Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Beginning of the Prophecy (2)
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The newly acquired trait this time, [Auto Healing].
'For now, this is the most essential ability I need.'
Astril possessed other impressive abilities as well, of course.
But those powers were ones I couldn't wield in my current state to begin with.
The ability I could actually use right now—one that would help the most—was this [Auto Healing] trait.
"The problem is how much I can use it..."
The [Auto Healing] trait lived up to its name: it automatically triggered healing.
The target, naturally, was myself.
Judging by its description alone, it was an outstanding trait for combat.
After all, automatic recovery meant that even if I took severe damage, I could survive just by buying time.
Especially since...
In the future I'd witnessed, I was dying with a hole pierced through my chest.
'With [Auto Healing], even in that situation, I could cling to life somehow...'
It was undoubtedly a means to avert that future.
But there was one issue here.
[Auto Healing] had its limits.
No trait could create something from nothing.
So, naturally, using the [Auto Healing] trait required fuel.
Mana.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Trait 'Auto Healing' has been activated!] "Hmm..."
I picked up an axe to test it.
Of course, I had no intention of chopping off my own hand.
I simply brought my fingertip lightly to the blade.
Slice.
A small scratch appeared on my finger from the sharply honed axe blade.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ancestor 'Eternal Teacher of the Fairies' gazes at you in astonishment!] Slash!
I first inflicted a large wound on my left arm.
Using the axe, I tore and sliced the skin of my forearm.
Intense pain surged through me, along with the sensation of mana draining away.
Whoosh...
The large gash running lengthwise across my forearm began healing at an astonishing speed.
The light emanating from the wound shone even more intensely than before.
A moment later.
"No wonder it doesn't even feel human."
The massive wound on my forearm had fully regenerated into pristine skin.
Afterward, I closed my eyes.
I focused on the core within my body.
Ever since passing out during the mana total test with Quartet of the Wind,
I'd found a way to gauge my mana limits without pushing myself to exhaustion.
'At this rate... I won't last very long...'
That forearm wound had consumed about 2% of my mana.
It was just 2%, but my mana also had to fuel Quartet of the Wind.
If I split it roughly 50-50,
Then a wound like that one would hold out for about 25 uses.
'I don't know what situations might arise... Bigger wounds could happen too...'
In that case, mana would run short even faster.
It wasn't what you'd call a comfortable margin, even in the best light.
"Still, without this ability, it'd be even worse."
Look on the bright side.
I'll survive.
I have no intention of dying so pointlessly.
Even if this new ability only boosted my survival odds by a tiny bit,
I'll grasp that slim chance and make it through somehow.
"Phew... Alright, time to head out for afternoon labor."
With that, having finished testing [Auto Healing] during lunch, I rose to attend to my next task.
I stepped out of the room to report to Karga.
Clunk.
"Karga? Returning from your outing?"
"......"
I ran into Karga, who was just coming back to her room.
But her expression was different from usual.
"Number 17..."
"Yes."
She looked at me with evident unease.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Karga had been summoned by Taira Pendrack to her room.
Shocked by what she heard there, she asked in disbelief,
"Who did you say the match is set with...?"
Taira replied coolly to Karga's question.
"An elf shadow knight."
Hearing the answer again—thinking she'd misheard—Karga swallowed hard.
She immediately shouted at Taira.
"You're pitting a royal half from the elves against a mongrel gladiator?!"
"That's right."
"That's not a match—it's an execution!"
"......"
Taira said nothing in response to Karga.
As Karga said, a mere mongrel gladiator's odds of surviving against an elf shadow knight were practically zero.
This was essentially a scheduled execution for Gladiator Number 17.
"Please withdraw it! This match is unfair! It'll just be a slaughter show!"
Karga pleaded desperately with her sister to stop it.
Taira cherished her.
No matter her mixed blood, she treated her like a true little sister, ignoring lineage.
She would grant this request.
But.
"...So what?"
"...Pardon?"
Taira answered in a cold voice.
"Just some mongrel slave kid dying. What's the problem?"
