Chapter 50

Cough!

A small pill popped out with the sound of a short cough.

Kalen quickly caught the pill as it flew up into the air.

Next time, be more careful when administering it.

He also didn’t forget to help Sinat swallow it slowly and naturally with water.

The pill made by Austio Tide.

Though it was given to alleviate the severe pain in Kalen’s heart, because the symptoms were similar, the great mage judged it appropriate.

Naturally, Kalen, who has been taking medicine for years, knows the best way to take it.

Kalen somehow managed to successfully give the medicine to Sinat.

You could say there’s hope seeing her frowning face ease, but that’s all.

Sinat still hasn’t awakened from her slumber.

‘Sleep’ and ‘Erosion’.

These are the terms used to describe Sinat’s current state.

‘Sleep’ refers to a state where she seems awake but isn’t, clearly different from ordinary sleep.

‘Erosion’ refers to the strange black markings that have been growing, consuming Sinat as if devouring her existence.

This situation…

After giving her the pill made by Austio and seeing a brief improvement,

this happened while Blamia was searching through ancient texts after regaining consciousness.

All this time, Kalen never left Sinat’s side.

This was because when Sinat’s condition briefly improved after taking the medicine for the first time,

she faintly whispered Kalen’s name.

That single word had become like a swamp, binding all of Kalen to her side.

In reality, it’s not much different.

Kalen admits that before meeting Eliana and Serasie, most of his life revolved around things related to Sinat.

Looking now at the erosion that has started to spread across her right arm,

with no knowledge except the strong suspicion that it’s somehow connected to Sinat’s spirit and the strange creature from before.

It’s clear that something bad will happen if this erosion consumes all of Sinat’s body.

Her condition worsens rapidly as the erosion progresses.

This is why Blamia started searching the ancient texts.

Since the clues to the spirit monarch were found in those texts,

there might be hints about Sinat’s condition as well.

Kalen has tried everything he can.

What he had the most hope for was extracting the spirit image.

It was a bit dizzying at times.

Extracting a spirit image could be considered a type of magic, but not precisely.

There’s no such thing as a magic to extract a spirit image.

It’s just that the act of using mana to extract it is called magic.

In the first place, since there’s no one who can use magic without mana,

and most 1st-tier magic doesn’t deviate from that framework,

it can be called magic.

But Kalen, who uses magic without mana, couldn’t learn magic just because it was convenient.

In the end, with Blamia’s help, the spirit image was displayed,

but nothing happened as hoped.

Kalen racked his brain until it ached, searching for a solution,

and the conclusion was inevitably related to Sinat’s spirit.

This was definitely the danger it had foretold.

When Kalen asked it to elaborate,

strange markings appeared on his back.

What appeared at that time was a spirit image,

and though it’s a guess, it was also a spirit image that resolved a similar situation before.

Which is why Kalen had high hopes, but no noticeable change occurred.

Time passed until now.

The speed of the erosion’s progression, and the time Austio judged Sinat had left,

at most four days.

There’s no more time to waste.

Kalen tightly gripped Sinat’s hand, which was emitting labored groans, and rose.

He must do everything he possibly can.

There is one method left that still hasn’t been tried—one and only one remaining option.

*

When life is in danger, or when there’s no glimmer of hope left,

you’ve probably heard before that it’s possible to summon extraordinary strength.

Kalen suddenly recalled that saying.

“Close your eyes and repeat the words I have taught you.”

The more Sinat’s condition worsened,

the more Kalen overworked his mind.

Ultimately, this was the conclusion.

Study contract attribute magic and investigate the spirit realm.

Of course, it might have no relation whatsoever.

A spirit contract can’t be duplicated,

and Sinat’s spirit is an exceptional being.

Even if Kalen studies and connects with the spirit world through contract attribute magic,

there could be no relation.

However, as mentioned, there are no other methods.

Kalen has tried everything he could think of.

There’s no time left to weigh the options.

Kalen quietly closed his eyes and began to list the words Blamia had taught him in his mind.

Magic in its essence,

precisely defined as magical attributes,

is hard to master multiple ones at once.

To be more precise, it’s nearly impossible.

There’s no such thing as an affinity attribute for no reason.

It’s even ridiculous to divide mages into multiple-attribute mages when they’re already rare.

Mastering different magical attributes is like trying to draw completely different complex blueprints simultaneously.

Thus, those who walk the path of magic determine their affinity attribute

and focus solely on one attribute.

Even with that approach, breaking through to higher tiers is quite challenging.

In this context, Kalen’s conclusion is questionable.

Although it might seem natural considering Sinat’s state,

the method everyone avoids makes it questionable.

Kalen’s decision was based solely on his unique physical constitution.

2nd-tier nature attribute magic.

3rd-tier combat attribute magic.

The magic he learned through the events with Eliana and Serasie.

These attributes, which should clearly conflict and cause fracturing,

were perfectly fine within Kalen himself.

