The Crowley family's forbidden zone.
Hundreds of meters underground, within the magical workshop.
Roy concluded his long-awaited reunion with his trusted partner, Lev. His brilliance successfully transformed Lev's initial anger and concern—stemming from Roy's unannounced departure with the angelic formula—into astonishment and delight. Lev completely forgot about settling scores.
Now, Lev's mind was consumed with reviving mystery, restoring the Age of Gods, and recreating that golden era.
Years of research in the Department of Archaeology had led him to one solution: recreating the miracles of the Mage King. In simple terms, he aimed to cultivate a new Mage King in this mystery-scarce era, akin to Solomon, endowed with divine wisdom and power, to lead the remaining magi back to mystery and past glory.
Thus, he devised the Age of Gods Revival Plan: the Seventy-Two Demon Gods Summoning Plan and the New Mage King Cultivation Plan. Using his accumulated knowledge and studies of Solomon's magecraft, he sought to recreate a new Mage King.
Recreating a Mage King wasn't just a pipe dream—it was utterly fantastical.
One could imagine the twitching eyelids of the Archaeology Department's Lord when Lev submitted his proposal and funding request.
Magecraft and mystery had declined from the Age of Gods through the Renaissance's golden era to today's barren age, with magical power waning through multiple cycles. While many magical prodigies emerged, none matched the divine caliber of a Mage King like Solomon.
When Lev proposed selecting and training a new Mage King, all who knew of it found the plan absurd.
Finding divine wisdom akin to God's gift to Solomon was one thing. The magical foundation for Solomon's demonology was long lost. In this era, even basic demon summoning was arduous, let alone the Seventy-Two Demon Gods.
How could one conjure a Solomon from thin air? Labeled a madman, Lev was shunned by magi, losing all Clock Tower support, left to grope forward with vague intuition.
Even Lev himself wasn't sure why he believed this outlandish plan was feasible. Yet his soul urged him, his instincts compelling him to revive mystery—his mission.
The demonology foundation was a significant hurdle.
Yet, miraculously, Lev found it somewhat feasible. Relying on fragmented demonological texts and summoning foundations from around the world—texts of questionable usability—he spent years in his underground lab, reconstructing much of Solomon's demon summoning framework.
A supposed madman, Lev achieved a feat comparable to Aozaki Touko's recreation of Nordic runes or Renaissance puppet magecraft, all unbeknownst to others.
This miracle, achieved without full understanding, gave Lev confidence that his plan might work.
A Mage King required such iconic elements.
But then, his funding dried up, forcing him to seek sponsors to sustain his research.
Even when he claimed to have partially recreated the Mage King's framework, insisting his plan was viable with more time and money, he faced renewed mockery.
All Lords deemed him utterly mad, shutting him out, telling him to crawl back and perish.
Though Lev wanted to prove he wasn't mad or lying, without funds or facilities, he couldn't support grand experiments like demon or Demon God summoning.
He knew he wasn't a divine king, making the ritual's success unlikely.
Unable to prove himself or gain understanding, Lev nearly succumbed to pressure, contemplating giving up or worse.
But a young man's timely appearance became a beacon in his despair.
"I believe in you, Lev. I look forward to the world you envision, and I'm willing to help."
Roy's timely recognition pulled Lev from the abyss, reigniting his hope.
Scrutinizing the youth—then a mere teenager, barely Kai-rank with unmanifested talent—Lev sensed something unique. From that moment, he saw Roy as a lifelong friend and true ally, devising a bold plan.
He chose Roy as the candidate for the new Mage King, dedicating all his achievements to help him become the divine king to save the world—his greatest repayment.
Unlike the contract prepared for Aozaki Touko, Lev's agreement with Roy included many self-imposed bindings, including eternal loyalty to his king, Roy Crowley, vowing to aid him until death.
He essentially sold his latter life to Roy, but he had no regrets.
Reviving mystery, finding an ally, and making that ally the Mage King was his greatest joy.
However…
Lev hadn't anticipated that his new Solomon would be the heir of that century-old mad magus, studying the terrifying Book of the Law.
Learning this, Lev was both worried and shocked, fearing the book's dangers. He offered to decode it himself, urging Roy to abandon Aleister's path and focus on Solomon's to become the Mage King.
How could Aleister compare to Solomon?
Yet, the Book of the Law's impact rivaled Solomon's wisdom. Decoding it revealed why Aleister was hunted by the Holy Church and Mage's Association.
He was a mad genius, merging religious and Western magical foundations, nearly negating both to create his unique system. The deeper Lev studied, the more awestruck he was, helping Roy extract an almost impossible formula, hoping to dissuade him to follow Solomon's path.