"S-Sis!!"
"Enough, Karga. We'll just throw in another decent slave."
"......"
Taira casually offered a solution as if it were a nuisance.
Karga was speechless at her words.
And then,
Without realizing it, she grabbed Taira's collar.
"W-What the hell—?! Another slave?!"
"Guh, Karga!"
"Even slaves—even mongrels—are people! You...!! You're not like that, Sis!!"
"......"
In Karga's memories, Taira was a very unique person.
Unbound by bloodlines despite being pureblood.
A special older sister who treated her, a half-breed, like family.
She couldn't understand this sudden change.
"......I sometimes think that, Karga."
"What...?"
Taira spoke to her bewildered sister with a sorrowful expression.
"What if you were the older sister and I the younger...?"
"......"
"You with silver hair and silver eyes as pureblood, and me born with the wet nurse's red hair and golden eyes... Wouldn't we both be happy then?"
"Sis..."
Karga looked at her sister with eyes full of incomprehension.
It was beyond her common sense.
To Karga, this hair and eye color had been so bitterly resented.
Above all, she couldn't fathom why Taira was saying this now.
As if sensing her confusion, Taira answered Karga.
"The family head came by."
"The head...?"
"He shows up out of nowhere and says to meet the elves' demands. Claims he'll reward me in return."
"......"
Karga didn't ask what reward the head had offered.
She could guess from Taira's reaction.
But Taira told her anyway.
"You can finally live as a true member of our family, Karga."
"......"
"Isn't that what you've always wanted? As your big sister, I have to seize this chance for my little sister's dream."
Member of the family.
In other words, mixed-blood Karga could become part of the pureblood beastkin Pendrack family.
No one knew better than mixed-blood Karga what that meant.
"But... even so..."
Still, Karga bowed her head and clutched Taira's collar.
"Even so... no... Ma'am."
Karga begged Taira in a pleading voice.
"Please... cancel the match."
She couldn't trade that slave's life for her own dream.
"Sorry, Karga."
"Ma'am...!"
"Even if you beg, no. ...This is the wet nurse's dream first and foremost, before yours."
"......"
Taira firmly rejected her sister's plea.
Her gaze was resolute.
No more indulgence.
Karga realized this too and had no choice but to release her grip.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Karga?"
I called her name again as she stared at me.
But Karga just looked at me silently.
I could sense injustice in her gaze.
Soon, guilt and sorrow mingled within it.
"Number 17."
"...Yes."
Karga slowly opened her mouth.
She averted her eyes slightly as she got to the point.
"Your next opponent has been decided."
"......Opponent?"
Notifying me of my opponent before the match?
This was a first.
Until now, I'd never known who I was facing beforehand.
Knowing in advance was valuable intel.
I could prepare specifically for the match.
Especially after that prophecy of my chest being pierced not long ago.
I asked eagerly about my opponent.
"Who is it? Another mongrel?"
"......"
"Oh, multiple this time? Ha, I did wonder about facing a group alone... Guess it's a tougher one, huh?"
"......"
"Karga?"
With no reply, I ended up rambling on alone.
But even after my long spiel, she remained silent.
'Who the hell could it be...'
The stronger I got in matches, the tougher they'd become.
So I expected this one to pit me against gladiators stronger than the horde brothers last time.
That seemed the most dangerous scenario I could imagine.
"Karga, weren't you going to tell me who it is?"
"......"
Frustrated by the silence, I pressed her again.
Only then did Karga glance at me,
hesitate, and slowly speak.
"Do you... know about the shadow knights of pureblood families?"
"...Shadow knights... Yes, I know of them."
——Shadow knights.
The most closely guarded secrets of pureblood families, yet their most useful combat weapons.
Why bring them up all of a sudden?
They had the least connection to Parion's arenas.
"The fairy tribe's pureblood family... Silbaren."
"Pardon...?"
"Their shadow knight... is your next opponent."
"......"
I thought I'd misheard Karga's words for a moment.
Shadow knight.
Also known as royal half.
A pureblood-bred half... was my next opponent.