Chapter 112: Truth……? (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 112: Truth……? (2)
After a long silence, Sirkal finally spoke.
“……Then, why did he not inform us of that fact?”
As Sirkal muttered blankly, as if unable to comprehend, the Chieftain sat heavily in his chair and shook his head.
“I do not know that myself. Just as a lowly creature cannot understand the actions of a great being, we cannot fathom his will.”
“However, what is certain is that he has saved our tribe once again. Therefore, should we not do what we can for him?”
“What we can do?”
At Sirkal’s question, the Chieftain smiled brightly.
“Yes. There is only one thing lowly beings like us can do for him. It is to offer him our Awe. That is—”
He continued, “—what we, who have received his grace, must do, and it is the duty you must bear as his Apostle and the future Chieftain. Can you do it?”
At the Chieftain’s words, Swift Sirkal fell silent for a moment.
Simultaneously, she recalled it.
The pure white light that had spread through the ashen world when Marquis Palatio dealt with Receiver Basiliora.
“…….”
Recalling that sight, Sirkal answered.
“Yes.”
There was no hesitation.
* * *
It took Alon about two weeks to travel from Caslot to the vicinity of Teria, the capital of the Asteria Kingdom. He was scheduled to arrive at his destination in just one more day.
“Only one day left, My Lord.”
“Indeed.”
“Will we return to the Marquisate immediately after the audience with the King?”
“Of course.”
At Evan’s words, Alon, who had been practicing magic near the campsite, let out a long breath.
“But My Lord.”
“What is it?”
“Lately, it feels like your magic is getting stronger and stronger.”
“……Is it?”
“Yes. Seeing you use the same magic repeatedly for two weeks, I can tell.”
Alon looked at the spot where he had been practicing magic just moments ago.
True, I feel like I’ve gotten stronger.
Looking at the space where a large hole had been gouged into the ground, Alon wore a strange expression.
He had been consistently using magic for various explorations, but it made no sense for the power of his magic to suddenly increase. What he was currently exploring was efficiency, not raw power.
As he followed his train of thought, Alon suddenly deduced a hypothesis.
If I’m getting stronger without any precursor, it must be because of my Status……. Did my Status rise again without me knowing?
The hypothesis was that the magic itself had strengthened due to an increase in Status. In the current situation, it was the most plausible explanation.
However, separate from that, Alon felt himself sinking deeper into doubt. He had no idea where he could have possibly accumulated Status.
No matter how much I think about it, I don’t feel like I’ve done anything to earn Status.
Status comes from ‘consistent Awe.’ In other words, just because Alon had saved several people with magic didn’t mean such one-off situations would create Status. Status was something built through absolute, enduring belief—something that could be called faith.
Where on earth is it gathering from?
He fell deep into thought over the peculiar situation.
……Does what Deus did last time count as faith?
He thought of Deus, who had drawn a response from the Thunder Snake Tribe by spinning a tale far more extravagant than the truth, but he soon shook his head.
There’s no way faith could be generated from something like that…… surely.
After a moment of suspicion, he sighed and pushed the subject aside. In truth, ‘Status’ wasn’t a particularly pressing matter right now.
The problem is this.
Alon looked at the red ring on his finger, engraved with a snake pattern.
Wung—!
Just in case, he channeled mana into it. However, strangely, the Pact Ring that had subjugated Receiver Basiliora did not react.
This shouldn’t be happening.
Though his face remained expressionless, Alon was deeply troubled.
Normally, a subjugated target contained within the Ring of Cargunias' Pact should be summoned in response to mana being injected. Of course, since Alon’s mana was severely lacking, there was a chance it would only be summoned as a spirit body that couldn’t interfere with reality, but even that wouldn’t have been a problem. For this specific ring, there was a way to summon the target regardless of mana levels.
In other words, what Alon needed to check at this point was whether Basiliora could be summoned without issue, but strangely, no matter how much mana he poured in, the summoning didn’t happen.
To be more precise, it feels like it’s trying to happen but then stops.
His mana was definitely being drained beyond a certain point, and for a split second, the mana array seemed to be forming a spirit body, so it appeared the summoning was possible.
……Is he refusing to come out on purpose?
A reasonable suspicion bloomed.
……I’ll have to go and ask Heinkel about this.
He thought of the Archmage who was the original owner of this ring and, according to the setting, knew how to use it better than anyone.
“Evan.”
“Yes, My Lord?”
“When is the next…… Magic Society meeting?”
“Uh, I’m not entirely sure, but…… if it opens as usual, it should be in about a month.”
That was not a short amount of time.
Ultimately deciding to ask Rian, whom he had met before, for another favor, he turned his gaze to the Spirit Dragon's Egg.
I’ve been giving this mana for nearly two weeks, and there’s still no sign of anything.
Throughout the two-week journey to Asteria, he had even consumed potions to feed mana to that black egg, but even now, the Spirit Dragon's Egg showed no reaction.
