"Won't you sit with me and have some tea?" Alathea, the Director of Project ANGEL, offered me tea personally.
She settled into the couch on the other side, her bodyguard watching my every move, ready to intervene if necessary.
What was meant to be a discussion between us felt more like an interrogation due to the tense atmosphere.
'This doesn't bode well for me.' I felt as if my head were about to split in two.
This woman—she was the Overseer I had been trying to find, the one responsible for creating an organization that didn't exist in the novel at all.
To explain thoroughly, Overseers are significant figures who govern all of Trestkania.
The continent of Ancrel believes in a democratic system with multiple leaders, each with equal or greater responsibility for specific areas.
While Demiurge has Grand Council Members to lead, Trestkania has Overseers who rarely show themselves unless absolutely necessary.
Being an Overseer isn't about lineage or influence; it's about their capability to fulfill that role—unlike Demiurge's penchant for discrimination.
Alathea Guishe, a woman with white hair, was one of those Overseers.
"My, is there something wrong with the tea?" Alathea asked, masking her true feelings in an effort to put me at ease.
"It's fine. I'm just surprised you chose to reveal your identity to me."
"You were bound to discover who I was eventually. It's better to get straight to the point rather than delay the inevitable."
—Tink!
"That makes things easier, no?"
—Sip...!
Alathea took a drink of her tea, exuding a confidence that I wished I had, if only I weren't so nervous.
I nodded, skipping any pleasantries and going straight to business.
At that moment, I noted that Alathea wasn't the type to stall out of annoyance.
To feel more comfortable, I followed her lead, took my tea to the table, and drank it.
—Clink!
"Oh, this tastes pretty good," I said, nodding in approval.
"Not bad, right? This tea was imported from the nation of Tide. Their tea has a unique aroma and flavour that I find quite favourable." She interlaced her fingers and watched me intently.
…
…
"…So, what did you call me here for?" I decided to stop being vague and get straight to the point.
In the war against Eldians, the greatest weapon humanity had was information.
I possessed information that could not be found anywhere else, as it was literally from outside this world, while Alathea held highly classified information known only to an Overseer.
Setting down her cup of tea, Alathea turned to speak and exchanged information.
"On May 17, 2107, a Historia Heir suddenly went missing," she disclosed.
"!!!" My eyes widened in confusion as she mentioned me from the past.
"It was an incident that never came to light due to the scale of what happened. Only recently did investigators discover a second victim who also disappeared."
I braced myself, recalling that day and ready to hear a familiar name.
"The last remaining heir of the Heavenfall Family, after they were wiped out—Noah Heavenfall, one of the three royal bloodlines that isolated themselves as a form of punishment."
"…"
"Do you understand where I'm going with this?" She turned her head and pointed at the projector that had been displayed to me at the beginning.
"Aria, I personally do not care about who you are or where the Historia heir is since they disappeared." She stated this boldly, making her indifference clear from the start.
"But this is the first time in history that anyone has destroyed an Exitium Stone, something humanity has been trying to achieve for thousands of years."
At her words, I looked at the map again to see where the others were located.
Ten red dots. Eleven stones.
Trestkania, Yorselania, Celibus, Erzebus, Tide, Zelkovania...
Morze.
Each of these nations had one or two stones, while Morze had four Exitium Stones.
The eleventh red dot, which vanished even from Trestkania's intel, was nowhere to be found.
All of this traced back to that incident, which led to investigations concerning Demiurge after my sudden return...
To trace back to me, who had miraculously appeared out of nowhere.
"You are the key to either destroying this world or saving it, and it is up to you to decide—"
"—I'm doing it. Saving the world and all that bullshit."
—Clink!
I set my tea down with a loud noise.
But I didn't care. I drank all the tea in my cup in one go and stood up.
What does she think? That I have a choice in this? That I must be the inevitable savior of this rotting planet?
"If I'm being honest, I hate this. I want to lie down on a couch, play some terrible online game all day, and eat leisurely, but life has other plans for me."
Nothing has gone right since then, and I'm sick and tired of pretending everything is okay.
This heart of mine is fueled by selfish, carnal desires rather than any sense of righteousness.
These hands, stained with the blood of those I have forsaken, are a reminder of my ignorance regarding the future.
I'm scum, and whether I see this path ahead of me as a way to atone for my sins or as a route to greatness, it is merely a stepping stone toward living a better tomorrow until I can finally rest.
"I'll be the damn hero or whatever. Is that what you wanted?" I scowled, struggling with my cute appearance.
"A hero is an outdated term, but yes... that is what we need: a beacon of hope," Alathea nodded.
I don't know what she sees in me, but common sense in this world is dead.
So, I raised my two fingers to gain an advantage.
"Alathea Guishe—promise me two things," I said, making demands a sane person wouldn't make to an Overseer.
She nodded, accepting what I had to say, as long as it wasn't too ridiculous.
"First, don't you dare think about containing me. Those Morzen bastards are known for their otherworldly methods of tracking me down, no matter how secretive I try to be."
