Chapter 458: Now, You Can Shine (2)
‘Belinda...’
Ghislain had taught everyone new mana cultivation methods and techniques. However, for Belinda, he only provided a space for training.
The mana cultivation methods and techniques she employed were flawless to an astonishing degree.
She lacked only one thing.
‘She spent her entire life supporting Elena and me, never even having the time to train properly.’
In the past, her time was consumed by raising them, leaving her no opportunity to focus on her training. Now, as the head housekeeper of Fenris, she was responsible for looking after others.
Even with a high-quality mana concentration array at her disposal, she could only train sporadically in her scarce free moments.
‘Despite that, her skills are nearly on par with Gillian, who has spent his entire life on the battlefield.’
This alone demonstrated the extent of Belinda’s extraordinary talent and the exceptional techniques she used.
Yet, from her youth, she had given up polishing that brilliant talent. It was all to care for Ghislain and Elena.
‘Haah...’
Thus, whenever Ghislain looked at Belinda, his heart ached with guilt. She had sacrificed her life to raise two young kids of her master, dedicating herself entirely for them.
To her, they were undoubtedly akin to her own children, even if her efforts had begun as a promise to their late mother.
‘That’s why I want you to live with some peace of mind now.’
Ghislain’s earnest wish was to repay her for her sacrifices.
‘Maybe... maybe I can help you somehow...’
Inspired by the battle unfolding before him, Ghislain began spreading threads of mana throughout the area.
He wasn’t attempting to interfere directly in the fight. His intent was merely to offer subtle guidance so she could reach enlightenment.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sharp bursts of energy ricocheted in all directions. Sparks flickered in the darkness like clusters of stars.
However, those sparks gradually dwindled. Belinda’s body was covered in wounds, and her daggers lay scattered on the ground, leaving only one in her grasp.
“Huff... huff...”
Belinda gasped, her bloodied body trembling. In contrast, Melchior appeared only slightly out of breath, with no significant injuries.
Melchior glanced at Ghislain again.
‘You really don’t intend to intervene?’
A little more observation would confirm it. Melchior resolved to end Belinda’s life soon.
‘Fine. Keep up your arrogance for now.’
Sshk.
Melchior’s dagger extended like a flash of light as he drew more mana into his blade. Belinda sprang backward, pushing off the ground to evade.
At that moment, Ghislain’s voice resonated in her ear.
"Move a little lighter."
Fwoosh!
Suddenly, Belinda’s body shifted farther than she had intended. She could feel Ghislain’s mana subtly assisting her.
‘Young Master...’
"Your movements are too heavy, Belinda."
‘What is he...?’
She couldn’t complete her thought as Melchior launched another dagger toward her.
“Urgh!”
Belinda bent her waist, narrowly dodging the attack. Once again, an unseen force seemed to guide her.
Taking Ghislain’s words to heart, she tried to increase her speed.
However, his voice intervened again.
"It’s not about moving faster. You need to move lighter. That’s the key."
No one had ever witnessed all of Belinda’s techniques. She had never openly employed them to their fullest in combat.
Even Ghislain couldn’t completely grasp her advanced techniques by watching them for the first time.
But as he continued to observe, he began to understand the ultimate goal of her techniques.
"Belinda, you know how to do this. Remember, you do not lack the mana reserves for your techniques. You absorbed a fragment of the Dragon Heart, didn’t you?"
Ssk!
Another slash grazed her cheek, drawing blood. Yet, even as she avoided Melchior’s dagger, Belinda focused on Ghislain’s words.
Thanks to his subtle intervention, moving her body felt just a little easier.
‘Not faster, but lighter... Remember?’
"If you’re truly the sole successor of that group... you must have seen the ultimate form of this technique at least once. Isn’t that right?"
Realizing his meaning, Belinda searched her memories.
Now wasn’t the time to dwell on mana cultivation methods written in books, techniques drawn on paper, or verbal instructions passed down.
She recalled her childhood, focusing on the scene etched most vividly in her mind.
‘Lady Annette...’
A beautiful blonde woman danced, surrounded by brightly shining stars that swirled around her.
The stars that embroidered the darkness moved gracefully with her touch, as if joining her in the dance.
Young Belinda, still a child at the time, watched the stars’ paths with an expression of pure awe.
She longed to reach that level of mastery. It was her heartfelt desire.
But it was a goal she couldn’t achieve.
Sssk!
Belinda’s arm was slashed again, blood spurting from the wound. Yet, she continued to move.
Her dazed eyes lingered on that long-lost dance, watching it in her mind.
Ah, now she remembered. Something she had forgotten completely, buried beneath the weight of her busy life.
The Annette of her memories smiled and spoke.
"Did you see it? One day, you’ll be able to do it too. Don’t forget this feeling."
After absorbing the Dragon Heart, Belinda had dedicated every free moment to mastering Annette’s secret techniques.
But even investing all her spare time between her duties hadn’t been enough. Despite her abundant mana and flawless flow of the mana channels, she couldn’t replicate it.
She didn’t know why. Frustrated, she had half-given up, thinking perhaps she needed more time and experience.
Then Ghislain’s voice rang out again.
"Your movements feel different from before. Let me help you."
Fwoosh!
Belinda’s feet pushed off the ground, retreating once more. She was still too preoccupied dodging Melchior’s daggers, accumulating injuries in the process.
But thanks to Ghislain’s intervention, she moved farther than she had intended, her body feeling as light as a feather.
‘Have I... always been able to move like this?’
She felt like she could do it. She began to understand the sensation. It wasn’t just about speed.
So why hadn’t she been able to achieve this before? What had been holding her back?
Ghislain’s voice reached her again.
