He had a dignified appearance, with neatly trimmed snow-white hair swept back like eyes.
Even his attire was closer to formal wear, evoking not a wizard but a high-ranking official or perhaps a professor, exuding a calm and noble demeanor.
However,
Elric didn't miss the subtle aura of power emanating from him.
‘It's huge.’
As if all of nature revolved around him.
No, more accurately, it seemed as if he was harmonizing with nature, teasing everything to his whims.
The wind enveloped him gently, and the leaves seemed to greet him with delight. Sunlight, clouds, humidity, everything was caressing him.
Certainly, despite this place likely being a surreal world constructed by some magical device.
The sensations and perceptions felt as vivid as reality.
Perhaps all of these were the harmonies woven by the elderly gentleman before me.
"You are..."
"Auto Han Melvinger. Auto. Call me that."
"...!"
Elric's eyes widened.
"Hoho. Seems like you recognize me."
Elric nodded silently, as if entranced by something.
Auto Han Melvinger.
That name was unforgettable.
Throughout the long history of the noble family, among the five most prominent patriarchs, he was certainly one of them.
Especially noteworthy was his greatest achievement of organizing the family's magics and establishing a system.
A considerable portion of Elric's subconscious horizon was indebted to Auto Han.
"Then it makes sense why there were so many volumes in Safehouse."
Having organized such a vast amount, such an achievement seemed possible.
At that moment, a fleeting memory of Mephisto's words crossed Elric's mind.
"Are you perhaps the 'Winter Sage'?"
For the first time, a subtle reaction appeared in Auto Han's relaxed gaze as he looked at Elric.
"Hmm? Where did you hear that nickname? There are hardly any descendants who know about it."
"Mephistopheles mentioned it."
"Mephisto...? Are you talking about the Archdemon of Original Sin, Mephistopheles?"
"Yes. That's correct."
"How do you know about him? He's undoubtedly sealed by Shynayk... Unless? Haha! Hahaha!"
Auto Han burst into laughter suddenly, interrupting his speech.
"Far descendant, are you implying that the demon you've ingested is Mephistopheles?"
"Th-that's correct."
Elric nodded nervously, and Auto Han's laughter grew louder.
"No matter how obedient you were, just the fact that you swallowed a demon of officer rank for the first time was considered remarkable. And now, the Archdemon of Original Sin. Haha! Did you bring the Dragon King's as well?"
"Yes."
"You truly have been blessed by fortune."
"...?"
"If Mephistopheles had even a fraction of his power intact, your obedience would have been completely compromised."
Elric's expression subtly changed.
"Nevertheless, the outcome has been favorable. It's a relief to have eliminated a potential threat that could have plunged the world into chaos again someday. I suppose I need to adjust the difficulty of obedience a bit higher than what was previously set! Hahaha!"
Elric's mind suddenly cleared.
Obedience.
A word he had heard countless times already.
"I am the guide assigned to lead and test the distant descendants who will someday appear."
Is Auto Han or whoever simply a guide?
Elric opened his mouth as if to ask something, but Auto Han reached out and covered it.
"There must be many other things you're curious about. I understand. You might feel bewildered, perhaps even a bit annoyed with anticipation. If there was something prepared, it could have just been left to the family. Why go through such a complicated design?"
"...Yes."
"But we also had our reasons, I want to make that clear first."
Auto Han's voice carried a profound resonance, leaving Elric unable to ask any questions about it.
"What we prepared is like an enormous wheel, once it starts rolling, it cannot be stopped. So, we couldn't afford to give it away casually to anyone. No matter how long it took, we had to thoroughly sift through people."
When Auto Han mentions 'we,' is he simply referring to the family?
Or is there something else?
"Regardless, you have passed our test and have come this far. From here on out, it is solely your choice. Whether to stop the wheel or keep it rolling."
Auto Han stared at Elric with eyes as deep as the abyss.
Eyes that questioned.
Elric knew nothing about the family's obedience.
Perhaps continuing down this path could mortgage his entire life.
So, Auto Han was offering him a final chance to escape.
But
"I want to keep it rolling."
Elric didn't hesitate.
