Academy’s Genius Swordmaster - Chapter 55

[ 55. Baidian Mountains (4) ]

#55

Ronan’s eyes widened. The woman was no doubt talking about the temple of Sarante. Before long, a wedge-piercing remark flowed from his parted lips.

“Sa Sarante…Take me to him…”

“Do you know Sarante?”

Instead of answering, the woman lowered her head. I shook my shoulders, but I couldn’t open my eyes, only letting out breath. It seemed that he lost consciousness again because he could not see Mana.

“Damn it, I’m not feeling well.”

“I’ll come and pick you up.”

“My feet are the fastest. I’ll be back soon, so join Asher and wait.”

Ronan swears and kicks the woman. I don’t know what happened to a noble race like the elves crawling to a place like this and dying, but I couldn’t leave it alone. he said, turning to Marja and Braum.

“Don’t get hurt by fooling around.”

Ronan left those words and started running. Even with one person attached, he climbed the mountain as fast as a squirrel. Braum looked at his back and chuckled.

“You are such a good junior.”

“huh. It’s because your mouth is dirty and insensitive.”

“We can’t stay still. Let’s go.”

Marya nodded and looked up at the sky. The bombardment of Asher was still in progress.

“It’s great, but cutie.”

His psychokinesis, which had become much stronger due to the influence of the leyline, stood out. Rather, the orcs who were swept away by the river felt better. The two people carrying great swords moved forward.

****

“Sarante!”

“It’s a surprise. Mr. Ronan?”

Ronan arrived at the temple less than thirty minutes later. Sarante, who was washing Seniel’s statue, turned his head in surprise. His eyes widened when he saw the chained elf woman.

“That person…?”

“I was just lying around the orc village like this. He called your name right before he passed out, so I brought him.”

“You found me? What else do you mean by Orc Village…”

“Damn it, take a look. It doesn’t look very good.”

Ronan carefully laid the woman on the long chair. Fortunately, he was still breathing. Sarante, who checked the woman’s face, exclaimed in astonishment.

“Oh my God, Brygia-sama…!”

“Do you know someone?”

“yes. One of the pilgrims. The last time I saw you was about two hundred years ago, but how did this happen…!”

Sarante explained that she, like himself, was a believer in Seniel. Pilgrims periodically go on pilgrimage to find Seniel’s statue, and they said that they must have suffered some trouble on their way here.

“Now is not the time for this. wait a minute.”

Sarante stopped talking and hurriedly ran inside the temple. He returned with a small jar in his hand.

Inside the jar was a liquid as thick as honey, and when fed it, the woman’s complexion improved markedly. Sarante murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow.

“Huh… I let go for an hour or so.”

“What the hell happened? The potion didn’t work too well, are you okay?”

“I don’t know either. However, judging from the symptoms, it seemed that he was poisoned, so I gave him a neutralizer.”

“Poison?”

“yes. It seems like a type of poison that permeates mana, but I don’t know where I got this powerful poison.”

“Then what is this rope? Even if I cut it like a saw, it didn’t cut.”

“This is… I’m sure…”

Sarante checked the rope. The usual softness was not to be found in the distorted expression. Before long, Sarante put her hand on the rope and muttered something.

“Eh?”

The rope, which had not been broken even in La Mancha, began to unravel by itself, like a snake after mating. Ronan’s eyes widened.

“What did you do?”

“Fortunately, this order was correct. It is a very old magic tool. It was a matter of course that I couldn’t cut it.”

After explaining that, Sarante hugged Brigia and laid her on the bed in her room. He let out a sigh of relief after placing a wet towel over Phrygia’s forehead.

“Whoa… I did everything I could for now. You have done a great job.”

“What happened to that woman?”

“Like I said, I don’t know. I guess we’ll just have to wait until he wakes up.”

“I have a lot going on.”

Sarante said she could never guess how Brygia, who had lived a similar time to her, had become like that. He barely caught his breath and asked Ronan.

“But why did you go to the Orc Village?”

“yes?”

“Thank you so much for saving Brygia. I just want to hear this. Was there any reason to approach that dangerous place? What would you have done if it was wrong?”

I was speechless for a moment. I never thought I would be pointed out even though I deliberately found it in the surrounding area rather than inside the village. He must have been scolding his great-grandson who was playing by the water.

“That…”

“That?”

