Author's Preface
The infirmary was cold, dark, and ominous. Talismans of unknown origin were plastered on nearly every facet of the room.
The looming wires overhead, the bed on which I rested, and even the floor, ceilings, and walls were all adorned with arcane symbology and mysticism.
At my right sat the ever-mysterious Arda, Fourth Seat of the Divine Generals, hitting me with a mischievous grin.
"Wow, oh wow~ Your vitals are far better than expected! Even with Mang fortification, healing of this level is not typical by any means. Being an automaton must be awfully convenient."
"Yes. Indeed it is."
It could have come off as demeaning or insensitive, but I took it as a compliment. To be acknowledged for who I was, as different as my construction may seem, was a pleasant experience.
Adra manifested countless magic circles that I could hardly comprehend. From rough approximations, I could understand that she was reviewing some data.
"Are those my diagnostics?"
"That's right. It gives me a broad description of your Mang, including factors such as vitality, color, density, and other statistics that I may deem mildly interesting."
With an inquisitive gaze, Adra zoomed in on a particular magic circle. "Ah, so that's what His Majesty was talking about."
"...?"
"It's true, your self-proclaimed Uniqueness is false. Well- maybe fall is the wrong term. Shallow would be the better term."
"All of this is way too confusing...just what exactly did he mean by shallow?"
Adra sighed with a tinge of irritation, as though she were forced to explain basic arithmetic to a grown man.
"Uniqueness, and Mang as a whole, is an energy system based on our desires. The stronger the innate desire, the more powerful the Uniqueness becomes. This isn't an issue of quantity. In fact, you have more Mang than most of the Divine Generals, perhaps on par with that freak Jiro. This is a matter of whether those ideals are merely inherited or organic. It's likely that, while you truly do wish to become the Legendary Hero, it is coming from a place of obedience rather than self-actualization."
"I see...so the source of my desire is external?"
"Bingo~"
Adra's facial expression ranged widely throughout our conversation. Joy, annoyance, glee, inquisitiveness, seriousness, and flirtatiousness. Her true self remained obscured, hidden behind countless veils and identities.
I cannot understand this woman.
She continued with her lecture. "Every one of the Divine Generals holds a Uniqueness that is deeply ingrained within our hearts. They've been shaped through a lifetime of experiences that comprise our ego."
Even with all the knowledge in the world, it won't mean anything within such a stagnant, pitiful world like this.
Once again, my father's words gave me a newfound understanding. Simply having enough knowledge and technical skill was not enough to grow stronger. The Eternal Twilight was a comfortable, yet stagnant existence. For the past 1000 years of my existence, I have lived as but an infant in a vast, infinite world.
"So how exactly do I get stronger?"
Adra placed a pen on her lip as she went deep into thought. "Well...there are a few methods. The first method involves refining your preexisting Uniqueness until it fully matures. The second method would be to scrap the old, shoddy Uniqueness entirely and forge your own path. From the King's perspective, the second option is likely far better."
My face sank in dejection at the thought of abandoning my Uniqueness. I didn't necessarily care about the power, but about everything it represented.
1000 years of training had led me to this moment. I relied on my father's techniques to carry me through the grueling training of the Eternal Twilight, though deep down, I knew it would never be enough.
Could I really overcome 1000 years just like that?
"Hey, don't give me that sad look. I hate dealing with kids that don't know how to be painfully optimistic."
She shot me an annoyed expression, as though I were a nuisance.
"There's still a third option that combines the methods of both 1 and 2. Reinventing your Uniqueness is the final method for gaining strength. It maintains your preexisting, while reintegrating it into your personal philosophy. Think of it more like the evolution of the self rather than reinforcement or destruction."
"That...does not sound like a bad option."
I wished to cling to these ideals, though flawed and fragile. Despite this wish, I knew that my Uniqueness as of now would not suffice in the coming warfare.
No matter what, I must grow stronger.
