Ch 178
Ah.
So that’s what happened.
I understand perfectly.
It was Pallag’s reaction to facing Lisir at the place he arrived at by following the Star Trails.
Halona’s reaction was completely opposite to Pallag’s.
“Why are you here…”
The eyes of the Scholar, retaining brilliance and sharpness even within her gaunt eyes, shook defenselessly.
In fact.
Halona’s confusion had begun even before confronting Lisir.
It was because of the Grand Sorcerer’s warning who had requested this matter.
-…As I said, the deaths of numerous stars are being observed there.
-Stars with bright light, but at the same time as unstable as newborn goats, are dying one after another.
-It is impossible with the power of an individual.
-It is impossible even for a considerable group.
-Halona. Be careful. Whatever awaits you there, it will be in the form of a cruel fate.
In the worst case.
Halona expected that an ominous group committing the massacre of stars would be waiting there, guided by the Light Beam.
The scale is roughly at least a dozen people.
The maximum conceivable power is an existence comparable to a Grand Sorcerer or a Necromancer.
The place is ━ well.
Wouldn’t a secret Foundation hidden in the City Outskirts underground be appropriate?
A sinister space where the smell of rotting corpses and filth is mixed with the special scent used by Shamans.
That was the situation Halona had assumed.
But what is this?
The Light Beam was only wandering around Goose Manor.
The thought that follows.
The darkest place is under the lamp.
Could it be that they are plotting in Goose Manor?
Daring to do so in a place where Frozen Breath Pallag has established himself?
If so, they would be no ordinary people.
They would be people with the audacity and power to deceive someone like Pallag.
Thoughts chasing their tails.
Like that.
Halona’s caution and tension were at their peak.
“Why am I here? That’s a profound question… Maybe it’s because it’s my room?”
That caution and tension ━ collapsed in an instant.
If one were to see the Young Man welcoming even an Uninvited Guest in the middle of the night with his unique, easygoing, and playful Smile,
anyone would be like that.
“This is your room…?”
Separately.
Halona’s confusion deepened further.
She looked around the inside of the room with a bewildered Expression.
Indeed, could it be said to be a room provided to the most important Guests inside Goose Manor?
Expensive furniture appropriately placed in the vast space created a suitable sense of space, and the space was filled with the scent of luxurious fragrance.
Who on earth would think of this place as a place where the massacre of stars is taking place?
Halona’s Gaze belatedly chased after the Light Beam.
The guide that led her here, following the Star Trails.
At the same time, she thought.
Perhaps, that Light Beam might just go straight out through the open window.
In that way, wouldn’t it be guiding herself to the ‘real destination’?
“…!”
It wasn’t.
Halona’s Gaze, chasing the Light Beam, was fixed on Lisir.
The Light Beam that had been floating in the air landed directly on his shoulder.
Now, Halona was certain.
Something was wrong after all.
Halona tried to call back the Light Beam in order to confirm the truth of the situation.
It was a kind of Spirit and helper that Halona had received from a high-ranking Shaman.
The role of that Light Beam, which held Sorcery and the power of stars, was to strictly follow Halona’s orders and help her.
Come back.
Come back!
Halona ordered it.
“What is this?”
There was no response.
Despite Halona’s orders, the Light Beam was clinging to Lisir, only arousing his Curiosity.
Would it be just her imagination if it looked like it was craving Affection?
“No…!”
Halona shouted unintentionally.
The Light Beam was an extremely sensitive and delicate existence.
It only chases and follows spiritual powers, including the power of stars.
For such a Light Beam to cling to a Civilian on its own.
Leaving the Reason aside –
Just that brief contact could have altered and weakened the Energy of the Light Beam.
“Get away from it immediately!”
If the Light Beam were to be altered by such trivial matters, she would have no face to show its Master.
Halona shouted urgently.
But, was it already too late?
The Light Beam clinging to Lisir’s shoulder, creating a subtle light.
It began to emit an intense light.
‘Energy runaway…!’
Halona deeply understood the Nature of Spirits as a Scholar.
The suddenly strengthened Energy of the Light Beam.
It was surely a sign of impending alteration.
In Halona’s eyes now, the appearance of the Light Beam looked like a human having a seizure just before death.
She wanted to take action, but it was already at a stage where there was nothing she could do.
“Ah…”
Like that.
Halona had no choice but to quietly watch the end of a poor Spirit.
The sight of that brilliantly shining Light Beam gradually fading away, eventually disappearing completely.
“How…”
Sparkle, sparkle.
“How could this happen…”
Sparkle, sparkle.
“…”
Sparkle, sparkle.
“…?”
What is it?
Why isn’t it fading?
No matter how long she waited, the light of the Light Beam did not fade.
Then Lisir said.
