Chapter 643 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

The prison of Celsius was as surreal as the ice castle itself. Dozens of statues that seemed to be frozen people were trapped, motionless, behind bars made of icicles. In truth, the bars were merely for display; the ice encasing their entire bodies was their real prison. “I don’t misunderstand you. Those with exceptional intellects are inevitably arrogant. A magician who delves into deeper knowledge often dabbles in dark magic, believing they can control it.” Temperus was saying something, but there was a matter far more pressing. I quickly counted the ice statues with my eyes. Twenty in total. It's slightly less than the number I was informed about. Celsius's territory must not have been fully checked. Most of the twenty were insignificant. Despite the extensive teaching of formal magic in the academies, they couldn't or didn't capture them. “However, such arrogance leads only to one's demise and the ruin of those around them. Frankly, I don’t care if you self-destruct, but I’d rather not have your ‘experiment’ bring the curse of dark magic upon this land.” There were five guards surrounding me. They all practiced Qi. True to their reputation as mercenaries of the famed Celsius magic family, they had all mastered Qi. Although not highly esteemed in society, they excelled in its application. They've probably roughed up more than anyone else. And as for magicians? A few guard magicians, but none particularly skilled. However, Temperus was exceptional. “It would be better to eliminate the impure, but considering Miss Elisha's message... Besides, your accomplishments in educating and reforming the ignorant are noteworthy. The Celsius family deems your abilities quite useful.” Though Temperus himself was a considerable magician, what truly made him stand out was the magical facilities of the Celsius estate. As an executor, he had the authority to use these facilities. A magician’s power is determined by their preparation. At present, Temperus wielded the power of the Celsius family. My calculations were complete. I spoke slowly. “So, you’re saying I should continue what I’ve been doing? Is that why you’ve brought me here?” “Not at all. The family requires two things from you. One is to align yourself with the Celsius family and teach magic to students. The other is to immediately cease teaching dark magic and carry out post-processing.” “Post-processing?” “It’s about erasing the dark magic you’ve spread across this land.” In other words, find them all and eliminate them. A tedious and pointless task. I asked back. “Right now?” “No, not now. With such an important event like the Advent imminent, we can’t cause a commotion. We should quietly identify the whereabouts of the dark magicians and wipe them out once the Advent is over.” “Haven’t we already caused enough commotion?” There were already more than twenty missing from the territory. As I pointed inside the prison, Temperus smirked. “These? They're inconsequential. They’re those who live parasitically in the empty lands between territories. No one would know if they were mauled by a bear or died falling into ice. Probably no one would search for them.” “Hmm. Are you sure about that?” “Is there a problem?” “No, just…” I shrugged my shoulders, pondering there might indeed be those who would look for them. I crossed my arms and spoke. “There’s one part I don’t quite understand.” “I thought I explained it straightforwardly. What part is unclear?” “The reason I teach formal magic is that without it, these dullards can’t even come close to the magnificent mysteries of magic. Formal magic is the one glimmer of mercy I can show to the fools who would otherwise lead an ignorant life.” Temperus knew little about formal magic, and even less about mercy. His face twisted, not comprehending my words. “I don’t understand. You call dark magic mercy? Are you sane?” “Explain the sea to someone who has only lived inland, and all they can imagine is a large lake. It’s the same. No matter how much you describe the greatness and splendor of magic, how could the ignorant possibly understand? Teaching formal magic is a way to show even a speck of its sweetness to those who have been excluded from magic throughout their lives.” There’s just one course of action I took in Celsius territory. If I could teach white magic, I did. If not, I taught formal magic. Those who learned from me ended up being able to wield magic. That was my principle. It was what I wanted. Or rather, what they wanted. “W-What, you spread dark magic just for that... that deplorable magic where one offers their own body as a sacrifice?” “You