Chapter 1397: Paradise Lost (8)
“Indeed, such a thing happened.”
The lingering scent of night poured down from the sky. Broken Spell-Word Stones lost their light, sinking into the darkened garden.
A black-haired boy, sitting cross-legged on the withered, lifeless grass, spoke in a calm tone.
“Perhaps those beings, the retainers of the Three Grand Dukes, kept me for human sacrifice.”
“…”
Words too grim to come from a boy so young he seemed almost a child.
But the boy, undisturbed by the silent pause, calmly opened his mouth.
“Considering the Spell-Word Stone’s edicts that my benefactor spoke of, and their purpose in wandering this place, it seems clear they didn’t wish to keep me alive for long.”
“…I see.”
“The problem will be precisely what purpose the Three Grand Dukes had in mind to offer me… slurp.”
The boy, gently tilting the steaming teacup in his hand, said calmly.
“If I may add a small opinion, it seems unlikely that the three Grand Dukes were in agreement on this matter. It might be best to investigate that aspect first.”
“…”
“Even back when they served the Emperor, the three of them—”
“No. Hold on.”
Freya, sitting beside Lennok, said with a bewildered expression.
“Hey, stop casually interjecting into our conversation. What exactly is going on right now?”
“…”
“Fine, I’ll grant you a hundred times over that a child resembling Myeong was sleeping inside the Black Coffin. But for him to wake up the moment we open it and then try to help us, that’s just strange.”
Watching the boy placidly sip his tea, Freya’s expression turned slightly indignant.
“And this kid, for starters. By age, he doesn’t look a day over seven! But he knows so much about human sacrifice, Ascendants, and the Three Grand Dukes? How is that possible? Who are you?”
“…”
“…Surely, you’re not the Nether King himself, having survived Jinwa, are you?”
“The tea leaves you’ve given me, Benefactor, have a considerable fragrance.”
The boy, closing his eyes and savoring the tea’s aroma, said leisurely.
“It’s quite refined. I didn’t expect such luxury upon waking.”
“I hear some World Tree leaves were mixed in. Dadam was pleased with it, so it should suit your taste.”
“Hey!!”
Freya, unable to hold back, exclaimed indignantly, then clamped her mouth shut in surprise.
She checked the Spell-Word Stone a moment too late, but the broken slab showed no ominous signs.
It merely lay buried where the tide of darkness had swept through, inert and unresponsive.
“If you’re worried about the edicts, it’ll be fine.”
Lennok said quietly, as if reading Freya’s thoughts.
“After Myeong’s black magic swept through here, night fell upon Paradise Lost. Even if an Ascendant were to sense the anomaly, they wouldn’t be able to perceive our presence.”
The Nether King’s remaining power, left after the decisive battle in Paradise Lost, still swept through the Ideological Domain.
Naturally, Jinwa would also be aware that black magic was raging in Paradise Lost, disrupting the Ideological Domain’s control.
In such a situation, even if one of the Spell-Word Stones broke amidst the tide of darkness, it’s unlikely Jinwa would suspect an external variable.
Lennok knew this too, which is why he believed the Black Coffin couldn’t be opened at any other time.
Of course, what awakened inside the Black Coffin after that decision was an entirely unforeseen entity—
“W-well, that’s a relief, but… no, that’s not what I was talking about!!”
Freya, about to let out a sigh of relief, suddenly collected herself and shouted.
“So, who is this kid? Is he really the Nether King himself?”
“Hmm.”
Lennok stared at the boy, who was sipping his tea.
“I suppose only he himself knows the answer to that question.”
The black-haired boy who awakened inside the Black Coffin, a spitting image of Myeong.
It felt familiar, like encountering Myeong in his youth, but that wasn’t proof that this boy was the Nether King himself.
Even if the Nether King had somehow survived after being defeated by Jinwa, there was no reason for his appearance to become so young.
Even so, Lennok felt that this situation might not be what Myeong had wished for.
The Myeong Lennok had last seen seemed to have half-accepted his death and his ultimate fate.
If he had intended to revive in this manner, he wouldn’t have left such a farewell message for Lennok, nor would he have displayed such a detached attitude towards everything.
Ultimately, it was a question that depended on how the boy defined his own existence.
