[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 354: Observers (4)

The reason dragons had no choice but to abandon the world?

There was something like that?

Honestly, the first thought that came to mind was that it sounded like complete nonsense.

‘If something like that really existed, they should have told us long ago.’

Back then, humanity had been desperate.

It was when they were still reeling, unable to regain their senses in the face of the overwhelming power of the demons they had encountered for the first time.

If there had been a reason the dragons couldn’t fight, they would have done their utmost to resolve it.

But that request had been rejected outright, and within a few days, the dragons had left the planet.

‘…Or did they believe it was a problem that couldn’t be solved even if they told us?’

As if to answer that question, the Dragon Lord on the screen spoke again.

—First of all, the planet you are living on should have died.

“Hmm?”

Oscar frowned.

He had witnessed countless deaths over the decades, but this was the first time he had heard of a planet dying.

—Everything born into this world runs toward a predetermined end called death. Life, language, culture, nations—even stars are no exception.

The death of a star.

When he thought of those words, it only gave him a vague impression.

It didn’t feel like life would change all that much just because a star died.

—The atmosphere fills with smog instead of oxygen, temperatures rise to levels no living being can endure, the soil where life should grow dries and crumbles, and even the distinction between day and night disappears. That is what it means for a star to die. It means that every species living upon it meets its end.

“……”

—Thus, from the moment we observed the death of this star, we began to prepare ourselves. Once all life on the planet perished, we intended to make that page our final record and close our eyes along with this star. For that is the fate of our kind, who bear the mission and duty of observing this world.

The screen containing the seated Dragon Lord trembled slightly.

—However, at that moment, it was the demons who approached us first, claiming that there was a way to revive the star.

“The demons? They had a way to revive the star?”

Oscar furrowed his brow.

Given the life he had lived, any proposal coming from those bastards was bound to be met with suspicion first.

—After much deliberation, we accepted that proposal and made a pact with the demons.

The Dragon Lord’s lips moved.

—■■ ■■■ ■■……

“Hmm?”

As if a Sound Binding had been cast, an incomprehensible language reached their ears.

Unable to understand the sentence in its entirety, Oscar turned to the side.

“Edna, what did he just say? I couldn’t understand it.”

“I couldn’t either.”

“…Did he deliberately slur the pronunciation?”

“I don’t think so.”

Edna shook her head, and the Lord continued.

—Even if I say it like this, there is a high probability you will not perceive it. Reviving a star that should have died runs counter to the will of the world that encompasses the universe.

—By the time this record is being played, both they and we will likely have fulfilled all terms of the pact. However, the very fact that you are watching this recording means that the demons attempted to discard us once we had outlived our usefulness.

The Dragon Lord’s gaze deepened.

—There is only one reason they would go out of their way to turn against us. The vast records sleeping on the moon—quite literally, the entire history that has unfolded on this star—must have tempted them.

It was somewhat difficult to understand.

Of course, he acknowledged that those records possessed value beyond compare.

But demons of all beings coveting them and killing dragons for it?

‘What do those demon bastards gain from obtaining those records?’

As if answering that question, the Dragon Lord spoke in a heavy voice.

—The problem is that among the demons, there exists one called Lapiros.

“……!”

The moment he heard that, it felt as though lightning struck the crown of his head.

Lapiros, the seer, one of the Four Great Counts of the Demon Realm.

True to his epithet, “The One Who Sees Ahead,” he possessed the ability to foresee the future based on information from the past and present.

—If the records stored on the moon were to fall into the hands of the demons, there is no telling how far into the future he would be able to see using that ability.

To obtain a controllable future.

That was equivalent to gaining perfect dominion over the world.

—Seiro and Valterion were those we sent ahead before the situation here concluded. It will likely take us some time to arrive there. The enemy knows this as well, which is why they killed Elder Valterion.

With no dragons left, even if someone approached the ownerless moon, there would be no one to stop them.

The Dragon Lord slowly closed his eyes.

—They do not have the authority to access the moon’s records, but if given enough time, they will surely break through that level of security. So I ask you one favor.

—Edna Sol Laplace.

The Lord’s voice as he called her name was steeped in immeasurable sorrow.

—Destroy the moon. Destroy it, and erase all the records stored there.

“……!”

Both of them swallowed hard.

They knew how immense the value of the records sleeping here was.

After all, they were records written over billions of years by the dragon race.

They were not mere information—they were the very reason the dragons existed.

—There is not much time. Hurry.

Without realizing it, Oscar swallowed and looked at Edna.

Even he, a human, found it unbearably regrettable that the records here would disappear.

Then what must she, a dragon and an observer, be feeling?

“…I can’t.”

Edna slowly shook her head.

Her wide-open eyes trembled faintly.

“H-how could I… how could I erase the history of a star with my own hands?”

“But the Lord said it. If we don’t erase this, the demons will rule the world.”

“……”

Right now, there were two choices before them.

One was to hand over all the records to the demons and live in the world they ruled.

