Chapter 61: Gathering at Auriga Palace (2)

In her partial, colorless domain, that vast sea of nothingness contained only her, a throne and a flowerless field of green. She seemingly mimicked a sliver of terrestrial scenery whilst all alone. I could still vividly remember that realm, as well as her facial expression the moment she watched me leave. With white hair and golden eyes, she held a twisted look of disgust and ire—unbefitting of one who claimed to be a Goddess.

I was only told to interact with the world. Coming from that Goddess, I still don’t understand what that means. And what does that make me then, if not an Effigy...?

It was a disconcerting thought, yet Marna had often referred to herself as my primary summoner. By her own words, every Effigy held a primary summoner—a sole individual that was responsible for an Effigy’s calling. A quaint coalescence between blood and ritual, while creating an invisible contract devoid of any strings attached. And that calling then became registered by the world itself.

I was wrong in assuming that every Effigy would have passed through the Goddess first... But why? Why did I believe that when my own experience was my only reference? You absolute idiot...

I could only continue to curse my own ignorance. However, I couldn’t recall ever being told otherwise. Marna had only stated that the world wills the other Effigies into being summoned, and nothing about the Heart of Aerith itself. And the thing is, even Marna had consistently referred to me as an Effigy.

Would that just make me a title-less Effigy then...? I just can’t... Dammit. Why couldn’t she have just—

I dug my nails deeply into my palms in self-frustration, knowing better than to continue that thought process. Bearing the title of the Divine Elder, it means that Marna was forced to be cautious with her every word. She, and her people, were bound by a separate law from my own after all.

“Providence is fickle in its answers—is a saying my mother once told me. It’s smitten by the choices of others, watching everyone else before truly committing. It heeds everything, from the sway of a bird’s flutter to the soft cough of a newborn child. And yet, more than anything else, it fixates on words.”
“Words?”
“Yes, since words have more power than people seem to realize. The right word can even blemish an inevitability. That’s why your liberal use of the Divination arts may differ than our own, Sir Albel... We, the Elven, must abide by certain rules created by this world, or lose what we cherish the most—our observance of the days to come.”

Marna had once vaguely explained the faint workings of the Divination that restricted the Elven people. That’s why I knew I couldn’t exactly fault her for not being upfront about everything she was potentially aware of. But at the very least now, I was informed about its existence—about the Heart of Aerith.

Would Marna be able to answer truthfully now if I asked her about it? Even her letter was still a bit... Wait. If the Heart of Aerith is the one overseeing the summoning of the Effigies, then just where does the Goddess even come in...?

She was the one that had ferried me into Aerith, yet I still knew nothing about her. She held a unique power of her own, that was certain, given that she even provided the body of ‘Albel’ for me. That’s why a single, deafening question now made itself known.

Who exactly is the Goddess Eve?

“Hey, kid, you there?

I was suddenly back in the Reception Hall as a concerned Lukos eyed me from his seat. And as I turned my head in response to the voice, Vostoun was now standing near me too. The Queen had apparently finished her speech. He was scratching the back of his head with a raised eyebrow.

“Sleeping while standing? A bit rude, aren’t we? I didn’t think the party was that dull. Either way, I have a request to make of you.”

He corrected his posture, now at attention with a stern expression. His hand met his chest in a dignified manner.

“Diviner, Her Majesty would like to meet with you now.”

❖

We walked down a long and empty corridor of the Auriga Palace. It was scarcely lit as the party remained within the Reception Hall. I trailed sluggishly behind Vostoun in silence, rubbing my eyes every few seconds. They felt strained alongside the hammering of my temples.

Maybe I should have listened to him... It feels like it really is getting worse. But... No, I need answers today, not later. I won’t be able to move forward otherwise.

If my mental state was a shoreline, then the torrential waves were question after question, engulfing any sense of reason I latched onto. Still, leaving the three others behind, only Cruubi came along as it sat quietly on my head. Lukos had even attempted to persuade me, but I decided against listening.

“Are you sure, Albel? It might be better to put it off for another time. You aren’t looking so great.”
“No, I’m fine. Besides, heading back now would only make it worse. I don’t think I’d be able to even sleep.”
“Well, if you put it like that...”

I asked him to look after Eru as I went on ahead to meet the Queen. And now, I stood in between a set of double doors and two guards. Their eyes treated me with a dose of skepticism, as they then looked back toward their superior. I wasn’t in the least surprised, since I was still wearing my black robes.

“General?”

Vostoun nodded in response, which apparently was a signal between the three as the two guards put their hands on the doorknobs. Yet, they still hesitated for a second as Vostoun spoke up.

“Before we enter, Diviner, I ask that you mind your manners in Queen Leonora’s presence.”

He stepped back and near me, placing his hand on my back.

