Children of the Holy Emperor

Imaginary Dimension.

A world where immense thought-forms solidify and eventually form a complete dimension of their own.

For some, it’s an entire world in and of itself, while for others, it’s a mere dream or an illusion— a sub-dimension.

“Are you saying that the Earth I lived on… wasn’t real, but just a dream or an illusion?”

If Seongjin had heard such a thing while he was living on Earth, he would have scoffed and told the person to spend their time more productively, like hunting demons. However, now that he himself has traveled to another dimension, he can’t simply dismiss these ideas as nonsense.

[Don’t think of it so simply, Lee Seongjin. It may have started that way, but an Imaginary Dimension is ultimately a legitimate dimension. There is no change to the fact that it is a complete world.]

The Demon King spoke as if to console Seongjin, who rarely showed signs of emotional disturbance.

[Look. You are, after all, a solid existing soul. You’ve come all the way to this main dimension and you’re still living and breathing just fine. What better evidence is there to prove your existence?]

According to the Demon King, the Earth dimension where Seongjin had lived—Sigurd-34 Earth, as it’s called—is nonetheless a unique dimension distinct from the main Earth. It may feel like there are quite a number of Earth dimensions based on their numbering, but compared to the sheer amount of dreams that appear and disappear daily in the main dimension, it is actually an extremely small fraction.

Becoming an individualized dimension means that the originating dream is that deep and powerful.

However, the imaginary worlds are slightly less sturdy in their boundaries compared to the main world or permanent worlds. Consequently, it’s relatively easier for them to be created or destroyed. If one intends to, interference or infiltration from other dimensions is also comparatively straightforward.

The reason why storytellers often move around in imaginary dimensions is precisely because of this.

To strengthen the boundaries of such an imaginary dimension, it needs to either merge with another dimension to evolve into a permanent dimension, or two dimensions have to interlock perfectly to form a complete loop and resonate with each other.

Hearing this explanation, Seongjin suddenly recalled what the Demon King had once told him during their final battle.

“You’ll have both Earth and the demon world. Think of the potential harbored by the fusion of the two worlds!”

Come to think of it, hadn’t the Demon King mentioned that Gehenna was also an imaginary dimension?

[That’s correct. Gehenna had already undergone one dimensional fusion.]

The Demon King calmly admitted.

[That’s why I intended to merge Sigurd 34 Earth and Gehenna, to create a new, sturdier permanent dimension.]

* * *

Sigurd Sigurdson.

A tale-spinner of dimensions, wandering through a thousand dreams and uttering a thousand voices.

He named the dimension after his own name upon discovering the Earth where Seongjin lives. He might be a puppeteer who was trying to completely annihilate the Demon King of Gehenna.

Seongjin felt a bit uneasy with the ancient forbidden book laid out before him, tracing the footsteps of that person.

‘I’m still not sure if it’s that Sigurd.’

[Of course, there’s a possibility that it could be someone with the same name.]

The Demon King agreed but seemed to be inwardly confident that this author was indeed that tale-spinner.

[But who else could this Sigurd be, who wrote such a massive book about another dimension, if not that boastful tale-spinner?]

‘……’

It’s not that Seongjin didn’t have a strange feeling that the two might not be completely unrelated.

“Alright, team. This is a historic moment! For the first time in nearly 50 years, we are opening this forbidden book before even the professors of the Church!”

The red-haired Inquisitor looked completely thrilled. His exaggerated tone and theatrical speech reminded Seongjin of his college juniors, who used to get excited about bad acting experiences.

“Sir Valerie, you seem happy.”

Jibril, who was delicately wiping the surface of the worn-out book with a rose-scented handkerchief, smiled.

“Yes, isn’t the story of another world just too exciting? I was so excited when I heard that reading permission had been granted, I couldn’t sleep all last night!”

He had hurriedly rushed to the Theological Academy as if terrified of going to work.

But is this really okay? Considering he’s an Inquisitor of St. Marcia, which is almost the hands and feet of the heretical tribunal?

