Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Guardian Star (5)
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"Roera 'too'? What do you mean by that?"
Roera asked Rishir with a dumbfounded look on her face.
"Truth is, big bro got selected as the holy sword's master too."
"...Selected?"
Chosen by the holy sword—
No,
selected—
Like that.
She'd never heard it phrased that way before.
It made the holy sword sound like some kind of baggage.
"Ah, well, you see. Truth is, I didn't really want to be the holy sword's master or anything."
"...Why?"
"Why? Well, 'cause it wasn't all that useful?"
"...How is it not useful?"
Roera's companions, who had been quietly watching the exchange.
Before long, they wore the exact same expression as Roera.
"Wh-what... Weren't we supposed to be crying here...?"
Lotna muttered, her face a mess of tears and snot.
In the midst of it all, Rishir continued.
"The holy sword's power was already similar in nature to the power I can wield. So I figured someone who needed it more than me—and who could put it to meaningful use—should be its master instead."
"Your power... is the same as the holy sword's...? What kind of power even is that...?"
"Hmm. How should I explain this."
The power of advancement, or something like that.
Rishir followed the principle that seeing it once beat hearing it a hundred times and demonstrated the ability on the spot.
At once, the mana concealed within his frame surged vividly.
The mana, which had lingered at the early stage of the 7th Circle, touched the late stage of the 7th Circle in an instant.
"..."
"..."
Not only did the tears and snot evaporate—they seemed to get sucked right back in.
Lotna and Gelad strained their eyes, glaring at Rishir for all they were worth.
"...What?"
Roera was the same.
She shot him a reproachful look.
She'd regained her composure, somehow.
Her face had returned to that of the cynical hero, clearly conveying:
What the hell do you think you're doing?
At that moment.
Spurred on by his little sister's reaction, Rishir grinned even more mischievously and asked,
"So, what do you think, our Roera? Do I seem a little greater than big bro now? Starting to regret not coming with me?"
"...Shut up."
"Huh?"
"Shut up, you idio—"
The atmosphere lightened up in an instant.
Roera's face twitched vividly, unable to keep pace with the sudden shift.
"Uahahaaha!"
Her big brother burst into laughter at the sight.
It was pure, unadulterated joy—light and carefree.
Roera was floored.
She'd hoped he wouldn't make a fuss over their broken bond.
But not this much of a non-issue.
"Hey, you moron!"
Unable to hold back any longer, Roera yelled.
"No matter what, this is way too flippant...! How am I supposed to process your death...!"
"Huh?"
Rishir's eyes flicked to the upper right.
He was replaying the words that had traveled from his ears to his brain.
"My death?"
"Yeah! You might've accepted it, but I'm only just—"
"I'm not dead?"
"?"
"I'm alive and kicking in Bondalles?"
"...Liar."
"Why would I lie about something like this? Come visit sometime. Bro's been crushing it in Bondalles lately. I can give you the VIP treatment?"
"...D-don't mess with me! Then how the hell did you become a Guardian Star?!"
Rishir threw his head back in hearty laughter, admitting he had no clue.
"Dunno. It just sorta happened? Uahahaaha!"
"..."
There wasn't the slightest hint of effort to explain in his demeanor—and somehow, that alone quelled all doubts.
Roera thought to herself.
What could she even do in a situation like this?
For starters, she shot a glare at Yoan and Hamun.
What the—
You astrologers.
Don't you know jack shit?
"..."
"..."
No.
This isn't on us—
The two astrologers felt deeply wronged.
The mood was utterly wrecked by Rishir's resurrection(?).
In the midst of the siblings awkwardly savoring their reunion—that was when it happened.
"...Rishir?"
Roera, mid-conversation with Rishir, noticed the anomaly.
His voice and form were starting to blur.
"Roera...nim."
That's when Yoan spoke up.
She gave a subtle nod toward Hamun.
"H-heh... h-heh..."
The beastkin girl was gasping for breath, struggling.
Rishir's descent as her Guardian Star.
She hadn't fully escaped the aftermath.
"...!"
Roera—and even Rishir—startled in surprise.
"Hamun! You okay!? If it hurt, you should've said something—why stay quiet!?"
"...It's a reunion with big bro after so long?"
Hamun forced a smile through her cold sweat.
"I have a big bro too, so I get how Roera-nim feels right now. So please, don't worry about me and ju—"
But her condition was clearly at its limit.
If it went on any longer, the fallout wouldn't end with mere exhaustion.
Roera panicked.
There was still so much left unsaid—
How was she supposed to wrap this conversation up?
Rishir took one look at Hamun's state and spoke.
"Roera. Let's meet again soon. Next time, I'll make sure it doesn't affect your companion as much."
It wasn't a parting smile.
That's why Roera could relax and return it with her signature grin.
And with that, Guardian Star Rishir's form faded away.
Afterward.
Having escaped the starlit realm Yoan had conjured, they returned to their original campsite and began sorting out the situation.
"Hero-nim, I'm sorry... It's all because of me—"
The beastkin girl sidled up to Roera, mumbling apologetically.
Her little ears drooped limply.
