The Military Princess Won’t Fall in Love with a Magic Scientist

Chapter 236. About Hell

“That’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍right.” Maggie nodded. “But everything comes at a price.”

“If one obtains the power of rules, one must in turn be assimilated by those rules. Those powerful beings who ascend to the Divine Throne gradually have their humanity completely worn away by divinity over the course of endless years. They no longer experience joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness. They no longer possess personal desires. In the end, they become nothing more than machines that exist only to uphold predetermined rules.”

At that, Maggie paused for a moment.

“As for the ‘Silence of the Gods’ you are facing now... I do find it somewhat puzzling. After all, I was trapped in the tower for a thousand years and lacked enough observational samples of the outside world’s current state. In our era, the gods were still able to send incarnations to walk the earth. But based on the anomalies you just mentioned, I may be able to offer a hypothesis.”

She raised her head, her tone objective and rigorous.

“The gods are ‘containers’ of rules, while the Dragon Kings’ power is violent content.’ When the container can no longer perfectly suppress the content, reverse corrosion begins.”

“So I suspect that this so-called ‘silence’ is not the arrogance of the gods, but rather that they have fallen into some kind of crisis where they can barely look after themselves.”

“Perhaps the will of the old overlords is reviving beneath the Divine Throne, forcing the gods to concentrate all their divine power on suppressing the backlash within themselves. Or perhaps the laws of the Heavenly Realm itself have suffered some unknown collapse, causing them to lose the channel through which they interfere with the mortal world.”

Maggie withdrew her hand, her voice cool as she delivered her final conclusion.

“The Heavenly Realm is probably far from peaceful right now. Most likely, an invisible and brutal struggle concerning ‘existence’ itself is underway. It is not that they do not want to answer their believers, but that... they simply cannot.”

Logaris stroked his chin thoughtfully.

The gods had lost contact, and might even be unable to protect themselves... Though he was an unbeliever, that hardly meant this was a good thing. He did not believe those old Dragon Kings would show humanity any kindness.

“What about demons, then?” Logaris suddenly pointed at his own eyes, his tone playful as he shifted the topic in another direction. “If gods are man-made ‘counterfeits,’ then what exactly are the bunch in Hell supposed to be?”

Maggie glanced at him. Her gaze lingered for a moment on his obviously heterochromatic eyes, and her expression turned a little strange.

“They are ‘bandits’ from another plane, but they are also civilized beings with a highly structured society.”

With a wave of her hand, the scene changed once again.

It was a dark crimson world filled with sulfur and chaos. Massive obsidian castles floated above lava. Demon armies with wings formed ranks in the sky, and above them all, on an even higher throne, seven vague shadows looked down upon all living things.

“The resources of the Hell Plane are extremely scarce. In order to survive, the cruelest law of plunder evolved there. To demons, our rich Prime Material Plane is like a slab of meat laid out on the dinner table.”

“But do not ever assume that the so-called Seven Grand Dukes of Hell are united.”

Maggie extended a finger and divided the seven shadows in the image into three groups.

“A thousand years ago, in my era, the internal divisions among the seven Archdukes of Sin were already astonishingly severe.”

“The ‘war faction,’ represented by Wrath, advocated straightforward planar war. They longed to tear open rifts, lead their legions across, and directly trample the Prime Material Plane flat, turning this place into a second Hell.”

“The ‘contract faction,’ represented by Greed, preferred infiltration. They believed war was too risky, and advocated tempting mortals into corruption and binding them with soul contracts, slowly eroding the laws of the mortal world the way termites hollow out wood.”

At that point, Maggie paused. Those deep blue eyes of hers stared at Logaris meaningfully.

“There is also a tiny minority of anomalies known as the ‘ascension faction.’”

“They have little interest in territory, resources, or even mortal souls. Their only desire is to break their own shackles and pursue the ultimate leap in the hierarchy of life.”

Maggie looked at the contemplative Logaris. The ghostly fire in her eyes flickered once, as though she were hesitating over something, but in the end she chose to speak.

“Since we are talking about Hell, Logaris, as a remnant of that era, I have a piece of advice I must give you.”

Logaris raised his head and closed the notebook in his hand. “I’m all ears.”

Maggie’s expression became extremely solemn, even graver than when she had been recounting the Dragon Kings’ secrets just now.

“Although my contact with the Seven Sovereigns ended with that ritual a thousand years ago, the one who left the deepest impression on me was that fellow.” Maggie stared at Logaris’s heterochromatic eyes and spoke slowly. “Your biological father, Astaroth of Pride, is the representative of this ascension faction.”

Logaris raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He merely listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the pen in his hand.

Maggie shook her head, her tone carrying a trace of disbelief. “Astaroth is the most mysterious and also the most extreme among the Seven Sovereigns. In his eyes, whether human or low-tier demon, all are nothing more than dust on the ground. I always believed that someone as arrogantly extreme as him could never possibly leave behind any attachment in this world.”

She paused, and her voice turned colder, as though she intended to carve these words into Logaris’s mind.

“So never entertain any fantasies of ‘familial affection’ toward that father you have never met.”

“From what I know, a being like Astaroth would never develop so-called ‘love’ or ‘emotion’ for any individual. Every action he takes, every scheme he lays, is most likely for the sake of reaching a higher dimension himself, for the sake of becoming stronger.”

Maggie looked at Logaris, her gaze sharp as a blade. “I never expected... that he would actually leave behind offspring. That surprises me even more than if the gods had betrayed their covenant. But that only makes me more certain that, to him, your existence is absolutely not some ridiculous ‘crystallization of love,’ but is far more likely some kind of ‘tool,’ ‘vessel,’ or perhaps a ‘coordinate.’”

At her words, Sylvia instinctively looked toward Logaris, a trace of concern flashing through her eyes.

But Logaris merely pushed up his glasses, the corner of his mouth curling into a self-mocking smile. “Don’t worry. I have never expected anything as laughable as familial affection.”

“It is best that you think that way.” Maggie let out a sigh and dispersed the surrounding illusions. “But the current situation is probably quite complicated, and it will not be easy for him to make use of you.”

“A thousand years is enough to change many things. As the laws of the world became more complete, the rejection of foreign life by the Prime Material Plane’s ‘World Will’ reached its peak.”

Logaris suddenly realized something, and his expression turned strange. “Wait a second. Based on the intelligence I’ve gathered, wasn’t it actually you who caused the Prime Material Plane’s ‘World Will’ to push its rejection of foreign life to the limit?”

He looked straight at this Mad King from a thousand years ago and pointed it out bluntly. “According to the information I got from a certain relative of mine, Alice, the source of all this seems to have been your god-ascension ritual back then, doesn’t it?”

Maggie froze for a moment. The originally solemn atmosphere collapsed by half in an instant. Somewhat awkwardly, she looked away, then gave a helpless shrug.

“That’s right. I did it.”

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