Chapter 68 - The War, Part 2

Varlog began his explanation, his voice steady and deliberate."One of the reasons the demons went to war was over resources. Your king's and other races' refusal to share with the demons, despite the growing tension, pushed things over the edge."That didn't sit well with the girls, who exchanged uneasy glances.But it was the second reason that truly unsettled them, regarding the Royal Academy."The other races also need heroes," Varlog continued. "Heroes summoned and granted divine grace directly by the Gods.""So?" Lalyn interjected calmly. "While a summoning involves intricate mechanisms, formulas, and the coordination of several experts, along with the Goddess's approval, that doesn't mean it's impossible for other races to summon heroes of their own." Her explanation earned subtle nods from the room."If that's all it required," Varlog countered, "then we—the dragons, elves, or dark elves, with our much more experienced mages and longer lifespans—would have summoned heroes long before you humans ever did. It may seem to you as if the elves are simply in no need for such a hero, but that is because they mask their desperation well. Either way, like you, we are equally devoted to our gods. I have no reason to doubt the same applies to the other races." His words made Lalyn frown slightly, her brows knitting in discomfort."Then why is it," Varlog pressed, "that only humans have ever succeeded in performing the summoning ritual, despite having shorter lifespans and less experience?" His question drew the room's attention, and even Van leaned in."The founder of this capital, the first protégé of the Goddess Varolia—Varolon, who was also a close friend of the first Demon Lord, Lucifer—shared with him that he received a vision from your Goddess."As Varlog paced the room, Lizzy's curiosity got the better of her. Her eyes sparkled as she asked, "The demons and humans were once friends?""Liz!" Amoria's voice was sharp, immediately drawing her attention back.Varlog turned to the girl, kneeling slightly as he offered a warm smile. Amoria, however, tightened her grip on her staff, her body tense and ready.Everyone appeared to be on edge...Until Van placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder."Van...?" she called, her voice soft as she, along with the others, turned to him."It's alright," he said, his voice calm. "He won't hurt her."Their eyes widened at his words. Questions swirled through their minds—How could he be so sure? He wasn't exactly known for being the best judge of character.Yet, despite their confusion, they instinctively lowered their guards. Marcy's words echoed in Amoria's mind.'Let's trust Van,' she remembered. With a reluctant sigh, she lowered her staff, though suspicion still lingered in the air. This act of trust towards the demonic advisor earned wary glances in Van's direction, but for the moment, tensions eased enough for Varlog to continue."Young lady," Varlog began, his tone reminiscent of a storyteller, "once there was less power in the world. Yes, there were powerful individuals, but fewer power struggles. It was a time of adventure and romance, when the goal was to explore and experience the world, rather than control it or claim resources."Lizzy, taken aback by the vigor in his voice, asked, "Do you like history... uh... Demonic Advisor?"Her innocent question made Amoria, Lalyn, and Marcy flinch slightly at her friendliness toward the demon.Van pursed his lips, 'Can't blame the girl. Varlog does love history. It's actually fun listening to him talk about it... though I can't say the same for everyone else here.' He noted the tension in the room, with Yilla remaining alert, ready to act if necessary."At times, yes," Varlog replied with a smile. "Other times, not so much, I'm afraid." His hand twitched, as if instinctively reaching to pat Lizzy's head like a child from his own realm. But sensing the animosity from the others, he quickly clasped his hands behind his back.'I almost let my guard down... too lenient in this place,' Varlog thought, sighing inwardly. Lizzy tilted her head, curiously pondering the demon's response as he straightened up and stepped away from her."Either way, where was I...? Ah, the vision," he resumed. "Varolon envisioned great power in a specific location. He believed that if he built his city here, he and his descendants—generation after generation—would be blessed with power, divine protection, and... well, one other thing he was very clear about, according to the writings of the first Demon Lord."Varlog paused for effect, before continuing, "Otherworldly intervention in times of crisis. Varolon claimed this was a promise the goddess herself eagerly made, relaying those exact words to him.""And so," Varlog gestured, "he built the Capital of Varolon on the spot the Goddess guided him to."With that, Varlog concluded his explanation."Several years later, when Varolon was too old and weak to fight, a crisis emerged. The gods