Academy’s Genius Swordsman

< 68. Jarudine (3) >

#68

Ronan carefully picked up the book. On the cover, which had come off halfway, the words that were supposed to be the titles were written in large letters.

“About the Resurrection…?”

Suddenly, dozens of inkwells rolled around my feet caught my eye. All were empty. There were three or four hand-stained feather pens scattered across the desk.

‘Maybe he wrote it?’

It was like a book written by Jarrodin himself. Ronan slowly turned the page.

Each page was marked with the date and record of that day. The first record is in the year 1031 of the imperial calendar. It was written 17 years ago.

[…Fortunately, we were able to preserve it before the decay progressed. I agree with the Darbat monks that the body is a vessel for the soul. If the vessel is kept intact, Sunya will surely come back.]

‘Can you? Is that her name?’

Ronan turned his head. Adeshan looked at the woman as if possessed with her hand on the glass coffin.

I didn’t notice it before, but the woman’s age seemed to be about the same as Iril’s or a little older at best. Ronan, who was silent for a moment, twisted his lips.

‘…I was researching to bring my dead wife back to life.’

As if to disprove him, in the middle of the book, there were promiscuous notes about death and resurrection. Legends spread across the continent, the afterlife covered by religions, and even information about necromancy, a type of black magic.

Ronan laid Jarrodin on the bed next to him and picked up the book again. He began to scan the contents with delicate gestures as if he were handling a newborn baby.

[Today, Sunya is beautiful, and the 22nd attempt to resuscitate has failed. The money raised by selling medals is also slowly running out. After a while, Nabi Rose came. When I saw my wife and invited me to go, I put a fist in my face.]

[I came back from a business trip to the north, but there was no significant result. I gave up all my positions and came out of the Manwol Tower. Honor is less valuable than fallen leaves rotting under the snow. I need more money.]

[With the help of Kratir, I was able to move Sunya. From today on, I am a professor at Phileon. Currently, it is the highest-paying job.]

Ronan’s expression darkened as he turned the page. There was no joy in the handwritten diary.

[77th Resuscitation Attempt: Diamond 2kg + Ogre Heart 432g (Failed)]

As I read, I thought I could understand why I was so obsessed with money. In the book, the details of the resuscitation method attempted hundreds of times were written in detail.

It was mainly using magic or alchemy that required a catalyst, but the materials that went into it were a problem. In the magic attempted in the 102nd, five gold lizard shells, which are more expensive than any other house, were used as catalysts.

‘Damn it, it’s not enough to eat ten per hour.’

Ronan flipped through the middle and went straight to the very back page. Looking at the date, it was written yesterday.

[I want to hear Sunya’s voice. I have to try the 144th revival, but I haven’t been able to get the mana and essence of the pure blood of the longevity race yet. I also accepted their offer.]

The diary was cut off there. A white note was sandwiched between the books. Ronan tilted his head.

‘them? proposal?’

I felt a bit awkward. After all, it was again unlucky white. It was a car about to turn the previous page again to find a clue. Suddenly, Adeshan’s call came from behind.

“Hey, Professor!”

“Hey, that’s a surprise.”

Ronan took the note without realizing it. As he turned his head hurriedly, he saw Jarudine sitting with his upper body raised up. A dry voice came out of his mouth, which was breathing irregularly.

“…you looked ugly.”

“Uh…are you conscious?”

“okay.”

Jordin looked around slowly. He saw his secret laboratory and two people frozen like a statue.

In Ronan’s hand was a report and diary that he had been writing for the rest of his life. Jordin said.

“It sounds great.”

aah! All of a sudden, the mana around them gathered towards Jarrodin. Adeshan, who sensed an unusual energy, took a breath. Ronan protested with his hand on the hilt of the sword.

“I hope you don’t get me wrong, but me and my senior came down because you asked me to come down.”

“Come on, Professor Jarrodin. Calm down…!”

Jarrodin raised his hand instead of answering. It was the moment when Ronan was about to pull the hilt. right! As he snapped his fingers into the air, a white dress was draped over the naked woman’s body. Adeshan’s eyes widened.

“uh?”

