Most people think of ancient civilizations as just a few centuries ago. Now it’s the era known as ancient times, when the Demon Lord was born and the First Hero made his mark.
“But that’s a misconception.”
An elf who lived during that time spoke up.
“There was an era referred to as ‘ancient’ even in my time, long before I was born, before the Elder of the fae who has lived for thousands of years.”
Cardi van Armiel.
A living witness of the history that has spanned over a thousand years, he stated this.
“In my time, the word ‘ancient’ referred to tens of thousands of years ago. It was a chaotic era when proper laws did not exist in this world.”
Now it’s referred to as the primordial era.
Cardi described that time as ancient.
While sipping tea, I asked him a question.
“Is there no one left who remembers that time?”
“No, there wouldn’t be. The elves who lived during that time returned to the forest long before I was even born. We can only glean bits of information from the memoirs written by the first elf king.”
Cardi waved his finger in the air.
With his freedom from the contract, a small amount of mana returned to him. Fine particles of mana flowed like snowflakes from the tip of his finger.
“A time when thousands, tens of thousands of gods existed.”
The flowing particles painted a landscape.
“The age of transcendent beings. The first king described that time as ‘this.’”
The completed painting depicted a torn sky.
Behind the torn sky, hundreds of eyes were watching the ground below. Pointing at the picture, Cardi calmly stated.
“It feels like watching a puppet show.”
“···A puppet show?”
“All beings alive under the sky, treading the earth, were mere tools of the transcendent beings. Useful humans, talented beings, or powerful races. They conducted proxy wars by draping threads over them.”
I didn’t know much about it.
It was just written in the memoir. As I muttered this, Cardi took a short breath.
“What concluded that era was…”
Cardi sighed softly, “Ah.”
“There is one person who remembers that time, though I’m not sure if they can truly be called a person.”
“I think I know.”
I spoke up.
“The Mage of Ancient Dragons, Yormun van Dragonik.”
Cardi continued, “Yes. The Mage of Ancient Dragons. That crazy lizard ended the age of transcendent beings, according to the memoir.”
Once again, he waved his finger.
The picture rippled as Cardi recreated illustrations from the memoir he had seen long ago with his own mana.
“A time before divine consolidation, so there were no beings as powerful as today’s stars or shadows… but reportedly, he single-handedly brought down thousands and millions of gods.”
Many things were depicted falling.
The description of the sky being inverted.
Pointing at that picture, Cardi added an explanation.
“In the memoir, it was written like this.”
The first elf king, who witnessed that miracle, described that sight in this way.
“The sky, was opened.”
*
Recalling the conversation I had with Cardi just before departing, I gazed ahead. The place I reached after three years of expanding the frontlines.
“Is all this the ruins of that era…?”
Countless ruins spread out before me.
The broken and collapsed pillars of a temple.
An altar where offerings had been made to an unnamed god, and statues that had been prayed to. Each of their shapes and symbols representing deities were all different.
‘Some symbolized fire…’
Others depicted thick forests or unrecognizable creatures. As I recalled the phrase that these countless ruins were the remnants of that era, I narrowed my eyes.
‘Then that is…’
The desolated Phantom Territory.
Each time I took a step forward, the grass crunched underfoot as I reached a ruin. A part of the Phantom Territory that had been recently reclaimed. There, I discovered ruins that took on a slightly different form from before.
There were no statues in the ruins.
No common altar to be found.
There were no traces of worship.
What remained were only murals.
Half-collapsed and faded murals. One depicted a woman gently stroking the head of a massive dragon. Her black hair, reminiscent of the night sky, flowed like water, and the dragon bowed its head before her.
I had seen that woman’s likeness somewhere before.
“The Lord of Shadow Dragons.”
The origin of sorcery and the god with whom Yormun and Belial had contracted. More recently, she had a contract with a disciple I had taught.
…the Mage of Ancient Dragons.
Called the god of mages, he had contracted with the Lord of Shadow Dragons and brought down all the gods in the sky. And he once said he placed the star in the heavens.
That must have been when ‘that’ happened.
