Chapter 304
Chapter 304
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 304
>Chapter Title: Or... Father-in-Law?
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In my dream, I was holed up in the Blandoga Family's guest quarters, living a life of luxury.
Every meal was a feast of delicacies from land and sea.
Alfredo and Ransi treated me with the utmost respect, as if I were the patriarch himself. Yet even in the dream, I couldn't call myself happy.
And that was because...
“......”
My eyes were covered with bandages, and a scar like a burn from hellfire stretched across my chest.
How many people could be happy after having their eyes gouged out and their core ruined?
But since it was a dream, perhaps?
I was gazing at my reflection in the mirror with perfectly clear vision when a voice rang out.
“Tsk, what a disgrace. A grand archmage walking around all battered like that...”
I turned at the familiar voice, and the scenery warped, revealing a new location.
It was the Great Forest, and the owner of the voice was none other than...
“Shine?”
“Indeed, 'tis I.”
I tilted my head.
“A nightmare?”
“What's that, you brat?”
Shine glared at me with fiery eyes, but it wasn't scary at all. After all, this was my dream.
Wait, my dream?
For some reason, my fist itched.
Shine's voice came right then.
“Don't even think about it. You're right that this is your dream, but this space isn't yours.”
“It isn't mine?”
Shine nodded at my question.
“Does the term 'Dream Illusion Magic' ring a bell? In other words... I'm sharing a dream with you. So this space is yours, but also mine.”
“Like a vampire's power, something like a pact?”
“Yes, that's an easy way to understand it. I just realized it recently—it's not bad. There are some restrictions, though.”
I looked around with novel curiosity at Shine's answer. Dream Illusion Magic... No wonder it felt too vivid for a mere dream.
But anyway.
“Mind if I ask why you did something so horrific?”
Shine tilted his head at my question.
“Horrific?”
“Never mind if you don't get it.”
I'd meant sharing a dream with him was horrific, but no need to spell it out.
Anyway.
“What brings you here? You didn't just call to see my face, did you?”
“Ah, right. As if I'd visit in a dream just to see your mug. But you got thoroughly thrashed again, didn't you?”
“Yeah, something like that. But...”
“How'd I know? I peeked into your dream, and it was right there. Dreams reflect the subconscious, after all.”
Was it because I dreamed of the Blandoga Family?
As that thought crossed my mind, Shine's voice whispered in my ear.
“Not easy, is it?”
“...?”
“I figured once you reached transcendence, you'd just strut around with your chest puffed out... but you get smashed here, smashed there. I can see you're feeling down.”
“It's not...”
His words mocked, but concern seeped through.
But unlike his worry, I was unfazed.
‘Getting thrashed isn't a one-day thing.’
I'd been quiet about it, but back in my Troubleshooter days, I got beaten black and blue every other day.
If anything, things were better now.
“Anyway, what did you want to say?”
“What I want to say... I'm planning to leave the Second Black-White Slums for a while.”
“Because of your clan?”
I'd meant, did he find the vampire clan's legacy? But Shine shook his head.
“Not entirely unrelated, but it's more for training.”
“Training?”
“Yes.”
Shine nodded and spread his hands toward me as he stood. Soon, a dark crimson haze rose from his body.
“Do you see it?”
I nodded.
“It's different.”
Even in the dream, the aura Shine emitted felt strange. Not ether, but not quite mana either.
“I've been converting it to ether until now, but there's a limit. My unstable transcendence is probably because of that.”
“So you need training?”
Shine nodded.
But I couldn't easily imagine it. What kind of training does it take to handle such an alien energy?
“Is there a method?”
“What do you think? I'll have to fight. These things are learned through clashes.”
In other words, he needed real combat.
“If you need an opponent...”
“Appreciate the thought.”
Shine cut me off before I finished.
“First, I'll temper my body. I'll seal all my powers and spend time adapting to my pure flesh. I don't want to borrow your hands and end up in a sorry state.”
Ah, I see.
So he didn't trust me that much.
Anyway, Shine had come to let me know before leaving the Second Black-White Slums.
I had no reason to object.
‘He's saying he'll come back stronger, after all.’
Before, I'd be on guard about a parasite getting stronger, but now...
We both needed to get stronger.
But wait.
“Am I... okay?”
“...?”
“No, I mean, eyes gouged, core shattered.”
“You seem fine.”
“That shows up too?”
Shine nodded at my question.
“Changes like that are enough to affect the subconscious. But you seem okay.”
“Really?”
Hmm... what's going on.
He didn't seem the type to show mercy.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Shine's voice came.
“Anyway, I'm leaving soon. Figured you should know. Might as well train Astaroth and Leraji while I'm at it.”
“No idea when you'll be back?”
“Who knows... we'll see.”
