Chapter 58: The Baydian Mountains (7)
Brighia turned her head towards Sarante’s magic. Lamancha, his sword, drew a fierce arc that tore through the defensive barrier.
Swish!
Brighia’s head shot up into the air.
“Huh?”
Brighia belatedly noticed the sudden change and averted her gaze. She saw Ronan, the inexperienced youngster, swinging his sword and Sarante, riding on his back.
Only then did Brighia realize that she couldn’t feel anything below her neck. Suddenly, the world flipped, and the sky appeared.
What happened to the Blessing of the stars?
Although she tried to say something, no words came out. Everything went dark in front of her, and that was the end of it.
Thud!
Her severed head rolled across the ground. The thorny vines that had been following Brighia dispersed like mist. Only after seeing her collapse did Ronan sigh with relief.
“Damn girl…”
Fortunately, her severed head didn’t start talking or her severed parts didn’t regrow tentacles. Her body, previously convulsing and bleeding, soon relaxed. Sarante, who had been on Ronan’s back, expelled a burst of crimson blood.
“Ugh!”
“Damn it, Sarante, you’ve been through a lot. Just hang on a bit longer.”
“…Ronan.”
“You can’t die.”
Ronan quickly laid Sarante down on the ground. The bleeding from his wound was still ongoing. Intestines had spilled out below his waist, swaying loosely.
He was familiar with this kind of injury. Going straight to a mortuary rather than a field hospital was a practical solution for such severe wounds.
Even pouring all the potions he had over the wound didn’t yield any significant results. Ronan mashed his hand against his lips and shouted.
“Cita!!”
Amidst the diminishing rain, his voice echoed out. Soon, a single dark shadow appeared, cutting through the darkness. Cita’s wings flapped four times as it flew straight towards Ronan.
“Beah!!”
“Please heal this person. Quickly.”
Fortunately, it seemed the group hadn’t reached the mountains yet.
Cita’s feathers were thoroughly soaked with rainwater. After shaking it off, Cita used its healing magic on Sarante and Ronan.
“Beaahh!”
“What…?”
Ronan’s previously bleeding wound quickly healed. Sarante’s bleeding also ceased. Sarante, with some color returning to his pale face, looked at Cita with astonished eyes.
“You have a fascinating talent… I’ve been curious from the beginning, but what kind of creature are you exactly?”
“For heaven’s sake, you’re curious about that now?”
“It’s okay. My condition has improved a lot… If it’s not too much trouble, could you take me to the sanctuary in front of Seniel?”
Ronan twisted his lips. Silently, he picked up Sarante and gently laid him in front of Seniel’s sanctuary. Sarante smiled softly.
“You truly are a good person. I’m glad I could see you, even at the end…”
“Don’t talk as if you’re about to die. Hold on until we get down the mountains. We can use a Ghost Horse then.”
“Of course… By the way, you’ve done something big. I never thought you’d be able to bring down Brighia.”
“Damn it, I still don’t quite understand what’s going on. Who is she exactly? And why did she attack you?”
Brighia was strong. Even considering that her body was not fully recovered, she was an incredibly formidable opponent. If Ronan had fought her at this age in his past life, he would have undoubtedly been defeated.
If Brighia hadn’t been injured in her battle with Sarante, if she hadn’t been overconfident in the protection of the stars and had shown no openings, the outcome of the current battle couldn’t have been guaranteed. Sarante looked at Brighia’s head with a mixture of sympathy and determination and began to speak.
“Brighia Lemeheim… She was one of the finest swordmasters I knew. At one point, she even served as the commander of the Knights of Lixoda. The enemy’s soldiers trembled at the mere mention of Lemeheim’s shadow approaching…”
Sarante briefly explained the information about Brighia and the reason she had come seeking him. He mentioned that Brighia wasn’t the only defector among their old comrades.
Learning that she was one of the leaders of Nebula Clazier, Ronan couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Damn, she really is on a different level compared to the idiots I’ve met so far.”
“After losing faith, she gained strange power… By the way, I had a suspicion from the first day, but it seems you’ve been fighting against the sect…”
Ronan nodded. Sarante shared what he knew about Nebula Clazier. The fundamental beliefs and doctrines about the starlight were not significantly different from what Ronan already knew.
However, what surprised him was that Nebula Clazier had existed since Sarante’s childhood. They recruited or assassinated powerful individuals and gradually expanded their influence.
“It’s unimaginable how many assassins they’ve sent… Although they remained quiet for decades and relaxed their guard, I never expected them to send Brighia…”
“There’s no need to be humble. Looking at your use of magic, it wouldn’t be strange even if the commander himself came.”
