"I believe," I said softly, letting my words cut through the silence, "that the Great Tomb of Nazarick has been… caught up in an unknown situation."
A tense stillness spread across the arena. The frost around Cocytus thickened, the twin elves stopped fidgeting, and even Shalltear's playful grin froze in place. Their eyes—bright, loyal, and focused—locked on me, waiting for an explanation.
Albedo stepped forward first, her golden eyes glimmering with both concern and reverence. "Alastor-sama," she began, her tone careful but steady, "may I ask… what kind of situation do you mean?"
I turned my gaze toward her, my fingers drumming lightly against the armrest of my throne. "I believe…" I spoke slowly, deliberately, "we are no longer in YGGDRASIL. Nor are we in any world associated with it."
That statement struck like a hammer against silence. Even Demiurge's composed smile faltered for a split second, and Cocytus's tail froze mid-sway.
Mare's soft voice trembled. "N-no longer… in YGGDRASIL?"
Aura frowned. "Wait, then… where are we?"
"I cannot say for certain," I replied, my voice calm yet resonant, echoing through the still air. "But I know one thing—this is not the world we once knew."
Demiurge finally stepped forward, his polished shoes clicking softly against the frozen ground. He adjusted his pince-nez glasses, his smile faint but his tone sharp as ever. "If I may be so bold, Alastor-sama… Are you implying that YGGDRASIL has been… destroyed?"
His words were direct, but his eyes—those cunning, calculating eyes—were already analyzing, seeking the deeper meaning beneath my calm tone.
I met his gaze. "Yes," I said plainly.
A ripple of shock spread through the Guardians. Shalltear blinked rapidly, unable to hide her disbelief. Aura's jaw dropped slightly. Cocytus's mandibles clacked together in stunned silence. Even Albedo's face froze—her expression caught between awe and horror.
"Destroyed?" Demiurge repeated quietly, his tone still even, though there was a tremor beneath his control. "By whom?"
I leaned forward slightly, resting my chin on my gloved hand. The flickering magical lights cast faint shadows across my face. My next words fell like thunder.
"By me."
That was not a false statement; according to lore, I am the one who destroyed YGGDRASIL.
The silence that followed was absolute. Even the air seemed to stop moving.
Their expressions—shock, confusion, disbelief—painted the moment vividly. But none dared to question me. None spoke a word. Only Albedo's golden eyes trembled faintly, torn between awe and the desperate need to understand.
For a long moment, I let the silence stretch. Then, deliberately, I shifted the topic, brushing the tension aside as if it were dust on a relic. "That matter is irrelevant now," I said, waving one hand lightly. "The reason I summoned you all here is not to speak of YGGDRASIL's end."
Their gazes followed every motion I made, awaiting the true purpose of this meeting.
"I called you here to confirm something. I need to know—have any of you noticed changes upon your respective floors? Anything unusual—distortions, fluctuations, or disturbances?"
The question seemed to surprise them. Shalltear blinked first and bowed her head slightly. "There is nothing out of the ordinary on my floors, my lord," she reported. "All undead servants remain obedient, and mana flow is stable."
Cocytus was next. His deep, resonating voice rolled through the arena like a glacier grinding stone. "No. Unusual activity detected on the fifth floor. Temperature and spiritual balance remain constant."
Aura crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Same here, Alastor-sama. The Sixth Floor's ecosystem hasn't changed at all. The beasts are behaving normally, and the mana density's identical to before."
Mare nodded nervously beside her. "Y-yes… everything feels normal. Even the trees and the light crystals are unchanged."
Demiurge was the last to speak. "My Seventh Floor remains intact, Alastor-sama. All defense demons are in formation, and no energy surges have been detected. The boundary wards remain perfect."
I listened to each report in silence, nodding slightly after every response.
"I see…" I murmured at last, a faint sense of relief settling over me. "Good. That is… very good."
The corners of my mouth lifted slightly. The Guardians seemed unsure why I was pleased—but inside, a deep wave of satisfaction rippled through me.
Because unlike in the original world, I had taken precautions long ago.
Before the server shutdown, before the final countdown, I had rewritten parts of Nazarick's code—not just its systems, but also its lore. I had embedded each floor with an additional "Favor Text"—a layer of narrative that granted each guardian a blessing tied to their domain. A conceptual authority that extended beyond raw stats.
Each of these modifications was meant to make them more than programmed NPCs. Without using any more data crystals on them.
But I had never tested because it was just a favor test.
But now.
And seeing that none of them experienced anomalies, none of the Floors were destabilized, none of the Favor Texts had turned volatile… meant that everything worked perfectly.
A small exhale escaped me—not of exhaustion, but of profound satisfaction. "It seems… the structure remains stable. My work has borne fruit."
Albedo tilted her head slightly, her long raven hair cascading down her back. "Your work, Alastor-sama?" she asked softly.
"Merely a precaution," I replied, with a knowing smile. "Before the end of YGGDRASIL, I adjusted Nazarick's foundation—its lore, its hierarchy, even its mythos. I wanted to ensure that no matter where we were taken, Nazarick would stand unshaken."
The Guardians exchanged glances—awe, reverence, and pride flickering across their faces.
"As expected of Alastor-sama," Demiurge said, bowing deeply, admiration in his voice. "Your foresight surpasses imagination. To protect Nazarick even from the collapse of worlds itself—truly divine."
Shalltear clasped her hands together, eyes sparkling. "Ufufu~ Alastor- Sama is as magnificent as ever. I knew we were in the best hands."
Aura grinned. "See? I told you our master thinks of everything!"
Mare smiled shyly. "A-Amazing…"
Cocytus raised his halberd slightly, the frost around him shimmering. "We. Are. Honored. To. Serve. Under. Such. A. Supreme. Being."
Albedo, however, simply smiled—that radiant, almost ethereal smile—and bowed deeply once more. "It is our eternal joy to exist under your wisdom, Alastor-sama. Wherever we are, Nazarick remains because you do."
~~~
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