Even if we're in an unknown space, deep underground, it pales in comparison to Eldritch Magic, which transcends all.
"…That is true. I'll cross that out as well." Alathea's eyes widened for a moment, as if she hadn't realized that possibility.
…Wait, they were actually planning to confine me?! What the fuck?!?
"A-Ahem, second, once I subjugate the Sentinel, I want Trestkania—no, Project ANGEL—to assist me in my future endeavours, even granting me access to the blueprints that created those wings."
As soon as I made such outrageous demands, the bodyguard behind her flinched, as if it were too much.
But Alathea stopped him, intrigued by what I planned to do with the blueprints.
"Hoh… may I ask why you need our blueprints of all things?" Alathea inquired, genuinely curious and not mocking me.
"It's better if I show you myself." I raised my hand to indicate that I was doing this under their supervision.
—Voom...!
With unprecedented efficiency, I focused on creating Libera, the magical firearm that has aided me since the beginning.
Threads intertwined, forming every part simultaneously, yielding a weapon capable of storing magical energy to unleash devastating blasts, which is exponentially amplified with the Ichor's properties.
It was the ultimate weapon—an efficient masterpiece in its own right...
Yet it lacked something: the Ichor could scale higher with a different catalyst rather than the prototype that Libera originated from.
Something that could take down a Sentinel under the right conditions.
"I see... your Ichor allows you to create anything you want, as long as your imagination allows it—no, it's much deeper and more complex than that," Alathea deduced, already grasping the nature of the Ichor at a glance.
"Orion reported that even he felt something when your gun shot him. Does the Ichor have similar properties to Mythril?"
"Yes, but it's even more significant than that."
"...Fascinating."
Alathea smiled for a moment, but it wasn't a kind smile that would charm men.
But a smile that sent shivers down my spine.
...They really won't kidnap me and confine me in a room, right?
"With this knowledge in mind, I'm sure it will aid me greatly... but I need one more thing—something that could change the tide in our favour."
"Don't keep me waiting. Tell me what it is."
I hesitated, wondering if I should even mention this at all.
The reason Trestkania banned any use of mana was due to its founder, a genius, a one-in-a-billion talent who transformed Trestkania into what it is now, creating the bane of Eldritch Magic.
That was why he was killed before any further testing could be conducted.
—Anti-magic technology; an EMP specifically designed to suppress and erase all mana.
It was essentially an enhanced Anti-Magic serum that didn't just target Morzen Cultists but killed every living thing with mana.
That weapon was called…
"Aether Disruption Field, or the Veil of Deceit... if only I could get my hands on that—"
—ZING...!
"A-Ah..." The moment I muttered the weapon's name, multiple guns were suddenly pointed at my head.
This all came from her bodyguard's wings, enough to turn me into a pincushion if I moved even an inch.
"You. How did you know about that?" Alathea asked me, her tone suddenly turning cold in response to my reckless answer.
Hmm, I think I messed up.
Of course, they'd be suspicious when I told them I knew about it!
In silence, I stared at the two of them while they pointed their weapons at me.
Their faces were filled with an intense killing intent, as if I had hit a sore spot.
Meanwhile, I managed to keep my expression composed, not revealing even a hint of nervousness.
…
…
No—actually, I think I might faint from fear. Help me, oh God.
In the novel, the Aether Disruption Field was a weapon that Noah would use against one of the major threats—an Eidolon, one of Morze's executives.
Since the story takes place only in Demiurge, I had no idea it was such a discreet weapon that they'd kill me for merely mentioning its name.
"That's… what the Memory Magic told me! Yeah, Memory Magic…" I quickly made up a flimsy excuse, pinning the blame on Memory Magic.
"And how do we know you're telling the truth?" the bodyguard asked, his suspicion clear.
Ugh... if I make one more mistake, my head will be blown to smithereens.
"…Eclecia. When I used the Knowledge Cube, I grasped Eclecia itself." I raised my arms to show them I meant no harm.
Using the keyword "Eclecia," I piqued their interest, and thankfully, my gamble paid off.
Seeing that I wasn't joking, they allowed me minimal trust for the time being.
I slowly reached for my phone to show them something—a souvenir and an everlasting memory from that cryptic place. I never imagined it would save my life today.
—Fwip…!
On my phone, I had pictures I took during my time in Eclecia.
I only captured a couple because it wasn't the right moment, but if I needed proof, I'd use them.
"This is…?!" Alathea and her bodyguard stared at the photo.
It was a refrigerator.
A very awesome refrigerator.
"Their technology was so advanced that they utilized spatial magic—something only a few individuals can do—to power their refrigerator," I emphasized, trying to sound as convincing as possible.
I didn't mention how I obtained this picture in the first place, since I was Kuro Cyth at the time, not Aria Cyth.
I hoped they wouldn't bring it up.
"…"
"…"
They fell silent, unable to find words.
…Should I reveal the true nature of the Ichor, too? This was my only remaining card that no one else knew about.
