Ch.252252. Mirpark Blockade Battle (1)

*Knock.*

“Ah, senior.”

“Seems like you’ve calmed down quite a bit now?”

“I told you I’m getting good treatment.”

When I touch Renias’s shoulder where an arrow was once lodged, she doesn’t seem to feel much pain anymore, and instead gives me a playful grin.

The healing of her wound meant that quite some time had passed.

‘It’s been about a week, I guess.’

I could recognize that it had been quite a long time, contrary to how it felt.

That’s not to say there had been any problems. Tembris was firmly holding back the magical beasts, and I heard that the number of colonies and caves had decreased significantly.

I think I also heard that compared to the magical beasts we faced initially, they’ve weakened somewhat now.

Anyway, as Senia said, there wasn’t much to worry about.

Honestly, I’m surprised at how quickly time has passed.

My daily routine consisted of nothing more than going back and forth between the Lantana Duke’s residence and the hospital room.

I would bring Renias useful daily necessities, and I also enjoyed playing little pranks on her, drawing from my hospital experience.

We’d chat about various things in the hospital room, and when Michelle or Charlotte visited, I’d take a short break to stretch my legs.

There were hardly any concerning incidents during that time. But on the other hand…

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t done anything either.’

There’s a mountain of things I should be preparing for. I’ve spent a week here without thinking about anything.

Part of it is because having Renias nearby has erased all my complicated thoughts, but to some extent, I need to draw a line and take action myself.

Even rest should be taken in moderation. Objectively speaking, I’ve wasted a whole week.

I feel a bit sorry for Renias, but it can’t be helped.

“Renias.”

“…”

“Renias?”

“Ah, yes? Did you call me, senior?”

Judging by her slow response, Renias must have been lost in her own thoughts too.

I’d like to tease her, but… not at this moment. I need to speak seriously.

I stroked her head gently as I spoke.

“I once told you that I had a plan. Do you remember that?”

“Ah… yes.”

I didn’t directly tell her what it was about back then, but she must know by now. Given that it was the Arcave Party that completely destroyed the laboratories.

She must understand that the atrocities committed by the Mirpark nobles behind the empire’s back were the cause, so there’s no need for further explanation.

“I still haven’t finished that plan, so I need to start moving soon. So…”

“You might not be able to visit the hospital room from tomorrow, right?”

“Um… yes. That’s right.”

“Ehehe. I was actually going to be honest about it too. I was wondering what would happen if you stayed here like this…”

Renias was twirling a few strands of her hair as she spoke.

“I’m much better now, so it’s fine. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“Hmm…”

“Oh, come on. Senior, even earlier, I could eat by myself, but you fed me just to tease me. Look, I’m fine, right?”

As if wanting to say “I’m much better now, so I’m fine!” Renias swings her arms around to show me.

Then, as if she pulled something, she lets out a small “hic!” and sheds a tear while trying to hide her pain.

Her appearance was so adorable that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Senior… don’t laugh? Didn’t I say don’t laugh?”

“Hehehe.”

“Ugh.”

The strength with which she nudges my arm with her injured one suggests that our silver rabbit has indeed recovered. Seeing her like this does reassure me a bit.

*Swish.*

I place my hand on her head.

“Ah?”

“Ronelion will wake up soon too. Don’t worry too much.”

I gently stroked her head to give her a bit of encouragement.

“Yes. Be careful out there, senior. And don’t forget to play with me after Ron is discharged, okay?”

Play with her…?

Ah, right. I promised we’d go play on the rides once they were all completed.

With Ronelion suddenly collapsing and Renias getting shot with an arrow, it seems I had completely forgotten about it.

“Sure. See you then.”

After that, Renias kept waving at me from the hospital room door, in the corridor, and even opened the window to wave as she watched me leave the hospital.

Isn’t she expending too much energy when we’ll see each other again soon?

But waving back isn’t difficult, is it? Oh well, it’s the sentiment that counts. I’ll wave back!

When she noticed, our lively rabbit’s bright smile was truly beautiful.

To keep her smiling… I should probably handle that matter quickly, shouldn’t I?

***

“Ughhhh…!”

Denis, who had instructed that no news be delivered from the ruins during the parade period, stretches out with a long yawn.

Then, with a satisfied look, she gazes at the dissolving spell formula. It’s almost completely dismantled, with only a single branch remaining.

Denis shuddered with excitement at the fact that she had interpreted the oracle with her own hands after all that time and effort.

“Ha, that’s right! A magician should naturally have curiosity. Yes, yes, indeed!”

Then, realizing only by the pain in her throat that she hadn’t had a sip of water for hours due to her concentration, she finally picks up the water container beside her.

Gulp. Gulp.

Perhaps because she’s immersed in a sense of achievement, even though she’s clearly drinking water, it tastes as sweet as alcohol.

