Chapter 121

Joint Combat Practice 2 (7)

“-Don’t run. Then you will get hurt.”

The brothers who were running along the dock and playing tag stopped. The road made up of shabby wooden planks had come to an end and we were just about to reach the coast.

“There may be rocks so you should always be careful of the floor.”

Of the two brothers the older one turned his head first and looked at the source of the voice. A young girl was sitting on the breakwater spread out diagonally where the dock and the coastline meet holding her knees.

Her light yellow hair is hanging down due to the morning dew.

The sun is finally starting to rise. When I looked at his face illuminated by that light he was smiling softly.

Although she looks like a girl of the same age she looks oddly mature. The boy looked blankly at the girl’s face then nodded at her and ran out toward the shore holding her sister’s hand tightly.

Even though they were the same age the girl felt like she was taking care of her younger sibling so she had no choice but to hint.

“... .”

Soon the girl Adele smells the scent of a hyacinth that was blooming on the beach then neatly collects it and puts it on one side of her head.

And as I looked at the dock which had become busier since dawn I once again took in the salty morning air.

It was Oldek the land of merchants.

Oldeck the empire’s largest commercial city with dozens of sailings a day.

Children from Deldros Orphan Asylum the largest orphanage there grow up much faster than their peers.

This is because they have no parents to protect them so they are forced to become people who can quickly do their part.

Most children are put to work as soon as they can control their own bodies.

Starting from carrying a basket to fetch water doing simple cleaning or washing a hand mop... As they grow up they begin to prepare food wash clothes and those with good manual dexterity begin to do woodworking.

This is because in order to become independent in a difficult society without parents you must quickly become able to take care of yourself. Even if you think it’s a bit harsh there’s nothing you can do about it. That was the policy of the Deldros Orphan Sanctuary.

An orphanage is not just a place to protect children but a place to help them survive the difficult world on their own.

I think it may be due to being influenced by the atmosphere of this city called Old Deck.

Adele who looked foolish sat quietly in the sea breeze thinking about such things.

Even though it is early morning the dock is full of workers loading cargo onto ships.

Amid the noisy crowds merchants are tapping their abacus the captain checking inventory is rolling his eyes and workers negotiating transport contracts and insurance contracts are raising their voices.

Humans wake up and become active before the sun.

In this bustling city of commerce diligence and sincerity are the highest values.

“You were here. “Miss Adele.”

Suddenly I see a man walking with his back to me from the other side of the breakwater.

The clothes that fit perfectly were covered in grime. He had the appearance of a pious priest.

“Have you heard the news?”

“You said you were being dispatched to Seonghwangdo right? “I heard he is going to be examined for the position of bishop.”

Adele smiled swinging her legs in the air.

congratulations. Oh you must be a very high-ranking person. High Priest Verdio!”

Deldros Orphan Sanctuary is a religious facility operated with the support of the Telos Church.

In particular it is the largest orphan shelter in various parts of the empire and a person who was a high priest before ascending to the position of bishop comes as the general director.

High Priest Verdio walked along the breakwater and reached just behind Adele.

The appearance of the young girl is that of an impoverished orphan. A burnt skirt and a blouse with frayed sleeve collars. The hair braided with an old string is dull.

But Adele has a strange elegance. Even though she is young and wearing worn-out clothes and shabby accessories her elegance does not disappear. This was a difficult part to explain in words.

“Saint Elnir who had blessed the Holy Emperor passed away seven years after her baptism. “It’s already last year.”

Adele had an idea of ​​what Verdio would say but she listened without saying anything in particular.

“In order to pray for the Lord Telos the saint’s legacy must continue. The biggest worry in Seonghwangdo at present is that there is no one born with comparable sexual power but Miss Adele... .”

“High Priest Verdio... I think they think I am a very proud person. Really... .”

Adele waved her legs swiping down the leaves of a cosmos flower she was holding in her other hand.

“Seeing the future isn’t something you can do as you wish; it’s really just something that happens unexpectedly. Even if it is a power derived from sacred power how can a power that cannot be manipulated as one wishes be said to be my power?”

“Miss Adele. “That doesn’t matter.”

Verdio stood side by side with his back turned and looked at the busy dock. It was a familiar scene to Verdio.

