Chapter 581 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

"Consider this world as a single, colossal human being... No, that might be too hard to imagine. Let's simplify and assume there's an absolute deity who set the rules of this world." It's not a metaphor I'm particularly fond of, but there's no other way. I continued to explain. "The magnificent laws created by this deity form this world. They make water flow, ignite flames, strike down lightning, and keep the world in motion. A demonized being, or masin, is someone who possesses a part of this great law as their inherent magic." "Inherent magic? Do you mean the power of masin is their inherent magic?" "Yes. Fundamentally, there's no difference from your inherent magic. The distinction lies in just one aspect: their inherent magic resonates with the laws of this world. The truth you control is valid only within your immediate surroundings. However, a masin has no such limitations. Their inherent magic belongs to the whole world." That's why the world changes dramatically after the birth of a masin. The inherent magic of a masin is something everyone can access. Of course, like all knowledge, using the inherent magic of a masin requires considerable effort and study. "Is that why I, with my gears, can't become a masin?" "Yes. Well, if you manage to cover this entire land with gears and hang the moon and stars on your gears to orbit them, if gears become part of the universal laws moving the cosmos, you might just become a masin. If you could do it, that is." For the briefest moment, Maximilien devised such a plan. But as he calculated the number of gears needed to cover the land, he soon realized it was virtually impossible. "So, is there no other way to become a masin?" "You'll have to find that method yourself. But, if you don't mind, I'd recommend a different path." "What would that be?" "Do you really need to become a masin? Are they really that significant?" Maximilien frowned, thinking I was mocking his dream. In truth, I was mocking it. But it wasn't mockery for mockery's sake. "Masin are just people at the end of the day. They stumbled upon fragments of the great rules by chance while exploring the world, adopting them as their inherent magic. They're not much different from you. In fact, you might be greater than them. Masin merely mimic and borrow the inherent magic of the world." It's his choice: whether to unearth hidden great principles of the world or to tread a path only he understands. No matter how I looked at it, Maximilien seemed suited for the latter, but he didn’t think so. "Hmm. An impressive viewpoint. But it's not the direction I wish to take." "Do you still dream of becoming a masin?" "Indeed. I shall cover the world with gears!" Maximilien is a man of gears. Engaging with the world for him means putting gears against it. If the counterpart resembles a gear, he’ll mesh with it, but if not, his gears will tear it apart. Maximilien's desire is to transform the world, and humanity, into gears. To facilitate rational thinking and efficient communication is his true wish. "That's likely impossible." "Yet that does not give me reason to stop. Above all, there isn’t truly no way, is there?" Maximilien peered at me through his monocle. Reading his thoughts, I grimaced and responded. "...The king of humans, perhaps?" "Of course. You said replacing the king of humans wouldn’t matter, but that’s not entirely true, is it?" "No, I'm just speaking the truth. There's no real change, much like repainting a graph won’t alter reality." "Hahaha! Is that so? Then why have you changed? Why did you lose your power? How did the Sacred Church alter humanity!" Ugh. People are developing bad habits. There’s no need to strictly adhere to formalities for everything, though there are limits to shortcuts too. "I've given you fair warning. That's not going to work." "That might apply to you, having lost your power and unable to rule humans. But what about the soon-to-awaken king of humans?" "...Even if they regain their strength and awaken, they won't dominate the world." "The world will yearn for dominion!" Maximilien laughed heartily and lamented a slight tremor felt from the ground. "Alas, no rest even for a moment!" His intuition proved accurate. A single petal emerged from the ground, and from within the fully bloomed blossom, Nevida stepped out. She greeted me with clasped hands and a bow. "My liege. Is everything to your satisfaction here?" "Ah, yes. The room is quite comfortable." "If there's anything you require, please don't hesitate to let us know." Nevida offered formal courtesy and beckoned to Maximilien, who reluctantly rose. "Ah, I'm coming! What's it this time?" "We shall speak on that." It wasn't just me she was curt with. A relief, really. I'd feel wronged if it were just me. Maximilien glanced at me regretfully and said, "Hate to leave our conversation unfinished, but I am quite busy. Until we meet again!" "No need to apologize. I'd rather you stayed busy. Let’s make this our last encounter, if possible." At that moment, a thin voice from the Regressive Mage slipped through. "Wait, master...!" "What is it?" Happy to be called, Maximilien turned swiftly, eager to delay his duties. "Why are you... What are you doing here?" "Are you asking what my role is here, in a literal sense?" "Yes. You, dealing with gears... there's no place for you at the tree of blasphemy." "Hahaha! That's the greatest misconception of all!" Nevida's icy gaze urged Maximilien, yet his heart, powered like a gear, appeared to know no fear. He casually shrugged off her intimidating glare and spoke with vibrant energy. "This grandiose and arrogant blind clockmaker can create all sorts of things but can't fashion the tools he truly needs. He creates things like chimera beans, paper trees, and meat fruits. Yet, he's restless because he can't even produce a single winding spring!" "...A winding spring?" "Indeed. Just as in the militaristic nation, I am here to provide them with the winding spring they need..." "Enough. Keep your mouth shut." Nevida wouldn't let Maximilien spill all the details. A bamboo stalk shot up from the ground, menacingly grazing by Maximilien. It