Chapter 369: A Tale of the Past - The Golden Empire's Downfall |
Gold lost its value when there was too much of it.
But until it occurred before their very eyes, people didn’t even consider it was possible.
The old saying “Regard gold as mere stone” was meant to warn people from being too obsessed with wealth, not to predict that gold would actually become as worthless as stone.
Only after experiencing it did humans attempt to explain it, calling it the Curse of Gold or Inflation.
The Sanctum, recognizing the crisis, hurriedly sanctified “pure“ gold to guarantee its value.
Until alchemy spread and alchemical currency became widely used, Holy Gold was the only reliable form of currency on the continent.
Other nations, having witnessed the fall of the Golden Empire, revised their own systems and devised countermeasures.
A field of study dedicated to economics began to emerge.
Humanity, through loss, had once again discovered something new.
Months after Demo’s execution, the chaos in the Golden Empire had spiraled out of control.
The artisans who had been pushed out of power took up arms and rebelled.
They allied with regional forces, providing high-quality weapons in their bid to reclaim power, and began marching toward the capital.
As they advanced, they executed every alchemist they encountered.
It seemed like no one could stop them.
But after Demo’s death, the alchemists refused to remain passive any longer.
They created weapons—not just spears and swords, but also poisons, explosives, mechanical traps, and other deadly devices.
The alchemists advanced their craft, not only to survive but to kill their enemies.
War breeds technological progress.
Alchemy, which had once been used solely to produce gold, rapidly expanded its applications.
A myriad of strange and ingenious inventions appeared—most of them designed to kill.
Alchemists, who could craft machines without forges or workshops, engaged in relentless acts of sabotage and terrorism, plunging the Golden Empire further into chaos.
Which side had technological superiority was clear.
But how could artisans ever accept alchemy?
The artisans attempted to kill alchemists using traditional means, while the alchemists, weaker in numbers, resisted using unconventional methods.
Battles. Destruction. Death. Chaos.
It did not take long for the Golden Empire to be engulfed in blood and flames.
The entire nation had turned against the alchemists, yet they stubbornly clung to their existence.
Not only because of their skills, but also because of one wandering specter that roamed the Golden Empire.
“King Elric! Please, stop him!”
The artisans who had reclaimed their power no longer revered the king as they once had.
No matter how exceptional her craftsmanship, it paled in comparison to alchemy.
To those who had witnessed an even greater Arcane, even the pinnacle of traditional craftsmanship failed to impress them.
More importantly, it was now an era of strength.
Though King Elric’s creations were exquisite, they were not powerful.
What use was even the sharpest sword if wielded by someone weak?
The warlords held true power, while the king had become little more than a puppet in her own kingdom.
If not for her ability to comprehend the complex mechanisms built by alchemists at a glance, they wouldn’t have acknowledged her as a ruler at all.
“Didn’t you say the traitor Demo was executed? Then why is he still roaming the Golden Empire, using alchemy at will?!”
Even now, it was questionable whether they truly regarded her as their ruler.
Burdened by endless work, Elric rubbed her eyes and responded to the general’s demand.
“He is restoring collapsed buildings and purifying contaminated land. There are more urgent matters to address.”
“Ha! Even the king has lost her wits! Is that truly what you think?”
She lacked the energy to reprimand his rudeness.
At present, the most powerful figure in the Golden Empire was the grand general and Elric was nothing more than the crown on top of his head.
She merely waited for him to continue, too exhausted to argue.
“Alchemy! That man is still using alchemy! The ignorant commoners are grateful to him for restoring their homes. Some fools even began to revere the alchemists and aided them! Even though they are the reason the nation is in ruins, they foolishly believe only what they see with their eyes! They praise him without realizing his power is cursed!”
Of course, people would be grateful if he restored their homes.
If the general was so displeased by their gratitude, he should rebuild the buildings himself.
Suppressing her sarcasm, Elric replied, “Then go and stop Demo yourself. Wouldn’t that resolve the issue?”
“That is…”
The general hesitated.
Nothing worked against Demo.
