Book 2: Chapter 378
“That’s not possible.”
He wasn’t talking to Lord.
The fact that Lukas had muttered his thoughts in such a manner was proof of his confusion when he was faced with a situation that he found difficult to accept.
The fact that parallel universes existed.
In other words, it meant that even in a single universe, the number of s.p.a.ce-time possibilities were basically infinite.
And if all of the possibilities that didn’t occur entered the Imaginary World…
“How big is this world…?”
After becoming an Absolute, he’d learned about the Three Thousand Worlds. At that time, he had been more shocked than he’d ever been in his entire life.
But at that moment.
The shock he was feeling was comparable to, if not more potent than, at that time.
At the same time, he could instinctively foresee one more thing.
This was probably not the only secret of this world. In fact, it might only be the tip of the iceberg.
[No one knows the answer to that question.]
Lord, no.
Michael answered.
[Any being that is strong enough can claim any unclaimed territory as their own.]
“…territory.”
It was a word Pale had mentioned earlier.
[You are quite strange.]
“Strange?”
[Right. Even those who have the power to become the Lord of an area would not recklessly set foot into someone else’s territory. Unless the gap between them is wide enough to be overwhelming, it would be no different than putting their neck into the other person’s mouth,]
“Those guys outside had said it was an invitation.”
[Of course, it was. However, there is also the possibility that it could have been a trap.]
“…in other words, I could have died without knowing anything?”
[Who knows. However, you are strange.]
Michael said the same thing again.
[There is nothing I can do to you right now. Even though you are in my territory and just out of arm’s reach from me.]
“…”
[But the strangest thing is the fact that you are in the Imaginary World in the first place.]
Lukas didn’t say anything, but Michael continued to speak in a pleased tone. He was like a researcher boasting about his achievements, or a professor giving a lecture about an interesting topic.
[Only the completely forgotten should be able to come to this place.]
Lukas blinked.
“…only the completely forgotten?”
[Right. ‘Completely’.]
Michael re-emphasised his words.
[I’d like to ask. Do you think you’ve been completely forgotten?]
“No.”
Lukas shook his head. He didn’t.
Diablo still existed in his home universe.
There was also the Great Medium who had taken a peek at the void records, and Peran and Torkunta, who, while not perfectly, had never forgotten him.
But it was at that moment that Michael burst into laughter once again.
[You seem to be misunderstanding something, Fallen Absolute, I am not talking about your home universe.]
Lukas didn’t immediately understand what Michael was trying to say.
[After becoming an Absolute, you must have saved numerous worlds. You would have inevitably changed the fates of countless universes, either as a saviour or as a judge. So I will ask you again, Trowman.]
A bright smile appeared on Michael’s face.
[The beings from other universes that you saved, killed, or interfered with in some way or the other. Do you think they all forgot about you?]
“…!”
At that moment, it was as if a bolt had struck the top of his head and penetrated his entire body.
Eyes wide, Lukas stiffened.
He had never thought about that. But Michael’s words were not wrong.
Instead, they were very sharp as they directly pointed to things he had not thought about before.
He was right.
The Absolute Lukas had saved countless universes.
To save humans, or to not forget that he himself was a human.
He had saved many and killed many more.
The traces left by that would not have disappeared.
Because all of them were traces left by the ‘Absolute Lukas’, not the ‘Great Mage Lukas’.
[That is why Absolutes cannot come here. Absolutes, beings who exist by interfering with universes, and a world where only the forgotten can exist. From an existential point of view, they are like perfectly opposite poles.]
“…”
[—Of course, that doesn’t mean that it is impossible for all Absolutes. In particular, the Rulers might be capable of tearing s.p.a.ce and stepping into this place.]
Michael’s voice suddenly became cold.
[But the result would not be good.]
At that moment, Lukas suddenly thought about the Seven Fanged Dragon G.o.d.
A being who had been pulled from the position of Ruler because of some kind of event. Compared to her power of the past, she became a being that could barely be called an Absolute.
Was it this place?
Had the Seven Fanged Dragon G.o.d ended up like that after stepping into this world?
“Is it because I’ve fallen?”
[Mm?]
“Is it possible that I entered this world because I’m no longer an Absolute?”
[That may or may not be the case.]
Probably because he felt that his response was a bit lacking, Michael added an explanation.
[Fallen Absolutes. While it is not a common occurrence, it has happened a surprising number of times in the long history of the multiverse. However, so far, I’ve never heard of a Fallen Absolute entering this place.]
“…so your first question was to confirm this.”
Lukas was referring to when he was asked if he was a former Absolute or not.
Michael smiled gently instead of answering.
[Exploration and contemplation are my hobbies. I was intrigued to learn that you were a former Absolute and that we share a ‘fundamental universe’. Your name as well.]
…He knew it wasn’t Lord.
But when Lukas looked at this being with his face and voice acting so differently, he couldn’t help but feel strange.
In the first place, they could not be called completely separate beings.
Lord and Michael were fundamentally the same person.
[At some point, this stopped being a question and answer exchange. Then I will ask you one last thing, Trowman.]
Michael spoke up.
[What is your relationship with that person who was accompanying you?]
“The person accompanying me?”
Was he talking about Pale?
Lukas shook his head as he answered.
“We have no relationship. When I first opened my eyes, she was already beside me. She seems to know this place well and she doesn’t seem hostile towards me, that’s why I chose to go with her for a while.”
[…I see.]
Michael spoke in a strange voice and his tone also changed slightly. It seemed that he had either already made a conclusion or had chosen to not think about it too deeply for now. Lukas couldn’t tell which it was.
[It’s your turn.]
“…”
Michael had asked his last question.
In other words, Lukas would also need to ask his last question.