was as if a grove from some mythical forest had suddenly burst forth, sharp enough to be wielded as a spear if snapped. Even Maximilien felt a bit intimidated. He clamped his mouth shut and raised his arms. Nevida, having silenced him, offered a chilling warning to the Regressive Mage. "You live by His grace, and by that alone. If you value your life, stay out of my sight." Born in an age of savagery, Nevida didn’t waste time on words. Her harsh methods made lesser bullies seem trivial. Even Maximilien was cowed by the cold severity of her warning. Despite this, the Regressive Mage scoffed defiantly. YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0WFY2TS9md1VwTG5aUjJDYjNOWXlwZHNYVUgwbmtuM3JCMUEvTnQ2L25pUQ "Go ahead, try and kill me." ...Right. He wasn't one to let words get ahead of him. Even while unable to move his arms, the Regressive Mage met Nevida's gaze challengingly. "Why don't you try defying the orders of your king and kill me outright? Confront the king of humanity you so loudly swear loyalty to. Then I’ll die satisfied." Their eyes locked briefly. The standoff was short-lived. Nevida turned away coldly, realizing there was no need to test her loyalty by eliminating someone already incapacitated. Instead, she issued a low warning to the Archwitch's parrot. "Hexia. It's best not to converse with her." The parrot bobbed its head. [Is this an order?] "No. I can't command you. Consider it advice. She's not just hostile to me." [Hmm? Well, I'll keep that in mind.] "That's enough." With the conversation over, Nevida and Maximilien, still impaled on the bamboo, mounted the petal. In a flash, the petal closed, and the two vanished without a trace. With Nevida gone, the Regressive Mage let out a sigh of relief, and the parrot fluttered about the room, relieved. [Phew. The interloper's gone. Gears, of all things. I dislike them. They're so cold and rigid. I prefer things soft and fluffy. If that were to become a masin, the world would just become so stiff.] "Don't worry, that won't happen. It takes someone like Tyrkanzyaka to become a masin." [Not that either! Ugh! Why Tyrkanzyaka, of all people!] The parrot seemed obsessed with one question: why Tyrkanzyaka became a masin instead of itself. [Tyrkanzyaka was just a brat controlled by her own power! All she had was an excess of power and followers drawn to it! She wasn't fit to be a masin at all. If I had continued my research on this blood, I would have surpassed her one day and become a masin myself!] "That sounds like you just intended to snatch someone else's achievements. Isn't that a bit underhanded?" [She wasn't even trying to become a masin! She was a vengeful spirit with revenge on the brain! So why can't I become a masin? There's no problem with that!] "It may not be a problem, but hasn't it been centuries since you acquired Tyrkanzyaka's blood? If your research hasn't progressed much, it probably wasn't meant to be." [That's the same for Tyrkanzyaka! After 1,200 years of not dreaming of being a masin, why did she suddenly awaken to it? Why did she delve into her power instead of destroying the Sacred Church! Someone must have planted... something.] The parrot was midsentence, grumbling, when it caught sight of me whistling and avoiding its gaze. [It was you! You're the one who spurred Tyrkanzyaka into becoming a masin!] "I didn't make her a masin. Tyr became a masin by her own decision." [You must have been the catalyst! Tyrkanzyaka, while not stupid, never cared for such things. You're the only one!] "Being the catalyst makes someone noteworthy. And yet, here you are, having aimed to become a masin from the start, and you couldn’t do it." [Hey!] The parrot, seemingly ready to rip into my shoulders, gripped them fiercely and flapped its wings, as if it planned to lift me skyward only to drop me. "And shouldn't you focus on something else? Rather than who helped Tyr become a masin, isn't it more important to understand how she became one?" [Oh? You know?] "I have some idea. I was nearby when Tyr became a masin." Taking advantage of the parrot’s brief pause, I explained what had transpired with Tyrkanzyaka. "Here’s the short of it: After achieving what she desired, Tyr lost her power. More precisely, she lost her control over her blood. The vast dominion she held over all vampires, Einherjaren, and Elders vanished, and she returned to being just a girl with blood magic." [Is that so? Then there's no need for the puppet ritual anymore. But?] "That's when a few Elders plotted rebellion. There were several reasons: disappointment that the great Tyrkanzyaka cast aside her power, their desire to seize power, but most importantly, the newfound feasibility of rebellion. When something becomes possible, the urge to do it follows—it’s human nature." [Haha! Serves her right. I always knew it would happen. Tyrkanzyaka had strength but was never a leader worthy of respect, unlike me!] It's amusing hearing someone who uses a parrot to avoid human contact speak of respect. Perhaps a glance in the mirror might prompt some introspection. "So, in order to overcome the Elders' rebellion, Tyr absorbed all sorts of powers and techniques. These included skills the Elders had honed over centuries. Even though her dominion had faded, the skills they used originated from Tyr. By assimilating all the Elders’ powers and techniques, she became a masin." Each Elder was a formidable figure worthy of historical mention. The combination of skills and knowledge gained as each of the twelve enhanced their unique blood magic was extraordinary. Tyr amassed the knowledge from all twelve branches, which proved sufficient to become a masin. [See! It wasn't like Tyrkanzyaka achieved it through her own power! It's deceitful!] "Better to be a deceitful masin than a wannabe masin trying to usurp someone else's blood." [What's the missing piece for me then? Hey, what was Tyrkanzyaka's realization?] "Realization?" [The final piece missing to become a masin. What insight led Tyrkanzyaka to become a masin?] Oh, that? It’s nothing grandiose. It was something Tyr already knew; she just never had the chance to reflect on it. "That being alive is, surprisingly, not such a big deal."