CH 58

Dante would pop up in my head all the time.

I didn’t break away from thoughts about Dante. On the contrary, I would go even further and force myself to think about Dante. Vaguely thinking that we will meet someday.

While thinking of you like that, I got hurt and almost turned back. Yet if it was that dangerous, I didn’t think that I wouldn’t be able to meet you even in those dangerous moments.

Even so, I thought I would be able to meet you until I died.

Yeah, all of these were thoughts I could have had because I don’t die.

The wounds that disappear as soon as they stay there. A body that tells me that I’m not dead and that I will never be. The things that made me live without rest for a long time of 200 years.

A long time ago, there was a time when I resented these things. Before I gave up everything, I cried often asking why I didn’t die, or if I would come back to life even if I died like this in the future.

I didn’t hate it as much as I did back then, but I still didn’t like this ability. If I could cut off my life, I wanted to do it without hesitation. At least 10 years ago, no, until I met you.

The day I came back to life 10 years after I was broken into pieces.

For the first time, I felt grateful that I didn’t die.

I’m glad that I can see you again, that I can go to you as a revived person.

…I thought so.

“…”

Filling the ground beneath my feet were dark circles of magic. As Kade said, it seemed to have dug deep into the ground along the drawn lines.

And it was said that if this magic is cast all at once, even a transcendent who has gained immortality will inevitably die.

The day Dante mistook me for an illusion created by a monster, I remembered a sentence he whispered so only I could hear. At that time, I didn’t understand Dante’s words. I just thought there must be some hidden meaning, but I couldn’t accept it as it was.

That’s right, you don’t die. You said with your own mouth that you wouldn’t die.

[Come see me before I die.]

Yet only now did I realize that Dante meant it… 

You deliberately whispered such a thing to someone who believed you wouldn’t die, whether you recognized me or not, you jerk. You must have been determined to upset me.

But there was a fact that made me more terrified and devastated than what you said. While my head was spinning dully, only one realization was clear.

Ah, I see.

I thought it was fortunate that I didn’t die, yet you were thinking about dying.

Feeling as if cold water had been poured on my head, I involuntarily swallowed my breath.

***

I3.

In the heavy atmosphere, this person awkwardly turned his eyes.

After seeing ‘that’ magic circle that surrounded the Magic Tower earlierㅡin fact, he didn’t even know if it could be called as one. Because it almost looked like a natural disasterㅡthe party including Ivan was in a state of silence without saying anything.

In fact, rather than not talking, it was closer to them looking at one person. Even the moment they opened the door of the Magic Tower, they continued to look at Ei, as they watched and listened to see whether Ei would say anything or even whisper something in a very small voice. With the hope that she would rather say something.

However, Ei just stayed silent with a firm expression on her face.

Ivan, who was restless in the awkward atmosphere, couldn’t stand the heavy air and opened his mouth first.

“Sister Ei.”

Without answering, Ei looked at Ivan with an expressionless face. Although she usually didn’t have an expression, her expression at this moment was even more unfamiliar. Ivan was involuntarily nervous and carefully continued his words.

“Mm, don’t worry too much.”

“…”

“The magic circle we saw earlier… he only drew it, but I didn’t see any sign of him trying to cast it. I heard that the reason why the creatures around the Magic Tower died was because of the magic that permeated in the process of drawing the magic circle. The Master of the Magic Tower probably didn’t do it intentionally.”

Having said that, Ivan glanced at Lily. He looked at Lily as if to ask her to continue his words, but her eyes looking at him only reflected her complex feelings.

As a magician, Lily, who must have been more shocked by the magic circle than Ivan, seemed to think that no words could wrap this situation in a good way. Without being able to do anything, Ivan, who opened his mouth first, shook his head eagerly, deciding that it was a problem he had to solve on his own.

Frankly, as he continued, he himself was skeptical. From the time he started drawing a magic circle like that, he must have made some sort of decision, and Ei couldn’t have known that either.

But Ivan continued to say things that contradicted his thoughts. Because he couldn’t stop talking once he had uttered it.

