novelraw Chapter 184 : Chapter 184
Chapter 184 : Chapter 184
Chapter 184: Greed (2)
Architect Mokolin repaired part of the collapsed ground. Temporarily built houses stood huddled there.
It was for the villagers' living, and Manoa’s temporary residence was at its center.
The only furniture was a bed made by some Mage. Manoa was lying there.
Harad stared blankly at the Embers placed in the center of the house for a moment, then turned his head to Manoa. She raised her upper body.
“I think you already know, but we were detected by the Moon.”
The village should have been peaceful for another 8 years. The regressed Harad advanced those 8 years.
“I won't make excuses, as it's something I brought upon myself.”
It was Harad who brought the Moon’s Crystal Ball. Whatever the intention, it was indeed his fault that the village was detected.
“I will listen to as much resentment as you have.”
Harad quietly waited for Manoa to speak.
“It was a primitive Manifestation. Please refrain from it in the future.”
What popped out of Manoa’s mouth was advice, not the curses that would have been popular 300 years ago.
“Couldn't help it; I don't enjoy it either.”
“Then I understand.”
Manoa nodded as if accepting it.
“Do you not resent me?”
“There is no one here who hasn't been chased by the Otherworld.”
Every villager has been targeted by the Otherworld at some point. Manoa was saying Harad is just like that, too. To that Witch, Harad was already no different from a villager.
“You're treating me too generously.”
“Harad, you could have avoided it.”
Avoided. Harad flinched at that word.
Manoa was talking about Kandenkel. The Tower Master of Meteoric Iron had liked Harad and intended to spare him.
“You did not avoid it.”
Harad could have hidden his Origin and run away.
“Kandenkel had to be killed. Not because of the village, but my greed.”
“It was the village's greed, too.”
Eventually, they were in the same boat. They were in the position of blocking Kandenkel together. To Manoa, that seemed enough.
“Primitive Manifestation. Even if possible, I don't think there is a Mage who would actually implement it.”
“I had a means of recovery.”
“You mean the Moonstone. You didn't seem certain, though.”
Moon’s Crystal Ball. Manoa called it Moonstone. Indeed, as a Witch who was a pillar of the Moon 300 years ago, she seemed familiar with the Moon’s Magical Item.
“It was a gamble. Correct?”
“Correct. The Moonstone didn't have much magic power.”
“Then it's fine.”
Manoa scowled, then relaxed her face. She dislikes gambling, but she liked that it was a gamble for the village.
“Your intention doesn't matter. In my eyes, you looked like you risked your life for the village. That is enough.”
“Is that your will?”
“It is the village's will.”
Harad recalled the way he came. The villagers were wary of him but didn't resent him. Only fear for the manifested Sun remained.
“Soft. Both you and the village.”
“It is such a village.”
A soft Witch’s soft village. Harad laughed softly. As expected, a village he can't leave alone.
“I will accept the forgiveness gratefully.”
“Yes.”
“Then I will speak comfortably. Let's move.”
“…….”
Manoa squinted.
“Detected by the Moon. This time it was the Tower Master of Meteoric Iron; next time, we don't know who will come.”
It would be a scheduled sequence. Of course, Manoa knows, too.
“I refuse.”
But Manoa refused. To that Witch, this place is not a simple village. It has meaning beyond that. The same for the villagers.
“Harad, I trust you, but it is an unrelated issue.”
The village was the first home they finally found after running and running, and was already no different from a symbol.
“It's an issue to judge with fear, not trust.”
Is the Otherworld scary, or is moving scary? To Manoa and the village, it was an easy question.
“Moving is scary.”
Soft Witch and soft village. They lost the courage to advance further. They were people who would rather live and die here than move.
“Well, thought so.”
Harad nodded lightly. He already expected it and had no right to scold.
The move suggestion was to test Manoa’s mind.
‘Seems solvable, too.’
Detected by the Moon, but no big problem. Expectedly, the Tower Master of Meteoric Iron will be the last.
“Embers. Give them to me.”
“……!”
Manoa’s eyes widened. It was a face as if she had been hit on the back of the head.
“Was that the main point?”
“Both were main points.”
“……Have you never thought you are shameless?”
Manoa said, turning her gaze to the diminished Embers. Harad had already absorbed part of the Embers.
“Couldn't have killed him if not for the Embers.”
Only Harad saw Elaine. The village knew Harad killed Kandenkel by absorbing the Embers.
Manoa answered with a sigh. It was an affirmation. It couldn't be helped.
“I'm not asking you to just give it.”
“…….”
“I can scatter fire. To be precise, my Divine Beast can.”
Manoa’s eyes widened. It was brief.
“What is the basis?”