Even when using the 2nd-tier nature attribute magic ‘Frost Wind’

or the 3rd-tier combat attribute magic ‘Icicle Spear,’ he experienced no issues.

There was a reason why Kalen thought of it as a solution in this extreme situation.

According to Blamia’s teachings, learning multiple attributes simultaneously is a dangerous act

that could mess up your mind.

But Kalen himself was unaffected, so he decided to try it.

And thus, he has come to this point.

Not having an affinity attribute,

he quickly learned the necessary theory as best as possible.

As soon as he was ready to master the contract attribute magic,

he attempted it immediately.

Sinat’s last remaining hope for salvation.

Blamia tried to dissuade him at first,

but she eventually understood after hearing Kalen’s words.

Thus, Kalen, now fully prepared,

must maintain his focus until his consciousness connects with the spirit realm.

Kalen forcefully calmed his anxious heart and tightened his closed eyes.

Perhaps the anxiety?

Several dozen minutes to about two hours,

no matter how he closed his eyes and concentrated, he couldn’t reach the spirit realm.

“Are you feeling any headaches or discomfort?”

Blamia’s question, filled with curiosity,

is a response based on Kalen’s condition which didn’t suggest failure.

If a contract attribute magic attempt fails,

your consciousness gradually stretches and returns with a tingling sensation.

As if bumping into the wall of the spirit realm and bouncing back.

That’s why losing concentration and feeling a momentary dizziness afterward would indicate failure.

However, Kalen’s state was clearly different from that.

Concentration maintained but unable to reach the spirit realm.

A man of mysteries, like Kalen himself,

this phenomenon was also full of questions.

No matter how many attempts he made, he stayed in the same place.

Kalen clenched his fists tightly and forced his eyes shut.

Just then.

Throbbing sensation.

He felt it on his back.

It was the same sensation when Sinat’s spirit left its mark at the beginning.

Kalen, sensing something amiss, turned around,

“Grk.”

At almost the same time, he saw something that resembled a mass of ink.

“…Kaldragon?”

A unique name, combining the initial of his name with the silhouette of a spirit.

It was the name Sinat gave to her spirit.

But Sinat is currently struggling near death, lost in ‘sleep.’

In other words, she is not in a state to summon her spirit.

Faced with this inexplicable situation, Kalen and Blamia stared blankly at the spirit.

How can a spirit without a contractor manifest?

It was too coincidental a situation.

Kalen was attempting contract attribute magic,

resulting in an ambiguous situation that wasn’t a failure.

From the throbbing sensation on his back before the event,

to the similar contract markings left on Kalen’s back by Sinat’s spirit last time.

Connecting all these,

Kalen, with sufficient intelligence and insight,

before anything happened,

“Speak.”

Kalen instantly grabbed the spirit.

“I know. You warned me because you knew, didn’t you.”

“Grk.”

The last remaining hope that he clung to.

A sudden and possibly accidental connection link.

Kalen’s mind was not in the state to let go gracefully.

After wriggling in Kalen’s grasp for a while, the spirit let out a sigh-like movement of its head

and slipped out of Kalen’s grip in an incomprehensible motion.

“What are you…”

The spirit headed toward Kalen’s back.

Squeak-

Something tore,

and Kalen felt a chill.

It was because his clothes tore and the wind touched his skin.

The spirit, appearing without anyone knowing how,

pressed its head against Kalen’s back.

While doing so, it occasionally poked the markings.

As Kalen, frowning in confusion, tried to turn his body,

at that moment, he sensed something strange.

“Teacher?”

It felt like everything froze.

Even Blamia remained motionless, staring into the air.

“Kalen.”

At the same time, unfamiliar reverberations reached him from behind.

It couldn’t be called a voice, as he had experienced this reverberation once before.

“Please save Sinat.”

“Ugh!”

Looking back, he found the small dragon staring at him intently.

The same kind of headache he experienced before.

“Can you do it?”

With each word, something in his mind reverberated, causing a nausea-like sensation.

Kalen endured the pain and asked back,

“Does…Sinat…where is she?”

“Tomb of the Traitor.”

“What…?”

“Kalen.”

Hardly holding back the urge to vomit, Kalen managed to regain focus.

The spirit gazed at him with pity and continued,

“Can you risk your life for Sinat?”

“…”

This whole situation was incomprehensible.

The sudden occurrence of all this.

Even the something that resembles language spouted by Sinat’s spirit was inexplicable.

But even amid such confusion,

Kalen remained calm.

“Do you know how to save Sinat?”

“Yes.”

The most important thing is this.

Kalen quietly blinked several times, steadying his mind.

He instinctively knew this isn’t something to take lightly based on the spirit’s words alone,

and considering it’s the last hope who hasn’t let go of him,

it makes sense to agree.

Kalen opened his eyes and faced the spirit.

“Guide me now.”

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