Jarudine got up. The gathered mana was scattered like mist. He walked in front of the glass coffin and opened his mouth looking at the woman.

“I’m sorry, Sunya. I didn’t expect guests to come.”

“Jarodine?”

“Forget it.”

“yes?”

“Forget my wife naked.”

Jarrodin suddenly turned and glared at Ronan. Blue eyes were burning fiercely in the orbit. Seeing the mana rising over his shoulder, Ronan swallowed.

‘I’m serious.’

Among the wizards he had seen so far, he was strong enough to fit within ten fingers. There was no reason to fight because I couldn’t guess the victory or defeat. Ronan raised both hands and groaned.

“I see. I will forget.”

“It would be true.”

“yes. So calm down. You don’t intend to rip us apart with magic, do you?”

“…why would you do that? It happened because of my negligence.”

life has gone down Judging from what he said, he seemed to remember what he had done to some extent. Jarrodin said, pointing to the book with the tip of his chin.

“But why are you holding it?”

“Ah, so…”

“done. Have you read the contents?”

“no. I just picked it up.”

“Good luck.”

Jarrodin approached, staggering, and took the book. It seemed that the aftermath of the curse still remained because of his unstable gait. He sat down on the bed as if collapsed and continued.

“…you are the first students to come in here.”

“It was not intentional.”

“Know. And if you weren’t stupid, you would have noticed what I was doing.”

Ronan and Adeshan looked at each other and nodded. Jordin let out a deep sigh.

“Please don’t. Keep it a secret.”

“Absolutely. Who are you telling this to in the first place?”

“It’s like that… Ronan, do you have a ring right now?”

“Yes?”

“I thought it would be better to extract what happened now. Are you okay?”

Ronan chuckled. Even though he was conscious, his obsession did not change.

He took the ring out of his trouser pocket. Sarante’s magical energy was subtly leaking from the jewel-encrusted ring.

“Do whatever you want. It took me a while to keep it away from my body for a long time, but it’s good.”

“Thank you. Try it as soon as possible.”

Jarrodin, who received the ring, sat down at his desk. He commenced the disenchantment work using precise tools.

Ronan and Adeshan stood side by side in front of the glass coffin. Adeshan, who looked up at Sunya with sad eyes, opened her mouth.

“You are very beautiful. Is not it.”

“Yeah, what.”

“You’re still young…what happened?”

“I do not know···.”

Considering that the body was clean, it was inferred that it was a soldier or poisoned. Ronan clicked his tongue slightly. Since I had never experienced love between lovers, I couldn’t fully empathize with them, but I couldn’t help but feel dirty.

The two walked as if taking a walk in Jarrodin’s secret space. Adeshan looked around the whole time as he walked, with the momentum to relocate the entire place in his head. It was a habit that was the basis of her insight.

‘I’m probably anxious.’

Ronan, on the other hand, was walking without saying a word, only looking at the floor. Anxiety about not knowing English. Antennae, so-called intuition, were sending warnings.

‘Even if you’ve never been in love… I’ve seen a lot of people who spend their lives for love.’

It was not difficult to find those who were caught by killing an affair lover or by killing someone for their lover among the punitive motives. Ronan regarded love as a kind of poison.

Love kills the dragon, turns the morning star of the empire into a patient with dementia, and turns even the best person in the world into a rookie who is not afraid to do evil.

Jarrodin was already an irreversibly addicted person. Judging from the contents and actions of the diary, he was a great man who would literally do anything to save his wife.

‘If those bastards come to seduce you…’

That added to Ronan’s anxiety. If Nebula Clazier approached him, saying that there was a sure way to save his wife, and offered him something he’d like to do instead, he would do it even though he knew it was wrong.

‘You have to stop that.’

Ronan put his hand in his inner pocket. Suddenly, I touched the note I had been carrying. Then Jarrodin’s voice echoed through the darkness.

“It’s all done.”

“Already?”

The two returned to Jarrodin. He took off the one-eyed glasses he was wearing and returned the extracted ring. Indeed, as Jordin had said, there was no change in the mana that was oozing out.

“Are you sure you extracted it properly? Nothing has changed.”

