Academy’s Genius Swordsman

44. Haeju (3)

#44

The worn-out black iron sword had turned into a smooth Ramancha. Ronan swung his sword towards the shadow that was approaching right in front of him. Not just randomly, but following the flowing stream in the air.

spatula.

The shadow split in half. Whoa! Darkness that erupted like blood poured down over his face.

“■■·····!”

“what?!”

Ronan’s eyes widened. Even the person who blew the sword was an unexpected result. A shadow, split in two, fell on either side of Ronan.

‘It was just….’

It was a much faster and more powerful slash than the previous speed. The swordsman, riding on the strange current, proceeded like a sailing ship in a tailwind.

I swung my sword in the empty air again, but it didn’t feel the same as before. The unknown flow was repeatedly disappearing and reappearing in various places in the field of vision.

I need to check later. Ronan thought so and lowered his gaze. A shattered shadow was wriggling at his feet. Ronan asked, trampling the shadows.

“Why did you do that?”

No answer came back. The shadows began to slowly disperse like ashes in the wind. Ronan spit on the floor and muttered nervously.

“Well, I didn’t think it would be so easy to hear.”

The entire landscape that came into view was being disassembled. Ronan closed his eyes as he watched his fingertips crumble like powder. His head was dizzy and it looked like he had shed too much blood.

The voice of the shadow was heard in the dimming consciousness.

“■■ ■■ ■■■■. Ronan.”

“What?!”

Ronan opened his eyes. The blue sky disappeared out of nowhere, and a dark interior spread out in front of me. The dry air smelled of old paper and ink.

“···here is?”

As I narrowed my eyes, I saw the letters written on the ceiling in the distance. It was Separaccio, Secret’s office. However, all the lights that had been illuminating the study were turned off.

‘Have you heard of a robber…?’

Ronan got up slowly and placed his hand on the hilt. The muscles that had been in a fierce battle were still tight and tense. Then I heard someone’s voice from behind.

“Did you enjoy the trip?”

“Hey, that’s a surprise.”

Ronan hurriedly turned his head. Wherever Secret went, an old man with a rather strict impression was sitting in front of the desk. A small candle next to him was coloring the old man’s face in scarlet.

The old man with round glasses was diligently writing something on the paper with a fountain pen. Ronan noticed that he was wearing the same clothes as Secret. With a sigh of relief, Ronan removed his hand from the hilt.

“Huh, it seems it’s night.”

“Yes. It’s been a long year.”

“Why did you turn off all the lights? What about Erzebet? ”

“Shhhhhh…it’s over there.”

Secret, who brought her index finger to her mouth, blinked backwards. As I turned my head, I saw Erzebet curled up on the sofa and sleeping. It seemed like a long time had passed since he fell asleep, as he was covered with a blanket.

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…”

She was stroking the hair that went into her mouth. Sekrit got up from his seat and raised the blanket that had come down to his neck.

“You can go first, but you insist on waiting. If it wasn’t for this child, I wouldn’t have been able to cast magic spells right away. Buy me something delicious later.”

“I guess so.”

Ronan nodded. I felt dizzy like the day after drinking too much. After washing his face dry, he looked at Secret again.

“How long have I been lying down?”

“In a little while, the sun will rise.”

“Damn, I slept a long time.”

Ronan let out a swear word. It was like spending a rough day in the world of imagery. Secret said, raising the glasses over her forehead.

“I’m happy though. Haeju has succeeded.”

“really?”

“okay. Do you want to see that?”

Secret pointed to the floor of the study. It was the place where Ronan lay down with a magic circle.

The three magic circles drawn with chalk were all discolored black. Secret explained that the curse that flowed out of his body was absorbed by the magic circle.

“It must have been difficult, but thank you for doing it well. you screamed over and over again I cried too. It’s a common occurrence during Haeju, but I’m a little worried.”

“… did I cry?”

