Chapter 166
Chapter 166
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 166
Chapter Title: A Dangerous Deal (3)
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“Rian, stop being so stubborn. Let's get you healing magic tomorrow.”
“I’m telling you, I’m fine! I don’t have any fatal wounds. Of course, the part Tess stabbed hurts a little strangely. Hahaha!”
“Rian, the moment you fall is the moment I die.”
Rian's laughter died. The living room fell silent. Everyone looked back and forth between Shirone and Rian with tense expressions.
“Shirone, I…”
“I know. You’d protect me until the day you die. But a split-second decision can determine success or failure. I need you to be able to take more hits for me. If you insist on being this stubborn, I'll have no choice but to reconsider trusting you to watch my back.”
At first glance, it might sound selfish and cold. No, telling a friend to take a blade for him was definitely ruthless.
But Shirone knew Rian better than anyone.
Rian was fire. The way to nurture that fire wasn't with shallow praise, but by engraving the brutal reality into his mind.
Rian slowly raised the corners of his mouth. He felt a hot fire surge within him, burning away all extraneous emotions.
“Don't worry, Shirone! I'll do whatever it takes to get this body back into perfect condition! As long as I'm protecting you, no one will ever touch you.”
Rian looked ready to receive healing magic that very instant. Freed from her own personal hell, Tess secretly looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
‘Phew. Thanks, Shirone. I mean it.’
Tess had no doubt that Rian would one day become the greatest swordsman. But she also knew that even if he became a flaming sword, the only one who could hold and wield it was Shirone.
* * *
Early in the morning, Shirone's group left the villa.
There was a magic guild in the residential area.
Due to the Freeman organization's control over the island, its influence wasn't significant, but it managed to stay afloat thanks to having a healing mage.
Given the nature of a resort island, it was easy to get injured while letting loose and having fun.
Commoners sought folk remedies or doctors, but nobles would see a healing mage for even a single cut on their finger.
The price ranged from 1 to 10 gold depending on the type and severity of the injury, and perhaps thanks to Freeman's influence, the treatments were reasonably priced.
Healing magic accelerated cellular activity to naturally heal wounds. This was different from doctors, who diagnosed the cause of an illness and found a suitable treatment.
While there was a profession among Schema Users known as Surgery that handled emergency operations, mages tended to reject artificial methods and follow the course of nature.
The theories became more complex with high-level magic, but simply activating cells was remarkably effective. This was because the human body knew how to heal itself.
The healing mage didn't seem particularly skilled. Since Jis's and Rian's injuries were not minor, it took two hours for the treatment to be completed.
Seeing Rian's wounds completely healed, Shirone was once again struck by the power of magic.
Of course, two hours was too long to be practical on a battlefield where combat unfolded in real-time. But in the long run, the difference in combat power between a group with a healing mage and one without would be immense.
After returning to the villa, Shirone's group repacked their things and headed out again.
Healing magic only regenerated wounds and didn't restore one's overall condition, but Rian, with his robust constitution, seemed to be overflowing with vitality.
Jis also seemed confident in his endurance, shouldering his backpack readily without showing much fatigue.
Rian was puzzled when he saw Jis's bag. As a guide, Jis was supposed to part ways with them once they entered the autonomous zone, so he didn't really need any gear.
“Huh? What's in the bag?”
“Ah, it's a packed lunch. Yuna made it while we were getting treated. She may not look it, but she's an amazing cook. She works at a restaurant, you know.”
“Oho, so she's a pro? Perfect. Let's eat now.”
As Rian approached, drooling, Tess pinched his side and scolded him.
“We just ate. Why are you thinking about eating again? Let's head to the ruins first. It'll be a problem if it gets dark.”
Since they had been there once before, everyone knew it was best to leave early. Perhaps that was why even the girls finished their preparations earlier than usual without any complaints.
When they arrived a kilometer away from the ruins, the coachman stopped the horses as expected. Shirone's group, now accustomed to this, got out of the carriage and walked the rest of the way.
Nothing had changed since their last visit.
The bustling crowds, the expressionless natives warily scanning their surroundings, and the tavern where they had met the mercenaries were all the same.
They headed to the outskirts of the ruins and decided to have lunch in a park. The lunch Yuna had packed consisted of rice balls, made by mincing leftover ingredients and mixing them with soaked rice. It was an unfamiliar dish, but apparently quite popular on the island.
When Shirone tried one, the taste was indeed unique. The blend of various ingredients created a savory and nutty flavor.
He thought the portion might be small, but once in his stomach, it felt more substantial than bread, which was nice.
Jis examined the manual written on the note Freeman had given him. The information was brief, but having worked for the organization for several years, he quickly understood how the deal would be conducted.
The place he led them to was on the opposite side of the entrance to the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice. That entrance, too, was guarded by natives wearing civilized clothing.
“Hello.”
“Who are you?”
“We're from the Freeman organization. When can we depart?”
The native looked Jis up and down. But when Jis showed him the pass, he immediately told him what he knew.
After exchanging a few words in the native language, Jis turned to Shirone and said.
