25-270

EP.270. [Elizabeth Risks Danger for Her Beloved Brother.] 

“In the end, I realize I can’t simply judge your rapid changes, Eugene.” 

Marianne had already been hearing about Eugene Schneider’s changes through letters. He suddenly grew taller and more muscular, and even awakened his powers. 

“Of course, I thought the Lord’s blessing had influenced you. But it seems that’s not all.” 

Phedon is a true fantasy world. The Radiant Goddess Church’s deity is real, and all sorts of miracles manifest. So Marianne and Charlotte never thought Eugene’s rapid growth was just a lucky biological coincidence. Pilgrimages to sacred sites blessed by the deity are rituals performed with the expectation of real miracles. 

“Your rapid awakening was unusual, but above all, sensing and sealing a dimensional rift since I’ve researched that myself, it made me think differently.” 

And a true miracle happened. The once-sickly adopted son, Eugene Schneider, became a robust man at 190cm and 106kg. Not only did he awaken, but the growth of his abilities was beyond imagination. Marianne felt great pride in having recommended the pilgrimage to him. But Eugene, who could sense the energy of dimensional rifts and even split and seal one with his greatsword showed Marianne this miracle herself. 

“So I’d like you to be honest with me, son. As you’ve seen, I’ve spent years studying and accepting many cultures.” 

Marianne’s “if” led her to Atlantis. She knew that some sacred sites on the pilgrimage route were connected to Atlantis. Eugene’s letters mentioned he had visited them. 

But in a country where the Radiant Goddess Church is the state religion, even between mother and son, some things are not easily discussed. Marianne had deliberately shown Eugene, with no filters, her research and actions over the past days precisely to prepare for this conversation. 

‘Mother’s attitude now… I can’t hide anything, can I?’ 

Marianne’s tone was gently probing, but her gaze was more direct she wanted confirmation, not just curiosity. 

‘Hmm… At this point, I should at least tell Mother the basics. As she said, she’s become more open-minded since leaving the clergy.’ 

Eugene had never told Jeanne, Elizabeth, or even the Charlotte he so admired, the details of his awakening. But with his adoptive mother Marianne, he felt differently. As she said, her years of research meant she could truly understand his strange experiences. 

“Yes, Mother. During my pilgrimage, I visited a sacred site of Atlantis. After that, I think the unusual changes began. Coincidentally, my body started to grow, and at some point, I awakened.” 

Eugene confessed that he had a profound mystical experience connected to an Atlantis holy site, though he didn’t mention realizing his past life. 

‘It’s possible my past-life memories were a catalyst. But looking back, I think it’s more related to my parents’ genes.’ 

Eugene also understood that Marianne’s real question was about the power he used to seal the dimensional rift. Now that he’d heard the Heart of the Sun artifact from Atlantis could suppress rifts, he was more convinced of the theory that Ulysses Schneider was an Atlantean. 

“I see…” 

Nod, nod, nod. 

Marianne listened to Eugene’s words and nodded thoughtfully. 

“Mother, did you ever hear rumors that my late father might have been an Atlantean?” 

Eugene brought up the old rumor himself. 

“I’d heard it. But as I researched Atlantis and read the records, I came to think it was just a rumor.” 

Marianne replied frankly to Eugene’s cautious question. 

‘Hmm… That’s completely different from Priscilla’s view. She seemed to think it was very possible.’ 

Eugene found this answer unexpected, since Priscilla, who had the deepest knowledge of Atlantis, had suggested otherwise. 

‘Well, it’s possible the materials Priscilla saw on Symphonia Elf Island and those my mother saw on the continent were very different…’ 

If the continent and Atlantis had little contact after ancient times, but Symphonia and Atlantis interacted until Atlantis sank, then it’s natural that Priscilla and Marianne’s understanding of Atlantis would differ. 

“But through my own investigations, I’ve come across cases of people having mystical experiences at ancient Atlantean holy sites. These stories aren’t public, since the Holy See would interrogate anyone who spoke of them. That’s why I thought it was possible you experienced something similar, Eugene.” 

