Book 1 Chapter 293
293
In the middle of the training ground.
Three girls stood there.
One of them,
Ar, was pricking up her ears, unable to contain her excitement.
‘I can learn Aura Skills directly from Lord Arion!’
What a great honor this was!
While Ar's blue eyes sparkled brightly for a long time,
Eiran glanced, peeked, at Berkhia standing next to her.
‘T-To be able to learn alongside Ancestor-nim.’
Fairy Knight Berkhia.
A great hero who led the elf race after the Age of Disaster ended.
As a disciple of Luna, the progenitor of the nebula, she was the guardian of the elves until the day she ended her life.
That's why Eiran loved Berkhia's heroic tales as much as Luna's.
It wasn't simply because she was an ancestor of her family and a great hero.
Berkhia in the stories was always confident.
As a disciple of great heroes, she always did her best not to tarnish their names.
For Eiran, who had been timid since childhood, she couldn't help but be captivated by those stories.
To be able to learn martial arts from the great hero Arion alongside such a hero.
‘Hau! I'm nervous!’
It was then that Eiran made a tense expression.
“Why have you been glancing at me like that since earlier?”
Berkhia glanced at Eiran and asked.
“Huh? O-Oh, no! I mean! T-That! T-That!”
Eiran, who had been flustered looking at Berkhia's slightly sharp eyes, soon bowed her head deeply and said with a flushed face.
“B-Because you're beautiful.”
Berkhia, who had been staring intently at Eiran speaking in a meek voice, said.
“You're pretty enough too?”
“R-Really?”
Berkhia looked at Eiran, who was genuinely delighted, with a suspicious gaze.
Even under Berkhia's gaze, Eiran merely smiled innocently.
Shashak-! Berkhia approached Ar.
“Hey. Isn't she a little weird?”
“She looks normal to me.”
“That's normal?”
Berkhia narrowed her eyes.
“Her gaze toward me is excessively wistful and passionate? Did she perhaps fall for me? That would be troublesome.”
“I don't know Eiran's taste, but being wistful and passionate seems normal.”
It was then that Berkhia looked at Ar with strange eyes.
“Sorry I'm late.”
Arion appeared in the training ground.
“Lord Arion!”
“Heek?”
Like an excited cat, Ar rushed at Arion with a pounce.
“You're so cool! I respect you!”
“G-Get away!”
Ar chased after Arion, who ran away in fright.
Watching that scene, Berkhia fell into deep thought.
‘Are these kids perverts?’
Arion took a deep breath, looking at the three girls standing before him.
Ar's enthusiastic eyes, sparkling excessively to the point of being burdensome, were a little scary.
But Arion also had a question for Ar.
“Hey… you.”
“Yes!”
“You said you could freely use beast transformation, right?”
“Yup!”
Berkhia's eyes widened.
‘She can use beast transformation freely, like Master Arion?’
“Can you show me once?”
“Understood!”
At Arion's words, Ar regulated her breathing.
The reason Arion could freely use beast transformation was none other than his unique breathing technique.
It was a technique to forcibly manifest beast transformation by stimulating the beastkin blood flowing in the body through breathing.
Arion's unique breathing, later passed down to beastkins under the name [Hero's Breath], still hasn't been fully replicated in its specific wavelength, thus preventing the full mastery of beast transformation.
Ar, during the entrance exam,
By conquering Arion's world with Leo, she obtained Arion's breathing as a reward for the conquest, thereby gaining the ability to use beast transformation.
‘It's my breath.’
Arion's eyes widened as he saw Ar's breathing, perfectly identical to his own.
‘But she can't properly control the beast transformation ability.’
Arion, who was looking at Ar who had successfully performed beast transformation, said.
“Can you also use Howling?”
“Of course! Shall I do it now?!”
“Wait…!”
“KWOOOOOOOONG!”
The roar of a fierce beast echoed.
Berkhia and Eiran, elves sensitive to sound, instinctively covered their ears.
Arion covered his face with his hands.
Ar looked up at Arion, her eyes sparkling, seeking praise.
“Ouch!”
“What do you think you're doing?”
Berkhia, with a burst of anger, gave Ar a knuckle slap on the head.
A moment later, pale-faced people from the surroundings rushed over.
“What's going on!”
“Just now, there was an unusual sound!”
Ar flinched, seeing the training ground instantly turn into chaos.
“It's nothing.”
Arion calmed the soldiers and sent them back.
“Okay, I mostly get it.”
Arion nodded.
“Both beast transformation and howling, you can't properly control your power.”
