Book 8 Chapter 26

Chapter 200

Deep within the underground of the 'Flowing Desert' lay a fortress from the Abyssal Age.

Ancient barriers pushed aside the endlessly flowing sand, but the fortress itself, save for its battlements, was buried beneath it.

Zernics, the man with an eye patch sitting cross-legged there, looked down at the three Slayers his puppet laid at his feet.

[These are a Mage Slayer, a Priest Slayer, and an Engineer Slayer, respectively… right?]

When did she appear?

A girl with a mischievous voice, or more accurately, the spiritual entity forming her shape, stood beside him.

[They say the Slayers were annihilated, but why are these still alive~?]

This demoness.

Zernics curved the corners of his lips upwards.

"I barely managed to save them from dying. That kid, he's become incredibly strong. Defeating Sharl'cas and Nariaduk wasn't just bluffing after all."

Ellamass covered her mouth with her long sleeve, feigning surprise, but a captivating and mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes.

[That's really strange! No matter how strong he's become, I don't think he could have defeated a Dragon Slayer head-on, could he? The current him was on par with me, you know.]

"No, I told you, he won."

[Because you, brother, took those three out at a critical moment, right?]

Ellamass's eyes narrowed sharply, and Zernics's lips curled slightly downwards.

[Whatever mischief you play, brother, I won't care much. After all, they're all just insignificant things anyway.]

"Hmm."

[But if you try to play such a trick on my sister, I won't stand by idly either.]

As she said that, the playful defiance that always lingered in Ellamass's voice was nowhere to be found.

[The Slayers were annihilated right after my sister went back down beneath the barrier…]

There was no smile on her face to begin with.

She merely stared directly at Zernics with eerie eyes.

[Hahahaha, no matter how I look at it, all I can think is that something's suspicious, don't you agree?]

Ah, this demoness is threatening me now… Zernics raised both hands and nodded his head.

"You'll overlook my childish antics if I just do that? How grateful I am. I'll definitely keep it in mind."

I'll endure for now.

You, and that monstrous old hag too.

Once I obtain Lyuken's descendant, once I possess that body that reached its peak at such a young age, you'll all be nothing but a mere punch away.

[Having passed the Tersh Archipelago, he'll soon arrive at my location too.]

"That's right."

[So, if he comes to my location, I'll kill him.]

Zernics chuckled, "Heh."

So, she also knows that I lured him towards the Slayers.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

[Hmph, I suppose you wouldn't.]

As Ellamass retreated with a smiling face once more, her spiritual entity gradually faded until it scattered into mist.

"Ah, I forgot to say thank you."

That place was the courtyard of Solond Palace, where the southern sunlight shone brilliantly.

In front of stained glass colored with sacred patterns, a girl dressed in a noble and wide-sleeved holy vestment, adorned with prominent patterns, smiled gently.

She had dared to deal with that thorn in her side, the child who received her sister's affection… she was truly grateful.

"If I kill such a fellow and offer his head, my sister will love me even more, won't she?"

Zernics, whatever evil scheme you're plotting with that kid, it's all meaningless.

He'll die by my hand before he even crosses this entire Adrion continent.

Ellamass flicked her long, pointed ears with satisfaction.

"By the hands of this Ellamass… heh heh heh."

Long ears were a symbol of circumcision (割禮) permitted only to the first descendants.

Simply put, those with such ears were a physical device proving they were descendants of the fairies who aided the gods in battle during the primordial era.

To put it even more simply, it meant she was a fairy race, of that noble and great bloodline, capable of wielding vast miraculous powers.

"What do you think of my plan?"

Ellamass's gaze turned to the swordsman standing guard below the altar.

The swordsman had maintained an unmoving posture for hours, bearing the immense weight of the Ultimate Holy Sword Shyrphen on his back.

His gender and identity were unrecognizable due to the sturdy plate armor covering his entire body, but Ellamass knew his true identity well.

"The ancient hero of those inferior humans."

* * *

A sensation as if the scars on his body were being burned by flame, darkness, flames…

He thought he was hovering near death, but at some point, a familiar world appeared before his eyes.

A forest on an autumn day, the clear yet bittersweet sound of fallen leaves, and a stone tower rising from within that forest, covered in ivy.

'This is…'

He felt a lifelong homesickness writhing in his chest.

'The magic tower of the Osarius School…?'

The stone tower seemed less weathered by time than he remembered, but its overall appearance and the scent of the forest were exactly the same.

Someone was sitting on the grand hall floor of the magic tower's first level, where he used to learn formulas from his aunt.

A middle-aged man approached that someone.

"Lyuken, how long do you intend to stay like this?"

Lyuken? Lyuken Ludwig?

The progenitor of the Ludwig family and the 5th Great Archmage?

