Ch.255255. Mir Park Blockade Battle (4)

**During the Mirpark Blockade Battle.**

Junon is walking leisurely along the path with his hands in his pockets.

He’s walked this path so many times that he’s lost count of how many laps he’s made.

He’s confused too.

The warning not to use his power anymore and the great price he would pay if he ignored it.

Moreover, the reality that his final plan would fall apart.

As he wandered aimlessly, someone appeared before him.

“Senior?”

It was the silver-haired girl who always cleared his complicated thoughts. But currently, they were in an environment where her power couldn’t be used.

“Do you know how many laps you’ve made around here?”

“…”

If she’s asking how many laps he’s made, it means she’s been watching him. If she starts questioning why he was doing that, he might get caught up in Renias’s pace and end up confessing everything.

Knowing that he should never lie in situations like this, he deflects the main question.

“Just reminiscing about the past, that’s all.”

“The past? Gasp, could it be you’re thinking about when we had fun at the parade? Hehe.”

“You’re being cheeky again.”

“Tch. You could at least pretend that’s the case.”

She pouts and rubs her head where he had hit her.

To be honest, thanks to what she said, he did recall that time. Since he didn’t have any excuses ready, he was thinking of brushing it off like that.

‘She’s already out of the hospital?’

That part bothered him.

While enough time had passed for her arrow wound to heal, Renias had shown exceptional family devotion by staying by Ronelion’s bedside despite her own injuries.

So it bothered him that she was out of the hospital and active.

“Renia—”

“Um… I came out to apologize to you, senior.”

“Huh?”

Junon was about to ask her directly, but Renias spoke a bit faster.

“What are you sorry for this time?”

“I… I don’t think I can keep my promise.”

Renias scratched her cheek awkwardly while avoiding his gaze.

“Promise? Ah.”

“After the parade, we were supposed to go on the rides together once they were completed… but I’ve got some personal matters now… hehe.”

She explains that the rides are already completed and people from all over are enjoying them.

In other words, Renias came to apologize for breaking the promise she made to go together.

“…Is it because of Ronelion?”

“…”

As expected.

Having discovered Renias’s secret since the Real Winter Parade, Junon knew well how great her anxiety was about losing her family.

For a girl who had lost her parents, how could she enjoy rides when her only remaining family, her twin brother, was lying there?

It’s an absurd thought for a girl who has to dream every day about her parents slipping away.

Moreover, she’s clearly conscious of the Arcave Party’s failure. Though her body may be accustomed to the battlefield, she witnessed the shocking sight of a person being cut in half, and since she participated directly in the operation, she might feel responsible.

And this failure would likely create a huge scar, as Ronelion and Maria had said. While blaming herself for tarnishing her brilliant parents’ reputation.

‘So that’s why she came out.’

Having stayed by her side at the hospital, he could understand.

Because she could no longer bear the mental burden.

That’s why Renias was trying to take action herself.

Judging by her behavior of keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact, he was certainly right.

‘It doesn’t feel like someone else’s problem.’

With such a tremendous burden on her small body, smaller than his own, Junon felt a strange sense of kinship.

“If you’re moving because of Ronelion, won’t you tell me about it?”

Renias shook her head with a hollow laugh.

“That’s not why I came out, senior. And.”

*Swoosh.*

As Renias’s magical power was felt at the edge of her skin, Junon flinched and stepped back.

“You should take care of yourself first, senior. Do you know how damaged your body is since you got hurt? Even if it doesn’t show on the outside, your circulating mana has noticeably decreased.”

“Renias…”

“It’s my personal matter. Ways to wake Ronelion up… I can find them on my own. Understood?”

Others might not notice, but when it came to sensing mana flow and magical power, no one could match her, so he had been found out.

In a situation where he didn’t know what would happen to his own body, offering help blindly would only cause more worry.

Therefore, as Renias said “I’ll be going now, senior” while waving her hand, Junon couldn’t bring himself to offer help.

‘Am I… going back to being useless like this?’

Fighting magical beasts directly inevitably requires using mana.

Physical techniques alone are far from enough; he would need to use it for body enhancement and his unique magic.

But… to not use it and just stand by?

Isn’t that no different from his past when he lost his power?

And would such a path to survival even open up?

*Clench.*

As soon as he asked that question, Junon’s palm turned white.

‘Why are you thinking about it when you already know the answer, you idiot.’

Yes. He already knows the answer.

The experience of struggling in the past is engraved deep in his bones.

He absolutely cannot survive.

Just thinking about it makes his teeth chatter; if he doesn’t eliminate that guy in advance, all patterns will be disrupted.

But if he uses the magic spear? Recklessly using his power would lead to death either way.

What on earth should he do?

At that moment, Renias stopped in her tracks and turned around.

“Senior! Thanks for worrying! But you don’t have to help me directly, you know?”

“…?”

“Seeing you so down makes me lose energy too! I’ll be back in good spirits, so at least wave your hand more enthusiastically!”

She shouts energetically with her hands cupped like a megaphone.

Though she’s just asking him to wave goodbye more enthusiastically, this one statement gave Junon great motivation.

‘Directly… Right, there’s this too…!’

