LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 69: Obtained the signet of Discipline
"Indeed… speaking of which, Aponia did have the status of a nun in the previous civilization."
Luo Mo pondered briefly and agreed.
"That's not the point! She's just too (big)…. And her mere arrival seems to have nullified Kalpas's attacks. Isn't that far too powerful?"
Theresa spoke quickly, her words becoming somewhat incoherent, though everyone could understand her meaning.
It wasn't hard to grasp.
Kalpas's all-out attack had already left the headmaster of St. Freya Academy in awe of the previous civilization's power. Yet Aponia's entrance had instantly turned the tables against him.
"That's because Kalpas carries the mark of her discipline … Also, his desire to kill Aponia may not be as genuine as his words suggest. Remember Twilight Street? The two of them were already acquainted."
Luo Mo shrugged and explained.
"Uh… doesn't that make him a tsundere?"
Theresa applied her newfound vocabulary, tilting her head in confusion.
But to think of the furious man as a tsundere… it was quite amusing.
"You'd better not say that to his face… Anyway, I didn't say it."
---------------
On the screen, though this was a realm crafted entirely by Mei's imagination and hands, Kalpas's final, deadly strike was overwhelmingly terrifying.
Everything was evaporating; all things burned in his inferno. Even the space itself was unbearably scorching.
Words from the MANTIS scattered throughout hinted at how Griseo had once briefly copied Kalpas's persona. The painting created during that time destroyed part of the Elysian Realm, reducing it to desolation.
Now, this destructive power seemed utterly fitting for its reputation.
The oppressive force of Kalpas himself was even more terrifying.
The surroundings became an empty, desolate void, as if one's thoughts slowed amidst the stillness.
Mei couldn't help but recall her past, severed by lightning. She had promised to reunite with the other person. Time seemed uncertain, and danger felt nearly insurmountable.
Still, she didn't despair. She raised her blade, ready to face him head-on.
Yet, for this strike… she had no confidence.
Had she misjudged the situation?
A similar thought crossed her mind as scenes from her life flashed before her eyes. Death felt very close, far too close.
But death would not claim her in that moment. A faint voice echoed in her ears.
She found herself both anticipating and fearing prophecy, yet fate would not pause for Mei's emotions.
"That's right, Mei."
"Understanding death… is also part of your fate."
"Only then can you truly comprehend… how heavy it is."
A vast white light broke through the fiery skies, revealing transparent steps and faintly audible hymns.
The final MANTIS, Aponia, descended slowly before the two combatants in her nun's form.
"It ends here… The time destiny promises has not yet arrived."
The pure white nun's veil reflected a holy radiance. Her dim blue eyes carried despair for fate, while her finely groomed light brown hair matched the pristine nun's attire she wore. Her presence exuded heat and purity, yet her lifeless eyes sent a chill down one's spine.
A massive blue gem adorned her chest, with butterfly-like crystalline wings by her sides.
Her aura was a blend of sanctity and divinity. The quiet demeanor seemed as though she had embraced all that fate had to offer.
No matter how hard one tried, her appearance betrayed none of the filth and ugliness Kalpas had spoken of.
Yet, from the moment she appeared, Kalpas's actions seemed frozen, unable to advance even a single step.
This standoff was even more unnerving.
No matter how enraged Kalpas was, when Aponia softly spoke the word "please," he unwillingly withdrew from the battlefield. Mei thought to herself... she would never forget the hatred and unwillingness on Kalpas's face as he retreated.
After the deadly assassin was driven away, an even greater hunter awaited.
She had declared… that she would kill Mei herself.
Naturally, Mei remained on high alert, despite the seemingly harmless appearance of the new arrival.
----
[Aponia?—Big Ponia!]
[Many times…? Poor Kalpas, completely suppressed.]
[To experience death… still within Aponia's predictions. How will Mei break through her prophecy?]
[If even Kalpas couldn't win, Aponia seems even less likely to lose.]
(TL/C: that's it? Where is the cringe simp comments?)
[Oh, momma Aponia, please discipline me!]
----
The scene then continued.
"A while back, Kalpas has indeed become more obedient, hasn't he? No need to be afraid—he's said this many times before. We can continue now."
Aponia tilted her head slightly, casting a brief glance in the direction Kalpas had left. Her voice was soft, offering comfort to Mei.
But in Mei's heart, an even colder dread grew.
That Kalpas, battle-hungry, relentless Kalpas—had just obediently left after Aponia's gentle words. He said it would be the last time, yet he still departed without resistance.
