Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1408: Master

”This...”

Robin’s eye began to twitch slightly, a subtle tremor forming in his gaze.

Such events truly have taken place in the universe’s ancient past?

He had spent countless hours—years even—digging through knowledge in the Soul Society.

He had paid dearly in time, effort, and coin... especially in the domain of plagues—their types, their evolution, the infamous cleansing wars between plague creatures and the Stellar Academies.

Yet despite all that...

Not once did he encounter even a whisper of something called the Abyss of Doom.

No, not once did he encounter something even close to a war of that magnitude!

How could something so cataclysmic... a war that split the cosmos in two... simply vanish from history?

There could only be one explanation:

The Cosmic Elder himself.

He must have erased it. Not from spite, but from purpose.

To prevent mass panic...

To stop fear from spreading like wildfire across the stars...

Or maybe—just maybe—to hide his own identity, or something even deeper and older than that.

According to Althera, some of the Plague Kings—monsters at the Seventh Stage—still exist.

They didn’t die.

They hid.

And they’re out there now, in the cold, quiet darkness of the cosmos... waiting.

Waiting for him to die.

It all made sense now.

No wonder Helen and Rinara panicked when plague creatures appeared. No wonder the academies declared such unyielding war upon them. No wonder their hatred was laced with ancient terror.

The Stellar Academies weren’t just reacting—they were remembering.

They were afraid.

Any planet that becomes food for the plague isn’t just a victim—it’s a breeding ground. A cradle where future kings may evolve, where future Monarchs may rule.

Then how many are there now?

How many more would have been born if the plague had been allowed to grow unchecked—if the academies hadn’t hunted them down, confined them, purged them with fire and fury and sacrifice?

Robin shuddered.

Even he, a man who had tamed and commanded legions of plague creatures under his control, had to admit it—this siege must never stop.

Perhaps, without it... the stars themselves would’ve been consumed by now.

”...It’s... reassuring,” Robin forced the words out, stretching a thin, uneasy smile across his face. ”It’s clear now just how revered the Cosmic Elder truly is. And still... the fact that he summoned you personally, and not someone else—that says something. You must hold a special place in his regard, Monarch.”

Althera didn’t even blink. She continued walking, her posture as disciplined and perfect as ever.

”That’s not correct,” she said. ”The Cosmic Elder likely summoned me simply because I happen to be the Head of the largest and most capable academy in this sector. If he were at one of his other sanctuaries—on another planet in another sector—he would have summoned the master of that region instead.”

She paused briefly, as if weighing her next words.

”Still... I am honored. Even if it was out of convenience, I was called. And that means something. It means I have the privilege of saying I stood in his presence, heard his voice, and completed a task on his behalf. It’s something many of my peers cannot claim. And yes—” she allowed a subtle hint of pride to sneak into her tone ”—I will absolutely be bragging about that.”

Robin chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. ”Fair enough. By the way... what sector are we in, exactly? Forgive me—I was dragged here with no briefing, no explanation. He didn’t even tell me where we were going.”

The answer came without delay.

”We’re in Sector 99,” Althera said simply. ”The Mid-Realm.”

”...Really?!” Robin stopped for a heartbeat, then hurried to catch up. ”Well, that’s... convenient.”

This is where I planned to go anyway...

Was this just fate? Or did the old man hear my conversation with Theo somehow, and decide to save me the trip?

Either way, I’m not complaining. This just saved me several years of interstellar travel.

”Headmistress of the Academy!”

”Your Majesty!”

As they moved deeper into the academy’s vast lands, the nature of those greeting Althera shifted noticeably. They were older now, more refined in posture, dressed in flowing black robes with golden hems. Their demeanor was more formal, and their energy more controlled—clearly, these were professors. Instructors. Mentors of the next generation.

Yet even they... even they could not fully hide the glances they threw at Robin.

Glances filled not with curiosity, but with something sharper... colder...

Suspicion.

Judgment.

Thinly veiled hostility.

Robin frowned, glancing between the instructors. ”What’s their problem?” he asked quietly, eyes narrowing.

Althera kept walking, her pace composed, her steps as steady as ever, cutting through the curious and suspicious glances with the quiet authority of someone who belonged to a higher realm entirely.

