Chapter 112 – Traces

The reason I revealed my identity so suddenly.

And the reason I revealed it to Pina, not Yurasia or Stella, is simple.

First. Pina is connected to a spirit.

And right now, I need a spirit, Sparkle.

Second. Pina will act the same even after knowing my identity.

No overly polite posture, no honorifics, no randomly getting scared. Well… her being scared of and hating Ronan was unexpected, but still.

Third. There’s no risk of her telling anyone.

It’s not because she can’t speak.

As long as she’s entangled with a spirit, she won’t be able to reveal my identity as Ronan.

Fourth. Since she came here anyway, she needs to know.

She would’ve found out sooner or later anyway.

There are other reasons, of course.

But in the end, I had to tell her.

So I did.

And Pina fainted as usual.

Time passed.

Blink blink.

Pina, who had fainted several times already, finally seemed to regain her senses and opened her eyes.

“Gonna faint again?”

Pina’s eyes widened. Her mouth hung open blankly, and her round eyes filled with tears.

“If you faint again, I’m leaving you here.”

Strength returned to her teary eyes. Her previously gaping mouth clamped shut. Her trembling fists clenched tightly as she looked at me.

“Good job. Now get up. My legs are falling asleep.”

I chuckled and helped Pina up.

Pina looked around the spot she had woken up in, then slowly opened her mouth again.

I had placed her head on my thigh.

She already looked pitiful and scruffy, and I couldn’t just let her lie on the cold ground.

Though, honestly, I probably looked even more wrecked right now.

“So, you don’t believe me? No, wait. If you didn’t believe me, you wouldn’t have fainted like that. Right?”

Still dazed, Pina wiped the drool from her lips and nodded.

“Then this makes things easier. Sparkle… no, the light you mentioned, try calling it.”

Pina shook her head.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to. She was saying she couldn’t.

“No, you can. Just give it a try.”

There’s no way she can’t right now.

The Magi in this area had disappeared. And this space was created and hidden by Arisa herself.

Most importantly, 

Even I could feel the presence of spirits in this place. It almost felt like that World Tree lady was nearby.

So if Pina just tried to reach out to Sparkle, it would surely come.

It might be hiding because of the ceremony from earlier, but if we wait, 

[RonAAAAAAAN!!!]

“Eek…!”

“Came out faster than I expected.”

See? Already here. Actually, it might’ve been waiting for me to call.

I chuckled and caught Sparkle as it flew toward us.

[Ronannn! Ronaaaan!! I almost died! I nearly died with Pinaaa!]

The flying squirrel, tightly gripped in my hands, burst into tears and patted my hands with its tiny ones.

“I know. That’s why I came to save you.”

[Bwaaahhh! Waaaahhh!! Damn those black magicians! When did they even notice I was there!?]

Probably the moment Sparkle came to see me. It must not have noticed the enemy’s presence because of the barrier that had been covering this place.

Even 400 years ago, the demons and black magicians used all sorts of tricks to deceive the eyes of spirits.

I figure they did the same this time too.

Anyway.

“Hey, Sparkle.”

[Sniff… yeah, Ronan. I was so scared…]

The small, fluffy flying squirrel rubbed its cheeks against my hand.

To such a cute little thing, I said, 

“You little rascal. What nonsense did you say to Pina?”

[…Uh, uh-huh? Wh-Wh-Wh… What are you talking about? Wh-What do you mean? Ahahaha!]

I pinched Sparkle’s head between my thumb and index finger.

And slowly lifted it up.

[Huh? R-Ronan? Wh-Why are you… What’s going on?]

Today, I decided I’d pull Sparkle’s neck off.

“Why? Because I’m asking nicely. Why does Pina, who’s never seen me before, fear and hate me, huh?”

[Kyaaaah!! It wasn’t me!!]

“If not you, then who? The World Tree lady? Did Pina meet her already? Did she go to the north in that body? Huh? Huh, it’s coming off. Coming off? Should I pull?”

[I’m sorry! Myaaaak!!! Help me!! Pina!! Pinaaa!! I’m gonna die!! Save meee!!]

