Chapter 71. Answers
To Levi’s surprise, Lord Ironwood had summoned him to his study. Or rather, politely requested his presence. The servant who came to fetch Levi had made sure to specify that part.
After their fight, Levi had thought his father would just pretend he didn’t exist and avoid him entirely. Instead, Lord Ironwood had called for a meeting not even a full day after he had returned to Luxanne.
As Levi made his way through the halls of Ironwood Manor, the familiarity of the route made his lips curve up in a slight smile. He had walked down this very path before, back when he’d first awoken in this new world and been summoned to his father’s study for a scathing lecture. Things had changed quite a lot since then.
Gaining a new family, going to school, learning about a different magic system, joining a party, finding comrades, making friends, healing a broken soul, repairing a familial relationship, assaulting a castle…
It had been an eventful month, to say the least. Levi almost couldn’t believe so much had happened in such little time.
And, he wasn’t entirely certain yet… but he felt like he was beginning to understand what Death had been trying to tell him back in the teahouse.
Originally, Levi had intended to just complete his mission as quickly as possible. Hunt down and eliminate whatever threat Death had discovered. However, it was safe to say that he’d gotten a little off-track. It had been an entire month, and he’d made little to no progress at all on identifying just what was shortening the lifespans of every soul in this world.
But for some odd, inexplicable reason?
He found he was perfectly fine with it.
It was unprofessional, unbecoming even, for him to go on such a detour. And yet…
Wasn’t that precisely what an adventure was?
The idea was silly, of course, but…
Perhaps, that was the point.
Levi still had much to learn, but he was starting to get a hang of what an adventure was.
An adventure that was just beginning, no less. There was still much to do, after all.
Upon arriving in Luxanne, Levi had immediately sent a letter off to Professor Heimler inquiring about the state of his research. With everything that’d happened recently, Levi needed to figure out what resided at the top of the Institute’s tower. Even now, he still vividly remembered the visceral, rotten feeling of dark magic, how it had made his skin crawl. As Heimler’s research assistant, he would finally gain access to the Restricted Sanctum and figure out what the source was.
Levi also needed to identify just whom or what had possessed Montague. It had known about his reincarnation – that was the only viable explanation. Had it been some demon? A fae? An eldritch monster of some variety? Whatever the case, Levi had to track it down. Or perhaps not; he had a feeling it would come to him on its own. It seemed to hold a grudge against him.
Not to mention Phantasm. Levi still didn’t know what his, or the Crucible’s, goal was. However, he now had a lead. Saving the world… As far as motives went, it was a pretty good one. However, the way Phantasm was going about it made Levi have some doubts. Qorbin was already trying to locate Phantasm, and if need be, Levi would head out as well. It had been a while since he’d last been on a manhunt. Even longer since he’d been on the right side of one.
Indeed, Levi would have his hands full for a while. Such was an inevitable fact of his life.
However, he was perfectly fine with that. Whatever enemies were out there, whatever tribulations the world had to throw at him – he’d face it all with a smile on his face and his magic by his side.
For he was Levi Ironwood. Archmage. Servant.
Party member. Brother.
Friend.
And, perhaps even a…
Well. He was getting a bit ahead of himself there. For now, he should first focus on the upcoming conversation.
As Levi stepped into the study, his father rose from his chair to greet him.
“Levi,” Lord Ironwood said. His tone was indecipherable. “I’m glad you came.”
Levi inclined his head, stopping in front of his father’s desk. “You summoned me?”
For several seconds Lord Ironwood just silently observed him. Behind him, moonlight streamed in through the windows.
“I heard about what happened to House Montague,” Lord Ironwood said. He hesitated. “I suppose I owe you one for not handling me in the same fashion.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lord Ironwood smiled thinly. “I’m sure. You should know that Marquis Volkov is absolutely enraged. I can’t tell if he’s more furious with whoever attacked the castle, Montague for dying on him, or his own daughter for vanishing without a trace. Do pass my warnings on to Lady Volkov, will you?”
