Chapter 572 The Secret Archives 3
"A method for one to connect with Angaria."
As Daneel heard this part, he couldn't help but take a step back to take support from the wall, before taking in a deep breath and trying to calm his mind down.
Could…such a thing even be possible?
Just as this thought came in Daneel's mind, he remembered what he had just seen on the way here.
Those stones which had seemed as if they had been cut in half by a blade!
If this was possible, then even a feat like that - of making a crack in the earth 50 kilometers long appear with a sword, didn't seem so farfetched at all!
However, Daneel tried to calm his mind and think clearly.
As always, he first went through the whole thing again, and started to reflect.
First of all, regarding the threat facing the continent.
His initial thought had been that it might be the Church, again, which could have returned now and caused a situation just like then.
However, when he thought about it, Daneel realized that he shouldn't discard other possibilities so soon.
If the threat was as dire as then, and if the Big 4 knew about the Grand Inheritance, why weren't they at least going about collecting the parts so that they could use it if needed?
And if it was the Church, why would all mention of the name of that threat be purged from the records?
It didn't add up. If Daneel thought from the point of view that it might be because it should be kept secret, it didn't make sense either because the Big 4 didn't really care if others knew about the threat. They just didn't want mass hysteria to spread, and that was why they hadn't announced it to the world.
Although there was still a major chance that it could be the Church and that all the questions raised had valid explanations, Daneel wasn't ready to discard other possibilities just yet.
Next, he reached the part about the Emperor facing pushback from those under him while he sought to implement steps to have those after them find the Grand Inheritance.
The Emperor had always come across as a kind man who really did care for the people, and their welfare. If so, unless he was absolutely sure, why would he make these elaborate plans and set up the Race? Could he have known that there might come a time later when those who were supposed to protect the continent might decide to abandon it to its fate, if worst came to worst?
After all, that was the opinion of the Big 4, right now: the Central Continent was an expendable scapegoat, for all they cared.
Daneel wasn't prepared to believe that the Emperor could have such an incredible power of foresight, but he had to admit that the man had amazing forward-planning skills.
However, what if someone else won the race and cause another catastrophe? The risk was real, now, especially as he had read about the aftermath of the Empire's fall in the records of the Goddess's Sanctum that he had just gone through.
In it, it was clearly written that the continent was left with mere tens of thousands of people, as compared to the tens of millions before.
Blood was present everywhere, and in some places, the air itself had become red due to the immense amounts of blood that had been spilled.
Although it didn't give details, either, about just what the catastrophe had been, it did paint a very gruesome and chilling image that Daneel couldn't get out of his head.
Of course, it reminded him of what he had seen in the vision.
Hence, he couldn't help but ask this question, just like the Emperor's vassals had done all those years ago.
"Drakos, if there was so much risk…"
"I was one of the few who supported the Emperor, Young King, because I had access to his plans. I can tell that you've found out that the catastrophe was caused by the Grand Inheritance. But I can promise you that if there was any other way, we would have chosen it. There wasn't. I cannot say more. But I can say that if you win the Race, you will understand. His plan regarding the Grand Inheritance was both the cause of the most happiness in his life, and the most sorrow."
The last sentence was said with such a heavy tone of sadness that Daneel widened his eyes and stared into space with shock.
He didn't know how to respond, but he also realized that there was probably nothing he could say in this situation.
So, Daneel just sighed and decided to trust the Ancient Dragon and the Emperor before getting back to the recounting.
After all, even if he didn't, it wasn't like there was something that he could do, except try to stop the others from winning the Race, either, because it could lead to the annihilation of the continent.
Finally, Daneel had to return to that statement about the one having the Grand Inheritance being able to control Angaria, itself.
As he thought of this, he was reminded of a Champion causing the world to react using the resonance within themselves.
Could it be the same thing, but amplified to an infinite degree?
Could one do what they wished with all elementary particles?
Wouldn't that basically…make someone a God?
This thought involuntarily came in Daneel's mind, as he could find no other word to describe someone with that kind of power.
Yet…Gods wouldn't be plagued by the need to cause a catastrophe right after using their power.
Clearly, there were very, very strong drawbacks that couldn't be ignored, but it didn't stop Daneel from dreaming about such a power, anyway.
Yes, such a person would indeed be seen as a God.
The first item on the list, itself, had caused Daneel's heart to thunder in his chest as he thought about all the ramifications and possibilities.
So, he was more excited than ever to get to the rest.
"System, tell me the other items in the list of newly discovered data."
