Book 9 Chapter 21
Episode 220
"Lynn, that's not how you use magic."
I also couldn't understand the concept that one must put their heart into magic at first.
No, perhaps it's still the same now.
When the Dean taught me magic, there were times I couldn't use it even though I thought I had perfectly calculated its workings.
"Magic, you see? You pour your heart into it."
Even now, if I close my eyes, it feels as if I can grasp it, vividly remembered like cherry blossoms in full bloom on a spring day.
"It's not difficult. Slowly, calmly."
Even the scent of that person who wore a gentle smile, their breathing, and the warmth of their hand as it covered mine.
"Now, would you like to try again?"
That day, I put my heart into magic for the first time, albeit with lingering doubts.
I poured into the magic a shy feeling, impossible to express in words, wanting to make the Dean happy.
And that day, magic responded to my life for the first time. The miracle I encountered that day profoundly changed my life.
"See? You can do it, can't you?"
I confess that my moniker as the youngest Archmage was not due to my exceptional talent, but built upon that great teaching.
And I hope that Obin is now feeling the same light and emotion I felt that day.
May Obin also reach a great turning point in his life as a mage with this teaching.
With such a prayer in mind, I quietly smiled.
“See, you can do it.”
Light flowing from the flute created new ripples, spreading into the rainforest.
On a spring day when wind chimes tinkle, there's a deep fragrance of sunlight falling gently upon one's face during a pleasant nap.
The wondrous aroma of a round melody taking shape as clear rays of light, permeating into the deep nature, souls, and bodies that had fallen into the abyss.
“……?!”
The power of the Heavenly Wave Flute, which Archmage Rigwind was said to have imbued with the voices of the gods, overwhelmed the abyss.
The twisted and broken skeletons, and the bodies of the primitives that had been worn over them like discarded shells, melted away. As if caressed by a gentle touch.
Those who were trapped by the primal plague collapsed one by one onto the puddles where their discarded shells had melted.
“No, how can this be…?”
And that power naturally reached Arif Pester, who was on the verge of turning into a primitive.
The force that grotesquely twisted his body disappeared, and a new, warm vitality made his body and soul whole.
As Arif blinked his eyes in disbelief, Obin, who had stopped playing the flute, rushed into his embrace.
“Gr-Grand, Grandfaatheer…!”
Arif, who was about to embrace his grandson, hesitated for a moment and examined his hands, but there was no trace of the plague left on them.
Watching Arif silently weep while hugging Obin, whom he thought was dead, Setsunen shook her head slightly.
Valensidis approached with an air of melancholy.
“Indeed, I am not qualified to be a teacher, Rain Ludwig.”
To hear such a voice from this fellow, I've truly lived a long life. I wanted to tease him, but it wasn't the right atmosphere.
“Valensidis, do you think there's such a thing as a perfect teacher from the start?”
“……!”
“Teaching is also part of learning. You realized what you lack today, didn't you? So next time, you can guide better, can't you?”
I'm not yet qualified to speak like them, and I'm not confident I can ever become like them even if I live a lifetime.
Still, I said that.
Because in this situation, if I had spoken like that, the Dean would surely have said this:
“So there's no need to whine already.”
I playfully punched his shoulder and grinned.
On that day 300 years ago, a new heart was planted in my life, which is to say, Dean Atlante's heart.
I believe that heart still guides my path to truth today.
* * *
“The revival of the Primal Kingdom?”
After the long explanation, the arrogant Zenyas asked again, his expression one of disbelief.
“Is that possible?”
“Of course it is.”
Elamas said, placing a hand on the hero's forehead and injecting new thoughts.
“This place, where Solond Kingdom's capital, the Sun City Barra, was built, was originally the capital of the Primal Kingdom. To be precise, a new kingdom was built upon a kingdom buried underground.”
“……!”
“Rigwind is said to have built a kingdom in the middle of the Republic at the request of the gods… to suppress the abyss of that kingdom.”
Rigwind cast a massive sealing ritual around the Primal Kingdom.
For a long time, Rigwind's descendants protected this kingdom as guardians of the seal.
Only with something called 'The Great Will', passed down exclusively to royal descendants, could the barrier be controlled.
“It's not enough to just have blood, nor to have some relic. Someone from the royal family must truly wish for it to be so.”