Shine trailed off, as if he couldn't promise.
I gazed quietly at him.
What to say?
From the Great Forest to now.
We weren't always together, but this was our first indefinite farewell.
‘Is this the master's feeling when freeing a slave?’
Feeling oddly wistful, I extended my hand.
“Alright, safe travels.”
“You too. Don't get thrashed, stay well.”
I gripped the clasped hand tightly. Thus, the dream world slowly crumbled.
“Oh, last thing—I'll give you one piece of advice.”
“Advice...?”
“Yes, advice.”
Shine nodded.
“Aebiron of the Decullan Family, Grand Duke Muspellun... You've learned plenty from them.”
True.
From Aebiron, the inadequacy of my personal might; from Senior Muspellun, the weakness of my backing.
“Personal might... Frankly, it's a gap you can't close overnight. Maybe not in a lifetime. Though I doubt you'll stay beneath them forever. Still, you can't fix it right now.”
“So?”
“Grow your Magic Tower.”
Shine said, eyes gleaming as he looked at me.
“As I've said before, don't try to shoulder everything alone. You don't need to protect everyone. Make it so the Magic Tower protects you, like you protect it.”
It wasn't easy to grasp.
Make the Magic Tower protect me, like I protect it?
Sensing my doubt?
Shine continued.
And his words touched on something simple I hadn't considered.
“Step out into the world. Proclaim the Magic Tower as Lortel's ally, with Grand Duke Muspellun at your back, and that your personal power has entered transcendence.”
“......”
“A fifteen-year-old archmage who reached transcendence. Spreading that fact isn't a bad idea.”
In other words...
“If you can't hide, go public?”
“You've got a talent for cheap metaphors.”
“And you're needlessly verbose?”
Shine burst out laughing at my retort and bid farewell.
“Farewell, you sly rascal.”
“Don't starve out there, parasite.”
In the fading scenery.
Shine released our grip and turned. He walked away slowly. I watched his back in silence, and for some reason, a strange certainty arose.
An indefinite farewell...
But we'd surely meet again.
In the flow of time, we'd circle back to each other.
...And so, I woke from the dream.
“Are you awake?”
“...Fuck?”
I spat curses at the familiar voice.
I'd opened my eyes, but saw nothing. No, it wasn't just that.
My eyes stung sharply.
No way... for real?
* * *
Fortunately, I hadn't lost my eyes or had my core sealed.
After washing the toothpaste mess from my eyes, Leodis awaited me in the bedroom.
“Was it fun?”
Fuck. Is that even a question?
I wanted to glare... but couldn't. He's my friend's dad, after all. Staring rudely would be...
Absolutely not cowering.
...Anyway.
“Th-thank you...?”
“For what?”
I pointed to my eyes.
“Oh, that. Don't worry about it. If it weren't for Chenbi, I'd have plucked them out.”
“Chenbi?”
“Yes, good kid.”
Was it that?
Sacrificing Chenbi to save me...
“Oh, Chenbi's alive. Hmm, bad phrasing? Anyway, both Chenbi and Miss Evelin are fine.”
Something must have happened.
I wanted to check on them right away, but instead of leaving, I sat across from Leodis.
“Calm, aren't you?”
Of course—no reason to panic.
Anyway.
“What brings you here...?”
“Oh, nothing much. Damian wants to apologize, so... As his friend, I wanted to say sorry to you. Will you accept it?”
I nodded.
“Of course.”
Absolutely not out of fear. Absolutely.
But wait.
Saying he wanted to apologize to me ‘as Damian's friend’... sounded like he had words for my ‘other self’ too.
An uneasy feeling.
As expected, my ominous hunch was spot on.
“Light of Healing. Mind if I ask its origin? I have a guess...”
“Hmm.”
I thought quietly.
Two choices.
First, keep my mouth shut out of loyalty to Henji.
Second, sell out Henji and drag him to hell with me.
Truth be told, the answer was set.
“Hen...”
“No, never mind. No need to say the source. What's important is ahead. Right? Why the face? Are you mad?”
“...No, nothing.”
Feeling awkwardly relieved, I cleared my throat to change the mood.
But then.
“You said what's ahead is important...”
“I'm thinking of giving you a chance.”
“A chance?”
Leodis nodded at my question.
“Normally, I'd seal your core and bind you, but with my promise to Damian... We might both gain something. Any thoughts? If not, sealing the core is an option.”
I fell silent.
Leodis didn't speak.
I broke the silence.
“...Call you Father?”
“Father?”
“Or... Father-in-Law?”
Ah, not Father-in-Law. If marriage, it'd be with Leodis's brother's daughter...
“I wasn't telling you to join the Blandoga Family.”
“Oh, right.”
I smiled awkwardly.
I swear, not cowering. Absolutely.