Chapter 293 - Chapter 292: The Six Kings and the Founder
Mika injected life into his aching body and managed to stand up.
Seeing Mika grimace and struggle to suppress his unsteadiness, the man let out a bitter smile.
"......Do not push yourself. Rest."
"Unnecessary concern...!"
Seeing Mika clearly overexerting himself, the man shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, never mind. Yes... for now, just call me Aquu."
"......The one who was secretly active in the Trade Federation. I've heard of you."
He had water-blue hair and distinctive features, so he had suspected as much.
"I don't care about your name. It's probably a fake anyway, right?"
"Of course. ......Well, I never had a name originally, after all. It's just a symbol for identification, isn't it?"
"No name? An alien?"
Whether aliens have names or not, I don't know.
Hearing Mika's words, Aquu frowned and tilted his head.
"I do not know what an 'alien' is, but when I was alive... when I possessed my first body, the concept of a name did not exist. So, I had no original name."
"No concept of names three thousand five hundred years ago...? But you just mentioned Caleilhaben and Hibujiza."
"Yes. During the time Hildinlander and Caleilhaben were alive, the concept of names already existed three thousand five hundred years ago."
Aquu crossed his arms and nodded.
Seeing this, Mika clicked his tongue.
"No concept of names... then what exactly are you?"
"A monkey."
"........................Hah?"
At Aquu's reply, Mika's eyes went wide. He nearly lost his balance and fell, his tension suddenly vanishing.
"Strictly speaking, I was an existence closer to a monkey than a human... I suppose that is how I should put it. There were no beings that could be called 'humans' yet, nor language. Perhaps it is easier to understand if I say, 'a human before becoming human'?"
"Before humans..."
――――Subfamily Homininae!?
The casual words from Aquu struck Mika like a blow to the head.
His head was already hurting enough.
People in this world, or rather, on this continent, do not know of the existence of apes or primitive humans.
This is because humans were created by the gods.
There was no "before humans." At some point, the gods created the world, and at that same time, they created humans together.
The very idea of human evolution does not exist here.
While the concept of genetics exists, if one traces it back endlessly, one arrives at humans created on a certain day.
Thought stops there.
As Mika stared at Aquu in shock, Aquu looked back with a suspicious expression.
"......What is the matter? You are accepting my story? Normally, no one would believe such a tale."
Aquu sensed something different from Mika's demeanor.
"I do not know the exact time, but it was likely around two to three million years ago. Or perhaps even earlier."
At that time, language did not yet exist. Communication was limited to simple signals, like animals barking.
Bipedal walking had already begun, though some groups still specialized in quadrupedal movement.
"In the midst of all that, I was quite an unusual existence."
Somehow, it seems he had acquired advanced thinking.
His unusually large head was mocked within the group.
Even if mocked, there was no language yet.
Even when the group found food, he was ostracized and hit on the head.
"At one point, I was severely injured. I tore that opponent apart. With 'Word'."
He had not yet acquired language.
So, he did not speak words.
Feeling a crisis to his life, he suddenly struck the one who hurt him with something.
That something manifested his own thoughts.
"Of course, I did not understand why that happened at first. But although I did not fully understand, I had always felt the 'Power' itself."
After trying many times, he discovered that this was caused by 'Power'.
Listening to the story, Mika calmly examined its contents.
Mika himself, his first magic was a sudden appearance of a water sphere.
His thoughts manifested; there was no need to speak words.
Mika speaking words was merely conditioning to prevent accidental explosions.
Originally, the process of speaking words is not necessary for magic.
(Is there any contradiction in Aquu's story, regarding both evolutionary theory and the process of magic manifestation...?)
Others would find this story unbelievable.
But to Mika, there was nothing unnatural about this story.
If he had to point something out, it would be that he existed three million years ago.
(Considering he mentioned Subfamily Homininae, I can accept that.)
It is not impossible that a highly intelligent ape appeared as a mutant.
If the 'Cursed Child' did not exist, a strange variant would have simply been born and died.
That should have been the story.
"One could think of many things, but it was still immature. Self-control was lacking, and I began to wield power as I pleased."
"The influence of mana pollution, too...?"
"You noticed that. That is correct. Although, that is something I thought about later."
As a living being, he acquired overwhelming power.
Power to trample even giant, dangerous animals.
Wielding that power, he quickly became the boss of the group.
"'Will'... in terms of emotions and thoughts, at that time, I was constantly handling a very pure 'Will'. After all, I lacked self-control."
For humans, a filter called reason applies to some extent.
Habits of thought naturally cultivated within the group of society.
