〈 Chapter 309 〉 What the Star Wishes For (2)
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Raniel van Trias doesn’t particularly like stars.
However, it’s not to the level of hatred.
Raniel wouldn’t go so far as to think about bringing down the stars like Kelharlem or Gletus. To her, stars are just a kind of rule. One can’t really be angry at the natural order of the world, can they?
She doesn’t believe in them. She doesn’t prefer them either. Yet, she doesn’t hate them. They’re just a bit uncomfortable. Raniel’s perception of stars was just that much.
But now.
“Unbelievable.”
That perception is about to change.
Raniel gritted her teeth and tightened her grip.
“What? After everything, you’re coming just for a contract? What the hell?”
Doubts about the stars continued to pile up.
The fairness of it is now in question.
In the midst of this, Raniel feels irritated at the sight of the star’s agent appearing before her. The old wooden staff in her hand groaned as she squeezed it tightly.
“If you’re going to come, then hurry up. You always run away at the important moments…”
Raniel pulled the staff.
She thrust it towards the Mage of Ancient Dragons.
“This is always how it goes. What the hell are you trying to do?”
“It’s not your place to meddle, Raniel van Trias.”
The Mage of Ancient Dragons, Yormun, stared at Raniel with a blank expression. His slit pupils were chillingly cold.
“The Hero, Kyle Toven, made a deal with the stars. He accepted the conditions and constraints of his own will. If he now tries to reject those conditions…”
Yormun’s golden eyes glistened.
“There will be consequences. That too was part of the contract.”
The contract has been made.
Refusing it leads to consequences.
‘…That is the condition.’
Raniel mulled over Yormun’s words.
She knew that such formal constraints existed as well. By attaching powerful restrictions, the benefits one could receive through the transaction would be maximized.
“…”
Raniel silently glared at Kyle.
“What the hell did you bargain for?”
“…”
“What did you agree to, to accept such conditions? Are you a fool? What kind of nonsense…”
He loses control over his will and physical body.
Kyle accepted conditions close to a subjugation contract.
And he placed every possible disadvantageous restriction upon himself.
‘What on earth are you trying to gain by going this far?’
Raniel couldn’t understand.
The number of cases where a hero made a deal with the stars is exceedingly rare, let alone what one could possibly gain that would require such restrictions.
“Hey, Kyle.”
Raniel grabbed Kyle by his collar as he knelt on the ground. She pressed him with questions, wanting answers from the silent Kyle.
“What did you bind yourself to?”
“…I did bind myself.”
“Did you accumulate stars or was it when you fought Ganikalt that you received something…?”
Kyle quietly shook his head.
“That’s different. Collecting stars was my choice, and Ganikalt was cut off from the stars entirely.”
“Then what did you… no, forget it.”
Raniel shouted in irritation.
“I don’t know what you got first, but just give up. Let it go. Throw back what you received and cancel the contract for now. No matter how I see it, these conditions are odd, right? Let’s cancel it and start anew from scratch. I’ll help you out…”
Kyle looked at Raniel silently.
‘Let it go, Ran.’
Thinking of those words, Kyle smiled bitterly.
“That can’t happen.”
“…What?”
“Just move aside, Raniel.”
“What do you mean…?”
“If you won’t move, then at least bow down.”
Kyle murmured as he raised his hand.
The chains binding him snapped with a crack, snap. It was the moment Yormun narrowed his eyes. Kyle reached out and grabbed Raniel’s arm.
“I’ll break it.”
Swish, the chains surrounding Kyle were severed.
2.
Before long, Kyle held the Holy Sword in his hand.
With the Holy Sword cutting through the chains, Kyle stood up and faced the Mage of Ancient Dragons staring at him.
“What are you trying to do, Kyle Toven?”
“The First Hero said so.”
Kyle exhaled sharply.
“Don’t live as the slave of the stars. So, I wanted to be a bit proud.”
Holding the Holy Sword, Kyle continued.
“I will fulfill my part of the contract. However, I want to change the conditions.”
“…Change the conditions?”
“You’ll see. I have become a superhuman. This is something the stars did not foresee, and it means my worth has increased. It signifies that the value of what I paid has risen.”
“And so?”
“I demand a change in the conditions.”
