It was a question he never could have anticipated. Ren didn't even bother to answer it.
"I’ll answer you... if you tell me about Eve."
"About that person?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected counter-question, Mascheria blinked in surprise.
"I don’t know why you’re looking for her, but it’s impossible. I don’t know where she is right now, and besides—that is not something I can answer."
Having heard the answer he expected, Ren glanced at the crimson greatsword thrust into the stairs beside him. He hadn't misidentified it. It was the very same weapon the Sword Demon had wielded during his centuries-long imprisonment within the seal of Roses Kaitas.
Why had it manifested from that Forbidden Book?
The Forbidden Book of Memories...
Wait, does that mean—?
There was only one conclusion he could draw from the situation, and it was one he would have preferred not to consider.
"Did you read that from my memories?" he muttered, casting a wary look at the book.
The object was more unsettling than anything Ren had ever encountered. It possessed an overwhelming presence that made his instincts scream in terror, demanding every ounce of his concentration. But surely, this couldn't be the extent of its power. He couldn't believe a Forbidden Book capable of toppling a nation was limited to just this.
"Do you remember what Mascheria told you?"
"That it’s a record of the world’s memories, unaffected by the gods. That’s what you said."
"I’m glad you remember. What do you think? I think we would get along quite well."
"Are you asking me to join you?"
"No—I’m asking if you will become mine. I want you to be Mascheria's possession."
She reached out a hand as if offering a handshake. In truth, it was a command for him to submit.
"A descendant of the Divine Child who received the favor of the Old God... With you, I could truly change the world."
Descendant of the Divine Child. The words had first been uttered by the Sword Demon before he vanished at Roses Kaitas. Now, they came from Mascheria’s lips without warning.
"What—!?"
"Why the surprise? Did Mascheria say something strange?"
"Just now! That word... 'Divine Child'!?"
That wasn't all.
"The favor of the Old God... Did Cecil Ashton really possess such a thing!?"
"Ah, I see. Of course. It’s only natural that you wouldn't know."
Her expression and voice remained serene, as if she understood everything. Her smile carried a strange, maternal warmth that seemed to invite Ren to lean on her, but it was terrifying—the kind of comfort that felt like a trap he would never escape from. Yet, there was no malice in her words; she was entirely sincere.
"Come with Mascheria. If you do, I’ll tell you everything."
She kept her hand extended toward the young magic sword user. Even so, the answer remained the same.
"I refuse. I only fight for the sake of the people I want to protect."
"You have no intention of changing your mind?"
"None. Absolutely none."
Hearing his reply, Mascheria’s expression fell into disappointment. She let out a soft sigh. "I see."
Her gaze remained fixed on Ren, but the emotions swirling behind her eyes were impossible to read.
"Then I must end this."
The power hidden within the Forbidden Book of Memories transcended human logic. Therefore, the power it could replicate was equally limitless.
The crimson greatswords manifested in the lowest level of the temple increased in number—five, then ten, then more.
Ren flashed a wry smile and lunged. He moved far faster than the swords that had just been launched, closing the gap to Mascheria in a heartbeat.
"I wondered if you were a Priest at first!"
But he couldn't believe that anymore. Was she a Bishop? Mascheria smiled elegantly at his doubt.
"You aren't mistaken. Mascheria is a Priest."
"For a Priest, you’re on a different level than Orphide!"
"I suppose so. It was I who taught him magic, after all. That is an undeniable fact."
Ren understood now. No wonder she was this strong. Even among Priests, she was an elite capable of instructing others of the same rank.
The rank above that was the Bishop—a class of entity Ren knew as the final boss in The Legend of the Seven Heroes II. Unlike other Priests, Mascheria clearly possessed strength that rivaled the highest authorities of the Cult.
A one-on-one battle against such a monster. Ren understood the gravity of that better than anyone.
"Knowing that makes it all click!"
As he sheathed the Mithril Magic Sword, he drew the Flame Magic Sword from his waist in a single, sweeping horizontal slash. Almost simultaneously, he conjured a barrier with the Shield Magic Sword, the collision weakening the momentum of several incoming greatswords.
He had finally found the true utility of wielding three magic swords at once. In the brief opening he’d carved out, he focused on his only target: Mascheria.
"Hyaaaaaaaah!"
He didn't stop. He couldn't.
The Priest finally felt a flicker of genuine respect for the boy who refused to flinch for even a second, despite being besieged by such overwhelming force.
"I see why Orphide lost, even after stealing the power of the holy relic," Mascheria said, her hand still resting on the Forbidden Book. "I’ll ask one last time. Is there even a shred of desire in you to become Mascheria's?"
