Chapter 108: The Centennial Beasts Festival (8)
“I need you to help me. By any means necessary.”
“…What’s going on? Your expression has been looking quite serious since earlier.”
“It’s nothing special, but I think we should hurry.”
Ronan pursed his lips. The events from last night were making him impatient. The Omega Doppelganger, that changes its appearance into the person someone hated, transformed into him from his previous life, instead of someone else.
Blood flowing like sweat, a shattered sword. The eyes that had become empty after losing everything, and the seven curses that gnawed at his body. The repeated words of the Doppelganger echoed in his mind.
– I couldn’t protect anything.
It was a pitiful lament. The moment he heard those words, the sense of crisis that had become diluted by daily life regained its original intensity.
He needed to strengthen himself to ensure that such a thing wouldn’t happen again. To do that, he had to remove the curse that restricted his growth. Sekreet, who had been staring quietly, opened his mouth.
“This is quite fascinating.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just a few days ago, I succeeded in deciphering one of your curses.”
“Really?”
Ronan’s eyes widened. Sekreet suddenly got up from his seat and headed towards the desk.
After rummaging through stacks of documents for a while, he took out a massive notebook. It was so thick that it could double as a pillow.
“This is the 52nd rendition. Even if I live for another thousand years, I don’t think I’ll see another curse like this.”
Sekreet glanced through the notebook and then placed it back on the bookshelf next to him. The shelf was filled with identical notebooks.
“All of these contain analyses of your curses. It was only after going through all these mess that I was able to design a solution.”
“Tell me in detail. What do I need to do?”
“Do you remember the first time you did it, when you released the golden bindings from your eyes?”
“Of course.”
Ronan nodded. It was an experience he couldn’t forget even if he tried. Entering the Mental World to remove the source of the curse.
In that world of memories, he had seen his old hometown, a mother he couldn’t remember, and his father consumed in the form of a shadow. The sensation of stabbing his father in the final moments was still vivid in his memory.
“Good. We’re going to use the same method this time. However, there’s a problem.”
“What’s the problem?”
“The curse we need to break this time is far more powerful than the first one. It will require a tremendous amount of mana and a catalyst just to enter the Mental World. Now that Jhordin has come to his senses, I’m sure he’ll be able to manage the mana, but…”
“The problem lies with the catalyst.”
Sekreet nodded heavily. Ronan raised an eyebrow.
“What do we need? Is it very expensive?”
“It’s not that it’s expensive… it’s just that there isn’t a lot of it. Have you ever heard of the place named Dainhar?”
“Dainhar? That’s the desert in the southwest, known for its harsh terrain.”
He had heard the name even in his previous life. Dainhar. Among the treacherous places scattered across the continent, it was one of the most challenging and unforgiving locations known as the Hell of The Wilderness.
Harsh desert terrains, monstrous creatures, and local inhabitants who didn’t treat outsiders very well, had claimed the lives of countless adventurers. Ronan, who was reflecting on information about Dainhar, opened his mouth.
“Wait, are you saying we need the stones found there?”
“I’m surprised you caught on so quickly. Yes, we need the Dainhar Stones. No matter how hard we try to find a replacement, there is no catalyst like it.”
Sekreet sighed. He explained that among all the materials they had tested, Dainhar Stones were the only ones that showed potential as a catalyst.
“Typically, about three of them are auctioned off in the Imperial Auction House or High Lymien each year, and they are immediately sold at unimaginably high prices. Unfortunately, all I have is a shard I bought a long time ago for experimental purposes.”
“That won’t work, will it?”
“No, it won’t. It needs to be at least the size of a thumb to be used as a catalyst.”
Ronan nodded. It was clear that this wasn’t something one could buy with just a lot of money. Dainhar Stones were the rarity that had caused people to crawl to that distant hell and lose their lives.
It was a material that not only contained much more potent mana than the highest-grade magic stone but also possessed special characteristics, making it irreplaceable. One in ten thousand. Only a tiny fraction of adventurers, those with both luck and skill on their side, could return alive from the dangerous expedition to obtain this precious stone in the treacherous terrain of the Dainhar Mountains. In a defeated tone, Sekreet continued speaking.