And more chilling was the realization that this wasn't the first time such a scene had played out.
The unknown is the greatest fear. Compared to the overt danger posed by Kalpas, Aponia was undoubtedly far more terrifying.
And then she told Mei to close her eyes.
Upon hearing the word "please," Mei instinctively obeyed. A delicate finger lightly touched her eyelid.
A statue of a goddess appeared, bound by golden chains. Red pigment streaked down like tears from its eyes, while its hands clasped a blood-red gemstone in prayer.
"Within the hedge, we safeguard civilization."
"Only in moments of stillness do we glimpse the future."
Aponia's voice echoed through the space. Once again, the power of discipline activated, and the signet was passed to the one destined to undergo the next trial.
"Now, reach out your hand… The meaning of this signet speaks for itself."
Her words were slow and soft, laced with a charm that was impossible to resist. Mei unconsciously extended her hand… accepting the final signet.
At that moment, darkness receded, and Mei found herself back in the hall, alongside Aponia.
Despite the risks she had taken, Aponia merely expressed gently that everything Mei had done was still within the scope of fate's observation. Even her deliberate confrontation with Kalpas seeking death remained within its predicted outcomes.
Aponia had seen it all, but she could do nothing to change it.
Because, across countless past iterations, the attempt to change fate had only led to more tragic outcomes. Those who might have died peacefully instead descended into despair.
And so…
"I also look forward to that day, Mei…"
Later, during her conversation with Elysia, Mei discovered that preparations had already been made in the background. In other words, whether Aponia intervened or not, Mei would not have perished at Kalpas's hands.
This should have been reassuring, but instead, it cast a darker shadow over Mei's thoughts about prophecy.
Fate… was it truly unchangeable?
(TL/C: Answer, yes and No. The true answer, yes)
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In the Golden Courtyard
"Yes, leaving the Elysian Realm might alter the prediction of death. But Mei would never make that choice."
Elysia spoke with a hint of sorrow.
She watched her successor struggle against fate, her expression reflecting the memories of her own past. Had she, too, looked like that?
In the face of an inevitable fate or outcome, what kind of resolve would she reveal?
Elysia expressed that she was very much looking forward to finding out.
"But… why not just leave? Wouldn't that ensure safety?"
Pardo asked, her confusion evident. For her, running away seemed like the most logical option.
If staying meant being eliminated by Sister Nia, wouldn't it be better to flee outside?
"Because… danger doesn't disappear with time—it only grows harder to face if you miss the opportunity to confront it. Escaping isn't a solution to fighting against fate."
Aponia smiled gently as she spoke.
(TL/N: spoiler hint as to what she means: even if Mei left the Elysian realm, the Realm will still be destroyed.)
Among all the MANTIS in the Elysian Realm, she was the one who had changed the most.
Compared to her mysterious, melancholic demeanor in the realm, where her gaze always carried a hint of sorrow, the current Aponia seemed more grounded. There were no longer the burdens of foreseeing destiny's course etched into her expression.
Moreover, compared to herself, it seemed Luo Mo could better see the fate of this era.
She chuckled faintly, reminiscing about her days in the sanatorium. Now, she felt happy as she can enjoy life without seeing any prophecy.
Life had been peaceful and leisurely. For a moment, she understood Su's current feelings, spending each day surrounded by Elysia and the unfolding stories of others wasn't boring at all.
"Yes, running away isn't the answer," Elysia chimed in, blinking playfully. Then, she skillfully steered the conversation elsewhere, "But this time, it seems Kalpas suffered the most. Oh dear, it's as if he's been relegated to a background character just to highlight Aponia's strength. So cruel~!"
Mobius's eyes lit up at Elysia's comment, nodding in agreement.
"No need for your pity," Kalpas snorted coldly, the flames behind him flaring violently.
His frustration was evident, not just toward Aponia and Mei, but even toward the writers behind the scenes.
Yet, he wouldn't make trouble just because the story used him as a device. And... the portrayal wasn't wrong. If that Herrscher defeated him, he'd at least have a reason to challenge her again.
"Brother Kalpas, stop burning stuff! You're going to set the chair on fire! And... Can you move away, Can? It's too hot!"
"Meow—!"
Pardo shouted, hastily escaping from her seat while dragging her cat along. Though she complained, she wasn't one to truly abandon her feline companion.
---
At Theresa's Villa
"Prophecy… this prophecy of Aponia's—can it really be so infallible? It feels like the story constantly revolves around the prediction, as if Mei's life is counting down."
Theresa let out a sigh of relief.
