Chapter 103 – Messenger from the Past (3)
Lampades was utterly stunned by Kynemon’s confession.
“Orthes, you insane bastard. As if the world wasn’t chaotic enough, you want to add this destruction weapon to the mix?”
It became clear that Orthes, lurking behind Argyrion’s actions, was the mastermind behind the massive chaos now spreading through the magical society.
Somehow, Orthes’ subordinates had taken down one of the Ten Elders of the Ten Towers, fracturing the absolute authority that the Towers held through fear and power.
Now, imagine if the Bubble of Erasure was added to this equation.
Lampades envisioned an Argyrion soldier blowing a bubble in the middle of a city, then popping it—instantly erasing an entire mage tower without a trace.
With no mana trail left behind, the mages wouldn’t even comprehend what had caused such destruction.
“Could that extra-dimensional relic actually be enough to threaten the Ten Towers?” Lampades pondered the question but soon realized, “That doesn’t even matter.”
Even if the Bubble of Erasure couldn’t bring down the Ten Towers themselves, it could still collapse other towers. Just the fear and awe from witnessing such a power would be enough to shake the very foundation of the mage society.
The greatest authority that the Ten Towers wielded was their mysterious and unfathomable power—the fear of the unknown. If Argyrion possessed a power of similar magnitude, it would elevate them to an equal standing.
The symbolic event that marked the fall of the Mythical Era was the transfer of power from the Divine Cult to the Mage King.
Now, that same authority could shift from the Ten Towers to Argyrion.
This was a truly terrifying plan. It wasn’t just the scale and audacity of it that was frightening, but more so Orthes, the mastermind behind it all.
At this moment, only Lampades knew about the connection between Orthes and Argyrion.
No one else in the world had any inkling that Orthes was the shadowy figure orchestrating Argyrion’s rise to power.
Even Lampades wouldn’t have known had he not encountered Orthes in Elysion, where Orthes made his presence known. It was only then that Lampades linked Orthes to Argyrion’s advance. Everyone else had likely never even heard the name Orthes before.
Lampades’ gaze trembled as he looked at the Bubble of Erasure.
He had no idea what consequences might arise from delivering this to Orthes. He had made this choice to protect his tower and its people, but if the magical society itself collapsed, what was the point?
Kynemon sensed Lampades’ hesitation and spoke up.
“Orthes is a creature even doomsday fanatics cannot understand. It’s as if he came from another world. I don’t know what he plans to do with this relic, but it won’t be anything good for society.”
“For you to say something like that… it’s unexpected.” Lampades’ question carried the implication, *weren’t you also a doomsday fanatic?*
Kynemon nodded. “I quit. I was too afraid of the future that faceless bastard was going to bring.”
“…” Lampades’ hesitation deepened. He massaged his forehead in distress before letting out a short exclamation.
“*Ah. He had one more message for you.”
“For me?”
“‘Sorry about what happened before.’* That’s what he said.”
What was Orthes’ intention behind that message? Was it a hint about how to use the Bubble of Erasure?
Lampades tried to gauge Orthes’ intention from Kynemon’s reaction. If there were any hidden meaning or plan behind the relic, Kynemon, having traveled with Orthes for so long, would surely be able to guess.
*If Orthes’ plan with this bubble was to completely destroy the magical society…*
Lampades was faced with a gamble.
A world without order would be one where there was no guarantee his tower’s members could survive, let alone thrive.
“Was that all he said?”
After a brief silence, Kynemon asked. Despite having spent so much time alongside Orthes in their expeditions through the extra-dimensional realms, this message seemed too out of place. He needed more context.
Lampades thought about it. “Well, he mentioned he used up quite a bit of the bubble’s liquid and left the rest to you. He also said something about that being why things fell apart between you two.”
Kynemon finally understood Orthes’ cryptic message.
*So he reduced our falling out to just a dispute over the bubble’s distribution?*
Orthes had drawn a clear line, stating that he no longer had any claim over the Bubble of Erasure. Kynemon realized that this meant Orthes wasn’t particularly interested in it anymore.