Looking at the bracelet on one arm, his face brightens as if he’s realized something. Regaining the expression Renias wanted to see, he waves his hand vigorously.

“We’re going out after this is all over!”

“Yes!”

That’s right. He doesn’t have to do it directly.

There are many ways to help.

***

After parting with Renias, I headed straight to Mizar Hall.

But there was a problem.

Due to the withdrawal form I submitted to Professor Denis, I might currently be a dropout rather than an enrolled student.

I was worried I might not be able to use Mizar Hall for that reason…

“A new policy was added. Some dropouts might want to re-enroll.”

Thanks to Professor Muniher’s flexible revision of the academy’s policies, I was able to use Mizar Hall.

After training my body for a while, I learned a few more things about my power.

Yes. What Professor Denis mentioned was when I completely drained all the mana from my body. He didn’t specifically warn me not to use mana at all.

In other words, using mana for magic weapons or body enhancement as I do now isn’t a problem.

I’m concerned that I’m not showing symptoms related to mana depletion, but I can just use it in moderation, right?

“That level… is enough.”

I don’t need to swing this clenched fist directly at magical beasts.

At the nobles? No need for that either.

Let’s go back to the fundamental issue.

What did I consider first after regressing?

The Ardelion Principality.

If the principality doesn’t fall, if their forces are strengthened, if the Tembris Party drives out the nobles, that’s all that matters.

I’ll need to hurry since a named magical beast might appear in Mirpark, but a time limit? What does that matter?

I just need to move faster.

So that everyone except two people can wield synchronization-type magic weapons.

So they can eradicate the source before the front line collapses.

“Come on in—huh? Isn’t that Junon?”

“Sir. Can I borrow a horse?”

“A horse? Why so suddenly?”

“I have somewhere to go.”

I just need to head to the place where the most Badlight and Elcherium are buried.

‘When I get back, I should really thank Renias.’

For how helpful that one statement was—that I don’t have to help directly.

.

.

.

As the clattering of hooves subsided.

The place I rode to on horseback after a long time was none other than Sirah.

After passing through the trail and stopping on the hillside, I dismounted and checked my surroundings.

“This is still the same.”

I can see the rocking stone in front of me.

When I push the stone with my hand, it returns to its original position as if it always has.

There was a time when I thought I should become someone who gets back up like this stone. Now, seeing it after so long, I find myself pushing it repeatedly.

The fact that the scenery around this rocking stone hasn’t changed at all was also evidence that no one had set foot here.

And if you go further up the hillside and take the side path where you can see all of Sirah Road School…

‘There it is.’

A cave appears that has never been touched by human hands.

No archaeologist or geologist has ever shown any interest in this cave.

“Well, of course. No one but me knows there’s a cave here.”

Who would have known? That Sirah would become humanity’s last line of defense, and that it was the final location for diverting attention through a feint operation.

That’s why I feel a bit bitter.

…It’s also the place where I was stabbed to death by that guy.

“Ah. Come to think of it, who was that person I brought here…?”

Suddenly, I remember that person.

I’m not sure if they could use magic, but they were holding a staff, and their body was ice-cold from losing a lot of blood.

They were wearing a hood, so I don’t remember what they looked like, but I do remember they had long hair. So probably a woman… what else?

“Hmm…”

Since they were badly injured, I remember bringing a lot of first aid supplies to treat them.

“…That seems to be all.”

If there’s anything else I vaguely recall, it’s that because I used those first aid supplies recklessly, I couldn’t treat Michelle’s wounds.

After that… it’s a memory I’d rather not recall.

This was the place where the Tembris Party hid to draw the attention of magical beasts one last time.

Damn it. Why am I thinking about that? My purpose is Badlight and Elcherium anyway.

To shake off these stray thoughts, I shook my head vigorously.

“There’s so much…!”

As I enter the cave, I’m greeted by luminous purple minerals and green fluorescent ore.

Badlight. Elcherium.

With this amount, we might be able to use all six synchronization-type magic weapons, not just the four we could use before.

“Let’s do some pickaxe work after a long time.”

Rolling up my sleeves, I began swinging the pickaxe with enthusiasm.

***

*Clang! Clang!*

The sound of pickaxe work from inside is quite noisy.

The Lachans nervously crept toward the cave.

The benefactor of the Lachan tribe had asked them to sell any Badlight and Elcherium they found to the Lantana Duchy, so they were ecstatic when they first discovered this place.

So they brought other tribesmen with pickaxes to mine together.

“What’s going on? Someone’s there!”

“Didn’t you say no one would have discovered it?”

The Lachan who first discovered the cave shrugs, indicating he has no idea what’s happening.

They already had mining permission, but they didn’t expect someone else to be there.

Then one Lachan whispers:

“Come on, let’s just go in.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“At this point, we should try to mine as much as we can.”

“Ooh…!”

“And you know what? He said he didn’t want these to be used in nobles’ accessories. There might be some minor trouble, but it’s right for us to take them first.”

Agreeing that this makes sense, the other two Lachans nod.

Each carrying a pickaxe and a bag, the three Lachans entered the cave and made eye contact with the boy who was swinging a pickaxe with a small flashlight in his mouth.

“Who are you guys?”

“Eh? W-why are you here…”

Incredibly, Junon was standing there with an equally confused expression.