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Chapter 220

“Z-Zafia? Instructor Navirose?”

Adeshan’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe it, even as she saw them. The sudden appearance of Navirose alone was surprising enough, but what truly astonished her was Zafia standing beside her.

“Ronan, what… what’s going on? How did Zafia come to the North?”

“I wrote a letter to His Majesty. Someone needed to set things right in the North.”

Ronan explained what had happened a few days earlier. He had requested the Emperor to amend the terms of the Blood Pact to allow Zafia to come to the North.

No matter how much he thought about it, there was no one else but Zafia who could stabilize the mess Barka had made in the North. Adeshan marveled, clasping his hands together.

“Incredible… Then what about Instructor Navirose?”

“She’s here to watch over him. Can’t have him causing trouble for no reason.”

Navirose’s grumbling could be heard even from here. It seemed she had been dragged along while enjoying her vacation.

But it was unavoidable. There were only a few individuals in the Empire who could monitor someone like Zafia and attempt to subdue him if necessary. Watching the two approaching figures, Ronan swallowed hard.

‘…Hope she won’t suddenly charge at us.’

He was in quite a predicament. Much had changed since he wrote the letter.

Barka’s atrocities were more gruesome than he had imagined, and somehow, Ronan ended up killing both Zafia’s brother and son at the same time. Of course, the son was already dead, but still.

Lost in thought, he found himself unexpectedly close to the two. Zafia was the first to shake hands.

“Nice to see you, Ronan.”

“Long time no see, Zafia.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve stepped on this land. What should I say… Thank you…”

As Zafia was greeting them, his gaze lingered on the Weartiger boy being carried by Ronan. Ronan. Adeshan squinted her eyes shut.

“…Aradan?”

“Much has happened.”

Zafia’s face hardened. Ronan handed Aradan’s body to him without a word.

“Take him.”

Zafia silently accepted his son’s body. Aradan seemed quite big to Ronan, but seeing him in Zafia’s hands, he appeared just a boy. After a moment of silence, Zafia spoke.

“…Explain.”

“Sure thing. Can we step aside for a moment?”

It seemed they needed to talk alone to discuss Aradan’s death properly. Ronan fished out a bunch of letters from his pocket that he found in Barka’s lab.

“This.”

“Recognize the paper?”

Zafia’s eyes widened for a moment. The handwriting behind the parchment was his own. After a brief silence, he spoke.

“…Doesn’t matter. Speak here.”

“All of it? Really?”

“It’s in front of my son. I won’t let anything slide if you miss even one detail.”

Zafia growled. Ronan had forgotten for a moment that he was originally this kind of guy. Sighing deeply, he showed him the letters.

“Alright. Let’s start with this guy named Jaeger. So…”

The rest of the three listened intently. Ronan explained everything that had happened since he arrived in the North. His journey with the Carabel merchants, meeting with Jaeger and his death, the brutal pursuit by Barka Turkon, who turned out to be the real villain, and more.

“Was… Barka really that corrupted.”

Zafia muttered to himself. He listened to Ronan’s story surprisingly calmly. Of course, his fur bristled as if it could shoot out at any moment.

Ronan revealed everything, excluding the information about the Savior and Elysia. Even the fact that he was accused of plotting a rebellion and that Barka was a Bishop of Nebula Clazier, which was extremely dangerous information.

Suddenly, Navirose, who had been silent, spoke up, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

“Then now, are you absolutely sure he’s not involved?”

“I’m sure.”

Ronan affirmed. However, Navirose wasn’t asking him a question. A wildfire-like fierceness surged over her shoulders. Jaipa, who had been silent, nodded his head.

“It’s just as it says in the letter.”

“…Hmm.”

Only then did she take her hand off the hilt of hersword. As her intense aura momentarily dissipated, Ronan and Adeshan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Anyway, that’s what happened.”

Ronan’s explanation soon came to an end. A heavy silence descended, dreadful and oppressive. Zafia remained silent, stroking his dead son’s ears.

“…I see.”

Contrary to Ronan’s worries, Zafia didn’t express anger nor blame him. Abruptly, he turned his back. Aradan cradled in his arms.

“I’ll bury my son and return.”

