Magician in Type-Moon

Page 502

"Over time, this ritualistic thinking gradually permeated religions, forming symbolic structures such as the so-called 'church labyrinth'."

Many maze patterns in churches are characterized by winding, circular paths, commonly in the Cretan style with seven or eleven circles.

In particular, 'eleven' is a number that deviates from the Ten Commandments and falls short of the twelve apostles; it can be understood as an 'incomplete number' representing worldliness and sin.

At this point, Aozaki Touko seemed to be waiting for Yvette's reaction, and she paused her speech for a moment.

Then, she gently took out a cigarette from her pocket, lit it skillfully, and the smoke swirled in the air, as if her calm aura was spreading along with the smoke.

Despite being just a temporary doll, she has an innate smoking addiction, which is somewhat amusing.

After exhaling a smoke ring, Aozaki Touko gently put down her cigarette and continued thoughtfully:

"The design of the church labyrinth was actually for the purification of sins."

Just as the secular number 'eleven' symbolizes, it represents the incomplete sin of deviating from the Ten Commandments but not reaching the level of the Twelve Apostles.

In this labyrinth, explorers confront the sins and filth deep within their hearts, and through rituals of death and rebirth, their souls are purified.

She paused, as if trying to find a more precise place for her words.

“In this process, the Minotaur, lurking deep in the labyrinth, can be seen as the call of the temptation and desire that slumbers in everyone’s heart—the call of Satan.”

Her words filled the air, her complex ideas twisting like a labyrinth, making them difficult to fully digest at first.

But Matou Ike completely understood what she meant. It wasn't just about physical desires, but more about confronting the unspeakable impulses deep within one's heart.

Everyone has desires they find hard to talk about. They may be hidden on the surface, but they always quietly emerge at crucial moments.

The ancient church labyrinth was designed to allow people to confront these primal desires, thereby purifying their souls.

“Similarly, there is also a labyrinth in the heart of a magician.” Orange’s voice deepened.

"No one can fully understand themselves. A magician's magic comes from his exploration and understanding of this mental labyrinth. Only those who can draw more from this labyrinth can gradually transform into a truly capable magician."

She gently stubbed out the cigarette with her finger, remained silent for a moment, then coughed a few times and cleared her throat.

Although she was merely a temporary puppet, the movement appeared so natural, as if she possessed a real life force.

At that moment, it was as if she was pulling everyone back—especially the girl who had been listening intently.

"However, we are not talking about these metaphysical topics now."

Orange's gaze shifted, seemingly realizing that the topic was gradually straying from its original purpose. "The Clock Tower originally had a famous maze."

Yvette quickly regained her senses and asked, "Is it the incident you mentioned earlier, the one where survivors walked out of that maze?"

Matou Ike also sensed that the conversation was finally starting to touch on the core issues.

It's like wandering deep underground for a long time, finally seeing the light in the distance.

"Well, to be precise, the labyrinth doesn't just exist in the clock tower, but is buried deep beneath London—it's a huge, mysterious remnant, sleeping there."

Matou Ike's voice was completely flat, and his finger pointed to the floor beneath his feet, as if it could penetrate layers of concrete and reveal something hidden deep underground.

"The remains refer to..." Yvette tried to ask, but was interrupted by Matou Ike before she could finish.

"Compared to the surface, the influence underground is inherently weak. The territory created by humankind is basically limited to the surface, while underground consists mostly of lost relics, remains, and fragments from the surface."

“However, what is buried beneath the Clock Tower is beyond the comprehension of all humankind.” Matou Ike paused, seemingly considering how to describe it precisely.

"The terms 'relics' or 'remains' are clearly insufficient to encompass the true power of that thing."

"How do you know more than I, the magician of the clock tower!"

Yvette suddenly let out a low laugh, her expression changing like a rollercoaster, from initial ferocity and doubt to a slightly manic joy, and then quickly evolving into a look of delusion.

She could sense that what Matou Ike was hiding in her words was far more terrifying than she had imagined.

However, to her ears, these words were like an alluring treasure, making her heart increasingly restless.

"Are those items... in that maze?" she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of longing and wariness.

“Yes.” Orange’s voice interjected at the opportune moment.

"For example, the teeth and scales of dragons, the lost spirit stones, and the dead hydra larvae sealed in amber are all cursed objects that are almost impossible to obtain on earth today. That labyrinth can be said to be the pillar of the clock tower."

Yvette also vaguely sensed that this was the case.

However, the fundamental part remains a mystery.

"...Why are there such labyrinths beneath London?"

After a moment of silence, Matou Ike slowly spoke, his voice low and calm:

"Even if some people know about the clock tower's labyrinth, they may not know the secret hidden behind it... There is an ancient legend that has been passed down for a long time."

"Legend?" Yvette's heart skipped a beat; she was clearly drawn to the question.

As a magician living in a world of mystery and magic, she has an innate curiosity about all things unknown, especially the secrets related to the clock tower.

She couldn't help but wonder what the story of that thousand-year-old legend would be.

However, the beginning of the legend was far beyond her expectations, and went far beyond just the labyrinth of the clock tower.

"In ancient times, there once existed a gigantic dragon," Matou Ike continued, his tone as calm as the night sky.

"It is said that His majestic body is larger than mountains, and each of His claws is as tall as a tower, sharp enough to tear the sky apart."

