Chapter 205 - (Completed) > Book Rabbit

Chapter 205

The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Had I been alone, I would have certainly been unable to stand and maintain my balance.

It was only because Arpad held me that I could remain standing.

To be precise, it was because a shield of aura created around us enveloped us that we were unharmed.

Everywhere else was being utterly shattered.

At a single glance, it was clear that Artanus's current state was not normal.

It seemed the psychological shock we had inflicted was greater than anticipated.

"Even so, I never truly thought the dragon would go completely mad..."

To my muttering, Arpad gave an unexpected reply.

"I actually find it understandable."

"What?"

"If I lost you, was left alone, and had to spend a few hundred years holed up in a place like this, clutching only a corpse, I'd go mad too."

Indeed, had I taken just one wrong step a moment ago, Arpad might have inherited the dragon's place.

From his perspective, it couldn't be someone else's story.

Even if Arpad's malicious words were added on.

"Of course, that's the damn lizard's own fault."

"That's true."

I nodded vigorously as well.

But the crisis now facing us did not vanish even if we pretended all was well.

"If a dragon goes mad and rampages, destroying a country or two won't be the end of it."

"Probably half the continent would be shattered."

Arpad's dreadful words were filled with conviction.

Having just absorbed much of the dragon's power and knowledge, Arpad's prediction was likely close to foretelling the future.

"Moreover, this is beneath the Artanua Plains. It may be the agricultural off-season, but if the entire plain were set ablaze, the winter barley crop would be ruined."

My heart swelled anew.

The person worrying and calculating such things was the Arpad I knew.

Had he been progressing in his dragonification, he would have reacted with something like, 'What does barley matter?'

At that moment, Artanus, who had completely lost its reason, raised its head.

And toward the ceiling, it exhaled a massive breath of destruction.

"Kraaaaaaa—!!!"

Even we, protected by Arpad's aura, could not help but receive considerable impact from this shock.

Arpad, to be precise.

He threw his body to shield me and the child in my womb.

After the light and shockwave faded, I sought out Arpad even before I could fully open my eyes.

"Arpad!"

"...Kgh, cough! I'm fine."

Though he had coughed up blood from excessive magical power depletion, Arpad looked fairly intact.

That was because Artanus's breath, while immensely destructive, was not directly aimed at us.

But...

*Whoosh!*

A huge hole was torn in the ceiling.

Light leaking through the hole illuminated the interior of Artanus's nest, whose structure had been unclear until now.

It was desolately empty inside. To the point where one could hardly believe a being had lived here for hundreds of years.

For a dragon, activities necessary for sustaining life were likely unnecessary.

However, the coffin of Princess Istride in the center was different.

The coffin made of crystal and the vivid flowers piled around it as if offered shone with a lonely sadness amidst the nest's void.

The fact that Artanus was now moving, having left Princess Istride's remains behind, was a very dangerous signal.

For it truly hated all living things, and it wouldn't be strange if it sought to destroy them all.

A deep shadow fell as if sunlight pouring from above was obscured by clouds.

When we looked up, the sight revealed before our eyes was one to astonish all living beings.

"The Dragon's Eclipse!"

The colossal form of Artanus, having soared high, blotted out the sun.

The sun's light shone sharply around the dragon's silhouette.

The same phenomenon I had once utilized.

The first was evidence of Artanus performing a ritual to turn back time to revive its successor.

And now...

'It's the last desperate struggle of a despairing, maddened dragon.'

* * *

The imperial capital was brimming with vitality in preparation for the upcoming coronation.

Everyone anticipated the appearance of the new Emperor and Empress they would see at the ceremony.

The person upon whom the people's expectations and affection were particularly focused was the Crown Princess, soon to be Empress, Hilia.

The favorable public opinion shaped through Penny Terrace and others played a large part, but the backlash from the reality altered by the <Book of Fate>—where Hilia divorced and disappeared—and then shattered, was also significant.

While the <Book of Fate>'s influence remained, everyone naturally paid no mind to the divorced Crown Princess.

But after Arpad shattered the reality manipulation, her presence became all the more prominent, commensurate with how forgotten she had been.