“Hah, the remnants of an old man’s tricks… By the way, that defense barrier, what on earth… how did you break through it?”
“I don’t know either. It just felt like it would work.”
Ronan shook his head. Brighia’s displayed barrier undoubtedly resembled the one Ahayute used.
Although it was incredibly inferior and inexperienced in all aspects, it shared the same characteristic of deflecting or dissipating most attacks.
And Ronan could ignore that barrier. Suddenly, Brighia’s words echoed in his mind.
– To think that even in its incomplete state, it has this much power. I feel like I understand why the superiors use dragons to advance.
“Dammit.”
Ronan cursed under his breath. It wasn’t hard to deduce that some members of the organization could handle the abilities of the giants to some extent.
If that was the case, the disappearance of strong individuals one after another could be explained. Abilities like the Blessings of the Stars went beyond common sense. It was then that Sarante coughed up blood-mixed phlegm once again.
“Cough!”
The splattered blood stained Ronan’s trouser leg. It was a dire situation. Ronan finally noticed that Sarante’s condition was deteriorating. He quickly bent down and grabbed Sarante’s hand.
“Damn it, Sarante.”
“Cough… It seems time is running short… Take my ring… If you show it to the librarian of Dawn Matop… You should be able to obtain quite useful information… About… your… curse…”
Ronan’s eyes widened. Sarante raised his hand with effort and removed the ring from his left ring finger, handing it to him. Mana of the same kind flowed from the gem set in the ring’s center.
“It will be… a long and… arduous… battle… Don’t… give up… I couldn’t say… to give up… Please forgive me… I believe… there’s a reason Seniel… is connected to you…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Exactly… as I said…”
Sarante raised his trembling hand. He extended his index finger and swiftly pricked Ronan’s chest.
“Right here…”
With those words, Sarante began to mumble something incomprehensible in a language Ronan couldn’t understand. Seeing mana gathering near him, Ronan stepped back cautiously.
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“What are you doing now?”
“Just… need to… rest a bit…”
Suddenly, Ronan felt Sarante’s hand becoming harder and harder. The spilled innards started retracting into his body, and a rock-like substance began to cover the severed area.
Sarante was literally turning into stone. Ronan unknowingly let go of his hand. His arm, which seemed to wait, gradually disappeared into his torso. Eventually, the mumbling stopped.
“Sarante?”
There was no response from Sarante. He remained frozen with his lips agape. The petrification process that had started from the cut was now climbing up his neck.
Ronan tilted his head back to gaze at the sky, as if seeking answers. After a few moments, when he lowered his head again, there was a solitary rock where Sarante had been sitting.
Crack!
A sound like something breaking came from Ronan’s mouth.
“Damn it…”
It was a beautiful rock. Its beauty, worn down naturally, seemed unmatched by any jewel. The polished surface, refined over countless years, bore a faint white color, akin to a fish’s belly.
The rain had stopped. Only a light drizzle remained, gently showering the ruins. Before long, the moon emerged through gaps in the torn clouds. Gazing at the moonlight flowing through the rock’s veins, Ronan whispered softly.
“I understand. I’ll do it.”
Ronan picked up the rock. It was lighter than he had expected. Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind.
“Hey! Over there.”
“What in the hell is this… Ronan!”
“Hey, wait… Slow down a bit…”
Ronan turned his head. Aselle, Marya, and Braum were running toward him, drenched from the rain. Aselle seemed to have depleted hismana again, as he was leaning on Braum’s shoulder. Seeing their blood-stained clothes, Ronan narrowed his brows.
“Why did you come when I told you not to? And what’s with the blood?”
“Sorry. We ran into an ogre on the way here and it delayed us.”
Braum lowered his head as if ashamed. Ronan’s eyes widened.
“You ran into an ogre? Did you win?”
“Yeah, barely. Thankfully it was heavily wounded.”
“Damn it, did anyone get hurt?”
Ronan quickly assessed their condition. Although they all looked exhausted, none of them seemed to be injured. Marya, who had been restlessly looking around, spoke up.
“No one’s hurt. But seriously, what’s going on here? And where’s Sarante…?”
“This is Sarante.”
Ronan gestured toward the rock he was holding. Marya frowned deeply. Before she could say anything, Ronan turned his back.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“Come over here and start digging. Aselle, how long until your mana recovers?”
“Uh, what?”
“Lie down somewhere comfortable until your mana recovers. There’s a lot to do.”
Leaving those words, Ronan approached Brighia’s body. Just as Marya was about to say something, a familiar voice came from behind.
“Gyaaah! What the heck?! W-wait, could that be the woman from earlier?”
“Ugh. She was a total bitch.”
“S-So, what exactly happened? And what are you going to do about it?”
