Drip, drip...
Ink was falling from the trees in droplets, flowing toward the ground.
Because of its high viscosity, it didn’t flow like water—but for that very reason, the sight of thick, viscous ink clinging to every branch was bizarre to the extreme.
"Isn't this a waste?"
Linmel tilted her head the moment she realized the black liquid was ink.
"With this much ink, you could fill every piece of paper in the capital. Why would you spray it all over the floor?"
"I don't know. There must be some reason for it, but..."
If I were to assume the worst-case scenario, it would be that Delsia herself became a Fallen One after paying the price for wounding The Great Void.
'At least, that’s not it.'
I observed the ink closely and reached a conclusion.
This wasn't some material from another world; it was just ink. An object from the current reality.
If so, why would she do such a thing?
That was something I could just ask her directly.
"Let's find her."
I slowly extended my Sense to locate Delsia, checking the depths of the forest that I hadn't been able to reach from afar.
—Or, at least, I intended to.
"! Zern!"
*Grrr...!*
The moment I expanded my Sense, Linmel drew her sword.
It was because the ink, which had seemed like mere inanimate matter, had suddenly changed. It began to squirm as if imbued with life, reacting to my Sense and slowly coalescing.
"It... will be fine. Probably."
I calmed Linmel, who was on high alert, and observed the ink as it gathered.
It had definitely reacted to my Sense. That meant it was something Delsia had prepared.
The situation became much simpler. If this thing tried to kill me, it meant Delsia had become a Fallen One who couldn't even recognize her own disciple's face. If it attacked without the intent to kill, it was simply a harsh punishment for a disciple who had left without a word for five years.
Either way, given Delsia’s personality, it was obvious she would try to tear my limbs off, so I braced myself. To my surprise, however, the gathered ink did not attack.
Instead, it formed into a vaguely human shape, and the part where a mouth should be opened.
It even spoke in a voice I knew all too well.
[If this message has reached you, then you must be Zern, who came looking for the place where I was last sighted. Well... I expected you to be alive.]
"Ugh."
The ink used Delsia’s usual, lethargic tone.
Seeing this, Linmel grimaced, sheathed her sword, and grumbled.
"Wait, then why were you radiating killing intent?"
"..."
I couldn't answer, as I was still processing what I had just heard.
*If this message has reached you...*
It was, how should I put it—a phrase more suited for a recording than a conversation.
[Indeed, that is the case. This communication is one-way, and I cannot hear your words, Zern.]
"?"
The mass of ink gave an answer as if it were reading my thoughts exactly.
[It has been a long reunion. It could be 10 years, 20 years—or perhaps 100 years later. I have no words to offer other than an apology for having to use such a method.]
Regardless, the mass of ink continued.
[It cannot be helped. I am not in a state where I can meet you right now.]
No, is she still doing research in a situation like this?
I tilted my head, wondering if Delsia was crazy enough to go that far, when—
[By the time you receive this message, I will already be dead.]
"............What?"
An incomprehensible sentence spilled out.
I tilted my head, wondering if this was some kind of metaphor—
[I did not sacrifice myself. I trust you know that is not my character.]
[I did not give up, either. I thought about it once, but every time I did, I was reminded of a certain foolish human who struggled to survive even after falling into the Deep Sea.]
[With the purpose of my life gone and the world on the brink of destruction—I simply attempted to find a new purpose.]
"Wait, wait a second."
Even though I knew it was a mass of ink, a recording, I clutched my throbbing head and asked a question.
"You're dead? For real? I mean, it’s not like you used a resurrection ritual or split your life force and scattered it across the world..."
[Look up at the sky.]
The recording commanded in the same lethargic voice.
But I couldn't refuse, so I looked up, and a sky tinged with the colors of twilight came into view.
[If you see a black, distinct line cutting across the sky, regardless of whether it is day or night, it means everything ended a long time ago. If that is the case, just follow me quickly. I will spend days lecturing you in the afterlife about how late and how stupid you were.]
[But if you do not see it, it means there is still time left for you—and for the world.]
[I melted my own life to inflict a scar upon The Great Void that will never be erased. It worked because I never intended to return alive, and it has become a mark that keeps that being from moving for a while.]
[If The Great Void truly comes to dominate the entire sky, if every last cloud falls into its grasp, then you will see the scar I left in the sky.]
[I know you have a plan. I know you wouldn't have returned if you didn't.]
[There is little time to wait. Remember that.]
"...I don't have one."
I gritted my teeth and confessed to the mass of ink.
"I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’ve only found an incomplete way to trap the sky. I was going to think of a way to fight it head-on and win together with you, Master, but that’s impossible now."
Delsia is dead—
Thinking about it now, it was a possibility I should have considered.
She is undoubtedly a great mage. The greatest mage I know.
