< 75. Resuscitation (1) >
#75
It was a rigged match from the beginning. The moment I realized that a slash came pouring down. Dozens of red lines were engraved on the defenseless body. Ronan’s voice rang out in his rapidly blurring vision.
“I am sorry. “He is an uneducated person.”
Balzac’s consciousness was interrupted.
.
.
.
“…Hmm.”
Balzac opened his eyes. His ears were ringing and his back was cold. A familiar voice was heard coming from somewhere.
“You didn’t fall?”
“I have three essences so I won’t die… I’m almost done regenerating.”
“Then that’s a relief. Normally if you cut it in half it would die.”
It seemed like the head had managed to regenerate. However I had no feeling in various parts of my body.
Balzac raised his head and looked around. He was lying in the middle of a huge pool of blood.
The regenerating body was reminiscent of pottery pieced together with glue. Fragments of his body were floating in his blood. Slosh. He laid his head down again and muttered softly.
“…I lost.”
“Ah I’m awake.”
Balzac concentrated his mind in silence. The puddle began to dry quickly. Eventually he who had absorbed all of his blood and flesh stood up. After his rebirth not a single thread was attached to his body. Ronan’s expression crumpled.
“Oh fuck. “Put something on.”
“How long have I been passed out?”
“About 10 minutes.”
“I could have killed you thirty times.”
Balzac picked up a rag lying on the floor and wrapped it around his body. And he silently placed his hand on his heart.
A bright red light seeped from where his heart was and wrapped around his fingers. Balzac said holding out his essence of fresh blood.
“Take it.”
“It’s nice that it’s exciting.”
“Because we both used dirty tricks. “I lost and you won.”
There was no emotion in the voice that said that. Ronan nodded his head. Ophelia who was watching approached with Sita. Balzac said looking back at her.
“Ophelia. It’s been a while since I met you but you only showed me your ugly face. sorry.”
“No it was a good fight.”
“There is no need for pretense. By the way have you forgiven me now?”
Only then did Ophelia realize that she was within three steps of Balzac. After a moment of silence she opened her mouth.
“Not really but if it’s this far away…”
“Is this the first step forward in 200 years? “I’m thrilled.”
Balzac laughed baring his fangs. Ophelia maintained her expressionless expression and she did not react. Together with Sita she began to process the essence pulsating in Balzac’s hand.
“That’s right. “It feels like it’s slowly freezing.”
“Pyeol.”
A very precise blood magic was performed. A lump of pure mana was being transformed into a tangible substance.
Soon the processed essence of fresh blood was placed in Sita’s mouth. The jewel-shaped crystal was beautiful as if it contained all the red in the world. Ronan said gently stroking Sita’s head.
“It was hard. “You really did everything today.”
“Paya~”
Sita who was purring delivered the essence to Ronan. At that moment letters lined up like a chain appeared above Ronan and Balzac’s solar plexus. Balzac turned around after confirming that the blood oath had taken effect.
“Then I will go. “We’ll meet again when we get the chance Ophelia.”
“huh. bye.”
Suddenly the cloak covering Balzac’s body fell. Ronan cursed. However what was revealed under the cloak was not a naked pervert but a huge gray-brown bat. The one-eyed bat turned to Ronan and opened her mouth.
“Ronan. “I will remember you.”
“You said so. “Use the purified water well.”
“Be strong. “I look forward to a proper match next time.”
Balzac spread his wings. The wingspan seemed to be about 4m. With a single flap of his wings his appearance disappeared. Ronan muttered as he looked at the spot where Balzac had left.
“I thought there was going to be a lot of fuss but I was surprised.”
“huh. “Because he’s really that kind of guy.”
“Whoa…I almost fell really…”
Ronan then breathed a sigh of relief. Just then the polymorph was lifted and his true form returned. He was anxious that Balzac who had a distorted mind might attack him.
‘It was so strong. Really.’
He was able to win only by using all kinds of dirty and despicable means. If it had been a real fight he would have lost with a very high probability. I felt an urgent need to become stronger again.
‘I’ll have to try again after my body grows up a bit. ‘Because I’m dirty.’
