Book 19 Chapter 32
A Bond to Succeed the Archmage: Before and After the Siege (1)
Funeral trumpets stretched long across the blue expanse of the sky, announcing the encoffinment of the souls of the fallen warriors.
Cremation!
It had been mandatorily performed since the period of turmoil to prevent the corruption of those who died in battle against the Abyss.
“Oh Light, have mercy upon all their bodies, minds, and souls.”
However, immediately after the Siege of Lambrard, the cremations performed there were more special and magnificent than other cremations.
“I earnestly pray that all who closed their eyes here may open them anew in the heavenly realm.”
This was because the Radiant Dragon Haraderiman himself officiated the funeral, and it was not fire, but the light of the Radiant Dragon, that guided the souls of the dead towards the heavenly realm.
“…Are you leaving?”
Fairies always wished to be buried in their homeland when their bodies died. In the Battle of Great Annihilation, with 265 casualties emerging from Shimian's Squad, it was no longer possible for the Squad to continue existing. Those deceased were placed in wooden coffins and were departing for distant ports, towards their homeland. The far northeastern part of the Adrion continent was fairy territory.
“So, um, I mean? Thanks to the people here—”
As Rista hesitated and tried to speak, Shimian raised a hand and stopped her.
“—I will not allow any remarks, Rista Alter Sherfain.”
“!”
“No comfort or encouragement is needed. They died fighting a holy battle of faith. More greatly than anyone, carrying out their mission, they went to heaven first. If you comfort me, it would be an insult to their great lives. So, be silent.”
Shimian was young in both body and mind, but there were often times when he made more adult remarks than any adult. Is that why he is the youngest Squad Leader?
Paladin Riven and the surviving fairy soldiers of the Squad bowed their heads deeply and shed tears.
‘I will follow you my entire life, Squad Leader.’
Had it not been for the help of the Squad led by Shimian, this operation itself would not have been feasible, or it would have likely failed under the most extreme conditions.
“I also wish to head to Shuriganacus immediately, but according to the Squad Leader's code, if a squad collapses, I must join forces with another Squad Leader.”
“It's okay. Now our strength is enough.”
“Before coming here, I heard an ugly rumor. The representative elders of the branch all kept silent about it, but it's better to definitely warn you. Because I trust you're not someone who'd go around blabbing.”
“What… rumor?”
“It's a story about the strongest paladin in history.”
“If it's boasting about Lord Riven, you don't necessarily have to do it now…”
“That's not it! Can't you tell from my expression that I'm not kidding right now?! Hey! Hey!”
“Oh, I'm sorry! Don't hit me!”
While Rista was teleporting Shimian, Lin was sitting on the northern stone wall, engrossed in reading. The Lambrard City Heroes' Library! Of course, it couldn't compare to the libraries of the two great holy sites, Terbenopol or Shuriganacus, but it still housed numerous volumes, so there was a considerable yield.
“—What do you think a rune is?”
Lin asked the Radiant Dragon Haraderiman about the truth during the Battle of Great Annihilation, and the Radiant Dragon counter-questioned thus.
“—A rune is a rune, what else? A character of creation? A character of the <Ones Who Came>?”
“—Do not despair. Your years of enlightenment are simply not enough yet. Child who resembles that person, you are correct. A rune is ultimately just a character.”
“—?”
“—Those lacking in knowledge can barely read simple texts, but those with perfected intellect can read and write all texts. The level you must reach is like this. You must be able to wield runes freely.”
He had received a hint that to reach the realm beyond that of an Archmage, the realm of a Sage, one must be able to create and combine runes.
My ultimate technique is Lightning-Thunder Release. For the enemies appearing recently, its destructive power was insufficient, so he couldn't use it as his main attack, but now things would change a little.
‘The last rune of Lightning-Thunder Release, *Flash* (閃).’
This was a rune that simply bestowed the 'flashing' property. Without clashing with the other runes of Lightning-Thunder Release, and because it could also cause visual impairment to the opponent, he had been satisfied with it. But now, enemies that couldn't be satisfied with such runes were appearing one after another… so he decided to combine his own runes.
‘Thus, *Blaze* (剡)!’
Reassembling Lightning-Thunder Release into fire-attribute magic is impossible. Its power would be maximized, but its speed would slow down, which doesn't suit my temperament. In that case, I just need to take the property of flame from the rune.
‘I'll insert the rune *Flame* (炎), a sub-rune of the root rune *Fire* (火)!’
Of course, I won't be satisfied there. The rune *Flame* (炎) and the rune *Blade* (刀) will be combined. In this case, a 'blazing blade' — two properties — will be granted at once!
“Hehe, perfect.”
As soon as he completed this rune in his notebook and wore a knowing smile, that voice echoed.
“Hehe, perfect.”
“Hehe, hehe, hehe, perfect.”