It was obvious why the high-ranking priests of the Holy Emperor had bothered to dispatch him to Old Deck. This is because his work temperament was infinitely similar to that of his merchants. In fact it was very easy for Verdio to adapt to the Old Deck culture.

An important thing is... It means that you were born with extraordinary abilities. Seeing the future means twisting and breaking the providence of the world created by Telos the giver especially the providence of time. “As far as I know the only thing that can do that is Aspect magic that uses the power of the stars.”

“Aspect magic I don’t know how to do such a great thing.”

“Isn’t it something that was manifested instinctively by borrowing the power of sacred law? “It’s extraordinary that you can do it without anyone teaching you.”

Her red ponytail was blowing in the wind. It was Verdio’s hair.

“She is a vessel worthy of being canonized as a saint. “It is a great honor to have discovered before anyone else the vessel of a saint who will stand at the pinnacle of the Telos Church.”

“... .”

“Let’s head to Seonghwangdo together. Once you prove your abilities to the Holy Emperor you will be appointed as the next saint. “Miss Adele.”

This is not someone who will rot in a corner of Oldeck’s orphanage. Verdio could have that confidence.

Adele quickly raised her head looked at Verdio and smiled again. Then he took out the lute that was slung over his shoulder and held it. Like a young girl she carried a lute in her arms.

Then he plucked the strings a few times with awkward hand gestures and bobbed his head to the rhythm. Verdio had also heard the news that people were learning to play the lute recently. Although the workmanship is still poor.

“Seeing the future is more fleeting than you think High Priest.”

“Nobody thinks that way.”

“No~ The flow of the future is unexpectedly less important than expected and even though many things have happened it still maintains the flow.”

The sound of an inexperienced lute spreads through the noisy coast.

I see a lot of future for Adele. It is a sight that suddenly appears before your eyes without any rules or warnings.

The same goes for the future of this orphanage near Oldeck where children wandering without parents gather. Adele’s eyes often see the future of those living here.

I don’t know his name or personality but... The futures of those seemingly fragmented children are all different.

A wandering warrior who walks around the lawless area of ​​Cohelton hunting down bounties. At a young age he becomes the youngest person in power at the huge Elte Company a merchant who holds financial power and a rare demonic trainer who is the first in the wizarding world to breed high-ranking demons.

Although she had seen several children with such bright futures Adele had no way of knowing whether that future would come to fruition.

“How much value would it be if you only saw one twig in the future flow spreading out along countless paths? Surprisingly the future can change quickly with just insignificant changes.”

“... Is that so.

“That’s the law. There are a lot of things I still don’t know. Hehehe.”

As the girl plays the lute and looks at the coast she sees the brothers who had just run out.

Boys running around playing tag. His older brother runs like that for a while then suddenly lowers his head and looks at the floor.

There is a large stone beak rising there. Due to the inertia of my body movement I almost stepped on it and fell but I managed to avoid the stone and ran away again.

The two boys ran along the sea without falling gradually moving away.

“Still speaking of Seonghwangdo... Surely it is a much quieter and more comfortable place to live than this noisy place? .”

Adele was smiling as she looked at that scene. As she looks at the sea shining softly in the sunlight her mind becomes calm.

Only then did I see something I had never seen before... I felt like I could get a glimpse of ‘my own future.’

* * *

“Saint Clarice. “You look unwell. Are you okay?”

There was already a lot of noise.

Joint combat training day. Near the entrance to Glokt Hall.

Clarisse who was sitting side by side with Ed across the wooden table was unable to come to her senses for a long time. That was natural.

In the meantime Ed was wiping his face groping his body here and there to check for any injuries and crying profusely and the commotion among the students was only growing louder.

I couldn’t just stay like this. So when Ed first held out his arm and asked the saint... The saintess snatched Ed’s arm.

“... “Saint?”

From Ed’s perspective the situation is like a lightning strike. However Clarisse quickly pulled him away as if she had no idea what Ed’s reaction or the gaze of those around him was.

“I have to run away... !”

yes... ?”

we... Let’s run away together... !”

Clarisse was already overloaded because she had experienced so much in such a short period of time.

However even in the messy accident there are memorable and shocking scenes.

The appearance of Seongchangryong covering the sky above the island. A rain of flying scales students dying. Ed’s reaction as if he figured something out. The Ofilis Pavilion is collapsing. and... . Even Ed’s body who died in his arms while protecting the girl.