"Ah, on that topic, what's your Uniqueness?"
"In exchange for [Make me the fairest woman in the land] , I must [seduce 100 men per day.] "
...She said that with such an earnest tone that I could barely tell that she was joking.
"Your jokes are awful."
"Hmph." She pouted like a child. "I really am unlucky with men. All of you lack any sense of joviality. In all seriousness, though, we can't just go around telling people our Uniqueness willy-nilly, okay?"
"Why? I see no reason to hide such a thing."
"Uniqueness is the closest you can get to one's soul - their true self. To know one's Uniqueness can give you a major advantage against them, for both a combat sense and a personal sense."
"I see, sorry to ask something so personal to them."
Adra looked a bit miffed before saying, "Well...I can't just leave ya hanging, especially since you're unofficially the Eight Seat now, so I'll leave you with something at least."
[Chasing the Elusive Fog]
"That's my Cost . A Cost is basically the price you must pay in exchange for a gained Uniqueness, so you can often guess the power from there. They're incredibly restrictive, ya know?"
I looked at her, puzzled. "But your Cost is...quite obtuse to say the least. Without any context, it's impossible to guess."
Adra let out a mischievous grin. "I am famous for being rather obtuse, boy~."
Obtuse - that was the only way to describe her.
Inconvenient, irrational, strange, bizarre, peculiar, alien. Even such descriptors could hardly encapsulate Adra.
It was then that I realized that Adra was simply Adra. Her existence was constantly in flux. She encapsulates all and everything, yet nothing at all.
Perhaps that was the secret behind her cost, and by extension, her true Uniqueness.
After some more meager conversation, Adra stretched her back and yawned, closing the various magic circles surrounding my body. "Aaaaaah...you're free to go. I've gotten all the data I need, and your body should be fine for now. Just try not to push it too far next time, okay?"
"Thank you, Adra."
"No problem, Ereth. Oh, and just a reminder, you've got the initiation ceremony a few months from now, so don't do anything embarrassing like showing up late."
"Alright, Adra. I promise I won't be late."
—
Aevus, above all else, was a pious man.
His short white hair and fair skin exuded an air of elegance and holiness that was lost on most of the other Divine Generals. Every mannerism, every word held the delicacy of a flower.
Yet it was important to remember that this man was a Divine General - a slayer of evil and a protector of good.
It surprised me that the Divine Generals rarely work together. Due to their exceptionally powerful Uniquenesses, their personalities clash more often than not, so they largely prefer to stick to themselves.
They did not function as a standard military unit. There were no scheduled meetings, training, or disciplinary measures in place, lest any of them go awry. Our system of governance was more akin to a contracted military organization than anything else. We took on the occasional missions from the King, but in the meantime, we were allowed to do whatever we wished.
Jiro was likely off-world slaying monsters to ease his boredom.
Xerxes was doing a field patrol outside the capital.
Adra was likely experimenting with new talismans.
As for the first, third, and fifth seats, I knew neither their whereabouts nor their particular interests. Those three are the most stonewalled of the generals.
And thus, I found myself in this situation. We were located in a church on the far side of the 9th district, just outside of the capital. Its architecture invoked a similar holiness to the throne room, yet it was far smaller, humbler, and crafted from wood.
It was by no means a place for kings, but a resting place for the sick and needy.
This would be an excellent time to learn about the intricacies of human faith. No matter the civilization, all humans carry a level of faith that supersedes the material - a belief in something greater than oneself.
We were on our knees before the holy altar, our hands clasped. I didn’t quite understand the ritual's meaning, yet I chose to follow his example anyway. After a few more minutes, we got up, made the sign of the cross, and bowed our heads.
Aevus turned to me with a tired smile, “Thank you, Ereth, for attending the service with me today. Usually, I ask all of the other generals to come, yet they usually reject the invitation or ignore it altogether.”
