Chapter 120: Hill of the Four Seasons (1)
Chapter 120: Hill of the Four Seasons (1)
Having completed their mission, Ronan and Shullifen returned straight to Jido. Riding ordinary horses instead of the ghost horses took much longer than when they came to Dainhar.
It had already been 7 days, and they had spent all their time on horseback except for sleep and meals. It wouldn’t be surprising if mushrooms started growing on their backsides. Ronan, feeling a bit annoyed, poked Cita, who was dozing off in his backpack.
“Hey, you, get down now.”
“Beewh!”
Cita, who was annoyed by the poking, stuffed her head into the backpack. Judging by her indifferent attitude, it seemed like she was feeling the heat.
Despite having left the desert, the southern heat showed no sign of relenting. The landscape consisted of short grass and barren land, stretching endlessly. Ronan, whose gaze had turned hazy, glanced at Shullifen.
“You damn bastard… What kind of steel is a nobleman’s groin made of? Doesn’t it hurt at all?”
“This is not a problem.”
He still maintained the dignified posture typical of high nobility. Despite signs of fatigue, his noble demeanor remained untouched. Ronan shook his head as if disgusted.
“I’m Jealous. When I was a soldier, I also rode horses a lot.”
“I’m just worried that Ms. Iril’s portrait might get damaged. Let’s pick up the pace.”
“You crazy bastard.”
Shullifen pulled out the portrait of Iril from his shirt pocket and looked at it every ten minutes or so, lost in thought. Ronan, who couldn’t stand the sight, pulled the reins.
In that instant, Ronan sprinted forward like an arrow, overtaking Shullifen. Thwack! Ronan, stretching out his hand like a flash of lightning, snatched the portrait of Iril that Shullifen was looking at.
“Hey, you! What are you doing?”
“Hahaha, precious things have a way of disappearing like the wind!”
“Stop! If anything happens to the painting, I won’t let you off!”
Ronan quickly advanced as if he were a cavalry in the Imperial Army. Shullifen, lost in thought, chased after him. Before he knew it, the sword in his hand was taking the shape of a storm.
“Beewh!”
Meanwhile, Cita, who had woken up due to the commotion, tossed and turned in frustration. The haze in full bloom in the sky heralded the arrival of late summer. They arrived at Jido on the fifteenth day of their journey.
****
The first place Ronan wanted to visit upon returning to Jido was Separacio, the office of Sekreet. After all, the whole purpose of going to that remote place, Dainhar, was to seek his favor. Ronan spoke with his eyes widened upon hearing an unbelievable answer.
“What? He went on vacation?”
Since Jhordin was not in the office, Ronan had to inquire with other students or the faculty to find Separacio. Aselle, who was called out from reading a book, spoke hesitantly.
“Uh, yeah… it’s summer vacation, you know.”
“Damn it, a person who carries five curses with him suddenly disappears?”
“H-he said he was going to the North. He mentioned something about discovering a new curse. He said he would probably be back right on the first day of school…”
“Ugh, damn unfortunate.”
Ronan sighed deeply. This was an unexpected variable. He had planned to resolve everything quickly during the summer vacation before returning. Suddenly, Ronan’s gaze fell on the house behind Aselle.
“By the way, did the moving go well?”
“Uh-huh. Thanks to you.”
Aselle nodded, and the place where he and his parents had moved was none other than next door to Ronan. When safety and convenience were considered top priorities, there was no other place like it.
When Ronan was away in Dainhar with Shullifen, the move had taken place with the help of Marya, Braum, and other club members. Ronan, scratching his head as if embarrassed, continued.
“What thanks. I couldn’t help at all… Anyway, is Marya in Jido now?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s good. Give her this.”
“Huh?”
Without warning, Ronan plunged his hand into Aselle’s pocket. Startled, Aselle screamed after Ronan removed his hand.
“Say hello to your parents for me. I’m going.”
“Ro-Ronan. what’s this?”
Even after Ronan’s hand was gone, there was a thick, foreign sensation in the pocket. Only after Ronan had left did Aselle check what was in his pocket.
“This is…!”
Aselle turned pale as he was about to say something, but Ronan had already disappeared from sight. Once Ronan got wind of the news from Aselle, he immediately headed to the market.
“It’s not a bad thing to have a lot of money. Well.”
The purpose was to secure money with the loot taken from Dainhar. Knowing that Marya was in Jido meant that the head of the Caravel was also there, so at least there was no worry about being ripped off.
“Come on, come on, get ice!! Freshly frozen solid ice just conjured by a 8th Circle Ice Mage!”
