Chapter_11_The_Origin_Myth

The Mirzet 500, having flown through darkness, eventually emerged above the clouds. Below spread the earth dyed in twilight. Orange light expanded from the horizon to the sky, the edges of clouds glowing golden. In the distance, the characteristic terrain of the Fusion Continent could be seen. Traces of countless fused worlds were carved like wrinkles in the earth.

“We’ve finally escaped, my lady.”
Silvia turned from the front seat and spoke with a tired expression. A small tremor could be seen in her hands, perhaps from lingering tension.

“Yes, I never thought they would attack in such a place.”
Irina also answered, unable to hide her fatigue. However, her eyes held the light of curiosity. The persistence of the attackers confirmed the value of the silver embroidered book Irina possessed.

In the back seat, Luca lounged against the backrest as if there had been no attack at all. Crossing his large bipedal legs, occasionally swaying his tail, he gazed at the twilight scenery. His demeanor conveyed surprising composure, as if he were merely resting during a stroll.

“Lord Luca, thank you for your efforts.”
When Silvia called out, Luca slowly moved his ears.

“Luca, I apologize. I’m sorry for involving you in such a dangerous situation.”
Irina turned back and spoke apologetically.

“I also apologize. As my lady’s guard, I should have acted more cautiously.”
Silvia also bowed her head.

“No, no, I was the one saved by you ladies. Seeing the persistence of those attackers, I’m finally beginning to understand the situation you’re in.”

The words were polite, but carried a carefree tone. There was a sage-like composure, as if the attack had been a trivial event.

Irina looked back to check on Luca. His bag was still firmly gripped in his hands. Even during the attack, Luca had maintained surprising calm. It conveyed a deep composure beyond mere courage.

“Perhaps we should slow our pace on the way to Rashomon?”
Irina suggested. Their bodies, exhausted from escaping the attack, needed some rest.

“Yes, I think that would be wise.”
Silvia nodded, loosening the control stick slightly and pressing the autopilot button. The Mirzet 500 responded immediately, the control stick leaving Silvia’s hands and beginning to move slowly. The craft continued flying at a gentler speed, and both Irina and Silvia stretched a bit, assuming more comfortable positions.

On the way to Rashomon, Irina called out to Luca in the back seat.

“Luca, could you tell us more about those ancient legends? Especially about the god Severa…”

“Ah, about Severa, was it?”
Luca moved his ears and reached for his bag. The motion was slow and careful, as if searching through old memories.

“Severa is a very ancient god. Hence, those records too are hazy in the distant past. Abysion has existed for tens of thousands of years, perhaps even longer. Time is something that occasionally confuses even beings like myself.”

The old book he took from his bag had a cover with gold and blue decorations on a jet-black background, its brilliance faintly glowing in the twilight. The decorations were patterns of swirling stars as if expressing the universe itself, with ancient characters carved in the center. Though the book’s binding was aged, its presence remained unfaded, overwhelming those who saw it. Each time a page turned, the scent of old parchment wafted, conveying weight that transcended time.

“Well then, since the curiosity of you ladies seems inexhaustible, shall I introduce this book? This book is part of an ancient record called the ‘Book of Fusion.’ Doesn’t the cover decoration look as if it reflects the ancient cosmos? The pattern of swirling stars is said to represent the scene when Severa fused the worlds. The ancient characters carved in the center are said to mean ‘Record of the Beginning.’ I found it in an old library when I was young. That library no longer exists, but the memory remains vivid. The library was called ‘Memory of Stars.’ On the ceiling were decorations of stars similar to this book’s cover. It was as if the book and building were resonating with each other.”

Luca continued, swaying his tail as if tracing distant memories.

“That library was in a place called ‘Severalis Nebralis,’ which no longer exists. It was a beautiful place where you could see stars pouring down. However, one day, a certain planet approached Severalis Nebralis and fusion began. In that chaos, people fought each other, and the city gradually fell to ruin. On the library’s last day, I took this book in hand and looked up at the ceiling where the star decorations glowed. At that time, I was struck by a strange sensation, as if the stars were speaking to me. And that night, the final battle began, and Severalis Nebralis vanished with the last explosion.”

Luca let out a deep sigh. In that breath dwelt remembrance for the lost library and weight that transcended time. After a moment of silence, he slowly opened the book and began reading quietly. His voice resonated slowly, as if recounting memories from long ago.

“In ancient times, there were countless worlds. Each world had its own laws and order, carving its own history. In one world magic ruled, in another science flourished, and in yet another gods guided the people.”

Irina closed her eyes. Guided by Luca’s voice, that scene emerged. Countless worlds, each radiating their own brilliance, spinning their unique stories. That sight was beautiful yet ephemeral, like stars scattered across the night sky. Could the current chaotic form of the Fusion Continent be remnants of that era?

