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#256. Faith and Belief (3)
“Beyond the Wall, it was mentioned in the journal of the first Pope. However, many pages were lost, so I couldn’t know exactly what it meant. After that, I just buried it in my memory.”
The Pope, who had been focused on the empty space as if lost in thought, soon looked straight at Ray and asked.
“Where did you hear that?”
“… … .”
Ray recalled the words the Dawn Society leaders had said in their final moments.
“The chance to enjoy wealth and fame in the city of wizards…! Luck…! I kicked it away with my feet…!”
“On the day the southern sun rises, our Dawn Society will become the most powerful force beyond the walls…!”
… one guess was possible.
“Beyond the Wall, the City of the Wizards, these are the words spoken by the leaders of the Dawning Order.”
and.
“I think there is a city of wizards beyond the wall. The headquarters of the Order of Dawn is also likely located there.”
City of Wizards.
The Pope and Solitaire expressed some embarrassment over the new topic.
“The city of wizards… It’s a story I’ve heard many times since I was little. Somewhere in the world, there’s a huge city where only wizards live.”
“I’ve heard it too. But wasn’t it literally a ghost story or a legend?”
The Pope continued, setting the teacups with his telekinetic magic.
Dalgrak- creak.
“I also think it’s a story close to a legend. At least one thing is certain: the city of wizards does not exist around us.”
Wrinkled palms cupped the teacup.
The Pope continued his story, sipping his tea which had just started to boil.
My youth was full of curiosity.
I’ve been all over the world.
The highest numbered sector.
Sites of ancient times.
The plateaus and mountain ranges of the wilderness.
“I’ve been to so many places. But I’ve never seen the wizard city. I’ve never found any clues about it.”
Then Solitaire said in admiration.
“You’ve been to the highest sector… You’ve left your mark on a place I couldn’t even imagine.”
“No, it’s not that far. If you want, you can go and come back in two days.”
“yes?”
“Usually you would think that the last sector you can reach by going up the Elton River would be sector 1. But you would be wrong. The highest numbered sector is sector 26. Where sector 25 should be, there is only an empty wasteland.”
Unlike Solitaire, who couldn’t close her mouth in surprise, Ray remained calm.
Well, I already knew that.
When I climbed to the top of the World Tree and looked down at the Elton River, I saw that there was no Sector 25.
In the empty wilderness, instead, mana was rippling in the shape of a giant dome.
‘It was a distortion field.’
And it has a level of sophistication and precision that is beyond imagination.
If it weren’t for my ability to see colors with mana, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.
And maybe, beyond that.
‘There might be a city of wizards.’
Ray asked the Pope, feeling a strong interest boiling over him.
“Can I see the journal myself?”
“That’s difficult. The situation is urgent, but by regulations, no one but the Pope can access the records.”
Ray was convinced for a moment.
I happened to read Veronica’s diary and found myself in a cycle of nagging for several weeks.
‘A record that cannot be viewed carelessly.’
It’s probably in a similar context to that time.
“First, let me look over my journal again and give you my opinion.”
“… … .”
But I want to see it in person.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that the journal would contain important clues about the other side of the wall and the wizard’s city.
As Ray searched for a way, he discovered a deep, pulsating curiosity and interest in the Pope’s vessel.
‘It’s feelings towards me.’
Also, the Pope’s gaze strangely did not seem to leave this side.
Solitaire’s words came to mind, that the Pope was a man with a keen interest in magical inquiry.
then.
“It seems like you have a lot of questions for me.”
“Oh, the sign is out.”
“If you let me see the journal directly, I can answer any question you have.”
“If I say it again, that’s not allowed by the regulations.”
The Pope’s tone was firm.
But the light of conflict rippling in the bowl could not escape Ray’s eyes.
“Let me answer two questions.”
“Absolutely not….”
“Three things.”
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“It won’t work….”
“Four, no more.”
“… … .”
The Pope, who had been silent for a long time, then cleared his throat and said:
“Ahem, I guess I can’t help it. I can’t refuse such an earnest request. Then, can I ask you a question?”
“Your Holiness…?”
Solitaire with a betrayal-filled expression.
The Pope tried hard not to see it.
But Solitaire soon found herself looking at Ray, waiting for the conversation to continue.
It was because he too had many questions about the boy.
“Who is your teacher?”
“no.”
“You didn’t have a teacher…? Then how did you learn magic?”
“I learned it by myself.”
“Didn’t you decide to tell only the truth? Magic requires advanced mathematical calculations based on theory. It’s not something you can learn on your own.”
Ray silently showed the unresponsive oath stone he was holding in his hand.
“Oh, no… .”
The Pope felt a chill down his spine.
A 16 year old 4th circle wizard.
And you achieved that through self-study?
I couldn’t even guess how much talent he had innately.
“I don’t really refer to theories or formulas. I just use a method of mixing the colors of mana to get the results I want. For example, red mana is used to create fire, yellow mana is used to create electricity, and… .”
Ray’s explanation reveals an elaborate system that could never be false.
The Pope could sense it.
The magic he knew was only half-baked, and his world was now falling apart.
With a dizzy head and pounding heart, I asked the following question.
“How many types of magic can you use by mixing colors like that? In other words, how many types of magic can you handle?”
Ray thought for a moment and then answered.
“All generally known series.”
It was a statement that made me doubt my ears.
The types of elements contained in the ring vary greatly from wizard to wizard, and the types that can be handled are limited to 4 or 5.
Even though he is said to have been born with a talent for magic, he only handles eight types of magic.
But all the known series.
‘You can use all 21 types of magic?’
That’s ridiculous.
