Thanks, Lord Black!

Is it or isn't it?

This really was a question worth thinking about.

Sean pondered.

Judging by his experiences in the dream and his control over the statue, he was.

But after more than twenty years of an ordinary life, he could also say he wasn't.

Even if a person's current life was connected to their previous one, and they possessed memories from their past life, biologically speaking, they still weren't the same person as before. In fact, no one was the same person from one second to the next.

The cells in the human body were constantly regenerating. New cells weren't the same as old ones, so the body they formed naturally wasn't the same body as before. This was the famous Ship of Theseus paradox.

It was also one of the most powerful spells in the "philosophy" branch of True Formula.

In certain situations, it could confuse someone so thoroughly they'd lose their mind.

His thoughts had wandered a little too far, so Sean reined them in.

Returning to the question of whether he was "Black"—

He chose not to answer.

It was obvious Adev desperately wanted a clear, definitive answer. The old man was practically in tears. Kate and the others were just as excited, their faces flushed as they gazed at the statue with anticipation. Sean couldn't help wondering if he'd been some kind of incubus in his previous life...

And the more they hoped for a response, the less Sean wanted to give one.

It was like a goddess taking forever to reply to your messages. You needed that vague, ambiguous, hard-to-pin-down attitude to keep people hooked and preserve your mystique as a legendary figure in the epic of the age.

After that, no matter what Adev and the others said, Sean didn't move again.

Steady as a rock.

Even so, Adev and the others didn't give up.

Or rather, they had already given up. Centuries had passed, and the world had changed beyond recognition. Black and his Scholar Era had long since become history. The worse people's lives became, the more they missed the past. Everyone hoped Black was still alive, but at the same time, everyone knew that was impossible. Yet Sean's two movements had rekindled hope in people who had already accepted reality—

"If it really is you, Lord Black, please open your eyes and look at this world."

Adev raised his voice.

"Please look at what they've done."

"Those faithless wretches branded us heretics and tried to exterminate us. They drove us into hiding, where we live in constant fear. We want to fight back, to avenge our slaughtered comrades..."

"But the mystic arts have fallen into decline, and our enemies outnumber us. Many of our newly awakened witches can't even protect themselves. All we can do is flee from our pursuers and cling to life..."

"But it doesn't matter!"

"Because you've returned!"

"Just as you once opened the Void Arts Space with one hand, founded the Hall of Truth with another, conquered the Saintess with a third, and defeated the Pope with a fourth..."

"Lord Black, please show yourself!"

"Lead us and punish those unforgivable traitors!"

"Let mysticism and witches... be great again!!"

Sean: "..."

So he had that many hands?

Adev spoke with such fervor and passion that he sounded like a devout believer praying for the Lord's arrival. Iris and the others were swept up in the emotion too. Kate's eyes even reddened. He used a shaping spell to make a soft cushion, dropped to his knees on the spot, and choked out, "Please appear, Lord Black!"

Not happening.

Sean's expression remained blank.

He wasn't coming out.

After all, he wasn't the real "Lord," and that sort of thing didn't work on him. He didn't believe in the Lord anyway—not in his past life or this one. He only believed in knowledge. Once, a believer had insisted on discussing the form in which the Lord existed, so Sean had told him it was mathematics, and that the Lord equaled six.

When the group saw that he still wasn't responding, they couldn't help feeling disappointed.

Elvily especially. Sean had been keeping an eye on the girl, and she seemed more downcast than the others. She bit her lip slightly, and he couldn't help wondering about it.

When he'd asked Elvily about Black earlier, she'd seemed a little impatient, as if she didn't want to bring up his name. But now that he wasn't responding, she looked disappointed...

So how did Elvily really feel about Black?

Sean realized that girls' thoughts really could be hard to guess.

It felt like there was a story there.

But one thing didn't make sense. According to Adev, the Scholar Era had been centuries ago. What kind of story could a modern teenage girl like Elvily have with a historical figure?

Sean couldn't figure it out.

Before the statue, Adev didn't lose heart. He composed himself a little, then turned to the others. "Don't be discouraged. Lord Black may be tired after sleeping for so many years. Let's not disturb him any further for now."

