098 Chapter. A New North (3)
Farewells, then.
Khan grimaced as he poured liquor into his already dry mouth. The liquor, which he had boldly taken from a cellar in the Duke’s annex outside of the fortress, was of such exquisite quality that even Maya had been excitedly impressed by it. Indeed, its aroma was profound, and the warmth that flowed down the esophagus was particularly remarkable. Regrettably, it was not potent enough to intoxicate his sturdy body.
“You do drink spiritedly.”
“What, weren’t you just sobbing over there?”
“Who, who was sobbing? I was just feeling a bit melancholy.” said Ron, sheepishly making excuses, which made Khan chuckle and hand over the bottle he was holding.
“Thanks.”
Taking the bottle from Khan, Ron imitated him, gulping down the liquor.
“Cough, cough…! How could you drink something this strong like water?”
“Strong? Just give it here.”
Snatching back the bottle from a whining Ron, who had not expected its potency, Khan emptied the remaining half. The fairly warm sensation that flowed down his throat was quite pleasant. Of course, it still wasn’t enough to get him drunk.
[Stamina: 36] +6
With his stamina stat now begrudgingly at 42, Khan asked lazily,
“I’ll settle the commission in gold, at a fair amount.”
“I won’t refuse. You’re trustworthy, after all.”
In truth, Ron had contributed more than what his task required. Not just a simple guide, but a reliable companion. And Khan was not stingy in his spending – as he had been in the west before.
“So, where did you say you’re heading? The Mage Tower?”
“More precisely, to the borderlands of the Empire. A master mage there will come to meet us.”
Ron said.
“That sounds like a rather safe journey. Is this your first time to the Empire?”, Khan asked.
“Not my very first time. But it will be my first crossing into the borderlands, indeed.”
That was as much as saying they had no more reason to travel together.
“Still, it’s quite… no, extremely regrettable. Traveling with you has its dangers, but it has been enjoyable.”
“One more adventure, and you might not survive.”
“Haha…! Luckily, I’m quite resilient. Besides, didn’t you take care of all the real dangers?”
Khan didn’t bother to reply and just opened another bottle.
“Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t be too bad to continue traveling with you. Just a thought, of course. After all, with my abilities, I’d be nothing but a burden.”
“Well, you were not just a burden, at least.”
“It’s kind of you to say so.”
Ron’s words were sincere. Without him, evading the Duke’s pursuit over such a long distance would have been difficult. Nor could he have managed so many tasks alone.
But the strange sense of indebtedness in Ron’s voice wasn’t something that would dissipate with mere consolation. Especially for someone who might feel an out-of-place sense of guilt for not being more helpful during their most perilous moments.
‘Maybe that’s why he chose to head to the Empire…’
The Empire was known for its exceptionally strong mercenaries. If there was something to gain there, it would surely be a beneficial experience for Ron.
“Well then, I’d better go prepare the carriage, true to a guide’s duty.”
“The blacksmith, you mean?”
“A blacksmith, yes. And a guide as well. Just decided to go with that.”
Yes, a good decision. Khan took a drink from the newly opened bottle as if to see Ron off.
“Warrior, I’ve learned a lot during our time together. Thanks to you, I learned how harsh the world can be, and at a bargain.”
“It is harsh. And you’re still not quite like a mage.”
“Oh… is that so?”
“Indeed. Most mages aren’t familiar with humility.”
They are often arrogant, thinking they are the center of the world.
Khan added with a smile.
“But you, even though you’re a mage, have the insight of an ordinary person. You can make rational decisions like a mage when needed. And above all, your skills are pretty decent.”
“Ha… I have much to learn. That’s why I’m returning to the mage tower. Though I think my master would prefer I stay longer.”
“Well…”
Although it appeared that Jan was traveling with Jerome as a contact, it was more accurate to see him as an ‘eye’ that Jerome had placed on him. Naturally, his master wouldn’t be pleased with his decision to return on his own initiative.
Moreover, there were still items Jerome had yet to hand over.
The summary of the research notes left by Darkin Perayas and weapons made with the mage tower’s technology. Both were desperately needed by Khan, so it might be better to keep Jan close. Abruptly cutting ties could complicate matters. However-
“If we meet again, I hope you’ll be a mage by then. You’d be able to help me in many ways.”
“Eh, um. That might take a considerable amount of time…?”
He didn’t deny that he would reach the realm of mage someday and be of help to Khan.
At first glance, it might seem arrogant. However, his talent was so significant that such claims felt modest. Considering his age, barely an adult by Earth standards, his skill surpassed that of many mages in the mage tower, and his growth was remarkable.
“Well. In the end, everything depends on you.”
“Ha. Indeed.”
Jan smiled, bowed, and vanished in the same direction Ron had disappeared. Whether this was an appropriate mage’s farewell was debatable. Khan snorted a laugh at his smooth exit and was about to take another drink when he glanced over.
“You’ve made a day of it.”
“We have been together quite a long time, haven’t we? I guess it was time to get things sorted out. Right, Khan?”
“Not that long.”
Indeed, not short, if he had to admit. Khan swallowed the rest of his words and shook the bottle, signaling an offer to drink.
“Hm. I’d like to, but I must return to the order soon. Abstinence and sobriety are the rules there. I’ll pass.”
“Is that so.”
Khan glanced at Elena’s hair, neatly trimmed at her shoulders, and nodded.
“It suits you well. Matches your vibrant age.”
