The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 218

218

Now devoid of visitors and management, the Arolelle Stone Cave emanated a desolate atmosphere, a far cry from any sacred aura.

The lush jungle of central Adrion, famed for its tropical climate, completely enveloped the cave’s exterior.

The roots of colossal trees pierced and snaked around the structures, while vines and moss had claimed the few remaining intact stone towers.

“According to Ovin’s memories, Elamas’s real name is Elsara. She was the youngest Apostle of the Fairy Race.”

Elsara?

I recalled hearing about her from the wandering priest Simian during the Era of Upheaval.

She was an Apostle from 500 years ago, roughly 200 years before the present day.

She was known as the Apostle of the Sunryung because of her mastery over fire magic.

I remembered that story from when I stood before the Shalesarum statue in the Lanoa Grand Church; it was said they shared a father-daughter-like bond.

‘So, Elamas was Elsara….’

But something doesn’t quite add up.

They were like father and daughter, and according to Simian, she accomplished incredible feats. How could she become the second pillar of the Black Church?

The image of Toureina’s final smile flashed in my mind, and my doubts began to fade.

‘Yes, the minds of sentient beings are fragile… even those of fairies.’

The jungle, a sea of green, swayed in the humid breeze, filled with the sounds of insects, birds, and beasts.

“Aru….”

As Setsunen shivered, Seresia’s fabric, sensing her body temperature, noticeably thinned and cooled.

“Aru?”

Seemingly enjoying the coolness, the Great Golden Dragon burrowed deeper into Seresia, nestled in my arms, peeking out with only her face visible.

“Aru!”

There’s no need to worry about the fabric stretching or tearing. Seresia’s material is incredibly flexible.

“Did you learn that from Aki too?”

“Aru?”

Setsunen tilted her head adorably, and despite my heavy heart, a smile touched my lips.

“……”

Ovin, who had recently regained consciousness, stared at us blankly. He awkwardly smiled and looked away when our eyes met.

“What, do you want to hold her too?”

“I, I’m alright. I have a younger sibling, so I’ve held babies before.”

“It’s okay. Go ahead and hold her.”

I gently lifted Setsunen from Seresia and placed her in his arms.

“Aruuuuuuuuuuu….”

Setsunen puffed out her cheeks, seemingly displeased at being removed from the warmth of the clothing, but she was calmer than Aki at that age and settled comfortably in Ovin’s arms.

Moreover, Ovin seemed quite experienced in holding babies, as if he truly had a younger sibling. He held her with a natural ease.

For some reason, Ovin’s eyes welled up as he gazed down at Setsunen.

“……”

Valensidice, who had been watching Ovin with a hint of pity, spoke again.

“What Elamas has been spreading throughout the kingdom under the guise of purifying the plague is actually the Great Star Formation. Once activated, Solond will become a land consumed by the plague.”

This was what Shalesarum had told me before.

To neutralize the formation, we must reach the Sun Palace Bara within Solond’s royal city.

I held in my hand a red dragon scale the size of an adult’s palm.

– This is my last piece of flesh. Take this and enter the barrier. Its power will then break on its own.

Whether the Great Star Formation activates first, or we reach the royal capital in time, it will be a race against time.

“It’s astonishing that the Adrion continent has stood by while the situation deteriorated to this point,” Miria said, her expression bewildered.

She had often visited the Adrion continent to deal with goblins, but she was unaware that Solond’s situation had become so dire.

She had heard rumors of a strange disease spreading, making people hesitant to travel there, but in just half a year….

“It’s understandable that you wouldn’t know. Spreading the plague in the form of a soul-devouring disease is a cunning tactic.”

“Cunning?”

“If word spreads that a plague is rampant, people will be reluctant to visit and will shun those who come from there.”

“So, information is suppressed by default.”

“Exactly. It remains concealed until the situation becomes critical. By the way, the witches of the Southern Republic seem remarkably cautious?”

Valensidice shook his head at my question.

“Solond is an independent kingdom, not affiliated with the Republic. There are ample reasons for them not to intervene. Even within the Republic, coordination is difficult.”

“Hmm.”

“In any case, three members attacked us in Lanoa… I hope that’s all, but it’s best to assume there might be more.”

The activation of the Great Star Formation is steadily accelerating.

The brigade’s goal of ushering in a new dawn is drawing closer.

If the failure to capture the uninvited guests is reported, a summons to gather all brigade members scattered throughout the kingdom’s territory will likely be issued.

