Chapter 136: 135 – The Humbled Genius’s Actions

Cliff Grimoire was a genius. He had known that all his life. Despite being an orphan and coming from humble backgrounds, he was made aware of how different he was from the others as he grew older. That became even more apparent when he began learning magic and quickly reached the Advanced level in most of the major branches before he even turned ten years old.

And then his life turned upside down. Or would it be more appropriate to say it spun out of control, considering the chain of events?

His adoptive father, Harry Grimoire revealed that he was the current Pope's grandson. The world was sundered as time and space ripped apart through a phenomenon that some deemed the end of times. Cliff himself was thrown into a farflung dungeon after being sucked into a distortion and lived only by the divine grace of Ena's angelic descent, a scene that he would always remain etched in his heart even if he fell into hell...

And of course, he had the greater fortune still of meeting Ena's father, a man who was surely the reincarnation of Saint Milis from the constant miracles he performed and the thousands he saved. One who did not hesitate to don the mantle of a Demon Lord so that the true demons would hesitate.

Lord Rudras, the Demon Lord of Salvation, the Second Advent of Saint Milis... and to his family, Rudeus Notos Greyrat.

Of course, Cliff would call him Father-in-law.

He was determined. Though Ena spurned his love, Cliff was sure that it was only a matter of time. Especially as he had obtained Father-in-law's approval.

Only...

Cliff glanced back at the entourage following him and then looked forward, fiddling with the tie on his uniform. "Father-in-law's expectations are quite heavy..."

Cliff was no child. At least, not after his years traveling with the White Knights in the Distortions to rescue victims of the spacetime rend.

He wasn't sure on the exact timing, but Cliff had passed his fifteenth birthday by a few years at least.

More than that, with the responsiblity of mediating between the varied races in Arcadia, it was only a matter of time for him to mature and settle into the role of a confident young man.

Yes. Cliff was sure of that fact. He could proudly raise his head up high and say that he was a man who had done great things in his life and contributed to a greater cause.

But this...

Not just a platoon, but a practical army of men and women that exceeded the military prowess of the paladins in the Holy Order.

Was it because Father-in-law never learned common sense? Did his teachers or parents never instill it to him?

The bare minimum to be included in the White Knights was to be Saint-ranked in combat. Considering that it was only a rank above 'Advanced', which most people could reach with enough training, on paper it wasn't too extreme.

Until you took into account that Saint-ranked was the pinnacle of what a person with ordinary talent could reach in a lifetime.

The number of 'Kings' could be counted on two hands for each style and category of magic and the number of 'Gods' could be counted on one.

So to be Saint-ranked was already to be a world-class expert. One that could hold their head up high and walk anywhere with pride.

...And there were at least a hundred of those world-class experts following behind Cliff and his father. All of them, no older than their thirties.

Then there were a few of the original thirteen White Knights present like Lady Astolfo who had to be at *least* the level of a Sword King...

A low chuckle echoed from beside Cliff. Harry Grimoire, a high-ranking priest in the Church of Milis, as well as Cliff's adoptive father. Fixing his dark bangs, he glanced at Cliff and said, "It just shows how much faith he has in your ability to handle situations, Cliff."

"Hopefully that faith will not be unfounded."

Cliff nervously adjusted the personalized silver cuff-links he wore before looking at the swiftly approaching city in front of them.

They were currently on the Holy Sword Road, the famous paved path protected by the remnant energy of Saint Milis. Up ahead, there was a clear view of Millishion, the Holy Milis Kingdom's capital.

The glittering Nikolaus River flowing down from the Blue Dragon Mountain Range and into the sparkling blue Grand Lake. Floating in the center of that was the White Palace, an elegantly crafted marble castle that shone even at night.

Backing up from the Grand Lake, there was the shining golden Great Church and the shining silver Adventurer's Guild Headquarters. From there, in an orderly spread, there was the city itself, surrounded by seven great towers and a peaceful meadow filled with flowers.

