[401] The Final Decision (1)
After handing Plu a cup of coffee, Shirone asked if she had any spare clothes.
Plu said she'd used them all on the way—bandages, ropes—things that were handy in an emergency.
She changed into the clothes Shirone had brought and, while she regained her strength, told him everything.
The reason Gaold had avoided capture was his paranoia—an almost pathological distrust of people.
No, perhaps it was that his desire had grown so desperate he could no longer trust anything in the world.
You could see it from the single iron rule Gaold set when he began the project twenty years ago.
If even the smallest unexpected variable appears, cancel the entire plan and observe the situation.
Once, Gando had been absent from the Association for about two hours without explanation.
It might have been nothing more than the kind of private matter that could happen to anyone.
But Gaold would not let it pass; he disbanded his guard and left the Association himself.
The palace's response, however, was far faster than he'd expected, and most of his guard were arrested.
Only Gaold, Gangnan, and Plu managed to flee by force, but the Association's pursuers followed them relentlessly.
Chased like that, they eventually ended up at Gaold's alma mater, the Alpheas School of Magic.
Shirone looked at Plu with sympathy. If her story was true, it was a miracle she'd made it this far alive.
"You've been through a lot."
Thanks to the sugar she'd taken, Plu's color returned quickly.
She reached out, activated the Cubric, and a phoenix-adorned magic staff materialized in her palm.
"There wasn't a proper place to hide, but that's not the only reason I came here. The Chairman wants to meet Alpheas. But the pursuit was too intense, so he sent me. If they catch me, I can just die and be done with it. Anyway, Shirone, I need your help."
With Gaold's skill, normal tracking would be difficult, but the Association had many nonconformists and rule-breakers, so it was better for him not to show himself in case of contingencies.
"Where is the Chairman now?"
Plu jumped down from the bed, twirled the staff once, slung it behind her back, and headed for the door.
"I'll guide you. If you want to come, that is."
There was a warning in Plu's words. If Shirone wanted out of this, that was his last chance.
"I want to at least meet him and hear what he has to say."
Throwing away your life on vain hope was inefficient.
Since he'd joined the Association he'd been entangled with Gaold anyway. In this case it was better to seek a solution directly than to hide under the covers.
He'd trained desperately, Shirone thought.
His temperament was different from three months ago. Like life evolving under extreme conditions, Shirone had grown through the fierce competition of his final year.
"All right. Hear the Chairman out first, and then you decide. But if it's possible…"
Plu slung the staff behind her and bowed.
"I want you to help us."
She would never have said that in front of Gaold. It was also the first time she'd treated Shirone as a mage.
"Let's go now."
Shirone delayed a firm answer and opened the door.
They pulled on rain cloaks and climbed the mountain behind the building. Casting magic would be easy, but it would almost certainly alert Joner.
Gaold was hiding on the far side of the mountain range that surrounded the Association. It wasn't far in distance, but they had to cross the ridge, and by the time they arrived it was already dawn.
Climbing a mountain in the rain wasn't a normal forced march, but Plu pushed back her hood without even catching her breath and slipped into a cave.
"Chairman, I brought Shirone."
After sending Shirone in, she stepped back outside the cave and watched for any pursuers.
Inside the cave, nothing was visible but darkness.
From the edge of that darkness a flare of flame shot up, and Gaold appeared like a face floating in fire.
He was leaning against the cave wall at the far end, one leg propped up, smiling as he raised a hand.
"Ah, Shirone."
Judging by Plu's condition, Shirone could imagine how hard life on the run had been, but Gaold was as hale as ever and still wore that trademark, manic grin.
"You look relaxed."
"Kukuku, being unemployed isn't so bad. Then again, I didn't do much even at the Association."
Gaold pointed to the spot in front of him.
"Sit. I can't bring out tea, but I've got a bundle of stories you might like."
Shirone cut straight to the point.
"How did it happen?"
Gaold propped his chin and shut his mouth like a clam. It wasn't so much anger or grief as pure indignation.
"Gando exposed my misconduct. Most of it was fabricated, of course. He must have thought even King Adolf wouldn't tolerate it this time. Honestly, I'd been letting it slide for a long time. The problem is most of my guard have been detained or are still being hunted."
"Why didn't you foresee Gando's betrayal? The Chairman's guard were the cream of the crop."
"That's a very you question. I can't argue with that. We were outplayed. But because of that, finding the mastermind behind it became easier. I think Teraze is behind Gando."
"Teraze…"
She was the Empress of Kashan. Also the mother of Uorin, whom they'd met in Kazra, and the leader of the Valkyries.
Even listing what he knew made it clear how powerful Teraze was.
But why Gando's betrayal would be connected to her remained unclear.
"You met Uorin in Kazra, right?"
"Yes. She helped me a lot. If it weren't for her I wouldn't be here."
"Hmm, she helped you. I see, I see. Heh heh."
Shirone pulled a sour face. Why was there anything to laugh at when her life had been saved?
