Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: The Monastery of Reception
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Loan gazed silently at the corpses.
Assassins from Le Tell, here to kill him.
Their mention of the shelter suggested they had been well-informed about his past.
They probably knew most of his journey, from graduating Union Academy to his activities as a Runner.
Having joined an organization himself, he could see it.
It took far more preparation behind the scenes than one might think to assemble personnel and get things done.
'So, I'm officially a target.'
Not a bad thing.
If they were the sort who needed to be wiped from the world anyway, it was better that they came to him diligently.
Especially a group as elusive as Le Tell.
'Similar groups will probably come at me a few more times, with stronger members mixed in as they go.'
That was fine too.
Training was always most effective when the intensity was gradually increased.
Feeling more anticipation than worry, Loan shattered their magic swords, buried the pieces, and, as promised, summoned Aul.
“Aul!”
He felt bad that the head he was offering this time was so unremarkable, but Aul didn't complain, simply opening its beak wide and swallowing it whole.
Loan slowly stroked Aul's back, waiting for the creature to digest its meal.
After a short burp.
“Was it good?”
“Aul!”
“Eh...”
It seemed to say that the taste was so-so, but it was happy to be summoned and have him nearby.
Loan stroked the now smaller creature, once again expressing his apology.
“Last time, with the Mask of Truth... ah, the one that makes you go limp and speak the truth.”
“Aul.”
“Right. I keep remembering how dangerous it was when we used that, so I've become more cautious unless I'm sure it's safe.”
At that, Aul shook its head from side to side, then fluttered down to the ground.
It puffed out its chest, looked sharply left and right, and began to stride forward on its long legs.
“Aul!”
It was telling him it wasn't as weak as its master worried.
After laughing so hard he nearly cried, Loan replied.
“Well, you are a named demon, after all. I suppose you would be.”
Come to think of it, every named demon he had met so far had been incredibly strong.
The swordsman, Bifrons. The puppeteer, Asmo. The mage, Naberius.
Though they all came with the caveat of being strange, the fact that beings like them acknowledged Aul meant that being too overprotective probably wasn't a good idea.
“Hmm.”
Loan observed Aul carefully.
It didn't take long to look it up and down several times.
'I can't expect much in the way of combat ability.'
It didn't matter. It possessed the cheat-like abilities to supplement his mana and read an opponent's truth, and that was more than enough.
Besides, every demon had different specialties.
However, he needed to confirm how much danger it could be exposed to and to what extent he needed to protect it.
On a whim, Loan decided to spend a little more time with Aul.
“Aul. How about we practice something while we travel?”
“Aul?”
The first thing Loan thought of was summoning Aul and pulling out a mana clump while on a running horse.
This wasn't just practice for him alone.
The main purpose was to see if he could borrow Aul's power even in urgent situations.
It would also be a good opportunity to test Aul's mobility.
“Shall we?”
Loan started the horse off at a slow pace, and Aul circled around him, matching his speed.
It didn't flap its wings much. Riding the currents of the wind, it moved silently, looking quite magnificent.
Even as he gradually increased his speed, Aul didn't fall behind.
Maintaining a full gallop, Loan reached out his hand and had no trouble succeeding in putting it inside Aul's mouth.
“Aul, next, let's practice so that when I reach out my hand and call you, I can immediately access the mana clump.”
“Aul!”
As if it found playing with Loan fun, Aul repeatedly vanished and reappeared.
The moment it appeared, it would catch up to the horse's speed, quickly open its mouth, and rush toward Loan's hand.
The process of their union was incredibly swift and precise.
Better than expected.
The only downside was that the single mana clump he checked each time he put his hand in was shrinking slightly.
It wasn't a powerful demon, so the clump's density had been weak from the start, but it was shrinking much faster than usual.
It was likely because Aul was expending energy. Perhaps even more so because it wasn't in the space where it usually stayed when it vanished.
Loan decided it would be too much to make it exert more energy.
“Aul. This is enough for me to know how fast you are. I'll feed you well next time, so let's try some other things then.”
Perched on his shoulder, head bowed as it preened its feathers, Aul chirped happily.
“Aul!”
Even after Aul departed, Loan's journey remained unchanged.
He rode, rested, and camped. When he encountered assassins, he dealt with them and fed Aul its fill.
As expected, their individual combat skills were slightly better than before, and their numbers had increased.
Considering the battles in Ferrara and Rhodes, they were still at a level he didn't need to worry about.
It seemed their intelligence network hadn't reached that far yet.
Loan meticulously reported the current situation and the assassins' movements via carrier pigeon.
Then he continued his now-routine journey.
When he came across a town, he would eat, and rest or exchange his horse.
He didn't engage in full-scale training to open the Path of Circulation just because he was staying at an inn.
Partly because it wasn't as safe as at Union, but also because steadily and gradually paving the path in his daily life had always been Loan's method of mana training.
'Before, I tried to draw my breath in and gather it in my dantian. Now, it's about making it flow unimpeded along the path that starts at my navel.'
In this way, his mana breathing had become one level deeper and longer.
Fortunately, he had clearly visualized the virtual path that would serve as his guide during his recent battles.
