Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Holy Relic
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Every man nurtures at least one flame deep in his heart.
Not hot enough to set the world ablaze, but a flame that never fades, one you cling to no matter the circumstances.
People call it by many names—duty, romance, dreams... All I want to ask is simple.
What flame still burns in your heart, man? Is it roaring right now?
My childhood dream was to become a teacher.
I pictured a classroom bathed in sunlight streaming through the windows, students huddled together inside, and me standing at the front, teaching them.
Why am I thinking of old times while bleeding out like this?
Who knows. This must be my life flashing before my eyes.
"Florian, you bastard! Stop already!"
Being called a bastard by an orphan—praise or curse? Grateful for the parents, but I'll pass on the dog part.
And stopping means death just the same, idiot. I pour every ounce of strength into my running legs.
Dreams and ambitions grow more valuable the harder they are for others to achieve.
Elfriede Dice, the wicked elf who stained this world with drugs, crime, and rivers of blood.
Right now, her elite henchmen, the Shadows, are chasing me.
'I really should've just become a teacher.'
Yeah, I never made it as a teacher.
But I wasn't so naive as to blame the gap between dreams and reality. Soon enough, I found a job that fit my true nature and devoted my life to it.
My current profession. The flame I kindled.
I am Elfriede's shadow. The foremost among them.
Obviously, to become one of Elfriede's elite henchmen, the Shadows, you have to be capable.
I pride myself on my capabilities. For her, I've dabbled in everything—fraud, murder, politics, you name it.
Yet no matter how skilled I am, the world never remembers my name.
Because I'm Elfriede's shadow. My role is to turn every accomplishment into hers.
"Damn it."
This escape wasn't part of the plan.
Of course not. I never imagined she'd discard me like a used rag.
Well, I half-expected it, but her power was too overwhelming to counter.
Devoted my whole life, only to end up like this. Ha.
An unplanned flight naturally lacks a clear path. Inevitably, I end up cornered.
"Is the Dawn Horizon nearby?"
The Dawn Horizon isn't some poetic fancy I dreamed up.
It's just the name of the rift born when the human realm cracked open a little.
Come to think of it, Elfriede tossed the Princess in there to kill her.
Compared to her other antics, this one's almost cute.
If the Princess had survived, Elfriede might not have gone this far off the rails.
Dark magic energy rising from the ground. My skin stings from it.
I didn't think the Shadows would chase me all the way here.
Of course, they never figured I'd make it this far either.
It was a long, grueling escape.
Starting from the continent's premier school, Valhalla Academy, across the Luht Continent, through the Arvedo Mountains... I've already lost one arm along the way.
"Ha. The Dawn Horizon for real."
I stop, a hollow look on my face.
Elfriede tried to open a gateway between the human realm and the demon world but failed spectacularly. All that's left is this rift staring back at me.
A merciless tear that shreds anything that enters. Nothing exists inside.
Utter void, echoing endlessly.
Just like my life. I lived harder than anyone, yet left no trace, no name behind.
So empty. You, me—same.
"Florian."
A low voice calls my name from behind.
It was Beka, second-in-command of the Shadows.
"Give it up. It's the Dawn Horizon. Step inside, and you're dead."
"You've grown up, Beka."
"This is my duty."
"Is betraying your boss your duty now?"
I should've kept her in line better. Too late for regrets.
No matter what I say, Beka stays stone-faced. That's just her.
"Florian. You received a mission when you were chosen as a Shadow."
"I did."
Fitting for the top spot, it was simple and brutal.
Kill anyone for Elfriede. That was mine.
"Do you know what mine was?"
Her eyes sharpen.
"...Monitor Florian's every thought and action. That's the second-in-command's mission—mine."
"I see."
In other words, everything she's doing is just duty, not mutiny.
Beka's this rigid. Can't even take a joke.
As we talk, the other Shadows arrive one by one, sealing off my escape.
Not one looks relaxed. They're all drenched in sweat, gasping for air. Seeing that fills me with a bit of pride.
I don't hide it, and their glares sharpen even more.
"Lady Beka. What now?"
