Chapter 194 : Chapter 194

Chapter 194 : To a Place the Sun Never Reaches

Just ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍before Pleta left, she said this to me.

“Your ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stock has been rising considerably lately, Junior. Whether in the Knight Order or the Imperial Capital, you are receiving high evaluations despite your background. That is a fact.”

“Hmm.”

I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not feel much about those words. Since it was the natural result of the work I had done alongside Regina, and I had heard it enough times to grow numb to it.

However,

“But……at ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the same time, there is quite a lot of bad talk going around behind your back. From what I have heard, it is baseless, but it piles up and chips away at your honor.”

That was not something I had failed to anticipate either. Fundamentally, I was a member of the Princess’s Faction. The nobles belonging to the Crown Prince’s Faction had no reason to speak well of me.

“What do they mostly say?”

“Hmm, that most of the incidents and battles you resolved were staged, that you do not even properly go to the front lines and merely claim the credit, and that your private life is debauched and your relationships are a mess……?”

“I see.”

If they could not disparage me openly, they had no choice but to spread groundless slander.

Considering that the Ad Astra side, including Claudio, were not generally shallow thinkers, there was something unsettling about it.

In any case, it was not something I could find an answer to by thinking deeply about it now. It was not an immediate problem I had to confront.

More than that, what remained in my mind was—

“You do not believe it, Senior?”

“Hm?”

Though I was the person in question, Pleta naturally treated them as false rumors and even expressed concern for me.

‘We have only known each other for a little over a year. It would not be an exaggeration to say we have barely spent any time together.’

And Pleta’s response to that question was—

“Ahaha, was that weighing on your mind?”

She merely smiled easily and patted my shoulder.

“I was only curious. I am aware that I do not exactly give an impression that inspires trust.”

“So you were aware…….”

“I have heard it often enough.”

Objectively speaking, I could be considered passable in terms of appearance, but my distinctive gloomy and dark atmosphere was not particularly suited to inspiring trust.

“Well, I pride myself on having an eye for people. Unless something happens to overturn that judgment, there is no point in doubting you, is there?”

“……That is sound reasoning.”

I felt that I had asked an unnecessary, or perhaps obvious, question.

The conviction not to be swayed by the words of others was a fundamental quality possessed by the protagonists who led .

‘Was I looking for reassurance?’

I could only think that I, too, had become an emotional person.

“And……I have heard so many good things about you, after all.”

“About me?”

“Yes. Who do you think they were from?”

-GLINT.

As though responding to the question, her glasses suddenly flashed with light.

No, where was the light source that could have made them gleam so suddenly?

‘A mystery of the world?’

Pleta approached with a sly smile, tilted her head, and circled around me.

Was that body language so openly displaying how delighted she was to have found something to tease me about?

Seeing that, the answer to who she had heard those things from was practically obvious.

“……Ms. Yuna?”

Considering her friendship with Yuna and her usual tendencies, that was the only possibility.

“Ta-da, correct!”

What was with that ta-da? That cheerful sound effect?

“Whenever I met her—whenever I brought up a new topic—your story kept popping right out. It was embarrassing even for me~.”

“I see…….”

“For example—”

“Ah.”

I felt as though I had touched something I should not have.

In any case, I listened one by one to the stories that began with such momentum.

When Pleta had gone to the library with Yuna to help her with the written exams she often struggled with.

-“Come to think of it, during exam season last year, I was cooped up in the library with that guy almost every day. Do you know how much he worked me to death? ……What! I did improve because of him, so I am grateful, but!”

When the topic of elixirs came up.

-“Mandragora……it really was this expensive. Ah, are you asking whether I have some memory involving Mandragora? Hehe, actually, this was the first elixir I ever took. I received it as a test reward when I was a new student, and Rain was the one who yielded it to me. ……Ugh, seriously, that guy. He looks merciless, but he takes such good care of people that I almost feel sorry for him, you know?”

When they went out to clear their heads, ate together, and wandered around looking at clothes.

-“Ah, if it is this street, leave the guide to me. Last time, Rain asked me to help him look at clothes, so I had no choice but to come out with him! I mean, you know what he is like? He looks decent, but he always wears nothing except his cadet uniform, which is such a waste. Yeah. It is just that I could not stand by and let such a waste happen? Something like that.”

…….

“She talked about you so much~ It was as though there were a funnel in every conversation, and everything poured straight into talking about you.”

It was difficult to listen to.

‘Really?’

As she said, it was embarrassing even for the listener…….

Even someone with no connection to me would likely feel strangely ticklish listening to that, and this was my story.

This was a little……

“Is your face not getting red?”

“It is your imagination.”

“No, it does look red~”

“I said it is not.”

I held my forehead and said that flatly. I was embarrassed, but that was probably not the reason for it.

