"Oh?"
The deity of the old days looked at the person from the future with some surprise at this question
"You actually know this? I had assumed that in the future, such names had already vanished.
The Ancient Gods were the first thirteen deities, the gods truly born alongside the world. They represent the origin of the world and the power of the world. But the Ancient Gods have long since fallen; there is no need to doubt this. Yet, their power remains exceptionally potent. Even though they have fallen, their strength persists. I presume your appearance here is due to the power of that Ancient God of Time. And as for us, the Old Gods..."
In the language used by the saint before him, the outsider managed to discern that "Old Gods," beyond the meaning of "deities of the old days" common to the Delarion language, also carried the connotation of "sinful gods."
"What exactly happened in the past? This world, in the end..."
His chaotic mind could barely think.
"Depart. The history of the past will also impose a burden on a mortal soul. Those stories have long since drifted away; dust to dust, earth to earth, all have drifted away. It is not a good thing for mortals to gaze upon us. Depart, person of the future."
"But!"
"This is for your own good. However, I am the God of Innocence, the protector of children. Child from the future, since you were able to appear here before I departed completely, it means we are inevitably bound by fate. Since you are still unwilling to leave, would you like to hear a story?"
"Child from the future?"
Shade was confused by this address
"Is it because my soul has been in this world for too short a time that I am considered a child?"
But he at least understood the significance of "stories" to a Ring-術士 (Ring-wielder), so he braced himself and nodded, allowing himself to listen to all the information that would follow.
The deity of the old days, who looked young but possessed an inexplicably aged temperament, sighed softly
"My story is actually quite boring. I was born from the infinite illusions of children, possessing their purest thoughts.
Once, I used my own power to create an undying fire and an inexhaustible spring for that most beautiful witch princess. But she asked me for immortality, which I could not grant, for that is not a wish a child should have. So, I left her."
[You have listened to the story of the Old God, the "Creator of Innocence," and you have learned one of the miracles of the Old God, the "Creator of Innocence."]
[You have obtained the spell: False Immortality. You possess the ability to prevent a severely wounded person from dying for half an hour.]
"Mortals are destined to die; false immortality is but a laughable consolation."
The deity of the old days sighed, then pushed forward. The shocked outsider inside the toy store flew backward automatically, like a marionette on strings.
"Until we meet again, person of the future. May the great power of time and creation protect you."
He crashed through the store door, passed through the thick white fog that followed, and then fell heavily onto the floor of the living room in Room 1, Second Floor, No. 6 St. Deran Square.
[Outsider, you have returned to the present time.]
[Message from the Ancient God, the "Father of the Infinite Tree":]
[Task incomplete.]
[Time Key: Fifth Epoch-1068-Creator of Innocence, 1/3 damaged.]
[Time until next activation: one week.]
"I thought it was a one-time item?"
Although his face was pale, Shade immediately thrust his hand into his pocket, his fingers touching the cracked key.
"Mr. Hamilton, how was the journey?"
Professor Garcia’s curious voice came from behind. He had not seen Shade’s face and could not guess what had just happened.
Shade’s heart pounded. In a few short seconds, he had already completed all his thoughts. He turned around very slowly, not hiding the pallor of his face
"Fifth Epoch, year 1068. The event was the fall of the Old Gods."
Although he had left that toy store and the immense pressure brought by the deity had vanished, the injuries sustained while facing the god were still taking their toll.
But Professor Garcia’s expression turned even uglier than Shade’s in an instant. If not for the fact that he was currently in a projection ritual state, he would have almost jumped down
"What? How could it be? The fall of the Old Gods!"
He opened his mouth in shock, but immediately looked at Shade with concern. His unpracticed Delarion was spoken so rapidly that Shade almost couldn't understand it
"I’ve never heard of such an event in 1068, Mr. Hamilton. Are you alright? If that’s the case, this key is not of the Poet-level! It absolutely exceeds the Angel-level!"
The professor wanted to support Shade but couldn't. He clenched his fists and asked anxiously
"Mr. Hamilton, does the academy need to send a medical team to you?"
"Oh, no."
Professor Garcia’s concern and anxiety were genuine, and Shade’s shock was also real. What he displayed, however, was the exhaustion on his face. He struggled to walk back to his chair and sit down, slowly recounting his encounter
"I arrived on a street, saw a shop, and then I don't remember clearly."
He still felt a throbbing pain in his head, but he described the general appearance of Hope Town in detail, claiming he had wandered the streets for ten minutes before finally seeing the shop in the white fog. Afterward, he returned here, even obtaining a new spell.
And this investigative event seemed to be just seeing that shop.
"It’s a good thing you didn't go in."
Shade used ten minutes to describe his ten minutes of experience. Professor Garcia was filled with lingering fear; Shade actually saw sweat on the professor’s transparent cheeks
"It’s a good thing you didn't go in, it’s a good thing you didn't go in! Damn it, I’m going to hold back the student who investigated the 1068 time point of this key until 1860! He actually said that time point was completely safe and had no major events!"
It was now 1853 of the Sixth Epoch, and Shade felt very worried for that unknown St. Byrons student.
"You don't need to write the investigation report for this event; I’ll write it for you. I will report your time travel exactly as it happened to the academy; the academy won't let you suffer! Damn it, there’s a worm in the History Department! Who on earth said the Fifth Epoch 1068 was safe... Mr. Hamilton, are you really alright?"
When angry, he even blurted out a few words in Karsinrik, which fortunately Shade understood.
"I want to sleep. I feel mentally scattered and unable to concentrate. Oh, sir, I am truly exhausted."
Shade slumped into his original chair, though in reality, his spirit was recovering quickly; the [Creator of Innocence] had granted him appropriate protection.
"Alright, you rest first. Once you get the mailed poetry manuscript pages tomorrow, if you feel any physical discomfort, please contact the academy immediately. Damn it, I must make that guy who wrote the Fifth Epoch-1068 investigation report repeat a year, repeat until 1870!"
That was ten more years of student life added on.
"Sorry, Professor Garcia, I am truly too tired."
Shade said the words to dismiss his guest quite impolitely. The pointed-eared professor understood his meaning
"You don't need to worry. As long as you return to the present time, all injuries sustained in the past will disappear, so the injuries you received are merely because you believe you were injured. It’s just that you actually saw the dwelling of a god, Mr. Hamilton. Go rest quickly, and remember to contact me if there are any problems. Be very careful, take care of your health. Oh, poor young man, to have encountered such a thing~"
He looked at Shade with great concern but still rose to leave. Although Professor Garcia appeared strict, he was indeed very concerned about his students.
(End of chapter)