Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 366

Chapter 366

Could his sudden sleep be connected to this? Sibelius lightly clenched and unclenched his fist. His physical functions were normal, and his energy and condition weren’t bad. He hadn’t been in any battles recently, so he hadn’t expended much energy. No matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t a health issue. But to consider it a psychological problem seemed unlikely, given how peacefully he had been living lately.

‘There must be a reason.’

If it happened once or twice by chance, it could be ignored, but the fact that the same symptoms kept recurring meant there was a cause. It was never good to ignore such signs. Initially, it was just a guess, but today, losing consciousness felt definitely connected to this phenomenon. If left unchecked, he might collapse somewhere else next time. As Sibelius was lost in thought, seriously considering what else could be the cause,

“……!”

The moment he inadvertently lowered his gaze, his eyes widened. Something like a chain was wrapped around his arm. But it was only for a fleeting moment, and when he checked again, there was no trace of the chain. Still, Sibelius didn’t take his eyes off his arm. His eyes felt hot, but his mind was as cold as if ice water had been poured over it.

‘Was it just a delusion? Or is it…….’

“Sibelius, what’s wrong?”

“……No, it’s nothing…….”

Only after Alisa spoke to him did he relax his stiff face and shrug. The leisurely feeling he had felt inside was now completely gone, but there was no need to make Alisa anxious.

Just then, he felt someone approaching, so he went to the door. He initially tried not to pay attention because of the familiar presence, but the unfamiliar presence following behind bothered him. Opening the door just as they arrived, he saw two people looking at him with surprised eyes. One was his distant descendant, as he had already guessed, and the other was…….

“Why did he come?”

Sibelius pointed to the crimson-haired man behind Asel with a nonchalant expression. Raon Hwizen’s eyebrows twitched for a moment at the blatant and rude remark, but then calmed down. Only Asel, caught in the middle, smiled awkwardly.

“I had something to tell you, and he said he wanted to come along.”

“Is it related to that guy summoning you?”

“Similar.”

Asel had just gone out after hearing that Raon Hwizen was looking for him. He had been studying, but Sibelius let him go without a word when the Crown Prince, who had been holed up in the barracks recently, was looking for him. Even though he seemed to be showing a cold attitude, he knew that Asel was more worried about his friend than anyone else.

‘Still, I didn’t expect him to come together.’

The barracks Sibelius had made was a perfect space only for them, where only those he permitted could enter. Until now, he had never brought anyone else into this space. When Asel came, he thought of him as a relative since he was of the same bloodline. But the Crown Prince was just another person. A complete stranger with no connection to him. At any other time, he would have felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t feel particularly unpleasant. He just felt a little strange. It was a bit like when the squirrel that used to give him food brought a friend one day.

“Hmm, I don’t know what it is, but come on in.”

Asel’s face brightened at the readily given permission. On the other hand, Raon Hwizen only showed a displeased expression. However, the moment he stepped inside, his sullen face quickly changed to a surprised one. It was only natural, as a splendid space, no less impressive than a mansion, unfolded inside the ordinary barracks.

“What is this…….”

“Amazing, isn’t it? It’s Sibelius’s ability. I was so surprised when I first saw it…….”

Asel chattered excitedly as if he were boasting. Raon Hwizen, who nodded blankly, walked around as if possessed, touching here and there. He wondered if the space had been transferred, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Rather, it felt closer to a virtual world created around this place.

“How did you do this? It doesn’t seem like magic.”

“It’s sorcery.”

Raon Hwizen’s eyes widened at Sibelius’s answer.

“Sorcery? Isn’t that the ability to curse someone? Is it possible to do this with sorcery?”

“That’s dark sorcery. ‘Is it possible?’ How many types of sorcery are there? That’s like saying a wizard can only do ranged attacks.”

It was a metaphor aimed at him, a wizard. Raon Hwizen, lost for words, closed his mouth, then noticed Alisa watching them intently and made a flustered expression.

“Welcome, Your Highness. It seems like it’s been a while.”

“Ah, it seems so. Excuse me for a moment.”

