< 100. Second Heart (3) >
#100
The space in front of me flipped over and Kratir the principal of Phileon Academy appeared. The students’ attention was focused.
Ronan was only looking at Adeshan’s ankle. Kratir seeing the two people’s behavior narrowed his eyes.
“…Did this old man interrupt an important moment?”
“yes.”
Ronan nodded his head without hesitation. Still I was glad that the old man had sense. What could be more important than this right now? Adeshan’s face turned pale.
“Ro Ronan. “What can you say like that…!”
“Just stay still.”
“Hehe…I don’t know what’s going on but take your time.”
Kratir smiled smoothing his beard. Ronan did so. The roots entangled in Adeshan’s legs were made of sparkling mana.
‘It’s definitely that bastard’s ability. ‘How did this come about?’
Ronan remembered Dolan’s Aurors binding his limbs and making his body heavy. Although it was so weak that it could not be compared to the original it was clearly the same ability.
‘You copied the Auror? I?’
I couldn’t believe it but it was reality. It was the moment I got up to try again. A sudden wave of dizziness shook my vision.
“…ah?”
Extreme fatigue was creeping up my limbs. Ronan belatedly noticed that the mana filling the tumor had almost dried up.
The roots that had been flickering helplessly disappeared. Ronan who had been staggering got up and touched the floor. Adeshan and Kratir supported him at the same time.
“Ronan!”
“Your complexion has suddenly worsened. “Are you okay?”
“Hehe…maybe.”
Ronan struggled to remember. He switched his power source to a conventional heart. His strength began to return along with the feeling of blood rushing throughout his body.
‘I’m so tired. ‘I’m almost out of mana.’
Several times more mana than when firing sword energy was consumed at once. I thought I should try it after I recovered a bit.
“sorry. “Because it was something really important.”
Only then did Ronan look back at Kratir and express his regret. There was still a kind smile on his wrinkled face.
“Hehe it’s okay. “It looks like your lover broke his leg or something right?”
“Well it’s similar. “I’m not a lover though.”
“You’re my lover….”
Ade Shan covered his mouth with his hand. Ronan asked raising his eyebrows.
“Anyway what’s going on here?”
“I would like to move the location if possible. Is the time okay?”
“It’s okay but….”
“Then that’s it. Let’s go.”
match! Suddenly Kratir clapped. As the space turned over my vision went black. After a while my eyes brightened and a completely different landscape unfolded.
“This is….”
It was a familiar place. The wide open space felt more like a living room than a room. Beyond the windows covering three walls the blue sky and Phileon grounds were visible at a glance.
There was a round table made of old wood in the middle of the room. In front of the round table used for meetings and receptions a man was sitting with his back to Ronan.
“It’s been a while.”
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows at the panoramic view he had seen for the first time in a while. It was the principal’s office located in Tower 1 of Phileon. Then her man who was sitting in front of her round table turned his head to her. A decadent voice flowed from his mouth.
“You’re here. Ronan.”
“Jarodin? “Were you here?”
“okay. I came here on business and heard your story. “He did it brilliantly.”
Ronan’s eyes widened. The identity of her man was Jarrodin Stone Song. A steaming cup of tea was placed in front of him.
“…Anyway you’re wearing something strange. “I don’t think it’s the core.”
Suddenly Rodin who had been looking Ronan up and down frowned at her. The keen gaze stayed exactly near Ronan’s heart.
“As expected the professor can see it. “What on earth is this?”
“I’m curious too. “I’ll see you after I finish my business with the principal.”
“Haha is it finally this old man’s turn?”
Kratyr led Ronan to the round table. The head table where he originally sat became his seat. A somewhat excited voice came from the mouth of Kratir who was sitting facing Ronan.
“The reason I called Ronan… was none other than to praise his achievements at the Dawn Tower. “I have been the principal of Phileon for almost eighty years and I have never had a student like you.”
“It means something good right?”
“Hehe about 80%.”
Kratir laughed. Ronan breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the words to punish him.
He was worried that he had been called to hold him accountable for the club’s activities so far. Even if the club building were torn to shreds with space magic right now they were doing something that would be pointless at the level of a monthly event.
“I received a direct message from Aun Pilar. He spoke with excitement about you and Miss Erzsebet. “I wasn’t a student who showed my emotions that well.”
“I just happened to get caught up but it wasn’t a big deal.”
“If that wasn’t a big deal words like incident or activity wouldn’t exist in the world. “How can you say something like that when you saved tower owner Lardan and prevented the resurrection of the forbidden book Vajra?”
