novelraw Chapter 84 : Abnormal Symptoms (3)
Chapter 84 : Abnormal Symptoms (3)
Chapter 84: Abnormal Symptoms (3)
“‘Priests who turned their backs on their own world. Those priests found a new world.’”
That was the prophecy Quilte delivered.
“Priests who turned their backs on their own world…….”
Milton mulled over the words as he examined the painting again.
The Full Moon symbolizing the Archmage.
However, in the Swordsman’s Society, a Grand Swordsman was not symbolized by the sun.
A Grand Swordsman was merely a position, and unlike mages, there was no slang-like epithet attached to the title.
Mages who turned their backs on the Full Moon.
And swordsmen who turned their backs on the sun.
Yet there was one place where the gazes of those two different factions converged.
The sky.
Both factions were simultaneously staring at the empty sky, a space where neither the sun nor the moon existed.
After combining the painting with the prophecy Quilte had spoken, Milton opened his mouth.
“So Lord Garent believes that Quilte Granny’s prophecy means that mages and swordsmen will go to war.”
“Yeah. ‘Priests who turned their backs on their own world’—if we 기준 it from our side, those priests seem to refer to the Grand Swordsman and the swordsmen who follow him. The Magical Society is the same.”
Milton agreed with that as well.
“If those people found a new world, doesn’t that mean that because of the war, both factions lose their worlds and are forced to coexist in one place?”
That was Garent’s interpretation.
“And will that coexisting world be the Underworld, or will both this upper world and that one be annihilated?”
“I think so. Even this place where our Swordsman’s Society exists was created by ancient mages, after all. Either way, what’s certain is that war seems unavoidable. So we need to prepare.”
“I understand.”
“When the black color of that sealing stone reaches nine-tenths, contact the Swordsman Council separately. I believe that will be when the war begins.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
From today on, my days of thoroughly building walls between myself and Kiena and Hei began.
I deliberately did not eat with them, and even when we crossed paths, I did not greet them.
They looked flustered, but perhaps they had not yet sensed anything strange, as they did not say anything in particular.
After morning classes ended, even during lunchtime, I deliberately avoided Kiena and Hei.
Even when they came to my dormitory, I pretended not to be there, and when I did not respond at all, messages began flooding in like crazy through Mob.
Of course, I cleanly ignored every single one.
“Why is Artel like that today? He looked really upset.”
That was Kiena’s voice from outside the door.
“Hei, did something happen during class today?”
“No, I’m curious too. Even when I talked to him, he didn’t say anything. He treated me like I was a ghost.”
“Is he sick……?”
Their voices were filled with genuine concern.
Like that, the two of them exchanged conversation in front of my dormitory for nearly thirty minutes before disappearing.
‘Alright, then shall I properly begin now?’
Starting today, I planned to challenge duels indiscriminately, rack up 200 points in the shortest time possible, and move on to Class 5.
It was not many days later, during a Fire Element class.
“Artel, did something happen lately? You don’t eat with us and you don’t talk. What’s wrong?”
Hei asked me.
“Nothing.”
I could not keep completely silent forever, so I decided to give only the bare minimum response.
“That’s not ‘nothing.’ Kiena’s really worried. She says you suddenly became really cold.”
When we were close, times like this turned that closeness into poison.
The fact that there were people watching my every small action no longer felt welcome now.
It wasn’t that I harbored ill feelings toward the two of them—I just wanted to cleanly sever the line that needed cutting, but since it wasn’t going as I wished, it felt a bit uncomfortable.
“There’s nothing, so tell her not to worry.”
“You’re really strange. And look at this.”
Hei materialized his Mob and showed me the ranking board.
[Ranking Board]
Artel - 112
“Why have you suddenly been acting like you’re obsessed with duels lately, spending every afternoon dueling, not even talking to us?”
I just wished he wouldn’t ask anything.
Truly, sincerely.
“Hei.”
“Yeah, Artel.”
“I’m just working hard. There’s no problem or anything, so it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not worry? Aren’t you just gathering points like this by dueling nonstop so you can go to Class 5? We’re supposed to go to Class 5 together, all three of us. You’re pulling way too far ahead on your own.”
It seemed Hei had not properly asked yet.
Which meant Kiena was probably also believing that the three of us could go together.
‘Yeah, it’s better if you don’t know. That’ll be more comfortable for you.’
Was it because I had been alone for far too long in my previous life?
I didn’t know how to cut off a bond once it was formed.
That was why I believed the right answer was to quietly disappear without saying anything.
Then what caught my eye was the second place listed beneath the top spot on the ranking board.
Kiena, Hei - 110
“……When did you two do this much?”
I asked in surprise.
Since they were maintaining identical points, they proudly had their names listed together in joint second place.
“See? I told you you’re acting weird. Doesn’t this mean you’ve been dueling nonstop without even checking the ranking board until now?”
That was true.
There was no reason for me to check in real time how many points I had accumulated anyway.
I had been thoroughly avoiding Kiena and Hei, and once afternoon came, I practically lived in the duel arena.
“We’re also trying to go to Class 5 together with you. Don’t run too fast. It’s hard to keep up.”
Hei and Kiena truly seemed to be thinking of going to Class 5 together.
‘No. That can’t happen.’
But I had no intention of waiting. The ideal situation I wanted was for only me to vanish quietly.
