True Magician

Chapter 181

Ars Paulina.

Finding myself in the Mirror of Souls, I looked into the soul of the goddess, who was staring blankly into space, and now I could see a certain essence inside her. The power of the world had been cut off by the actions of the Noble Phantasm, and if that was the case, then...

I reached out my hand and was about to pull out and catch the essence for study when it began to move. Apparently, this caused the goddess herself to grab her head sharply, as if in severe pain, and one of her eyes ceased to express emptiness.

A few seconds later, a small sphere glowing with green light flew out of the goddess's cracked body and tried to escape, but I quickly grabbed it with chains and pulled it toward me.

The sphere, acting as a transmitter and containing the will of the world, naturally tried to break free from my hands, stretching and contracting, but it couldn't, because here I was the one who ruled everything.

- "So, once again, what have I done to deserve such treatment, world-kun?" I asked with a smirk, studying the sphere. "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

The answer to my words was silence, which, however, did not last long.

- "You are interfering, otherworldly one," came a monotonous voice, surprisingly feminine, from the sphere.

Interfering? Interesting, interesting. The world is doing something, and my actions, which consist only of helping Olga and developing my influence in Eldonia, are somehow hindering it? Heh.

- "And how, world-chan? I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" I giggled. "Why don't we talk it out and resolve our differences?"

- "Go back where you came from, otherworldly one," the sphere continued, completely ignoring me. "Or you'll face the consequences."

- "Oh? Are you threatening me?" I asked with an extremely cute smile. "You know, I can get serious, and you definitely won't like it."

- "Go back, otherworldly one, or you will face the consequences," she repeated, clearly not paying any attention to my words. "This is your last warning."

- "Oh, how scary," I giggled. "Then let's see what you can do."

And with that, I crushed the sphere, realizing that we would not come to an agreement, and then looked up to meet a rather calm gaze with hints of intrigue and concern.

- "Well, shall we get acquainted?" I smiled and relaxed on my throne. "I am Romani Archaman, Magician. And you?"

- "Serafina Renatus, reincarnation of the goddess Lorendo," she replied after a couple of seconds. "And... I apologize for the inconvenience. Like you, I don't understand the motives of this world, and I tried to resist and even received a warning that something like this would happen, but I never thought it would turn out... like this."

- "I'm actually glad things turned out this way," I shrugged, then froze. "Wait. 'Warning'? Don't tell me you heard it from some old codger with gray hair, red eyes, fangs, and a disgusting sense of humor and style."

- "That's... Your words are surprisingly accurate," she replied, causing my eyebrow to twitch.

- "Tsk. Well, of course it was that bastard," I said, rubbing my temple, then waved my hand, causing Serafina's body to return to normal. "I suppose that was uncomfortable for you. There's no point in holding a grudge against you, since your body and mind were under control, but I'd like to hear what that bastard said, as well as your thoughts on the whole situation."

-0-

Some time later.

- "Hmm..." I muttered as we left Ars Paulina and found ourselves at the foot of the castle.