It is not hard to imagine that such parts, cultivated through education and experience, were weaker in apes closer to animals.
Wielding power as one pleased, becoming a 'Cursed Child' was inevitable.
He drifted through the world for tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years after losing his physical body.
"Animals, though few, do not emit 'Will'. Drifting through the world while absorbing the 'Will' and 'Power' floating in such a world."
Saying this, Aquu furrowed his brow.
"Occasionally, I would inhabit animals and experience various things. When I inhabited a rock-eating lizard, it was quite a valuable experience. I could sensibly tell if a rock looked delicious or not just by looking at it. Perhaps because memories from that time remain, I still have an impulse to gnaw on rocks when I see them. ...Sometimes."
"......Just gnaw on them as much as you like."
Mika pointed to a stone like marble at his feet, and Aquu grimaced.
"Pity, but this is not very delicious."
"Oh, I see..."
Aquu seemed to look genuinely a little disappointed.
A strange atmosphere flowed.
Aquu cleared his throat.
"I will explain a bit about 'Power', 'Will', and 'Word'."
"Mana, will and thought, and the manifested effects resulting from them, right?"
"In short, that is true, but do you understand the essence properly?"
Hearing this, Mika grimaced.
Or rather, why am I standing and talking to this guy?
Mika found standing difficult and sat down right there.
He stretched his legs out, placed his hands behind him, and entered relaxation mode.
He was already in the mood of "kill me if you're going to kill me."
He did not know if everything said so far was true, but it was certain he was a master of 'Word'.
If he were in perfect condition, perhaps, but Mika, unable to move properly due to the backlash, could be killed easily.
Then, it would be better to focus on recovery now.
Surely, the moment to 'kill' will come.
He felt that premonition strongly.
Until then, he must recover as much as possible.
Seeing Mika sit down with legs stretched out, Aquu smiled.
"'Power', 'Will'. Both are pure power. They have a nature to disperse and attempt to equalize within an isolated range."
"That's strange. People retain mana without even realizing it. It doesn't disperse on its own."
"That is the effect when 'Power' and 'Will' combine, and they are simply manipulating it like that. Even unconsciously. Pure 'Power' or 'Will' without a given direction will disperse and equalize within a specific space."
Mika frowned, making a strange face.
"So, mana manipulation is also a phenomenon equivalent to 'Word'?"
"Rather than equivalent, the essence itself is the phenomenon called 'Word'. There is no difference from exploding or creating stones."
Mika made an even stranger face.
"If it is pure power, the assumption of an isolated space cannot be realized. Mana resides in all things. It should penetrate through."
"Indeed, both 'Power' and 'Will' penetrate almost everything. But there are things they do not penetrate."
Saying this, Aquu pointed at Mika.
Mika's robe.
"......Rare metal."
Mika muttered while looking at his own robe, and Aquu nodded.
"Pure rare metals do not allow 'Power' to penetrate. 'Will' requires crafting to block, but it is possible to create such a thing using rare metals."
"Did you make such a thing for experiments? How did you make pure rare metal, anyway?"
Mika's rare metal was mixed with other things and circulated.
He gave pure 'Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]' to Nozzemueller of the Underground Magic Tool Association, but besides that, only Adelriese and his parents knew.
The amount given and the amount circulated with mixtures were strictly managed.
But Aquu did not answer.
He silently looked down at Mika.
In that expression, which even felt relaxed, Mika felt a slight premonition.
"............No way...!"
It would not be strange if there were alchemists other than Mika who created rare metals.
But, surely it is not so.
It is not that.
This guy is――――.
"The King of the Prehistoric Civilization."
When Mika muttered that, Aquu raised the corner of his mouth.
"I told you I was researching, didn't I?"
"Did you start a civilization to research 'Power' and 'Will'...?"
"I did not start a civilization. I just dominated a region because I needed manpower. To squeeze out 'Will', I gradually expanded the dominated region. Manpower increased, and it was killing two birds with one stone, right?"
"You...!"
Mika was speechless.
What the 'Cursed Children' were doing now was a second-rate version of this guy.
He was simply repeating what was done in the prehistoric civilization era.
"Could it be that the Six Kings who made alchemy develop dramatically...?"
"Yes, it was me. I experimented and scrutinized the results. If new questions arose, I inhabited a new King and experimented. I just repeated that."
Of the Kings of the prehistoric civilization, the Six Kings who made dramatic developments, were they all this guy inside?!
Mika felt dizzy and hung his head.
He sat cross-legged, holding his head.
It was something he already knew, but he could not help but confirm the answer, so Mika slowly raised his face.
"............The last King who was said to have destroyed civilizations."
