Chapter 214: BeginningBefore starting the Great Debate, we needed to clearly define what could be counted as a victory for us.


    And once again, Griffin’s massive execution ground was used as the stage for the Great Debate.


    I was having a conversation with Lucia, who was seated across the table in the waiting room.


    “It’s rather perplexing.”


    “However, that is the truth.”


    She seemed quite shocked by the revelation regarding Mul—that he was actually the fallen god Romuleus—but it didn’t seem like she was in disbelief either.


    Because she also didn’t think that Mul was a being within our discernment.


    “Hence, we must consider that Holy Power will be ineffective against him.”


    I intentionally pointed at the Holy Grail Lucia brought while showing a bitter smile.


    I handed it to her after the Clark Republic incident last time.


    “Yes, because, in the end, he’s one of the subjects of Holy Power.”


    [This situation is really bleak.]


    And it also seemed that Stella, who was accompanying Lucia, felt sorry for me.


    The fact that Holy Power could not be used against their opponent ultimately meant that Lucia and Stella were no different from ordinary civilians.


    “And that is not all. Even if we were to fight, ordinary weapons or magic would not cause any harm to him at all.”


    Even though I said this calmly, it was something that bothered me the most.


    The reason I knew this was because of my experience in the Dream Demon Manor.


    Romuleus, whom I had met in the Dream Demon Manor, did not suffer from any damage unless we were using something that was created there.


    I still vividly remembered how my magic and Han So’s fist just passed through.


    At first, I thought it was a rule of the Dream Demon Manor. However...


    There were no such rules in the Dream Demon Manor, and in the first place, Romuleus himself was not a being that was constrained by the Dream Demon Manor.


    When I attacked Mul with my magic when he came to find Aria at the Academy, he did not suffer from any damage nor did he feel any pain.


    “Even if he is now a fallen god, a god is still a god. Mere insignificant creatures like us will never be able to touch him.”


    Lucia’s expression darkened at my words. From the perspective of someone who served the gods, a situation like this would certainly not be pleasant.


    [Lucia, snap out of it!]


    However, Stella, who was beside her, shook her head.


    [Do not regard him to be the same as the gods we serve ]


    “Lady Stella.”


    [Also, please remember this clearly.]


    Stella smiled brightly and declared in an unwavering voice.


    [For whose sake we serve the gods.]


    It was a statement with implications.


    It wasn’t quite appropriate for her, a former Saintess, to say, but thanks to her firm declaration, Lucia seemed to regain her determination.


    “That’s right, Lady Stella.”


    Lucia nodded with clenched fists. I glanced at Stella, who had helped me, and expressed my gratitude with an eye gesture.


    “Please stay with Lucia during the debate.”


    [Got it.]


    For Lucia, who had still not matured as a Saintess, Stella’s presence would be quite helpful.


    “So, what do you think can be considered as a win for us? Is it Mul confessing his identity?”


    “That will not happen. We just need to expose his vile appearance and reveal the fact that he’s spreading false propaganda.”


    [False propaganda?]


    I answered Stella’s question with certainty.


    “No one, not even a God, can resurrect the dead.”


    [...]


    “It is the hard-and-fast law, and it is the destiny that has descended upon this continent.”


    I had said this before.


    “The Gods in this world are not as omnipotent as one might think.”


    Even though it might be a bitter truth for the Saintesses to hear, I still needed to articulate it.


    Yet, even as this profound truth was laid bare, neither of them wavered.


    It was a pressing time for each to come up with their own answers, but we had to set aside our concerns for now and take action.


    There was an announcement from outside.


    Upon hearing the voice urging us to take our seats as the debate was about to begin, Lucia rose from her seat.


    “I will return to my waiting room for now.”


    [See you later.]


    Lucia and Stella left, leaving behind Findenai, Owen, and Aria, who were staring at me blankly, in the waiting room.


    The three of them seemed to grasp the situation, but they kept their mouths shut while we were speaking.


    Meanwhile, Deia and Darius had decided to watch from the audience, so they were not in here.


