Chapter 143: Inquiry (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 143: Inquiry (3)
The space was alien.
Despite it being midday, the sky was a dull, murky dark.
The earth beneath was no ordinary soil. It was as hard as rock, yet formed of a rugged, unbreakable shell that did not crumble.
Upon this mysterious land stood a temple.
It was not a typical structure; built of black bricks that blended perfectly with the dark sky, the temple stood tall and haughty.
And inside.
There were two figures.
Their exact appearances could not be discerned. Seated across from each other at a black round table in the center of the temple, both figures were shrouded in robes as if to hide their identities.
The only difference between them was that one was wrapped tightly in bandages even beneath the robe.
The other revealed only a pair of human-like lips beneath the shadow of their hood.
The one with the visible lips was the first to break the silence.
"I have no idea how much longer we have to keep this up."
The figure spoke with clear dissatisfaction.
"Look here, 'Wrath.' Isn't this a waste of time? Let's just get this over with. We can handle this ourselves without those people having to come down, can't we?"
To this voice—leisurely yet bored, and tinged with a hint of impatience—the other silent figure finally replied.
"And what exactly can you do, 'Pride'?"
Wrath’s voice was different from Pride’s.
While Pride had the distinct voice of a man, Wrath did not. It was a distorted sound, impossible to tell if it belonged to a man, a woman, an old person, or a child.
Yet, Pride continued the conversation as if it were nothing.
"What else? Destruction. Honestly, if all of us 'Apostles' moved at once, it would be over. The ones outside are just idiots resting on their laurels, thinking they're strong."
Wrath stared at Pride, who wore a fierce smile beneath his robe, and replied.
"There may be those who are not."
"You don't actually think we, who received power from the Great Original Sin, would lose to the likes of them, do you?"
"...Pride, we only need to do our job."
"Ha, our 'job' is just rotting away here. How long do you plan on doing this? All we've done is plant the 'Seeds,' and because of that strange barrier that disappeared recently, we've basically been waiting for over ten years."
Sighing as if the current situation was entirely distasteful, Pride stood up from his seat.
"Where are you going, Pride?"
"Where do you think? Since you lot won't move, I'll do it myself."
"...I don't believe I gave you permission?"
At Wrath's questioning, the thick smile that had been on Pride's face just a moment ago vanished.
---!
In the next instant, he was standing right in front of Wrath.
Crackle—!
Simultaneously, terrifying black lightning fell from the sky.
The black electricity, split into dozens, hundreds of streaks, halted right above the head of the Apostle of Wrath.
That wasn't all.
The perfectly intact black temple was instantly transformed into a wretched ruin by Pride's power.
Pride, who had stepped onto the round table at some point, held out a hand toward Wrath's face, sparks of lightning still hissing from his palm.
"...I don't recall you ever being my superior, 'Wrath'."
"..."
A chilling expression, a cold voice.
However, Wrath did not respond. He simply looked up at Pride.
"Tsk."
After maintaining the confrontation for a while, Pride finally withdrew the electricity and turned away.
"Where are you going?"
Wrath asked calmly.
Pride returned to his relaxed demeanor as if nothing had happened.
"Since you guys won't do it, I have to. I don't know what you or the other Apostles are thinking, but I want to see that person as soon as possible. So—"
He grinned.
"I'm going to retrieve the Seed."
Once again, a deep smile spread across his face.
Walking boldly out of the temple, Pride pulled back his hood.
Revealed beneath were silver-gray hair and a pair of ears poking through the strands.
"So—"
He slowly stroked his chin as he headed toward the exterior of the black temple.
"—Has it been ten years? No, twelve years."
He let out a small laugh, talking to himself.
Soon, a strange light gathered in his eyes.
"Shall I go see how well the Seed—no, how well my brother has grown?"
Muttering those words, he vanished from the spot.
Zap—!
Leaving only a single streak of black lightning behind.
* * *
It had been about three weeks since Alon had entered into that peculiar contract with Penia Kraysinne.
"Ah, looking at how the mana array changes in this section, it seems to bend like this."
"That means—"
"It's an amplification seal."
"I see."
Alon was currently in a very pleasant mood.
The magic inquiry he was conducting with Penia was going incredibly well.
In fact, 'going well' was an understatement.
"Then this—"
"Ah, seeing the array shift into a decomposition structure, it looks like a reduction rather than an amplification."
"Intentionally decreasing the power?"
"Yes, but because the molecular structure of the mana is intertwined... specifically, it looks like a hook structure. In this case, it might allow for the limited use of spells that normally can't be used in combination."
It was providing far, far more value than when he explored magic alone.
Thanks to that, Alon, who had spent nearly five hours today in magic research and discussion, finally spoke.
"...Let's stop here for today."
"Ah, yes...!"
Looking at Penia, who was nodding her head vigorously, Alon thought to himself.
Who would ever call this person a total jerk?
Just as he was about to re-evaluate her character.
