Book 4 Chapter 27
Episode 101
The night at the 3rd gymnasium, used by Snakemast, was quiet. Only the intermittent chirping of crickets from outside the window filled the hall.
It wasn't as if they had specifically promised to do so, but the five members of the challenger team gathered here once the match was over. Just as they had for the past ten days.
When Rain, who had opened the door and entered, was briefly flustered and then let out a chuckle, everyone smiled as if to say, "You're the same too."
"Hmm, so that's how it ended up."
Logan, having heard the post-story from Rain, stroked his chin with a regretful expression. Nora, on the other hand, had an attitude as if there was nothing she couldn't understand.
"Well, I didn't really think we could disband Gryffinvalor with just one game, though★"
Just then, Hubert provocatively pointed a finger at Rain and spoke.
"Let me tell you in advance so you don't get any strange ideas, this is the only time I'll help. Because Gryffinvalor had to be disbanded. You and I are enemies, don't act like we're close just because I helped you this time."
A brief silence fell, and then Logan, Caden, and Nora chuckled, shaking their heads in their own ways.
"Hey you, aren't you tired of that concept yet?"
[LOL hahaha]
"It's too cliché. I think it's time to change it up a bit♣"
Hubert snapped, telling them not to laugh, but Logan friendly put his arm around his shoulder and chuckled, asking what the big deal was.
"…"
Rain, who had been smiling while watching the two bicker, suddenly quietly looked down at his fingers, carefully wrapped in bandages.
A symbol of intense training where skin tore, blistered, and fingernails broke; proof that he had pushed himself without rest for ten days.
Just as he was about to sink into a feeling of ache in a corner of his chest, Lillian spoke to him.
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's just… I guess it's really over."
In fact, this might be the first time he had properly witnessed the end of any journey like this.
Even during his time as the Grand Mage of the Hero's party, which was the first and longest journey of his life, he couldn't see the end of the journey.
He had merely lived in solitude and helplessness, unable to bring an end to it, unable to see its conclusion, and unable to share that end with his comrades.
"We really pushed ourselves hard."
Perhaps, just perhaps.
Words he might have shared with the Lyrista party, or rather, words he should have shared with the Lyrista party first.
"Because I feel like it's really all over now."
What would have happened if he had been able to say those words back then?
Kieth would have gotten completely drunk and hoisted him onto his shoulders for a piggyback ride, and Frieda would have burst out laughing at him desperately yelling to be put down, only to choke on cigarette smoke. Serves her right.
Would Lyrista have worriedly patted Frieda's back? Surely she would have.
Touraine would have surely clung to Kieth's leg, telling him not to bother their master… and Pipi would have circled above her head, teasing her.
If only he could have been there then, if only he could have enjoyed that 'moment of the end' with those hopelessly foolish guys…
"Because I feel like this is what an end is…"
From deep within his chest, perhaps deep within his soul, his eyes unexpectedly welled up with hot tears of sorrow.
"…"
"…"
"…"
The disciples of the Eight Great Schools, who couldn't possibly know Rain's inner thoughts, exchanged bewildered glances when Rain wiped his eyes with his arm, and then began aggressively elbowing the one they suspected to be the culprit.
'Hubert, this is happening because you ruined the mood with your strange words★'
'Nora's right. How could a fool like you know how soft-hearted our Young Master is?'
[For real, you kinda crossed the line;;;]
'No, you crazy bastards, why is this my fault?'
'Alright, just apologize quickly. He's crying because of you.'
In the end, Hubert, pushed and shoved by the other four, who had ganged up on him, shouted with a world-collapsing sigh.
"Alright, I get it! Seriously! I can help just one more time next time, so don't act so ugly, you noble!"
Rain, who didn't understand (since he hadn't been hurt by Hubert in the first place), blinked, but Logan immediately came to his aid.
"That's right, Young Master. There's no need to feel sad! If you're really disappointed, how about calling for one more disbandment match against Lionheart?"
