Chapter 323

“—Okay. Hope.”
“Yes. Sita was born from drinking my dreams, and perhaps other dreambirds as well.”
Ronan nodded. He had returned to Varen’s office after his time with Sita. Sita, back to her normal self, was dozing soundly with her head pressed against the window.
“Beep—beep—beep.”
When Varen heard the secret of the dreambird, he rejoiced like a man who had fulfilled a lifelong desire. He closed his notebook, noting down every detail.
“I don’t know how to thank you enough for this, it’s a mystery that’s been shrouded in mystery for so many years.”
“Oh, no thanks. You and Secrete did all that.”
“Still, this wouldn’t have been possible without Ronan and Sita, so if there’s anything else you’d like, please let me know. We’ll do our best to help.”
“That’s what you want…so can you give me a few more of those magic scrolls?”
Ronan asked. Despite the trouble of missing things, he had enjoyed his time with the humanized Sita. In a way, it was like practicing for the upcoming birth of their child. Varen nodded pleasantly.
“Of course we can. But can you give me a little time? It’s a difficult spell, and I need more time to create it.”
“We don’t care if we get it, we’re having enough fun as it is.”
Ronan smirked. That was the best thing about peaceful times, not having to rush through everything. Taking a sip of his tea, Varen gestured to the egg on his desk.
“So what are you going to do about this?”
Abel left it behind. Varen spoke in a serious tone.
“If you want to do something like seal it or destroy it, I can help you with that.”
“Destroy?”
“Yes. It’s not an ordinary dreambird’s egg, for one thing, and if the world knew it existed, there’d be a frenzy.”
The smile on Varen’s face had vanished. I hadn’t expected a suggestion to crush an animal’s eggs to death to come out of his mouth.
Of course, it didn’t make sense. The egg was Abel’s only legacy, the seed from which a new catastrophe could bloom, now that every trace of Nebula Clazier was being erased.” Ronan, his jaw clenched, spoke.
“No. Just leave it alone.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll take care of it, and I know you won’t tell anyone about the egg.”
“Well, I’ll keep it a secret, but—are you sure you’re okay with that?”
Varen asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. Ronan pushed himself up. He picked up the egg and slowly fumbled with it.
“I know what you’re worried about, professor, that you planted a bean and it grew beans, that one day that egg will crack and a second Abel will pop out, but Sita never referred to her biological mother, Marquez, as her mother.”
“That’s right, I thought you called him a legend.”
“Yes. I don’t know exactly what it is, but Sita likens the Transmuter to someone who provides a home, which means that Abel doesn’t affect the beings who will be born here one day. What matters is what wishes the egg receives and drinks in.”
The egg Abel had left behind was still unchanged. There was no telling what might be pulsating inside that crusty shell.
“The unborn child is innocent, and I know you’re probably nervous because you’re such a faggot, I know, but that doesn’t stop me from stepping on it and crushing it right now—”
Ronan’s mind flashed back to the last time he had spoken to Abel. On the white sand of the red sea, he had heard Abel’s last words clearly. He smiled wryly.
“The asshole even said sorry at the end.”
“—Of course. Then I won’t stop you.”
Varen smiled. If Ronan, the discoverer of the egg in the first place, could come out like that, there was nothing he could say.
Afterward, the two of them were talking about this and that. Interruption. The door to the office opened and a familiar man and woman walked in. Balus opened his mouth to speak.
“—has been here.”
“Oh. Balus.”
Ronan arched an eyebrow. Balus’s face was gaunt, like someone who hadn’t slept in three days. Behind him, a flushed Erzebeth leaned heavily on her head.
“That, that— Mr. Ronan, because— I’m sure I’m Mr. Ronan’s child.”
“Yes, ma’am. Are we clear now?”
“—Yes. I’m sorry.”
Erzebet murmured. Judging by the look of disbelief on his face, Balus had explained well. He swayed suddenly and caught his balance against the wall.
“What the hell, are you okay?”
“—I thought I was going to die, and you lifted me up in the air, saying that you were in cahoots with that scoundrel after all, and–blah, blah, blah–it was really scary.”
Balus muttered something like a sob. Erzebet’s face reddened even more. She may have grown older and more mature, but she hadn’t left her fiery personality behind.
“Ahhh—I told you I’m so sorry, and I’ll make sure to compensate you in the name of Akalusia for the damage you’ve done.”
But he wasn’t a bad kid by any means. I could tell by the way he was doing his best to calm the terrified Balus. It was a good thing the descendants of the nobility that bisected the country were in their right minds, as was Schlieffen.
Suddenly, Nabiroze’s words flashed through my mind. There are some things about women that only a woman can help. Ronan scratched his head and called for Erzebet.