A harmonious scenery that Cliff had once admired with all of his heart. But when he reflected on the kingdom he just left...

'It is shabby.'

Millishion was certainly beautiful. And with the Holy Sword Road as well as those towers that created a magic barrier to stop monsters, it was also peaceful. Enough that it was known throughout the world as a utopia. The most idyllic place to live, as well as the safest.

Of course, that was setting aside the spacetime rend that had reached inside of that barrier and plucked countless people away, like Cliff and over half of those following him.

A problem that Arcadia didn't have.

Despite being in the center of the most dangerous region in the Magic Continent, those within Arcadia had nothing to fear and could live their lives in peace. Neither monsters nor Distortions could reach them. And Cliff would even dare to say that even Gods could not peer within the kingdom.

Yes. That was the difference.

If Millishion was an idyllic setting plucked from a painting that mere humans conjured from their imaginations to represent utopia, Arcadia was the actualization of the ideal they could not conceive.

A land where mana flowed freely, where the weather was always pleasant... Where the strongest monsters, both demon and actual monsters alike, were forced to bow their heads. And where people from all races could live in harmony without fear of prejudice or discrimination and pursue their dreams. Where merit and ambition was rewarded, and where even the 'nobles' strove for excellence.

...Although the fact that Father-in-law lived in the ominous Black Tower that seemed to pierce the heavens was a bit off-putting when compared to the elegant White Palace where the Pope lived, it also showed a stark difference.

The White Palace, Church, and Adventurers Guild were all separate from the citizens in Millishion. As if to say they had nothing to do with each other and would fulfill their own roles... A fact emphasized from how the White Palace was in the center of the Grand Lake and continuously guarded by paladins to keep out the 'riffraff.'

In contrast, in Arcadia, the Black Tower, Adventurer's Guild, Church, and living quarters of the citizens were all integrated.

Although the Black Tower was mostly sealed off from people, Lord Rudras himself was accessible in the tiny house he made at the foot of the tower... Moreover...

Cliff sighed and shook his head. 'No. At this rate, I will not cease finding faults.'

It was no use comparing.

Cliff knew the difference. Millishion was a Holy Kingdom established in the name of a divine figure. Arcadia was a Holy Kingdom established *by* a divine figure.

The former was built around the remnants of miracles, while the latter was built through the actualization of miracles.

...Which was the source of the problems unfolding.

They were still far away from Millishion. Even so, Cliff was able to see the city with his prototype magic eyes.

It was nothing compared to the true Clairvoyance that Father-in-law possessed, but if it was just enhancing his vision...

Cliff narrowed his eyes and focused on the city, zooming in his vision.

A wooden wall, raised on the side of the Nobles living in Millishion, blocking out the commoners and adventurers. A wall that was being constantly patrolled by men and women wearing full armor that bore the clear mark of the Holy Order.

Shifting his vision to the White Palace, Cliff saw paladins on patrol. Men and women that seemed tense and constantly glancing towards the city. Some gazes filled with irritation, others with concern. And the ratio...

"...About half, is it?"

Cliff blinked and his vision turned back to normal.

Harry looked at him and said, "Half?"

Cliff nodded. "That's correct. It seems that the sentiment among the Holy Order is split in half. Although the public is split more than that..." He glanced back at the city and focused on the nobles cowering away in their homes.

Not all, but a great number.

Cliff rubbed his chin. "This will be a bit difficult. But I suppose that is why Father-in-law left it to me."

Yes. It would be difficult, but now that Cliff considered things...

It was just mediating between humans. Compared to when he was resolving situations and disputes among the staunchest Milis follower and the most prejudiced Demon, it was nothing.

Although...

"...I truly hope that this does not end in combat."

If it did, Cliff had a feeling the Church of Milis wouldn't be standing by the end of the day...