“I’ll show you something! Five parasols for only one silver coin!”
Despite the scorching heat, the lively atmosphere of the market remained unchanged. It was a sight that contrasted sharply with the desolate landscape they had seen for a month. While Ronan was searching for the top, a familiar woman caught his eye.
“Huh?”
Ronan raised an eyebrow. At first, he thought he was mistaken. Her appearance was unrecognizable from her usual self, dressed in loosely fitting clothes. Still, her distinctive tan skin and her assertive figure allowed him to recognize her.
The woman was eating ice cream sandwiched between bread in front of a stall. The merchant, seeing her finish both the bread and the ice cream, clasped his hands together and opened his mouth.
“Excuse me, Sword Saint… Would you care to have a taste?”
“I’m from the Royal Guards. I’ll have another, please.”
The merchant’s face brightened up. The woman paid with a coin and received a new ice cream. Ronan approached her warmly, waving his hand.
“Instructor Navirose!”
“Ronan? It’s been a while.”
“I almost didn’t recognize you. Your clothes… you’re dressed quite freely.”
Navirose was wearing a white sleeveless blouse with loose wide pants. Her exposed shoulders attracted the attention of passersby. It was truly a provocative attire that might gain recognition in a century or two.
“What does it matter? As long as I’m comfortable.”
“That’s true. I like that side of you, Instructor.”
“I was just looking for you. Come here.”
“Huh?”
Navirose, taking a bite of her ice cream, gestured for Ronan to come closer. As he approached with a smile. Swoosh! Like a snake striking for prey, Navirose’s hand flew out and grabbed Ronan’s ear, twisting it.
“Owww! Wh-why are you doing this?!”
“Why, you ask? Do you think it’s acceptable not to greet your teacher before vacation?”
“Adeshan, Senior Adeshan should’ve told you!”
“Words only have meaning when spoken directly. It’s a rude gesture.”
Ronan screamed for her to let go. From the force of the ear tug, it truly seemed hurtful. She paid no mind to the stares or the lack thereof from the people around her.
“If you want to make amends, go straight to the Gallerion Pavilion now. Adeshan is waiting to show you how she has been dedicated to training every day.”
“What? Has the senior already returned?”
“Yes. She’s been eagerly waiting for you to retire, so be kind to her. Got it?”
“I got it. Ugh, I’m going, so just let go!”
Ronan quickly nodded his head. Finally, Navirose released her grip on him. Wiping off the ice cream that had fallen on her chest, she spoke.
“Anyway, it’s a relief to see you looking healthy. Your skills have improved visibly. If you had brought a sword, we could have sparred.”
“Ugh… I even brought a gift for you, Instructor, but now it’s awkward.”
“A gift?”
“Here, take it.”
Ronan handed her something. Navirose’s eyes widened. A black magic stone that only came from Dainhar was sparkling in her palm.
“…Where did you get this?”
“Just take it. Because I might be indebted to you in the future. Well then, I’m off!”
“Wait, wait…!”
Ronan had already disappeared into the crowd. For a moment she thought about going all out and catching him, but soon decided against it. Laughing to herself, she fiddled with the jewel.
“…Seriously.”
****
Ronan returned after selling ten Dainhar magic stones to the head of Carabel, where Marya was. Although he still had over a hundred left at home, as Carabel did not have enough money to pay for them immediately, he had to be content with that amount. It was quite a sight to see the Caravel father and daughter duo’s eyes widening as if they would pop out.
“…So, these are Dainhar magic stones. And of the highest quality… I suppose it’s meaningless to ask how you got them?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I understand… Since you’re busy, I’ll send the settlement to your place. Any chance you’d consider leading the Carabel with my daughter in the future?”
“Dad, please!”
Marya, blushing furiously, rushed to her father. Only later did Ronan realize that it was a proposal for marriage with Marya.
After explaining where to strike for effective pain and suffering, Ronan changed his direction. A sophisticated staff was clenched in his hand.
His destination was the Gallerion Pavilion, the usual site for Navirose’s lessons, located in the first arena.
-Clang! Clann!
-Boom!
Even before entering the arena, he heard a bustling noise. When he opened the door, he saw a girl fighting with two mechanical knights. Ronan murmured in admiration.
“Somehow she looks taller…”
It seemed the rumors about girls growing tall quickly were true. Adeshan was entirely focused on training and hadn’t even noticed Ronan’s arrival.
With every movement, her tied-up hair fluttered like a mane. Her sweat-soaked neckline emitted a white glow. Adeshan’s ability to effortlessly dodge the knights’ attacks made her seem like she had five eyes.