He would operate his mana with the feeling of clearing that path, and then loop it just as he had imagined.
Until he reached his goal.
'It will probably take a long time.'
The path he had cleared was only about a finger's-width long next to his navel, but unlike his first reckless attempts, the flow was now quite smooth.
It was proof that he was on the right track.
Just as the path within him was unfolding properly, the direction Loan was heading was not wrong either.
First, the scenery began to change little by little.
The ocher and gray tones that had begun in Olen faded at some point, and as if by magic, the world was dyed in vivid colors.
The biggest change was that the Letia Mountains, which occupied most of Cione's territory, started to come into view.
The high mountains, soaring into the clear sky, were covered in pure white snow.
It was fascinating to see the entirely green mountains with only their tops white, but their sheer size was even more astonishing.
Seeing the clouds hanging far below, he couldn't even guess how high they were.
The sense of awe he had felt upon seeing the ocean was rekindled by the mountains, and Loan even summoned Aul to admire the view with him.
“Aul...”
As the Letia Mountains influenced the land, the scenery in the lowlands also changed distinctly.
Streams flowing from the valleys formed large and small lakes of clear, tranquil water.
The air was crisp and clear, perfect for walking.
And, at some point, the number of people traveling the road had noticeably increased.
However, they didn't look like merchants or travelers.
Most wore worn-out robes and appeared shabby.
They were pilgrims on a path of penance.
“We walk the path of hardship that the apostle of the Great Mother walked, to embrace the god's benevolent heart. It is to earn the minimum qualification to receive their authority.”
According to an old man walking barefoot on the dry dirt path, at their pace, they would cross the border of Cione within four days.
'It's still a long way.'
He understood now why Vice-Commander Oscar had tried to dissuade him when he first said he was going to Cione.
Dismounting his horse, Loan walked alongside the pilgrim and asked.
“How far does the path of penance go?”
“After the border monastery, you pass several more monasteries along the path until you reach the temple of the god Era. We travel back and forth continuously until we are permitted to set foot inside the temple entrance.”
“How long have you been doing this, elder?”
“Thirty years.”
He could feel just how difficult it was to receive a god's authority.
And also what an incredible achievement his seniors in the Stability Division had accomplished.
“I hope you'll be able to enter the temple.”
Asking more seemed rude.
The man looked like even walking was a struggle for him.
Feeling like he was draining the man's energy, Loan wished the old man well and then rode far away from the group of pilgrims.
He was also concerned that the pilgrims might be harmed by those targeting him.
Loan's judgment was correct.
Before long, his [Barrier of Perception] detected those consumed by dark mana.
Making sure to put more distance between himself and the path of penance, Loan didn't wait but instead sped toward them.
Startled by the accelerated encounter, the men were turned into corpses by Sheville before they could even finish their preparations.
And two days later.
Loan finally arrived at the ‘Monastery of Reception,’ the border and gateway to Cione.
His first impression was that he wondered if it was really a monastery at all.
The building's exterior and atmosphere were terrifying.
The building, which blocked the lush green gorge like a dead tree stump, had its outer walls decorated with swords and spearheads, making it look impossible to climb.
The weapons didn't look like they had been installed long ago. The blades, caked with blood and flesh, still looked fresh.
'Doesn't seem like this was made to keep out beasts.'
The gazes of the monastic knights, who stopped and inspected each pilgrim, were just as sharp as blades.
They were probably priests as well, but the comforting aura he had felt from his seniors in the Stability Division was nowhere to be found.
“Are you truly a Runner from Union?”
“Is there a problem?”
They kept studying his face, a result of the disconnect between their assumptions and Loan's age.
Loan wondered what his seniors would do.
Sienna was always firm in these situations. Her sharp features might have helped.
Slightly regretting his own appearance, Loan put on a stern expression.
“I have my reasons for visiting, but even if I didn't, it would be the same. No matter if you are priests of Cione, you cannot block a member of Union from entering a duchy. Open the gate.”
The knight showed a flustered expression at Loan's words.
“We're not blocking Union, this is just a procedure to confirm that you are from Union.”
“The symbol of Union is no mere badge. The mana contained within it... A priest of the Orthodox Church should be able to recognize its essence, which is close to spirituality. Is your faith weak?”
“...”
At Loan's words questioning his faith, not only the knight he was addressing but also the others who caught his gaze flinched and looked away.
A moment later, the person in charge, the abbot, appeared outside himself.
He was a middle-aged man with pure mana. At his appearance, the knights parted to the left and right.
“Hah, my goodness. How could you not recognize this aura and that symbol?”
He sighed, looking at the knights, then bowed his head to Loan and spoke.
“You are clearly a Runner from Union. Judging by your appearance and age, you must be Sir Loan of the Faith Division.”
“That is correct.”
“I am Abbot Yoel Simong. Please, come inside. We don't have much time.”
Following the abbot as he hurriedly turned, Loan asked.
“What do you mean, we don't have much time?”
“Night is coming. All sorts of wicked and vile things threaten this place.”
As soon as the abbot finished speaking, the gate slammed shut with a loud *thud*.
Loan looked back and frowned.
There were still people who hadn't made it inside.