NOVEL NEXT Chapter 59
“Ugh, Fortress…”
The final breaths of a demon race.
Before more could spill out, crunch.
I smashed the creature’s head with all my might.
“Agh, damn. This bastard really knows how to make a scene.”
With that, the demon perished.
The unstable body of the demon turned to ashes, and the core of the labyrinth, which had swallowed all the magic, was slowly crumbling as well.
Consequently, the curtain separating the outside from within the labyrinth began to disappear.
And.
“Hmm…”
It seems like this will be the last chance I get to wield a weapon.
As the ranks increase and I use more mana, I was aware that the time I could handle a weapon was gradually getting shorter.
Still, I expected that up until the 6th Rank, I would be able to use it occasionally.
Just a moment ago, while inserting the last dagger, I felt it.
I can no longer wield a weapon.
Well, I could swing it simply, but I can’t do so while using mana.
So, I can just say I can’t use it.
I wiggled my hand, which had been using a weapon for nearly an hour.
I had resolved to give up the weapon yet still swung it.
Of course, I had no choice.
I lacked the strength to kill with my bare hands.
While my body showed hopeless talent in handling weapons, that talent is still talent.
Ronan’s experiences and senses are still intact.
So if those half-baked demons can swing weapons, they could take down any number of them that comes in hordes.
Now that I can’t use weapons, it would be impossible.
“Ugh.”
I sighed and turned my back.
This is not the time to be regretting such things.
It’s time to minimize the problems that will become a nuisance from now on.
Rubbing rubbing – I rubbed my weary eyes as I scanned the fallen people around me.
No one was conscious.
The academy students were also sprawled out.
That said, they weren’t dead. They were just unconscious.
It would have been dangerous if it had taken any longer, but for now, they were all alive.
And in front of them,
…stood Fabiana, Silina, and Yurasia, all wearing incredible expressions.
It seemed they hadn’t heard what the demon said.
“…Eliaernes.”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Are you really asking me that right now?”
“Yes. I didn’t get hit even once. Didn’t you see that?”
“Huh.”
Fabiana snorted as if incredulous and shook her head.
“I have so many things I want to ask you.”
Then she stood up straight and reached out her hand to me.
“But I won’t ask. You seem to wish for that.”
“…Honestly, rather than just misunderstand and guess, I think it would be better to ask directly.”
“Haha… No. I will neither misunderstand nor guess. I will… I will only believe what I saw with my own eyes today.”
Her straightforward statement reflected Fabiana’s personality, and I bitterly smiled as I took her hand.
“Thank you.”
“No. I should be the one thanking you. Eliaernes Eustetia. As the First Princess of the Empire, Fabiana de Herman sincerely thanks you.”
“Then, you will take care of the fact that I broke all these weapons today, right… uh, Princess Fabiana?”
“I will handle it in a way that causes you no harm. You don’t need to worry.”
Nodding, I turned to Silina.
“Is Princess Silina alright?”
At my words, Silina, who had been lost in thought for a moment, staggered and stood up.
Then she glared at me with wide eyes.
“Eliaernes. And Yurasia.”
“Yes.”
“Uh, four…?”
“Thank you.”
“Gah…”
“Uh… Yes. I’m glad to see you’re okay.”
Both Yurasia and I were momentarily taken aback by such a simple and direct expression of thanks. I thought Silina would be more… well, a bit roundabout in her speech.
She didn’t seem to be that twisted little brat after all.
“I heard from Fabiana. She asked me to keep quiet about what happened today.”
“Dear sister. It’s rather disappointing that you call your two-year-older sister so casually.”
Ignoring Fabiana’s comment, Silina continued.
“I will do it. I can even swear to it.”
“You don’t need to go that far. Just… yes. A verbal promise is enough.”
Silina readily nodded and briefly exchanged glances with Fabiana.
Two people, who seem not to resemble each other yet do, shared looks before they both turned to me.
The one who spoke first was Fabiana.
“I will open the Forbidden Library.”
“Oooh…”
“Is that not to your liking?”
“No, that’s not it. Can we really decide the reward for today so casually?”
“After saving two princesses, rescuing countless citizens behind us, and ultimately killing an actual demon, what could possibly be too much?”
Well, I definitely did a lot… but isn’t the treasure house just filled with weapons?
“Hmm… then, please take care of Yurasia’s weapons instead of mine.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
Fabiana carefully helped Yurasia to her feet.
“In the treasure house, Yurasia will also go inside.”
Yurasia’s eyes lit up like lanterns.
“Me, too?!”
“Yurasia. You saved Silina’s life. You punished a traitor of the royal palace and rescued all those people. Dear sister… Silina, what do you think? If it weren’t for Yurasia, would you have survived in this labyrinth?”
Silina shook her head.
“If it weren’t for Yurasia, I would’ve died to Untla.”
“Indeed. Yurasia Espirot. You are the hero who saved the Empire’s Second Princess. To you, the palace will promise the maximum that can be given. There will be no objections and no aftereffects. So, both of you don’t worry and trust me.”
