Episode 177
“The stench of humans is overwhelming.”
“Indeed, it is.”
Around a towering table, the elves of the Desert and Crystal Kingdoms had gathered. The truth hidden by the empire that once boasted of unifying the continent: the kingdom of elves made of heat and crystal.
The rulers of these two kingdoms, the Lord of Sand and Desert and the Crystal Queen, looked down at Dale as if he were a defendant standing trial.
The Fairy Council was in session.
“Calling them disgusting humans, you should watch your words.”
It was then that a Snow Elf standing beside the Crystal Queen spoke up. It was Erze, the sorceress of the Blue Tower.
“As all esteemed council members know, the being before us is no ordinary human.”
Was she here as a representative of the Snow Elf Kingdom, or was she fulfilling the Blue Tower’s mission of spreading its ‘web’ across the continent? Perhaps both.
“Ha! Have you forgotten how many false kings have claimed that name to win our favor?”
“Calm yourself, dear child of the council.”
An elderly Dark Elf, about to continue with disbelief, was interrupted by an ancient crone in the guise of a young Dark Elf. Yet, appearances were never the full story with elves.
“Your Majesty!”
The elderly Dark Elf swallowed his surprise, as if facing someone he dared not look up to.
”…”
Watching this, Sepia’s mother, the Crystal Queen, remained silent.
“Is it not our duty to discern the one truly worthy among those who falsely claim the title of Shadow Lord?”
The Lord of Sand and Desert spoke.
“Indeed, it is.”
Dale nodded. It wasn’t hard to sense the hostility in the elves’ gazes directed at him.
Though it was nothing compared to when he manifested the Avatar of the Shadow Lord, Dale’s eyes now held an insight far beyond what they once did. It wasn’t just about discerning truth from lies.
“I have come here with two purposes.”
Dale continued.
“First, to prove my legitimacy as the Shadow Lord to those who claim the title of Shadow’s Rider.”
Laughter and jeers erupted from all around, but Dale remained unfazed.
“Second, on behalf of the Blue Tower, to ensure the safety of Her Majesty’s daughter, the exiled Sepia, and to settle the debt of life.”
But when Sepia’s name was mentioned, a feather-like silence descended upon the hall.
”…”
Beside the Lord of Sand and Desert, the Snow Elf on the throne remained silent.
“Ruler of Ice and Crystal, will you not answer?”
The queen of the Crystal Land, appearing as a young girl similar to the ancient crone, continued her silence in the freezing stillness.
“Then so be it.”
Finally, the Crystal Queen spoke.
“As long as she remains in the frozen lands of Jaxen, I assure you, the mountain assassins will not touch her life. Does anyone object?”
No one dared to respond. Thus, the Crystal Queen rose, as if there was nothing more to discuss.
“With this, the council is adjourned.”
“Wait…!”
Dale urgently called out to the Crystal Queen, who had spoken so decisively.
“Is that all?”
“Is there something more you desire, child of Jaxen? Surely you didn’t expect us to kneel and hand over the kingdom?”
A cold smirk finally appeared on the Crystal Queen’s face, and Dale fell silent.
“As you wished, the girl is yours. How you handle her is of no concern to me, nor do I wish to know. The discussion is over.”
Her voice was as cold as if she were speaking of a stranger, not her own daughter. Yet, it didn’t change the fact that this was Dale’s goal.
Accepting the terms and leaving would not be unusual.
But it didn’t sit right.
He still didn’t know Sepia’s truth. Until he did, even if Jaxen protected her, it was only a temporary solution.
Moreover, ultimately… nothing had changed about the cruel mercy the mountain assassins showed their kin.
“No, the discussion isn’t over yet.”
Thus, Dale spoke to the retreating Crystal Queen.
With a sudden surge, the tendrils of Shub wrapped around his body, and the Avatar of the Shadow Lord emerged.
The world of truth, filled with shadows as the light vanished, unfolded.
In that place, the eyes that peered beyond the veil of lies turned towards the Crystal Queen’s shadow.
Or at least, they tried to.
Simultaneously, a vortex of cold swirled beneath the Shadow Lord’s feet.
The speed was so absurd that it was impossible to detect any incantation or flow of magic. The icy chill would engulf Dale from beneath in an instant.
But for the current Dale, it was not beyond his reach.
──The eyes of truth were watching.
It wasn’t just about revealing secrets or past events.
No, battle itself is a dance of truth and lies. Where will the sword strike, where will the magic land? The opponent’s intentions, bluffs, feints—battle is a test of discerning a single truth among countless decisions.
‘I saw it.’
Thus, before the swirling cold could engulf Dale’s feet, he leaped away.