“The sky was opened, huh…”
I murmured, crossing my arms.
As I pondered those words, a laugh escaped me.
“Somehow, it’s funny how we’re all thinking the same thing.”
Now then.
Looking closely at the mural, I couldn’t help but stick out my tongue.
“She must have been a magnificent goddess.”
The primordial deity, the Lord of Shadow Dragons.
Just by looking at the portrayal of her depicted in this mural, one could tell how those who lived in this era viewed her. Admiring the mural briefly, I said.
“She exudes majesty.”
Sublime and mysterious. Feeling an overwhelming atmosphere, I took a step forward. After all, a goddess of such grandeur would surely be honored by both the Mage of Ancient Dragons and Belial.
There was indeed a reason for that.
While thinking that, I moved on.
2.
[I’ve said this before, but I was a far greater being than you think. When I spread my wings just once! I could easily shroud an entire country in the shadow of a Giant Dragon, and it made a delightful sound at my command!]
“I’ve already heard this story exactly 87 times.”
[Then, hear me out!]
The god hanging from Belnoa’s shoulder wailed.
[This great being demands that you offer this! That!]
Belnoa silently glared at the object the great god was pointing at. It was a sweet dessert. The dessert that Chloe had bought for Belnoa to eat.
“······.”
Belnoa knew too well how tough a day it would be if she didn’t offer it. Letting out a long sigh, she reached for the dessert.
Scheduling, specifics, offerings.
In an instant, Belnoa completed the procedure, and with a snap of her fingers, the dessert covered in shadows was shooosh pulled into thin air.
[Very good!]
Wrapping one arm around Belnoa’s neck, the goddess cleverly extended her remaining arm to grasp the dessert that appeared in the air. Belnoa’s gaze chilled as she watched the Lord of Shadow Dragons munching on the dessert.
‘Is this really… the primordial deity?’
It certainly hadn’t been this way at the start.
Belnoa remembered her first meeting with the goddess, which had been far more mysterious and majestic. Where had it all gone wrong? It must have been then.
“What is that?”
“That child’s expression while eating looks incredibly happy. I’ve never seen a child eat food so blissfully in my thousands of years.”
The goddess had taken a deep interest in the sight of Chloe happily shoving in a dessert. Without thinking, Belnoa had muttered, ‘Would you like to try some?’ and offered a piece of pie…
[Indeed, humanity is remarkable. They continuously advance, never becoming complacent. They evolve, honing their skills.]
From then on…
[This small piece of pie is the product of progress. I am reminded once more of my human greatness.]
The goddess had begun demanding offerings every time she saw the dessert. Whenever she munched on the dessert, she would always start praising humanity, devoid of any semblance of divine majesty.
‘…Thanks to all those offerings, my offering skills have improved, though.’
It was a fact that I couldn’t boast about anywhere.
When asked how I became so adept at sorcery, I could hardly respond, ‘I practiced offering desserts to the goddess.’
“Haah…”
Letting out a long sigh, Belnoa threw her robe over her shoulder and stepped outside the tent. From today onward, she would have to roll through the battlefield for a while.
*
The Shadow Knight, Belnoa van Dragonik.
As a companion to Hero Chloe, Belnoa has become a name recognized on the battlefield after several operations.
With her innate combat sense and efficient use of her surroundings.
With practical experience that did not fall behind veteran knights, Belnoa handled sudden situations adeptly, minimizing damage. Acknowledged for her efforts, she sometimes took on the role of a commander on the scene, and a few knights would remark:
“I see you and think of my former self.”
Before being called cowardly.
They said it felt like seeing the most realistic hero from Deshtel’s past. As though he had heard that rumor, Deshtel let out a chuckle while casting a sidelong glance at Belnoa.
Cowardly Deshtel.
Overall commander of the eastern front.
“Do you think so too?”
“I’ve never seen the Deshtel from those days, so I can’t say for sure.”
“You should have seen it then. Back when my reputation was competing with Galahal. When he and I were on missions, I was as good as Kyle.”
All old tales now.
Murmuring to himself, Deshtel spread the map wide.
