Chapter 374 – Flustered
The air was chilly.
It wasn't just the lingering cold of the season shifting into spring, A sudden, blade-like dread pricked at his senses all day long.
Step, step.
Verden, drawing his full strength, walked along the corridors of the lord's castle.
'As expected, nothing can be detected with magic power.'
The scenery visible to the eye was unchanged, yet it felt as though he had entered an ancient castle untouched by human hands for centuries.
He raised his vigilance to the extreme.
Though he had achieved the realm of a Quasi-Transcendent never before reached, … that did not mean only Transcendents could be his match.
A Reacher of Mado, that is, the realm of a 6th-tier Magus, was never to be underestimated or taken lightly.
Depending on the case, they could be more than a threatening enemy.
Even among humanity's pinnacle, the 6th-tier high Magi, not all possessed equal strength.
The kind of Mado they pioneered, the lives they lived, these inevitably brought about differences in their level of might.
Even in the Bohemirn magic tower, were there not many strong ones equal to or surpassing Leonil, once called the strongest in the Kingdom of Estiria?
Balrog's first disciple was such, and so were some of the tower's elders, Perhaps there were even more.
In that regard, this unknown intruder was not one Verden could treat carelessly.
Despite time passing since the entry into the castle, there was still no notable movement.
Adrian's absence.
The inability to grasp the intruder's purpose, these were all factors that could not be dismissed.
'That said, I can't collapse the whole castle.'
He would have to wait for the opponent to respond.
Having made that judgment, Verden strode forward without hesitation.
Moonlight streaming through the windows lit him as he walked.
Curtains, wall-mounted candlesticks, and portraits decorating the corridor passed by his side.
Ssssk.
Then, the eyes of a person within a painting moved.
Precisely in the direction Verden was heading, In that instant Verden kicked off the floor, spinning his body.
Kwaaaang!
The painting, together with the wall, was smashed apart.
In the cloud of dust that rose, Verden's eyes, sharpened by Orient, gleamed fiercely.
At that moment.
Kugugugugugu…!
The entire corridor suddenly began to warp.
Space, no, the whole world stretched like rubber, expanded, and distorted his vision.
At the center of the expanded corridor, the Demonic Sword Cadence was stabbed upright into the floor.
Beside it Adrian lay collapsed, drenched in blood.
His right arm was savagely torn off, the pool of blood beneath his body so large it was clearly a mortal wound.
"..."
Yet Verden did not waver.
Because all that lay before his eyes was not real.
As if responding, the function of [Ainber], Revelation, activated.
Crack, a fissure split across his vision.
Like glass shattering, the illusion crumbled away.
He blinked once, and the corridor returned to normal.
'A mental-type magic?'
Verden sought to pursue by tracing the remnants of magic power.
In that moment, something strongly intruded upon his mind.
It felt as though a massive castle gate was being forcibly pried open.
Verden, stricken by vertigo, scowled.
'This is...'
Ziiiiing.
A ringing echoed inside his head.
At the same time, his vision split into eight, confusion descending.
A mental fortitude that even powerful dark magics, even witches of ancient bloodlines, had never dared intrude upon, now wavered.
This was mental magic on an entirely different level than he had ever faced.
Unfamiliar, yet... not unbearable.
Verden immediately steadied himself.
He focused, to chase the ring of magic power tied to the spell at work.
Soon, within the sea of magic he spread around, he sensed a faint ripple of otherness.
Found it.
Verden, shrouded in a mantle of gravity, charged forth at once.
Obstacles meant nothing.
Boom! Crash! Kwaaang!
Walls and furniture barring his way were smashed apart until he reached a chamber at the corridor's edge.
Mirror, window, bed, coat hanger... a familiar sight.
Of course, it was,
This was the very room in Arein where Verden stayed.
And in that personal space, an uninvited guest awaited.
A strange girl lay on his bed, clutching his pillow in her arms.
The girl turned over, her gaze of surprise meeting his.
"To find my location while your mind is being disturbed? Hm, they said you dealt the finishing blow to a Bone-Relic Dragon, seems the rumor didn't do you justice, No wonder they call you Divinity."
"You are..."
The girl, seeing Verden, gave an innocent smile.
"Hello, Asher?"
Her eyes glittered with curiosity and mischief.
***
Hair shining like a violet galaxy, Her pupils glowed with the same hue.
More fitting than beautiful, the word mysterious suited her.
It was a face he had never in his life encountered.
But he had heard of such features from Adrian.
'Outside the world, Ignacia.'
One who had attained mental awakening.
A Transcendent reigning over the great city of Gargant.
The master of the Scales of Ignacia, the auction house Verden wished to use.
Though she appeared no more than mid-teens, her overwhelming presence subtly dominated the space.
It was undoubtedly no fake, but the Transcendent herself.
'No wonder the level was different.'