“My Origin and the intuition of me as a Mage.”
“…….”
She said she wouldn't resent him just a moment ago. Manoa glared at Harad for a long time, then opened her mouth.
“Impossible.”
“Reason?”
“I acknowledge you as a Mage. But I cannot bet the village on mere acknowledgement of mine.”
Manoa compared the village to a stake.
Earlier, too.
“You, do you like gambling?”
“……Do not blur the point.”
Manoa glared with half-closed eyes.
“I hate gambling. Very much so.”
Everything had to have a basis. Unless it's Elaine, at least Harad preferred certainty.
“…….”
Manoa looked like she didn't believe him. It must mean it's not something a Mage who pulled out his heart should say.
But that primitive act had a basis called past life. He implemented Manifestation to the point of nausea.
“If it's the principle of Manifestation, I know it accurately. That's why I pulled it out.”
Harad said, pressing his chest firmly with a finger.
“Succeeded spectacularly, just as I was certain.”
“…….”
“I have such certainty regarding those Embers, too. If I absorb that, the Fireball will scatter new Embers.”
Not only because Elaine said so. It works. Harad’s intuition, having absorbed part of the Embers, is also certain.
“You don't believe me.”
“Yes.”
Manoa answered immediately. Why can't she believe?
“You attached too great a meaning to that fire.”
Because Manoa is distorting the meaning of those Embers.
“Those Embers are a legacy left by the Sun for the next Sun. You said so. Wrong. That is not a legacy.”
Merely playing with fire.
“That is closer to a torch. It's just a torch to light up the Boundary long ago, remaining until now.”
Only, that torch is so powerful that Manoa is misunderstanding. To Kandenkel, it became a means to strengthen his Origin.
Must mean the past King was that great.
“There is no certainty I will scatter the exact same fire as that. But the firepower will be similar.”
Even if he can't imitate the immutability, he can mimic the firepower.
“Then just scattering it periodically to maintain it should do.”
“…….”
“I say again, I hate gambling.”
The plan is finished. If Manoa permits, Harad will return and find Tunnel-Digger Rick.
“…….”
Manoa had a reluctant face.
“I will speak frankly. I haven't endured for even a single moment.”
Harad turned his gaze toward the Embers.
The Embers have been tempting Harad all along. Even more so now that he absorbed a part.
Only, as always, Harad is just enduring.
“And it's getting hard to endure anymore.”
But now he had to be fiery.
Almost died. Also, the Moon intervened. Variables not present in the past life are creating variables.
“I must take the Embers.”
Kandenkel died, but in Harad's view, it was a failure. The guy died because of Elaine, who could pop out anytime.
If not for Elaine, he would have died. Even if he killed Kandenkel through the Embers, it's the same.
The regressed Harad had to be more mindful. Just as he doesn't know when Elaine will come out, Embers are not everywhere, either.
He must take the means to become stronger when available. Only then can he prepare for the variable called the Moon.
“I know it's selfish.”
The Embers will be maintained by weaker Embers. Harad is certain.
But to Manoa, it inevitably feels unreasonable.
“I wanted to protect the Embers, too. Failed.”
Was greedy, and failed. Then he had to give up the greed or achieve the greed through another method.
“But I don't want to give up.”
Harad was the latter—he didn't want to discard the greed he already harbored.
“I wish this village to be a start, not an end.”
“…….”
“So please trust me just once.”
Manoa squeezed her eyes shut. Staying like that for a long time, she opened her mouth with difficulty.
“……Give me time to think.”
“As much as you want.”
Harad smiled brightly.
“…….”
That she would reluctantly permit—even Ellen, who was standing like a borrowed barley sack, noticed.
Ellen clearly recognized the current situation.
Just as there is Harad, the Sun, there is a Moon in the Otherworld. That Mage is the reason the Tower of Meteoric Iron raided this place.
Meteorite Kandenkel heard the location of this place from the Moon. Cassion delivered it, and the Moon’s Crystal Ball Harad possessed was the culprit.
So Harad recommended moving the village and was refused.
In Ellen’s opinion, they definitely should move.
But why does Harad agree? It was strange, but she didn't think further.
He must have a plan. Harad was that kind of human.
Actually, she didn't even want to think further. Whether Harad wants the Embers or not, whether he coaxes Manoa with his tongue or not, it didn't matter to Ellen. Not important at all.
What is important is:
‘Why isn't he looking at me?’
Harad is avoiding Ellen.
“And about the Mage of Shadow.”
“Jis?”
“Yes. Is he perhaps in your party?”
“Not really.”
“If not, may I accept him as a villager?”
“You, do you have a collection hobby, too?”
“…….”