Reviving the family, carrying on the will of his great-grandfather and ancestors who were once great heroes.
Thus, becoming a greater magician than even the ancestors and leaving a long-lasting legacy on this land.
That was Elric's dream and ambition that he had harbored for a very long time.
"Very well. With that kind of determination, you can truly be called our descendant."
Auto Han nodded satisfactorily and rose from his seat.
In an instant, the world revolving around him changed once again.
The lush grove that had been gently caressed by a cool breeze moments ago turned into a snow-covered plain swept by a fierce blizzard.
The wind was so intense that even standing straight was difficult.
The cold pierced like needles.
A blizzard so intense it was difficult to even open one's eyes.
Snowfall deep enough to sink one's feet like in a swamp.
Surroundings filled entirely with icebergs, and below, the land visible was covered in glaciers, making it an environment where survival seemed impossible.
Elric quickly activated his warming magic and looked up at Auto Han.
Despite still wearing thin attire, he didn't seem to be affected by the cold at all.
"Where are we?"
"This is the testing ground for obtaining the first obedience."
"...!"
Elric's eyes widened.
Taking a test in such an unreasonable place?
In an instant.
Thump, thump!
Elric felt his heart pounding heavily.
The fact that he might become much stronger than he is now made his heart race.
"You're smiling. It's a very good attitude for a candidate. Now, look over there."
Auto Han regarded Elric's demeanor with great pleasure and pointed with his finger.
Elric turned his gaze in that direction.
It was the place where the blizzard was raging most fiercely even amidst the surrounding snowfields.
However, he couldn't discern what he was supposed to see.
"Look further, look deeper."
Elric widened his inner eye and infused it with mana.
As he did, he managed to focus on something far beyond, hidden in the white world.
At the edge of the snowfield.
Shrouded in shadows, something whose appearance couldn't be discerned stood there, glaring in this direction.
But as the eyes and gaze of that thing met through the shadows...
"...Hup!"
Elric involuntarily gasped and stumbled backward.
His spine tingled.
Unlike a moment ago, this time his heart raced for a different reason.
It seemed he had seen something he should never have.
It was fear.
"What... what is that?"
Elric asked, forcing down his trembling voice.
Auto Han answered very simply, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
"The Snow Mountain King."
"...?"
"The Snow Mountain King, who unified the tribes of the yetis as their first and last, seizing control of the plateau and even ruling over the Dragon Ridge."
"...!"
"Also, he is ambitious, striving to return the yetis, who were originally descended from demons but were expelled for being inferior, back into the fold of the demons."
Elric recalled Mephisto's words.
He was brushed aside by the grace of the demons, as destiny did not favor him.
"But now, he has become completely consumed by such ambition, sinking further into corruption, ultimately just a mere demon beyond redemption."
Moreover, Mephisto mentioned that there was a tomb somewhere in the plateau of the yetis.
It seemed like...
"And."
This place was that tomb.
"You are the Archdemon of Original Sin, the first demon you must swallow."
* * *
He eats.
He swallows.
He drinks.
As the words echoed from Auto Han's mouth, Elric looked at him with a face of disbelief.
"Do you mean to say I should defeat him?"
"No. You must swallow him."
"What do you mean...?"
"Didn't Nu-nu-nu explain? We prepared this obedience to swallow the demon."
Elric raised his right sleeve, where something came to mind.
The emblem of a wolf drawn on the back of his hand.
"The Mark of Original Sin. It's a symbol of Mephistopheles. It's also considered outstanding among demons."
"Do you know what this is?"
"How much do you know about demons?"
Elric tilted his head.
"Not much."
"Just as in that era, you only think about exterminating them without analyzing them, right?"
This time, Elric nodded.
"Heh."
Auto Han chuckled as if he had expected that.
It seemed strangely close to mockery.
"Well, that's understandable. Research on demons is thoroughly prohibited after all. Monastery of the Six Desires, what they do is obvious."
Monastery of the Six Desires.
The six great schools leading the Tower of Demon.
"While your family may have been praised for being part of a prestigious magical lineage for a long time, do you know why they have kept their distance from the six pointed star?"