Ronan dragged his horse by the tail. If he told the truth, he would surely be treated like a lunatic. How can I say that I went to annihilate the orcs and ogres who are likely to destroy your temple in the near future. Ronan, who quickly shook his head, opened his mouth.

“I just looked around and found my footsteps. I will be careful.”

“Are you following me? Are you looking for something?”

“Um…do you know of a monster called Curse Eye?”

Ronan explained that an acquaintance was cursed and came to catch Curse Eye in order to lift the curse. Sarante, who had been listening to the story, nodded.

“okay. curse.”

“yes. Actually, I was going to ask from the beginning, but somehow I missed the timing.”

“Certainly, Bai Dian is a place where Kurse Eye can live. I don’t know where it is…But why are you trying to do such a dangerous thing?”

“yes?”

“It is true that using the Curse Eye makes it easy to unlock, but it puts a considerable burden on the cursed person. It’s not a formal procedure to do it, it’s because it’s forcibly pulling out the curse. There’s a reason it’s used in Rodolan and for interrogation.”

This was the first information I came across. Sarante added that, at worst, the cursed person could be driven insane or permanently disabled.

Come to think of it, I remembered how my eyes always itched after being sucked by Curse Eye. At the time, I thought it was only a precursor to seeing mana, but it could have been a precursor to blindness.

“I almost got fucked…”

“Yes?”

“no. Then I’ll be back, Sarante.”

“You’re leaving? You’re not going to go to the Orc Village again, are you?”

“It can’t be.”

Ronan turned his back. I never thought I would be indebted to him again.

There was not much time left now. I had to leave the temple at least today to get back to Phileon by Wednesday night.

****

“…be patiently waiting for that.”

When Ronan returned, one more village had already been destroyed. Asher and Marja Braum were gathered in the middle of a village where there were no more moving orcs.

“ha ha ha! I can’t make you suffer alone!”

Braum chuckled, putting his hand on his hip. Five or six orc corpses were strewn about at his feet. Marya swung her greatsword wide and wiped the blood from the blade.

Red blood dripped like dew on her golden hair. Ronan asked, shrugging his eyebrows.

“I guess it was worth doing more than I thought?”

“Because hunting monsters is something I have to do someday.”

“You have a good attitude. This dwarf is still a long way off.”

“Don’t do that…”

Ronan shook Asher’s head back and forth, holding it lightly in his hand. Dark shadows were cast around Asher’s eyes, who had consumed too much mana.

“How about Sita?”

“I’m taking care of the orcs who survived being swept away by the river. Didn’t Ronan make you do it?”

Marja tilted her head. Ronan laughed. Seeing him do things he wasn’t told to do now, I thought that he might soon be able to talk to people.

“Anyway, everyone suffered. We don’t have much time, so let’s finish it quickly and go.”

The group quickly moved to the next location. The slaughter, carried out in a state of victory, was carried out systematically and reliably. As they passed through each village, the group’s skills improved noticeably.

“This invisible hand!”

“Chwiiik! I am flying!”

Asher killed the Orcs by dropping them. The reason was that he was not yet ready to kill by shooting a projectile. It was ridiculous to raise it so high that you couldn’t even see it and say such a thing about canceling telekinesis.

“Then, let’s go to the place where our archmage destroyed it this time.”

“Hee-i-i-ik…!”

There was little to do in the two villages bombed by Asher. House-sized rocks and giant trees fell on the heads of buildings and orcs, creating ruins that could hardly be called a village.

“Good job Asher. It is your work.”

It was also telekinesis magic. clap clap clap Seeing the corpses of orcs and buildings completely crushed, Ronan clapped his hands. Asher covered his mouth with both hands and murmured in a low voice.

“…I’m going to hell.”

They searched the village and took everything they could afford. Still, it was a village that had existed for a long time, so there were quite a few loot collected. No survivors were seen except for Brygia.

After completing the tour of the village, the group returned to the temple. Apart from the sky full of dark clouds, my steps were light.

‘With this, the biggest threat has been eliminated.’

It was most likely an orc who destroyed Sarante’s temple. Because it was their habit to plunder and destroy in droves.

After reducing the population by more than 70% and completely destroying the villages that would serve as bases, the surviving Orcs would leave Baidian and scatter.

With this, the old goblin will be able to gather herbs more comfortably. Only one question crossed Ronan’s mind.