[In descending order of importance, the list is:
The 'Ultimate' Path.
Records of the Creation of the Empire
Cultural Information about the Empire]
Obviously, Daneel went straight to the first one, and his eyes even almost popped out as he heard that this wasn't the only important information he had gleaned from this place.
Typically, the pattern was that Daneel would find one important piece of information in one place, so seeing that pattern broken felt really good, and it even made him want to hug Xuan and thank her profusely as this had all been made possible by her.
Deciding that he was definitely in her debt, Daneel asked the system to tell him about the 'Ultimate' Path.
[Data found in certain records of soldiers in the Empire's time segregates them in terms of those who are capable of choosing 'Ultimate' Paths and those who are not. However, it is not clear what this path signifies. A few mentions here and there do give a clue that they refer to a Path in which both the Fighter and Mage Pathways are utilized perfectly, but this is only a supposition.]
As Daneel heard this, he was reminded of the power of that Raven which had left him shaking in his boots.
How would it be if that power was combined with a Champion Path as impressive as the one of Ashahell's, or Raul's?
Yes, maybe that would be worthy of being called 'Ultimate'.
Yet, Daneel couldn't be sure. This was his guess, and it also seemed that the pattern remained, even though it was pretty important information.
It wasn't as mind-numbing as the reveal regarding the Grand Inheritance, but it was still pretty important as he at least knew now that focusing on both paths was not something wholly new. There were those who did the same in ancient times, too, which meant that he shouldn't hesitate at all, any more.
It wasn't that he was going to hesitate, any way, but confirmation did feel good.
Now that he thought about it, all this only reinforced Daneel wish to open the third seal as soon as possible.
He wanted to be sure. He didn't want half-truths and suppositions. No, this was too important a matter to base on those.
Of course, Daneel tried asking Drakos, but, again, the Dragon couldn't say.
Yes, that damn seal had to open ASAP.
Apparently, the reason behind the information being so fragmented was that all the records had been literally pulled out from burning buildings and carried by the desperate humans whose main goal had been to save themselves. In such a state, it was a marvel that they had managed to save at least this much information.
After all, this was only one of the four secret archives, which he knew stored different information as it was clearly stated here that a few books had been snatched by some force or the other, which might have eventually lead to them being owned by the other of the Big 4.
Daneel thought so, because unlike the Goddess's Sanctum which had stood for millennia even if it went into hiding frequently or sometimes, was even survived by a few hundred people who painstakingly rebuilt it, the others of the Big 4 had apparently ascended to their state through various means.
As he had gotten till here anyway, Daneel was about to ask the system to tell him about the other two new discovered information, too, but he paused when he saw Xuan walking toward him from the end of the 'corridor' made by the rows of data trinkets he was in.
Behind him was the hard stone wall of the alcove, and he was currently leaning against it as he had had to take support before.
In his hand was the last golden data trinket, and as he put it back, Xuan approached him and asked, "Was the data satisfactory? I guess at least one mystery must have been answered, right?"
She was standing just 2 steps away with her hands behind her back, and she asked this with a smile which made dimples appear, which was something that Daneel had never noticed before as he had never paid too much attention.
However, now, they stood out as he was once again reminded of what had happened before.
Inwardly, he said to himself, 'Come on! Buck up! You're from Earth, the land of romance and relationships! You can do this! This is not like that time with Jenny in High School! You're a King now, dammit!'
That didn't help much, as he was only reminded of that moment when he had been mercilessly rejected when he asked a girl out to prom on the urging of the kind old lady in his orphanage, who hadn't wanted him to go alone.
At least, that last part made him a bit more confident, but all that melted when Xuan took a casual step forward.
'Why is she coming closer?!'
With alarm, he was almost about to step back, but that was when he realized that he was really acting in a pathetic manner.
This admonition finally allowed him to gain some real confidence and stand up straight, before answering, "Yes, I can't tell you how much it helped. I count myself to be heavily in your debt. At any time, no matter what the matter is, you can ask for my help, and I will do my best. I-"
The magnificent King of Lanthanor choked and swallowed what he was going to say next as he saw the exquisite woman in front of him take another step forward, placing herself in a spot where her face was just a few inches from his.
This was already enough to make his heart stop, and then start beating at a breakneck pace, but what she said drained the blood from his face and almost made him wonder whether he had entered some bizarre dream.
She leaned in close, and as she spoke, her warm breath was felt on his skin, where goosebumps rose in response that almost touched her luscious lips.
"Oh? Then there's a way to clear your debt, right now. All I ask for…is a kiss."