It was an enemy too strong for a child to fight against. Ronan who had calmed down to some extent laughed. It was not an honorable match but it was a win anyway. He looked back at Ophelia and said.
“thank you. “Thanks to you I survived.”
“no. “I haven’t done anything.”
“In times like this they spit on the floor and tell you to give everything you have if you know.”
I meant it. Without Ophelia a lot would have gone wrong. Ronan stretched and turned his back.
“Then go back first. “I’m going to search around here some more.”
“Grabbing…is not recommended.”
“Hey do I look like a pathetic person who would steal money from a bone? “I need to find out something.”
I was impressed by the architectural style being similar to the temple of Sarante. Ronan left the banquet hall with those words.
He hadn’t even thought about it but he thought it would be okay to pick it up if he found a suitable piece of gold. Ophelia who had been standing at a distance followed behind him.
“I told you to go. “It may take a while.”
“no. “I like this kind of thing too…I don’t have anything to do anyway.”
“Is that so?”
Ronan nodded his head. The two walked around the tomb together. There were traces of damage or charring left in various places as if it had already been robbed several times.
“Anyway I was wondering earlier what is your relationship? “Have you ever dated in the past?”
“We’re just childhood friends. Balzac…spent his childhood in our castle.”
“There was a bit of a sense of distance between us as normal childhood friends. “You treated me like a mutt running after something was buried.”
“That’s right…because you killed my sister.”
A cold silence fell. Damn it. Ronan muttered under his breath. He was looking for a way to turn back time. Ophelia opened her mouth again.
“…It’s not that I don’t understand. Because her brother tried to assassinate the Archduke. “Balzac is a hero who simultaneously protects his family and the peace of the world of the night.”
“what?”
“Still I couldn’t forgive you. “I really loved her sister.”
Ophelia calmly continued her words. She said her lively younger sister suddenly changed one day. She thought everything was pointless and was pessimistic about everything she did. She tried to assassinate the Shadow Prince saying that her useless order must eventually fall.
“My sister back then… she was strange. “It was as if she had become a different person.”
“Do you have any idea why she ended up like that?”
“Umm…I’m not sure about that. “I haven’t really come out of her room since things started going weird.”
“I’m sorry.”
“huh. Her heart is… so difficult.”
Ophelia closed her mouth with those last words. The two walked along the dark hallway in silence. Before long there was a dead end. Ronan muttered scratching his head.
“I thought there was definitely something there… wasn’t it?”
There was nowhere else to dig. I guess my intuition was off. There are days like this too. Ronan Ronan was about to turn his body. Suddenly Sita grabbed Ronan’s collar and pulled him.
“Pyeong. “Bye.”
“ok? what’s the matter?”
Ronan turned her head. I couldn’t see anything. Then Sita fired a bullet as big as her fist at her blocked wall. Quaaaang! Part of the wall was destroyed and mana began to flow through the crack.
“Is this…?”
It was mana that was somehow familiar. Ronan tugged at the hilt of her sword. As the seven slashes were fired the fragmented wall collapsed. The hidden space was revealed. Ophelia’s eyes widened.
“I can’t believe there was a space like this….”
It was a small room with elaborate reliefs carved on three sides. A subtle mana was floating around the room. Ronan who was looking around raised his eyebrows. There was an ugly rock rising in the middle of the room.
“…Seniel?”
The form was different but the feeling was the same. It was undoubtedly the same item placed in the temple of Sarante.
A statue of Seniel created over a thousand years of wind and rain. Sarante turned into a rock leaving behind the words that his great will resides in Ronan.
Ronan approached the statue as if possessed. And he placed his hands on the bumpy surface. Ronan’s eyes suddenly widened at the strange sensation of cold water rushing through his veins.
“What the fuck?”
I hastily withdrew his hand but the unknown sensation was still lingering in my body. Ophelia muttered in a somewhat surprised voice.
“…It’s gone.”
“ok?”
“The mana flowing from the rock… has disappeared.”
When she heard it she really did. The mana floating around her room was no longer visible. It was a situation that could only be assumed to have been absorbed by Ronan himself.
“…what?”
Ronan narrowed his eyes and sighed. But no matter how much I thought about it I couldn’t come up with an answer. The cold feeling that was hovering over her body soon disappeared.