"...Is it because of the demons?"
"Exactly. Although the attitude towards exterminating demons is the same, the methods pursued are different."
Auto Han continued solemnly.
"The term 'demon' originates from primitive and dark emotions emitted by various sentient beings and creatures, including humans. Fear, despair, resentment... When such emotions converge to form 'impurity ,' they develop a sense of self."
Impurity. A conglomerate of peculiar and eerie thoughts.
Elric absorbed both known facts and previously unknown knowledge.
"So demons each possess their own unique impurity. From the lowly ones to conceptual aspects like Original Sin. Impurity is their nature, their class, and their symbol. The 'mark' can be considered as the heart where such impurity is stored. The essence of demons. In other words, their roots."
"Ah."
Elric gently stroked the wolf emblem that Auto Han referred to as the 'Mark of Original Sin.'
In a sense, this could also be considered Mephistopheles himself.
"From now on, you will hunt demons and seize their marks, their roots. The abilities accumulated within these marks... all the talents of the demons will become yours!"
"..."
"Do you now understand the meaning behind swallowing the Snow Mountain King?"
"Yes, somewhat."
Only now did Elric realize how remarkable the legacy prepared by his ancestors truly was.
Seizing the power of demons!
Where else could there be a more certain way to grow?
Considering that some demons can produce phenomena that can only be described as miracles, it was natural to have expectations.
On the other hand, it seemed like there was also a reason why demons feared and resented the noble families so much.
‘Moreover, if absorbing the seals can make me stronger, then the dissolution rate and capacity of the magic stone should also increase accordingly…’
Now that the path to digesting the magic stone had finally opened up, Elric contemplated.
However, there was a problem.
How could he possibly swallow the formidable Snow Mountain King, who was so strong that just looking at him made his skin crawl?
Even if he compared himself to his prime, he was still far inferior to a mage-class adversary.
Elric glanced at Auto Han with a hint of a plea in his eyes, hoping for some sort of hint or guidance.
Auto Han just chuckled quietly, indicating that Elric was on his own for this one.
He had a dignified appearance, with neatly trimmed snow-white hair swept back like eyes.
Even his attire was closer to formal wear, evoking not a wizard but a high-ranking official or perhaps a professor, exuding a calm and noble demeanor.
However,
Elric didn't miss the subtle aura of power emanating from him.
‘It's huge.’
As if all of nature revolved around him.
No, more accurately, it seemed as if he was harmonizing with nature, teasing everything to his whims.
The wind enveloped him gently, and the leaves seemed to greet him with delight. Sunlight, clouds, humidity, everything was caressing him.
Certainly, despite this place likely being a surreal world constructed by some magical device.
The sensations and perceptions felt as vivid as reality.
Perhaps all of these were the harmonies woven by the elderly gentleman before me.
"You are..."
"Auto Han Melvinger. Auto. Call me that."
"...!"
Elric's eyes widened.
"Hoho. Seems like you recognize me."
Elric nodded silently, as if entranced by something.
Auto Han Melvinger.
That name was unforgettable.
Throughout the long history of the noble family, among the five most prominent patriarchs, he was certainly one of them.
Especially noteworthy was his greatest achievement of organizing the family's magics and establishing a system.
A considerable portion of Elric's subconscious horizon was indebted to Auto Han.
"Then it makes sense why there were so many volumes in Safehouse."
Having organized such a vast amount, such an achievement seemed possible.
At that moment, a fleeting memory of Mephisto's words crossed Elric's mind.
"Are you perhaps the 'Winter Sage'?"
For the first time, a subtle reaction appeared in Auto Han's relaxed gaze as he looked at Elric.
"Hmm? Where did you hear that nickname? There are hardly any descendants who know about it."
"Mephistopheles mentioned it."
"Mephisto...? Are you talking about the Archdemon of Original Sin, Mephistopheles?"
"Yes. That's correct."
"How do you know about him? He's undoubtedly sealed by Shynayk... Unless? Haha! Hahaha!"
Auto Han burst into laughter suddenly, interrupting his speech.
"Far descendant, are you implying that the demon you've ingested is Mephistopheles?"
