NOVEL NEXT Chapter 56
This is the will of the holy god.
We shall only uphold it.
Child who reads the language of the gods.
Join us in our intent.
An echo-like sound reverberated within my head.
A phenomenon I experienced several times a day.
“Rienna? Are you ready?”
“…Yes.”
“Hmm? Are you maybe nervous?”
“Maybe a little.”
“Hehe! It’s okay. No matter how much of a saintess you are, you’re still just a first-year, right?”
Jane put her hands on her hips.
“Just trust this senior!”
“Yes, I will.”
Rienna smiled shyly.
[Now, soon, the ‘Star Festival’ finale! The relic capture competition begins!]
The announcement reverberated loudly.
At the same time, I could hear the audience’s murmurs growing louder.
“Well, let’s go.”
Jane opened the waiting room door with her eyes sparkling.
“Let’s smash everything!”
*
This was the Training Hall in Building C.
Usually used for cadet training, this space had transformed into a massive audience area for just today.
Chatter!
From cadets not participating in the tournament to outsiders enjoying the festival, people from various families, knight orders, and magic towers—countless individuals packed the audience seating.
“There’s a spot here!”
“Whoa… why are there so many people…? Shrink down, Galley!”
“This is as minimized as it gets!”
Erina barely managed to squeeze through the crowd to find a spot.
Though it was a bit far from the center, it was fine since the tournament would be broadcasted on a huge screen.
“By the way, where’s the captain?”
“She said she had someone to meet. She’ll be here shortly.”
“What?! You left the captain in that state alone?!”
“…She’s doing better now. Being overprotective isn’t good either…”
Corin was aghast and shook Erina’s sleeve.
“Ugh…”
“You know…! The captain right now….”
Corin couldn’t finish her sentence and shut her mouth.
Without needing to say it, everyone here was aware.
Ornika Peron.
That she had completely shattered after ‘that day’.
“I can’t bear it! I’ll go get her, so you all hold the spot! I’ll be back before the tournament starts!”
“C-Corin! Let’s go together!”
“I’ll come with you… No, I’m stuck!”
.
.
.
“It’s been a while, senior.”
“…You are.”
Ornika gave a customary bow in greeting.
“Is that you, Ornika?”
The person who received her greeting narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.
“Ornika… is it really you?”
“Yes.”
Ornika affirmed, maintaining her impassive expression.
That she was Ornika Peron, who was the junior of Reina.
‘What the…’
At first glance, she looked unmistakably like Ornika.
She hadn’t become unrecognizable just because her hair had been cut short.
But.
“What on earth happened?”
Everything except her appearance had completely changed from how she used to be.
“…You don’t know what happened to my knight order?”
“You know that’s not what I’m asking.”
“…….”
Ornika fell silent once more.
“A mere misfortune in the knight order shouldn’t change a person like this.”
“…….”
“Speak, Ornika. What on earth happened?”
Current Ornika seemed like a shadow of her former self.
Embracing her sister’s cold body, feeling as if she would lose her breath.
-‘Huaagh…! Aahhh! Aahhh!!!’
A scream filled with agony and sorrow, breathless with despair.
‘No, that’s not it.’
Current Ornika was like the self from the time when she couldn’t receive Karen’s help.
Carrying her sisters’ corpses across bloodstained snowy mountains, chewing on the hatred of an inevitable future.
A place where no one could save her.
An endless pit of despair.
“What has made you like this?”
“…That’s what I wish to ask you, senior.”
Ornika captured Reina’s figure in her empty gaze.
“What on earth has happened to you?”
“What…?”
To Reina, it was an incomprehensible sound.
But Ornika was dead serious.
After arriving here.
Ornika planned to quickly fulfill her mission and leave.
There were many familiar faces, but now none of that mattered.
At that moment.
-‘…Ran, that arrogant brat. Sending a cake as a gift because of the sword demonstration.’
Reina’s face appeared, happily gazing at the cake box.
‘Why?’
Ornika noticed something different from the Reina she knew.
She had always been as cold as ice, sharp as a blade.
But that person.
‘What’s with that smile?’
Had changed like this.
“What made you into such a person…?”
“I… I don’t understand what you are saying.”
“Please tell me. Please. Please….”
What saved you from despair?
How did you escape from that place?
“…Ah.”
