Chapter 12. I live (1)
It was all just a forest.
Following the guidance of Sia, who claimed to be my guide, I ran, stopped, rested, got up and ran again.
About the time I felt that my eyes were getting tired of the blue. As I passed through the last trees, I saw a small hill in the distance.
There was dirt, rocks, and sky.
The long, long road has finally been traversed.
So Sia’s path ended here.
“Captain! Bye now!”
Sia smiled and said this in front of the forest where the group had just escaped. It meant that we should break up now.
“Sia. Are you going back right away?”
“No. There’s another place nearby with a lot of elves. I’ll go there and then return to the village.”
“Do I really have to go back to the village?”
I hoped that Sia, who was still innocent, would not return to that strange village.
“My family is all there too, so I have to go back. I’m fine, Captain. Don’t worry!”
“…… okay.”
The goodbye wasn’t that grand.
Kalian just stroked Sia’s head for a long time, and the other party members also said a word of well-being one by one. Still, since we’ve been together for a month, I can’t help but feel some regret.
Finally, after hugging Hina tightly and ending the longest greeting, Sia approached Kalian again. Then, he held out the black pebble he was holding in order to have a smooth conversation with his companions.
“Now, Captain, take it. Well done!”
In fact, not long before arriving here, Kalian and Sia had been talking about the issue of answering first. Since I was on my way to meet Sispanian’s will, I thought I might be able to ask her the reason.
Therefore, I asked Sia about continuing to accompany him until then, but Sia refused.
– The mother tree said that. Answering like this is the most natural way for me. He said that just because I am different doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Even if the words are different, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m an elf. So you don’t have to recognize me. thank you!
After hearing those words, Calian felt a little embarrassed. This is because I realized that, without realizing it, I had been thinking of Sia’s speaking habit as a ‘problem’.
Calian, thinking about that day, nodded and took the stone back. Then Sia gave an answer to Kalian’s words that had not yet been said.
“Okay! Then I’ll be really happy. Thank you! For saving me!”
Although he had already heard the answer, Calian continued what he wanted to say without stopping.
“See you later.”
Sia nodded and waved her arms widely again, then ran into the forest and disappeared. That was the end of Calian’s walk with the kindest elf he had ever met.
After confirming that the grass shag that Sia was in was stable, Kalian moved Raven again and climbed the final hill toward the destination.
And after a while, Kalian, who had climbed to the top of the hill, took a deep breath. It was because of the majesty that unfolded before Raven’s eyes the moment she put one foot on the top of the hill.
Calian unconsciously stopped Raven’s steps with admiration.
“That’s the place.”
Land of elephants.
Duchy of Siegfried.
The place where Planz stood a year ago, where Randel stood three years ago, and where Lemain stood sometime even longer ago. Calian, who stood there, was silent for a long time and looked at Siegfried’s castle walls.
The high walls were stronger and grander than the outer walls of Kairisis. The two stone statues erected high on either side of the huge main gate of the outer castle gave off a solemn feeling that made me bow my head. The determination to protect the Cispanian land was clearly revealed on the castle walls.
I can guarantee that all the princes of Kairis who stood here would have been heartbroken without realizing it. I am thankful that they are herbivores and thus never aimed for the throne.
After watching for quite some time, Calian looked to the side with a determined look on his face. Since I came here, there was a problem that had to be resolved before I set foot in the land of elephants.
“yarn.”
At Calian’s call, Jan quickly turned his head and answered politely.
“Yes, my prince.”
“When you come in, don’t be a servant.”
please.
The knights around burst into laughter.
Didn’t they think the same thing when they first saw Calian? He said that he would somehow punish the prince who was serving Jan.
That was the mindset of the twenty knights, so even Yuran could not estimate how many knights there would be waiting for Calian to arrive.
Since everything would be revealed when they came here anyway, Jan also told Kirie, Hina, and Arsene where his hometown was. Because of this, smiles appeared on the three faces.
Yan’s eyes drew a line after hearing Kalian’s words.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Calian, who had finally realized what kind of feeling that answer gave him, took a moment to reflect.
* * *
Alan made a surprised face and asked for Lemain’s understanding.
“Excuse me?”
Then he rubbed his eyes with his palms and picked his ears with his fingers. Lemain, who saw this, said that he was very sorry for saying something meaningless.
“If you don’t like it, don’t.”
Then Alan quickly shook his head.
And he smiled as he looked at the liquor bottle and two glasses on the table in the office.
“I didn’t know that Your Highness would look for alcohol first.”
Without saying anything, Lemain suggested that we sit across from him. But instead of sitting down, Alan pointed out the window.
It was dark in the sky, and the moon in the autumn sky was bright.
“Wouldn’t it be nice?”
Let’s drink outside.
Lemain paused for a moment.
Since ascending to the throne of the king, I have not been able to go for a proper walk in peace. For the powerless king who took charge of this huge country alone, no place other than the desk in the spacious palace was safe.
So, if it’s a day like this, with the moon bright and the wizard by your side.
Wouldn’t it be nice?
“…Sure.”
Lemain immediately stood up. Alan smiled and snapped his fingers, and the bottle and glass disappeared somewhere.
Soon Allan took Lemain under the patronage of the Arpian Palace. It was a place where a stream slightly larger than the one created at Siegfried Pavilion was flowing in an elegant curve.
Alan walked to the lawn and sat down on the ground. He then tapped the floor next to him with his palm and said.
“Please sit down. This is the best place.”
The manager of Caera was at a loss for what to do with that rude behavior, but now Lemain decided to just see how far that rudeness would go and sat down next to Alan.