“Erzebet. Follow me for a minute.”
“—? Oh, yeah.”
Erzebeth flinched. The fear in her voice suggested that she thought Ronan would be angry with her for this misunderstanding. He led her to a corner of his office and spoke.
“Erzebet. If you’re going to be in the Islands for a while, go to Adeshan. Preferably right now.”
“Uh, to my sister? Why all of a sudden?”
“Yeah. I just had a baby. She’ll be so happy if you go and congratulate her.”
“——what?”
Erzebet’s face hardened. Apparently, she hadn’t heard it yet. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers. Ronan’s lips curled in admiration as a translucent veil formed around them.
“Silent magic, you’re a good boy, you instinctively knew it was a secret.”
“Now, wait a minute. Wait, what did you just say, I must have misheard you?”
“I told Adeshan I’m having a baby, and this time it’s really mine.”
“That, that, that, that, what the—!”
Erzebet covered her mouth with both hands and froze in place. She barely regained her composure before she ran out of the office, screaming Adeshan’s name. Her voice echoed in Ronan’s head as her footsteps stopped running down the stairs.
[Congratulations! For now!]
“Onya.”
Ronan chuckled at the expected reaction. Varen, Sita, and Valus alternately looked at Erzebet and Ronan with questioning expressions.
Given her personality, she was sure to insist on naming the child herself, and it would be interesting to see which of Nabiroze’s and her names would be adopted. Ronan glanced out the darkened window.
“Well, I’ll be on my way, but I’ll see you later.”
“Oh, are you sure?”
It had been an eventful day. Varen stood up and shook his hand. Ronan had just said goodbye to Valus and was on his way home. He glanced in the corner of his office and cursed.
“Damn. I forgot about this.”
Sitha’s spit-up sealing stones littered the floor. An ominous red glow emanated from the amulets clinging to them. Varen clutched at his mane in pain.
“Hmm, I had forgotten about that. You said it was something Sita brought back from the New World, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. That they were sealing something terrible—.”
Ronan frowned. There must be something unfortunate going on in the New World if it was done in such a grand manner.
“The dog’s poop is for the owner to clean up.
Ronan sighed as he organized the plan in his head. He was nervous about leaving his pregnant girlfriend alone, but with Erzebeth with him, it wouldn’t matter.
I’ll just stop by the house and then I’ll be on my way. He was about to step outside when he woke Sita. Suddenly, his gaze locked on Sita’s cheek.
“Hmm? This is—.”
“Suck?”
A few strands of tulip-red hair were tangled in his black fur. It was long and shiny and flowing with an intense sense of visibility. Ronan ran his fingers through the hair.
“This is Asel’s hair…aha.”
I could see why Sita had traveled to the New World. On the day he graduated from Pileon, Marja had announced that she would lead the Caravelle to the New World. And Asel had said he would accompany her as her escort.
“Did you go to Asel and Marja?”
“Bam!”
Sita shook her head in affirmation. She must have followed them to the New World. Suddenly, the blood drained from his veins. Ronan breathed a sigh of relief and muttered to himself.
“Well, I guess I don’t have to go then.”
“Hmm? You’re not going?”
“Yeah. You don’t have to go all the way over there, he’s got Asher, he’ll take care of it.”
Ronan insisted. The current Asel was arguably one of the best mages on the continent. He would be more than capable of dealing with whatever came out of the broken seal.
“Asel, the only person he should be afraid of is Marja, so you can stop worrying about him.”
“Hua, I know you’re a strong Asel student, but—.”
Varen trailed off. It was true that the presence of Asel had made things less tense. Ronan, perched atop Sita’s head, chuckled.
“Don’t worry. It’s going to be fine.”
****
“Hey, that’s enough—!”
It was a full moon night. Asel was fleeing, flying between sheer rocky cliffs. Five hundred paces away, several sets of footsteps were chasing him.
Beneath his feet, the narrow road continued on. Feeling suddenly alive, Asel turned and screamed.
“Wahhh! D-Don’t come!”
At the same time, Asel stretched out his arm. An invisible hand pushed back the boulder that rested on the cliff. With a bang, the boulder rolled down the cliff, blocking their path. Realizing that the footsteps had stopped, Asel opened his mouth.
“Hey, aren’t you following me now?”
His back was soaked with sweat. He could no longer feel the pretense. Asel was just about to breathe a sigh of relief. SHISHIK! Dozens of silhouettes surged up from the rocks blocking the path.
“Heehee!”
Asel’s face went white. The shadows of cloaked figures with their backs to the moon fell over his face, each clutching a sword he had never seen before. The one who appeared to be the leader pointed at Asel and shouted, “You’re not alone.
“You must be one of their spies, given your suspicious use of magic. Kill him!”