Chapter 49
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Gray Aura
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"Ah, I saw you were in the middle of a conversation, so I waited."
Adrianna answered in her usual indifferent voice, her eyebrows slightly lowered.
'Did she overhear us?'
I had habitually cast a soundproofing spell, but my companion was Adrianna. It likely wouldn't have worked on her.
'What an enigmatic woman.'
To think magic doesn't work on her...
Galahad clicked his tongue softly and looked at Adrianna, asking bluntly.
"Did you hear us?"
"…Pardon? No, of course not. Eavesdropping is incredibly rude."
Adrianna's words came out faster than usual. Galahad's eyes narrowed.
"...I didn't realize you were talking at first, so I accidentally overheard. I apologize."
Adrianna confessed with a slight bow of her head.
"Ah, but I stepped away immediately, of course."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Adrianna's lips twitched. Her expression was one of someone who had clearly done something wrong.
'She's a terrible liar.'
Galahad simply stared at her.
And so, Adrianna began to confess.
"...Actually, not right away. I didn't expect to hear about the Princess, so without thinking..."
"I see."
"That the Princess cared deeply for you, Captain Galahad, and that things ended because of some incident, and..."
As Adrianna confessed one detail after another, Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
"You heard quite a bit."
At Galahad's remark, Adrianna's eyes wavered.
"I apologize. It's just been so long since I've heard anything about the Princess."
"You know the Princess?"
"Yes, we were acquainted for a time when we were young. She was a very warm person."
Calling that madwoman warm... Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
'Then again, if it was when they were young, it would have been before the Princess went through that incident. She would have still been in her right mind.'
"Is the Princess doing well?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Ah, it seemed you two were close."
"As I said before, our relationship was purely professional."
"Ah, I see."
Adrianna nodded, her eyebrows raised slightly.
A moment of silence followed.
Galahad's mind was a mess with the recent string of events.
The most pressing of them all—
'A high-ranking demon...'
The high-ranking demon who had told him to come to the Miasmic Realm alone.
The creature's mental interference, exerted across a vast distance, held an allure Galahad couldn't ignore.
He could almost understand why those demons called their power an 'authority.'
To a mage, the creature's authority was no different from that of a god.
He wanted nothing more than to rush to the Miasmic Realm that very instant, but...
'That would be foolish.'
No matter how alluring the creature's power was, he wasn't foolish enough to trust a demon and venture into the Miasmic Realm alone.
Of course, the creature wanted something from him, so it might not be dangerous, but...
'Not yet.'
Before he went to it, he needed to be strong enough to protect himself in the Miasmic Realm.
Galahad forced himself to suppress his excitement.
"May I ask why things ended badly with the Princess?"
Adrianna's question broke Galahad's train of thought.
When he looked up, Adrianna was studying him.
Her eyes were filled with caution.
"She didn't trust me."
Adrianna nodded at the simple answer.
The silence stretched a little longer.
Her expression unreadable, Adrianna rose from her seat.
"I will be returning to the 1st Battalion. I'm concerned about the Miasmic Realm training ground, but leaving the battalion unattended for too long is also risky.”
Adrianna said with an impassive face.
It seemed she intended to return to the 1st Battalion.
A very Adrianna-like course of action.
"I see. Before you go, give me your hand."
Galahad casually held out his hand.
Unlike her usual self, Adrianna merely stared at his outstretched hand.
"About what you said last time."
"What was that?"
"When you said you thought you finally understood."
"Ah, yes."
Galahad nodded.
"What did you mean?"
"You grow stronger the more powerful the demons around you are. It's related to your nature of burning mana. For you, mana is fuel. The higher the quality of that fuel, the more intensely you burn. Last time, I tested that theory. I deliberately lowered the concentration of mana. And the pain was less severe."
Galahad recalled what he had done.
Mages often compressed mana, but they never lowered its concentration. Low-density mana was useless, after all.
Galahad had lowered the mana's concentration to test his hypothesis.
Lowering the mana concentration in the North, where it was already dense, was quite a difficult task, but the Egg of Pain made it possible.
He had entrusted most of his mana to the Egg of Pain, and by manipulating the small amount left, he allowed impurities to mix in, lowering its concentration.
And when he took Adrianna's hand, the pain was far less severe than before.
Perhaps he had simply grown accustomed to the excruciating pain of his mana burning—
Seeing Adrianna blinking, her mouth slightly agape, Galahad clicked his tongue.
"To put it simply, I've learned how to hold your hand with less pain."
"Ah, a less painful way to hold it."
Galahad nodded, gesturing with his hand. A prompt for her to hurry up and take it.
Adrianna's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Did your relationship with the Princess influence the Empire's decision to send you to the North?"
