Chapter 314
Chapter 314
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 314
Chapter Title: Intermission (2)
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ There would be plenty to do upon arriving in the capital.
But if she had to pick the very first thing...
There was only one that came to mind.
"Gotta brag first."
After sending Rosel van Trias a quick message that she was safe, Raniel bolted straight to a secluded alley in the capital.
To meet the ancient elf.
And to show off.
"Heh, hum hum."
Light footsteps and a cheerful tune echoed through the alley.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cardi, the ancient elf who had lived for ages.
He'd seen it all—battles across mountains and seas, even clashing with the lord of ten thousand demons who once blanketed half the world.
Nothing fazed him anymore; his emotions had worn thin over centuries.
Not much could surprise him these days.
'No wonder.'
His feelings had eroded over hundreds of years, and surprises were rare.
That's why Cardi always stayed so composed.
His responses to any story were limited to "Hm," "I see," or "Indeed."
Lately, he'd shown flickers of surprise now and then, but even those were scarce.
'Still pretty rare.'
Would he be shocked this time, though?
Maybe even stammer in disbelief? That would be fun.
With those silly thoughts, Raniel spilled the tale to Cardi.
"And that's how it went."
Raniel propped her chin on her hand, story done.
Cardi had his back turned, sorting shelves, and showed no reaction.
"No response? I beat the Sword of Death. Wounded him. Made him bleed."
"..."
"Hey? Cardi? Hey?"
"..."
"What the—?"
No answer even after poking him.
'Such a boring elf.'
As Raniel thought that and moved to wrap up with "Anyway, that's it,"
Crash!
Cardi's hand went limp mid-sort, and glass shattered in succession.
Raniel's eyes widened in alarm as she stared. Cardi creakily turned his head, slowly facing her.
And that's when Raniel learned something new for the first time that day.
"What?"
An elf's pupils could dilate that much.
"You... won? Against him?"
Those pupils trembled wildly—another first for Raniel.
"Beat Ganikalt? Won...?"
Cardi's pupils quivered.
"Defeated? Ganikalt? That guy?"
He bent at the waist.
Leaning in close to Raniel, who sat sipping tea, he fired off questions.
"He bled? That guy bled? Acknowledged defeat and retreated?"
"Uh, y-yeah..."
Those eyes were intensely overwhelming.
Raniel stammered answers, but Cardi's questions kept coming.
"How? Did magic work on him? No, that shouldn't be possible. How in the world...?"
"No, it wasn't me. Kyle did it with his sword..."
"...Sword?"
Cardi's head tilted with a creak.
His eyes widened further—eyes Raniel thought were already maxed out. She marveled inwardly.
"Beat him... with a sword?"
Did I hear that wrong?
Isn't there something wrong with that sentence?
Has he lost it?
Cardi's eyes seemed to scream that as Raniel slowly nodded.
"Yeah. With a sword."
Raniel said.
She'd been flustered at first by his shock, but as time passed, a strange thrill settled in.
'I'm controlling the great sage's emotions!'
An ancient elf over a millennium old.
The great sage, first lord of the Ashen Mage Tower.
A figure like that gulping at her every word. Raniel hid her twitching smile by propping her chin and continued.
"Seemed like the same technique, but Kyle overpowered it. Sliced right through the ribs with his blade. Like this—snap, crack!"
"Hah..."
"Black blood dripping everywhere—you should've seen it. The snowfield turned pitch black, blood pooling this deep..."
Cardi rubbed his eyes.
With a long sigh, he slumped into a chair, half-dazed, and murmured.
"Incredible."
"Truly astonishing. For kids who haven't even hit fifty..."
He muttered blankly, then let out a laugh. A real, audible laugh—disbelieving, or perhaps delighted.
"Impressive. Really."
"Kyle gets the big credit this time. I told him he could do it, but I didn't think he'd pull it off so fast."
Raniel gave a faint smile.
Mid-laugh, she let out a short "Ah."
"Right, Cardi."
"What?"
"Kyle knew stuff. Like Ganikalt being the first Hero?"
Twitch.
Cardi froze mid-sip. He set down his cup and spoke slowly.
"...Who knows. I didn't show or tell him anything. He just stumbled onto it."
"Stumbled?"
"I tried a few things long ago."
Cardi fetched a dusty magic tool from the deepest shelf.
"Remember the one in the northern mage tower?"
"The one that records memories?"
"Right. Made using the temporal distortions unique to the Kurakt Mountains."
Cardi tapped the tool.
"Same principle. Records my memories for viewing anytime. Though it's long defunct."
Raniel touched it.
Function ceased ages ago.
"Made it centuries back, right after Arcadia fell. I'd play the footage when lonely. Felt like going back in time."
Cardi smiled bitterly.
"Used it so much, the mana stones wore out. Thought it'd last a century—gone in a year. Anyway, this broken thing..."
He tapped the table.
"Back when you and Kyle were here. He poked this while snooping, curious about me."
"...That happened?"
She knew Kyle was curious about Cardi, but not this. Blinking, Raniel listened as he went on.
"Yeah. Figured it'd be useless prying. This tool, those photos... only the qualified see them."
But, Cardi added,
"Moment Kyle touched it, it activated on its own. Despite dead mana stones and restrictions."
"Possible?"