“Ah, it’s a secret, but becoming an Inquisitor actually allows you more freedom to explore these fascinating subjects. Regardless of whether you believe it to be true or not, the story itself is very interesting, isn’t it? It used to be a hot topic among the seniors as well.”

He slyly glanced at Masain, who seemed displeased, and then smiled awkwardly.

“Of course, there’s not a speck of doubt in my faith towards God!”

Of course, how could there be?

And so, they all gathered and turned the first page of that enormous book.

Just as Sir Valerie said, it was a historic moment. Seongjin was able to confirm the truth of the Demon King’s words as soon as he read a few lines from the book’s introduction.

—I, who freely roam through a thousand dreams, the great king, embark on a journey to become the one tale, the one rule that penetrates the world. I shall record Sigurd’s journey in this book.

So, it was extremely grandiose from the very first sentence.

[Ha! Such arrogance, this level of pretentiousness…]

The Demon King clicked his tongue. Regardless of the facts, it appears that the storyteller himself thinks he’s some sort of “Dream Demon King.”

Of course, there was also an Inquisitor who became even more excited.

“Wow, it’s intense right from the first line! It’s completely spine-tingling, isn’t it?”

—This book is a record of the most impressive dreams I have ever experienced. It serves as a guidepost set forth by a great explorer for those who may one day encounter these dreams themselves. A suggestion personally given by a benevolent king so that you, so that you, the pitiable ones, can finally find solace within these set of grand rules.

This guy is even more boastful than that wicked dragon he claims to have faced. It’s unbearably cheesy to the point where modern sensibilities can’t keep up.

“It seems like there’s more than one reason this book became forbidden, right?”

Jibril narrowed her lovely eyes as she spoke.

Indeed, if someone who self-proclaims to be a great king and vows to be the single rule of the world isn’t heretical, then what is? Even in modern society, they’d likely be banned from publication for excessive rhetoric.

In any case, once they laboriously moved past the pretentious preface, the content that followed was surprisingly written in a more normal tone. Soon, Seongjin and his party were engrossed in the book.

Unicorns, mermaids, and other legendary creatures; bizarre-looking monsters and beasts; strange lifeforms that exist on the border between plants and animals; and various magical creatures that Seongjin is familiar with.

For those who love stories, the book was packed full of fascinating content.

As Valerie turned each page, his eyes began to sparkle with delight.

Brief descriptions of the dimensions where these wondrous otherworldly creatures exist, relatively detailed accounts of their ecology, and even simple but accurately depicted illustrations.

To Seongjin’s eyes, it was an incredibly well-crafted book.

Well, except for the preface.

[Hoo?]

As he continued flipping through, he finally started seeing content about magical creatures. The Demon King seemed to be fully engaged.

[This is pretty good?]

Upon seeing the pincer-legged creature that he often used as a weapon, Seongjin also concluded inwardly. The content of this book was fairly reliable.

“It’s like an encyclopedia. But why is the title of this book ‘Apocalypse’?”

Valerie smiled brightly at Jibril’s question and responded.

“That’s a valid question. The decisive reason this book is forbidden lies in the last chapter of this book.”

He quickly flipped to the last chapter.

And there, just as the title suggested, the apocalypse unfolded before their eyes.

—When the first star awakens, a figure with a black face appears. Wherever he passes, not a blade of grass, not a drop of water remains; a great famine ensues. This is why he is called Greed. All beings of Delcross will suffer from hunger.

“Good heavens, this is a book that directly prophesies the fall of Delcross.”

—When the second star awakens, a figure with a pallid face will appear. He is called the Bringer of Rest, and behind him, he commands an army of cold immortality. This is why he is known as Death. All beings of Delcross shall achieve eternity.

Ahem. Masain stepped back, his face drained of color, beads of cold sweat trickling down his face. The ominous prophecy had clearly shaken him.

This book had recorded how Delcross would face calamity as a total of five stars awakened. And roughly, the last part went like this:

—And then, the sky and the earth will connect, and a harbinger of the apocalypse wearing a lofty crown and wielding three swords will appear. When he swings one sword, the sun will lose its light and one-third of the stars will fall to the earth……”

Thump. With a grim look, Masain snatched the book and forcefully shut it.

