Chapter 297
Chapter 297
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 297
Chapter Title: Crossing Paths (1)
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"Stop yanking out my hair already, please!"
Sara grumbled as she tried to tidy up her ruined locks.
"You seem to think the miracle of healing is some kind of cure-all from way back when, but it doesn't regrow lost hair!"
"I know that."
"What did you say?"
Raniel nodded as she shook out clumps of pink hair she'd gripped tightly onto the floor.
"I know. Even the first saintess couldn't fix baldness. It's defying providence or whatever."
"...You remembered that?"
"I've always had a good memory."
"Then why pull out my hair?"
"Yep."
Raniel flashed a bright smile.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I target a weakness?"
"You crazy mage...!"
Raniel wore a satisfied smile as Sara shrieked. Sara might not realize it, but Lania had obsessively targeted that one spot for years now. Uprooting a few trees in the forest wouldn't show, but...
'Target just one area, and it's a different story.'
Those efforts were about to bear fruit soon.
Raniel nodded contentedly at Sara's thinning crown, where her hair had noticeably thinned out.
"What's that creepy look for?"
"Doesn't matter if you don't know."
Raniel brushed off Sara's puzzled stare and sank back into the carriage seat. After a long while, she suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, Sara."
"What."
"What do you think about the stars?"
It was a random question.
Sara started to give her usual answer but paused, closing her mouth. After a brief silence, she turned the question back on Raniel.
"What answer are you looking for?"
"You think I'd ask with a preconceived answer? I'm just asking what you think about the stars, now that you've even received a prophecy."
Raniel propped her elbow on the window sill and rested her chin on her hand, murmuring.
"I'm a mage, so I don't worship stars as gods, but you're different. Didn't you go half-mad when you faced the Demon King?"
It was true.
Right after confronting the Demon King, Sara had holed up in a small room for ages, reciting prayers nonstop.
Because she could no longer believe in God.
Before the evil (??) that needed purification and annihilation, God had remained silent. No matter how much she prayed, there was no response, and even the holy incantations she'd chanted like breathing scattered into the air.
"You want me to be honest? It might differ from what I've said before."
"So you've been lying all these years? Wow, and you used to say saints can't utter falsehoods..."
"That's not in the doctrines."
"What?"
Raniel's eyes widened.
Sara chuckled and said,
"That was made up too. How can anyone live without lying?"
"You're totally insane."
As Raniel let out an exasperated sigh of admiration, Sara casually dropped,
"I'm not much different from you. God is imperfect, just a set of rules. That's what I think now."
"For someone who thinks that, you sure cried out to God fervently enough."
"Result of early indoctrination. Know what I learned first?"
Sara swept her palm across her own face.
When her hand lifted, her expression had completely changed. The mischievous grin became the benevolent smile of a saintess, and her once-light eyes settled like a calm lake. Like donning a mask.
"Acting. It's all acting."
Even her voice had shifted.
Raniel recoiled in disgust.
"Ugh, can't get used to it."
"You're one to talk. I still can't get used to your look either. How'd that happen?"
"No idea. It just did."
Raniel trailed off lazily, as if too bothered to explain. Sara felt the same; she didn't want to dwell on God and smoothly changed the subject.
"So why ask about God and all that?"
"The prophecy miracle came down, so I figured you'd been praying your heart out."
"I just slept, and it happened. Oh, right, next to God's apostle."
What a saintess.
Raniel shook her head with a murmur. She still despised the church. She didn't believe in God and felt revulsion toward Sara.
But not as much as before.
For this operation, at least, she had to cooperate with Sara and borrow her power. Sara would be helpful against the Blade of Death.
"......"
Raniel stared out the window in silence, lost in thought.
...Prophecy.
A confirmed future.
The future that was certain to happen.
Without variables, the future becomes reality. The Blade of Death would slaughter countless people and turn the North into a wasteland. She and Kyle might die too.
So, she needed to create a variable.
That was her role.
At the same time, Raniel thought of one disciple she was raising. A disciple who felt deeply connected to this incident for some reason.
Rak van Grace.
Thinking of the boy arriving in the North like her, Raniel murmured,
"...Maybe he's the variable."
It was just a hunch.
Groundless intuition.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
Rak had abruptly taken a leave of absence mid-semester. His father had urgently ordered him back to the North. Rak felt puzzled by the summons.
What on earth had happened?
He'd heard rumors of unrest in the North lately. Word was, the strongest hero, Kyle Toven, had come to the North. And not just visiting—Sebas had said he'd be staying awhile.
Exciting.
Still unaware of the gravity, Rak buzzed with anticipation at meeting the hero he'd long admired.