Kratyr recited Ronan’s achievements like a subject reciting the achievements of his lord. He seemed quite happy to see that he didn’t even give a formal safety warning.
‘Are you telling me to take care of the book myself?’
Since he didn’t mention anything it seemed like he left the treatment of Vajra to Ronan. Or maybe Aun Fila and Varen both kept quiet. Kratir who was muttering with happiness finished speaking.
“I’m so proud of you. Since there is a position on the part of the Tower of Dawn it will be difficult to praise him in public for the time being but I wanted to express my gratitude in this way.”
“I can even say thank you. Anyway thank you.”
“okay. “Now tell me whatever you want.”
“Is this what you want?”
“There must be a reward commensurate with merit. “If I was only going to end it by saying thank you I wouldn’t have called.”
Ronan scratched his head. I had already received so much from the Dawning Tower that I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to change. Originally it would have been easy to ask for a scholarship or a quick admission but Ronan who was the runner-up had already received a full scholarship.
‘Hmm…I can’t think of anything in particular.’
Still I couldn’t refuse it. Every time he went somewhere he thought about asking space magic to take him there but that wasn’t realistic either.
‘right.’
At that time the faces of the club members passed before my eyes. Ronan said snapping his fingers.
“Ah can you provide me with a training ground for the club to use?”
“Ho-oh it’s a training ground?”
“yes. “A spacious and strong place.”
A separate training ground was the most necessary facility for a special adventure club. Ronan knew that Sita’s blood magic training was still taking place off-site.
Nest’s training area wasn’t bad but it felt too small for people like Asel and Schlieffen who were skilled in a wide range of skills to demonstrate their full potential.
“Honestly it would be impossible to make it strong enough to survive even if a dragon runs rampant. “I just hope that it won’t collapse even if Jaifa and Nabirose compete with all their might.”
“It’s not easy.”
“It’s better if it’s close to the club.”
Ronan had just two requests. Be wide and strong. However the problem was that the standards for those two conditions were higher than expected. Kratyr who had been drooling opened his mouth.
“Hmm…I understand. “I’ll figure it out somehow.”
“thank you. “Would it be a bit difficult?”
“No. I will try to make it before winter comes. “This will be fun.”
The word ‘making’ bothered him but Ronan didn’t really dwell on that point. The two talked for a while. There were so many things that had been done so far that the conversation never stopped.
“Now that I think about it is it true that Ronan’s Hell Prominence was cast? “It’s a magic that was sealed after Lardan used it on the southern front 20 years ago.”
“If you’re talking about that damn fire then you’re right. Bajura was ground before her eyes.”
“Hehe as long as you drink mana it becomes an ever-expanding flame. “How on earth did you make it go away?”
“I returned fire with the five scrolls Aun Pillar gave me. “No more mana to burn.”
Kratir laughed. I was in the middle of listing the saga at the Dawn Magic Tower. Dang-! Dang-! Suddenly a clear bell rang from Kratir’s pocket.
“Look at my mind like this.”
Kratir stood up touching his forehead. The bell was coming from his pocket watch. He quickly adjusted his clothes and looked at Ronan and Zarodin in turn.
“I’m sorry. This old man will go first. “I hope you both get some rest.”
“Where are you going all of a sudden?”
“It’s the Itra Canyon in the north. “I forgot to visit because of the Baeksuje (百獸祭) festival taking place next month.”
“Baeksuje?”
“Once again I salute Ronan’s hard work. See you next time.”
Ronan tried to say something but by then Kratir’s palms had already touched. match! His appearance disappeared along with the sound of clapping hands.
“…what?”
Ronan frowned at the unexpected situation. He seemed to have a very tight schedule as he disappeared without even an explanation.
Be unemployed. When I heard the name it seemed like a festival of some kind but I couldn’t seem to remember it. There was an awkward silence. Rodin who had been staring at Ronan the whole time opened his mouth.
“That’s strange.”
“Oh do you think you know what it is?”
“I don’t know yet. The shape is different from any core or circle I’ve ever seen. “Come here for a moment.”
Jarudin’s face was frowning. There was clearly a problem seeing as he couldn’t figure out even the widely recognized price of mana just by looking at it.
He placed his hand on Ronan’s back and began searching in earnest. Perhaps because he almost died once his more cautious attitude was noticeable compared to before. Jaradin who had been talking for a while opened his mouth quietly.
“…I can’t believe this.”
“As expected it’s fucked up. Can’t we do it somehow? “I don’t mind as long as I can live another ten years.”
“It’s not like that. “Can you explain how you obtained this power source?”
