Chapter 459: Why Are You Doing This…? (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 459: Why Are You Doing This…? (7)
After Myu finished relaying the rumors in detail.
“I—I’ll go out and look into it a bit more thoroughly, just in case—!”
As if terrified of further questions from Magrina, she vanished at the speed of light.
Silence descended upon the room.
The smile that had been lingering on Magrina’s face began to stiffen.
It was then.
“Don’t get so worked up.”
“……Sister?”
Line’s gentle voice rippled through the air.
Magrina snapped out of it, feeling a bit surprised. It was because Line looked remarkably composed. Even though they had heard the rumors about their brother together—
Magrina tilted her head instinctively. At least, the Line she knew wouldn't be so unresponsive to something like this.
“……Are you alright?”
“About what?”
“The, well, the rumors.”
At Magrina’s cautious question, Line set her cup down with a relaxed smile.
“Magrina, you know, don't you? That it’s impossible for Godfather to have someone like that in the first place.”
“Isn't that… something we can't know for sure?”
“No. It will absolutely never happen.”
“……Absolutely?”
“Absolutely.”
Line asserted without a hint of hesitation.
“Godfather isn't the type of person to suddenly form a connection like that.”
Line paused for a moment, thinking, then added, “In all likelihood, the rumors got twisted and tangled as they were passed along.”
“……Do you really think so?”
“Of course.”
Seeing Line go back to sipping her tea, completely unbothered, Magrina found herself nodding along. Certainly, as she said, it was unlike her brother to suddenly form a special bond without any prior signs.
“Ahem—I suppose I got a bit too excited.”
Recalling Alon’s face, Magrina regained her smile. Line’s faith felt more valid than her own groundless suspicions.
Magrina moved her hand gracefully. The broken teacup was cleared away by magic, and a new one was placed before her. As Magrina poured more tea, Line added with a leisurely smile.
“Exactly. Rumors are often distorted, so it’s best to think things through calmly.”
“Normally I would, but whenever I hear rumors about Brother, I end up like this. Like you said, the rumors must have been distorted, right?”
Line nodded, bringing the teacup to her lips.
But at that moment.
Knock, knock—
The sound of knocking returned.
Magrina used her mana to open the door once again.
And then.
“Um, excuse me……”
It was Myu again.
For some reason, she looked even more intimidated than before, her eyes darting around as she stepped inside. As if her feet were barely moving, Myu finally reached Magrina and Line.
“……This is the additional information I just confirmed.”
She spoke up timidly.
“Go ahead.”
Encouraged by Magrina’s now-calm tone, Myu still looked slightly uneasy but steeled herself to report.
“……The person said to have a special relationship with the Primordial Elf is the Vice Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower.”
The moment those words left her mouth.
“……The Blue Magic Tower’s,”
“Vice Tower Master……?”
Magrina and Line tilted their heads.
The Vice Tower Master of the Blue Magic Tower. Though the title felt a bit distant, it was also strangely familiar. As the two of them pondered the words—
“……Sister Penia?”
“……Penia……?”
As if they had planned it, they spoke the name at the same time.
“Yes—that was the name.”
The moment Myu confirmed it, she witnessed it.
The teacups held by Magrina and Line began to crack simultaneously.
“……!”
A terrifying bloodlust…… no, a surge of mana began to drift through the air.
And then.
“……She’s crossing the line.”
Line’s murmur echoed lowly.
* * *
Exactly one day later.
“Ugh, eeeeek—!?”
“……What? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”
“No, I just felt a sudden chill.”
“Hmm—well…… that makes sense.”
“Want me to poke your eyes out for you?”
“I’ll pass.”
As Penia suddenly grabbed her arms and shivered, Evan teased her, and their usual banter continued.
Watching them, Alon heard Heinkel call out.
“Alright then, do it now!”
The brat’s voice was full of confidence. Unlike yesterday, when she couldn't use mana due to the lingering effects of the artifact, she was now able to use it, even if she was still recovering.
Alon handed the Fragment of Faith to Heinkel.
“It is finished.”
“Really?”
After the brief process concluded, Heinkel immediately began to circulate her mana.
After a moment.
“Mmm—good!”
Heinkel nodded as if she had realized something.
“……Did you find something out?”
When Alon asked immediately, Heinkel nodded again.
“Yeah. My mana is too small right now so it’ll be tough, but once I recover a bit more, I’ll be able to use it right away.”
“You can tell that already?”
“I can feel the change.”
Heinkel shrugged.
Behind his expressionless face, Alon was surprised. After Penia received faith from Alon, it had taken her weeks before she could use a Phrase. Yet Heinkel had shortened that process in an instant.
Suppressing his surprise, Alon said to her, “Just in case, I should mention that Phrases can only be used if you have faith.”
“I know that, obviously. Don’t worry about that part either.”