know better than anyone how gracious magic can be.” “Still! Abusing dark magic causes the body to decay from the extremities!” “It’s still the same now, isn't it?” Celsius territory is a slight exception. Thanks to temperatures above freezing, a small application of water magic yields clear water and warmth. This allows Celsius territory to cultivate crops, albeit in a small way. But the grace doesn't extend to the outer areas. The northern part of the continent without magic remains cold. People survive by melting ice and snow to drink and huddle under shabby tents to weather the cold. They live a primitive life, clutching magical tools discarded by the Celsius estate. “In the outer areas, it's common for people to lose their hands or feet to frostbite. The remedy is to cut it off before the wound festers. Isn’t dark magic nothing more than that? Every moment is like dark magic for them. Wouldn’t it be less bitter to sever limbs that would rot away anyway, by one’s own will?” It seemed my words had greatly shocked Temperus. After a long silence, he rubbed his forehead and spoke. “…Ha. I thought you were dabbling out of curiosity, but this runs deep. Are you refusing to relent?” “You’re the one being stubborn. Dark magic this, dark magic that. Even a parrot would speak better than you.” "It seems there's no other choice. You pose an ideological threat. I was ordered to recruit you if possible, but..." With a swift motion, Temperus raised his staff, and the temperature around me began to drop. Before I knew it, dozens of transparent ice blades hovered in the air, all aimed directly at me. "It would be better to dispose of you here and now. I am the executor of the Celsius family. I will erase dark magic from this estate, starting with you." "Are you sure about that? Weren't you the one who wanted to avoid causing a commotion?" "Don’t flatter yourself. Aren't you just a drifter, cast out from the floating fortress? No one will realize you're gone if you're taken care of here—just like those others outcasts." Ice had already crept up to my ankles. Any movement was impossible. I was in a dire situation. But Temperus's assumptions were incorrect. "Oh, really? Seems like it’s about time for someone to arrive." "What do you keep hinting at? Who?" There was no need for me to answer. The person he was concerned about had already arrived. The strength is abundant. The will is intense. All that's needed is the catalyst. "I declare in the name of the gods and saints. When the primordial dust settled for seven days and nights separating land and sky, what I need is time alone. The impure shall vanish over time." The celestial chant, derived from long years of safeguarding faith and the weak, resonated. It borrowed verses from scripture, similar yet distinct from a magician's spells, and replicated miracles. A holy invocation echoed. "Let time be poured upon the head of the lamb." Magic binds phenomena into reality through the chains of mana. Left unchecked, it naturally disperses over time. What is needed is just time. Gospel, the pouring of time. Ice began to melt away. The mana dissipated. As sparkling dust scattered, the binding ice used to imprison began to dissolve in the light of purification. Where it melted, bright sunlight shone through. Only one person in the Celsius estate could wield such divine power. Temperus called out that name. "Father Casas...!" Amidst the scattering light, Father Casas appeared, holding Richard in his arms. With a rosary in one hand and a glowing bible suspended in the air, he commanded with a stern voice. T1NrUTkreFYvQUZ1VEE0bGdJSWROd2kvMDNIak9HZUd0OXJtb2VkT3R5TTdCT0tQZ1B4bTJ4emhkRmRDQ0V6Ng "Executor Temperus. Cease at once!" "What business does a lackey of the Holy See have meddling in family matters?" "That's my question! Involving an innocent child in your disputes. Do you possess neither common sense nor compassion?" A hero's entrance—for both Richard and myself. The Holy See is undoubtedly one of the continent's mightiest forces. People often forget because, despite their power, they operate discreetly. They haven't seized vast territories or wielded overwhelming authority. The Holy See simply exists—in the hearts of the people, in churches, monasteries, and sacred places. Yet, the Holy See holds power. Father Casas, wielding scripture and a rosary, exemplifies that. As I silently cheered my newfound ally, Father Casas pointed toward me and erupted in anger. "Isn’t it that wizard who spread wicked knowledge? Punishing him would suffice, so why try to ensnare the innocent with death? How can you claim to be an adult!" ...So, perhaps he's not exactly on my side.