Volume 6 Chapter 92 The One Called a Witch
For a moment, time seemed to turn back...
"...It won't be long now. Enjoy the spectacle as we count down to the century's pivotal moment."
As Leonius spread his arms wide, the entire ruins began to resonate, shaking violently as if answering a call.
The ground trembled beneath them, and pebbles cascaded down from the ceiling.
"We're getting out of here!"
At Lucius's command, Catherine and Leon nodded and dashed towards the exit.
Staying in that place, in that situation, was nothing short of suicidal.
Catherine scrambled out of the underground ruins, and even tumbled from the church, her worried gaze fixed on its structure as she climbed to her feet.
"...It's started."
Catherine scowled deeply at Leonius, who was also looking up at the church.
"Why are you so calm, you idiot?"
"If I stay there and get buried, I won't see the new era that's about to begin."
As Leonius shrugged, Catherine tilted her head, "New era?" Just then, the sky was enveloped in darkness.
At the moment the moon completely devoured the sun, the church was shrouded in a column of black mist──or was it shadows?
Even against the dark sky, the pillar of darkness was distinct.
Everyone stood in awe, gazing up at the bizarre spectacle.
"What now?!"
Catherine took a step back in shock, while Lucius next to her approached the shadowy pillar, muttering, "This is..."
"Is it descending...?"
"Indeed. As expected of you, old man Lucius."
Leonius snickered and turned back to Catherine and the others.
"Here it comes. The century's pivotal moment."
* * *
A short while earlier, in a chamber of the [Tower of Time], Ellie's original body was radiating light.
Light from Liz entered the body, illuminating it without a doubt, signifying the return of her soul.
Randy couldn't help but smile at the sight, but just then, a pitch-black chain emerged from the door behind them, targeting Ellie's body.
Reacting to the magical chain, Randy was thrown backward.
"Who the hell knows?"
Randy drove his fist into the extending chain.
...However, the chain passed through Randy and coiled around Ellie's body.
"Damn it, what the──"
As Randy landed, his hand instinctively reached out for Ellie ── but a burst of darkness shot from the door, knocking Randy away and enveloping Ellie in its depths.
After a roll, Randy sprang to his feet and turned back to Liz.
"Liz! What the hell was that──"
"I'm not sure. It might have been the collective memory or unconsciousness of the Saints that Ellie mentioned."
The ancient king's grand magic ── designed to purify and rewrite Ellie's soul ── was supposed to activate, but the goddess' illusory figure that served as the source of the collective unconscious had already been vanquished.
That's why Ellie couldn't prepare a proper countermeasure and ended up returning to her body like this...
"The collective unconsciousness of the Saints... That's not just some simple concept──"
The shadow they'd briefly touched earlier felt anything but ordinary.
As Ellie had said,
Even if she were to be struck by the collective unconsciousness, Ellie, having already reclaimed herself, should have the strength to resist.
But what about now?
Randy's face twisted in a grimace as he stared at Ellie within the shadow.
The light embracing itself in the darkness was undoubtedly Ellie.
Clearly in agony, Liz reached out for "Ellie," but the shadow repelled the attempt, leaving it unfulfilled.
Bit by bit, Ellie was being consumed by the darkness, turning pitch-black──
* * *
"What do you mean, a new era?!"
Catherine, with her cypress stick at the ready, received a shake of the head from Leonius, "Such a hasty girl."
"Ah, well."
Leonius glanced back with a glint of light, then, realizing there was still time, turned to face Catherine and the others directly.
"Have any of you ever thought that this world is wrong?"
"Wrong?"
Catherine and Leon exchanged a look, tilting their heads.
"Certainly. It's definitely wrong,"
Catherine dismissed with a sniff. Leon's eyes widened in surprise, and so did Lucius', as he blurted out, "Saintly Lady?"
Then, Leonius welcomed her statement with a beaming smile... but,
"Because, duh, if it were true, I should be adored as the ultra-beautiful Saintly Lady by now. There should be palaces dedicated to me in every nation, right?"
Catherine's sharp-tongued remark left Leon and Lucius gaping, but Leonius just wiped his expression clean.
"Oh my, aren't you impressed? But that's just how it is. When things don't go your way, you just decide it's wrong, don't you?"
Catherine's snicker drew a sigh from Leonius.
"...You're just that kind of woman, I see."
Leonius regarded Catherine with a look of mock amazement, as if to say, "What a Saint you are."
"Well, fine. It's best to tell you lot this now, since you're about to lose the chance to know."
Catherine braced herself as Leonius gave a sly grin.
As if preparing to slaughter them all, Leon stepped forward, ready to shield Catherine.
"I'm not interested in your 'evil' theories."
Leon's resolve was clear as he dared to label Leonius as "evil" right here and now.
Catherine, who quickly grasped his intention to protect her no matter the opponent, gazed at Leon's back with a hint of surprise.
"'Evil'... It's always the victor who gets to decide that. But who's winning in today's world?"
Leonius spread his arms in a theatrical gesture.
"──Corrupt nobles, governments mired in self-interest, the bloodshed is always the silent people's. No matter how much you heroes fight, this structure won't break."
Leon raised an eyebrow at the intensity in Leonius's unwavering gaze.
"So you're wrong?"
Lucius joined the verbal fray, but Leonius simply nodded calmly, "Indeed."
"That's why we keep shedding unnecessary blood over land and rights, and most of it is from people who shouldn't have had to bleed in the first place."
Behind Leonius, who clenched his fists, the shadows that had been pouring down on the church deepened.
"Those of high status give the orders, and the lower classes suffer... But, who decided these statuses in the first place?"
The 3 remained silent, unable to answer Leonius's question.
"You too, right?"
Turning to Catherine, Leonius repeated, "The Saint, too, right?" before opening his mouth again.
"An idol, the delusion of a single man from ages ago. Forced upon them, with expectations heaped upon them, they must fulfill their role. It's all the same. Those without are burdened with the unreasonable. That's how this world works."
It was an explanation that strangely made sense, but it was Catherine who would object.
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