Chapter 197
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197
Kwagwagwa—!
A baptism of pure white light erupted from Elena.
It was Divine Punishment, a high-tier holy spell.
[Kraaaaaaah!]
The Dullahan and the lich, bound by mana chains, let out horrific screams as the torrent of light engulfed them.
Divine Punishment was a holy spell that dealt massive bonus damage based on how demonic a target’s nature was. It was the perfect execution for a lich—a creature that was the very definition of demonic.
Shhh-shk—!
Rays of holy power shredded the lich’s magic-resistant robes, and the bones beneath began to crumble into ash. Like snowmen under a scorching sun, the bodies of the lich and the Dullahan melted away in an instant.
And finally...
Crack.
The Life Vessel, hidden deep within the creature’s robes, shattered into pieces.
[N-No! This can't be! It can't be!]
With one last desperate shriek, the lich evaporated completely. Not a single scrap of cloth or a speck of bone dust remained. It was a pathetic end for a creature that had wretchedly clung to life for thousands of years at the bottom of a dungeon.
No. Perhaps being vanquished by Elena, the future saint, gave its death some semblance of meaning.
Once the lich was gone, the Dullahan—which had maintained its form through the lich’s magic—faded into black particles along with its phantom steed.
Shaaa—.
The curses the lich had cast vanished as if they had never existed, and the dungeon finally fell into a heavy silence. It was as quiet as a tomb.
“...”
In the utter stillness, I walked over to the stunned Elena.
“Feeling a little better?”
Elena had been wearing a stiff, haunted expression ever since the Rite of Souls. It seemed she had glimpsed the spirits' memories while comforting them and helping them pass on.
The lich was a monster who had driven his own people to their deaths in a quest for eternal life, only to bury the living alongside him when he finally fell. Now that she had avenged those unjustly killed souls by destroying him, I wondered what was going through her mind.
She looked down at her hands and answered quietly.
“I don’t know. I don’t know if this truly comforted them... or if I even have the right to offer comfort in the first place.”
“...”
She was born with the aptitude and talent to become a saint, but it was unclear if she had ever actually wanted that path. This inner conflict was a recurring theme in the original story. I couldn't give her the answer to her turmoil, but I could offer a few words of solace.
I let out a small sigh. “That’s something you’ll have to figure out over time. Still, Elena, you did everything you could. In fact, no one but you could have done it.”
I didn't know if she had properly comforted those thousands of souls, or if she had the right to. But one thing was certain: no one other than Elena could have accomplished what she just did.
At my words, Elena managed a small, fragile smile.
“Is that so? That’s a little comforting. Thank you.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Just as our conversation ended...
Krrrr—.
The dungeon trembled, and an altar rose from the floor. The arduous dungeon crawl was over. It was time for the best part: the reward.
I dispelled the transmutation magic to let my party move freely, then walked up the steps. In the center of the altar sat a golden chest. I flipped the lid.
Resting on a dark red velvet cushion was an indigo orb.
[Cognitive Acceleration Stone]
• Classification: Material Item
• Rarity: Legendary
• Description: A mysterious stone presented to a king who once lived on the Dark Archipelago. Though it was not the immortality he desired, it contains a magical power no less potent.
• Unique Effect: [Acceleration]
• The caster's actions ignore the constraints of time and space. The effect increases in proportion to the Agility stat.
• Current possible acceleration rate: 42%
• Penalty: Breathing is impossible while the effect is active.
• Durability: 100/100
At last, I had the item I had been longing for.
*
The next day, in front of my workshop.
It was the crack of dawn, and the air was beginning to bite. Having returned from the dungeon, I had barely rested before starting my physical training with Freya.
When I stepped outside, Freya was already there, dressed in workout gear under the soft glow of a streetlamp.
“You’re early. When did you wake up?”
“I always rise at 5:30.”
Even the trams weren't running at this hour. Did she run all the way here from Ishtal? She was certainly diligent.
“By the way, is this your new residence, Roen?” Freya’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at the workshop building.
“That’s right. It’s very spacious and comfortable.”
After living in a tiny sleeping chamber for half a year, moving into a house that felt like a palace was an incredible feeling.
Freya’s interest was piqued. “Would it be alright for me to look around sometime? I will bring a housewarming gift.”
“No.”
“?”
She tilted her head in confusion at my firm refusal. Her innocent expression almost made me waver, but I held my ground.
“No means no.”
Ciel was also staying in my workshop. If Freya saw her, it would lead to a massive misunderstanding. Of course, I had used transmutation magic to properly partition the interior—it was essentially a shared house where only the living room and kitchen were connected—but to an outsider, it would look suspicious regardless. There was no need to take the risk.
“Fine, if you don’t want to.”
Freya turned her head away, looking slightly sulky. But what couldn't be, couldn't be.
“Let’s just run.”
“Yes. Do try not to fall behind.”
And so, another routine was added to my daily morning schedule. It was hell trying to keep up with the cold-blooded Freya, but it was worth it.
