366
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[I have no plans. I only have a purpose.]
The purpose Sheila was talking about was to assist Jin, Solderet's thousand-year contractor, in safely reaching the fourth tomb of Temar.
[Myla. It seems that she, along with other children, disliked the idea of keeping the promise with Solderet. They think that all the descendants of the fairy race are making unnecessary sacrifices. Or they think I harbor meaningless hopes.]
"So, are they practically dethroning you and allowing Myla to take control of the forest, Ms. Sheila?"
[Yes. Waiting for you is too uncertain, and the rewards are unclear. However, there are those who are willing to provide everything we want with just a little information. In some ways, betrayal is a natural course of action.]
"What do the descendants of the fairy tribe want?"
[To reclaim our original forms.]
Sheila said with a melancholic voice.
[...We'll talk more about this later when there's a chance. For now, it's important to get over this situation and guide you to Temar's fourth tomb.]
Priing...!
Shining particles spread from Sheila's wings. The view became brighter, revealing the surface of tangled trees. The dim cave interior felt like the insides of a colossal beast.
[Lulu, Miru.]
[Yes.]
[Temar’s fourth tomb doesn't exist in this cave.]
Sheila had foreseen the betrayal by Myla and the other fairies for a long time.
That's why she hadn't revealed the true location of the fourth tomb to anyone. All descendants of the fairy tribe, except for Sheila, believed that Temar's tomb existed at the end of this cave.
[Then where...?]
[The Red Lake. It's the source of water in the Wantaramo Forest.]
The Red Lake was the largest water source in the Wantaramo Forest, connecting to the external Yulphi River. All life in the forest, including the descendants of the fairy tribe, relied on the Red Lake for survival.
[We need to get there as soon as possible. The contractor must reach Temar’s tomb before the trackers arrive. Summon the Ruby cat, Jin Runcandel.]
Sheila had learned that Jin was Shuri’s contractor from the Felinoid Tribe.
Whoosh!
[Meow!]
After being summoned, Shuri carried the group on her back and ran. They had to move to the cave's end first to avoid detection and then head to the Red Lake.
The cave was much deeper than Jin and Valeria had imagined. They had been riding Shuri at maximum speed for over 30 minutes.
By the time they reached the end, they could see a massive door made of magic.
‘It's similar to the door of the secret library beneath the storm castle.’
Like that door, this one required activation words to open but this door will be destroyed without fairy language. It was even more powerful than the door of the Secret Library in the Storm Castle.
As Sheila spoke the activation words in the fairy language, the door opened, revealing the interior.
[Myla believes that beyond this door lies my crown, Temar's fourth tomb, and the incredible legacy left by our ancestors…]
However, beyond the door was simply an empty space.
Undressed rocks substituted for walls, and only a faint breeze rustled from an unknown source, welcoming the group.
[There's nothing here. Someday, when Myla becomes an adult, I thought of showing her this empty landscape. I hoped she would come to understand why we became such a hollow race.]
Despite Myla's age exceeding two thousand, according to Sheila, she wasn't much different from newly-born fairy descendants.
Seeing a younger sibling who couldn't grow and might have made wrong choices, and the fact that she might have to kill that sibling, was naturally a painful experience for Sheila.
Swoosh...!
The door closed.
[Oh, I got lost in thought for a moment. Keep moving. From here on, Lulu and Miru, your abilities might be needed.]
Sheila referred to the dimension abilities unique to the Felinoid Tribe.
[Do we have to create a passage leading to the Red Lake?]
[Yes. If time permits, it would be great to create a way to confuse the trackers.]
[How much time do we have left?]
Upon hearing those words, Jin and Valeria both thought of the same thing.
'Where's the closest Magic tower to the Kiken?'
'Where was the nearest Zipfel’s Magic Tower?'
3rd Magic Tower.
They reached the same conclusion. The 3rd Magic tower was on Rachan Island, situated between the Lutero Magic Federation and the Vermont Sea territory. If Zipfel received the signal and deployed their forces, it undoubtedly came from there.
"About three hours."
"Probably around three hours. Assuming Myla can inform Zipfel within an hour."
Jin and Valeria both answered at the same time, looking at each other.
[Both of you are quicker at calculations than I am. It has been a long time since I have been outside of Kiken, so I got confused.]
[We can definitely create a maze in three hours.]
While Lulu and Miru said this confidently, Sheila shook her head.
[But there's one thing that both of you missed. Do you know about the Zipfel Magic Tower Masters' staff?"
The staff of the Magic Tower Master.
Those staffs were inscribed with special runic symbols. The annoying rune text that Valeria had experienced in both previous and current life.
