EP.177 Sign, Battle Mage! (3)
“Lesti Eleanor.”
This was the moment when Kalt muttered the answer.
With a squeak, the door opened. The door opened and the person who came in was the hound who had been in charge of monitoring Kelhalm a while ago.
“Sir, I came to report on today’s work.”
“Was there anything special?”
“Oh, I heard they called a student. “I think it’s about a special lecture…”
“You work hard in one class.”
Kalt sighed.
Did he come to Aplia because he missed the fallen academic city of Artia?
“So who was the student who called?”
“This is Resty Eleanor.”
With a thud, the fan fell out of Kalt’s hand.
“···Who are you saying?”
“yes? Ah, this is Resty Eleanor. “The student who is the next Ashen Magic Tower lord and was the main target during Skebal’s last attack…”
Without even listening to the end, Kalt stood up. He gestured, holding the dagger pouch that was on his desk in his hand.
“location.”
“···yes?”
“The location where the student was called. Where is it? “I believe that the principle of not having students and Kelhalm together in an enclosed space was followed.”
The subordinate nods his head slowly and tells the location.
Kalt quickened his pace with the order to summon all the remaining Hounds.
It’s ominous.
Something was ominous.
Kalt walked as if running, chewing his lips.
2.
A madman.
It’s been over a hundred years since it was called that derogatory name.
The limit of given life span has long been surpassed. On the day he was covered in spirit blood, Kelhalm gained a long, long life like that of a fairy species.
I was able to live a life close to eternal life.
However, it is a life without any meaning.
There was no value in a life that was not desired.
Kelhalm just lets the life that has been forcibly extended go by. There is no meaning to the passing time. His life had already disappeared with the fall of Artia a hundred years ago.
‘It has no meaning.’
It’s been a hundred years of living on the edge of madness.
‘It has no meaning, so it is just vain.’
It’s been a hundred years of resisting being consumed by madness.
‘I miss you.’
Kelhalm remembers.
One day a hundred years ago.
A time when people were called wise people, not madmen.
* * *
“Aren’t the stars so beautiful?”
“Are you saying that again, Celestia?”
The symbol of Artia, the top floor of the academic tower.
A garden has been created there. It was not a garden tended by the owner of an academic tower who had no interest in anything other than teaching students.
“Because it’s beautiful, because it’s bright, but also because I don’t know what’s inside. “It must be beautiful because it is unknown.”
A girl with sparkling eyes looking at the stars in the night sky.
Celestia von Arta.
She smiled brightly as she looked at the garden she had planted with her own hands. It’s been about ten years since Kelhalm took her. From Artia’s beginner class to her senior class… this was the garden she visited every day to tend.
“Of course, this garden is beautiful too.”
“Is there anything that isn’t beautiful in your eyes?”
“Ahaha, is that so?”
Crying and laughing, she leaned back on the bench. Kelhalm glanced at the girl sitting next to him and asked a vague question.
“···You seem nervous.”
“I guess so. In ten days, I have to leave here too. “I’ve been here for over ten years.”
“Because that’s Artia’s rule.”
Don’t be trapped in Artia.
Look at the wide world.
Experience a lot, learn a lot.
That was the rule set by Kelhalm, the manager of Artia. Even though this girl was his best student, Kelhalm had no intention of making an exception to the rule.
“Even if I leave, will you take care of this garden?”
“I’m thinking of leaving it to my secretary.”
“Do it yourself, please. “Someone has a lot of time.”
Kelhalm laughed bitterly.
“Well, I guess I’ll have a lot of time after you leave. “Because I spent half my day just teaching you.”
“Still, there were results, right?”
A girl who controls the five highest level spirits.
The strongest spirit magician of his time.
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Even if I list the titles that refer to her, it would be enough to fill a page or two. Kel Halm, who raised her, shrugged her shoulders.
“It depends on what you do.”
“Anyway, I heard you haven’t given me a proper compliment.”
“It was late at night. Go in and see. “Isn’t there a speech tomorrow as well on behalf of the students?”
Grumbling, Celestia stood up.
As the night fell, the girl walked to the center of the moonlit garden. Kelhalm sat with her chin resting on her back and looked at her back.
