Episode 959
A narrow path hidden among dense foliage. The forest was so tranquil that only the occasional chirping of birds could be heard in the stillness.
Ian tilted his head and looked up at the ridge connected to the Carbo Temple. The white building gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight, so dazzling it almost seemed as if it were made of salt crystals.
Rustle.
At the sound of footsteps, the guards stationed at the entrance reacted. Each held a long spear, but unlike ordinary guards, they wore the robes of temple priests—flowing fabrics cinched neatly at the waist, emphasizing their purity and solemnity.
“Who goes there?”
“Ian Hadel of the Mage Department.”
“The Mage Department? What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to see the Light of the Oracle.”
The guard tilted his head in confusion. A busy mage traveling all the way here just to see the Light of the Oracle? Given a mage’s usual mobility, it wouldn’t take long to get here from the capital, but wasn’t it said that mages barely had time to eat or sleep?
The guard motioned for Ian to wait a moment and went inside to report. Another guard remained behind.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“It’s currently the temple’s worship time. There are procedures to follow, so you may have to wait a bit.”
“That’s fine. It’s a personal matter.”
A personal matter? That only made Ian’s visit more intriguing.
Just then, the guard who had gone inside returned and lightly swung his spear around Ian, channeling divine energy. A clear, pure aura swept around like a breeze, brushing past Ian before fading away.
“You may enter.”
“Thank you. But—”
“Yes?”
Ian hesitated as if something had just occurred to him. He stared at the guard’s spear for a long moment before asking cautiously.
“The guards’ role is to watch and discern so that no malevolent presence enters the temple, correct?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“If a pregnant woman were to enter, and the child in her womb was a monster, could you detect that as well?”
“Excuse me?”
The guard frowned in disbelief at the strange question, but Ian’s expression remained calm.
“Please consider it the curiosity of an inquisitive child and answer honestly.”
“Well… if I had to say, probably not. Divine energy only reacts to things visible or tangible.”
“I thought so.”
Ian gave a light, dry smile, as if grateful for the answer despite the odd question.
The guard, almost unconsciously, added an explanation—perhaps enchanted by Ian’s smile.
“To prevent such unfortunate incidents—malevolent beings slipping into the temple undetected—we conduct constant inspections from multiple angles inside the temple.”
“Since when?”
“I’m not sure exactly, but it’s been a long-standing practice.”
Ian nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
—A small demon that crept into the Carbo Temple. It shielded itself with the sacred mother’s embrace and hid its laughter behind the cries of its siblings. The day the seed of evil took root within the royal palace was a day of relentless rain…
Ian pushed the novel’s lines from his mind and stepped inside the temple.
Swish.
Only a day had passed. But perhaps because he had pored over every word, reading and rereading it countless times. Or maybe because the life of a mage called Hielo had been so brilliant. Or perhaps because the character’s name was so strikingly similar.
Ian vaguely sensed that these words etched into his mind would never fade for the rest of his life.
“Ah, Mage?”
A priest who had been informed approached cautiously to greet Ian. He wore a veil, which nearly brushed the ground due to his deeply bent back.
“You came to see the Light of the Oracle?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry, but since this isn’t an official request from the Mage Department, the procedures are quite strict. It’s uncertain whether the High Priestess will grant permission.”
Of course, since it was a mage’s request, they would likely try to accommodate him, but there was no guarantee. The Light of the Oracle was the temple’s sacred property, strictly off-limits to ordinary people.
“That’s fine.”
“Then, this way.”
The temple was oppressively silent. Only faint sounds of worship, the gentle strumming of a harp, and the rustling of the wind could be heard.
“By the way, Mage.”
The priest who walked ahead spoke to Ian.
“You don’t look well.”
“Oh, I didn’t sleep well last night.”
“No, it looks more like a shadow of worry.”
“…”
Ian glanced sideways, as if resigned. So this was a temple person. After dealing with clumsy mages, encountering a priest’s subtlety felt unfamiliar.
“Most who come to the temple carry worries with them. We can only pray and wait for the gods’ response.”
“Isn’t it frustrating for those waiting if all they’re told is to wait?”
Ian’s indifferent remark drew a faint smile from the priest. Despite his bent back, the smile was visible as he led the way.
“Listening to those complaints is part of our duty as well.”
Creak.
The priest opened a door, and a fragrant floral scent wafted in. Beneath the sacred altar, priests dressed neatly were deep in prayer. To signal the need for silence, the priest gently placed a finger to his lips.
Thud.
Ian sat on a sofa set up at the back, watching them. As silence settled, memories from the previous night swirled again in his mind. He pressed the back of his head repeatedly with his hand.
“So then—”
According to the Hielo Chronicles…
“Am I really Hielo?”
A quiet, bitter laugh escaped him.