“Yeah, got it.”
So I spat out an answer that went against what I truly felt.
[Ranking Board]
1. Artel - 199
2. Kiena, Hei - 198
3. Keled - 172
4. Coupe - 168
5. Silk - 164
Exactly three weeks had passed, and this was the ranking board.
I now only needed to do it one more time to reach 200 points.
Kiena and Hei were tied for second place.
Keled and his friends were lined up, occupying the upper ranks up to sixth place.
My gaze stopped on Kiena and Hei, who were tied for second.
‘This is…… too much, isn’t it?’
Neither of them had lost even once, and they were smoothly keeping pace right alongside me in the top ranks.
Well, Kiena, I could understand.
But Hei—I had no idea how he had changed so drastically the moment he arrived in Class 3.
On top of that, his hair had now completely turned red.
When hair loses its original color and becomes fully dyed in the unique color of its element, it means an assimilation rate of about 80%.
That was because the remaining 20% was the eyes.
Hei was once again showing an absurd rate of growth.
Judging by assimilation rate alone, he more than qualified to step into Class 5, but I couldn’t understand how this was possible.
It had only been a mere month since he came to Class 3.
And in that single month, he grew this much?
That was absolutely impossible.
An exceptional genius…… no, even a genius couldn’t pull this off.
Rather than growing, it felt like he had always been capable but had deliberately pretended not to be, acting all this time, only to finally reveal his true nature now.
I was charging ahead on my own like a colt that had slipped its reins, not waiting for anyone, yet the two of them were clinging tightly behind me and following diligently…….
This was unexpected.
“Something’s strange about Hei.”
That was the conclusion I reached.
In all my lives so far, there had not been a single student who showed such insane growth.
Even I, who had been an Archmage in my previous life, couldn’t have displayed that kind of growth at the Class 3 stage.
No, it was talent to the extent that I wondered if it had ever happened in the history of the Magical Society.
Thud.
Kuuung!
Thud!
At that moment, a loud noise echoed from the hallway.
It was deep into the night, a time when all students should have been sound asleep.
Yet I found it strange that such noises were coming from the hallway at this hour.
I slightly opened the door and checked the corridor, but it was pitch-black, and I couldn’t see anything.
‘That’s strange. The hallway lights have never been turned off even once.’
It was as if someone had deliberately turned them off and spread thick darkness everywhere—despite having my eyes open, it felt like I had lost my sight.
Thud! Thud!
And then, the sound came from very close by.
Listening closely, they were footsteps.
It seemed whoever it was was deliberately putting a lot of force into each step, creating such loud sounds.
‘Who on earth walks like that at this hour?’
Since all the lights were off and I couldn’t see anything, I manifested a small flame at my fingertips, turning it into a torch.
Thanks to the light emitted by the flame, part of the dark corridor was brightly illuminated.
One very familiar back was walking somewhere with its head deeply lowered, producing loud footsteps.
‘That…… that’s Hei?’
His staggering gait looked like that of someone sleepwalking.
It wasn’t a way of walking that suited Hei, who was usually physically sturdy.
Sensing something was off, I immediately rushed out into the hallway and followed behind Hei.
That was when I noticed another familiar back walking beside him.
It was Kiena.
Just like Hei, Kiena began walking with her head deeply lowered, moving with the exact same gait.
“Kiena……? Hei?”
Even when I called out to them, neither of them responded.
As if possessed by something, they were simply heading somewhere, producing heavy footsteps.
“……니다.”
“……로.”
As I gradually drew closer, I began to hear their voices.
Listening carefully, the two of them were muttering something while walking with heavy steps.
“……니다.”
“To…… the place…….”
“Hei, Kiena. What are you saying?”
When I overtook them and blocked their path with my body, I could finally hear clearly what they were muttering.
“Returning…… to the original…… place.”
“To the place where the fragments come together…….”
The two of them were uttering words like some incomprehensible spell.
‘The original place? The place where the fragments come together?’
It was too similar a topic for both of them to dismiss as simple sleepwalking.
But with their heads hanging so low, I couldn’t properly see their expressions.
I manifested flames in both palms and illuminated their faces.
“……Hei, Kiena.”
Neither of their eyes was focused.
They looked as though their minds had been stolen by someone, their sense of self completely gone.
“Kiena!”
I grabbed Kiena’s body and shook her, trying to bring her to her senses.
Grrrrr……!
“……?”
At that moment, a black shadow shaped like a relic surged up from Kiena’s shoulder and lunged at my hand, trying to bite it off.
Fortunately, I managed to react, immediately pulling my hand back and retreating several steps.
Then, the black shadow that had emerged from Kiena’s shoulder leapt forward in front of her body and materialized.
A black horse at eye level with me.
The materialized wolf wrapped Kiena’s body warmly with its large tail, as if trying to protect her.
Grrrraark!
And as it looked at me, it bared its sharp fangs viciously.
‘This isn’t a relic. And it’s black.’
The wolf’s eyes were blood-red, as if thirsting for blood.
I had seen a wolf like this once before.
Four hundred and fifty years ago, during the Battle of the Full Moon.
‘Why does Kiena…… have the same summoning technique as that bastard……?’
It was one of the monsters Sylarid had summoned.
“Obstacles…… will be eliminated.”
At that moment, strange words flowed out of Hei’s mouth.