As if answering that question, a middle-aged man with elegant black hair and red eyes turned towards him.

"You've been a guest in my magic tower for two years already. Isn't it about time you returned to your family? Your wife must be worried."

"My family, you say."

Lyuken gave a bitter smile and looked down at his palms.

"How can I, who killed with these hands a child who was more like family than my own family, return to any family?"

"You merely did what you had to do. That child, Zernics… if left alone, he would have brought ruin to this world."

"It was I who made that child that way, Osarius."

The middle-aged man, with utterly ordinary features but eyes that were incomparably intelligent and gentle, bit his lip.

This person is Osarius?

The progenitor of the school I was at odds with, and Lyuken's best friend? What exactly is this memory?

Did he kill Zernics?

It was a memory that conflicted with history. Zernics was supposed to have disappeared at a young age.

"A disciple is like a blank slate. They are merely paper that follows the path taught by the master, dyed with the master's colors."

"Lyuken…"

"He was a child who could have become a light spreading truth in this world. The fact that he was tainted by the abyss, and that he died, ultimately means it was me."

He was merely a worthless primary color, who couldn't be called or had the right to be called a master, and who merely dyed his disciple in a strange color.

Why was it so, at that mumbled thought?

Sad, ah, it was so, so sad.

Because the images of young Toureina and adult Toureina briefly flickered in the leaf-strewn air. Because he could recognize the pattern of that sorrow.

"You must be thirsty, I've brought tea!"

A girl, about ten years old, bowed respectfully and offered a tray with tea to the two men.

"Thank you."

Lyuken placed his hand on the girl's head and gave an incomparably sad smile.

In his youth, did he see the image of his disciple in that face? As he was looking at Toureina now.

Osarius, watching his friend's expression, said,

"You are a Great Archmage. Other disciples will inherit your will. Shouldn't you share your wisdom with them too?"

"How can one who couldn't protect what was precious be called a Great Archmage? I probably won't reach the truth for the rest of my life."

Why does he speak that way?

Why does he belittle himself like that?

Osarius's sad feelings somehow flowed into his mind.

"Osarius, my old friend. You are kind. All your disciples have inherited that kindness. They are worlds apart from my disciples, who would burn everything for the sake of magic."

Whose memory is this showing?

Is it Lyuken's genes showing the memory, or Osarius's spirit?

"No one who reaches the truth will come from my seed, tainted by the blood of a disciple. But you, your disciples someday…"

Why is it so sad?

Why is this such a sorrowful memory?

Is it my sadness, or the sadness of the one who showed this memory? His tear-soaked eyelids were heavily lifted.

'It's sticky from tears.'

No, wait. Something's strange. Do tears have a viscous component?

And no matter how much he cried, would it cover his entire face?

He raised his hand and wiped away the liquid covering his face, and two different girls were reflected in his eyes.

"Aw, you woke up?"

Reflected on the left was Akirea, the avatar of Alakish, born with the beauty of flame itself.

"Arroo."

And reflected on the right was… a golden-haired girl who exuded a sacred aura, as if sunlight had taken human form.

Her still short hair, eyebrows, and eyes were all a beautiful golden color.

Who is she? No, I think I know who she is, but why is she gnawing on my head?

"Aki, you brat, you taught her this, didn't you…"

He propped himself up and leaned against the backrest.

Perhaps thanks to the explosive regenerative ability derived from the Yeouiju, he wasn't without pain, but he could move reasonably well.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Don't roll your eyes and pretend you don't know. Get over here, aren't you going to get over here…?"

Aki, having just recovered, easily dodged his weak gestures left and right.

"This, martial, arts, you've, learned, a bit…"

Getting stubborn, he stretched out both hands rapidly but couldn't catch her.

"Eek, ack, eek, you, need to, be, disciplined, you, are you going to keep dodging…?!"

Aki probably thought he was playing a fun game, giggling as she dodged. Dragonkin definitely have insane dynamic vision.

"Arulung."

All the while, the golden child clinging to his head was drooling and enjoying gnawing, tearing, tasting, and savoring his hair.

A nightmare from half a year ago came to mind… back then, Aki also made his hair sticky every day.

Aki's drool was hot, making him feel strange, but this one, as expected of a golden dragon, had electricity crackling from her drool, which stung.

"Stop getting drool on me. Aki, you're the older sister, what were you doing not supervising this properly while I was asleep?"

Aki looked directly at him, tilted her head, then clung to his arm and rubbed her cheek against it.

"Abu."

"Don't pretend you can't speak."

"Ababat."

Looking around the room, it seemed to be a one-room hut. It was a room where the sea breeze blew pleasantly through a large window facing the sea.

But why is no one guarding me?

No sooner had he thought that than he saw Pipi, covered in dragon drool, rolling around on the side table!