‘There’s no need to win.’
As he moved, the Shadow Lord thought.
‘It’s enough just to see.’
A fleeting moment, nothing more was needed. Victory wasn’t necessary. This wasn’t a battle.
Even if the opponent was the Crystal Queen, it made no difference.
He raised his head.
The eyes of truth held by the Shadow Lord finally shone with a strange light.
And… there it was.
The being reflected in the eyes of truth.
──The retina of a living creature converts light information into electrical signals, transmitting them to the brain via the optic nerve. This is how images are formed and the world is seen.
And what Dale’s eyes reflected was not the retreating Crystal Queen.
It was the ‘mirror of crystal’ she had erected, refracting and reflecting light… showing Dale his own shadow.
”…!”
There stood the hero from another world. Himself on a white, dark winter night, with the blade of a holy sword protruding from his chest.
“What do you see, child who claims to be the Lord of Truth?”
The Crystal Queen asked without turning. Dale couldn’t answer. It was a truth he could never reveal.
“Surely, it’s a truth you wish to keep hidden behind the veil of lies for a lifetime.”
The Crystal Queen sneered coldly.
“How dare one who hides themselves behind a veil of lies claim to be the Lord of Truth and spy on our shadows?”
”…”
“You have no right to claim the title of Lord of Truth. Just as those who once claimed to be the Shadow Lord did.”
Dale could say nothing to her derision.
“To you, truth is nothing more than a weapon to hold others by the throat, no more, no less.”
The Crystal Queen’s words were icy and cutting. Dale’s expression froze over.
“Truth is merely a tool for negotiation, a weapon to control.”
The Lord of Sand and Desert also looked at Dale with an expression devoid of any emotion.
Seeing her expression, he understood.
‘So that’s how it is.’
Hearing those words, he could only laugh.
Dale raised his head again. To look at the mirror the Crystal Queen was reflecting, to see himself within it.
The hero from another world, the ‘Black Prince’ of Jaxen, was there. But that wasn’t all.
──Sepia was there.
His mentor, smiling warmly at him. The one who understood his talent for slaughter and yet chose to stay by his side.
‘I only wish for you not to be sad.’
Sepia had said. Only then could he finally understand his own truth.
Thus, Dale did not hesitate.
The world around him, centered on where he stood, overlaid the landscape of a white, dark winter night.
Unfolding a world of the mind, where only Dale and the Crystal Queen were allowed.
“Her Majesty is correct.”
Yet within that world, there was no trace of battle intent in Dale.
“Therefore, I willingly reveal my truth to you.”
”…”
The Crystal Queen, who had turned her back, finally turned her head.
The young body of a Snow Elf, yet there was no trace of innocence in her appearance.
“You speak of truth, child of man.”
“Yes.”
Dale replied.
“To you, truth is merely a bargaining chip, a weapon to hold the reins of negotiation.”
The Crystal Queen sneered coldly.
“You reveal your hand only because the situation is unfavorable. Is that not all?”
“Perhaps. No, you are right.”
Dale nodded calmly.
“For me, the truth is nothing more than a tool to hold over someone’s head, a card to play for leverage, and a weakness of my own,” Dale said.
“Yet, despite that, I am willing to lay all my cards on the table for you.”
For a moment, the Crystal Queen caught her breath.
“Even if it means helping Miss Sepia, that is the only truth I can offer you.”
Dale spoke as the Lord of Shadows, and more so, as the Lord of Truth.
“Why are you so devoted to that child?” she asked.
“Because I like Miss Sepia,” Dale replied. It was an utterly absurd answer.
“Even if I receive nothing in return, I don’t mind. In fact, I secretly hope for it. That’s the truth. But even if I am not rewarded, I still want to protect Miss Sepia. That, too, is the truth.”
No matter how you dress it up, the truth remains unadorned.
“That’s all there is to it,” Dale said. And truly, that was all.
On a white and dark winter night, amidst the biting cold and shadows, he laid himself bare.
”…”
At his words, a flicker of emotion finally crossed the Crystal Queen’s face. Silence fell. Yet, in the world of ideas that the Lord of Shadows was weaving, she, hidden behind her crystal mirror, revealed no further malice.
“You have dabbled in the forbidden magic of Absolute Zero.”
After a long pause, she spoke.
“And even now, that curse resides within her heart.”
Understanding the weight of her words, Dale caught his breath.
“The Book of Absolute Zero…” he murmured, and the Crystal Queen nodded silently.
“That is why my daughter was banished from the land of crystal,” said the ruler of cold and crystal, her voice for the first time tinged with the tremor of a parent considering their child.