Chapter 106 Trial (5)
Trial (5)
The illusion continued unabated. It felt somewhat looser than before, but it showed no signs of breaking or shattering.
Chirp?
Ria also let out a questioning cry, tilting her head sharply back and forth. She perched on Abel's shoulder, pecking at his cheek repeatedly, but elicited no significant reaction.
"Hmm..."
All that remained was my sister's figure, still shedding silent tears. Time continued to flow unchanged—an exact replica of the situation when I'd recalled my memories before Abel.
Suddenly, the advice the Pope had given me before entering the trial resurfaced in my mind. A piece of wisdom he'd shared as a gesture of gratitude for being Yurp's benefactor.
"No matter what happens, you must never forget your name."
No matter what happens, never forget your name. At first glance, it seemed like an odd condition, but knowing the true nature of this trial made it somewhat understandable.
The Sanctuary Trial tempted me to remain here by showing me beautiful illusions. If I were to succumb completely to that temptation, I would likely forget even my own name.
The fact that cripples frequently emerged from the Sanctuary Trial was probably due to that very reason—being trapped in this illusion until even their sense of self was lost.
Then, is my name Adel von Este?
Could I, who had merely possessed this body by chance, truly call myself Adel von Este? Could I really claim that name as my own?
Such doubts flickered through my mind.
...Wait a minute.
What was my original name again?
No, had I ever even been called by my past life's name within this illusion? Without fail, everyone had referred to me as Adel.
I... can't remember.
My name from my past life.
The name my parents had given me refused to surface no matter how hard I tried. I lifted my head and looked at my sister. What was her name again?
A chaotic storm of thoughts swirled violently in my mind.
I couldn't remember.
Even though my past-life memories should still be intact, my own name eluded me.
...Could it be because of the Oblivion Whale?
Oblivion Incense.
A type of memory-erasing incense refined from the mist exhaled by Oblivion Whales.
The mist of the Oblivion Whale, its raw material, had the property of erasing human memories.
It was said that even a few seconds of inhaling the dense mist could turn a perfectly healthy person into a cripple in an instant.
That was the primary reason the Oblivion Whale had been designated as the Holy Kingdom's sworn enemy.
Could it be that back then...
When I had rushed into the Oblivion Whale's body to save Yurp, I had run as fast as possible to avoid inhaling the mist.
But in its final act of resistance, the creature had spewed the mist madly from within its own body.
As a result, some inhalation had been unavoidable. I had accepted that risk to save Yurp.
Yet now, the price for that choice had returned to haunt me here.
My mind felt eerily blank.
From the very beginning, this was an unwinnable test.
I furrowed my brow and lowered my head. Though I could hear my sister and Abel's worried voices and see their concerned gazes, I couldn't bring myself to listen.
A feeling of despair was taking root somewhere deep in my heart.
No matter how hard I tried to deny it, I couldn't shake the sensation of something burning inside my chest.
Just as I clenched my teeth and was about to shut my eyes tightly—
CRACK.
A sharp, shattering sound echoed from somewhere.
Startled, I jerked my head up—only to see Abel smiling at me.
Not the face of the ordinary young man from earlier, but his usual solemn expression.
Before I could even form words, my eyes met his.
A blazing, living light flickered in his gaze—and before I knew it, my lips parted.
§
The Sanctuary Trial.
In the original work, this trial had two conditions.
The first: Do not cling to the illusion.
The second: Do not forget your name.
"It seems it's time to wake up now."
The first condition had already been satisfied. I could feel the restrictions binding my body weakening further. The real concern was the second condition.
As proof, even though she had let go of her lingering attachments, this illusion remained intact. If things continued like this, escaping this world would be impossible for the rest of her life.
The original work had followed a similar progression—Adel, having forgotten her name, searched for clues within the illusion to reclaim it.
But unlike the Adel of the original, the current Adel was still inexperienced and kind-hearted.
She couldn't be expected to recklessly employ any means necessary to escape like her original counterpart had.
The Pope must have mentioned it too.
Do not forget your name.
For the current Adel, that was an impossible condition to fulfill. Because her true name was not Adel von Este.
Nor could she be expected to recover her real name on her own.
In the original work, her true name remained a MacGuffin.
Which meant directly telling her her name wasn't an option either.
And so, only one method remained for us now.