This wasn't just wishful thinking. The statue had moved, and he and Kate weren't the only ones who'd seen it.

Lord Black had to have a reason for refusing to appear.

Even if they took the worst-case scenario and Lord Black had truly been swept away by the river of time, leaving behind only a wisp of his soul, it was still heartening news.

Because as long as he was here, he could give everyone hope.

That was the power of a great man.

Besides, Lord Black might even help them reach the third floor of the Holy Sanctuary and beyond, where they could obtain long-sealed knowledge. That would be enough to raise the combat strength of every witch in the Void Arts Space to a whole new level.

"Whatever happens, this is a good start. The age of witches will soon return!" Adev's voice was strong and resolute. He bowed deeply to the statue, then said, "Let's call it a night. Go home and prepare whatever you need to. Don't let it interfere with our real work."

"Also, starting today, we must make sure someone is standing guard beside the statue at all times. If Lord Black gives any instructions, notify everyone immediately."

Sean: Huh?

Instructions?

"L-let me do it!" Kate volunteered.

Staying in the Void Arts Space for a long time was exhausting, as it steadily drained one's mental energy. But Kate didn't mind the hardship. He'd grown up listening to stories about Karl Black. The honor of being Lord Black's one and only messenger filled him with pride!

"Then I won't compete with you." Iris gave Elvily an inscrutable look and smiled. "Whenever you get tired, you can ask me to take over."

Kate: "You'll be waiting a long time."

He wasn't going to get tired!

The others shook their heads with smiles, then turned to the statue. Their eyes were clearly brighter than before.

Tonight's Dawn Meeting really did seem to have welcomed the dawn.

Elvily took one last look at the statue, then turned and left.

Iris hurried after her, and the others filed out as well, leaving Kate alone.

And Sean inside the statue.

The candles on the round table burned silently, and the hall fell quiet again.

Sean's mind began spinning once more as he recalled how he'd trained from Tier One to Tier Two in the dream.

It had been a long time ago for both him and Black. It took Sean quite a while to remember.

Mostly because Kate was so devoted...

Adev and the others had left some time ago, but Kate was still standing in the same reverent pose, staring at the statue with hopeful eyes. Even through the stone, Sean could sense how much he wanted to receive an instruction.

It made Sean feel a little guilty.

So, while Kate's neck was getting sore and he finally decided that just standing there wasn't getting him anywhere, he went to the library to fetch a book. Sean slipped out quietly and, using his mental energy as a pen, wrote a few small words on the table. Every line radiated arrogance and aloofness—

[Kate?]

[I remember your name.]

[I watched you tonight. Well done. I think I can consider giving you a chance.]

[Silver algae, rust ore, white crystal... You should know what those are, right?]

[The eastern suburbs of Old Sigel City. That's the address. Deliver them yourself in one week.]

[Personally. You understand what I mean.]

Other than a few ingredients used to test for poison, the rest were materials for brewing a "Spirit Potion."

Witches cultivated their magic through meditation. Spirit Potions were used to aid meditation. White crystal had a mild hallucinogenic effect, but alchemy could redirect those hallucinations into meditation, increasing the cultivation speed of low-tier witches.

After leaving his instructions, Sean left the Holy Sanctuary too, quite casually and without looking back.

When Kate returned from the library and saw the writing on the table, he was stunned. The book in his hand fell to the floor with a slap.

Nearly ten seconds passed before the words on the table began to burn, each stroke crumbling into ash. Only then did he react.

It really was Lord Black!

Lord Black was still alive!

It was a little strange that Lord Black had asked him to do something so simple, almost a waste of his talents. But perhaps it was a small test Lord Black had deliberately set for him?

After all, this was the first time Lord Black had used him. He couldn't just entrust him with a major responsibility right away. It made sense to observe him first.

That was what Kate would have done too.

As Kate gradually made sense of it all, his face flushed red. He looked toward the statue and exclaimed excitedly:

"Please don't worry, Lord Black! I'll do everything in my power to carry out your instructions. I won't let you down!"

"Thank you for trusting me, Lord Black!"

"Thank you!"