Chapter 108
Chapter 108
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Hundred Beasts Festival (8)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"We need to lift the curse. No matter what it takes."
"...What happened? Your expression looks off from the morning."
"It's nothing. I just think we need to hurry a bit more."
Ronan twisted his lips. The incident from last night was making him anxious. The Omega Doppelganger, which transformed into someone he hated, had turned into no one other than his past self.
Blood flowing like sweat, a broken sword. Eyes and body hollowed out after losing everything, devoured by seven curses. The words the doppelganger kept repeating echoed in his mind.
- I couldn't protect anything.
It was a pathetic lament. The moment he heard it, the sense of crisis diluted in his daily life regained its original color.
He had to grow stronger so that nothing like that would ever happen again. To do that, he needed to remove the curses restraining his growth first. Secret, who had been blinking silently, opened his mouth.
"This is truly amazing."
"What is?"
"Just a few days ago, I succeeded in interpreting one of your curses."
"What?"
Ronan's eyes widened. Secret suddenly stood up and headed to the desk.
After rummaging through piles of documents for a long time, he pulled out a notebook. Its ridiculous thickness was impressive enough to use as a pillow.
"This makes the 52nd volume. Even if I live another thousand years, I doubt I'll see curses like yours again."
Secret skimmed through the notebook before slotting it into the bookshelf right beside him. The entire shelf was filled with identical notebooks.
"They're all analyses of your curses. It took all that chaos just to design a way to lift one."
"Tell me the details. What do I need to do?"
"Do you remember the first curse lifting? When we undid the restraint around your eyes."
"Of course."
Ronan nodded. It was an unforgettable experience. The curse-lifting method that involved entering the mental world directly to remove the source of the curse.
In a world made of memories, he had seen his old hometown, a mother he had no recollection of, and his father boiling in the form of a shadow. The sensation of slashing his father at the final moment was still vivid.
"Right. We'll use the same method this time. But there's one problem."
"What's that?"
"This curse is incomparably stronger than the first one. Entering the mental world alone will require an enormous amount of mana and a catalyst. Mana should be manageable now that Zarodin's come to his senses, but..."
"The catalyst's the issue."
Secret nodded gravely. Ronan shrugged his eyebrows.
"What's needed that's such a big deal? Is it expensive?"
"It's not about expense... There's just none available. Have you heard of Dainhar?"
"Dainhar? That's the magic realm in the southwest desert."
It was a familiar name even from his past life. Dainhar. One of the places nicknamed a magic realm, where you couldn't obtain it unless it was some godforsaken hellhole among the continent's perilous zones.
The harsh terrain surrounded by desert, monstrous beasts, and natives who didn't know how to treat outsiders had claimed countless adventurers' lives over the years. Recalling what he knew of Dainhar, Ronan spoke up.
"Ah, don't tell me you need those black rocks from there?"
"Since you know, that saves explanation. Yes. We need Dainhar magic stones. No substitute works as a catalyst, no matter how hard I try."
Secret sighed. He explained that among all the materials tested so far, only Dainhar magic stones had shown potential as catalysts.
"Usually, about three chunks come up for auction at the imperial auction house or High Lumiene per year. And they sell for absurd prices the moment they appear. Unfortunately, all I have is a fragment I bought long ago for experiments."
"That won't do, right?"
"No. It needs to be at least the size of a thumb to serve as a catalyst."
Ronan nodded. It definitely wasn't something money alone could buy. Dainhar magic stones, literally priceless, were the biggest reason people crawled to that distant hell and died.
Not only did they contain far denser mana than top-grade magic stones, but their unique properties made them irreplaceable. One in ten thousand. Only the luckiest and most skilled adventurers could return alive from the magic realm clutching those stones. Secret, looking dejected, continued.
"...Actually, that's why I didn't contact you after finding out. Can you wait a bit longer? I'll definitely find another catalyst."
"No need. I'll get it myself."
"Pardon?"
Ronan said flatly. Secret, standing there stunned, furrowed his brow.
"You're serious...?"
"Yes. Keep researching just in case, and thanks. Anyway, with just the Dainhar magic stone, we can lift it right away? Nothing else needed?"
"...For now, yes."
"Got it. I'll handle it somehow, so don't worry and wait."
Ronan patted Secret's shoulder. Confidence emanated from his assured gesture. It made sense, in a way. After all, Ronan had actually been to Dainhar in his past life.
'To think I'd have to go back to that shithole.'
Recalling the memory, Ronan grimaced. It wasn't a pleasant experience. Even for him, who crossed the line between life and death like eating breakfast, Dainhar was a horrific place.
'It'll be better than the first time.'
Still, being the second time, it would be far better than the first trip. The issue was the time it would take—club activities couldn't cover a trip to Dainhar's location.
'Gotta head out right when summer break starts.'
Fortunately, summer break wasn't far off. After mulling over his plans for a moment, Ronan nodded.
There was a lot to prepare, but it should work out somehow. Finishing his business, Ronan offered a farewell handshake.
"Thanks, Secret. It's the festival for once—go out and enjoy yourself."
"Come to think of it, today's the Hundred Beasts Festival. The doppelganger's coming, right?"
"Yeah. Come watch if you get the chance. We caught it after a real ordeal."
"Hm? Caught it?"
"Long story. See you next time."
With that, Ronan left Separachio. Zarodin saw him off with a sleepy nod.