It was clear now—Orthes was calling Kynemon because he had found something greater than the bubble.
An invitation to join him in his plan to turn the world upside down.
Kynemon couldn’t even imagine what kind of relic could be more dangerous than the Bubble of Erasure—unless it was something on the level of the Ten Magical Commandments.
“Hahaha…” Kynemon let out a hollow laugh. He had spent all this time fearing that Orthes would burn the world with the Bubble of Erasure.
But now Orthes was summoning him, claiming to have found something even more destructive.
Whether I answer this invitation or not, the world is going to be overturned either way.
No matter what Kynemon did, Orthes’ doomsday plan was already in motion. A deep sense of resignation settled over him.
“Let’s go.”
“What?”
“Let’s go to that faceless bastard. It was my mistake to show him the extra-dimensional research in the first place.”
Kynemon, eyes closed, muttered as if to himself. Orthes had surely found something in the contamination zones capable of ending the world while Kynemon had been hiding.
Witnessing the apocalypse unfold was the least he could do—the only responsibility he had left.
It was the only choice left to the man who had given Orthes the key to destruction. He could not turn his eyes away from his mistake.
***
“I brought him.”
“…?”
I stared at Kynemon’s face in confusion as Lampades introduced him. How did he bring him so quickly?
It hadn’t even been a week since I mentioned him.
Was there some kind of troubleshooting industry group chat that I wasn’t part of? How did he find him so fast?
“Long time no see.”
“Yes. It’s been a while, Kynemon. How have you been?”
Despite my surprise, I reached out for the customary handshake, a habit by now. Kynemon, looking oddly worn-out, shook my hand with a tired expression.
“Haha, Lampades, I never imagined you’d handle things this quickly. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“…I’m curious, though. What exactly are you planning to have Kynemon do?”
“Pardon?”
That wasn’t the reaction I expected. If Lampades had asked for the relic or an increase in tech investment funds, I would’ve gladly obliged.
What I wanted to ask Kynemon for was a list of mage towers that were secretly holding ancient relics. Given the current state of affairs, it would sound like I was planning to use it for blackmail or propaganda.
Kynemon, who had once loudly proclaimed he’d “overturn this rotten, magic-privileged society,” probably wouldn’t think twice about a request like this.
But asking a tower lord who had clawed his way up from the bottom of this very system to help find “dirt” on other towers? That was a different story.
Even if I explained that I wasn’t looking for leverage to blackmail them but to steal their relics, it wouldn’t make much difference.
There are some things you just don’t say to certain friends. And this was definitely one of them.
“Haha, it’s a personal matter, really. You wouldn’t find it that interesting.”
I tried to brush it off with a laugh.
“No, I’m directly involved in this matter. I think I have a right to know, don’t you?”
Lampades was insistent.
My head throbbed. If this were purely a personal issue, I’d just tell him outright. But it was also tied to Hydra Corporation’s Divine Investigations, which meant the details of the request were company secrets.
I couldn’t just…
Wait a minute.
*Company secrets?*
“…This isn’t something I can decide on my own. I’ll have to report to the president first.”
Using Carisia’s rank as an excuse, I slipped out of the awkward situation.
***
Both Lampades and Kynemon were utterly shocked by Orthes’ response.
They had both known that Orthes was working on something grand, but the idea that Orthes had to report to someone? That he was receiving orders?
The fact that Orthes had someone commanding him was a surprise to Kynemon. But having personally met Carisia, Lampades was left with even deeper questions.
Could it be she wasn’t just a puppet set up to divert attention?
At first, Lampades had assumed Carisia was merely Orthes’ sacrificial pawn.
Later, when he learned the truth about Orthes, he thought perhaps Carisia was a shrewd opportunist using him for her own ambitious ends.
But now…
What in the world is going on?
No theory or guess could explain the profound mystery surrounding Carisia and Hydra Corporation.