Chapter 447: Return (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 447: Return (3)
Serdea Polantisia stared blankly into space, drifting back to a memory from long ago.
It was when she was very young.
Back when her father was still alive and the Empire was at its most radiant.
…Back when she encountered the Guardian Dragon, before her siblings had begun their fratricidal slaughter.
“…”
The encounter hadn't been long. It had lasted barely five minutes.
Yet that brief memory was etched deeply into her mind. Their meeting had been that impactful for Serdea—no, for all her siblings.
For those tasked with the mission of leading the Empire, it was rare to feel such utter helplessness just by standing before another living being.
As she retraced the past, her thoughts eventually shifted to Alon.
Certainly, Alon Telia was a special existence, both in rumors and in person. He was special, but…
‘…Alon being the father of the Guardian Dragon is a bit much.’
No matter how much she thought about it, it felt absurd. Serdea tilted her head and looked forward.
There stood her loyal subordinate, who looked just as incredulous as she did while delivering the report.
“Is this information certain?”
“To be honest, I found it hard to believe myself, so I verified it several times. However, it is said that Contanias described him in those exact terms.”
“Could that moron have simply misunderstood?”
Serdea questioned him repeatedly. Her subordinate thought it over carefully before answering.
“While that is a possibility, I believe the likelihood is low.”
“And why is that?”
“If the prideful Contanias bowed his head in front of all his vassals, then that means—”
“…He heard it directly from the Guardian Dragon?”
“Yes. After all, isn't he a coward who only puts on a front of confidence? For someone of his temperament to venture so recklessly to the border…”
Serdea eventually nodded at her subordinate’s reasoning. It was exactly as he said. Contanias’s actions were too strange to be dismissed as him simply acting on hearsay. He had behaved in ways that were completely unlike him.
In other words, if one assembled all the evidence…
“So, the claim that Alon is the Guardian Dragon’s father… is true?”
“For now, that is the conclusion we have reached, but…”
Since the information appeared to be true, Serdea became even more confused. She tried to picture the two of them.
‘Wait, do they even… look alike?’
The Guardian Dragon and Alon Telia.
Naturally, from their aura to their appearance, they didn't share a single similarity. Furthermore, Alon didn't possess that unique draconic energy.
‘But if Alon really is the Guardian Dragon’s father…’
On the other hand, it would lend credibility to all the rumors he had built up in that small United Kingdom.
After a long moment of contemplation with a confused expression, Serdea spoke.
“…It seems I’ll have to meet him one more time.”
She made her decision.
“How long will it take to reach the United Kingdom after this business is finished?”
“It will likely take about four months.”
“Four months, I see…”
She gave a firm nod.
* * *
A week had passed since Alon crossed the border of the Northern Empire.
“Teacher, I think I should stay here.”
“…Stay here?”
Yutia suddenly announced her departure.
“Yes. There is a temple here in the Northern Empire that serves the Goddess Sironia.”
“If it won't take long, I don't mind waiting for you.”
However, Yutia smiled and gave a small shake of her head.
“No, I think it will take some time.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. I heard there is some business to attend to here. It will likely take a while to resolve, so please feel free to move on ahead without worrying about me.”
Alon considered her words. If they were in the United Kingdom, he wouldn't have minded, but this was the Empire. However, it would be strange to force himself to stay by her side when she said it wasn't necessary.
“…Understood.”
“Then I’ll be going, Teacher.”
“Right.”
Yutia quickly vanished into the crowds of the plaza.
A short while later, once they had left the estate and passed through the castle gates…
[Phew—!]
[Kyu—!]
Basiliora and Blackie popped out as if they had been waiting with bated breath.
[I thought I was going to die in there for staying so long!]
[Kyu! Kyu—!]
Basiliora and Blackie chirped and panted, clearly having felt stifled. As the two of them began to play and make noise, the quiet carriage quickly became boisterous.
“…It certainly feels different when Yutia isn't around.”
“Well, that can't be helped.”
Penia gave a bittersweet smile at Alon’s remark, then asked as if something had just occurred to her.
“More importantly, Lord Alon. Didn't Cardinal Yutia seem a bit strange?”
“Yutia?”
“Yes! Um—it’s hard to put a finger on it, but overall, it felt like she couldn't remember things…?”
At Penia’s words, Alon finally let out a low exclamation.
“There were certainly moments like that.”
“Right?”
Alon recalled Yutia’s face.
‘…She didn't look like she had any particular problems.’
During this trip, Yutia had been no different than usual. Nevertheless, the reason Alon agreed with Penia was that Yutia had occasionally shown signs of not remembering the past well.
‘…Of course, she managed to brush it off with smooth answers.’