Gaold's laughter suddenly stopped.
"Teraze is probably… Mitochondria Eve."
"Mitochondria Eve?"
"Few know that except those involved in the holy war. The woman you met, Uorin, is likely Empress Teraze."
"Speak plainly."
Gaold explained Mitochondria Eve.
Teraze could pass her memories to her daughter via a mitochondrial mutation. The timing of that memory awakening likely differed between individuals.
If Uorin had already been awakened back then, then the person Shirone met wasn't Uorin at all but Empress Teraze.
"In that way Teraze carries all memories from humanity's origin to the present. With that vast database she sees the essence of humans. To her, you're just a cog turning the wheel of history. The evidence is the artifact you carry—the strongest artifact, ."
Shirone touched Armand at his waist.
He'd suspected it wasn't a simple act of goodwill, but hearing it put chills down his spine. The worst part was that even now, after realizing Teraze's nature, he had no sense of in what way she'd given him this sword.
"Teraze's power doesn't stop there. As you know, we live in a peculiar world. Gepin's erasure—meaning the reset—has already happened. We are living lives after a reset. This is speculative, but Teraze probably retains memories from before the reset. If so, it explains how Gando could slip into my guard despite my paranoid management."
"You're saying Gando was planted from the moment he was born to anticipate today."
If Shirone grasped quickly, there was no need to waste time. Gaold nodded frankly.
"We were properly outthought. No human could predict that. Only Teraze could."
In that case, even someone like Gaold was helpless.
His limbs had been cut off, and the project he'd planned for twenty years had gone up in smoke.
But having lost everything, Gaold had only one choice left.
"What are the odds of success?"
Gaold would go to Heaven. Even after losing his guard, even after the plans he'd spent half his life designing were ruined, he would go. He was the sort of man who'd trade the lives of all humanity to save Miro.
Gaold leaned back leisurely and folded his arms.
"As we stand, we can do nothing. But I haven't been idle for twenty years. It's not exactly a final trump, but I haven't lost everything. Besides, you're here too."
"You haven't asked me to help yet."
"Kukuku! Kid, don't strain yourself. I told you my situation so you'd understand the orders I'm about to give. Do me one favor, then we part ways. Study hard and just graduate."
Shirone became certain of one thing.
When you're fighting the world, there's no room to worry about a student's welfare.
"But you made me an offer, didn't you?"
One of Gaold's eyebrows rose.
It had been a perfect deal back then—especially with a year on the clock.
"You wouldn't say you've found a way, would you?"
"Not a way, but…"
"Hmm."
Gaold stroked his chin.
He wasn't the sort to offer a clumsy lie. But his tone lacked the confidence of someone who'd truly found a solution.
"All right, tell me. How will you destroy Heaven?"
"First, promise me this. If I meet the conditions, share with me all the information you have. This is life-or-death for me. Also, the final choice whether to go to Heaven must always be mine."
It was an unreasonable deal.
Gaold would reveal information that might endanger him, while Shirone could back out at any time.
"Fine. I'll hear it."
Gaold agreed readily.
After all, negotiations are two selfish people finding a compromise. If Shirone had spoken from emotion, Gaold wouldn't have trusted her.
It wasn't necessarily a disadvantage—Shirone had added the caveat of "if the conditions are met."
If there was a way to destroy Heaven, she would accept any risk.
But even given a year, she'd taken the task thinking she had nothing to lose. If the method sounded ridiculous, he could dismiss it.
And judging by Shirone's current skill, the result would probably be the latter.
"There's no harm in getting even a small piece of information."
Gaold thought so.
"Basically, it's a magic that uses ataraxia," Shirone said.
"Likely," Gaold replied.
Shirone spent ten minutes explaining the magic.
Gaold never interrupted. He just stared at the ground, listening until she finished.
"…If that were the case, maybe—perhaps—we might be able to destroy Heaven…or something like that…"
When Gaold gave no reaction, Shirone's voice dwindled. Once she'd spoken it aloud, the obstacles she'd only imagined seemed higher and her confidence drained.
Even after she finished, Gaold remained silent. He simply replayed her explanation over and over in his mind.
A more intimidated Shirone added, "So you said, Chairman, if we can at least find a possibility…"
"Kr."
A metallic sound escaped Gaold's throat.
"Kukuku! Kukukukuku! Kukukukukukuku!"
No matter how he tried to suppress it, laughter clawed at his throat. He couldn't hold it in; he lifted his head and erupted into manic guffaws.
"Khahahaha! Khahahahahaha!"
The cave rang, and Plu entered with a startled look. After confirming Gaold was unharmed, she returned to her ironclad vigilance.
Shirone stared at Gaold in a daze. She couldn't tell what his laughter meant.
Gaold split his mouth into a grin and glared at Shirone. His eyes reflected in the flames, burning fiercely.
"Mad…man."
It was the greatest compliment Gaold could give.