Chương 191: Lux Vult (21)

"She reshapes their souls?" Simon asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Asterion's voice arose from his crystal, his words melding with the engines and machinery draining him of his miasma to power the airship.

"That is Helel's power, the true essence of her control. She draws in the souls of the meek until they become an extension of her own will, then she molds their spirit into her image."

"And the effect persists even after the connection is cut?"

"You misunderstand. Once the process is complete, there is no connection, only oneness. Her thralls' very souls are reshaped into her puppets. Certainly, breaking their bond with Helel will prevent her from issuing them orders, but they will still do her bidding and eagerly reunite with her at the first opportunity. She craves such adoration." This displeased Simon, but didn't surprise him much.

After Lauriane extracted the Minotaur crystal from the Stone Muse—who had apparently been 'mechanically restrained' like Goetia's dryad—Simon had it strapped to an experimental miasma-powered airship capable of accessing the Sanctuary, then spent the entire ride interrogating him. As expected, Asterion remembered nothing of their encounter in the Abyss during the Dark Visionary ritual, but he was surprisingly forthright when Simon interrogated him about Helel. There was no love lost between the siblings.

From what he had gathered, Helel used the faith-based connection tying the Light Megalith to its worshipers' souls to reshape them. She put them through a spiritual lobotomy so intrusive magic couldn't detect the scars, or recall a state prior to the reshaping. They were simply transformed so thoroughly and utterly that their angelic state was the new 'normal' for them. This tied into some of the experiments they had run on captured angels.

They had had some success with temporarily polymorphing them back into humans with a mixture of the Church of the Light's shifter 'cure' and the now captured Two-Tailed Fish, whose crystal they had bound to its own device, but no form of shapeshifting undid the brainwashing. In fact, even killing them and sealing their souls into miasma gems didn't break the effect. They had checked.

"How did the Nobles Heroes defeat her?" Simon inquired.

"I do not know. I was not there for it… and I am not certain I would tell you even if I knew. I do not like Helel, but I do not loathe her either." Asterion remarked a short, heavy pause punctuated by the noise of pistons.

"Still, this time feels… different. Her web has a tighter grip on causality, fate, and her captive souls."

"She's not the real Light, right? At least assure me of that." He could sense Asterion's amusement on his end of the telepathic connection.

"She is no more the Light than I am the Dark, no matter how much she might have convinced herself otherwise. Humility was never chief among Helel's virtues." So she was a mere impostor. Simon didn't know whether he should feel relieved or not. No one said a fake couldn't match the original when given enough time and resources. Helel had found a way to blend mana and miasma to empower her abilities, and that made her extremely dangerous.

"She would be no match for us if we merged," Asterion suggested.

"Your third eye… it was made for me. I can sense it." Oh, the irony…

"The Overlord within me will not share," Simon warned him.

"Hopefully, we will be able to properly discuss things when Abraxas shines upon your constellation."

"If you survive that long." Asterion didn't sound too hopeful about that part.

"You regret this, do you not?"

"I do." Simon should have joined the strike team in Lore, consequences be damned. He had feared showing up as the Overlord in Lore's most sacred place would provoke them into a war, and he got a worse one for his trouble.

"I was too cautious, too kind."

"You are neither of those things, Simon Magnos. But you are afraid of yourself."

"It's your kindred who should be afraid of me," Simon replied as he left the engine room.

"Of what they've forced me to do." Everything that would follow would be on their and the Oracle's head. He had tried a better and more reasonable path, but it led the world to ruin. Now there would be blood on the pavement. He found Euphemia waiting for him outside, with her arms crossed.

"So?" she asked, her expression morose.

"Was he more talkative than the Crab?"

"That's not a high bar to clear." The rare few words escaping Lotan's mouth when the grimoire compelled him to speak were'leave me alone' and'I hate you.'

"Cutting Helel off from her thralls by exposing her to Lotan's power remains our best option to destroy the angelic hive mind, but it won't restore her victims."

"Then killing them and letting their souls reincarnate to be cleansed of her tampering will be a mercy." Euphemia scowled.

"Assuming they won't return to her."

"She's an impostor," Simon reassured his wife. The Light Megalith's subversion had shaken her faith.

"Asterion insisted on that. The Maiden is not the Light." His words failed to alleviate Euphemia's distress.