Had the coronation proceeded with Hilia not returning, everyone would have been utterly astonished.

Because of this, the Crown Prince Palace's retainers, including Yulken, were at their wits' end.

'Please, please, I believe Your Highness will bring Her Highness back in time! Otherwise, I'll really submit my resignation!'

It was just then that Yulken and the other palace attendants, who had been tearing their hair out, noticed something strange.

The sunlight, always in its proper place, began to distort.

Those who raised their heads all witnessed it.

"The Dragon's Eclipse?"

The miracle that had astonished everyone was being reproduced once more.

"Oh! Is it an auspicious sign before the coronation?"

"Perhaps Artanus is bestowing another blessing."

Amid hopeful murmurs, Yulken noticed something odd.

Something was a bit different from the previous Dragon's Eclipse.

From the dragon's form blotting out the sun, a deep red light began to gather at the head area.

'That's like...'

Yulken shook his head, trying to dismiss the possibility he had thought of.

It was an absurd thought.

There was no way Artanus, the ancestor of the imperial family and the Empire's guardian dragon, would do such a thing.

But he could not deny the cold sweat soaking his back.

The red light the dragon held in its maw in the middle of the sky was growing larger and larger.

* * *

Even one ignorant of magical flow could not help but sense the immense energy gathering in Artanus's mouth.

It looked as if two suns had appeared.

"It's insane!"

At my lament, Arpad nodded.

"It actually has gone mad."

"This is no time to be calmly saying things like that!"

With Arpad's power, we flew up into the air together, pursuing Artanus.

And we witnessed the maddened lizard drawing in a breath on a scale that would sweep away not only the Artanua Plains but the imperial capital as well.

If left like this, the maddened dragon would truly turn the entire continent upside down.

'We must stop it!'

'But how?'

As I agonized until my head grew hot, Arpad asked from beside me.

"There's still a chance, even now."

"What chance?"

"If I seize all the dragon's power from Artanus, that madness will stop."

"That's impossible!"

That would merely be a repetition of the outcome I had tried so hard to prevent earlier.

"Absolutely not!"

I grabbed Arpad's shoulders tightly and shouted.

Then, Arpad smiled gently.

"I'm glad. I knew you'd say that."

"You think I'd give up what I just barely took back?"

"But if we just stand by like this, it will truly be the end."

"...!"

"We have barely a few minutes. The destructive power will be enormous, proportional to the amount being drawn in. It would probably sweep away the imperial capital in one blow."

A headache was coming on.

How does one stop a mad dragon?

Dragons are beings whose abilities are comparable only to gods.

Even the reality altered by the <Book of Fate> was something Arpad, who had partially inherited power that was not the dragon's own, could resist...

"...!"

Understanding struck like lightning.

I shouted.

"The <Book of Fate>!"

Arpad also immediately understood what I meant.

That power alone was the only thing on earth that could oppose a dragon.

But there was one critical problem.

I was currently in no state to properly use the <Book of Fate>.

Because I had expended too much power saving Arpad from his madness.

Since then, it had been impossible even to summon the <Book of Fate>.

Each time I tried, intuition came.

'Next time, I'll have to stake my life.'

Otherwise, I absolutely could not summon the <Book of Fate>.

Now, my life was not my own alone.

I would never have attempted such a reckless and dangerous thing.

Had I not been driven into such a corner.

And...

Arpad's fingers gently slipped between the fingers of my left hand.

Interlacing them tightly, Arpad whispered lowly.

"I've already done something similar. Alone, though I managed to use the dragon's power, albeit incompletely. I had to pay a considerable price."

It was thanks to that that Arpad could fly from the capital to the eastern edge in a single night.

It was literally a life-risking venture.

And this time, we were going to attempt it together.

We could not simply leave the mad Artanus be.

That was literally a calamity that would destroy several countries and more.

It was impossible to turn a blind eye and survive alone.

And I was greedy.

I did not want to lose a single thing that I, Arpad, and our child could possess and enjoy.

The Empire and the people living there were the same.