After a moment's thought at Adrianna's unexpected question, Galahad nodded.
He had so many skeletons in his closet that he couldn't be certain, but that was likely a factor.
"It likely did."
"In that case, it seems my presence isn't the sole reason you were sent to this remote North."
"I... suppose that's true?"
Galahad answered reluctantly at Adrianna's calm assertion.
"I promised to let you hold my hand because I believed you were sent to the North solely on my account."
"Right."
"However, now that it's been confirmed that my presence was not the only factor, but that your own profligate past also played a part, there is room for reconsideration."
"...Profligate?"
"Although we already have an agreement, the underlying conditions have changed. Therefore, the terms of our contract must be amended."
Adrianna stated firmly, looking directly at Galahad.
Caught off guard by this unexpected resistance, Galahad frowned.
Her argument was quite reasonable.
"Amended how?"
"Currently, I am obligated to accept your request unconditionally. I propose we change the terms so that my consent is required."
Adrianna's gaze was remarkably serious.
Galahad let out a low groan as he met her clear blue eyes.
"What's to stop you from refusing every time?"
"I will provide a reasonable justification. For instance, the Miasmic Realm training ground is not yet stable, and since I am returning to the 1st Battalion, it would be unwise to proceed given the potential risks."
"That's reasonable. Very well."
Galahad clicked his tongue and nodded.
"However, since changing the terms so abruptly might be jarring, we can consider today a grace period."
Adrianna removed her gauntlet and offered her hand. Despite her confident words, the gesture was quite awkward.
Galahad watched her silently. Adrianna fidgeted with her outstretched hand, trying to hide her palm.
"You seem to assume I'll take it."
At his question, Adrianna's eyebrows shot up and down.
"...You were the one who requested my hand. My assumption is based on reasonable inference. If you do not wish to—"
"I was just asking."
Galahad quickly took Adrianna's hand. It was rough and calloused, but quite warm.
"This feeling..."
It was fleeting. As soon as the low-density mana burned away, the mana within him was forcibly drawn out.
Just then, Adrianna pulled her hand away.
Galahad staggered and sat down in his chair. He closed his eyes, recalling the sensation.
'It feels like I'm on the verge of grasping it, and yet...'
It remained just out of reach.
"Ah, my return to the 1st Battalion is based on my faith that you can manage the Miasmic Realm training ground sufficiently, Captain. Still, just in case, I'll send a hawk. Please keep me updated on your progress."
Adrianna watched the silent, eyes-closed Galahad for a moment before leaving the room.
Gilberton, who ran into Adrianna in the hallway, bowed his head deeply.
"Where are you headed?"
"Returning to the 1st Battalion."
Adrianna said as she walked past.
Gilberton watched her go, his eyes wide.
Just now—
'...Did she just smile?'
Frowning for a moment, Gilberton shook his head.
Nah, that couldn't be right.
Convinced he had seen wrong, Gilberton knocked on the door.
"What is it?"
"You know that guy you hired temporarily? Not the gorgeous woman, the huge one."
"Ah, First. What's the matter?"
Gilberton scowled at Galahad's casual question.
First, or whatever his name was.
"What is with that guy?"
Galahad chuckled at Gilberton's contorted expression.
****
Following Gilberton to find First, Galahad clicked his tongue at the scene before him.
All the soldiers were collapsed in the Miasmic Realm. At the center of it all stood First.
These were soldiers who had grown quite accustomed to the Miasmic Realm thanks to Gilberton's training. And yet, they were all down while First remained standing.
"Breathe through your nose, not your mouth!"
First was urging the soldiers to get back up.
"What in the world is that guy?"
Gilberton asked sullenly, pointing at First.
"He's a useful one."
Galahad replied curtly and stepped forward.
First's face lit up when he spotted Galahad.
"Galahad, you were right. This Miasmic Realm is quite a fascinating place."
He was the complete opposite of Pumpkin, who was drenched in sweat beside him.
"I can't even begin to guess how dense the mana is."
"About ten times."
Galahad gave a precise figure in response to First's question.
First's brow furrowed slightly. However, he wasn't foolish enough to ask how Galahad knew that. That was just the kind of man Galahad was.
"Even using magic was difficult."
Galahad nodded at First's amused tone.
"Most mages wouldn't even dream of it."
"Galahad, to you, 'most mages' probably means the upper echelons of the Magic Tower."
Galahad didn't answer First's question. In response, First's lips curled into a grin as he snapped his fingers.
"Fire."
First muttered the word softly, almost as if he hadn't spoken the incantation at all.
A flame ignited on his fingertip. It wasn't exactly roaring, but magic was magic.