"She may not be the cosmic and all-powerful Light, true, but she could be the Light we worshiped nonetheless. Pharis was inspired to spread her faith from a vision of an angel granted to her by the Light Megalith. If it was Helel–""Or Pharis did receive a genuine vision, which Helel then usurped and co-opted in her plan to escape," Simon pointed out.

"We do not know."

"I am not so sure." Euphemia looked away.

"I have been wondering why the Oracle didn't see this coming. This Maiden could subvert my Visionary visions to a degree, and those rely on the Worldsoul… as do divinations." Simon immediately caught on.

"You think the Maiden interfered with the Oracle's divinations?"

"Yes. The fact that she sent the Paladin to Serras shows the situation had spiraled out of her control, and I cannot believe she would have allowed Valravn to abduct Anna if she knew the danger." Euphemia took a deep breath.

"The Oracle is not omniscient, or else the Overlord Class would be a thing of the past by now. She must actively look into the future. You are immune to her prophecies, but none of us ever wondered if another power could falsify them." That was a plausible possibility, though Euphemia missed the deeper implications; if the Maiden could interfere with visions, then it meant she could also predict them to a degree. This might explain the Cobweb's uncanny ability to survive the Overlord's wrath.

They had their own seer, and control was the essence of fate. Still, Simon knew from experience that the Cobweb finding out about Anna was something of a fluke as far as the reigns were concerned. They only managed to kidnap her twice over two dozen reigns, some of which lasted well into the Zodiac Parade, and this was only the first time they had succeeded in forcing a merger.

Either Valravn slacked on the job unless pressured, or locating Helel's host must have been the equivalent of searching for a needle in a haystack for them. Could she even escape the Light Megalith at all without help? Simon had never lasted long enough to see Abraxas shine in the Maiden's constellation and check whether or not the Oracle's trust in the seal was warranted. Perhaps I should try to confirm it one day.

"I led the revolution against Gargauth and obtained my Crestone because I received a vision from Pharis," Euphemia said.

"If I saw that thing instead, then… I was pulled by her strings from the very start. I was simply taking out a rival evil on behalf of one which had yet to rise, moving from one master to another."

"Or maybe you did see the real Pharis and are simply doubting yourself," Simon countered. He didn't know enough about Light Visionary visions to make a judgment call.

"The Judge Crestone was originally created to oppose the Zodiac Fiends. You might have simply misinterpreted dire warnings."

"Easy for you to say such things, when they didn't determine your entire life." Euphemia scoffed.

"How would you react if you learned you had been played for a fool all of your entire existence?"

"The same way I always do: I will power through, because nothing is beyond my ability to change. Believe me when I say this: a very small choice can lead to drastic changes down the line." He had learned that truth from experience.

"I will destroy those who seek to manipulate me and become master of my own fate. That is all." This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"A bold statement, for someone who spent so many years under house arrest not so long ago," Euphemia pointed out.

"Or were you plotting your father's death, as Louis thinks?"

"I wish I had planned it," Simon replied honestly.

"Either way, I am free now, and I intend to exercise that right. You should do the same."

"I do not know whether you are merely confident or utterly deluded… but I suppose I should expect as much from the Overlord." Euphemia cracked a small smile.

"Perhaps I should follow your and His Excellency's example. Lord Mastemo chose to die for what he believed in rather than listen to his doubts. There is power in such resolve."

"What I mean to say, Euphemia, is that doubting your own past leads nowhere, when the future remains to be shaped." Changing what happened before was his privilege alone.

"Do what you wish to do. You're free to choose that at least." Euphemia stared at him a moment before nodding slightly.

"You are a good Overlord, Simon." That remains to be seen, he thought as he sensed a slight shift in space. They had crossed the Sanctuary's barrier. Whether or not we can keep our empire in one piece will determine that. Simon and Euphemia returned to the main deck, which was stacked with soldiers, operators, and Class users. Since Simon couldn't exclude the possibility that Helel had sent troops to the Sanctuary, he had erred on the side of caution and brought a powerful force with him.

Lauriane retained command of the vessel alongside Dassein, while Isabelle Barbatos and Norbelle had been invited as researchers alongside Eole, who had remained quiet during the entire trip. Odette and Xenophon were present as well, since the latter was familiar with the floating islands. The sight of the eidolon annoyed Simon to his core when a familiar notification flared up.

