Book 4: Epilogue

Book 4: Epilogue

Epilogue

Count Lester quite some times has passed. When do you think we will receive the news from them?

Its as you say, your majesty

At Claydale Kingdom, inside the kings office, the king Reinhard Fon Claydale asked that question to the head of royal court sorcerers, Count Ignas Do Lester who came to give a report. Inside his heart Ignas thought that it was even possible that the group had been annihilated after this long without any news, even so he told Reinhard exactly what he wanted to hear.

If things go well, then it will be soonthat is my best estimate. Even at the latest it wont take two weeks.

Past that time, the possibility of annihilation would have to be seriously considered.

Until now the royal family had always sent their youths to obtain Gifteach generation and all of them always returned back alive despite the damages to the royal guards. Taking that into consideration, the possibility of annihilation was low, but the problem was how this task was usually done when the youths of the royal family had come of age. But this time the members of the royal family that were sent were still minor who hadnt even entered the academy.

Furthermore the noble faction was gaining strength and there was a concern that they would get in the way, so the number of the knights accompanying them had also gotten limited, even so they had no choice but continuing with the dungeon exploration.

That was just how much the unifying force of the royal family had decreased. The nobles who received aid from neighboring country increased their influence and the internal state of the country was getting unstable. The royal family faction wanted the crown prince to marry his fiances, the daughters of the influential nobles within the country as quickly as possible, so they could draw in the fence sitting neutral faction.

Ignas was the head of royal court sorcerers, so he belonged to the royal family faction, but he wasnt as worried as the king about the fate of the dungeon exploration group, because he thought that even if the group was annihilated, they could just set up the still very young second prince as the crown prince despite how troublesome it would be.



My daughter Carla is also participating. She is normally useless but, when it comes to sorcery she is in the same level of a royal court sorcerer. She will surely answer your majestys expectation.

The king summoned Ignas and consulted him like this was also because Ignas had sent his own child into the dungeon.

Originally the king should express this kind of whining to his two queens instead of a retainer, but the first queen who was formerly a daughter from viscount house had collapsed from worry after learning the truth of the dungeon exploration, while the second queen had no interest with her own daughter from the start.

I seeits true that young Carla is very brilliant.

It was small, but Reinhard smiled in relief from Ignass words.

Reinhard himself also didnt have any other choice for the matter this time. It wasnt his wish to expose children to danger. Ignas also smiled in respond to the kings words, but inside he was cursing venomously.

(I hope she would just die there, that accursed death god.)

He wanted to vomit just from calling that thing as his daughter. He always boasted about his daughters brilliance when in the presence of the king, but he would pray for the death of his daughter when behind closed door.

The demonic child Carla who slaughtered two of his three talented sons and many of his houses servants.

Even now hatred would overwhelm his heart when recalling that time, but at that time Carla still had more value alive rather than dead.

Although to him everybody was just pawn for the sake of boosting the fame of Lester House, there was a risk that the name of Lester House would be dragged through mud after losing the majority of his sons. In the situation where he had lost two of his sons, he couldnt also lose the pawn that had become the crown princes fiance, and Carla at that time was also still someone who he could kill anytime he liked.

Carla who obtained all elements through Ignass experiment was a powerful sorcerer, but the side effect from the experiment had given her a body that could shut down anytime. The healers had even said that she wouldnt be able to live until twenty.

It didnt matter when she died as long as the fact remained that a queen had come from Lester House. Ignas thought that he would only need to bear with Carlas presence for ten-odd years at the longest, but the growing speed of Carlas mana surpassed the boundary of Ignass understanding.

Was it possible for a girl who was still five or six years old to keep going into a dangerous place like dungeon repeatedly while even adult adventurers often died there?

The city with a dungeon in it whose management was entrusted to Lester House by the royal family was known as a gathering place for adventurers who were confident with their own skill, but the report of adventurers death there increased since Carla started going into dungeon. There was a high possibility that Carla was involved with their death.

He never wanted to see his daughters face ever again but, her magic power value and overall combat strength would have risen up every time he investigated her. When Ignas finally felt a sense of danger and tried to assassinate her, her strength was already beyond the capability of the average assassin to take care of.