“Do you think that’s possible?”
“I think it is.”
Kyle spoke calmly.
“Your position is not so dignified either.”
Kyle reflected on the contents of the contract.
A contract plastered with various conditions and restrictions.
But at its center is ultimately a trade. Kyle voiced what he desired from the stars. The stars agreed to grant his wishes if he overcame two trials.
The first trial is, in fact, Ganikalt, the Death’s Blade.
“As for overcoming the trial, the stars cooperated with me. As long as I keep the restrictions, the stars would bestow corresponding power upon me. They said so clearly.”
However, Kyle continued.
“I overcame the trial solely with my own power. You should’ve known this if you were watching, right?”
To face Ganikalt, Kyle had accumulated starlight for a long time. However, at the moment he faced death, the stars offered no assistance. Kyle faced death with solely his own strength and skills.
“The stars also did not properly fulfill the contract.”
Isn’t that right? Kyle posed the question.
Yormun watched Kyle silently. His gaze then shifted to Raniel standing behind him. A figure who, like himself, qualified as a guide.
One cannot easily overlook the eyes of a guide.
“…What a bother.”
The Mage of Ancient Dragons sighed.
He looked up to the sky.
“What exactly are you properly doing? Didn’t I say to call me in definite situations? What am I, some kind of mediator? What the hell is this…”
Yormun realized he had been pulled onto a stage that was entirely different from what he had envisioned and let out another long sigh. He then turned back to face Kyle.
“Alright, that’s a reasonable suggestion. If the changed conditions are just, I’ll agree.”
Stars twinkled above Yormun’s head, but he muttered, ‘Just shut up for now.’ dismissing the voice of the stars.
“Speak of what you wish.”
“You may take the control of my body, but I wish to retain control over my consciousness.”
“That’s a fair demand. Yes, I will accept that.”
Just as he was about to finish speaking, Yormun stroked his chin.
“Wait, what about emotions?”
“All of them.”
“That should’ve been something you requested.”
Kyle smiled bitterly.
“It doesn’t matter. All of them.”
Fear, anger, regret.
If all emotions were severed, he could become a superhuman like Raniel. Once he thought that way. But now, it’s different. Kyle nodded vehemently, as if relieved.
“If you desire, I’ll grant that.”
Yormun’s expression turned sour.
Then he struck the ground with his staff. A passage leading to the city of Ancient Dragons opened up. Beyond it was the audience chamber of the royal castle where Yormun resided.
“Let’s discuss the remaining matters inside. There are things I need to convey to you as well. Come in.”
The Mage was the first to go through the passage.
Just as Kyle was about to follow, he turned to look back. There, Raniel was looking at him with a suspicious gaze.
“Raniel.”
Seeing his changed friend, Kyle said.
“I guess we’ll see each other again. When that time comes…”
After a moment of silence, Kyle opened his mouth again.
“Then, I believe I can apologize to you.”
“Who puts off an apology like that?”
“Who knows? I’ve seen a wizard throw a punch and say he is sorry, so maybe there’s someone out there who delays their apology.”
Feeling a bit startled, Raniel flinched at her shoulder.
“…Are you not going to tell me what kind of contract you made?”
“I’ll tell you then.”
“Seems like there’s a lot you’re hiding, you bastard.”
Leaving behind grumbling Raniel, Kyle passed through the door. As she observed his retreating figure, Raniel considered following him, but sighed as she realized someone had to remain behind to report the situation.
“Hey, Sara…?”
Just as Raniel was about to leave with Sara, someone brushed past her in a swish. The pink hair blocked Raniel’s view.
“Where do you think you’re going alone?”
Just as the passage Kyle just passed was about to close, Sara dashed towards it. The passage swallowed her up without a trace.
“…What’s going on?”
An event unfolded before her in a way she couldn’t intervene.
She felt somewhat like an outcast. Standing there dumbfounded for a moment, she turned her head as she sensed another presence.
“…Were you here?”
“I’ve been here since earlier.”
Remia the Archery Master blinked as she looked at Raniel.
“But, human.”
“What?”
“Why does everyone call you Raniel? Are you, in fact, Raniel? It seems to match with what Kyle is saying.”
Raniel slightly parted her lips.