A few of his questions had been answered, but even more questions had taken their place.
However, at that moment, there was one question that Lukas had to ask.
“How do I leave the Imaginary World?”
[…]
Michael didn’t answer immediately. Because he didn’t have any facial features, it was hard for him to guess what he was thinking. But Lukas did not rush him. After all, Michael had also waited patiently when he had hesitated to respond earlier.
[I consider myself a seeker of knowledge. It might be a bit silly to say it with my own mouth, but that is quite unusual in this place. While the original intelligence of those here is intact, very few of them care about the truth.]
“…”
[I’ve been here for a very long time. Most of that time was invested in research and experiments, which is why I can truthfully answer your question.]
The answer that eventually came was one that Lukas expected, but…
[It is impossible for you.]
It was also the answer he least wished to hear.
* * *
After the question and answer exchange ended, Lukas left the cathedral.
Although Michael hadn’t explicitly kicked him out, he had still expressed his intention to be alone with his aura.
When he came out, Lukas could not see the dwarves anywhere. Instead, the only one he saw was Pale. She also waved at him from afar when she spotted him. When Lukas showed no reaction, she ran over to him in a heartbeat.
“What did you talk about?”
She asked abruptly.
Her eyes were filled with curiosity and excitement.
“I asked a few questions about this place.”
“Heh. And he just answered your questions?”
“He also had questions he wanted the answers for. It was an exchange.”
“I see—”
Pale drawled lazily as she dragged her feet on the ground.
And she didn’t seem to intend on trying to pry any further.
However, when she saw Lukas’ expression, she tilted her head to the side.
“By the way, why do you look like that? Did you hear something bad?”
“A bit.”
“What was it?”
The reason he didn’t answer right away was because of his cautious personality. But at that point, there wasn’t any particular reason to hide it. Even if Pale was an unknown, it was clear that she bore no hostility. Besides, she seemed to have been in this world for a long time, so maybe she might know things Michael didn’t.
“I asked if there was a way to get back to the original world.”
“The original world?”
“Right. Do you know anything? It doesn’t matter even if it’s just a small bit of information.”
Pray smiled.
“I do.”
The surprise Lukas felt was greater since he had asked without any expectations.
But Lukas couldn’t tell if her ‘I do’ was an affirmation that she ‘knew how to return to the original world’ or ‘knew just a small bit of information’ that he’d mentioned after.
“Don’t you think this place is very unstable right now? It’s like the world is lagging behind, like riding on the back of an out of control earthworm.”
Pale’s a.n.a.logy was difficult to understand.
Lukas tried to picture himself on the back of an out of control earthworm, but he could not fathom what that would feel like.
“That’s why the desert is now filled with treasures.”
Pale smiled again.
“Uncle, let’s go treasure hunting! If you go treasure hunting with me, we can be friends! Because we’ll share a secret!”
“…”
“Hurry! Uncle! Come on! Together! We’ll be secret friends!”
Ignoring the noisy chattering, Lukas pondered to himself.
Was it really the right choice to leave the city now? By the looks of it, this city seemed to be one of the few safe zones in the Imaginary World. There were many monsters lurking outside.
It was fortunate that the monster that had appeared before was on a level that the current Lukas could handle…
But this was the world that had caused the Seven Fanged Dragon G.o.d to lose her power.
No matter how confident he was, he did not intend to recklessly explore.
Firstly, he would turn her down and explore the underground city a bit more.
Just as he had this thought and began to open his mouth.
The dwarves in the city approached them.
“You came out?”
“Something, happen?”
They all fussed with their unique slurred voices.
Now that he thought about it, it was a bit strange. Were they called miglings? This was definitely Lukas’ first time meeting them, but they had shown an unusual affection for him from their first meeting. In comparison, they treated Pale like something they’d picked up on the wayside.
Was it because they shared a fundamental universe?
However… Lukas could not recall any such creatures in his universe. They were similar to dwarves, but unlike their stout muscular bodies and thick beards, the miglings looked more like innocent children.
They were more like fairies or spirits… However, they were too big to be either.
“Trowman.”
“Trowman, good.”
“Hihi. Hehe.”
The miglings rubbed themselves on Lukas like puppies while calling out his last name.
Now that he thought about it, Lord had also called him by his last name. In fact, his att.i.tude had only changed after hearing his last name. When he had heard the name ‘Lukas’, he had not shown much of a reaction at all.
Not his first name, his last.
…Was there a special reason?
Suddenly.
Rumble…
A vibration was heard above the city.
The ears of the miglings surrounding Lukas immediately perked up.
“Uhh?”
“Coming! Coming!”
They were so beside themselves with joy that they immediately ran out of the city.
Lukas and Pale exchanged glances before following them.
The miglings headed to the place where Lukas had first landed on the ground.
Then, they all formed a circle around and looked up with sparkling eyes.
Now that they were closer, they realised that the sound they’d heard before was closer to moving sand. It was a sound they’d heard before. To be precise, it was the sound they’d heard when they first entered the city.
‘Someone is entering the city.’
An enemy?
No, from the expressions on the miglings faces, that didn’t appear to be the case. They showed no apprehension or hostility. Instead, they looked extremely happy.
Then who the h.e.l.l…
While Lukas was quietly contemplating, Pale decided to take a much more direct approach.
“Guys, who is coming?”
She asked directly. Lukas, who had been pondering on his own, admired her approach before belatedly realising that he was being ridiculous.
But when he heard the migling’s answer, his expression became even more dazed.
“Trowman!”
“Huh?”
The miglings smiled brightly as they answered.
“Trowman coming!”
Pale slowly turned to look at Lukas.
Before tilting her head to the side.
“Huuuuh?”