“If I see her, I’ll let her know.”
Lord Ironwood nodded before switching subjects. “Do you wish to be reinstated as heir?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Excellent, I already finished the paperwork–” Lord Ironwood froze. “No?”
“If I am forced to interact with other nobles on a regular basis, then I fear a repeat of what happened at Montague Castle may occur in the not so distant future. That said, if Ayla wishes for me to take her place, then I will become heir once more. Until then, however, I am happy to remain exactly where I am.”
“Interesting,” Lord Ironwood said, studying him with a surveying gaze. “Very well, then. I’ll leave the decision up to your sister.”
A silence fell over them. Levi couldn’t get a read on Lord Ironwood as he continued staring at him with an intense yet indecipherable expression. Levi had thought that his father would’ve been resentful or disgruntled after how Levi had crushed him last time, but–
Levi’s thoughts abruptly screeched to a halt as a small smile spread across Lord Ironwood’s lips.
“You surprised me, son,” Lord Ironwood said. “Standing up for your sister like that, defeating me, ensuring I wouldn’t change my mind… Before that night, I would’ve thought you too squeamish or weak-willed to see it through. Now, I realize my mistake. You are strong.”
Levi narrowed his eyes at his tone. “It wasn’t because of you that I turned out like this.”
“Of course not,” Lord Ironwood agreed easily. “The last time I trained you, you were a complete failure. Your success is entirely your own – and perhaps Mythmaker Ravenbane’s as well, assuming that he’d trained you for longer than the records suggest. I am heartened to see it. I admit, I thought that I’d known everything there was to know about you: your abysmal performance at the Institute, your lack of drive and talent, your pathetic network of connections, the diary you have hidden underneath your bed, the commoner you bribed into doing your homework for you–”
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“Wait, what?”
Lord Ironwood nodded. “Oh yes, I know all about Mr Baker. Incidentally, you’re overpaying him by a rather egregious amount. You should improve your negotiation skills–”
“No, no, before that,” Levi said. His blood was roaring in his ears. “Diary? What diary?”
Lord Ironwood shrugged. “I don’t know – I’ve certainly never bothered to read it. Perhaps it’s a journal–” He paused when he noticed how tense Levi had become. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to go.”
Levi barely even heard Lord Ironwood’s words of confusion as he whirled around and left the study.
The hallways seemed to blur around him as he rushed back to his room. Several servants bowed their heads as he passed – with substantially more respect in their eyes than before – but he didn’t pay them any attention.
The door to his room slammed open without him touching it. It shut behind him as he strode in. His magic swirled around him in a frenzy, expanding to fill the room. Without wasting a beat, Levi knelt down and looked under his bed.
Sure enough, attached to the underside of the wooden frame with some string was a small leather-bound book. Levi had never found it before because – well, he’d never had a reason to look under his bed. Nor had he detected it with his magic because it used physical string, not enchantments, to secure itself.
As he unfastened the strings and pulled out the book, he wondered why the previous Levi Ironwood hadn’t just stored the diary in his inventory. A moment later, he shook his head. If Levi Ironwood had locked his own System, then he wouldn’t have access to [Inventory], just like how Levi himself didn’t.
At any rate…
For so long, Levi had been searching for answers about his dimensional counterpart. Just who was Levi Ironwood? Why was he so weak? What caused the sudden switch in personality seven years ago? Why did he lock his System?
And, most pressingly…
Why did he kill himself?
Hopefully, this diary would finally yield some answers.
With a bated breath, Levi flipped it open and began reading.
It worked. The gambit worked. Of course it did, it always works, but… I confess, every time, I still feel a flash of fear that this will be the instance it fails and the world will forever be thrust into calamity and doomed beyond salvation.
No point in dwelling on the has-not’s and has-yet-to-be’s, though. I have another chance, it’s time to make the most of it. Let’s see how this round goes.