“Huh? This guy’s condition is━”
“Hmm! Congratulations, Halona. It seems your Spirit has evolved into an existence with a higher rank!”
“…”
Soon.
Halona opened her mouth.
“…So, you were practicing descending as a Guardian Saint?”
✦✦✦
“Okay. I understand.”
Halona said, after hearing the whole story from Lisir.
“It seems that you are the Cause of the deaths of the stars being observed.”
“The stars died?”
“Originally, Starland is not a place that can be freely entered and exited as you said. A star that reaches Starland stays there until the moment it disappears.”
“Ah! So ━ me entering and exiting Starland is, from a third party’s Viewpoint, like a star appearing and dying repeatedly.”
Halona rubbed her eye sockets with her hand.
Her already gaunt eyes looked even more fatigued.
“You’re learning Astrology by yourself…?”
“Yes.”
“I heard that the Archmage Sirine seems to be interested in you. Why don’t you learn from her?”
“Ah! As it happens, I had a chance to meet and talk with her briefly while practicing recently, and I talked about that then.”
“You asked the Archmage to teach you Astrology?”
“That’s right.”
“…What was her reaction?”
Halona asked with an Anxious Expression for some Reason.
“Thankfully, she seemed happy to do so?”
Ah.
Halona sighed quietly.
Now.
The Reason she is moving according to the request of the high-ranking Shaman was none other than this.
It was to gain the favor of the high-ranking Shaman and share deeper Sorcery knowledge.
Wizards were second to none when it came to being closed-off –
But Shamans were even more so.
It was the Reason Halona felt unfairness.
Someone is struggling like this to get a single knowledge share from a high-ranking Shaman –
Someone is sitting still and hearing the Archmage say, ‘I’m happy to offer my knowledge!’
Halona suppressed her surging spite and said.
“Then, wouldn’t it be enough to learn from that Archmage? Why are you learning Astrology in such a reckless way?”
Pallag nodded at Halona’s question.
Creating and destroying stars indiscriminately was too Ruinous to be called a minor Self-taught process.
“I’m curious. Someone like the Archmage should have known the ripple effects your actions would create. But still, she’s just watching your ‘Self-taught’ like this.”
The two could not understand the series of situations at all.
“When I asked how to descend as a Guardian Saint, she said she wouldn’t know such a thing?”
The two were immediately able to understand the series of situations.
“Ah…”
Had she understood too much in a short time?
Halona’s head was starting to throb.
“What on earth is this situation…”
Halona clutched her aching head and tried to sort out the situation.
Pallag said to her.
“What situation is it? It’s a good situation.”
“What?”
“The problem you were worried about has disappeared, and that cute Spirit has become healthier with Lisir’s Energy. Could there be a better result than this?”
“…Are you not bothered at all?”
“Me? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your Acquaintance becoming a Guardian Saint.”
“How could I not be bothered!”
Pallag said seriously, raising his voice.
“Ah. I guess so.”
Halona was relieved at his reaction.
He may seem carefree on the outside, but he is confused on the inside.
She thought Pallag was in the same state as herself.
“Lisir! While we’re on the subject, I need to make something clear!”
Halona was confused.
She didn’t mean for the Atmosphere to become serious.
“Pallag, wait a moment━”
“Congratulations on becoming a Guardian Saint!”
“?”
Halona’s thoughts stopped for a moment.
Congratulations on becoming a Guardian Saint.
That otherworldly sentence interfered with the function of her thoughts.
“…I’ll start as soon as it’s light tomorrow.”
Halona, who had barely restarted her thoughts, said.
“Start what?”
“That thing related to the Murderer’s body.”
“Oh!”
Pallag, knowing Halona’s Stubbornness, showed a surprised reaction.
“You’re bending your Opinion! There’s no end to strange things!”
“If I stay here any longer, I might become like you.”
“?”
✦✦✦
The next morning.
“Oh. Lisir. You’re here?”
“Lord Dray is here too.”
Lisir arrived at Pallag’s Office on time.
The two who were already gathered and talking welcomed Lisir.
“Huh? Ms. Halona is━”
“Wouldn’t she have gone to the place with the Chest in advance?”
As Pallag said, Halona was already preparing for the Ritual in the temporary place where the Chest was stored.
“Halona. I’m so relieved that you seem so motivated-… Hmm?”
The progress of the Ritual.
And Halona’s condition.
Pallag tilted his head after confirming those two things.
“Halona. You didn’t spend the night here, did you?”
“Yes.”
“Haha. To go this far for us. We’re grateful, but ━ what on earth brought this on?”
“Ah! I know!”
“Oh, what is it? Dray, tell me.”
“Isn’t it because she recognized Lisir’s worth!?”
“Aha! So that’s why.”
