The group fell silent, not out of a lack of words, but because their minds struggled to process Lev's revelations.
The one to break the silence was the future leader of Chaldea, the ultimate human, Ritsuka, known as Gudako.
"Wait a second... slaying Typhon with the Moon Goddess and fighting the gigantes alongside the gods?!" Ritsuka's eyes were filled with confusion as she looked at Morpheus, who seemed about her age. "Is this still the history I know? When did these mythical events happen in recent years?!"
As someone confined to Chaldea as experimental material, Mash had read plenty of books. She whispered, "According to records, Typhon was the Father of Monsters, a primordial dragon capable of defeating Zeus. Many legendary monsters are tied to it. But it was slain... by the immortal witch Medea and the Moon Goddess Artemis, according to the texts. There's no mention of a magician named Veritas000."
"My history's shaky, but isn't Veritas000 an English name? In the era of Artemis and Medea, wouldn't they have spoken Ancient Greek?" Ritsuka asked.
"That's right… so I'm not sure what's going on with Mr. Lev. Maybe he's lost it…" Mash continued quietly.
"Lost it?"
"With an explosion that massive, it's possible his mind was affected," Mash said, nodding as if convinced by her own theory.
Ritsuka suddenly felt Mash might be more sly and sharp-tongued than she seemed.
"Lev, what are you talking about? Veritas000? He's just a young heir from a magus family, a foster child no less. How could he be connected to the Greek Moon Goddess?!" Olga Marie shouted, then paused. "Wait, you said you saw it yourself?"
"Of course, Director. I saw him with my own eyes. Back then, I wasn't human. I acted under the King's orders, observing countless timelines. That's when I saw him... a powerful human walking the earth with gods, wielding strength comparable to theirs!" Lev's eyes gleamed with admiration, but beneath it lay unmasked wariness and killing intent.
"Such a powerful human made me cautious the moment I saw him. I had to prepare, to prevent any disruptions to the plan."
"So that's why you personally greeted me and prepared a room for me," Morpheus said, finally piecing it together. "As a unique Demon God, your mastery over time is remarkable. You wander timelines, observing the past without altering it... because you can't. You lack the power to change it."
Morpheus glanced at Olga Marie, who was stunned by their conversation, and continued, "But unfortunately, even knowing about me and preparing, you still don't understand me well enough. Your plan has flaws."
"No, there won't be any issues. Even if your power rivals the gods, it's useless now. The plan has begun, and you can't stop it. Even if all the gods appeared, you couldn't stop it!" Lev laughed maniacally.
Olga Marie realized the explosion was Lev's doing. She shouted, "Why?! Why did you do this, Lev?!"
"Why? I lost faith in humanity long ago. You inferior beings don't deserve a future. Humanity should be eradicated, ruled by a greater existence in the future. That's my conclusion... our conclusion, the King's conclusion!" Lev laughed again, like a madman, then glared at Olga Marie with a twisted smile. "As for you, my dear Director, do you really think you're still alive? How could you believe that?"
Morpheus found Lev's ramblings excessive but didn't interrupt. Since Lev was revealing everything to Olga Marie, it saved him the trouble of explaining.
"You died long ago. I placed the explosives right where you stood. Boom... your body was gone. You're only here because of CHALDEAS. Its core preserved your soul, drawing you to this place, allowing you to maintain your existence."
"What?!" Olga Marie's face paled, her heart sinking. The person she trusted most, the one she thought would never betray her, had struck the hardest blow!
"Those who can't handle artificial intelligence end up like this. Don't take it personally," Morpheus said, stepping forward to pat Olga Marie's shoulder. "Others who dabble in this kind of thing often face similar fates. It's fine."
Ritsuka facepalmed, thinking Morpheus's way with words was something else. Was that supposed to be comforting?!
"Wow, how touching. Is that your attempt to console the Director? Too bad she despises people like you... a McRemitz foster child given the chance to be a magus, with decent talent, sent to the Clock Tower by your family, only to waste time at a human school. Hilarious!" Lev laughed, slapping his thigh.
"The funniest part is she had no idea of your strength and thought you were a useless slacker! Thinking about it makes it even funnier!"
Olga Marie's face darkened. She hadn't realized Lev was mocking her when she spoke about Morpheus.