A moment of silence then fell.
Lillian shook her head, pressing her temples, as if there was no point in responding.
"Can you handle it if you say that directly to Professor Owen?"
"Ah, no, that's a bit… what I mean is, this isn't the end!"
When Logan scratched his head like a fool, the room erupted in laughter once again. Laughter also flowed from Rain's lips.
Yes, it must have been like this.
It must have been like this back then too.
Without even feeling the loss of an end, they must have been drawing a future together again. That's how it is, isn't it? They had decided to embark on an adventure together…
* * *
As the Star Archer (弓星) Kieth's old age ailments deepened and he couldn't leave his sickbed, his relatives and disciples fluttered about, not knowing what to do.
"Even the Shamaness said there's nothing she can do…"
"Are we still unable to contact Lady Frieda?"
"No one has known her whereabouts since we heard she left for the South."
"Then shouldn't we at least bring Lady Touraine here!"
"But Master said he wouldn't receive treatment from Lady Touraine."
Amidst the urgent noises coming from outside the door, what the old hero felt was not fear of death.
Only an uncontrollable sorrow and regret.
Kieth, gasping his last ragged breaths, turned his gaze to the shelf on the wall. There, rested a companion he had been with his entire life.
Serwebon, the White Thorn Bow, whose bowstring was woven from the vines of life-flowers blooming from the bow stave of the Spirit Tree.
'Serwebon, companion of my soul.'
Then the pure white bow stave resonated with its master's call and exhaled the breath of the World Tree. A familiar, clean fragrance brought a smile to Kieth's lips.
'I will now grow old and die… but you, a part of the World Tree, will enjoy a life close to immortality.'
*Hum*… a gloomy light seeped from the cracks in the bow stave. Serwebon, who possessed a consciousness, was grieving the death of its friend.
'With that immortal life, guide and teach my inept disciples… so that they may become excellent archers like me.'
*Hum*…
'So that when our friend returns, when the moment comes that Rin needs help… you can be a source of strength.'
*Hum, hum, hum*… When the name Rin was mentioned, the fragrance of the World Tree that Serwebon diffused smelled of autumn. Sad, fleeting, dry…
'And will you convey this when the day comes that we meet again?'
In the fleeting moment of death, as his eyelids grew heavy and closed, what flashed before Kieth's eyes was the flower garden of that day.
The flower garden where birds sang and flowers danced, Rin being dragged along by Lyrista's hand, and himself and Frieda watching from afar and laughing.
After once more picturing in his mind that scene from that day, which he had yearned for, yearned for, and yearned for throughout his life, the Star of the Bow quietly fell beyond the night sky.
'Tell her that there wasn't a single day in my entire life when I forgot her.'
* * *
Upon returning to his dorm, Pipi enthusiastically welcomed him. When he scooped a handful of corn from a sack, she danced excitedly.
He immediately packed his toiletries and headed to the bathhouse. As he took off his clothes, which were not just sweaty but soaked, his left palm suddenly caught his eye.
Oh my, the lines seem to have gotten darker… Now that he thought about it, it suddenly hurt during volleyball; was that when this happened?
"Hmm…?"
He had originally planned to soak in the hot tub and space out until lights out, but curiosity surged, so he quickly washed off the sweat and got out.
His body reflected in the changing room mirror had quite distinct muscle definition and a sense of weight, thanks to the Magic-Protein, but he had no time to get carried away by this.
It was enough to simply know that his body now moved comfortably as he wished. Falling in love with muscles was something only the Chaichak School did.
"Rudyien, come out."
As he dried his hair with a towel and opened Rin's notebook, a dark blue aura in the shape of a butterfly emerged as if it had been waiting, and settled on his shoulder.
Socrafres.
- Can inherit the progress of 'Unique Magic' research from the surrounding environment.
- Progress 49.8% -> 50%.
- 'Unique Magic' comprehension, 50% achieved.
>>>
Brante.
