novelraw Chapter 119 : Chapter 119
Chapter 119 : Chapter 119
Chapter 119: Asylum Couple (1)
Fire reveres fire, each in its own way.
Herbis had said that once.
As his way of showing that reverence, he had offered his own heart.
‘Our King belongs to a woman.’
It must be because the passage of the prophecy Herbis knew was so.
The information had not been fully conveyed to him, a 3rd Rank.
‘The Sun belongs to a woman. Aroshu knew that correctly.’
That was the reason I had knocked Aroshu out without killing him.
If they knew my Origin was the Sun, how would the Red Tower react?
I wanted to confirm that.
‘It is as expected.’
Fire reveres fire, each in its own way.
That statement must be true.
However, I was an exception to that phrase.
Because according to the Moon's prophecy, I am a fake vessel.
‘In the end, it’s the Red Tower that’s most eager to kill me. The Moon Tower might be as well.’
Avery Aquins had wanted to capture me alive.
It was a conclusion reached because the Tower of the Deep Sea and the Red Tower were rivals.
If I were to die, a woman possessing the Sun would be born as prophesied.
‘The Tower of the Deep Sea wants me captured, the Ivory Tower wants revenge. The other towers… I don't know.’
Well, nothing had changed.
The Otherworld was the enemy, anyway.
‘I wanted to confirm that 'reverence' a bit more.’
Each in its own way.
Those words kept nagging at the inside of my mouth like a canker sore.
If Herbis had been Aroshu.
That thought kept coming to me. If Herbis had known everything like that bastard did, what choice would he have made?
‘I don't think he would have tried to kill me.’
Herbis's reverence was noble, unlike that of fire.
‘Each in its own way.’
If there is a fire that tries to kill, there might be a fire that does not.
Herbis was the evidence for that.
It wasn't great evidence. It was a simple feeling.
And I had no intention of being swayed by a mere feeling.
I had never once considered the Red Tower an ally.
The Red Tower was an excellent pawn.
A pawn that would make the Otherworld hostile to and gnaw at each other.
To do that, I had to keep hiding the fact that I was the Sun.
Otherwise, the Red Tower would join forces with other towers and come to kill me.
‘Star. A useful identity.’
The King's right hand.
It might not work on other towers, but it certainly works on the Red Tower.
It would be useful time and again.
“Don’t you want to eat it?”
I asked Fireball, who was not moving on my shoulder.
I had told it that it could eat Aroshu's heart, but Fireball did not move.
“Did you grow attached to him already?”
-Ppiiik!
Fireball cried out sharply. It was a denial.
“Then?”
Fireball bit my ear.
It didn't hurt. The creature was biting gently and pulling. At the end of that direction was Aroshu's corpse.
“You want me to eat it?”
-Ppiik!
Fireball cried out brightly. It was an affirmation.
“Why? Is my fire tastier than a heart?”
-Ppiik!
Fireball affirmed with a cry, yet denied by shaking its head.
“Am I the most important?”
-Ppiik!
Affirmation. Fireball rubbed its face against my cheek.
“Excellent.”
I praised Fireball sincerely.
Fireball did not take sides just because it was the same fire.
It was solely on my side. I wanted such people.
‘It would have been better if it was like the rabbit.’
It will get stronger if I raise it.
I pointed at Aroshu's heart without showing it.
“But this time, you can eat it.”
-Ppiik?
“It's because I'm curious.”
On our way here, Fireball had eaten several hearts that Aroshu had brought. They were all from low-rank magical beasts.
What would happen if it devoured the heart of Aroshu, a 4th Rank?
‘A mage. And the same fire at that.’
I wanted to confirm that.
“Eat.”
At that point, Fireball flew to Aroshu's heart. And then it turned its gaze back to me.
When I nodded, Fireball pecked at Aroshu's heart. It was quite a gruesome sight. I focused on Fireball. The mana remaining in the heart was being consumed by the creature.
After some time had passed, Fireball, having pecked it clean without a trace, let out a small burp.
The change was slight. The fire that had grown instead of feathers had grown a little, just a little bit.
“……The efficiency is abysmal.”
It seemed to be a harder creature to raise than I had thought.
* * *
‘Is quality more important than quantity?’
Its birth must be the problem.
Fireball was born from Crimson Flames.
To expect growth, it seemed the quality of the food had to be at least at the level of Crimson Flames.
It seemed Fireball knew that fact instinctively.