of all races declared war on humanity, intending to annihilate them as per their divine mandates. All but Lucifer, who defied the Archdevil's orders out of loyalty to his old friend, Varolon. He was punished severely for it, and the Demonic Realm opted out of the war entirely, choosing not to fight."Marcy, her patience wearing thin, spat out, "We know the legend. No need to repeat it! Just get to the point, old man! You're basically saying you started this war because you wanted to summon a hero too, right? And that's something only humans can do, huh?" Her tone dripped with irritation."Indeed..." Varlog sighed. "Alright. The point is this: what the Dragon King seeks, and what we sought in the last war, is the summoning circle. Or rather... what powers it. Before we waged this war, we were certain, through means I am not obligated to share, that something is buried beneath the circle. Something that allows the humans to summon a hero, its nature yet to be known.""What? So, all we need to do is dig it up, figure out what it is, and hide it from the Dragon King?" Marcy asked, incredulously."I suspect it won't be that simple," Lalyn interjected, earning a nod from Varlog. She then turned to Amoria. "Am I wrong?"Amoria lowered her gaze. "...The place you're speaking of is sacred, at least to our Goddess's believers and the Holy Church of the capital. Digging it up... even if it could stop the Dragon King's attack... would be extremely difficult," she admitted, her voice heavy with the weight of the dilemma."Well, luckily, that's not what I'm suggesting!" Varlog said, causing Amoria's expression to brighten slightly. "We know for a fact this is tied to the academy. I've heard your Goddess relayed something similar to you, hm? There is indeed an object connected to the summoning ritual, but digging it up hastily could lead to severe disruptions—or worse, it could be damaged beyond repair.""Then what do you suggest?" Amoria asked, her tone cautious."We bring in our experts from the demonic realm to analyze the energy signature," Varlog replied lightly. "They've got thousands of years of knowledge, and they'll be led by me. This will allow us to figure out the safest way to extract and hide it. And under our pact of peace, as a show of good faith, I swear to you that any significant findings will be shared with you immediately."The girls exchanged troubled glances."We'll have to think about it," Marcy sighed, the uncertainty in her voice clear."In the meantime, we'll remain here. I assume there's no issue with that?" Varlog said, clasping his arms behind his back with a smile.They all nodded, and turned to leave."Wait," Van called out, stepping toward Varlog as he and Yilla ascended the stairs. "I haven't had the chance to hear the legend in full. Some context would be helpful for me. You mentioned the Goddess told Varolon about an otherworldly intervention, and how the races declared war on the humans when he was old and weak. What happened next?"His words caused the girls to pause and subtly turn their attention back toward Varlog.The demon advisor gave a casual smile, clearly enjoying the opportunity to continue. Lizzy, watching, found herself puzzled at how calm Van seemed while speaking to Varlog so casually."Very well," Varlog began, "the situation for the humans was dire. But Varolon held steadfast in his faith. He went to the exact spot the Goddess Varolia had shown him within the city he'd built, and with all his strength, performed the summoning ritual on his own—after everyone else had fled."Varlog's eyes gleamed with interest as he spoke, his gaze fixed on Van. "On his own, Varolon carved the circle into the granite and summoned the first hero from another world. But that summoning drained him completely. The hero held Varolon as he died in his arms, with the king's final breath begging the hero to save humanity and protect the city he'd given his life for.""So, he saved the city?" Van asked, his curiosity piqued."The city was actually destroyed by the alliance of the races after the humans fled," Varlog explained, "but the first hero, moved by King Varolon's determination, vowed to defeat the leaders of every race and reclaim humanity's place. He swore to rebuild Varolon, and soon enough, he grew far too powerful to be stopped, even with the combined divine intervention of all the Gods. In the end, everyone kneeled. Goddess Varolia rose to the top of Arataxia, sparing the Gods after her protégé bested theirs in fair combat, earning their favor in the process—all but the Archdevil, whose top protégé, Lucifer, opted out of the war. That, as the story goes, is why."Varlog's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he continued, "And that is why we, the demons, have been able to go to war with you recently, while the other races could not. Our Archdevil was the only god who owed nothing to Goddess Varolia, thanks to Lucifer's defiance—even though he was punished for it, Lucifer gave our realm a significant advantage."Varlog concluded with a calm smile, leaving the room in tense silence."And all of that... really happened?" Van asked, skepticism creeping into his voice."Yes. I believe everything unfolded exactly as it was foretold," Varlog replied, the smile on his face unwavering.Marcy clicked her tongue in annoyance, while Amoria bit her lip, clearly unsettled by his certainty."