“However, the aspects of the worlds differed entirely, and they continued fighting endlessly. People believed their own world was correct, denying others, sometimes destroying each other. Those conflicts transcended world boundaries, eventually becoming severe enough to shake even the order of the universe.”

“In such confusion, a certain god descended to this world. The god’s name was Severa. Her appearance surpassed people’s imagination. Some called her an incarnation of light, others a messenger of darkness. However, no one could understand her true nature.”

“Severa…”

Irina spoke that name. The silver embroidered book found in the old archive. That book found again among the mansion’s rubble that day bore this name. It was a name that seemed to have been in a lullaby heard in childhood, sleeping in distant memory. Perhaps it was a memory from a previous life. She was struck by such a strange sensation.

“This god, knowing her great power, spoke.”

Luca’s voice seemed to change, as if speaking the god’s words. In that voice dwelt divine majesty and deep compassion.

“Humans, because many lands have been cursed by your deeds, I shall make those many lands into one land. The many lands shall become one, and even the distant heavenly kingdom above and hell at the bottom of the earth shall eventually become one land.”

Irina gasped at those words. It was a declaration announcing the beginning of the current world. This book told the creation story of the Fusion Continent (Abysion). The creation story Irina and the others knew was the mythology of the Duchy of Feylosia, different from the mythology of the Fusion Continent (Abysion). The creation of the Fusion Continent (Abysion) was a mythology so vast and ancient that almost none of it was said to remain. Regardless of authenticity, Irina couldn’t hide her surprise at the fact that Luca possessed such a book.

“That day, the great expansion of the universe broke entirely and headed toward Severa. Countless worlds converged toward one center as if swirling. That sight was beautiful yet terrifying, like a galaxy spiraling.”

“Severa and her followers took 2,300,000,353 days to make a thousand lands into one. During that time, the world continued changing constantly. New laws were born, old laws disappeared. People were bewildered by the changes, sometimes resisting, sometimes accepting.”

“Humans did not cease fighting for 2,300,000,353 days. They stole for hunger, killed for wounds received, and did all for their own desires. Among them, people gradually lost sight of their own existence.”

Deep sadness dwelt in Luca’s voice. It was a voice lamenting humanity’s foolishness, while also resignation at having to accept that fate. That voice conveyed the weight of one who had told this story many times.

“When a thousand lands became one, Severa gazed upon the new land. There was a unified world, but even fiercer conflicts and chaos swirled within it.”

“Seeing this state, Severa spoke.”

Again, the god’s voice resonated. That voice was filled with anger, sadness, and bewilderment.

“Humans, because you refuse to understand the world’s principles, your death shall not be eternal peace but eternal suffering. Hell has already become one, and you cannot even return to dust. While becoming dust, you shall still continue living.”

Irina shuddered at those words. She remembered hearing about the discovery of souls in a country far to the southeast. The strange correspondence between that southeastern story and this book’s content gave Irina goosebumps. If this book’s content was true, death did not mean liberation from this world.

“Thus, human death no longer brought peace to the soul. Severa’s anger took away eternal rest. Yet still, people continue repeating their mistakes. And even now, we continue living in this unified world. Whether it is a curse or gospel—now, no one knows that truth.”

Luca closed the book. Heavy silence spread through the cabin. As the twilight gradually changed to darkness, that silence deepened further.

“So this might be the beginning of our world.”

Silvia spoke quietly. Her voice mixed understanding and confusion. She too had felt the weight of this story.

“It’s merely mythology. We don’t know if it’s all true. However, I speculate that it’s true to some extent. I like this mythology, though it’s somewhat too pessimistic. I think more optimistically. There are more people trying to improve this world than imagined.”

Saying this, Luca suddenly raised his face, a deep color of reminiscence dwelling in his eyes as if gazing far into the distance. In that gaze spread the quiet abyss possessed only by those who had passed through countless ages.

Irina nodded. Her heart also trembled slightly at the air of reminiscence Luca wore. But at the same time, unsolvable questions welled up in her chest one after another.

The god “Severa” appearing in this mythology. Irina’s heart strangely stirred at that name. Though it should have been a name heard for the first time, she was gripped by a strange sensation as if she had known it since long ago. That Irina herself had found that book in House Vassines’ old archive, and after the mansion was attacked, finding only that book among the rubble as if guided—none of it seemed coincidental, feeling as if it held some great meaning. Why did those in red garb pursue this book so persistently? And what was this ancient mythology trying to tell them now?

Inside the Mirzet 500 heading toward Rashomon, Irina continued searching for clues to those answers. Outside the window, the remnants of twilight melted into night’s curtain, and the stars increased their twinkling. Stars that once belonged to different worlds like those stars in the sky now quietly shone under the same canopy. That scene itself seemed to silently speak the truth of Severa’s words.