Chapter 52: Sin God

"Oh?"

Because of this question, the Old God looked toward the person from the future with a hint of surprise

"You actually know of this? I thought such a name had vanished in the future.

The Ancient Gods were the original thirteen; they are the deities who were 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—of that, there is no doubt—yet their power remains exceptionally potent even in death. You must have appeared here because of the power of that Ancient God of Time. As for us, the Old Gods..."

In the language used by the Saint before him, "Old Gods" carried a meaning beyond the common Delarian term for "Gods of Old Days"; the outsider even deciphered the connotation of "Sinful Gods."

"What exactly happened in the past? This world, after all..."

His chaotic thoughts were becoming nearly impossible to process.

"Leave. Past history imposes a burden upon mortal souls as well. Those stories have long since drifted away; dust to dust, all has passed. It is not a good thing for mortals to gaze upon us. Leave, person of the future."

"But!"

"It 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 my complete departure, it means our fates are inevitably intertwined. Since you are still unwilling to leave, do you wish to hear a story?"

"A child from the future?"

Shade was puzzled by this address

"Is it because my soul has spent too little time in this world that you consider me a child?"

But he at least understood the significance of a "story" to a Circle Practitioner, so he rallied his spirits and nodded, allowing himself to listen to all the information that followed.

The Old God, who appeared very young yet possessed a strangely aged temperament, sighed softly

"My story is actually quite boring. I was born from the infinite illusions of children, possessing their purest longings.

Once, I used my own power to create an eternal, unquenchable flame and an inexhaustible spring for the most beautiful Witch Princess. But she demanded immortality from me, which I could not grant, for that is not a wish a child should have. And so, I left her."

【You have listened to the story of the Old God, "The Innocent Creator," and have learned of one of the miracles of the Old God, "The Innocent Creator."】

【You have obtained the incantation: False Immortality. You possess the ability to prevent a heavily injured person from dying for half an hour.】

"Mortals must eventually die; false immortality is but a laughable consolation," the Old God lamented. With a gentle push, the shocked outsider within the toy shop was sent flying backward like a marionette.

"Until we meet again, person of the future. May the great powers of Time and Creation protect you."

He burst through the shop doors, passed through the thick white mist, and landed heavily on the floor of the living room in Room 1, Second Floor, No. 6 St. Theran Square.

【Outsider, you have returned to the present time.】

【A message from the Ancient God, "Father of the Infinite Tree":】

【Unfinished Task.】

【Time Key; Era V-1068-The Innocent Creator, Damaged 1/3.】

【The next time it can be opened, you must wait one week.】

"I thought it was a single-use item?"

Though pale, Shade immediately reached into his pocket and felt the key, which was now covered in cracks.

"Mr. Hamilton, how was your journey?"

Professor Garcia's curious voice came from behind him. He had not seen Shade's face and could not guess what had just occurred.

Shade's heart pounded. In a brief few seconds, he had completed all his deliberations. He turned around very slowly, making no attempt to hide his pallor

"Era V, year 1068. The event is the fall of the Old Gods."

Although he had left that toy shop and the immense pressure brought by the deity had vanished, the damage sustained while facing the god was still taking its toll.

However, Professor Garcia's expression instantly became even more unsightly than Shade's. If he weren't currently in the state of a projection ritual, he almost would have jumped down in shock

"What? How can that be? The fall of the Old Gods!"

He opened his mouth in shock, but immediately looked at Shade with concern. His unskilled Delarian speech became rapid, nearly making it impossible for Shade to understand

"I've never heard of such an event in 1068. Mr. Hamilton, are you alright? If this is true, this key isn't just Poet-level! It absolutely exceeds Angel-level!"

The professor wanted to support Shade but couldn't. He clenched his fists and asked anxiously

"Mr. Hamilton, do you need the Academy to dispatch a medical team to you?"

"Oh, no."

Professor Garcia's concern and anxiety were real, and Shade's shock was real. But what he displayed was merely exhaustion. He struggled back to his chair to sit down and slowly recounted his experience

"I came to a street, saw a shop, and then I can't remember clearly."

His head still throbbed with pain, but he still provided a detailed description of the general appearance of Hope Town, claiming he had wandered the streets for ten minutes before finally seeing the shop in the white mist. Then he had returned here, even obtaining a new incantation.

And this investigation mission seemed to have consisted of nothing more than seeing that shop.

"It's a good thing you didn't go in."

Shade spent ten minutes describing his ten minutes of observations. Professor Garcia was filled with lingering fear; Shade could actually see sweat on the professor's transparent cheeks

"It's a good thing you didn't go in, a good thing you didn't go in! Damn it, I'm going to make the student who investigated the year 1068 of the Fifth Era repeat a grade until 1860! He actually said that time period was completely safe and that nothing major happened!"

It was currently the year 1853 of the Sixth Era. Shade felt quite worried for that unknown student of St. Byrons.

"You don't need to write the investigation report for this incident; I'll write it for you. I will report your time travel to the Academy exactly as it happened; the Academy will not let you suffer a loss! Damn it, there are parasites in the History Department! Who on earth said the year 1068 of the Fifth Era was safe... Mr. Hamilton, are you truly alright?"

In his anger, the professor even spat out a few words in Carsonric; fortunately, Shade could understand them.

"I want to sleep. I feel my spirit is scattered and I cannot concentrate. Oh, Professor, I am truly too tired."

Shade slumped into his original chair, but in reality, his spirit was recovering quickly; the 【Innocent Creator】 had granted him appropriate protection.

"Alright, rest first. Once we receive the mailed poetry manuscripts tomorrow, if you feel any physical discomfort, please contact the Academy immediately. Damn it, I must make that fellow who wrote the Era V-1068 investigation report repeat a grade—repeat it until 1870!"

An extra ten years of student life.

"I'm sorry, Professor Garcia, I am truly exhausted."

Shade spoke the words to dismiss him quite ungracefully. The pointed-eared professor understood his meaning

"You needn't worry. As long as you return to the present time, all damage sustained in the past will vanish. Therefore, the damage you feel is merely your perception of having been harmed. It's just that you actually saw the dwelling of a god, Mr. Hamilton... go rest. Remember to contact me if there are any problems. Be very careful, take care of your health. Oh, poor young man, to encounter such a thing..."

He looked at Shade with great concern before standing up to leave. Although Professor Garcia appeared strict, he truly cared for his students.