Chapter 56: Worry
When Joshua returned to the Mycroft Continent from the spatial turbulence, it was already mid-May of the year 835 of the Falling Stars Era.
Carlis had pulled him from the spatial turbulence into the Star Dome, and now he was back on the Mycroft Continent, in the Great Aias Mountains, this familiar place.
As a deep blue portal opened, a spatial rift appeared above this most majestic mountain range in the Northern lands. The extremely obvious spatial fluctuations spread in all directions, attracting the attention of many who had long been waiting here. Amidst waves of magical fluctuations, three mages and two Gold-rank warriors simultaneously flew up, approaching the deep blue spatial gate.
The arrival of the Great Magic Tide had greatly elevated the overall power level of the world. After nearly a year of high-concentration mana baptism, many who were once Silver High-rank had advanced to Gold-rank. But regardless, Gold-rank beings were still the high-end power of the entire world. The reason these elites were waiting here respectfully was naturally due to orders.
Orders from the Emperor.
About a week ago, the Imperial Emperor and his trusted mentor had come to the Northern lands to meet with two legendary mages who had been out of contact for a long time. They exchanged information for a long time. From the mouths of Baniel and William, the two highest authorities of the Empire learned most of what had happened in the Sixth Abyss. Regarding everything the warrior had done—whether it was slaughtering demons or severely wounding the demon army—Israel was not surprised, and neither was Nostradamus. They even showed no shock or worry about Joshua's sudden disappearance during the teleportation. Faced with Master Baniel's confusion, the Imperial ruler with dark golden hair merely responded with a calm smile.
"It's Joshua."
That was what he said, and only that one sentence, without any explanation. But this casual remark was actually enough to explain everything. Even the two legendary mages, after thinking for a moment, couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"That's right. If it's that guy, it really is no big deal."
William recalled the warrior's actions in the Abyss and said with relief, "This is the first time I've seen someone go to the Abyss to slaughter demons—a person like that won't have any problems."
And the facts were just as they thought. Joshua returned safely, just a little late. Facing the mages and Gold-rank warriors who had respectfully surrounded him on both sides since he stepped out of the spatial gate, the warrior showed no particular emotion. He simply said calmly, "Alright, go tell His Majesty the Emperor and Master Nostradamus that I'm fine, no accidents."
"In a few days, I'll go see them to discuss some matters. Have His Majesty arrange a time." Joshua specifically instructed a mage who bore the five-star sun ring emblem, clearly someone close to the Imperial family. "It's best at the Void Observatory. There are many things there that will be useful."
"Yes, Lord Count Radcliffe."
In response to Joshua's instructions, this Imperial mage immediately bowed and replied respectfully, "I will deliver your words completely to His Majesty—do you have any other instructions?"
No. Joshua didn't say this out loud, because he had already begun to stride southward, toward the Moldavia Territory, toward the direction of the Lord's Mansion. In an instant, none of the personnel on standby—whether high-rank mages or Gold-rank warriors—saw any process at all. The warrior had already vanished. It wasn't until the Imperial mage cautiously raised his head to look at where Joshua had been that he realized he had already left.
He had gone home.
And at that moment, in the Lord's Mansion, they promised that if there was a next time, they would take the two of them out for a spin, to chop up something or other, so they wouldn't forget their own duties. After that, the warrior turned his head to look at No. 3, who had been silent all along.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Joshua asked somewhat curiously. He knew that in similar situations before, it was always the Artificial Intelligence Girl who spoke first, but this time she had been silent the whole time. It felt a bit different from before.
"...You went to do something dangerous again, Joshua."
Faced with the warrior's question, No. 3 was silent for a long time before murmuring softly, "You thought it was too dangerous, so you didn't bring Ying and Lin... Black is very fast and can avoid most dangerous situations, so you brought her."
"The Abyss isn't dangerous to me, but it's different for you."
Hearing the Artificial Intelligence Girl's words, Joshua's expression involuntarily turned serious. He replied earnestly, "Actually, bringing Black was a bit ill-considered, but everything turned out fine. This trip to the Abyss also let me discover a lot of potential troubles."
Thinking of the divine runes engraved on his bones within his body, Joshua couldn't help but nod slightly. Being able to clearly perceive the influence of divinity on him could be said to be one of the greatest gains from this trip to the Abyss, second only to the information Carlis the Steel Serpent had told him.
"Speaking of which, No. 3, this is different. You're actually concerned about my safety now."
Many thoughts flashed through his mind. Joshua came back to himself and looked at No. 3, whose expression was still somewhat worried. He said with a smile, "You were always so confident in me before. Why are you suddenly worried about my safety?"
When Joshua said this, his mood was very relaxed. He just instinctively said it to No. 3 offhandedly; the words didn't even pass through his brain's consideration. In contrast, after hearing Joshua's question, No. 3 thought seriously for a while before answering.