-RNG-

"...And that's the last tower." I checked over the magic formations I laid down and then glanced over at Cliff and his entourage.

He seemed a bit fidgety, but overall he didn't look concerned. Once the guy got into the flow of things, it seemed like he was fine.

...Though he also had a tendency to go overboard as well.

Not like me, but Cliff *did* have a bit of a stubborn streak. Especially when it came to things that he fundamentally believed.

He was more flexible now... Mostly because he kept revising himself to be closer to the sort of man that Ena would like, but he was still a bit intense.

Probably the reason why Ena kept avoiding him.

...Man, I feel old now. Did the reincarnation age gap lag finally catch up to me? Instead of feeling like a teenager, I felt like a middle-aged man already thinking about his daughter's happiness.

Or maybe that was just a natural result from the fact that I had a daughter now. And was definitely doing my best to be a better father than Dad was.

Not that Dad was *that* bad. He had his faults... Actually, a lot of faults. Enough that I still wanted to throw a few more punches at his face, maybe break a finger or ten... but he did care. And he was better now than he used to be at least.

Yep. Gotta keep believing that and make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thoughts had weight in this world after all. At least, considering the fact that they could influence mana, they probably could affect destiny and fate a bit-

Wait. Was *that* why things kept happening? Was I tempting fate a lot by thinking about the worst-case scenario? And could Being W use that somehow and make it a reality?

Hm. Food for thought.

But for now, I had to make sure that the house hadn't burned down since I was gone. Especially since Eris and Sylphy were in charge of cooking today.

It wasn't that I didn't doubt my lovely ladies, but... Eris wasn't the delicate sort and Sylphy hadn't cooked a proper meal since she started adventuring.

I made sure to change my hair color, picking a bright red like Eri's, and pinpointed an empty side-alley in the port town we were staying. After that, I warped back. After making sure I wasn't seen, I adjusted my fancy black suit before walking out.

And then I immediately bumped into someone.

"Whoa!" A genial male voice. "Careful there, Pal."

I looked up and let out a relaxed smile. "My bad. I'll be careful in the future."

A cordial response to deescalate the situation.

I was incognito, so it wasn't worth drawing too much attention to myself. It'd be annoying to get rid of witnesses and/or experiment with mind-wipe magic.

It didn't seem like that was necessary though.

The guy I bumped into was fairly amiable looking. He was a bit shady, dressed like a thief, but he had a pleasant smile. The fact that he looked a bit like a monkey was suspicious though-

Wait.

A faint memory. A half-recalled conversation with Dad about something suspicious he noted around a friend of his.

Namely the fact that the friend mentioned had Being W's mana all over him.

Gisu nodded and then waved. "Make sure to do that. Not everyone's as good-natured as me, you know?" After saying that, he tucked his hands into his pocket and walked off.

I turned around and walked towards the beach to not draw his suspicion. As I did though, I used Clairvoyance to look at him and used a bit of wind magic to listen in case he mumbled anything.

And just as I thought...

"Weird. Is this a jinx? That's the second time I bumped into someone today while looking for Paul... And people are talking about a scary Milis Priest taking up residence nearby. Hm. ...Yeah. Let's skip town for now. I still need to-"

His voice suddenly cut off, like he noticed someone was listening and immediately stopped talking.

At the same time, the mana I used to cast the wind magic spell shattered, suddenly disrupted by an unseen force.

I wasn't too worried.

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Since I was being subtle, I used a different mana signature than my usual one and even changed the nature of my mana. I was also using <Silence> on myself, so I didn't emit any mana signatures other than the fake one I was using.

Even if Being W was staring right at me, he wouldn't be able to tell that I was me.

Still...

I absently walked into the marketplace and made it seem like I was browsing the wares. At the same time, I mulled over that guy's appearance.

Gisu... Was he working for Being W? Dad mentioned that he was suspicious, but he was also a longtime family friend. And he didn't seem like a bad guy from what I remembered. He also didn't seem like a bad guy from what I saw.