Ronan hurriedly rubbed the corners of his eyes. There was still water under the swollen eyes. I wonder if every time I trembled in the world of images, there was a riot in reality as well.

“The plague . . . it’s embarrassing.”

Ronan sighed as he looked up at the ceiling and looked at Secret again. There were a lot of things I wanted to say right now, but I decided what I had to say first. Ronan, who had been overcome with emotion, opened his mouth.

“Thank you, Professor. really.”

“Thank you. As always, I just untangled one of the tangled knots.”

“But what exactly has the ban been lifted?”

“Hmm… that’s what you feel best. What has changed from usual?”

“What has changed? ···ah.”

After that, my eyes were no longer itchy. In addition to that fact, Ronan told us about the strange flow he saw in the image world. Secret smiled kindly.

“Heh heh, it looks like you can see Mana.”

“Is that fluttering mana?”

“okay. It’s a distant past, so I can’t remember… When I first succeeded in responding, it seems that I recognized mana in that form. Congratulations.”

Sekrit explained that as his sensitivity developed, he would be able to see mana in a wider and more detailed way. Ronan nodded his head as he watched the flow swirling around Secret.

‘Is the last blow also unconsciously using mana.’

Ronan remembered the blow that cut through the shadows. The mana that should have been cut was not cut as it should have been, but gave strength to it.

The detailed principle was not known. However, Ronan implied that it was similar to how the work becomes easier when sawing along the grain.

‘Good job.’

Ronan laughed. Now that you can see mana instead of magic or aura, there will be many changes, not just battles.

Although nine curses still remained on his body, being happy was a joy. Suddenly, Secret asked a question.

By the way, Ronan, what did you see there?”

“Yes?”

“In your imaginary world. It seems that the process up to Haeju was not smooth.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a little long… well, so…”

Ronan talked about what he had experienced in the image world one by one. The willow tree I couldn’t remember, the quiet Nimburton. Until I met my sister from my childhood and my mother, whom I didn’t remember.

“Hey… you mean the image of Geumje was your hometown in the past? Interesting…”

Sacred dictated Ronan’s words without missing a single word. Ronan was talking about when he had just met his family.

“Wait, did you see yourself, a newborn baby?”

“Yes? By the way.”

“Huh…? Maybe you misunderstood someone else? It is something that you created from your imagination.”

“no. That’s what separates it. Obviously it was me.”

Secret’s eyebrows furrowed. He groaned as if he had discovered a major flaw in his invention.

“What’s wrong?”

“It was unprecedented. The image worlds that originated from the curse take different forms, but they have one thing in common. The main character who traverses that world is the cursed himself.”

Sekrit said that it is common for all kinds of unrealistic and terrible things to happen around the cursed person. Most curses come from malice.

But Ronan saw himself babbling while lying down. Far from being malicious or unrealistic, the scenery he witnessed was surprisingly realistic and calm. He was not the main character of the world he walked through.

“I felt it a while ago, but I think it’s more like someone else’s memory rather than an imaginary world. Go on.”

Secret resumed the memo. Ronan, who had been contemplating for a moment, spoke in a more heavy voice. Even if it was hidden anyway, it wouldn’t be something that could be solved.

“And . . . I saw my father.”

“father?”

“yes. I didn’t see it in person… Judging from the circumstances or whatever, it was definitely my father. It was my father who cursed me, and it was my father who cursed me.”

Ronan described the bizarre shadow that he thought was his father. As the story got longer, Secret’s face hardened.

“So, in summary, I couldn’t see my father, I couldn’t hear his voice, but I was able to feel his emotions as well? Besides, did you witness the scene where your father, in the form of a shadow, cursed you as a newborn baby?”

“That’s correct.”

“Ummm… did you say you had no memory of your father before?”

“yes. Not at all. It was the same with my mother, who I forgot to live with, but this yangban is on a different level.”

Every time I tried to think of the shape of the shadow or the voice, my head hurt. It seemed that only the part of the brain that controls the memory of his father had been cut with a knife.