Xenophon, the Buddyguard Level 51 Eidolon of Mercenaries, Bodyguards, and Professionalism Humanoid/Divine Xenophon's Exclusive Contract with the Merchant Class prevents you from challenging him to an Ordeal.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Norbelle teased him.

"Like a cake you cannot eat."

"Yes, it is annoying," Simon admitted. Even briefly borrowing Odette's Crestone hadn't allowed him to challenge Xenophon, since his contract was with the Merchant Class itself and not its individual users.

"Hey, I'm not one of those eidolons of loose morality who lets any summoner call them for mana exposure," Xenophon said.

"You want the best, you pay up."

"I appreciate the forthrightness," Odette commented.

"Your Majesty will be pleased that I should be able to gather the necessary funds from confiscated church properties."

"Good," Simon replied. Since Xenophon's power increased with the amount of money spent to summon him, he hoped to raise him to level 70, if not 80. Anything more would require funds he needed to fuel other parts of the imperial war machine. Whispers and gasps of awe filled the deck as the Sanctuary appeared, bathed in sunlight and whirling clouds.

Simon had spent enough time in it to know the path of entry, and the Malevolence's miasma-powered engine let it ascend without encountering the same issues as the Adventurer's own airship. I should never have let Lauriane pick the name, Simon thought. While appropriate considering the fact that the vessel used miasma rather than mana to fly, it made them look like villains. It will at least strike fear in some hearts.

"It's beautiful…" Dassein commented with genuine admiration. Even the usually unflappable Euphemia appeared touched by the view of this hidden paradise.

"Whoa," his squire Aegio gasped with wonder.

"The islands are flying!"

"I theorized the existence of this place, but to see it with my own eyes is something else," Isabelle muttered under her breath.

"This is a wonder of the world." Only Lauriane remained uneasy.

"Should we expect any resistance from the natives, Simon?" Eole glared at her.

"The natives?"

"We aren't here to conquer anyone," Simon replied. The 'island bombardment' project remained a secret for now, until they could at least confirm its applications. They were officially just on a trip to build bases and exploit the local manaliths for the war effort.

"We will negotiate with them in peace."

"Yes, we come in peace," Norbelle mused as she licked her lips.

"I hope Carbuncle is nearby…" Simon suppressed a shudder and ordered the Malevolence to ascend the celestial stairway towards Nodens' Forbidden Keep. The lack of angels and other horrors intercepting them meant Helel hadn't found out about this place yet. The Malevolence reached the Dungeon, at which point a familiar figure walked onto the deck, clothed in human skin.

"Friend Dassein." Casval bowed in front of the Rider, whom he had pledged his loyalty to as a squire.

"An eidolon carrying a woman matching Alcyone Hyades' description has begun to tail us. Shall I intercept them?" It felt so strange to Simon to hear Casval call someone else a friend. He and Dassein had apparently gotten along well after Vouivre's defeat, which surprised no one. The Rider was talented at befriending monsters. Casval was a level forty-five Changeling, which had made him the best candidate to inherit the Beast Class.

Simon had been wary of entrusting him with the Crestone since he hadn't befriended him in this timeline, even though Dassein vouched for him, and insisted he bore Devil Brands. It bothered him to treat Casval this way after they had become friends in a past reign, but circumstances demanded it.

"That must be Sky-Father Vayan, the islands' defender," Simon said.

"I will talk with him," Eole said immediately. Although she had seen the threat of the angels for herself, she didn't trust the imperials to leave her home unmolested.

"He will listen to me."

"I'll go with you both as well, in case things go wrong," Dassein replied, which didn't reassure Eole. He was the one who sent her in chains to Frightwall after all.

"I'll come with you as well," Norbelle said eagerly.

"I've always wanted to ride a dragon."

"Ride me?" Casval blinked in disbelief.

"But… not even Friend Dassein–" Norbelle pinched his cheek before he could finish.

"Ouch!"

"Who told you you could talk back to me?" Norbelle asked, pulling him closer.

"You like this, don't you? You like this, you dirty little lizard?"

"L-let me go, witch!" poor Casval hissed like a snake, more out of fear than sincerity.

"Friend Dassein!"

"Norbelle, release him!" Dassein ordered his sister.

"Do not bully one of my squires, please."

