Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: An Untimely Winter (1)
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"...It's been so long, Ronan."
"Secret?"
Ronan's eyes widened. It was a child's voice that was hard to distinguish by gender. Had she been freed from the curse that turned her into a woman? Ronan immediately looked around, but Secret was nowhere to be seen.
"What? Where are you?"
"Sorry about this. I had some business to attend to. Could you check the top of my desk?"
"Your desk?"
Sepharacho was shrouded in darkness with all the lights off. Only the fragments of the crystal Ronan had broken out of emitted a bluish glow. Ronan cautiously touched the crystal and tilted his head.
'What the hell is this thing?'
The mysterious crystal was incredibly hard yet light. It looked at least 20cm thick, unlikely to shatter from ordinary impacts. He wondered why such a material had encased him.
'What happened while I was out?'
Fortunately, his sword and possessions were intact. Ronan picked up a suitably sized fragment and started walking.
His heightened eye level felt completely unfamiliar. Soon, as he reached the desk, something strange caught his eye.
"This is..."
"Looks like you found it. That's right, I'm communicating through that familiar."
Inside the hemispherical glass container floated a single eyeball. The blue pupil followed Ronan as he moved. Secret's voice came from a hole behind the eyeball.
"I ended up being away longer than expected. I set it up to detect movement and notify me if you woke up. Heh heh, your voice has gotten so mature."
"What the hell happened?"
"Not enough time to explain everything. The familiar has served its purpose and will vanish soon... so let's talk once you're out."
As if to prove her words, the familiar's body began to swell. Veins bulged out, looking ready to burst any second. Ronan nodded, bringing his mouth close.
"Got it. I'll do that."
"I'll give you the exit spell, so memorize it. Delphirim, Lunazie, Kashypa. Touch the bookshelf missing ten books and recite it."
"Ten books. Understood."
"Good. I'll come find you as soon as I wrap things up."
It was simple enough to memorize without writing it down. As Ronan glanced over the desk, he raised an eyebrow. A thick layer of grayish dust had accumulated.
'How long has this place been neglected?'
It looked like frost had fallen overnight. Even the feather quill Secret favored had thin spiderwebs draped over it, suggesting it hadn't been just a day or two.
At that moment, Secret's voice began to cut out intermittently.
"Anyway, I'm so glad you're back... You're... so tall..."
"Secret?"
"See you... outside. Ronan... letters..."
No more voice came. After a sound like scrubbing steel wool, the connection cut off. Pop! The swelling eyeball exploded. Green fluid splattered the inside of the glass container.
"Ugh."
Ronan grimaced and stuck out his tongue. Upon closer inspection, the dust covered not just the desk but the entire study.
'This isn't good.'
He was just about to search for the bookshelf when an unfamiliar chest caught his eye.
It was something he hadn't seen before. The chest, half-open with its lid ajar, sat right next to where Ronan had been lying.
"This is..."
Ronan approached curiously and opened it. Pressed papers spilled out in a cascade. Most were sealed letter envelopes.
Ronan grabbed one at random. Seeing the writing on the front, his eyes widened. It was unmistakably Adeshan's elegant, flowing script.
- To Ronan. Adeshan. / Imperial Year 1051, Red Oriole Moon, Day 9.
"What the...?"
Ronan hurriedly examined the envelopes. They weren't just from Adeshan; letters from others were mixed in.
- Wishing you well. Marya Karabel.
- Read this, Ronan. Naviroje.
- To my dear little brother. Iril.
Seeing the letter from his sister, Ronan twisted his lips. An X crossed out the "ron" part, corrected to "Iril." She must have learned to write from someone in the meantime.
"Tch, what a waste."
Suddenly, his nose tingled. He wanted to read them one by one, but unfortunately, there was no time now. One line on Adeshan's letter pierced his cornea like an awl.
[Imperial Year 1051. Red Oriole Moon, Day 9.]
"Shit."
Ronan's face hardened. He had entered Haeju in the fall of 1050.
The fact that letters from last year were buried deep in this chest meant at least over a year had passed. Ronan hurriedly gathered the letters, tucked the chest under his arm, and quickly found the bookshelf missing ten books.
"Delphirim, Lunazie, Kashypa."
He touched the shelf and recited the spell. Rumble...! The bookshelf slid back, revealing a long corridor. Without hesitation, he stepped into the darkness.
Somehow, the air grew colder with each step. White breath puffed out with every exhale.
For a moment, his vision went black, then cleared wide open. Whoosh! A biting wind from ahead tousled Ronan's bangs. Foreign particles rode the wind, lodging between his eyelashes.
"Damn, what is this?"
Whatever it was, it was freezing cold. The particles melted upon touching his skin and vanished. Seeing the snow-white on his sleeve, Ronan tilted his head.
"...Snow?"
The particles were snowflakes the size of fingernails. Whoosh! Another cold gust slapped his face. Looking up, a world blanketed in white filled his view.
Heavy snow made it hard to keep his eyes open. Ronan soon realized this was Phileon's grand plaza.
'Winter? Even so, this is too much.'
A blizzard fit for the north poured over the campus. Students bundled in thick coats wandered the plaza. Fur-lined leather hats pulled low evoked northern folk.
'Sis.'
Suddenly, Iril's smiling face flashed in his mind. Amid many questions, the most urgent was checking on his sister. He needed to hurry and see if anything had happened in the past year.
Ronan headed toward the main gate. Then, a sharp scream echoed from nearby.
"Aaaah!"
"Oh, it's out again today!"
