Book Eater

Chapter 106: Exotic Guests (4)

It’s still in its second form, so there’s still time. The problem is persuading them now.

Theo reviewed what he had heard from Gluttony about Laevateinn.

Muspelheim was a sealed world where the sky, the earth, and the sea all burned. It was a crystal of power that existed to burn all life and was one of the few grimoires that could release its own seal without an owner.

The first form was a fire animal that sought to burn down trees. The second form was the fire giant that acted like an embodiment of flame. The fire giant was already powerful enough to be classed as a national disaster; however, it paled in comparison to the third and fourth forms.

Theo could still feel the thrill he’d felt when he heard the name of its fourth form.

Fafnir.?

The third form was a transitional one, a cyclone of fire that would eventually give birth to the fourth form. Laevateinn’s fourth form actually reproduced the dragon, famed as the strongest species on earth.

It had been an evil dragon in ancient times. The air would scream as it burned at the slightest touch, and earth scorched by its breath would never birth life again. History recorded that its existence created an environment devoid of life. Gluttony had explained that it was Fafnir’s flames that had birthed the infamous Red Plateau.

- Laevateinn is an autonomous maneuver-type grimoire, but it will remain dormant until it is brought close to a forest. There are many uncertain facets about this situation.

Did someone intentionally create this situation?

It made sense to think so. He didn’t know who the bastard was, but they were incredibly stupid. This was a great disaster which couldn’t even be imagined.

-The moment that Laevateinn transforms into its fourth form, this era will come to an end. That person is actively consigning themself to death, so they must be stupid.

The evaluation of a grimoire which had existed for thousands of years was indeed ruthless. Even if Blundell and Veronica, the most powerful magicians currently alive, joined hands with the Seven Swords of the Empire, they wouldn’t be able to match Fafnir.

It wasn’t comparable to the fifth or sixth forms that required the existence of an owner, but it wasn’t an opponent which could be beaten with half transcendentals. Therefore, the only solution was to suppress Laevateinn before it reached the fourth form.

[This guy... How long are you going to act like this?]

At that moment, a shout rang out from the video floating in the air. It would take a certain bravery to be so confident in front of a giant laying waste to the Great Forest.

As the ambassadors wondered who it was, the high elves brightened.

“Oh, they’ve arrived!”

“Guardian Ellaim.”

“I don’t know what that thing is, but there is no need to worry if the second parent is there.”

There was only one high elf who murmured inaudibly, “... N... o… danger... ous...”

The Elvenheim guardian launched a quick preemptive strike on the fire giant. The elf called Ellaim wasn’t an archer like Edwin. Instead, he hurled a strange wooden spear that shone silver at the fire giant and shouted.

[Die down!]

The magma hardened, and the fire burning the leaves on the trees died away. A chill suddenly spread from the fire giant’s body. The dryads and ents used that gap to rush back as the guardian roared.

[Freeze!]

This time, thick sheets of ice grew across the fire giant’s body, trapping its legs and arms. The fire giant struggled, but the ice didn’t even crack. In a few moments, there was just a giant statue where the fire giant was.

Ohh...!

It was as the atmosphere in the room relaxed that Naia, who had been silent thus far, bolted upright and shouted, “Ellaim, get out of there right now!”

[N-Naia?]

Naia’s voice had always been sleepy and quiet, so Ellaim was surprised by the sudden urgency and volume. Ellaim didn’t hesitate as he quickly skated backward.

Naia was the wisest of the high elves, and her words proved prophetic.

Hwaaak!

[What?!]

The ground where Ellaim had just been standing split apart, and lava flowed up. A chill went down his neck as he stared at the cracks slowly forming on the statue of the fire giant. The ice restraint was meaningless.

As Ellaim stared at the giant, the people in the meeting room looked at Naia, who had warned of the attack earlier than anyone else. She had been quietly snoring throughout the meeting, so they hadn’t expected anything from her.

“... What are you looking at?” Naia’s eyes were sharp as a blade, proving the emergency of the situation currently occurring.

Alucard knew the signs of a serious Naia and asked hurriedly, “Naia, do you know about that giant?”

“Well, roughly.”

“Roughly?”

It was a fairly ambiguous answer. Naia nodded as she pointed at the giant. “I’ve come across this once as an aside in an old myth. The incarnation of flame from another world, a living flame... The catastrophe that moves to burn all life—Laevateinn.”

“Laevateinn?”