“Shall we get to the main point?”
Due to being deployed in special forces, both Belnoa and Chloe had many places to travel. It was Deshtel who managed their schedules.
“You’ve done well in the east, and now you’ll be moving to this side. Our forces are likely to pull out here.”
The map laid out contained brief notes on the war situation by date. Pointing at a specific spot, Deshtel continued.
“This was originally a battlefield that Kellehalm was overseeing, but recently he took a momentary break from the front. He mentioned he would stop by his hometown, Artiya.”
The intertwined stories of Artiya and Kellehalm.
Those who knew, knew it well.
With a solemn nod, Belnoa replied.
“Then we take that supply route?”
“Better go this way. It will be quicker to go via Kateron Castle. The operations to be conducted there, you will hear directly from the respective commander.”
After discussing operational matters for a while and rounding up the situation, Deshtel brought up casual chatter again.
“How are things going with Chloe? You two getting along?”
“···Excuse me?”
Belnoa blinked in surprise.
Deshtel tilted his cup and grinned.
“Weren’t you two dating?”
“W-what? That’s not the case at all.”
“Isn’t that what they said? The news spread among the knights.”
It was a story already famous at Apuria Academy, even before the knights caught wind of it. Of course, they denied it, but to a third-party observer, they looked like more than just friends.
“Regardless, take good care of her.”
Deshtel sighed deeply.
“You know, she is in a rather unstable condition. She is greatly influenced by Galahal.”
“···I’m aware of that.”
“Right. Thankfully, with you around her, her situation has at least stabilized. It could be precarious.”
The battlefield sickens people.
The higher the position one holds, the more so.
“···I will keep your advice in mind.”
“Alright. Off you go. You have a long journey ahead.”
With a wave, Deshtel dismissed her, and Belnoa offered a brief bow before stepping outside the tent. As she reflected on her conversation with Deshtel while walking…
“···?”
Belnoa halted in her tracks.
There were soldiers gathered in front of the gate. Seeing the knights surrounding someone, cheering, her brow furrowed.
-Oh, um, like this?
The sound of a familiar voice came from among the knights. As she approached the area where the knights had gathered, she saw one knight repeatedly tapping a magical tool in his hand. Each tap released small bursts of light and displayed images.
A magical tool recording the current scene.
Who was the subject being captured? As Belnoa’s gaze sharpened, she saw a girl striking various poses in front of the gate, and coincidentally, the girl had pure white hair and green eyes.
“Okay, Chloe! Try this pose too!”
The name happening to be Chloe.
Every time the knights displayed exaggerated gestures with silly antics, laughter erupted around them. Chloe too chuckled and awkwardly mimicked their poses.
“Next up…!”
“Hey, hey.”
The most enthusiastic knight poked the side of his companion. “What? Why?” the knight shouted, and his friend pointed towards Belnoa.
“Gah!”
The knight gulped as he met Belnoa’s gaze and quickly stepped back. Belnoa sighed and pushed past the knights to approach Chloe.
“Uh, Belnoa?”
Chloe blinked, looking at Belnoa as she adjusted her poses. Having twisted so much, her robe had partially slipped down her shoulders, yet she seemed oblivious to it.
“How many times have I told you to wear your robe properly?”
Letting out a sigh, Belnoa straightened Chloe’s robe while shooting a glare at the gathered knights. Under Belnoa’s chilling gaze, the knights flinched and averted their stares.
“Um, Miss Belnoa, how about a photo?”
One knight suggested, eager to break the awkwardness, and the others responded enthusiastically. As Belnoa tried to refuse, Chloe tugged at her arm.
“Let’s take one together.”
With Chloe beaming, the knights began instructing Belnoa on how to pose: standing behind Chloe, placing a hand on her shoulder, and so forth.
“Alright, we’re taking the photo now!”
Flash!
The magical tool emitted a burst of light as they awkwardly posed for the picture. Belnoa mulled over Deshtel’s words: “Take good care of her.”
‘If only it was as easy as it sounds.’
Belnoa sighed inwardly.
