Necromancer Of The Black Bible (92)

Two days have passed since entering the interior of the Ethereal Gate.

I had already received the report that Natasha would travel with Verdin.

It is not something to greatly worry about.

‘Rather, it is something to look forward to.’

Natasha has regained memories of her previous life, but she cannot freely wield that power.

It means she has not yet awakened.

For such a child, travel can be good stimulation.

The same applies to Verdin.

His talent is outstanding enough that William once wanted to teach him personally.

Yet he is not usable yet.

Above all, he has an intense longing.

Finding the princess he failed to protect in life—until he does that, he likely will do nothing else.

‘So sending them like this is right.’

Natasha’s awakening and resolving Verdin’s long-cherished desire.

Once those two are achieved, they will return to me, and from then, they will be useful.

The problem is not them.

The issues inside the Ethereal Gate were not simple.

The Wheel of Eternity brought in timeously seemed to operate immediately, but it was not easy.

Because the facilities here were more complex than expected.

Even Eliastra seemed not to fully understand.

I slowly toured the Ethereal Gate interior while El and Ceres’s kin busily restored it.

‘Structures I’ve never seen.’

As part of the Ethereal Realm, seeing them for the first time is natural.

Even so, it is too unfamiliar.

The pure white walls were marble, yet strangely, not a speck of dust touched them.

Red carpet covered the floor, and wide glass windows covered the ceiling, allowing the view beyond—endless night sky there.

Starlight so vivid, it was quite different from viewing on the surface.

And through small windows dotted on walls, looking out, a massive blue sphere was visible.

Its scale so immense, not fully visible at a glance.

‘What is this?’

Equinox spoke to my question.

[Observe carefully, and you will know.]

As Equinox said, I examined the sphere carefully.

Then I learned several facts.

White smoke-like things slowly moving.

Below, something in ochre and green visible, its shape very familiar.

‘A continent map?’

Indeed.

It matched the continent map enough to believe if said enlarged.

The difference perhaps lies in the vast blue beyond below.

[That is the sea.]

[The sea?]

[Where all the water of this world gathers.]

I had heard of it.

Likely a famous bard’s travelogue, where the author wrote thus about the “sea”:

<…Sea! Water from which all life primordially arose! Thanks to God for preventing this vast water from covering the land! Praise to God for filling bellies with life from this water!….>

In truth, bards’ writings are mostly colloquial, hard to read, with much disagreeable embellishment, so I rarely read.

Yet then, hooked by the new word “sea,” I read to the end.

‘So this is the sea.’

Water more than the continent.

Seeing thus, I understand.

What I am seeing.

‘The continent—no, above this world.’

Gazing down at the world from the Ethereal Gate’s view brought new sentiments.

Is this God’s viewpoint?

[Astranova. This is the name Kallios gave the continent upon creating it.]

Astranova means “new star.”

To God, this continent seemed like a new star.

I heard he made many plans creating this world anew, and gazing at the continent here, I somewhat understand why.

‘Beautiful. Excessively so.’

Blue sea, green forests, deep yellow deserts. White clouds floating over these three colors.

This sight more beautiful than any gem I have seen.

Likely the God Kallios was captivated by this sight.

‘But I will not be enchanted by such an appearance.’

I already know.

The true nature of that continent.

No hope in that place dominated by all evil and chaos.

Only desperate struggles and groans exist.

What I seek there is merely my own safety and my master’s peace.

Nothing else is important.

[Do not judge hastily. Quite a few now place expectations on you, Master.]

[Expectations on me?]

Well.

Who places expectations on me?

My heart is still connected to Archdemon Illinas, and he pursues me.

My power is still at 4th-circle level.

Though borrowing guardian spirits’ power allows far stronger magic, it cannot compare to Illinas and Dikrea occupying the Ethereal Realm.

Not yet surpassing them now.

Expecting from me is foolish.

[You undervalue your own power too much, Master. Though you cannot handle both at once, defeating them individually is possible even now.]

[They form a group. If I attack, they will mobilize their army.]

One-on-one perhaps, but facing the entire great demon legion is impossible no matter how thought.

Because I have no army to handle them.

Yet Equinox countered this judgment too.

[The Ethereal Gate is a stronghold built concentrating all of God’s powers. When rebellion arose in the Ethereal Realm, Eliastra sealed it to prevent it falling to demons’ hands. Now in your hands, Honored Master, raising the power to face their army is merely a matter of time.]

[Raising power? How?]

[It is detailed in the booklet Eliastra has.]

Power to oppose demons of the Ethereal Realm.