"Don't apologize."
Roera patted Hamun's head.
"If anything, I should be apologizing. I didn't even notice it was taking a toll on you—"
"N-no...! Please don't apologize!"
The beastkin girl gazed up at her with sparkling eyes.
Roera gave her a small smile and continued.
"Besides. That guy said it himself."
"Huh?"
"We'll see each other again soon. So no need to worry too much."
"And besides—"
Lotna approached next, resting a hand on Hamun's head as she spoke.
"We're gonna meet up with him soon anyway, right?"
"Ah...!"
Hamun nodded in realization.
Their group was set to reach their destination, Bondalles, before long.
It consisted of Roera's core party members and the followers trailing the hero.
The leader was Hero Roera herself.
And Bondalles as the next stop? That too stemmed from her fervent wish.
As of late.
The nagging mystery that had kept them tossing and turning in curiosity was finally solved.
Why Roera held such high hopes for Bondalles.
Her "that person."
She had been eagerly awaiting a reunion with her brother.
Who knew the cynical hero had such a human side?
The companions' gazes toward her shifted noticeably.
It was as if a massive, invisible wall between them had crumbled away.
"A profoundly meaningful experience, in many ways."
Gelad muttered in satisfaction—just then.
Yoan and Durakta approached.
Roera stepped forward to greet them.
"Yoan. Durakta. Thank you. Without your help, we never could've resolved this."
"..."
Their reactions were rather lukewarm.
True, they'd provided crucial aid to Roera's group—
But it felt overshadowed by Guardian Star Rishir's finale.
Which was why, perhaps.
Yoan—who'd planned to boldly state her price—hesitated.
Roera picked up on the astrologer's mood and urged her to speak freely.
Only then could Yoan voice what she'd prepared.
"Hero Roera...nim. Truth is, we offered our help to incur a debt from you—so that we might receive your aid in turn."
"Our help?"
"A certain problem has arisen in our city as of late."
Beastkin living in a city too?
Gelad clamped a hand over Lotna's mouth before her rude remark could escape.
"It's not pressing at the moment, but if left unchecked, we can't predict the consequences. We tried every means to find a solution, but our own power proved insufficient. And now that we require outside assistance, Hero-nim—we deemed you the perfect fit and humbly request your aid."
Yoan and Durakta bowed their heads to Roera's group.
They weren't the type to bow easily to outsiders, that much was clear.
Guardian Star Rishir.
It was only possible because that utterly anomalous entity had intervened.
For instance, being able to help them was a golden opportunity for Roera's group.
However—
"The direction..."
The city Yoan spoke of.
It lay in the exact opposite direction from Bondalles.
Hamun. Durakta. Gelad.
They watched Roera's reaction closely.
With her reunion with him in Bondalles right around the corner.
Roera's response was—
"Then let's head there together right now."
"Hero-nim...?!"
Roera met her companions' shock with an enigmatic smile.
They stared at her mystical aura, wondering.
What could Hero-nim be thinking this time?
Roera's thoughts.
-Uahahaaha.
She was sharpening her blade, vividly recalling her brother's mocking laughter(?).
Not yet.
It wasn't time yet.
'Definitely—'
When they reunited, she'd wring the reaction she wanted out of him, no matter what.
Hero Roera.
She tossed fresh kindling onto embers that had begun to smolder once more.
Her eyes blazed with resolve.
"Let's go."
The hero took the lead, and her companions gladly followed.
"Haa, what now."
After wrapping up his remote chat(?) with his sister.
Rishir sat facing the Abomination Spirit, lost in thought.
The unexpected line of contact with his sister.
He'd wanted to catch up on everything left unsaid—
-A being on the level of Young Master relying on a shaman to descend as a Guardian Star exerts an immense burden on the shaman! But no need to worry! To aid Young Master through my devotion! It's an honor far beyond that lowly beastkin wench! Surely even she rejoices!
"No. That's not it. No matter what, she's my sister's companion—how could I?"
-Did you hear that, you abomination wench?! I warned you, taking Young Master's disposition into account, that it was utterly absurd!!!
-...
He wasn't satisfied with any method of wielding Guardian Star power that wouldn't impact the girl Hamun.
The Abomination Spirit was certainly an expert in shamanism—
But when it came to astrology, she fell short of being able to provide systematic instruction.
And so.
It was one day, as Rishir poured effort into achieving mastery in astrology.
Dwenn.
Summoned by Iron Sword—the swordmaster and mentor to both heroes—Rishir now sat facing a single crow.
"This fellow?"
"Indeed."
"A talking crow...!!!"
Dwenn's ensuing explanation.
The crow.
It was an avatar of a great shaman with whom Iron Sword had forged a deep bond long ago—summoned by Dwenn specifically to guide Rishir, who had been floundering in his pursuit of astrological mastery.
A teacher of sorts.
"An acquaintance of Iron Sword. You have questions about astrology?"
"O...!"
Rishir gladly accepted Dwenn's kindness and posed his question to the great shaman.
"Here's the thing. I've sort of become a Guardian Star, and—"
"Hold on."
The crow panicked and cut Rishir off.