‘That’s strange. Even though ogres are rare, they aren’t monsters that are invisible to this extent.’

In fact, I thought one or two would appear when I burst the river. There was a possibility that it was the monster that destroyed the temple, so Ronan diligently searched for the ogre, but in the end he couldn’t find one.

‘It’s a little disappointing.’

Ronan, who recalled his past adversary for a moment, licked his lips. The twin-headed ogre, who could not win for three days and nights, probably reigned as the king of Baidian. I wanted to make a decision even now, but it was just regrettable.

All that could be done was done. Even orcs and ogres. Of the three candidates for natural disasters, only one could be dealt with, but nothing would happen in the near future as long as the orcs were eliminated.

As I entered the temple, the appearance of Sarante meditating caught my eye. Ronan said hello.

“Sarante we are here.”

“You are here. You didn’t go near the orc village, did you?”

“Sure. What about that woman?”

“…I haven’t woken up yet. The poison seems to be stronger than I thought.”

Brigia said she was still suffering. Ronan twitched his lips.

“Damn, I’m just worried. Can you call me when you wake up?”

“Sure. I will be sure to tell you.”

Ronan wrote the address of the dormitory on a piece of paper and handed it over. Sarante, who struggled to raise the corner of his mouth, continued.

“Do not worry. It probably won’t matter. If it wasn’t for you, Brygia-sama would have been devastated. I almost lost one of the few remaining followers of Seniel.”

“I’ve been curious since the first day, what the hell is that Seniel doing?”

“Strictly speaking, it is not a god, but a great soul. Transcending time and dwelling on a great will…”

Sarante, who was touching her chin, murmured as if she missed her. His gaze was fixed on Seniel’s statue.

“It reminds me of old memories. I carried that rock on my back and moved it all to Konya myself.”

“Did you carry that plague on your back? Are you all nose?”

“yes. It is a sacred place for those who believe in Seniel.”

Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. Sarante spoke of a sacred place called da Konya that exists far away from the Empire.

“It is always windy and rainy. Every thousand years we bring a thousand huge rocks to the center of the Holy Land. And leave it alone for a thousand years. The rocks that remain even after a thousand years have passed will become Seniel’s statues.”

“So if there are a hundred rocks left, does that all become Seniel?”

“Exactly.”

“I’m sorry to say this, but it’s a really strange religion. How can you call it a god?”

Sarante continued with his hand on the idol.

“Because Seniel is a soul, not a god. Just as there is no definite form for pride or faith love. We respect the will written here for a thousand years, not stone, and make it Seniel’s idol.”

“It’s difficult. Something nice, but…”

A thousand years. It was something that could not even be imagined unless it was a race that had stepped into eternity. At most, elves or dragons? After hearing information about Seniel, Ronan really prepared to go back.

The group’s luggage was several times larger than when they arrived. It was doubtful whether the ghost horse could run properly. But that wasn’t the end. Just as the temple was about to open, Sarante held out a few more sacks.

“Take it. I have prepared it for you.”

“Why are you giving me all of this? I’ve already had enough.”

“Anyway, these are things I don’t need this far. Please accept it as a thank you for saving Brigia-sama.”

The sack was full of the herbs and magic stones he had given him so far. Despite Ronan’s refusal, Sarante insisted on receiving the Hansako sack.

“This is true…”

I couldn’t refuse to see an old man with an age gap of at least ten centuries appearing so lowly. Ronan accepted the sack. Only then did Sarante smile and shake hands goodbye.

“Go with caution. These were the most enjoyable two days in nearly a millennium. May Seniel bless your future.”

“I will come sometime. I’m doing great.”

Ronan smiled shyly and shook hands. Sarante waved until the group disappeared behind the trees. A thunderclap roared over the dark clouds, and it seemed that it would rain soon. Sarante looked at the handshake and murmured softly.

“Ronan.”

Sarante stood outside for a while before returning to the temple. A lonely silence once again reigned in the temple where the guests had left.

He walked past Seniel’s statue standing firm and entered his room. Brygia, who had been lying down until just now, was nowhere to be seen.

Sarante quietly packed the teapot and left the room. Then, as usual, after drinking a cup of tea, I started wiping the statue with a dry cloth.

Every corner without missing a place. Sarante, who wiped all of his clothes, opened his mouth without turning his head.

“The bird you haven’t seen has changed a lot. Brygia.”