How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World
chapter-170

“Forbidden Magic? Are you talking about Necromancy?”

Arwen responded with a puzzled expression to the term ‘forbidden magic’ that Fieren mentioned. In the world, there are various types of magic, and among them, some are so dreadful that their use is prohibited. One of the most prominent examples is ‘Necromancy.’ Necromancy is a form of magic that resurrects the deceased as ‘undead,’ and in the past, devils mainly favored it during the Devil War.

Especially, the higher the proficiency in Necromancy, the stronger the abilities of the resurrected undead, and it can also inflict significant psychological pressure. Moreover, the undead, by their very nature, can engage in an endless battle, while the opponent’s strength diminishes over time, whereas the undead’s power keeps increasing.

Fortunately, through the existence of ‘Divine Power’ and the ‘World Tree,’ they managed to repel the undead with great effort, but remnants of their existence still linger in this world. The most significant example would be the Demons.

Demons possess the ‘Black Mana,’ enabling them to use Necromancy. However, due to the great harm they suffered from demons, they strictly forbid Necromancy, even though they might possess the ability to use it.

Recently, there have been traces of Devil worshippers clandestinely using Necromancy, and it was mentioned in Xenon’s Biography. Even in Xenon’s Biography, Necromancy was considered a magic that should never be attempted.

In addition to that, black magic, which gains power through human sacrifices or spreads terrible curses and plagues, was also forbidden. In fact, since Necromancy is included within black magic, it is right to view black magic itself as forbidden magic.

“It isn’t like black magic or necromancy. It’s the purest form of magic, but it’s forbidden due to the dreadful carnage it can cause.”

“Hmm… It’s hard to understand just by listening.”

After hearing Fieren’s response, Arwen looked puzzled and gazed at Volume 14 of Xenon’s Biography. It was difficult to predict why Fieren was saying such things based solely on what she heard.

If it’s not like black magic, then what kind of magic could it be? Moreover, there was something else that she couldn’t comprehend.

That was about one of the criticisms of Xenon’s Biography – magic was activated without proper explanation. So, it only describes what magic was cast, without teaching the detailed principles. If there’s a flaw in Xenon’s Biography, it’s the weak depiction of magic, but it’s understandable since Isaac was not a magician. Moreover, magic is not properly standardized among humans.

So, why exactly did Fieren describe forbidden magic in such a way? Arwen, with her stern expression, waited for Fieren and then opened the book.

Since it’s come to this, it might not be a bad idea to read Volume 14 of the Xenon Chronicles to grasp the situation.

‘Elvenheim has indeed been completely occupied.’

Due to the contamination of the World Tree and Lucifer’s wicked scheme, Elvenheim has been completely incapacitated and invaded by demons. Naturally, the warriors of Elvenheim resisted repeatedly, but it was difficult to stop the devils who swarmed like a tidal wave.

If the warriors of Elvenheim defeat 5 devils, the devils send 10 more troops, and if they block that too, they send an additional 20 troops. The situation was the worst of the worst since the contaminated World Tree became a sort of coordinate and turned into a gateway, even nourishing Diablos. Elvenheim was practically on the verge of destruction. The Xenon’s party happened to encounter Dark Elves and fought against the demons in Elvenheim, but they were forced to retreat due to the presence of the Seven Sins.

‘The council… has been completely annihilated. That’s really unfortunate.’

In Xenon’s Biography, the council that could be considered the equivalent of the council of elders was shown to have expressed extreme disapproval towards Xenon’s group, even going as far as imprisoning them on the pretext of Jin being a demon. In many ways, it portrayed the negative aspects of the elves in an exaggerated manner.

After Kair’s death, Elisha, who had become partially disabled, took charge of governing the nation, but under the pretext of investigating Xenon’s party, she expelled them from Elvenheim. The group even included a warrior named ‘Ruden,’ who had been a thorn in the council’s side.

However, the council was unable to fight devils properly and was easily defeated. Furthermore, they were resurrected as undead and continued to chase after Xenon’s party until the end.