I couldn’t admit it.
That was the last bit of pride he had left as a wizard.
“A ridiculous lie─.”
The Pope quickly shut his mouth.
Fire type, lightning type, ice type… … .
Every visually verifiable lineage of magic was being demonstrated one after another on the boy’s palm.
And it’s not just an imitation, it’s close to perfection.
“I can only show you types of magic like Bewitchment or Growth Magic if there is a target that can use them.”
“… … .”
The Pope and Solitaire.
There was no answer as both of them were in great shock.
Ray, who had been looking around, went out of the pavilion and walked towards something.
The Pope watched the scene with trembling eyes.
Knock—knock—knock.
The boy’s steps reached a small, pale green sprout.
Although the Pope showed a lot of affection.
It was a plant that was only able to survive for the past few years due to its extremely demanding growing conditions.
Swish.
Ray bent one knee.
He carefully wrapped the sprout with both hands.
──────!
The green mana that suddenly burst out colored the garden’s view.
The sprout straightened its bent back and rose toward the sky as if to compensate for its previous stagnation.
And when the light went out.
The Pope and Solitaire could be seen.
A strong stem growing tall over the boy’s head.
And at the end of it all, a dazzling white flower blooms.
Hoprasia.
The flower language is hope.
“ah….”
The Pope saw a miracle.
Before I knew it, I found myself shedding tears.
*
Knock—knock—knock—
Three pairs of footsteps echoed clearly on the marble floor.
The Pope’s residence was deep in the cathedral, and even servants did not enter except at designated times, so the halls and corridors were completely quiet.
“This way.”
The Pope guided Ray into the study and took a book off the shelf.
Kugugugugun─!
The bookshelf split left and right, revealing stairs leading to the basement.
“oh.”
“Follow me.”
The principal took the lead.
Solitaire followed Ray, who was having a staring contest with the bookshelf in search of the secret device.
How far did it go down?
A vast stone chamber appeared.
‘The walls, the floor, the ceiling… Looking closely, they don’t seem to be made of stone.
It was a metal I had never seen before, with a texture similar to stone.
The smooth, cubic room gave the feeling of being in a high-tech space inside Lael Row.
Ray said, looking at the bookshelves that stretched endlessly along the wall.
“There weren’t all the books on top.”
“Everything here is a Bible or religious book. It is also a place where past popes imprisoned themselves and practiced their faith.”
In order to spread ideology and values without yielding to external pressure, strength is needed.
The sect chose magic as its power.
However, magic is a discipline that makes humans endlessly pursue power.
The explanation was that this was the place where he strengthened his faith whenever misguided desires arose.
The Pope took an old journal out of the bookshelf and handed it to Ray.
“This is the diary of the first pope that you asked to see.”
Could it be because I saw a miracle from above?
The Pope’s voice toward Ray was filled with more respect and trust.
Palak─
The diary was very difficult to read, with many letters faded and erased.
“I don’t know… how long… it’s been… since I… came… out… of the walls.”
“The Prophet’s… instructions… to return… the rainbow… the sun… I must find… the one… reincarnation of the sun…”
“The hardships… continue… but… they… don’t… give up… beyond the wall… they… are… wrong… and… prove… that… everyone… can… be… happy.”
I extracted keywords that seemed important from among the identifiable words.
Beyond the Wall, the Prophet.
Sun, reincarnation, happiness.
and.
‘rainbow.’
Does the church have a history related to rainbows?
I received the journals of other popes and looked through them one by one.
Important words, including rainbow, appeared less and less frequently, and at one point they were not mentioned at all.
It seemed as if some information that had been passed between the popes had become lost over time.
“I have tried to reason about those words, but I have not been able to make much progress. The only thing I have been able to glean is that the first revelation was most likely given by a prophet.”
“The first revelation?”
Solitaire took the Bible out of his bosom and pointed to the first part of the first chapter.
“This part.”
“When someone appears who can breathe light into the Sun Stone, the world will finally regain prosperity and fertility.”
The Pope nodded as Ray read the passage aloud.
“That’s right. The sun stone means terracotta, and those who can breathe light are saints or saintesses.”
The Pope’s bowl reflected complex emotions.
Regret, disappointment, guilt.
Sorry, worry, sadness.
All feelings about Pieta.
Because now they knew that she was a fake saint put forward by the Dawn Society.
While Ray was wondering if there was anything more he could find out through the journal.
“… … ?”
A cubic structure in the center of the room caught my eye.
It was a cube.
The Pope spoke, reading Ray’s questioning gaze.
“I think you know, but it’s the Ignis Bank Cube. I don’t know why it’s here. It’s just been there for a very long time.”
Ray walked as if possessed.
The Pope, standing behind, added his explanation while observing the cube in silence.
“There’s no response when I put the card in. It seems to be broken, but I’ll leave it as is for now. It’s incredibly heavy, but there must be a reason why it’s here.”
“… … .”
Ray knew that the Cube wasn’t just meant to be used as a branch of Ignis.
For example, the cube discovered on the tower of the ruins served as a kind of bunker.
‘This is definitely Ignis’s Cube….’
As we continued our observations, we discovered a singularity in the center of the cube.
It was a spiral groove that looked like something could be turned and inserted into it.
And then.
Woohoo!
A strong resonance occurred within the bosom.
Ray, who went inside the coat and came out, was holding a bolt made of silver metal in his hand.
It was a bolt I received from Elder Falun.
A token that allows you to make one request to the dwarves at any time.
It was said to have been contained in the toolbox of the first designer of Lael Lowe.
The boy’s hand, holding the silver bolt, reached out towards the home as if possessed.
Kirik!