Chapter 50
Chapter 50
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Witch - [2]
"Hoo..."
I lowered my hands and caught my breath. Even though it was a short piece, I'd concentrated more intensely than during any grand symphony.
Because I couldn't afford to let my guard down against her.
Clap, clap, clap.
Hwarin gave a seal-like applause.
"Splendid. Truly... a magnificent piece."
She was genuinely impressed.
"It was worth coming all this way. Your performance proves it."
Impressive how she keeps up that deadly semi-formal speech.
"I'm glad it pleased you."
I bowed my head to her once and said,
"Then... now it's time to uphold your promise."
"Of course."
Hwarin nodded. She reached out into the empty air.
As if pulling something from her sleeve, she slid a single sheet of red paper across the table.
What is this, magic? So damn cool.
"What... is this?"
"An elixir. More precisely, the true nature of what you call an 'elixir'."
I picked up the paper. It was densely covered in crude symbols and diagrams.
Of course, I recognized it. What it meant.
'Descent from Keter to Malkuth?'
The book from the Bellua Family overlapped in my mind with the knowledge I already had.
"Do you recognize it?"
Hwarin propped her chin up, looking intrigued.
"Most humans dismiss it as nonsense or abstract poetry."
"Hm... like a flow of energy diagram?"
I traced the diagram on the paper with my finger.
"The process of condensing higher-dimensional spiritual energy into physical form, passing through stages of wisdom and understanding."
I glanced at Hwarin, then the paper, and finally at the elixir.
"So that's why I was able to receive the elixir."
"Correct. Care to elaborate further?"
"Well, it's not as complicated as it seems. To go into detail... do I need to bring in the fourth dimension?"
A two-dimensional being can't perceive a three-dimensional one.
Likewise, we three-dimensional beings can't perceive fourth-dimensional ones.
Consuming this elixir lets you sense the fourth dimension—that's the gist.
It's like adding the axis of time to a three-dimensional being.
Appending the time axis to grant experience of the fourth dimension (x, y, z, time).
That was the true nature of the elixir. The witch smiled contentedly at my words and said,
"As expected... you understand me."
Hwarin glanced around, as if there was no more business to discuss.
"Please complete that 'Crown (Keter)' of yours. My role ends here."
"Where will you go now? You seem like you could go anywhere you please."
"Who knows. For the time being..."
She stretched and yawned.
"I'll rest here a bit. This human prison is surprisingly cozy. The food's good, the bed's soft. Best of all, no annoying pests bothering me."
She chose to stay in the prison of her own accord.
She had more than enough power to escape, but it seemed she had no desire to stir up trouble outside.
"Then rest well. It was a pleasure meeting you."
"Go on. Wait... shall we say 'take care'? Or 'farewell'?"
Deadly semi-formal to the end. I gave her a light nod and stood.
The red paper clutched in my hand felt hot.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ As I opened the door and stepped out, two anxious women were waiting in the corridor.
"Aiman!"
Princess Elise rushed over first. Her face was full of worry.
"Are you alright? No injuries? She didn't curse you or anything, did she?"
She inspected my body from every angle. Anna stood by tensely behind her.
"I'm perfectly fine."
I smiled and raised my arms.
"Just played the piece and came out. Had a cup of tea too. Turns out we got along surprisingly well."
"You... got along?"
Elise looked utterly incredulous.
"Anyway, let's head back now."
Anna stepped forward to wrap things up. I hesitated for a moment as I looked at her.
The conversation with the witch. Should I keep it to myself?
Come to think of it, is there any real need to hide it?
The game had already grown beyond my control since the dragon's lair.
Reviving a god, curing a mana curse—these were far beyond what I could handle alone.
So I needed protection. And that meant...
"Princess Elise. I have something important to tell you."
"If it's important... Anna should hear it too."
Elise didn't press me. Anna guided us.
She said there were no listening devices here or something like that.
I sat down and immediately pulled two items from my pocket.
"Where did... those come from?"
"...Beats me. I have no idea."
I took out the elixir and the dragon heart fragment, realizing something myself.
Where did I even get these from? I was thoroughly searched before meeting the witch.
Anna stared blankly and asked again.
"Pardon?"
"Er... they feel like they belong to my body?"
"???"
Elise and Anna's eyes widened at the sight of the items I'd produced. It was quite the spectacle.
"What... are these?"
"I went to the dragon's lair once before."
I gave a brief account of what happened there. Meeting the ancient dragon's lingering will, what it said about the goddess.
And how it gave me this fragment while mentioning possibilities.
Elise and Anna were first shocked, then fell silent.
The content was so staggering it seemed they needed time to process it.
"The dragon spoke of a god's revival... or return."
"Hard to believe."
"I know."
"Really... it's incredibly hard to believe."
That was Elise's verdict after hearing me out. Her violet eyes darkened deeply.
"Why tell me this?"
It seemed like pure curiosity.
"It might've been better to keep it hidden. From your perspective, Aiman."
"I know."
I nodded.
"But I think it's beyond what I can handle. A god's revival..."
Anna nodded in agreement with my words.
"Haruna said I was lucky. Not sure if that's true, but I feel like it's out of my hands now."
"The god matter is... too vast to judge lightly."
Elise pondered, then spoke carefully.
"As for the mana curse alone... I can't say everything precisely, but thanks to you, Aiman, the chances have greatly improved."
"So the dragon was right."
"We'd need to verify everything you've shown is true... but I don't disbelieve you."
Elise sighed.
"The Empire has suffered greatly... to resolve the mana curse."
"I keep saying it, but I think it was just luck. I happened to meet the dragon, happened to meet the witch."
"Luck or coincidence—it doesn't matter."
Elise shook her head firmly.
"What matters is that it actually helped. Results prove everything."
She looked at Anna.
"Anna. Hide what needs hiding, reveal what needs revealing."
"Understood."
Anna bowed her head, then turned to me and said,
"Haruna said she needed that elixir for you, right?"
"Yes."
"Haruna won't need the elixir anymore. We've already... no, we will discuss it with her."
"???"
I had no idea why she switched to future tense. The question arose, but naturally, I didn't voice it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Three days passed.
Nothing much happened in that time.
If anything noteworthy, it was getting royally chewed out by Rozina and Serika?
I'd told Haruna about Elise and Anna, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
She claimed she truly didn't need the elixir anymore... And then I received a summons from Elise.
"Aiman."
Anna had personally driven the carriage.
"This merit... can't be rewarded with something like an honorary barony, she says."
"...Pardon?"
"Come with me."
I found myself boarding a carriage back to the palace in a daze. Inside the rattling carriage, I gazed out the window.
The Empire's capital, its splendid streets, came into view. Suddenly, the academy dean's words resurfaced.
-You might get a viscountcy soon.
...No way. Right? No, really. It couldn't be.
Even if it were, this had to be where it stopped.
Later... duke? At this rate.