Book 12 Chapter 25
Side Story Part 2, Chapter 18
The Child Who Weaves Hearts (18)
Osarius Magic Tower… That ancient, dilapidated stone tower stood alone in a remote mountain valley.
Even after three hundred years, how could this mountain landscape still retain its ancient appearance?
The pace of her steps gradually slowed, and the weight of self-reproach felt as if it was firmly gripping her ankles and heart.
'I promised to return, but couldn't…'
It would have been better if I hadn't made such a promise. Then no one would have waited.
"Welcome. What brings you here?"
A disciple of the Magic Tower appeared.
'Strictly speaking, he would be my many-generations-removed disciple.'
Since it became a great school with the appearance of Archmage Rin, it was a place where mages visited like a holy site.
The resulting tourism revenue and increased recognition would give the Magic Tower no reason to object.
The fact that Nen had obtained the Vandoran rank provided a very good excuse. The disciple nodded.
"My daughter here recently achieved the Vandoran rank. We've come to see the ancient sages."
"Please come this way. I will guide you to the main building."
All education and training at Osarius Magic Tower took place in the annex.
"The main building is preserved exactly as it was. It's too old to be renovated now. Please don't go inside."
Miria asked.
"But why has it been left this way until now?"
"It's because of Dean Atlante's last will. She asked us to keep this place exactly as it was in the past until Rin-nim returned."
"Thanks to that, the tourism revenue must be good."
Rain said with a somewhat sarcastic tone.
The target of her sarcasm was not the modern disciples, but herself, who had caused all this.
"Actually, there's not much to call tourism revenue, only an increase in recognition, but since it's already a great school, it's almost meaningless."
"But why maintain it?"
"That is also because of the Dean's last will. Rin-nim said that you might be shy and come while hiding your identity."
Always, feeling as if she was in the palm of that person's hand, a joy tinged with sadness welled up.
'Dean, you…'
The main building had truly been preserved exactly as it was in the past.
The main wooden floor where the Dean always sat… beyond that, in the master bedroom on the first floor, mischievous youngest ones used to run around wildly and get scolded.
In this yard, chickens and chicks were kept freely, and Rain remembered when she was in charge of feeding them.
'Every situation, I clearly remember, yet their faces, voices, and expressions are shrouded in mist.'
She wanted to see them precisely, but 300 years had obscured the field of recognition with absolute oblivion.
"That tree is…"
Suddenly, something entered her vision.
It wasn't a question.
Her words had simply caught in her throat, but the disciple in charge of guidance perceived it as a question and answered.
"It's an ancient tree steeped in the long history of Archmage Rin-nim. A tree that is more than 300 years old."
In the past, that pine tree was a young sapling.
It was perfect for Rin to sit on, a favorite spot when she wanted to read while enjoying the outdoor breeze.
The disciple of the Magic Tower continued.
"They say Rin-nim used to lean against that tree and enjoy reading. After Rin-nim passed away… Atlante-nim also read in that spot, and then Gizella-nim, who was the dean after her, and then Ricky-nim, the next dean, also often sat there."
It was true.
Those traces…
The weight of ages, pressed down by human body heat and weight for a long time… was smoothly etched onto the surface of the tree trunk.
"It's proof that Rin-nim enjoyed reading and mathematics more than playing with other children her age, even from her early childhood. Parents who wish for their children to become great mages often come here to pray for the same blessing."
Rain thought amidst the throbbing pain deep in her chest.
'This pathetic fool…'
There was plenty of time to study, plenty of time to read. Now, it's overflowing.
'But you… back then, I…'
How could I have wasted such precious time, which can never be reversed or returned to, in front of such a mere tree?
"May I sit there once?"
"Of course. Everyone who comes here does that. Our school applies preservation magic and maintains it monthly, so there's no problem."
"Nen, come here."
Setsunen leaped and embraced Rain.
The pine tree, which she leaned against again after nearly 300 long years… had grown to an overwhelming extent.
It felt not just like it had grown, but as if it had completely transformed, and the size of this tree felt like a barrier separating 300 years ago from the present era.
- Oppa, Rin Oppa!
- What, Rin! Why are you slacking off here? Want to see Gizella-nim's super-special beast magic?
- Rin, you'll catch a cold. Come inside quickly.
Rain took off Setsunen's conical hat, placed it on her own head, rested her chin on the crown of the hat… and tried to catch the lingering scent of that distant past.
However, even so…
Like an echo that had once resounded through mountains and rivers and then departed, the scent of those young days no longer reached her…
"Hmm?"
Then Setsunen fidgeted and wriggled out of Rain's arms.
"The tree is talking to Nen!"
The Dragonkin use the essence of nature as their power.
This means they can communicate with nature, and witches who learn Dragon Speech through the Dragon Mirror have interpreted and used this spiritual energy as spirits.
However, no witch, not even Frieh, the priestess of the Fire Dragon, had ever been seen communicating with nature's matter itself.
"What is the tree telling Nen?"
Rain chuckled and asked.
"It says it won't tell Nen everything! It says there's someone else who needs to be told."
"Who does it say that is?"
