Alon, who had been silent at Kylrus’ words, slowly opened his mouth.

“The one who first spread magic.”

“As you suspect, he was the first to wield and create magic.”

“…And the technique he used was Reversal of Heaven?”

When Kylrus nodded silently, Alon continued to ask.

“I know it’s meaningless to ask since you’ve already told me, but has no one besides the first mage ever used the Reversal of Heaven technique?”

Wanting to confirm just in case, Alon asked again, and Kylrus firmly nodded.

“The Reversal of Heaven technique itself is merely a legend among mages. The first mage lived in a time long before I was human.”

“So, it has only been passed down as a story.”

“Yes. Ah, one more thing. The first mage was a bit different from ordinary mages.”

“In what way?”

In response to Alon’s question, Kylrus answered.

“After spreading magic, most mages left successors. It was inevitable.”

While knowledge was important for using magic, the most crucial thing for mages was their “image.”

Kylrus continued speaking.

“But the first mage did not create a successor. No, rather than just not creating one, he disappeared after spreading magic to other mages.”

“…He disappeared?”

“It was as if spreading magic was his sole purpose. After teaching three disciples, he vanished.”

“So that’s why you said his actions were unusual.”

Kylrus nodded.

“That’s why there’s barely any known information about the Reversal of Heaven technique. The three disciples who witnessed it are long gone, and they never left any records about the first mage.”

Muttering about a single remaining piece of information, Kylrus looked at Alon.

“If someone who possesses the Reversal of Heaven technique reaches that horizon, they may obtain a clue.”

“That means—”

“It seems you really can learn the Reversal of Heaven technique. Even though you haven’t inherited a single thing—neither image nor anything else.”

At Kylrus’ conclusion, Alon remained silent.

He still had no idea how to learn the technique.

“So, I have to use everything I’ve learned so far, huh?”

With that thought in mind, he asked another question just in case.

“Is there no other way to obtain information about the first mage?”

“If we think logically, there isn’t, but if we think optimistically, perhaps the gods know something.”

“…The gods?”

“Yes. Though, I don’t know how many of the gods who saw the first mage are still alive.”

Alon fell into contemplation at the mention of gods.

“Well then, since our conversation is over, let’s begin again.”

However, at those words, Alon snapped back to reality, forming a spell with a slightly tense expression.

Exactly five seconds later—

“…Ah.”

Alon opened his eyes in Penia’s office, his face filled with emptiness.

####

For the next two weeks, Alon did two things.

One was conducting magical research with Penia.

The other was borrowing Penia’s mana once a day to enter the realm of the past and fight Kylrus.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

“How many seconds was it?”

“Hmm, this time it was 19 seconds.”

At Penia’s report, Alon let out a deep sigh and stood up from his chair.

“…I did last longer.”

“Yes, at first, you couldn’t even last four seconds.”

Alon scratched his head as he stared at the Footsteps of the Past, now blackened from depleted mana.

‘This isn’t easy.’

From two weeks ago until now, he had tried various strategies every day, but the gap in strength between him and Kylrus remained vast.

No matter how much he strategized—

Kylrus would always unleash a new kind of attack, leading to Alon’s inevitable defeat.

‘Thanks to that, I’ve learned a lot about how to use Blackie, and I’ve gained useful insights for synchronization research…’

But he was still no closer to winning the fight.

“…I’ll come back again tomorrow.”

“Okay!”

Every day, he returned to Penia’s office.

For over two weeks, she had been enthusiastically researching the artifact he had given her.

Watching her lively face for a moment, Alon then headed to his own office.

[Now, repeat after me. I am the servant of Basiliora.]

[I… am? Servant?]

As soon as he entered the room, he was met with an unusual sight.

Basiliora was there, and in front of him, the Sea King God was shifting its body around curiously.

[Again.]

[Servant?]

Following Basiliora’s command, the Sea King God tilted its head but repeated the words.

Alon recalled how, just a while ago, the Sea King God had been swimming in the pond outside his mansion.

He turned to Basiliora and asked, “…What are you doing?”

[Hierarchy training.]

“Is that really necessary…?”

[Hierarchy training is absolutely necessary.]

Basiliora watched the Sea King God with a satisfied expression.

Just then—

“My Lord, I was looking for you… What the hell are you doing?”

Evan entered the office and immediately spotted Basiliora and the Sea King God.

[Hehehe~]

Basiliora, now brimming with confidence, commanded:

[Now, King Serpent, go teach that guy a lesson!]

[Teach… a lesson?]

[That’s right! You’re my servant, so you have to listen to me! Expand your body a little and attack him!!]

As if he had been waiting for this moment, Basiliora stretched his body proudly and issued the order.

The Sea King God tilted its head a few times before nodding in understanding.

Ssssss—

It then expanded its body to the size of a large serpent.

At that sight—

“…So that’s what you’ve been doing in the garden pond these past few days.”

[It’s too late for regrets! Now you’ll feel my power firsthand!!]

Evan glanced at Basiliora with an unimpressed expression.

But instead of backing down, Basiliora laughed triumphantly.

Then—

Evan let out a small chuckle and said, “Hey, King Serpent, come here.”

He took some jerky from his pocket and waved it in the air.

