Chapter 106
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Name of Mana Power (2)
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Parents sent letters brimming with affection and worry, along with new travel clothes and a robe embroidered with fine stitching. Clemence had started taking administrative classes at the knight academy, thanks to help from the White Guard Knights and her father.
Letters arrived from Luwen, Grain, and Airan as well. Airan sent a small leather ball, asking me to give it to Ash.
Hope this is okay. What if Ash just tears it apart?
I pocketed the little ball anyway, though worry gnawed at me.
Lately, Ash had been avoiding me, wandering the garden.
She must have gotten completely fed up after I drained her silver fur to a ashen gray during experiments.
Luwen gifted me a magic book on the latest theories in use. Lots of unfamiliar content—fascinating stuff.
“……Young Master Liberic.”
Lost in the book, I barely registered Agnes's voice right nearby.
“Yeah? What……?”
I looked up from the pages without a second thought.
A woman I'd never seen before in my life stood right in front of me, her thick golden blonde hair cascading down.
Her sparkling brown eyes locked straight onto mine, red lips curving into a gentle smile.
“Whoa—aaah!”
I screamed, flung the book aside, and tumbled off my chair.
“Wh-what the—?!”
“Young Master Liberic, the barrier……!”
The woman scanned me and our surroundings with a panicked expression.
A crack splintered through the garden's illusory mirror landscape.
Mana churned wildly, shaking the mirror barrier until it couldn't hold the illusion steady.
“No! We have to stabilize the barrier!”
Heart still pounding, I thrust both arms overhead and summoned Visible Mana.
The intricate barrier warped and shattered in places.
The dragon core's mana raged, whipping up savage winds that tousled my clothes and hair.
“I'll help too.”
Agnes reverted to her orb of light and dispersed mana in all directions.
As the spirit took control of the dragon core, the winds gradually died down, and the mana began to settle.
“Ugh……”
Once the barrier stabilized, my legs gave out, and I collapsed in the middle of the garden.
The garden looked pristine again, as if nothing had happened—but my books, papers, and letters lay scattered like after a typhoon.
Never had the barrier been this unstable since arriving at the sealing chamber. Not even during Kaela's attack had it faltered like this.
“I'm so sorry…… Miles said you'd be surprised to see me like this, but I didn't expect this much.”
The woman who'd startled me spoke in Agnes's voice and materialized before me again.
A captivating woman with a small, pale face and brown eyes.
Her thick blonde hair flowed in waves over her slender neck and shoulders. The red dress clung to her curves, slit from the knees up to bare her white legs entirely.
And her feet, planted in the garden soil, were bare.
Guess the idea of shoes didn't cross Miles's mind.
“Ugh, Miles……”
I groaned, covering my face.
This guy's hopeless. All he thinks about is satisfying his own desires through a spirit.
“Young Master Liberic. I asked Miles to give me a human form—one that suits me.”
Agnes knelt on one knee before me as she spoke.
I let out a deep sigh and looked at her.
“You asked him first? Why?”
“We needed distinction. In my light form, it's impossible to tell me apart from the dragon core. That's all. If this form bothers you, I'll change it.”
Agnes bowed her head.
Distinction…… Even without a body, she needed a distinct shape, it seemed.
Designed with a sense of self, it was only natural she'd crave a unique name and appearance.
No matter how I turned it over in my mind, I couldn't decide how to handle this.
Whatever Miles's selfish motives, this form did suit her voice.
Then Agnes made the first suggestion.
“In that case, Young Master Liberic, could you imagine a form that suits me? Anything you have in mind would do.”
“A form I want……”
One person sprang instantly to mind.
The garden's former mistress. Mother, waiting for me with lanterns lit among the decorations.
Reading my expression, Agnes smiled brightly and extended both hands toward me.
“If it's all right, may I read your memory for a moment?”
“You can do that? Read memories?”
“Miles imagined this form for me. Think of it strongly. The most vivid memory etched in your soul will transfer to me.”
I hesitated with a groan but couldn't resist the temptation of seeing Mother right before my eyes, even if just for a moment.
Even if Agnes took Mother's face, I wouldn't let it stick. I couldn't.
I just wanted to glimpse her standing in this garden, if only briefly.
“……All right.”
Agnes smiled and asked me to close my eyes.
I did.
Soft mana brushed past like a gentle breeze—over my ears, cheeks, lips, nose, forehead—slowly stirring my hair.
All the while, I pictured Mother in my mind.
I'll see her soon……
But things didn't go as planned.
“Young Master Liberic!”
Agnes's startled cry jolted my eyes open.