*
After my morning workout, I showered and headed to my lecture: Intermediate Practical Magic.
Today, we gathered not in our usual classroom but in one of Eredor’s magic practice halls. It was shaped like an enormous indoor gymnasium, with long tracks set up like shooting lanes.
As the students gathered, Professor Martelzier began to speak.
“As I announced, we're starting our practical lessons today! We're going to actually try out what we learned in the first semester~!”
At a glance from Martelzier, Assistant Professor Wayne stepped forward to explain.
“Today’s goal is to hit a very, very close target. You may use any magic you wish, as long as you hit the target. It’s a simple test.”
With that, Wayne pointed to a target at the end of a lane.
Hitting a very, very close target.
Despite her words, the target was 100 meters away. And it was only the size of a palm. I frowned, trying to get a precise gauge on it. Someone with poor eyesight might not even see it. It was physically difficult to track.
...I don’t think I could hit that even with a gun.
But the other students weren't particularly phased. They had been through practical lessons since their first year, so they seemed to think this level of difficulty was nothing special.
“Allow me to demonstrate.”
Wayne gave a brief demonstration.
“Magic Arrow.”
Pang—!
A pure white magic arrow shot from her fingertips, tracing a beautiful parabola as it flew forward and pierced the target perfectly.
After her demonstration, Wayne added a further explanation. “Magic woven from mana is also affected by gravity. You must either adjust the trajectory to create a proper parabola or increase the power to pierce through in a straight line.”
“How will we be scored?” a student asked.
Wayne adjusted her glasses. “Since this target practice is a very basic practical lesson, we’ve added a few obstacles to differentiate your scores.”
Beep—.
Wayne pressed a button, and a translucent mana barrier appeared between us and the targets. It didn't look very thick, but it seemed sufficient to obstruct a spell.
“If you succeed in hitting the target, you will move on to the next stage. With each stage, the number of mana barriers will increase. Each barrier has a different mana density and thickness. You must take these factors into account. Now, please line up in order of your numbers.”
Wayne began calling the students to proceed with the test. The first round was simple target practice without any mana barriers. The students took their turns in the lanes, firing their magic.
Pshk—!
Yuliana, as usual, easily pierced the target with her ice magic. With her hands on her hips, she looked at me confidently. “What do you think of my skills?”
“That’s a very basic spell.”
“What are you talking about? Do you even know how to cast magic?”
“Of course I do. Care to make a bet? On who gets the higher score.”
Yuliana readily accepted. “Sure, let’s bet a meal. Looks like I’ll be getting a free lunch.”
Next, Beatrice fired a Magic Arrow, just like Assistant Professor Wayne, and shattered her target without any trouble. Hildegard followed, striking a cool pose as if firing a pistol and piercing her target with a magic bullet.
The other students also stepped up to the line, frowning in concentration as they fired. One threw a massive fireball that couldn't possibly miss, while another fired a barrage of magic bullets like a machine gun, riddling the target with holes.
They were workarounds, to be sure, but Assistant Professor Wayne didn't stop them. It meant that as long as you hit the target, any method was acceptable.
Even so, a few students failed. Some didn't have enough mana to use such tricks, while others miscalculated the trajectory or power, sending their spells flying wide.
Time passed.
“Roen Devalis, please step forward.”
At last, it was my turn.
Step.
As I took my place in the lane, the students’ eyes focused on me. I could hear them murmuring.
“Isn’t he the one who can’t use magic?”
“No, when I saw him on the jungle island, he was using magic freely.”
“That was all thanks to his items. Anyone could do that if they threw enough money at it.”
“...”
I ignored them and silently extended my hand.
“Hoo.”
With a deep breath, I moved the mana within my body.
Swaaaa—.
Mana gathered in my Mana Heart. Though this pathetic body was once unable to cast even a single Fire Bolt, thanks to long effort and magical enhancements, I had been reborn as a proper mage.
Now, it was time to show them.
The mana gathered in my Mana Heart flowed to my fingertips, where it began to concentrate, swirling like a vortex. It took the shape of an arrow, spinning intensely in the air.
Whooo—.
Only after the rotations reached a certain speed did I incant the spell.
“Magic Arrow.”
Not all Magic Arrows are created equal.
Flash—!
The arrow of mana shot from my fingertips like a beam of light, cleaving through the air and striking the target dead center.
Booooom—!
The immense power literally blew the target to dust. The accuracy and power were both perfect.
“...!”
The students’ eyes widened.
“W-What? Did he use an artifact?”
Yuliana and a few others immediately suspected foul play, but...
“All artifacts were unequipped upon entering the practice hall. There are no issues,” Assistant Professor Wayne stated, proving my innocence.
She continued the test in her usual businesslike tone. “Then, excluding the fifteen who failed, the remaining students will proceed to the second round.”
Beep—.
Wayne pressed the button again, and a mana barrier materialized in the middle of the lane, shimmering like a thin wall of water.
After setting the obstacle, Wayne looked at me.
“We’ll start the second round with you, Roen.”