“I was also surprised…that it contained much more magical power than it seeped out…”

Jarudine got up. Its slender legs were shaking like a newborn antelope.

He looked even more exhausted than before, and it seemed that he had put a lot of energy into extracting mana. He put his hand on Ronan’s shoulder and took a deep breath.

“Thank you, I never imagined that I would be able to get this like this…”

“What. Thanks to you, I succeeded in mana sensitivity.”

“You … you don’t know how long I’ve been looking for this… You kept your promise, and I’ll keep the rest of your promise… If you’re having any difficulties, come to me…”

“thanks.”

“Then… will you come back today…? I’m sorry, but I can’t even open my eyes…”

“It is. Go back, Adeshan.”

Ronan turned his back. I was still nervous about the note, but it worked out. It was the moment he had just taken his first step.

“for a moment···.”

“Yes?”

Jarrodin’s voice caught him. Ronan answered without turning his head. For a moment, a creepy feeling as if a ghost was licking his back ran up the nape of his neck.

‘Damn it, did you catch it?’

A cold sweat ran down my temple. Jarudine spoke intermittently.

“Don’t forget that you have to practice mana every day… 20 years may not be enough if you neglect your efforts because you are intoxicated with your talents…”

“…Ah, of course. Do not worry.”

“Those with strong skills can practice while fighting. You, too, should devote yourself to that goal…”

Ronan then turned his head. Jarrodin was nodding, as if he was about to collapse. His gaze turned to Adeshan.

“And you… Nabirose’s assistant…”

“Yes, Professor?”

“Did you say your name is Adeshan? I think you will have to hold onto me once in a while…”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Obviously, the last time I saw you, I didn’t feel anything… but it’s not unusual… you feel a different energy from Ronan…”

Adeshan’s eyes widened. After speaking, Jarrodin lowered his head. Shortly thereafter, a snoring sound began to creep in.

Ronan came out of Tower 41 with Adeshan. He breathed a sigh of relief only after he reached the roadside where the tower was not visible.

“I thought I was going to get caught.”

“it’s okay? Your complexion is pale.”

“it’s nothing. Wait···.”

The weather was still gloomy. The shadows cast by the clouds covered the campus. Ronan put his hand in his inner pocket and pulled out the note he had slipped out earlier.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. I just wish I had made a note of what to eat for dinner…”

It may be a grandiose delusion, but Ronan was imagining the worst possible future. I just hoped that the identity of ‘them’ written in the diary wasn’t just for Nebula Klaji.

Ronan took a deep breath and opened the note. Contrary to expectations, nothing was written on the crumpled paper.

“Eh?”

However, there was a red stain in the middle of the empty space. It seemed that the subtle color was not ink or paint. Ronan tilted his head.

“What is this?”

“What is it?”

Adeshan, who was examining the note, shrugged his eyebrows.

“Yes···? Isn’t that a bloodstain?”

“blood? Oh, I guess so.”

Ronan nodded his head. But the doubts were further aggravated.

There must be a reason why these items were placed in the middle of an important book. The bloodstain that fell exactly in the center of the paper also gave a somewhat artificial feeling.

“There must be something there…”

Ronan narrowed his eyes and observed the bloodstains. But nothing could be found. It looks like something magical was done, but I couldn’t get the inspiration.

Should I take it to Erzebet as well? Ronan was just about to fold the note.

– Aww!

“Fuck, what?!”

“Ouch!”

I almost dropped the note. Suddenly, bloodstains began to spread widely like an explosion.

The red traces spreading over the paper stopped only after forming a specific shape. Adeshan muttered, calming her startled heart.

“Gee, map…?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Hearing the word map, Ronan looked at the note. Listening to Adeshan, it certainly looked like a map somewhere. Then a familiar voice came from behind.

“It’s okay, Ronan. The girl next door.”

“Well?”

Ronan turned his head. There stood a girl with a hood pressed down to the top of her head. An unbelievable voice came out of Ronan’s mouth, with his brow furrowed.

“…Ophelia?”

“yes. I waited a long time.”

It was a face I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was Ophelia, who took Sita’s feather and left to study blood magic. Her red eyes twinkled in the shadow that Hood had created.