"Pipi! You got hurt guarding me."

"Pipi, Pipi, Pipi…"

Tears welled up at Pipi's sacrifice.

The battle with the Beast Slayer had been so fierce that he was bandaged everywhere.

The Slayers had made one mistake. How could Pipi, who had fought for 300 years, be a hothouse flower?

He certainly wouldn't lose to a Beast Slayer who had served in battle for at most 10 years.

"There's also a rumor that dragon saliva has disinfectant properties and amplifies healing power. Don't whine, consider it a blessing."

As he was subduing the young dragons, a familiar taunt was heard.

"Valensidis."

You're safe.

Even if you're leaning on crutches.

"You miraculously didn't die."

"Glad to disappoint you again."

"The Slayers?"

"My special task force and I took care of all the remaining small fry."

"I see."

After exchanging fleeting smiles, he pointed to the beach with his thumb.

"Someone is waiting for you there. Can you move?"

"Do I have to move?"

"Yes. I would appreciate it if you refrained from asking for help to stand. Of course, if you get on your knees and beg, I might not be able to refuse."

"Even if the world crumbles, I wouldn't say such a thing to you, damn it!"

His stomach hurt after shouting.

Is the recovery of his internal organs still slow?

A deeply wounded mage sat on the beach, staring out at the distant sea, a sight that made such complaints seem embarrassing.

"I never imagined you'd wake up from such severe injuries in just two days. An ordinary person would have been bedridden for half a year."

It was Doran Slade.

Though their first meeting and impression weren't good, how much help had he received from this man this time?

But now he… couldn't live as a Battle Mage. He had lost one leg.

"No, perhaps it's natural since you now possess two Yeouiju. To be precise, one and eleven, I suppose."

"Aru."

"Abut."

At those strange noises, the young dragons clinging to his head and back chimed in.

"One and eleven? What do you mean by that?"

"Young dragons entrust their power to their protector for safety. As they mature, they gradually receive it back."

Does that mean this power will return to Aki later?

He felt no regret.

Because it was only natural. He lived in the moment, but she lived for eternity.

"The golden dragon freed from the Dragon Slayer chose you as its protector. So, you can't separate it, can you?"

Oh my God.

His mind felt dizzy.

Is this also Karanden's will? But is she planning to gather all three types of dragons? How am I supposed to raise them?

'I'll be parting with Aki soon anyway.'

That thought pierced deep into his soul, making him close his mouth.

Doran also remained silent for a while, so the only sounds heard were the cries of seabirds and the crashing of waves.

Finally, Doran adjusted his old fedora with a somewhat sad gaze and spoke.

"My sister died when I was eight years old. She was twenty then. She was the one who took care of me in place of our mother, who passed away giving birth to me."

"…"

"She was very beautiful and, unlike me, very kind-hearted. Her magical talent was exceptional, but her body was sickly from birth."

"…"

"Perhaps worried that I might stray down the wrong path, she left a will for me to become a mage like Lin before she embarked on her distant journey."

Doran held out his fedora towards him with a bitter smile.

"This hat was received along with that will."

"Like Lin's straw hat?"

"That's right. I thought I had lived a life not unworthy of that will with my not-so-lacking skills, but seeing Rain's forgery this time, I realized how much I was lacking. I could have done better."

Doran looked up at the layered clouds in the clear sky, muttering in a somewhat bitter tone.

At that moment, he was surprised.

At himself, answering immediately like this.

"You were not lacking at all."

Because if you, if you hadn't shown that fighting spirit, if you hadn't worked so hard, we wouldn't have seen today.

"If Lin had seen you two days ago, she would have said the same."

He couldn't speak as Lin, but he could convey what Lin would have felt, more accurately and quickly than anyone.

"That's what she said!"

"Arulung."

As Aki and the golden dragon chimed in, Doran looked at him with slightly surprised eyes.

And a moment later, he gave a somewhat transparent smile, unlike the usual mask-like smile he wore.

He immediately pulled his fedora down deep over his eyes, erasing that smile.

"We will recover the Dragon Scale Armor and take it to the Papal Court. But we will report that the Dragon Bone Spear was not found. Anyway, if we take it, it'll probably be discarded as an object of blasphemy."

"Why?"

"Your comrade, upon identifying him, turned out to be the top disciple of the Namnyun Sword Sect. His axe was also shattered this time, don't you think it would make a good weapon?"

He could only stare with wide eyes at Doran, who was standing up with his crutches.

As Doran faced him, the brim of his fedora fluttered ephemerally in the sea breeze and came off.

Doran, catching the fedora in mid-air, pressed it respectfully to his chest, adopting a polite posture usually reserved for a vastly superior elder.

"I cannot go with you, but I wholeheartedly pray that this sentiment will be of some help on your 'new journey'."