“You…”

Whatever Navirose was about to say, she stopped herself. It might have been against principles, but she didn’t try to stop Zafia. Zafia halted in his tracks.

“Ronan.”

“Yeah?”

Ronan tilted his head, and Zafia spoke.

“Thank you. I won’t forget.”

Zafia resumed walking. Ronan grimaced at the thought of how dirty he felt. With no one speaking, only the sound of the wind and Zafia’s footsteps fading away could be distinctly heard. The first to break the silence was Navirose.

“So much has happened. I’m glad you’re all safe.”

“Well, yeah. How have you been, Instructor?”

“I went to the South once. The summer there is oddly tepid. I didn’t expect to be sent to this freezer as soon as I returned.”

For some reason, her skin seemed a bit more tanned. From then on, the three engaged in light conversation.

While Zafia’s situation was unfortunate, one couldn’t remain gloomy forever. Navirose, who had been asking questions, suddenly began unbuttoning her coat.

“Whew… Even though it’s Heiran, it’s hot walking like this. I’ve layered too much.”

Navirose was wearing three layers of thick leather clothing, as she was sensitive to the cold. Grumbling, she started unbuttoning her coat. As the front loosened, the trapped heat inside surged up.

“Oh.”

Ronan’s eyes widened. Her soaked undershirt clung to her body’s contours. The sensation it evoked was akin to being next to the Mother of Fire herself. As she shook her coat to cool off, Navirose sighed.

“Hehe, much better now.”

“Wow…”

Adeshan was equally captivated by the magical fire pouches. Suddenly she realized that Ronan was looking at the same thing she was, and screamed in horror.

“I-Instructor!”

Hastily, Adeshan stretched out her hand and buttoned up her coat. Perhaps because she was the daughter of a tailor, her handling of clothes was very nimble. Navirose tilted her head.

“What is it, all of a sudden?”

“Ha, you can’t take off your clothes so carelessly. It’s really cold here.”

“I’m hot.”

“Th-that doesn’t matter. What if someone sees it?”

After saying that, Adeshan glared at Ronan. Ronan, embarrassed by her piercing gaze, avoided her gaze. She was being rude even though she had enjoyed it herself. Navirose, who was looking at the two, thinking they were cute, opened her mouth.

“Adeshan.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been through a lot. It must have been tough.”

For a moment, Adeshan’s movements froze. Navirose stroked her head. It was a possible move due to her bending over to button up her coat.

“Instructor? Why all of a sudden…”

“Revenge may be satisfying, but it’s not pleasant. Especially if it ends in murder. I know that as well.”

It was about Barka. Adeshan stuttered like a broken doll.

“Th-That…”

“People should cry when they can. If they don’t, they’ll soon fall apart. If there’s anything piled up, now’s the time to let it all out.”

Navirose said, arms outstretched. Adeshan’s eyes teared up. The hardships endured in the North and the nightmares of the Night of the Fangs flashed before her.

After a few seconds, as she breathed heavily, she lifted her head.

“No.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m okay. I’ve cried enough already.”

Adeshan glanced at Ronan with a faint smile. Tears had already flowed enough when she had to deal with Aradan’s body.

Of course, her eyes still glistened with moisture, but as long as they didn’t spill out, they couldn’t be called tears. Navirose chuckled softly.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Once again, she was glad she had chosen to be a mentor. Watching the growth of her students was always a joy.

Adeshan thought Ronan had left because she was crying, but he quietly returned. Navirose, who had also gently patted his head, spoke up.

“So, where are we going now?”

“Well… we should probably go to the forge first. Things have escalated, but our original destination was there.”

“The forge? Are you talking about the Aurora Skar in Heiran?”

“Yeah. I think that was what it was called. Do you know it?”

“Of course. The elders in Parzan must have recommended it. Apart from the distance, it’s one of the best forges. Its use of Aurora’s glow in smelting is unparalleled anywhere on the continent.”

Navirose nodded. If such a meticulous person as her said so, it must be a really good place. They were preparing to leave.

“But, there’s a problem.”

“What is it?”

“I heard about the situation in the North on our way here. It seems the blacksmith released by that Jaeger guy set sail with the forge. They’re probably wandering somewhere in the Northern Sea by now.”

Ronan’s eyebrows furrowed. The forge? Did he mishear it?