I forgot how adorable Ayla was. She really is the cutest little sister in the world.
I missed her so much…
But it’s okay now.
I just need to make sure it doesn’t happen again this time around.
I think I finally know how to counter the enemy. May the Goddess smile down upon me. Please let this work.
As of today, I am no longer bound by the System. Every skill is cut off from me aside from the basic [Status].
It feels odd. Like I’m blind and naked, deaf and lame.
But I’ll find a way to make it work. I’ll grow strong regardless.
Training is difficult.
I don’t think Ayla looks up to me anymore.
That’s okay, though. I’m doing this for her. No, I’m doing this for everyone.
They’ll understand one day.
Something’s wrong. Despite it already being three years since I cut myself off from the System, I still feel a prickling at the base of my neck every day.
It’s like I’m forgetting something.
I don’t know what, but it worries me.
Was Father always this contemptible? He always cherished me before. It must be because I’m so much weaker now.
I’ll admit, his words hurt, but…
I’m used to it by now.
The feeling is getting worse. My intuition is always screaming at me, but I don’t know why. It’s as though there’s a constant presence near me, yet whenever I turn to look, there’s nothing there.
Did I miscalculate something? Or is it just the mental toll of so many loops finally weighing down on me?
No. It’s there. I can feel it. Ever since I locked my System five years ago, it’s been getting worse. Did it sense me somehow? Or was it always there, and just cutting off my System allowed me to finally perceive it?
It doesn’t matter. I can’t hurt it, but neither can it hurt me. I don’t think it even noticed me yet. It’s just… there.
Assuming it even exists.
I must stay strong. Remember my mission. Failure is not an option.
Nothing is working. It’s been six years since I’ve woken up, six years since I’ve cut myself off from the System, and six years I’ve wasted. I’ve made zero progress.
This was supposed to be my final run, yet I’m starting to think it can’t be done.
But it’s fine. I just need to persevere.
I’ll find a way.
I’m alone in my room right now.
Or am I?
I don’t know.
Nowhere is safe.
Not even my dreams.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
I don’t want to die.
Not again.
How many times have I regressed by now?
How many lives has it been?
Dozens?
Hundreds?
Thousands?
I don’t remember any more. My memories… They’re all blurring together. It feels like I’ve been alive for far longer than any human has any right to exist.
I’m tired…
I thought I could stop the Consumption by locking myself out of the System. Thought it would give me the freedom to act and the ability to survive even when the moon begins smiling down upon us all.
But I was wrong.
It’s so hard. It’s too hard. Without the System to guide my magic and aid my skills… I’m too weak. I can’t get strong enough on my own. It’s like there’s something within me stopping me.
Did I just hit my limit?
Or is it something else?
Father disinherited me as heir today.
I hope Ayla can forgive me for forcing her to take my place.
I can't even look her in the eye anymore.
But…
This is necessary.
I’m sorry, Ayla.
I hope you can forgive me.
I’m not imagining things. I can feel something always lurking in the corner of my eye. It’s not a hallucination. Nor is it a vision.
Something is there.
Something is in the same room as me.
Will this reset be the one? I’ve tried everything already.
Perhaps this method will work…
It has to work.
I won’t stop until it does.
I’ll save them all.
I’ll be the Hero.
I saw it.
Goddess help us all.
It’s there.
I knew there was something there.
I’m looking at it right now.
IT’S LOOKING BACK AT ME IT’S LOOKING BACK AT ME IT’S LOOKING BACK AT ME IT’S LOOKING BACK AT
That was the last entry in the diary. The page was splotchy with dark ink.
The diary slipped through Levi’s loosened fingers and hit the floor with a thud. He didn’t bother picking it back up.
Slowly, Levi took a single step back.
He swallowed.
“What the FUCK–”
BLESSED BY DEATH
BOOK ONE END