Book 11 Chapter 17
Chapter 269
#14 The Grand Mage's Epilogue.
“Lady Casena……”
I knew that Casena Page had become a Platinum adventurer after graduating from university and leaving home to explore the world.
But to think she had gone to join Frisbia.
The identification tag around her neck was made of platinum. Casena was currently ranked 11th in Platinum.
“How have you been, young lady?”
A reunion after roughly seven years.
When Rain awkwardly greeted her, Casena simply waved her hand to acknowledge it. Their gazes, however, lingered in separate empty spaces.
The resentment from seven years ago was not palpable, but since their relationship had once crumbled due to that resentment, only awkwardness filled the gap between them now.
“Hmph.”
Frisbia then rolled her eyes as if amused.
“Back then, you two stuck together as if you couldn’t be separated for life. This is why human actions lack rationality.”
“……”
“We came for something serious, so let’s stop teasing. If that foolish disciple did that, he'd be crying like a pig for days. Come here.”
What Frisbia showed Rain was a gigantic test tube.
It seemed to be much better cared for than other test tubes, with bubbles regularly emerging from the transparent liquid.
Emitting those bubbles was an infant. A girl, hugging both knees, sleeping peacefully with a comfortable expression.
“It’s Isola.”
The person who answered Rain’s curious gaze was, surprisingly, Casena.
“I named her Isola. It means ‘preparation’ (豫備) in Draconic.”
“Why did you give her that meaning?”
“I named her that to signify preparing the way for light to come in the catastrophe that will one day begin. Did you know? Isola is, strictly speaking, Aki’s genetic sister.”
Sister?
Genetic sister?
“Hmph, it seems he was so captivated by your beauty that he didn't properly see Isola. Look closely. Does that look like an ordinary person?”
Only then did Rain notice the dark red horns growing from both sides of the girl named Isola’s head.
Those horns…
They were entirely different from the horns that demons often possessed, which conveyed an evil impression. It had to be. Those, emanating a sacred majesty, were dragon horns.
“How, how did this happen? Surely you haven’t reached the stage of being able to create dragons, like Carenden?”
“Hmph, you saw correctly. I, Frisbia, have finally advanced my technology to that stage.”
“Incredible. You are amazing. Truly, words, I can’t find the words.”
Amazing, truly amazing.
If they could rebuild the dragon legion with this, then the final era that Aki, Nen, and Mir would have to face might never come.
“Of course, it’s a joke, hmph.”
“Huh?”
“Hmph.”
No, this old man…
He’s become so mellow that he’s even making jokes.
“I wish what your master said were true, but the technology of the <Ones Who Came> is at least a thousand years ahead. This was created through genetic fusion.”
“Genetic fusion, you mean?”
“Hehe, that foolish disciple proved useful in this regard. It was created by culturing and synthesizing Alakish’s somatic cells, which I acquired long ago, with Casena’s somatic cells, and my severed leg.”
“That… how is that possible?”
“It wasn’t done with my technology. Hmph, it was merely that such facilities existed in the warship base, which began operating with Black Yang-rin's power.”
“……!”
“No one’s somatic cells matched Alakish’s, leading to continuous failures, but they were a perfect match with that foolish disciple’s. That’s how Isola was born.”
Frisbia, in Rain's memory, was always someone who concealed his true feelings with a sly smile.
Yet, the gaze with which he now rested his hand on the test tube and looked at Isola was as warm as a mother's.
Perhaps because he had been a father first, Rain chuckled, guessing the kind of affection with which he had raised the child Isola.
“Hmph, what’s so safe about this situation that you’re chuckling?”
“It’s just that you’ve changed a lot. You were quite fierce back then…”
“Fierce? Hmph, I, Frisbia, am more benevolent and gentle than any adventurer in this world!”
“Your words are entirely appropriate. Do not expect much from the intelligence of a pathetic human.”
Eldvih, who was passing by, chimed in.
Casena then let out a little laugh, and eventually, Frisbia also laughed.
After a while, Frisbia pointed to Isola’s horns again.
“Young dragons, when in their dragon form, that is, when exposed to danger, extend their horns like that. Hmph, Isola didn’t have horns until last year.”
“Is that… so? Aki never seemed to do that.”
“Of course, if the mother is nearby, or if they absolutely trust the mother’s protection, they don't. This is from Carenden’s research, so my words are unequivocally correct, so shut your mouth, hmph.”
So, did Aki, Nen, and Mir absolutely trust me… Rain felt inexplicably pleased.
“Hmph, anyway, I showed you this as proof to corroborate what I said earlier.”
“What proof?”
“Hehe, doesn’t it mean that something dangerous has awakened, dangerous enough for a being with true dragon cells to instinctively extend its horns?”
A cold shiver ran through Rain’s mind, leaving him momentarily dazed. Casena began to explain.
“Actually, Alakish’s sealed state is a bit strange. Should I say it’s shaking? As if Shar’khas, trapped within, is resonating with something.”
“Hmph, Baekdoryeong is the third in rank among the Spider Lord's Five Generals, but he doesn't receive orders from the two above him. You understand what this means, right?”
“Yes.”
It was frightening to voice it, but what good would it do to conceal it once the threat had already manifested as reality?
“The source of the plague was the Spider Lord. His seal is on the verge of breaking.”
Just as Beshansidug, that fellow, said.
In that case, what I must do now is…
“I’ll guide you.”
“You, Lady?”
“Don’t even think about leaving me behind this time. I’ve become incredibly strong.”
Then Frisbia chimed in.
