Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Blade Peninsula
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After passing through the mountains that stretched endlessly in red curves for five days, the smell of the sea already wafted strongly toward us.
This was the Blade Peninsula, where the Papal Palace was located.
In the southeast of the Akrad Continent, the terrain jutted out like a blade, which was why people called it the Blade Peninsula.
Influenced by the mountains, the northern part of the peninsula, with its continental climate, was home to six city-states, while the southern part was ruled by the Dynos Dynasty, founded by rough southern seamen.
The crimson mountains stretching to the north and the vast sea opening up on three sides created a diverse way of life for the people living on this land.
Under distinct four seasons, where mountains, plains, and sea harmonized beautifully, it was a blessed land. Seeing it in person, it made sense why most artists were born here.
For example, the Harimun Academy, which specialized in sonic magic, had its roots here.
"Peach, look at that! This is the Blade Peninsula!"
"Blade, blade, blade."
Kasena, who always puffed out her chest at the word adventure, made no effort to hide her excitement since entering the Blade Peninsula.
During the three-day journey, she'd grown completely close with Pippi (the corn divine technique was powerfully effective), and except for when sleeping at inns, they were always together.
This was her second time here... but recalling my own expression from back then, which mirrored Kasena's exactly, brought a wry smile to my face.
—Lin, this is the Blade Peninsula!
It was different—so different from what I'd seen in books... The world held such a land, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the scenery.
—You'll meet the other comrades soon, so prepare your greetings.
—Who is it?
Fride, who was playing with Pippi, blew out a puff of cigarette smoke and chuckled.
—An incredibly scary drunkard uncle. If you act cocky like you did with me, you'll get thrashed?
I remembered thinking that back then, too. If the world had been normal, how breathtakingly beautiful this peninsula would have been...
'I thought I'd get to see it this time.'
Yet, strangely—no, unsettlingly—the heavy monsoon front blanketing the sky like it was swallowing it made the atmosphere no different from the apocalyptic end times of 300 years ago.
If rain poured down, my heart might have raced at the sight of the peninsula in the downpour, but for five days, it just shrouded the world in gloom without a single drop falling.
As if waiting for something.
And the summer winds blowing low, chillingly sweeping through the fields and trees that seemed to shiver—it had to be an illusion.
"What's with that? We've come all this way, and you're still making a face like you chewed a bug?"
"I'm sleepy."
"Then sleep!"
"You told me not to sleep earlier and to look..."
Exchanging such pointless banter, the carriage raced on for two more days, finally entering Haraldoniki, the city of divine dragons and seat of the Papal Palace.
The stone bridge serving as the border was wide enough for ten four-horse carriages to pass side by side, and on either side sat winged dragons flashing golden scales with majestic dignity.
At the sight straight out of a book, Kasena let out a "Wah!" and waved her hand, and the imperial dragons snorted in response.
'Seeing the legion's grandeur unchanged from before, maybe there's no need to worry too much?'
It was the moment my tension oddly eased. Almost nothing had changed since 300 years ago...
I had two purposes here.
Monitoring Valensidis was one, but also, biding my time to use Bell Quirius to check the note Rista had supposedly left in Lin's corpse.
'But was there a barrier over the Papal Palace?'
Probably. An immense one no one would dare even attempt to decipher.
'Then they might not be able to see my corpse because of it...'
Should I decipher and remove it?
No, that would get me branded a black mage and sent straight to ruin. I'd have to wait until graduation to check it officially...
But I was so curious. What on earth had Rista left for me?
"You are from the Page family, I presume."
"We were notified by the Cardinal."
The border guards conducting inspections mid-bridge were all Dynos folk.
Approved to found their kingdom for their utmost loyalty to the Light Dragon, they had faithfully served as its subordinates to this day.
As the guards lowered their spears, the carriage moved forward again... and upon exiting the long border, the tower of the divine dragon soaring to the ends of the sky—the Papal Palace—appeared before us.
"Wow..."
"Oh..."
Up until now, Kasena had been the only one drumming and playing cymbals alone, but this time even Rain had to gape open-mouthed, just as Lin had.
One of the seven holy sites established in this world by the [Ones Who Came], the divine dragon's nest touching the heavens, also called the Sky Citadel, a divine realm.
Its ivory walls, noble and pure, wrapped cylindrically around the tower, vanishing into the distant clouds.
The Papal Palace had a staggering 213 floors (a feat that even the Ayn marveled at), and at its peak, closest to the sun and moon in this world, dwelt 'the Radiance that Surveys the World, Light Dragon Haraderiman.'
We spent nearly an hour staring dazedly at its grandeur before the carriage procession crossed the city and arrived at the Papal Palace.
The procession halted before the stables annexed to the right of the entrance, and at the signal of the Page family's guardian knight dismounting, the family guards opened the carriage doors.
Even the coachmen receiving the horses' reins from the soldiers and leading them into the stables wore gleaming armored uniforms of the palace guards.
Kasena, eyes sparkling with disbelief and joy at all this, suddenly spoke in a voice lost in wistful memory.
"I used to dream about it often..."
"......?"
"Dreams of going straight to the Light Dragon and asking him to fix my leg... But I don't need that anymore! Rain fixed it!"