So, with all their effort, they finally seated the young princess, who hadn't even had time to mature, on the throne as a puppet.
They also gained the trust of half… or perhaps two-thirds of the court officials.
It's impossible for a handful of forces to give the princess proper counsel.
“Everything was going smoothly, but this slightly disrupted my plans.”
Elamas clicked his tongue and roughly seized the hero's forehead, as if in indignation.
“I had intended to go deal with it myself after everything was over.”
No, no need to get excited.
From the start, even if he was a hero, I never expected anything from mere humans. Trashy humans.
Soon the kingdom will awaken. Its military power will become his own strength.
‘And… when the power of Hayrkan, king of the Primal Kingdom and one of Naygalas's five retainers, awakens, the power of the undead will become several times stronger.’
Then, even a dragon race could be perfectly resurrected. Currently, his power is weak and can only control bodies.
“…Reviving the Primal Kingdom to punish human arrogance seems a bit excessive, don't you think?”
The one who objected to Elamas's New World plan was Arha (No. 1), Sneer.
Elamas was displeased that Sneer, of all people, was not wholeheartedly participating in his plan.
Sneer was originally a Paladin, a being called a Holy Knight by humans, who wielded a Holy Spear.
Paladins who guarded the *Sasa* were historically selected from among the best warriors of their time, and Sneer was the one who protected Elamas until the very end.
Paladins.
The crystallization of military power created by fairies who rebelled against the dragons' practice of selecting Payquoriers solely from insignificant humans.
“They say there's no cure for a mad dog but a club. Nothing works on them.”
“……”
“How many sacrifices will it take for them to come to their senses? How much longer should I wait? Do those who caused my father's death seem to have matured over 500 years?”
Elamas's voice gradually rose.
Before the situation reached its peak, Sneer bowed his head as if he had no intention of upsetting him.
Perhaps a strange tension about the current situation arose as he became irritable; Elamas bit his lip.
“I have a bad feeling about this. I've put years of effort into this, and I can't let it fall apart. Yes, I can't let that happen.”
If that mute prince were to meet the puppet princess, everything would be in vain.
The princess followed the prince well, so if the prince told the princess never to listen to him…
Just then, as he shivered with annoyance, a loud commotion was heard from outside. It was the sound of palace guards running around and reporting to their superiors.
“…Hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million people, have surrounded the capital!”
“If they don't get food, they'll end everything…!”
“…We must hold an imperial council immediately. Send messengers to the officials.”
Hmph, finally the chaos begins…
Only then did Elamas, wearing a satisfied smile, tightly clench his hand, where the spirits had been raging.
“Never let those scoundrels enter this capital. Understand? Kill them all. I refuse any further variables.”
Then the hero, who had been collapsed like a rag doll, slowly rose. His eyes were pale and hazy like a doll's, devoid of emotional depth.
“Yes, I will obey your command.”
* * *
Prince Obin had no time for a lengthy tearful reunion with his grandfather.
“All survivors who can move are gathering in the capital right now.”
A young man who had regained his senses from the primal curse said so.
“Even when I was there, there were countless people, and who knows what it's like now… many starved to death because the princess wouldn't open the city gates.”
That is why the young man came to Banirud.
Although the king lived burdened by all sorts of resentment and grievances, the queen, who loved her people wholeheartedly, was loved by them.
But Banirud had already fallen to the plague, and then…
“You were alive after all, Your Highness. I believed it. You are the Queen's son, after all. Though those officials said you abandoned the country and fled…”
The young man mumbled blankly, holding Obin's hand.
“My family is in the capital. They were all too ill to come here, so only I came…”
Obin did not brush away the hand as if it were rude or unpleasant.
“They must have already caught the plague and died there. It's all over now. It's over…”
Instead, he firmly held the hand and simply shook his head resolutely.
“It's n-not over. I, I will set everything right again. So don't worry.”
Something in the prince's voice and demeanor, a warmth reminiscent of the former Queen, made tears burst from the young man's eyes.
“To pick out the main points revealed in the testimonies of many people…”
Valensidis, watching this, stroked his chin with a sigh.
“It means time is much tighter than expected.”
If the people's revolt was intentional… to gather the kingdom's last survivors within the spell circle's influence…
The moment it activates, everything ends. Without any time to stop it or weaken it midway.
Valensidis's palms were drenched in cold sweat.
