Chapter 377
Chapter 377
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 377
>Chapter Title: Miracle... Or Perhaps
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“So, is the Salvatium matter all wrapped up?”
Those were the first words out of Parun’s mouth after he stopped his unpleasant chuckling.
“All wrapped up...”
I took a moment to gather my thoughts.
To be precise, the conflict with Salvatium was far from over.
Even though the Emperor had declared the “extermination of Salvatium” and the entire Empire had mobilized to hunt down the Golden Horse Society, rooting out those who had lurked in the shadows for thousands of years was no easy task.
And the feud between the Magic Tower and Salvatium was a battle that wouldn’t end until one side was utterly annihilated.
But.
I glanced at Professor Pelina before opening my mouth.
“I’d say my part in it is done.”
What came after this wasn’t my responsibility.
If a full-scale war with Salvatium broke out down the line, that’d be a different story.
“...Not quite cleanup duty.”
It was more like a division of labor.
Parun closed his hollow eyes slowly and nodded.
“Then, now we can finally get to the main point.”
And what exactly was the main point he was referring to here?
“The Infinite Chain.”
The real reason I’d come to Megarium to see Parun.
“The setup’s complete.”
“Then...”
Half hopeful, half anxious, I let my trembling voice trail off.
Because.
I had no guarantees.
No matter how much the Infinite Chain possessed the function of “absolute tracking,” there was no assurance it could track a transcendent artifact... one that defied the natural order at that—the Against Heaven Grimoire.
And so, with bated breath, I waited for Parun to speak.
“No need to worry. The tracking was a success.”
“...!”
“But there’s one problem.”
“...Problem?”
Parun nodded at my question and continued.
“You can take the Infinite Chain right now and use it for tracking. However, for some reason, the chain is overloaded.”
In other words.
“...This tracking worked fine, but there’s no telling about the next one?”
It would need a rest period to recover its power, or in the worst case, it might lose functionality altogether.
Either way, this could be the last time I’d get to use the Infinite Chain.
Honestly, it was a shame.
A shame, but...
“A grimoire in perfect condition... well, at least it was possible because it’s just a fragment.”
I’d already told Parun what I was looking for. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully with Professor Pelina present.
“...So that’s why Lortel didn’t track the grimoire or the magic sword.”
Anyway.
“No helping it. It’s a pity, but whatever.”
I couldn’t cling to something that wasn’t feasible, and I’d never expected things to go smoothly from the start.
And above all.
“...The one in a hurry isn’t me.”
When I freed the wyvern from Against Heaven’s bondage, I’d paid a price to defy its will.
No, calling it a “price” might not be accurate. It implied some kind of exchange between Against Heaven and me.
It was more like...
“A loss.”
Yes, it was a loss for both me and Against Heaven.
And the one who’d taken the bigger hit from that loss wasn’t me—it was Against Heaven.
I’d suffered a fair blow myself, but the situation had grown urgent for Against Heaven because of it.
Proof of that...
Wooong— Wooong!
Behold, the thing that let out a wail every now and then when I’d all but forgotten about it.
Ever since I’d freed the wyvern, Against Heaven would emit a cry from time to time, reminding me of its presence.
“If you’ve got something to ask, you’d better show your hand.”
Otherwise, you might miss your chance.
“Well, fine. It’s your move anyway. So, when do we head out?”
I shook off my thoughts and gauged the timing briefly.
No need to drag it out.
“Tomorrow.”
Tomorrow, I’d set off to find Against Heaven’s fragment.
A voice from the red dragon echoed in my mind.
- You have two choices.
- Gather the fragments and complete Against Heaven.
- Or don’t gather them.
What I’d gain or lose in each scenario.
“Our goals probably align anyway. But you’re the one in a rush.”
As if reading my mind.
Woooooong—
Against Heaven resonated long and low.
...As if telling me not to get cocky.
* * *
The Principality of Lamburg.
Azure Tears Palace.
Grand Duchess Iris de Lamburg sat by the window overlooking the garden and lit a cigarette.
Amid the blooming flowers and their sweet fragrance in the garden, a acrid smell slowly wafted out.
“What of the Urbona Family?”
At the Grand Duchess’s question, the mage standing at her side replied calmly. He was from the Blue Eye mage corps.
“There’s still no overt sign of movement. However...”
“However?”
“According to reports from our spies, the Urbona patriarch has been meeting with merchants far more frequently than usual.”
“Hmm.”
Thick smoke billowed from the Grand Duchess’s crimson lips. Her strikingly pale face creased slightly at her painted eyebrows.
“Meeting with merchants...”
It wasn’t unusual for the Urbona patriarch to meet with merchants.
The renowned magic family of Urbona.
They had amassed wealth since ancient times by selling artifacts and potions they produced themselves, naturally forging closer ties with merchants than other magic families.
The issue was the mage’s wording.
“...Far more frequently.”
That meant they were increasing their contacts with merchants.
So, why would Urbona’s master be ramping up meetings with merchants?
What was he planning?
In truth, the Grand Duchess already knew the answer.
“Domain war.”
To stockpile war supplies.
And who would be the opponent?
...The Principality of Lamburg.
“What’s our situation?”
“Well... We’re preparing as best we can, but we expect to be at a disadvantage in terms of forces. There’s a gap in magical resources, after all...”
“Tch.”