"Oh, no, it wasn't that funny back then. I thought you might be his descendant. Ancestors' efforts don't guarantee their descendants', so I only found it amusing after blowing you up, when I realized you were the man himself."
Boom!
A sudden blaze erupted, striking Lev and reducing his body to ash!
Everyone was stunned by the abrupt flames. Ritsuka looked at Morpheus, who held a red staff wreathed in fire.
Clearly, Morpheus had unleashed the attack.
But the next moment, Lev reappeared elsewhere.
"No need to rush. I wasn't done talking. I'll leave once I'm finished, since I know you all hate me," Lev said with a grin, unfazed. He turned to Olga Marie. "Director, I said you're dead, but lingering like this is just pathetic. Let me send you to eternal slumber!"
He snapped his fingers.
Nothing happened.
Lev snapped again, then twice more, but still nothing. He sensed Olga Marie's spiritual body but couldn't destroy it!
"Save your energy. The moment her body was destroyed, I cast a spell to protect her soul. Did you think it was CHALDEAS protecting her?" Morpheus stepped forward, hands resting on the top of his staff. He struck it against the ground, producing a crisp sound.
"Come back when your power can annihilate an entire planet. Then try destroying her soul."
In the next instant, a raging inferno erupted where Lev stood, forming a fiery tornado that consumed his entire body.
But it didn't ease anyone's tension. Olga Marie collapsed to her knees, Lev's words hammering her heart.
She was dead, killed by her closest confidant!
"Director…" Mash approached cautiously, wanting to comfort her but unsure how.
Ritsuka hesitated too, unsure how to console her once-domineering superior.
"I didn't expect the Director of Chaldea, its supreme leader, to be so fragile. Why not draft a document handing over your position and go recover somewhere for a few years?" Morpheus's biting words came out, earning a glare from Mash. Even knowing she was outmatched, she found his words cruel.
But Ritsuka held her back. Having navigated the mundane world, Ritsuka knew such harsh words were sometimes a necessary remedy.
"Director… I'm the Director of Chaldea…" Olga Marie reacted, but her spirit sank again. "I'm already dead, just a dead person…"
"No big deal. I've got experience reviving the dead. Just a few days ago, I brought back a woman dead for over a decade. Your soul was personally protected by me. We just need to find a new body to put it in. Simple!" Morpheus said.
"Hah!" Olga Marie shook her head. "I don't know your magecraft style... it doesn't seem like the McRemitz family's. But resurrection, even in myths, is incredibly difficult…"
Life and death are central to myths, the hardest boundaries to break. Resurrection either comes with severe limitations or requires extensive conditions. If it were easy, humanity wouldn't be what it is.
"It's got limitations, sure, but as Chaldea's Director, don't you have the courage to try? I'd be disappointed if you didn't, Lady," Morpheus said, shaking his head. "Protecting your soul was a casual act, but reviving you? That's because you're the Director. Remember your role and its responsibilities."
The scene grew eerily calm. Mash hesitated, ready to step in front of Olga Marie if Ritsuka hadn't held her back. But Morpheus's words seemed to work.
Olga Marie stood, rising on the burning earth.
"You can really revive me?"
"Don't doubt my expertise!" Morpheus adjusted his tie. "It won't be instant, but I can definitely revive you. And Chaldea must have your blood samples, right?"
"Yes…"
Combining technology and magecraft, Chaldea didn't shy away from science, so blood sample storage was standard.
Though magecraft often used fresh blood.
"That makes it easier. But since you're here, treat it as a frontline inspection... one of a leader's duties," Morpheus said, glancing at her long legs with a smile. "The torn stockings look nice, Lady."
Olga Marie glared at him, trying to cover her legs, but her clothes' limited length made it futile.
She gave up, standing confidently without hiding.
After all, it wasn't as revealing as a swimsuit.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Olga Marie's mind raced. She turned to Morpheus. "Wait, Lev... you said he's a Demon God? What Demon God?"
"Under Solomon, there were seventy-two artificial intelligences, known as the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars. He's one of them, called Flauros. After Solomon chose suicide, they went mad. You know, like kids lacking love, thinking a world without their father shouldn't exist."
Morpheus felt his explanation was off but shook his head, deciding not to revise it.
"Close enough. If not that reason, something similar."
***
If you enjoyed this story, don't forget to drop 5 stars and your power stone. And if you want to read more than 70 chapters in advance, feel free to visit: pat reon . com / KangTL