Chapter 650 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

I employed telepathy. Though I remained frozen, I was able to read the perspectives of others outside. I illuminated myself through the eyes of others. The space was encased in hexagonal crystals of ice. Trapped in the center, I couldn't even blink, held motionless by a force closer to stasis than mere freezing, unable to resist or escape. "I've confined him within the encasement. As long as Celsius' rules are maintained, he'll remain there forever." In the frozen world, Elsia's low voice resonated clearly. The still air made her words even more distinct. Members of the Celsius family issued orders to the soldiers with voices amplified by magic. "They’ve used refractive crystals to obscure the view. Clean up the surroundings." "Leave no traces of dark magic." The prisoners who had been released were once again frozen in place. Forces cautiously advanced towards Father Casas and Hilde, who had been hiding in a corner. Unlike before, the soldiers now approached with more care, leading with their staves. "Be cautious of the housekeeper. She's quite a skilled artisan." "If she teams up with holy power, it’ll become troublesome. Remove the priest for now." "Father Casas, you shouldn't have come here." The soldiers pointed their spears at Father Casas, who was slowly retreating. Even though they were still out of reach, Father Casas had to be careful. In his arms lay the fallen Richard. Cradling the child, Father Casas shouted. "I'm fine! But let this child go!" As Father Casas cried out, a chuckle echoed from somewhere. Rankin Celsius, who was preparing magic from a protected position behind the soldiers, put away his staff and spoke. "Your plea is misguided, Father. It might work if it were the other way around." "The other way around…!" "If you, as a missionary, quietly withdraw, we won’t bother to pursue you. You understand what I mean." Even in Celsius' domain, attacking a missionary is a burdensome act. While not impossible, if a peaceful resolution is an option, it would be preferable. However, Father Casas had already set foot into this matter and could not retreat. "I'll sternly admonish this child! He won't even think of dark magic again! He’ll live quietly out there!" "That's uncertain." Father Casas met the cold gaze of Rankin Celsius. With his eyes, Rankin was asking the priest if choosing a more certain method wouldn’t be better. That cruel, determined, and above all, rational choice filled Father Casas with indignation. "What crime does the child have? Is it right for this intelligent and cunning child to lose all opportunities just for being an outsider? Is it Celsius’ way to deny even the slightest chance?" Father Casas could feel the weight of the child in his arms. Light as a feather. A boy who should have been physically and mentally thriving at this age was light enough for Father Casas to carry with one arm. "If only you had given even a little attention to these children! This child would have stepped up to become a wizard on his own! He wouldn't have turned to dark magic and would have contributed to the domain! It was you who abandoned so many children like him!" "A nail is bound to pierce through a pocket." Even faced with the priest's impassioned speech, Rankin Celsius remained as cold as a figure made of crystal. "A nail that can’t even pierce such a small pocket is irrelevant, whether it exists or not. We have no use for it." And yet, the troops took another step forward. Father Casas clenched his cross tightly. "Perhaps here, it's wise to retreat! As a missionary, if I used my status to hold them back, I could save Richard! But…!" That would be overstepping. Father Casas was not one to abuse the authority of the Holy See for personal reasons. If he were that kind of cunning individual, he wouldn't be in this predicament. Besides, the Holy See itself had a strict stance on dark magic, so they wouldn’t fully support Casas either. Father Casas cast his hopes on one last hope. "The housekeeper. Her skills were incredible. On par with the Holy Sword Order. She might have another means!" Meanwhile, Hilde, who was the subject of that hope, remained nonchalant. "Father, you got caught on purpose, right? I won’t intervene. I trust you." Trust indeed. Though her faith seemed to be heading in an unusual direction. Not that it was a problem. Escape magic was my specialty. While this was my first time being trapped in ice, it made little difference. The key was understanding the trick, and fortunately, after visiting the keepsakes, I had grasped it. Inside the interdimensional treasure room, there lay a small thermometer. Housed in pristine, transparent glass, filled with mercury – it was humble but meticulously maintained. To the untrained eye, it might appear as a mere maintenance thermometer. Vaults often included such tools to prevent damage, after all. It was well hidden. That thermometer was a keepsake of Kelvin Celsius. The foundation upon which all keepsakes were built. I connected with the thermometer visible within the treasure chamber. "Set, Celsius." The thermometer responded. The temperature remained constant, but the readings moved. And then the crystallized space shattered. With a resounding crash, fragments of wind scattered like a storm. My body, once stilled, erupted outward with incredible speed, perhaps seeking release after the confinement. Tumbling across the snowy ground, my head eventually collided against a wall with a loud thud. A moment of silence ensued. In the newly settled quiet, I worked to release my stiffened limbs. Had my muscles tensed? It felt more as if they had been frozen. Such magic that could penetrate to the core of my being was formidable. Thanks to Tyr’s demonic influence, I was recovering swiftly, yet it was quite a thorny ordeal. Elsia, who had frozen me, was taken aback. "How? Did you break free from the treasure chamber’s binds?" The power that had trapped me was ‘cryo-preservation.’ A keepsake made to resemble a transparent ice freezer, its ability was to preserve anything contained within. By combining it with a keepsake wielding the power of ‘ice sculpture,’ they created a crystallized ice cell around me, and with support from the chamber's backup, executed a miraculous phase transition instead of freezing. Their powers were intricately interlocked. However, when something is interlocked, it means that even a slight twist can unravel it. The legacy of Kelvin Celsius isn't about measuring temperature. The true power is in controlling the temperature to accumulate heat, defining the freezing and boiling points. I used the keepsake to subtly alter the criteria for crystal formation. As a result, the compromised structure of the crystal spat me out, like someone regurgitating food they couldn't handle. But there's no need to reveal it all. "Ta-da! It's a simple trick of magic. Can you guess how it’s done?" To the uninformed, it might seem more mysterious than magic. I gave a shrug and bowed slightly. "..." "..." "Wow! As expected of you, Father! I had faith in you!" Hm. The reaction is underwhelming. Hilde’s the only one cheering. A peculiar tension emanated from the members of the Celsius family. They couldn't comprehend how I had escaped, and that in itself was a defeat. After all, Celsius was a wizard through and through. Rankin Celsius hid his faint sense of defeat as he spoke. "A demon...? No, that can't be. There's been no demon discovered that involves calculus until now!" "Of course not. Calculus isn't that sort of power." Great. My body is moving well now. As I stretched to relieve the stiffness, I spoke. "It's an impressive power. I almost crossed the River Styx before I could resist it. Luckily, I met one of your ancestors, Kelvin Celsius, who helped me return. He was a true gentleman. I'm greatly indebted to him." "Are you mocking us right now?" "I’m sincere." It’s unfortunate that my sincerity isn’t understood. I wanted to convey regards from their ancestor. Nonetheless, the truth that I escaped is undeniable, which drew everyone's attention here. Now it's time for a proper conversation. I raised a finger to draw everyone’s focus. "While conversing with the first Celsius, I realized a very important truth. A key piece of information about calculus." As a distant descendant of Kelvin Celsius, you have the right to learn what I discovered. Listen well. This lecture is for your benefit. "Having encountered many demons, I can affirm that calculus doesn't harmonize with demons. There’s no need to resort to calculus. Most of the rules of other esteemed magical families have no connection to demons. Why is that?" A grand principle that traverses the world. Personal profound magic is an impression shaped by an individual's extreme exploration. When those two align, a demon appears. So what does this mean? "It means it's nothing special. It's not based on a grand or extraordinary principle." The sorcerers bristled, interpreting my words as an insult. I nonchalantly absorbed the fleeting malice and sighed softly. "What’s termed rules are technically not the logic of the world. It’s a refined magic that delves deeply into a phenomenon and renders it usable. In other words, a machine crafted through magic? Like a facility? It's a contraption of similar nature." The rule of Celsius Domain is straightforward: above freezing and boiling points. Applying and reapplying this simple rule created a vast thermal loop circulating throughout the domain. Despite the snow-covered terrain, the domain's temperature was notably milder. This power did not stem from some profound truth; it was a small, ordinary sentiment crafted with human consideration. "Why is Celsius Domain the most livable place? It’s not because the ability is remarkably superior. Rather, overly exceptional knowledge tends to become detached from life. It’s because of the pure intent within it that it became grand." Rankin retorted. "Isn’t that an affirmation of the greatness of Celsius’ calculus?" "You’re mistaken. It’s the intent that’s grand, the calculus and rules are merely shells. Humans should always be able to switch their tools, shouldn’t they?" No matter how crucial you claim it to be, it’s from the perspective of the wielder of tools. To use tools to oppress people? Well, sure. Such things happen frequently. That too is a human instinct. However, if you forget that they're just tools and start worshiping them—I can remind you. Who the true master is. "System. Framework. Justice. Morality. Virtue. Civilization. These are all tools. What’s essential is the purpose. Regardless of who determined it, there is no tool that’s noble and lofty in itself." I held up a transparent key. I had discreetly borrowed this key, which opened the keepsake vault of Elsia, when I melted the ice and escaped. Upon seeing it, Elsia wore a startled expression. "When did you…?" Seems like she’s never been pickpocketed before. Such a trick wouldn’t even be considered a skill back in the alleyways. I twirled the key with a grin. "If your belief is superior and greater than humans, something trivial like me tinkering a bit won’t cause it to crumble, will it?" "Be careful…!" Elsia was apprehensive upon seeing the key in my hand, fearing that I might break or damage it. 'Control your expression. The essence of the keepsake vault is Rene's pocket, and the key is just the means to open it. If it breaks, it can simply be acquired again! Right now, prevent him from acting foolishly! If the keepsake vault goes berserk!' "It’s a futile act. This is a keepsake of Celsius. You’re not capable of handling it, and if someone who doesn’t know its purpose interferes, it’ll only lead to danger. If you don’t wish to freeze and shatter into pieces, reconsider your actions while you still have the chance…." "Open sesame." The sensation of the space opening was something I gleaned earlier while reading thoughts. Approaching a nearby ice wall, I promptly inserted the key. The ice split apart, forming a large doorway. I turned the key, and the door to the keepsake vault opened. Creak. There should be nothing behind the ice wall, yet the space opened, revealing the Celsius keepsake vault. As mentioned, it’s a passage to the vault. It's connected to the space opened before. From within the vault, a chill and magical energy flowed outward. Now, forgetting all decorum, Elsia screamed. "Stop! You fool! Such a thing is not for mere fools to meddle with!" "Humans resist. They strive to protect themselves with constancy against external attacks, challenges, invasions, and variables. It's the essence of life." The keepsakes placed upon the magic circle each held their designated positions. To harness the powers of keepsakes with different abilities stably, the magic circle must be meticulously designed to channel the magic in a predetermined order. A subspace magic circle with a keepsake as its core. This is the foundation that forms calculus. I reached out my hand. Like Shei's pocket, the internal space was expansive, yet my hand, disregarding distance, touched the desired object. "Hello, Celsius. Starting today, the rules are going to change a bit. Try to adapt to the amended rules. There's no need for resentment; isn't that how everyone lives?" If humans are to be tested by rules, then rules must also accept challenges from humans. They must prove their worth to me, demonstrating how useful and valuable they are. I gently moved the keepsakes of the vault. The long-standing rules of the domain were being restructured. Despite the greatness of the rules, altering them was as simple as organizing disarrayed items.