The Darkness-Eating Sword.

No—the Divine blood who had used a Divine blood ability to create split bodies and move near the Divine Land all stared blankly at the sight before them.

A greatsword floating in the sky.

Of course, the sword was magnificent, but the Divine blood were not shocked simply because it was large.

Its size was absurd, yes, but that was all.

The reason every one of them had lost their words and could not tear their eyes away was the aura pouring from that greatsword.

[What in the world is that?]

[It feels similar to us, but different-]

Confusion rippled through them.

And in the middle of it—

[So that’s it......!]

one of the Divine blood realized.

[That is- human divine power.]

[Human divine power?]

[Yes. When the tools gather faith among themselves, it can manifest like that. I’d seen it briefly from above, but I never thought I’d see it after coming down to the surface.......]

Only then did the other Divine blood realize what it was.

As curious stares continued—

[......Wait, isn’t something strange here?]

The Darkness-Eating Sword, which had been silent until now, finally spoke.

[What do you mean?]

[Wasn’t this supposed to be the territory ruled by the Star Eater?]

[It was.]

[Then how can a human with a different faith exist inside it?]

It could not understand.

At the deepening suspicion in the Darkness-Eating Sword’s voice, the other Divine blood also began to sense something was off.

[If this is the Star Eater’s territory, then a tool that handles another divine power should not be able to arise here.]

[That’s not wrong.]

[Then what exactly is going on?]

The murmuring lasted only a moment.

[Wait.]

One Divine blood finally spoke up—the one that, ever since arriving in the Divine Land, had not said a single word and had only quietly watched the greatsword.

All the Divine blood turned to look.

Even with every eye on it, it stayed calm, paying them no mind.

It simply focused on something in silence, using its grotesquely enlarged ears.

Then its eyes widened.

[......It really said that?]

Soon, an incredulous murmur slipped out.

The other Divine blood grew puzzled.

[What are you listening to?]

When the Darkness-Eating Sword asked, the Divine blood—whose grotesquely huge ears had already shrunk back down—

said,

[It seems the reason humans have become able to handle faith is because of the Star Eater.]

[What?]

[Is that true?]

The other Divine blood immediately fired questions at it.

[Whether it’s true or not, I can’t say. But one thing is certain: that human who awakened faith said the Star Eater gave it power and made it able to use faith. And—]

The Divine blood that had been eavesdropping paused to catch its breath.

[-if we assume those words are true. In other words, if the Star Eater can make humans use a # Nоvеlight # faith they never possessed before—then granting divine power should be possible as well.]

That was the conclusion it voiced.

A conclusion completely opposite to what the Divine blood gathered here had expected.

And yet none of them could refute it.

No—more accurately, there was nothing they could use to refute it.

They had seen it themselves, and they had heard it as well.

A human handling faith inside the Divine Land ruled by the Star Eater.

And the testimony that an ordinary human used merely as a tool had become able to wield that power thanks to the Star Eater.

And so—

[......Let’s go back.]

The Divine blood who had come to confirm the Star Eater’s power quietly decided to turn back.

...All of that happened barely five minutes after they arrived in the Divine Land.

####

A month passed after that.

Alon was traveling through the wasteland beyond the border of the Allied Kingdoms.

A dry, desolate land where nothing existed.

Staring blankly out through the carriage window at that barren waste, he—

“Hoo-”

let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

Even after meeting Yutia and Karsemm over the past month, Alon had not stopped his magical research.

Strictly speaking, the research itself could be considered finished.

At this point, all that remained was proof.

But Alon still had not built up the ability required for that proof.

And so things had stopped progressing any further.

'......It’s harder than I expected.'

Alon turned his head to the side. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Penia was immersed in her research.

Ever since she had become able to use a True Mage’s magic a month ago, she had spent the entire day researching a True Mage’s magic whenever she was not helping Alon.

True to her reputation as a genius even in Psychedelia, she was mastering formulae at a remarkably fast pace.

In fact, she was advancing even faster than Alon, who had started his research a month earlier.

Thanks to that, Alon could partly understand why so many people envied her.

'......What’s the problem?'

Penia glanced his way, then smoothly brushed her hair back.

Alon sank deeper into thought.

The basic formulae were already close to perfect.

And yet, even now, he still could not successfully cast magic through will alone.

As his thoughts deepened—

“......There really is nothing here.”

Evan’s voice broke in.

Alon shoved his thoughts to the edge of his mind.

“That’s true.”

“Wasn’t Nangwon supposed to be here, maybe?”

“I heard this was the base.”

“There’s nothing here, so I have no idea how Nangwon even lives.”