The strongest hero, Kyle Toven.
The warrior who'd beheaded the Black Dragon and clashed blades with the Blade of Death was an idol to Rak. As a warrior himself, it was only natural to aspire to the title of "strongest (?)"
If the chance came, he'd challenge him to a duel.
With that thought, Rak gazed out the window.
The scenery whipped by. As they drew nearer the North, Rak placed a hand on his chest. For some reason, his heart pounded fiercely.
Excitement at meeting the hero?
No, not that.
His blood surged. Reacting to something. Or drawn by it. The odd sensation grew stronger the closer they got to the North.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Rak had left for the North.
Professor Lania had taken an extended leave.
The students didn't know why, but Chloe—as both student and hero apprentice—did. As a hero apprentice, she had access to that information.
"The Blade of Death, Ganikalt, appeared in the North."
"...Cough!"
Belnoa, sipping her drink, choked and thumped her chest.
"What? The Blade of Death?"
"Yeah. That's the prophecy."
"...So that's why Rak and Professor Lania went?"
"Yep."
Naturally, Chloe wasn't part of the operation.
Numbers meant nothing against the Blade of Death; she'd only be a hindrance. And it wasn't just her—even superhumans transcending human limits were excluded.
That's what the Blade of Death was.
Not even superhumans could face that monster, heroes included. History spanning centuries proved it. Wherever Ganikalt appeared, only death remained. The exception was recent.
The hero who felled the Black Dragon and his party.
Led by Kyle Toven, with the Ashen Mage and Saintess Archer. They alone had records of stopping the Blade of Death. The sole case in centuries.
"...So Professor Lania went for that?"
"Yep."
"I always say it, but she's ridiculous."
Easy to forget amid her ugly, frivolous side, but Professor Lania was the Ashen Mage, Raniel van Trias. The great sage.
"So, Belnoa."
"Yeah."
"I'm thinking of going to the North too."
"...To fight the Blade of Death? You?"
Chloe shook her head.
"I know I'd just be in the way there. That's not where I'm going. They're evacuating Northern civilians soon, and I want to join the procession."
It was usually Galahal's role.
Protecting evacuees from beasts and preparing for ambushes. Something Galahal had done since his hero apprentice days.
People fleeing homes, unsure if they'd return, were naturally anxious. A hero's presence would ease that plenty.
"They say it's not that dangerous. The Knight Commander and professors said it'd be fine."
"...Yeah, probably."
Belnoa nodded.
"I'll go too."
They'd promised just recently anyway.
Belnoa told Chloe to wait, went to her room, and returned with something. A robe gifted by the Black Mage Tower Lord—matching Chloe's.
When she visited him wearing it, Yetoal permitted it more easily than expected. When asked why, he replied,
"A good chance to show the world."
Yetoal smirked.
"The Black Mage Tower Lord who raised a hero and her companion. What an honorable title? Rosel wears 'Sage who Raised the Ashen Mage' with envy from me."
He waved playfully.
"Go on."
And then,
"Show the North that the Black Mage Tower surpasses the White. I've been thinking of expanding business there anyway."
Words he'd said when first taking Belnoa in.
"Prove black superior to white."
Repeating them with a smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 3.
The jolting carriage came to a stop.
Raniel stepped out, breathing the chill air. True to the North's near-lack of seasons, snow crunched underfoot.
"Welcome."
Warriors greeted them, but not shirtless as before. Knowing what loomed, their faces were grim.
They led the way to White Night Castle.
"What are you going to do?"
As the castle neared, Sara asked.
"I'm going to see Kyle."
"I'll come. I need to meet that guy too."
She needed to for planning. Maybe reveal her identity. Circumstances left no room for hesitation.
"Fine, whatever."
Sara turned and led the way as if guiding, but it wasn't needed. Kyle was already at the main gate upon passing through.
"You're here, Sara."
In the falling snow.
Kyle stood at the center of the flurry. His pure white uniform fluttered in the blowing flakes.
"You're here too."
Kyle looked at Raniel.
Raniel met his gaze. A brief silence fell, broken first by Raniel. She irritably shook her hair and stepped forward with a long sigh.
"Hey."
She extended her hand toward Kyle.
"Long time no see."
Kyle stared at the hand impassively.
Without taking it, he said,
"Where's Raniel?"
Narrowing his eyes, Kyle murmured,
"Hasn't she arrived yet?"
Raniel lowered her hand.
She looked into Kyle's eyes—different from those in Arcadia. Not the emotional gaze from back then; now, he was utterly expressionless.
Indifferent, disinterested.
Only now did Raniel understand what Sara had meant.
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