It was absurd. Forbidden magic? Traveling back 100 years? An underground god? The novel was filled with nonsense bordering on blasphemy. Now he understood why it had never been officially published and was hidden away in the Mage Department’s annex.
“Why on earth does the Mage Department even have a book like this? Who the hell put it there? If the royal palace found out, they’d have a fit.”
Ah, because I am Hielo? Because of some arrangement in the past, I’m supposed to find answers in the annex?
Ian frowned and rested his chin on his hand. His gaze met that of a massive stone statue of a god.
“If you’re watching, please tell me—does any of this make sense?”
Normally, he would have shut the book firmly. But the phrase “the first noble mage, Ian” stopped him.
It was almost prophetic. The idea of a noble becoming a mage was unimaginable then and even now. And the fact that it was ‘Ian’ himself…
“Besides…”
Even the name Crony appeared.
Ian sighed deeply, lost in thought. If the novel was based on truth, and Crony’s recent return was no coincidence, what kind of conversation had the submerged Crony had with the underground god?
“Ian, sir?”
“Oh.”
The High Priestess, having finished her prayers, called to Ian. Though she had only sat quietly with her hands folded, beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
“You wish to see the Light of the Oracle?”
“Yes.”
“Will you activate it?”
“If permitted.”
“Understood. Please follow me.”
“Why don’t you ask why?”
Ian was puzzled by her ready acceptance. She wiped her sweat with a handkerchief and led the way.
“Well, you’re a mage. Surely there’s a reason. Everything in the temple belongs to the gods. From the moment you stepped inside, it’s as if the gods themselves have granted permission.”
The storage room wasn’t far from the worship hall. Among various precious artifacts sat the Light of the Oracle alone. The harp without strings gleamed, spotless and dust-free.
‘Is this really it?’
Could this be the very Light of the Oracle from the novel? The object that revealed the true prince by exposing the evil demon hiding in the royal palace?
“Do you have records of its removal?”
“Of course. When do you need to see them?”
“Are there records from 100 years ago, during the reign of Emperor Jin Verosion?”
“…”
The specific time frame made the High Priestess’s expression shift. She hesitated, then shook her head. She couldn’t lie, but she also couldn’t hand over those records.
“We have them, but I cannot show them to you.”
“Even if the Mage Department requests them later?”
“Yes. Records from that era are strictly controlled by the temple. Only the High Priestess and her successors may access them. I’m sorry.”
Ian’s expression darkened at her refusal. He now understood why the records from Emperor Jin’s time were stained.
‘Is it true?’
Was history really carved out because of a monster named Arsen?
Ian took a deep breath and lightly activated his magic.
Ziiing! Ziiing!
Light rippled out softly like a melody. Ian tapped the strands of light thoughtfully, as if pressing piano keys. The clustered light blossomed like a flower bud.
‘Assuming the novel is true, Crony has returned, united with the underground god.’
Whether he was the god itself or merely borrowing a body, Ian couldn’t say. But one thing was certain: the Light of the Oracle would be used to reveal his true identity.
But could it be that Crony doesn’t already know this?
‘There’s a high chance he’s already aware through the Underworld God.’
A strange past that even Crony knew—and now Ian himself had come to understand. Ian mulled over what to do, then withdrew his magic.
‘I need to find another way to reveal Crony’s true identity besides the Oracle’s Light.’
And this time, he was determined to tie up the loose ends with his own hands.
As Ian stood there, his expression tangled in thought, the Deputy Priestess approached quietly. She draped the cloth back over the object and added,
“Using this is your choice, Lord Ian, but please be cautious when your mind feels unsettled. For your sake—and for the sake of the Oracle’s Light.”
What if something went wrong and it shattered? Even with the Deputy Priestess’s permission, it would surely spiral into a complicated mess.
Unconsciously, Ian looked at her and murmured,
“Deputy Priestess.”
“Yes, Lord Ian?”
“You speak with the gods, don’t you? There must be nothing in this world you’re curious about.”
He meant things like the meaning behind this book, what he should do moving forward—questions that would be easily answered if only he could face the gods directly.
The Deputy Priestess smiled softly.
“You can meet the gods too, Lord Ian.”
Because the gods exist everywhere.
“So don’t let what you see and hear slip past you. You might unknowingly miss the gods’ response.”
The silent answer that came under the name
‘Is that so? Acceptance comes before understanding.’
Ian made a new assumption: the gods had already given him the answer. How Crony would appear, and how the process would unfold.
Suddenly, his mind cleared. Just as that being carried the will of the Underworld God, Ian only needed to inherit the will of the gods.
“In that case…”
With his path decided, the choice was easy. Holding the Oracle’s Light, Ian asked the Deputy Priestess,
“Soon, the Magic Department will request to use this. When that happens, could you pass it on like this?”
For a moment, the Deputy Priestess’s eyes flickered with surprise. The Oracle’s Light bore scorch marks from Ian’s magic.
“They’re repairing it, so it might take some time.”