Even if she was skeptical about Ulysses Schneider being Atlantean, Marianne still considered it possible that Eugene’s current powers were related to Atlantis. Over years of research, she had heard testimonies of real miracles at Atlantean sites. 

Some people, out of curiosity or research, or by chance, visited Atlantis holy sites. Some had mystical experiences, but kept quiet for fear of the Holy See, which considered Atlantis heretical. Marianne, through her research on dimensional rifts, had learned of these cases from recluses. 

‘Wow, Mother really has done deep research! She explains everything so smoothly!’ 

Eugene was deeply impressed. He thought he’d have to take the lead now that he’d grown so much, but in Bahad, Marianne was always one step ahead, as if she had prepared for all of this in advance. Even now, her presence was palpable truly the genius nun who was once the pride of the Holy See. 

‘Now I want to ask her about that, too…’ 

Experiencing Marianne’s deep knowledge and insight made Eugene curious. 

‘The sun god Avinus, and the darkness that Drake told me about… Maybe Mother knows something about that too?’ 

Eugene had shared most of what Drake had told him with Priscilla and his sister Elizabeth. But there was one thing he’d never told anyone: the prophecy about awakening the Demon God’s Eye and the darkness that would oppose Eugene himself. Drake had said that darkness was very close to Eugene, so he’d kept quiet about it until now, thinking maybe he could tell Marianne. 

“Eugene! Mother! A magical letter has arrived from Jeanne and Elizabeth!” 

At that moment, Charlotte entered Marianne’s office, her voice excited. 

News from his sisters had arrived. 

After everything that had happened, Charlotte had been very worried about her siblings. Eugene had been reunited with her, but the two younger sisters were different. Normal communication was difficult because security between regions had tightened, so Charlotte had tried using an emergency magical letter with Elizabeth. 

“Really?” 

“That’s a relief, Charlotte! Are the girls safe?” 

Eugene and Marianne, who had been having a serious conversation, immediately turned their attention to Charlotte’s news. 

“Elizabeth wasn’t guaranteed to be available, so I thought it would take longer, but she checked in a week ago and then contacted Jeanne before sending the letter.” 

Charlotte explained the process as she handed the letter to Eugene and Marianne. 

A magical letter is sent via a magical crystal and requires significant magical and holy energy, so it’s used by high-level mages or nuns in emergencies. 

“Elizabeth says she’s been assigned an important mission and there’s nothing to worry about, Mother.” 

“I see. And Jeanne what did Elizabeth say about her, Eugene?” 

“As expected. Thanks to a companion she parted with earlier, she was able to prepare in advance.” 

Though the letter was from a few days ago, Eugene’s side was able to confirm the family’s situation. Contacting Pangaea from Cleopatra was worth trying, and fortunately it succeeded, so Elizabeth relayed Jeanne’s status to Eugene. 

‘Oh! So Jeanne and Vivian managed to connect! That’s a relief!’ 

Summarizing the letter’s contents for Marianne, Eugene’s eyes widened slightly. 

When Eugene confirmed a dimensional rift had opened in the middle region, his mind started racing. He had quickly parted from Priscilla and sent her to Pangaea, and asked her to contact Alexandria’s Vivian upon arrival to keep everyone updated. 

‘What’s this? Signs of a clash between the Empire and Tyrannos?’ 

Vivian’s news brought information about the Empire’s mood that Eugene’s side hadn’t picked up on. 

“I’m not afraid...! I’m not afraid! Huuu...! I’m not afraid!” 

Elizabeth, who had sent her beloved brother so much valuable information, chanted a self-hypnotic mantra with a rather tense face unusual for her. 

 Whoooosh! Whoooosh! Whoooosh! 

“The blizzard is as fierce as the demonic energy swirling here in the northern demon lands!” 

She had finally crossed the Empire’s thousand-year wall and set foot in the Iskandar Mountains, the domain of the demons.