Chapter 105
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The Name of Mana (1)
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That incident occurred in the quiet dawn.
I was outside the mirror barrier of the sealing chamber, as always.
It was a rest area with a simple cot, a rocking chair, and a small table brought from the dining hall.
The voice reached me when I was lost in thought, forgetting even to rock the chair.
"......What?"
Thinking I might have misheard, I looked up at the orb of light floating in the air.
The orb was slowly emitting soft rings of light.
For some reason, it seemed brighter than usual.
The same voice came again. This time, there was no mistake.
"Wh-what did you say?"
I straightened up in a fluster.
I had heard the same words twice now, but I couldn't even guess what language it was, let alone what they meant.
"What did you just say?"
"My name."
The orb of light descended slightly toward me.
Name.
Startled, I tried to recall what I had just heard.
It definitely started with something like 'ah' or 'oh' and ended with 'shu' or 'shi'.
"Um...... sorry, could you say it again?"
Feeling pathetic, I asked once more.
The spirit spoke its name again, this time with a hint of amusement, and quietly added,
"If it's difficult, please call me 'Agnes'."
Agnes. A word somewhat similar to the incomprehensible one.
"Alright, Agnes. But how did you come up with a name like that?"
I couldn't help but ask.
It was true that the spirit's learning process was nearly complete.
The spirit understood barriers and seals as well as we did and had adjusted them almost perfectly.
Thanks to Kaela's previous raid where she siphoned mana from the dragon vein, it had also learned about the 'malevolent power requiring purification' and its own role in that regard.
"It just came to mind. Like Liberic-nim and Miles-nim's names, I felt like I wanted one too."
Agnes spoke in a voice filled with joy. I smiled along.
"That works. Miles will be thrilled."
All that remained was to bring Agnes inside the mirror barrier and test whether it could perform its role well within.
Once that was done, Miles could take a vacation, and I'd finally relax a bit.
"Perfect timing."
In the morning, when I reported this in the Silver Guard Knight's office, a succinct reply came back, as if he had been waiting for my update.
"I was planning to leave this place soon anyway."
"Ah. To another sealing chamber?"
It wasn't entirely unexpected, but it felt sudden.
The Silver Guard Knight nodded calmly.
"There's a mission to handle on the way. How much more time do you need for the sealing chamber duties?"
"It's still outside the barrier for now, but it won't take long. A week at most?"
We had overcome every obstacle so far without issue, so bringing it inside shouldn't cause problems.
I was optimistic.
"That fits. I'm not rushing you—take more time if needed. Stabilizing the sealing chamber is the top priority."
"Yes, I'll do that. Then...... where to after leaving here?"
I asked, trying to hide my excitement.
Instead of answering, the Silver Guard Knight swept the scattered stack of documents on his desk to the side all at once. Beneath them appeared a large leather map.
"Kirk Volcano. The birthplace of the Fire Arbat."
The spot his fingertip pointed to was northwest of the Lesion Kingdom—southeast of the old empire.
Just looking at the distance, it was far beyond Prion to Elgrace.
And that wasn't the only issue.
"There's the Quint Mountains in between, right? Detouring around would take quite some time."
"No detour."
"Eh......"
I looked at the Silver Guard Knight in bewilderment.
The Quint Mountains were a massive range blocking the old Trojan Empire from the Lesion Kingdom.
I'd heard even travelers were rare due to its vast, treacherous terrain.
"It's well-maintained these days, so it's passable. Besides, there's work to do in the Quint Mountains."
"Work?"
This time, he slid a bundle of documents from the top of the stack toward me.
The first page bore only a neat title.
"[Investigation of Anomalies in the Quint Mountains]......"
"Came in over a month ago. A request from the Quint Mountain Patrol. Three Prius knights, two kingdom knights, and the mage Fren headed to the 5th Outpost in the western Quints for investigation."
"Fren......"
I thought the name sounded familiar, and the memory clicked.
The mage who had been stationed here at the sealing chamber with Miles. He was already absent when the delegation arrived.
"It's rare for a resident mage to go on missions. Especially long-distance, extended ones like this. But there was a special request from the Quint Mountain Patrol and the kingdom knights."
The Silver Guard Knight let out a small sigh.
"Liberic, how much do you know about Nameless Era ruins?"
The unexpected question threw me off a bit.
The Nameless Era. Also called the age of the vanished gods—an ancient period from long ago.
Before the Trojan Empire rose, even before the chaotic era of wars and strife that engulfed the lands.
No writing or historical records remain, leaving it largely unknown. Only the bizarre ruins scattered across the world prove its existence.
"Just what I learned from history books and knight school."
I answered honestly.
Some mages at Althur Tower had studied Nameless Era ruins or delved into ancient magic, but even they had little time for it.
Most were too busy with Prius matters for other research to progress.
"I've heard there are ruins in the Quint Mountains, but has something gone wrong there?"
"Numerous ferocious magical beasts have appeared, along with strange new anomalies. The Quint Mountain Patrol believes the issue stems from the ruins."
