Chapter 212: The North…? (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 212: The North…? (3)
Inside the office.
Alon stared blankly ahead.
Before his eyes stood two individuals—no, an Elf and a Lizardman.
On one side was Rim, the Elf, who was practically radiating a sense of unwavering faith toward Alon. Unlike when they had first met in Greinif, her eyes were now sparkling with vitality as she stood in an incredibly polite posture.
The other was Kurak, the Lizardman who had visited Alon not long ago, exuding the same boisterous energy as before.
“…….”
Looking at the two of them, Alon cautiously raised a hand to massage his temples.
“So, what did you say?”
“We have come to ask who you would prefer to handle your escort duties.”
“My friend, you need only decide! We shall handle the rest of the coordination ourselves!”
In contrast to Rim, who bowed her head respectfully, Kurak let out a hearty burst of laughter. "Hahahaha!"
“No, wait……”
Naturally, the simple conclusion wasn't what Alon wanted to know.
First of all, Alon had no idea why Rim and Kurak were here together. More importantly, he couldn't understand how this situation had even come about.
He understood the literal meaning of 'providing an escort.' However, he hadn't the slightest clue how that conversation had started, progressed, and reached this point.
‘……Even if I concede a hundred times and say I understand the Elves, why the Lizardmen?’
Since Kurak’s presence was particularly baffling, Alon’s gaze naturally drifted toward him.
“Heh-hem—as expected, the Marquis has a discerning eye. We are certainly stronger than these pointy-ears.”
“You—!”
Alon had only looked at him because his mind was a mess, but Kurak was already jumping to conclusions while Rim scowled.
Alon had been in the office for less than thirty minutes, yet another sigh escaped his lips—one of many he had already exhaled.
“……I think I need an explanation first. Can you tell me exactly what is going on?”
“Ah…… I will explain immediately.”
Startled by Alon’s request, Rim immediately snapped into an 'at-ease' position. Alon thought she didn't need to be quite so disciplined, but knowing that telling her to relax wouldn't work, he silently listened to her explanation.
After some time had passed.
“……So, for those reasons, you are deciding who will take charge of my escort.”
“That is correct.”
“Indeed.”
“…….”
Rim and Kurak nodded confidently.
Despite his expressionless face, Alon was internally flustered. Not a single shred of his own will had been involved in their conversation or their conclusion.
‘Of course, being escorted isn't necessarily a bad thing…….’
To be honest, it was an appealing prospect for Alon. In a dangerous dark fantasy world, the more protection one had, the better.
However, Alon’s concern was, as always, the same. This rivalry over his escort was also rooted in a misunderstanding.
He had a rough idea of how the Elves were operating under a delusion(?), but he had no idea what was going on with the Lizardmen.
‘No, seriously, what kind of misunderstanding are these guys under now……?’
He could infer a few things based on Kurak’s comments from their last meeting, but he couldn't fathom how things had escalated to the point of them bickering with Elves over escort duties. Even though he had just heard the explanation…….
After a moment of deliberation, Alon spoke.
“……First, I appreciate the thought, but an escort is not strictly necessary.”
“Ah—”
“Hmm—”
Rim and Kurak let out low groans of disappointment.
Alon felt a slight pang of regret as well, but he steeled his heart. An escort provided without cost was a tempting offer, but it was like a seductive trap.
This entire relationship was built on a misunderstanding. Although Alon hadn't intended it and they were the ones who had unilaterally misinterpreted things, he had nonetheless gained various benefits from their delusions.
But if he tried to take it a step further and accept the benefit of an escort—and if the Elves or Lizardmen, who would be by his side constantly, realized their mistake while watching his actions?
The loss he would suffer would far outweigh anything he had gained so far.
‘Besides, my Divinity is starting to accumulate now.’
Thinking of the Divinity he had already gathered, Alon took a secret breath and looked at the two of them. For now, he had to protect it. Their misunderstanding, that is.
“Therefore, I shall decline the escort.”
“……I see.”
“That is a shame.”
Rim and Kurak couldn't hide their disappointment.
“Very well. Since you insist, I shall say no more.”
“I shall follow the words of the Primordial Elf.”
Kurak bowed his head deeply, and Rim, now unhesitatingly calling him the Primordial Elf, also bowed.
Once the situation was settled and the two were sent out, Alon let out a light sigh, prompting Evan to shrug his shoulders.
“Now they’re practically dying for the chance to protect you.”
“……I don't know why they're acting like that either.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Evan wore a thoughtful expression for a moment before pointing toward a window as if something had occurred to him.
“Ah, Marquis. Have you seen that?”
“That?”
“Yes, that.”
Following Evan’s hand, Alon shifted his gaze outside the window. There stood the massive statue Deus had gifted him for his birthday.
“……?”
A feature that definitely hadn't been there when Alon left—a pair of 'giant horns'—was now attached to the statue.