Ronan turned. Students dropped their loads and fled. Amid the blizzard, something writhed.
"Hm...?"
Ronan narrowed his eyes. Cold air coalesced in one spot. Snow and ice gathered atop it, forming bones and flesh. Massive bears, deer, flying fish—various kinds.
Flash! Soon, completed ice creatures' eye sockets glowed blue. The ice bear let out a guttural roar.
"Groooar!"
"What the fuck is that?"
The students' screams grew louder. Their reactions suggested this wasn't field training. A sense of déjà vu made Ronan frown.
'This situation feels familiar...'
His mind was foggy from just waking. The unusually fierce snow, ice beasts emerging from the blizzard—it was definitely something he'd seen before.
It felt like it would come to him with a little thought, but there was no time. The beasts didn't look friendly. An ice bear glanced around and charged the nearest student.
Monsters in the heart of Phileon—what a sight. Muttering that, Ronan set down the chest. Drawing his sword revealed the black-and-white blade.
'Time to loosen up.'
It had been a while since he'd felt its grip. The handle's curve felt vivid. Thud! He kicked off the ground and charged, eyes widening.
"Huh?"
His body felt light. Not an illusion from longer strides. It was like half-flying.
"...What?"
"Grk?"
Ronan reached the ice bear in an instant. The bear hesitated at his sudden appearance. Ronan spun fully, slashing wide.
Slash! The broad stroke crossed the transparent body. A white line appeared, and the bear's glow faded. Ronan let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha."
It wasn't just lightness. The mana-less slash was unbelievably fast and precise. Boom! The delayed sonic boom echoed.
'What happened to my body?'
The bear's upper half crashed down. Clatter! The ice body shattered. The surrounding beasts turned to Ronan.
"Keeeaak!"
"Krek?!"
Ronan stood stunned amid it all. His body's changes were hard to adapt to.
But soon, his heart raced. Just raw power yielded this; he wondered what mana would do.
"This is fun."
Ronan gripped Ramancha tightly. The dark blade turned red. A thick crimson, like blood, unlike before, rippled along its flat.
"Right?"
"Gr, grrr...!"
Ronan's lips curled. Sensing menace, the beasts backed away. As he prepared to unleash sword aura, a woman's voice rang from the blizzard.
"Get back!"
"Huh?"
A familiar voice. A whistle-like sound echoed. Boom! An ice reindeer's head exploded. Smoke rose from the fallen head, pierced by a slender bolt.
"That’s..."
Ronan's eyes widened. Another whistle. Bolts sliced through the snow, hitting other beasts' heads. Boom! Boom! Explosions chained large and small.
'Incredible.'
An amazing marksman. Bolts struck only heads, sucked in. Changing trajectories meant circling while shooting.
Clatter! Ice shattering filled the plaza. Over ten beasts annihilated in seconds. No more bolts flew. Then, a shrill scream from the blizzard.
"Aaaah! G-get away!"
"Damn it."
Ronan frowned. Distracted by the shooting, he'd overlooked other spawns.
Ronan dashed toward the scream. Soon, the expected scene unfolded.
Baby-faced boys and girls huddled together. Freshman enrollees. Five ugly ice wolves crept toward them.
"Grrrrr..."
"D-don't come... please..."
Wolves crouched to pounce. As Ronan readied sword aura, thud! A woman from the blizzard blocked the students.
"What the hell?"
Ronan hastily withdrew his sword. The long-coated woman towered over most men. Her narrowed eyes were fiercely sharp.
A black crossbow gripped in her left hand. Recognizing her, Ronan chuckled.
"Ha."
"Graaak!"
The lead wolf leaped, mouth agape. A giant nearing 4m long. The woman slowly raised her arm and murmured.
"Stop."
Instantly, the wolves froze. Motionless like ice statues. The airborne wolf hit tail-first. Crash! Large chunks slid across the ground.
"Grrk."
"Grk."
Undeterred by their comrade, the rest couldn't move. Painful groans leaked through transparent fangs.
The wolves' blue glows dulled to gray ash. Silently, she drew a staff from her waist.
Striding forward, she swung. The staff snaked out, sweeping the wolves.
"Kyaaak!"
Startled students screamed. Crash! Four heads burst. Confirming no movement, she sighed in relief.
"...Whew."
Shrrk! The staff shortened to original form. Turning to the students, she said,
"You're safe now."
"Th-thank you...!"
"Freshmen? I should've come sooner. Sorry."
Her sharp eyes softened. She smiled warmly, familiar to Ronan, soothing the newbies.
Finally, the bowing students left. Ronan, brushing his bangs idly, spoke.
"Senior."
"...Huh?"
Adeshan turned. The long coat suited her well, up to her neck.
Even meeting Ronan's eyes, she just blinked. Waist-length black hair fluttered like a flag. At last, her lips parted.
"Ronan."
"Long time no see. You've improved a lot."
Adeshan's face, seen after so long, had noticeably matured. Childish features gone, fully a young lady. White snowflakes settled on her darkened lashes.
Adeshan didn't reply. Rooted like a tree. Her quickening breaths audible even here. Feeling awkward, Ronan continued.
"You been well?"
Only then did Adeshan step forward slowly. Stopping nose-to-nose with Ronan.
Their eye levels now nearly matched. Slowly raising her hand, Adeshan caressed his cheek.
"Senior?"
Like confirming he was real. Soon, a tear rolled down her pale cheek. Removing her hand, she spoke in a trembling voice.
"...It's been two years."