As if telling him to keep his worries to himself, Heinkel patted Alon’s shoulder with her characteristic small palm.
Given her attitude, which seemed to lack even a shred of piety, Alon doubted whether Heinkel could truly use a Phrase, but—
“Are you planning to leave right away?”
He cut off his thoughts at her follow-up question and answered.
“Not immediately, but I intend to move after passing the blessings to the mages.”
“What about the magic? Two more have been deciphered now.”
Alon thought for a moment before speaking.
“……It would be better to postpone that for later.”
If he were to learn magic now, he would have to stay at the Magic Tower for at least a few more weeks.
Heinkel nodded as if she understood the situation.
“Can’t be helped if you’re busy. Magic requires plenty of time to master, after all. So, all that’s left is the blessing?”
“That is correct.”
Alon had only one task left.
“Have you decided which kids to give the blessing to?”
“Not yet.”
“Hmm—”
Heinkel thought deeply for a moment and then said, “The blessing doesn't have to be bestowed right this second, right?”
“Correct.”
“Then can you give me a little time?”
“……Time?”
“Yeah. Since you gave me a blessing, I thought I’d help you out a bit.”
A meaningful smile played across her lips.
“What do you think?”
Faced with the proposal once more—
“If that is the case—”
Alon accepted, even as he tilted his head in curiosity.
After spending one more day there, Alon left the Central Magic Tower and boarded a carriage headed for Colony.
“Safe travels!”
“We will be waiting for you!”
“Take care!”
Pop— Bang, bang—!
As if they had been waiting, mages swarmed the entrance, competing to offer their farewells.
Having barely escaped the crowd, Alon let out a sigh.
“……Receiving this much attention is exhausting.”
“Mmm—I think it’s understandable.”
During his stay at the Magic Tower, whenever Alon stepped out of his room for even a moment, mages would inevitably approach him with all sorts of gifts.
As Alon closed his eyes at the memory, Penia chimed in as if she empathized.
Evan didn't miss the chance to jump in.
“Didn't you enjoy it every time you got attention? You were grinning ear to ear whenever you received something—”
“Shut up.”
Penia now brushed off Evan’s attacks with ease.
[I thought I was going to die…….]
Soon, Basiliora emerged from Alon’s ring, looking exhausted.
“What is it?”
[You might not know, but being inside that ring is more stifling than you’d think!]
Basiliora cried out indignantly at Alon’s question.
Penia stared at him and tilted her head.
“……Then couldn't you have just come out? Heinkel-nim came out right away even when she couldn't use mana.”
[And what if she happened to use it? That would be a disaster.]
As if suffering from PTSD, Basiliora shuddered and then suddenly froze.
[Wait—no? Maybe that was the only time I could have gotten my revenge? What if I had overcome my anxiety and gone outside??]
[Kyu—!]
[Craaaack—!]
Blackie suddenly popped out of a pocket and smacked Basiliora on the head as if he were being too noisy.
Thanks to that, the carriage moved peacefully toward Colony.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the 2nd Office of Palantia.
In the laboratory that Penia used to use, which had now become Rainisius’s office.
“……!”
He was frozen with a look of surprise.
He had just finished a detailed analysis of the effects of the artifact, Feet Running Through the Past.
Repairing a created artifact was one thing, but discovering its detailed operating principles was normally close to impossible. Unlike simple ‘repair,’ understanding the ‘operating principle’ was on an entirely different level.
However, Rainisius’s innate nature made it possible.
After staring at the Feet Running Through the Past for a while, he thought to himself.
‘……Should I call it a transceiver?’
No, it was an artifact that operated with a slightly more complex structure than that. Still, for a brief summary, there was no better explanation.
To be more precise, it was more accurate to call it a ‘one-way’ transmitter.
In other words, the artifact effect of the Feet Running Through the Past wasn't actually that incredible.
However, the reason Rainisius was surprised was because of a single inference based on that simple fact.
‘A transmission artifact, even if it’s one-way, loses its meaning as a device if there is no one to receive the signal.’
Yet, from what Rainisius knew, Alon had already met Kailas several times through this device. And that was the Kailas who had become an ‘Outer God’ to seek revenge against the Five Great Sins.
That meant the hypothesis Rainisius had made before Alon left was correct to some extent.
“……The Outer Gods didn't vanish; it only looks like they did. They are trapped somewhere.”
The hypothesis he had first proposed regarding the Outer Gods.
And that inference provided Rainisius with one additional piece of information.
‘And if that is truly the case—’
Rainisius looked at the Feet Running Through the Past.
A one-way transmitter naturally leaves a trail.
And his nature allowed him to clearly track the traces of this transmission, even if it took time.
In other words—
“The Outer Gods can be summoned at will……”
Rainisius’s low voice echoed through the room.