"I'll shatter this illusion with my own power."
Perhaps because I'd already fulfilled the first condition, the illusion's influence had weakened considerably compared to before.
Now, if I just mustered enough strength, I could move my body according to my will.
At this point, even someone like me should be able to break it.
"Huu..."
I forced my right hand to press against my chest.
I began circulating the mana circle embedded somewhere near my heart. The ocean of mana within me slowly stirred in response to my will.
Thump.
With the sound of my heartbeat pounding in my ears, the mana inside me surged violently.
A current so wild that an ordinary person would have died from shock long ago. I steadied my breathing and endured the flow as best I could.
'This is definitely taking a toll on my body.'
This body was, after all, one granted to me by the illusion. Naturally, it couldn't withstand mana as well as my real one.
'But that doesn't mean I'll stop.'
Bracing against the near-rampant flow of mana, I moved my hand.
It felt like the threads binding my wrists were being torn apart. The restraints that had chained my entire body began to loosen, bit by bit.
Mana of this magnitude was powerful enough to shake the very laws of the world.
Especially in a half-baked illusion like this—what I possessed was more than enough to tear it apart.
Even if it strained my mind, it was still a far better choice than being trapped here.
Craaack—
A harsh sound, like shattering glass, echoed in my ears. The world around me began to fragment and collapse like broken shards.
Startled by the noise, Adel turned to look at me. Her pupils trembled slightly—was she panicking?
Judging by her expression, had she really thought I was just a fake Abel?
Well, considering the words and actions I'd displayed in this body, it made sense.
Smirking faintly at her bewildered expression, I spoke.
"You did well."
Adel had played her part admirably. Now, all that remained was for me to do mine.
"...Abel?"
At her questioning look, I grinned and stretched out my hand. My arm moved sluggishly, as if submerged in water, but I forced it forward with effort.
Vwoom—
A massive magic circle began to form around us. The vast mana within me surged outward like a tidal wave.
Like a storm, it began sweeping through this illusion.
In response, an enormous burst of holy power clashed against it—but it was too late. This illusory world was already on the verge of collapse under the force of my mana.
"Then all that's left is to destroy this pitiful illusion."
"You can't be—"
BOOM!
A deafening roar, like a shattered drum, pounded against my eardrums. Though Adel was saying something, her voice couldn't reach me.
I could tell from the movement of her lips what she was trying to say, but I didn't bother responding.
Answering here would only make her doubt my identity even more.
A vein pulsed at my temple.
Even for an Archmage like me, forcibly destroying a trial came with considerable risks.
But there was no other way.
'The most ideal solution would be for Adel to fulfill all the trial's conditions...'
But that was impossible.
The Oblivion Incense she had inhaled earlier must have played a part. Because of it, she couldn't remember her real name now.
Not Adel von Este—but the name she had carried since her past life.
BOOM!
Another thunderous crash reverberated in my ears.
"Time to wake up."
With those words, the illusion shattered completely.
§
"Yurph, wouldn't it be better to calm down a little?"
"How can I? Unnie Id is undergoing the trial right now..."
Yurph paced restlessly, unable to stay still. Despite Ka-il's words, she kept biting her nails, her gaze fixed on the Sanctuary's door as if trying to bore through it.
Ka-il sighed at her behavior and didn't press further.
There was no point—his words wouldn't reach her now.
Vwoom—
A resonant hum filled the air as a beam of light descended from the heavens.
A brilliant white pillar pierced through the clouds, crashing down from the sky. Even at a glance, it was clear—an enormous amount of holy power poured into the Sanctuary like an aerial bombardment.
Yurph, who had been pacing and chewing her lips, froze as her eyes trembled.
That massive pillar of light meant only one thing—regardless of success or failure, the trial was over.
"...Please."
She clasped her hands together as if in prayer. Then, with slow, heavy footsteps, a man emerged from the pillar of light.
Abel Hardenberg.
The Duke of the Arieh Empire and Id's direct superior walked forward, carrying her gently in his arms.
Id lay quietly asleep in his embrace.
"Why... why are you here?"
"Id is unharmed."
Ignoring Yurph's question, Abel carefully handed Id over to her. Reflexively, Yurph caught her in her arms.
Just as she was about to speak, he beat her to it.
"I'll leave her in your care, Saintess Candidate."
With those words, Abel vanished from the spot.