He immediately understood how she could threaten his mind.
Of course, he had resisted successfully, but it meant little since Ignacia had not even revealed her true might.
'Yet by Keirel's account, it should have been Ignacia's followers coming to verify the item...'
Why had the Transcendent come in person?
Though unexpected, Verden swiftly regained composure.
This was not the first time he had faced a higher being.
Verden offered the due courtesy.
"I did not expect the Transcendent to come personally."
"I meant to startle you, but you're awfully calm, That reaction's dull, you know? I am a Transcendent, … though I suppose, since you've already met that Necromancer, it isn't such a novelty now? Well, either way, good."
Ignacia rolled about.
She hooked her neck on the bed's edge, staring at Verden upside down.
"Hm, never seen ashen hair like that before, it suits you well, those blue eyes are pretty too, And with innate magical talent on top of it? Even if old, ugly, talentless Mages grew so jealous they tried to kill you, you'd have no excuse."
Sudden commentary on appearance.
Unsure how to respond, Verden furrowed his brow.
She giggled, hugging the pillow tighter.
"You look curious why I'm here, Want me to tell you?"
"I would be grateful if you did."
"There's no real reason, I just came because I was bored, The petty House of Arein dared to register an item with me, I found it amusing."
If the registered item failed to meet a Transcendent's standards, a massive price had to be paid.
It was only natural to doubt a minor lord like Arein could procure such a thing.
"But to think I'd meet the famed Divinity of the Eastern Continent in the Ownerless Land, Are you planning a turf war? And even registering at my auction house by proxy? It's not what I expected, which makes it all the more fun."
With a sly smile, Ignacia tossed the pillow.
It thumped softly against Verden's face before dropping to the floor.
Silence lingered.
Ignacia stretched out her arm, flailing.
"Ugh, can't reach, Pick it up for me?"
"..."
Wordlessly, he picked it up, and she again threw it.
This time, he caught it before it hit.
"Give it back."
"If I do, will you not throw it again?"
"Mm, I won't."
On that promise, he handed it over.
Yet, as though nothing had been said, Ignacia playfully tossed the pillow once more.
< Telekinesis >
Verden caught the floating pillow with magic and hurled it back behind him.
Ignacia exclaimed.
"Oh, feisty!"
...What on earth was this Transcendent doing?
Playful, talkative.
So vastly different from any Transcendent he had met before, Verden felt troubled.
"Hehe, you're fun to tease, Anyway, enough games, I'm starting to get bored."
Then Ignacia drew up her knees, springing up with the rebound.
She slipped off the bed naturally.
And in that instant, her form changed.
From a girl into a beautiful woman.
In the blink of an eye, she became an adult, raising her brows with enchanting charm.
Then, with a single step, her form vanished.
Almost at the same time, Verden moved.
He reached his left hand over his right shoulder, seizing Ignacia's hand that appeared behind his back.
Ignacia's eyes widened in admiration.
"Wow, you reacted to that? I actually meant to fool you a little seriously this time."
Withdrawing her hand, Ignacia folded her arms.
"Your magical sense is no joke, And that platinum robe that shattered the illusion earlier, is that an ancient artifact? Looks like you've got plenty of others too, And your mental strength seems to surpass Adrian's, Talent, realm, equipment—no one of your generation could ever compare, could they?"
He had no need for compliments.
Narrowing his eyes, Verden asked quietly.
"What happened to the people in the castle."
"The cat and the maid are sound asleep, The soldiers are resting as usual in their homes, As for the other one… the Celestial Sword, Adrian Chambers, I suppressed him too, Oh, his mental strength was so sturdy, it was quite a struggle to subdue his rampage, Had I slipped, even the city might've suffered damage, So really, didn't I save the city?"
What nonsense is this?
Such thoughts crossed his mind, but Verden did not voice them.
"And besides, the combination of the Eastern Continent's former Top Four, missing nearly ten years, with the Divinity? That reeks of something truly interesting."
"..."
"Heh, I'm curious, but I won't pry, That's not why I came, Well, now that we've exchanged greetings, shall we get to the main point?"
Without warning, Ignacia vanished, reappearing seated on a nearby chair.
She tapped the square table.
"Let's see the goods."
***
The atmosphere shifted abruptly.
So different from before, now she was serious.
Like formless mist, the dignity of a Transcendent spilled out, wrapping around Verden.
A psychological weight bore down, Even the silence felt heavy.
So she truly did preside over an auction.
It wasn't just a frivolous hobby.
Nodding, Verden immediately moved forward.
At his calm, untroubled demeanor, Ignacia blinked blankly.
"Huh, I revealed my dignity to set the mood… why are you so unaffected? This is far outside my expectations."
The time of staggering under a Transcendent's dignity had long since passed.
Verden answered instead by activating [Reindia], A massive bone, summoned from subspace, landed upon the table.