"Of course, it was me. I finished the research once and cleaned it up. It was my research. Only I need to know."
Alchemy was a bonus.
It was merely a secondary effect or byproduct.
The essence was the research of 'Power' and 'Will'.
"So, the 'Cursed Children' three thousand five hundred years ago were also your pets?"
"I lent a hand a little, but I only taught Hildinlander about 'Word'. Originally, he could use 'Word', but he was too clumsy. I couldn't help but interfere. I thought it was a perfect role for him."
"Role...? To make people suffer?"
When Mika said that, Aquu's eyes, already shining brightly, shone even more.
"In short, there is that aspect. But it is merely a means."
"Again, to squeeze out 'Will' for research and experiments?"
"Half correct. That is half the purpose."
Mika was annoyed by that roundabout way of speaking.
Noticing Mika's irritation, Aquu shrugged.
"It is not such a difficult story. I just wanted to unite the people. That is all."
"......Ah!?"
Mika glared half-angrily, and Aquu smiled bitterly.
"People needed an enemy. If there is a threat, they will unite and face it, right?"
"I don't get it! What are you trying to do, you bastard!"
The Tranquilizer should be working, but the irritation would not stop.
He ended up raising his voice.
But, without caring about Mika's state, Aquu smiled.
"I just spread the Church of Light."
"................................................Hah?"
A ball came from an angle Mika had never expected.
Mika blinked.
"What are you saying?"
"What? The reason I taught 'Word' to Hildinlander. I made Hildinlander an enemy, and the people united to face him. The Church of Light was optimal for that unity."
Mika instinctively pressed his forehead and shook his head.
I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it...
I absolutely do not want to confirm this.
Still, he could not help but confirm.
With a face like he was chewing on bitter beans, Mika asked.
"............Did you also come up with the Church of Light?"
"Yes."
Hearing that, Mika collapsed flat.
(I'm done...)
Mika lay flat on the marble, sulking.
(Isn't this guy, Aquu, the root cause of everything?)
Everything began with this man.
This continent was this one monkey's [Aquu] playground.
It was nothing more than a toy box.
The original Church of Light was built up modeling the Six Kings of the prehistoric civilization as holy beings.
He did not explicitly say so, but based on cases from the prehistoric civilization era, he called upon people to unite and face threats.
"The model of the Six Gods was the Six Kings, huh...?"
"At that time, they were also inciting people to go to war. They fabricated teachings at random, preaching that those who fought bravely and died would be guided under holy beings. Believing in the reward after death, there were many who went to die for real. It was hard to hold back my laughter."
Aquu continued explaining, ignoring the sulking Mika.
"Hildinlander was originally an arrogant man and was quickly corrupted. It was an era where people were more desperate to live than now. When they learned they could gain power, many gathered under Hildinlander."
However, only a limited number could handle 'Word'.
Hildinlander gathered only those with aptitude and trampled the people.
But, the people would be defeated in no time like that.
So, Aquu taught 'Word' to those who rebelled against Hildinlander as well.
This was the reality of the war three thousand five hundred years ago.
Aquu was a merchant of death, supplying weapons to both sides.
No, Aquu's wickedness was far beyond a merchant of death.
After all, he started the conflict to spread the Church of Light.
Mika sincerely wished that hell existed.
He wanted this guy to go to hell absolutely.
However.
Something unexpected happened to Aquu's prediction.
"[God's Miracle]. This was a completely new mechanism I did not know about."
Someone who noticed that using 'Word' would turn them into a 'Cursed Child' thought of an alternative countermeasure.
And, [Dispelling] was also invented, successfully pushing back the 'Cursed Children' completely.
Mika sat up abruptly.
"Then why are you guys still alive?"
"Of course, because we did not get hit by [Dispelling]."
For a 'Cursed Child' to use 'Word' is equivalent to cutting away their own body.
Since 'Power' is easy to absorb, it is okay, but 'Will' requires a massive amount.
The war three thousand five hundred years ago ended when many 'Cursed Children' were defeated, and the remaining 'Cursed Children' used 'Word' too much, putting even their existence in danger.
Thus, for a long time, they quietly absorbed 'Will' and began to act again by possessing people.
Possessing the Pope of the Gronoir Empire continuously for a certain period was because they were consuming the accumulated 'Will'.
And, once interrupted, there was a long gap because they were accumulating during that time.
"We replenish each time, so it does not run out immediately if collected to a certain extent, but previously, collecting was inefficient. Recently, I taught them the 'Black [Artorum]', so it has become quite efficient."
Mika glared at Aquu.