Memories passing by like a panorama came into Clarisse’s mind.

After this joint combat practice the shadow of destruction falls over Aken Island.

“Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... !”

Ed reflexively grabbed the window frame to keep his balance but Clarisse was unable to overcome the shaking and was immediately sucked into Ed’s arms.

“Ugh hot... .”

Ed grabbed Clarice tightly to prevent her from falling further and hugged her. The saint who was small in stature and light in weight had to hold her tightly because her body bounced greatly even with the slightest shaking.

ah... Ugh... .”

After being held in Ed’s arms Clarice’s heart began to pound.

Ed Dane’s intention may have been to keep her from getting hurt but Clarisse had already crossed the firing line and had already been cornered several times.

I felt a strange sense of security in the warmth rising from Ed’s solid body and soon I completely surrendered myself to it.

“Saint. There is no time.

“Oh yes... .”

Despite feeling her back heating up again Clarice quickly took a deep breath and forced herself to regain her composure.

* * *

As we rushed out through the endlessly crowded Maxes Bridge the carriage was no longer a horse.

It was being scratched here and there by the marble railings of the Maxes Bridge and by the trade wagons. The phoenix-patterned statues on both sides were falling off and the wheels were shaking after hitting the exterior wall several times.

Nevertheless the carriage runs on without slowing down. This is because they asked us not to slow down even after crossing the Maxes Bridge.

After escaping from Aken Island the plains continue for a while. You have to ride a carriage for a while to see the beginning of the Great Forest of Kranfell and only after passing through the mountains is Margrave Zahoor’s territory. You still have to go a long way to find someone who can help you.

“If Ophilis Pavilion had collapsed there would have been no safe place on Aken Island. “It was a wise decision to unconditionally choose to run away.”

Ed was able to accurately understand the situation just from Clarisse’s explanation as she trembled and poured out the story.

and... If time went back... “It is most likely Aspect magic.”

“Aspect... It’s magic... ?”

“The saintess is also a student at the Ministry of Magic so you must have heard it mentioned while going through the first-year curriculum.”

Clarice nodded in Ed’s arms. The shaking of the carriage was to some extent bearable but Clarice was held tightly in Ed’s arms as if she were a newborn baby.

Since there wasn’t time to go into each detail Ed didn’t bother to risk it either.

“Among the existing magic theories the only thing that can interfere with time is Aspect magic. but... A level of magic that can rewind the flow of time on such a large scale... At least it cannot be realized with human magic.”

that... Are you going... ?”

“So it is difficult to say that only aspect magic is involved. If an external magical source has been created on a massive scale or if the power of the main god can be drawn upon as divine power... The story is different. However in the former case a long preparation period and large-scale magical engineering supplies will be required and in the latter case a huge amount of spiritual power will have to be consumed.”

“If it’s divine power... .”

yes... It is a holy magic. “Not just anyone can use it.”

The magic arts used by the Knights Templar and high-ranking priests of the Church of Telos were often of the type that interfered with the efficiency of magical power itself.

However combination with Aspect magic is strictly an area of ​​experimentation. To begin with large-scale aspect magic itself had not been properly studied and time-based magic was considered taboo making it difficult for priests to approach it.

Even for professional wizards aspect magic is often dismissed as an incomprehensible realm and there was no way that clerics who were aloof from the world could attempt to combine holy magic and aspect magic.

“It seems very likely that a high-ranking priest is involved.”

okay... so... .”

I finally understand the image of Ed agonizing over something while looking at the sky formation just before the Ofilis Pavilion collapsed.

Even as the situation became more urgent Ed was analyzing the cause of the situation.

“I don’t know why I made such a challenging attempt but I am grateful because it saved my life.”

“We should make the most of this opportunity... . for now... If you go to Margrave Zahur’s territory explain the situation and ask for help a report will be sent to the imperial court. With that... “I don’t know if we can stop that huge dragon.”

“You should try anything. By the way saint... “I feel like I’m sweating.”

After Ed said that Clarice’s shoulders trembled and her cheeks blushed. When he came to his senses he found himself pushing into Ed’s arms as if he were going to dig a hole in his arms and clutching his collar tightly.

Still I couldn’t help it. When you stay by his side who maintains his composure even in such an urgent situation an inexplicable sense of relief blooms within you.