He bowed once to the statue as Sarante had done and then left the tomb. The closer he got to the exit the stronger the fishy smell of his water became. It was the moment when I was just stepping out of the stone gate.
Shhh! Suddenly a thick crossbow shot flew straight ahead. Ronan swung his sword at the same time as he stepped forward. The crossbow cut in half fell to the floor.
“What is this again?”
“Hey Iik…! “A monster!”
Ronan looked in the direction the sound came from. A gloomy-looking man was looking at him holding a crossbow. Ophelia who was standing next to him opened her mouth.
“It smells familiar. “I guess he’s one of the children down there.”
“aha. “I guess it’s right to kill him right?”
“huh.”
Ophelia hesitated. The man quickly turned around and started running towards her swamp. She stretched out her hands and chanted her spell. Ronan who was thinking about something blocked Ofelia’s path.
“Huh…? What are you doing?”
“Wait. “I think something can be done now.”
The distance between her and the man was about ten steps. Ronan concentrated his mind and swung La Mancha aiming at him. Pow! The sword fired through the sword path hit the man’s thigh.
“Kwaaaak!”
“also.”
The man screamed and collapsed. Ronan quickly followed suit. A stab wound so deep that his bones were visible was carved into the back of his thigh.
“Save me! “I will never associate with vampires again!”
The man pushed her back struggling on her half-cut leg. Her splashing blood was soaking the blades of grass. Ronan clicked his tongue and muttered.
“Tsk I couldn’t cut it.”
“How…did it happen?”
Ophelia asked in a surprised voice. Ronan’s sword skills were clearly stronger than when he fought Balzac. Ronan shook his head from side to side.
“I don’t know either. Maybe there’s something to that stone. “When you see something like this suddenly happen.”
Considering that the existing range was about three steps it was a remarkable development. Now that I think about it the impact of firing the sword energy was also reduced. Ronan was about to cut off the man’s head. Suddenly Ophelia tugged on his sleeve.
“Wait…can you leave that to me?”
“ok? what’s the matter?”
“Well…you know….”
Ophelia blushed. She placed her hand on her own stomach avoiding Ronan’s eyes. Ah he was a vampire too. Ronan said patting Ophelia’s shoulder as she nodded.
“I understand. “Then eat slowly.”
“Ugh…thank you.”
“Now wait a minute…you’re eating?”
Ronan didn’t answer but turned his back and started walking away. Her man took a step back startled. Between Ophelia’s slightly parted lips her pure white fangs were shining. The water fog rising from the swamp engulfed the two people. Soon a desperate scream rang out.
“Hwaaaaa!!”
When the fog clears all that remains is skin-like skin.
****
Ronan arrived at Phileon on Sunday morning. The moment he set foot on campus his fatigue suddenly set in. I couldn’t believe that all that happened in one day.
“…I have to do my job and sleep.”
If I had the same mind I would have loved to lie down on the bed without taking off my socks but I couldn’t. Ronan went straight to Phileon Tower 41 where Jaradin was located. He’s knock knock. He knocked on the office door and it wasn’t long before his dry voice returned.
“Is it Ronan?”
“yes.”
“Wait.”
The sound of a latch being released rang out. The door opened and an even more emaciated wearer bug appeared. Ronan frowned.
“Damn you eat for a living right? “I feel like I’m thinner for some reason.”
“Never mind. “What’s going on?”
“I have a gift for you. Ta-da.”
Ronan took her blood essence out of his pocket and showed it to her. Jarodin’s eyes which had gone from expressionless widened as if they were about to pop out.
He quickly grabbed Ronan’s wrist and dragged him into her office. bang! Jarudin closed the door roughly and spoke in a trembling voice.
“Where on earth did you get this…?”
“The professor’s friend gave it to me.”
“friend…?”
“It’s okay. By the way are you really okay? “It still looks like it hurts.”
“I’m fine. “That’s not what’s important right now.”
Suddenly Rodin raised her hand. As soon as all seven latches were locked the floor began to move. Soon a spiral staircase leading to the laboratory appeared. Jarrodin held Ronan’s shoulders and opened her mouth.
“We must begin the 144th experiment. “Right now.”