But…
Roy succeeded, forming his Sanctuary, likening himself to God, and summoning angelic prototypes.
This outcome left Lev stunned.
How could a human soul sustain divine pretense?
Belief and self-suggestion were prerequisites for magecraft, but one needed the capacity to support such a role.
Roy, playing God unscathed, was utterly unreasonable.
Yet the evidence was undeniable, forcing Lev to accept it.
"These… and these… must be sealed."
In the workshop, Lev sighed, surveying his months of plans to make Roy the Mage King, along with collected data and Demon God summoning diagrams.
"Must they really be sealed?"
Murmuring reluctantly, he steeled himself, packing them into a safe.
Years of work shelved—a blow that would drive most magi mad. But Lev, ever unconventional, pressed on.
Though reluctant to abandon demon summoning and Mage King cultivation, a better option emerged, leaving no room for hesitation.
Lev saw that Roy's ambition surpassed becoming a Mage King—he aimed to become a god.
Yes, Roy sought to recreate divine miracles in this barren era, becoming a new god.
His plan's audacity outstripped Lev's, explaining their kinship—they were both misunderstood by this era.
This suited Lev perfectly. Extraordinary feats required such boldness.
Becoming a Mage King was for reviving mystery. But if Roy became a god, revival was unnecessary—he'd be the god, making this era divine, naturally restoring mystery.
The result was the same.
Switch Mage King to Holy Son?
Replace Seventy-Two Demon Gods with Four Guardian Angels?
Turn Solomon's Temple into a new Artificial Heaven?
No big deal…
As long as it succeeded, the goal didn't matter.
Reviving the Age of Gods and aiding his friend to godhood.
Both goals, Lev could pursue together.
"Hmph, Seventy-Two Demon Gods?"
Muttering with a sneer, Lev sealed the last document, abandoning the plan entirely.
'Fool, what are you doing?!'
'Lev! Useless wretch, how dare you abandon the king's revival for that kid?!'
'Flauros, damned traitor, betraying our Seventy-Two Demon Gods?!'
As he set down the documents, forsaking the plan, a dizzying sensation hit. Curses and wails echoed in his mind.
For a moment, Lev saw countless scarlet-eyed fleshy pillars glaring, questioning his soul.
But then—
Buzz!
The four angelic pillars erupted in blinding four-colored light, pulling Lev from the hallucination, shielding him from the pillars' gaze.
Instantly, his thoughts returned to reality.
"Huff… what was that?!"
Back in reality, Lev, horrified, stumbled back, knocking over cups and a bookshelf.
Realizing nothing had happened—no eerie temple, no fleshy pillars, just a hallucination in his lab—he sighed.
"An illusion…?"
Wiping cold sweat, Lev murmured.
"But it felt so real! Those pillars, that questioning—what was it?"
Recalling Roy's warning about overworking, he'd dismissed it, believing his body could handle it. Now…
He couldn't handle a damn thing. Hallucinations?
He needed rest, or those visions would send his soul to God before he could aid Roy's ascension.
Lev hurriedly packed away Solomon and Demon God materials, burying them out of sight.
As he prepared to leave and rest, he paused.
"Right, that thing."
Returning, Lev retrieved an ornate box from his drawer.
Checking its intact shell, he carefully opened it, revealing a golden ring glimmering faintly.
"Almost forgot you. A hard-won treasure—one of Solomon's ten rings."
Caressing the ring, Lev sighed.
Years ago, using Crowley resources, he acquired it in the Middle East at an auction. Unearthed in Israel, it was overlooked by magi who saw it as a mere ancient gold ring, not one of Solomon's ten. The auction's highlight—a fossilized skin of the oldest serpent—overshadowed it, letting Lev snag it.
Its appearance stunned everyone; no one recognized it as a legendary ring. Lev, guided by instinct, bought it at a steep price, exhausting Roy's advance funds, stalling experiments. Roy, thinking Lev overspent on Middle Eastern data, trusted him and didn't question, securing more resources from El-Melloi to cover the gap.
Had Lev revealed this during the Holy Grail War, it could've eased things.
But he hadn't known it was a ring of Solomon. Only through later research did he confirm it—one of God's ten rings.
This discovery thrilled him, a harbinger of reviving the Mage King. He planned to share it with Roy, aiding his path, but now it was unnecessary.
Still, the ring was valuable.
To become the Holy Son or Spirit, bearing a divine king's Mystic Code was fitting—God-given, after all.
Lev decided to give it to Roy.
Though Roy wasn't keen on the Mage King, he'd be shocked and thrilled by the ring.