Unlike Alisa, who smiled and spoke smoothly, Raon Hwizen’s attitude was stiffer than ever. After an awkward greeting, he pressed his lips tightly and silently sat down on the armchair he was guided to. Even as Sibelius prepared a simple refreshment and brought it over, his stiff face did not relax. He looked angry, but Asel, who had been watching him from the side for a long time, interpreted the expression more accurately. It was a look of self-reproach for being caught in an embarrassing situation by someone he wanted to look reliable to. For his friend, who was only big in size but still had a long way to go, Asel subtly stepped in.

“But actually, I’m a bit unfamiliar with the concept of sorcery. I’ve seen cases where priests of the Mana attribute use it, but I’ve never encountered it generally. So I thought only priests could use it.”

“Strictly speaking, sorcery is a spiritual ability. So priests mainly use it. But anyone can access it if they know the method. In a broad sense, the astrology you’ve learned is also in this category.”

“Really? Is that so?”

“You’re looking at the movements of the stars and reading the flow and destiny of the world. That’s usually connected to the realm of the gods. That’s why priests also learn astrology and astronomy, right?”

“Well, yes. I think I heard that those two subjects are included in the theological advanced course. I hadn’t thought about that connection.”

“Well, that’s how it is. Besides that, many of the things people know as superstitions are actually sorcery. Most of them are just used clumsily, so they don’t activate well.”

“That sounds like anyone can do it if they use it properly.”

“It’s almost the same. If you know how to open a door, anyone can open it, right? It’s the same as that.”

“Wow……! Then anyone can become a sorcerer?”

“How can such an ability……!”

Asel and Raon Hwizen gasped without realizing it. Abilities were originally innate powers. They were valued because not everyone could have them, and they became objects of people’s respect and fear. But a sorcerer could be anyone. Considering the power Sibelius had shown, it was a seriously enormous thing. Seeing the two people stiffened by shock, Sibelius also made an understanding expression.

“Well, if you only hear this, it sounds like an ability you get for free. But I said you have to know how to open the door, right? I didn’t say that was particularly easy.”

“Ah, so you need some kind of training.”

“Of course. Sorcery formulas generally have strict and difficult activation conditions. Someone who hasn’t learned properly can’t readily do it. Of course, the power exerted also varies greatly depending on talent. Besides, I said this is a spiritual ability. It’s a very rough power for those with a physical body, so if you use it incorrectly in a state where you can’t protect yourself, it’s very dangerous. You’ll have all your vitality taken away and die while languishing. So sorcerers usually learn defense techniques first.”

“If it’s defense techniques, are you perhaps talking about what I’m learning?”

“Yeah, that’s right, that.”

“I see. It’s really amazing in many ways.”

“This is very basic. It seems like sorcerers are really rare these days. But there used to be quite a few in the past. Well, it’s a dangerous power if you can’t handle it well, so there’s been an atmosphere of trying to keep it in check.”

Muttering to himself, Sibelius suddenly turned his head, startled by the stinging gaze. Asel was looking up at him with eyes so sparkling they were almost burdensome.

“What, what is it?”

“Um, since I’m learning defense techniques, can I also become a sorcerer later?”

“You want to become a sorcerer?”

“If I can, I want to.”

“Hmm.”

“Ah, is it not possible?”

“Well, there’s no reason why not. You have innate talent too.”

“Do I have talent?”

“What nonsense are you saying when you have unicorn blood? You even have spiritual sight. There’s no better talent for a sorcerer than that. If you can see the spirit world, it’s easy to approach.”

“Th, then……!”

“First, practice your defense techniques diligently. You stopped studying halfway today, didn’t you? What did I tell you to do every day?”

“You told me to recite the sorcery text you wrote down ten times every day! You told me to repeatedly read the sorcery text’s decryption book from time to time!”

“Do you know why I told you to do that?”

“Th…… isn’t it so I can perfectly understand the contents of the sorcery text?”

“That’s right. That’s it.”

After nodding satisfactorily, Sibelius continued his explanation.

“Sorcery is basically the power of words. How accurately you can use a sentence is the source of drawing out this power. That accurate sentence doesn’t just mean pronunciation. Of course, pronunciation is also important.”

