Chapter 264 : Chapter 264

Volume 2 Ch 7: Call Me Iruya

Hm? ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Wait.

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍detail suddenly occurred to Ryan.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the original game, Iruya’s fighting style seemed to revolve mainly around wind-attribute Magic, supplemented by exquisite Magic Tools and powerful elven Magic.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍from what he had seen so far—whether it was her performance as Ilis the guard, or the eruption of power at the end of the ruins—the traits of Iruya’s strength did not seem especially tied to pure wind elements. Instead, she had used far more light- and lightning-element Magic.

Could ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it be that because he had formed a Covenant with Syl ahead of time, the connection—or enhancement—Ilis had originally possessed with wind elements had disappeared?

Or, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍in the original possible course of events, had Ilis perhaps gained that powerful wind affinity from the game by absorbing the Emerald Wind Oath, or by borrowing the power of the Azure Tempest?

And had his own interference changed that?

Ryan could not be certain. It was only a guess based on the information he had. He had no way of knowing just how much of the original plot he had already disrupted with the flutter of his little butterfly wings.

But those thoughts passed in only an instant.

Looking at Ilis, Ryan continued along the line of what she had been saying. “No wonder. I always felt that you seemed to be paying me a kind of vague attention before, as though you were watching and testing me. You were looking for Syl, and... confirming his condition?”

As he spoke, he reached into his clothes and took out the dark green gemstone—the Emerald Wind Oath. He placed it in his palm and held it out before her.

“Then, since you were able to sense it, you should know what this is as well, shouldn’t you?”

Ryan’s last few words made Ilis slightly uncomfortable. She instinctively turned her face away, but very quickly her gaze was drawn back to the dark green stone.

She stared at it for a long time.

“This is what came out of the white crystal? The feeling it gives me is that of a highly condensed and utterly pure elemental core, one intimately bound to the winds of nature. You know what a Magic Core is, don’t you? Powerful magical beasts condense a crystal rich in their origin power within their bodies. That is a Magic Core. A Magic Core is not only the source of a magical beast’s power, it can also be used to drive Magic Tools, and it serves as the energy core for many advanced magical items.”

At that point, she seemed to remember that Ryan’s major was Magic Tool Application, and perhaps felt that she was explaining something to the wrong person.

Her words paused for a moment, but she quickly continued, her gaze once more settling on the gemstone.

“But the thing in your hand... if my senses are correct, it is neither a naturally formed mineral nor an artificially crafted magical crystal. Rather, it is a crystallization of the purest wind element in the world, condensed under conditions beyond imagination, and perhaps even refined further into something sublimated. The wind element contained within it is incomparably purer than that of an ordinary wind-attribute Magic Core. It may even surpass what would conventionally be called elemental essence.”

She looked up, her violet eyes meeting Ryan’s directly.

“If I am not mistaken, Syl—the Azure Tempest—his true body, or more precisely, what was once his heart-core, is directly related to this crystal. This crystal is very likely the key that sustained the remnant of his soul to this day and allowed him to sleep for thousands of years. It is also because of that that he reacts with such closeness to the aura of elves. The purest wind element has always been tied, in countless ways, to nature and to the elves.”

When Ilis finished speaking, she fell silent for a long time. The only sound in the drawing room was the faint rustle of Syl occasionally preening his feathers.

After a while, she lifted her head and looked out at the deepening dusk beyond the window. Her voice drifted, distant and indistinct.

“As for the history of the elves, I do not know how humans record it. But what we ourselves remember... the last part of it consists only of decline, and catastrophe.”

“After the Golden Age, we do not know why, but we began to weaken little by little. And then came the Age of Calamity.” She spoke that term slowly, heavily. “All kinds of disasters we could neither understand nor resist descended one after another like darkness from the sky. The elves fought with everything they had, but they always lost. We lost many times, over many years.”

“In the end, by the time the Demon Race truly began its great invasion, the elves... had very little strength left. Those who survived were enslaved, slaughtered, captured and kept like livestock. It is said that in the end, the sacred beasts used everything they had to protect the last surviving sparks of our bloodline. That was the only reason we... did not vanish completely.”

She drew her gaze back and looked at Ryan, but her eyes were empty, as though she were staring at a place very far away.

“No one knows what became of those sacred beasts afterward. Perhaps... they too faded away along with that age.”

Ryan listened in silence.

He thought of the fragmentary murmurs Syl had uttered before, murmurs about calamity and extinction.

He also thought of the words from Serandil’s broken mental space—that the true great enemy had been the Dragon Race, a Dragon Race clearly unlike any dragon known upon the continent today.

He wanted to ask more—about Serandil, about the Dragon Race.

But when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down.

His Mana had not yet recovered. The hidden danger in the arrays within his body still clung to him like a shadow. This was not the time to delve too deeply into mysteries that lay so far beyond the immediate horizon. First he had to deal with the problems in front of him.

“Ilis,” he said, his tone gentler than before, “thank you for telling me all this.”

Ilis shook her head and said nothing, only looked at him.

The tense atmosphere between them, the mutual caution and testing, had unknowingly faded greatly during their conversation and in the silence that followed.

A peculiar sense of ease spread between them, like a taut string loosening just a little.

“From now on,” Ilis said suddenly, “when there are no outsiders present, call me Iruya. Ilis... is only the name I use here.”

When she said it, her expression did not change much, but her eyes were very serious. With the cold and distant disguise she usually wore stripped away, she looked at that moment less guarded, and more honest—as though what stood before him was not Ilis the guard, but Iruya herself.

Ryan looked at her and nodded. “All right, Iruya.”

The change in how he addressed her came naturally, like a stone stuck in place being quietly moved aside. The invisible barrier between them seemed to loosen with it.

The atmosphere no longer felt stiff. Instead, there was a quiet, difficult-to-describe understanding flowing between them.

Iruya no longer held herself in that excessively upright posture. Her shoulders relaxed slightly. Ryan, too, no longer carried himself with such total formality.

Perhaps it was because the two of them had saved one another in a life-and-death moment within the ruins, and because that contrasted so sharply with Cecilia’s constant, measured attitude.

Perhaps it was because Ryan’s pure silver hair, in the eyes of an elf, carried a strange kind of comfort, stirring in Iruya a deeply buried homesickness for a homeland far away.

Or perhaps it was simply because of the lightness that came from sharing secrets and laying down part of the burden.

Iruya even smiled a little—very faintly, and it vanished quickly, but the coldness around her truly had eased.

She then briefly spoke of what had been happening outside during the last few days: the Emperor’s decree of reward, the preparations for the ceremony, the academy’s reaction, and the subtle ripples spreading through the Imperial Capital because of the result of the ruins.

She spoke only of matters on the surface, but her tone was casual, almost as though she were chatting with a friend.