Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 18

18. Blood and Eggs (1)

#18

“About here…”

A day has passed since the successful applicants were announced. Ronan and Asher had been walking in the woods since early morning.

It was a shemo forest that took root in the proximity of the islands. Asher, who continued to groan, asked anxiously.

“Roronan…is it really okay?”

“Are you still worried about that? Because it’s okay.”

Asher, who could not sleep the night before, had a dark shadow around his eyes. It was because of the incident Ronan and Schlieffen caused yesterday.

When he fell asleep, it seemed that Schlieffen’s hired assassins would come and stick a dagger through his heart.

“Still, if you’re a noble and get harmed…”

Asher was afraid. It wasn’t just the other day that I had heard the story of a crazy aristocrat named Darrian.

It was something to be worried about for anyone to have run away with the heir of the great family just after the imperial family, breaking his nose and running away.

However, Ronan firmly shook his head.

“Schlieffen is a good man. My eyes only go back to certain situations.”

It was a confident voice. If I hadn’t known about Schlieffen in the first place, I wouldn’t have even dealt with him.

Even though the time we met was short, I could tell. If it weren’t for his morbid obsession with strength, he was a man who could be called a model of proper nobility.

He valued trust and knew how to protect the weak without showing off.

“So don’t worry, man. He must have blamed himself for what happened yesterday.”

“Could it be that far…?”

“You know from the fact that we weren’t arrested this morning.”

“I’ve heard and seen it…”

Asher let out a sigh of relief. Ronan unfolded the parchment he was holding and tilted it around.

A crude map marked the location of a leyline called Penardo Spring. It was a map drawn by Professor Wearlion Baren.

“I couldn’t draw a real picture. No, should I say it’s amazing that he drew even this much with his shaggy hands…”

The entrance ceremony was 15 days later. Ronan decided to visit the leyline first before stopping by his hometown.

I suggested that Marja go too, but she couldn’t join because she had to finish the work of the guild.

“It must be this way….”

It was a location where you could follow the river that flows inside Shemo Forest, but it was not easy to find the river because tall birch trees were lined up densely.

Ronan, who had folded the map like a crumpled one, spat out a curse.

“Damn it I can’t eat it. Drop me off, Asher. up the tree.”

“huh. Invisible Hand!”

Asher raised his staff. Ronan’s body soared into the air. Ronan exclaimed as he sensed the markedly increased speed.

“Oh, is it really fast now?”

Riding comfort (?) has also improved significantly. Previously, it felt like a child who couldn’t control his strength was randomly holding it, but now it feels like an older sister with soft hands gently lifting it.

Ronan, who had reached the top of the tree in no time, swung his sword. Pasasac! The green ceiling cut away, revealing a panoramic view of Shemo Forest.

I could see a long, thin stream meandering through the beckoning trees.

****

Ronan insisted on going over the water rather than walking along the river for a long time.

“While doing this, I remember that time. Time flies.”

“Eh…”

So the two of them were lying side by side on the shabby raft. Sheep-like clouds were seen crossing the blue sky.

Ronan pulled out the pipe from his mouth and held it out.

“Do you want to open it?”

“huh? Oh no… it’s okay.”

“Eh, you stupid bastard.”

Ronan opened his pipe again and inhaled the smoke to his heart’s content. Asher, who was lying face down and dipped his finger in the river, opened his mouth.

“Where did you learn to build a raft?”

“In the army.”

“Old army? What…”

“There’s something like that, man.”

Asher couldn’t believe it even when he saw it himself. Ronan built a decent raft in less than an hour. It was one of the survival skills I learned while serving as a punishment soldier.

A raft made of logs and strong vines guided the boys much more comfortably than overland. Ronan murmured.

“No matter how hard it is, you tell me about the leyline that only you know. That lion was really generous.”

“Are leylines that hard to find?”

“I guess so. Because even if you find one, you can open your arms.”

Ronan recalled a conversation he had with an old man in the past. The old man, who had spent his entire life searching for leylines, likened them to pools of mana.

A very rare puddle that is formed when the mana that wanders around the world is stagnant in one place for its own reasons.

“A leyline becomes the property of the Empire the moment news spreads that it has been discovered. So it’s even harder to find. Even if they find it, they don’t share the information.”

“why?”

“Even a single piece of stone there is as expensive as gold. Of course, it depends on the case.”

In fact, some adventurers have called the leylines gold mines above ground.

Mana, which is stagnant in one place, permeates the surrounding objects, transforming ordinary stones into magical stones and unknown weeds into miraculous herbs.

Asher nodded as if he understood.

“That’s why you brought so many water bottles in your backpack. did something.”

“Because Penard was like ‘Sam’.”

It was the water that caused the change as well. The water from the water source nestled in the leyline became a substance similar to an elixir or potion.

It was for this reason that he had filled his backpack with sacks and water bottles.

“Come to think of it, maybe it hasn’t been discovered yet…”

I suddenly remembered the leylines I had visited by chance in my previous life. At that time, they were already devastated by nationalization or by exploitation of every drop of water and every blade of grass.

Ronan knew about five or six places, but it wouldn’t be bad if he visited them later.

“Right, Ronan.”

“ok?”

“Is the egg okay? Yesterday…”

“Oh right.”

Ronan took out Marfez’s egg from his inside pocket.

There was no change in her ugly appearance, like a lump of horse dung, but she looked a little pretty today. He was the first-class contributor to getting out of Schlieffen’s clutches.