Judging by his references to the Three Grand Dukes and the Emperor, he certainly wasn’t without relevant knowledge.
Slurp.
In the silence, the boy calmly sipped his tea without a word.
As if only after hearing Lennok and Freya’s words did he feel inclined to consider who he was.
How much time had passed since Lennok suppressed Freya’s fidgeting shoulder?
“Drinking good tea warms the body.”
The boy’s eyes, holding the teacup, began to blink as if sleepy.
“I feel overwhelmingly sleepy…”
“Hey, are you asking for a scolding?”
Freya’s expression instantly turned stern.
“This kid has been playing with us adults since earlier, huh?”
“Indeed, for a normal child, this would be bedtime.”
Lennok gave a wry smile and tilted his head.
“But as Freya said, it’s hard to keep waiting without any explanation. Any words will do, so could you tell us whatever comes to mind?”
“…”
“I don’t think you’re an enemy, but considering what happened to Myeong in this Paradise Lost, I can’t be sure of anything. I need a convincing reason, even just to make an immediate judgment.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure. My apologies.”
The boy’s expression, having shaken off his sleepiness, grew more serious.
“I too have been pondering, as I do not wish to trouble my Benefactor, but…”
“But what?”
“It seems I have been sleeping inside this coffin for a very long time.”
To Freya’s sulky retort, the boy replied with a hazy expression.
“It was something, a measure to protect me according to a family edict… but it happened so long ago that I don’t remember the specifics.”
“…Edict?”
“I don’t remember clearly, but it wasn’t to protect us from enemies outside the family.”
The boy murmured.
“There was something, a very significant danger that threatened to bring down the oldest family from within…”
“…”
Lennok and Freya exchanged glances for a moment.
“Tower Lord. It seems we’ve actually obtained some meaningful information.”
“This is a story related to why Myeong had to create hell through his Gabihaeng.”
Lennok, lost in thought, said.
“A danger that existed only within the Black Edict family among the Five Families. If that’s why Myeong had to unleash the Gabihaeng and collect the continent’s deaths…”
He still remembered what Jain, the Grand Duke of Yeongheo he met in Gateway City, had said about Myeong.
“[The last head of the Black Edict family was a being bound by a profoundly tragic fate.]”
“[Throughout his life, he was forced to bear the deaths of others he did not wish for, and even his final outcome was predestined as a terrible failure.]”
“[Despite this, with transcendent mental strength, he held onto himself until the very end and forged a conclusion acceptable to all.]”
“[To unearth that secret now would dim the sagacity of the family head. Do you truly wish for that, noble one?]”
A tragic fate. Unwanted deaths of others.
If that incomprehensible question was related to some danger within the Black Edict family.
If that’s why no blood relatives carrying the Black Edict’s bloodline survived, apart from Myeong.
“This kid, he might actually be the Nether King himself.”
Freya muttered with a nonplussed expression.
“Could he be the young Nether King who led the family when the Black Edict’s taboo was broken? According to his explanation just now, that’s almost exactly what it feels like.”
“…”
“And he hasn’t shown surprise at hearing Myeong’s name. Knowing more about the Black Edict family than Ermont ultimately means—”
“No, it’s best not to jump to conclusions like that.”
Lennok shook his head.
“Myeong wasn’t someone deeply attached to his name or origin. He didn’t show it much, but he was more disillusioned by such things.”
“…”
“He valued pure, outstanding talent or the potential to transcend fate, rather than abilities stemming from origin or bloodline. That’s why I…”
Suddenly, Lennok realized the boy and Freya were staring at him, and he stopped speaking.
“Tower Lord. I didn’t know you were so close to the Nether King.”
Freya said with a peculiar expression.
“I’ve never heard that before. You’re not even a member of Pandemonium, but you know things that even the Doctor or The Clown don’t?”
“…If that weren’t the case, would I have participated in this plan?”
Though he brushed it off, it was true that he had been thinking about Myeong more than necessary.
Since Freya is one of the more observant ones in Pandemonium, it would be best to refrain from excessive speculation.
With that thought, Lennok naturally changed the subject.
“In any case, we know this boy carries the Black Edict’s blood. Judging by his talk of blood relatives and family, he’s certainly connected to Myeong.”
Lennok cleared the teacups, stood up, and said.