    “Jeez, Master Bastard, how are you going to live your life if you need to keep facing these big shots? Are you really going to end up fighting against the world as well later?”


    “Stop talking nonsense.”


    Sprawled out in her chair with her head resting on the back, Findenai replied while clicking her tongue.


    “It’s not entirely wrong, right? Even if we call this chaos, nothing beats this chaotic situation. You have defeated the Demon Lords, overthrown the Republic, and you’re off to fight a fallen god now, huh?”


    “...”


    To be precise, he could only be killed after he achieved his goal.


    And because Aria had failed to do so in the first round, the continent was destroyed.


    A necessary evil—that was how the Necromancer before me could be described.


    It seemed like he had come here with some expectations, but I shook my head.


    “There is nothing like that. What Mul demonstrated was not a resurrection but a deception. The dead cannot be brought back to life.”


    “...”


    Seemingly anticipated that, Luaneth didn’t rebuke it.


    After lowering his gaze for a moment, he sighed with regret before changing the subject.


    “Then I have no choice but to continue with the plan.”


    “Yes, I guess so.”


    However...


    “I will stop you.”


    The method of salvation he chose was the polar opposite of my convictions.


    As I responded with conviction, Luaneth glared at me with apparent anguish.


    “This continent is already saturated. You know that too, don’t you? There’s no more room for souls to rest.”


    Only one outcome awaited us after killing Luaneth: the collapse of the boundary between life and death on the continent.


    With no more resting places left on the continent for the dead that had accumulated over thousands of years, they could not find eternal rest and eventually, they would simply thrash about.


    Those who had become ghosts did as they pleased since they were already dead, while those who died unfairly rose again, seeking relief from their resentment.


    In the end, the continent became the land of the dead.


    Luaneth had foreseen the future that awaited the continent two hundred years ago, and there was only one method he chose.


    “We can only annihilate all the deceased at rest.”


    It was a decisive statement.


    It wasn’t something a Necromancer who controlled souls would say. After all, a Necromancer without souls was no different from an insignificant mage.


    However, Luaneth chose to do that.


    “To cleanse the continent, the problem will be solved for the new dead if we annihilate all the souls already at rest.”


    “...”


    “There’s no other way. So please, help me.”


    Luaneth slowly stretched out his hand.


    It was a touch filled with a pitiful plea, but naturally...


    “I refuse.”


    I did not take that hand.


    “...If we leave things as they are, the continent will perish. We can’t just stand by.”


    “Even if they are dead, they are still humans.”


    We stood on the same border.


    However, we looked at it with different perspectives.


    “After all, there’s no big difference between rest and annihilation! What can we do by leaving lingering attachments for the dead!”


    There were humans who would lose all their lifelong regrets towards the end of their lives.


    There were also humans who would live more virtuously once they felt that they were nearing their death.


    That was exactly the difference between him and me.


    “They are what all those who struggled as humans left behind in the end.”


    It was like some sort of record.


    Just like how we recorded the past in history books, remembered, learned, and grew from the people of that time, those who entered into eternal rest were the history books of humanity and the library of the continent.


    “...”


    “I have a way.”


    I had pondered over it many times.


    In fact, from the moment I stepped on this continent until now, I had thought more about how to replace Luaneth’s plan than about the ending of the continent.


    I had found my answer, but I kept it to myself.


    Luaneth’s eyes widened upon hearing everything, and he then bit his lips and shook his head.


    “It’s just a desk theory.”


    “It may seem like that now.”


    “It’s impossible. Something like that.”


    “However, I will make it possible.”


    I had always achieved what seemed to be impossible. And I would make it possible this time as well.


    Feeling that any further conversation would be meaningless, I walked past Luaneth.


    Standing upright, he glared at me and said one more thing.


    “Thanks for taking care of the Griffin Evil Ghost in my stead.”


    “Then...”


    I spoke without stopping.


    “Help me protect Aria in the waiting room. Consider it the price.”


    Romuleus was certainly planning to approach Aria in some way.


    Leaving Luaneth behind, I headed towards the debate hall, where they awaited me.