Book Eater

Chapter 388: Forest that Leads to the Future (3)

A month passed as Theo enjoyed staying in the Northern Great Forest and spending time with Ellenoa. It was longer than he had spent in the city. However, like a rippling stream, time never stopped flowing, and it was soon the time to part.

“Sigh...”

Theo sighed with deep regret when he realized he had to leave. When had his body and mind ever been so calm?

If the honeymoon with two brides had been filled with new things, then life in Elvenheim was peace itself. The day would start with lively birdsong and end with Ellenoa. The high elves treated him with respect and friendliness. He was called Benefactor everywhere he went, even by the elves harvesting crops and fruits.

It is a situation I can’t dream of if I stayed in Meltor... But I don’t feel bad. Rather, I am coming to grips with my old memories.

Theo was the greatest magician on the continent and Chief Tower Master. However, twenty years ago, Theo had just been someone from a rural village, the Miller Barony. The inhabitants of the land, which had no special products and farmland, had lived while helping each other, regardless of status. Even those born as a noble weren’t different. His mother, who had been suffering from poor health and weight loss, had still worked to gather flour and potatoes.

It had been a territory where the title of ‘lord’ rang hollow. Theo had been born with a lot of love and had grown up without being crooked.

Crunch.?

He bit the apple that a child he did not know had given him.

Delicious.

Thanks to the elves’ long experience, the fertile soil of the Great Forest was incomparable to that of other regions. Theo was still eating the apple when Ellenoa returned.

“Theo!” She was even more beautiful than she was a month ago. Was there an old saying that those in love became more beautiful?

Theo greeted her with a wry question, “Ella, isn’t it okay to speak to me more casually now?”

“E-Even if you say that...”

Theo had asked her many times already. Ellenoa liked her nickname of Ella, but she found it difficult to call Theo informally. However, there wasn’t a sense of distance now. Ellenoa wriggled her fingers and said, “... I am shy in calling you so casually.”

It wasn’t a deliberate fox-like act, but Theo still dragged Ellenoa into his arms.

“Omo!” Ellenoa’s eyes shone as she was pulled into his arms. She looked like a deer rather than a fox. There was a floral aroma coming from her hair, and Theo could feel her heat. He felt her shyness would break if he hugged her faster. Theo moved his mouth closer and playfully bumped his nose against hers.

“Ahaha, it tickles.”

“It’s a penalty for always being so formal.”

“That—ahit. W-wait, ahahaha!”

In addition to her nose, he tickled her ears and waist. Ellenoa lost strength as she laughed, while Theo hugged her and held close waist. The unique scent of vegetation filled their noses.

Once she wriggled around to face him, she realized. “... You are leaving.”

“I’m sorry, Ella.”

“No, honestly, I already guessed.”

Ellenoa was a high elf and also had a woman’s intuition. There was no way she would have been unaware. She could see it just by looking at Theo. There was a heavy burden on his shoulders—a weight that was difficult to fathom. Ellenoa didn’t have the power to bear that burden. So Theo was resolved to stand alone against the painful burden that could harm Elvenheim.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” Ellenoa started. She could still remember the back alleys painted with blood and sin. “You were much smaller, yet you didn’t step back from the monster that emerged from a nightmare. Eventually, you saved not only my life but the lives of everyone in this forest.”

“...”

She leaned against him. “I was really worried. I was always the one being saved, and I wondered if I was qualified to be your spouse.”

Theo’s voice was quiet. “Ella.”

“Therefore, please tell me, Theo.” Her pair of bright green eyes shone gently. “Can I be your strength?”

.

“Yes.” Theo held her face with both hands and nodded without hesitation. “Even now, you will be my strength in the future.”

Ellenoa stopped breathing for a moment. She hugged him around the neck. “... Go safely, my love.”

It was something Theo couldn’t promise. Therefore, he didn’t speak. He just kissed Ellenoa quietly. The moment that Ellenoa realized the meaning of his silence, Theo’s body was surrounded by a bright light and he disappeared somewhere.

It was time to prepare for the end.

***

With one month left until Wrath would fall, Theo left Elvenheim and moved around the whole world. He visited Sipoto in Kargas Kingdom, the ruins of the Lairon Kingdom, the Babarino Plains in the Soldun Kingdom where he had fought Pan Helliones…

Theo left no stone unturned as he retread old memories. He had a good conversation with the old man who was famous for being an Old Books Maniac.

- Oh, how are you? Tell me some stories.

Then he met Canis, who he had encountered as a client and customer at Bergen Academy.