Just from this, there were sufficient reasons for the council of elders to be furious, but this alone was not enough. There were still many pages left, as mentioned by Fieren in the first place.

‘But what will happen if Diablos is resurrected? Won’t it all end then?’

If this continues, the Great Devil Diablos would be resurrected. In the World Tree, there are enough nutrients to even resurrect the Great Devil, so it first invaded Elvenheim.

Furthermore, Diablos possessed an incredibly powerful force according to the settings. With a single gesture, it can shatter mountains and even reverse the heavens and earth, so one could easily imagine the extent of its power.

As Arwen immersed herself in the increasingly serious situation, she briefly glanced at Fieren. He was still standing there with a stern expression, waiting.

Finally, she reached the page he had mentioned, wondering what kind of magic would be there. Arwen delved deeper into the story as she turned the page.

‘…Power fusion with Eir?’

Eir was one of the representatives of the Dark Elves and one of the warriors mentioned in Volume 13. Among the Dark Elves, Eir held the title of ‘Dark Guide,’ given to the most exceptional warrior among them.

In other words, someone like Ruden, the leader of the elven warriors, who has extraordinary and unmatched strength. This warrior has started fighting to protect Elvenheim.

Even though the Dark Elves in the real world were once exiled after a terrible civil war, their deep affection remained. Alvenheim was their homeland, a place where the roots of their hearts were planted by the gods, so it’s only natural.

Therefore, it’s not at all surprising that the Dark Elf in Xenon’s Biography fought for Elvenheim. Despite lingering conflicts between different races, ‘Ruden’ and ‘Eir’ have become one for the sake of Elvenheim.

Their united hearts are directed towards the corrupted World Tree, which was originally a gift from the gods but now must be destroyed. If they were to step back, Diablos would resurrect, and this world would head towards destruction. The two heroes are well aware of this fact, leaving them with only one choice.

‘But breaking through the Seven Sins would be difficult…’

Just dealing with Lucifer alone would be a challenge, not to mention the other Seven Sins. Other elves were supporting them in clearing a path, but it’s clear that it’s impossible. So, there’s only one option left: ‘Cooperation.’

And not just any cooperation that would combine their strength into a power of 2, but one that produces a power of 10 to incinerate the corrupted World Tree.

The Elven hero, Ruden, and the Dark Elf hero, Eir, both understood this and thus proceeded with their final decision.

‘Fusion… you say? What kind of ability is this?’

It was the ability to truly become ‘one,’ a ‘fusion(??).’”

Over hundreds of years, they accumulated mana, knowledge, divine power, and finally transformed even their own essence into pure energy.

Using their bodies as kindling, they changed the mana into a raging fire that could burn everything.

Ruden followed the God of Light, and Eir followed the Goddess of Darkness. Despite their different natures, they belonged to the same race.

[Submit to overwhelming power!]

Eventually, the two heroes transformed into one massive energy entity and began their march towards the contaminated World Tree. Neither Ruden nor Eir, but a pure energy being emitted a mixed voice as they moved forward.

With a single wave of their hand, even high-ranking devils were devoured by the mighty energy and obliterated, not to mention the lesser devils beneath them.

If the limit of a person’s power output is 100, then the pure energy entity exceeded that limit. Furthermore, since it would naturally perish once all energy is lost, it possessed a quality of absorbing all surrounding energy.

And that energy was replenished by absorbing the nearby devils. Even the black mana infused by the devils was simply considered ‘energy,’ so there was no difficulty in advancing.

The problem was that this ability did not discriminate against allies. The description mentioned that even the Elven warrior supporting the surroundings was sucked in.

When faced with an entirely unexpected situation, even the Seven Deadly Sins were left bewildered and unable to act recklessly. Meanwhile, the energy entity had already reached the World Tree.

Feeling the crisis, Diablos hurriedly gave orders to the Seven Deadly Sins, but the energy entity was one step ahead. Subsequently, they, or perhaps the ‘one’, reached out towards the contaminated World Tree and murmured in a low voice.

