< 155. Toward the Holy Land (2) >
#155
Farzan the sacred place where the sword festival was held was located in the center of the continent. It took a whopping five days just to get there because certain sections had to be walked on two legs.
There was no such rule. However the natural environment surrounding Farzan is particularly harsh so walking is forced. Ronan and Schlieffen who were on the second day of their journey were feeling the harshness firsthand. Ronan said.
“By the way instructor. “I have a question.”
“What?”
“Is there a reason you chose this path? “It’s not because it’s difficult or scary but because I’m really curious.”
The sky was clear without a single cloud. The three people were walking along a narrow path. It was difficult to open my eyes because the wind was blowing with a force that would throw people away.
The width was narrow for even one or two people to pass let alone a horse or carriage so they had to line up and move as if they were playing soldiers. The backpacks each person carried on their backs were heavier than those of most children.
It didn’t matter up to this point but the problem was that this damn road was in the middle of a steep rocky mountain. Ronan looked down at his feet and cursed.
“Fuck.”
About 10 meters below white fog was billowing like the sea. The sky was so clear that it hurt my eyes but I couldn’t figure out why there was fog only down there.
What was certain was that if you took even one wrong step you would be destined for the underworld. The exact altitude could not be determined because the fog was obscuring the area below but judging from the fact that the sound was heard only minutes after the stone was dropped it was not an altitude where the body could be preserved. Nabirose answered.
“This is the best way.”
“I guess so.”
“It looks like you don’t believe me. You can turn to the northwest entrance right now. “Climbing up a rock wall for three days is not a bad experience.”
“Did I mention that you look even more beautiful today?”
“This type of terrain is also one of the factors that filters out idiots. “Don’t talk nonsense and just follow me.”
In the end Ronan moved on in silence again. I thought it would be good for my mental health to think as positively as possible.
Yeah it’s just that the road is a bit rough. Is there anything that doesn’t feature monsters or bandits? It was the car Ronan was rationalizing. A loud sound that seemed to tear the eardrums rang out from high above.
“Puiyoooot!”
It was a sound I had heard before. Soon a huge shadow appeared over the heads of the three people. When I looked up I saw four small dots in the distance getting closer and closer. Ronan frowned after recognizing their identity.
“Oh shit.”
Three bull-sized griffons were descending with their wings folded. It seemed like they had targeted Ronan and his group as prey.
The speed was unusual and it seemed like it would reach this point in about 5 seconds. Ronan who placed his hand on the hilt of her sword looked back at Schlieffen and sighed.
“I’ll just do it.”
“I get it.”
Schlieffen hesitated. Ronan pulled at the hilt of his sword. La Mancha appeared blushing with her mana.
The griffons were already close enough that I could make out the scars on their beaks. The huge front claws that could kill even orcs instantly were shining in the sunlight.
“Fuuuuu!”
“It’s a shame. “Even if you catch them and sell them they are expensive.”
The gap became narrower. It was the moment when the wind pressure of the wings tore through Ronan’s hair. As La Mancha drew an arc black energy like a spray of water was shot out in a fan shape. Sigh! Hundreds of liquid-like droplets of sword energy passed through the griffons’ bodies.
“Kook…!”
Blood splattered. Internal organs fell out through the torn leather gap. Sunlight streamed through the holes in the wings. The griffons that had become a hive fell into the fog. Schlieffen said with interest.
“I thought about it the other day when we were sparring but it’s a good technique.”
“It’s useful.”
Ronan nodded his head in agreement. It was a skill that I was able to use freely only after completing the long training.
Clearly the technology developed from the real core was more powerful than the fake core created by Vajra. Of course the capacity is still small and needs to be trained further. At that time a griffon flew up from a distance tearing through the fog.
“Keu! “Keueeek!”
“What is that?”
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. Even though he was completely injured he was still moving so it seemed like he was lucky to have escaped fatal injuries. He clicked his tongue as he was estimating the distance.
“Shit I missed it.”
The distance was too far for the sword energy to reach. The wind was blowing so strong that even Schlieffen’s storm sword seemed likely to miss. I can’t help it. It was the car that Ronan who had resigned was about to deliver. The griffon that was flying staggeringly stopped flapping its wings.
“Kukuk…?”
“uh?”
