I must admit, I doubt my writing skills are sufficient to create a truly engaging read.
If that thought has troubled you, dear reader, you might be better off closing this book now.
For those of you who still wish to continue, I suspect your interest lies not in me, but in the man himself, Marius Tuban. I, too, am captivated by the enigma and allure of that emperor. I defied my parents’ wishes and became a historian.
…Ahem, but enough about me.
How much do you, the reader, truly know about Emperor Marius?
I wonder how many can recite his entire legend. In my own research, much has come to light that I, for one, had never known. While his great battles are passed down through generations and across regions, many of the smaller events have been lost to time.
Let us explore them, one by one.
First, Marius versus the Evil God Tindalos.
This is a very famous tale, appearing in numerous books, so perhaps I need not recount it. However, there are subtle discrepancies in the details. It is universally agreed that Tindalos caused “Utnapishtim,” sinking many continents until only two remained. But the reasons Marius did not fight until then are varied. One theory suggests the vast distances between continents delayed his awareness of the anomaly. Another claims he noticed the anomaly immediately and challenged the god, but it took him a long time to defeat him. Finally, there is the theory that he was aware of the anomaly but deliberately abandoned the other continents to their fate. This last theory, however, is promoted by those who consider themselves the “foremost anti-Marius faction,” and I find it unconvincing. I, the author, disagree as well. Consider Marius’s victory in the war against Hordia, where he captured all the slave soldiers involved in the invasion unharmed. Would such a man deliberately abandon people on other continents? I urge you to ponder this.
Second, the schemes of Auraniess, known as the Great Demon Lord.
This is another feat that transcends what is humanly possible. Auraniess, while now revered as humanity’s guardian deity, was, before meeting Marius, a force of nature—a tempestuous disaster. Some theories suggest their contest ended in a draw, but the idea that Marius couldn’t win is hard to believe. They must have reached a mutual understanding and called it a draw partway through.
Third, the resolution of the Western Disturbances.
The subjugation of Mergen, a fearsome Demon who manipulated Demon Lords and Demons into Undead, ravaging the western continent. While I doubt a Demon could truly control a Demon Lord, it is said that the Western nations were not so weak as to be overrun by mere Undead. Still, I find it hard to believe a mere Demon was the mastermind. I suspect a Demon Lord was merely posing as a Demon.
Fourth, the operation to annihilate the Eastern Invasion Force.
In the eastern continent, a demon army numbering in the millions, including the Demon Albert, the Demon Franklin, and the Demon Pal, attacked human nations, leading to the fall of the Berganda Empire. They then advanced simultaneously into the three nations of Seraeno, Ranleo, and Boltner. Marius is said to have annihilated them with a colossal magic. It is called “Sacred Wind of Evil Repulsion,” but some theories suggest it was merely purification magic. Even for Marius, it seems impossible for mere purification magic to reach three nations. What do you think? Investigating facts from this era is extremely difficult. We must prove that at the same time, in distant locations, the same events occurred hundreds of years ago. If true, Marius possessed power that overwhelmed even Demon Lords at this point. Some may scoff, saying it’s absurd. But consider: later, he fought Auraniess, the Great Demon Lord, to a standstill. Some say the draw was only because Auraniess was toying with him; nevertheless, he certainly forced Auraniess to use her full power. Auraniess, who could vanquish many Demon Lords without breaking a sweat. His strength here is beyond doubt.
Thus far, we have enumerated what are commonly known as the “Four Great Deeds of Emperor Marius.” Those ignorant of them are likely not of this world. The result of these deeds was the Kingdom of Tubant, the strongest nation in recorded history. It once boasted world-class powers led by Emperor Marius, the guardian deity Auraniess, the vampiric goddess Sophia, and the sea empress Iris. No nation dared to challenge them. We cannot dismiss this as mere cowardice. Even I would never consider them enemies. After all, there were at least four individuals with the power to destroy an entire continent single-handedly. By a simple calculation, it would take the power of four continents to fight them to a draw. And since Marius and Auraniess saved the world from annihilation, it can be said they possessed the power to destroy it. I shall refrain from further praise, lest this become mere adulation. It is likely only a newborn who does not know the “Four Great Deeds of Emperor Marius.” But what about what comes next?