“Wait a minute. You said they ‘set sail’ with the forge. What does that mean?”

“What, you didn’t know? Aurora Skar is a huge glacier that was converted into a forge. When facing a crisis like this or during harvesting the Aurora, it leaves Heiran and heads for the sea.”

“What the…”

Ronan chuckled as if stunned. He never imagined there could be a forge more unordinary than the one in Gran Cappadocia. Converting a glacier and floating around on it? What a crazy idea. Navirose spoke.

“It seems like you guys don’t have a boat. If you’re unlucky, you might have to wander around for quite a while to find one.”

“Yeah… shit, should we come back another time?”

“No need for that. I will lend you the griffin I came on, you can ride that.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, Navirose took out a horn from her pocket and blew it. A clear, high-pitched sound resonated. Before long, a giant griffin appeared in the sky in the direction she and Zafia had been walking.

-Hwiyo!

Ronan and Adeshan’s eyes widened. The griffin, gracefully circling, landed in front of the three. With its smooth turn, it was clear this wasn’t a wild creature. Ronan asked.

“What’s with that griffin?”

“I borrowed it from the Imperial Army. Thanks to that, we were able to come comfortably. It’s trained for military use, so it should be easy to handle.”

Indeed, a saddle with the Imperial insignia was strapped to its broad back. Navirose handed the horn to Ronan.

“What about you, Instructor?”

“I’ll take care of myself. Don’t worry. Besides, I wanted to come to the North at least once anyway.”

Navirose waved away any concerns. Ronan, taken aback, accepted the horn.

Certainly, it was a much faster and more efficient mode of transportation than a boat. Adeshan, staring at the griffin, muttered in a despairing voice.

“Back to the skies again…?”

“Go on. I’ll handle things in the North with that cat and return. We’ll meet after everything’s done.”

With that, Navirose turned and walked away. The two offered their thanks with a wave of their hands. It felt so refreshing that it seemed to dispel the cold of Heiran. Before long, the griffin carrying the two of them took off.

“Yaaaaaah!”

A loud scream echoed. Whether or not, Ronan pulled the reins and increased the speed. With not a cloud in the sky, tonight would be a perfect night for stargazing.

****

“Where on earth are we wandering? Can you see anything over there?”

“Oh, uh, no. Nothing here either.”

Adeshan replied, trembling. No matter how much they looked down, apart from the distant surface and icebergs, there was nothing to be seen. With each flap of the griffin’s wings, her bangs mercilessly tangled up.

It had already been half a day since they started roaming the skies. Absolute darkness had descended over the Northern Sea. While the stars were indeed visible, the Aurora, like the one in the Sea of Ghost, was nowhere to be seen.

“It would be nice if we could see the Aurora… If you’re tired, let me know. We can take a break on an iceberg for a while.”

“Th-Thank you. But I’m still okay.”

They still hadn’t found Aurora Skar or whatever forge they were looking for. With lights scattered across the glacier, it was supposed to be easy to find, but judging from the lack of even a hint of light, they seemed to be wandering quite far.

Ronan, riding the griffin, glanced back at Adeshan. She was still burying her face in his back with her eyes tightly closed. A sense of guilt crept up on him. He had ended up putting her through all sorts of hardships, when he had brought her along only as a guide.

“I’m sorry for making you suffer so much. Finding the forge isn’t easy either.”

“Oh, no… I’m fine. Thanks to you, I was able to resolve my past grievances, and I actually enjoyed it.”

“Huh.”

Hearing that, Ronan chuckled wryly. It was astonishingly kind. It was hard to believe she was someone who possessed one of the most dangerous powers in the world.

“If you’re so kind, you’ll end up losing out in the end. To become a General, you need to have a ruthless side too.”

“Is that so? But what can I do? It was still nice.”

“Thank you for saying that. I also enjoyed traveling with you, Sunbae.”

“…Hehe.”

Adeshan laughed. Her voice echoed as she still had her face buried. Memories of their time together came flooding back one by one. Looking back, he had spent a lot of time with her since starting his second life.

‘She’s truly a good person.’

Kind, beautiful, and smart. She even had the perseverance to face hardship without backing down.

