Chapter 443
Chapter 443
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: In the Name of My Father (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"A-Are you really leaving, Ronan?"
"I have to. Obviously."
"But... I haven't even repaid your kindness yet."
Asel was choking up. The crisp Acalusia uniform fit him perfectly.
I was bidding farewell atop the hill where Adeshan's funeral rites had been held.
"You've made it big now—what's there to thank me for? Just don't hang around with guys like Hans anymore."
"Yeah. I won't, ever. Don't worry."
"But if you get cocky, that'll be a problem. Like ordering some passing commoner girl to lick your dirty shoes clean, or spitting in someone's face and calling them a talentless idiot for trying to learn magic..."
"I-I'd never do that! I was a commoner just five days ago!"
"I'm kidding, you idiot."
Asel waved his hands frantically in denial. To be honest, I wasn't worried at all. I knew his character was pure to the core.
I ruffled his red hair and continued.
"Study hard for the Phileon entrance exam next year, too. Your parents will be proud."
"......Yeah."
Asel bit his lower lip and nodded. I pretended not to notice the glistening in his eyes and looked away. Adrian and Erzsebet stood there with expressions full of regret. I was glad we'd had plenty of time to talk before I left.
Adrian spoke up.
"The moment you tear the scroll, spatial transfer magic will activate continuously. Considering your destination, it'll be around ten to thirteen jumps."
Her index finger pointed at the scroll in my hand. The jet-black parchment was inscribed with magic that would take you to any designated coordinates via up to twenty spatial jumps. It was top-grade—capable of crossing continents if used right—but I hadn't dared ask the price.
"You know about the side effects of spatial transfer magic, right?"
"Yeah. Ten jumps means three days of puking my guts out. Damn, just thinking about it makes me queasy."
I dry-heaved reflexively. I would've preferred a flying ship or gryphon, but those would've taken too much time.
I had no idea why Akasha was there. But if his goal was to eliminate my father or Elcia, I couldn't just sit by.
Gripping both ends of the scroll, I said,
"Oh, one favor."
"What is it?"
"Find one person for me. Tell any military contact you know that Private Ronan of the Imperial Army's Penal 4th Battalion is looking for him—they'll get it."
It was from a while back, so the details were fuzzy. Private? Or was it Corporal?
Either way, if nothing had happened, he'd be easy to find. He had a reputation back then for his foul temper and killing without hesitation.
Adrian blinked blankly for a moment before nodding.
"...Ah, right. You said you came from another world. Of course. There must be a Ronan in this world too."
"Don't expect a gentleman if you meet him. He's basically a beast that happens to talk. If you can, bring him to Acalusia and hold him. Go with escorts just in case... and if he resists hard, give him this note."
I handed over the note I'd prepared. It wasn't folded, so the contents were fully visible.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"'Actually likes older sisters. Black hair, obsessive type, the bigger the better (important)'... What does this mean?"
"It's like a code only I know. He'll probably blow up the second he reads it and demand to know who wrote it—so use that as an excuse to drag him to Acalusia."
It was a proven method from that parallel world. Unless he'd taken an arrow to the head here, his tastes wouldn't have changed. I was a man of firm convictions, after all.
"Alright, see you around if we cross paths again."
With my request done, I tore the scroll. A blinding flash enveloped me. Space warped around us, and nausea hit. Asel wiped tears on his sleeve and waved vigorously.
"Ronan! I'll definitely become a great mage! Definitely!"
"That's the spirit."
I couldn't help but smile despite the resistance. Erzsebet's farewell was the last thing I saw before everything went black.
Off in the distance, I could faintly hear the Taimen River rippling.
The flash faded. Only three people remained on the hill.
Adrian stared at where Ronan had been and murmured,
"...He's gone. It would've been nice if he'd stayed longer."
"Yeah."
"Guess I should handle his request quickly, even if just out of regret. I'm curious what this world's Ronan is like."
She smiled with her eyes. Ronan had downplayed it as some beast, but he was surely impressive.
The three headed back to the mansion. Erzsebet frowned, watching Asel slouch along.
"Lord Asel. Straighten your back and walk properly. Eyes forward, not at the ground. You're part of Acalusia now—act accordingly."
"Eek! S-Sorry! I'll do that!"
"Ugh... I didn't mean you had to be that formal—it makes me feel like the bad guy. I just meant have a bit more confidence... Oh, right, and I figured it out."
"Figured what out?"
"That vivid dream you mentioned. The one where you went into the basement and saw everything. It probably wasn't a dream—it was likely astral projection."
"Astral... projection?"
Asel tilted his head. It was a term he'd never heard before.
"Yes. It's when your soul leaves your body. It happens to skilled mages sometimes. That explains how you blasted the test subjects with magic—it was astral projection. Your strong mana sensitivity probably reacted to something in the basement. You sensed the crisis ahead of time."
"Ah... So that's what happened."
"I've experienced it a few times myself, but not as clear or detailed as yours. Must be a difference in skill. I'm genuinely jealous of your prodigious talent."
