Chapter 390
Chris crossed his arms.
‘It’s clear that the Mirror Binggung is destined for destruction soon enough.’
He didn’t know much about the Mirror Binggung.
In his previous life, right after the era of ruin began, it was wiped out by the mysterious Maga’s hand.
At the time, he hadn’t given it much thought, but looking back now, it seemed like they were abandoned by the Constellations and made scapegoats.
“How can I trust you? What if this is some scheme by the Constellations?”
“I’ve already severed all ties with them. You can check for yourself.”
And it was true.
The devices that the other members of the Holy Assembly had were gone.
“If you still don’t trust me, fine. I’ll pledge my soul to you—make me your subordinate! No, please, I beg you, let me serve you!”
His voice was filled with desperation.
‘Hmm, that’s unexpected.’
There was a problem.
“Do the other high elves of the Mirror Binggung share your intentions?”
“That’s obvious…”
“Can you really trust them? Even the Valkyries?”
“!!”
The Fairy King snapped his mouth shut.
They were the great warriors acting on behalf of the Celestial Realm’s power.
‘I remember the minor palace lord once came as a Valkyrie to fight.’
They all had contracts with the Celestial Realm individually.
It was highly likely they wouldn’t follow the Fairy King’s will to betray the Celestial Realm.
“More likely, they’d try to eliminate you on the Celestial Realm’s orders.”
“Th-That’s…”
The Fairy King couldn’t deny it.
‘Even if I accept this guy, he’ll probably just be a troublesome burden.’
Chris clicked his tongue.
He didn’t seem like much help.
But then, a sudden thought struck him.
‘Wait, there is a way to make use of him.’
“Do you want to save the people of the Mirror Binggung?”
“Y-Yes. Most of the people there are just ordinary White Elves, unrelated to the Celestial Realm.”
“Then go to the Northern Sea.”
The Fairy King looked puzzled.
It was such a random place to bring up.
“You can go to the Northern Sea, right?”
“Of course. I have the Spirit King’s blessing.”
The divine beasts and the Spirit King in the Northern Sea were on friendly terms.
Therefore, the Fairy King, blessed by the Spirit King, was the only being in this world who could set foot in the Northern Sea without fear of any threat.
“Go and find the ones I mentioned.”
The Fairy King’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.
“W-Wait. Are you serious?”
“Of course I am. We’re not close enough to be joking around.”
“B-But…”
The Fairy King stammered.
He had no choice.
“You want me to find the Mad Dragons?! Are you telling me to die?!”
That was right.
The ones Chris wanted to find in the Northern Sea were the dragons who had vanished from the world.
“Don’t you know why the dragons fled to the Northern Sea? They lost their minds, driven by pure destruction instincts, and the Demon Dragon King forcibly sealed them there. Even as the Fairy King blessed by the Spirit King, there’s no way I’d survive if I faced them!”
“Well, it can’t be helped. If anyone dies, it won’t be me—it’ll be you.”
“W-What?”
“Look, do you think this is a joke? You’re going to die no matter what. I’m just showing you the only way you might survive.”
That was true.
Not just the Fairy King.
If the coming events weren’t stopped, the entire world would meet a horrific end in ruin.
‘If I’m willing to gamble against the mysterious Maga with such slim odds, it’s because I’m prepared to die. So stop whining.’
“I’ll make you my subordinate. If you manage to meet the Mad Dragons, contact me through the soul link. I’ll personally descend to persuade them.”
By making him a subordinate, Chris could temporarily possess him and use his voice to convince the dragons.
“…If I fail, I’ll die.”
“Of course. But it’s fine. You’re the one who’ll die, not me.”
“Th-This…!!”
“Well, if you don’t want to, fine. But dying torn apart by the Mad Dragons is a much more peaceful death than becoming a sacrifice to the mysterious Maga, don’t you think?”
The Fairy King gritted his teeth.
But Chris was right.
Better to be prey to dragons than a sacrificial offering to a demon.
“Are you really sure you can persuade the Mad Dragons?”
“To be honest, I don’t know. I have no idea what state they’re in. It’s a gamble.”
“…It’s not just a gamble—it’s my life… Haah. Fine. I’ll follow your lead. How did I end up in this situation?”
The Fairy King sighed and accepted his fate.
After briefly making him a subordinate, Chris asked,
“Do you know why the Constellations are doing all this?”
He didn’t expect an answer.
After all, the Holy Assembly members were just tools to be used and discarded.
But then,
“It’s because of Ascension.”
“…Ascension?”
Chris flinched.
He’d heard the term before.
Mephina had said this to Chris once, almost in passing, when he had obtained all three Primordial Seals and the soul rank of a transcendent.
“Do you know anything about Ascension?”
“No, I don’t. I just overheard the Constellations talking about it.”
The Fairy King frowned.
“I never trusted the Constellations. So whenever I had the chance, I tried to read their schemes. I didn’t learn much, but one thing I did find out is that whether it’s the Constellations or the demons of Gehenna, they all desire Ascension.”