Fixing her gaze on the item, Ignacia discerned its nature.
"Dragon bone…? A rib? Normally, dragon materials are sold through the Luas Church by proxy via their merchant guild───ah."
She tucked her hair behind her right ear, looking at Verden.
"The guild, Licentia , that was you, Asher, huh, And seeing as the Luas Church spread false information on your behalf, your ties must be quite deep, Well, given the feats you accomplished in the Republic of Beldirn, it's not so strange, They owed you enough for such favor."
"Archbishop Joseph offered me his help."
"Of course he did, But it doesn't seem like you simply wish to sell materials for profit, What scheme are you hiding, hmm?"
A sharp observation.
The Transcendent's insight bore down upon Verden.
Expressionless, Verden replied.
"Must I speak of such things simply to register with the auction?"
"Of course not, But if you're too cold, my pride might be wounded, I might just proclaim to the world, Asher is plotting something through Licentia!"
"Would you do that?"
"No, I won't."
Ignacia shook her head.
"As you must have heard, information about valuable clients is strictly confidential, If word spread and disrupted the auction, it would be disastrous."
He knew.
That was precisely why he chose the Scales of Ignacia.
What occurred here in Arein would never reach the world.
Appearing by his side, she whispered softly.
"And my being here is a secret, If a Transcendent is caught moving carelessly, the other Transcendents will protest, That's our rule."
Hoo.
She paused mid-sentence to blow into his ear.
"..."
"Alright, alright, I'll stop!"
When Verden gave her a stern look, Ignacia waved her hands dismissively and backed away.
This woman… utterly unpredictable.
"Anyway, the item passes, Dragon material leaves no room for doubt, And until the auction opens, I'd like to keep this bone in my care, is that acceptable?"
"So be it."
"Wow, so straightforward, But what if I just stayed silent and claimed ignorance? Would you complain to the Luas Church?"
What if she tried to seize it?
Unlikely, but he had considered it.
And each time, his answer was the same.
"I would take it back by force."
"...Are you serious? I'm a Transcendent, you know?"
Verden was a Quasi-Transcendent.
He would be pushed back, yes, but if he used every means, Ignacia would not emerge unscathed.
Conveying his intent through silence, Verden earned a bright smile as Ignacia clapped her hands.
"So if it came to it, you'd beat me down, Transcendent or woman or not, Asher, you really are a rough one."
"When did I say that."
"Isn't it the same thing? So what am I then? A man? A commoner?"
...Taken that way, it wasn't wrong.
The more they spoke, the more he felt himself being led along.
When Verden fell entirely silent, Ignacia burst into laughter.
"You're truly amusing, I feel like I've laughed properly for the first time in ages, I like the item, and I like you too, This year will be far more fun than the last."
Her hair slid down gently over her shoulders.
"The auction date will be announced officially, It won't be long, so keep an eye on the papers, It's about time, so I'll be off, Now, farewell."
Ignacia extended her slender hand.
Verden only stared.
What was she playing at?
"What, don't you know how to greet? You're supposed to kiss it, You're not very gentlemanly."
"..."
"Don't want to?"
"I don't."
"Really? Then it can't be helped, I won't force you."
Suddenly, Ignacia lifted Verden's hand and pressed her lips to the back of it.
"If you won't, then I shall."
"..."
Seeing Verden's expression twist, Ignacia laughed gleefully, her eyes narrowing with mirth.
"Next time, we'll meet in Gargant."
With those words, Ignacia's figure vanished, and so too did the dragon bone upon the table.
When he tried to track her, all magical traces were already severed.
A departure befitting a Transcendent.
"Hoo."
Sitting on the bed, Verden exhaled deeply.
He was tired, truly.
Beyond the World, Ignacia was unlike any he had ever met.
An abrupt meeting with a mental Transcendent.
Verden's summary impression was this:
It was bewildering.
***
"How was your meeting with the Divinity?"
"Very good, I truly feel it was worth the trip, Somehow, I feel I'll be seeing him often."
"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."
Her follower smiled, picking up an egg biscuit.
Ignacia, lying down, opened her mouth to receive it, grinning slyly.
"And this time, we got an amazing item, Dragon material, I was just about to send out inquiries, but fortune dropped it right in my lap."
"How will you conduct the auction?"
"I thought about it, and the usual level won't do, An item like this deserves proper treatment."
The girl, Ignacia, stretched her arms wide.
"As grand and splendid as possible."
"And the danger level?"
"The highest."
Enough to stir the entire Central Continent.
To draw in all those blinded by greed.
To make it a spectacle long remembered.
"I wonder, just who, and how many, will die?"
If candy is left under the blazing sun, and ants, coveting it, perish, whose fault is it?
The sun's?
The candy's?
The one who left it?
The foolish ants'?
Who cares.
As long as it's fun.
Ignacia, filled with expectation, laughed.
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