“Hmph, this one may be foolish, but she knows the geography of Harvadonia like the back of her hand. She followed me around so much, so that much is to be expected.”
Rain worried that old affections might make things awkward, but there was no denying the need for a guide.
The only reason they had been able to escape this place before was because Alakish had guided them.
Since she likes adventurers, she would surely get along well with Rem and Bart, but…
Casena, who had come to see them off at the warship base’s main gate, spoke.
“Is Aki doing well?”
“He wanted to see you, Lady. He doesn’t remember Trident Point, but he remembers you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“The days I spent with Aki were really fun, weren’t they? Like, you know, when I taught him 'sit' and 'lie down.'”
“I think I’ll remember that even after I die. It was hilarious.”
Awkward laughter flowed.
Back then, they were both fresh-faced boy and girl, but now they stood facing each other as adults.
As the laughter faded from their conversation, Casena quietly said,
“You know. What if… what if I had followed you to the ends of the earth, even if I had to force it, would things have been different?”
There are no "what ifs" in this world.
Perhaps because Rain knew this better than anyone else in this world, at that moment, he could only manage a bitter laugh.
Perhaps he had no choice but to dull the sharp truth with that uncomfortable laugh.
“No.”
If I had been able to come to you 300 years ago, this story might have changed, but what came to me then was…
“Really?”
Casena then gave a hearty smile.
“That’s good! Then I can finally let go of all my lingering regrets. I worried for nothing.”
“Lady…”
“Go on. You said you needed to call your companions, right? I’ll be preparing too.”
Casena slapped Rain’s back with a cheerful smile. That familiar pain reminded him of something he had forgotten.
“Oh, and about your leg, Lady. I can completely heal it now.”
“What?”
“Don’t be surprised.”
Rain tried to heal her leg, but Casena backed away with a wary gesture, shaking her head.
“No, don’t.”
“Huh? Why not?”
Because memories are embedded here.
The magic circles and mathematical equations etched on her leg were proof that Rain had worked tirelessly for her all night.
All the beautiful memories of her youth began here. So, she would cherish this for life.
“It’s really fine, just go! If you ever get married later, come and fix it then. It’s a bit much to show to the children, you know.”
Rain left the warship base as if being chased out.
As his silhouette faded beyond the horizon, transparent tears froze in Casena’s eyes.
Frisbia came to stand beside Casena and said with a sigh,
“If you’re going to shed tears like that, you should just push until it happens.”
“That would make Rain uncomfortable. I don’t like that.”
“You’d prioritize his feelings over your own? Hmph, humans truly are irrational beings.”
Casena wiped away her tears, and with her usual cheerful smile, turned her body towards the warship base.
Could she stand again?
She would be able to stand. She would be able to walk. Because he had shown her that it was possible.
“To protect Isola, I have to help Rain. So lend me some artifacts. You bad master.”
* * *
A cold wind was blowing from <Harvadonia>, the Land of Eternal Death.
My body is gradually aging.
Perhaps I have only a few years left to fight to my own satisfaction.
Carenden said that I couldn't stop the Abyss's encroachment. He said I was merely a tool to pass things on to the future.
But…
Even if I couldn't stop the Abyss's encroachment, I wanted to buy a little more time for Aki, Nen, and Mir to grow.
There was only one way.
To put the Spider Lord back to sleep.
Over ten years ago, I created a gap in the seal, awakening Baekdoryeong Shar’khas and Gongangong Beshansidug.
Now, the Spider Lord is preparing to awaken from its long hibernation.
Frisbia had said that it would take the warship base anywhere from 10 to 50 years to measure the concentration of the Abyss, but…
- Hmph, if we wait for that to happen, the Five Generals will all awaken one by one. The gates of hell will open.
The opportunity is only now, when not a single one of the Five Generals has awakened.
If the Spider Lord is spreading plague across the world to break its seal, then I intend to break that seal from this side.
And then, I will have no choice but to put it back to sleep with the power of Genesis I received.
Since I cannot wield that power as skillfully as Carenden, I don't know how long that seal will last, but…
It must be done.
I cannot guarantee how long this journey will take.
Therefore, if I do not return, I leave this journal so that you may know my whereabouts.
I close this diary, praying that this journey ends before you return, so that I may welcome you.
Only by completing this task do I feel I can close my eyes peacefully in old age, blessing your futures.
Closing the diary and stepping out into the biting winter wind, my companions, who had already arrived at <Seollyeongjangseong>, were waiting for me.
“So, are you ready to embark on your rejuvenation journey now, old man?”
Gungseong, Rem.
Ranked 1st Platinum adventurer before being selected as Gungseong.
“I’ve been waiting.”
Changseong, Bart.
The supreme adventurer, a Diamond-ranked adventurer before being selected as Changseong.
“Still have a habit of making people wait, I see. Do you think you’re someone special just because you became the Empire’s Prime Minister? Even I, Valensidis, a mere passerby, could be Prime Minister.”
Valensidis.
The current Prime Minister of the Solond Kingdom.
And…
“Fride lent me Pipi for your last journey, told me to wish you a good trip.”
Former Hero, Miria.
And on her shoulder sat the Sun Parrot.
“Pipi, Pipi, Pipi, the invincible Sun Parrot on a business trip.”
Turning to look at his companions, whose mere presence warmed his heart, Rain smiled.
“Lady Casena has agreed to be our guide. She’ll join us at the warship base.”
Grand Mage Rin.
And Dragon Sage Rain Ludwig.
This is the final battle for these two lives that coexisted, transcending 300 years of time.
“So, who is Casena?”
Miria asked.
It seemed there would be a battle to fight before the final battle itself.