Chapter 231
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 231
Chapter Title: Soul's Passage
The process of constantly drawing in mana and releasing it as frost continued for a very long time.
The scale of it was vast.
And it couldn't be frozen haphazardly.
To last until at least spring, it needed to be frozen solid.
Taking his time, he applied immense pressure so that the mana particles would bind together without any gaps.
The process continued well past noon.
Naturally, it drew the attention of the people.
Vangelis, along with members of the Union and the citizens of Versa, gathered around the moat and on the bridge.
No one had ever seen such incredible magic.
It was an act that bordered on a miracle, surpassing mere divine skill. At first, the people, filled with curiosity, asked questions and marveled, but as time passed, they all fell silent.
Some felt wonder, some astonishment, and others, fear.
But everyone agreed on one fact: it was only because of this incredible mage that they were able to reclaim Versa from Grave.
Thus, Loan's warning was etched into everyone's minds as an absolute decree.
“No one is to attempt to break the ice of this moat. Do not even go near it. If you touch that ice, you must immediately sever the part that made contact. If you don't, your body will rot, and you will die within minutes.”
“Is there such a potent poison in there?”
Vangelis asked on behalf of everyone.
“It's beyond imagination. If you touch a corpse, the same poison will spread, and you will die as well. So, do not burn the bodies of the dead; just throw them into that moat. Of course, you must avoid direct contact even then.”
“So we can't even hold a funeral?”
“It would be best to preserve the bodies in the cold of the ice and hold a proper funeral after I return.”
In its solid, icy state, it wouldn't be quite that severe, but just in case, he had exaggerated the threat. The reaction wasn't bad.
Hearing the Versa guard's pledge to monitor it at all times, Loan felt somewhat relieved.
Loan heard that the Duchess of Versa had regained consciousness after waking from a short, deep sleep.
He, too, had fallen asleep as if he’d passed out.
He had been on a forced march for days and had used his magic to the point of exhaustion.
It was only natural that he would collapse.
Sienna was forcing broccoli soup on Loan as she spoke.
“It seems Senior Stefan's purification ritual was effective. He used a method similar to when he treated the ghouls, but it seems to have been much simpler.”
“That's a relief. The purification isn't finished yet, is it?”
“There are too many people. The Stability Division is handling it in shifts.”
“How is the Duchess of Versa?”
“I'm not sure. I haven't seen her. Administrator Berthelot said the Duchess of Versa wants to see you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Only you.”
Loan finished the bowl with some difficulty before going to meet the Duchess.
The Duchess was in her office.
It was the only space related to the Duchess that he hadn't inspected through the secret passages.
Her body couldn't have fully recovered yet, so why did she insist on meeting in her office? Was it to show she was still strong as the head of the duchy?
With that thought, Loan knocked on the door.
From inside, Berthelot himself opened the door.
After a brief nod of greeting, he stepped inside to find another very spacious room. It seemed to have been tidied up already, as it was quite neat.
On the table in the center was a large pile of documents, and the Duchess was engrossed in reviewing them.
Having experienced her nation fall to the enemy in an instant, she must have a mountain of tasks to handle.
Just sorting out and dealing with the dead, the missing, and those who collaborated with the enemy would take a long time.
To rebuild and reorganize the duchy and to prevent such a thing from happening again, she had to do something right now.
Loan could feel that determination from the Duchess.
The person who had been hurling curses at Loan until this morning was no longer here.
Since Berthelot gave no particular signal, Loan waited quietly until the Duchess looked up at him.
The Duchess’s young son was sitting on a chair by a sunny window, watching Loan with curious eyes.
*Tap.*
Placing her pen on the table, the Duchess of Versa looked at Loan.
Then she rose from her seat and walked around to the front of the table.
It was a sign of respect for Loan.
She spoke.
“I'm sorry for making you wait.”
“It's nothing.”
“I was looking at the documents, but to be honest, I was so busy wondering what I should say that the words weren't registering.”
It was a very honest admission, he thought.
Her expression was gentle, and it was hard to find any deceit or pretense in it.
He was once again struck by how powerful a demon's influence was.
To think that such a strong person could be transformed into a completely different personality.
“I've heard everything that happened from Administrator Berthelot. He said you saved my and my child's life and soul.”
The way she mentioned life and soul separately felt new to him.
Loan, as he usually did, showed modesty with a polite demeanor.
“I was only doing my duty as a member of the Union.”
“Just as I'd heard. Polite, humble, and handsome.”
“You praise me too highly.”
“No, it's true. You carry yourself like someone from a good family who has been well-taught. I hope my child grows up to be like you, Sir Loan.”
Loan neither denied it nor revealed his past.
Taking it as a sign of affirmation, the Duchess of Versa smiled faintly. The lack of vitality in her face made the smile seem somewhat sorrowful.
With that same smile, she looked at her son.
“The bug that was in my ear… is it completely gone?”
“Yes. There will be no side effects. The purification ritual seems to have gone well, too.”
He had already checked the mana of both mother and son.
It was clean.
“The Duchy of Versa, and my son and I, have received a kindness we can never repay. We must reward you for it.”
“…”
Since there was something he wanted, he didn't refuse outright.
But the Duchess of Versa’s next question made his face flush.
