Ch.151Chapter 151: A Long, Long Day (2)

“Now that I’m here, there’s no need to worry. I can restore the barrier in less than an hour, not half a day.”

Just before leaving the office.

As I made this bold declaration to my sister, Professor Grace’s grip on the back of my neck as she moved me along revealed that despite her current human female appearance.

The being within that exterior was a dragon, standing at the apex of her species.

Moreover, she was one of the few mighty ones who had survived the Great Holy War era.

After realizing I was being dragged outside the office.

I never expected her to stop moving.

But to at least slow down Professor Grace’s relentless pace.

I planted my feet firmly on the ground to create friction and resist her pull as my body was being dragged along.

Yet despite my efforts, the professor’s movement didn’t slow even slightly until she flung open the office door.

“I understand you’re flustered at being suddenly dragged away, but this won’t take long, so please bear with it.”

The professor misinterpreted my struggle and assured me there would be no waste of time.

But at that moment, my mind was occupied with confirming Professor Grace’s overwhelming strength that I still couldn’t match.

I was only thinking that I needed to further improve the physical conditioning I had been working on.

In my helpless state of being dragged along, all I could do was slightly furrow my brow.

“Sigh…”

I let out a light sigh as I continued contemplating what aspects of my training I should focus on next.

[You shouldn’t try to overpower her with strength when even I couldn’t.]

‘Are you admitting that her physical power exceeds yours?’

[…]

After silencing the grumbling Fafnir with a single retort.

I recalled the formidable heroes who had stood in my way in the past, before I turned back time.

When I was a puppet of the Demon God, forced to burn the world.

The heroes who opposed the Demon Realm were all brilliant stars, none lacking in any aspect.

Blinded by their radiance, I had mindlessly followed their light.

Until I realized I could never become a radiant being myself.

I was incomparable to them—I had become not a star, but a monstrosity.

Among those heroes, three stood out particularly:

Shizu, who isn’t here now.

My sister, who seems quite amused watching her brother being dragged away by the scruff of his neck.

And lastly, Professor Grace, the very person dragging me along now.

These three faithfully fulfilled their duties as heroes supporting the world until the day I met my long-desired second death.

My sister, who remained unwavering despite witnessing the growing strength of those thriving under the Demon God, symbolized an upright heart (心).

Shizu, who as a Holy Sword Wielder personally taught the greatness of the holy sword to impure beings trying to dye the world in darkness, was the pinnacle of martial prowess (技), a martial deity incarnate.

And Professor Grace, who navigated through hardships that other great heroes could barely imagine without the aid of any divine artifacts.

Using only her naturally powerful body honed to perfection through training, she reached the physical pinnacle (體) that all beings of flesh and blood aspire to.

In the previous timeline, I had endured their torment without dying.

After returning, I wanted to gauge how my rapidly developed physical strength, though achieved in a short time, would fare against her, so I issued this impertinent(?) challenge.

[Sigh. Your crude tendency to solve everything with force hasn’t changed a bit. You’ve troubled me the same way countless times.]

Without needing to hear Fafnir’s barbed words implying that I was now physically stronger than he had been in his prime.

My impudent attempt ended in complete failure.

All that remained was to quietly assist Professor Grace in her purpose here—restoring the anti-Demon Realm barrier.

My already tired body.

Had become even more fatigued from that pointless exertion.

I could only pray that the barrier restoration would proceed as quickly as she had promised my sister.

#

Today, fortune seemed to be smiling upon me.

Most fortunately.

The process of restoring the vast anti-Demon Realm barrier spread across Night Haven would normally.

Even with large-scale deployment of priests skilled in consecration, take at least a month to complete given its scale.

Yet Professor Grace, as if determined to prove there wasn’t a shred of falsehood in her earlier promise to my sister.

Was efficiently restoring the damaged barrier throughout the fortress with remarkable speed using her innate physical abilities.

What was I doing after being dragged out by the professor for the barrier restoration, you ask?

I made a significant contribution to shortening the restoration time using the power residing in the Crimson Dragon Armor.

“I need the power of the Crimson Dragon Armor for the barrier restoration, so please cooperate.”

As soon as we left the office, I responded to the professor’s request by channeling energy into Nibelung’s ring to summon the Crimson Dragon Armor.

Following the professor as she moved quickly to inspect the barrier condition surrounding the fortress.

When she stopped at a spot she identified for restoration.

She placed her left hand on the shoulder of the Crimson Dragon Armor.

“Restore.”

With this brief command.

I stood still as she drew out the crimson flames that seemed to breathe and undulate within the armor through her left hand on my shoulder.

The scarlet flames that had effectively countered Adorator yesterday, who had nearly “executed” Shizu.