“There's no time to wait for Rem and Bart to join us. It's doubtful if we'll even reach the kingdom in time if we leave right now.”
Miria pressed her temples, as if with regret.
“We originally came not just for supplies, but to get horses…”
“What's the point of such regrettable talk? They say all the animals in the castle, even rats, were eaten during the long siege. Let's depart quickly instead of grumbling.”
As Rain spoke and stepped forward, Arif called out to him, stopping him.
“Wait.”
In his hand was a steering wheel with an elegantly aristocratic decoration.
“If you head north from here, you'll reach the Meia River. You are outsiders, but you must know about the Meia River, yes?”
“Of course. It's famous for how Maeian, the Moon of Creation and one of the <Ones Who Came>, offered prayers and purified the contaminated water.”
“If you go straight up that river, you can reach the capital faster than by land. This is the steering console of our family's ancestral speedboat, the 'Golden Storm,' it should be docked at the pier.”
“Rain, so much time has passed; will that ship be safe?”
“Don't worry. A powerful barrier is set up, so unless this steering wheel is inserted, the 'Golden Storm' cannot be operated.”
The problem was that there were 32 oars.
Fewer than fifty citizens of Banirud had regained consciousness, and none of those fifty had the strength to row.
Even as Arif let out a sigh mixed with concern, Rain and Valensidis exchanged peculiar smiles.
“Thirty-two oars, think you can do it? Will it be too much for you? If it is, say so. Even if you can't use telekinesis, I can help with Bell Quirios.”
“You underestimate me too much.”
As soon as the magic circle shattered in Valensidis's hand, numerous debris were drawn by an unseen force and floated into the sky.
Telekinesis.
With this psychic power and Valensidis's exceptional skill, injecting explosive propulsion into the ship with 32 oars would be no problem.
“The ship should be fine, but is it alright for us to leave like this?”
“Banirud will not fall to the plague twice. We cannot let that happen. For the memories of the queen and prince reside here.”
“Memories… indeed.”
The scene that flashed before Rain's eyes like a spring breeze was that of twilight flower fields blooming in the dusk.
Rista, who smiled brightly at me.
Now I go to meet you. If I can truly call it 'you,' that is… A bitter smile formed on his lips.
“Still, I'm worried, so I'll cast a barrier for you before we go. It should be fine for about two days.”
“We are incurring too many debts to you. We're in no position to properly compensate you…”
“Let's talk about it after everything is over. But I'm just going to the capital for my own business, so you don't need to worry too much.”
In that unusually cheerful voice, there was an inexplicable undertone of sorrow.
Miria, who was holding and comforting Setsunen, made irritable by the abyss, looked worriedly at Rain.
If it were truly Lynn… that heart would be on the verge of breaking right now, due to so much pain.
‘Since my sister was in such a state, I understand better than anyone.’
And the one who saved my sister Millea, who was trapped in that eternal swamp, was…
“You will save the kingdom with your own hands, Prince.”
Arif, for the last time, grasped Obin's shoulders and met his gaze.
“Forgive this foolish old man who cannot go with you. Though I desperately wish to accompany you, I would surely be a burden.”
“I-It's al-alright!”
“The Queen in heaven will surely be proud of your noble heart, Prince, as you head into mortal danger for your people.”
Arif seemed to calmly keep his distance, but in the end, he hugged Obin tightly and shed tears.
“Oh, Gods, why such a cruel burden upon such a young child…”
Obin seemed about to cry in his arms, but the prince respectfully pushed his grandfather away and shook his head.
“It's n-not a burden; it's my duty.”
Smiling brightly.
Even though it was not a situation to smile in.
“I p-promised Mother. So it's alright. It's not hard at all. I'll be back soon, Grandpa.”
Just as his mother had done for him, and just as Rain had done for Aki during their brief journey together.
A king is one who becomes the father of the people, not someone to confide suffering and complaints in, but one who must soothe their pain and comfort their hardships.
Arif had to swallow his emotional sobs, recalling his deceased daughter's voice.
“Obin will surely become a great king, Father.”
It was not his status as a prince, but his great heart that resonated with the people.
Though no one commanded them, the citizens of the city bowed deeply, paying their respects to the prince's retreating figure as he departed for Solond.
Their brief respite was over, and a hectic day began, leaving no time to even catch their breath.
“Alright, let's go at once. To Sun City.”