"Wait. The item comes first."
Right. The item first.
That's the only reason I'm still breathing.
One arm gone, bleeding badly. If we'd fought, I'd be a corpse tossed into the rift by now.
But that hasn't happened. Not while I have this item on me.
"This?"
I carefully draw a syringe from my bosom.
This treasure has kept me alive. The reason they chased me here.
To be precise, it's not the syringe—it's the golden liquid inside. The stuff called Goddess's Prayer.
We terrorized Valhalla Academy to steal it.
The attack itself was easy enough, but assassinating the President—a grand archmage? That was hell. No way I'd pull it off twice.
The moment she spots the syringe, Beka's eyes bulge.
"...That's Lady Elfriede's. Hand it over. Now."
"Then tell Elfriede to come here. I'll inject her myself."
"You arrogant...!"
Beka's hand flies to her sword hilt, ready to draw. But speed's my game too.
I stretch the syringe hand toward the Dawn Horizon, close enough to touch.
"Ah... no! What do you think you're doing?!"
Cracks spiderweb across Beka's impassive face.
Humans really do get wiser with age. I get to see Beka panic.
Put another way: this thing's so crucial, it rattles even Beka.
No wonder it was buried in the academy's deepest vault.
"Fascinating."
"What's fascinating?!"
"Even I, number one, don't know what Goddess's Prayer does. Why are you freaking out like you do?"
"Lady Elfriede said not to tell you about it."
"Why?"
"Risk of theft. And she was right—again."
I chuckle at that.
That woman's got an eye for trouble.
Beka presses on urgently.
"Florian. You've served as Elfriede's shadow admirably. Finish strong, and we'll remember you forever."
"And?"
"Return the Goddess's Prayer. We'll give you a fitting end."
"Hm. Fine."
Relief washes over Beka at my nod. But my arm stays extended.
"Thing is, I'm dying anyway. Tell me what it is. Least you can do for my curiosity."
"Fine. Whatever..."
Beka sighs heavily.
"But drop any idiot idea of injecting it yourself. It's a holy relic—raw, and it's just poison."
"I asked what it is."
"Haa."
She nods reluctantly.
"Dark magic demands a brutal price, doesn't it?"
"It does."
"This holy relic lets you use dark magic without one. Elfriede's been obsessed with the demon realm and dark magic lately. She wants it."
"If it's dark magic-related, shouldn't the imperial family hold it, not the academy?"
"Can't answer that, can I? I've told you enough. Hand over the Goddess's Prayer."
Beka reaches out.
"Nope."
I shake my head firmly.
"Your lie's way too obvious."
"I didn't lie."
But I saw it. That tiny eyebrow twitch.
"Academy vaults hold mostly white magic relics. And something this big? Elfriede always handles key ops personally."
"What nonsense is this?"
"Weird, right? She dives into every big job herself."
This wasn't big? No chance.
These Shadows on my tail prove it.
Or rather...
"...Elfriede must be too sick to move. This relic's for that."
"Enough! Give it here! How much more of your drivel?!"
"Drivel?"
Bleeding's still heavy.
I can't stomach Elfriede—who ditched me—thriving. My move's set.
"Beka. One more lie."
Crunch—
Syringe in my mouth, needle jammed into my arm. I bite down hard on the plunger. Beka goes ghost-white.
"Wh-what-what... What are you doing?!"
"Figured as much."
I stagger as I spit it out.
Senses sharpen razor-sharp.
Fire erupts from my toes, racing through my body. Alive and burning.
"Kill him now! Drain his blood! Grab him!"
Beka draws and lunges. The other Shadows charge too.
I laugh and hurl myself back.
Purple rift energy swallows me whole. To them, I...
"Who said you could?"
...flip the bird with all my might.
Does time crawl slower inside the rift?
Enough for me to watch my body tear apart from the edges. I want to shut my eyes, but even my eyelids rip open.
Tick. Tock.
Suddenly, the sound of clock hands turning echoes.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The noise explodes exponentially. My head feels ready to burst.
Tick.
The moment she calls my name, the ticking stops.
At the same time, my vision flickers gold.