Chapter 460: Why Are You Doing This…? (8)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 460: Why Are You Doing This…? (8)
On the road to the Colony, Alon’s party passed through a lush forest and reached the edge of the sandy desert.
[Kkyu— Kkyu— Kkyu—]
[So hot—]
Blackie and Basiliora were practically melting, slumped over in the carriage.
As Alon watched them, Evan shared a piece of news.
“…The Empire is looking unsettled?”
“It’s mostly on the Eastern Empire’s side, but the situation seems to have worsened since I last reported.”
It was an update on the Empire’s current affairs.
“What’s happening?”
“The frequency of clashes between those with Divine Blood has increased significantly. Consequently, the other empires bordering the Eastern Empire are suffering a great deal of collateral damage.”
“Is there a specific reason?”
“From what I’ve heard, it’s because of the fragments.”
“If you mean the fragments—”
“Yes. They seem to be the same kind as the fragment that fell near the Colony.”
“Hmm…”
Alon stroked his chin.
I expected things to escalate, but still…
He had already anticipated this when he first heard Evan’s report about the fragments. Alon had personally faced both 1st Stage and 2nd Stage Divine Blood, and he had felt firsthand how absurd the gap between those stages was.
To those with Divine Blood, it’s an item they’d risk their lives to obtain.
While Alon was lost in thought, Evan continued.
“Ah, and one more piece of information. They say to watch out for the ‘Predator’ if you go to the Eastern Empire.”
Alon expressed confusion at the sudden title, so Evan elaborated.
“Yes, apparently they are an incredibly powerful figure among the current Divine Blood holders. Other Divine Bloods choose to flee rather than fight if they encounter this Predator. Furthermore, several groups have begun to form.”
“Groups?”
“Yes. From Astaroth, whom I mentioned before, to others like the ‘Pure Blood’ and the ‘Closed Light.’ It seems those with Divine Blood are starting to band together.”
Alon organized the information in his head before asking, “Has there been any word of Divine Blood holders approaching the Colony?”
“I looked into it since you asked me to check, but fortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any sign of that yet.”
“That’s a relief. And—”
“You mean Seolrang, right? Likewise, nothing major has happened to her.”
As Evan provided the answer as if he had been waiting for the question, Alon nodded silently.
Beside them, Penia, who had been tugging at her collar to vent the rising heat, spoke up.
“Lord Alon, has something happened to Lady Seolrang?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, you’ve seemed quite concerned about her lately.”
“I’ve been keeping quiet until now, but I’m a bit curious myself,” Evan added. “Is something going on?”
When they had last seen her, she had appeared perfectly fine. Evan looked at Alon, recalling the past.
Alon remained silent for a moment under their gaze before answering.
“…Well, it’s nothing to worry too much about. It’s not a big deal.”
Evan smacked his lips in slight disappointment at the vague answer.
“Understood.”
He nodded, and Penia did the same.
Immediately after.
“Aah— I can’t take it anymore!”
Unable to endure the heat any longer, Penia quickly pulled out a magic stone and cast ice magic.
[Kkyu!]
[Oh— Oooooh!!]
Blackie and Basiliora instantly swarmed around her, and the carriage became noisy once again.
Beside them, Alon thought to himself.
Something going on… huh.
Alon recalled a memory from over half a year ago. He remembered Seolrang smiling brightly at him, promising to meet again.
The Seolrang he saw then didn’t seem strange at all. She was as energetic as always.
But—
“Lord Alon,”
A voice suddenly broke his train of thought. Alon looked blankly at Penia.
“Um, would you like to come over here?”
Penia asked as she subtly shifted her body to make more room on her seat.
“It’s, well— it’s a bit hot over there.”
At Penia’s invitation—her cheeks flushed, perhaps from the heat—Alon shrugged.
“I’ll do that.”
Indeed, as they entered the outskirts of the desert, it felt significantly hotter, whether it was just his imagination or not. There was no reason to refuse the cooling magic.
Alon immediately moved to sit beside her.
Then—
“Um, could you sit a little closer? The magic stone is small, so you have to be close to feel the chill better.”
Penia invited him again, her voice tinged with a hint of warmth.
Without a word, Alon pressed closer to her side.
[…….]
[…….]
Unbeknownst to Alon, Basiliora and Blackie’s eyes grew cold and flat. Their gaze seemed to say, ‘We have a lot to say, but we’ll endure it for the sake of the cold air.’
The desert journey had officially begun.
* * *
About two and a half weeks after Alon set out, they finally arrived at the desert city, Colony.
“It’s finally in sight…”
“Indeed…”
Penia and Evan spoke weakly as they looked at the Colony.
Alon understood their reaction. Last time, he had been so consumed by worry that he hadn’t realized it, but crossing the desert without a merchant guild was no easy feat.
Mainly because of the heat, the heat, and the heat.
“Still, it’s a relief. It looks like the Colony’s external barrier magic is being maintained.”
“I heard they prioritized fixing that first.”
Suppressing the heat, Alon gazed straight ahead.
The scenery of the Colony looked more desolate than before. The thick walls that once surrounded the city had yet to regain their former glory, remaining broken in various places, and the interior was similarly dotted with collapsed and ruined structures.
“Wow—”
“This is incredible.”
