Chapter 357

“Welcome. You’re earlier than I thought. I expected it to take at least two more days.”

“I’m a busy person. I try to handle small matters as quickly as possible.”

Meeting Ophelia meant that my business in the capital was more or less wrapped up, so I planned to finish everything today and head east tomorrow.

Marquis Ludwig had asked me to come as soon as possible.

“Small matters? If the mages of the Magic Tower saw this, they’d be rushing in with their eyes blazing.”

“If the clergy of the Church Order saw it, they’d be setting you on fire.”

I walked into Ophelia’s hideout with her, chuckling.

The corridor of the hideout smelled of rotting fruit.

A unique scent, a mix of sweetness and pungency.

If the smell had spread all the way to the corridor, it was obvious what had been going on with her sister.

They must have been at it like crazy.

Her lab was filled with an empty water tank and various animal carcasses, and in the corner greenhouse, a cluster of plants with sharp, spear-like leaves spread out.

…Is that marijuana?

“Do you even do marijuana…?”

“That? It’s not for me, it’s for my sister. She likes it when she’s feeling down.”

“……”

If this place gets discovered, wouldn’t Ophelia be burned at the stake without a trial?

It’s amazing how she does all these witch-like things but hasn’t actually turned into a witch.

“So, where’s the experimental subject you said was complete?”

“It should be here… but it’s gone.”

Ophelia sighed as she looked at the empty table.

Wait, this isn’t something to just sigh about, is it?

“Isabella ran away?! We need to find her and catch her now…!”

“She can’t run away. If she leaves the hideout, her head will go *pop*. I have an idea where she might be, so don’t worry.”

After speaking, Ophelia left the lab and headed to a room further inside.

Since she didn’t tell me to wait, I followed her immediately.

—

The place Ophelia went to was a small room from which strange laughter and low screams leaked out.

What is this place? It sounds like a mad scientist doing human experiments.

“Claire!”

Ophelia flung the door open.

A strong fruity scent wafted out, enough to make your nose wrinkle.

“Did you take Isabella again? I told you to tell me before playing with your toys, how many times have I said it?”

Ophelia sighed and shook her head, speaking in a tone like a mother scolding a naughty child.

It was a bizarre tone.

– Ahaha.

A laughing sound, as if in response, came from inside the room.

A bright, innocent laugh like a child’s. A voice that even seemed a bit coquettish.

…Was Claire’s laugh like this?

Then, something crawled—no, walked out from inside the room.

A naked woman with voluminous red hair. Without a doubt, it was Ophelia’s older sister, Claire van Sigmilus.

“Ah, right. I forgot. Sorry, Ria. I completely forgot.”

Claire, meeting Ophelia’s eyes, smiled brightly.

“Really…”

Ophelia chuckled at Claire’s behavior, but I wasn’t in the mood to laugh.

Her expression and tone were something I couldn’t comprehend.

Sister, you say…?

That’s you. No, really, what is this?

I glanced at Ophelia with trembling eyes.

What kind of messed-up play is this…?

“Ria, who is that sister?”

“A friend of mine. Claire, you’ve met her before, haven’t you?”

I couldn’t follow the conversation.

What’s with this coquettish voice?

Unless you’re a five or six-year-old, but you’re over twenty, right?

And why are you looking at me like it’s the first time we’ve met?

“Hmm… I don’t remember. She’s a bit scary… Is she a bad sister?”

“She looks like that, but she’s a good friend.”

Ophelia stroked Claire’s head. With a soft smile on her lips, she gently petted her like a pet.

Claire giggled.

“Hey, what is this?”

“I’ll explain later.”

Ophelia gave a short reply and went inside the room, leaving me, who couldn’t hide my confusion, and Claire, who was tilting her head while looking at me.

“Sister, sister. What’s your name? I’m Claire.”

I know that.

No, I don’t know anymore. Is this woman really Claire van Sigmilus?

“Huh? What’s your name? Tell me.”

“…Ha-shal-leur of Ai-shan Gi-or.”

“Hashela…? That’s a strange name.”

You’re the strange one, you crazy woman.

What is this, have you finally gone mad?

—

======[ Knut ]======

Twenty-one days before the collapse of the Northern Wall.

Knut, who had crossed the border and arrived in the Kingdom of Dane, was immediately guided to the head of the intelligence department.