The other was to erase all the records and fight them to the very end.

“The Lord chose the latter. Because even if they chose the former, they knew the demons had no intention of sparing them.”

The records they had written until now, and the records they would write in the future.

Between the two, the Lord had chosen the latter.

Bzzzt, crackle.

Suddenly, the screen shook violently, and the Lord’s gaze shifted outside the frame.

—It seems it’s about time for me to go.

He looked straight at the magic lens that was recording him.

Though they were watching the same screen, it somehow felt as though his gaze was directed at Edna.

—I know it is a difficult task, but I ask this of you.

With those words, the recorded video shut off, and silence settled over the cavern.

“……”

“……”

Taking a step back, Edna’s gaze swept over the luminous pearls filling the cavern.

No—what she was looking at were the countless records cast in their light.

Billions of years.

The history of the world recorded over that time remained here in its entirety.

Who could dismiss that as mere information?

Records written by her parents, and their parents, and their parents before them.

Everything born of the mission and duty entrusted to the dragon race—

their reason for existence and the proof of it.

“…I can’t.”

Her quiet murmur echoed loudly in the silent cavern.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

She spoke quickly, as if trying to persuade Oscar.

“Those are the history of a star. The flow of every life that has breathed on this star, the accumulation of civilization, and the answer to what we have witnessed and what we must move toward.”

“……”

Oscar said nothing.

No—he couldn’t.

Because he understood her feelings all too well.

‘A crossroads of choice… I know that feeling far too well.’

For the sake of humanity’s future, he had chosen to abandon the White Tower and kill the Great Demon Emperor.

He had accepted that all the history and records the White Tower had built would vanish overnight.

That was why he couldn’t speak carelessly.

Even he couldn’t confidently say that his choice that day had been 100% correct.

“……”

Oscar stared at Edna, who was suffering at the fork in the road.

He knew.

The effort and sacrifice of comrades and predecessors who had built up those precious records.

He knew better than anyone how painful it was to sever that with one’s own hands.

‘If only there were another option.’

For a moment, as Oscar wore a conflicted expression, his mind suddenly cleared as if a light bulb had turned on.

“Wait, do we really have to erase those records?”

“…What have you been listening to all this time? If we don’t, the demons will read them and see the future as clearly as the palm of their hand and rule the world. Considering their nature, the worst era would continue forever.”

“No, no, that’s not what I mean. In the end, don’t we just need to make sure the demons can’t get them?”

At Oscar’s words, Edna let out a faint sigh.

“So what you’re saying is, we should block the demons who come invading nicely?”

“Are you crazy? How are we supposed to stop that?”

If even one Count showed up, both their heads would be chopped off in an instant.

Oscar hurriedly continued.

“The point is, couldn’t we just move the records somewhere else? So the demons can’t take them.”

“……”

Edna blinked.

“The Dragon Lord isn’t an idiot—do you think they didn’t try that? No, more importantly, have you forgotten where we are?”

“This is the moon. Which means the First Dragon Lord judged that a structure of this size was necessary to contain the history of a star.”

“Right. But now that we’ve actually come here, it’s not that big, is it?”

Compared to the size of the entire moon, the temple storing all the records was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

At those words, Edna nodded.

“That’s because all the records and information stored here are compressed through magic. The very concept of access authorization refers to the authority to decompress them.”

“That’s even better. If the information is compressed, then the physical size itself should be much smaller, right?”

“…Even so, it would still be roughly the size of a small to mid-sized city. You’re not suggesting we move that to the continent, are you?”

“Of course not. Even if we moved it to the imperial palace, the most secure place on the continent, if the demons really set their minds to it, there’s a chance they’d take it eventually.”

Oscar shook his head.

“What I’m saying is, we make it look like all the records were erased. While actually moving them somewhere else.”

“Then where would we…?”

Edna trailed off, her pupils widening.

“…Don’t tell me?”

“Exactly. My subspace should just barely be large enough. The Lord probably didn’t suggest this method because they didn’t know I had that kind of ability.”

At that, Edna rapidly calculated the feasibility in her head.

After a moment, she reached the conclusion that it was doable and nodded. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“Yes, the probability of success is certainly high. Above all, if they believe the records have been erased, the demons likely won’t try to track them afterward.”

“But that means we have to move all the information into my subspace… it’ll take some time, won’t it?”

“Even if we minimize it, three days… no, I’ll try to finish it within two days.”

“Two days!?”

To be completely honest, keeping his subspace open that long was impossible.

Which meant it would take even longer—and there was no guarantee the demons wouldn’t arrive in that time.

As Oscar showed discomfort at that point, Edna, after a brief moment of thought, spoke.

“Very well. Follow me.”

“…Where to?”

“You said you can’t keep your subspace open for two days because you lack mana, correct?”

“That’s true, but where are we going?”

“A treasure that will increase your mana capacity more reliably than any elixir in existence.”

She tapped lightly near her heart.

“You will consume a dragon heart.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]