The one called by the name of the Golden Mirror turned out to be a youthful boy. He exuded no grandeur or intense aura. His innocent face was filled only with curiosity and a fervent desire to explore.

The boy, ringing a bell as he dashed out of the village hall, began proudly showcasing his creation with unbridled excitement.

“This is a corn-harvesting machine! It’s designed to function solely through pistons, as requested. No one but the Suppressionist Overseer can operate it!”

Hecto, looking as though he had been waiting for this moment, urgently scanned the surroundings.

“It’s complete, is it, Mirror? Where is it?”
“Why, it’s right there, Overseer. Can’t you see it?”
“Where…?”

Hecto followed the direction indicated by the Golden Mirror. It was a lush cornfield. There was no sign of any corn-harvesting machine, only an abundance of corn.

At least, for now.

“Watch carefully.”

As he spoke, the Golden Mirror took a step forward. At that moment, the corn he had pointed at began to disassemble. The kernels, husks, wide leaves, and fibrous stalks—all the components that made up the corn—were meticulously deconstructed. It was as if the Golden Mirror was asserting that even the crops of the Earth Mother were nothing more than mechanical parts, breaking and separating each element to expose its essence.

The materials, now classified by type, floated in the air.

Taking another step, the Golden Mirror spoke again.

“There it is.”

The disassembled components rapidly intertwined. Fibers formed the structure, leaves wrapped around them, kernels assembled like blocks, and husks stitched them together. This process repeated thousands, no, millions of times, systematically and precisely.

By the time the Golden Mirror took his final step—

“It is complete.”

The Golden Mirror’s words, being truth itself, became reality.

Before anyone realized it, a massive machine, three times the height of the corn stalks, stood where the cornfield once was.

Though constructed from corn, the machine was harder than any steel. The Golden Mirror was no longer bound by the properties of materials. Whatever qualities he envisioned, they manifested. Whatever design he conceived, it was created—whether or not it existed in this world, whether or not humanity understood it yet.

Hecto, staring at the machine that had appeared as if by magic, broke into a cold sweat.

“Is... is that it? Where do I start operating it?”

The Golden Mirror replied with exasperation.

“Do I really have to explain that? Ugh. Just try moving it.”

The Suppressionist Overseer’s Unique Magic exerted pressure on steel. It was most effective when applied to flat, uniform surfaces, which was why Hecto frequently used pistons to create tools. Uneven shapes rendered his ability nearly useless, as the pressure would cancel itself out.

‘But I don’t see any pistons here… well, let’s try.’

Hecto activated his Unique Magic, blindly applying force to the machine without understanding its structure.

The machine responded by inhaling.

Air was sucked into its core, causing its frame to expand and contract like a living, breathing creature. Its wheels rumbled as they rolled, consuming corn stalks. The machine extracted the kernels and returned the rest to its original state.

Even Hecto had no idea how this was possible. Naturally, I didn’t either. My mind-reading ability doesn’t work if there’s no one who knows the answer.

“H-how is this even…?”

Hecto, a seasoned alchemist and a Heat Nation Overseer, could not comprehend the machine created by the Golden Mirror in an instant. Considering that understanding something by observation is often far easier than designing it, the gap between him and the Golden Mirror was unimaginable.

Hecto murmured in awe, but the Golden Mirror, unwilling to explain, simply waved his hand dismissively.

“I designed it that way. Isn’t that enough?”

The Golden Mirror turned his attention from Hecto to Elik. Approaching her with a bright smile, he glanced at Hecto disapprovingly and said,

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, can we entrust this man with the Golden Nation’s food supply? They say not to put all your eggs in one basket. What if he monopolizes the supply with my machines and fills only his own belly?”

“I assure you, he cannot betray us.”

“Well, if Your Majesty says so, I’ll trust him… though I still find his abilities underwhelming.”

“It’s only because you’re too extraordinary, Demo. Compared to you, who wouldn’t fall short?”

Elik said this as she reached out and embraced the Golden Mirror. Her left hand ruffled his hair affectionately while her right hand gently caressed his cheek. The Golden Mirror smiled blissfully, as if he had just been given the entire world.

The difference in her demeanor was striking. The absolute ruler who had bent the world to her will just moments ago was gone. Now, she seemed like nothing more than a child basking in the warmth of someone she idolized.

Watching this scene, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

If Elik were a living human, freely expressing her affection, I might have stepped aside and wished them happiness. But considering that both the embracing Elik and the embraced Golden Mirror were merely constructs…

What a profoundly eerie sight.