"I-I'm not that great! If anything, you..."
"No. You are great. The man who nullified my father's entire arsenal of spells with counter-magic that same day shouldn't be so modest. Your humility is impressive too—it's leaving me speechless."
Erzsebet glared at Asel. Stung by her sharp gaze, he started hiccuping.
She stared at him intently before chuckling softly.
"So keep being great from now on."
"Huh?"
"Letting a shining talent go to waste is a grave sin. Keep exploring, keep climbing. That way, I'll have someone worth competing with. Got it?"
"......Yeah. I will."
Asel nodded vigorously. A bright smile spread across his face. Adrian watched the future mages of the world with a pleased gaze. Her secretary approached as soon as they entered through the back door.
"Ah, there you are, Lady Adrian. Sorry, but..."
"Yes. Time to catch up on work. What's next?"
"A meeting with the Karabel Merchant Group. They've been waiting in the drawing room since ten minutes ago. Um... I heard you pulled three all-nighters. If you're too tired, we could reschedule..."
"No. I can't waste any more of our guests' time."
Adrian shook her head. The Karabel Merchant Group was a recent trading partner of Acalusia. Still small-scale, but she liked their vision and the new guildmaster's business principles, so she planned to continue the relationship.
She said,
"Right. Lord Asel, want to come along? It'd be good for you to learn about Acalusia's operations. Just stand by my side."
"Yes, yes! I'll join! I won't do anything weird, I swear!"
"Hehe. No need to be so tense. Shall we?"
They headed straight to the drawing room without a break. Sleep-deprived and on edge, but by never postponing duties, Acalusia had attained its current power.
"Perfect timing. Their new guildmaster is incredibly capable. Probably around your age, Lord Asel—plenty to learn from. Name was Sen, right?"
"That's an alias. Investigation shows her real name is Marya Sen Karabel, Lady Adrian."
The secretary spoke up. Adrian shrugged.
"Right, that's it. Marya is much prettier—why use an alias?"
Of course, she had no intention of prying. The three entered the drawing room. A blond, pretty young man sat on the guest sofa. Polite greetings were exchanged.
"H-Hi."
"...And who are you?"
Asel smiled awkwardly as their eyes finally met.
Sen—Marya Karabel—and Asel's gazes remained fixed on each other throughout the entire meeting.
The sky was dark. A blizzard fierce enough to sweep people away raged wildly.
Elcia turned at the faint presence she'd sensed.
"Hm?"
She'd definitely felt something, but no one was there. Only snow-covered rocks and ice chunks tumbled through the storm. Narrowing her eyes, she gathered mana.
"Who's there?"
Her voice was calm, but her heart raced. For her—a betrayer who'd fled Abel—life was constant vigilance and struggle. No answer came, as expected. She was about to summon a few scout spirits when—
"What...!"
Elcia's body went rigid. An primal terror crushed her shoulders. Killing intent flew from an unpredictable direction, paralyzing her entire body.
Convinced something was approaching, she clutched her chest.
"Hngh."
She could barely breathe. It felt like invisible chains coiled around her guts. She'd lived as a fugitive for years, but this was new. Even when Abel betrayed her, she hadn't felt this pressure or fear.
"Ha..."
Her voice barely emerged. Elcia clenched her fists. Meanwhile, the unidentified killing intent drew ever closer. She closed her eyes and pictured Cain's face—her benefactor, trapped in injustice, now flickering like a dying candle.
Finally, the lump choking her throat vanished.
A sharp cry echoed through the storm. A massive magic circle appeared in the sky above her. An eagle wreathed in light burst through the geometric patterns. It was Highran, the high-rank wind spirit.
"Whoooosh!"
Highran spread its wings. A gale strong enough to uproot trees erupted in a vortex. The surrounding blizzard exploded into oblivion. The tumbling rocks and ice lost momentum and stopped.
"Haa... haaa...!"
Elcia exhaled the breath she'd held. Peace returned within a 1km radius. Visibility cleared. A massive hole gaped in the thick gray clouds, revealing blue sky. Seeing it eased her anxiety.
The approaching killing intent had vanished as well.
'W-What the hell was that?'
But she couldn't relax. It wasn't something to brush off. If the presence she'd sensed was alive, it was more threatening to Cain than anything she'd encountered. Highran circled above, scouting the area. As Elcia prepared for full alert—
"Hey."
"Kyaaah!!"
Someone grabbed her shoulder from behind. Elcia screamed shrilly, spinning around as she chanted a spell. A fireball capable of incinerating a house.
But it was useless. Her vision flashed red, and the fireball split in half. Elcia's eyes widened. A man in a coat stepped into view.
He sheathed his sword.
"Just like always. Nice to see you, Elcia."
"W-Who are you? How do you know my name...!"
"I'll explain later. Let's go to Father first."
Ronan said. Before Elcia could respond, he input dozens of entrance passwords flawlessly and stepped inside.
Elcia stood frozen, speechless, as the sudden intruder clomped down the stairs.
Only belatedly did she notice something off, furrowing her brow.
"......Father?"