The Grand Duchess clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction and flicked her ash.
She’d anticipated this, but facing it head-on still stung.
“Even a half-broken renowned family is still renowned...”
The Urbona Family was a half-broken house that had lost its grimoire centuries ago.
But without the grimoire, their time-honed secrets and the mages they’d cultivated on that foundation were on a level worthy of their name.
So it was only natural that Lamburg was at a disadvantage.
But what stung was...
Yes, the missed opportunity.
“...If only I’d obtained the Token of Sakwol.”
But it was pointless regret.
With Archduke Muspellun ending his seclusion and recalling Sakwol’s mages, the Token of Sakwol was now utterly useless.
“Why not request mediation from the Imperial Court?”
“Mediation?”
At the mage’s cautious suggestion, the Grand Duchess let out a sharp laugh.
“You saw what happened with the Decullan-Lortel war, didn’t you? They could’ve mediated that war ages ago. But what did the court do? They waited until both houses had torn each other apart enough.”
Even if the principality requested mediation before war, it wouldn’t change much from the two houses’ conflict.
Especially with the court’s “extermination of Salvatium” pretext—they’d drag their feet on mediation until Lamburg and Urbona were battered, then step in late.
...In the end.
“We’ll have to resolve this with our own hands.”
The mage bowed silently at the Grand Duchess’s words.
He wasn’t ignorant of the situation.
It was just hard for him to broach as a subordinate, so he’d floated it just in case.
The Grand Duchess knew this too, so she didn’t reprimand him.
However...
“It’s a shame.”
She’d known this day would come someday.
She’d scoured for talent in preparation for it.
But she hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon.
“If only I’d had a little more time...”
At least the Urbona mages had been drawn away by the Emperor’s “extermination of Salvatium” declaration—a small mercy.
With that thought, the Grand Duchess looked up at the sky.
“...”
...War was imminent.
With a suitable pretext and timing, Urbona wouldn’t hesitate to bare its fangs.
To sever the chain of enmity spanning centuries.
All circumstances favored Urbona.
But.
“...It won’t be that easy.”
She had her own preparations for this day.
“Contact the Oathbound of Halaborg. Tell them the time has come.”
“...Understood.”
The “Oathbound of Halaborg” were one of the Grand Duchess’s contingency plans for this very moment.
They were undoubtedly her strongest card, yet the retreating mage’s expression wasn’t pleased.
...Halaborg was an artifact of contract.
Its owner had to pay the Oathbound a price befitting the deal.
And the price the Grand Duchess owed the Oathbound was...
“What’s the holdup? Move already.”
“...Yes, ma’am.”
The mage backed away carefully, closed the door, and paused for a moment.
Eyes closed, for a spell.
Then, with resolute eyes, he set off.
There were twelve Oathbound in total.
Whether those twelve would be poison or medicine for Grand Duchess Lamburg, no one knew.
...No one.
* * *
A few days later.
Urbona Family patriarch’s office.
Patriarch Otto von Urbona stood by the window, taking in the view.
It was a dismal sight.
A barren rocky mountain where not a blade of grass grew, desolate land, and miners scurrying busily across it.
Utterly barren.
Even accounting for the north’s harshness, Urbona lands were especially so.
The Maharpart Great Plateau where the barbarians lived was more fertile by comparison.
Otto gazed at the wasteland with dry eyes when a shadow rose beside him.
“Patriarch, the Grand Duchess has summoned her Oathbound.”
“She’s finally making her move.”
“What shall we do?”
The Urbona mage posed the question in a subtle tone.
Otto fell silent for a moment.
He spoke soon enough.
“Let it be. She needs something to cling to, like hope.”
“...Yes, understood.”
The Urbona mage bowed with a reply, a sinister smile on his face.
Amusing.
“She thinks she can trust the Oathbound of Halaborg...”
The Grand Duchess probably didn’t even dream of it.
That the Halaborg covenant she trusted implicitly had a traitor among the Oathbound.
That traitor would plunge a dagger into her back at her most desperate moment.
Then...
“...Even that haughty Grand Duchess would be helpless...”
As the Urbona mage thought that far, Patriarch Otto’s voice rang in his ear.
“But letting it slide without a nudge would be a waste. Pick the right moment and hint that there’s a traitor among the Oathbound.”
“...?”
The Urbona mage tilted his head. He couldn’t fathom why reveal that.
“Wouldn’t it be entertaining to watch them turn on each other in suspicion?”
“...Ah!”
Only then did the Urbona mage grasp the patriarch’s intent and let out a soft exclamation.
And he thought.
“Grand Duchess, not even a struggle is permitted to you.”
A sinister smile tugged at his lips.
It wouldn’t be long.
For the Principality of Lamburg, the day to settle centuries of bad blood.
“Grand Duchess, pray for a miracle.”
The Urbona mage bowed politely to the patriarch and left the office.
How long had he walked?
As he stepped outside the inner castle, the mage suddenly looked up at the sky.
“...What’s that?”
Something seemed to be up there.
Something... large and massive, alive.
But he dismissed it after a moment’s thought.
“Hm, I must be on edge.”
The Urbona mage hurried on.
And he never dreamed.
“Man, the north after all this time.”
[Payment rendered: one Moonlight Stone as fare.]
That a being which was a miracle... or perhaps a calamity... had entered the north.