A child who is no different from my daughter, whom I raised for over ten years.
Kelhalm smiles faintly as he looks at the girl who has now grown so much that it is time to leave his side. You grew up well. Kelhalm opened his mouth, swallowing those unfamiliar words inside.
“Celestia.”
“Yes, Master.”
Flowers sparkle in the moonlight.
Among the flowers, Celestia looks back.
“Why are you calling me?”
The light purple hair braided into two pigtails shines softly. Eyes the same color as the hair looked straight at Kelhalm. There is starlight in those eyes. Platinum shines in purple light.
A watcher, someone who reads the context of the stars.
Stella, a child loved by the stars.
What can that child, who received two blessings from the stars, do once he gets out of Artia? How many achievements will he achieve, and what a brilliant future will he have?
Picture it in your head.
Just thinking about it makes me happy.
“Like always.”
Kelhalm opened his mouth.
“As always, believe in the stars. Stars are guides that brighten your path. “He will be a reliable companion who will accompany you on your journey.”
After saying that, Kelhalm fell silent for a moment. After thinking for a moment, he continued speaking.
“Thank you for your hard work so far, Celestia. “It’s a little early, but congratulations on your graduation.”
He smiles awkwardly.
Seeing that smile, Celestia lowered her head and laughed. When I looked up at her again, she was smiling brighter than ever.
“Thank you so much, Master!”
That smile.
That smile that shined under the moonlight.
“iced coffee.”
Even after a hundred years, it has not been forgotten.
Kelhalm closes his eyes. Her head was thrown back. Numerous landscapes pass by before her eyes. It is a nightmare, a narrative of endless fall.
Burning Artia.
A white-haired woman cursing a star.
A girl who was betrayed by the stars, abandoned, trampled, and ultimately fell into the rubble.
Remembering all that history.
Thinking back to the irreversible words he left behind.
Lastly, reflecting on the abominable star.
“······.”
Kelhalm opens his eyes.
When you open your eyes, what you see is not the academic city of Artia. Now, over a hundred years have passed since the fall of Artia, and this is the scene of Aplia, known as the best magic academy.
and.
“Did you call me, Professor Letia?”
There is a girl sitting in front of me.
A girl with light purple hair and eyes.
A girl who resembles the Celestia of her memories.
“Lesti Eleanor.”
Kelhalm looked at her and opened his mouth.
“Do you know Celestia von Arta?”
Who are you?
3.
Combat magic and special training week.
“Hmph, huh.”
With the students’ screams echoing, Rania was humming as she walked around the campus. The students are steadily following their training. As expected, it was like Aplia Academy where talented people gathered.
‘It seems like the days are getting longer and longer.’
Students’ growth is rapid.
To begin with, these are children who have become somewhat basic. Even though they do not know its origins, students have been learning about battle mages for quite some time.
Stock of the order.
Close combat based on striking spells.
Acquire physical strengthening spells.
What they have learned over a long period of time is not worthless. I just didn’t know why I was learning that type of fighting method.
‘I just told you that.’
Its origins were explained.
He gave me directions.
With that alone, some students seemed to have gotten the hang of it.
‘A vague sense.’
In the end, there was only one way to make it truly yours.
“What’s left is to acquire it in actual combat.”
Experience in practice.
However, since it was not possible to place it on the battlefield like in the case of Lark, it was placed in a gymnasium where an environment similar to the battlefield was created as much as possible.
‘I think it was well made.’
The trapping style I had learned in the North was very helpful. Rania nodded her head in satisfaction.
Anyway, things are going well.
If things continue like this, flattening Kelhalm’s nose won’t be too far off.
‘···For some reason, I feel a little guilty.’
It seemed like he was bullying the students because of a battle of pride. Of course, the intention is impure, but it will ultimately be helpful to students.
I had to learn it at some point.
These are things you need to know to survive.
Not all combat magic students are like that, but most of them will end up on the battlefield in the future. It’s not something the creator of the class would say, but from the beginning, Battle Mage was a class for soldiers.
‘It seems like there are a lot of kids who came in with that mindset.’