“To be honest, I found out about this a while ago, but I didn’t contact you because of this exact problem. Can you wait a little longer? I will definitely find an alternative catalyst.”
“It’s okay. I’ll get it for you.”
“Huh?”
Ronan replied nonchalantly. Sekreet, who was standing there bewildered, narrowed his eyes.
“Are you serious…?”
“Yes. I’d appreciate it if you’d continue your research, just in case. Anyway, you’ll be able to do it if you have the Dainhar Stone, right? Is there anything else you need?”
“…That’s it for now.”
“Alright, I understand. I’ll figure it out, so don’t worry and just wait.”
Ronan patted Sekreet on the shoulder. His confident demeanor conveyed his determination. It was only natural; after all, he had been to Dainhar in his past life.
‘I never thought I’d be going to that damned place again.’
Ronan frowned at the memories. It hadn’t been a pleasant experience, even for a man who walked the line between life and death, Dainhar was a terrible place.
‘Hopefully, it’ll be better than last time.’
Still, since it was his second time, it was going to be much better than the first. The only issue was the time it would take, and due to Dainhar’s location, it wouldn’t be possible to handle it through club activities.
‘I should leave as soon as the summer vacation begins.’
Fortunately, summer vacation was just around the corner. Ronan, who had been devising a plan for a while, nodded his head.
He had to make several preparations, but he figured things would work out somehow. After finalizing their business, Ronan bid farewell to Sekreet.
“Thanks, Sekreet. It’s the long-awaited festival, and I want to go out and enjoy it.”
“Now that I think about it, today was the Beasts Festival, right? Is the Doppelganger going to be there?”
“Yes, If you get the chance, be sure to go and see it. It was quite a pain to capture them.”
“Huh? Capture them?”
“Well, it’s a long story. I’ll tell you some other time.”
With these parting words, Ronan left Sekreet. Jhordin dozed off after he saw Ronan off.
After quickly tidying up his appearance, Ronan made his way to the front door of Gallerion Hall, intent on fulfilling a promise he’d made to someone early yesterday morning.
****
The morning air was cool, and a gentle halo of light surrounded the campus. It was hard to believe that a chaotic event had taken place here just last night.
“It’s surprisingly peaceful.”
Ronan looked around, chuckling to himself. The normally quiet streets were bustling with students dressed in uniforms, all sacrificing their morning sleep to enjoy the Beasts Festival.
Soon, a familiar silhouette came into view. In front of the huge main gate, a tall girl was waiting for someone wearing a neatly ironed school uniform. Ronan called out, waving his arms wildly.
“Sunbae, I’m here!”
“Ah, Ronan.”
Adeshan, upon spotting Ronan, greeted him with a warm smile. The contrast between her snow-white skin and pure black hair was strikingly beautiful.
The two immediately made their way to Philleon Plaza, where the Beasts Festival’s opening ceremony and the Grand Parade were scheduled to take place. As Ronan examined her complexion, he asked:
“So, how are you feeling?”
“Good, I’ve fully recovered. Thanks to you.”
“I’m the one who should be thankful. Thanks to you, the fight that could have gotten messy ended in an instant. Haha, you should have seen the look on that bastard’s face when he got struck by the venomous sting.”
Ronan chuckled. Adeshan had indeed played a significant role in the battle last night. In a disoriented state of mind, she had expertly controlled the Manticore, striking its venomous stinger into the target—an action not just anyone could have performed. As they were walking side by side down the main street.
“Hey… can I ask you something?”
“Yeah?”
Ronan tilted his head. After a moment’s hesitation, Adeshan spoke with difficulty.
“Well, yesterday… wasn’t it heavy?”
“What?”
“No, when you carried me on your back. I’m taller than most men, I must’ve been heavy.”
“What, were you awake at that time?”
Adeshan, who realized her mistake a little too late, covered her mouth. Her pure white ears turned bright red. After a moment of silence, she mumbled.