Whoosh.The sound of the old, uncleaned dust scattering into the air.

The members of the special squad stared wide-eyed at Masain, who spoke with a trembling voice:

“This… this last chapter, it’s best not to read any further.”

“It’s nothing but the ramblings of an arrogant person, Sir Masain.”

Although Sir Valerie shrugged his shoulders, Masain’s expression was firm.

“Merely laying eyes upon these erroneous verses that hint at the millennium kingdom of Delcross’s ruin is sinful!”

“However……”

“We must especially prevent these sinful verses from reaching the young Prince’s eyes!”

Seongjin, who was standing in front of Masain, looked up at him with puzzled eyes.

Sir Masain, who didn’t seem to be particularly devout on a regular basis, was surprisingly sensitive to heresies and such.

“Hmm, hmm……”

The red-haired Inquisitor coughed awkwardly with a slightly flushed face. Apparently, he found it somewhat embarrassing to be corrected by a mere Knight.

“It seems Sir Masain is correct. This is a forbidden book marked as heretical, so we should be cautious, even if we have permission.”

While saying that, Valerie’s expression was one of reluctance. His words didn’t carry much conviction.

Noticing the awkward atmosphere enveloping the members of the special squad, Seongjin sighed. For now, the mood needed to be refreshed.

“Sir Masain is right. Let’s not forget that we’ve gathered to stop the [Gray Plague]. Shall we go back to the list of monsters in the codex?”

Taking Seongjin’s cue, Masain hesitated for a moment before reluctantly putting the book back on the table.

In silence, they reopened the otherworldly apocalypse book and slowly began flipping through its pages.

“Hmm… it’s not here?”

How much time had passed? They thought they had roughly skimmed through the section containing magical beasts, but they couldn’t find anything about parasitic monsters that lay eggs anywhere.

Of course, it’s not impossible that they simply missed it, but it’s unlikely that the Demon King following Seongjin would have overlooked such a passage.

[Hmm, the idea that this single book contains all the beings from another world is nonsensical from the get-go.]

The Apocalypse of Another World was not an encyclopedia but rather a record primarily of what interested Sigurd. Even if it only gathered creatures with unique shapes or strange lifestyles, the volume would be extensive. There was no need to allocate pages for a small parasitic monster that might not even exist.

Seongjin glanced at the still restless and anxious Masain and spoke to the red-haired inquisitor.

“Would you take another detailed look, Sir Valerie? It might be better if Masain and I investigate the Heretic Tribunal’s prison.”

The faces of the two brightened simultaneously.

“Yes, Your Highness, I’ll look thoroughly.”

“Then I shall guide you to the Heretic Tribunal, Your Highness!”

Sir Valerie cheerfully picked up the Apocalypse of Another World and vanished to his spot. Masain’s face also relaxed noticeably once the book was out of sight.

Good, everything is resolved smoothly.

Except for the moment of negligence when Jibril sprayed them with perfume, cautioning them to be careful.

“The sanitary conditions in the Heretic Tribunal’s prison aren’t exactly ideal.”

Holding a sprayer and smiling brightly, Jibril received a forced smile from Seongjin.

Damn this Lyora plague quack!

[Hmmm…]

Waiting for the carriage in front of the administrative building and shaking off the perfume scent, the Demon King groaned. He seemed to have been contemplating something.

‘What’s the matter?’

[No, I’ve been feeling like something’s about to come to mind, but I can’t grasp it.]

The Demon King’s uncomfortable feeling transmitted without filter, making Seongjin also feel slightly uneasy.

[Maybe we’re too focused on Lophellum’s eggs and overlooking something crucial?]

‘…?’

We’re dealing with parasitic monsters, so we should focus on parasitic monsters, right? What else could we be missing?

However, they soon discovered the answer.

That is, standing in front of the Heretic Tribunal building with one corner completely destroyed and billowing smoke.

“Your Highness, did I ever mention that you seem to bring incidents and accidents wherever you go?”

Seongjin couldn’t help but send a look full of injustice towards the mumbling Masain.

What did I even do!