Soul of Searing Steel

Although Israel appeared confident about his own discovery, Joshua did not react too much.

The [Void Star-Observatory] that took three hundred years-worth of national resources from the Empire was similar to a radio telescope from Earth—the world in the warrior's preexistence, a fortress that lies on the outer reaches of space. Through twelve fused layers of Legendary-tier runes, its observation circles could penetrate the shambled dimensional turbulence to study distant worlds. Unlike the three other grand constructs, the observatory was loaded with a special screening formation for 'life'—every world with no hint of life would be removed from its observation circle, leaving only the innumerable but sporadic worlds that carry life.

As for the [Sentry Array] jointly managed by the Council of Seven and the Skypiercing White Tower, the mainstay of its ability is to grasp every detail of the Void outside the world of Mycroft, and was closer in distance. Most of the time it could only perform early detection of world fragments amidst the turbulent dimensions such as the Nuclear Star or other similar objects. Since the Mycroft Continent was about to die a while ago, the external screen of the world itself had become unstable which in turn prevented the Sentry Array from performing its full functionalities. Hence, there had to be constant vigilance against the intermittent spatial ripples, although it could unleash functionality superior to the preexistence now.

The [Saint's Eye], which construction was directed by the Seven Gods Church and assisted by the elves, the Far Southern Kingdom along with the Trade Federation was vague in its purpose—the most mysterious Wonder of the Void. However, the Seven Gods had used that Wonder to search for the Pentashade Dragon God that fled to the abyss in the pre-existence, which was why some boldly guessed that its function was to 'detect divinity reaction' and 'monitor abyssal seal' and pinpoint every god around the world of Mycroft. Furthermore, it could preemptively catch Abyssal general-class demonic invasions, and was probably why the Seven Gods church could always warn about Abyssal ambushes.

The smallest yet latest Wonder was the [Celestial Vision]. Constructed by the Three Great Kingdom of Psychics in the West Mountains, it had the unique capacity of collecting and tidying information of the dimensional turbulence itself. It was a large radio with zero disparity to some extent, and could catch distant abnormalities in the Multiverse early on with the appropriate handling. The early detection of the Great Mana Tide was indeed an example—the orbital shift of worlds and raging energy flow observed by mages stationed within the Celestial Horizon.

Israel had therefore grasped that the Void Star-Observatory was in fact the greatest and most powerful magical construct of this world, the utmost crystallization of a civilization and a surveillance system from scales of 'worlds' up to 'Multiverse'. It had been constructed by extraordinary civilization without minding the cost, and at a time when the peoples were still employing cold weaponry in wars.

But the question was, what did the Emperor find?

The refugees from the world of Grandia who were relocated to the world of Karlis?

That was Joshua's first thought. With the Observatory's specialized detection for living worlds, it was not unusual for the construct to find that nearby Karlis had living beings again at the very first moment.

Or did he detect the Sage's path, illuminated by Zinsen?

It was possible too. Although logically speaking the Observatory could only see living worlds, with additional resource and temporary disuse of its special screening function, it could observe the distant Multiverse to a degree. There was of course the issue of information regarding the massively disordered dimensional turbulence added to the mix, causing terrifying resources to burn.

Israel did have such authority but he should not be able to notice it. In the end, what the God of Might had illuminated were not real worlds but the power of Order that the Sage had left behind. Without that sort of energy, the Emperor could at most sense that those stars were rather conspicuous, but not as bright as a path.

There were any possibilities too. However, it was not as if Joshua could not think of it—he was too lazy to come up with those ideas, and it probably

Meanwhile, Israel had led Joshua away from the Great Hall to the depths of a hidden palace.

It was concealed within the heart of Morlaix Palace—it was even apt to call it a small hut because it was small and inconspicuous. The building surface, dappled with fungal growth made it resemble a statue and not a construction that permits entry. Joshua could sense that the small hut was shrouded in layers upon layers of powerful magical energy, forming a composition similar to three layers of Mobius Rings that completely seals and hides its 'space', 'presence' and 'energy'.