"Th-that's correct."
Elric nodded nervously, and Auto Han's laughter grew louder.
"No matter how obedient you were, just the fact that you swallowed a demon of officer rank for the first time was considered remarkable. And now, the Archdemon of Original Sin. Haha! Did you bring the Dragon King's as well?"
"Yes."
"You truly have been blessed by fortune."
"...?"
"If Mephistopheles had even a fraction of his power intact, your obedience would have been completely compromised."
Elric's expression subtly changed.
"Nevertheless, the outcome has been favorable. It's a relief to have eliminated a potential threat that could have plunged the world into chaos again someday. I suppose I need to adjust the difficulty of obedience a bit higher than what was previously set! Hahaha!"
Elric's mind suddenly cleared.
Obedience.
A word he had heard countless times already.
"I am the guide assigned to lead and test the distant descendants who will someday appear."
Is Auto Han or whoever simply a guide?
Elric opened his mouth as if to ask something, but Auto Han reached out and covered it.
"There must be many other things you're curious about. I understand. You might feel bewildered, perhaps even a bit annoyed with anticipation. If there was something prepared, it could have just been left to the family. Why go through such a complicated design?"
"...Yes."
"But we also had our reasons, I want to make that clear first."
Auto Han's voice carried a profound resonance, leaving Elric unable to ask any questions about it.
"What we prepared is like an enormous wheel, once it starts rolling, it cannot be stopped. So, we couldn't afford to give it away casually to anyone. No matter how long it took, we had to thoroughly sift through people."
When Auto Han mentions 'we,' is he simply referring to the family?
Or is there something else?
"Regardless, you have passed our test and have come this far. From here on out, it is solely your choice. Whether to stop the wheel or keep it rolling."
Auto Han stared at Elric with eyes as deep as the abyss.
Eyes that questioned.
Elric knew nothing about the family's obedience.
Perhaps continuing down this path could mortgage his entire life.
So, Auto Han was offering him a final chance to escape.
But
"I want to keep it rolling."
Elric didn't hesitate.
Reviving the family, carrying on the will of his great-grandfather and ancestors who were once great heroes.
Thus, becoming a greater magician than even the ancestors and leaving a long-lasting legacy on this land.
That was Elric's dream and ambition that he had harbored for a very long time.
"Very well. With that kind of determination, you can truly be called our descendant."
Auto Han nodded satisfactorily and rose from his seat.
In an instant, the world revolving around him changed once again.
The lush grove that had been gently caressed by a cool breeze moments ago turned into a snow-covered plain swept by a fierce blizzard.
The wind was so intense that even standing straight was difficult.
The cold pierced like needles.
A blizzard so intense it was difficult to even open one's eyes.
Snowfall deep enough to sink one's feet like in a swamp.
Surroundings filled entirely with icebergs, and below, the land visible was covered in glaciers, making it an environment where survival seemed impossible.
Elric quickly activated his warming magic and looked up at Auto Han.
Despite still wearing thin attire, he didn't seem to be affected by the cold at all.
"Where are we?"
"This is the testing ground for obtaining the first obedience."
"...!"
Elric's eyes widened.
Taking a test in such an unreasonable place?
In an instant.
Thump, thump!
Elric felt his heart pounding heavily.
The fact that he might become much stronger than he is now made his heart race.
"You're smiling. It's a very good attitude for a candidate. Now, look over there."
Auto Han regarded Elric's demeanor with great pleasure and pointed with his finger.
Elric turned his gaze in that direction.
It was the place where the blizzard was raging most fiercely even amidst the surrounding snowfields.
However, he couldn't discern what he was supposed to see.
"Look further, look deeper."
Elric widened his inner eye and infused it with mana.
As he did, he managed to focus on something far beyond, hidden in the white world.
At the edge of the snowfield.
Shrouded in shadows, something whose appearance couldn't be discerned stood there, glaring in this direction.
But as the eyes and gaze of that thing met through the shadows...
"...Hup!"
Elric involuntarily gasped and stumbled backward.
His spine tingled.
Unlike a moment ago, this time his heart raced for a different reason.