“……When did the horns get added?”
As Alon asked, Evan answered as if he had been waiting for the question.
“I heard Deus contacted them in advance. Apparently, the remaining crew came out on a business trip and added them before we arrived.”
“……Is a statue something you can just take apart and put back together so easily?”
“Normally it’s impossible—but I heard it can be done if a Mage is involved. It’s quite expensive, though.”
Alon stared at the statue with his mouth agape. With two massive horns attached, it no longer looked human at all. It looked like a terrifying figure returned from hell, ready to thunder an order like, 'Rise, every one of you!'
‘……This is more embarrassing than I imagined.’
Alon let out another low groan.
* * *
Exactly two months had passed since Rim and Kurak visited the House of Marquis Palatio.
It was now the height of winter, and snow was beginning to dye the world white.
“Let’s stop here.”
“Ah, already?”
“Yes, it’s more exhausting than I thought.”
“Understood.”
Alon was immersed in magic research with Penia. More specifically, research into Divinity and magic.
Alon exhaled several heavy, hot breaths as if he were winded. Penia brought him a towel and spoke.
“Still, with this, it seems you’ve achieved almost a perfect Manifestation, haven't you?”
“It certainly seems so.”
“Yes. But no matter how many times I see it, it really is amazing. Converting mana into lightning…… I suspected it when you first showed me your Divinity, but I can't help but be amazed every time I see it in person.”
Well, that’s why the magic we’re making now is actually possible, Penia added inwardly.
Alon nodded but asked, “Haven't you seen things even more impressive than this?”
“That’s true. Even though you converted mana into lightning, it changed again to match your Hand Seal. Just like Blackie.”
Penia gestured with her chin toward Blackie, who was on the desk.
[Gyu?]
Blackie, who had been poking at a magic reagent, looked back and forth between Penia and Alon.
“He’s worth researching in many ways.”
“I’m always grateful. Thanks to you, the research is progressing quickly.”
“I’m getting what I’m owed, too. Besides, the research is fun.”
After giving a light word of praise to Penia, whose face was full of pride, Alon sat in his chair and organized the things he had discovered while researching Divinity over the past two months.
There were three main points.
First, to use Divinity for Manifestation, one must have a clear cognition of the Divinity’s power.
Second, for Manifestation, one must have a clear cognition of the trigger.
Third and finally, it was impossible to use two Divinities simultaneously. In other words, while Alon was using Kalanon’s Divinity, he couldn't use any other Divinity at all.
‘Except for the Primordial Elf’s Divinity, which I can at least shroud myself in.’
However, perhaps because he hadn't fully grasped its power, he couldn't achieve Manifestation with the Primordial Elf’s Divinity either.
‘……Should I go to Greinif and ask about the power?’
Alon had recently been pondering how to accurately perceive the power held by the Primordial Elf.
“Ah, Marquis.”
“What is it?”
“Come to think of it, I heard you’re moving out around next month. Is that right?”
At the question, Alon nodded.
“Yes, we’ll likely move next month.”
In truth, if he were only going to Calliban, he could afford to move with more leisure. However, he intended to move earlier to stop by Asteria.
‘I have to meet Siyan, after all.’
He had to report to her about his trip to Greinif.
At Alon’s answer, Penia nodded slowly and said, “Hmm—by then, this current research should be finished.”
“Most likely. Only the fine-tuning remains.”
“Still, just in case, even if the tuning is perfect, I think it’s best to refrain from using it in actual combat. It’s certainly groundbreaking, but there will still be considerable risks.”
I wish we could conduct research a bit more often, Penia muttered to herself.
Alon agreed. The speed and amount at which his Divinity accumulated were insufficient to conduct research without constraints.
‘Well, it’s accumulating a lot more than it did in the beginning.’
When he first started his research at the Marquis’s estate, he could only conduct research about once every three days. But now, wasn't he able to do it almost once a day?
As he recalled that fact, a question bloomed in Alon’s mind.
‘……Wait? Come to think of it, why is my Divinity accumulating so much?’
He hadn't looked into it properly until now, but thinking about it, it was a bit strange. Faith might be accumulating better thanks to the events in the jungle. But even taking that into account, to go from using the power once every three days to once a day?
Alon immediately entered a state of Contemplation and zoomed in on Kalanon’s Divinity.
And then.
“???”
He saw it.
Just three months ago, the area around his Divinity had been pitch-black darkness, save for the Divinity itself and Silli’s star, which had directly transferred power to him.
Now, a blue nebula had formed around it.
‘……What is this?’
His face filled with confusion, but he couldn't continue his thoughts in Penia’s office. He hurried back to his own office, where—
“Marquis, did you hear?”
“What happened?”
“Silli has become a Saintess.”
“……What?”
Before he could even process his previous thoughts, he was hit with news that left his mind completely blank.