< 146. Candidate >
#146
“This is a call from Instructor Nabi Rose. “I see you have something to say about the Festival of Swords.”
“Festival of Swords?”
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. I’ve heard it several times. Did he say that it was a gathering and ceremony where outstanding swordsmen from all over the continent gathered together? I also seemed to have heard that the legendary holy sword was hidden somewhere in Farzan, where the ceremony was held.
Come to think of it, when I returned from Haeju, Nabiroze had said that the Festival of the Sword was not far away. Ronan was just about to follow Schlieffen. Asher tugged on his sleeve.
“Wait a minute.”
“ok?”
Asher was fidgeting and licking his lips. She was necessarily like a bast*rd. Ronan said, looking back at Schlieffen.
“I’ll be going soon. “Go first.”
“Come before it’s too late. 1 It is an arena.”
Schlieffen left the room. Ronan spoke only after the sound of his footsteps had completely disappeared.
“What’s going on?”
“I think I should show you this.”
Asher, who had been rummaging through his arms, held out a black book. It was Vajra of Destruction, a banned book written by the savior. He turned the pages one after another and opened the last page. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“This···.”
“This has changed since I returned from Lodolan. No, to be exact, one page has increased.”
Asher cowered as if he was afraid. He looked as if he had cut ice and made it out of paper. The last new page was completely stained white.
An eerie cold air was escaping from the sheets, which were clearly made of different materials. When I looked closely, I saw some small letters engraved on it. Ronan tilted his head.
“What does this say? Frozen…Field?”
“These are my cold magic spells and methods. It’s written in great detail. When I think I have learned everything, the content automatically changes to the next level…”
“what?”
“I-I don’t know either. “Why did this happen?”
Asher continued stuttering. He complained that it felt like the new page was trying to teach him. This strange paper was passing on the knowledge of frost magic step by step as if it were a teacher.
Among them, there was some incredible magic or information that had not yet been revealed to academia. In fact, it was thanks to that book that Asher was able to handle cold in such a short period of time, even though she was inexperienced. Ronan frowned at her.
“I feel bad.”
Aside from its usefulness, it was somewhat unpleasant to see an inanimate book acting like a person. Hearing those words, I felt like I was somehow popular.
Ronan was looking at the last page with his face close to it. A familiar voice rang out softly.
【Nice to meet you.】
“Hyaaaaa!!”
“Holy shit, what is this?”
Asher jumped up from his spot. Ronan reflexively threw the book. thud! Asher, who quickly backed away, stopped only after hitting the back of his head against the wall. He took a deep breath and spoke in a watery voice.
“Bah, bah, what was that just now? huh?!”
“···It was definitely that bitch’s voice.”
It was definitely true. It was the voice of the Winter Witch. Just as Ronan was looking around her, his hand on the hilt of her sword.
【Ouch…but isn’t it a bit too much to throw it away?】
The witch’s voice was heard again! Ronan turned her head in the direction of the sound. Vajra was lying all over the place. He slowly opened his mouth.
“···Is that what you said?”
【That’s right, kid. It’s been a while since I last saw you.】
“f*ck. “What happened?”
The witch’s voice was coming from Vajra, more precisely from the last page that had turned white. The witch, with a low laugh, continued her words.
【I was able to dramatically retain the soul. Ah, it was really dangerous.】
“You left the soul behind?”
【okay. Thanks to the progress of the ritual, I was able to leave a part of my soul in this book. That’s why I’m talking to you too. Although it is not as good as that kid, this is also an amazing vessel.】
The witch explained that she could exist thanks to the rituals she performed in Rodolan. One of her purposes, she added, was not only to destroy the souls of Ibelin and Asher, but also to split her own soul and place it into Vajra.
It was so proud that it was almost ridiculous. As soon as she finished speaking, Ronan grabbed the hilt of her sword.
“f*cking bitch.”
He picked up Vajra and opened the last page. And he alone aimed the tip of his sword at the pure white paper. That was the moment Ronan raised his arms.
【Now, wait a minute! What are you trying to do now? Stop!】
“Damn stopping. “How do you know if they’re going to try to modify it again?”
The witch shouted in a perplexed voice. Ronan explained that he would cut out the last page separately, put it in an envelope, and send it to the Twilight Tower where Lorhorn was. The originally white paper became paler.
【Hey, I really don’t plan on doing that this time! If I had been plotting to begin with, I wouldn’t have told you anything. Isn’t that right?!】
“Then why are you acting suspiciously like a teacher? ok?”
【I just want to teach this child, just like that old man Lorhorn! Anyway, that’s all I can do right now.】
“Explain.”
Ronan put away his sword. The witch, who barely escaped with her life, continued her words.
【···I have been through many trials. Well over three figures of mortals danced in the snow with me. I remember all their names.】
“I’m proud.”
【But even though I escaped, there was no case where I could use my abilities.】
The witch explained that Asher’s ability to manipulate ice was unprecedented. She once stayed in a person’s body for over ten years, but even she lost her powers as soon as the witch left her body.
Just looking at Evelyn, it was like that. She could manipulate ice, but it was originally the ice that Evelyn, a frost wizard, had manipulated, not the witch’s.
【That child is special. For the first time in my existence, I felt like teaching someone.】
“Aren’t you planning to use education as an excuse to increase your power? “To find the man who looks like me.”