"He would already be on fire if I were bullying him." Norbelle reluctantly let go of Casval's cheek, with the dragon glaring at her with his reptilian eyes.

"We both know one of us will mount him sooner or later, one way or another, and I don't take sloppy seconds. I will be his first."

"Never!" Casval protested with all of his draconic pride.

"No human shall ever mount me!"

"You can't force such things, Norbelle." Dassein pat Casval on the shoulder with fatherly concern.

"Don't worry, Casval. You don't have to do anything you do not want to."

"Thank you, Friend Dassein." Casval avoided Norbelle's lurid gaze and stepped closer to the Rider for his own safety. No doubt he was missing Vouivre right now.

"Euphemia, go with them," Simon insisted. He had the feeling this would lead to a pointless fight otherwise.

"The Adventurer has been stuck on this rock for a while and has no idea of what's going on in Lore. She could become a valuable ally against the tide of destruction sweeping her home."

"I will talk to her," Euphemia promised. The empress led the team to intercept Vayan—with Norbelle being forced to ride the Phoenix rather than Casval, to the former's dismay and the latter's relief—while the Malevolence landed on the Forbidden Keep. The few monsters who dared to bare their jaws at them were slain without issue, with Simon walking towards Nodens' cathedral alongside Lauriane and Isabelle.

"This castle is a pre-Doom wonder," his sister commented.

"I could spend days browsing through its contraptions."

"You'll have a limited time to do it, since it's more likely to end up as a bomb than anything else," Simon said as he turned to Isabelle.

"How long would it take you to prepare these islands?"

"Weeks, maybe less if I receive heavier support from Your Majesty," Isabelle replied.

"Magitechnology built on the islands could amplify my spells and reroute them to the earth below. Smaller islands will be ready quicker than the bigger ones, especially if we can convince the local dryad to help."

"We could compel her to obey," Lauriane suggested.

"With a proper harness–""We have enough enemies as it is," Simon decided. Besides the fact that the idea of enslaving Junon in such a way horrified him, he was leaning towards smaller, surgical bombardments rather than hurling the entire Sanctuary at Lore unless strictly necessary.

"How much damage can those strikes cause?"

"The smaller islands could lay waste to cities and battlefields." Isabelle cleared her throat.

"The largest ones could ravage entire countries."

"Or Illusea." Lauriane stroked her chin.

"A sufficiently powerful bombardment could break through their barriers…"

"You're starting to sound like Louis," Simon scolded her. He was starting to realize his sister could prove rather ruthless when it came to dealing with the family's enemies.

"Besides the sheer death toll, damaging the Worldtree would do us more harm than good."

"True," Lauriane conceded.

"I have toyed with more elegant solutions to the elven problem, but we can discuss them after we save Anna." Simon scowled.

"You think we may still be able to reverse the fusion?"

"We can at least try." Lauriane sighed.

"If not… if not, we'll do what we must." So would Simon. It only took Simon a single step inside Nodens' cathedral for his hopes of the Goatfish being gone for good to be dashed. Although he had consumed him in the previous reign and could still use the appropriate crown, the Zodiac Crystal was still in its mechanical coffin, singing a murderous song Simon alone could hear. However, Simon did notice something when he smashed the glass and seized the crystal; a new notification that sent his heart pumping.

Devour Nodens, the Painbringer? Could he… could he consume the Goatfish months before his constellation shone in the sky? It felt that way at least. The crystal seemed so fragile in his hand that he could crush it with his bare fingers. I only need to win once. The realization filled Simon with hope. I just need to beat them once at their best to do it at any time later on. Abraxas had recognized his superiority for all of time.

He could defeat each Zodiac Fiend individually across the reigns, then track them down and destroy them all in a single timeline. He could potentially prevent the entire Zodiac Parade from ever even happening. How many attempts would it take? Simon wondered as he clenched his fist. As many as required. After leaving Lauriane and Isabelle to study the cathedral's contraptions in preparation for their bombardment, Simon flew out of the Sanctuary barrier's range to telepathically contact his allies on the ground.

The situation evolved so fast he had to stay in touch with them regularly. And Shabram had quite a few bad news to share.

"Your Majesty, our spies in Valne inform us that Lore's armies have passed through Mount Colt and crossed into the League's territory." He could feel the worry in his spymaster's voice.

"They have dragons with them."