Chapter 155

[All buffs have expired.]

[Penalty applied: Entering a lethargic state.]

Theo, feeling as limp as a soaked cloth, forced himself to stay upright, using the Drake’s Blade for support as he scanned his surroundings.

Thanks to [Vitality Amplification], he could hold out for now. Still, there was no guarantee there weren’t more hidden dangers waiting to pounce.

Just then—

「What a goddamned mess.」

A figure wearing a wooden mask dropped from the sky. Somehow, it had escaped its battle with the Eastern Dragon.

Crack!

The sound of teeth grinding filled the air as Arkt glared daggers at Theo.

Theo, recalling all the trouble Arkt had caused him, couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a strange sense of catharsis.

「You think this is funny?」

Arkt reached out with murder in its eyes, looking ready to tear Theo apart.

Theo, utterly drained and unable to move a finger, wasn’t worried.

“Lord Theo!”

From somewhere high above, Wellington’s voice called out.

Then, Theo collapsed to the side, consciousness fading.

The last thing he saw before the darkness swallowed him was a tidal wave surging forward like a crashing waterfall.

Chatter, chatter…

"Ah! Running around like that after so long—feels good. Guess my skills haven’t rusted yet!"

"Oh, shut it. I feel like I’m dying. Running like we’re still in active duty at this age? My joints are killing me."

"Pfft, look at you grinning like a fool while you complain."

Bustling…

"Did you see how that kid fought?"

"See it? I didn’t miss a second! He was incredible."

"His swordsmanship, his movements—they were just like the Captain’s!"

"And yet, they were new, fast, sharp. He’s blazing a unique path."

"Can you believe it’s only been a few years since he picked up a sword? What’s with his growth rate…?"

"What amazed me even more is how deeply he understands the sword. Honestly, I feel like I can rest easy and finally pass on in peace."

"Pass on, huh."

"Hmm! Let’s think about that one step at a time."

Theo opened his eyes reluctantly, the buzz of ghostly voices ringing incessantly in his ears.

‘Where am I?’

He vaguely remembered defeating Od and Carly before everything went black.

"Oh, look who’s waking up. There he goes."

"Hah! Can’t even play dead properly, huh? Heh-heh-heh."

“Theo, are you awake?”

“Are you alright, Theo?”

Beyond the chatter of the ghosts, two familiar voices reached his ears.

He realized he was lying on a bed.

“Wellington? Ray?”

“How do you feel? Is your body alright?”

“You’re not dizzy or anything, right? Huh? Huh?”

Once Wellington and Ray confirmed Theo had merely collapsed from exhaustion, they sighed in visible relief.

Theo quickly checked his condition and gave them a faint smile.

‘Wellington showed up at the end.’

“Cassandra must have found you and the Eastern Dragon safely.”

“That shy little girl from before suddenly showed up acting like an adult, spouting this and that—Theo, you have no idea how surprised I was.”

‘I can imagine.’

From Wellington’s perspective, it must’ve been shocking to see the timid girl who had once hidden behind Theo suddenly transformed.

Unable to explain about the Mage Empress, Theo scratched his cheek awkwardly.

‘She must’ve used her prophetic abilities to locate them. Cassandra deserves all the credit for this.’

“So you came straight to rescue me?”

“Of course! Though I never imagined you’d handle the Gravekeeper, the Saint of the Holy Light Church, and the captain of the Azure Legion all on your own.”

Theo simply grinned at Wellington’s competitive gaze. No doubt, once he recovered, Wellington would challenge him to a duel.

“And where is Cassandra now?”

The fact that Wellington and Ray were here likely meant that Regé and the death crows were nearby as well.

Surely Regé would be keeping a close watch over Cassandra.

Sure enough, Wellington’s awkward laugh and Ray’s dissatisfied pout confirmed his suspicion.

Was something wrong?

When Theo pressed further, Wellington sighed and explained.

Theo headed straight to the room where Cassandra was resting.

However, he wasn’t just accompanied by Wellington and Regé.

There was an entire crowd.

"Hey, kid!"

"Are you sure you’re okay? You’re not hiding an injury because it’s embarrassing, are you?"

"Raise your arm. Your leg? How about your thigh? That last swing of yours looked like you put way too much strength into it!"

"Next time you use Eclipse, cut the mana output by half. It’s far too inefficient as it is. You should create a simplified version!"

"Speaking of which, I came up with a brilliant idea for that—!"

‘If I keep listening, I might lose my mind.’

Theo ignored the ghosts trailing behind him, fretting and offering unsolicited advice. He focused on finding the right building.

They had returned to the manor they had originally mistaken for a tomb.

Apparently, the Eastern Dragon had triumphed over Arkt and forced both Troyvan and the Holy Light Church to retreat.

What’s more, Theo’s achievements—including dismantling the remnants of the Old Dragon Cult—were already being reported to Winterler as formal accolades.

If Cassandra were brought back with him, Theo’s position would be elevated to unprecedented heights.

‘Maybe I’ll ascend to Captain of the White Armor Vanguard much sooner than I thought.’