“I hear you enjoy collecting badges.”
“Pardon?”
“I was told you're quite the collector. Aren't those on your chest? Even at a glance, they clearly hold great significance.”
Being called out so directly was rather embarrassing.
The Duchess of Versa smiled.
“Somehow, it feels like our duchy's worth would be less than the others if it weren't included there. I was planning on giving you one even if you didn't ask.”
She gestured slightly to Berthelot.
Berthelot brought over a small box and opened it.
Inside was a badge engraved with an intricate rose emblem.
“It's desolate now because it's winter, but the gardens of Versa have long been famous for their beauty. Our greatest pride among them are the roses that fill the gardens. They symbolize Versa.”
The Duchess of Versa personally took out the badge and pinned it to Loan's chest as she continued.
“Versa is like a nation that has fallen once and been reborn. If you ever need us, Versa will not hesitate to go to war for you, Sir Loan.”
“Ah… what a frightening thing to say.”
Loan waved his hands in surprise.
The Duchess shook her head.
“That is our will.”
Simply receiving the badge was enough to prove their friendly relations, yet she was making an offer that was far too generous.
At a loss, Loan glanced at Berthelot.
He was smiling broadly, as if he found Loan’s reaction amusing.
But the Duchess of Versa’s goodwill didn't stop there.
“And no matter how I think about it, a badge alone doesn't feel sufficient, so I would like to offer you another gift of your choosing. Would you follow me for a moment?”
Without waiting for Loan’s reply, the Duchess turned and approached the bookshelf that filled the wall.
When she pulled a red, hardcover book out halfway, a series of clicks and whirs sounded as the bookshelf slid to the side.
At Berthelot’s urging, Loan followed the Duchess.
“This is Versa's treasury. It also connects to the midpoint of the secret passage.”
Loan was soon engrossed in looking around.
The space was quite large and filled with all sorts of precious things.
Things that glittered. Things that were intricate. Things that were magnificent.
Among them were magical artifacts imbued with power, as well as weapons.
“Please, tell me if there is anything you desire.”
The Duchess of Versa said so without any conditions.
Loan, who had little interest in rare and expensive things, focused his gaze on the magical artifacts.
Among them was a familiar-looking stone.
Loan asked.
“Do you know what this is?”
“The Stone of Goetia, you mean?”
“Yes.”
“It became well-known thanks to the recent incident in Ferrara. Commander Vangelis of the Union even asked if we would be willing to hand it over, should we have one.”
“Seeing that it's still here, I take it you refused.”
“I kept it just in case, but it's no longer necessary. I now know the power of demons all too well. I can't keep a source of potential disaster within the castle walls. I will hand that over to the Union, separate from your gift. Is there anything else you would like?”
Loan nodded, then turned his gaze to something that had been bothering him.
On one of the shelves sat an object that looked rather plain.
It had a similar feel to Ferrara's 'Black Box', but it was slightly different. With an open top, it looked more like a bowl, to be precise.
“What is this?”
A peculiar light flickered in the eyes of both the Duchess of Versa and Berthelot.
The Duchess answered.
“It's an artifact that has been passed down in my family for generations, but we don't know its exact purpose. Perhaps Administrator Berthelot knows a bit more.”
Berthelot furrowed his brow and gave a slight nod. It was a gesture that was neither affirmation nor denial.
“I have never had it appraised by anyone, so I too do not know what it is. I only know its name: 'Soul's Passage'.”
“Soul's Passage?”
After asking for their permission, Loan picked up the object and turned it over and over.
Lifting it to examine it, he saw the bottom was open as well.
A bottomless bowl.
Loan was interested in it because of a 'nuance' that was different from the other magical artifacts.
That it was similar to the Black Box meant he was getting a feeling similar to the one he got from Schwerin's guardians.
Something that existed in this world but didn't seem to be of this world. He suspected it might be related to the 'other side'.
“Is the House of Versa… familiar with the 'soul'?”
The Duchess didn't understand Loan's question.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Earlier… you thanked me for saving your life, and you also thanked me for saving your soul. It felt unique that you distinguished between life and soul. Considering what I did, I thought it would be more common to say I had awakened your mind.”
A smile graced the Duchess's face at Loan's words.
“Should I say that we deeply accept the common sense that humans are composed of a body and a soul? The human body is bound only to the physical world, but the soul can go anywhere, exist anywhere, and is eternal even in death. However, if captured by a demon, that soul would no longer be free. My gratitude was in that sense.”
“Saving both body and soul…”
“Yes. It's a belief held not just by the House of Versa, but by most of the duchy's people for a very long time. Hearing you speak, I wonder if we are a bit peculiar.”
Loan didn't deny it.
It was possible such a culture had taken root naturally.
Perver, which originated in Versa.
Their shamanistic powers, the way druids borrow the strength of animals, might have originated and developed from such a culture.
Returning to the object.
Loan held up the 'Soul's Passage' and looked around through it.
There was no immediate special effect.
But it seemed certain that it held some special potential.
Loan had already had a similar experience with the 'Black Box'.
“Would it be all right if I took this?”
The Duchess nodded.
“If not for you, Sir Loan, this would have long since fallen into their hands. I give it to you with a joyful heart.”