episode_0083

Tung-

Luke, who was ejected from the portal, had a blank expression on his face.

“Are you okay?”

“What happened to you just now… .”

Behind, a saint is dragging a wheelchair, struggling.

Anne ran over and checked on Luke.

I appreciate your concern, though.

There was no time for fuss now.

“How long has it been since I entered the portal?”

Luke asked, jumping up like a dragon.

Anne replied as if she found it absurd.

“What? Where did you go? You went in circles and bounced out.”

“… … ”

This time, Luke wasn’t surprised either.

Now that dragons have appeared, you can use magic to stop space and time.

Instead of worrying about useless things, I quickly thought about it.

There is one day left.

In fact, it said that it would be until midnight tomorrow, so there are less than 24 hours left.

“Saintess, do you have a purified magic stone?”

“Huh? Yes. Here it is.”

Fortunately, Aurora did not throw away the purified magic stone.

Luke received it and injected mana into the magic stone.

If it were normal, it would all come up quickly.

Not a single ray of light entered the magic stone.

“The capacity is huge.”

That was understandable.

It’s a magic stone left in the cave where the dragon was sealed.

Anyway, if you find the answer, you should collect it as quickly as possible.

Luke attached the magic stone to the wall of the cave.

“I think it would be best for everyone to leave here.”

“What are you trying to do?”

Victor asked.

“I’ll gather some mana and go in again.”

“… Did you see something inside?”

As expected, he was Luke’s older brother.

Instead of just telling me not to do it, you asked me why.

“Yes, inside there is… … .”

The moment Luke was about to open his mouth.

Tub.

A tremendous physical force closed Luke’s jaw.

“town… … .”

《Don’t waste your energy on things you see inside, you can’t tell anything.》

Berthain’s voice was whining in my head.

Would an ancient being be able to handle something like this easily?

It felt different from the curse of restricted speech.

If a curse binds the root of the tongue.

It feels like an invisible hand is covering my mouth.

In the end, let’s give up on the dragon sighting story.

“I don’t think I can tell you.”

My mouth opened naturally.

“This is something you can handle on your own. Don’t worry, you can go back.”

“… … ”

Victor, who had been silent, nodded.

“I believe you. Come back without getting hurt.”

“Thank you.”

Victor led his men out of the cave.

There is no way you can use this to absorb other people’s mana.

Luke looked at the magic stone and estimated it.

Is it possible to gather all the mana in this vast space by midnight?

It’s possible, but… it seems pretty precarious.

It would be possible without even sleeping a wink.

With that in mind, I tried to take out the coffee that was in the subspace.

Knock knock.

Ellen stabbed Luke in the back.

“Why are you like that?”

“I think I can do it.”

“You probably haven’t been working that hard already.”

Luke’s method of gathering mana is simple.

Using spatial magic to spread out mana widely and then pull it in like a net.

But it is impossible for Elin’s spatial magic achievements to have gone that far.

Since I’ve been right next to you the whole time, I know your skills very well.

Dori dori.

Ellen shook her head.

“If I write what the teacher told me not to do… I think I can do it.”

“Hmm.”

By the way, Bertain said that Elin’s curse does not destroy mana.

You said that you were condensing mana inside it.

“Would you like to try it?”

“Are you okay?”

“If it’s dangerous, I’ll stop you right away.”

“Yeah… Okay.”

He handed the magic stone over to Elin.

Elin closed her eyes and held the magic stone tightly in both hands.

Gently, gently.

The fool’s hair sways like it’s tuning to a frequency.

When the shaking gradually decreases and stops completely.

Hwaaak-!

Like when the portal sucked Elin and Luke in.

A powerful whirlpool began to form.

The refreshing feeling that filled the cave disappeared in an instant.

Everyone was sucked into the magic stone that Elin was holding.

In less than 5 minutes, Luke’s mana was quickly drained.

“Stop.”

He touched Ellen’s shoulder.

“… … ”

Elin opened her eyes quietly.

I was startled when I saw the magic stone.

“Teacher, this is… .”

“Yes.”

I thought it would be tight until midnight the next day.

Actually, it was quite spacious.

All the mana that filled the cave was sucked into the magic stone.

It just became an ordinary cave.

Luke had a gut feeling.

A magic stone that looks so delicious that you want to bite into it without thinking.

If you bring me this, I’m sure he’ll love it.

* * * * *

I jumped into the portal with confident steps.

《Huh? You’re here already?》

“It came together sooner than I thought.”

《Huh? That can’t be… Hmm… Oh, I see. So that’s what happened.》

Bertain, who was looking back and forth between the magic stone and Elin, nodded and grumbled.

“It is the virtue of a wise man to use all his abilities.”

“Thank you.”

“So I will give you the title of ‘The Greatest Sage on the Continent’.”

