〈 Chapter 333 〉 Given Time (2)

*

The unexpected change came suddenly.

“······.”

Rania looked at her arm with half-open eyes. A snowy white arm. Today, it seemed even thinner, and there was barely any strength in it. It wasn’t just her arm.

Her body lacked strength.

Her vision was blurred, and she felt endlessly fatigued.

It was far from fatigue caused by mana depletion. It was something a little more fundamental. As Rania kept nodding off due to the sleep that washed over her, she lifted her head at the sound of the door opening.

“Ah, Master···.”

Rania let out a weak smile for no reason.

Rosel, seeing her unusually weakened smile, felt a slight shake in his gaze.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I keep feeling drowsy, but I don’t think anything hurts particularly.”

That’s a lie.

Both Rania, who was saying it, and Rosel, who was hearing it, knew it was false. Rania had just gotten up and bled. No human could vomit blood without pain.

“······.”

Rosel sat down silently beside Rania.

He tidied up the disheveled blanket, put a pillow behind Rania, and exhaled lightly.

“Rest. I’ve informed Aaron.”

“Yes, Master.”

“You look tired, so try to sleep. I’ll be right here.”

“It’s alright if you have something to do.”

“Do you think anything will be done when you look like this?”

Rania smiled bitterly.

“I think I’ll feel a bit better after a day of rest.”

A night passed.

The next day, Rania’s condition had not improved. If anything, it had worsened. Every time she coughed, she spat out blood, and her complexion turned pale to the point of looking utterly white.

It was the appearance of someone dying.

Rosel’s expression also darkened.

Rania, who had been coughing all day, finally fell into a fitful sleep, and only after confirming her breathing had stabilized did Rosel leave her side.

Help was needed.

Rosel reached out to someone.

2.

Master of the Black Tower, Yetual.

An expert in the circuits’ engravings and also a master-level alchemist, he was skilled in healing. Especially when it comes to treatments related to mages… at least within this royal capital, no one surpasses Yetual.

Yetual headed straight to the mansion at Rosel’s call. His piled-up work and schedule might have seemed light, but he canceled everything. It was a matter worth that level of attention.

‘···That strict fellow.’

Rosel van Trias.

He pleaded with Yetual as though begging.

It was the first time in the over several decades that he had known Rosel that he had experienced such a thing. To see that high-and-mighty mage completely humble himself to ask someone for help?

Unbelievable, but when Yetual heard the details, he could only nod. It was about the state of the Ashen Mage.

There were many debts to repay to the Ashen.

Thus, without any compensation, Yetual responded to the summons. He arrived at the mansion and locked eyes with Rania, who was leaning against the bed.

“······.”

At that moment, Yetual fell silent.

The girl sitting on the edge of the bed was excessively pale. The once lively energy about her was utterly gone. Her eyes, once shining blue, now appeared dull. Her ashen hair, which used to flow sleekly, looked frazzled.

She had become excessively weakened.

“Let’s see···.”

Yetual swallowed his words.

Silently, he sat beside Rania and began to examine her. The examination didn’t take long. After a precise check-up using a magical tool, Yetual repeatedly opened and closed his mouth.

“···I don’t even know where to start, so I’ll take it slow and examine things one by one.”

Yetual spoke with difficulty.

“Your heart, and the circuit tightening around it. You know this structure puts a considerable strain on your body as well.”

Rania said nothing.

Ignoring her silence, Yetual continued.

“Your body is already at its limit. It has likely been at its limit for a long time. I can only loosely speculate that this may relate to your retirement… anyway.”

Yetual exhaled briefly.

“You’ve overexerted a body that was already pushed to its limit. This strange mana leaking from the circuit… You’ve been using it often, haven’t you?”

The ashen mana.

Mana of strange quality.

“This isn’t mana that can be handled by a human body. Just handling it means damaging your flesh. But, it doesn’t seem to stop there.”

It’s a worn-out soul.

Scarred, barely restored… it was a soul that wouldn’t be surprising if it shattered at any moment. This mana puts a burden on the spirit.

“Just once or twice should be fine.”

The burden isn’t great at once.

Time may allow it to recover, but Rania didn’t allow her body and spirit to rest. She constantly wore herself down. She constantly overexerted herself.

She fought countless formidable foes.

Faced with formidable opponents, she ground her bones and flesh down.

She fought without hesitation against those who stimulated the curse coiled around her heart, and was exposed to demonic energy up close.

“The human spirit and flesh aren’t machines. They need to be allowed to rest at the right moments, and if they’re injured, they must be preserved.”

Accumulated strain.

“You must have run tirelessly. For years, inciting your body to its limits… cutting into your lifespan. And now, you have finally fallen.”

It ultimately tripped Rania.

The one who had been running without rest had finally stumbled.

“Ordinary people might be able to take a break and rise again, but…”

Yetual shook his head.

“You are not.”

Rania van Trias is the exception.

This is usually how the end of a hero, who has only run forward, tends to look. Yetual felt a bitter taste fill his mouth as he had to speak the final fate awaiting one called a hero.

“Your given time is pointing towards an end.”

Even if she could rise again.

“There’s not much time left.”

While hearing those words, Rosel could no longer bear it and left the room. Creeeak, thud. As the door closed and silence settled, Rania turned her head.

She did not look at Yetual.

Rania was staring out the window.

Yetual could not see the expression reflected in the window. Only Rania could verify that expression. Rania looked at herself in the mirror.