The Sea King God, which had been moving slowly toward Evan, suddenly—

[······!]

It zipped right up to Evan’s face, staring at him with sparkling eyes.

[Huh? What is this—]

Basiliora was caught off guard by the unexpected situation.

But—

“You want this?”

Nod, nod, nod, nod!

“Then go teach him a lesson first.”

Nod, nod!!

The Sea King God instantly changed its target and charged toward Basiliora.

[!? W-What?! Wait a minute!! King Serpent! You are my servant! So why are you attacking me—Kraaaah!! You bastard, attack that dimwit over there, not me—Kraaaaaaaaah!!!]

Basiliora, caught in his own trick, was squeezed by the Sea King God and let out a series of agonized wails—”Agyagyaaaaagh~!!!”

Alon, watching the situation unfold in silence, asked, “What’s with ‘King Serpent’?”

“The servants have already been feeding it and decided to call it ‘King Serpent.’”

“…King Serpent?”

“Yes. It apparently follows people around quite well. It likes being petted and also enjoys jerky, so I had some with me to give it sometime… but I didn’t expect to use it like this.”

So that was how the Sea King God ended up with a nickname.

[Kraaaah!! Spare me!!!! Save me~!!]

…With Basiliora’s screams as background noise.

Soon, Basiliora went limp.

Having completed its mission, King Serpent was happily munching on jerky in Evan’s arms.

‘At this point, it’s not even the Sea King God, just a big puppy.’

As Alon was having that thought, Evan, still petting King Serpent’s head, spoke.

“By the way, Lord Marquis, you mentioned going to Colony before. Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?”

“I should.”

“Then shall we start preparing?”

“…Let’s set off in about three days.”

Alon replied while recalling the gemstone he had in his possession.

‘Now that I think about it, the Dragonkin seemed like an ancient deity too. Maybe I should ask them?’

Recalling the information Kylrus had provided, Alon stroked his chin and made a decision.

The next day.

“Hello, Godfather.”

“…?”

Rine had arrived at House Palatio.

“Yes, Godfather. I just stopped by on my way to Colony.”

“By the way, what are you looking at?”

“Oh, I just felt like there was something I hadn’t noticed before.”

Strangely, instead of looking at Alon’s face, her eyes were fixed on the red brooch on his chest—a gift from Yutia.

She quietly smiled.

####

Just a few months ago, the city-kingdom of Varnos had been a thriving nation.

But now, it was nothing more than desolation.

The once lush green forests—

Had turned into barren wastelands where no life could survive.

The once bustling city—

Now held only remnants, mere traces of human existence.

And on that cracked and withered land—

Step, step—

A man walked forward.

Clad in black holy robes, with clinking black ornaments hanging from his waist and hands.

He walked alone through the lifeless wasteland.

Eventually, he reached what was once the capital of Varnos, now little more than ruins barely recognizable as a castle.

And there—

“Well, look who we have here.”

A new man appeared.

With ash-gray eyes—

The very man who had single-handedly destroyed the Duchy of Varnos and taken control of this place.

A monster (鬼).

“It’s been a while.”

At the greeting from the man in black holy robes, the grinning member of the Four Great Powers—Agu—replied from the crumbling castle stairs.

“Yeah, it has been a while.”

“Judging by the state of things, it seems you’ve settled in nicely.”

At the remark from the man in black, Agu chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah, thanks to you. Though it was a bit tricky at first—”

Then, Agu created a black droplet on his fingertip and let it fall to the ground.

As it rippled outward—

The black waves rapidly spread across the desolate land, covering it in dark gray.

And with that—

|-!!!!

What had moments ago been an empty, ruined capital—

Now revealed its true residents.

Grotesque figures, neither entirely humanoid nor stable in shape, emerged from the shadows.

They wandered the city, screaming eerily.

“Well, as you can see, I’ve got a good handle on them now.”

Then—

Saaa—

The black ripples vanished, closing off the hidden world once more.

Watching it all unfold, the man in black holy robes murmured quietly.

“…So, you’ve even implanted traits into your minions.”

“Correct. Anyway—”

Agu grinned again.

“The fact that you came all this way means you have something to say, right?”

“You know me well.”

“You gave me this power, so I’m willing to listen. Honestly, I never expected to be able to devour ‘Greed’ either.”

Agu chuckled, clearly pleased, as if recalling an unexpected victory.

The man in black watched him briefly before speaking again.

“This is a request—but also for your own good.”

“For my own good?”

“You may have succeeded in absorbing it, but you haven’t fully mastered its power yet. Am I wrong?”

“You’re right.”

“So, I’ll teach you how to control it properly.”

At those words, Agu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the man before him.

“You know, I’ve been wondering.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you helping me? We had no prior connection.”

It had always puzzled him.

Why was this man assisting him so much?

At Agu’s question, the man in black holy robes fell silent for a moment.

“Helping you… Well, I suppose you could see it that way.”

He muttered quietly before chuckling.

“It’s simple. Helping you is quite important to me.”

Then, the man turned away.

“A strange gate will open in the desert. Go there.”

“…What’s there?”

“Rather than something being there… something will come.”

His last murmur—

‘The body of Greed’—never reached Agu’s ears.

With a quiet smile, the man in black holy robes walked away once more.