There was also the bad timing of how the northern assassin guild branch was rumored to be destroyed. A lot of assassins left the capital in order to fill in the hole that was left by that destruction, leaving nobody left who could defeat Carla. He even heard the uncertain rumor that the assassins who left also got the table turned on them by the existence that destroyed the assassin guild branch and got called as Ash Crowned Princess.

He felt like there would be no problem even if the whole group got annihilated as long as Carla died with them, even so the words that he spoke at the outside didnt give any hint of his true feeling at all.

I have also dispatched several excellent royal court sorcerers to go with them. His highness the crown prince and her highness the princess will surely return safely.

Actually the royal court sorcerers he dispatched to the group were just second son or daughter of neutral nobles who werent involved with the noble faction. It wouldnt bother him even if they died, but there was no need for him to say that to the king.

I see. It will be great if the fiances and the knights can also return back safely

.

Everyone was alright. Though I dont know if thats still the case even now.

.

!?

Reinhard and Ignas lifted up their face in surprise from that voice that suddenly resounded inside the room. The two bodyguard maids who were also inside the room and stayed quiet so to not disturb the conversation immediately moved in respond.

Whos there-!?

The bodyguard maid with heavy knight skill set moved in front of Reinhard to shield him, while the bodyguard maid with scout skill set sensed the presence of the intruder and leaped with a dagger in hand.

W-wait!

But Ignas who heard that voice hurriedly stopped the maid.

Gih

But he was slightly late. The bodyguard maid who leaped to attack was frozen into an ice statue.

While everyones face turned white from the extreme coldness and tremendous mana, a sickly looking black haired girl in white dress appeared from behind that ice statue and smiled.

That was dangerous. She might hurt someone if it was someone else than me.

Carla!

How long had she been here? How did she enter outside? Carla ignored her father who called her name and performed a ladys bow toward the king Reinhard.

Carla Lester, here to report that I have returned back ahead of everyone else.

There was no way the outrageous action she just took could be forgiven even if she was a fiance of the crown prince or the daughter of the head of the royal court sorcerers. But, the immense mana she was radiating and her violent aura sent a chill that gnawed until deep inside the bones of everyone inside the room. It made them hesitated to even call for the knights.

Even so there should be knights and butlers standing by outside the office, but they hadnt done anything at all. Perhaps Carla had done something to them beforehand.

Whats the meaning of this Carla! How dare you use sorcery in this

Dear father, please dont cause such ruckus in the presence of his majesty.

You little-!

Wait, Count Lester.

Reinhard stopped the seething conversation that wasnt suitable at all to be held between a father and daughter. He looked at the frozen ice statue with a pained look before turning his gaze toward Carla.

First I congratulate your safe return, Lady Carla. However, tell me the reason why you killed this maid.

She isnt dead you know? Not yet anyway.

Carla waved her hand. Then the ice on the frozen maid melted and she fell down on the floor.

Count Lester, treat her. I shall listen to your daughters report.

As your majesty command

Ignas stood up to apply healing sorcery to the bodyguard maid who was barely hanging on life. Even so he kept glaring angrily at Carla, and yet she only smiled thinly without paying attention to him.

Just now you said that you returned. Can I take it to mean that Ervan and Elenas dungeon exploration has also finished?

Yes, indeed. I went out of the dungeon ahead of them but, his highness too will surely come out before long.

Andwhat do you mean that you dont know about their current condition?Follow current novels on novelb((in).(com)

Yes. I had finished my business down there, so I had no reason to stay any longer there. Everyone else wont be in any danger if they are lucky.

Carlas smile didnt change even in front of the glaring gaze that the king himself sent at her.

Carla! You little, how dare you speak like that about his highness toward his majesty! Its your duty as a subject to put your life on the line to protect his highness!

How astonishing. I never expected to hear such humane words from you dear father of all people.

Carla looked toward Ignas who interrupted the conversation once more as though she was looking at a bug.

You, accursed god of death-

Im fathered by an inhuman man after all, so its only fitting. And, what are you going to do about it?