Let us move on to the “Curious Records of Emperor Marius.” Many people frown upon these vulgar tales, but they are also quite popular. The most famous is perhaps “Nine in One Night.” While Queen Lovisa and Queen Barra are well-known consorts of the Emperor, there were others. The confirmed lovers include Auraniess, Catherine, Aina, Remika, Zofi, Al, and El. There are theories that he also had relations with Emma, Iris, and Sophia, but unfortunately, no evidence has been found. The seven listed above bore Marius children, making a total of nine when including his two queens. I will refrain from discussing Marius’s children, led by Sieg and Fried, for now.
Another curious record is the estimated three thousand times he uttered the phrase, “Help me, El.” I question if anyone actually counted, but it seems to be roughly the number of situations Marius couldn’t resolve on his own. Incidentally, there’s a theory that he didn’t say “Help me, El,” but rather “Help Me-a-lemon,” but I don’t believe it. “Me-a-lemon” makes no sense! El was always simply called El. Perhaps someone maliciously distorted the facts. Marius had no true enemies, but I suspect there were surprisingly many who secretly disliked him. Here was a man with god-like power, who gained a kingdom and was surrounded by many beautiful women. Moreover, his origins were unknown. To those who valued history and lineage, he must have been an extremely unpleasant existence. The fact that Marius’s name is still remembered today is undoubtedly due to his overwhelming strength and achievements, which silenced the cacophony from such people.
That said, attributing everything solely to Marius’s efforts can be considered crude and unfair. King Bernhardt III of Tubant discovered Marius, trusted him, gave him opportunities to wield his power, and bestowed upon him rewards commensurate with his achievements. Had he been a foolish king, he might have feared Marius’s overwhelming strength and attempted to assassinate him. Whether he could have succeeded is another matter. Speaking of assassination attempts on Marius, there are those who claim Asteria, the King of Hordia at the time, attempted it. Asteria of Hordia, the “Fierce King,” was famous for entirely different reasons than Marius. The bloodshed she caused is said to be among the most in Taryante history. She is said to have employed illogical reasoning with those around her and ruled tyrannically. Curiously, opinions on her are split precisely in half. The theory that “she was a wise monarch who did not shy away from bloodshed for the sake of the greatest number of people’s happiness” is laughable. I support the theory that she was “an arrogant and foolish tyrant who repeatedly acted rashly, though for the better in the end.” However, it would also be unfair to deny her any achievements. Isabella, a genius inventor responsible for creations like “Magic Engines,” “Magic Vehicles,” and “Flying Cars,” still used across the continent today. Anette, the Monster Master, said to have been friends with all the monsters in the western continent. It was none other than Asteria who discovered these two. She also reportedly commanded the “Dark Witch Mireille” and the “Vanessa of Corpse Mountains,” an assassin, two individuals of the highest human combat class. It is not unreasonable for some to claim that Hordia would have unified the continent without Marius. This is, of course, assuming we disregard Demon Lords and Demons. Anette was said to command two of the strongest class dragons, Vuldra, so perhaps she could have defeated a mere Demon. Is it too generous to suggest that the Hordian forces, in a way, failed to become heroes because of Marius? …My apologies, I’ve strayed from the topic. I should return.
Another of Marius’s curious records: “The number of times he dueled Auraniess.” Many might wonder how the world remained intact if he fought Auraniess so many times. Or perhaps the minority are those who don’t wonder. This is one of Marius’s great achievements: the absence of a clash of raw power. Otherwise, the map would look very different today. Is keeping Auraniess in check not the most incredible thing in this world? Of course, vanquishing Evil Gods is also incredible. At least, I cannot judge which is greater.
Ah, let me return to the curious records. There aren’t many other such tales. There are some, but perhaps you already know them. The simultaneous pregnancy of his consorts, the simultaneous lovers incident, the creation of a new continent, or the collaborative creation of new life with Auraniess. The legend of Marius remains as vibrant today not simply because of his great deeds, but perhaps also because of the peculiar stories that remain. To us, Marius is not a perfect hero, but an approachable one with a slightly clumsy side. This may be unpleasant for those who seek perfection in heroes and great figures. I am sure the legend of Marius will still be told centuries from now.
Editor: “Rejected.”
Author: “…”