[For Elvenheim.]

The appearance of the Energy Entity marked the end here. From then on, the perspective shifted towards Xenon and his companions.

Xenon’s group, who had been sheltering the remaining residents of Elvenheim, immediately turned their attention to the flow of enormous mana detected from the World Tree.

What they witnessed was a massive explosion that enveloped the entire World Tree. A blindingly bright flash burst forth for an instant before gradually subsiding.

As the light faded, the World Tree, which had stood firm for 3000 years, vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a giant mushroom cloud. It was a moment when the heroic sacrifice of the two protagonists slightly delayed the resurrection of the Great Devil.

“… …”

After one volume came to an end, Arwen blinked her gray eyes. As expected of the Xenon’s Biography, she found herself deeply engrossed and lost track of time while reading.

However, she couldn’t deviate from her original purpose. She tore her gaze away from the book and looked ahead.

“Did you read it all?”

Perhaps noticing that Arwen had read the crucial parts, Fieren asked in his distinct, elderly voice. Arwen felt a bit embarrassed by the fact that she had been so absorbed in reading Xenon’s Biography and replied with a forced cough.

“I’ve read all the parts you mentioned. The scene where Ruden and Eir became a pure energy entity to destroy the World Tree was quite impressive. But is this becoming a problem?”

“… My Queen, 3000 years is an exceedingly long time even for us Elves. Just as the water in the upper reaches of a river dries up, revealing the bottom downstream, history and traditions also follow the same pattern. If our ancestors were to destroy all records, there would be nothing left for future generations.”

Fieren used a metaphor that anyone, even children, could understand to explain to Arwen. Arwen initially had a puzzled expression but quickly caught on to its meaning.

It meant that the ancestral records were intentionally erased to make them disappear. Indeed, most of the records of the civil war with the Dark Elves were lost, but a small portion was still preserved in the sanctuary.

However, completely erasing the records themselves meant that the ancestors considered it a very serious matter. Arwen urgently asked Fieren while showing him the 14th volume.

“So, does the content written here mean it’s a lost magic from the past?”

“Yes. The magic described as ‘Fusion’ is the name of that magic. It was also used in the Devil War 3000 years ago. It transforms people into pure energy beings and combines that energy to give birth to a massive living organism. The book only mentions two people becoming energy beings, but in reality, it is possible with several people.”

“Really…”

Arwen was stunned and couldn’t find the words to speak. At the same time, she was filled with questions.

Is Isaac, who even knows about the lost magic, truly a prophet or someone from the future? And how does Fieren know about the existence of this magic and why it was forbidden?

Various doubts swirled in her mind, but for now, she had to start with how Fieren knew about this magic. She hesitated for a moment before asking Fieren in a hushed voice.

“…Then how do you know that this magic is forbidden? If you know about it, you must also know why it was prohibited.”

“Of course. This is one more reason why I am convinced that Xenon is a prophet or a regressor. It’s the effect that occurred after becoming an energy being. A formless energy entity is destined to eventually vanish. To delay that fate even a little, they indiscriminately absorb energy from their surroundings. You must have seen descriptions of how not only demons but also the supporting warriors were sucked into the energy entity.”

“Gigantic energies possess the property of absorbing the energy around it… I’ve heard that theory long ago. But the Council, including you, dismissed it as nonsense and discarded it.”

“It wasn’t nonsense, it was the truth. An unimaginable energy possesses the property of absorbing everything around it.”

“… …”

It was too dangerous a truth, so they deceived others, calling it false. Arwen’s expression grew more rigid.

“During the devil war, the situation was so desperate that we had no choice but to use fusion magic. However, that changed after the war. Our ancestors realized that through fusion, they could turn people into a single massive mana. But don’t you, Your Majesty, know what would happen when that fact becomes known?”

“… …”

Using people as ‘mana.’ Once that truth spreads widely, it is highly likely that gruesome human experiments will take place in the shadows.