“Welcome. I heard you were severely injured while attempting to assassinate the cursed Ai-shan Gi-or… but you look worse than I expected.”

“I’m ashamed.”

Knut bowed his head.

He had insisted on doing what everyone advised against and ended up with a crippling injury. Even with ten mouths, he wouldn’t have anything to say.

“Apologies are enough. I also bear some responsibility for not stopping you more actively, knowing your desire for revenge. If you’re reflecting, then dedicating yourself further to Dane will suffice.”

“Dedication, you say…?”

Knut looked down at his body and let out a self-deprecating sigh.

The cursed gauntlet that had wrapped around Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur’s left arm.

The curse within it was viciously cruel. For Knut, who had exhausted his life force, it was unbearable.

Even a candidate for Elpinel’s saint couldn’t heal his body.

He had long since become someone who could no longer fight. Unless he learned magic.

“That’s why I summoned you. It’ll be quicker to show you directly. Do you know what this is?”

The head of the intelligence department took out a stone fragment the size of a palm and placed it on the table.

“Hmm…?”

Knut’s one remaining eye filled with doubt.

It was a strange stone.

Clearly just a piece of rock, but for some reason, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

A rock with one flat side, as if chiseled from a wall.

In the center was an engraving that looked like it had been carved with a chisel.

[ ᛋ ]

It was a character Knut couldn’t understand.

‘It looks similar to ancient Dane language…’

“I don’t know. Is it important?”

“Yes. Very… very important. It might even shape the future of Dane.”

The head of the intelligence department smiled meaningfully.

Knut couldn’t understand the meaning behind that smile. What’s so special about this piece of rock?

“Place your hand on the engraving.”

Knut, still skeptical, followed the head’s instruction.

The fingertip of the fallen paladin touched the engraving.

And then.

– Uuung!

A low hum. The stone fragment emitted a sun-like radiance and vibrated.

Knut’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Mana reaction…?’

Though he had no training as a mage, he couldn’t think of anything else.

It felt different from divine light or magic.

“What is this…?!”

“Didn’t you hear from Frigg? They’ve found a way for non-mages to use magic. The answer is right in front of you.”

The head of the intelligence department smiled and began to explain in detail.

—

At the bottom of the Jotun Gorge, in a valley revealed by an earthquake, there was a dungeon entrance that had never been discovered before.

Dane immediately sent an investigation team to explore the dungeon, and the warriors who arrived there fought through the monsters inside and eventually discovered an ancient ruin deep within.

A style unlike any ruin discovered before.

The researchers on the team reacted with near frenzy.

To them, this ruin was at least fifteen hundred years old.

However, the ruin, which had become a habitat for monsters, was nearly destroyed, leaving little to be found.

All they found were fragments of reliefs with strange engravings and a massive stone door that wouldn’t open.

Until then, no one knew.

The meaning and value of the engravings on the fragments.

Not until one curious and careless warrior touched the engraving with his bare hand and froze.

Undoubtedly, it was a magical phenomenon. Even though the warrior had no talent for magic.

It was impossible. By the standards of current magical knowledge.

The ruin was immediately declared off-limits, and all the mages on the investigation team were confined.

All of Dane’s archaeologists and magicians were summoned to the royal palace.

The conclusion they reached was shocking enough to stun everyone.

The engravings on the ruin had the effect of gathering mana and manifesting magic on their own.

In other words, even those without mana could use magic if they possessed these engravings!

The King of Dane wasn’t foolish enough to not understand the implications.

Engravings that could turn every warrior, every soldier into a mage. A treasure comparable to gunpowder for humans.

“What does that have to do with calling me…?”

“At the heart of the ruin, on the unopenable door, there was a strange inscription. The researchers, after examining all existing records, discovered that it was similar to ancient Dane language and managed to decipher it. This is the translation.”

—

Mímisbrunnr.

Son of War. Offer your eye to the depths of the abyss and seek wisdom.

The storm of passion shall bless you.

—

“Interesting, isn’t it? Paladin of the one-eyed god of war.”

Knut couldn’t answer.

An incomprehensible chill and inexplicable excitement were stirring a fierce wave in his chest.

He felt something fateful watching him.

The storm of passion.

It was the epithet of the god of warriors he served, Bølberg.

“Head to the ruin. Knut.”

Knut solemnly nodded.

It was an order he couldn’t refuse.