That was important information.
‘I don’t know exactly what Ascension means, but it’s likely the Demon King wants the same thing.’
Chris recalled another thing Mephina had said in the past.
She must have been referring to the Demon King.
However,
The Demon King had attained transcendence but lacked the right to Ascension.
So perhaps he was conspiring with the Celestial Realm and Gehenna to achieve Ascension together.
It was just speculation without solid proof.
“Oh, and I overheard something else.”
“…What?”
The Fairy King seemed to be recalling.
“They said they already failed once, so this time they won’t fail in this apocalypse. I don’t know what it means exactly.”
Chris swallowed hard.
He had a guess.
‘They must be talking about the previous Ragnarok.’
Last time, the Constellations and demons tried to achieve Ascension through world destruction but apparently failed.
‘So the time rewind must have been the work of the Celestial Realm and Gehenna too?’
It seemed so.
No one else could have done it.
But one question remained.
‘Why am I the only one who retained memories after the time reset?’
Though the world’s time was reversed, Chris was the only ‘returner’ with memories.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
The question was who made him a returner, and for what purpose.
‘If I think simply, it’s likely the Celestial Realm and Gehenna’s doing.’
But Chris shook his head.
He wasn’t convinced.
Rather,
‘…There’s a chance the Archmage Prime Minister is behind my return.’
He had reason to suspect.
If his meeting with Mari wasn’t a coincidence but orchestrated by the Archmage Prime Minister, then his return was probably engineered by him too.
It was suspicious that he had returned as a member of the Dark Maga, the Archmage Prime Minister’s clan, among countless families.
But why?
Again, the rare question.
‘What does the Archmage Prime Minister want?’
If the Demon King desires Ascension, then the Archmage Prime Minister?
It was natural to assume they shared the same goal.
But why?
Chris sensed the Archmage Prime Minister was hiding another scheme.
‘Maybe he’s the true mastermind behind all this.’
Shaking his head, Chris parted ways with the Fairy King.
The Fairy King left for the Northern Sea and met with Idrynne.
“Chris! I’ve missed you so much!”
Idrynne greeted Chris with a bright smile.
‘She’s gotten stronger.’
Chris was impressed.
It hadn’t been long since they parted, yet she had reached the rank of 8-star upper.
‘Isn’t that too fast?’
In Chris’s judgment, Idrynne’s talent surpassed even Evan and Lanya.
Aside from Chris himself, she was arguably the continent’s greatest prodigy.
Still, it was too rapid.
“I pushed myself because I wanted to help you. After all, we’re friends!”
“…Friends, my foot. If I had two friends like you, my family would be ruined… Hmph.”
Next to her, Robinson, the head of the Blood Sword Maga family and Idrynne’s father, muttered quietly but lowered his gaze after catching her glare.
“Actually, I have a favor to ask.”
“What do you want me to do? Just say it!”
Chris hesitated for a moment.
‘Will Idrynne really listen to me?’
No matter how foolish she was, he worried she might reject what he was about to say.
It was that absurd.
‘This is a matter of life and death.’
After some thought, he spoke.
“…You have to become the mysterious Maga’s sacrifice.”
Robinson’s eyes widened in shock.
“What nonsense is this?!”
“I understand. I’ll do it.”
“Yeah, that’s impossible. I understand… what did you say?”
Chris asked as if he’d misheard.
Idrynne looked at him as if nothing was wrong.
“Did you hear me correctly?”
“I did. You said I should become the mysterious Maga’s sacrifice, right?”
“And you’re willing to do it?”
“You told me to.”
Idrynne said calmly, without a hint of hesitation.
“If it weren’t for you, I would have been ruined long ago. My life is yours, just as good as that.”
“…”
“Even if that weren’t the case, you’re my friend. For a friend, I’d gladly give my life!”
“…Friends, my foot.”
Robinson grumbled again from the side, but when Edrinne shot him a glare, he clammed up.
“…Of course, I don’t intend to let you die.”
“I don’t care if I do. If it’s for you.”
“No, I said I don’t want you to die. I just need you to be the bait.”
“Very well, then. I’m counting on you.”
Edrinne smiled faintly in response.
Chris couldn’t tell if she truly meant she didn’t mind dying for him, or if she simply trusted him.
‘If she’s acting like that, there’s no way I can just let her die.’
If his plan failed, Edrinne would be the one to die.
The problem was, the chances of success were slim.
“Even if the plan goes wrong, you won’t be the only one to die. I won’t survive either.”
He tried to sound reassuring, but Edrinne’s expression turned serious.
“What kind of nonsense is that? I will never allow you to die!”
“…Huh?”
“Promise me! Promise you won’t die. No, I swear I won’t let you die. By the power of friendship!!”
“Damn friendship.”
“Father, please stay out of this!”
“…”
In the end, Chris made a promise.
He would succeed, and he would survive.
After the commotion died down, Chris turned his gaze northward.
It was time to set off for the mystical Maga.
The beginning of the operation that would decide the fate of the world.