No weapon, no poison could kill him.
He didn’t respond to words.
He simply roamed the Golden Empire, continuously creating something.
Once, a subordinate officer had attempted to cut him down—to execute him again as a warning.
But what followed was… the sight of the obstacle disassembling.
Recalling the memory, the general clenched his eyes shut before answering.
“…He has transcended even the Axiom. He is possessed by a demon.”
That was the only way to describe it.
Blades praised as legendary swords appeared out of thin air and instantly dismantled a man.
A once-mighty officer was instantly reduced to fragments, his body cleanly separated and scattered across the ground.
Even priests sent by the Sanctum had withdrawn, muttering something about Divines.
For those who sought to eradicate alchemy, Demo was an unbearable nuisance.
That was why the general was now demanding that Elric take action.
Of course, from Elric’s perspective, this was utterly absurd.
If she had the power to stop him, she would have used it to wipe out the scavengers scrambling for power long ago.
And yet, they expected her to deal with the wandering specter?
Suppressing a curse under her breath, she sighed.
“What do you expect me to do?”
“Isn’t it a king’s duty to resolve such matters? Your lineage has always possessed mysterious abilities!”
A groundless belief—expecting the king to succeed simply because she was the king.
Did he truly believe in her, or was he just grasping at straws?
Elric let out a hollow laugh but ultimately complied with his demand.
“Fine. Prepare for departure.”
Perhaps surprised by her swift acquiescence, the general paused before bellowing.
“Her Majesty is setting out! Make ready!”
As she rode in her palanquin, Elric pondered.
As the ruler of the Golden Empire, she had no means to deal with Demo.
In truth, she didn’t even want to.
After all, even in death, Demo continued to restore the Golden Empire.
Meanwhile, those who claimed loyalty used her as a tool, and those who vowed to protect the nation were tearing it apart.
The economy showed no signs of recovery and the few remaining artisans were too busy forging weapons to produce anything useful.
Meanwhile, the fallen alchemists, embittered and vengeful, unleashed indiscriminate destruction across the land.
If she did somehow eliminate Demo, the situation would only worsen.
So why was she heading toward him?
The reason was simple.
Between dealing with the general and seeing Demo, the latter was simply less exhausting.
After a full day of searching, news arrived that Demo had been found in a secluded mountain village.
As she made her way to him, King Elric carefully chose her words.
Thinking that seeing Demo would be easier than dealing with the general had been a terrible misconception.
He was her student—someone she had taught, raised, and ultimately killed.
A traitor who had died disgraced, yet now wandered, repairing what was broken.
What could she possibly say to him?
When he was still alive, she had hated him and blamed him as the root of all the problems that had arisen.
But now… he was the one she missed the most.
If it had been Demo—if he were still alive—perhaps he could have revived the Golden Empire in some unimaginable way, just as he had once turned a bell into gold…
But it was too late.
Demo was dead.
Only his lingering will remained, haunting the ruins of the Golden Empire.
The fact that he was still using alchemy was unexpected, but perhaps that too was a miracle born from his sheer determination.
Elric lowered her head.
What right did she have to see him again?
She wished, more than anything, that she would never arrive at her destination.
Yet, she wasn’t even moving on her own two feet.
Defying her wishes, the palanquin carrying her arrived before Demo.
Inside, she took a deep breath before stepping out.
In the distance, she saw him repairing a collapsed house.
Yuria Elric swallowed her sorrow and longing, then called his name.
“…Demo.”
There was no response.
Demo didn’t react.
His face was as pale as a corpse, his hands moving mechanically and with it, shattered rooftops slowly reassembled.
She had thought she wouldn’t be able to face him.
Yet now, standing before him, all her worries felt like a distant mirage.
With a warmth she hadn’t expected, Yuria approached him, speaking as if nothing had changed.
“Your master is here, and yet you don’t even greet me? I ought to punish you.”
But her voice never reached him.
He moved only by will, heedless of any words.
Yuria knew this, so she wasn’t disappointed.
Instead, she simply watched him in silence.