"Nope."
Cardi chuckled.
"Impossible, yet it happened. Hero's starlight reacted? No idea. It did, and Kyle's memories wiped clean."
About Cardi.
About what he saw.
Cardi confirmed it all vanished.
"Kicked him out after. Another peek might wipe more... couldn't risk his sanity."
Raniel rubbed her chin.
After pondering, she spoke.
"But, Cardi."
"Yeah?"
"So only star-approved eyes see it?"
"Probably. Memories the star erased from this land."
"Then."
Raniel blurted,
"The star showed it on purpose?"
"Showed it, then erased? Why bother?"
"No clue. Just feels possible."
"Strange."
Cardi crossed his arms.
"The star follows rules, not intent like a thinking being. Sounds like you're saying it acts deliberately."
"...Just."
Raniel sighed, tilting her head back.
"Lately, that's how it feels."
No stars visible through the window—sun still up, sky obscured here anyway.
Still, she groped for them.
Gazing at the starry sky's spot beyond the glass, she murmured.
"Like the star has intent. Some goal."
"Goal?"
"Not just rule-keeping... something else. Aiming for something. No idea what, but that's the vibe."
Cardi fell silent at her words.
After thought, he asked.
"If the star really has a goal... what would you do, Raniel?"
Raniel smirked.
"See for myself."
Confirm with her own eyes.
"If that goal sounds like bullshit..."
She stretched her hand skyward.
Clenched her fist tight.
"I'd drag it down. Here."
Raniel smirked at Cardi.
"Like you all did."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
After arriving in the capital, Lania van Trias stayed busy for a while.
She had to give a detailed account of the battle with Death's Sword, Ganikalt, and file reports.
Plus, fighting as "Lania" required excuses and statements.
No witnesses up close, battle traces gone—so vague cover sufficed, but suspicion lingered.
Rumors spread.
Whether linked to Raniel or not, word grew of a mage rivaling her prowess. Lania let it spread.
『Lania van Trias, heir to Raniel van Trias's arcane legacy (??).』
She even announced it.
Not just family—directly inheriting the Ashen Mage's arts from the ailing wizard. It stirred buzz.
『Inherited the Ashen Mage's arts.』
『Doesn't that mean inheriting duties too? Shouldn't she head to the front?』
Such talk fizzled fast.
The Ashen Mage had no frontline obligations anyway—nor did heirs.
Nobles who yapped faced backlash. As one bowed apology, Lania's feats emerged one by one.
Hidden events till now.
『Repelled heretics in the night city, Cardinac.』
『Repelled Death's Sword in the north.』
Not all revealed, but enough rippled out. The public grasped her titles' weight:
Sage. Guide.
Fitting perfectly.
Duty-free, yet devoted her body against calamity for humanity. Feats sans reward. Revelations piled, busying her more.
Then, the clincher.
"I expected great things, but you're far beyond."
First Princess Luriel.
Heir to the throne.
"I salute your service to the realm."
The realm's highest woman.
Luriel, who bowed to none, bowed to Lania—in public.
"I told you: one day, honor your deeds properly. Grandly."
Lania could only smile wryly at the princess's whisper. Officially, offers poured: lands, honors.
Lania refused all.
Returned to Aphria. Luriel, unsurprised, let her go.
Rumors kept spreading.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Saw the article?"
"Professor Lania..."
"Knew she was amazing, but..."
The day Professor Lania—on leave—returned to Aphria, campus buzzed with whispers. Naturally, about her.
"Her northern trip too..."
"To face calamity—with the Hero."
"...Our professor?"
"The one screaming in that duel? Lost... no, won... whatever?"
"That's Professor Lania. The north was Lania van Trias, great mage."
"...What's the difference?"
"Huge."
Last year, they'd shrug off rumors as "her style." Not now.
『Let go, you bastards! Let go!』
『Come here. Come on, fucker!』
『I lost. I, I lost, okay?』
Etched in their minds.
That fall incident—they'd never forget. Professor Lania, duel-vanquished, flailing at air, screaming. Unforgettable.
"Just... doesn't match."
"Agreed."
"Especially this line?"
Someone pointed to newsprint.
『Flawless Hero, Lania van Trias.』
『Successor to the Ashen Mage...』
『Not just beauty, but humility too...』
Papers exaggerate. The gap between mental image of Professor Lania and article's saint? Laughter erupted.
Clack.
Footsteps echoed in the hall.
Laughter stopped. Papers folded into bags. Heads turned toward the sound.
Someone walked the corridor.
Early summer breeze tousled ash-gray hair. Brushing it back, she nodded lightly at students.
Not expressionless like last year.
Greeting hall students, Lania often smiled faintly. This time too. Passing with a soft smile. Clack, clack. Only when steps faded did one speak.
"Whoa."
Awe.
"We're screwed."
"...Yeah."
"She heard everything. Totally did."
"Now her smile scares me."
...Lania van Trias, beauty rivaling—or surpassing—elves, per society. Crowds trailed events just for her reluctant smiles.
Not for students.
To them, her bright smile? Death sentence.
Last year's lessons taught that.
Pretty? Sure.
But all-nighters, bloodshot eyes? Not elf—witch.
Society's darling? To students, nightmare.
Aphria's nightmare.
Terrifying one.
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