"It's Daddy."
"Me?"
As Nen placed her hand on the pine tree trunk…
For an instant, a noble dignity, like when she met the Mad Dragon Haraderriman long ago, was felt.
A halo of light spread from her fingertips, flowed up Nen's arm, over her head, and down to the fingertips of her other hand.
'Huh?'
The moment Nen touched Rain's forehead with that fingertip… the boundary of the 300-year century collapsed.
Time, space, dimension…
Perhaps this was a lingering image of memories held by the living tree.
'Or perhaps.'
The fervent wish for reunion, cherished by all, might have ripened into fruit on the tree.
"!"
"!"
"!"
Her gaze met with Dean Atlante's.
Her eyes crossed with Gizella, who had grown into an adult, and her consciousness connected with Ricky, who had somehow entered old age.
All of them, leaning against the pine tree that had changed with the flow of time… were looking at each other.
"Ah! Rin, you! When did you get here! Yes, you've come! To see Gizella Wolf-nim's super-special beast magic!"
Gizella shouted proudly, as usual, no, as if it were 300 years ago.
Gizella was the one who used to say she was the next Dean candidate No. 2, and only she would know why it was No. 2 and not No. 1.
It was certainly not humility, but it was also hard to say she was thinking realistically.
"Brother."
Ricky approached demurely.
Ricky, the youngest of the Four Winds, meaning 'winter wind'.
Being the youngest of all, she used to follow Rin around saying 'Rin Oppa, Oppa'… but among the beings revealed in this echo of the past, she appeared the oldest.
"I, I really worked hard."
She pointed to the emblem pinned to her chest.
Gladus (4-star) Mage Emblem.
Was she showing it as a symbol of her unchanging efforts during the long years after Rin left and did not return?
"But I couldn't catch up to you, brother, even after decades. This was my limit. Would it have been different if I could have received direct guidance?"
It was then.
Dean Atlante approached.
She lifted the conical hat that was slanted on Rin's head and turned it this way and that.
"I bought it new back then, but it's already so old."
"D-Dean…"
"Yes, wasn't it difficult? What kind of journey was it?"
A reunion born from connected hearts, which could not have originally happened, no, a true homecoming…
In that space of reunion, everyone had lost the flow of time and returned to their appearance of 300 years ago.
Rain had become Rin, Gizella was in her fresh youth of a teenager, and Ricky was a petite girl.
'Memories…'
Not at all, not even in dreams, did she remember.
Neither their faces, nor their smiles, nor their gazes, nor their individual scents.
Could all those memories be revived so vividly?
"That is…"
Rin wanted to tell the story of going to the ends of the earth with the three fools.
She wanted to recount the memories with them, dwelling in all those lands: in Reasta's hometown, in Frieh's hometown, and in the place where she met Cees.
But was it because her mouth wouldn't open, because her voice wouldn't come out at all, because of the tears endlessly streaming down, transparently shattering the view before her?
"Rin, are you crying? Kids, Rin is crying!"
Gizella began calling her younger siblings to tease Rin.
'Ah, it would have been so good.'
If, 300 years ago, she could have returned like this and met everyone again like this.
"Don't cry! Ricky is here! Saruen Oppa is here too!"
It truly, truly would have been good…
Not as Rain, but as Rin, 300 years ago, like this…
"Rin, I'll get you a tissue."
Grand Senior Phomas said in his usual gentle tone. He was the person among the disciples at the time who most resembled Dean Atlante's character.
"But big brother, where is ■■? I want to see them!"
Then Saruen, the third of the Four Winds, said, frantically looking around.
"■■? I must have misheard, Saruen."
At that moment, a violent pain, like nausea, surged from the depths of her soul.
'■■?'
What is it?
'What is ■■?'
She clearly heard it, but some part of her brain, of her soul, was preventing that memory from surfacing.
"Rin, I told you mages don't cry."
Just as it was 300 years ago, when she embarked on her journey, the Dean covered her head with the conical hat again…
The timeline of reunion fleetingly faded away.
Again, what appeared before her eyes was the reality of 300 years later… Setsunen, making a fuss, thinking she had made some mistake.
"Daddy, are you hurt? You shouldn't cry."
Rain stared blankly at Nen, then quickly wiped away her tears, understanding what this situation meant.
'Yes…'
Let the regret for the past stop…
Now, let it end…
Instead, let's do our best for the connections in this modern era, this reality newly gifted…
"No… these aren't tears of pain. They're tears of joy."
Wiping away her tears and lifting Nen into her arms, Rain felt the warm sunlight pouring into the deep void of her soul.
'Nen connected our hearts.'
The bond that was severed 300 years ago, leaping over three centuries, connecting her with herself here and now.
"Nen, your ability, you see? It might be impossible to exert influence over the vast concept of the world itself, like Akina Mir."
"…?"
"But Nen… only Nen… can save the hearts of the people… living in that world… I'm certain of it today."
Yes.
So let's go.
Let's leave here and head to the Papal State.
'To request a temporary release of the restriction (prohibition) from the Mad Dragon, so I can entrust all my magic to Nen.'