You impudent!

Stop!!

Reinhard sharply rebuked the parent and daughter who were starting their quarrel once more.

Lady Carlayou just left the dungeon not long ago while the others still havent come out yet, and yet you are here.

tsu!

Ignas guessed what Reinhard was trying to say and looked toward him.

Can I see it as you having been successful in obtaining it?

Yes, your majesty.

Everyones gaze gathered on Carla when she replied like that. Her pale lips formed those words.

.



Inside a dark place where the sunlight didnt reach, under the weak light of candle, a lone man nodded quietly in respond to that question that was asked from the darkness.

Yeah. Ill need to train a little but

*Creak creak*the man lifted up an arm of black metal with creaking sound. He punched the stone wall with that arm. The impact shook the air inside the room.

When I get used to it, Ill be able to use it just like beforeno, even better than before.

That mans left arm got bitten off several months ago and he escaped to this place.

An ordinary person would die even before reaching this place. That was just how serious his injury was, but the man survived and instead of spending several years to regenerate his lost arm, he instead sought a new arm.

As expected from you.

Right now just moving the arm caused him intense pain but, the man punched the wall without showing any of that pain at all. The other man inside the darkness was at a loss of words for a moment.

The men hadnt known each other for long. Even so they had understanding and respect for each other.

The man in the darkness and his comrades had slipped into this country from outside in order to inflict pain. It wasnt easy even just to infiltrate into this country that was protected by an organization called black ops and surrounded by rocky mountain, sea, and monster habitat, but several years ago, they obtained the groundwork to enter this country thanks to a certain black haired girl.

They were now in a hostile relationship with that girl because that girl betrayed and killed some of them, but the thing that the girl left behind as present became the impetus that gave them a place where light couldnt reach.

The one-armed man before him came into contact with their group after that, though he still wasnt one-armed the first time they met. He was also deeply knowledgeable about the underside of this country and taught them the way to evade the black ops, the biggest intelligence agency of this country.

But the mans help definitely didnt come from something like whim or kindness. The man was greedy when it came to polishing his own strength. He desired the fighting strength and unique technique that they had. The special artificial arm that they gave to the man also came from their clans chief. It was a treasure that came from a dungeon.

We have given you a lot. We will work you to the bone to repay itGrave.

They also needed this mans strength in order to kill the black haired girl who betrayed them.

Grave who once fought against Aria and a mythical beast and lost was polishing his fang within the darkness. He smiled like a beast with its fangs bared toward the black skinned evil race who talked to him.

Of course.

Grave narrowed his eyes inside the darkness where no light shined through, as though he was staring at something very far away.

Ariaprotect the princess with everything you have. Show me your true worth.

***

Your highnessI have brought the aforementioned adventurer girl like you asked.

The bodyguard maid Chloe announced that in front of the door. Then a permission came from inside and Sera opened the door to invite me inside.

That night at the same day when we left the dungeon, everyone in the exploration group was currently sleeping like a log due to their fatigue and relief. Meanwhile Elena who was in the guest mansion summoned me and I came to her room.

Welcome, Aria.

Yes.

As I thought, Elena looked tired. She almost stood up from her seat the moment she saw me, but then she sank deeply onto her seat and changed her posture as though to pretend that it never happened.

Come over hereAria. There are only me and these two here, so you dont need to bother with that half-baked courtesy.

Roger.

Chloe led me inside and I sat down on the sofa opposite of Elena. The scent of the herb tea that Sera brewed drifted inside the room. Elena started speaking amidst such atmosphere.

Forgive me for calling you this late when you must be tired. But, I thought that this is my only chance to speak with you.

Right now even Amor who always got in the way to stop Elena from meeting mere adventurer was also sleeping deeply. It seemed that he had also gotten some kind of mental hang up toward us. He was clearly trying to avoid us.

Is your arm alright?

No problem.

Elena was looking with worry at the right arm that I was holding protectively.

Because I used Battle Skill together with Iron Rose, there was magic power heat accumulating in my right arm, but Iron Rose was different from the original Battle Skill so I estimated that I would be able to use Battle Skill again after half a day passed.