“Once the night lifts, I’ll contact Hylaea and explain the situation. Until then, we’ll have to wait here.”
As Myeong’s power swept through this space, the entire sky of Paradise Lost had turned black, like an endless night.
Because of this, even the Spell-Word Stones’ edicts were rendered inert, and other spellcraft or abilities were no exception.
Currently, even Freya’s Musical Scale Spellcraft couldn’t reach outside, making communication in and out of this place difficult.
For now, waiting for the night covering Paradise Lost to recede before moving would be the best course of action.
“Benefactor. Do you intend to withdraw from Paradise Lost once this night lifts?”
However, the boy, who was sipping the remaining tea, seemed to have a different idea.
“A situation where an Ascendant’s gaze cannot reach across all of Paradise Lost, as it is now, is rare. There will be no other time when her vulnerabilities are so exposed.”
“What did you say?”
“When night erases words, and words overwrite night, the perception of a fallen entity is bound to become muddled in the chaos.”
The boy, having neatly set down his teacup, rose from his seat.
The black-haired boy, tidying his clothes with small hands, looked up at Lennok intently.
“If my Benefactor wishes, I will guide you to the place where Paradise Lost’s most dangerous secret is hidden.”
“What…?”
“I do not know about myself, but for some reason, I seem to remember what I must do.”
The boy said calmly.
“There is something I can tell you about Jinwa’s secret. Can you trust me?”
“…Hey. Do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
Freya’s expression turned cold.
“You don’t know who you are, but you know what you’re supposed to do in this Paradise Lost? Are you messing with us?”
Even in Pandemonium, Freya isn’t one to think deeply before acting, but she’s by no means stupid.
She immediately realized that what the boy was saying far surpassed mere suspicion or strangeness.
“Loud lady. Please consider carefully.”
But to Freya’s sharp question, the boy replied in a dignified tone.
“Amidst many blurry things, there is knowledge and memory that is uniquely clear. What do you think that means for me?”
“What?”
“It probably means I am not a normal human, but a tool created for this very purpose.”
While Freya was speechless, the boy said calmly.
“If so, shouldn’t I, a tool, fulfill my duty?”
“…”
He had considered that his awakened self might not be a normal human, but a tool created for a special purpose.
Even more surprising was that the boy, having considered this, calmly accepted his own conjecture.
“It, it strangely makes sense… No, wait a minute. Thinking about it, he’s just spouting fancy words!”
Freya, who had almost inadvertently been swayed, suddenly scowled.
“He said it as if it sounded profound, but he hasn’t actually said anything about the real reason!! Suspicious! This is definitely a trap!!!”
“…”
The boy no longer retorted or responded to Freya’s words.
Instead, he simply gazed at Lennok with a serene look, as if awaiting his decision.
Only after meeting those calm, deeply settled eyes, devoid of any trace of madness, could Lennok make his decision.
“I’ll follow. Lead the way.”
“Tower Lord…!!”
“I know there’s a possibility it’s a trap.”
Lennok said to Freya in a calm voice.
“Making such a proposal right after waking up, and not being able to state his reason for helping us from the outset—it’s certainly suspicious.”
“But, why—”
“Because this boy is undoubtedly the longest-surviving individual in Paradise Lost at this moment.”
Lennok replied, looking at the boy’s impassive face.
“In that case, the secrets about Jinwa that he knows will likely include parts we don’t. We need that information.”
“…”
“Even in the worst-case scenario, we can find a way to survive. It’s worth the risk.”
No matter how you phrase it, you can’t say the boy’s existence or his proposal isn’t suspicious.
If he offers to tell us the truth about Jinwa while being unable to even explain who he is, we can’t just take it at face value.
Nevertheless, Lennok accepted the boy’s proposal because he was confident that even if all assumptions were wrong, he could at least preserve his life.
And, above all—
“I trust Myeong. I don’t believe he would have left such an arrangement to harm me.”
“…”
Myeong had tried to hide his true end from Lennok, never telling him about the Gabihaeng until the very last.
Even as he left many things to Lennok, he wished Lennok would not follow in his footsteps.
Lennok’s presence in Paradise Lost now was the result of his own judgment and decision, not anyone else’s.
Even if his trust in Myeong were to be betrayed at the last moment, he would not resent him.
The power to not regret that choice now existed within Lennok.