Though they had escaped the immediate danger posed by Kalpas, Aponia's words and Elysia's readiness to intervene at the last moment seemed to validate the prophecy's authenticity.
This made her previously relaxed heart tighten once more.
"Of course. Aponia herself refers to it as a curse. For someone who cannot alter fate, this ability is indeed a curse."
"To know the future yet be unable to change it… Imagine having vivid visions of a grim future but being powerless to prevent it. How could that possibly be considered a blessing?"
Luo Mo's gaze wavered as he spoke. Prophecy, in his view, was nothing more than a burden, a curse born from Aponia's talent and abilities.
Knowing the unchangeable future is a tragedy in itself.
At least, in Luo Mo's perspective, Teacher Himeko still lived. His existence had meaning—proof that he could alter a once inevitable, sorrowful ending.
(TL/C: *scoff* it's not you who altered, but Otto and the system)
If he could make it to the final conclusion, that is.
"She herself cannot change it?"
Delta murmured softly, her sharp eyes betraying a hint of daze.
She had hoped to ask Aponia whether her sister could be saved.
But if the future was truly unchangeable, the thought alone was terrifying, knowing there was no hope, no light at the end of the tunnel.
In that case, she resolved to not let herself be swayed by others.
"Fate, huh? If everything is foreseen, then where's the excitement? Life is fun because of its uncertainties!"
Bronie leaned casually on the edge of a sofa, shaking her head. She despised monotony, boundaries, and anything predictable. That was why she went to such lengths to escape those confines.
Kongming pursed her lips. "So this is the power of the strongest psychic warrior? Dreamlike and surreal."
"Vampires will never believe in fate, oh no. And surely, humans won't either, right? Though, of course, our meeting was arranged by fate."
Luna rested her cheek on her hand, dangling her small feet idly in the sunlight.
Naturally, at home, she wasn't wearing stockings.
Kongming looked at her disdainfully. "Heh—are you defying fate, or just craving the Captain's attention?"
"Why would you say that? Even if you reincarnated a thousand times, you wouldn't believe it either, right? After all, when forced to choose between conviction and fate…" Luna argued back.
"...Hmph. True enough."
----
"Elysia really keeps a close eye on you, Mei. It's fortunate you don't need to return to the Elysian Realm anymore. If something dangerous happened there… well, that would be terrible."
Kiana's voice carried a hint of jealousy.
She clearly wasn't fond of Mei's experiences in the Elysian Realm. For all the camaraderie Mei had built there, Kiana's worries weren't so easily dismissed.
Mei had met countless beautiful and formidable women during her journey. What if, in the end, they overshadowed her in Mei's heart?
(TL: there is also handsome men)
All right, deep down, Kiana trusted Mei in that regard. Most of those people didn't pose a real threat.
Except for one—Elysia. That terrifyingly sociable force of nature worried her endlessly.
"That was all for my protection… Elysia has her own motives too. Look, even when it came to Raven, Elysia didn't really encounter her directly, right?"
Mei gently ruffled Kiana's hair, trying to reassure her.
"…That just sounds more dangerous. Words like 'special' and 'unique' are too risky."
"Hmm?"
"No, I mean her strength! Someone as powerful as Kalpas and Aponia still ranks below her."
"...Did you just call me dangerous, Kiana? Anyway, your birthday is coming up, isn't it?"
"…!!"
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On the screen, the countdown to prophecy ticked on. The ten-day timeline seemed just around the corner.
However, during Mei's encounter with Raven, the latter was still leisurely sipping on wine Eden had gifted her. Raven greeted her with a sly smile.
"Mei, I thought… you might have chosen to kill yourself."
The greeting was anything but pleasant.
Still, Mei remained calm, analyzing the situation and explaining her current predicament.
She also noticed something unusual about Aponia, small details that subtly set her apart from the others. For example, while both Elysia and Pardo experienced noticeable dizziness when transitioning back from the Elysian Realm to the hall, Aponia did not.
In her conversation with Su, Aponia herself revealed the truth behind this anomaly.
Su expressed his confusion over Aponia's view of the future. Even though both shared mental perception-based abilities, the gap between their insights was staggering. How could she see so far, while he was left in the dark?
The difference was too vast to explain by mere talent or greater effort.
Unless... Aponia's connection to the Elysian Realm was far deeper than anyone had imagined.
"So, when the Elysian Realm was completed… what did you leave behind?"
"…Su, it wasn't we who completed this place. I… am the Elysian Realm itself."
That was her answer.
What she left behind… was her very self.
For a particular someone, she had merged her existence with the Elysian Realm.