But those momentary hesitations made it obvious to anyone watching that she was forcing herself to nod along to things she didn't actually recall.
“Well, anyone can have moments of forgetfulness.”
“I think so too. It’s just that it’s Cardinal Yutia, you know?”
Alon agreed. While forgetting things wasn't a big deal, it was true that it stood out more because it was Yutia.
After a brief moment of thought…
“Ah, is our schedule completely finished now?”
At Evan’s question, Alon set his thoughts aside and answered.
“Essentially, yes. Though there is one place I need to stop by on the way.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“It’s on our way anyway, so it won't take any extra time.”
‘I should see the Golden Dragon before I go.’
Before he knew it, Blackie had climbed onto Alon’s lap. As he idly stroked the creature, Penia asked another question.
“How is the ‘Law’ coming along?”
“I’ve learned the method of using it, but it’s still not easy to handle.”
“Hmm—it certainly is one of those things that is simple yet difficult to master. There’s a lot to consider.”
Penia tilted her head, falling into thought.
“Still, looking at the conclusion, I think you made the right choice. It’s definitely an ability that can become a variable in any situation.”
“True. Though I’ll have to think carefully because of the constraints.”
As Alon agreed, Penia’s eyebrows twitched as she brought up the main point.
“Actually, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the ‘Law’ of Magi and the ‘Law’ of the Divine Blood that we discussed before.”
“Ah.”
They had indeed talked about it before crossing the border.
“Back then, we thought that the Law possessed by the Divine Blood grants a constraint as the price for using the Law, while the Law created by Magi uses mana as the price… right?”
“Correct.”
“Of course, there are other differences, like the strength of the Law or how a Magus’s Law has a clear characteristic unlike those of the Divine Blood.”
“And?”
As Alon prompted her, Penia continued her explanation.
“The ‘Art of Defying Heaven’ you use is a Magus’s Law, right? And a Magus’s Law requires ‘mana’ as a sacrifice.”
“Yes.”
“Then, I can't help but think the price for a Law that creates infinite mana is a bit strange.”
“That’s… because… uh…?”
Alon, who was about to reflexively counter Penia’s logic, suddenly widened his eyes. He hadn't paid it much mind until now, but thinking about it carefully, it was indeed strange. A silence fell over the carriage.
“…It is, isn't it?”
“I hadn't thought about it in detail, so it never occurred to me, but certainly…”
“Yes. Even to me, the Art of Defying Heaven is… contradictory, assuming our theory on how Magi’s Laws and Divine Blood Laws work is correct. It’s almost like—”
Penia’s voice rang out clearly.
“—the Laws created by the Divine Blood.”
* * *
A month had passed since Yutia had gone her separate way.
Alon reached the border faster than expected and, thanks to Contanias’s assistance, easily passed through into the Wasteland.
“This trip was quite long. We’ve essentially been away for nearly half a year.”
Alon nodded at Evan’s remark.
“It has been a while.”
“Right? Though we spent more time traveling than actually doing anything. Anyway, where are we headed now? you said you had to stop somewhere.”
Alon organized his thoughts for a moment and spoke.
“We’re moving south.”
Without further word, Alon’s party headed toward the southern part of the Wasteland.
A few more days passed.
As Alon traveled endlessly through the empty Wasteland…
“!”
He sensed a bizarre anomaly.
Mana began to coil around the entire carriage.
However, Alon soon realized the nature of this phenomenon and restrained Penia, who was about to use her mana in response to the ominous sign.
And then—
With a flash before their eyes, they realized the entire party had been transported somewhere.
“…Lord Alon?”
“Could this be—”
Evan’s startled voice came from outside, and Penia’s eyes widened as she guessed the situation. Alon stood up and stepped out of the carriage.
There, he saw him.
[…It has been a long time, Magus.]
“Indeed.”
He stood before Rainisius.
Rainisius looked down at him with the same expressionless face as before, devoid of any emotion.
[…]
As a heavy silence hung between the two…
[…?]
A sudden look of doubt appeared on Rainisius’s face.
[??]
Rainisius tilted his head several times as if he had encountered an incomprehensible situation.
“…What is it all of a sudden?”
Alon eventually asked first, though he felt he understood the dragon’s behavior.
‘Well, a lot has changed since I was here a few years ago.’
A long time had passed. But Alon’s current growth was at a level that was difficult to achieve in just a few years. The dragon was surely surprised by that.
Alon felt a secret sense of pride. It felt like being acknowledged by a dragon, who could be considered the embodiment of magic itself.
However.
[…Magus, let me ask you one thing.]
“What is it?”
[Is there a dragon outside? No—did you—]
Regrettably, the dragon’s question was far from what Alon had expected.
[…Did you enter into a marriage with a dragon?]
“…”
Far, far from it.