"Was it your fault for tampering with church history too? What scheme were you plotting by doing such a thing? Starting a war with the kingdom was surely just to collect 'Will', wasn't it?"
But, Aquu shook his head.
"For about the last thousand years, Hildinlander has been leading the 'Cursed Children'. I was merely helping."
"Hah!? Now you say it's not your fault!? Don't joke!"
"I am not joking."
Aquu's face turned serious, and he looked down at Mika with eyes glowing red.
"Basically, I have learned what I wanted to know. I have done what I wanted to do. I have no goals left."
Three million years ago is questionable, but even three thousand years, it is not strange for someone to get bored if they live that long...
"I was bored by then, but I did not wish for death yet. Since Hildinlander and others were trying to do something, it was fine to lend a hand."
There was [Dispelling], a [God's Miracle], and the thought that he could die anytime if he wanted to.
However, some who feared death planned and executed the erasure of [Dispelling].
"Why didn't you stop it? You should have stopped it."
"We were not that closely coordinated originally."
Beings who lived for long years.
Being estranged for five, ten, or twenty years was natural.
It seems they had a loose cooperative relationship where they did whatever they liked and only called out to each other when something happened.
"When I found out, everything was already over."
Other 'Cursed Children' who behaved freely were simply careless about various things.
They had a cooperative relationship through church takeover and historical tampering, but they did not necessarily execute plans properly.
"Kill easily because it displeases them. Destroy. My role was to warn them that this would hinder the plan."
Because of this, he was disliked by some and became an outcast in the [Dispelling] erasure plan.
(............This guy is like middle management.)
From the story until now, he seemed like the biggest mastermind.
"Are you not the most important? You taught Hildinlander, and everyone else learned from Hildinlander, right?"
"Important... In terms of power relations, I am indeed the strongest. But, at some point, they began to misunderstand."
"Understand?"
When lending a hand to Hildinlander's plan, he played the role of Hildinlander's right-hand man as a role.
Based on his experience of possessing various humans and enjoying various lives, he had already experienced the role of an assistant.
"I have walked the path of life from King to slave. I have been a chamber president and a servant. I am good at getting into character."
"I see."
Mika said with a sigh.
He possessed hundreds of people and took over their lives.
He did not mind wielding power, but it seems he enjoyed playing with restrictions.
"......So, you played the role of supporting him, and he really believed it?"
"Yes. Hildinlander began to truly believe he was greater, and those around him also began to misunderstand 'that is so'."
"Why didn't you correct him?"
"Wouldn't that be boring?"
This guy is no good.
Mika held his head.
He didn't want to break the role-play, wasn't he an idiot?
Just playing a role.
Certainly, one can misunderstand "I am truly great" from that.
An experiment was conducted at a certain university where ordinary students were divided into 'Guard' and 'Prisoner' roles and made to live in an environment simulating a closed prison.
It was an experiment to see how status and role affect people.
The result was that the guards became more high-handed, and the prisoners became more abject.
There seem to be various doubts about this experiment, but actually, it is not such a difficult story.
It is common for celebrities or sports players who reach the top of the stars to become arrogant from being fawned over by those around them and fall in no time.
There are people everywhere who get carried away when lifted up.
Mika looked up at Aquu with a dumbfounded expression and began to loosen his body slightly.
There was still pain from the backlash in his body, but it was getting a little better.
"Was [Dispelling] really lost? What is [God's Miracle] anyway? If you were so research-oriented, couldn't you have made it yourself?"
Mika said that, but Aquu shook his head.
"[God's Miracle] is interference with the logic of the world. Logic is not required; ability is needed."
"............What do you mean?"
To insert [God's Miracle] into the logic of the world, such a special [Skill] seems necessary.
"This is just a hypothesis I heard, but it seems it cannot be learned."
It is not that the technique is passed down; a person born with a special [Skill] appears and builds the mechanism called [God's Miracle] into the world.
"Then, just find that person."
"Do you think I did not search?"
[God's Miracle] increased little by little over a long period of time.
Someone was newly building [God's Miracle] into the world.
It seems they searched for more than a thousand years after the power of [God's Miracle] appeared but could not find it.
"......It seems it is interference with the logic of the world, but that is just what I heard. I did not confirm it. I could not confirm it myself."
After [Dispelling] was lost, they searched again, but it seems they could not find it.
"New [God's Miracles] are being created. Then, there is a possibility that something like [Dispelling] will be created again. I decided to bet on that slim possibility."
Aquu, who had secretly moved through history and plotted conspiracies, could not do anything about [God's Miracle].
On that expression, a sense of resignation was certainly floating.