Kasena giggled innocently, but I just shrugged awkwardly. Had she learned some black magic that shook hearts when she laughed...
"You're not late, but you've arrived just in the nick of time. The schedule begins in 30 minutes. Will you don ceremonial robes separately?"
A stern-faced priest approached and asked. Since changing into church uniforms was customary, Kasena and I took turns entering the carriage to change.
Leaving the family guards behind (only those with permission could enter the Papal Palace), we followed the priest, and soon the main gates of the Papal Palace came into view.
Flanking them stood a hundred palace guards, and at the very end and center of their ranks was Valensidis.
"......?"
Notified only of a special guest and ordered to stand by for entry, I wondered if our plan had been exposed—what was this?
Valensidis met my gaze and, uncharacteristically, blinked his eyes in bewilderment several times.
You shouldn't be here... He sought curt permission from a nearby guard and hurried toward me when—
"Where are you rushing off to?"
An elder blocked the path of Rain, who had been preparing to tease Valensidis, and in that instant, every palace guard dropped to one knee in prostration.
He... was too noble in his halo to call human, his sleeves billowing to reveal arms covered in golden dragon scales like a dragon's hide.
Above all, majestic golden horns protruded from both sides of his head, and a long, elegant dragon tail writhed out from beneath his robes.
"......!"
Some writhed in shock, others in awe, but only one boy smiled brightly and softly called his name.
"Yoshuhar...?"
If priests or guards had been nearby, they would have thrust spears at him for blasphemy.
Why not?
The man was True Dragon Yoshuhar, one of the Papal Palace's five cardinals.
Yoshuhar himself just chuckled, exchanged glances with Pippi atop Kasena's head, and with a nod motioned only for Rain to follow.
'What...?'
'The Cardinal himself...?'
In this unprecedented situation, everyone present blinked in astonishment, but none dared question a cardinal.
* * *
Dragonkin often took human form to approach humans without inspiring fear, manifesting among them.
They were called Dragonkin.
The most numerous and lowest-ranked winged dragons resembled humans quite closely, while true dragons were so distinctly draconic that anyone could tell.
Just like Yoshuhar before us now.
"Truly, much has changed, but the essence of your soul remains the same as 300 years ago, Lin."
Guided by Yoshuhar to an empty prayer room on the first floor, Rain grinned blankly before nearly collapsing onto the floor.
"You knew..."
It was a different shock and感動 from reuniting with Pippi.
We weren't close enough to exchange tears of reunion, but if Rista had been here instead of me, she might have burst into sobs.
Yoshuhar was like a father to Rista, or rather, a spiritual one since she'd inherited his soul's power.
"The Great Light Dragon, Haraderiman, knows all. Even that you came here at age nine and regained your memories."
I'd half-expected it, but hearing it confirmed was an immense shock. As expected of a being with such tremendous clairvoyance.
"Then, did you perhaps send this to me...?"
I pulled out Lin's diary—one of the few personal items I'd brought on this journey—and Yoshuhar nodded.
"It was I, Yoshuhar, who did it. Though the Light Dragon opposed it."
"Why?"
Yoshuhar, who had maintained a dignified smile since our meeting, suddenly gazed at the stained-glass window depicting imperial dragons in a colorful mosaic.
"To prepare you."
"For what?"
"Do you know? The age of dragons is ending."
"......?"
"The Light Dragon's clairvoyance is no longer what it was. Something unidentified... a vast abyss is veiling the Light Dragon's eyes."
An abyss powerful enough to impair the Light Dragon's clairvoyance? Knowing how grave that was, a chill ran down my spine.
"I've caught a few black mages. They all had my face... Do you know who they are?"
"I know, but I cannot answer."
"Why?"
"Because your young heart cannot yet bear that truth."
Truth?
What truth?
No, wait. Meeting Yoshuhar like this meant many things could resolve easily.
"Yoshuhar, I heard Rista left me a letter. Is that true?"
Asking that felt like my heart was tearing. I feared something, and a part of my chest ached unbearably with sorrow.
If there was no letter.
Even if there was.
Could I bear Rista's feelings, she who had kept her promise until death, when I had failed to keep mine...
After a brief silence swallowing dryly, Yoshuhar nodded as well.
"Indeed."
My lips felt parched.
Articulating each word felt agonizingly slow.
"Can you let me see it now?"
I'd braced my heart expecting guidance, but for some reason, Yoshuhar sadly shook his head.
"Impossible."
"......?"
"It is forbidden by the Light Dragon—something even I, Yoshuhar, dare not defy."
My mind went blank, as if slapped out of nowhere.
"Why? Why?!"
"When you confront your former flesh, calamity shall befall the world—that is the future he foresaw."
What? I can't see the letter?
My strength drained, and I nearly collapsed.
Then what was the point of enrolling in school? Of holding the top spot until third year? The thread sustaining my solitary life felt severed in an instant.
"However, I, Yoshuhar, can let you meet Rista."
Staring dazedly at the floor, Rain jerked his head up, doubting his ears.
Rista?
Meet Rista?
My mind reeled, unable to even open my mouth. But my lips moved on their own, stammering.
"What did you say...?"