Equinox’s words that such power can be raised were sweet.

I turned my steps toward that sweetness.

The book Eliastra held was full of characters never seen.

Those characters similar to ones glimpsed in the original “Aium de Equinox.”

[They are the same characters. God’s characters. These directly translate God’s language without other symbolic meanings, so merely reading conveys the meaning.]

As Equinox said.

Unknown how to pronounce or interpret, yet meaning conveyed just by seeing.

El explained this was possible because human bodies created by God were designed so.

Content too vast to examine all, but needed parts found quickly.

<… The Ethereal Gate is largely divided into three parts.

One is the entrance, through which wandering souls on the surface can be sucked in.

Two is the purification and selection organ, selecting sucked souls—preparing high-grade for reincarnation, reducing unqualified to energy.

Three is the bridge connecting to the Ethereal Realm, guiding reincarnation-prepared souls there. Crossing it, souls completely lose past memories and complete reincarnation preparation….>

I heard much from El and Equinox about the God Kallios’s thoughts creating this world.

Then hard to understand, but seeing this, finally comprehended.

‘Annihilate useless ones, select only useful for reincarnation.’

Reincarnation’s purpose is likely to build his own army.

Heavenly army following God’s will.

With that army, nothing is impossible.

Higher world, together with souls—mere pretty excuses.

‘But the essence is to solidify absolute power.’

Penbris’s wraith army is insufficient against demons.

Demons cannot see them, but the wraith army cannot harm demons either.

Only few with artifacts are useful.

I sat at Oracle’s center gazing where the large crystal sphere projected.

The place of recent clash with the wraith army.

Clashed with thousands—no, tens of thousands—yet the landscape here barely changed.

Only a few branches broken.

If I left those rushing with artifacts, there were more traces, but I did not leave them.

To oppose demons, an army with bodies was needed.

Select high-level souls, grant bodies—gathering my own army is not difficult.

I turned to El and asked.

“The booklet you gave. It explained the reincarnation device. Where is that device?”

“That is…”

El did not answer immediately.

Pausing briefly, she spoke with difficulty.

“It should be beyond there, but…”

“…?”

I approached the direction El pointed.

A massive door decorated with gold; grasping the handle, it opened silently.

“If you open that door…”

Before El finished, wind in the room whooshed out once.

At the same time, breath caught, but I stabilized immediately.

Because I normally did not breathe anyway.

The sweeping wind and blocked breath.

From these two, I realized several facts.

That something changed upon opening this door.

‘I cannot breathe.’

Meaning living beings cannot live here.

And the second realization.

‘It’s cold.’

Cold never experienced on the surface.

Cold as if the entire body would freeze just standing there.

Thanks to that, my body froze crunchily.

If my base Cold Resistance was not at 60%, I would have frozen instantly.

I immediately used Cold Scale Armor magic.

Then Cold Resistance increased to 100%, and my stiffened body began loosening.

Ice pieces in the joints shattered and fell, only then did my body feel comfortable.

Then, seeing the sight before my eyes, I could not help but be shocked.

‘What is this?’

The bridge was severed.

According to the booklet seen moments ago, this bridge should be over the River of Oblivion, with the Ethereal Realm beyond.

‘Neither river nor Ethereal Realm visible.’

Equinox too was shocked, silent for a while.

Then Eliastra approached from behind.

She looked at the severed bridge and the black dark space beyond and spoke.

“Sorry, Master. I should have told you in advance.”

“Do you know what this situation is?”

“Yes.”

El nodded once and continued.

“Originally, this bridge was fixed with iron chains from the Wheel of Eternity. Likely, when Penbris moved the Wheel of Eternity, the fixation was released.”

The fixation was released?

I reopened the booklet and soon found the related part.

<… The Ethereal Gate orbits the continent connected to the Ethereal Realm. If the connecting link between them releases, they inevitably separate. Thus, it is best not to touch the chains of the Wheel of Eternity binding them….>

In summary, this meaning.

‘The Ethereal Gate and Ethereal Realm now orbit at different speeds. And the reincarnation device is in the western part of the Ethereal Realm.’

Meaning, until Ethereal Realm and Ethereal Gate meet, I cannot raise an army, and enemies can occupy here then.

I asked El.

“When will we encounter the Ethereal Realm?”

El turned to Oracle. Checking several values there, she replied to me.

“Three months remain.”

Timely, the thin thread connected to my heart vibrated.

The Cord of the Soul tied by Illinas.

‘He has sensed me.’

I must find a way.

Likely he will not wait until then.