“It’s not called an oracle for nothing, I guess. No wonder it was so complex.”

In temples, oracles are packaged as the language of the gods. They’re described as the benevolent touch of gods who, feeling various emotions as they observe weak humans, extend their hand—a touch filled with their own version of mercy, expressed in language.

That’s generally what’s referred to as an oracle.

But in reality, if you dig a little deeper, most of them turn out to be nonsensical gibberish. It’s common knowledge that one consumes sacred power to discern meaning, but absurdly, human opinion is often included.

Superstitions and folk beliefs are frequently incorporated, leading to misinterpretations, and there are countless instances of complete misses. It’s not uncommon for stories to diverge depending on who interprets it, when, in what condition, and how much sacred power they use.

Questioning this, Denis had once said she would interpret an oracle herself.

-‘No, I’ll just interpret it myself. Whether it’s mana or sacred power, the formula itself should be the same, right?’

She had even criticized why they didn’t check each spell formula one by one, skipping over some haphazardly.

Of course, to her eyes, it seemed like the temple wasn’t delving deep enough, regardless of who used sacred power or how.

Naturally, she was told all sorts of things about how someone without sacred power had no business touching oracles. She had also clicked her tongue, saying that’s why strange stories emerge.

With a “Haah—” as if she’d had a drink, she approaches the spell formula containing the oracle again.

It was the grand finale.

“I can roughly explain the spell structure to Muniher anyway. What’s left is just my curiosity? Hehe.”

How would an oracle, which varies depending on human interpretation, tell its story if interpreted in her way?

As a magician with curiosity, and as a professor with the soul of a researcher, the time had come to face the results.

However.

“This can’t be…”

The oracle of the ruins, which Denis checked multiple times after dismantling the spell formula.

Now, only words written in the imperial common language remained, but…

It was a signal flare reviving a nightmare from decades ago.

.

.

.

“Lady Beril? What’s the matter?”

“…Where’s Muniher.”

“Professor Muniher? Well… he hasn’t returned yet…”

“I’m asking where he is!”

The soldiers are bewildered. Denis, known to spend most of her time at the ruins, had returned and immediately grabbed them by the collar, so they couldn’t help but be shocked.

“He should return to his office around 5 o’clock…! That’s his schedule!”

Denis pushes away the soldier’s collar and walks off.

Watching her, the soldiers sigh, wondering if it’s “that season” again.

“Sigh. Did her research not go well? She’s like this again.”

“Indeed. Hey, rookie, don’t feel too bad about getting grabbed by the collar.”

“Excuse me…?”

“Lady Beril… or should I say Professor Denis now? She’s always like that when her research doesn’t go well.”

“Because of research…?”

One soldier glances around cautiously, then approaches the two rookies and says:

“I heard she was like this in the Artena Empire too. She originally had a very hot-tempered personality, but she mellowed out a bit after having a child.”

“Still, it’s best not to upset her. She’ll come find you later to apologize. She’s fine usually, it’s just when she’s immersed in research that she gets like this.”

The soldiers chuckle, mentioning that they’ve each been grabbed by the collar at least once.

However, the rookie felt differently.

‘She looked genuinely angry…’

Having seen Junon’s face so often, which usually remained expressionless and didn’t reveal emotions, Jon and Noel looked at each other and tilted their heads in confusion.

***

A day passed. Then two, three, four.

By the time five, six days had passed and a week had gone by, Renias had inwardly realized.

That Ronelion might not wake up at this rate.

Sensitive to magical power, she frequently detected the flow of mana in Ronelion’s body, and each time, she realized there was no change.

During those times, Junon, who stayed by her side, would talk to her, rearrange her blanket, or pat her back. Also, when she was held in his arms, her anxious heart would calm down, allowing her to fall asleep.

But now, the person who had anchored her unstable mind was gone, and her impatience tormented her again, not long after Junon’s departure.

“Reni? What brings you here?”

Seeking to face the truth, Renias went to Dalia and asked bluntly.

“Is Ron… badly hurt?”

Dalia waved her hands, saying it wasn’t like that, but the girl had vaguely sensed it.

‘She definitely hesitated.’

Once when they first laid Ronelion down and checked for life signs.

Once when checking internal and magical responses.

And just now, after making coffee, when she was about to tell the results.

She had hesitated three times, which made it impossible not to be suspicious.

‘The mana isn’t circulating properly. Can you really say that’s improving?’

She could list numerous other reasons about Ronelion’s condition. For someone who had worn a false mask, others’ lies were quickly exposed.

But Renias didn’t listen to Dalia’s assurance that he would wake up if he rested a bit more.

“…I’ll be back, Ron.”

She had already changed out of her patient gown into different clothes.