‘Considering Ruelleya’s presence was relatively insignificant compared to the three who appeared later….’

It’s almost certain that we’ll face several enemies stronger than Ruelleya.

– They are all spirits of fairies, so don’t underestimate them.

Miria, who had been stroking her chin thoughtfully, spoke up.

“Then shouldn’t we head straight to the royal capital? It’s the king’s return. Shouldn’t we expose Elamas’s evil deeds to the world and bring her to justice?”

“It won’t be that simple. Based on what we know, there are likely far more people in the royal castle who support Elamas than the royal family.”

At my realistic assessment, Ovin smiled brightly and scratched his head, appearing embarrassed, but the corners of his lips trembled.

I felt a pang of sympathy for him.

Then Valensidice added in a meaningful tone.

“Indeed, no one can predict what will happen.”

“?”

“First, we’ll move towards Solond, but we also need to fully prepare our forces. It would be beneficial if we could somehow contact your companions.”

He meant Rem and Bart.

In that case, Serwayvone will undoubtedly lead them to me.

“You shouldn’t phrase it like that.”

“Strange. Did I say something wrong?”

“Yes. They’re not *my* companions; they’re *our* companions, right?”

I remembered hearing those words from Rista before I had grown close to the members of the Hero Party.

– They’re not just your companions, Rin.

Come to think of it, this guy reminds me of my old self….

– They’re our companions.

Valensidice is still hateful, unpleasant, and irritates me every time I see him, but I think he deserves to hear those words.

If it weren’t for him, I would have died several times over.

Before I realized it, I had reached the point of thinking that way, such was the distant and subtle bond between us.

“……Hmph.”

Valensidice, who had been staring at me blankly, offered a faint smile after a long pause and shook his head as if conceding defeat.

“Okay, then I’d like you to call *our* companions. Are you satisfied now?”

“Come here, Pipi.”

“Pipi, Pipi, Pipi.”

Pipi responded in a soft voice.

“Go to Rem and Bart. Explain to them about the Great Star Formation….”

In truth, I don’t necessarily need to send Pipi anywhere. With Serwayvone’s guidance, I’ll likely meet Rem and Bart regardless.

But I didn’t want to bring Pipi to the impending battlefield.

It’s enough that I’ve stained my hands with the blood of my companions, of Rista. It’s too much to ask Pipi, who has waited for me for centuries, to bear that burden.

‘That’s a burden I must carry….’

It’s the severing of connections that I must do, leaving indelible scars on the lives of my companions with promises I couldn’t keep.

– We’ll still be companions even after this journey ends.

I believe that memory dates back to around the time when the Era of Upheaval journey was slowly drawing to a close.

– We’re like family to each other now.

Rista said that out of the blue after Friede’s meal prayer ended.

– So, if one of us seems to be going down the wrong path, we’ll gather again then.

Friede, who was feeding Pipi a handful of corn from her palm, laughed playfully.

– Are you openly targeting Rin? Yeah, I think that arrogant brat is going to go astray.

– Am not?

– Yes, yes, yes, 100%, 100%, 100%.

– Pipi, what kind of speech is that to your teacher!

– That’s not what we’re talking about right now.

At that moment, Rista gave a somewhat bitter smile, and the playfulness vanished from our faces.

– Even if our journey is successful, the seals of the gods will weaken over time, and the power of the abyss will grow stronger. No one knows what will happen to our bodies.

When one of us falls into the abyss, we’ll gather again. Because we’re companions and family of the Hero Party.

– So, let’s stop each other. Let’s help each other not to do evil. Let’s bring peace to our souls, so that our souls can reach the embrace of the gods.

Rista, did you foresee that the situation would turn out like this back then?

When I opened my eyes, which I had closed for a moment while lost in memories, Pipi was playfully pecking at my nose with her beak.

I’ve been spending more time caring for Aki and Setsunen these days, so the time we spend together has decreased, but Pipi is still my dearest friend.

“You understand, right, Pipi?”

Pipi had a look in her eyes that showed she wanted to go to Rista with me, but I pushed away Pipi’s intentions with a sad smile.

“Pipi, go, to Serwayvone, to Serwayvone.”

Pipi, who had been looking deeply into my eyes, finally flapped her wings powerfully and soared into the sky above the jungle.

“Okay, then let’s get going too. We can’t be late, right? We have a long way to go.”