If I stay here any longer, I might become like you guys.
Halona, who was silently working, muttered quietly.
Halona recalled the Archmage who was once （?） eccentrically picky, and the calculating and demanding Noble.
“Is there anything we can do to help?”
Halona was piling Items on the Desk that had become a workbench.
They were the Items that Lisir’s Party had prepared for the Ritual.
Halona said, looking at the data spread out on top of it （organized by Lisir）.
“Actually. You can consider that I’ve almost finished preparing on my end.”
“Is that so?”
Lisir looked at the Blue Lotus he was wearing on his waist.
‘Klana, did you hear that!? You’re one step away from regaining your original body!?’
-Don’t make a fuss.
‘I know, right. Klana should be the one making a fuss, but why am I doing this? Hurry up! Show some kind of reaction!’
The Murderer, maintaining a nonchalant Expression in her Inner World.
She looked at Lisir and gave a mischievous Smile.
-Are you that excited? About me finding my original body? What exactly are you expecting?
‘What am I expecting? I’m expecting the Revival of the Sage whom history feared to remember, and the strongest Swordsman who will never exist again in the history of the Continent.’
-…Suddenly, I’m looking forward to the moment I regain my body.
‘Oh. Is that so!? The body of the Sage whom history feared to remember, and the strongest Swordsman who will never exist again in the history of the Continent?’
-Yes. The moment I shut your mouth with that.
Lisir could feel that Klana was secretly looking forward to it, even though she said that.
At that time.
Halona, who was creating a Magic Circle centered on the Chest placed on the floor, got up from her seat and approached Lisir.
“Ah.”
Lisir immediately handed over the Raven’s Eye.
Like that, the Black Orb was placed on the Magic Circle.
Halona said.
“The preparation is complete. And, before proceeding with the Ritual in earnest, there is something that needs to be made clear. Lisir.”
“Tell me.”
“What do you want to do with the owner of that body?”
“The person who is the Master is urging me to touch her breasts. But honestly, I don’t feel like it.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
Halona closes her mouth and falls into thought.
“Well. It would be faster to see it directly than to explain it with words.”
“That’s too meaningful. I feel Anxious, should I say.”
“Don’t worry about that. If the numbers are wrong, we can cancel the Ritual at any time.”
She gestured towards the Raven’s Eye.
“If you’re ready. Inject that Murderer’s Spirit? Self? Anyway, inject it into the Raven’s Eye.”
“Klana. Did you hear that?”
“Yes.”
A Girl with navy blue bobbed hair.
The Murderer’s Spirit had already manifested and was revealing her appearance in front of them.
Before she approached the Raven’s Eye and reached out her hand, she looked at Lisir and gave her unique arrogant Smile.
“I’ll tell you in advance. It would be good to have some Determination before entering the Barrier. You never know? A crazy Murderer might suddenly act on her Whims.”
The Murderer injected her Self into the Shaman’s Treasure before hearing an answer.
Now there was no one there.
“If you go inside the Barrier, the Murderer will be waiting for you.”
Lisir nodded at Halona’s words.
They entered the inside of the Barrier.
Then, the underground Shared Space where the previous Combat with the Murderer had unfolded welcomes them.
Their Gazes naturally turn to one place.
It was the place where the Murderer’s body was placed.
“Uh━”
Lisir’s pupils dilated.
The Murderer’s body-
No.
Blue Lotus Clana was getting up from her spot.
“…”
Klana looked around with a blank Expression.
Then she looked down at her body –
“…!”
She was startled and began to grope her body all over.
It was an emotional appearance that was hard to see in the usual Murderer.
Was she so happy to have regained her body after overcoming many Years?
‘She has an unexpectedly emotional side.’
Lisir had a Smile on his face.
He said to Klana.
“Klana! How are you?”
“…!”
Klana flinched and trembled.
She slowly turned her head and looked at Lisir.
Her first words that followed.
“Kyaa!”
“?”
And her first action.
Klana covered her body, which was not wearing a single piece of cloth, with her arms and crouched down in place.
Klana said in a trembling Voice.
“Wh, who are you…?”
“…”
Wh.
Who are you.
Lisir answered with trembling Eyes.
✦✦✦
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- Navigating the Digital Dojo: How to Deal with Your “That” Uncle and Auntie on Facebook
- Your Crush is With Someone Else? Channel Your Inner Samurai, Not a Sad Puppy Dog.
- Is Ramen Overrated Because of Naruto? A Ramen-Loving Anime Fan’s Take
- Study Guide: Lofi or Punk Emo? The Soundtrack to Smashing Your Next Exam (Like a Boss)
- Lost in Translation: When Your Brain Goes on a Tangent While Reading Light Novels
Leave a Reply