The familiar garden was gone. Black sand blanketed the ground under a slate-gray sky.
The earth scorched and shimmered with heat haze rising everywhere.
I gasped in shock, and hot air thick with sand flooded my mouth.
Rough grains stuck to my hands where they pressed the ground.
“What in the……”
Clamping my mouth shut, I looked around.
Nothing but black sand and murky sky.
No blue plants filling the garden. No Agnes.
“Agnes?”
No answer. She'd just called my name, but now not even a presence lingered.
This had to be inside the mirror barrier. Just an illusion…… So why did it feel so real?
Panic muddled my thoughts.
Crunch……
Sand a few steps ahead began sinking downward.
Like something below sucked it in, the black grains collapsed rapidly.
I stared, transfixed—until an ominous aura from below made me back away.
Something called to me.
“Young Master Liberic.”
Agnes's voice.
I tore my gaze away and turned.
A white hand reached for me from behind—the instant I saw it, Agnes's pale face appeared before my eyes.
“Young Master Liberic, are you all right?”
She peered at me with deep concern.
I gaped, speechless.
The landscape had reverted to the garden—Prius's serene, nostalgic garden.
What was that just now? An illusion?
“What happened? You said you'd read my memory.”
“I did. But your memory differed from Miles's.”
Agnes bowed her head slightly, her face somber.
“Nothing but darkness, no light or images. Deeper in…… You stood alone on black earth.”
“Ah.”
So that was an illusion from my memory.
“Why were you there? Is that your homeland?”
“Homeland? No way.”
I shook my head. Just as confused as her.
“No idea. Why that place came up……”
Never seen it in books or rumors.
And that ominous mana from below the black sand……
It vanished when the illusion broke, but it felt so repulsive, foreboding…… And familiar.
“Anyway, better give up on reading my memories. And don't tell a soul about this.”
I sighed and stood.
Should've known reading soul memories was risky. Mine's fractured enough as is.
“Understood. ……Are you sure you're okay?”
Agnes asked worriedly. I forced a smile.
“Yeah, can't be helped. But change your outfit. Something less flashy than that red dress.”
Agnes had smartly studied passersby in the streets before returning.
She reappeared in a simple white dress, a flower-embellished belt at the waist, and an elegant blue blouse.
“Much better. Got it? Don't take everything Miles says at face value. Unless it's sealing chamber business, just nod and move on.”
“Understood. Don't worry.”
She chuckled at my nanny-like nagging.
Still uneasy leaving her alone with Miles here, but no other choice.
“Well then……”
I glanced around, feeling a bit lost.
Books, papers, letters, parcels strewn everywhere. No illusion these—had to clean manually.
“I'd like to help, but……”
“It's fine. Just watch the barrier.”
Intangible as she was, Agnes couldn't touch objects. She nodded and stepped back.
I started gathering the scattered papers.
What was that black wasteland?
The vivid sensations lingered, too real for a mere illusion. Ransacking old memories turned up no such scene.
No. Stop dwelling.
I bit my lip and focused on tidying the garden.
Just thinking about it revived that nauseating chill.
“Departure's in two days.”
The Silver Guard added lightly at the end. Shuren and Wedin froze in surprise.
“Two days?”
“Yes. Need more time to prepare?”
His face said he wouldn't grant it anyway.
Shuren quickly nodded. “No, sir.”
“Won't be back in Elgrace for a while. Wrap up any loose ends. Dismissed.”
Shuren, Wedin, and I saluted the Silver Guard and left the office.
Orders matched what he'd mentioned before.
Quint Mountains mission, then to Kirk Volcano.
Now more detailed: cities and villages en route, stay durations, full schedule.
“Heard it'd be a circuit, but this feels sudden now that it's real.”
Shuren, walking ahead, said with a complicated expression.
“Gonna miss Belfons-senior and Regnit-senior too.”
Belfons and Regnit, who'd come with our delegation, were staying at Elgrace branch awhile.
Silver Guard would reassign if other branches needed manpower, but Kaela's prior attack left injuries to cover.
“Nothing for it.”
Shuren ruffled his hair and turned down another hall.
“Gotta talk to the seniors. You two?”
“Reporting to the medical office.”
“Heading to the city after.”
Wedin and I answered almost in unison.
“City? Mind if I tag along?”
Wedin shot me a glance.
“Why?”
“Got stuff to buy with departure so soon. I'll hit medical first—meet at the main gate.”
He said it without waiting for my input, vanishing toward the medical office as usual.
Oh well. Was gonna go alone quick-like.