“Yes. It’s the ancient nightmare that burned our first parents, the primordial world trees, and our ancestors. Beyond that, I don’t know any more. There is also a record of a giant and a dragon combining in some way.”

The room started to buzz with murmurs. Myths that the elves considered old were ancient history for humans. It was a time when legendary archmages of the 9th Circle lived in each country and swordsmen who could cut a mountain with a sword had been heroes. The monsters of that era would be unparalleled in the current age.

Theo was the only one who was pleased.

Okay, this is good. It would be hard if I identified it first, but now I can attach it to a story that has already formed. I can get help from Elvenheim without too much unnecessary attention.

He knew more about Laevateinn than anyone else, but someone else had to uncover it first. If even the elves couldn’t connect it to an old myth, how could a young human magician? No, he couldn’t take the credit and could only steer the story in the desired direction.

However, thanks to the high elf, Naia, he could now disclose the information about Laevateinn. Theo carefully raised a hand.

“Theo? Did something happen?”

“You...?”

Ellenoa and the White Tower Master noticed Theo’s action and looked at him strangely. Although Ellenoa was concerned, the White Tower Master feared Theo would speak nonsense in this situation.

Despite that, Theo’s next words became a turning point in the meeting. “I’ve also heard about Laevateinn.”

“What?!”

“I-Is that really true?”

The high elves were the most shocked. Alucard straightened in his seat, while Ellenoa’s and Lumia’s eyes widened, appearing several times bigger.

Theo nodded slowly. In order to prevent anyone from asking, he spoke first, “I'm sorry, but I can't reveal the source of my information. There is a secret collection of books in our kingdom, where the removal of knowledge is strictly forbidden.”

This time, the party from Meltor were the ones surprised.

“Perhaps... the Zero Library?”

“It might be possible. This young man received a national treasure from His Majesty, so the possibility of him reading an ancient book from the Zero Library is...”

“However, such knowledge at that age...”

Theo grinned inwardly as he heard the murmurs. While they may not believe him, he would be fine as long they thought it was a possibility. Veronica had told him a long time ago that the White Tower Master was responsible for the security of the Zero Library, but he wasn’t interested in all its contents. There was no way to instantly uncover the excuse he made unless they had read every book in the Zero Library.

Unsurprisingly, nobody questioned Theo. Now, he just needed to prove the veracity of his information. At any rate, the source of his information was meaningless to the high elves. Knowing wouldn’t change the situation, and he was about to tell them the best way to overcome the disaster.

Naia was the fastest to regain her composure and spoke to him delicately, “Theo. I know the favor you have done us, but this involves the fate of our whole clan. Please understand that the weight of your words will never be light.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then can we speak through Ratatoskr from now on?”

Before Theo could even react, Ellenoa cried out angrily, “Naia! Are you suspecting Theo right now?”

Naia was firm. “We need to be more careful than usual.”

Ellenoa rebutted, “No, that’s not it. It is because no lies can be passed on through Ratatoskr!”

Theo smiled as he realized why Ellenoa was angry. She definitely understood how urgent this situation was and the importance of his words being true. However, the trust and affection she held toward him was greater than that.

Theo appreciated her gesture and raised his hands.

Clap.

The two high elves turned to stare at him. He appreciated Ellenoa’s gesture, but he also understood Elvenheim and Naia’s position. Anyway, the information he was about to share came directly from the greedy grimoire, Gluttony. Its words were more authentic than any records.

In fact, Theo was glad to seize a chance to prove his words. “I will do as Naia says.”

First, he summoned Mitra to the floor of the meeting room and picked her up. She rested her head on his and connected their senses with ease. He had quickly become proficient at maintaining the connection and dealing with the flood of sensations after training in his room.

It wasn’t difficult to speak out loud and through the world tree’s neural network, Ratatoskr, at the same time.

Then Theo began his story.

[“The fire that burned the original world trees, Laevateinn, looks like a giant now, but if it continues eating the forest this way, it will soon transform into a new shape. According to what I know, it is a living thing that grows from eating trees.”]

The magicians, who had always been obsessed with knowledge, focused so hard they forgot to blink, while the high elves confirmed the authenticity through Ratatoskr.

Two of the three countries balancing the northern continent were dependent on a young magician.

[“I will say this first.”]

As everyone paid attention to him, Theo raised his hand. He raised all five fingers before folding them into a fist.

He glanced at his fist as he declared, [“Five days! If we can’t kill Laevateinn in the next five days, the northern continent will be destroyed.”]