“That aside, it’s an unofficial and off-the-record meeting, so you don’t have to be so tense either.”
“Hm—?!”

A sudden and heavy smack against my back caused my body to jerk forward as I stumbled into the now opened doorway.

“Why the hell...?!”

And before I could say anything more, my eyes met three individuals. The first was Queen Leonora, who was seated on a couch with a teacup in hand. The two others were side-by-side and standing some distance behind her.

It’s dark. I can barely even see anything in here, but is that...?

The curtains were closed, and the room was faintly lit by a small lantern that rested on the table in front of the Queen. I could barely make out the faces of the two others, but the attire of one of them was rather distinctive and familiar. They were wearing something akin to a black-grayish suit and a top hat.

The announcer from the tournament? Why would someone like that be here? And the other is... Huh?

As I walked closer, the other individual’s face and blonde hair was finally revealed to me.

“Euler...?!”

I couldn’t stop my sudden outburst as I then made eye contact with that same person. He sheepishly smiled my way. It really was him. Alisa and his son, Hilm, were without injury, now being protected by the guild due to Lukos and Astrid’s connections, but we had yet to hear any word from Euler or anything about his disappearance.

“Oh, that’s right, you’re already familiar with one of ours. I’m interested in hearing the whole story, but I believe introductions are in order first.”

She took to her feet, draped in a translucent overcoat that sat neatly atop her silver, dress-like armor. Her navy-blue hair was in a crown braid, pairing well with her light blue eyes. She then suddenly took a slight bow.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Diviner. I would like to thank you for accepting my invitation and this meeting on such short notice. I am Leonora Creth, current Queen of Cretho.”
“No need to thank me, since I had my own reasons for doing so. Ah.”

I immediately slanted forward, clearing my throat as I continued.

“Sorry, I am Albel. The pleasure is all mine, Your Majesty.”

I could hear a soft chuckle across from me as I raised my head. She settled back down on the couch, smiling and gesturing toward the seat in front of her.

“Let’s skip any further formalities, shall we? You may refer to me as Leonora, and I shall refrain from using your named title as well. Is that preferable for you, Albel?”

She could sense the awkwardness in my posture, and possibly even in my way of speaking. I nodded and took her offer, taking my seat. She then looked to her immediate left as the man in the suit stepped forth. He removed his hat, showcasing his face in full detail now. It was empty, completely devoid of any human-like details.

“A blank face...? A Fleshringer...?!”

His empty face and dirt-brown hair shifted, rippling in response to my words, like layers of sand being parted and manipulated freely, seemingly crafting the physical traits of a human on the spot. His face had now differed from that of the announcer’s, but I still couldn’t tell if it were his true face or not.

I never thought I’d see one in this world...

A Fleshringer, a creature that held the ability to completely change their appearance, mimicking the features of anyone they had laid eyes on even once. It was a species that was almost on par with the Elven of Dusk when regarding their sparseness. Since, in MO, there had only been a single Fleshringer that was known to still be alive.

“So, you do know of my kind. It was worth showing you then. Indeed, I am a Fleshringer. I am the current Magister, Roulant, advisor to Her Majesty. It’s most pleasing to make your acquaintance, Diviner.”

He was the current Magister that had taken Elemnin’s place. It was basically instinctual as I attempted to activate [Investigate] out of pure curiosity, and yet my skill was somehow obstructed. His status refused to open for me.

I can’t use my skill? This guy, there’s no way they’re connected, right...?

It wasn’t like before with Guil, he wasn’t an illusion. I had once encountered that very Fleshringer in MO, and I could remember the same thing happening. It held the ability to negate certain skills. And that NPC was referred to as the Praetor of Campus Martius—the gatekeeper and guide of the Compound Dungeon.

“This may sound like an odd question but does the name ‘Falsum’ mean anything to you?”

I couldn’t help but ask about the NPC from MO, curious on whether they were somehow connected. And at the very least, I could only feel as if he had something to do with the skill negation currently underway.

“Excuse my ignorance, but I don’t believe that name rings any bells.”

He didn’t sound evasive, and yet Roulant was still eerily smiling my way. He returned his hat back on his head while his face shifted into a blank slate once more. And with a step back, he gestured at Euler to move on forward. Euler listened, still holding a rather awkward expression on his face.

“I’m glad I could see you again, Albel.”

His voice was low, differing from that previous upbeat demeanor he once held. He immediately took a deep bow and continued.

“Please forgive me for leaving you and your friends to deal with everything! I didn’t know... I didn’t know it would take a turn in that direction at all...!”

His apologetic voice was shaking. It was clear that he was crying too. It seemed as if he had an idea of what had transpired over the past few days.

“And thank you...”

His voice was stuck in his throat as he sniffled profusely.