“Trust… is that so.”
The boy, silently pondering those words, set down the teacup and raised his gaze.
“My Benefactor is close with our bloodline, and you have come to this Paradise Lost for him.”
“…”
“You offered good tea to a stranger like me and patiently listened to my story for a long time. Even amidst the confusion, you respected my ability to make my own judgment.”
The boy slowly stood up, looked at Lennok, and nodded.
“Let us go. For my Benefactor, I would fulfill my calling even if it meant sacrificing this one life, without regret.”
“…Hey.”
Hylaea, her mouth agape, said with a bewildered expression.
“No matter how I look at it, that’s not something a kid who’s not even seven would say. How old are you, exactly?”
The boy smiled faintly.
“Let’s say seven.”
“Jinwa was a great Spell-Word Sorcerer who founded the continent’s common language, and one of the ministers who served loyally in the Imperial Palace.”
Whoosh!!
The three of them walked through Paradise Lost, shrouded in deep night.
A peculiar scene: the young boy, appearing not even seven, led the way, with Lennok and Freya following behind.
But the explanation flowing from the boy leading them contained even more peculiar details.
“She entered the Imperial Palace at the suggestion of the Cabinet, and before long, her contributions in various fields were recognized, and she rose to the rank of Grand General.”
“…”
“However, despite achieving a position admired by many, she was unusually obsessed with the fact that she was not of imperial birth.”
The boy said.
“More precisely, she disliked that True Blood did not flow in her veins.”
“…Hey. How do you know so much about Jinwa?”
Freya said, unable to hide her discomfort.
“No matter how I think about it, this isn’t the kind of secret the Nether King’s side would know. Are you really Jinwa’s servant or confidant?”
“…”
The boy’s explanation revealed an oddly detailed knowledge of Jinwa and Paradise Lost.
It was certainly an intriguing story, but precisely because of that, the boy’s true identity became even harder to guess.
Whoosh…!!!
Before they knew it, the trees of the surrounding orchard had become endlessly dense.
A strange feeling, as if they had entered the deepest parts of Paradise Lost in the blink of an eye, merely by walking normally.
Was it possible because the boy knew the ‘way,’ or was there some other method?
Why did the boy, of all people, know the path to Paradise Lost’s deepest core?
As Freya nervously looked around, Lennok asked.
“So, even after reaching Level 9, she didn’t stop and tried to become a god?”
“Many people mistakenly believe that an Ascendant and a god are the same concept. However, from a methodological perspective, there is a significant difference.”
“Methodological perspective?”
“Mortals may dream of ascending beyond the world, but that is closer to a heroic feat, overcoming the Outer Sea as a trial.”
The boy murmured.
“But a sea god, as the name suggests, is closer to a being born in the Outer Sea who dreams eternally. Their very essence is infinitely cosmic.”
“…”
“One might succeed in ascension and become greater than a god, or even transcend a god. But ultimately, one cannot become a sea god…”
The boy, slowly taking a step, said.
“Jinwa intends to make this Paradise Lost her own cradle for communicating with the Outer Gods.”
“…Cradle?”
“If a Seeker who founded the continent’s common language and reached Level 9 dreamed of ascending higher, what method would she choose?”
Lennok paused at the subtly familiar word, and the boy asked.
“She would wish to succeed in what she has done thus far, but in an even grander way, to reach beyond the unreachable.”
“…”
“After long experimentation, Jinwa realized what materials she needed and arrived at one conclusion.”
“…That is.”
“We’ve arrived, it seems.”
Quoooh…!!
A colossal structure, carved as if from purple wood, unfolded before their eyes.
A grim, pyramid-like altar of language, nestled somewhere deep within this vast, empty orchard.
Countless skinned corpses hung upon this immense structure, spanning thousands of meters in diameter.
Limbs crushed and twisted, forming strange, grotesque characters.
A chaos of incomprehensible form and system, seemingly reorganized into rules, using humans as raw material.
“This is one of the most dangerous secret places at the very heart of Paradise Lost. It is the reason Jinwa created Paradise Lost, and…”
The boy, standing before that immense and utterly gruesome laboratory, said.
“It is the Assembly Hall of Absolute Script, which creates the common language of the Outer Sea, capable of communicating with the Outer Gods.”