I swallowed nervously, on the verge of speaking up, when suddenly—
"Alright, I'll grant you permission to use the Veil."
"…Really?"
"Director?! What are you doing—"
"Alden. My orders."
"…As you command."
The man reluctantly withdrew his weapon, unable to contradict her directives.
The atmosphere shifted back to normal.
Alathea's obviously malicious intent had dissipated, but I still felt the same irritation as I did with Eskieth.
"Weren't you going to blow my brains out?" I tilted my head, perplexed at how I had gotten off so easily.
"Do you want that?" she teased, though her tone suggested she wasn't joking.
"No, I do not," I declared, shaking my head firmly. I was fortunate to explain my situation, pretending that I was acquainted with Veil through 'normal' means.
"Usually, anyone who discloses the name of that weapon would be executed on the spot; you're fortunate to be alive." She informed me of the unseen consequences of my actions.
"Yet you claimed to have seen and explored Eclecia…? That's absolutely intriguing." She moved closer to me, intrigued by this detail.
"I see, to think an ancient civilization used the same method as Eclecia. To think we were that close to reaching their prowess…" She mumbled, her face brimming with excitement.
"…"
"…"
The bodyguard named Alden and I exchanged glances, both clearly glaring at me with disdain.
The bodyguard named Alden and I exchanged glances, both clearly glaring at me with disdain.
Here, I was regarded as a highly dangerous individual—someone capable of disrupting order with the knowledge stored in my mind.
"Hmm, even after knowing how you discovered this, the Veil has remained hidden for decades. How could it possibly work against that Sentinel?" Alathea inquired.
The Sentinel, Deus Machina, was essentially a giant mechanical worm.
A giant-eldritch-mechanical-worm-that-shoots-lasers-for-some-reason-that-could-incinerate-anything, to be exact.
The Veil was a weapon that activated within a certain radius; it wouldn't suffice to cover even half of its massive body.
But that isn't its primary purpose.
"We could break the Pylon's domain with it, allowing us to use nuclear weapons," I smirked.
The reason for the Veil's secrecy was its immense power—it erases the concept of mana, or in this world, life force.
When it comes into contact with a barrier that blocks all external forces, the Veil, which does the opposite, creates an anomaly that temporarily shatters the domain.
"What?!" Alden's eyes widened in shock.
It was something that humanity deemed impossible—breaking a Pylon's barrier—until now.
"Pfft… hahahaha!!!" Alathea erupted in laughter, clearly entertained by my method.
"You… you're insane! I've never seen anyone like you—puhahaha!!!" She continued to laugh, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Haha... ha... What an incredibly superficial theory. We should test it out as quickly as possible," Alathea said, her eyes sparkling as if she had discovered a new toy.
"Don't you agree, Alden?" She turned to him, clearly thinking of the same idea.
"…It might be worth a try. No, we must conduct a test run at once." Alden nodded in agreement; this was an opportunity that could completely change the tides of war.
'Maybe I should have just said that instead of making up a silly excuse…' I sighed internally.
'I could've just said this instead, rather than make a stupid excuse…' I sighed internally.
Since I felt my presence was no longer needed, I stood up, but then I overheard something unsettling.
"…But who will conduct the test run?"
"Why not the Xero Squad?"
"Negative. Orion isn't in the squad; they're just a bunch of uncontrollable misfits without him. Who's going to lead them if he's gone?" Alden firmly rejected Alathea's suggestion.
"Do you really think that way, Alden?" Alathea asked, looking at me with a smile, as if she had just found a brilliant idea.
…No, there's no way. This cannot be happening.
"Aria Cyth, to determine if you're qualified enough to gain access to the Aether Disruption Field, I hereby appoint you as an honorary member of the Xero Squad and as the Vice Leader." She clapped her hands, and suddenly, the emblem on my chest began to glow.
Alden and I were confused.
The emblem, which had been pitch black, now gleamed gold, and the name "Aria Cyth" was engraved on it.
An irreversible decision has been made.
"…You're kidding, right?" I collapsed onto the floor, unable to fathom the thought of working alongside that eccentric group.
"No, I'm not. Now hurry along."
—Clap Clap!
"Alden," Alathea called her bodyguard's name.
"Understood." Alden tightened his gloves and moved closer to me. He wanted to ask why she had made such a hasty decision, but for the moment, he held his tongue.
"Good luck out there, Vice Leader Aria~" Alathea waved goodbye, seemingly too absorbed in the new piece of research I had given them to notice my distress.
Her personality switched so quickly that I barely had time to react. Was this how she typically interacted with others?
"W-WAIT!!!" Before I could protest, Alden seized me by the neck and opened the door.
Beyond that door was once again a realm of white.
There was nothing there—yet without hesitation, I was tossed aside like a stray cat, stripped of any right to voice my opinion.
"YOU PIECES OF SHIIIT!!!" I despaired.
For the fourth time, I was lumped together with nutheads… not just one...
But multiple of them.