“He says we have to wait for our ride to arrive. About an hour?”
“Huh? A ride?”
“We'll probably have to take a minecart. That's what was written. Anyway, he said to come back when it arrives.”
Tess looked at everyone and asked.
“What should we do? Wait here for an hour? Or look around a bit more?”
Shirone was lost in thought. Was it really okay to enter the autonomous zone this way? If so, why did the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice even exist?
It could be a tradition, as Tess suggested, but he thought the probability was low. Above all, it bore the touch of Miro's breath.
“I want to challenge the trial gate one more time.”
As Shirone suddenly brought it up, his friends looked at him, surprised. They wondered why he would go through such trouble when there was an easy way to get to the autonomous zone.
But Amy thought along the same lines as Shirone. There was definitely something in the ruins' depths that people weren't supposed to know about. Therefore, even if both routes led to the same place, she believed there had to be a special reason for there being two paths.
The only problem was that they couldn't pass the test. Being greedy for the impossible would only end up wasting their time.
“Can we really pass it? Are you thinking of trying it with the laser?”
“Yeah. I want to try, if it's possible.”
“What if that doesn't work either? The minecart might not wait for us. And entering the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice will take quite a bit of time.”
“Actually, I don't think it matters much even if I fail.”
When Shirone said it so nonchalantly, Amy asked with a puzzled expression.
“What do you mean, it doesn't matter if you fail?”
“I have a hunch about something. Of course, I can't be sure of anything yet. So how about this? I'll enter the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice. The rest of you can wait here and take the minecart. That way, we can sync our timing and experience both routes.”
Amy found Shirone's words reasonable. Shirone had gotten the highest score in the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice, so there was no need for anyone else to go with him. Above all, if he took the test alone, it wouldn't take much time.
“Alright. Let's head over to the trial route for now.”
With Amy's agreement, the group headed for the eastern altar. It was guarded by a different native than the one who was there when they entered with the mercenaries.
“Shirone, you remember the password, right?”
“Yeah. You guys stay back. Last time, you were mistaken for being part of the group just by standing next to me. I'll go in alone this time.”
“Okay. I doubt anything will happen, but… be careful anyway.”
Shirone walked toward the altar. But before he had taken even three steps, he stopped in his tracks.
There must have been someone who went in before him, as the sound of someone banging on the door came from inside the altar.
The native, who had been watching Shirone approach the altar, turned around when he heard the banging from inside. He then activated a mechanism and opened the stone wall.
‘Looks like someone else challenged it. Are there more challengers than I thought?’
Shirone watched the altar with a sense of anticipation, curious to see who was coming out after taking the test. But the moment he saw their faces, he was shocked speechless.
“Uh, huh?”
Standing behind Shirone, Amy also flinched and cried out in surprise.
“What! How are they here?”
“What's wrong, Amy? Do you know them? Are they friends?”
“Hmph! Friends? More like enemies!”
Judging by Amy's reaction, it seemed they weren't on good terms. Rian and Tess, their curiosity piqued, watched the man and woman who came out of the altar closely.
From a distance, they looked so similar they could have been siblings. Their black hair, black pupils, and the dark feeling that contrasted with their pale faces gave them a unique aura.
Shirone stared at them blankly. It was Canis and Arin, Arcane's disciples.
‘Why are they here?’
Of course, they were free to go wherever they pleased. But the fact that they had emerged from a place containing Miro's space-time, not some common tourist spot, felt ominous.
Canis and Arin were just as surprised to see Shirone's group. But it seemed they had anticipated it to some extent, as they quickly regained their composure.
“So you guys were here after all.”
Canis approached with a sneer. Arin, on the other hand, shyly bowed her head. Having lived her entire life confined in Radum, she wasn't used to social interactions.
Even though they had fought before, they would be classmates starting next semester, so her mind was filled with the thought that she had to greet him somehow.
“Ah, hi, Shirone?”
Arin summoned all her courage and raised a hand to Shirone. Canis shot her a glare with his sharp, fierce eyes. Realizing her mistake, Arin quickly lowered her hand, but unexpectedly, Shirone greeted her warmly.
“Yeah, hi. Have you been well?”
“Huh? Yeah. I've been… okay.”
Arin glanced at Canis and answered in a timid, trailing voice. But she wondered if there was really a need to be so hostile when he was genuinely welcoming.
As she slowly raised her head with that thought, she perceived Shirone's transcendent aura and gasped, her mouth falling open in astonishment.
‘He was amazing back then, but it's even clearer now. He's such a fascinating person.’
Meanwhile, Shirone also had much to think about with the appearance of Canis and Arin. In any case, the fact that they had returned from the altar meant that the Angel's Eye had judged them as failures.
‘It really isn't easy. Miro's space-time.’
As disciples of the great mage, Canis and Arin were strong. Above all, he believed their practical combat experience surpassed anyone at the magic academy.
Of course, Shirone had defeated him before, but it was undeniable that he had struggled against him even with the benefit of the elemental advantage.
Yet even they had failed to advance further in the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice and had turned back. It was easy to guess just how high Miro had set the bar.