“Shut up, dude. Just go dig a hole or something.”
Ronan buried Brighia’s body in the ground. It was a gesture of respect for Sarante’s friend and adversary. The group cleared the debris and retrieved Sarante’s belongings that were underneath. After hearing the circumstances, Aselle, her voice choked with tears, spoke up.
“S-So, Sarante is really… dead?”
“Well, I can’t say for sure.”
Ronan took a deep breath. Unlike Sarante, Brighia’s body hadn’t turned to stone. Maybe Sarante had actually turned into stone to restore himself. Looking at the gleaming rock tied in his backpack, Ronan spoke.
“I hope not.”
By the time they finished their tasks, dawn had broken. The sky, now cleared of clouds, displayed an immaculate azure.
In the spot where the debris had been neatly cleared, Seniel’s statue stood tall. Ronan gently touched the statue’s surface and turned to look at his companions, who had turned into greenery.
“Thanks for everything.”
“Thank you too.”
“An unforgettable adventure, indeed…”
They nodded at each other in mutual acknowledgment.
Shoo-aah – with every gust of wind, raindrops that had clung to leaves and branches were dispersed, lightly brushing against their faces. Despite the chaos of the previous day, the Baiydian Mountains in the morning light appeared exceptionally peaceful.
They descended from the mountains over the course of the day. They arrived at Philleon around noon. Due to the increased baggage, it took more time than when they had come.
****
The day after the club activity.
“Aaaah!!”
A scream echoed from Professor Varen Panacir’s office. In his hand was a paper titled “Club Activity Report.”
With every line he read of Ronan’s handwriting, Varen’s mane bristled furiously.
“Why, Varen? I submitted it because I was told to submit it. I followed the rules and the schedule perfectly.”
Ronan reclined in the chair before him, shamelessly crossing his legs and sipping his tea. Varen clenched his mane with one hand and spoke with exasperation.
“It’s not about the rules or the activity time! I-is all this here true? Unauthorized use of a ghost horse, ogre extermination, orc massacre using craftsmanship…”
“Well, of course. I’m not a liar.”
“Aaa… aaaaah!”
Varen sank onto the sofa, a moan that was almost a wail escaping his lips. Ronan thought he had done well not to write down everything – like Sarante turning into stone or decapitating the Nebula Clazier officer.
“Anyway, it’s all true, so please report it to the higher-ups. I’ll submit the next club activity plan soon.”
“Ne-Next activity? Do you think that’s even possible?”
“Of course. You’ve already finished discussing it with Inspirer Kratir, right? Professor Varen, you don’t need to do anything except enjoy reading our exciting adventures.”
Varen was left speechless. He still couldn’t forget the shock of the ghost horse requisition notice.
Ronan, finishing his third cup of tea, got up. He placed the prepared package on the table and spoke.
“Well, I’m heading out. This is a gift, so make sure to open it.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
“Got classes to attend, so I’ll be off. Thank you so much, and I’ll be grateful in the future too, Professor Varen!”
With that, Ronan hurriedly left Varen’s office. Varen slumped onto the sofa, his gaze filled with a sense of futility as he stared at the spot where Ronan had just been.
“-Peii?”
Marpez, who had been grooming its feathers, prodded the package that Ronan had left behind. The loosely tied knot unraveled, revealing its contents. Varen’s eyes widened.
“What’s this…?”
The package was filled with herbs and mushrooms that Varen had never seen before. The twisted, bizarre-looking plant fragments exuded an extraordinary energy. Some still had living roots, as if they could be directly cultivated.
****
After leaving Varen’s office, Ronan headed towards the club area known as Nestro. He thought about Marya, who was likely busy with year-end tasks.
“It seems even the highborn will have a hard time this time.”
The value of the items obtained from the Baydian Mountains was beyond imagination. Ronan and the group separated the items to sell from those they intended to use. He remembered the projected earnings that Marya had mentioned.
“I might even be able to buy a house.”
It seemed like the right time to call for Iril’s carriage. Lost in various thoughts, he found himself at the club building that reminded him of a tavern. When he opened the door, he saw the dusty interior.
“What? Has no one arrived yet?”
The place was silent. It seemed like everyone was running late due to backlogged schedules.
Were they training? Just as he was about to take another step, the creaky stairs leading to the second floor announced someone slowly descending. Ronan frowned at the sight of the boy he hadn’t seen in almost a month.
“Why are you here?”
“I came back, Ronan.”
The boy’s perpetually unlucky demeanor hadn’t changed. His hair, seemingly unattended, had grown longer in the back. With a sharper gaze, Shullifen looked at Ronan and spoke.
“Let’s have a conversation.”