Come to think of it, I have never questioned the existence of my parents in my entire life. The part where Ronan’s memory begins, that is, in the past when it was recognized as ‘childhood’, the two did not exist anymore.

I should have asked Iril once or twice, but I didn’t even remember that. Secret said.

“Hmm, based on the information so far, it looks like you have your memories sealed.”

“Are your memories sealed?”

“okay. It also matches your symptoms. If the person who put the curse was the father, then that’s convincing enough. I sealed my memories to erase my identity and the fact that I cursed you.”

So, did Iril also have her memories sealed? Ronan asked again.

“Then the willow tree, the mother, seeing me as a newborn baby…”

“It is highly probable that your sealed memories and your father’s memories were mixed with a curse and embodied. When you cursed and sealed your memory, part of your father’s memory was passed on to you. The magic of dealing with memories is often like that.”

“…why did you do that?”

“I don’t know that either. It is difficult to understand the thinking of a person who puts ten curses on the body of a child.”

Sekrit put down the fountain pen and added.

“I don’t even want to understand.”

Ronan laughed bitterly. That’s how the first one ended. Sekrit explained that the two golds revealed so far are probably related to mana.

“Perhaps even if these two bans are lifted, you will be able to handle and feel mana just like everyone else. I will contact you as soon as the research is complete.”

“thanks. I will go now.”

“Yeah, it was hard.”

Secret snapped his fingers in the air. Then the lights all over the study came on at once. Erzebet, who had blinked her eyelids, stretched out and stood up.

“Ugh… are you done?”

“ok. Thank you for waiting.”

“Fufu, this is how Ronan-sama owes me a debt…”

Erzebet let out a small laugh. It seemed that her purpose was to create a debt of her heart to Ronan. At that moment, the hair that had been bitten by her mouth fell to her chest.

“uh···?”

Her dark purple hair was clumped together. Her face was dyed red when she saw her hair somehow moistened.

“Come on, wait a minute. This, this is…!”

“it’s okay. I also drool when I sleep.”

“It can’t be that liquid! You really…”

“Erzebet. do you know how to get back I can’t open the door because my mana is almost gone.”

“yes?”

It was the car that Erzebet was trying to say something. Secret intervened with good timing. Erzebet, who found the opposite sex belatedly, nodded her head somewhat arrogantly.

“Sure. That’s why I waited for that in the first place.”

“Do you have enough mana left?”

“under.”

Erzebet laughed and walked to the bookshelf without saying a word. She pulled out a total of ten books from the bookshelf on the wall. And he chanted the order to the empty seat.

“Delphirim. in Luna. Kashpa.”

-Gugugugugu…

Then the bookshelf began to slowly recede back. Ronan frowned as he saw the narrow hallway that appeared shortly thereafter.

“It’s a really crappy place.”

“It is not for nothing that students are reluctant to interview me.”

On the other side of the undecorated hallway, there was only black darkness. Erzebet, who opened the door, said triumphantly.

“Did you see it?”

“That’s great, Erzebet. It’s like a senior.”

“Hehe, it was nice to meet you, Professor Secret. See you in the next class.”

Upon hearing the praise, Erzebet grinned. Ronan somehow seemed to know how to handle her.

The two entered the hallway holding hands as they did when they arrived. Ronan turned around to say hello and widened his eyes.

“body···.”

“Well? Ah, it looks like the sun is rising.”

Seeing the shrunken hand, Secret grinned. His body was shrinking and being swallowed by his clothes. Secret waved her fluttering sleeves in greeting.

When Ronan, who was walking down the hallway, turned his head again, Secret had returned to the form of a perfect child. A young voice came out of his mouth.

“See you again.”

The darkness seemed to get darker, and then suddenly my eyes brightened. Ronan and Erzebet were standing in the middle of Phileon Plaza, not in a hut in the woods. Ronan, who released his hand, laughed as if he was shocked.