“Thank you...for saving Alisa and Hilm...”

His murmured crying persisted, lasting for around a minute before he finally settled down. He still stood behind Leonora, now wiping his nose with a cloth given to him by Roulant. As soon as he finished though, he immediately dipped into another deep bow.

“My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty!”
“All is well in that regard, Euler. But I believe you owe Albel here an explanation.”
“Are you certain, Your Majesty?”
"Yes, speak freely. He already has both Vostoun and Roulant's seal of approval, so I believe we can trust him."

Seal of approval...? I don't recall doing anything to earn something like that.

Euler began speaking, starting from the very beginning. He was initially a part of the Queen’s Eyes due to his ability to use [Investigate] and a direct subordinate of Roulant. But he was a special case, since he also had a very rare ability that allowed him to manipulate and read certain magic—[Mana-Weaving]. It wasn't made for combat, but it still had its uses.

“I’m sure someone like yourself is well-aware, but [Mana-Weaving] allows for the user to even manipulate their status. It can even be used to prevent the identification and notice of a magic item in hiding.”
“So, your current status...?”
“Yes, it’s hidden behind a layer of magic that creates false information. Unless the one using [Investigate] is aware that it is, they won’t be able to see through it otherwise. I’ve heard that a stronger form of [Mana-Weaving] can counter even that, but it’s simply a myth as far as I know.”

It was due to this ability that he was given a certain task, one that entailed working under the previous Magister for a few years, while gaining his trust. All with the purpose of becoming a Qualm. Elemnin had apparently caught the suspicion of the Queen’s Eyes, and I couldn’t help but immediately jump to my feet upon hearing that.

“You all knew that Magister Elemnin was one of the heads of Eboracum, and still allowed for him to continue that work unrestricted!?”
“Albel...”

I could almost feel my blood rushing to my head, my body heating in unfiltered disgust. I was aware of Elemnin’s experiments, as Lukos and Astrid had already divulged the Hound of Ospus’ talk about his tainted findings. An accumulation of knowledge that was built on the cruel deaths of many.

“Previous Magister, Albel. I understand your anger, but caution was warranted. Eboracum isn’t an organization with any clear structure, a distinct crux of that hierarchy that we could easily find. Disposing of a single branch won’t give us the death of the entire tree.”

Leonora took over for Euler, firmly providing her reasons.

“You’re surprisingly well-informed, so as you already may know, Eboracum is said to have three heads. We still have no clue who that third head is, and our only source was killed. Furthermore, the bulk of his written work—his research—was taken too.”

I sat back down, clenching my fists over my lap. I understood where she was coming from, but it didn’t soothe my displeasure even a bit. They had years to figure out this situation but had nothing to show for it.

“And that’s partially my fault...”

Euler began speaking once more, continuing from where he left off. He was allowed access to Eboracum after a year, gaining the title of Qualm. This was due to his rare ability once again. He was told to conceal the magic of a crucial item.

“A few years ago, Elemnin had given me the task to deliver a confidential and sealed item to the north—to the second head of Eboracum, Estreth. This would be my first time ever meeting him. I knew it was going to be a long trip...so I decided to see Alisa one last time.”

He met with Alisa to say goodbye, and upon separating, he looked over the sealed item which was faintly glowing under the wrappings. He felt the leaking of a magic that he was actively attempting to conceal.

“I didn’t understand what was happening, so I unsealed it... And there I saw it. A dismembered hand covered in black markings. It immediately stopped glowing and I had a bad feeling...”

The hand was devoid of magic from that point on, so he shouted toward Alisa, asking her to come back to him. Distraught, his attention became focused on her.

“And when she returned to me... Its entirety had already moved. Whatever it was, it had merged with an unborn life, one that I had no idea about until that very moment. I didn’t understand at that time, but now I do.”

He called it for what it was, an isolated ‘Heavenly Virtue’ of a deceased Bearer. That same Virtue now belonged to his son, Hilm. I had already seen Hilm’s status too. He was considered the [Bearer of the 6th Heavenly Virtue].

“I decided to run away with Alisa that day, hiding both our child and the Heavenly Virtue...”

He decided to keep everything hidden from Alisa, living together in peace over those few years as they raised their child. That disconnect from the Queen's Eyes and his sudden disappearance caused the operation against Elemnin to be put on hold too.

"He became more guarded after Euler had vanished, and we refrained from making any contact with Euler since it could jeopardize both their lives and our position. Of course, we had no idea that everything would converge all at once—Euler's return and Elemnin's death."

An ongoing struggle and a set of clumsy actions, all shrouded in a thick layer of deceit and moral integrity. Queen Leonora's original goal was to put a face and name to the last member of Eboracum by using Euler, yet they had failed.