Selpherd even suggested that Theo’s accomplishments might secure him not only the rank of Senior Swordsman but possibly something higher.

Still, Theo couldn’t feel happy about it.

Cassandra had been suffering from a high fever of unknown origin since arriving at the manor.

"It’s probably divine fever."

One of the more learned ghosts read Theo’s thoughts and offered an explanation.

It was the old ghost who had sparred with Theo, closed Od’s eyes after her death, and revealed himself to be the vice-captain of the legion.

When Theo learned this, he’d been stunned.

“Divine fever? What’s that?”

"It’s the backlash you get when you overuse this."

The ghost tapped his temple with a finger.

Theo’s eyes lit up.

‘He must mean the Brain Gate.’

“Prophetic abilities rely on the Brain Gate as well?”

"Most abilities people call ‘psychic powers’ or ‘supernatural talents’ do. Especially time manipulation—it’s incredibly taxing on mental capacity."

“I see.”

"That future girl—the one you call the Mage Empress—she pushed her consciousness too far and disrupted her body’s balance. You’d better hurry."

"Yeah, hurry! She said she has something important to tell you before she goes!"

Curious about Cassandra’s final words, Theo pushed open the door.

Inside was Regé, sitting quietly.

The sight made the ghosts hesitate.

Cassandra, now visibly drained, struggled to hold her composure as Theo entered.

He wiped the sweat from her face with a cloth and asked, “You said you had something to tell me.”

“Yes. Before I go… before anything happens, I needed to see you. I might not get another chance.”

Her words carried a layered meaning.

Theo gave a faint, bitter smile as he thought about her condition. Maintaining possession was clearly taking its toll on her.

"Does this worry you?"

“…A little.”

“Please don’t pity me. That would be an insult to the life I’ve lived.”

Theo nodded apologetically.

In this moment, Cassandra radiated the dignity of an empress who had endured decades as a ruler.

“Before I leave, I have one request for you as a monarch.”

“A request?”

“May I borrow a pen and paper?”

Unsure of her intent, Theo handed over the items from the bedside table.

Cassandra scribbled down something resembling an address and handed it back.

“This is the location of a vault. A place only the emperor is allowed to access.”

“…What?”

A gift he hadn’t expected at all.

Theo’s eyes widened as he processed her words.

The Emperor’s Secret Vault—a forbidden treasury filled with the greatest treasures of the empire and beyond.

And now it was in his hands.

“The passcode is 66*7182-32. Memorize it well.”

“Wait a minute. Why are you giving this to me all of a sudden?”

“Because this world is heading toward a great upheaval. There’s no point in leaving it in the hands of an empire on the brink of ruin, is there?”

“But still—this is…”

“The current emperor is already on the verge of death, and the next one will be this child. Please, safeguard it for her. Open it when necessary, but only for her benefit. If it’s too much trouble…”

Cassandra gave a mischievous smile.

“Shall I officially appoint you as the Vault Keeper by imperial decree?”

“…Fine, fine. I’ll take care of it for now.”

Despite the magnitude of the gift, Theo felt more burdened than elated.

While the vault would undoubtedly give him a significant advantage in the struggle for power, it was clear this was also a bribe to ensure Cassandra’s safety.

‘Not that I need it. With Rody’s vault already at my disposal, there’s no need for greed.’

『Oh? My dear companion, you seem to have had some very irreverent thoughts just now. Care to explain?’

‘You’re mistaken. I wouldn’t dream of it.’

Theo played dumb with practiced ease.

“There’s something in that vault that you’ll find indispensable, Theo,” Cassandra added.

“Something I’ll need?”

“Yes. The Wheel of Death.”

“How do you know about that…?”

It was something Theo had never shared with anyone.

Cassandra’s knowing smile widened.

“The cog you turned was part of that wheel. The wheel has already begun spinning. While may slumber for now, it won’t be long before he wakes. And when he does, he’ll race toward the apocalypse to meet you. That’s inevitable.”

“…”

“So you’ll need to find the next card—the Knight Impaled by Dozens of Swords—as soon as possible.”

“And that card is in the vault?”

“Probably.”

Theo began to understand Cassandra’s intent.

Before leaving, the Mage Empress was trying to guide him toward interpreting the dream and the prophecy he had seen, ensuring it aligned with causality.

“You were the Queen Who Lays Down Her Crown, and the captain was the Commander Impaled by Swords, wasn’t he?”

“Perhaps. Or perhaps not.”

“What?”

“I told you before, didn’t I? The future is merely one of many possibilities. What determines the meaning of the card is your choice, Theo.”

Her words were cryptic but clear in their implication.

‘The Knight Impaled by Swords is a card even the future Cassandra couldn’t fully decipher.’

But it was also inevitable that Theo would encounter it on his journey.

‘The tarot I saw in my past life… those were no ordinary cards.’

“Promise me, Theo,” Cassandra said softly. “Promise you’ll remain as you are now and make a different choice than those who came before you. And when it’s over…”

The Mage Empress smiled radiantly, her final expression in this world.

“…let’s meet again, with smiles on our faces.”