“…Huh?” Yvette couldn’t help but pause for a moment, her gaze involuntarily falling on Matou Ike’s face.

She blinked, as if to make sure she hadn't misheard.

She could understand the underground labyrinth; after all, it was a place filled with ancient magic and relics.

However, the sudden appearance of the terms "dragon seed" and "enormous body" caught her slightly off guard. How did the topic suddenly veer towards such unrealistic things?

“Um, weren’t we talking about a maze?” she finally couldn’t help but ask, interrupting Matou Ike’s narration with a hint of doubt.

Matou Ike didn't answer her question, but instead glared back at her without any politeness, his eyes revealing a hint of impatience: "Anyway, just listen to me."

Yvette frowned, but kept quiet and listened, even though she was somewhat confused.

"Many dragon species, at the end of the mythical age, sensed the changes in the world and knew that the age of fantasy was about to end. So they moved to the so-called 'other side of the world', away from this land that was gradually being eroded by the real world."

Matou Ike continued:

"However, this enormous dragon did not leave immediately; it chose to stay."

"Why did you stop?" Yvette asked instinctively, her voice tinged with doubt.

Matou Ike tilted his head slightly and glanced at her:

"Who knows? Maybe it was too confident, thinking that something as powerful as itself could never be affected by external factors. Or maybe there was another reason. Anyway, it stopped."

Matouchi's gaze dipped slightly downwards, as if recalling that legendary, ancient moment.

"However, the world's fluctuations finally began to reverse, the afterglow of the myth gradually dissipated, and all the power was disappearing little by little."

Until one day, the dragon sensed a true change. It finally realized that this land now belonged to the human era, and was no longer the territory of those mysterious beings.

Yvette listened intently.

Although she couldn't fully understand every detail Matou Ike said, the image of that giant dragon gradually became clear in her mind, as if she could also feel the arrogance and loneliness from another world.

"So, the dragon made a decision,"

Matouchi's tone turned slightly somber, as if sighing at some tragic fate.

"It intended to leave this world and move to the 'other side of the world' to find its own home. But it missed its chance. The mysterious power was no longer what it once was, and the underground energy had become thin, so even the most powerful dragons could not break through the blockade of this world."

Yvette unconsciously clenched her fists, a picture flashing through her mind: that dragon, lonely and powerful, yet ultimately forced by reality to its knees.

"The dragon roared for its own arrogance,"

Matou Ike continued.

"It did not despair, nor did it give up. Since it could not leave by relying on mysterious forces, it would resort to physical means. With its enormous body, it began to burrow underground, trying to find a way to the 'other side of the world' through ancient passages."

“However…” Matou Ike’s tone suddenly became flat, “The dragon seed eventually died while burrowing underground.”

This sentence seems to have drawn an imperfect period to the whole story.

Yvette was stunned; a wave of regret and sorrow washed over her.

"What happened next?"

Chapter 561 Smuggling Pipelines (4k)

"And then?" Matou Ike glanced at her, a slight hint of confusion in his eyes, but he didn't explain further, instead continuing his story:

"Nothing much happened after that... The enormous dragon's corpse was eventually torn into pieces by the underground tremors. The already massive dragon's body became even larger deep underground, transforming into an even more magnificent labyrinth."

“Labyrinth…” Yvette repeated the word, her brow furrowed, as if she had suddenly understood something.

She paused for a moment, finally realizing that she had been completely drawn into the fog of this complicated story.

Matou Ike looked down at her and slowly replied:

"The great labyrinth located even deeper beneath the clock tower is called 'Albion, the Tomb of the Spirits'."

“…Um…” Yvette’s mind was still replaying the story of the dragon. She tried to sort everything out before finally speaking, her tone filled with doubt:

"Does that mean the spirit tomb Albion is right beneath our feet?"

"Yes." Matou Ike's answer was concise and certain, but there seemed to be a complex meaning in his eyes.

“I told you, it’s like a fairy tale. But whether the legend is true or not, some ruins still exist. There is indeed a huge labyrinth beneath our feet—no, it’s more like a new world, or you could say that—and this world still generates considerable profits for the Clock Tower.”

These words made the silence in the air even heavier. The surroundings were typical of a magician's workshop, the sounds of medicine bottles and jars echoing in the space, seemingly so ordinary.

However, these words, like an invisible crack, shattered the tranquility and revealed the mysterious world hidden beneath reality.

Orange's voice suddenly broke in, carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm:

"—Heh, isn't that absurd? I was shocked when I first heard about it; it's unbelievable that such a thing actually exists. Even though everyone claims that mystery has vanished from this world, its existence still leaves one with a sense of unease."

She slightly raised the corners of her mouth, a hint of disdain in her smile, as if mocking herself, yet also lamenting the absurdity of the world.

"The benefits that can be obtained from Albion, the Tomb of the Dead, are considerable."

Matou Ike continued, his tone becoming calmer and more composed, because this was a fact that had already been proven.

"Therefore, the Clock Tower established a special organization to excavate and manage the various cursed entities from this labyrinth. This is a completely independent operating organization, with the aim of preventing any one of the twelve families from monopolizing the rights and interests of the spirit tombs and thus gaining an overwhelming advantage."

The words "rights" and "monopoly" suddenly gave the topic a realistic feel.