Chapter 59: The King of the Hungry Ghosts (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 59: The King of the Hungry Ghosts (4)
The moment Alon manifested the Ice Crystal Flower Spear, he understood its true effect.
Though its range was only about ten meters—hardly what one would call wide—the effect it had on that space was nothing short of a total shift in the Laws.
The most fundamental laws, like the way water naturally flows from high to low, no longer applied within that sphere.
For the Law of the Ice Crystal Flower Spear was absolute.
It froze everything within its domain.
Regardless of what it was, it was a Law of Inevitability enforced by the will of the caster.
However, the magic Alon had manifested couldn't even maintain itself for six seconds before vanishing. It was a spell that he was not yet permitted to cast, whether in terms of mana capacity or depth of knowledge.
Yet, those six short seconds were more than enough for Alon to achieve his goal.
“…….”
He watched the scene before him, a single trail of blood leaking from his lips.
There stood the Outer God.
Kailas was there, his entire body frozen a deep blue, beginning to shatter into fine shards.
“Ha… what a weak and pathetic vessel.”
His body was no longer intact. Both his arms had already crumbled into pieces, and even his legs were disintegrating.
“I suppose… you got me.”
Despite the situation, he was smiling. As if his previous rigid expression had been a lie, he grinned broadly and looked at Alon.
“If I had manifested properly and been in a state to use magic correctly, I could have easily blocked that clumsy imitation of yours. However—”
He spoke with a hint of regret.
“—hypotheticals are meaningless.”
As Alon cut him off with his answer, Kailas looked as if he wanted to say something more.
“A wise answer, lowly creature. No—”
With a small chuckle, he continued.
“—Mage. It is my defeat.”
With those final words, he shattered completely. He vanished from the spot, leaving behind nothing but the clothes he had been wearing.
And then.
“Phew—”
Alon let out a low breath, the lingering chill forming a white mist in the air.
The mercenaries stood frozen, staring blankly at Count Palatio—a man who had just dealt with an Outer God in a human body.
““—””
An irrepressible wave of emotion began to ripple through the crowd.
* * *
Immediately after Kailas was annihilated.
The mercenaries, who had been looking at Alon with eyes full of awe, let out a brief cheer for their survival before moving in unison to handle the aftermath.
Alon, meanwhile, collapsed and lost consciousness on the spot.
A full day passed.
When Alon finally woke up after having blacked out like a machine losing power, he received one piece of relatively good news.
Myaon and Argonia were alive.
In Myaon’s case, although she had coughed up blood, her injuries were manageable enough that she could move around after taking some potions. The problem was Argonia.
Having taken a direct hit from the Outer God’s magic, he was technically alive, but only just. It was only thanks to a half-dragon’s characteristic physical strength and regenerative powers that he was still breathing; for all intents and purposes, he was a living corpse.
It was virtually impossible to carry him out of the Labyrinth in that state.
…Of course, Alon wasn't in any condition to walk out of the Labyrinth either.
“Whew…”
Alon tried to steady his trembling breath and looked down at his left hand.
His entire left arm was a bruised, bluish-purple color, as if it had suffered severe frostbite. Looking at the exterior alone, one might wonder if it needed to be amputated.
But it wasn't just his arm. While the left arm was the worst, various parts of his body were mottled with blue, looking like deep bruises.
Fortunately, this wasn't frostbite, but a symptom of mana poisoning.
I can’t put any strength into it.
Alon sighed softly as he looked at his arm, which wouldn't even twitch, as if it had no sensation at all. He then lay back down on the makeshift cot.
He had anticipated this outcome several times over when he was chugging mana potions like water.
I’m lucky it ended at this level.
Among the potential effects of mana poisoning from overdosing on potions, this kind of mana nerve paralysis was actually on the milder side. It would take some time, but it would eventually heal naturally.
If he had suffered a Mana Sinkhole, which causes permanent damage to the Mana Hole, or Heart Mana Hardening, where mana crowds into the heart and causes it to stiffen, he could have died instantly on the spot.
“Phew.”
Just as Alon was exhaling a sigh of relief for being alive.
“Are you alright, Godfather?”
The flap of the temporary tent was pulled back, and Line walked in with her usual stoic expression.
“I’m just a bit tired due to the poisoning symptoms.”
“That is a relief.”
A somewhat long silence followed her reply.
Alon shifted his gaze slightly to look at Line. She still wore a blunt expression, but Alon sensed a slight awkwardness in it.
Until now, she was blunt but we could converse naturally…
Today, she seemed content to remain silent, as if she had no intention of leading the conversation. Just as Alon was wondering if he should be the one to speak.
“Godfather.”
Line spoke first.
“What is it?”
“If I may, could I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything.”
She seemed to hesitate for a moment before posing her question.
“…Why did you save me?”