Although Aplia has many children from prestigious families, students in the Combat Magic Department were often the children of concubines or had ambiguous status within the family.
Children who will be on the battlefield or in the field.
Children who have to accumulate balls on the field.
There are children like that. There were a lot. Rania was particularly bad at combat magic, which also played a role.
‘···Still, I was a bit selfish this time.’
As a result, it will lead to the growth of students, but the starting point is a struggle with their own pride. If you think about it, the situation for students is like a lightning strike in the dry sky.
‘I originally planned to teach at the end of the semester or during vacation.’
Was it too early?
Rania stopped walking.
“Uhm…”
She looks back.
In front of the gym, there are several students sitting on a bench with expressions of lost in the world. Rania feels a pang of conscience at the sight of him seemingly lost in his soul.
“Ummmm…”
A moment of concern.
“ah.”
Eventually, she gives an answer.
‘Chloe liked it when I gave her cake.’
Should I buy you something to eat?
Turns her head again. I was on my way to the cafe anyway. Rania continued her pace with the intention of buying her some snacks while she was coming and going.
chin.
It was a time when I was taking steps like that.
Something came into Rania’s field of vision. Aplia’s Garden. There are two figures sitting there.
“···what.”
Rania’s brows narrowed.
“Why are those two like that?”
She turned.
And then, I start walking again.
A little faster than before.
* * *
“Do you know Celestia von Arta?”
Resty didn’t understand the intent of the question.
When I came to the garden after receiving a call from Professor Rutia, who was a new visitor to Aplia… that was the question he asked me right away. Resty tilted his head.
‘The question is unexpected, but…’
Celestia von Arta.
I think I’ve heard that name somewhere before. Resty searched his memory. He didn’t have to fumble for long. Resty slowly opened his mouth.
“Are you referring to the spiritist, Celestia?”
“okay.”
“He knows.”
The first summoner in history to command five top spirits at the same time. He had seen that name in a book dealing with the history of Summoner.
“He wrote the basic outline of elemental science and made a contract with the highest level spirit at a young age…”
“No, that’s not what I’m asking.”
Kelhalm shook his head.
“What I want to ask about is your relationship with Celestia.”
He narrowed his eyes.
It was an emotionless gaze, but there was something flickering beyond the gray eyes.
“Perhaps he is a descendant of Arta’s family? Is it collateral? Is there a blood relationship? Have you ever received eye contact from someone? “Have you gone through artificial experiments?”
Questions poured in.
The words were spoken at a steady pace in a pitchless voice, but it was difficult to understand. Resty shook his head.
“···I am from an orphanage. “I don’t know anything about my blood relations.”
I don’t even know what the Artanim family is.
I have only encountered the character Celestia through books. I gave the answer as it was, but the professor in front of me did not look convinced.
‘Something is strange.’
Resty frowned.
The professor’s eyes looking at him are ominous. Gray eyes containing nothing, but something shaking inside them.
Resty closed his eyes and opened them.
The starlight shines strongly in the purple eyes.
My field of vision widens even further, and the professor’s appearance comes into view again. And, Resty sees something he has never seen before.
‘···chain?’
The entire body of the professor in front of me is wrapped in chains.
A chain binds something. Resty shifted his gaze to the chain that was tied up.
‘ah.’
It’s a fire.
Chains were holding the fierce flames together. What flickered beyond the gray eyes was fire. This is the moment I noticed it. The flames moved, albeit slightly. The professor’s eyes narrowed.
“Those eyes.”
The chain made a creaking sound.
“You are blessed by the stars.”
The flames roar with creaking chains.
“One thing, I’ll warn you.”
The air is heavy. Resty stared at the professor in front of him, unable to move as the air was choking him. He extends his hand. He pointed to Resty’s eyes with his finger.
“The abominable star…”
“hey.”
That’s the moment.
“What are you doing?”
“Whoop,” someone grabs the professor’s wrist.
The mana that had been constricting the surroundings disperses in an instant. Resty turned his head and looked to his side.
“Are you crazy?”
Rania van Trias.
She was glaring at Professor Lutia with her eyes wide open.