She was making an expression she had never seen before.

*

Yetual left the mansion.

When Rosel returned, he sat in silence beside Rania. After a long silence, Rania finally spoke.

“Master.”

“···Speak.”

“Can I be alone for a little while?”

Rosel did not ask further.

“If you need anything, call for me.”

“Yes.”

Rosel opened the door and left.

Left alone, Rania looked outside.

The sunset was unfolding. Summer had come to an end, and autumn was beginning. The leaves were starting to change color.

Someday.

Someday, she thought it might come to this.

Rania wasn’t oblivious to this situation either. She knew she was overexerting her body and that eventually she would come to a halt. She knew, but…

‘···It’s fast.’

Faster than she expected.

Rania calculated the time she had left. Until now, she had never stated it aloud. She had been hesitant to articulate that time.

But now she had to face it.

Originally, it was a little over three years.

However, her body was broken, and her soul bore a tremendous burden. Though Yetual hadn’t noticed, Rania knew it wasn’t just that.

‘The shadow.’

The filth coiled around her heart.

Recently, having faced those connected to the shadows, Rania could vaguely grasp its true nature.

What she had embedded in her body was a seed.

She had merely been suppressing the seed from sprouting. But now that her body had weakened, the seed was attempting to sprout.

‘I have to suppress it.’

Her shattered body couldn’t be left to rest.

She had to continue suppressing the seed.

However, it had become impossible to completely shut down the constantly provoked seed. The seed would gnaw at her spirit and flesh and consume her lifespan.

The given time was shrinking.

How much time did she have left?

Rania voiced it out loud.

“Half a year.”

At most, half a year.

In reality, it would be even shorter.

‘Half a year.’

That was far too little time. It was far less than she had anticipated. Rania realized her meticulously laid plans had completely collapsed.

To witness the graduation of her students.

To pave the way for those children.

To lead them up to the Demon Lord now seemed impossible. They needed a little more time, but she herself had no more time left.

Grit.

Rania bit her lip.

Blood flowed from her tightly bitten lip. Two figures flickered in her mind. One was the elder waiting for death…

「I…」

The other was.

「I seem to have already achieved my dreams.」

Galahal.

The image of Galahal, who had been smiling in front of the statue, echoed in Rania’s mind. The fate he had met filled her thoughts. Rania secretly hoped she could meet the same fate as Galahal.

Leaving something behind.

Achieving her goal.

A death that carves its mark in the world.

She did not even wish for a peaceful life.

To meet a fate like Galahal’s seemed like the biggest dream she could ever wish for.

“···Ugh.”

But now, even that had become impossible.

Rania looked at her unmoving arm. Recovery would take a long time. Time was already scarce, and it was being wasted in such a place.

Move.

Time is precious.

Even the remaining time…

Thinking so, she tried to muster her arm, but her fingers merely curled slightly. Rania’s face twisted. She leaned her head back.

Her face reflected in the window.

The face shown in the window was filled with fear. It was trembling in terror. It was an expression she had never seen before.

…Even those with a strong mental fortitude.

Regardless of whether one fears death or not, that sentiment is fleeting. It’s entirely different to not fear the approach of death and to feel the slow encroachment of death.

Death approaches.

Death casts its shadow over her head.

As she calculated her remaining time precisely, Rania distinctly felt the impending death coming closer. She felt fear at the approaching end.

She had to admit it now.

The time given to her was pointing towards an end.

And she was terrified of it.

3.

Kyle Toven opened his eyes.

When seeing the world with one eye, the view becomes somewhat narrow. However, even with that narrowed view, Kyle sees what he must see.

Stars are shining.

The shining stars signaled that the time had come for Kyle. Having now stopped blindly following their guidance, Kyle understood and comprehended the information given by the stars with his own thoughts.

Grit.

Kyle slowly stood up.

Beside him was Sara.

“Kyle.”

“···Were you awake?”

“Of course.”

Sara smiled.

“This is actually a secret, but I can’t sleep deeply. While you thought I was out for a walk, I was always awake. Even then.”

“···Is that so?”

“It’s a habit. I got it from church.”

Sara giggled and poked Kyle in the side.

“Even if I try to stop you, you’ll do it anyway, right?”

“···Yeah.”

“That’s right. All this time I’ve been yelling at you, and seeing that it hasn’t fazed you… I thought this would happen. You’re stubborn as a mule.”

Sara sighed deeply.

“It can’t be helped.”

Before Kyle, Sara took a step forward.

Standing before him, Sara turned back.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”

“···Are you thinking of following me?”

“A priest should be where the God (？) is.”

The priest serving only one person smiled.

“Let’s go all the way. Let’s see what happens.”

Kyle couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

Kyle positioned himself beside Sara.

It was no longer the usual pattern where Kyle led, and Sara followed. Instead, they stood side by side, walking towards the door in equal stride.

Waiting at the door was a dragon.

The wingless dragon gazed into Kyle’s eyes. It was the gaze of one who had made up their mind. Even a dragon devoid of pride can bow respectfully to a noble knight. The dragon lowered its head.

Rumble!

The great door creaked loudly.

Boom, the massive door opened, and the starlight gathered in the room flowed all into Kyle’s holy sword.

A sword shining with starlight.

Clutching the holy sword, Kyle walked forward.

“Let’s go.”

Kyle spoke.

“To repay the debt that hasn’t been settled.”

The hero and the saint moved ahead.

*