But, that shouldnt be the only reason why I got called here.

What about the Gift?

Elenas eyes widened slightly when I bluntly asked her that question. Then she smiled wryly.

Thats so abrupt. I too was at a loss of what to talk about with you after so long but, certainlythat just wasnt like us.

Elena changed her tone to be more casual to show that this was a personal talk. She took a sip of the tea that Sera brewed and sighed.

I refused the spirits offer. Perhaps you also did the same Aria. In exchange I asked the spirit whether they can make me healthy butFire Arrow

Elena suddenly pointed her hand at me and spoke the word to activate sorcerybut, in my eyes, even though her mana was moving, I couldnt see any fire magic particle in it and that sorcery didnt activate.

I thinkmy aptitude and elemental skill in fire sorcery has gone. The spirit talked about restoration of soul. If I lost one of my elements, the magic stone that is pressuring my heart will also gradually get smaller.

If that was true, would Elena really become healthy. But, Elena didnt look wholly delighted by that, instead she sighed in self-depreciation.

The fire sorcery skill that I had worked hard to increase until level 2 is gone. I was the one who agreed to it but, I can also understand a little about Carlas feeling that doesnt wish to become healthy.

I see

The skill that was engraved in her soul was erased. Was it similar like using Cure to erase a tattoo?

Elena also mentioned that she agreed before her skill got erased. Perhaps adding something to soul was easy, but even a tremendous existence like that was limited when it came to erasing skill that was engraved into the soul.

AriaI heard from Dalton that you obtained the dungeons blessing.

Uh huh.

Most likely this was the main topic. Elena leaned forward a little and peered into my eyes.

A lot of people had witnessed your strength. Even if we try to keep it a secret, it will definitely get leaked and some nobles will try to bring you to their side.

I noticed. Even if what I got wasnt actually a Gift, obtaining the dungeons blessing had turned me into a special existence in this country.

I became an adventurer because I refused to get adopted by noble and got toyed by fate. But now, the nobles were going to approach me once more because of that power.

I have a way to protect you. But, itll turn into a chain on you that limit the freedom that you sought. If Aria really wish for freedom, I think itll be better if you go to another country

Elena.

She lifted up her head that was looking down when I called her name.

I wont run away anymore.

Aria

I understood that it would become like this. Even if I didnt receive the dungeons blessing, if I obtained a strength to oppose fate, someone who would wish to make use of that strength would definitely appear along the way.

You should also be in danger Elena. If it become known that youre healthy now, a side that want to make you into the queen will definitely appear. And then a side that doesnt like that might target your life. Whatre you going to do in that situation Elena?

I

Elena paused talking for a moment and closed her eyes. Then she immediately looked at me with a strong gaze.

I thought that would be fine if that would make brother open his eyes. But, now Im also able to make another choice than that.

Elena stopped talking there. She stood up and quietly held her hands toward me.

I too wont run away anymore. Im going to become the queen. Thats why lend me your strengthAria.

YesElena.

I also stood up and enveloped the hands Elena held toward me with both my hands.

From here a lot of nobles would approach Elena to make use of her and a lot of enemies would target her. Grave who was targeting me would also target Elena.

Ill protect Elena. I had gotten stronger for that.

Our paths once split apart from each other. But after walking those paths alone, now our paths crossed each other once more into one path that we would walk together.

A strong willpower was residing inside Elenas eyes. Those werent the eyes of an eleven years old girl, but the eyes of the first princess of a major country. She spoke to me with those eyes.

Adventurer Aria of Rainbow Sword. I will enroll to the sorcery academy in one more years. I request you to guard me within the academy and eliminate my enemies during my three years of stay thereor at the very least until my brother graduate.

As you command, your highness.





Elena requested me as a princess. In respond I kneeled on the spot and accepted. Then our serious expression suddenly crumbled and we smiled slightly to each other.

Surely Carla would also be at the same sorcery academy that Elena would enroll into.

I would also settle the matter between her and me.

I wasnt going to oppose fate. I would smash it apart.

The fated stage of otome game that I avoided and that woman desired. It was finally going to start.