That for it to grow, its master, Harad, had to grow first.
-Ppiikik!
Perhaps that was why Fireball cried out in dissatisfaction.
It was because I had absorbed Avery Aquins's heart.
‘It knows the efficiency of consumption. Is this instinct too?’
Probably. Since it's a magical beast.
Fireball was pointing out that I had devoured the heart in an inefficient way.
Saying that's not how you should eat it.
“You remember this too. Unless I'm on the verge of death, I will eat like this.”
I educated Fireball.
I didn't know when a situation like the one with Psina would occur again.
If Kubel wasn't there, Fireball would have to take his place.
-Ppiiiik? Ppiik!
Fireball seemed not to understand, but then it nodded.
It seemed my words took precedence over its instincts.
It was a good sign. Indeed, Fireball was no ordinary magical beast.
Perhaps because it had been a while since we'd had a conversation, Fireball chattered ceaselessly on my shoulder. I didn't have a chance to answer.
‘River.’
The taste of a river with a depth and width of well over 10 meters lingered on my tongue. I had already absorbed it, but saliva was flowing more than ever.
It was the Sun's impression.
The larger the concept of the Origin, or the greater the Rank, the more the Sun likes it. Because the degree of growth increases accordingly.
‘It is considerable.’
It couldn't even be compared to that of Tyrell Aquins, which I had once absorbed and marveled at.
Avery Aquins surpassed his grandson not only in mana but also in his Origin. He was indeed worthy of being called the Star of the Deep Sea.
‘The growth is much steeper than I anticipated… I shouldn't just be happy about it.’
Devouring is a growth method that comes with risks.
I did not forget the danger of addiction.
‘I should try to stop soon.’
I needed to check the extent of the withdrawal symptoms at least once.
Actually, I was planning on stopping this time.
Avery Aquins was too big a prey.
‘It would be safer to try after returning.’
When I get back, if I have the chance, I'll have to try to refrain from devouring hearts for a while.
I wasn't without confidence.
It was because my Origin was the Sun.
I had a knack for enduring things.
‘……It's thanks to that person.’
I hated to admit it, but I couldn't deny that my patience had increased thanks to Elaine.
In my head, Grand Duke Elaine smiled in a way that made me want to hit her. So I thought of Ellen.
When I went back, she was still sleeping.
“Can I hit her.”
I had to endure.
Not yet.
* * *
Ellen woke up a little over two hours later.
She opened her eyes wide, as if she had been pretending to be asleep all along.
Come to think of it, she was like that in her past life too.
Elaine was a person who didn't know the lingering feeling of sleep.
‘I am envious.’
Innate Strength was a great power in many ways.
“Are you okay now?”
Actually, there was no need to ask.
Ellen looked perfectly fine. Not even three hours had passed, yet not only her eardrums but also her tattered left hand had regained its shape.
For injuries of that level, Ellen did not need any separate treatment.
“I can hear well. I’m mostly healed. What about you?”
Ellen asked after checking her own body.
“I’m about the same.”
I said, showing her the Orb of the Moon.
The silver mana of the orb, which had been full thanks to the Asura, had decreased to 70 percent.
“It's better than with Cassion.”
Back then, I was in a near-death state, and 50 percent of the silver mana had been consumed.
“I guess it’s because I'm 4th Rank.”
“What about the river?”
“He's dead. I benefited from that bastard too.”
30 percent of the orb's mana had been consumed, but originally, a little more should have been consumed.
I felt it was a waste, so I endured it with my body.
While Ellen was sleeping, the Sun, which had absorbed Avery Aquins's mana, had replenished my vitality.
“Why. You should have used it generously.”
“You would have nagged me.”
“Correct.”
Ellen spoke like me and then grinned.
She seemed to like the state of the orb.
From now on, I would be able to survive one near-death experience and one serious injury.
-Ppiiiiiiik!
Fireball, which had been circling above and surveying the area, let out a long cry. It was a sound welcoming the awakened Ellen.
Ellen waved a small hand towards Fireball and then looked around.
“Where’s Aroshu?”
Fireball was Aroshu's lookout.
“I killed him.”
“You’ll get an earful from His Highness the Grand Duke.”
The one who had arranged the meeting between me and Aroshu was Grand Duke Aratus and the elder from the Otherworld.
Perhaps Aroshu's death was not the result the Grand Duke had hoped for.
“Well, it can't be helped. I'll just offset it with my merits.”