Thwap, she lightly slapped her forehead.
“Seriously, you ask questions way too fast, don’t you?”
3.
Belnoa watched.
She saw Chloe drawing up starlight to fight against the Cursed Dragon in the sky. She witnessed the knights rushing in to protect her. And, Belnoa saw the moment when all their efforts became futile.
Fwump.
The fire unleashed by the Cursed Dragon incinerated the knights.
The flames transformed into searing heat and pierced through Chloe’s side.
“Chloe!”
As Belnoa butchered through the surging ghouls to reach Chloe, she found her crawling on the ground, bleeding. Belnoa, carrying her on her back, fled.
Two fingers, if that’s not enough, then her arms. If that still wouldn’t work, then even her broken fingers.
Using everything she had, Belnoa ran away.
With Chloe on her back, she broke through the horde of ghouls, escaping the fiery breaths launched from the sky. But even that reached its limit.
Thud.
Giving everything she had, to distort the trajectory of the heat, Belnoa twisted her legs as well. But she could no longer run. Crawling on the ground was not an option.
Belnoa looked down at Chloe who had collapsed.
Crawling and dragging her broken arm, she embraced her. Chloe’s body felt cold. Her complexion was pale. Belnoa looked down at her hands holding Chloe.
Wet.
Red blood oozed out.
It wasn’t her blood.
It was Chloe’s blood. The amount of bleeding was severe. Belnoa’s fingers trembled. As various thoughts flashed through her mind, Chloe slowly opened her eyes.
“Bel…noa.”
“Chloe!”
“Let go of this.”
Gently, she pushed Belnoa away.
Unsteady, Chloe stood up. Drops of blood fell, staining the snow red.
“Chloe, you…”
“I need to stop it.”
Chloe raised her head.
Even while dripping with cold sweat, she was glaring at the Cursed Dragon floating in the sky. Her gaze was unwavering. Gripping her side where a hole had opened, she attempted to draw a circuit with her trembling fingertips.
Pop.
Belnoa grabbed Chloe by the neck, trying to draw the circuit. Standing firmly on her broken leg, she pulled Chloe down, knocking her over.
Kiyiiii!
The scorching heat that was shot narrowly missed the spot where Chloe was just standing. The piled-up snow melted away, revealing bubbling ground.
“You’re trying to face that?”
Belnoa said as she toppled Chloe over.
“Are you really going to challenge that?”
“…Yeah.”
“If you start drawing mana, it will react immediately. You’ll die. You will truly die.”
Belnoa grabbed Chloe’s fingers attempting to gather mana. She shouted.
“You have to run away!”
“I can’t run away.”
“You must escape. It’s not possible. You’ll lose.”
“Still, I have to.”
“You’ll die!”
Belnoa yelled.
For her, the top priority is survival. When it’s dangerous, she runs away, and when she thinks she can’t win, she hides her body and promises for the next time.
That is Belnoa’s way.
“You can see it, right?”
But.
“You can hear it, can’t you?”
Chloe pointed with her hand towards something. There were refugees fleeing while screaming. Knights standing to halt the ghouls.
Their gazes naturally turned towards Chloe.
They look at the young hero present here.
With an expectation that she will do something. Chloe cannot bear to evade their gazes. Just like some hero did long ago.
“I…”
Chloe pushed Belnoa away.
“I must be a hero.”
Belnoa’s expression rotted away.
Just as he was about to shout to Chloe.
“I said the arrival would be delayed but, as expected, this has happened.”
A voice resounded from somewhere.
Crunch, the sound of stepping on snow echoed. Belnoa slowly raised her head. There stood a youth dressed in an old-fashioned robe.
“Is it the offspring of the Black Dragon? I heard you were buried in the Old Castle, but it seems you’ve been resurrected. Naturally, it must be the doing of that insane girl.”
There was no high or low in the voice.
It was a voice devoid of emotion. Belnoa had heard that voice somewhere before. The name Lrutia came to mind, a professor who once resided in Apuria.
And, Belnoa recalled the identity.
The Mage of a fallen nation.
An individual who had become a superhuman in madness, breaking down walls.
“I’ll join.”
The Braver, Kelharlem.
He snapped his fingers.
Hundreds of circuits filled the area.
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