His face was drained of all color, his eyes devoid of their former brilliance.
He reacted to nothing else, wandering aimlessly in search of things to fix.
Whenever he found something broken, he restored it with alchemy.
The ruined village was gradually returning to its former state.
In a nation consumed by destruction and death, how long had it been since she had witnessed something being built instead of torn down?
It was something she had once taken for granted.
But seeing it again now, she felt something indescribable.
Lost in thought, she murmured to herself.
“What regret keeps you from closing your eyes? Does the country that killed you weigh on your soul so much?”
There was no need for an answer.
Even in death, his lingering will did not harbor hatred for his king.
Instead, he had worried about the ruined Golden Empire.
Yuria, overwhelmed by emotion, bit her lip and placed her hands on his shoulders, trembling.
“You’re the only one. Even in death, you are the only one who still cares for this nation. Everyone else… they only think of themselves, rather than trying to fix anything.”
And then, something strange happened.
Demo stopped.
As if he recognized his king, he ceased his motions and stared at Yuria in silence.
In truth, the Golden Lord merely hesitated, unable to determine whether she was an obstacle or not.
But Yuria didn’t know that.
Believing that some part of him still remembered her, she held onto him even tighter.
“Too much has happened. I… No, I… How can I ever repay this debt to you?”
Her voice wavered, barely above a whisper, as she finally spoke the apology she had never given while he was alive.
Then–
- Shhk.
Something sliced across Yuria’s back.
A burning pain spread like fire.
The unexpected shock sent her staggering forward.
Behind her, a cold voice followed the blade.
“I knew it would come to this. As long as the king remains indecisive, the alchemists will never disappear.”
As she collapsed, the general stepped forward, raising his blood stained sword.
He gazed down at the dying king with an indifferent expression and muttered,
“If Your Majesty’s corpse is found here, everyone will assume you were killed by the alchemists. That should be enough to stir those so-called loyalists who still serve a hollow throne.”
Only then did Yuria realize—she had walked into a trap.
The general had always intended to kill her.
He had known Demo was at the border but had still urged her to go.
Now, after murdering her, he would pin the blame on the alchemists.
King Elric’s authority was one passed down from the ancient times.
Even though the Golden Empire was in chaos, even though the king had proven ineffective, there were still many who respected the royal bloodline.
The general planned to use that.
“If we want to root out the alchemists hiding throughout the nation, we need to unite the people under one cause. Your Majesty’s death will serve that purpose well.”
As the general turned away, Demo moved.
Death was the collapse of the boundary between oneself and the world.
Yuria was dying, slowly becoming a part of the world.
And the world was subject to alchemy.
When humans die, they become objects.
Or rather, even in life, they were still objects—just ones with resistance.
Demo, recognizing that Yuria was broken, immediately began the process of fixing her.
Without consideration. Without hesitation.
Purely from a mechanical perspective.
“Ugh–!”
It was impossible.
Her dying body was no longer whole—parts of it had already become alchemy’s domain.
And so, her body was no longer entirely hers.
Torn muscles were forcefully tied together.
Shattered bones were crudely cemented back into place.
Each time her body convulsed from the agony, the haphazard repairs caused even more damage.
Every time Demo tried to fix her, Yuria experienced the pain of losing a piece of herself.
Much later, when the Golden Lord learned how to grow crops through alchemy, he would finally understand how to construct a body.
But right now, he did not.
So, the King of Steel, Yuria Elric, screamed as she was dismantled alive.
And yet—
Even amidst the excruciating torment, Yuria felt a strange sense of relief.
Even though the agony was beyond words, she deserved this pain.
His power twisted through her body, reshaping her as it pleased.
And yet, rather than rejecting it…
She felt a guilty sort of pleasure.
“…If that’s the case…”
If she was to suffer as nothing but a hollow puppet—
Then wouldn’t it be better to simply become a part of him?
Her existence melted away.
The Divine devoured her.
The King of Steel, who had once mastered all forms of craftsmanship, was reduced to mere alchemic material—
A component in the entity that would become the Golden Lord.
***
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