"Joshua."
As she said this, the Artificial Intelligence Girl's tone was very sincere and very serious. This emotion was so obvious that even Black, who had been constantly stroking the light orb, making it jingle, subconsciously stopped her movements, let alone Ying and Lin, who had been serious from the start. No. 3 seemed to be weighing her words. After a few seconds, she said softly, "Now, we are all very happy."
"Ying, Lin, Black, this light orb, Old Bishop Atanis, Mr. Brandon, Ms. Verdani, the two young ladies of the Skarland family, Master Nostradamus and His Majesty the Emperor, who don't come often."
No. 3's voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear. She looked around at everyone present and then continued in a calm voice, "A year or two ago, everyone's faces weren't very good. They, we, were all filled with worry because there were many things that hadn't been resolved. But now it's different. Our lives have gotten on the right track."
Ying and Lin had adapted to their roles as head maid and butler. The Silver-Haired Girl was no longer the naive Divine Mechanism Girl who knew nothing about anything, but a leader who could skillfully handle household affairs and coordinate problems within the Lord's Mansion. And the boy had become a butler capable of standing on his own. Lin handled administrative affairs better and more perfectly every day, enough to make anyone feel confident entrusting work to him.
The Dragon Girl had learned the human way of life. Of course, she still preferred turning into a dragon and playing in the wilderness, but that couldn't deny her efforts. The elderly Archbishop Atanis no longer presided over church work. Several of his former apprentices, now his students, had begun to take his place in conducting masses and prayers, leading clergy to patrol for traces of cultists.
Not to mention the Brandon couple and their daughter, as well as Israel and Nostradamus. The former group had a happy family, no longer harassed by beast tides and cultists, while the latter had both advanced to Legendary. Nothing in the entire Empire could sway their thoughts anymore. They had all obtained the life and power they wanted.
"The world has tended toward stability, so why must you put yourself in danger? It's clearly no longer necessary."
Speaking all this softly, No. 3 met Joshua's gaze. Her eyes flickered with a deep blue light. The Artificial Intelligence seemed somewhat puzzled: "Because it's already perfect, Ying, Lin, and I all hope you can be safe... Because if you weren't here, all of this would lose its meaning."
Faced with No. 3's unprecedented sharp question, Joshua was silent for a moment. He certainly knew that his actions wouldn't be understood by his acquaintances. In everyone's eyes, all dangers had receded: the orcs were extinct, the Mad Dragons had retreated, the cultists had been driven away, and the demon worshippers had sunk into the deep mountains. The entire Mycroft Continent had welcomed a long-lost true peace. And even those who knew the truth understood that the flame had been rekindled, that the thousand-year problem that had troubled these experts had been solved by him, by Joshua.
Indeed, an unprecedented era of stability had arrived. Everyone could just enjoy the long-lost happiness. This was especially true for the Artificial Intelligence Girl, who had traveled for a thousand years in the already-destroyed world of Carlis. What she looked forward to wasn't thrilling legendary adventures, but a calm and mundane daily life.
Why did Joshua deliberately put himself in danger? She found this hard to understand. She wouldn't normally ask this kind of question, but an unknown impulse—an impulse that an Artificial Intelligence should never have—drove her to abruptly voice this doubt.
"...You're right."
Yes, No. 3 was right. The world had ushered in a stable and prosperous era. Even the demons couldn't possibly invade in a little over twenty years, as they had in previous history. At this, Joshua closed his eyes, then opened them again. He didn't know how to explain what he knew to these family members of his—family who, though not related by blood, were closer than kin.
What was he supposed to say? That the Abyss was just an evil neighbor that needed to be guarded against with vigilance, and the real threat was the Evil God that might descend decades later? Too absurd, and he couldn't say it. This was information about the Evil God; he couldn't speak of it to anyone.
Thinking of the vast and majestic, deep evil that made the entire world tremble, the indescribable and terrifying God in the memories of Carlis the Steel Serpent, Joshua couldn't help but sigh deeply in his heart. It was precisely because he knew more that he thought more and did more. Even if what he did seemed completely unnecessary to others, it was still something that had to be done. Decades might seem long, but for the gap between a Legendary and an Evil God, it was exceptionally short.
Not enough, far from enough. It was precisely because you all feel happiness now that I must do these things as quickly as possible.
Not knowing how to say this, Joshua could only step forward and give No. 3, who was floating in mid-air, a hug. Under the warrior's strength, the ethereal mana projection was held in his arms as if it were solid.
"This time I was reckless, but it's fine." He said this, then let go, turned around, and gave Ying and Lin, who had also approached, a hug. Thinking of the entrustments Carlis had told him, the warrior said seriously, "From today on, I won't let you worry."