The flames that had burned even the twisted divine energy that even a holy sword could not easily cut, quickly gathered in the professor’s left hand.

She spread her left hand wide and said:

“Go.”

With a command-like tone.

As if responding to her will, the scarlet flames headed toward the damaged part of the barrier.

“…Oh.”

An exclamation of admiration escaped my lips as I watched the flames burn away the impure energy corrupting the barrier while restoring it.

The time it took was truly as quick as the blink of an eye.

In fact, the barrier now emanated an even more vibrant energy than when it was first established through the hands of accomplished consecration priests.

After about ten such restorations.

Taking approximately thirty minutes.

“Done!! Thank you for your hard work, young Ranos.”

The professor praised my efforts as her diligent assistant(?), having completed the task flawlessly.

The barrier restoration concluded at a speed that would normally be unimaginable.

As I mentioned briefly earlier.

While creating a barrier of this scale from scratch is already complicated.

Finding and repairing microscopic cracks or traces of erosion in an existing barrier is far more intricate and time-consuming.

Normally requiring battalion-level deployment of skilled consecration priests.

Using materials necessary for barrier construction and barrier restoration formulas created from those materials, projected through divine power accumulated through years of training.

Yet Professor Grace’s method—drawing mysterious flames from an armor with unfathomably deep history into her hands.

And using them to repair the erosion and cracks that had infiltrated the barrier—was truly wondrous.

I had vaguely known.

Before my return, among the members of the alliance against the Demon Realm, in addition to her outstanding combat abilities I mentioned earlier.

In effectively controlling the demonic energy naturally emitted by beings of the Demon Realm and in creating formulas and barriers.

This person who rarely revealed her true identity to others, whose actual age was difficult to gauge…

Ah, she just stated she’s lived fifteen hundred years, so there’s probably no being on this earth that surpasses this ancient dragon.

Without acknowledging Professor Grace’s gaze as she shrugged her shoulders in satisfaction at her work.

My senses, already sharp and further enhanced by wearing the Crimson Dragon Armor.

I used these senses to recheck the quality of the restored barrier we had passed.

Despite the restoration being completed at a speed that could be criticized as rushed work, it was finished with flawless perfection without a single gap.

It was so well done that even:

[Her skill at weaving and repairing barriers is as impressive as ever.]

Even Fafnir, who had shown such discomfort toward the professor, acknowledged the quality of her work with these words, leaving me with no need to comment on its perfection.

‘If consecration priests saw this, I suspect more than a few would submit resignation letters.’

That was the extent of my private thoughts on the matter.

Before beginning the restoration work.

The professor had made what might have sounded like an arrogant declaration to my sister, the fortress’s highest authority, that she would finish within an hour.

Looking at the completed work, I realized that declaration wasn’t a display of arrogance.

Rather, after considering various variables.

It was likely her estimate of the maximum time it would take her to complete the barrier restoration.

The work was completed quickly and perfectly.

“You don’t need to keep wearing that armor anymore, you can take it off. Once again, thank you for your hard work.”

Although all I had done was lend the flame that burns away impure energy residing in the Crimson Dragon Armor.

I had no intention of responding coldly to such an expression of gratitude.

So after quickly unsummoning the Crimson Dragon Armor:

“Thanks to you finishing the work quickly, I… survived.”

I expressed my humility with a voice conveying my fatigue, though trying to keep it as restrained as possible.

Not forgetting to show my gratitude that the professor’s quick work had spared me from further physical strain.

Without a mirror, I couldn’t easily tell what expression I was making as I said this.

“Hehe.”

The professor, who had approached me with a curious expression and let out a light laugh, made me think I might look rather strange.

“You must be tired from following me around. Thank you for your hard work. Go back to your sister, finish your remaining business, and get some rest.”

Having sensed her task was complete upon seeing the restored barrier, the professor said these words and turned toward the south gate of the fortress where she had entered.

I tried to call out to stop her departure, which was as swift as the wind.

But before I could stop her:

“Tell your sister that I’ve put out the urgent fire here, and now I’m off to extinguish the fire on my head.”

Professor Grace was about to vanish from my sight like smoke after leaving these words.

“Ah, this is a gift for you.”

She handed me a small booklet that she had produced from somewhere before I could even notice.

I tried to ask what it was.

But she raised her right palm to stop me and said:

“It contains advice that will be helpful—blood and flesh for your growth—so make sure to read it. Farewell!”

After giving this ambiguous answer rather than a clear explanation, she quickly disappeared from my sight.

All that remained was the sound of the air disturbed by her moving at full speed and:

[As always, she finishes her business and vanishes like the wind.]

Fafnir’s voice filled with dissatisfaction.

The time was still early morning, not yet noon.

Many things had happened in that short span of time.

But my day showed no signs of ending yet.