< 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 you 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 Swords was not far away. Ronan was just about to follow Schlieffen. Asher tugged on his sleeve.
“Wait a minute.”
“ok?”
Asher was restless and pressing his lips. He was just like a bad dog. Ronan said looking back at Schlieffen.
“I’ll be there soon. “Go first.”
“Come before it’s too late. 1 It is an arena.”
Schlieffen left the room. Ronan opened his mouth 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 is…”
“This has changed since I returned from Lodolan. No to be exact one page has increased.”
Asher cowered his body as if he were afraid. It looked like it was made from sliced ice and 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 frost 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 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 amazing 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 time even though he was inexperienced. Ronan frowned.
“I feel bad.”
Aside from its usefulness it was somewhat unpleasant to see an inanimate book acting like a person. When he heard those words he felt like he was somehow popular.
Ronan was looking at her last page with his face close to hers. A familiar voice rang out softly.
【Nice to meet you.】
“Hyaaaaa!!”
“What the fuck?”
Asher jumped up from his spot. Ronan reflexively threw the book. thud! Asher quickly backed away and 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 just happened? 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.】
“Fuck. “What happened?”
The witch’s voice was coming from Vajra 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 she explained owes her existence to the rituals she performed in Lodolan. 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.
“Fucking 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! What are you going 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 she explained would cut out her last page separately put it in her envelope and send it to the Tower of Twilight where Lorhorn was. The originally white paper became paler.
【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 survived 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 it was unprecedented for Asher to be able to manipulate her ice. 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 let out her sigh. She likened it to having every part of her body except her little fingernails taken away by Lorhorn. 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.】
There was a sense of sincerity in his resigned tone. Ronan’s mouth twitched here and there. It may have required 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 her Asher’s shoulder.
“Asel you decide.”
“Uh huh…?”
“Can you believe what this monster says? “You know because you’ve had your body taken away once.”
“That…”
Asher stuttered her words. Thinking about that time her legs still trembled. The embrace of a frozen time woman and the destruction wrought by her unruly body. He was looking at Bajura and she opened her mouth.
“…It is true that it has been weakened. At least it doesn’t have enough power left to affect me. “That’s for sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“…I want to learn.”
Asher closed his eyes tightly and nodded his head. She had to become stronger so that she wouldn’t have to go through that again. Ronan chuckled at her and sheathed her sword again. Her 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.
She said ‘Be bold. ‘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.”
“Don’t fucking make fun of me.”
Nabirose chuckled. Fortunately my complexion looked much better compared to last time. It seemed that the emotional wounds caused by losing to Zaifa had been healed to some extent.
“It’s a joke. “I guess something urgent happened?”
“Because your friend had to make the biggest choice of his life.”
“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. She looked at the two of them alternately and 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 has been moved forward from the original 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.”
With butterflies I shook his head from side to side. 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 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 a lot 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 Holy 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 who were gathering from all over.
Judging by the fact that he could spar freely it would have helped him improve his skills and perhaps he could have found a reliable assistant. With butterflies I 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.”