Bertain took the magic stone from Elin’s hand and spoke.

“… Thank you?”

“Why are you reacting like that? You don’t know what a precious opportunity it is for a dragon to bestow a title on you.”

“Yes.”

Luke answered honestly.

How would you know if there’s no dragon outside?

“The world has really changed a lot.”

Bertain took a deep breath and swallowed the magic stone in one gulp.

《Mmm… It tastes good. It’s really well-condensed.》

“So now you are going to lift the princess’ curse?”

《Before that. If you listen to my story a little.》

“… … ”

“Why are you looking at me like that! Do you not trust me?!”

Bertain shouted as he squinted his eyes.

Just thinking about it makes my ears feel like they’re going to burst.

Luke gently covered Elin’s ears.

“Surely the wise Bertain would lie to me.”

“Yes. It’s just that there’s something I need to say before I lift the curse.”

“I see. But are you sure that the curse will be lifted?”

《… If you doubt this body just one more time… … .》

“I will listen quietly.”

Luke immediately lowered his head.

It was because I didn’t want to face the dragon’s wrath for no reason.

“Before I tell the story, I’ll put the little one to sleep.”

“Why?”

《A curse has been placed on the person who hears it, causing their body to explode.》

“… … Really?”

《If you don’t believe it, why don’t you try it?》

“Princess. Did you happen to bring a sleeping potion?”

Luke immediately turned his head to Elin.

“I didn’t bring it.”

Of course, there was no reason for Elin to carry a sleeping potion around.

When you’re wondering if you should sing a lullaby.

“That’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”

Bertain blinked.

Then Elin fell down on Luke.

The face, breathing deeply, looked relaxed.

Can dragons do this just by blinking their eyes?

I promised myself to speak a little more politely.

《The Dragon of Desire, Bertain, wishes to impart his knowledge to the greatest sage on the continent.》

A majestic sound echoed through the cave.

Clank-

With a snap of the lock, Bertain spat out the chain.

“What did you do?”

《The ban has been lifted.》

You lifted the ban?

It was surprising that there was a being who dared to offer a golden rule to a dragon.

It was even more amazing that he solved it with just one word.

“This is the power of the title bestowed by the dragon. Do you understand?”

I wonder if the title wasn’t just given to them?

《Why bother doing something like that? The title I gave you has one thing in common with the ancient beings: the protection that allows you to force them to hear any answer. Even if it is forbidden.》

I thought it was just a compliment.

It turned out to be a more useful ability than I thought.

… Wait. But will we ever meet an ancient being again?

While Luke was in trouble.

Bertain began to tell the story.

《I told you that I lent my name to the first Bertain.》

“Yes, you did.”

《Haa… Those were really good times. How did it end up like this… .》

Bertain lets out a deep sigh.

Luke strengthened his entire body with mana to avoid being crushed.

I never thought that the training I was doing with Anne would come in handy at a time like this.

《The problem is the son of the first generation… It started from the second generation. How did such a devilish child come into being?》

The feeling that the dragon was talking about was completely different from what he meant by ‘demon-like’.

I guess it’s because it coexisted in a time when demons actually existed.

“Where did you get such a brain? You found a loophole in the loose contract with the invitation and exploited it as you pleased.”

I will not use my power for evil.

There was a contract condition called .

The second Bertine thought, ‘So, if you don’t think it’s evil, you can do anything?’

Using Bertain’s power, he plundered neighboring countries and expanded his territory.

“Isn’t that too loose, even if it’s loose?”

“I still regret it. It was my fault for believing in human conscience.”

Bertain was busy grinding his teeth.

《I didn’t want my power to be used like that. When I showed up and tried to take the power away, it seemed like you didn’t like it that much.》

“Aren’t there already too many enemies?”

“That’s it. If it weren’t for my power, I would have been beheaded for treason, so I was afraid.”

One day, the second generation came to Bertain and said this.

-We seem to have been very rude. As a token of our apology, we have prepared a dinner for you. Would you please come with us?

The place I followed, thinking he had truly repented, was the Northern Cave.

-I will periodically provide dinner to this treasure trove from now on. Could you promise to wait here?

-《If that’s the case, it’s not difficult.》

The promise made by the ancient being is not light in itself.

From that day on, Bertain waited in the cave.

-《So when are you bringing dinner?》

-Please wait a moment while we prepare. You must not come out until you have eaten the dinner we have prepared.

It is said that after those words, the two generations never returned to the cave.

“Did you get fooled again?”

Are you disabled?

I said what I wanted to ask in the most purified way possible.

《I admit it. I was a little stupid back then. I waited silently for 10 years.》

“… … ”

“Don’t look at me like that. Dragons are naturally very patient.”