“So, you mean to understand the exact meaning of the sentence.”

“That’s right. The deeper your understanding, the more your words will become a divine language. Later, you’ll be able to put a little power into your words even if they’re not sorcery words. If you’re not careful, you might bring disaster upon yourself with the words you speak…….”

The explanation was not completed. Sibelius, as if embarrassed by something, paused and then closed his mouth. Asel, who had been listening intently to his serious expression, and Raon Hwizen, who had been concentrating as well, were both bewildered.

“Sibelius?”

“……Huh? What?”

“Why are you suddenly like that? Is something wrong?”

“Um, no. I just spaced out for a moment……. Well, let’s stop talking about sorcery for now. That’s not what we were originally going to talk about, right? Didn’t you say you had something to say?”

“Ah, that’s right!”

Only then did Asel remember his business and fussed about. Sibelius, who was clicking his tongue and drinking tea, spat it out as soon as he heard the next words.

“I heard everything from His Majesty! I heard that El is the Spirit King!”

“……Ptoo! Ah, sorry.”

“…….”

The tea he spat out splashed directly onto Raon Hwizen’s face, who was in front of him. After a moment of silence, Raon Hwizen took out a handkerchief from his pocket and silently wiped his face.

“Couldn’t you give me time to prepare myself mentally before saying something like that? More than that, did you go to Isana?”

“Yes! Isn’t it rumored that His Majesty is the contractor of the Spirit King? It turns out that Crown Prince was there at the scene. So I said let’s confirm the truth together.”

“……You’re surprisingly brave, you know. Still, it seems Isana gave you a proper answer. Well, it’s past the time to just hide it. Do you feel better now that you know the truth?”

“Of course not! Do you know how surprised I was? El is the Spirit King!”

“Why are you so surprised now? You already knew El wasn’t ordinary.”

“Ye, yes, but I never thought he would be the Spirit King! The Spirit King is a being close to God! It’s not an area that can be imagined with human common sense!”

“So you misunderstood him as a dragon? Is that the most amazing race in human common sense?”

“Well, somehow……. They appear a lot in adventure novels. So something like a romance I’ve been cultivating since I was a child…….”

“What a thing to be.”

“What do you mean ‘what a thing to be’! That’s not true! The dragons’ games are a part that is significantly dealt with among historians! The wisdom and abilities they convey are called the devil’s treasure. They can make an empire prosper or perish in an instant! Anyone who has seen that vivid record can’t help but crave their existence! Right, Your Highness? They are especially objects of admiration for wizards, aren’t they?”

Raon Hwizen also nodded vigorously to Asel, who was making a fuss and seeking agreement. Sibelius, who was watching the scene with a pathetic look, leaned back on the backrest.

“Okay. I’ll tell Lapis that you like them so much. I don’t know if she’ll like it.”

“Yes? Lapis?”

“She’s a dragon. The dragon you crave who is in the middle of that game.”

“…….”

The feeling is very different from what you imagined, right? The two couldn’t answer even after the following words. The Spirit King and the Dragon. Besides, the one in front of them is actually the legendary unicorn. Come to think of it, there were also the demons. Asel kept washing his face with his dry hands and couldn’t keep his body still as he looked at the air. Raon Hwizen, who was completely out of his mind, was repeating the words “Dragon…… there was a dragon in front of me?” like a broken machine. After calming down the confusion after a long time, Asel looked at Alisa with a serious expression.

“So, what race is Alisa?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Now that we’ve come this far, it’s okay to tell us honestly. I won’t be surprised even if you say you’re a god.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m a god.”

“……! Really?!?!?”

“Just kidding.”

“…….”

The air that had been heated up with astonishment cooled down in an instant. Alisa laughed at the dumbfounded expressions of the two men.

“You said you wouldn’t be surprised, but you are. Unfortunately, I’m just a human. Are you disappointed because I’m ordinary?”

“N, no way.”

“Why, I think you might be disappointed. Now that you know that El is the Spirit King, you must know what happened to the miracles I’ve caused.”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”