"Did Zipfel inscribe runic symbols for summoning Magic Tower mages in the Wantaramo Forest?"
[Most likely. In the past, when Kelliark came to ask for the Drink of regal hymn, he gifted a staff to Myla. I suspected that the staff would have runic symbols similar to those of the Magic tower masters.]
Myla's betrayal had already happened decades ago. Naturally, they must have had a means for immediate summoning.
[Two hours. That's the time we have left. Lulu, Miru, do you think you can do it?]
[We'll give it a shot.]
Lulu and Miru pulled out an item that looked like a claw from their pockets.
[Jin Runcandel, you'll have to treat us well in the future.]
Lulu grinned mischievously.
However, Jin could read the regret hidden behind that smile.
"...divine artifact."
As Jin said, it was a long time ago when the god of the Felinoid tribe gave their claws as a gift.
[Yes. I used this divine artifact to protect you and the small beastmen even in the cave. Fortunately, two of them are left.]
One was with Neru, and the other with Lulu and Miru.
Divine artifacts were the only means through which the felinoid tribe could communicate with their previous gods.
The felinoid tribe used most of it for Jin and the small beastmen.
"Ms. Sheila, is it impossible to force our way through with strength?"
Jin spoke with frustration.
The cave was made up of trees at most. There was no way he couldn't cut through them with his strength.
[If we rashly clear the cave, we'll lose our way due to the rampaging trees. Since Myla holds control over the Wantaramo Forest, if the trees within the cave start going wild, even I might lose my sense of direction. I'm sorry.]
I am sorry.
Every time situations like this arose, Jin hated hearing those words. He couldn't understand why people who had sacrificed for a thousand years were apologizing to him.
However, he knew that venting his anger or displaying his annoyance unnecessarily would only distress the people who had made such great sacrifices for him.
So, he suppressed whatever was gnawing at his heart, putting on a composed expression.
His intention was to show them results deserving of their sacrifices without making them feel sorry.
And Valeria looked at Jin and thought:
‘At our first meeting, I was quite disappointed, but the more I see, the more he seems like a human with a somewhat deep side. When he faces me, it doesn't seem like he's filled only with intentions of using me…’
Valeria moved beside Lulu and Miru.
"I'll help."
[Huh? In creating a subspace and forming a dimensional portal?]
"Yes."
[Although I'm grateful, it's too complex a task for humans.]
"Even though the Felinoid tribe' spatial abilities are close to omnipotence, parts of it still contain mana, right? I'll only read the flow of mana and assist where magic is required.”
[Uh, well. It's just better to wait quietly. But how did you know that our abilities include mana?]
"Because I can sense the scent of mana from you. People who don't use mana often can't have it so strongly.”
[Mana has a scent?]
"Just let me know if it becomes a hindrance. I'll quietly step back. Or are you worried that I might discover the secret of the Felinoid tribe' abilities?"
[No, it's not that…]
Valeria sat down and as soon as she did, Lulu and Miru alternately looked at her and then shrugged their shoulders. Clearly, you might become a hindrance... that's the face they had on.
It was as if they were sending Jin a look that said, "Stop her."
However, since Jin wasn't in a position to command her, he just shook his head helplessly.
[Can't be helped, I guess. Alright, but if we say you are causing a hindrance, you'll have to leave immediately. We don't have time.]
"Understood."
Lulu and Miru cautiously touched the divine claw of the god of felinoids and mumbled in an unknown language.
Then, just like when Neru had opened the third tomb, a mystical purple energy began to spread in all directions. Clearly, as Valeria had said, mana was mixed in.
‘Could she have instantly recognized that the Felinoid tribe also uses mana, something I had no idea about?’
Indeed, Valeria was a person who could be called a ‘teacher.'
‘Moreover, she's saying she can assist by just observing the flow of a mana she's never seen before?’
This time, even Jin couldn't help but doubt Valeria.
It was something that felt utterly impossible even for him, a genius among geniuses. It was a natural response.
However, Valeria seemed to dismiss those concerns with a laugh, and she was reading the flow of mana that the Felinoid tribe were unfolding with such ease.
Within it, she was already infusing her own mana, accelerating the formation of the dimensional portal and the subspace.
[Th-This is possible?]
[W-What on earth are you!?]
Lulu and Miru stared at Valeria in shock.
"I said it would be possible."
Valeria calmly replied, but she was sweating like rain was pouring down.
She was giving her all to read the flow of mana.
Her robe was quickly becoming soaked, and the heat radiating from her body was so intense that it melted away her hair dye.
Eventually, Valeria's red hair became visible.
Sheila couldn't take her eyes off Valeria's hair and had a thoughtful expression on her face.