But it was too convenient.

Why was he looking for Dad? And from what I heard, he also bailed on everyone after that mission... So why was he here now? To apologize? Ask a favor now that Dad was a bigshot?

Or-

A rough hand grasping my left arm and dragging me away. Immediately after that, I was pulled close to someone's side and had my left arm pressed against something very soft. Two very soft things.

Before I could register what was happening, a familiar female voice echoed. "I have had a *very* long day. You are the first decent man in this town and I need an escort for the day. And before I say anything, I will not take no for an answer. Be grateful a beauty like myself is gracing you with her company."

A haughty tone of voice and an unreasonable demand. Though, when paired with the woman's heavenly beauty, it was enough that any man would just quietly shut up and agree.

Well, if they were like Dad and liked being dominated.

I certainly wasn't.

But I also wasn't about to break free and leave her alone either, despite the unreasonable request.

And the reason for that...

Beautiful golden hair. Sharp green eyes and refined facial features that could belong to a goddess. A body with curves in all the right places, including an ample chest. But also a body that was clearly trained, a fact highlighted by the fact that she kept her chest wrapped and was wearing an adventurer's outfit... though I wasn't sure where she picked that up.

Eos adjusted her glasses and started walking me towards a cafe. "We are getting lunch. I will order, and you will pay after we are finished. Until then, do your best to entertain me."

I chuckled and said, "You know, Eos. If you wanted some bonding time, you could have just asked. There's no need to be that aggressive about it."

My lovely daughter froze. After that, she slowly turned her head to look at me. A stiff motion that made her look like a mannequin instead of a person.

"N-No."

I smiled and pulled my arm out of her now loose grip. After that, I reached over to pull her close in a one-armed hug and said, "Still, since it's you making the request, who am I to deny it, right? And you deserve to be spoiled a bit too. Though..." I gave her a sidelong glance and said, "...I've got a lot to talk to you about how you pick up guys. Especially since we've just had an awkward 'incident' today."

Eos slumped over and let out a deep sigh. "...Just kill me, Father."

"No can do. And be thankful I'm not teasing you about it. Now, I'm assuming this is a cafe you like, right? Your moms will probably be a bit mad at us showing up late for food back home, but it's been a while since we've had some daddy-daughter time."

"...Again. Please kill me."

I hugged her tight and said, "Again, no can do. And since you and your sister skipped the cute baby and toddler phase, I'm going to do my best to enjoy your awkward rebellious teenager phase."

Eos groaned.

I laughed.

-SSN-

Sieghart- No, in this world, he was Roland.

Still...

Roland pursed his lips and quietly tailed after the monkey-like man making his way through the port town.

He had never met the man. However, Roland knew more than enough about that man to be concerned.

Gisu Nukadia.

A man that evaded Orsted's knowledge across countless timeloops and was cunning enough to push Rudeus Greyrat into a corner by gathering allies and resources that nobody expected.

Roland wasn't concerned about his father in this timeline. Especially since he seemed to be even more imaginative and powerful than the father he knew while being a fraction of his age.

But he was concerned about everyone else.

The grandfather that he never met growing up. The aunt who was never born in his timeline. The family he had now that he didn't in his timeline. And one that he wouldn't have to worry about raising his sword against, unlike in his past life.

It was a dream he wouldn't let end. Even if he had to sacrifice himself to ensure that happened, he would-

"Honestly. You never change, do you, Sieg?"

Roland stumbled and quickly looked around.

A voice he wouldn't forget... Couldn't forget.

Especially since she had been crying over his dying body while trying to hold him with her tiny arms.

A tiny girl- No, a petite young woman who was older than him by a few years. One with light blue hair that was frazzled and messy, just like Blue Mama's.

"L-Lara?"

The young woman who shouldn't be there smiled.

Roland's eyes widened and he turned to walk towards her.

But as he did, his body moved on his own.

