Book Eater

Chapter 345: Dragon Lord (2)

Titania and Randolph didn’t know about it. It was a story that even headstrong young dragons like Aquilo didn’t know. An ancient dragon, Gluttony who was the grimoire from the Age of Mythology, and the grimoire’s contractor, Theo, were the only ones who understood that statement.

It seemed that the grimoire in question was one of the Seven Sins. This was a secret hidden in the deepest part of the Age of Mythology, which had remained unknown even when the 6th stage seal was released.

Myrdal had given me a clue.

Theo’s eyes flashed as he recalled an old memory.

[It is because your thoughts are too different.]

- Me?

[That’s right, Gluttony. Unlike the other six, you don’t pay much attention to the fate of the world. The one who wants to eat all species, Pride; the one who wants to stop the present world ...]

Gluttony had cut off Myrdal there, but there weren’t any candidates. Theo had defeated Pride and Envy; Gluttony was contracted to him; and Lust was on the East Continent. The only other candidates were Wrath, Parsimony, and Sloth.

Theo took the brief silence to interject, “Wait.”

He knew that a dragon lord was an absurd existence, and that the situation was related to the Seven Sins grimoires; however, he had the right to interrupt the conversation. He wanted to regain the initiative before he got swept up in a situation he couldn’t afford to be involved in.

“If I am Gluttony’s owner, is it okay to proceed with the story without me? Lord.”

Erucus’s eyes widened as he cried out, “Please refrain from talking, human magician!”

[... No, Erucus. He is right. It is my mistake. Please forgive my rudeness, Theodore Miller.]

“Then please answer my question.” After Clipeus acknowledged their mistake, Theo spoke the questions he had in his mind. It was a clever conversation where he refused to give the initiative to the other party. “What is a dragon lord? If you are less than ten years old according to human standards, then you are still just a hatchling. If so, it is hard to understand how you know about Gluttony, who is contracted to me.”

[Umm… You struck right at the core. The contractor of Gluttony is always unique, but you are different.]

The serious looking Clipeus smiled bitterly.

[I authorize the disclosure of my personal information, Gluttony. You can tell him the information you have recorded about me.]

- Hah, you talk with such benevolence

Gluttony snapped angrily before explaining, in a voice only Theo could hear, the knowledge about the dragon lord that no one in this world knew.

- You did well, User. As you can imagine, the dragon lord isn’t an object. It is a defense mechanism of the material world itself.

Gluttony paused before adding more slowly,

- It exists only in a time and location that it’s needed. The fact that you encountered it here and in the form of a hatchling is all planned. The dragon lord is a safeguard against the destruction of the physical world.

... Wait, this doesn’t make sense? The world has almost been destroyed several times. Why is it only showing up now?

- It didn’t need to show up, since you overcame it.

What?

Theo’s confusion traveled down his connection to Gluttony, so Gluttony explained calmly.

- The work of a mortal can escape the plan for harmony in this world. The dragon lord being involved means it needs to intervene to overcome this crisis.

It is the end if the dragon lord doesn’t intervene?

- That’s right. The dragon lord is a tool to stop an inevitable event.

Theo understood the whole thing and shivered. The dragon lord hadn’t appeared when Laevateinn ran wild because it had foreseen that Theo would defeat Laevateinn, and it hadn’t appeared when Superbia had attacked because it had been foreseen that Pride’s purpose would be frustrated. There had been no reason to move with Envy or Nídh?ggur because it had foreseen that Elvenheim and Theo would repel Nídh?ggur.

However, the swamp was different. It had summoned all the dragons on the continent to this place and still couldn’t resolve the problem without Theo’s cooperation. This was the arrival of a global crisis that couldn’t be handled by mortals.

The moment Theo recognized the situation, Clipeus spoke with exquisite timing.

[If you listened to Gluttony’s explanation, you should understand everything. I will explain more once you accept our cooperation.]

“... Yes, I understand.”

If Theo refused, the world would perish. He didn’t have much experience with intimidation or blackmail, but he didn’t mind this one. Theo was too brave to refuse because of fear, and his sense of responsibility wouldn’t let him go once he understood the stakes. Clipeus smiled softly, with an affection that almost seemed human.

[I didn’t think I would see the qualities of a hero from the owner of Gluttony.]

Theo shook his head. “You’re overpraising me.”

[Will you respect your contractor’s intent, Gluttony? Will you help me reseal Sloth?]

Gluttony was driven to a corner and gave a long sigh.

- I can’t give a definite answer until I observe it directly. It shouldn’t be impossible if the?6th?stage feature is used well…

“Yes, the 6th stage.”

Clipeus looked a little curious, but continued with their explanation.

[Okay. Then let’s continue with the story.]

There was no reason to refuse. Theo nodded, and Clipeus turned toward the three dragons who were badly hiding their curiosity. The three of them followed with puzzled expressions. It was finally time to meet one of the Seven Sins trying to destroy the material world, Sloth.