However, wounding The Great Void meant she had gotten that close—and escaping safely after inflicting a wound was something impossible for a mortal.
Why hadn't I thought of it?
Perhaps—I hadn't wanted to think about it, even though I knew.
"Zern..."
Linmel reached out to put a hand on my shoulder with a sorrowful expression, then pulled it back.
What fault did she have in this? I sighed and patted Linmel on the back.
[...]
The mass of ink fell silent, as if it had finished saying everything it needed to.
I was thinking that it was just like Delsia to say only what she needed to say without even a farewell—when—
[Are you crying?]
"?"
The thing attempted to comfort me.
[Hmm. In that case, I feel a bit pleased. Though that couldn't possibly be the case.]
[Still, I think I know what you are thinking. You are probably cursing me out, saying there is no perfect way to deal with The Great Void—why did you die first—how can you be an Elf and live less than a human—and so on.]
"...You're wrong about all of it."
I clenched my fist, wanting to punch it.
[I understand.]
[It is the duty of a master to take care of a disciple's shortcomings, and I am well aware that I am your master.]
[Even if it is just once. Create a space from which The Great Void can never escape, and whether you lure him or kidnap him—do whatever it takes to trap him.]
[And, if you call me by the title you used when we first met, I will stop The Great Void for exactly 11 seconds.]
"...!"
My eyes widened at those words.
11 seconds.
That amount of time is—more than enough. No, it is sufficient.
But how?
[My life turned out to be worth more than I thought.]
[This is the last help I can leave for you.]
[As for a farewell, or an answer to all these explanations, it seems it will suffice to do that after you defeat him.]
[Well then, farewell.]
"Damn it—you're not dead!"
Unable to contain my rage, I threw seawater at the mass of ink, shattering it just as it was about to disappear.
So, Delsia is still alive, tormenting The Great Void as a scar. Of course, it’s true that she threw away her life and gave up many things—
I really thought she was dead. I was ruminating on that horrific feeling when I felt myself smiling slightly, and I consciously pulled the corners of my mouth down.
"Phew, that's a relief..."
"Relief, my foot. That temper of yours..."
She definitely said it like that on purpose because I was a little late.
She’s truly spiteful. As I was thinking that, Chukya, who had been staying quiet inside the cup, crawled out.
"You don't actually believe that, do you?"
"What are you talking about now?"
"It's nonsense. How could a mere talented mortal stop The Great Void for 11 seconds? If you build a plan based on that, you're going to fail."
"I won't fail. Even if my master has a bit of a twisted personality, she never makes empty promises."
"I don't even believe she inflicted a scar..."
"Shut up and look at this. Do you think I could do something like this?"
"Haa..."
I immediately sat down on the ground and began to write out my plan.
Covering the world in the Deep Sea.
The 11 seconds Delsia could provide.
And—all the connections and power I could utilize.
These were all the possibilities I could draw upon in the current situation.
"This will work. You're an Outer God of the Deep Sea. You definitely have control over this domain."
"This... I'm not sure. I'll have to try it to know."
"Hmm, this is..."
Chukya, perhaps not having earned its experience as an Outer God for nothing, checked each point and calculated my plan.
"Hey, does this make any sense? You want to dunk mortals into the Deep Sea and have them hold out for three days? What do you think humans are made of?"
"No, they can handle it if it’s just the surface layer. Right, Linmel?"
"Z-Zern. I’m sorry, but... the Director would probably pass away in thirty minutes..."
"...Is that so?"
Sometimes I even received corrections on the theoretical side.
In the end, we finished it.
"Phew, how is it?"
"..."
Chukya stared intently at the characters I’d scrawled into the dirt—
Then, she frowned.
"Your handwriting is truly atrocious."
"...Now that you mention it, how are you even reading my writing?"
"With such base languages, one can understand the composition just by looking at the vowel clusters. Hmm..."
After reviewing my plan for a while, Chukya crossed her arms, looking displeased.
"This needs to be revised."
"What do you think we’ve been doing for the last three hours?"
"Those were just the processes of tearing it apart and fixing it."
Sighing, she crawled back into her bag.
"If you stick to this plan but revise the specific details, well, it’s the best we can do given the current situation."
"That’s enough for me."
I was satisfied that at least the main framework was established.
It was a world of difference from the past, when I was just reaching out into the darkness, not even knowing where anything was.
"The first thing to revise is the time. You’ve set it too generously. You’ll need to move much faster."
"What? No, if I’m going to finish a plan like this within half a year, it’s plenty..."
"Look at the sky."
Chukya chuckled, letting out words that felt like a lump of ink.
"..."
Feeling a sense of unease from that laugh, I looked up at the sky—
"Ah..."
"..."
Even within the darkening sky, it was clearly discernible.
A faint black line was cleaving the heavens.
The end.
ⓒ Rotten Gimbap#1i525
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