Not only could I not move my wings but I couldn’t even move my limbs. It felt like I had been hit by a paralyzing arrow. However the griffon which had been falling for a while began to rise again by flapping its wings.
What just happened? Ronan was in the midst of wondering. Suddenly Butterfly Rose who was walking in front nervously swung her sword. The crescent-shaped sword that flew through the wind hit the griffon.
“Keuek!”
It was amazing range and accuracy. A body cut in half fell into the fog. Ronan looked back at Nabirose.
“Instructor?”
“Hu…huu….”
Nabirose was out of breath as if she had run at full speed. Ronan seeing his shoulders shaking frowned. He had seen her in this state once.
“…Instructor?”
Ronan called her again. With butterflies I belatedly turned his head.
“Whoa…yeah.”
“…!”
It was the moment her eyes met hers. A chill swept over Ronan’s whole body. He almost missed the hilt of his sword because his arm stiffened.
Nabirose’s pupils were narrowed vertically. It looked exactly like the eyes of a snake. Nabirose was shocked when he saw Ronan in confusion. She opened her mouth covering her eyes with her palms.
“… We must definitely deal with the guy named Griffon because he calls his comrades. “If you send even one animal alive it will be a pain in the ass.”
“…are you okay?”
“okay. “It’s okay.”
With butterflies I removed my hand from her eyes. Her dark green eyes were round as usual. Ronan gently removed his mouth from hers.
“…Are you not healed yet?”
It’s definitely true. Just now Nabirose was clearly trying to do everything she was an Auror. The proof was that her eyes had turned into snakes. The woman who was chewing her lips in silence turned her back.
“Let’s go. “There is a long way to go.”
thud…! The sound of the griffon falling belatedly rang out from beneath the rocky mountain. Ronan said no more. The same was true for Schlieffen. Only the flowing fog and the howl of the wind prevailed in the silence.
****
“…So instructor you have to commit suicide but you are unable to do so because of bad memories from the past. Psychological factors are probably at play. “It’s a simple analogy so let’s just ignore the fact that the instructor is a woman.”
“That’s vulgar.”
Schlieffen shook her head. Ronan frowned at her. She tried to explain things in an easy-to-understand way but I didn’t like her attitude.
“Hey this could happen to you at any time. “This is a more serious problem than you think.”
“I also vaguely noticed that the instructor was unable to use his aurors after being defeated by Jaifa early this year. “I didn’t know it would happen yet.”
They were talking about Nabirose’s condition. I thought she was completely fine but it seems she wasn’t. Ronan clicked her tongue.
“It must have been a big shock. “She is someone who has never lost in her life but she lost twice to the same opponent.”
Ronan threw the twigs she had gathered into her bonfire. Sparks flew as if dancing accompanied by a crackling sound. Today is the third night of the journey. The camping location was in an unnamed forest.
A cluster of stars were twinkling in the sky threatening to overflow. From time to time a thin shooting star passed by dragging its tail. Perhaps because there was no light on the ground it was much clearer than when seen from the island.
“I also feel sorry about the instructor’s condition. “But I don’t know if there’s any way we can help.”
“That’s right. “No matter how much I try to have a conversation whenever that topic comes up I change the subject like a ghost…”
Ronan lit a pipe. Even after that incident Nabirose treated the two people as usual.
However he continued to completely ignore topics such as Aurors and his own status. Ronan who was looking around shrugged his eyebrows.
“Now that I think about it where has your sister gone? Hasn’t he been a while?”
“He said he was coming back to get some fresh air.”
“…okay?”
Ronan exhaled smoke. Nabirose’s sleeping bag and luggage were left untouched. He thought about something for a moment and then got up.
“I’ll go too.”
“Where are we going?”
“I’ll bring you. We’ll arrive at Farzan the day after tomorrow and then we won’t have time to talk again. “I need to get him to open up even if it means giving him alcohol so I’m protecting him well.”
Ronan left those words and turned his back. It was an issue that had to be addressed even though it was uncomfortable. Fortunately the soil retreated leaving Nabirose’s footprints clearly visible.
‘You went to the forest.’
He walked along the footprints. Perhaps because of the high altitude the forest was not that lush. An all-night song that had never been heard before in the archipelago was reverberating through the dense copse.