“Even the Master of the Magic Tower probably didn’t think of actually casting it…”

“Ivan.”

Ivan’s mouth fell shut at the quiet voice.

“Thanks for trying to comfort me.”

“…Yes.”

“But I don’t care about that magic circle.”

Unwavering light brown eyes met Ivan.

“I care about what Dante was thinking when he drew that.”

Ei’s voice didn’t tremble, and her eyes were clear and straight. Her face, which didn’t even change even when she was talking, was only pale.

But why didn’t Ei look calm when she said so?

Before Ivan could say anything more, she looked in front of her again.

“So let’s find Dante first. I will think about what to do after I find him.”

“…”

At those words, Ivan finally looked ahead, and the silence returned.

***

The road from the entrance of the Magic Tower to the hall was smoother than expected. The corridor that stretched all the way wasn’t very long, and sometimes collapsed and broken debris blocked the way, so they had to avoid it, but they didn’t run into great danger.

Strangely, every corner of the party, including Ivan, passed by, was as clean as if someone had deliberately arranged it.

The walls on all sides were all broken, and the decorations that should have originally been decorating the Magic Tower were rolling around here and there.

It was strange that sharp pieces that could hurt then were pushed into the corner, but… There’s no way the Master of the Magic Tower removed it intentionally, well. It must be a coincidence.

Whether it was comfortable or not, it doesn’t matter. When the road ended, a huge door soon appeared in front of them.

Nobody knew what would be going on here. As Ivan held the handle in front of his eyes, he thought a little nervously.

From what he had heard, unknown magic came flying from the hall. The magic that was said to be full of murderous spirits, as if something other than the Master of the Magic Tower had fired them.

He didn’t know who the heck was doing it, but it’s clear that it’s a threat to them.

Like the door at the entrance of the Magic Tower, the easily opened hall was a mess. Torn books, paper, pieces of glass, and dust were scattered everywhere, and occasionally bloodstains of unknown origin could be seen.

No corpse was seen, but the fact that there were bloodstains and no corpse made it even worse.

The ceiling in particular was noticeably messed up. Even if the lights were so broken that it was strangely hanging, the cracked ceiling was very miserable and dangerous. For the moment Ivan thought, maybe it’d collapse and he’d die if he did something wrong.

He saw a strange light shining through the cracks.

“…Uh, Brother Kade.”

“What’s the matter.”

“Look at that.”

Kade turned his head in the direction Ivan pointed with his finger.

“There, between the cracks… Isn’t that ice?”

“…That sounds right.”

It was frozen like it was supporting the ceiling, and it was clearly ice even from a distance. The solidly frozen ice looked more like a mineral, and seemed stronger than anything else.

The moment everyone was looking at it strangely, Ivan felt a chill run down his neck.

It was an ice type, probably. Those mysterious magics that were said to fly from the hall…

As the thought reached that point, a feeling of tension ran through Ivan’s body.

And not long after,

ㅡCrack!

“Sister Lily!”

Blocks of ice fell menacingly right in front of Lily. Shards of ice that shattered, splintered, and splattered to the floor, scratched her skin.

Ivan realized that the protective spell had been broken at once. There are two reasons why protection magic was neutralized so quickly. When they receive an intense shock that exceeds the limit of the shield. Or when an opponent forcibly neutralizes it.

In Ivan’s opinion, it must have been the latter in this case. Someone had deliberately canceled the protection magic.

Canceling the magic of others belongs to high-level magic that can’t be recklessly attempted. If a person can do this, is it the Master of the Magic Tower, after all? Even though he tried to stay calm, his senses became sensitive.

As Ivan looked in the direction of the attack, something flew out of the ice.

At the same time as the sound of ice breaking, ice powder flew into the air, and pieces flew around sparkling. In contrast to the current miserable situation, in an exquisitely beautiful scene as if it were made with magic.

When Ivan thought that he had seen a glimpse of a blue feather in between.

“Lisa.”

Ei murmured softly.