“Huh?”
Ar's eyes widened.
She had heard similar words before.
‘The black rabbit told me that before.’
Ar's tail wagged gently.
“How should I explain this? Let's think about it a bit more first.”
Arion, who had been contemplating for a moment with his arms crossed, looked at Berkhia and Eiran.
“Eiran. You resemble Berkhia a lot.”
“Me, like her?”
“T-Those, those gracious words…”
Berkhia narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and Eiran was overjoyed, not knowing what to do.
“Yes, as if you're Berkhia's blood relative.”
At Arion's words, Ar and Eiran flinched, their bodies trembling.
“W-What aspect?”
“The scent is identical.”
‘A-As expected, Lord Arion.’
‘Sharp!’
If Eiran's identity as Berkhia's descendant were to be revealed, the strategy would fail.
It was then that Ar and Eiran made tense expressions.
“So. If you spar with each other, won't there be things you can learn from each other?”
“That's right.”
Berkhia nodded and drew her sword.
“Draw your sword. Fight me.”
“W-What an honor.”
Ar's eyes sparkled.
“Lord Arion! Do I fight those two as well?”
“No.”
Arion shook his head.
“First, kneel down.”
Chak-!
Ar immediately knelt down before Arion.
“Close your eyes.”
Ar closed her eyes.
“Concentrate your mind and don't move for a long time.”
“What effect does this training have?”
“Mental discipline.”
“I see! To avoid being swayed by power, I definitely need to improve my concentration, right!”
‘If she calms down, she won't pounce on me anymore.’
Ar didn't know.
That the hero Arion, whom she respected, was genuinely afraid of her.
***
Runia made a tense expression, looking at Katariu in front of her.
Fiora was pecking at the chocolate Runia had given her, next to Runia.
Katariu looked at Runia with an unenthusiastic expression.
“What do you think is the essence of flame?”
At Katariu's question, Runia replied.
“I believe it is immortality.”
At those words, Katariu chuckled.
“Why?”
“Because the phoenix's flame burns forever.”
“Yes. A very elf-like answer for someone who wields the phoenix's flame.”
Katariu rested her chin on her hand.
“But you're wrong. The essence of flame is destruction.”
Katariu's eyes became cold.
Runia flinched, her body trembling.
“Even a phoenix eventually faces extinction. That means even the flames we emit aren't perfect.”
Hwareuk-
A white flame appeared in Katariu's hand.
“Even my flame, the King of Phoenixes, cannot burn forever. I am not an immortal being.”
Katariu clenched her fist, and the flame dispersed.
“Ah, of course, a truly unquenchable flame does exist.”
Katariu, with an alluring smile, said in a small voice.
“The hateful flame of disaster that burns the world.”
Runia's face turned pale.
Seeing her reaction, Katariu smiled faintly.
“You, you've seen it, haven't you?”
She couldn't forget it even if she tried.
The primeval evil that brought overwhelming despair with just a small fragment.
Katariu gave Runia a deep smile.
“The hateful black flame that even the white flame of the King of Phoenixes, known as the [Flame Emperor] for generations, could barely hold back. That very flame is the fire that burns the world. That is why the essence of fire is destruction.”
“Flame… Emperor?”
“Huh? Isn't it a very famous story that the Phoenix King's alias is the [Flame Emperor]?”
“T-That's right.”
It wasn't a famous story in Runia's era.
Because the lineage of the Phoenix King disappeared at the end of the Age of Disaster.
Runia's surprise was simple.
[Flame Emperor].
It was the same name as Luna's magic that Leo had told Runia about, which ultimately failed to be completed.
“Of course, that perverted old man spouts nonsense about the essence of fire being creation or whatever.”
A golden flame bloomed in Katariu's hand.
“What's that?”
“It's Dweno's flame. That old man said he'd teach you the essence of flame, right?”
Katariu curled the corners of her lips.
“That means he's going to give you his flame.”
“Give me… a flame? Is that possible?”
“Yes. It's possible if you have a flame equal to mine or the Great Spirit of Fire.”
At those words, Runia's eyes widened.
That meant Dweno's flame was on par with the Phoenix King and the Great Spirit of Fire.
“If a flame devours a stronger flame than itself, it burns even more fiercely.”
‘I… Dweno-nim's flame…’
Katariu chuckled.
“Well, I think it's absolutely impossible for you to devour Dweno's flame though.”
“Why?”
“Because Dweno's flame is special.”
Katariu brought the essence of flame that Dweno had entrusted to her to eye level.