Alon agreed, but another person here came to mind.

'Before I head back this time, I should meet that one too before moving on.'

The golden dragon, Reinysius.

The one he had met in order to deal with Rakrakkamur.

And one who might know why Blackie uses the power of Divine blood.

“......But seriously, how much farther are we going? At this rate it feels like we’re going to cross all the way into the Empire’s side- ......Huh?”

Evan abruptly voiced his confusion.

And when Alon followed his gaze—

“......A tower?”

There was a tower.

One he definitely had not seen at all the last time he came to the wasteland.

And at a glance, it was enormous.

“......It looks bigger than the Central Tower.”

Even Penia let out an admiring remark.

Just then—

Fwish-

the scrap of letter that had been glowing purple until a moment ago shot toward the tower and vanished into it.

“Looks like we’ve reached our destination.”

A short while later, the Colony carriage and the Rosario carriage, including Alon, arrived at the tower.

After getting down from the carriage, Alon looked up at it and was even more astonished.

'......It’s huge.'

That was no exaggeration. The tower the purple light had led them to was truly massive.

Even the Central Tower, which had felt imposing every time he saw it, seemed small in comparison.

It almost felt as though it touched the sky.

The thought came to him for no reason at all.

“You’ve arrived.”

At that moment, a voice came from beside him.

The skull mask that had appeared when the letter was delivered was now standing at their side.

“I have been waiting for you.”

It bowed politely toward Alon’s group.

“There are still several days left until the schedule proclaimed by the Seeker, so I ask that you make yourselves comfortable in the meantime.”

Saying that it would first show them to their rooms, it then—

swish-

split into three in an instant right in front of them.

“!”

The group was startled by the unexpected spectacle, but the now-three masks merely turned around as though nothing had happened.

“From here, His Majesty the King of Palantia will follow me.”

“Our honored guest from Rosario, this way.”

“His Majesty the King of Colony, please come this way.”

Without offering any real explanation, the three masks immediately started moving.

“We’ll see each other in a bit.”

“Understood, Brother!”

“Yes, Teacher.”

In the end, they exchanged a few light farewells and split up as well.

And so, after entering the gigantic tower, Alon followed a maze-like path until he arrived at a guest room.

“Then I will give you a brief explanation as we move.”

“......Move?”

At the mask’s continued words, Alon asked back.

“Yes. In truth, someone arrived before you, so I would like to introduce that person to you briefly.”

“I don’t mind, but why?”

“The Seeker wishes for the defeated kings to maintain as much friendship as possible.”

The mask added that it was for the peace of the continent, then turned around once more.

Alon quietly followed behind it.

After some more time had passed—

“We’re here.”

The place the mask brought him to held a man sitting there.

A man with dazzling golden hair, radiant enough to shine on sight alone.

“......Hm?”

The man’s gaze, which had been directed out the window, shifted to Alon.

“This is Contanias, Emperor of the Northern Empire.”

At the mask’s introduction, Alon gave a light nod.

He did not know the details, since he had never actually played Calypsophobia, but he did know what kind of person Contanias was from the rumors Evan had brought back.

'......The Weeping Dragon, was it?'

Contanias, the imperial prince who wielded the Northern Empire’s guardian god, the Weeping Dragon.

As Alon recalled that information, the mask opened its mouth again—

“Lord Contanias, this person is-”

“That’s enough.”

—and could not continue.

Because Contanias cut it off.

In the silence, Contanias stared at Alon with an unreadable expression.

Then he casually spoke.

“I am not magnanimous enough to hear and remember the name of something inferior.”

Only then did Alon understand the emotion on his face.

“You should be grateful simply to be allowed in the same place as me.”

It was contempt—

and mockery.

####

The capital of the Northern Empire.

Even though a quarter of the Empire had been wiped away by Divine blood, there stood a massive palace in the middle of a capital still enjoying extraordinary prosperity.

A palace even larger than the one where Emperor Contanias resided.

And that palace

“Where is Contanias?”

“Y-Your Majesty the Emperor is currently away in attendance.”

was under the control of a woman.

A woman with the massive tail of a pitch-black dragon, proof that she was no ordinary human, or rather—

“Tell him to come at once. I have something for him to do.”

“T-that is- at the moment, that may be a little-”

“Is that so? Then may I leave now?”

the Weeping Dragon.

“No, no! Please! Please stay anchored, Lady Arculainysis!”

“Call him as quickly as you can.”

With the dried tracks beneath her red eyes and deep dark circles settled under them, she quietly muttered—

“I have something to ask him.”

all while toying with a scrap of someone’s coat in her arms.