(Thrilled you didn't show it sooner.)
"Time to go."
Imagining Roy's surprise, Lev smiled, pocketed the ring, and left.
In the darkness, an unseen force tried to influence Lev, only to be suppressed by the angelic pillars, sinking back into silence.
As Lev departed, the white light in the space faded, leaving the four pillars pulsing like heartbeats in the dark.
…
…
Back at the Crowley estate, Roy's first act was to change into comfortable clothes, rest, and start writing Lev's requested data.
In his upstairs workshop, he found Lev asleep at his desk, the grimoire he'd given her open beside her.
Seeing her sound asleep, Roy sighed.
Didn't he tell the butler to find her a room? Why sleep here? The study wasn't comfortable…
Sleeping like this could harm her health.
At her age, passion for magecraft was fine, but not at the cost of her well-being.
If she ended up like Lev, Roy would worry.
"Butler… Never mind, don't want to wake her. Rest in my room, hope you don't mind."
Touching Lev's cheek, Roy abandoned calling the butler.
He traced a gentle wind-based levitation spell, lifting her small frame into his arms without waking her.
"So light… though heavier than Sakura."
Feeling Lev's warmth and weight, Roy remarked, unaware of her stirring in her sleep.
He quickly carried her to his room, laid her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket, whispering, "Sweet dreams, my little princess."
Smiling, Roy left.
Unbeknownst to him, Lev, barely asleep and roused by his magic, snapped awake shortly after.
Her earlier bliss and attachment to her "hubby" vanished.
Her mind echoed with his words: "Heavier than Sakura, much heavier?!" Her face darkened.
"No way… Have I eaten too many cakes recently, getting fat?"
Pinching her belly and chubby cheeks, Lev sank into self-doubt.
"I need to cut out cakes…"
Recalling Roy's mention of Sakura, she remembered Kayneth's words about the timid girl Roy adopted—his foster daughter.
That made Lev… her foster mother?!
Realizing this, Lev's expression turned odd, her heart uneasy.
At her age, being a foster mother was overwhelming.
Having barely experienced maternal love herself, how could she give it?
Knowing she'd soon meet Sakura formally, Lev grew anxious, pondering how to introduce herself and coexist.
In minutes, countless questions overwhelmed her, giving her a headache.
Unable to sleep, she sat by the window, seriously contemplating how to handle her "foster daughter."
…
Knock, knock, knock!
Back in the study, Roy had just picked up his pen to write when the butler announced a distinguished guest.
Learning the visitor's identity, Roy donned a formal suit he disliked and headed to the reception room.
For an ordinary magus, the exhausted Roy would've had the butler say, "The Crowley head is absent, come back another day."
But this guest warranted a personal greeting.
One of the Clock Tower's twelve Lords, head of the Department of Spiritual Evocation (Eulyphis), Lufreus Nazelle Eulyphis—Kayneth's professor, Roy's grand-professor.
Due to the Sanctuary Formula, Kayneth's choice of Roy as his heir, and Roy's noble blood and talent, Lufreus had shown him considerable favor.
When Lufreus tried to poach him, Kayneth discovered it, leading to a rare argument with his professor—Kayneth's first with Lufreus.
Lufreus, in the wrong, apologized, but further details were for Kayneth to share.
Based on Kayneth's hints, Roy guessed Lufreus's purpose: to inquire about the Holy Grail War's details and urge his rank advancement.
The last advancement ceremony, prepared by Kayneth and Lufreus with many dignitaries invited, was skipped by Roy.
This angered both, though Roy had settled things with Kayneth. Lufreus's issue remained unresolved, likely the reason for this visit.
In plain terms—he needed to advance.
His abilities and formulas surpassed Fes-rank. As Kayneth's chosen heir and a noble leader, remaining Fes-rank invited criticism from rival factions.
His return wasn't secret, having visited El-Melloi. Mineralogy and Spiritual Evocation were close allies.
Kayneth likely withheld deeper details, directing Lufreus to Roy for answers, giving him flexibility.
In short, a formality.
Really, it was about advancing.
Though uninterested in ranks—with his strength, he could storm Albion's spirit tomb and rival the Clock Tower's might, barring the Dean and Zelretch—avoiding trouble was wise.
Lufreus had aided him, and their mentor-student bond mattered.
His current low profile was ideal, not proclaiming to shatter the world with his power.
Showing some skill, advancing, and easing his elders' concerns would shift their focus to using his rank against rival factions.
"Let's see."
Adjusting his suit, Roy opened the reception room door and stepped in.
"You… arrived, Crowley."
"Yes."
***
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