***

Unfortunately, the three dragons were unable to confirm what Sloth was. The dragons only grew more serious with every step closer to the center of the swamp. The three dragons were vigilant against something that could threaten them, but Theo…

.

... I don’t feel anything?

There wasn’t even a flicker in the surrounding mana. Theo walked a few more steps with a strange expression. Then a sharp voice rang out.

“Boy, stop!”

“What?”

He was about to take a step when something grabbed onto his shoes. Theo reflexively sprang backward, but felt a terrible pain rising from his toes. The tip of his toe had been torn away with the shoe!

“Ugh!”

He hurriedly cast healing magic as claws appeared in front of him. It wasn’t a big wound, but the pain of having his flesh torn was more than he imagined. During this moment in which he faced a threat that wasn’t sensed by his super sensitivity, his alertness soared to the limit. What would’ve happened if he had put his head in?

“... W-What?”

An unbelievable sight entered Theo’s eyes as he stared ahead after doing first aid. His torn flesh was hanging from a claw floating in the air.

[Oh, the warning was too late. The domain has expanded a few meters more than before,]

Clipeus mumbled.

[This is the domain of Sloth. You could take a few more steps forward with your strength. But please don’t try it.]

“No, what is this damn space?” Theo cursed.

The sight of his blood-splattered toe still hanging in the air was too vivid, making him feel nauseous when he saw it. He knew this phenomenon all too well.

“... Time Stop!”

The former Blue Tower master, Blundell Adruncus, had been limited to stopping time for a few seconds in a very narrow space. But he had exhausted his entire lifespan and then died after casting that spell. Yet this massive space had its time stopped? It explained why the dragons were on alert. They wouldn’t be able to survive if they were caught up in that power.

- Look further, User.

“Further?”

At Gluttony’s low voice, Theo stopped shouting and looked beyond the claw. Everyone gulped.

A void was slowly swallowing the world beyond them. Birds were in mid flap, while falling leaves hung in the air. Any signs of life in the material world were frozen. The sight of the world stopping around the darkness was truly shocking.

- This is Sloth’s unique power, the Cage of Chronos. It freezes time in such a way that even light can’t escape and freezes the entire world. The power to capture the area regardless of material or non-material is the purpose of the stationary collection grimoire, Sloth.

Only then did Theo understand Myrdal’s words. Sloth could stop the existing world itself; it was a grimoire that could end this world forever. The void sphere wasn’t darkness. It wasn’t dark because there was no light. Instead, it was because the light which entered it didn’t emerge. This was a phenomenon that could be seen in a black hole, the ultimate gravitational magic that was only mentioned in the old records.

Then Theo soon realized why the transcendents had died. If stagnating time was the unique strength of the grimoire, then their cause of death would also be this power. What would happen if a heart only beat once or twice a year? What would happen if the electrical signals in a nervous system were slowed by a thousand times? What would happen if the rate at which the alveoli swelled were reduced to one-tenth? Even transcendents beyond the limits of life wouldn’t be able to hold on. There was no way to counter it, and they would’ve suffered tens of thousands, maybe even more years of suffering.

Chill.

Theo trembled as he realized how dangerous the situation was. It would be better to die than to experience that. Theo barely kept his composure and thought about it. There was no way he could resist the power that transcendents couldn’t. The only thing that could be relied on here was the Seven Sins grimoire, Gluttony.

“Gluttony, is there any way you can destroy or enter the cage?”

- Destruction is impossible. Any attack will freeze the moment it enters Sloth’s domain. Even an attack at the speed of light will take ten thousand years to break through the Cage of Chronos. It is impossible unless it is a power that can destroy a dimension.

“Then is there a way to enter?”

- Ummm…?

Gluttony normally answered without hesitation, but this time his voice trailed off. Gluttony didn’t have many means to combat the powerful Time Stop. When it came to the heart of the darkness, Gluttony couldn’t do much.

-Um??

At that moment, Gluttony made a curious sound.

- What? Originally, there shouldn’t be a gap... Yet a slight one exists. It is a gap that can be opened if the condition that is the key is met, like a passage that someone has opened.

“A key? Do you know what the condition is?”

- I don’t know that. I can’t see it.

The possible path that was opened had closed again. Theo and the others sighed. It was at this moment that Titania suddenly cried out from the rear as a gust of wind blew against them.

The unnatural wind was the appearance of the ancient elemental, Geros.

“W-Wait a minute? Geros, why are you suddenly appearing?” Titania couldn’t hide her confusion.

At that moment…

[It is time,]

Geros spoke in a grandiose voice.

[I am a piece of Zephyrus, god of the western wind, who remained in this world according to the will of Prometheus. I have confirmed that all the conditions are satisfied.]

Thick, long arms extended from the body made of wind. As he spread open his palms, a brilliant light flowed from Geros’ hands and shot straight into the darkness beyond them.

[You can enter. Or you don’t have to enter,]

Geros continued in a voice that seemingly didn’t need breath and yet carved itself into everyone’s ears.

[The time has come to extinguish the fire of this world.]