“Lieutenant? therefore….”
Ronan explained what happened at the Dawn Tower. It was a story that was not mentioned in the conversation with Kratir. Anyway Rodin knew everything there was to know so he had nothing to hide except for the sparkling mana.
“Vajra’s ego disappeared within your body? Could it be that this is the Baju of Destruction I was talking about earlier?”
“yes. “That talking tissue.”
“I can’t believe it but…then it kind of makes sense. “This cannot happen without the intervention of a force of that magnitude.”
Jarodin laughed. It was an expression he didn’t make even when he saw Sarante’s ring. Ronan asked angrily.
“What the fuck is going on under my ribs?”
“Some of the curse that was in your heart has disappeared. “No strictly speaking it has disappeared.”
“yes?”
Ronan’s face hardened. Suddenly I had no idea what this meant. The curse is gone? Jarudin continued speaking leaving the dumbfounded Ronan behind.
“To be exact it would be closer to a combination. “I will have to listen to Professor Secret’s opinion but first of all this is what I feel.”
“…Tell me in detail.”
“Two of the nine remaining are gone. By the looks of it.”
Jarudin said that out of the nine curses Ronan had two have disappeared. The problem was that it did not completely disappear like the previous ban. The two curses fused with an unidentified power were transformed into a lump of mana while retaining their effectiveness.
“Fuck.”
Ronan cursed. In short it was said that the tumor located in the chest was a lump created by a mixture of Vajra’s great power and part of the curse. He was such an evil being that the devil’s poop felt nobler.
“I have never seen anything like this before. “It’s a new unprecedented power source.”
“Is it okay to use this? So…like a normal core.”
“There is nothing that cannot be done. Just looking at the structure it is much better than a typical core or circle. “There is no precedent so it will take considerable effort to operate it properly.”
“That’s a good thing.”
“What’s also interesting is that this mass is completely separated from the four existing hearts. “If you succeed in forming the core you will have control of two power sources.”
Ronan nodded his head. It was as expected. The sparkling mana seemed to come from the power of Vajra. Or maybe it was due to a curse placed by a man called my father.
“This is as much as we have found out as of now. “Please come to me whenever you have trouble.”
“thank you. Jaradin.”
Jarrodin sipped his tea without replying. Ronan who learned the identity of the tumor became lost in thought. At first he thought he had just been in a fucking accident but after thinking about it carefully it seemed like he was okay.
‘I think I could use it in some way.’
Even putting everything else aside being able to handle two cores was a definite advantage. Moreover although further investigation would be required to find out Vajra’s core seemed to be hiding an unbelievable ability. Ronan who was smoothing her chin opened her mouth.
“Jarodin. “Let me ask you just one question.”
“what?”
“Is it possible to copy someone else’s Auror? “Handling multiple aurors.”
“It’s impossible.”
“As expected isn’t it?”
Just by looking at the tone of voice I could tell how absurd it was. Ronan left the principal’s office after that conversation. As he left the tower strong sunlight poured down on his head. He was announcing the deepening summer of the light blue sky.
‘It’s a masterpiece. Ronan becomes Nebula Clazier.’
tumor. No I could feel the core of evil which had now become my second heart pulsing at a different beat. The car was just moving along. A familiar voice came from behind.
“Please save me!”
“Aser?”
Ronan turned her head. Asher was running towards her holding the book with both hands.
“Hey what are you doing there?”
“Why why is this happening…!”
Even though I called out loud there was no answer. Judging from the way her eyes were tightly closed she seemed quite scared.
“Ugh. “Pathetic bastard.”
It was around the time he got within four steps. Ronan switching his power source hit the ground with his right foot. thud! As the wave of mana spread sparkling roots wrapped around Asher’s ankles.
“Huh?!”
Asher whose feet were suddenly tied fell forward. Ronan ran out and grabbed his hood. Asher’s face stopped with a gap about a finger’s width between the floor and the bridge of his nose.
“What’s going on making such a fuss?”
“Ro Ronan…?!”
Only then did Asher notice Ronan’s presence and his eyes widened. He turned pale and started shaking his arms and legs.
“This is not the time for you either! “You have to run away quickly!”
“If you ask me one more time I will hang you from a lamppost.”
“Hey…! I’m sorry…! “I mean now…!”
“now?”
Quaaaang! Suddenly a loud noise rang out from beyond the corner Asher had escaped from. People’s screams were spreading like wildfire. The sound of crashing and breaking was getting closer and closer.
Asher shouted in a crying voice.
“A manticore has been released to be displayed on the ship Baeksuje!”