‘How far has this woman gone?’
The footprints remained for a very long time. But no matter how much I followed I couldn’t see Nabi Rose. It was about time that he was starting to get irritated. Ronan who felt something strange stopped in place.
‘…this smell.’
Ronan sniffed his nose. There was a strange scent in the night air that I had never felt before. It didn’t take long to realize that it was the smell of water.
‘Is there a spring?’
He was honest rather than corrupt. It didn’t smell too bad with a subtle scent of wild flowers mixed in. Now that I think about it I think I can also hear the sound of water lapping.
Ronan turned in the direction of the sound of water. As it happened Nabirose’s footprints also led in that direction. How long did it take to walk like that? The view was wide open and a lake surrounded by trees appeared. Ronan overwhelmed by the scenery stopped in place.
“…I’m killing you.”
Two full moons were rising. One was high in the sky and the other was shining on the gently shaking water. Fireflies blinking in light yellow colors were wandering around the lakeside. It was a sight so beautiful that it made me laugh out loud.
Ronan admired the two moons with his hands in his pockets. The fatigue accumulated during the arduous journey seemed to melt away. He began walking slowly along the lakeshore.
‘It’ll be nearby. There’s no way I could have just passed by here.’
I was sure Nabirose would be here too. Because he was a person who knew romance. At that time the sound of splashing water was heard from somewhere.
-with a splash.
“huh?”
Ronan stopped. The sound was loud for a fish. It seemed like a wild animal had come to grab his collar. Now that I think about it I wonder what kind of animals live here. It was the moment when he turned his head without thinking.
“…God.”
Ronan froze. A woman was washing her body not far away. Her naked body shining between two moons was reminiscent of marble processed by a craftsman.
The moonlight flowing across my bronze skin was beautiful. Her wet dark gray hair fell to her waist and stuck to it.
The curves of her body formed a clear hourglass shape. I couldn’t even see the stupid moon or the lake anymore. Ronan looked at her naked body forgetting to hide her body.
‘It was a good thing I was born. I would have been happier if I had been born in the South.’
He was in the midst of a state of ecstasy. Sigh! Suddenly Butterfly Rose’s right arm hidden beneath the surface appeared. In his dripping hands he held a large sword holder tightly.
“uh?”
I didn’t know why he went into the bath with a knife. Ronan was just about to react. With butterflies I swung at him without even turning his head.
A wide trajectory was drawn in the direction where Ronan was standing and at the same time a huge sword energy was shot out. Wedge! Ronan’s eyes widened at the sight of the crescent moon flying through the night air.
“It’s a plague…!”
Ronan who came to his senses belatedly hastily rolled to the side. The black energy that passed over her head swept through the forest.
Kwaaaang!! Dozens of trees fell into pieces and fell at the same time. Only then did he turn his head and I growled widening his eyes.
“Who are you?”
“Damn it…don’t you usually tell me before you shoot?”
Ronan who had saved his life by lying face down raised his head. Even though her left hand was empty she didn’t seem to have any intention of covering her body. As Ronan and her eyes met I lowered her sword.
“…Ronan?”
“I’m sorry instructor. “It really wasn’t intentional.”
“What are you doing there?”
“I was just following the sound of water…”
Ronan was about to say something. Suddenly his eyes landed on Nabirose’s stomach. A long scar remained from his collarbone to below his navel. Her Ronan eyes twisted.
‘hmm?’
Of course the fact that there was a scar itself wasn’t strange. However the shape was strange. It looked like five large stab wounds had been made at regular intervals but no matter how you looked at them they didn’t seem to have been caused by a blade.
Above all it hasn’t been that long since it was created. Ronan who was well versed in wounds as he traveled around the battlefield could tell that they were wounds that had occurred within a few months at most. He tilted his head.
“…What is that wound?”
“Hot.”
“toenail? No way Jaifa….”
The puzzle was quickly coming together in my head. Butterfly Rose then raised her left hand to cover her body as if she felt shame. Hurt to be exact. She slowly walked towards the lake Ronan forgetting that she was naked.
“…I got caught.”
Suddenly a self-mocking smile appeared on Butterfly Rose’s lips. She said sighing in resignation as she ran her fingers through her hair.
“Wait there. “I’m going out.”