"Belinda, your heart and shoulders are too heavy."
‘Heavy?’
"Like my father, you always carry the burden of worrying about me and Elena."
‘...But, Young Master, it’s my duty...’
"You need to become like those stars in the sky proud, solitary, and radiant. At least at this moment."
‘I...’
"Let go of all worries, burdens, and responsibilities."
‘Young Master...’
"I’m always grateful and sorry to you, Belinda. You’ve cared for me and Elena your entire life. You even gave up your own life for us."
‘No. It’s what I wanted. I’ve never regretted it.’
"I understand how you feel. But, just for a moment, set that feeling aside. It’s holding back your growth."
Tap.
Belinda pushed off the ground to dodge another attack. Her movements now made barely a sound, and her footprints left no trace.
Her steps began to shift, as if she were floating.
‘This sensation...’
With Ghislain’s mana supporting her, she found herself moving with minimal effort. The tension in her body began to melt away.
It felt as though someone else was lifting her, briefly allowing her to defy gravity. No resistance could hold her down.
‘This is...’
This was it. This was the feeling she had witnessed in Annette’s dance, the freedom of moving effortlessly among the stars.
The group Annette belonged to had long protected the Kingdom of Ritania from the shadows.
However, their secret techniques could only be mastered by breaking free from the constraints of protecting others overcoming that contradiction was the key.
‘Ah... so this is it...’
Now that she understood the feeling, the mastery she had longed for seemed within her reach.
Even the mana that Ghislain used to support her started to feel unnecessary, almost cumbersome.
At that moment, Ghislain withdrew his mana, and Belinda’s body moved even lighter and faster.
But it wasn’t perfect. She needed to go further, to fully enter that realm.
Something still lingered in her heart, blocking the way.
Then Ghislain’s calm voice echoed once more.
"Belinda."
She was someone who could shine brighter than anyone else, yet she had lived her life hiding herself. Suppressing everything she had, she lived solely for Ghislain and Elena.
Always standing behind the two of them, she poured her limitless love and devotion into their lives.
Ghislain couldn’t help but feel both gratitude and guilt toward her for that.
"Now, set your heart at ease. Stop worrying so much."
It is not easy. For someone who had lost everything, Ghislain and Elena were her entire world.
How could she ever simply stand by and watch them without worry?
Understanding her feelings completely, Ghislain smiled and spoke, his voice more confident and spirited than ever before.
"I’ve grown up now, haven’t I? So, everything is really okay."
Belinda smiled, tears welling up in her eyes.
But they weren’t tears of sorrow. They were tears of joy, tinged with pride.
Sssk!
Melchior’s dagger once again sliced through the darkness.
Belinda tilted her head and bent her waist, narrowly dodging the blade. At the same time, her hand moved slightly.
Drdrdr...
The daggers that had fallen to the ground, their edges dulled and strings broken, began to tremble.
Melchior sensed something was wrong. The flow of mana around them had become unsettling.
“What the hell did you do, woman?!”
Sssk!
Belinda dodged another dagger and moved her other hand. Her movements gradually shifted, becoming more like a dance.
Drdrdr...
The trembling daggers slowly rose into the air. Seeing Belinda’s movements, Melchior’s eyes widened.
“You... you can’t be...”
Desperation filled Melchior as he gathered more mana, swinging his dagger at a tremendous speed. Black smoke began to pour heavily from his mouth as the strain took its toll.
Even so, he couldn’t land a single scratch on Belinda’s clothes.
It was as if he were fighting a ghost. Every time he attacked, she evaded as lightly as a feather, carried away by his force.
‘This... this movement!’
Melchior realized that Belinda had surpassed a threshold. Her movements were identical to those of Annette the one who had killed him once before.
Belinda’s lips moved, and a soft voice escaped.
“Resonance that stirs starlight.”
Whoosh!
Melchior spun around, swinging his dagger.
Clang!
A broken dagger, glowing with an intense blue light, flew toward him. Even though he parried it, the dagger didn’t fall to the ground but continued to press against him.
“This... this is madness...!”
Melchior was dumbfounded. He was in a contest of strength with a dagger hovering in midair. Yet, the most shocking thing was
“An... Aura Blade...”
It was unbelievable. The dagger attacking him was enveloped in a faint Aura Blade.
Belinda was unleashing an Aura Blade without even holding a weapon.
And that wasn’t all.
Whoosh!
From all directions, daggers wrapped in Aura Blades hurtled toward him. Their numbers grew steadily, until dozens of daggers that had been scattered on the ground now surged toward Melchior.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Melchior desperately swung his dagger to deflect and dodge. But there were far too many.
Each dagger’s strength was weaker than that of a master-level knight, but every single one radiated an Aura Blade. It was as if he were fighting dozens of elite knights at once.
Fear flashed in Melchior’s eyes as he muttered.
“She... she’s really using that technique...”
Trails of light crisscrossed the space in every direction. Melchior found himself trapped in that dazzling arena, unable to escape.
This was the melody of the moment, the rapture of infinite space.
The ultimate secret technique of Annette, once hailed as the strongest in the kingdom and the commander of the Shadow Knights, was now flawlessly recreated here.
Ka-ka-ka-kang!
The daggers moved at incredible speeds, dominating the space. Around Melchior, only the luminous trails of the daggers filled the air.
“Gahhhhhh!”
Melchior screamed as the relentless daggers slashed and tore at his body.
Belinda stopped moving. Her fiery gaze locked onto Melchior.
Clang!
Two daggers, hidden at her waist, were drawn into her hands.
In her mind’s eye, the smiling face of Annette, who had finished her dance, appeared before her.
"Like the stars in the sky, now you can shine."