Ah, this man was a bit lonely. Out of everyone in our ranks, Aevus seemed to be the most open to communication, though the personalities of the other generals were…difficult, to say the least.
“No need to apologize,” I replied. “Quite frankly, I’m rather fascinated by human faith. Why do you pray? Why do you bow your head? Is there meaning behind these long, arduous rituals?”
Aevus let out a small chuckle, placing his bent index finger at his lip. “Are you asking a question of efficiency? If so, you’d be correct in asserting that these rituals are rather inefficient. They take up a lot of time, yet don’t provide any material benefit. From a purely physical worldview, there’s nothing to gain.”
“So why are you determined to fulfill such an arduous obligation?”
“Because there are some things that must be done. It is not a matter of gain or loss, but of doing what is right and condemning what is wrong.”
“What is right and what is wrong…” I couldn’t quite grasp his explanation.
“You see, Ereth, there are things in this world that are far bigger than you. I’m sure you understand that after meeting our King.”
“...There was no need to bring that up again.”
Aevus laughed jovially once again. “Well, it is a bit like that. To pray for hours at a time, to plead for forgiveness for hours at a time; these are indeed noble pursuits, yet we do not seek worldly glorification from these acts. Rather, we do them to reaffirm our humanity.”
He sat down on the wooden seating, his face growing grim, as though he were suffering from a malediction. “You’re new here, so you probably don’t understand. We are the Divine Generals of Wisteria. That role carries with it a high cost.”
“Yes, I know that.”
“No, you don’t.” He quickly dismissed my comment, his eyes thinning with pain. “Although you may hear the masses calling your name, cheering you on as a savior, you must remember that you are not a hero. We are killers - every last one of us - and there is no justifying such a thing.”
“Even against evil?”
“Even against evil. Even to protect the innocent. The taking of another life can never be justified, no matter what scenario or philosophy you conjure up.”
It was a rather strange position. Jiro seemed to revel in the act of killing his enemies, while Xerxes seemed to have no qualms about exterminating evil as well. They were much more “black and white,” as though they held absolute confidence in themselves and their ideals.
Aevus carried a similar confidence, yet it clouded his judgment far more than it cleared.
To kill the enemy is righteousness.
To defend the good is righteousness.
Such simplistic terms. Such idyllic terms. Did they truly mean anything?
Now that I think about it, I’ve never taken a human life before. I don’t have the necessary experience or maturity to take any one side in such a philosophical argument. Still, I, as an observer, could at least understand where they were coming from.
Even against the Demon Child, it was easy to dehumanize such a figure. Its very existence reeked like manure, and I felt every inclination to kill it. However…it was still capable of speech, just as an infant cries for its mother.
I can’t say for sure what those wails fully meant, but for a moment, I could not help but ponder.
Dong…Dong…Dong…
Aevus’s gaze turned upward, surprised by the sudden ringing. “Ah, it’s the toll bell. It’s time for us to leave.” He stood up and wiped the dust from his knees. “Sorry for the passionate sermon. I’m really not good at controlling my emotions at times.”
“It’s okay. I find your words quite insightful.”
“That’s good to hear, Ereth. If you want, you can always visit once again.”
He walked ahead of me, his tattered cloak shifting gently with each step. On his final step, he stopped before the door. “Before we leave here today…I want to ask you something. No, I’d be more accurate to say that this is a promise. ”
“What is it?”
With a heavy expression, he hesitates for but a moment before letting the words escape his lips. “Throughout this journey, you will witness indescribable horrors. There will also be times when it may seem easy to kill an opponent. However…I want you to promise me that you’ll remember who you are.”
I gave him no answer. At least, not right away. The bell's toll continued, long and low, as if it were mourning a future that had yet to occur. Aevus didn't turn back to face me. He opened the door, and sunlight spilled through the cracks like judgment.
We walked out of the chapel in silence. The path before us was paved with pale white stone, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was walking towards a bottomless cliff.