...Demonic Advisor," Lalyn interjected, stepping away from the exit and back into the room. A trace of annoyance colored her voice. "We're all familiar with this legend, but you claim it's completely true? If it were, why is it that the Dragon King can still attack us? He serves the Dragon God, who is also part of the divine agreement not to intervene. And yet, he's been doing just that for the past 16 years, ever since we defeated you, with no sign of divine intervention. Care to explain that?"Lalyn's eyes narrowed as she looked down on Varlog, a small smirk playing on her lips. Her words drew a chuckle from Marcy.Varlog's gaze sharpened as he met Lalyn's eyes, brushing past Van as he spoke. "I'm sorry, are you saying there wasn't divine intervention? I was under the impression that Arutol was slain just before he decimated your fair city... by divine intervention, no?"Lalyn froze, her eyes widening as she looked around the room.Van's eyes darted upward in realization. 'Me slaying that dragon wasn't public knowledge... Ah, so that's the story Sir Hicks came up with? Either way... Varlog...''That demon...' The girls all thought simultaneously as their eyes fixed on Varlog.'Is clever!''As expected of Master Varlog,' Yilla smiled in satisfaction, her glance briefly flicking to Van.Lalyn took a soft breath and continued, her voice even."...About the recent attack, yes, that was likely blatant divine intervention. I'll admit that much." Lalyn sighed, her posture stiffening as she held her head high, her expression a mask of stoicism."But what about the last 16 years? There was no divine intervention. Magus was our main defense force. It was human intervention." She paused before adding, "This tale you believe so wholeheartedly—about Arataxia, the gods going to war, and these ancient legends that are thousands of years old—has been rewritten and changed countless times. I repeat, it's factually incorrect when you look at the past 16 years... unless you're suggesting the gods' agreement changed recently?""That... isn't necessarily the case, Lalyn." Amoria interjected, slowly raising her head."Divine intervention," Amoria echoed aloud, her voice thoughtful. "Just what is divine intervention?" The priestess posed the question, causing everyone to turn toward her. "Now that I think about it... maybe the Goddess did intervene. She left Magus here for the last 16 years—a hero summoned via the circle. That was her intervention. And when he was gone..."Her voice trailed off, the realization dawning on everyone in the room, except for Lizzy, as their eyes slowly shifted to Van.'Why is everyone looking at him...?' Lizzy wondered, puzzled."She intervened herself," Amoria concluded, her eyes gleaming with admiration as the revelation hit her. 'It... it was him all along... The Goddess... She never hated Van! I-I knew it! This was all part of her divine plan... She must've brought him here for me. For me to make amends...! And keep us all safe..!! As for why the demons know him, there must be a good reason!'Even Lalyn and Marcy—who were not believers—couldn't help but feel a connection between Van and the divine in that moment. They studied him intently, processing the implications of Amoria's words.But Van felt differently.'I get what they're saying. They think I'm the second divine intervention after Magus. It's a logical conclusion, considering I was summoned alongside him,' Van thought, glancing around.'But I came here by my own volition,' he thought, lowering his head, his face paling. 'No one... no one made me come here...!'Memories flooded his mind—Alicia in someone else's arms, his journey through the demonic realm, his emotional turmoil, Amoria's betrayal, his departure and eventual return just as Arutol arrived.'No one... NO ONE MADE ME DO THIS...! That was my decision...! THESE WERE ALL My OWN decisions...!' Van's heart raced, his breath quickening. His iron glove tightened, cracking further under the pressure.Varlog tilted his head slightly, a flicker of concern crossing his face as he noticed the unease in Van's eyes.'I controlled everything in my life... No one 'Divinely' led me here...!!! It was all just a coincidence. Just... just a coincidence!' Van thought, forcing himself to control his breathing.Just at his eye level—though his head was down so he didn't see it—a message prompt appeared:[The Goddess Varolia smirks in satisfaction as she watches your anxious, fearful reaction.][...And promises more to come soon.][A certain being veiled in shadows decides to step into the physical realm once more, frowning greatly at the sky.]