A single step, crossing the distance.

A slash executed at light speed against his will-

And then he woke up.

"Hm? Waking up like that... Guess even after all these years, the nerves haven't gone away, huh?"

A familiar voice. One that Roland... No. That Sieghart would never forget.

He turned towards the speaker.

A blue-haired man with a face full of wrinkles. But a man whose eyes and body remained full of vigor despite his age.

Pax Shirone Junior. Sieghart's lifelong friend and the one he pledged his life and loyalty to.

But...

The old man shook his head and said, "I suppose it's to be expected. After all, since the Asura Kingdom is involved, surely among their forces..." He trailed off.

Roland didn't respond.

Instead, he turned his head to look around at the surroundings.

A conference room with a huge black iron desk in the center. Seven seats surrounding it, and a map left unfolded on the table.

It was dark, the nearby windows showing a night sky. The only source of light were a few torches sitting on the wall.

Roland recognized it. The place where his comrades gathered for the last time before that final battle. The area that they left for Pax's granddaughter to protect.

"Sieg?" Pax Junior tilted his head and said, "What's wrong? Are you that worried about fighting your family?"

"I..." Roland placed a hand on his forehead. "...Was it a dream?"

It was too idyllic.

...Right. It had to be a dream.

His death. The failed battle. Waking up in another world where everything was similar but so drastically different. That-

"It wasn't a dream, you know?"

Lara's voice.

Roland looked towards it.

Pax Junior did as well. But unlike Roland who only looked, Pax Junior somehow drew a sword and swung it at Lara's neck.

"W-Wait-!"

Blood splattered. Lara's smiling face tumbling through the air. And then-

-???-

The Greyrat Household in the Ranoa Kingdom, home of the famous Ranoa Magic University.

There, a petite young woman with messy blue hair let out a frustrated sigh. Next to her, another petite young woman with short blue hair clutched a complicated piece of machinery to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. And next to her, another petite woman, though one who looked a fair bit older than the others, let out a deep sigh.

Watching the trio, Zenith let out an awkward smile and said, "It's alright. There's no need to rush."

Lilia nodded and said, "While this has certainly been a strange experience, it has been far from unpleasant. Although..." She shifted her gaze towards the oldest of the three blue-haired petite women and said, "...I still am unsure how to feel about the fact that even you were swayed by Rudy, Roxy."

Roxy looked up at Lilia before shifting her gaze to Zenith. After that, she shook her head and said, "And I'm still unsure about how to feel seeing you two again after all these years. Especially seeing you two so young again. Hah..."

Zenith smiled and said, "Well, I've certainly enjoyed this trip! Especially meeting all of my cute grandchildren! And great-grandchildren!" She paused and said, "...Although it *is* a bit strange at how different Rudy seems to have been here." She pursed her lips and said, "Especially how much he took after Paul..."

Lilia pursed her lips as well and said, "I am more concerned about the fact that this Rudy was able to ensnare three wives in spite of the fact that he inherited so much of Paul's bad side. Considering our Rudy only inherited the good..."

Zenith paused and then shook her head. "It will be fine. There's plenty of time left before our little Rudy grows up to become a man and has to deal with all of that."

Lilia paused and then let out a faint smile. "You're right, Zenny."

Roxy looked over at Zenith and Lilia with a weird look.

Zenith noticed and tilted her head. "Is something wrong, Roxy?"

"...No. Just..." Her eyes took on a distant look and she let out a regretful sigh. "...Simply thinking about what could have been."

-SNG-

Stella stared at the man seated across from her.

The man stared back.

Stella stared again and then hesitantly spoke up in Japanese. "...Onii-chan? are you cosplaying again?"

"Again, I'm not your Onii-chan, Nanahoshi. And that sounds weird coming from you, so please stop."

"...I don't understand?"

The man who was apparently *not* Onii-chan let out a frustrated sigh. "You and me both."

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