"Sister."
"What is it?"
"The, uh, magic reagents that were being delivered this way... they were stolen by bandits."
"What? Those bandit sons of bitches again—!!!!"
The moment she heard her brother Pellin's report, she let out a screeching scream, causing Alon to immediately withdraw his previous thought.
...Never mind, the description was accurate.
"Um, Marquis?"
"What is it?"
"If it's not too much trouble, could I leave the Marquis's estate for just a day...!"
Penia asked with a tense expression, as if she were asking for a monumental favor.
Alon nodded lightly.
"...I don't mind?"
"Ah, really...! I just heard that bandits plundered the magic reagents on their way here, so I need to go deal with those guys—"
Even at Alon's nonchalant reaction, she began to explain herself in great detail.
He thought they had developed some sense of camaraderie while researching magic together, but she was still hesitating over a single request like this.
Alon felt strangely awkward.
"...Just go. And you don't have to ask for my permission every time you want to leave."
"Ah, is that so...!? I was certain that I had to..."
"..."
Penia fidgeted, looking small and hesitant.
Alon once again felt like a criminal running a coding sweatshop somewhere in Southeast Asia.
"It's not like that, so just go."
"Ah, yes, sir...!"
At that, Penia Kraysinne immediately grabbed Pellin by the scruff of his neck and marched out.
"Why me...?"
Pellin's strangely mournful voice echoed, but he was helplessly dragged away by Penia.
A moment later.
"Marquis."
"What is it?"
"No, it's just that it seems you finished a bit early today."
"Well—today was mostly for organizing."
After answering Evan, Alon looked down at the papers.
The stack of papers was covered in numerous Hand Seals.
It included the Hand Seals Alon had known before, the ones discovered during his research with Penia, as well as the abilities, arrays, and applications of other Hand Seals.
"Wow, you did all of this in just three weeks?"
"Yes."
"...There really is a lot here."
Evan's jaw dropped.
Alon shrugged.
"I'm not finished yet, though."
"Even with this much, you're still not done?"
"No."
He looked down at the papers again.
What he had been able to definitively figure out over the past three weeks were the mana flow paths and mana arrays according to each Hand Seal.
However, there was a more important realization.
It was the structural change of mana molecules according to the Hand Seal.
That was where he had found the first real clue for the multiple Hand Seals he had been thinking about.
Until now, whenever he tried to form two or more Hand Seals for a single spell, it usually resulted in a failure to manifest or the spell itself breaking apart.
It had been the same even when he began researching Hand Seals in earnest after hearing from Rainisius that multiple Hand Seals could be used.
But recently, though it was a very small clue, Alon discovered that there were Hand Seals that fit together perfectly within the mana bonding structures that changed depending on the Hand Seal.
He even found that Hand Seals combined in such a way took on a completely different structure than before.
"...There's still a lot to do."
Contrary to his indifferent tone, his eyes were filled with satisfaction as he slowly scanned the research log.
Before, he hadn't understood.
Why the mages in novels would willingly walk into death traps just to obtain a single research log.
Now, he felt like he finally knew.
"By the way, Marquis, aren't you leaving soon?"
Evan's voice broke his train of thought.
"Where to?"
"To Lartania. Didn't you say you were going to stop by? You said you had to go to the Colony as well."
"Ah, right."
"You even sent a letter."
"Ah."
Alon nodded reflexively.
Right, around the time he started his research with Penia, he had sent a letter to Line and Seolrang saying he would visit soon.
Only now remembering that fact, he spoke.
"...They've probably arrived over there by now."
"Then we should get moving too."
...I'll just finish this first, and then I'll have to prepare some tasks for Penia to do while I'm gone.
He looked at the magic log in his hand with a lingering gaze and added.
"...We'll depart in two days."
"Understood."
* * *
The desert city, Colony.
Unlike the usual atmosphere of the streets, which were always noisy with the heat of the Colosseum, Seolrang's office was relatively quiet.
Except for when she was training guild members, Seolrang usually spent her free time sleeping.
She had never deviated from that pattern until now.
Because of this, Lime, a member of the Golden Mane Tribe who also served as Seolrang's secretary, found the sight before her unfamiliar.
Seolrang, who should have been lounging lazily, was quite excited after receiving a certain letter.
"Guild Master?"
"Yeah?"
"You look happy."
"Of course I am!"
"...May I ask why?"
She was curious. What kind of letter could it be that Seolrang was clutching it so dearly, her ears twitching with excitement?
At that question, Seolrang looked down at the letter for a moment, and then—
"Because, it's finally time to hear the answer!"
"The... answer?"
"Yeah! My Mentor promised to give it to me! Two years ago!"
A radiant glow spread across her face.
Behind the secretary, Lime, who was even more bewildered by the cryptic answer that lacked all context.
"I hope he comes quickly—"
Seolrang let out a soft giggle.
Wagging her golden tail vigorously.