“I-I must have mistaken it. Come to think of it, that can’t be right. I was asleep? Right up until I woke up this morning. Yeah. I must have gotten it mixed up with another day.”
“Was there any other time I carried you?”
“Uh, there wasn’t? Then I must have gotten it mixed up with a dream. Yeah. I do that a lot.”
“Adeshan, you’re not still sick, are you?”
Ronan asked with concern. Her usual composed demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Adeshan reassured him with a somewhat forced smile.
“‘Of course…! I’m perfectly fine, don’t worry.”
“Hmm… It doesn’t seem that way. If you’re still in pain, just let me know. I can take you to the infirmary.”
“Gee, I said I’m fine, really.”
Adeshan couldn’t meet Ronan’s eyes. Even with a knife to her throat, she wouldn’t speak. The fact that she was awake from the moment she was carried on Ronan’s back. She chewed her lip as she remembered what happened last night.
‘Idiot, you almost got caught yesterday too…!’
His back was wide and warm, and she blamed herself for just staying still. She remembered what the Alpha Doppelganger had turned into when she’d locked eyes with it.
Adeshan was the one who was drooling with excitement. Ronan, still staring at her quietly, shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, if you’re okay, then it’s fine.”
“Yes. I was really mistaken. Don’t worry about it.”
Adeshan breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, loud cheers erupted from the direction of the Plaza. Ronan turned his head and suddenly grabbed her hand.
“Looks like it’s started, let’s hurry.”
“Ro-Ronan? Wait, my hand…”
“I held it yesterday, what’s new? I know the shortcut, follow me.”
Ronan and Adeshan crossed the campus holding hands. When the two arrived at the Plaza, the Grand Parade was already in full swing. All kinds of sounds were echoing across the sky in the Grand Plaza filled with people and all types of creatures.
“Holy shit, they’ve got a real Manticore.”
“Whoa, there’s a Salamander over there too!”
“Is that Professor Varen in the lead?”
Doom…! Doom…! The majestic sound of drums echoed at a slow pace. Beneath the blue sky, all the mythical creatures and monsters lined up for the Beasts Festival Parade.
The faculty members took positions between the procession and the students, acting as safety personnel. Adeshan, marveling at the spectacle she had never witnessed before, covered her mouth in awe.
“Wow… this is amazing. There are so many more of them than what we saw at the tent.”
“It’s truly impressive.”
Ronan nodded in agreement. He felt that the hardships of the previous night had been worthwhile.
Leading the parade was Varen, who was energetically beating on a massive drum at the very front. His race being what it was, he seemed to be playing the part of a hundred humans by himself. Just behind him, the Manticore that had struck Arondale with its venomous stinger strode majestically.
“Roarrr!”
“Roaaarrr!”
As the Manticore let out magnificent roars, all the students erupted in cheers. Ronan playfully pointed at the Manticore and chuckled.
“How about controlling it one more time to make the Beasts Festival unforgettable? This time, make it sting Varen’s ass with its venomous stinger.”
“Really? Are you sure about that?”
“I’m sorry, Sunbae, don’t actually do that.”
“Just kidding.”
Their eyes met, and they both chuckled. Suddenly, Ronan’s gaze shifted to Professor Kaidokan, who was working as security personnel.
For a change, the usually disheveled Werewolf donned armor that made him look quite the part. Ronan suddenly snapped his fingers.
“Hey, got any plans for the weekend after the festival?”
“Not really… Why?”
“Then, why don’t you come with me? I’ve already taken everyone else somewhere with me before, you’re the only one who hasn’t gone.”
“…Huh?”
Adeshan tilted her head. Suddenly, Ronan rummaged through his inside pocket and pulled out a shiny metal plaque.
The plaque made of platinum had the emblem of the Garcia Family engraved on it. A bill of exchange that could be used across the whole continent, it also served as a permit to enter any place.
“I heard they rebuilt it a while ago… I’m looking forward to it.”
There were only about 15 days left until the summer vacation. If he wanted to utilize it and go to Dainhar, he had to submit a request now.
It was time for him embark on the journey to forge his second weapon.