“Why?”
“Yes. Why did you save me?”
“…Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“In that situation, I… wasn't that useful.”
At Line’s words, Alon looked at her. She was still expressionless, but her eyes held a clear, visible doubt. It was as if she truly couldn't understand why Alon had done what he did.
Alon suddenly remembered that Seolrang had asked him a similar question, and a sense of injustice began to well up inside him.
No, seriously, how do I look to them…? Is my face just the quintessential villain type? Why does every single one of them feel like I only raised them to use them?
Of course, he had saved them with the intent of eliminating the Five Great Sins, but he had never once thought he needed to get something back from them.
…Well, he might have expected a few scraps to fall his way, or perhaps a slightly—just a tiny bit—more extravagant gift on his birthday.
Alon forced himself up to sit on the edge of the flimsy bed and spoke with the same sense of grievance he’d felt before.
“Line.”
“Yes, Godfather.”
“I don’t know what you think of me, but I didn't take you in just to use you.”
“…Is that so?”
Seeing Line stammer her response, Alon pushed aside the thought of ‘So you really did think that,’ and continued.
“I think of you all as family.”
“Family…?”
“Yes. Family who can give and receive help when things are difficult. Our relationship isn't built on profit and necessity. So, there’s no grand meaning behind saving you. It’s just—”
He let out a long sigh and finished.
“—I saved you because it was the natural thing to do. Just as you saved me.”
“Ah.”
Line’s eyes widened slightly at Alon’s words.
Perhaps because she was naturally stoic, the expression wasn't dramatic, but seeing her eyes enlarge even that much made Alon feel like his sincerity had gotten through.
“Keep this in mind, Line. Our relationship isn't one-sided. If you really want to do something for me, just… remember my birthday or something.”
Alon looked at Line after finishing with that slightly selfish remark.
Line stared blankly at Alon’s face for a while, maintaining her silence. Then, for the first time, a small smile played on her lips.
“…I understand, Godfather.”
“Good.”
Feeling like his heart had finally reached her, Alon gave a small nod.
After talking with Alon for a while longer, Line left. Alon stared at the spot where she had been before closing his eyes. He had only been awake for about an hour, but his unrecovered, pathetic body was already craving sleep.
Five days passed.
In the 5th Layer, where there was neither night nor day, only a blue sky, Alon had recovered enough to finally move around.
“…Can you move?”
“To some extent.”
“…Impressive.”
Alongside Argonia, who had recovered with monstrous speed, Alon began to ascend the layers to leave the Labyrinth.
It took another two days of climbing back up through the dark abyss.
“We’re here!”
Hearing Argonia’s rare, passionate shout, they finally arrived outside the Labyrinth.
* * *
It had been three days since they returned to the Labyrinth City, Lartania.
Alon couldn't go out because he was recuperating, but praise and rumors about the subjugation force that had dealt with an Outer God spread incessantly throughout Lartania, eventually trickling out to the rest of the world.
After finishing his rest at Merde, the building owned by Line, Alon confirmed that his mana poisoning symptoms had significantly improved and immediately prepared to leave.
Truthfully, he wanted to enjoy his vacation a bit longer, but staying at Merde for too long would clearly be a nuisance.
Thus, while having a final meal with Line before returning with Evan.
“Godfather.”
“Yes?”
“When is your birthday?”
Alon thought for a moment before answering Line’s question.
“My birthday… it’s September 25th.”
“September 25th… Yes, I understand.”
With that, their final lunch came to an end.
“Well then, I’ll see you again when time permits.”
“Yes, Godfather. I’ll see you again.”
“Right.”
After exchanging final farewells, he boarded the carriage and set off for the Count’s estate.
“My Lord.”
“What is it?”
“You must be looking forward to next year.”
“Looking forward? Ah, my birthday?”
“Yes.”
“I wouldn't go that far. I receive plenty of gifts anyway.”
“Oh, come on—formal gifts exchanged for etiquette are different from what the kids send you.”
“…Still, I’m not expecting much.”
So Alon said.
But contrary to his words, he was actually looking forward to it quite a bit. In fact, he had been excited ever since Line asked for the date.
…Wine…? No, Line deals with artifacts, so maybe she’ll give me a useful one? …But those are expensive, so maybe she’ll compromise with something reasonable…?
Behind his expressionless face, Alon’s anticipation for the gift he would receive a year from now continued to grow.
Meanwhile.
Immediately after Alon left.
Line sat in her office inside Merde, staring fixedly at Alon’s carriage as it moved into the distance.
…A gift… A gift for the person who acknowledged me as family.
She turned her gaze toward a specific location. Only one building filled her vision.
The place where Lusimore Graystone, the Lord of Lartania, resided.
The castle where only the Lord of Lartania could live.
“There is one,” Line whispered.
A smile spread across her lips.