Chapter 661 The Moving Stars (2/2)
Watching as magical machinery spat out powdered dust of magical crystals, Joshua swept his gaze over the polluted water that streamed over the land, before continuing his slow stroll. ”I have certainly forgotten industrialization necessitates pollution.”
”Special Research designed a unique Slime that would absorb such specialized mana compounds. It probably would enter official use in half a month.”
Nostradamus stroked his own beard as he strolled alongside the warrior, a distant look in his eyes. ”The reason Israel and I picked the East Barnett Highlands is exactly because this place is vast but unpopulated. Even if the population festers, flatlands with dense populations would not be affected for the time being.”
”And you're leaving him alone up there?”
”He's not some ticking time bomb. Let Israel calm himself for a while—he has yet to conquer divinity.”
The two men simply chattered about miscellaneous issues, with topics ranging from widely rumored treasures of the Pirate King in the isles of the Far East, to the convoluted familial relations of a certain family in the West Mountains—an elder brother marrying a younger brother's daughter, or a father wedding his own daughter was nothing unusual there: those warlock families never cared for morality for the purity of bloodlines.
”The Skypiercing White Tower and we have done our research. Cloning by necromantic technology could guarantee hundred percent of bloodline purity—there's no need for incest.”
Nostradamus gave his criticism, shaking his head.
”Inbred children would definitely be born with genetic defects, and as a matter of fact, the West Mountains' current chaos was because none of the warlock families could continuously produce a genius who could unite the continent.”
”Now that you mention it, I'm curious. The dragon bloodlines in the Diamond Family notwithstanding, how did they attain fairy bloodlines?”
Joshua could not refrain from clicking his tongue at the topic of bloodlines, although he also remembered that the Diamond Family was also part of the West Mountains clans at the start. The difference was that they led their people here to the North, before becoming the rulers over those parts. ”What I'm getting at is… while love knows no race, size on the other hand….”
”You really think they'd make love?”
Nostradamus's eyes promptly widened. Still, being an aged person, he was not evasive about such discussions—indeed, after a brief while holding back, the elderly mage laughed. ”So-called fairy bloodlines are only him hosting fairies. You are aware that fairies are pure-energy bodies, right? Their union is hence in aspects of energy and souls, which in turn greatly strengthens their combat ability, giving them an effect that is one-plus-one-equals-greater-than-two.”
”Those who Hosted before would change in soul and energy to resemble the fairies, hence attaining an outcome that is similar to bloodline inheritance.”
'So that's what how it is with the Valkyries!'
Joshua instantly understood the concept of Hosting, although it appeared not too weird in retrospect. With a race as flippant as the fairies, they would be simple and whimsical in personality and propagation. Come to think of it, the Sixth Prince who the fairies took a liking to might have inherited the bloodline altered by Hosting as well.
The two kept walking and left the boundary of the Apocalypse Installation. There, Joshua stopped. ”Alright, Master Nostradamus,” he said. ”You've seen me off far enough, I'll fly home on my own.”
”That's quite far.”
”Not for you or me. Taking in the sights occasionally isn't bad.”
But just as Joshua strode out and rise into the air, Nostradamus, who seemed to have been holding himself back for some time, stopped him.
”Wait.”
Joshua turned to the elderly mage but did not say a thing, his expression calm, his gaze unfettered. None could tell what he was thinking.
”Joshua… What do you think about the choice Israel and I made?” The old mage asked uncomplicatedly after a brief hesitation. ”Your acknowledgment of Israel is mere faith; you did not say what you think about our project. Whether it is right or wrong, you are definitely a champion—we wish for your suggestions.”
”What I think?” Joshua blinked, puzzled for a moment, but soon responded. ”Whatever.”
”Whatever?!”
”Yeah. Whatever.”
Joshua nodded, but Nostradamus find that response difficult to accept. Frowning, the elderly mage took one step forward, asking solemnly, ”That's your answer? 'Whatever'? This matter concerns all citizens of the Northern Empire and the future of millions—morals, order, good and evil, everything is involved!”
”No. My 'whatever' doesn't mean I don't care.”
Joshua shook his head at the agitated mage, pondering for a moment before elaborating. ”Listen, Nostradamus. I don't care about the future of humans. It is their own choices, whether they lived happily in a utopia or apathetically in dystopia.”
”In that respect, humans should judge for themselves, or perhaps save themselves. As for whether they would destroy themselves or attain new life, I don't care.”
Looking up at the brilliant night sky, where countless stars flickered amidst the light of the mana tide and the twin moon that illuminated the land, throwing a thin silver veil over the East Barnett Highlands. As he watched those stars, Joshua could see five planets shifting their trails within that great energy stream that engulfed the universe—moving slowly, they approached the world of Mycroft.
The wheels were in motion; the rivers were flowing. For the vengeance of this world, the planets had shifted their stance simply because they wanted to.
”Good and evil, justice or injustice? It's all meaningless to the true enemy, for neither Evil Gods nor Abyssal Lieges care about human totalitarianism or democracy.”
Watching the moving planets, Joshua's eyes flickered with silver light even as he spoke softly. ”For them, there is only destroy or to be destroyed.”
Nostradamus stared at the warrior before him silently, finding him at once familiar and unfamiliar. What could he actually be thinking? The old mage could not tell now.
However, in truth, the warrior's thought had always been simple.
”You are Emperor and Chancellor who have to think about the future of humans, societal stability and continuation of policies… and I'm just a warrior.”
No longer watching the stars, Joshua lowered his gaze down to Nostradamus.
”I'm all enemy Chaos and evil,” he declared mildly, ”their Death and their destruction.”
”Nothing more.”