Chapter 215: The Garden of Sinners Episode 5: Paradox Spiral! (Part 13)
"Shiki actually lost?"
"How's that possible? Doesn't she have the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that can kill anything?"
"Even the Mystic Eyes didn't work on that Souren?"
"That's absurd."
"I can't accept this!"
"…"
Voices of disbelief erupted throughout the taverns. People expressed their dissatisfaction with the plot, but in the end, there was nothing they could do.
After all, a film was a film. Once the story showed such a result, it wouldn't be changed no matter how much anyone complained.
In contrast to the common folk, many of the Imperial Mage Academy's mages had already anticipated this outcome. Though some still believed in Shiki's power, once the result played out, they all fell silent.
After all, the sheer pressure Araya Souren exuded upon his entrance was overwhelming. Anyone could sense that terrifying aura pouring from him.
"What's up with Souren? Why didn't he die even after being struck by Shiki's Mystic Eyes?"
"I'm not sure. But it doesn't seem like he was completely unscathed. He looked like he was forcing himself to keep going."
"Even so, that's terrifying. Those are the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception we're talking about—normally, once someone's hit by them, death is guaranteed."
"Did you forget? Araya mentioned that his origin is 'Stillness'. If all human functions were frozen, then perhaps his life functions had already stopped. Maybe that's why he couldn't be killed."
"But we're talking about the Mystic Eyes here—even lifeless objects can be destroyed if Shiki perceives them as 'alive'. How could a 'still' Araya Souren survive?"
"Then maybe… the Mystic Eyes can only kill things that have the concept of life? And Araya no longer fits that category?"
"You mean… he's no longer a living being at all?"
"…"
At this point in the discussion, a cold realization dawned on the students. Many drew sharp breaths as the gravity of that possibility sank in.
Then, breaking the heavy silence, one student muttered:
"Professor Streige really nailed that villain role, didn't he? Just seeing him gave me chills."
"Yeah, seriously. If I hadn't known him before, I'd have thought he's always like that."
"Wait, you mean he isn't like that normally?"
"You must not be from the Mental and Spiritual Studies Branch. Professor Streige is actually very approachable. He may not be cracking jokes, but he's calm and fair. Most of us enjoy his lectures."
"Wow~ never thought there'd be such a big difference between the character and the actor."
"That's not the case for everyone though. Take Arch Mage Rosa, for instance—she doesn't seem too different from Aoko Aozaki. She's normally approachable, but once in a while, it's like she has a second personality. She gives off a really dangerous vibe."
"Haha, maybe there is still a difference. Rosa studies souls, not dolls like Aoko does."
"You sure? With how tightly linked body and soul are, maybe she's secretly making dolls too."
"…"
As the students continued exchanging theories—many of which would give Arch Mage Rosa a headache if she ever heard them—they eventually turned their attention back to the screen.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meanwhile, compared to the students and lesser mages still processing the fight, the Arch Mages had already fully understood Araya Souren's techniques.
Thanks to the vivid visual storytelling and Araya's own explanations, it didn't take long for them to piece everything together.
And it was precisely because they saw through Araya's techniques that they were even more shaken—the conceptual power behind them was too terrifying.
"To think… it's Stillness…"
"Araya Souren's origin is Stillness, and he used some method to awaken that origin—turning his body into a halted vessel."
"If a person's body is completely still, and their soul remains undamaged, wouldn't that mean they could become ageless, deathless—even immortal?"
"Exactly. Although, it seems even the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception can still kill something with the origin of stillness. But what's shocking is that Araya went so far as to kill his own body beforehand. What's hard to understand is how his soul remains bound to a corpse."
"We don't know yet… but I think it may have something to do with the building itself."
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
"Didn't you see the final scene? When Shiki was swallowed by the building, the entire structure changed. It was as if the building came to life."
"Are you suggesting…?"
The discussion came to a sudden halt. Even the well-informed Arch Mages couldn't fully deduce the truth behind Araya Souren's form of immortality.
Still, though they couldn't name it exactly, it was clear from their expressions that each of them had come to similar conclusions in their hearts.
"By the way, based on what the film shows, Araya and Aoko actually knew each other, right?"
When Administrator Hohenheim asked this question, the other Arch Mages instinctively turned toward Arch Mage Rosa.
Noticing their stares, Arch Mage Rosa quickly responded:
"Yes, they were acquainted. Apparently, they were both students at the Clock Tower in the past. They even worked on dollcraft research together. But due to various reasons, they eventually went their separate ways."
"I see. But if they knew each other, why hasn't Aoko ever mentioned him before?"
"Er… that, I wouldn't know."
"Aren't you Aoko?"
"Excuse me? I'm just the actress, okay? Can we stop mixing up the character and the actor already?"
"Uh…"
Clearly, many of the Arch Mages had become a bit too immersed in the film, taking a while to pull themselves back to reality and remember that the woman before them wasn't actually Aoko Aozaki, but merely the actress playing her.
As for Rosa herself, she looked entirely fed up with the confusion. If she had overheard the earlier conversation between students in the hall, she'd likely have regretted accepting the role even more.
Regardless, the Arch Mages eventually stopped their side chatter and turned their focus back to the television.
And at that very moment—just as the arc surrounding Shiki Ryougi reached its end—the film suddenly introduced a twist no one had expected…
<+>
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/162522?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/creating-anime-140083067
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