered for a while, but things have ended up twisted like this. Lang Couster....'