Titania and Randolph didn’t know about this. It was a story that even the headstrong young dragons like Aquilo didn’t know. An ancient dragon, Gluttony who was the grimoire from the Age of Mythology, and the grimoire’s contractor, Theodore, were the only ones who understood the meaning.
Additionally, the grimoire was one of the Seven Sins. This was a secret hidden in the deepest part of the Age of Mythology, which remained unknown even when the 6th stage seal was released. ‘There was a clue from Myrdal.’ Theodore’s eyes flashed as he recalled an old memory.
[It is because your thoughts are too different.]
-Me?
[That’s right, Gluttony. Unlike the other six, you don’t pay much attention to the fate of the world. Pride who wants to eat all species, the one who wants to stop the present world, ...]
The rest of Myrdal’s words had been stopped by Gluttony’s cry, but there were no more powerful candidates. Theodore put aside Pride and Envy that he had defeated, Gluttony that was contracted to him, and Lust that was on the Eastern Continent.
Wrath, Parsimony, and Sloth were the only remaining candidates.
Before continuing with this thought, Theodore intervened in the conversation between the two beings, “Wait.”
He knew that the dragon lord was an absurd existence and that this situation was related to one of the Seven Sins. However, Theodore had the right to interrupt the story. Before he got caught up in a story he couldn’t afford to be involved in, he had to regain the initiative. “If I am Gluttony’s owner, is it okay to proceed with the story without me? Lord.”
Erucus’s eyes widened and he cried out, “Please refrain from talking, human magician!”
[...No, Erucus. He is right. It is my mistake. Please forgive me rudeness, Theodore Miller.]
“Then please answer my question.” After Clipeus acknowledged their mistake, Theodore spoke the questions he had in his mind. It was a clever conversation where he refused to give the initiative to the other party. “What is a dragon lord? If you are less than 10 years old on a human basis, then you are still just a hatchling. If so, it is hard to understand how you know about Gluttony, who is contracted with me.”
[Umm… You struck at the core. The contractor of Gluttony is always unique, but you are different.] The serious looking Clipeus smiled bitterly. [I authorize the disclosure of my personal information, Gluttony. You can tell him the information you have recorded about me.]
-Hah, you talk with such benevolence, Gluttony snapped angrily before explaining in a voice only Theodore could hear about the reality of the ‘dragon lord’ that no one in this world knew. -You did well, User. As you can imagine, the dragon lord isn’t an object. It is a defense function of the material world itself.
Gluttony paused before adding more slowly, -It exists in the place where it should be and when it should be. The fact that you encountered it here and in the form of a hatchling is all planned. The dragon lord is a safeguard against the destruction of the physical world.
‘...Wait, this doesn’t make sense? The world has almost been destroyed several times. Why is it only showing up now?’
-Even if it didn’t show up, you overcame it.
‘What?’ Theodore felt confused.
So, Gluttony explained in a low and calm voice, -The work of a mortal can escape the plan for harmony in this world. The dragon lord being involved means it needs to intervene to overcome this crisis. And in this situation...
‘It is the end if the dragon lord doesn’t intervene?’
-That’s right. The dragon lord is a tool to block the hole that will be drilled no matter what.
Theodore understood the whole thing and shivered.
It hadn’t appeared when Laevateinn ran wild because it had foreseen that Theodore would defeat Laevateinn, and it hadn’t appeared at the time of ‘Pride’ Superbia’s attack because it had been foreseen that Pride’s purpose would be frustrated. There had been no reason to move with Envy or Nídhöggur because it had foreseen that Elvenheim and Theodore would repel Nídhöggur.
However, the swamp was different. It had summoned all the dragons on the continent to this place and still couldn’t resolve the problem without Theodore’s cooperation. This was the arrival of a global crisis that couldn’t be handled by mortals.
The moment Theodore recognized the situation, Clipeus spoke with an exquisite timing like they had read his mind again. [If you listened to Gluttony’s explanation, you should understand everything. I will explain more the moment you accept our cooperation.]
“...Yes, I understand.”
If Theodore refused, the world would perish. He didn’t have much experience with intimidation or blackmail, but he didn’t mind this one. Theodore was too brave to refuse because of fear, and his sense of responsibility was also high. Clipeus smiled softly with affection that seemed human. [I didn’t think I would see the qualities of a hero from the owner of Gluttony.]
“You’re overpraising me.”
[Will you respect your contractor’s intent, Gluttony? Will you help me reseal Sloth?]
Gluttony was driven to a corner and gave a long sigh. -I can’t give a definite answer until I directly observe it. It wouldn’t be impossible if the 6th stage function is used well...
“Yes, the 6th stage.”
Clipeus made a curious expression at their words. [Okay. Then let’s continue with the story.]
There was no reason to refuse. Theodore nodded, and Clipeus turned toward the three dragons who were making subtle expressions. The three of them followed with puzzled expressions. It was finally time to meet one of the Seven Sins trying to destroy the material world, Sloth.
* * *
Unfortunately, the three dragons were unable to confirm what ‘Sloth’ was. As they got closer to the center of the swamp, the dragons looked ahead with a serious expression. The three dragons were vigilant against something that could threaten them, but Theodore...