Despite the desolation, Penia and Evan let out exclamations of admiration. They remembered the sight of the Colony when it had been completely reduced to ruins by the Divine Blood.
To see the Colony restored to this extent in just about a year was enough to evoke genuine wonder.
“…I see.”
That included Alon as well.
With surprised faces, they arrived at the wide-open city gates, where they let out another small gasp of admiration.
Inside the Colony, reconstruction work was underway, just as they had seen from the outside. Hundreds of people were moving in unison, diligently carrying supplies.
It was a mundane sight, but Alon was just beginning to smile at the scene of a hopeful daily life being restored when—
“Welcome!”
Someone called out a greeting from afar, welcoming the party. Alon had no trouble recognizing the person approaching.
“It’s been a while, Lime.”
“Yes! Oh— no, if I speak like this—”
“You can speak comfortably. It doesn’t matter.”
“Ah, would that really be okay?”
“Yes.”
It was Seolrang’s secretary, Lime.
“Thank you!”
Lime bowed deeply at Alon’s permission, but only for a moment.
“By the way, where is Seolrang?”
At the follow-up question, Lime let out an ‘Ah.’
“Lady Seolrang is currently outside the Colony on business.”
“What kind of business?”
“Well— lately, some bandits have been appearing near the Colony. And they’re not exactly ordinary bandits—”
Lime cut herself off, looking around as if she realized she might have said too much.
“Um, would it be alright if we moved to another spot to talk?”
“…Is it a topic not suited for the outdoors?”
“Mmm— it’s a bit like that, yes.”
Alon’s party nodded and followed her.
As they walked through the streets of the Colony, Alon spoke up as a thought occurred to him.
“Lime.”
“Yes?”
“How has Seolrang been lately?”
Lime tilted her head at Alon.
“Lady Seolrang?”
“Yes.”
“Well— she was a bit depressed for a while after you left, Lord Alon…”
“Was she?”
“But you don’t have to worry too much. Once her body recovered, she became perfectly fine.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yes! And I feel like she’s become a liiittle bit more mature since that Divine Blood incident…?”
Of course, she added the disclaimer that this was just her personal opinion and that others weren’t so sure.
“Anyway, Lady Seolrang is doing well,” Lime concluded brightly.
Alon nodded slowly.
…Without saying anything else.
* * *
Lately, the atmosphere in the Central Magic Tower had been strange.
To be more precise, the atmosphere among the mages who followed Heinkel to decipher magic was somewhat unsettled.
It was because of Heinkel’s absence.
Until a few weeks ago, she had been a leader-like figure who helped the mages with their calculations and occasionally imparted unexpected knowledge. Then, she had suddenly vanished.
Of course, she had left a letter saying she would be away for a while, but that was already weeks ago.
As the mages were beginning to find it strange—
“…Where did Lady Heinkel go?”
“Hmm— I suspect she’s still somewhere within the Central Magic Tower.”
“I’m starting to think it’s odd as well.”
Just as the Red Tower Master, the Blue Tower Master, and the Green Tower Master were conversing with puzzled expressions—
Thud—!
With the sound of a heavy door opening, Heinkel entered.
All eyes gathered on her at once.
And then.
“!”
“What…?”
“What is that?”
The mages who spotted Heinkel all wore expressions of shock.
They weren’t the only ones. The Tower Masters, who had been questioning her whereabouts just moments ago, stared at Heinkel blankly.
The reason was simple.
“…She’s alive?”
The legendary mage who had existed as a ghost, a being of awe to all mages, looked as if she were alive—no, she was clearly moving with the breath of life.
“How did this…?”
While the surrounding mages were all in shock, Heinkel looked around slowly and thought to herself.
Just as I expected.
The mages were astonished by her living form. They were exhaling gasps of pure wonder.
In fact, Heinkel had intentionally provoked this reaction from the mages.
Naturally, it was for Alon’s sake.
“…….”
When Heinkel first decided to help Alon, she had pondered how to package her words to best assist him.
Fundamentally, what worked best on mages was ‘Magic.’ They were a race that would unhesitatingly crawl through a sewer if it meant obtaining magic.
However, Heinkel soon changed her mind. What Alon, who had handed her the Phrases, needed right now was Faith.
Of course, mages would gladly offer Faith in exchange for Phrases. They were mages, after all.
But Faith offered in that manner would be neither abundant nor profound. They were people who could do anything for magic, but they were also people who believed in nothing but magic.
That was why Heinkel had made her decision. She would show them a ‘Miracle’ instead of ‘Magic.’
“Sorry, everyone.”
Of course, to mages, a ‘miracle’ wasn’t usually held in high regard. But she knew exactly why mages treated miracles that way.
To them, a miracle was something they could create themselves at any time. Mages were, by nature, those who reached into the ‘Mystery.’
Heinkel knew better than anyone how to obtain Faith from mages.
It was to show them a ‘Mystery’ they could not reach. A miracle.
At first glance, it sounded like an impossible task. However, Heinkel was fully equipped to make it happen.
If I’m going to do it, I might as well go all out—
Therefore.
“It took some time because I was receiving ‘Life’ from the Magic King.”
She spoke of a miracle. A miracle that would never be erased, one that would be engraved into the minds of the mages.
And.
It didn’t take long for the mages’ eyes to widen to the point of tearing as they processed her words.