Seeing the still silent Al, Ronan muttered.

“You’re not as sulky as a girl, are you?”

Al didn’t answer. It was natural. Ronan, who threw the egg into the air and received it, closed his eyes.

Ronan and Asher spent the night on the river. A cluster of brilliant stars that would not be strange even if they poured down became their blanket.

Ronan dreams of Schlieffen, who begs for his life while dancing with Marfez, who breathes fire and burns the archipelago.

****

The two did not arrive at Penardo Spring until noon the next day. The leaves of the trees affected by the leyline were shining softly.

“Just here. The air is nice.”

Water was bubbling up from the center of the small spring. It was small in size, but it was a well that looked quite deep.

There was a green bush growing at the spring site. Stones discolored due to the progress of stonemasonry rose sparsely.

“You’re more normal than I thought.”

Ronan licked his lips as if he was bland. It had its own taste, but compared to the unexplored landscapes he had seen so far, it was plain.

“Hmm…something is awkward. Is it because of my mood?”

“Wow ah ah ah …”

But Asel was different. He was showing a similar reaction to when he first saw the scenery of the islands. Asher, who took a deep breath and exhaled, murmured in admiration.

“I’ve never seen a place with so much mana in my life.”

“What the hell is different? I can’t see anything.”

“It’s just… so many. Mana yes. As far as the eye can see.”

It felt like I could use much stronger magic now. The metaphor of a pool of mana was accurate. Mana, which was normally spread widely and was invisible, was everywhere like fruit.

“Because my circle is dirty.”

Ronan sucked hard on his pipe. That bastard’s mana mana mana.

At this point, even if it was dirty, he made up his mind that he would succeed in responding to mana. At that time, Asher, who had been slowly looking around, opened his eyes wide.

“uh?!”

“What?”

“Ro Ronan! pocket!”

Asher extended his staff and pointed to Ronan’s pouch. Ronan shrugged his eyebrows.

“pocket? why?”

“egg…! Get out the eggs! hurry!”

it seemed to him The mana that was clumped around was swirling and being sucked into Ronan’s pocket.

Ronan took out Marfez’s egg. Asher nodded quickly.

Al was not enough of the mana in the air, so he was gorging on the mana that permeated the ground and trees.

“What is it?”

“Ah Al is absorbing mana!”

Ronan tilted his head. As he was invisible, it just felt odd. It’s not a dream bird, but an egg absorbs mana? suddenly?

– Pajik!

It was then. The shell, reminiscent of dried poop, began to crumble little by little. Horrified, Ronan brought his face close to the egg.

“Does Boo hatch?!”

However, contrary to Ronan’s expectations, the cracks did not go.

Only the color and texture were changing. The brown, rough surface reminiscent of horse manure was turning into a smooth black.

“……what?”

The egg changed shape over several minutes.

The transformed egg was unbelievably beautiful. The flawless egg shell reminded me of a black pearl.

Ronan tapped the shell in amazement.

“I’ll turn, really. It’s not a caterpillar, it’s an egg that sheds.”

“The absorption continues.”

“At this point, the steel beak and the flame feathers aren’t enough. Something bigger has to come out.”

It was said that a change had occurred, but it was meaningless unless it hatched. Ronan grumbled and put the egg back in.

He approached the spring from which the water was gushing. His own face was reflected on the constantly rippling surface of the water. Shaggy hair pricked his eyes.

“ah.”

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through my head. I felt as if I knew the identity of the sense of incongruity I had felt since coming here. Ronan’s mouth opened slowly.

“Assel.”

“huh?”

“Isn’t that a bit strange?”

“…what?”

“Surely, the lion saw this place and said that it is a place where fantasy species often gather, right?”

Asher tilted his head. It was an unfamiliar sound. Ronan’s hand rested on the hilt.

“It did?”

“Phantom species are far more picky than normal beasts. Of course, where fantasy species live, many other animals must also live, right?”

“……right?”

“But why can’t I see a single sparrow?”

Asher kept his mouth shut. As Ronan said, he couldn’t even hear that common bird call.

All I could hear was the bubbling of water from the spring and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Suddenly, a chilling goose bump ran up the back of my neck.

“Ha…be prepared, Asher.”

“What what?”

“It smells like blood.”

Ronan turned his head in the direction the wind was blowing.

The wind that tickled the bridge of his nose was soaked with the fishy scent of blood. The narrowed eyes flashed sharply.

“That kind of…!”

It was the moment when Asher hesitated and stepped back. Ronan swung his sword into the air.

Took. An arrow that was cut in half fell to the floor.

Asher’s face went white.

“Hey!”

“There must have been a guest who came first.”

Ronan grabbed Asher by the scruff of the neck and threw him behind a nearby rock. The arrow that flew again hit him right where he was.

Asher took a deep breath and looked at Ronan’s back. He was already running towards the direction the arrow had come from. Asher grabbed the staff.

“Me too…!”

It couldn’t be a burden like last time. Asher mustered up his courage and pulled his head out of the rock. He aimed his staff at Ronan and chanted a spell.

“The Invisible Hand.”

Kugu Palace! Large and small rocks and pieces of wood floated up and began to rotate around Ronan’s body.

Two arrows from different directions bounced off the rocks. Ronan looked back at Asher and smiled.

“It’s quite a lot.”

“What is that bastard?!”

A panicked cry was heard from not far away. It was a densely grown thicket taller than a person.

After confirming the direction, Ronan kicked off the ground and started to run.

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