Turning Chapter 1057

Chapter 1057

Yuder pondered in silence, his thoughts consumed by Enon's words about the desperate struggles of extinct races and humans, a perspective he had never considered before. It seemed there was indeed merit in contemplating this aspect, just as Enon had suggested.

As Yuder remained lost in thought, Enon furrowed his brows and spoke, "Ah, don't take it too seriously. I didn't mean to imply that Luma's efforts or yours were meaningless, given that destruction seems to be approaching once again."

"I never took it that way."

"What? Then why do you look so serious? You startled me, making me think I might have hurt you!"

"Isn't that an overly serious thought in itself?"

"You little... Then what were you thinking so deeply about? Tell me!"

Enon shouted, his eyes sharp. Yuder, gazing at the tree where Enon was born, slowly began to express the thoughts swirling in his mind.

"In other words, you're saying that humans might not have been the only ones striving to avoid destruction when it approached. Yet, we all know the result—no races other than humans survived."

This was why humans had shown little interest in the extinct races. For most people, including Yuder, the perished races merely remained as fossils, materials for magic tools, or mystical beings in legends.

"So?"

"Why did such a difference arise? Was the reason for the extinction of other races simply due to the Great Destruction? If we could uncover that, it might help me in my current situation."

Although uncertain about other races, the fact that the last fairy's soul remained here indicated that they had undoubtedly made their own efforts. Of course, the specifics of those efforts remained unknown.

'So, other races might have made similar efforts. However, none of them managed to survive in this land. And now, a thousand years after the Great Destruction, the remaining humans are facing another crisis.'

Yuder was well aware that humans had not completely escaped the threat of extinction. The calamities and crises that had shaken the entire world in his previous life were proof of that. Only after turning back time did he realize that these events were not merely coincidental but touched by an inevitable hand. However, the fact that a similar crisis had occurred a thousand years ago remained unchanged.

What difference had determined the fates of other races and humans amidst the Great Destruction?

Legends attributed it to the blessings of the gods received by the first Emperor, the Great Mage, and valiant heroes. As the last entry in the First Duke Tain's journal suggested, perhaps the Great Mage Luma had turned back the Emperor's time, allowing them to prevent the destruction with foreknowledge.

The issue was that even the First Emperor and Luma seemed to believe they had not completely prevented that destruction. They had likely anticipated that the same event would repeat itself in the future and had made their own preparations.

The fact that turning back time was not the complete answer to avoiding destruction held a clear implication for Yuder Aile.

Yuder Aile had also turned back time for unknown reasons and had prevented many tragedies based on his knowledge of the future. However, that alone could not solve everything.

"I should discuss this with the Commander as well. It would be better than not looking into it at all. Your suggestion has been helpful."

Enon remained silent for a while, staring at Yuder as if seeing something utterly unfamiliar and strange. With a peculiar expression, he took a deep breath and suddenly burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking.

'Why is he laughing all of a sudden?'

"...Ha. You're really ridiculous."

"What is?"

"Everything. This situation is hilarious."

Enon laughed for a long time, making deflating sounds, before finally wiping his eyes and calming down.

"Hey."

"..."

"Actually, I was feeling a bit embarrassed."

"About what?"

"Well, I came all the way here, making a big fuss, but I haven't found a single piece of helpful information. You were the one who found Luma's letter."

"That's..."

As Yuder furrowed his brow and tried to speak, Enon raised his hand to stop him.

"I was feeling strange and a bit gloomy, but after hearing you, I find it absurd and amusing, and those feelings have vanished. You're strangely optimistic in odd ways. You really don't know how to give up, do you? In the thousand years I've lived, I've never seen a brat like you."

"..."

"Perhaps that's why the 'previous' me tried to help you until the end. Now I understand that sentiment very clearly."

After saying something incomprehensible, Enon stretched with a refreshed expression.

"I should search again. You help too."

Despite warning against carelessly touching things earlier, he seemed to have changed his mind.

"We've already examined all the wood pieces and furniture here. What else should we look for?"

"Anything. You have keen insight. Maybe you'll find something more, like before. If not, just mention anything strange."

Anything strange. Yuder, lost in thought, stood up and looked around.

"What we're currently searching for are the research records left by the Great Mage Luma and any other records you might not have known about."

"That's right. Since he conducted research, he must have left records. That First Duke Tain fellow did the same. Mages are people who always want to leave behind their research. At first, I thought he might have hidden it somewhere so that young me or others couldn't easily find it, but the problem is that no matter how much I search, I can't find it."

"Could he have taken it with him when he left?"

"Luma hardly took any belongings when he left here. Remember the First Duke Tain's journal? There was a similar mention there."

The last sentence of the publicly available portion of the research journal surfaced in Yuder's mind.

'Where is he now, who left Gyllandr Hill with the scriptures... or something like that.'

For a moment, something slightly bothered him. Yuder abruptly asked, "Enon."

"What?"

Enon responded while rummaging through the inside of the tree.

"You said Luma left while you were asleep."

"So?"

"In the First Duke Tain's journal, it was written that Luma left with the scriptures. How did he know that? And why did he only mention the scriptures?"

"..."

Enon's hand suddenly stopped. With a serious frown, lost in thought, Enon slowly answered, "That person could have entered here as well. After I visited the capital... Luma often had me stay on the second floor instead of the basement when guests came, unlike before. I also slept more, so I couldn't check on what Luma was doing as frequently as before. Around that time, Luma... often looked through the scriptures, and they remained on his desk for a long time, but... they were gone after he left. That's how I knew Luma had taken them with him... However..."

Enon pressed his temple with his fingers and let out a long groan.

"You're right. In that person's journal... there was a part that could be interpreted as if he had directly met Luma before he left."

"If he met Luma on the day of his departure or just before, why did he do so? Could there have been a reason for it?"

At Yuder's words, Enon's eyes finally sparkled. As if realizing something, he surveyed the surroundings.

"...Fundamental magic."

"..."

"It was the same in the West and when we discovered the journal. Many of the First Duke Tain's magic involved concealing something. It means his magic was specialized in that area. Luma rarely borrowed the power of other mages, but... if it's that, maybe!"