If the warrior did not progress into Legendary and possess the 'vision' that could directly observe Steel Strength, he would be incapable of sensing the presence of the hut without destroying the Mobius Rings. At the same time, Israel raised his right hand. There was a plain band on His Majesty's index finger, but was carved with–

No! Joshua frowned, looking at the band that appeared to be nothing special. Soon, he nodded lightly—the band may look like a band, but in fact it was a runic construct completely formed from 'mana' and 'information'. It did not have a solid form and was merely a key to unlock some unusual magical formations. Noticing his gaze, Israel smiled lightly, made a fist and extended his right hand and touched the outer layer of the circle around the hut.

A sheet of modest blue light shone, opening a door over the flawless formation that only permits one person to pass. Israel went in first and his voice rang from behind the door.

"Come, Noble Radcliff. My teacher is waiting for us."

Nostradamus? Didn't he just concluded the rituals and should be accepting the others' well-wishes at the moment?

The thought flashed in Joshua's mind for an instant and was rapidly extinguished. He probably had lost his wits if he fussed about such matters with a Legendary mage who had mastered the dimensions. The master must have ten thousand ways to leave later than the others and yet arrive before them to the destination.

The warrior stepped through the door, and the powerful yet imperceptible circle immediately close itself behind him and sealed the plain little hut.

"Where is this place?" Joshua asked after he looked around in curiosity. "Why did I never hear about such a hidden spot in Morlaix Palace?"

Under the separation from that three heavy sealing circles, the space within and beyond the circles was virtually two different worlds. The warrior even could be sure that the spatial coordinates inside this place was shifted and might exist in both the center of Morlaix Palace and another place in the world. Additionally, he smelled an ancient scent in this narrow space—it was not the scent of something corroded and decayed, but the thick distillment of extended history.

Standing before the old building, Israel lifted his head at the speckled walls. "This is the palace the Founding Emperor of the Northern Empire resided," the dull-blonde man explained with a tranquil voice, "and also the first building of the Empire on the Triplet Mountain. My ancestor had built it all by himself, and use it as a center point as he planned the whole city."

Israel had intended to continue, but four specks of light had suddenly darted out of a window of the old building that was now empty. Like fireflies, the specks danced happily in the air and swiftly approached the Emperor.

The specks moved so fast they were almost twice the speed of sound. At the same time and probably due to their minuscule mass, they did not cause any sonicboom or shockwave. Both Joshua and Israel could have easily caught those specks, but the two did not move, allowing to fly freely instead.

"Little Izzy, it's been a long time since you came to us!"

"You're even more boring than your father, eh? Before he returned, he would at least come for a spin every few months to enjoy the 'quiet'. But you come once every one or two years?"

"What are you here this time? Perhaps you've come to play cards? Let me tell you, we've developed a new game…"

"Tuturu~"

The four specks stopped around Israel and assembled into four translucent human silhouettes that were probably the size of two normal thumbs. Similar to Ying, their bodies were composed of pure energy but was a purer form of 'spiritual body', possessing appearances similar to elves as materialized element magic streamed around their bodies.

Golden-red light, translucent ripples as if water and ice, atoms with a cold black luster and flowing, distorted air. While the four little translucent lives looked weak, each in truth carried energy undulation between Gold and Supreme.

And from their speech, it seems that Israel and his father were merely their juniors.

"Fluorescence, Stream, Tempest and Dust. I've been busy recently and had not the time to visit… I'll be free later." Israel smiled as he named them. "This time I'm here only to bring someone to the Fairyland. Last time you four had said that 'its' trajectory had approached the Fairyland itself, I think it's far distinct to look at it from that place."

"That thing, huh. Right, it's right beside the Fairyland now." The golden-red little human figure, a mature, long-haired fairy that had mastered the power of flames tapped her virtually nonexistent chest and said proudly, "It's your freedom to bring a few people and have a look. Just don't disturb the other fairies' games!"

"So you're not here the visit us…" Stream, the fairy who appeared relatively petite and more girly pouted as if irritated, and annoyedly dragged another fairy who was surrounded in winds and rather quiet back into the plain hut. "Let's go, we can't even talk to this heartless fellow! Tempest, play chess with me!"