……I suppose it’s because my mana is ridiculously low……. Maybe I’ll find something out once I meet the King.
Since it was Siyan who had sent him to the Malaka Ruins in the first place, he thought as much, but—
“My Lord. Have some sweet potato. Maybe it’s because the weather is chillier than in the jungle, but these sweet potatoes are delicious.”
“……Are they?”
Distracted by the sweet potato, Alon thought, ……I’ll find out tomorrow.
He soon sat down next to Evan and took a bite of a well-roasted sweet potato.
“……It is delicious.”
“Right?”
“Yes.”
“Ah—maybe I should have brought some of that Stormbi meat too.”
“……I think the sweet potato is dozens of times better.”
Sweet potatoes eaten on an autumn evening were as delicious as ever.
* * *
And the following evening.
“My Lord, we have arrived.”
“I see.”
Confirming the familiar scenery of Teria visible in the distance, Alon spoke.
“Let’s head straight to the Royal Palace.”
“Yes, sir.”
He began heading toward where Cretenia Siyan was.
Not long after that.
“Oh, you’ve come?”
He was granted an audience with the Queen of Asteria, who greeted him in the office with his usual relaxed expression.
* * *
Silli Macallian, the younger sister of Deus Macallian, was in a very good mood today.
There were two reasons for her high spirits.
First, her older brother, Deus Macallian, who had been away on a business trip, had returned today, so they could have dinner together.
Second, Silli Macallian had just reached the 1st Tier as a mage today.
“Hehe—”
She let out an involuntary giggle.
In her mind, she recalled the words her master, who had taught her magic for the past year, had said in surprise.
‘You have talent.’
To have talent. Those words, coming from a magic instructor who never gave empty praise, were incredibly sweet to Silli. After all, her only family, Deus Macallian, possessed a talent for the sword more brilliant than anyone else’s.
Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to be jealous of him, but it was true that she envied him. Therefore, having her potential as a mage confirmed, she couldn’t hide her joy.
Furthermore, at the 1st Tier, she showed exceptional elemental talent in four out of the eight elements: fire, ice, lightning, and wind.
I have to brag to Brother……!
Silli was looking forward to the feast she would share with Deus. He was the person who would be happier than anyone else to hear this news. It was because of Deus’s suggestion to try learning magic that she had even begun to dream of becoming a mage.
Brother probably suggested I learn magic because of that person, though.
Silli knew why he was so obsessed with magic. It was impossible not to know. Whenever they were together and that person’s name came up, a dinner that should have ended in thirty minutes would often drag on until late at night.
On top of that, Silli knew that Deus occasionally tried to secretly mimic the way Marquis Palatio used magic.
I’m going to surprise him today……!
With a heart full of anticipation, she looked forward to the dinner feast.
Finally meeting Deus in the evening, Silli spoke.
“Brother, I’ve become a mage.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
As expected, a gentle smile touched Deus’s lips, and she smiled back.
“That is truly impressive. I knew you could do it.”
Seeing Deus genuinely happy as if it were his own achievement, Silli excitedly shared what she had heard from her master today.
“—Anyway, because of that, I’m planning to focus on fire and wind among the four elements……!”
Deus nodded repeatedly, looking at his sister with warm eyes.
Just as the still-excited Silli opened her mouth again—
“Wait.”
“My master said the fire element is easy to learn—pardon?”
She realized something was strange.
“……Brother?”
Deus’s face, which had been wearing a very warm smile just a moment ago, had suddenly become incredibly solemn and stern.
“??”
Silli was bewildered by the sudden change.
However.
“Silli.”
“Yes……?”
“As you know, our Macallian bloodline carries the lineage of the lightning and ice elements.”
“……Uh…… what?”
She was even more confused. It was only natural. As far as she knew, there had never been a mage in the Macallian family, and their parents had been ordinary woodcutters and herbalists.
But.
“Um…… Brother? There are no mages in our bloodline—”
The moment Silli tried to protest.
“Silli, this is an important matter. We must be certain. Fire and wind, or ice and lightning—decide right here, right now.”
Deus interrupted Silli, speaking with a more serious expression than ever before. It was as if he truly believed that generations of Macallian mages had mastered ice and lightning magic.
“…….”
Silli stared at Deus. His expression was more grave than she had ever seen it. Sensing the atmosphere, Silli cautiously opened her mouth.
“I think fire and wind are—”
“Ice, lightning.”
“Well……”
“Ice, lightning.”
She soon lost her words.
“…….”
“…….”
After a brief silence.
“Uh…… ice, lightning?”
She tentatively blurted out the words while gauging his reaction. The two words her brother wanted to hear.
Only then did Deus nod several times in satisfaction, a proud smile spreading across his face.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“…….”
“That is the way of the Macallian bloodline.”
……The Macallian bloodline…… there’s no such thing……
Silli thought briefly, but she didn’t dare say it out loud.
……It was a strange evening.