Ornika’s vision faded to black.
It had begun again.
It had started.
-Ornika.
In this illusion, a boy with the same face always appeared.
With slightly long ash-colored hair and a gentle, pure face.
-Today, I prepared stew!
-Haha! You got some on your mouth. Here, towel.
-I look forward to today’s sword practice!
A mind-melting, short but sweet moment.
Once this time passed.
-Oh… Uh…? Wh-Who are you?
A time of horrific pain began.
Two cloaked strangers slowly approached him.
-Don’t come near! Stay away!
He flailed his thin arms, resisting with a sword.
His small and cute face was drenched in fear.
Crack!
Soon, the assailant’s blade plunged into his shoulder.
-AAAAAAH!
A scream echoed, tearing through the ears.
His white skin split in two, spewing forth red blood.
-Stop, please….
Thump!
-Hugh! Grrrr…
He was stabbed.
He was torn apart.
-Please, save me….
Having become soaked in blood, he crawled forward, gritting his teeth in agony.
The direction he was facing was.
-Ornika… it hurts so much….
Ornika.
The current self forcibly watching this illusion.
-Why don’t you move…? Do you hate me now?
No.
Even now, she wanted nothing more than to kill those damned pieces of trash and hold him close.
But her body wouldn’t move.
-I… I’ve bled too much… I don’t think I can make food anymore…
His voice began to grow weak.
Cold sweat beaded on Ornika’s hand as her head started to spin.
If only she could speak, she would say something.
Her whole body felt like it had turned to stone, paralyzed.
-Hugh… I don’t want to die…!
Thrust!
Before his last words could be fully spoken.
The assailant’s sword pierced through his neck.
Blood oozed from his throat, soaking Ornika’s feet.
-…….
Only after dragging his lifeless body into the forest did her body’s paralysis begin to fade, and her limbs restored.
“Ah… Ahh… A….”
Words slipped from her mouth as if her tongue were severed.
“AAAAAAAH! GRAAAAH!!!”
Tears of blood streamed down her face.
Once again, she failed to save him.
In the cycle of repeating illusions, where he dies repeatedly.
Alben.
She allowed him to be abandoned once more.
“Those damned bastards-!”
Swish!
As Ornika drew her sword, ready to unleash her energy.
“Calm down!”
“Captain, no!”
Her senses returned to reality.
“Hugh… huff….”
Ornika quickly surveyed the situation.
Her whole body was drenched in sweat, and Corin and Erina each held her arms.
Her hands were already halfway drawn, preparing to swing the sword.
“What’s going on…?”
Reina’s eyes widened in shock.
She knew Ornika wasn’t well.
But she hadn’t imagined she would lose her mind and go on a rampage in an instant.
“I-I’m sorry! The captain is in danger…!”
“No, it’s okay. Step back.”
“Yes?”
“It’s someone I’m familiar with. It’s fine to let it go.”
Reina approached Ornika.
“Ornika.”
“…….”
“There’s probably a lot for us to share.”
*
“I’m feeling jittery.”
“Is that right?”
“Usually, yes.”
“That’s interesting. I thought you wouldn’t get nervous, Ran.”
Elma jested playfully.
“You even know how to crack jokes. You’ve grown as a senior.”
I lightly stretched my body.
“Shhh~!”
Black Lotus slithered up my arm to my shoulder.
“Are you ready too?”
“Shh shh!”
“Looking good.”
The black tail swayed rhythmically.
If Black Lotus were a rattlesnake, a lively tune would echo out.
‘…Enough of these useless thoughts.’
I expanded my senses to observe the dense forest.
This was the second floor of the Great Demon Castle.
Below was the place where the entrance exam had taken place, now chosen as the venue for the tournament.
“It’s only one floor apart, but the top is a vast cave and the bottom is this forest.”
It was an oddity that couldn’t be captured by mere words.
The blue sky and the bright sunlight were all illusions caused by the dungeon’s magic.
‘Getting lost in a place like this would truly be hopeless.’
Just as I sulked inwardly.
[The relic capture competition will soon begin!]
[Competitors, please finalize your preparations!]
The voice announcing the tournament’s arrival flowed into my ears.
“Ran.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
I finally stretched my fingers, grinning.
“I’m going to win it all.”
A tournament laden with stakes.
Is about to commence.