“Save you, my foot. Did I save you 400 years ago just for you to frame me? You ungrateful little rat!”

[Kyaaaaaaaa― urk.]

Snap, with that sound, Sparkle’s body went limp.

“What the… why are its bones so soft?”

Still breathing. Just fainted? Good enough.

I dropped the limp Sparkle to the ground and looked at Pina.

“Hii… hii…”

She was on the verge of hyperventilating, couldn’t even meet my eyes.

She was clutching her head.

Did she think I’d pull hers off too?

Of course, I didn’t actually pull Sparkle’s neck off. Though something probably got dislocated, I didn’t yank it off.

I’m such a kind person.

Of course… I couldn’t protect Pina’s innocence, but that’s bound to happen eventually anyway.

“I’m not pulling yours off. You didn’t do anything wrong. Right?”

Nod nod.

“Pina. You heard something really weird. You misunderstood because of slander. Ronan… I never did anything like that. That little Sparkle over there, she’s actually a spirit I once saved. Did you know that?”

Shake shake.

“This little rat didn’t even tell you that? Ungrateful bastard. Should I really rip your neck off? Tch. Anyway, Pina. You know that everything that happened today, and everything that will happen, is a secret, right?”

Nod nod nod nod.

I grabbed Pina’s chin and lifted her head as she nodded so hard her forehead nearly hit the ground.

It looked like a magnitude 8.0 earthquake was shaking in her eyes. Tears streamed down, and now even drool was slipping from her lips. Yeah. This much… was to be expected.

And I know how to handle situations like this.

“We’re still friends, right?”

“Hic…”

Pina gasped in shock and held her breath.

“…We’re not friends?”

Pina chewed on her lip, deep in thought, wheezing, huff huff, through strained breaths, and eventually nodded.

“Right. If we’re friends, then just act like always. People say my past life was some great Hero or whatever, but now I’m just Eliaernes.”

Flap flap.

Pina’s lips moved.

I think she said, “Understood.”

Only then did I smile in satisfaction and stand up.

I turned my back on the gravestone and looked at my grave.

So many weapons.

Elixirs, ores, gems, gold coins, books.

Cherry blossoms.

Dark, damp, dirty, and miserable.

But for me, Ronan Lujarak, it’s the perfect grave.

I really like it.

That said… I don’t want people coming in and out of here.

So what should I do?

I’d already decided when I first discovered this place.

But before that, 

“Get up. We’ve got work to do.”

* * *

I pulled out all the embedded weapons and gathered the miscellaneous items in one spot.

Then the most important items here, the dimensional pocket pouch and…

The Elixir.

Of course, it’s purple.

The color of the night sky, like it holds a star within.

Back then, there were only six bottles of this Elixir in the world.

I got it for saving that World Tree lady.

She said it came from another dimension, an incredible Elixir. Whatever, not my concern.

“Haah…”

Only six bottles in the whole world.

An Elixir that can’t be made or found anymore.

That’s how absurd its effects are.

It causes miracles on a completely different level from Luna’s miracles.

If I tried to list all the effects of that miracle, I’d be up all night.

To name just a few… I don’t know. They’re all so insane I can’t even describe them.

Even someone like me, who’s seen, heard, eaten, and experienced all kinds of crazy things, gets a pounding heart just looking at this.

Of course, even this kind of Elixir couldn’t extend Ronan’s ten-year shelf life.

Still, it’s an unbelievable Elixir.

“I didn’t expect this to still be here.”

Back then, each of us drank one bottle and left the rest with the World Tree lady.

We didn’t carry them around in case they broke. Now that I think about it, that was a shame.

If I’d had this Elixir when I took Kaloso’s attack, I might’ve survived.

But… that’s hindsight.

If I had carried it around, it probably would’ve broken along the way. Yeah, definitely.

“Hey, Sparkle.”

[…What.]

Sparkle, perched on Pina’s shoulder with a sour expression, glared at me.

“Open this for me.”

[Hmm… you’re gonna drink it now?]

The Elixir’s cap is sealed.

