Why did I suddenly have that thought? Klaus also looked back at me.
“What is the basis?”
“It’s not that there is any other basis. But for some reason, it seems like there are more grains of sand accumulated at the bottom than when I saw it before.”
While saying that, I tapped the top of the giant hourglass.
“Furthermore, in a typical hourglass, it is normal for the sand to fall down due to gravity, but in this hourglass, the sand was stuck to the ceiling of the upper bottle and the bottom of the lower bottle, respectively.”
In no hourglass that I have seen in this world has sand stuck to the ceiling against gravity.
“It is a symbolic space with a grand name, ‘the origin of the world,’ so I think the hourglass must symbolize something. If you think of the symbols as the heavenly world above the sky and the demonic world beneath the earth, I thought it would be a good fit.”
The Elyos broke the hourglass, and the Demon gave them a detector that pointed to a crystal piece that was a fragment of the hourglass.
Either way, it meant that it was closely related to this hourglass.
“That makes sense.”
Klaus nodded.
“I thought this might be the lifespan of this world.”
“life span?”
“If all the sand accumulated above falls down, the world will end.”
While saying that, Klaus tapped the hourglass.
I shook my head firmly.
“I thought so too at first, but when I think about what we’ve done, I don’t think this represents the lifespan of the world.”
How hard have I and Klaus been running around so far?
It is strange to think that the world’s lifespan is only this long, when most of the dangers of the past have disappeared and the world is still peaceful.
“Besides, the Elyos broke this hourglass. Probably Duke Brudel.”
“It was like that.”
The mark of the Elyos’ radiant sword left at the base of the crystal piece was vivid in my memory.
If this was an indicator of the world’s destruction, why would Duke Brudel, who wants to destroy the world, destroy it?
“Ugh… I thought everything would be resolved once the pillar was restored to its original state, but it’s not as easy as I thought.”
“Exactly, I haven’t found everything.”
Klaus swept the middle part of the hourglass.
As he said, there was an empty space in the middle of the concave narrow hourglass that needed to be filled with crystal pieces.
“Where can I find this piece?”
“I know.”
When we think about where the crystal pieces came from, there is a clear common denominator.
Crystal fragments could be obtained by resolving the risk factors that nearly destroyed the empire in the past life.
Elena doesn’t make a wish on the black brooch.
The Cissena Dukes are not planning a zombie uprising.
Prevents the great plague.
The Western Guard does not revolt.
“Were there any other factors that led to the fall of the empire in your last life?”
Klaus must have been thinking the same thing as me, so he immediately shook his head.
“There has never been an incident on such a large scale.”
“Then where is the remaining piece?”
“Should we attack Duke Brudel’s residence directly?”
“Is that okay? I think it’s going to be a real pain just hearing that.”
“…That’s right. It’s a pain in the ass.”
Klaus frowned.
I stood next to him and stared at the crystal hourglass.
This is not the time!
I’ve been in love with Klaus for a long time, but I can’t believe I can’t even go on a proper date and have to worry like this!
‘I need to figure it out quickly.’
I started circling around the crystal with all my will, but my legs only hurt and I couldn’t come up with any amazing ideas.
“……Elena. You look tired.”
“My legs hurt.”
“Anyway, we’ve taken a step forward, so this is enough for today. Let’s go back first.”
Klaus lifted me up from my despair. A gentle hand lightly wrapped around my shoulder.
“Your family is probably worried too.”
“I see. Count, I think you’re going to cry.”
Klaus and I were so excited about discovering a new piece of crystal that we visited here before stopping by the imperial palace.
Klaus’s guards must have already returned to the imperial palace and reported that they have lost sight of our location, so our weak-hearted idiot Count must be worried again.
Klaus also chuckled at my bitter smile.
“Let’s go back quickly.”
“Yes. Go back and think about it.”
I nodded and naturally took Klaus’ hand.
The change was small but clear.