No matter how I look at it, he just seems like a fool.

Luke thought that maybe he could fool Berthain too.

《After realizing the truth, I was furious. I thoroughly sealed the cave for 10 years. And I borrowed the power of other dragons to do it. Anyway, if I ever meet you again, I’ll tear off your wings… . . 》

The four dragons that lent their strength at that time.

They are said to have become one of the five great dukes of the empire along with Bertain.

… In fact, the empire was a corrupt and corrupt nation from the very beginning.

《I didn’t stay still. Before the cave was completely closed, I placed a curse on Berthain’s bloodline.》

“Is that curse on you, Princess?”

“Yes. But, the lineage should have been destroyed long ago without going to the brat.”

“Please tell me more.”

The mana-draining curse is deadly to both wizards and knights.

Not being able to use mana means you can’t utilize aura either.

The weakened Bertain family would not have been able to continue.

However, the cunning Bertain members found a way to circumvent the curse.

“I figured out a way to create a scapegoat and put all the curses on him.”

“Is that possible?”

“Isn’t the evidence right in front of you?”

“… … ”

Luke looked at Elin, who was sleeping soundly.

《The Bertains joined hands with other ancient beings. And they say they kept their lives by putting a curse on the youngest.》

“Huh.”

So does that mean that for hundreds of years, the youngest child took all the curses with him and disappeared into history?

Aversion to Karlchad Bertain and the Bertain dukes before him also grew.

“You must be shocked. I understand.”

It’s shocking.

Of course I was shocked.

Because Bertain has made contact with other ancient beings besides dragons.

but.

Kuk.

My fist is clenched.

“I was wondering how I could make him pay for his sins.”

It’s always been the youngest who’s the scapegoat.

There have been cases like Elin’s for hundreds of years.

Things got better for Elin after she met Luke.

Those who died before wouldn’t have done that.

He would have been treated like a tool his entire life and died a miserable death.

When I thought about that injustice, I couldn’t help but feel a cold anger burning inside me.

“Can you now lift the princess’ curse?”

“Okay. I’ve said everything I had to say. I’ll give you one last warning.”

Seriousness filled Berthain’s pupils.

《If you have this much mana, you can lift the curse. However, it won’t completely disappear.》

“… Yes?”

Luke, who was about to ask what the hell that was, barely managed to keep his mouth shut.

“Instead of the kid being okay, the curse will be passed on to all the other Bertains. That’s the original curse.”

Then Bertain will collapse in an instant.

Only Elin will be okay.

… isn’t that too suspicious?

No matter how you look at it, it’s an environment that’s too prone to suspicion.

“Is there no other way?”

“There’s one more. Don’t look at me so fiercely.”

Even the dragon felt fear.

Luke didn’t care about that right now.

《But if you use this method, you might end up in a lot of pain.》

“Am I talking?”

“Yes. Instead of completely eradicating the curse from this world, there is a price to pay.”

Bertain, who had said so, turned his head as if to say no.

《Honestly, I don’t recommend it. Is it really necessary to pay a price to remove the curse? If the curse spreads to other Bertains, the line will be cut off. Why don’t you take that brat and settle down somewhere else?》

“I don’t want that.”

《Stubbornness is also a condition of a wise man…》

Bertain clicked his tongue.

“It’s going to be a very tough job. Are you prepared to do that for the sake of Bertain’s little brat?”

Luke nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

《If you say so… … .》

Bertain recited the spell.

A verb that you can clearly hear but cannot understand.

Break-

With a sound of something breaking, black energy escaped from Elin’s mana heart.

《The contract has been established, wise man. By the way, it cannot be broken under any circumstances, so do not regret it.》

“Okay.”

Woof-

Blue light gathered around the cradle where Elin’s mana heart was.

“What’s going on now?”

“All the mana that has been gathered within the curse for hundreds of years is being absorbed into it.”

The amount of mana Elin absorbed by the curse alone would be considerable.

If the mana had been collected for hundreds of years, it wouldn’t have been strange for the mana heart to explode.

“That won’t happen. Even though his body is small, he has the most outstanding mana heart among humans.”

“… Thank goodness.”

《It’s not time to rest easy. If you don’t raise them properly, they will eventually become a disaster.》

“I won’t leave it like that.”

Because Luke is a tutor who will raise Elin happily.

I never intended to cause trouble.

“The princess will become the greatest sage on the continent.”

Luke answered confidently, picked up Elin, and threw himself into the portal.

《… … I remember the guy who invited me.》

It seemed like I wouldn’t be able to fall into a deep sleep.

A boy who broke a curse that had lasted for hundreds of years.

Because I’m curious about the figure of the wise man who will help me.

“I wish I could see you again without dying. You impudent sage.”

The ancient dragon hoped that the young sage would not die too early.