Chapter 233
Chapter 233
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 233
Chapter Title: Uninvited Guest (1)
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Rak had returned from the trial.
Rak, slumped in the grass, stared blankly up at the sky, his gaze filled with doubt.
"So that's it. The sky splits open too..."
Muttering those incomprehensible words, Rak nodded deeply with a hum.
"The world is so vast. There are so many strong ones. Everything is unfamiliar..."
His expression was like that of a philosopher mulling over enlightenment.
It didn't suit Rak at all.
"Rak?"
I called out to him as I approached, but there was no response.
I finally had to lightly smack his cheek before Rak turned to look at me.
"Uh, huh? Professor Lania?"
"Yeah. Feeling better now?"
Rak blinked a few more times before opening his mouth.
"...It's a bit confusing, but yes. I'm compos mentis."
"How was the Holy Grail's trial?"
"Well, the one in the trial wasn't you, Professor Lania. Nor was it the Sword Ghost..."
"Ganikalt."
Rak's eyes widened at my words.
"Ganikalt van Galatrick, right?"
"...How?"
"I had a feeling."
I let out a long sigh.
As I'd expected, Rak had encountered Ganikalt. Seeing his mind was intact, it seemed he'd met the Ganikalt from his hero days, not the Blade of Death.
'That's a relief, really.'
I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
There was always that slim chance—if the trial had summoned the Blade of Death... Rak's mind would have shattered.
'Rak has strong will and tenacity...'
But this was a different matter altogether.
Whether the current Rak could face the Blade of Death and keep his sanity was doubtful.
I exhaled briefly and asked Rak,
"What did you experience in there?"
"Hm, I learned about will. That if your will is firm, you can surpass the limits of the flesh..."
"Will? Limits?"
"Yes, it was mostly about possibilities..."
Rak briefly recounted what he'd gone through in the trial. Listening, I nodded and murmured,
"That's just like Ganikalt."
Human potential.
A swordsman who believed in that potential and challenged it.
「Anyone can become a hero.」
「I trust in the light within humanity.」
As I recalled the records I'd seen in the Northern Tower, Belnoa, who had been quietly listening to our conversation from the side, spoke up.
"Professor Lania."
I turned to Belnoa.
With a serious expression, Belnoa asked me,
"...Coincidence?"
A question without subject or object.
But I easily understood what Belnoa meant.
'With clues this obvious, how could there be no suspicion.'
I slowly opened my mouth.
Choosing words unbound by restrictions, filtering what I could say—it wasn't easy.
'Cardi was skilled at this.'
Imagining the efforts Cardi had gone through to subtly give me hints, I answered Belnoa's question.
"It's not a coincidence of names."
"Then..."
"There's a connection. In some way or another."
A meeting that skipped the proper order.
Clues given far too early as a result.
Thus, there wasn't much story I could tell these two.
"You'll learn as you challenge the trials. There's nothing I can tell you. Not that I won't— I can't."
Belnoa looked at me suspiciously but soon nodded. It was hard to accept, but since it was me saying it, they'd try to.
"Anyway, that's a shame."
I shook the Holy Grail.
It no longer resonated with Rak or Belnoa. Cardi had said up to three times at once, but it shut down after just one. It would need some time to use again.
"Didn't expect it to break down this much after one go."
"Ah, about that Holy Grail."
Belnoa pointed at the Grail in my hand.
"I heard in the trial, but it seems the closer we get to the wall... the higher our tolerance level rises."
Belnoa added it was what Belial had said.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at the Grail.
"...Is that so?"
The stronger they grew.
The closer these kids got to the wall, the grander the trials the Grail could handle.
'Meaning they can learn more.'
I shook the Grail with a wry smile.
'What a part-time lecturer.'
A special lecture only once a year.
Also a kind of exam evaluating their progress so far.
It was an incredibly exclusive course... but truly worth it. Teachings directly from ancient heroes unrecorded anywhere.
"I want to try it too."
As I murmured that, Rak, leaning against a tree, let out an "Ah" of lament.
"Come to think of it, Professor Lania."
"Yeah? What?"
"Didn't you say the Holy Grail's trial brings out someone stronger than your ideal? Then, are those people we saw stronger than you, Professor?"
My brow twitched.
"Rak."
"Y-yes?"
I bent my knees to meet Rak's eye level.
"The Holy Grail trials you two faced were a bit different. What should I call it? Ideal? Exceptional case? Anyway, it was unusual, so the trials were measured differently."
Placing a hand on Rak's shoulder, I continued in a gentle voice.
"The one stronger than your ideal is me, right?"
"W-well, yes."
"Then that's that. Strength is relative. It changes with every situation, so ranking is a terrible habit..."
Cough!
"...Ahem."
Turning at the cough, Belnoa was looking away, avoiding my gaze. I glared at her with wide eyes.
"You're different, huh, Belnoa?"
"W-well, the scene in the trial was so astonishing..."
"And?"
"...It was shocking, but the one stronger than my ideal is still you, Professor. Memories of such a perfect balance don't fade easily."
"That's right. You get it."
I nodded vigorously.
It felt like a sharp turn midway, but whatever.
'Compared to Belial and Ganikalt, I'm just a tiny bit...'
My conscience stung a little.
'...A fair bit lacking, but that's not the point.'
In the end, I'm the one teaching these kids.
As long as I leave a stronger impression than that once-a-year lecturer, it's fine.
"Yeah. That's how it is."