Nameless Era ruins function as artificial dragon veins. If they're influencing the surroundings magically, something might be wrong with them.
"That's why they needed a mage."
"Exactly. But it's been quite a while since they set out, and no report has come back—even accounting for travel time. Then a few days ago, we finally got word......"
The Silver Guard Knight spoke slowly, his expression bitter.
"Of the group that entered the Nameless Era ruins, only one Prius knight managed to escape."
My shoulders tensed instantly.
"Everyone else...... dead?"
" 'Unknown.' The knight survived, but he's unconscious. No way to transport an unresponsive patient, so he's still there."
"Then we should investigate in person."
With no other news, we had to assume the rest of the team—including mage Fren—were gone.
A bad feeling about this first mission.
"Yes. It's just a brief overview, but details on the initial request are here. Once the sealing chamber is settled, we'll meet the Quint Mountain Patrol and start the investigation."
I picked up the documents he handed me with a heavy heart. Just two or three pages.
Skimming them lightly, I asked the Silver Guard Knight,
" 'We' ......?"
He paused with a "Hm," and took a sip of his cold tea.
"Decided to follow your father's...... advice on personnel. Shuren and Wedin will join. Ash goes without saying. And I'll tag along for a while."
Having the Silver Guard Knight with us was reassuring, but...... did he just say 'threat'?
"Don't worry about it. The Quints and Kirk Volcano needed checking sooner or later anyway. Focus on securing the sealing chamber. That's most important."
"Yes, understood."
"I'll let you know once the schedule's set. Might be good to tell Miles about Fren too—they worked together."
"......Yes, I will."
I replied heavily, bowed to the Silver Guard Knight, and left the office.
On the way back to the sealing chamber with a complicated heart, I pondered how to break the news to Miles.
Fate unknown for Fren and the knights in those Nameless Era ruins.
"Liberic!"
Lost in thought, I looked up to see a knight waving at me. From the Silver Moon Knights—we crossed paths often, so his face was familiar.
"Perfect timing," he said, striding over and thrusting a thick stack of letters and packages into my hands.
"What's this?"
"From Prion."
The envelopes and packages bore dear names: Father, Mother, Clemence, Luwen.
"......I see."
Miles took the news about Fren more calmly than I'd expected. He slowly rubbed his tired face.
An inevitable sigh escaped me.
"Figured something was up since it dragged past the expected date. Investigate well when you go, Liberic."
"Yes, don't worry. It's not confirmed yet, so let's not lose hope."
I said it hoping to comfort him a little, but Miles just smiled and stood.
"I believe he's alive. Just frustrating there's nothing I can do."
He pulled a small paper box from his grubby robe.
Expecting stick snacks again, but inside were three or four cigarettes left.
"Now's the time for one. Don't worry—I'll smoke in the garden."
I couldn't stop Miles as he left the sealing chamber.
After he was gone, I entered the mirror barrier with mixed feelings.
A dazzling light and soft breeze like caressing cheeks swept past, and I stood in a space surrounded by mirrors on all sides.
I snapped my fingers, altering the surrounding area.
The mirrors vanished in an instant, replaced by a small garden with a cool breeze blowing through.
"Fuu."
I plopped down onto the wooden chair with a small sigh.
I placed the documents from the Silver Guard Knight and the letters and packages from Prion on the white table.
Like Miles's old living room, this space was my creation.
Tall white grapevines stood emitting a rich grape scent, and the flowerbeds overflowed with yellow and red flowers that never wilted year-round.
A small stream flowing between the trees was thick with blooming silver Lucremia flowers.
Ornamental lanterns hung here and there on the vines, casting their glow. Whenever a cool breeze blew from somewhere, the lights swayed gently.
Taking a deep breath in the chair filled my body with crisp, cool air mingled with forest and sweet, heady grape scents.
"Extremely Luar-like."
Miles had evaluated it that way the first time he stepped in. He'd even poked at the lanterns on the trees.
"Acts like a three-hundred-year-old sometimes, but has these childish sides too."
"What're you saying to a fifteen-year-old......"
I muttered, but inwardly felt a bit guilty. He had a surprisingly sharp eye for people at times.
I didn't know what made it childish for a Luar, but I had to admit this place brought me comfort.
Even if the sounds, scents, scenery, chairs, table, and lanterns were all mere illusions.
Alright, time to work.
I summoned Agnes.
The orb of light floated up above my head, radiating brilliant light—like a small sun over the garden.
Agnes, now inside the barrier, adapted quickly enough to manage the interior on its own.
I reviewed the parts where Agnes had adjusted the mana flow, fine-tuned them, and focused on enhancing the barrier's stability.
Quite some time later, I handed the remaining work to Agnes and decided to take a short break.
Come to think of it, I still hadn't opened the letters and packages from Prion.
Time had flown by already. It felt like I hadn't been here long.
I began opening the packages and letters from Prion one by one.