“…Ah, I understand. Th-thank you…”
Seeing Yurasia bowing in a daze, Fabiana nodded while pushing her in my direction.
“Silina and I need to check on the people in the back, so it’s better for you two to rest here.”
“…Why me?”
“Are you suggesting I make my dear sister leave everything to Eliaernes and Yurasia?”
With Fabiana’s sly grin before me, Silina furrowed her brow but nodded.
“Let’s go.”
“Good thought. Heh heh.”
As I watched the two sisters begin to walk away, I urgently called out to Fabiana.
“Princess Fabiana.”
“Hm?”
“Could I… um, instead of the treasure house, can I visit the Forbidden Library?”
Fabiana paused, glancing back at me.
“The Forbidden Library?”
“Yes.”
“What makes you wish for just the Forbidden Library for your reward?”
“I really enjoy reading books.”
As if trying to gauge my true intention, Silina squinted her eyes and nodded within two seconds.
“I will open both the treasure house and the Forbidden Library. However, I cannot guarantee what will happen with the Forbidden Library.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“…Eliaernes. You truly are… an inexplicable human, it seems.”
“I am a bit mysterious.”
“You’re quite audacious and also rather irritating.”
“Geniuses are always a bit irritating.”
“…Haha. I cannot refute that.”
Fabiana smirked bitterly and nodded, gazing towards the disappearing curtain.
“I will invite you to the palace to discuss what happened today in the near future. How about we continue our conversation then?”
Going into the palace isn’t exactly pleasant… but if I can enter the Forbidden Library, then…
“That sounds good.”
“Alright. Let’s handle today’s events as quietly as possible.”
With a satisfied smile, Fabiana finished her walk.
And then, Yurasia, who was left alone, asked me in a whimpering voice.
“A-Aga… Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Waving waving – I shook my arms, which had no wounds on them, not a drop of blood splattered.
At my gesture, Yurasia awkwardly approached.
“How about you?”
“Y-yes…? I-I’m okay now.”
“Come closer.”
“W-what, why?”
“Quit talking and hurry.”
“H-here…? I-I smell like sweat…”
I don’t quite understand why she’s so flustered.
Swish swish – Yurasia looked around with her blue eyes.
“Ah, I get it…”
She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and came closer to me.
I tightly held her arms.
“Ha…”
As she trembled slightly at the same time, I wondered if she was still in pain, but that wasn’t it…
She seemed simply startled.
No matter how much of a knight she is, being on the verge of death would naturally be shocking.
Sighing a bittersweet breath, I began inspecting Yurasia’s body.
The broken bones seemed to have healed somewhat. Torn muscles and split skin appeared to be all cleaned up, and her breathing was steady.
There probably wouldn’t be any aftereffects, and if she just rested for a week, she would be back to normal.
Then, what about her insides?
I placed my hand on Yurasia’s lower abdomen.
“Hi, hiik!”
“What, what’s wrong? Why are you so surprised?”
“A-Ah… nothing, nothing at all…”
“I’m just checking your mana flow. If you suddenly jump to the 5th Rank, your mana flow might get tangled or burst.”
“Ah…?”
“Why are you saying ‘ah’? Do you think I’m going to do something bad?”
“N-no…? That’s… not it…”
“Then?”
“Uh…”
Yurasia’s blue eyes spun around in circles as her lips quivered, and she finally let out a sigh.
“…I really was scared, Aga… you were the first thing on my mind. Thank you for coming… for saving me…”
Giggle giggle – I hugged Yurasia with a smile and patted her back.
“Sorry to be late. You worked hard.”
After a moment, the curtain that had isolated the museum vanished.
The special labyrinth was subdued.
*
When we stepped outside, all kinds of priests, academy professors, and the anxious Royal Guard, along with the palace knights, were stationed outside.
I was horrified to see so many people immediately gathering, but Fabiana went wild again, disbanding everyone except for the necessary ones.
Not only that, she declared that if anyone laid a finger on me or Yurasia, she would cut their wrist, and if they spoke, she would rip out their tongue, allowing us to head to the cathedral very comfortably.
After three hours of treatment, I was told it would be best to lie down for a week, but Yurasia adamantly refused and decided to return right away.
Even if she wouldn’t go to class tomorrow and take a rest, it seemed she just wanted to stay in the academy dorms for now.
Returning to the academy, I took her to her room and stayed by her side until she fell fast asleep.
She was so exhausted that the moment she laid down after washing up, she was out cold in under a minute.
As I kept watch beside Yurasia for a moment,
Suddenly, something I had forgotten popped into my mind.
“…Stella and Pina.”
I had completely bound them so they couldn’t move.
Please don’t tell me they wet the bed…?
I quickly got up and quietly slipped out of the dormitory so that Yurasia wouldn’t wake up.
As soon as I stepped outside, I rushed over to my room and opened the door.
At the same time.
[Waaah! Ronan!]
A dazzling wave of light rushed at me.
“What the hell?”