The merit of killing Psina had not yet been converted into a reward.
On top of that, this time I had even established the merit of the Star of the Deep Sea. The reward would be more than enough.
‘If I insist, the matter with Kalinos could probably become a merit too, but.’
That was still a secret.
That 3rd Knights Commander wanted to hide the fact that he was a Sword Master.
For my part, there was no reason not to go along with it.
A Sword Master who could come and go in the Boundary would surely be useful.
“By the way, you’re quite straightforward, I thought you would say something.”
It was surprising, if anything.
Although Ellen had rated Aroshu as ‘not good,’ she had meekly followed his guidance.
It was because Grand Duke Aratus had planned the meeting with that bastard.
“What is there to say. You must have had your reasons too.”
“That’s true.”
“But I am curious. Why did you kill him?”
Ellen showed her characteristic curiosity.
“He tried to kill me.”
“……Why?”
“He found out I was the Sun.”
Actually, I had shown him on purpose.
But I held my tongue. Ellen looked displeased.
“It's a natural reaction, if you think about it, because the King is born only after I die.”
According to the Moon's prophecy, the Red Tower had to kill me.
“Herbis didn't.”
Ellen seemed to be thinking the same thing as me.
“Herbis didn't know the King was the Sun. He knew less of the prophecy.”
“Ah.”
“Fire reveres fire, but I am an exception. You can think of it that way.”
I didn't bother to convey my own feelings.
The Red Tower was the enemy anyway.
“Good riddance.”
Ellen slowly nodded her head.
She seemed to be savoring Aroshu's death. That time was short. Her eyes, when she lifted her head, were sparkling.
“More importantly, how was I? Me.”
Ellen was a Northerner through and through.
Before she knew it, she was reminiscing about her own performance.
“It was amazing.”
“Right? I'm a Sword Master now too…….”
“Not quite.”
“……What?”
Ellen had only realized her Innate Strength, her talent.
I couldn't explain in detail.
Because she was Ellen, not Elaine.
I couldn't explain the Innate Strength that Ellen didn't have.
“But I cut the Origin.”
“To be precise, you cut the manifestation. Not the Origin itself.”
“……Is it different?”
“It is.”
I explained briefly.
“If the Origin had been cut, Avery Aquins would not have been able to function anymore. A mage without an Origin is nothing but a vessel that has lost its contents.”
But Avery Aquins had not lost his sanity.
He had conversed with me normally.
“Of course, it is still a truly amazing feat. Not just anyone can cut a manifestation.”
She didn't just cut a 5th Rank's magic.
Manifestation is the essence of a 5th Rank.
“Then aren’t I a Sword Master?”
“What is your essence? For Kalinos, the 3rd Knights Commander, it was Valor.”
Kalinos had realized his essence, and could speak of it.
It was a phenomenon I couldn't understand, but that's what a Sword Master is.
“……I don't know.”
“Then not yet.”
She had only realized what her talent was.
Now, Ellen had to explore what her essence was.
“…….”
As if she had never been pleased, Ellen drooped.
It was a familiar sight. The Harad of his past life had found that Elaine quite amusing.
The Elaine of that time was always amazing, yet it took her quite a long time to become a Sword Master.
“Think positively.”
Ellen was in a much better situation than the Elaine of her past life.
She was already walking the line of death, and had already realized her Innate Strength.
Realizing her essence would not take that long.
“…….”
However, Ellen, who did not know her past life, could not think positively.
“Even without having looked in a mirror, you are already as strong as a Sword Master.”
Her ears perked up slightly.
“I say again, not just anyone can cut a manifestation. It would be difficult even for Toremot, the 1st Knights Commander.”
A little more loudly.
“That’s how special you are.”
Openly, loudly.
“If you're this strong now, how amazing will you be when you become a Sword Master. I'm already looking forward to it. Is it just me?”
“……I am too.”
I grinned.
‘Easy.’
Then and now.
* * *
“By the way, you.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you forget something?”
“……Ah.”
The asylum couple.
“They might be dead by now.”
Actually, they weren't dead.
I had already checked the couple's condition through Fireball. The two were still collapsed.
“Why didn’t you take care of them?”
Ellen, who didn't know that fact, hurriedly got up.
“How would I know where they are to take care of them. You're the one who moved them.”
“……Are they safe?”
Ellen seemed to have belatedly realized.
“They were still unconscious.”
“……You’re so mean.”