“It’s arbitrary until the very end.”

“Still, this is good enough. I heard that there are students who have been transferred to the lake.”

“her.”

As I inhaled, the fresh morning air filled my lungs. The sun was rising through the jagged spires.

In the warm sunlight illuminating the plaza, Ronan could see mana in its natural state waving like waves.

“I owe you a lot, Erzebet. thank you.”

“I’m glad it was helpful. By the way, do you have the brooch I gave you?”

“Ah, that.”

Then I forgot about it. Ronan rummaged through his inner pocket and pulled out his brooch. It was the first time he had appeared in the world since he received it on the day of the entrance ceremony. Seeing the sparkling brooch, Erzebet smiled.

“Fufu, you always carry it in your arms like that. Even if you are not pampered, the door of Akalusia is always open to Ronan.”

“No, I was just busy and forgot.”

“It’s okay not to hide it. Because not everyone can receive an invitation from a lion. I look forward to the day you visit the castle.”

It was a voice that was certain enough to give me a little fever. Erzebet firmly believed that Ronan would become a member of Akalusia.

Come to think of it, a long time has passed since I received that offer. Erzebet turned around while planning her future route.

“Then, I’ll go see you. Please give my regards to Adeshan.”

“OK.”

“Don’t forget what you owe me.”

Erzebet left with those words and a smile. My first impression wasn’t very good, but I thought he might be a better kid than I thought.

Ronan made his way back to the dormitory, traversing the still awkward, mana-splattered landscape.

On the bed, Sita was sleeping curled up. Ronan muttered as he recalled the bizarre texts that were still wriggling in his body at this moment.

“Nine…”

read from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲

My eyes kept closing. It was fortunate that the first class of the day, hunting art, was in the afternoon.

Ronan fell asleep with his face buried in Sita’s feathers. In the darkness created by the eyelids, I could see a whirlwind of red and blue mana…

****

-Multiple… Polygonal… Polygonal… Polygonal….

When Ronan was just asleep, a carriage entered Phileon’s west gate.

It was a gorgeous hex wagon pulled by six white horses. On the back of the carriage, the pattern of a knight stepping on a dragon was engraved. The wagon came slowly across the still awake lot.

“stop.”

The driver who arrived at the destination pulled the reins. Next to the stopped carriage, the Navardoze coffin, where Ronan lived, boasted its majestic appearance.

“Im here.”

Eventually, the driver who rushed in opened the door, and a tall middle-aged man walked out slowly. It was impressive to see the colorful costumes that covered the body in layers, dark blue hair and a well-groomed mustache.

The man who was scanning the dormitory building with his sharp eyes murmured as if uncomfortable.

“Are you living in a place like this?”

“It’s been a while, Duke. How have you been?”

At that moment, the space in front of the man was torn and an old gentleman appeared. His beard, which ran down his neck, was swaying in the wind. The man who recognized the old gentleman’s face nodded.

“I’m fine, Kratir. How come your magic is getting higher and higher.”

“Heh heh, would you do it as much as the Duke’s dignity? Schlieffen is doing well too.”

“It will be awkward. However, compared to Phileon’s stature, the building looks shabby. Grancia will finance it, so don’t you want to expand it?”

Instead of answering, Phileon’s headmaster Kratir patted his beard and smiled. It was the specification.

The man called the Duke twisted his lips as if he was a bit displeased, but didn’t express it any further. The purpose of today’s visit was not to improve student welfare.

“Thank you for listening to my unreasonable request. I don’t really have time on the weekends.”

“I understand. You are sitting on a very heavy seat.”

“I am aware that I did not allow it because of my position. So, can we meet right now?”

“Well, let’s send someone in. He was such a diligent student, so he probably woke up.”

“No, you don’t have to. I will go up on my own.”

With those words, the duke moved on. A splendidly decorated long sword hung from his waist. One of Blacksmith Doron’s masterpieces. It was a sword Pale Road that had been engulfed in the cold.