【Ahaha… That child will never meet me like this. Moreover, it is impossible to increase strength in this state.】
The witch sighed. She likened it to having every part of her body taken away by Lorhorn except her little fingernails. As Ronan said, she wanted to regain her strength, but her soul had been ripped away and she had no room to grow.
【Nothing can be done with such a weak soul. All you can do is speak or project text onto paper. You live because you cannot die.】
It was said that there was no power left to do anything suspicious in the first place. Judging from the mana felt in the last page, it didn’t seem like it was a lie. The witch, who was silent for a moment, opened her mouth.
【Just let me teach you. If I break my promise or try to deceive you, you can do whatever you want with me.】
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There was a sense of sincerity in his resigned tone. Ronan’s mouth twitched here and there. It would require the premise that everything the witch said was true, but honestly, it was a very attractive proposition.
Who in the world would receive one-on-one training from a high-ranking spirit comparable to Hailan? However, this was an issue that could not be easily resolved. As she was drooling, Ronan tapped Asher on the shoulder.
“Aser, you decide.”
“Yes···?”
“Can you believe what this monster says? “You know because you’ve had your body taken away once.”
“Well, that is…”
Asher stuttered. When I think about that time, my legs still feel shaky. Frozen time, a woman’s embrace and the destruction wrought by a body moving uncontrollably. He stared at Vajra and opened his mouth.
“···It is true that it has been weakened. At least it doesn’t have enough power left to influence me. “That’s for sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“······I want to learn.”
Asher closed his eyes tightly and nodded. He had to become stronger so that he wouldn’t have to go through that again. Ronan chuckled and put her sword back. The witch’s voice rang out.
【This is indeed the correct judgment. It’s a pretty child.】
****
Asher ultimately chose to become the witch’s disciple. Ronan left her room feeling relieved only after watching the witch and Asher proceed with the Oath of Mana, a deteriorated version of the Blood Oath.
‘I’ve become bolder. ‘On the subject of being a loser.’
Ronan chuckled the entire time he walked down the hallway. Asher’s eyes, which had been muttering that he wanted to learn, were gone as soon as they left her mind. Who would have thought that a guy who couldn’t even properly kill a goblin and was so annoying would grow up like that.
Ronan, who was walking while thinking about various things, arrived at the first arena. Schlieffen and Nabirose had already arrived and were having a conversation.
There were no other students in sight. Nabirose, who made eye contact with Ronan, grinned.
“The hero who ended winter has arrived. “Thank you for giving your time to a humble teacher.”
“Damn it, don’t make fun of me.”
Nabirose quipped. Fortunately, my complexion looked much better compared to last time. It seemed that the emotional wounds caused by losing to Zaipa had been healed to some extent.
“It’s a joke. “I guess something urgent happened?”
“Yes, because my friend had to make a once-in-a-lifetime choice.”
“If that’s the reason, there’s nothing we can do. Stand next to Schlieffen.”
Ronan did so. Butterfly Rose’s expression became more serious. After looking at the two of them alternately, she opened her mouth.
“Yesterday, I received a call from the holy city of Farzan. They say a sword festival will be held in the middle of next month. As you may already know, it is a high-level position in which prosecutors who have not reached a certain level cannot even participate.”
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. I felt like I knew why only the two of them were called separately. Schlieffen raised his hand and asked a question.
“It seems like it’s ahead of schedule. Is there a reason?”
“I don’t know about that either. Things like the date of the event are decided by the old people of Farzan. However, it is true that, as you said, it is an unusual case. To a large extent, they stick to the deadline.”
Nabirose shook her head left and right. It seemed strange to her to see the doubt written on her face.
“I think one of you should get out of every grade.”
“···One person?”
“okay. The number of participants at Phileon Academy is one teacher and one student. Only the stronger of the two of you can leave for Farzan with me.”
As soon as they heard those words, Ronan and Schlieffen looked at each other at the same time. Both of them had calm eyes, as if they were not interested, but they didn’t seem to have any intention of backing down.
“You have no intention of giving in.”
“Did you even know how to tell a joke?”
Ronan laughed. The calm atmosphere suddenly became violent. Schlieffen, who was quietly glaring at him, muttered lowly.
“I can’t help it.”
It was only for a moment, but a strange sense of murder rose over Schlieffen’s shoulders. It was as serious as when he swore to protect Iril almost two years ago. He seemed to be feeling quite a bit of pressure about the festival of swords.
‘Is it that important of a position?’
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. To be honest, he had no particular feelings about the Festival of Swords. The information gun, which I had never heard of even in my previous life, and the sacred sword, the greatest significance of the event, were literally absurd beings that only appeared in legends.
However, if you asked me if I had any intention of stepping down, it was not true. Ronan’s attention was directed to the swordsmen gathering from all over.
Judging by the fact that sparring was possible freely, it would be helpful in improving one’s skills, and perhaps it would be possible to find a reliable assistant. Nabirose opened her mouth.
“I will decide who will go three days before leaving for Farzan. “Whoever spars and wins will go with me.”
Ronan and Schlieffen nodded. This was as expected up to this point. At that moment, completely unexpected words flowed from Nabirose’s mouth.
“Instead, there is a condition. “You are prohibited from sparring among yourselves for the remainder of the month.”