I smiled brightly and patted Rak's shoulder.
"Let's do our best."
2.
"I suspected as much, but it really turned out that way."
The top floor of the Black Mage Tower.
The Black Mage Tower Lord's private lab.
"It was Glerea's proposal on a day as the final battle approached. To prepare for the unforeseen, let's create things to leave our traces."
"The Northern Tower was one of them?"
"Yes. The Northern Tower, the Holy Grail, and for Ganikalt, I even arranged something in his sword."
Shaking the compounding reagent, the ancient elf Cardi continued.
"The Holy Grail was one too. Since Glerea and I developed it together... basing something on its structure to leave a mark was feasible."
Of course, we never imagined it'd be used this way back then.
Cardi wryly smiled as she muttered that.
"Belnoa was expected. But the Grace kid was a surprise. Hasn't he claimed the sword in the holy site yet?"
"He hasn't."
"Then the Grail shouldn't summon Ganikalt? That's odd."
"About that."
Raniel, sitting beside Cardi as she compounded the reagent.
She eyed Cardi lazily and posed the question.
"Just what connection do Rak and Ganikalt have?"
"I don't know the details. Ganikalt had a disciple boy he called one, and all I know is the boy's name was Grace."
"...Disciple?"
"Yes. Disciple. Ganikalt said his innate sense surpassed even his own."
Cardi exhaled briefly and said,
"I met him once, actually. Ganikalt asked me to entrust his sword to the boy."
"Ah, so that's why your emblem is on the holy site."
"I did help establish it. The least I could do for a comrade's disciple."
Even as she spoke, Cardi's hands never stopped. With minimal, unflashy movements, she continued her alchemy.
'Always amazing to watch.'
Raniel stuck out her tongue watching the test tubes fill and change color in an instant. She wasn't the only one marveling at the sight.
'Impressive.'
The figure standing at a distance, arms crossed.
Yetual, the lab's owner and the tower's master, the Black Mage Tower Lord, watched Cardi's alchemy with narrowed eyes.
Yetual had considerable insight into alchemy.
Thus, he understood the elf before him had reached a profoundly high level.
'No wasted motion. Clean. I saw it before, but this is... impressive.'
A first-rate alchemist.
Watching such an alchemist at work was a rare opportunity, so Yetual enjoyed it.
'If this weren't my office, it might be even more enjoyable...'
Yes, that was the issue.
「Could I borrow the lab? I need a space for alchemy, a proper setup.」
The Ashen Mage who showed up out of the blue not long ago.
She'd requested a 'lab untouched by human eyes yet well-equipped,' and Yetual gladly obliged.
An Ashen Mage staying in the tower?
Worth welcoming with open arms.
Planning to ask about his ongoing research, Yetual accepted and lent his private lab... but.
「The facilities are better than expected.」
The one who actually came was an elf.
The old-timer elf he'd seen before.
「I'll impose for a few days.」
It was a declaration like descending into hell.
Yetual had endured hellish days since, and now felt a throbbing in his temples.
"Hoo..."
Yetual let out a long sigh.
The Ashen Mage and elf chatting seemed oblivious to him in the corner.
'What are they even talking about.'
Not far away, yet their voices didn't reach his ears. As if something intercepted the sound.
Some trick again, probably.
'Trying to understand is tiring now.'
With that thought, Yetual cleared his throat a couple times. Only then did the two turn to him.
"Is the research going smoothly?"
"Ah, you've arrived. Black Mage Tower Lord."
Raniel nodded.
"Thank you for lending the lab. Same as last time, I'm imposing."
"...Imposing? I still owe you, so this much is nothing."
Yes, this is normal conversation.
After days tormented by the old elf, Yetual felt moved by this mundane exchange.
"The potion is nearly complete. Probably done by today or tomorrow."
"That's fortunate."
Truly glad tidings.
Unable to hide his joy, Yetual continued.
"By the way, I came to relay some news."
"News?"
"Yes. Fresh intelligence."
Yetual drew a letter from his breast pocket.
Several emblems adorned a circle on the letter. Familiar to Raniel.
'Emblems of the Six Mage Towers.'
The six towers bearing colors.
Six emblems, six colors etched on the letter. Having once written such herself, Raniel voiced its meaning.
"...Night of the Mages?"
The banquet hosted by the Six Mage Towers.
Mages from everywhere gather, sharing achievements... the grandest festival for wizards.
However, Raniel eyed the letter unpleasantly. Tilting her head, she murmured,
"Already?"
As she recalled, the Night of the Mages cycled every four years. The last was two years ago—too soon for another.
"...Circumstances are exceptional this time."
Tap. Yetual touched the circle's center. A new emblem appeared.
A dragon's emblem.
White, black, blue, red, green, gray.
In the circle of six colored emblems emerged a platinum one. Raniel's eyes widened at the sight.
"...Ancient Dragon Mage?"
The platinum dragon emblem.
Symbol of the Ancient Dragon Mage.
"Yes."
Yetual nodded.
"One month from now, the Ancient Dragon Mage will visit the capital. The Night of the Mages is timed accordingly."
"Why would that one come here..."
As Raniel couldn't hide her surprise,
Cardi, who had been listening silently, frowned and spoke.
"Why's that senile lizard whelp coming here?"
Snap—Raniel and Yetual's gazes whipped to Cardi. Ignoring their stares of outrage, she just shrugged.
"What? Did I say anything wrong?"