Then the liquor bottle and glass that Alan had packed a moment ago were placed in front of them.
Alan personally filled Lemain’s glass with alcohol and poured alcohol into his own glass. Then he looked at Lemain and said.
“Are you saying that because you feel relieved? Or are you worried about something else?”
That evening.
Calian set his feet on Siegfried’s ground.
It reached Slayman’s arms safely. That’s why he asked me if I was asking for a drink because I liked it or if I had other concerns.
Lemain drank alcohol first. After that, he paused for a moment and spoke.
“I’m worried about when to turn on Camilon’s light.”
“Are you saying who will be crowned crown prince?”
“When Calian returns, won’t all three princes become adults? It also means that the day to decide on the crown is coming.”
“Are you already thinking about Camilon’s owner?”
“Randel, who is the most serious, does not seem to be deep inside. Plantz, the strongest, keeps going down the wrong path.”
After mentioning the two princes, Lemain added with a small sigh.
“Kalian is not fully grown yet.”
The prince who was most helpful to Lemaine and the one she liked the most was Calian.
But Kalyan was the youngest.
He was young and his power had just begun to grow.
Alan laughed briefly and then made a cold sound.
“If you’re in a hurry, upload the one you don’t like first. It will disappear as soon as you post it.”
Although it was said to be a rebuke for hasty concerns, the sting in those words was too blatant. Lemain said in a half-angry tone.
“Really, how can that mouth not be used?”
Alan ignored Lemain’s reprimand and raised his finger to point in a certain direction. Heisia Palace was where Silike was located.
“Prince Randel will be quiet until Prince Calian vacates the palace. Then you will be able to see what is hidden inside.”
Lemain followed Alan’s fingertips and looked toward Heysia Palace. Alan continued.
“Until then, you must not show your true intentions. So, do not worry already about who to appoint. Whether it is for Kalyan or the other two princes. What I am saying is, do not give preferential treatment to just one person. If you forget again and go there, “If you let that friend go without permission,”
the king’s sword. And the idol of all knights.
Alan, who referred to the Knight Commander of the King’s Guard Caera as ‘that guy over there’, looked at Lemain and spoke each word with emphasis.
“The old wizard is really going to go to the southern country for recuperation.”
Something I once said to Calian.
As Calian listened, he thought it was a scary sound.
And while Lemain was listening, he nodded as if he was glad to hear it. Of course, it wasn’t a sincere affirmation.
Alan chuckled and opened his mouth again.
“And whoever owns Camilon will prove himself when the time comes. Don’t worry too much. Today, you can just look at the moon.”
Lemain nodded slowly.
And as the wizard instructed, I emptied my glass while looking at the moon.
* * *
I felt once again how big the Duchy of Siegfried was.
Kalian’s expectations that he would be able to meet Slayman late at night after passing the outer castle were completely shattered.
“Now, if we only have to go two more days, we will arrive at Siegfried Castle.”
As we passed through the main gate of the outer castle, Yan said this in a relaxed tone.
Therefore, Calian gave up on seeing only Slay that day and spent the night in the city of Citren, which is connected to the main gate of Siegfried’s outer castle.
And early the next morning.
Calian sat down and quietly closed his eyes. And began to draw mana from the surroundings.
As new energy gathered, Kalian sent refined mana to the heart as always.
I tried again to increase the circle, but in the end, I felt the mana flowing into the Danjeon just like before.
That’s why I was disappointed today, thinking that I was a failure again. Suddenly, I felt as if Sia’s voice was passing through my ears.
– Even though the words are different, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m an elf.
Calian’s eyes lit up as he remembered those words.
Just because mana was converted to auror, the source did not change.
The origin of Aurors and Circles is the same, so why did they think they were different!
Even if you’re not good at creating circles, aren’t you the one who can handle Aurors better than anyone else?
“If you can’t get rid of the habit of converting mana into Aura, you can create a circle with Aura.”
A circle created by old Kalyan.
Instead of using the magical energy accumulated in the circle, the intention is to create a fourth circle using the auras that Calian has accumulated so far.
Calian, who thought of a strange solution, closed his eyes again.
And immediately, he released the power of the Auror that had been gathered around his Danjeon and began to use it carefully.
Soon, the strong and sharp power of the auror formed a single band and flowed into the heart.
Instead of the original warm mana, the energy of the auror, like a well-forged sword blade, moved little by little, gradually forming a longer shape, and began to flow as Calian had intended. Calian repeated the same thing, increasing his speed.
After a while.
The mana that Calian was using finally formed a ring.
And finally it started spinning vigorously.
It is clearly felt that exactly four circles are connected to each other.
Calian, who had been concentrating on the rotation of the circle for a while, opened his eyes. Then he raised his hand and touched the area near his heart. A level of magical power is contained in the heart that is incomparable to when it had three circles.
“Ah… finally.”
I just realized that one small difference.
For the first time since acquiring this body, there was great satisfaction in Calian’s eyes at the new achievement he had gained.
Calian straightened his posture again and began collecting and refining the surrounding mana once more. And the aura used to create the circle was refilled.
A man was standing in front of Kalian’s room.
The man who rushed here in the morning after feeling the mana swirling in the air was none other than Arsene Hertz. He was also the only person who knew exactly what state Calian was in right now.
“Are you okay?”
Yan, who was standing next to him, asked quietly with a slightly worried look on his face. This is because more than an hour has passed with Arsene standing in front of Calian’s room, preventing anyone from entering.
Arsene nodded slightly and answered.
“It’s being stored. It’s nothing to worry about, so please wait a moment.”
Far from being warm and gentle, I felt that Calian’s chilling magic was fading little by little.