Most of all, being with her was as comfortable as being at home. Had Ronan ever felt this way about a woman before? Probably not.

While Ronan was lost in various thoughts about her, the dark sky above suddenly brightened. He called out to Adeshan who was behind him.

“Sunbae.”

“Huh?”

“Open your eyes and look up quickly.”

“Wh-Why all of a sudden? Did you find it?”

“Not exactly. But hurry up. Don’t be scared.”

Ronan urged her. There was no other choice. Adeshan, crying out, lifted her head.

“Woooah… Huh?”

Her eyes widened. A green shimmer, reminiscent of an emerald, enveloped everything. It was the Aurora, a natural phenomenon unique to the North.

However, the scale was completely different from what they had seen in the Sea of Ghost last night. If the Aurora they saw when they met Elysia was like a simple linen curtain hanging in a cabin, what they were seeing now was no exaggeration to call it a grand and splendid curtain that adorned the halls of a palace. Adeshan exclaimed in awe.

“Waaaaa…!”

“It’s breathtaking.”

“Yeah, really…!”

She forgot her fear of heights and began to look around. The night sea where the Aurora descended was more beautiful than any scenery she had ever seen in her life.

Ronan turned his head to look at Adeshan like that. The Aurora pouring down from above bathed her face in a surreal hue. Her fluttering hair in the wind was beautiful.

‘She’s pretty.’

Adeshan waved her hands as if trying to catch the Aurora. One hand was wrapped around Ronan’s waist. Suddenly, Ronan felt a tingling sensation in his chest.

‘What’s this?’

It was a sensation he had never felt before in his previous life. It felt exhilarating yet somewhat uncomfortable, and the feeling grew stronger as time passed.

Although he was quite confused, it seemed he knew what he had to do now. Quick thinking was his forte, after all. Ronan opened his mouth as he gazed at Adeshan’s profile.

“Adeshan.”

“Yeah?”

Adeshan turned her head. At the same time, Ronan reached out with both hands, lightly grabbed the back of her head, and pulled her towards him. Adeshan’s eyes widened.

“Umm…!”

It was completely different from when she had done the artificial respiration. Warmth could be felt through their pressed lips. The taste of blood lingered on his dry and cracked lips. Ronan stared at her with narrowed eyes.

It lasted for less than three seconds, but it felt like three months to Adeshan. Finally, Ronan released her lips and chuckled softly. Time, which had stood still for Adeshan, began to move again.

“Ro-Ro-Ro-Ronan… What… what was that just now?”

Stammering with both hands covering her mouth, she struggled to speak. Her body was so relaxed that her voice didn’t come out very well. Warmth still lingered on her lower lip, touched by her fingertip.

Adeshan’s face was so red that it seemed it would burst at any moment. Ronan, who was quietly observing her, kissed her lips again.

“Ah… Ahhh…”

This surprise attack was fatal. Adeshan, completely relaxed, collapsed onto the griffin’s back. The shock was too great for her to restrain her body any longer.

“I… I did it because you’re beautiful.”

Ronan laughed. The Aurora, curving to the south, seemed to be a signpost guiding them on their way. The griffin, flying silently, roared.

-Hwiyooooo!

After that, the two didn’t speak for a long time. As they flew for about an hour following the Aurora, an unfamiliar object appeared in Ronan’s sight.

“Huh?”

The surface of the massive glacier gleamed with a silvery-blue hue. It wasn’t a natural occurrence but rather magical lighting. Ronan’s mouth gaped open in astonishment.

“Found it.”

It was definitely Aurora Skar. Ronan turned the griffin towards the glacier. As they approached, they noticed that the summit of the glacier had been flatly cut. It looked like a runway built for flying mounts. Ronan spoke.

“We’re landing, so hold on tight.”

“Uh…”

It was their first conversation after the kiss. Adeshan silently wrapped her arms around his waist. As she rested her face on his broad back, she turned her head to the side. The Aurora, blazing in the sky, caught her eye.

The surreal and beautiful sight made her wonder if she was still dreaming. Adeshan, who lightly touched her lips, smiled bashfully.

“Ahaha.”

It wasn’t a dream. The griffin, gliding slowly, landed on the runway made of ice. The rhythmic sound of hammering could be vaguely heard from inside the glacier.