366
[Support me here:- https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]
[I have no plans. I only have a purpose.]
The purpose Sheila was talking about was to assist Jin, Solderet's thousand-year contractor, in safely reaching the fourth tomb of Temar.
[Myla. It seems that she, along with other children, disliked the idea of keeping the promise with Solderet. They think that all the descendants of the fairy race are making unnecessary sacrifices. Or they think I harbor meaningless hopes.]
"So, are they practically dethroning you and allowing Myla to take control of the forest, Ms. Sheila?"
[Yes. Waiting for you is too uncertain, and the rewards are unclear. However, there are those who are willing to provide everything we want with just a little information. In some ways, betrayal is a natural course of action.]
"What do the descendants of the fairy tribe want?"
[To reclaim our original forms.]
Sheila said with a melancholic voice.
[...We'll talk more about this later when there's a chance. For now, it's important to get over this situation and guide you to Temar's fourth tomb.]
Priing...!
Shining particles spread from Sheila's wings. The view became brighter, revealing the surface of tangled trees. The dim cave interior felt like the insides of a colossal beast.
[Lulu, Miru.]
[Yes.]
[Temar’s fourth tomb doesn't exist in this cave.]
Sheila had foreseen the betrayal by Myla and the other fairies for a long time.
That's why she hadn't revealed the true location of the fourth tomb to anyone. All descendants of the fairy tribe, except for Sheila, believed that Temar's tomb existed at the end of this cave.
[Then where...?]
[The Red Lake. It's the source of water in the Wantaramo Forest.]
The Red Lake was the largest water source in the Wantaramo Forest, connecting to the external Yulphi River. All life in the forest, including the descendants of the fairy tribe, relied on the Red Lake for survival.
[We need to get there as soon as possible. The contractor must reach Temar’s tomb before the trackers arrive. Summon the Ruby cat, Jin Runcandel.]
Sheila had learned that Jin was Shuri’s contractor from the Felinoid Tribe.
Whoosh!
[Meow!]
After being summoned, Shuri carried the group on her back and ran. They had to move to the cave's end first to avoid detection and then head to the Red Lake.
The cave was much deeper than Jin and Valeria had imagined. They had been riding Shuri at maximum speed for over 30 minutes.
By the time they reached the end, they could see a massive door made of magic.
‘It's similar to the door of the secret library beneath the storm castle.’
Like that door, this one required activation words to open but this door will be destroyed without fairy language. It was even more powerful than the door of the Secret Library in the Storm Castle.
As Sheila spoke the activation words in the fairy language, the door opened, revealing the interior.
[Myla believes that beyond this door lies my crown, Temar's fourth tomb, and the incredible legacy left by our ancestors…]
However, beyond the door was simply an empty space.
Undressed rocks substituted for walls, and only a faint breeze rustled from an unknown source, welcoming the group.
[There's nothing here. Someday, when Myla becomes an adult, I thought of showing her this empty landscape. I hoped she would come to understand why we became such a hollow race.]
Despite Myla's age exceeding two thousand, according to Sheila, she wasn't much different from newly-born fairy descendants.
Seeing a younger sibling who couldn't grow and might have made wrong choices, and the fact that she might have to kill that sibling, was naturally a painful experience for Sheila.
Swoosh...!
The door closed.
[Oh, I got lost in thought for a moment. Keep moving. From here on, Lulu and Miru, your abilities might be needed.]
Sheila referred to the dimension abilities unique to the Felinoid Tribe.
[Do we have to create a passage leading to the Red Lake?]
[Yes. If time permits, it would be great to create a way to confuse the trackers.]
[How much time do we have left?]
Upon hearing those words, Jin and Valeria both thought of the same thing.
'Where's the closest Magic tower to the Kiken?'
'Where was the nearest Zipfel’s Magic Tower?'
3rd Magic Tower.
They reached the same conclusion. The 3rd Magic tower was on Rachan Island, situated between the Lutero Magic Federation and the Vermont Sea territory. If Zipfel received the signal and deployed their forces, it undoubtedly came from there.
"About three hours."
"Probably around three hours. Assuming Myla can inform Zipfel within an hour."
Jin and Valeria both answered at the same time, looking at each other.
[Both of you are quicker at calculations than I am. It has been a long time since I have been outside of Kiken, so I got confused.]
[We can definitely create a maze in three hours.]
While Lulu and Miru said this confidently, Sheila shook her head.
[But there's one thing that both of you missed. Do you know about the Zipfel Magic Tower Masters' staff?"
The staff of the Magic Tower Master.
Those staffs were inscribed with special runic symbols. The annoying rune text that Valeria had experienced in both previous and current life.