“Dweno's flame burns even longer than the flame of the Phoenix King or the Great Spirit of Fire.”
Runia gulped dryly.
“If you eat it carelessly, you'll get sick. You won't die, but it'll hurt enough to make you wish you were dead? What do you say? Want to swallow it?”
Runia took a deep breath.
“You said I wouldn't die, right?”
Runia gave a grin.
“Then what's the problem?”
“Brave of you.”
Katariu, with an indifferent expression, tossed the golden flame to Runia.
Runia was flustered receiving it.
Seeing her reaction, Katariu rested her chin on her hand and laughed.
“Swallow it.”
At Katariu's words, Runia squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed Dweno's flame.
“Hngh?”
Runia fell to her knees from the burning sensation spreading throughout her body.
Katariu, who had been coldly watching Runia struggling in pain, gestured towards a flustered Fiora.
“You, come here.”
Peep?
Fiora tumbled and rolled right up to Katariu.
“That look, it certainly is cute.”
Peep! Peep!
Fiora rolled around happily.
“But you're definitely damaging the dignity of a phoenix.”
Fiora's movements stopped abruptly.
Hwareuk-!
The chocolate Fiora was eating burned away without a trace.
Katariu stood up.
“A beautiful flame comes from a healthy mind and a healthy body. So, it's diet time.”
Katariu made a wicked expression and lifted her leg.
Hwaak-!
A kick flew towards Fiora, as if kicking a ball.
Pyaaaaaak~
Fiora shrieked in fright and began to flee.
“If you don't run fast, I'll kick you! Kyahahahahaha!”
Katariu laughed like a wicked witch and chased after Fiora.
A scene of hell unfolded in the open space of Dweno's workshop.
Kael, watching the scene from outside the window, made a weary expression.
“Is that really okay?”
“Leave her be.”
Dweno took a book from the study.
“Alchemy values individual effort. This is an alchemy book I recorded.”
“C-Can I really accept something like this?”
“Originally no, but what does it matter?”
“Excuse me?”
“Just read it. If you can understand even a little, it's yours.”
Dweno chuckled and patted Kael on the shoulder.
“Even if you're terrible at other things, your talent for alchemy seems certain, so keep trying.”
“…It's sad because it doesn't sound like a compliment.”
Kael smiled wistfully.
A moment later.
The door opened and Driana entered.
“Lord Dweno! Here it is! This is the sculpture I carved with all my might!”
“……”
Dweno took the sculpture Driana handed him.
“Original.”
“Yes! I believe originality is important as an artist, so…”
“Was your name Kael?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think this is?”
“A work of art.”
“Ahem.”
Driana puffed out her chest proudly.
Dweno's face became utterly cold.
“Tell me the truth.”
“…Trash.”
As soon as Kael finished speaking, Dweno immediately threw Driana's sculpture against the wall.
Peodeok-!
The sound of clay being crushed echoed.
“Was your name Driana? You said you dreamed of being an artist.”
“Yes? Yes, yes!”
“Quit it.”
“Excuse me?”
“Don't profane beauty! You damn brat!!”
“Hieeeeek!”
“You gave up the path of a blacksmith because you thought you couldn't catch up to me as a blacksmith? And with that rotten persistence, you thought you could become an artist who expresses beauty! That kind of trash is art? Is art a joke! Are you ignoring beauty!”
Dweno roughly grabbed Driana by the collar and shook her fiercely.
Kael fled to a corner at the utterly terrifying intensity.
Dweno dragged Driana to a side of the workshop and forcibly made her stand in front of the furnace.
“Pick up the ore! Make a weapon!”
“Huh? But for years, I've only made imitations of Lord Dweno's armaments.”
“Rather than waste materials making that kind of trash, make imitations! Armaments, whatever! What if they're imitations! It's enough if they can just cut and hit enemies! It's enough if they can block enemy attacks!”
“B-But… armaments are also works of art, how can you make armaments with such a mindset…”
“Why are weapons works of art! Weapons are just enough if they can break an enemy's head! How dare you put weapons on the same level as art! You uneducated fool!”
“Hieeeek!”
Driana was terrified by Dweno's ferocious demeanor, who truly regarded armaments as inferior to works of art.
Kael, watching from the corner, muttered to himself.
‘No… Lord Dweno shouldn't be saying things like that!’
“Grab the hammer! Forge a weapon! Because I can't tolerate someone like you doing art, even if dirt gets in my eyes! If I hear you spouting nonsense about being an artist somewhere, I'll wring your neck!”