Unlike Ronan, who relied on innate reflexes and body sight, she predicted the future based on her unique insight. Ronan frowned as he saw the crossbow in Adeshan’s hand.
“Hmm… the opponent isn’t good this time.”
From the bowstring to the bolt it was completely black, the crossbow was the new weapon she had received from Dolon. Ronan thought it was a great weapon. If she knew how to shoot properly, it would have a tremendous synergistic effect with Adeshan’s ability to control the opponent’s movements.
However, this time, her opponent wasn’t favorable. The shadow mana didn’t work against mechanical knights, which was not a living creature.
Bann! At that moment, a knight behind Adeshan swung its sword downwards. Adeshan quickly rolled to the side, avoiding the attack. Clang! Sparks flew as the sword clashed with the ground.
“Creak…!”
Adeshan, who urgently got up, aimed at the knight about to strike. As the knight was still raising the sword, there was a gap.
Calmly targeting the head, she pulled the crossbow’s trigger. The bolt shot, hitting the mechanical knight’s head. Baang! A small explosion occurred as the knight’s body tilted backward.
…Thud! The fallen knight, exhaling smoke through its eye sockets, let out a mechanical voice.
[Confirmation of damage exceeding the limit. Function suspended.]
“Alright…!”
The knight ceased its movements. Adeshan clenched her fist, celebrating. At that moment, the knight standing in her blind spot swung its sword.
“Ah…!”
Lost in her victory, she didn’t see it coming. The blade was already closing in. There was no way to dodge or block at that distance. In the moment Adeshan tightly shut her eyes, clang! A loud metallic sound echoed, and the mechanical knight’s voice was heard.
[Function suspended.]
“…Um?”
Adeshan cautiously opened her eyes. Thud! The staggering knight collapsed. A slender white dagger was lodged in the thin joint connecting the neck and torso. A familiar voice was heard from afar.
“Sunbae, long time no see.”
“Ah, Ronan!”
Adeshan’s face lit up brightly. Ronan strolled over and pulled out Ymir, which was stuck in the knight. He glanced at the fallen knight that Adeshan had defeated and whistled.
“Planning to shoot? You surprised me.”
“Umm… I’m still not good enough. I almost got hit just now.”
“No, they’re not empty words, seriously. This isn’t something anyone can do.”
Ronan gestured towards the knight. The bolt shot by Adeshan was precisely embedded in the knight’s eye socket. It was a narrow gap, barely the width of a finger. Even with precise aiming, hitting in this chaotic battle wasn’t just about effort.
“By the way, you’ve gotten so tanned. You look like a little troublemaker.”
“It was very hot. But still, compared to the people who live there, I might as well be a snowman.”
“That’s right, are you injured anywhere? You really went all the way to Dainhar?”
Suddenly, Adeshan leaned in close, almost to the point where they could feel each other’s breaths. Peering closely at Ronan’s complexion, she withdrew in embarrassment.
“Ah…! Sorry, I bet I smell of sweat…”
“It’s okay. Anyway, do you have some time? Did I interrupt you?”
“No, I was just about to take a break.”
“Good. Take this.”
Ronan nodded, extending the staff. It looked sophisticated, as if intended for nobles. Adeshan raised an eyebrow.
“It looks very expensive… Why’re you suddenly giving me this?”
“It’s a gift. It’s a weapon only someone as clever as you could use. Want to grip the handle tightly and see?”
“Huh?”
Adeshan did just that. Shrrr! Suddenly, seams appeared on the otherwise smooth surface, and the staff extended lengthwise. It resembled a steel serpent, stretching over 2 meters. Adeshan widened her eyes in surprise.
“A wh-whip? Is this… a whip?”
“Just as I expected. How about you swing it hard while shouting, ‘You dirty pig!’?”
“Uhh…?”
“It suits you perfectly. Once the word spreads, some might even come to you to deliberately get hit.”
Adeshan groaned in confusion. Ronan didn’t give her the whip solely based on intelligence. The beauty, with her tall stature and haughty appearance, needed to wield a whip. Especially with long leather boots on. As Adeshan fumbled with the whip, she spoke up.
“I don’t know what that means,… but I’ll use it really well. Thank you.”
“It’s alright. Shall we finish training then? I’m feeling a bit worn out too.”
“Yeah, let’s go. But before that, do you want to go somewhere with me for a bit? It won’t take long since it’s within the campus.”
“Huh? Where?”
Ronan raised an eyebrow. After a brief hesitation, Adeshan spoke up.
“…Hill of the Four Seasons. I have something to tell you.”