Thanks to his cool-headed appearance he was able to maintain his composure until now. A normal girl of that age would have been so confused that she would have just sat down on the floor and cried.

“Now wait a minute... .”

Clarisse said and snuggled into Ed’s arms a little more. He wanted to stay like this at least as long as the carriage was running.

that... then... As you wish... .”

I felt another sense of relief at the sight of Ed saying that and putting down his arms... . Just when I was about to take in this peace for just a moment―――Kaaaaaaaaaaa!

The roar split the sky.

It was just like the sound in that creepy memory.

We were already quite far away from Aken Island. Not only the Maxes Bridge but even the mountain on its right side can only be seen as a corner of the landscape in the distance.

But that giant dragon... It is so large that it overwhelms even the island. Even though it jumped out this far the majesty of the gigantic dragon is clearly felt.

Rather because you can see it from a distance its enormity becomes more real. It’s a huge dragon that can blow away things like Sylvania Academy with just one kick.

he... profit... !”

Nightmare-like memories arose but this time I succeeded in escaping. Just as she was reflecting on that fact and trying to somehow regain her stability in Ed’s arms... .

―Kagagagagagagak!

―Wheeeeeeee!

The feeling of magic power enveloping the body.

this is... This means that the ‘protection of the Holy Law’ that surrounds the saint’s body has been activated.

The Holy Law’s protection is a protection that protects Clarisse’s body from hostile attacks. Unless it’s a natural disaster or accident... Clarisse is unconditionally protected from harm that has the intention of attacking.

In other words there was a large-scale attack on the carriage. The sound of crashing and breaking the exterior wall of a carriage is familiar.

―Kwagangkang!

“Aaaaaaaaaah!”

It is safe to say that Seongchangryong Velbroke’s attacks have almost no concept of range.

The rain of scales emitted by the Star Spear Dragon that covers the entire Aken Island... No matter how much you drive across the plains in a carriage you cannot escape that range.

―Kugugung! thud!

However if you go far away its density and power decrease.

A much more relaxed level than if you were hit directly up close. The protection of the Holy Law that was implemented was also at a much weaker level.

But the carriage could not hold on. One wheel broke on impact and the diagonal wheel also fell off eventually collapsing.

“Aaaahhhhhhh!”

After several great vibrations and twists the saint’s chariot fulfilled its purpose.

Inside the carriage lying face down on the dirt floor and raising dust... The saintess in Ed’s arms barely opened her eyes.

“Are you okay saintess?”

“Yes yes... are you okay... .”

After saying that and looking up at Ed from within her arms the saintess held her breath. Ed was dripping blood from her head. I had already been hit by some scales.

―Kwaaaaaaaa! Kwaaaaang!

―Kwakang! Ga-ga-ga-ga-gak!

The sound of battle coming from Aken Island in the distance echoes throughout the plains.

Seong Chang-ryong’s magic and the magicians’ counterattacks lit up the entire sky like firecrackers.

Meanwhile Ed was hurt... He got up from the carriage which had fallen on its side. Fortunately he was not fatally injured.

“Uh Senior Ed... !”

it’s okay. “I feel like my various vital parts and internal organs were protected by the protection of the Holy Law because I was holding the saint in my arms.”

It didn’t look okay at all.

Thanks to the saint her neck and stomach were unharmed but one of her arms was covered in blood and her thigh had a piercing wound. But Ed gritted his teeth and lifted her up kicking open the door of her skyward carriage.

And then he pushed the saint out... He gritted his teeth and got out of the carriage.

“Hehehehehehehehe...” .”

Ah ah ah ah ah... .”

The horses had already had their heads cut off.

Even the knights and charioteers... I was hit directly by the scale magic without even being protected by the outer wall of the carriage. With fatal injuries all over his body the carriage fell and rolled on the dirt floor for a long time.

The corpses of the coachman and soldiers scattered along the path where the carriage rolled... It was difficult to look at with both eyes open.

“Saint... Beyond this woodland... The territory of Margrave Zahur appears... .”

Ed tore his collar forcibly bandaged the wound and stood up unsteadily and spoke.

continue... “We must move on.”

Clarisse grabbed her trembling chest and barely managed to get up.

And then while supporting Ed who was completely injured... I staggered through the plains.

Behind his back the fight between Seongchangryong and the wizards continued.