“Well done, Demo.”
“N-not at all! It’s just a small trick compared to Your Majesty’s greatness!”
“Thanks to you, a great burden has been lifted. You are invaluable to this nation. Perhaps the greatest blessing to the Golden Nation is your very existence.”
“Not at all!”

The Golden Mirror clasped Elik’s hand and shook his head fervently.

“If not for Your Majesty, if Your Majesty hadn’t found me, I wouldn’t even exist! The greatest blessing to the Golden Nation is having Your Majesty as its wise and beautiful ruler!”
“Demo…”
“To repay that grace, I will do anything Your Majesty commands!”

I didn’t even want to criticize anymore. It already felt pitiful enough. Adding my judgment would just be cruel.

Regardless of my feelings, the boy and the woman shared a deep bond that death itself could not sever.

Now it was clear.

The Golden Nation no longer existed in this world. But the Golden Mirror, a demon of alchemy and a monster of comprehension, was capable of creating anything.

If his Unique Magic allowed him to “transmute” the Golden Nation within his domain—the land, the buildings, the fortresses, the cities, even the people—he could reforge it all, piece by piece, as decoration for his surroundings.

He even recreated the king he loved to keep by his side, playing out his life on this stage he built for himself.

At the very least, in the world he had constructed, this was the most perfect Golden Nation in history.

The castles, cities, cornfields, and all the other oddities we saw were traces of his attempt to recreate the Golden Nation. To him, the Heat Nation was nothing more than a country squatting on his old territory—a dumping ground for discarded relics.

Impressive. Alchemy taken to its extreme could do something like this. If the world were any smaller, perhaps he could have recreated everything in it.

As the two exchanged fond glances, their conversation shifted to a new topic.

“There isn’t even enough time for a brief respite, Demo. Something urgent has come up.”
“What is it? Please, tell me! I will make it happen!”

Elik cast a cold glance toward me and muttered,

“A weapon to eliminate the enemies of the Golden Nation.”

Of course. This space was the Golden Mirror’s model garden for recreating the Golden Nation. Cost-benefit analysis didn’t matter here; any losses could simply be rebuilt.

The Golden Mirror likely didn’t care whether there was a war or not. If he found something more interesting, he might even agree to a truce. But pride—pride was just another component of the Golden Nation. With godlike powers, why would he bother avoiding a fight?

“A... weapon?”
“Yes, Demo. War is coming. The stench of blood will flow through the veins of steel, covering the land. If you do this, only the enemy’s blood will spill.”
“….”

I’d learned enough, but now what should I do?

A godlike being capable of creating juggernauts from thin air—this was daunting. While the Military Nation overwhelmed the Heat Nation in every other aspect, if the Golden Mirror chose to act, no force in the Military Nation could stop him.

The regressor once said the Military Nation defeated the Heat Nation in seven days during a previous cycle. But how? How do you fight this? Did they bypass the Golden Palace entirely and focus on taking down the other Overseers?

If so, it might not be impossible. After all, the Military Nation didn’t need the Golden Mirror’s submission, only the alchemical resources scattered across the Heat Nation. Judging by the Suppressionist Overseer’s involvement in food production, most Overseers didn’t seem closely tied to the Golden Palace. If Uel pinpointed their locations with her clairvoyance, they could be taken out one by one in a rapid maneuver. That might have been Hilde’s original plan, too…

Wait. What if the reason the Military Nation won the war in the previous cycle…
Was because they attacked immediately, without wasting time?

“If I create this weapon… will it be of use to Your Majesty?”
“Immensely.”
“…Then I will create it. The weapon.”

Hey, regressor.

It seems I’ve made a mess of things. By seeking a truce and coming to the Golden Palace, I’ve only caused trouble.

The Golden Mirror is making a weapon. And no matter how I think about it, if he creates that weapon, the Military Nation has no chance. What are you going to do about this? Come here and deal with it, quick!

And then—

“Heavenly Sword Technique: Meteor Shower!”

The world shattered.

The barrier of energy that distorted even my vision was torn apart as a figure descended like a meteor. And calling it a meteor was no mere metaphor.

Jizan, trailing a long tail of fire, plummeted to the ground, smashing through the solid earth.

Against Jizan, even the earth was as soft as jelly. The impact twisted the land, sending tremors rippling through it.

Even Elik and the Golden Mirror stumbled from the shock as the regressor rose to his feet, speaking with pride in his voice.

“Found it. So this is the Golden Palace! Who would’ve thought it was in a cornfield…. Wait, Hughes?”

Now that I think about it, isn’t this what gods are supposed to be? Humans who can shake the heavens and earth with their power.

I believe in you, regressor. You’re the hero.