Using magic in the Miasmic Realm—
Knowing First's skill level, Galahad was slightly surprised.
"You look surprised."
"How did you manage that? You shouldn't be skilled enough to use magic in the Miasmic Realm."
"Hmph. I am First, your archrival."
First was a decent mage, but not so skilled that he could use magic in the Miasmic Realm.
So how—
"Ah, you stored the ambient mana beforehand?"
The smile on First's face froze at Galahad's murmur.
'Correct.'
The mana was ten times denser than in the capital.
Mana was incredibly sensitive. Recklessly storing highly concentrated mana would burn out one's mana circuits, destroying their core.
There was a reason Galahad had gone to such lengths to acclimate to the concentration as soon as he arrived in the North.
And it had been effective.
But First had stored the mana recklessly, without calculating its concentration.
'No, that's less like storing it and more like absorbing it.'
Galahad frowned at the sweat beading on First's forehead.
It seemed he hadn't refined and stored the mana through breathing like a mage, but had simply moved his body and crammed it in however he could.
It was an incredibly crude method.
"My body is tough."
Forcibly storing mana while enduring it with a knight's body. The brutish method, so fitting for a knight, was almost admirable.
However, storing it like that presented a problem.
"But that would make it difficult to use magic, wouldn't it?"
That wasn't storing mana; it was stuffing it in. There was no way he could draw it out at will.
"It's the secret of a magic knight."
First answered, jutting out his chin, his face full of confidence.
Galahad studied him. Ash had collected on his boots, meaning he had been standing in one spot for a long time. Furthermore, he was deliberately holding a sword in his hand.
"You used your aura to force the mana to move."
First's face stiffened.
"No, it's a secret of the magic knights. I can't say."
"You could have exploded."
"But I didn't explode! Because I'm a magic knight! Of course, that doesn't mean what you just said is the secret of the magic knights!"
First hastily added a postscript.
'Forcing the mana to move while enduring with a knight's aura.'
Galahad understood the principle behind First's training.
"So you use your body to forcibly expose yourself to highly concentrated mana. In the process, you take advantage of the overload, which causes mana to be unconsciously discharged and circulated."
Even those who weren't mages possessed mana. Mages were simply those who used it consciously.
Most people used mana without being aware of it. When they moved their bodies, mana moved unconsciously with them.
It seemed First had utilized this.
"Correct. You truly are my rival."
First readily nodded.
Exposure to high-density mana would certainly improve one's physical quality.
However—
"Even so, that would only result in physical changes, wouldn't it?"
First grinned at Galahad's question.
"That's only true for those without an aura. When you have an aura that can unlock your potential, even the smallest change can have a tremendous effect."
A blue aura flickered violently on First's sword.
It was larger than the last time he'd seen it.
Aura and mana were unrelated. Galahad had already confirmed this fact himself. It was why he had no lingering attachment to auras.
And yet, First had just presented evidence to the contrary.
'So, highly concentrated mana is related to aura?'
Galahad frowned at the unexpected result.
A wide smile spread across First's face at Galahad's expression. To think he could make Galahad look like that—
However, First's smile didn't last long.
"I see. In that case, how about you drink some of this?"
"What is this?"
"It's demon blood."
"...Why their blood?"
"Demon blood contains highly concentrated mana."
"Hmm."
First subtly backed away. As he tried to pretend he hadn't heard and turned toward Pumpkin, Galahad licked his lips.
Just then, among the fallen soldiers, he saw a familiar boy.
Damian was patting his stomach.
His expression seemed more at ease than it was outside.
No—
'He's smiling.'
A strange feeling washed over Galahad as he put a cigarette to his lips.
Just then, First approached again. He waved the faint flame on his fingertip and asked.
"Need a light?"
"Ah, I'm fine."
Galahad snapped his fingers.
At the sight of the fiercely burning flame, First's mouth snapped shut.
At that moment, Damian used his sword as a cane to push himself up.
In that instant, something shimmered.
'An aura?'
It was for a split second, but it was definitely an aura.
Galahad had seen over a hundred auras.
There was no way he would fail to recognize one.
Manifesting an aura was a cause for celebration.
The problem was.
'It's gray.'
The color of the aura.
An aura was a manifestation of one's conviction.
Therefore, while each aura was different, they were fundamentally bright in color.
Because a conviction could not be dark.
But the aura that had flickered on Damian's sword was gray.
It was a color Galahad had never seen before.
A color that should never appear in an aura, and—
'Interesting.'
Galahad tossed away the barely-smoked cigarette and approached Damian.
Smiling brightly.
"Damian, who did you say your parents were?"
"Pardon? A prostitute."
The blunt reply left Galahad speechless for the first time.