”I don’t appear in public very often,” she said, her voice smooth but distant. ”Only the elder professors are allowed to see me in my office. The students... they know me only from scattered appearances at honor ceremonies. To see me walking the academy grounds—especially with someone unfamiliar beside me—it’s... unexpected.”

Robin looked around again, feeling the invisible pressure in the air. It was as if hundreds of silent eyes were peeling him apart layer by layer, trying to make sense of his presence.

”...Couldn’t we just fly over this place using energy cloaks or something? You know, avoid all this attention?” he asked quickly, lowering his voice. ”Actually, I have a spatial portal—instant, clean, and discrete. We can just use it.”

”I could teleport you to our exact destination right now,” Althera replied without stopping or even glancing his way.

”But where would be the fun in that?”

Robin exhaled slowly, rolling his eyes. ”You’re...” He cut himself off, then pushed himself to match her stride, doing his best to ignore the continued stares.

”Anyway,” he said, changing the subject, ”where’s the academy library? I’d like to get started.”

”The Cosmic Elder’s instructions weren’t for you to browse books,” Althera said flatly. ”He ordered that we assist you in becoming a Royal Soul Master.”

Robin faltered slightly in his step.

”...What?”

Althera nodded once.

”Yes. I don’t understand the request either. If becoming a Royal Soul Master were something simple—something that could be granted—we’d have produced thousands by now. But that’s not how it works. It’s not a title, it’s a transformation. something that often takes millennia, if not more.”

She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his for a brief but piercing moment.

”All I can do is grant you access to our sealed archives—where knowledge lies buried far beneath public access—and introduce you to our own Royal Soul Master. You can question him as you please. The rest... what you learn, how you grow, how long you take... will be up to you.”

With those final words, she raised her hand and pointed toward one of the many buildings that populated the expansive campus grounds.

”Remember that building’s shape. Its location. Etch it into your mind.”

Without another word, she turned away and began walking down an entirely different path.

”...Huh?” Robin blinked in confusion, turning to study the building.

It was... strange.

Among the many grand and polished structures dotting the academy’s landscape, this one looked positively ancient. Its architecture was more modest in scale—still large, but clearly one of the smallest of the bunch. Its thick pillars were half-consumed by spiraling vines bearing deep blue and violet blossoms, so dense that the original color of the walls beneath was entirely concealed.

The structure had no open doors, no glowing seals, no signs of life.

It looked like it hadn’t been entered in decades. Maybe centuries.

Robin stared at it longer than he meant to. Something about it pulled at him—like a memory he hadn’t lived yet.

Still... he turned away and jogged after Althera before she vanished into the distance.

”What was that place, exactly?” he asked as he caught up to her. ”Is that the archive you mentioned? If so, we should head there now. I don’t have all the time in the world, you know.”

”That?” Althera said, glancing back briefly. ”That’s a teaching hall.”

She adjusted her pace as she spoke, the folds of her royal cloak trailing behind her like drifting starlight.

”All of our professors are intellectual titans—geniuses beyond compare in their respective fields. Each of them holds immense prestige within this sector and beyond. Inside the academy, their word is law. Outside it, they are feared and revered alike. Even if their students are the children of sovereigns or Overlords, they must bow their heads before their teachers.”

She gestured to the various other single-story structures spaced across the campus.

”Each one of those halls belongs to a specific professor. Personalized, sacred. Professors don’t go to students. Students come to them. The halls operate on the professor’s schedule—lecture dates, topics, everything is dictated by the master of the hall. It’s a system built on respect and earned authority.”

There was a quiet pride in her voice now, the faintest smile teasing at her lips.

Robin gave a few small nods. ”That’s... pretty impressive,” he said, throwing one last glance over his shoulder at the vine-covered hall. ”But what’s that got to do with me?”

”You’ll need to remember where your own hall is, obviously.”

Robin turned sharply toward her, confused—then froze in place.

A rare, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Althera’s face. It was the kind of smile that didn’t come from amusement—but from the quiet satisfaction of delivering a surprise blow.

”Because as of today,” she said gently, ”you are officially a professor of the academy.”