Well, it was not difficult to understand Yuna’s behavior. It was not as though she had no reason to do such a thing.

“……Since I was the one who introduced Senior Pleta to Ms. Yuna, perhaps she was trying to make my stories into a shared topic of conversation.”

It was not as though Yuna went around telling those stories to everyone.

“Yes, yes~”

The problem was that Pleta was not listening in the slightest.

“Honestly, you sinful man. You have Yuna so very…….”

In any case, she continued teasing me in high spirits, but then—

“……Come to think of it, is it only Yuna? Haa…….”

As though she had realized something, she suddenly sighed, leaving me no choice but to feel puzzled.

“Why are you suddenly sighing?”

“No, now that I say it, I feel our Junior is really……something.”

“Yes?”

“No. I just thought that some of the bad reputations you have are parts where you reap what you sow……”

“…….”

What did that mean?

In any case, that was where the conversation we had before Pleta’s departure came to an end.

Afterward, Pleta returned to her usual dependable self, left the barracks, and went on her way.

She had likely headed for her own battlefield.

Well. Yes. That was all.

It had only been a brief reunion, but……in many ways, I might have felt better afterward.

When was the last time I had a conversation where I could simply say what I thought without weighing the gains, losses, or results it might bring?

It was a day when I felt as though I were resting beneath warm sunlight, recalling days I had missed.

If only such days could have continued.

It happened merely a day later.

Unless one was exceptionally lucky, solo missions often dragged on until late at night. A battlefield always assumes the possibility of unexpected situations.

By now, even making my way through a dark forest on a night with a bright moon, relying only on faint light and my senses, had become familiar.

The many missions I had carried out, and the countless times I had repeated them through 『Overcoming Ten Thousand Deaths』 in order to achieve optimal results, had given me experience far beyond a normal level.

‘……Around here.’

With that thought, I pulled a Mana Meter from my clothes and examined it.

The magitech device, which measured the density of Mana in the surrounding area, had its needle extended all the way to the highest marked level.

‘An extremely high Mana Coefficient.’

Mana at a level that could be described as downright violent permeated the surrounding area.

That was the fact the Mana Meter conveyed as its needle strained forward as though screaming.

It was not as though I had been unaware of this. The reason the main camp had dispatched me was to investigate the cause of this abnormally high Mana Coefficient.

But the problem was……

‘There is no visible anomaly.’

At first glance, the absence of anomalies could seem like a positive sign, but the problem was that there was too little wrong.

In an area permeated by Mana this densely, abnormalities would reveal themselves in one way or another.

Monster appearances, Otherworldization, chain Mana explosions—where there was Mana, there was always an effect.

But where I stood, I could not sense any anomaly either with my eyes or through my senses.

‘……As though someone had deliberately spread Mana here.’

The judgment I had honed through countless missions pointed to the most rational conclusion among the possibilities before me.

Someone had deliberately scattered Mana.

If that were the case, everything could be explained. A simple release of Mana would not create magical effects in a short period, and it would also explain this Mana density, which was strange enough to feel alien.

But once that deduction passed, the question moved to its next stage.

‘But why?’

…….

Could it be?

“To lure someone in.”

It was around the time I unconsciously voiced that mutter.

-STEP.

A sound of footsteps crunching fallen leaves pierced the silence of midnight.

They were footsteps too unconcealed to belong to an enemy, too light to belong to a monster, and too ominous to belong to an ally.

The moment I took in every rhythm of those footsteps, my body froze against my will.

Not through any magical or physical force, but through a purely mental factor.

‘……That cannot be.’

I had definitely experienced this sensation before. Only twice, and only because of one person.

The problem was that this person……could not, or rather should not, have been here.

“Ugh…….”

Suppressing the nausea that surged up from a level deeper than instinct, I turned my head toward the sound.

And at that moment.

A woman’s figure emerged clearly from the darkness, as though radiating an ominous light.

Beautiful, finely waving platinum-blonde hair. Red eyes like quiet, smoldering flames. A smile resting on her lips. The attire of a noble young lady, wholly unsuited to the situation and surroundings.

Her appearance could certainly be described as beautiful, but it could not conceal the ominous aura flowing from within her.

No, more precisely, she was likely not even trying to conceal it.

“Hehe. It has been a long time, my beloved younger brother—no, no. That is not right.”

As the woman before me opened her mouth, an indescribably affectionate voice flowed from her lips.

A voice that could captivate its listener, yet……one that made me feel extreme danger and pressure.

“…….”

Cold sweat ran down my body. A chill rose along my spine. Every muscle in my body stiffened. Defeat welled up as though I were losing my fighting spirit at the level of instinct.

“Mine, Rain.”

With something so deep that its depths could not be known, and therefore so ominous, she spoke my name.

Rain Enlight’s older sister, and the eldest daughter of the Enlight family.

Robelia il Enlight.