Miria’s expression was somber as she looked at Rein, who was offering a seemingly cheerful smile. I could even sense the Demon Sword in her sword belt trembling.

‘To leave Aki here and send Pipi far away.’

Shalesarum said that he would return Aki when the time was right, so that was settled, but even sending Pipi away….

‘It’s like someone giving up everything and going to die alone.’

* * *

Fire Dragon, Bel’dakidun.

A divine dragon separated as a single personality from the supreme Three Divine Dragons Asura, and the ancestor of the Red Dragon Legion.

To aid you in the task that God has entrusted to you, he created five limbs, and those are the Red True Dragons.

「Your mother was the first of those True Dragons.」

Mother?

Mother? Mom?

Miria’s face briefly flashed through Aki’s mind, but she simply smiled foolishly because she couldn’t even grasp the general direction of the story.

「And I am the second one who hatched from the egg one year later than your mother, so call me Falkire.」

“Aki doesn’t know what Falkire is!”

「In human language, it is a dragon word meaning uncle.」

Aki was standing in a space where mysterious flames burned from one end of the horizon to the other.

This is the space of the mind constructed by Shalesarum, the world of eternity that only those belonging to immortality can enter.

Transcending the limitations of time, you can utilize one time seven times longer.

“Unco [Uncle]?”

And the being standing before Aki was a handsome young man with fiery red hair and dragon scale armor.

Aki initially mistook him for Rein, but he was taller, stronger, and, above all, his red hair was somehow different from Rein’s.

Shalesarum had the same fiery hair as himself.

“Talletrum Unco!”

At Aki’s confident and innocent reply, Shalesarum inadvertently laughed, forgetting his dignity as a True Dragon.

‘He’s completely different from Alakish. She was so precocious that she felt like an adult from a young age.’

Since the mental growth of the Dragon Race affects the growth of the body, Alakish’s body also matured faster than any other True Dragon.

‘But how can their personalities be so different? The descendants of the True Dragon are like his avatars….’

No, perhaps she had that kind of personality, but she couldn’t act spoiled because of the responsibilities of being the eldest daughter.

How difficult and lonely must have been the life of my sister, Akirea, who had to give her daughter the name of freedom.

It felt like the name of her daughter, who appeared only now after a thousand years, explained all the details of her life, and I felt a pain that tore my heart apart.

Shalesarum did not ask why Alakish could not come here directly, because there was no need to hear the answer.

「You followed me because you had a desire to become stronger yourself. Akirea, what is the reason?」

Why do I want to become stronger?

Is he asking why I pursue martial arts? If so, I learned the answer from my teacher.

“Like a dragon, to protect people who are powerless and weak!”

「……?」

“And also, to illuminate the dark places of the world!”

「……!」

“Aki wants to be like Abat. So, I help many, many people who ask for help.”

At that moment, Shalesarum felt his soul resonate deeply.

Was it because he glimpsed the great will underlying that pure cry?

No, it was because, even though their personalities and forms were different, that beautiful heart was so much like Alakish’s.

「You are still young, Akirea. But if you can grow into an adult with that heart, you can become a great being who can protect and care for everyone.」

Ah, Alakish….

Your sister’s child will surely become a good dragon. A dragon that embodies the life of a great flame, just as you did.

This incompetent younger brother has failed.

‘All thanks to you.’

Guardian with the scent of God in your soul. I understand why Alakish trusted you and entrusted Akirea to you.

「The Fire Dragon created us in his image, resembling his appearance, because he wanted us to live a holy and noble life like him.」

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

「You will realize it later. For now, just keep in mind that the power you have had since you were born is not just for you. That’s enough.」

Shalesarum placed his hand on Akirea’s head, just as his sister had done to him before.

“Unco! Can Aki become stronger?!”

「Of course. I also used to fight often in the state of a Dragonkin [a being with both human and dragon traits] rather than a dragon, so I have much to teach you.」

“Then will Aki become very, very strong?”

「Yes.」

“Very, very, very?”

「You are the daughter of the greatest True Dragon among the Red True Dragons; your potential is immeasurable.」

“This much? Then can I protect Abat?”

Shalesarum, kneeling on one knee before Aki, who was excitedly anticipating, smiled kindly and pressed his forehead against hers.

「Because you have a great heart, you will become stronger than anyone else in this land. And so, you will become a fire that brightly illuminates this pitiful world, just as your mother did.」