Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Hayar
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I couldn't immediately accept Renila's invitation. She saw me as a friend, but to me, Renila was just a stranger I'd met not long ago. Following someone I couldn't trust to some unknown place would have been a reckless decision.
I'd just parted ways with her after telling her I had companions and couldn't answer right away. Renila said she'd wait for my response until evening.
Walking back alone, I returned to the inn. Standing anxiously in front of our room door was Durel. He'd been pacing back and forth, but when he spotted me, he let out a sigh of relief and hurried over.
"Where have you been?"
"Just out buying some necessities. When did you wake up?"
"Not long ago. I was about to go looking for you, Master..."
"Unnecessary worry."
Click-
I unlocked the door and stepped inside, and Durel naturally followed. Perfect timing. I'd bought breakfast on the way, so I didn't have to bother delivering it to him.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled a paper-wrapped loaf of bread from my bag and tossed it to him.
"Here, food."
"Ah, thank you."
We ate our bread in silence for a while. After finishing about half of mine, I quietly spoke up.
"Durel."
"Yes?"
"Are Hayar's mages trustworthy?"
"Hayar... I'm not entirely sure myself. But I don't recall any particularly bad rumors about them within the academy."
"I made a friend today, and she said she's from Hayar's local branch. She wants to invite me over."
"I see."
"She really took a liking to me, apparently. But I need to be able to trust her first."
"Indeed... It would be hasty to follow her based on words alone."
"The city guards seemed convinced of her identity, but I'm worried she might suddenly turn on us."
"If safety is the concern, why not ask her to swear on the Eye of Lethe?"
"Even in this country, they believe in Lethe?"
"The gods we serve don't change by country. We just call them in different ways."
"Hm. Good idea."
"I'm glad it helped."
Durel's faint smile made him look a little more grown-up.
'Growth spurt, maybe.'
That same evening, I headed to the meeting spot with Durel. Under the long awning, Renila spotted me from her wooden chair and shot her hand up high. The old man from earlier was sitting beside her.
"Lumia!"
Her outfit had changed. Earlier, she looked like any ordinary citizen, but now she was dressed extravagantly. White fluttering hems were embroidered with golden threads depicting splendid flowers.
"Is the guy next to you with your group?"
"His name's Durel."
Maybe because she was a mage, or perhaps because I'd introduced him as my friend—either way, Durel was exceedingly polite. It seemed to please Renila, as a faint smile spread across her lips.
"I'm Renila. Nice to meet you. But no other companions? You two are traveling the desert alone?"
"No others. Just the two of us."
"Wow..."
The answer must have caught her off guard. Even the usually stoic old man beside her looked mildly surprised. Fair enough—who wouldn't be astonished to hear that a boy and girl around ten years old were crossing the great desert, mage or not?
"Anyway. Have you decided?"
"Yeah. I'll come along. But."
"But?"
"Swear on the Eye of Lethe that you'll guarantee our safety."
I wondered if it might offend her. I watched her carefully after speaking, but Renila didn't seem upset. Instead, she nodded as if it were the most natural request and opened her mouth.
"I swear! Under the Eye of Lethe...! I, Renila of the Sandstorm, guarantee your safety! Old man, you too, hurry up."
"Yes..."
The old man rose smoothly from his seat, gazing at the sky as he raised his hand.
"I, Vasek of the Fractured Stratum, swear on the Eye of Lethe. As long as Miss Renila's goodwill holds, I guarantee your safety."
There was no special power invoked by swearing on the Eye of Lethe. It was merely a religious rite. To me, who didn't believe in gods, it meant nothing—but to the people of this world who did, it was far more than that.
With both having sworn, Renila stepped forward boldly and stood beside me.
"That good enough?"
"Thanks for indulging me."
"No big deal. It was the right thing to do anyway. Old man, let's go."
"Yes. It's getting late, so we should hurry."
Vasek led the way, followed by me and Renila. Durel brought up the rear.
Renila chattered nonstop the whole way. She bombarded us with questions, endlessly curious.
"What school are you from, Lumia?"
"Infinite Archive."
"Infinite Archive? Hmm... Doesn't ring a bell. Odd name. Is Durel from the same school?"
It was a question I had to hesitate on. In this world, magic schools began by sharing the same inner world upon initiation.
I'd taught Durel the magic I'd created, but our inner worlds weren't identical. He was forging his own imagery, developing his unique magic.
"Yes, me too."
Durel answered instead, nodding as if it were obvious.
If he saw it that way, it was best to go along with it for now.
'Maybe teach him Arcana too.'
After completing my second Mana Circle, though.
At the city's edge, we boarded a carriage. It was pulled by a lizard instead of horses—wonder if "carriage" was even the right term, but nothing else came to mind.
The massive lizard pulled the large carriage vigorously across the desert. Renila's questions didn't stop even after we climbed aboard.
"Hey, what's the world outside the desert like? I've lived here my whole life and never seen it."
"Outside the desert is pretty ordinary..."
"The desert's ordinary to me. So tell me."
"Grass and trees blanket the world... Unlike the desert, the wind... It's hard to put into words. I'll just show you."
"Huh? Show me? How?"
I meant it literally. My heart's Mana Circle spun rapidly, mana rising around me.
'No need to overdo it... Just a fleeting scene is enough...'
I was merely manifesting a memory. Landscapes I'd captured wandering this world began to emerge through mana. No substance—just illusory shapes.
"Whoa... Whoa..."
Renila kept gasping in awe, while Vasek beside her had one eyebrow arched in evident surprise.
"What? Why's it so vivid? You've got an amazing memory."
"The world you envision must be incredibly clear... Even the same spell would differ in power. A peculiar talent."
I knew my talents differed from the mages here. But I didn't know everything. Some differences only became clear hearing them from others.
The carriage ran nonstop for about three hours. Late evening turned to dawn, my body starting to complain of fatigue, when it finally halted.
"We're here! Get out!"
The door opened, and Renila jumped out immediately. Energetic girl—probably stifled from hours in the cramped carriage. Durel and I followed.
"Can't see anything, right? But it's hidden..."
Renila's words scattered on the wind. I was too focused on the sight before me to hear more.
'Can't see anything, huh.'
On the dark red sand stood massive, strange runes encircling the area. Floating mana formed them, each pulsing with unique power, proclaiming special laws.
Similar to the scene in Ailsnor to the west. A hidden space at the world's boundary, undetectable from outside.
'Didn't realize it back then.'
Now I did. How to breach such spaces. My eyes for mysteries began reverse-engineering the grand magic arrayed before me.
"If I do that... No, Lumia? What are you staring at? Come over here!"
The tug on my arm snapped me from my thoughts. Dazed by the massive mystery ahead, I'd nearly erred. If I'd stayed, I'd have reached out to twist and open the incongruent space.
Could I?
The question in my mind brought a natural answer.
'Not hard.'
Following Renila, I watched Vasek gaze at the empty sky before pouring mana into the ground. The mana flowed down, interfering with the vast magic enveloping the area.
Right then.
Rumble-!
The earth split, revealing stairs descending below.
'Why stare at empty air, then...'
I wanted to ask but held my tongue, lest he think me strange.