"Eh, I haven't explained my newly developed cards to Little Izzy…" Though she said so, the fairy named Tempest understood that Israel was here today for business, which was why he dragged another black-haired fairy who had paused beside Israel like a rock, forcing her back into the hut. "I guess it's fine, we could return to perfect the rules…"

"Tu, tuturu?!" The black-haired fairy exclaimed unintelligibly before being pulled into the hut, leaving just the fairy who spreads golden-red luster beside Israel, although she too followed her companions back into the hut.

His Majesty then shrugged at Joshua. "You should know what they are, right?"

Only idiots wouldn't be able to tell that they are fairies, the warrior thought.

"My ancestor had once mistakenly entered the Fairyland that was beyond this world and their habitat," Israel explained—he could tell that Joshua already knew their species. "He somehow earned the fairies' appreciation and help, acquiring an eternally indestructible armor and ring that could command the elements."

As he spoke, Israel lifted his hand and showed the warrior his runic ring that wrapped around his forefinger. "Of course, the four fairy ladies just now who were also the four fairies that signed the contract with my ancestor at the time must enter the ring so that it would have the power to command the elements—usually it's just a key for opening the circle."

Joshua slightly nodded. The story that the Founding Emperor of the Northern Empire had earned the fairies' help was a folktale that was widespread amongst the citizens. Nevertheless, there were quite a few evidences that proved it, such as the two out three doorways between the Fairyland and the world of Mycroft being located within the borders of the Northern Empire—the other behind above the central Lifetree of the Far Southern elves.

If this one within the Imperial Capital was accounted for, three out of four Fairyland doorways were essentially inside the Empire.

"This is both the Nameless Palace of the Imperial Capital and the ancient ruins located within the Island of Eversong Lake. The Ancestor had also promised the elves that his perished soul and body would return to Fairyland while his residence would become the doorway that connects the Mycroft Continent for the fairies, maintained by those four fairy ladies."

Having shed light on the relationship between Empire and the elves, Israel started to explain why he had brought Joshua here to this immeasurably secretive place where absolutely nobody could peek. His Majesty was also definitely more relaxed too.

"Almost half a month ago, Nostradamus and I had spotted an incomparably huge dimensional anomaly amidst the storm that was the Great Mana Tide through the observation circles in the Void Star-Observatory. None had felt its presence for over hundreds of years, and it would have stayed hidden for another few centuries if not for the brutal brush of the Great Mana Tide."

"That giant anomaly could move, and slowly orbits around the Mycroft Continent in an unusual path. After some calculations, it was determined to be precisely four hundred-years for one single rotation."

"It had just left the perceivable angles from the Observatory a few days ago, but then I received a communication from the fairies—the ladies had seen the same anomaly."

Fairies did not have gender. The ladies—or they—were unique beings formed from pure energy and could shape their bodies as they liked. When the first ancient civilizations were born, they were all clusters of luminous spheres that shine around diverse elemental assemblage points. However, since the first fairy who first met another intelligent race was a lady, they would interact with the other races in female fairy form most of the time.

Israel's explanation continued. He opened the doors of the plain building and led Joshua within.

Though the old appeared to be decaying the inside was cleaned and tidy—probably the fairies' work.

"It's with the help of the fairies that the Empire could build the Void Star-Observatory," His Majesty said softly. "They have extraordinary understanding regarding the dimensions; they would not inhabit the Fairyland in the outer reaches of the world otherwise. Of course, other areas were almost the same—if not with divine help, it was with some precious information and blueprint found in ancient ruins.

However, at that very moment, Joshua did not have the heart to keep listening to Israel explain the roots of the fairies' relationship with the Diamond Family.

What Israel had told him just now contained extremely astonishing news to him—it was a shock that people of this age would never understand, a bizarre intimacy as something familiar reappears in this world.

Not the Sage's path, not the refugees on Karlis. What Israel found was the colossal dimensional anomaly located around Fairyland!

That perhaps meant nothing, but if its other name was used, the warrior's inward shock could probably be understood.

The artificial half-plane and ancient ruins located in the outer reaches of this world and the dimensional turbulence within the starry Void—[The Ancient Multiverse Bridge's Sacrificial Ground]!

Otherwise known as the 'Door of Finality' opened towards the end of the Glorious Era!