It seemed he had seen something he should never have.
It was fear.
"What... what is that?"
Elric asked, forcing down his trembling voice.
Auto Han answered very simply, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
"The Snow Mountain King."
"...?"
"The Snow Mountain King, who unified the tribes of the yetis as their first and last, seizing control of the plateau and even ruling over the Dragon Ridge."
"...!"
"Also, he is ambitious, striving to return the yetis, who were originally descended from demons but were expelled for being inferior, back into the fold of the demons."
Elric recalled Mephisto's words.
He was brushed aside by the grace of the demons, as destiny did not favor him.
"But now, he has become completely consumed by such ambition, sinking further into corruption, ultimately just a mere demon beyond redemption."
Moreover, Mephisto mentioned that there was a tomb somewhere in the plateau of the yetis.
It seemed like...
"And."
This place was that tomb.
"You are the Archdemon of Original Sin, the first demon you must swallow."
* * *
He eats.
He swallows.
He drinks.
As the words echoed from Auto Han's mouth, Elric looked at him with a face of disbelief.
"Do you mean to say I should defeat him?"
"No. You must swallow him."
"What do you mean...?"
"Didn't Nu-nu-nu explain? We prepared this obedience to swallow the demon."
Elric raised his right sleeve, where something came to mind.
The emblem of a wolf drawn on the back of his hand.
"The Mark of Original Sin. It's a symbol of Mephistopheles. It's also considered outstanding among demons."
"Do you know what this is?"
"How much do you know about demons?"
Elric tilted his head.
"Not much."
"Just as in that era, you only think about exterminating them without analyzing them, right?"
This time, Elric nodded.
"Heh."
Auto Han chuckled as if he had expected that.
It seemed strangely close to mockery.
"Well, that's understandable. Research on demons is thoroughly prohibited after all. Monastery of the Six Desires, what they do is obvious."
Monastery of the Six Desires.
The six great schools leading the Tower of Demon.
"While your family may have been praised for being part of a prestigious magical lineage for a long time, do you know why they have kept their distance from the six pointed star?"
"...Is it because of the demons?"
"Exactly. Although the attitude towards exterminating demons is the same, the methods pursued are different."
Auto Han continued solemnly.
"The term 'demon' originates from primitive and dark emotions emitted by various sentient beings and creatures, including humans. Fear, despair, resentment... When such emotions converge to form 'impurity ,' they develop a sense of self."
Impurity. A conglomerate of peculiar and eerie thoughts.
Elric absorbed both known facts and previously unknown knowledge.
"So demons each possess their own unique impurity. From the lowly ones to conceptual aspects like Original Sin. Impurity is their nature, their class, and their symbol. The 'mark' can be considered as the heart where such impurity is stored. The essence of demons. In other words, their roots."
"Ah."
Elric gently stroked the wolf emblem that Auto Han referred to as the 'Mark of Original Sin.'
In a sense, this could also be considered Mephistopheles himself.
"From now on, you will hunt demons and seize their marks, their roots. The abilities accumulated within these marks... all the talents of the demons will become yours!"
"..."
"Do you now understand the meaning behind swallowing the Snow Mountain King?"
"Yes, somewhat."
Only now did Elric realize how remarkable the legacy prepared by his ancestors truly was.
Seizing the power of demons!
Where else could there be a more certain way to grow?
Considering that some demons can produce phenomena that can only be described as miracles, it was natural to have expectations.
On the other hand, it seemed like there was also a reason why demons feared and resented the noble families so much.
‘Moreover, if absorbing the seals can make me stronger, then the dissolution rate and capacity of the magic stone should also increase accordingly…’
Now that the path to digesting the magic stone had finally opened up, Elric contemplated.
However, there was a problem.
How could he possibly swallow the formidable Snow Mountain King, who was so strong that just looking at him made his skin crawl?
Even if he compared himself to his prime, he was still far inferior to a mage-class adversary.
Elric glanced at Auto Han with a hint of a plea in his eyes, hoping for some sort of hint or guidance.
Auto Han just chuckled quietly, indicating that Elric was on his own for this one.