‘...I don’t feel anything?’
There wasn’t even a flicker in the surrounding mana. Theodore walked a few more steps with a strange expression. Then a sharp voice rang out, “Boy, stop there!”
“What?” He was about to take a step when something grabbed onto his shoes. Theodore reflexively moved his right foot backward and felt a terrible pain rising from his toes.
The tip of his toe fell off along with the shoe!
“Ugh!”
He was hurriedly using healing magic when claws sprang up. It wasn’t a big wound, but the pain of having his flesh torn was more than he imagined. During this moment in which he faced a threat that wasn’t sensed by his super sensitivity, his alertness soared to the limit.
What would’ve happened if he had put his head in?
“...W-What?” An unbelievable sight entered Theodore’s eyes as he stared at what was up ahead after doing first aid.
His torn flesh was hanging from a claw floating in the air.
[Oh, the warning was too late. The domain has expanded a few meters more than before,] Clipeus mumbled. [This is the domain of Sloth. With your strength, you can take a few more steps. But please don’t try it.]
“No, what is this damn space?” Theodore cursed after his toe was torn. The sight of his blood-splattered toe still hanging in the air was too vivid, making him feel nauseous when he saw it.
As a magician, it was impossible for him to not know this phenomenon.
“...Time Stop!”
The former blue tower master, Blundell Adruncus, had been limited to stopping time for a few seconds in a very narrow space. Nevertheless, he had exhausted all of his life and died from the magic. Yet the time of this vast space was stopped...? This was why the dragons were on alert. They wouldn’t be able to survive if they were caught up in that power.
-Look in front of you, User.
“In front?”
At Gluttony’s low voice, Theodore stopped shouting and looked beyond it.
Then everyone gulped at the sight ahead of them.
A darkness without the concept of color was swallowing the world beyond them. Birds that were flying stopped in midair and the falling leaves didn’t move. Any signs of life in the material world were frozen. The sight of the world stopping around the darkness was truly shocking.
-This is Sloth’s unique power, the Cage of Chronos. It causes a time congestion that even light can’t escape and freezes the entire world. The power to capture the area regardless of material or non-material—it is the purpose of the stationary collection grimoire, Sloth.
Only then did Theodore complete Myrdal’s words. Sloth could stop the existing world itself; it was a grimoire that could end this world forever.
However, the sphere of darkness wasn’t darkness. It wasn’t dark because there was no light. Instead, it was because the light which entered it didn’t emerge. This was a phenomenon that could be seen in a black hole, the ultimate gravitational magic that was only mentioned in the old records.
Then Theodore soon realized why the transcendents had died. If stagnating time was the unique strength of the grimoire, then their cause of death would also be this power.
What would happen if a heart only beat once or twice a year?
What would happen if the electrical signals in a nervous system were slowed by a thousand times?
What would happen if the rate at which the alveoli swelled were reduced to one-tenth?
Even transcendents beyond the limits of life wouldn’t be able to hold on. No measures could be taken to combat it, and they would’ve suffered tens of thousands, maybe even more years of suffering.
Chill. Theodore trembled as he organized the situation in his mind.
‘It would be better to die than to experience that.’ Theodore barely regained his composure and thought about it. There was no way he could resist the power that transcendents couldn’t. The only thing that could be relied on here was the Seven Sins grimoire, Gluttony.
“Gluttony, is there any way you can destroy or enter the cage?”
-Destruction is impossible. Any attack will stop the moment it enters. Even an attack at the speed of light will require 10,000 years to break through the Cage of Chronos. It is impossible unless it is a power that can destroy a dimension.
“Then is there a way to enter?”
-Ummm… Gluttony normally answered without hesitation, but this time his voice trailed off. The means Gluttony possessed were poor, and Time Stop was too powerful. When it came to the heart of the darkness, Gluttony couldn’t do much.
-Um? At that moment, Gluttony made a loud sound. -What? Originally, there shouldn’t be a gap... Yet there is a slight gap. It is a gap that can be opened if the condition that is the ‘key’ is met, like a passage that someone has opened.
“A key? Do you know what the condition is?”
-I don’t know that type of thing. I can’t see it.
The possible path that was opened had closed again. Theodore and the others sighed. It was at this moment that Titania suddenly cried out from the rear and there was a gust of wind. This wasn’t a naturally occurring wind but one with force.
“W-Wait a minute? Geros, why are you suddenly appearing?” Titania couldn’t hide her confusion at the appearance of the ancient elemental Geros.
Then at that moment...
[It is time,] Geros spoke in a grandiose voice. [I am a piece of Zephyrus, god of the western wind, who remained in this world according to the will of Prometheus. I have confirmed that all the conditions are satisfied.]
Thick, long arms extended from the body made of wind. As he spread open his palms, a brilliant light flowed from Geros’ hands and shot straight into the darkness beyond them.
[You can enter. Or you don’t have to enter,] Geros continued in a voice without any inhalation. His voice was clearly engraved in everyone’s ears. [The time has come to turn off the fire of this world.]
TL Note: I double checked and the author definitely used Parsimony instead of Greed in the Seven Sins. I don’t know why, but it isn’t a translator mistake.