Was I so happy that I ended up making a loud noise? No! Isn't this the voice of a girl and a beast?!
“Damn it, I told you not to mimic me.”
“Agh!”
“Agh, agh, agh! Lin is evil (惡)!”
These days, appearing more often than pebbles tripped over underfoot, it was the Toureyna & Pipi duo. No, wait, why did this beast abandon Friede? By the way, Sbal also hasn't been seen since the last fight, so maybe he was abandoned too. It seems people get abandoned when they get old.
“Uh, uhm, Master… are you, are you okay?”
“Can't you tell by looking? But why do you stutter when you speak your own words? Huh? While you mimic my words perfectly?”
“I am the st-st-strongest at mimicking…”
Since he could now mix Lin's words with his own, it was undoubtedly a significant leap forward. The problem was that his expression and atmosphere were completely different when mimicking Lin's words compared to when speaking his own words. He didn't even stutter then. Lin never spoke like a madman. He was perfectly normal, but that guy just mimicked him strangely.
“I, I too! I'll train magic harder… and next time, I'll pr-pr-protect Master!”
“You? You protect me? Even Pipi passing by would laugh!”
“Kyat, Kyahat, Kyakyakyat.”
Pipi laughed half-heartedly.
“Hey, you. Don't you know the saying, 'Even a rotten gizzard shad is still a gizzard shad'? How many-star magic can you use right now? You can barely use 2-star beginner magic. I can use 2-star advanced magic even while peeing with one hand. 'Protect me,' my ass. You're saying something that would make Sbal more useful than Pipi.”
“Kyat, Kyahat, Kyakyakyat!!!!”
Pipi wiggled its backside left and right, and its head back and forth, laughing joyfully. Dance master!
“Ugh, ugh… I'm, I'm serious!”
Seeing Toureyna speak like that, Lin was contemplating what to do with him after the war.
‘It doesn't seem like Friede would allow him to accompany me.’
When she heard the story of Lin taking him to Yukahara under the guise of magic training, she became furious. The side of his head that had suffered the 'Hell's Fist Spin' back then still hurt.
‘Well, since he said he'd leave him with the witches here…’
Though he's a beginner, since he can now use 2-star magic, he'll be treated as competent talent wherever he goes. That's good enough, I guess.
“—You, do you know what you did? It wouldn't have been strange if you had died then! You can't even count the people who died during that retreat!”
“—I didn't die, so isn't that good enough?”
“—I'm not saying only he would have died! You could have gotten into serious trouble trying to protect him!”
I'd rather avoid getting scolded by Friede again. Fighting playfully is fun, but a genuinely angry Friede is truly terrifying.
“…Hey, did you hear that?”
As he was coming to that conclusion, a voice suddenly came from below the castle wall.
“…Not only the Hero's party is insane, but their mercenary comrades' skills are also insane.”
These days, whenever he was bored, he'd hear tales of valor. Now, it was almost to the point where he'd heard it so often his ears would scab over. He tried to ignore it casually and continue what he was doing.
“…Mercenaries? That dwarf who brought some kind of cannon this time, wasn't he the Aen Commander-in-Chief?”
“…I heard he used to do mercenary work too.”
“…Ah, come to think of it, besides that dwarf, there's the giant. That incredibly scary fellow.”
“…Oh! I thought he was the Aen Golem when I saw him. But why?”
“…That fellow's name is Link! Not like some girl!”
“…Pfft! It is a cute name! The problem is that it doesn't suit him at all.”
Lin suddenly stood up with a start. Although he prided himself on always being a possessor of cold reason, he himself didn't know why he had acted that way. He simply couldn't sit still because of the sudden heat rising within him.
“Huh, gasp!”
As soon as the soldiers saw Lin's conical hat, they were startled. They saluted and hastily fled. Starting from this Siege of Lambrard, Lin became famous like a legendary being, and his conical hat came to be regarded as his symbol. The Archmage who single-handedly defended against the Ancient Ones and the demon horde. The number of 4th and 5th-star spells the boy unleashed for that purpose already far surpassed the realm of even geniuses or prodigies.
“Ma, Master! Where are you going?”
Lin tried to return to the Heroes' Library. The problem was that to get to the Heroes' Library, built below the stairs leading to the Heroes' Hall, he had to walk for half a day from this northern castle wall.
“Pant, pant… Ugh, seriously, what kind of crazy city is this?!”
It was at that moment, as he was shouting. A heroine, proudly resting her hands on both hips, suddenly appeared atop that castle wall! She was clearly standing still, yet her body was moving! What was going on? The answer was that she was standing on the back of a lion.
“Lin! I came to help! Because I'm a cool and chic woman who can hear even your smallest groans!”
Lin, who had been carefully observing her features and attire, had to tilt his head and shake it.
“Who?”