- Kukukuk, the kid who used to run around is now a hero. I am living well thanks to you. There is no need to worry about me.

There were many other meetings. The friend who had abandoned Theo after he failed, the current king of Andras…

They didn’t even take a day, but somehow he timed the meetings properly. In this one month that might be his last, Theo spent the last week with her.

- Hmm, you came to see me. Isn’t this praiseworthy?

The bond which had started from the Pirate Archipelago with the evil dragon of the sea, Aquilo, continued to this day. Aquilo was surprised by Theo’s sudden visit but immediately made time for him, recalling the time they confronted Pride and drank alcohol. She also showed him her pile of treasures.

- Please keep this in mind in the future, boy,?

Aquilo had said seriously as he left her lair.

- What do you mean by ‘in the future’?

- Boy, you are now an immortal, a transcendent who can live for more than a thousand or ten thousand years. There are only a few people in this world who will exist as long as you?

- ... Maybe it is a future you can’t think about due to the upcoming crisis. But if that day comes, can you be an old friend of this dragon?

Theo hadn’t been able to deny it as he left Aquilo. He had made a subtle expression, knowing that his atmosphere was strange. However, he hadn’t revealed Wrath. The only other person who had noticed anything had been Naia.

“―Go.”

Theo had finished all his conversations. There was no one else he wanted to meet, and his heart wouldn’t waver. A magician was the strongest when his mind was perfectly clear.

Flash!

A light flashed once, and Theo appeared amidst snow and ice. This was the Arctic, the middle of the northern hemisphere. The cold was fine. Even a master level magician could use their magic power to unconsciously change the surrounding temperature, let alone a transcendent.

“... Gluttony, how much time is left?”

Nevertheless, Theo couldn’t help trembling.

- There isn’t much time left. There are exactly 11,489 seconds left until Wrath enters the planet’s atmosphere.

That was three hours, eleven minutes, and twenty nine seconds. That was when the meteorite, which could completely destroy civilization on this world, would fall.

Theo felt goosebumps rise on his arms. His body was reacting to the foresight telling him of inevitable death. He gritted his teeth as he fought his unreasonable instincts.

Can I do it?

As frosty wind swept through Theo, he gazed up at the sky. It didn’t matter if there was an earthquake or volcanic eruption. Either of those would be less threatening than the destruction that would fall from the sky.

***

[Mission scheduled time, 972 seconds remaining.]

It was still in space. A silent space filled with cold air, as well as all types of electromagnetic waves and radiation. The smooth silver sphere continued to travel at a speed of ten kilometers per second, passing several planetary systems in order to carry out the task assigned to it. The sphere moving through outer space with an unknown force was Wrath of the Seven Sins.

[Activating the observation function, setting the drop point coordinates.]

Gluttony had spoken. There was no reason for it. It was half right, half wrong. Wrath had the intelligence to identify the target before performing the mission and carry out destruction with maximum efficiency. Wrath had a calculation speed that could analyze navigational coordinates several light years ago in dozens of seconds. It was never swept away by emotions or impulse.

[Observing.]

Several kilometers inside the silver sphere, its ‘eyes’ opened. At its best, its eyes could observe supernovae hundreds of light years away in real time. Wrath would arrive at the planet in sixteen minutes. It was only a matter of time until Wrath arrived at ‘Designated name: Earth.’

The screen crackled before clearing up. It was a technique difficult to understand even for the creator.

[Magnification.]

Covered with ice and snow, the northern hemisphere of the planet was beautiful. However, for the emotionless grimoire, the scenery was nothing more than a point of data. Wrath soon discovered a speck of dust on the observation video.

[―Identifying obstacles on the local planet and beginning the analysis.]

The view was magnified multiple times over until the object was large enough to be recognized. Red robes, black hair and blue eyes—it was a common creature of the ‘human race.’ The human had a considerable amount of energy, but he was an obstacle Wrath could easily crush.

[Uniqueness, Gluttony’s contractor.]

Wrath didn’t care. It didn’t worry about that for even a second as it decided to erase the unique presence. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t a big loss if Gluttony was destroyed. Wrath’s priority was to neutralize the civilization that could threaten all of them. At that moment…

- Chunk of scrap metal!?

The human that appeared on the video feed started to speak.

- The welcome is a bit big but please accept it!

Wrath’s sensors pinged.

[A high energy reaction. Grade 2 boundary. Reacting to the presence of a dragon. Searching for the object name.]

An enormous heat swallowed Wrath’s body.

[... Fafnir’s ‘laser’ has hit the outer wall!]