Chapter 55: And The Cat Was Dead

Chapter 55: And The Cat Was Dead

Nearly two weeks had passed.

During that time, Princess Eleanor had increasingly sought me out. Nevertheless, with many proficient mages stationed around, the magical concept, Mack, was successfully completed.

Wow.

An exclamation came from one of the mages. They were all gazing at a small creature inside a glass case, smiling contentedly.

It was Mack.

The amalgamation of the mages mana and thoughts had formed a concept, and this was embedded into the form we had created, giving it artificial life.

Looking at this, I couldnt help but wonder if humans were really any different. Hadnt God perhaps created us in a similar manner?

Of course, Mack couldnt think as diversely as we could. It was akin to a robot or AI.

It acted and behaved as we had programmed it.

It was a creature that couldnt do more than that.

[Thankfully, we didnt have to use the Lemegeton.]

...

I silently agreed with Dark Sage chattering next to me. The fact that we didnt have to resort to using the Lemegeton proved the prowess of these mages.

Also, while I could conceal and use it when battling in the Execution ground, it was something that could make the mages go crazy if they saw it; Even more so since, the stone of command, better known as Lemegeton, was a coveted item in the kingdom.

We succeeded.

The Grand mage standing next to me seemed moved and offered his hand for a handshake. I gently took it, nodding in agreement.

Thank you for your hard work. If it werent for the Grand mage and his apprentices, this wouldve taken much longer.

No, thank you for allowing me to take on this challenge at such an old age.

The Grand mage said, clearly elated for having surpassed his own limits.

We both turned to gaze once again at Mack. The creature, about the size of a small puppy, was sniffing around inside its case, searching for nightmares.

The time had come to see the fruits of our labor.

* * *

Sigh.

Princess Eleanor slowly breathed out as she lay down on her soft bed.

The warm lemon tea she had just sipped warmed her from within, and the soft pillow along with the fluffy duvet comfortably enveloped her.

The rooms main lights were off, with only a dim lamp illuminating the space. To ensure optimal sleeping conditions, her brother had arranged for the room to be humidified through a mage and had even enlisted classical musicians to play softly from one corner of the room.

Every effort seemed to have been made for a perfect nights sleep, but in truth, all of this felt more burdensome to Eleanor.

Just...

Wouldnt it be enough to have Deus, who simply sat by her side, gazing at her?

Such a thought crossed her mind, but she closed her eyes, pretending otherwise.

If only Deus could tell her a fun story known only to him, much like reading a fairy tale to a child, sleep would certainly come more easily.

However, if he did so, her brother, King Orpheus, would undoubtedly glare at him with fiery eyes.

Is this truly the end?

With unease, Eleanor asked Deus. She still couldnt believe that the nightmare that tormented her for years would end tonight.

In his usual calm, monotone voice, Deus replied, Yes, its the final nightmare.

Whoah.

She momentarily wished hed respond with a bit more warmth. But that was Deus Verdi for you, and perhaps because of that, she found herself trusting him even more.

His unchanging demeanor brought a sense of calm to Eleanors heart.

Im going to sleep now.

Eleanor slowly closed her eyes.

Beside her, Deus Verdi, King Orpheus, and the Grand mage Rockfelican silently nodded in acknowledgment.

Given her minimized sleep, she was always worn out, so falling asleep happened in an instant.

Alongside the lulling lullaby, Mack, held by Deus, began to sniff around.

It was a sign that it had detected a nightmare, and soon after, it opened its mouth wide, directed at the princess.

* * *

......

When Eleanor awakened, she found herself in the palace garden. It felt as if her previously empty mind was gradually filling with thoughts again.

For a moment, Eleanor stood still, dazed like a lifeless doll, before abruptly scanning her surroundings.

Ah, the royal garden.

What was I doing again?

Its been fun.

The doppelgnger sighed, swiftly turned around, took a step, and began to leave.

Goodbye.

It was the moment the final chapter of Eleanors nightmare came to an end.

* * *

Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!

Eleanor abruptly sat up. Thanks to the Grand mages magic, which dried her sweat, she was able to rise feeling refreshed.

E-Eleanor!

King Orpheus rushed desperately towards Princess Eleanor. I deliberately took a few steps back, not wanting to interrupt their brief separation and reunion.

Ah

Upon seeing her brother, tears began to stream down Eleanors face.

I did it.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Eleanor leaned into King Orpheuss embrace, as if entrusting her whole being to him. The weight of her tears was palpable as the Kings expression contorted with emotion.

Now dont have to fear the night anymore.

Hearing Eleanor voice out the resentment shes held for years, King Orpheus too sheds tears, holding her tightly.

There were no more nightmares.

A peaceful night had finally come to the young girl.

The two of them were immersed in a long, tearful embrace. The Grand mage sent the musicians outside, turning away so as not to witness the Kings tears, though the corners of his own eyes were slightly moist.

Afterward, Eleanor, seemingly drained of strength, slumped onto the bed. King Orpheus approached me.

Reaching out, he pulled me into an embrace.

Thank you, truly! Its all thanks to you!

.

To be honest, I wasnt particularly fond of such overt displays of affection. However, sensing the kings immense joy, I remained still.

Lets hold a feast tonight! It will be a grand banquet!

The king said, showing a hearty laugh.

With the jubilant king and the Grand mage leaving, only Eleanor and her maids remained in the room, preparing to change into her pajamas.

As I was about to leave too, I paused, slowly turned back to Eleanor, and spoke one last time.

Theres a thought experiment called Schrdingers Cat.

The maids looked at me, puzzled by what I was getting at. Eleanor, seemingly bemused, smiled softly.

Go on.

Its an experiment devised to critique the incompleteness of quantum mechanics I continued to explain.

Lets say a cat is inside a box.

Beside it, a radioactive substance is placed which has a 50% chance of decaying.

If a counter detects radiation, a hammer strikes, breaking a vial containing poison, which would kill the cat. If no radiation is detected, the vial remains intact, and the cat stays alive. Its a truly famous experiment.

The maids frowned, evidently confused by the story.

But my eyes were solely on Eleanor.

Until the box is opened, no one knows if the cat is alive or dead.

In essence, Schrdingers Cat only has meaning when the box remains unopened.

It exists in a superposition, equally likely to be alive or dead.

For a moment, I felt like I had become Schrdinger. Without opening the box, all possibilities coexisted.

Eleanor chuckled softly.

And then she responded.

What are you talking about?

Creak.

Slam.

I closed the door and stood outside, in silence, unable to move a step further.

Schrdinger chose not to open the box.

But I did.

And the cat was dead.

--- End of The Chapter ---

[TL: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chaptersahead of the release: /George227]