Among those now under the mad dragon's breath were many people precious to me and Arpad.

The two of us sharing the burden was the best course.

We save each other.

'I'm sorry, little one. Please endure just a little longer.'

I nodded.

"...Yes."

My left hand and Arpad's right hand intertwined.

The Star of Stylia on my left ring finger began to shine dazzlingly.

Simultaneously, a large book, shining brighter than any previous summoning, appeared beneath our feet.

"!"

Chapter 206 (Conclusion)

The world was tinged gray. As if the flow of time had stopped, wedged into a non-existent gap between pages.

Even Artanus was frozen in this moment.

By the power of the <Book of Fate>.

I knew instinctively.

There was only one chance.

Only one chance for us to stop Artanus in an unharmed state.

*Flap—!*

The pages turned rapidly.

Countless pieces of information related to the current situation raced across the pages in the form of letters.

「Dragons are one of the pillars that sustain the world. If the line is not maintained, the world too cannot be sustained intact.」

「The reason Istride left Artanus in solitude was also for the continuation of the world...」

「In the world opened by the power of the Celestial God and the Earth Mother Goddess, the five sister goddesses created human destiny.」

I was bewildered.

'Why is the creation myth being dragged out now?'

Soon, I realized this was not strange.

Dragons are beings with power rivaling gods.

Their origin naturally had to be linked to the creation of heaven and earth.

「The newly completed world was far too thin and fragile. To press down, fix, and supplement it, the five goddesses reversed their own existence and power to create new power and existence.」

So, dragons are beings like a paperweight, a pillar, or a touchstone.

Absolutely necessary for sustaining the world.

Countless pieces of information crossed the pages and were crammed into my head.

I had thought that being Arpad's bride and being the master of the <Book of Fate> were separate.

'But they weren't.'

From the beginning, the dragon and the <Book of Fate> were like two sides of the same coin.

Like the providence of the world created by the goddesses for this world's sustenance.

Because I was the master of the <Book of Fate>, I could be Arpad's bride.

Conversely, because I was his bride, I had to be the master of the <Book of Fate>.

The two powers were like magnetic poles attached yet repelling each other.

I reached my hand toward the <Book of Fate>.

"Then, there's no need for them to exist separately, is there?"

My resentment toward the lizard that tried to take Arpad away remained.

But I could understand the grief and sorrow of losing one's mate and going mad.

Above all...

'I don't want Arpad to become like that, and... I don't want the same tragedy to repeat in the future.'

The tragedy that Artanus and Istride experienced, and that we almost repeated.

My gaze met Arpad's.

I knew we were thinking the same thing.

We reached out our hands together.

A new sentence began to unfold over the <Book of Fate>.

「As the last dragon sleeps beside his bride, the power to write the world's destiny and the power to block and twist it also disappear together.」

「Thus, the last legacy left by the gods is returned to the world itself, and destiny is entrusted to human hands.」

From the <Book of Fate>, light so immense it could blind one began to pour forth.

The letters written on the pages formed of light wavered precariously.

As if they might vanish at any moment.

But the moment Arpad's hand was added upon them, the letters grew deeper and more vivid.

Like the <Book of Fate> connected to me, the power of Artanus connected to Arpad was drawn in together.

Two powers that repelled yet attracted each other.

Divine power and magical power.

Two powers necessary for sustaining this world, and because of that, had claimed many sacrifices, became one.

*Ching—!*

The other goddess's jewels sealed within the Star of Stylia were revealed together.

They all shattered at once, and even the fragments of their power were sucked into the <Book of Fate>.

And astonishingly, the crystal of divine power centered on the <Book of Fate> took the form of a woman.

Her cherry-blossom hair color was the same, but her jade-green eyes were different from mine.

I had already seen that form inside Artanus's nest.

"Princess Istride?"

She smiled gently toward us.

And gazed at one place.

At the maddened dragon, threateningly blotting out the sun, about to unleash its rage upon all living beings.

As Princess Istride stretched out her arms, the form of the maddened dragon vanished in an instant, to the point of absurdity.