"No! No matter how many times you ask, the answer is the same!"
"I thought you’d say that."
This was it, then.
"I will kill you and take your body. I will use the strongest power you have ever experienced."
At those words, Ren’s mind flashed back to the battle in the Baldur Mountains. The power Asval had unleashed at the very end...
Thinking that was what was coming, he realized he had to stop the Forbidden Book—stop Mascheria—before it could be invoked.
"I won't let you!"
"It’s impossible. You cannot possibly endure this."
The power that erupted was different from anything before. The light from the book fragmented into countless flashes, an unrelenting barrage that rained down on Ren. The beams sliced across his skin, and a searing, psychic headache made his legs buckle, but he forced himself to keep moving.
"You... damn...!"
Bloody nicks from the light opened all over his body. Soon, Ren was forced to realize that these wounds were the medium through which the book was digging deeper into his memories.
Suddenly, an invisible force seized his legs, stopping him in his tracks. From the glowing wounds, waves of light similar to the Forbidden Book's radiance began to pulse outward.
"Guh...!?"
"I’m impressed. You still haven't fallen."
The light raced through the air with ferocious speed, being sucked back into the Forbidden Book. Every time a pulse of light left Ren's body, his vision blurred from a headache that defied description.
"Stop... it...!"
Despite the agony, the ferocity in his eyes only grew. This was a shock to Mascheria, and it hardened her resolve to use everything she had against him.
Symbols that were barely recognizable as language began to align on the pages of the Forbidden Book. She would replicate the strongest power dwelling within Ren's memories. With that single-minded focus, she held her hand over the book.
"What is this flame?"
She eventually reached the memory of Asval’s fire, questioning the identity of such an unfamiliar and potent force. But she delved deeper. Further, and further still... she was certain something else was hidden in the abyss of his mind.
"Silver and pitch-black... No, I can't see this sword clearly. But—"
Something was hidden behind that mysterious power. She continued to probe his memories through the pulses of light emitted from his body.
Mascheria's hand stopped as she turned a page. The moment she tried to read the characters surfacing there, the crimson greatswords surrounding Ren vanished instantly.
"Why did the Sword Demon's power disappear!?"
Then, the Forbidden Book began to tremble violently in her hands. As Mascheria stared in confusion, she felt the reason.
Do not touch that.
Do not touch it.
Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it. Do not touch it.
Once, twice, three times. The command echoed through Mascheria's mind, a repetitive roar that triggered a primal, instinctive terror.
"Ngh... what are you harboring in that body!?"
"Who knows? I think I've been harboring a lot of things since I was born!"
"What is this resolve in your memories? How can you hold such intense convictions!?"
Never before had anyone been able to retaliate like this while their memories were being searched. The Forbidden Book's power subsided slightly. It was as if the book itself was warning Mascheria that if she went any deeper, she would have to face the consequences herself.
"Who are you? It’s insane for the Forbidden Book of Memories to fear a human."
But Mascheria didn't stop. Just as Orphide had known by instinct, so did she. If she didn't kill him now, she would live to regret it. Driven by that conviction, she forced the book's power to its limit. She would dive back into his memories and take his life using the very power he was hiding.
"Take it anyway—Forbidden Book of Memories!"
The waves of light intensified, completely enveloping Ren.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
He screamed as his mind felt like it was being incinerated. His body spasmed. It was a miracle he didn't collapse on the spot. The book continued to gnaw at his soul, attempting to corrode every part of him.
"Finally, I should be able to see everything..."
The disturbance seemed to have passed, and she finally felt a sense of relief. As she reached out to turn the page—
"Traces of a god's power? A powerful seal? No, that’s not it. The body itself is placing a restriction to protect—"
"You... what...!"
"Even Mascheria doesn't understand. To find a seal this strong while probing a memory..."
But eventually, something faint began to surface. As a sequence of golden characters appeared on the open page, the agony became too much for Ren. Under the overwhelming influence of the Forbidden Book of Memories, his consciousness plummeted into the dark.
Suddenly, the pain in his head was gone. In its place was a strange sense of weightlessness; the exhaustion that had dominated his body had vanished completely.
Ren slowly opened his eyes, which had clamped shut just before he lost consciousness. He was confused by the warm, bright light hitting his face. He was supposed to be in the deepest part of the Temple of Micel—how was this possible?
As his eyes adjusted, he was met with a sight he never expected.
"Are you okay?"
The face of the girl peering down at him, Licia Clausel, was very close to his own. The surroundings were the familiar sights of the Imperial Capital—specifically, the street outside the station closest to the Academy.