Ellen’s gaze headed to the window sill.
“Wait for now. I'm thinking about what to do with the Shadow, too.”
A shadow the size of a water droplet rippled small on the window sill.
‘That bastard.’
Ellen’s eyes shone.
* * *
When they first met, she didn't even know he existed. She noticed only after he manifested and couldn't reach him.
When they met the second time, she noticed as if possessed and caught him. In Ellen’s opinion, it wasn't her power—it was closer to unconsciousness or a beast’s instinct.
Intuition is intuition because it cannot be explained. And now, Ellen could explain.
Torch. Harad called the Embers so, but there is mysterious power in that fire. Grass was growing where the forest used to be.
“You're there, right?”
A shadow is hiding under there. That magic, the existence of the Mage named Jis…… Ellen felt it clearly.
“I know you're there.”
Although defeated because she was weak, Ellen felt she had grown. She intuitively sensed the reason was related to Kandenkel’s death.
“Come out.”
That Jis might know about Kandenkel’s death.
“……Will you kill me?”
“I won't.”
Then a head peeked out from beside the grass. It was Jis.
“You know, right?”
“……Don't know.”
Ellen looked down intently at Jis, who was showing only his face. The guy is a smart Mage with conviction despite seeming like a child.
“I think I know.”
“Congratulations.”
“Think I'm joking?”
“…….”
Jis’s head plunged into the shadow with a splash. The whip was wrong; she had to give a carrot. Something Harad does well. What would he have done?
“You followed Harad, right?”
“Yeah.”
Jis answered from within the shadow.
“The image must have improved a bit, because it would have been dangerous if not for you.”
“Hehe.”
If not for Jis. Actually, it didn't mean much. She lost and should have died.
But Ellen and Harad lived. Is that all? Kandenkel died.
But the Embers remained. Although consumed, that was only a part.
Ellen looked down at her hand. Kandenkel died split in half. It happened three days ago, but the sensation still remained in her hand. Yet not in her memory.
“You followed Harad, right?”
“Yeah.”
“But Harad will still hate you.”
“Hing.”
The shadow flowed like tears.
“Harad is a person of Serzila.”
“I know. Saw it.”
Jis said he wanted to see Harad. Just seeing is enough—enough to follow to the Boundary.
“I am Serzila.”
“Heard it.”
“If I permit, Harad has to accept, too. Since I am Serzila, and Harad is a person of Serzila.”
Jis peeked out only up to his eyes.
“Tell me what you know. Then I will let you live in Serzila.”
“…….”
“Know that if you refuse now, you won't see him forever.”
Ellen gripped her sword. That touch was familiar, but not this sensation. Kandenkel died cut, but it wasn't Ellen who cut him.
“Don't know much though…….”
“That's enough.”
What Ellen wants is not certainty.
“Doesn't matter if it's small, since I'm the same.”
If combined, it grows.
Ellen was fine with that. The rest, she will find out herself.
“Here.”
A hand popped out over the shadow. Something was held.
“Tobacco?”
“Yeah. Gift for Ellen. Heart for Harad.”
It was a bribe. Must be because she said she would kill him if seen again.
“What about this?”
Ellen looked at the bundle of tobacco Jis held.
“It was new.”
Not new. There are holes. Three, no, about two are missing.
“Ellen smoked.”
Ellen didn't smoke. She just found out Jis had tobacco.
“How do you know that?”
“There was a smell.”
“When?”
“Three nights ago.”
The day Kandenkel died. Ellen smoked tobacco.
“Don't know anymore.”
“……Enough.”
Not in Ellen’s memory.
“Jis, I will provide a house.”
“Huh?”
“You are a Serzila person from now on, too.”
“Ooh.”
The shadow danced. What dance it was, Ellen didn't know.
“Ellen?”
When Jis came to his senses, Ellen had already left and was gone.
* * *
Harad was standing alone on the deepest ground.
Ellen knew it was the spot where Kandenkel died. She didn't know exactly what Harad was thinking.
Only, it was certain that Harad didn't notice until she came down to the same ground.
From three days ago, Harad had been lost in some thought.
“Ahem.”
Behind Harad’s back, Ellen cleared her throat.
Harad flinched. He didn't look back. Like this, he is avoiding Ellen.
Because the person in Harad’s head right now is not her…….
So Ellen spat out:
“Shabby.”
Just like heard in the dream, as arrogantly as possible.
“My dear.”
Words that were in the last memory.
Harad’s shoulders trembled as if convulsing. Like that, he looked back, startled. His pupils were dilated.
“……Ellen?”
Ellen smirked.
“Why?”
Why specifically call her name when there are only the two of us here?
“Because I seem like a different person?”