In the place where the power constituting its existence had scattered, what remained was a man.

A form I had seen before.

A man resembling Arpad. Likely the form Artanus had when he was human.

Two men and women who resembled us, yet were completely different, turning back hundreds of years of time, crossing the boundary of life and death, finally reuniting—the scene unfolded before our eyes.

Princess Istride embraced her lover, who had been trapped in the flow of time and gone mad.

-My Artanus.

-It was too long... too long. Istride.

A man who, worn down by time, had come to hate the world and gone mad, finally slept peacefully in his lover's embrace.

The woman who had regained her man looked at us one last time and smiled.

As if saying thank you.

Amidst the chaos where the two powers repelled and attracted each other, the two slowly turned to light and scattered.

Arpad and I watched the sight with dazed eyes.

The stopped time began to flow again.

The <Book of Fate>, the dragon, the two immense divine and magical powers scattered throughout the world.

Somehow moved to the point of choking up, I gazed at the sky where no trace remained.

Then, from beside me, I heard the sound of Arpad grinding his teeth.

"Damn it!"

"What's wrong?"

He looked at my left hand, which he was tightly holding, and got angry.

"Those eye-sore bastards took our wedding rings and all the betrothal gifts!"

"...Ah!"

He was right.

The <Book of Fate> and all the divine artifacts attached to it had disappeared.

Naturally, the Star of Stylia and Agrippina's Tear had to disappear as well.

Chuckling, I threw myself into Arpad's embrace.

"Is now the time for such talk?"

"This is an incredibly important matter! They were the betrothal gifts you gave me, and the wedding ring I prepared for you!"

I stood on tiptoe and pressed my lips against Arpad's. And mixing our breaths, I whispered.

"But no object is more precious than you."

Then, I saw the anger that had shot up to Arpad's hairline slowly subside.

He poured a suffocatingly deep kiss upon me and whispered in my ear.

"You're right. Nothing in this world is more important to me than you."

I decided to consider it cheap payment for exorcising and sending back a centuries-old nuisance couple.

The important thing was that he and I were alive, holding each other.

In the sky where both the goddess and the dragon had disappeared, we held each other for a long time.

* * *

The divine power of the <Book of Fate> and the dragon's magical power scattered throughout the entire world, leaving only traces.

Before even the last remnants disappeared, Hilia could recall two people she had forgotten.

"Ah! Lord Beltain!"

And the black serpent as a bonus.

Remembering the beings held captive by Gaspard at Beneta Castle, Hilia drew upon the remaining divine and magical power like remnants and first checked their condition.

On the glowing pages like slips of paper, the current state of the two appeared.

「Renus Beltain was imprisoned in an underground dungeon.」

「...Krau Teslan was groaning, crushed under the debris of a collapsed wall, covered in wounds.」

Hilia let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness. They're both alive."

She heard the sound of Arpad sighing discontentedly beside her, but ignored it.

She truly used the last remaining edge of divine power to ensure their safety.

「The dungeon wall collapsed, and during his escape, Renus Beltain discovered Krau Teslan. The two were able to escape the castle together.」

The moment Hilia confirmed the two were safe as she had finalized.

The last remaining divine power vanished like an extinguished flame.

As tension eased, strength drained from her entire body.

It was Arpad who caught her as she was about to collapse.

Hilia fell into his embrace with relief.

Arpad showered kisses indiscriminately on her forehead, cheek, and lips.

And asked softly.

"It's over, right?"

"Yes. It's over."

"Finally."

A low sigh of relief tickled Hilia's ear.

Holding his wife tightly, Arpad whispered softly.

An absurd thing.

"Shall we go on our honeymoon like this?"

"Huh? But we already went, didn't we?"

Right after the marriage of abduction, the two had gone to the detached palace and then returned to the imperial palace.

Hilia perceived that journey itself as the honeymoon.

And Arpad at that time...

'He thought he needed neither a wedding ceremony, nor a wedding ring, nor a honeymoon.'

Thinking back now, she wanted to smack the back of her past self's head for not knowing the future and thinking such things.

Arpad pleaded resolutely.

"Let