“… Really? I can’t tell.”
“At that age, short hair is the norm.”
“Is that from your homeland?”
“Something like that.”
Perhaps due to his experience from a time when female students wore bob cuts and male students sported sports cuts, Elena’s current look felt far removed from that of a zealot. Instead, it left an impression of lightheartedness, more fitting for someone carrying a schoolbag.
“When we meet again, what should I call you? A nun? A priestess? Or an apostle of the Goddess of Justice?”
“Hm. Personally, I’d like it if Khan would address me with formality, but please, just as you have been. As you’ve nagged me countless times.”
“Impudent.”
“I’m at that age.”
Of course, you are. Khan joked back and started to stand up. They had exchanged all the necessary farewells, and it was time to deal with the last remaining matter. Sensing what was coming, Elena followed his cue and led him to a spacious room in the annex.
“Let’s begin. My abilities might be lacking, so I can’t maintain it for long.”
“Understood.”
“May you find the answers you seek… O agent of the goddess.”
Elena’s eyes gently closed. Her breathing slowed, and her body became rigid, any minute tremble fading away. After a while, a formidable presence filled the room.
This was their second meeting, and yet, Khan couldn’t shake off the overwhelming feeling. He greeted, forcing a smile.
“It feels like it’s been quite a while.”
[To me, it was but a moment. Young warrior.]
The last task Khan had.
It was meeting with the Goddess of Justice.
[You did well indeed. Though the souls sacrificed can never be reversed, eliminating the seed of chaos before it could properly germinate is no small feat. Worthy of being called an achievement. By my divine honor, I acknowledge that you have fulfilled my task. In the most perfect form. Thus, compensation shall be given.]
‘A shard of divinity.’
Khan recalled the reward promised by the Goddess of Justice. A holy relic that could reproduce the divine power of a god within the mortal flesh, something that only a very few among paladins, who received the god’s blessing, could possess. Though not being a paladin himself made it difficult to draw out its original performance, it was clear that it would significantly enhance Khan’s powers for the time being.
[However, bestowing the shard of divinity upon you now would be excessive.]
“… What do you mean?”
At Khan’s question full of suspicion, the Goddess of Justice explained without showing any annoyance. It was because of the divinity previously granted in the ‘Shield of the Depths’.
[Although it’s a very small part, it’s indeed divinity. For a mortal, it’s impossible to accept such a thing. However, you have accepted divinity into your body, even if it’s in a nearly unorthodox way. In a remarkably stable form at that. And now, it’s balancing with the power of a demon.]
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It is a significant issue.”
Elena. No, the Goddess of Justice occupying Elena’s body waved a hand.
Woong.
[The energies inhabiting your body are twofold. One is a very tiny portion of divinity. The other is a fragment of power that vile glutton left behind.]
As the Goddess of Justice conjured two energies, one black and one white of identical sizes and shapes, and waved a hand again, they intertwined like a yin-yang, becoming one.
[Both. Powers too burdensome for a mortal to bear, but now, they coexist symbiotically within you, achieving a delicate balance thanks to your blessed body by the god of warriors or perhaps due to your unique heritage. However, adding a shard of divinity to this balance would disrupt it.]
The balance would be broken.
Among the twined black and white energies, the white energy completely engulfed the black one. Then it swiftly expanded in size and caused a massive explosion.
“Of course, I could bestow divinity in the form applied to an object, but to grant you a power that you’d find satisfactory, I’d need to prepare an appropriate artifact. Moreover, it wouldn’t exhibit even half of the original ability.”
That would be troublesome. Khan frowned, listening quietly to the lengthy explanation from the goddess.
It wasn’t like he could immediately find a weapon to use. Even if he were to ask this damned magic sword to imbibe the divinity, it seemed unlikely to comply.
Woong.
“… Then, what do you suggest?”
[There are two alternatives. Completely remove the divine and demonic powers residing in your heart. Then, there would be no issue in granting you the shard of divinity. But it seems you would not accept that.]
“You know well.”
[Then, the only option left is this.]
Take more power from the owner of the divinity. Accept the shard of divinity, but ensure it can achieve balance.
***
The silence was brief. As Elena said, there wasn’t much time to converse with the Goddess of Justice. But internally, there was a sense of relief that things had turned out this way. Being naturally led to request a different compensation, something they had desired from the beginning.
“Then, I’ll not take the shard of divinity. Instead, answer my question, with the value of the compensation you intended to bestow upon me.”
[If you’re fine with that. I’ll happily do so. But know that I can’t answer questions that exceed the agreed compensation.]
“That’s sufficient. What I wish to inquire isn’t much.”
Truth be told, if possible, he wanted to clarify all the doubts harbored in his mind.
Consider what Alpha had blabbered in the demonic realm.
The lengthy myths spread by the Pantheon Church across the world. Debunking those doctrines meant shaking the very foundation of the Pantheon Church, and potentially the empire itself. Perhaps it might even touch upon the truth related to his possession.
However, he couldn’t confirm this with the Goddess of Justice. Some secrets were dangerous, merely knowing them could threaten one’s life. For the time being, they had to remain a deep, unspoken thought. At least until he gained enough strength to face the entire Pantheon Church head-on and survive.
Therefore, this question needed to be as discreet as possible towards Khan’s goals.
“To gain a clue that can lead me closer to my objective.”
“I wish to know about a being who, in the distant past, invented the art of soul manipulation. If possible, I’d like to find a clue to trace his existence.”