A seal placed directly by the World Tree lady. To open it, I need the power of a light spirit like Sparkle.

But.

“No. I’m not drinking it now. Just break the seal on the cap.”

I won’t drink it yet.

I’ll keep it in the dimensional pouch, just with the seal removed in case of emergencies.

If I drink this now, I’ll get stronger.

That’s a given. But probably too strong.

I could go beyond the Sixth Rank and fully open my upper dantian, maybe even reach the Seventh Rank.

That’s way too much of a result for what should’ve been just a stroke of luck.

If that happens, people around me will start getting the wrong idea. No, not just people. Even those already wary of me will start getting on edge.

That’s just tiring.

Sure, it might help get rid of the pests hovering around me, but it’s nowhere near enough to deal with the real threats behind them.

So it’s better to save this for later.

No reason to feel bad.

There are tons of potions here that couldn’t even be found in the Empire’s treasure vault anymore.

“You’re sure breaking the seal won’t make it lose its properties or anything, right?”

[Yeah. I’ve heard it won’t.]

“Good. Just unlock the seal.”

[Got it. But… I’ll need some time. Like… 20 minutes?]

“That’s reasonable.”

I nodded without hesitation and began inspecting the weapons lying on the ground.

Seventeen in total.

Each one had someone’s name engraved on it.

Arisa Eustetia.

Neat and clean. Some were faded or worn, but they were still easy to read.

“…Even after 400 years, it hasn’t worn off.”

I chuckled and began carefully placing those weapons one by one into the dimensional pouch.

I’ve already decided how I’ll use them.

I, of course, can’t use them.

Just in case, I tried swinging the one that looked the weakest and most disposable. It broke after just three swings.

So these are weapons for someone other than me.

After stashing all the weapons, I moved on to the gems and ores.

Rare minerals, gold coins, random junk.

There was too much to check individually.

There’s no time now.

I can always go over it back at the dorm.

Next: the elixirs.

Just a glance told me there were more than twenty.

And helpfully, I already knew them all.

I could take all of them for myself, but I won’t.

There’s no need to.

“Pina.”

Tilt?

“Take this.”

I handed her one of the potions that would be helpful for her.

A pill, tightly wrapped in luxurious paper.

Pina received it with both hands, looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“If you ask Sparkle about the effects, she’ll explain. But don’t take it now, later… I don’t know what day it is today, but next time we’re together, take it then. I’ll help you absorb it.”

[Hmm? What is it? What? You actually had something for Pina? Gasp! No way. Heavenly Tree Pill?! No way… no freaking way! R-R-Ronan! Are you seriously giving that to Pina?!]

Heavenly Tree Pill.

Literally something extracted from the tree of the heavens.

The tree of the heavens is the World Tree. That pill was made by carefully decocting its leaves and branches.

Its effects are… well, there’s a lot. One thing’s for sure, it’ll be extremely helpful for someone like Pina who works with spirits.

Hearing Sparkle’s words, Pina let out a sharp gasp.

Seeing her clutch it tightly with both hands, eyes sparkling, made me smile.

Does she even know what Heavenly Tree Pill is and that’s why she’s surprised?

Still…

It’s kind of satisfying… makes me feel proud.

“What would I even do with Heavenly Tree Pill?”

I tried to hide my expression and moved on to inspect the other elixirs. As expected, there were many good ones.

I opened the Purgatory Gate. Because of that, starting at just seventeen, I was doomed to a lifetime of terrible side effects.

But with this kind of payoff… I’m more than satisfied.

Snicker snicker.

I laughed as I stuffed all the elixirs into the pouch.

Now, only one thing remained.

The cherry blossom.

Even after 400 years, it looked as fresh as if it had just bloomed.

I… don’t particularly like flowers.

But I won’t throw it away.

It might look pretty nice if I get a small vase and decorate my room with it.

If it hasn’t wilted after 400 years, it’ll probably keep blooming in my room too.

With that thought, I carefully picked up the cherry blossom.

At that moment, 

“…There you are. I was wondering when you’d show up.”

The scenery changed.