"Did Zipfel inscribe runic symbols for summoning Magic Tower mages in the Wantaramo Forest?"
[Most likely. In the past, when Kelliark came to ask for the Drink of regal hymn, he gifted a staff to Myla. I suspected that the staff would have runic symbols similar to those of the Magic tower masters.]
Myla's betrayal had already happened decades ago. Naturally, they must have had a means for immediate summoning.
[Two hours. That's the time we have left. Lulu, Miru, do you think you can do it?]
[We'll give it a shot.]
Lulu and Miru pulled out an item that looked like a claw from their pockets.
[Jin Runcandel, you'll have to treat us well in the future.]
Lulu grinned mischievously.
However, Jin could read the regret hidden behind that smile.
"...divine artifact."
As Jin said, it was a long time ago when the god of the Felinoid tribe gave their claws as a gift.
[Yes. I used this divine artifact to protect you and the small beastmen even in the cave. Fortunately, two of them are left.]
One was with Neru, and the other with Lulu and Miru.
Divine artifacts were the only means through which the felinoid tribe could communicate with their previous gods.
The felinoid tribe used most of it for Jin and the small beastmen.
"Ms. Sheila, is it impossible to force our way through with strength?"
Jin spoke with frustration.
The cave was made up of trees at most. There was no way he couldn't cut through them with his strength.
[If we rashly clear the cave, we'll lose our way due to the rampaging trees. Since Myla holds control over the Wantaramo Forest, if the trees within the cave start going wild, even I might lose my sense of direction. I'm sorry.]
I am sorry.
Every time situations like this arose, Jin hated hearing those words. He couldn't understand why people who had sacrificed for a thousand years were apologizing to him.
However, he knew that venting his anger or displaying his annoyance unnecessarily would only distress the people who had made such great sacrifices for him.
So, he suppressed whatever was gnawing at his heart, putting on a composed expression.
His intention was to show them results deserving of their sacrifices without making them feel sorry.
And Valeria looked at Jin and thought:
‘At our first meeting, I was quite disappointed, but the more I see, the more he seems like a human with a somewhat deep side. When he faces me, it doesn't seem like he's filled only with intentions of using me…’
Valeria moved beside Lulu and Miru.
"I'll help."
[Huh? In creating a subspace and forming a dimensional portal?]
"Yes."
[Although I'm grateful, it's too complex a task for humans.]
"Even though the Felinoid tribe' spatial abilities are close to omnipotence, parts of it still contain mana, right? I'll only read the flow of mana and assist where magic is required.”
[Uh, well. It's just better to wait quietly. But how did you know that our abilities include mana?]
"Because I can sense the scent of mana from you. People who don't use mana often can't have it so strongly.”
[Mana has a scent?]
"Just let me know if it becomes a hindrance. I'll quietly step back. Or are you worried that I might discover the secret of the Felinoid tribe' abilities?"
[No, it's not that…]
Valeria sat down and as soon as she did, Lulu and Miru alternately looked at her and then shrugged their shoulders. Clearly, you might become a hindrance... that's the face they had on.
It was as if they were sending Jin a look that said, "Stop her."
However, since Jin wasn't in a position to command her, he just shook his head helplessly.
[Can't be helped, I guess. Alright, but if we say you are causing a hindrance, you'll have to leave immediately. We don't have time.]
"Understood."
Lulu and Miru cautiously touched the divine claw of the god of felinoids and mumbled in an unknown language.
Then, just like when Neru had opened the third tomb, a mystical purple energy began to spread in all directions. Clearly, as Valeria had said, mana was mixed in.
‘Could she have instantly recognized that the Felinoid tribe also uses mana, something I had no idea about?’
Indeed, Valeria was a person who could be called a ‘teacher.'
‘Moreover, she's saying she can assist by just observing the flow of a mana she's never seen before?’
This time, even Jin couldn't help but doubt Valeria.
It was something that felt utterly impossible even for him, a genius among geniuses. It was a natural response.
However, Valeria seemed to dismiss those concerns with a laugh, and she was reading the flow of mana that the Felinoid tribe were unfolding with such ease.
Within it, she was already infusing her own mana, accelerating the formation of the dimensional portal and the subspace.
[Th-This is possible?]
[W-What on earth are you!?]
Lulu and Miru stared at Valeria in shock.
"I said it would be possible."
Valeria calmly replied, but she was sweating like rain was pouring down.
She was giving her all to read the flow of mana.
Her robe was quickly becoming soaked, and the heat radiating from her body was so intense that it melted away her hair dye.
Eventually, Valeria's red hair became visible.
Sheila couldn't take her eyes off Valeria's hair and had a thoughtful expression on her face.