After straightening his clothes, Ronan headed straight for the main gate of Gallerion Hall. To keep a promise made with someone at dawn yesterday.
****
The morning air was crisp. A soft glow enveloped the campus. It was hard to believe this was the site of last night's chaos.
"It's peacefully serene, almost unfairly so."
Ronan chuckled wryly as he looked around. The usually quiet streets were packed with students in uniforms. All had sacrificed their morning sleep to enjoy the Hundred Beasts Festival.
Soon, a familiar silhouette came into view. In front of the massive gate, a tall girl stood waiting in her crisply ironed uniform. Ronan waved his arm vigorously.
"Senior! I'm here."
"Ah, Ronan."
Spotting Ronan, Adeshan smiled softly. The contrast of her snow-white skin and black hair was beautiful.
The two set off immediately toward Phileon Grand Plaza. To see the Hundred Beasts Grand Parade, the festival's opening ceremony and main attraction. As they walked side by side, Ronan glanced at her complexion and spoke.
"How are you feeling? Body okay now?"
"Yeah. I'm completely better. Thanks."
"I should be thanking you. Thanks to you, I ended a fight that could've gotten messy in a flash. Man, you should've seen that guy's face when the stinger hit."
Ronan cackled. In truth, Adeshan had performed so admirably in last night's battle that one could call her the hero of the victory. Controlling a manticore to inject the stinger while disoriented wasn't something just anyone could do. It was while strolling down the avenue.
"Um... Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
Ronan tilted his head. Adeshan hesitated before speaking with difficulty.
"Last night... weren't you heavy?"
"Pardon?"
"I mean, when you carried me. I'm... taller than most guys and..."
"What? You were awake then?"
"Hah...!"
Realizing her slip too late, Adeshan covered her mouth. Her pale ears flushed bright red. After a moment of silence, she stammered.
"I, I must've been mistaken. Thinking about it, no way. I was asleep, right? Until I woke up this morning. Yeah. Probably mixed it up with another day."
"Have I carried you before?"
"N-no? Then it must've been a dream. Yeah. I do that often."
"Adeshan, you're not still hurting, are you?"
Ronan asked worriedly. Her flustered state lacked her usual spirit. Adeshan replied in a somewhat heightened tone.
"N-no...! I'm totally fine. Don't worry."
"Hmm... Doesn't seem like it. Tell me if you're still in pain. I'll take you to the infirmary."
"I-I'm fine."
Adeshan couldn't meet Ronan's eyes. She couldn't say it even if a knife were at her throat. The fact that she'd been awake the whole time since being carried. Recalling last night's events, she bit her lip.
'Idiot, you almost got caught last night too...!'
Staying still because his back was broad and warm had been a mistake from the start. She remembered what the alpha doppelganger that met her eyes had transformed into.
As Adeshan fidgeted and let out a groan, Ronan, who had been watching her quietly, shrugged.
"Well, as long as you're okay."
"Yeah. Really just a mistake. Don't mind it."
Adeshan sighed in relief. At that moment, a roar of cheers erupted from the direction of the grand plaza. Ronan turned and suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Whoa, it's starting. Let's hurry a bit."
"R-Ronan? Your hand...!"
"You didn't mind yesterday, why now? I know a shortcut—follow me."
Ronan and Adeshan crossed the campus hand in hand. By the time they reached the plaza, the parade was in full swing. The sky above the plaza, packed with people and beasts, echoed with all sorts of sounds.
"Crazy, they really brought out a manticore."
"Kyaaah, there's a salamander too!"
"Is that Professor Baren at the front?"
Thoom...! Thoom...! Majestic drumbeats resounded at slow intervals. Under the blue sky, all the fantastical species and monsters on display for the Hundred Beasts Festival marched in line.
The professors stood between the procession and students, serving as safety personnel. Amazed by the unprecedented spectacle, Adeshan covered her mouth in awe.
"Wow... Amazing. Way more than what I saw from the tent."
"It's impressive, yeah."
Ronan nodded in agreement. He felt the hardships of last night hadn't been in vain.
Baren, leading the procession, pounded a massive drum at the front. Given his race, he seemed to be doing the work of nearly a hundred humans at once. Right behind him, the manticore that had stung Arondale strutted majestically.
"Groooaaar!"
"Waaaaah!!"
As the manticore roared impressively, all the students cheered. Ronan pointed at the manticore and chuckled.
"How about controlling it one more time to make an unforgettable Hundred Beasts Festival? This time, sting Baren's butt with the stinger."
"Huh? Should I?"
"Don't, Senior. I'd feel bad."
"Just kidding."
The two, eyes meeting, giggled. Suddenly, Ronan's gaze landed on Instructor Gidokan, serving as safety personnel.
The werewolf, unusually clad in armor instead of his shabby shirt, looked quite the part. Abruptly, Ronan snapped his fingers in the air.
"Oh, after the festival ends, got plans for the weekend?"
"Not really... Why?"
"Then come with me somewhere. Took everyone else, but you're the only senior left out."
"...Huh?"
Adeshan tilted her head. Ronan rummaged in his inner pocket and pulled out a shiny metal plaque.
The platinum plaque bore the Grancia family crest. Usable across the continent as a bill of exchange, it also served as a pass to certain places.
"Heard about the reconstruction a while back... Looking forward to it."
Summer break was just two weeks away. To use it in Dainhar, he needed to commission it now.
It was time to go forge his second weapon.