- Changes in magic circuit confirmed: Flowing World Venerable => Flowing World Venerable - Alert (流量世尊 - 警).
Flowing World Venerable changed?
Flowing World Venerable - Alert?
But that rune… He pondered for a moment, then opened his left palm.
"Analyze the circuit."
Rudyien landed on his left palm and lightly fluttered its wings, and countless magic particles seemed to scatter before merging into a string of characters before his eyes.
>>>
Camitishia.
Analyzing the circuit…
ㆍ Upon circuit activation, 'Imagery Barrier: Flowing World Venerable - Alert' deploys in a 20-meter radius around the caster.
ㆍ Within the 'Imagery Barrier: Flowing World Venerable - Alert', the success rate of magic combinations using 'Unique Runes' and 'Unique Mathematical Formulas' is amplified from 38% to 43%, and power from 71% to 76%.
Other than the considerable 5% increase in both success rate and power, it wasn't much different from Flowing World Venerable.
Still, 5% is a significant amount, isn't it?
He was about to excitedly clench his fist when he saw another option added below.
>>>
Camitishia.
ㆍ Within the 'Imagery Barrier: Flowing World Venerable - Alert', by forming the hand seal of Alert (警), 'Oath-Binding Locked Chains (制誓鎖攔鍊)' can be activated.
Oath-Binding Locked Chains… For a moment, he couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
Is this right? Is this possible?
What is Oath-Binding Locked Chains? You could just say it's the true name of the 5-star magic 'Chains of Alert' that he had created.
More than a name, perhaps a sequence of the five runes used in it. In any case, it was indeed the skill that cornered him against Livadine.
'Although I snatched it and used it with the Bell Quirius, I thought I still had a long way to go to use it directly.'
Since it was a magic with such powerful force, it wasn't for nothing that it became Rin's main magic.
However, the world of magic was always about give and take; naturally, it wasn't all sunshine and smiles.
ㆍ Required magic amount for casting: 37,000 (Warning - Current caster's magic amount: 39,943).
As expected, the amount of magic required for imagery construction had nearly doubled.
Previously it was 20,000, but now it had changed so that almost all of his current magic had to be poured into it to make it possible.
Is this good or bad…? No, it's obviously good, but somehow it still feels bad. Would it hurt to just give it freely?
"Hehe."
As he made such absurdly happy complaints and flopped onto the bed, Pipi turned off the lamp and flew to settle on his forehead.
"Hehe, hehe, hehe, hehe."
"Pipi, do you know something?"
"Pipi doesn't know. Hehe, hehe, hehe."
"I'm already halfway to 6-star magic! Aren't you jealous? Jealous jealous jealous?"
"Pipi, jealous jealous jealous jealous jealous."
"Hehehehehe."
"Hehe, hehe, hehe."
He was so happy to have Pipi, who always played along with his childish antics.
Anyway, he was so thrilled to have reached 50% of 6-star magic that he tumbled around on the bed, kicking up dust, until Pipi pecked his forehead hard, making him stop.
As drowsiness slowly crept in and he pulled the blanket up to his chest, Pipi settled next to Rain's face and shared the warmth of the sun.
"Good night, Pipi."
"Good night, Pipi. Good night, Rin."
The boy's consciousness, as his eyes softly closed, swiftly drifted into darkness…
Once his soft breathing began, Pipi quietly flew up to the highest spot in the dorm, settling on top of a bookshelf.
And with glowing eyes, she vigilantly guarded against any danger that might approach the boy from the darkness of the night. Just as she had throughout their long journey, and as she had continuously done since coming here.
- Protect that child, Pipi.
Because she had made that promise with Frieda.
Contrary to Rin's thoughts, Pipi wasn't getting more sleep. She simply wasn't sleeping at night.
In the summer night breeze that flowed through the open transom window, the Sun Parrot, preening every corner of its wings with its beak, looked up at the moon.
The four moons, unchanged from the day the journey ended 300 years ago.