Not only that, but the current civilization has advanced far beyond the time of the devil war, and the population has multiplied several times. As described in Fieren’s explanation, fusion—meaning the joining—was not limited to just two people, but multiple people could perform the magic, just like in Xenon’s Biography.

If certain individuals were to execute with impure intentions… It’s evident that a dreadful tragedy would occur. Even if some energy entities were created, they wouldn’t be possible to annihilate and will only move forward.

Since our ancestors also anticipated this, there is a high probability that they completely eradicated any records. Arwen concealed her concern, then asked quietly.

“I will ask again before that. How do you know about this forbidden magic?”

“My father taught me it, and he learned it from my grandfather, who, in turn, learned it from my great-grandfather. Though the documented records disappeared, it was orally passed down to make us aware of the dangers.”

“Is it truly such a perilous magic? Not just an excuse to find Xenon?”

“If that were the case, why would I have dared to be disrespectful and sought out the Queen? This book has already spread widely in the human world. We must prohibit its publication as soon as possible and, more importantly, find Xenon.”

“Hmm…”

If one only listens to the words, it’s a very serious matter. This magic called “Fusion” should not be known to the world, as it might lead to crossing an irreparable river.

However, it’s impossible to bring Isaac here as well. Arwen, with a pensive gaze, glanced at the 14th volume of Xenon’s Biography and suddenly had a question.

Is “Fusion” something only elves can use, or can other races use it as well? What if it’s exclusive to elves?

In that case, she could block it from her side. Even if a few thoughtless individuals unknowingly conducted experiments, punishment could put an end to it.

Above all, if Xenon’s Biography was truly a “prophecy,” there shouldn’t be any major issues. The fusion mentioned in Xenon’s Biography was not something that just anyone could do, it explains that only warriors with pure spiritual power can perform such a magic.

In Xenon’s Biography, Ruden and Eir are heroes who chose to sacrifice themselves to protect their homeland and even prevent the resurrection of the great devil, Diablos. If only such heroes can perform the fusion, then there should be no problem.

Of course, the theory that a huge energy absorbs surrounding energies was dangerous in itself. However, this can be controlled through agreements with leaders of each nation.

‘There are still some shady aspects…’

Because the Council of Elders had made outrageous claims in the past, it was difficult to believe them immediately. It could also be an excuse to bring Isaac here.

Arwen quickly organized her thoughts and then turned her gaze to Fieren. Fieren was still waiting with an unchanged expression.

“Fieren, the Grand Councilor. I have one last question.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Is the fusion you mentioned something that only our elves can use, or can other races use it too?”

“It is something that only we elves, who have been chosen by the gods, can use. We are the ones with the purest mana.”

Then, there should be no problem. Although some foolish humans might want to try it once, there is a high chance they will be immediately restrained.

Besides, wizards are highly valuable assets to humans. They wouldn’t be crazy enough to attempt such a thing.

However, human experimentation takes a bit of time. Nevertheless, since this is essentially a kind of human surrogate, you could dismiss it as ‘black magic’ and strictly prohibit it. If anyone violates this, they can be directly executed by the Holy Kingdom.

There’s no need to be in a rush. Isaac must have written about this, desiring such results.

‘I can go and ask him directly later, to see if he is truly aprophet.’

Maybe Isaac wrote about it in his book because he personally has seen the ‘Fusion’. Arwen replied, emphasizing the weight of the matter toward Fieren.

“Then there shouldn’t be a problem. As long as only elves can use it, there won’t be any issues. We will control it ourselves.”

“Your Majesty, this in itself could cause significant problems if news about this forbidden magic spreads. Please consider it carefully. This is not an issue to be taken lightly.”

“Hmm. Why are you so uneasy? Don’t you trust yourself, the one who has ruled Alvenheim until now? Or is it because of the Dark Elves?”

Startled, Fieern flinched at her words. Observing his reaction, Arwen smiled inwardly.

‘I knew it.’

Translators note: