220. Under the polar lights
#220
“Now, Jaipa? “Instructor Nabirose?”
Adeshan’s eyes widened. I couldn’t believe it even when I saw it. The sudden appearance of Nabirose was surprising enough, but what was truly shocking was Jaifa next to him.
“Ronan, w-what’s going on? How could Jaifa be in the north…!”
“I wrote a letter to His Majesty the Emperor. “Someone has to fix the North.”
Ronan explained what happened a few days ago. He asked the emperor to amend the terms of the blood pact to allow Jaifa to come to the north.
No matter how much I thought about it, he was the only person who could stabilize the north that Barka had turned into a mess. Honestly, I thought it was a reckless request, but when I saw him walking there, it seemed like his Majesty had graciously granted him permission. Adeshan put his hands together and exclaimed.
“Wow, that’s amazing… Then what about Nabirose?”
“It must be a surveillance station. Because if you do something stupid, you’ll be in trouble.”
The sound of Nabirose’s grumbling could be heard all the way up here. It seemed clear that she had been dragged in while enjoying her vacation.
Still, it was something that could not be helped. There were only a few talented people in the empire who could watch over a giant like Jaipa and even attempt to subdue it in an emergency. Ronan, who was watching the two people getting closer, swallowed thickly.
‘···It’s not like they’re going to attack you suddenly.’
He found himself in quite an awkward situation. He was much different now than when he wrote his letter.
Barka’s evil deeds were worse than expected, and Ronan ended up killing Jaifa’s brother and son at the same time. Of course, the son was originally dead.
As I thought about this and that, the distance between the two people became close enough to say hello. Jaifa waved his hand first.
“Nice to meet you. Ronan.”
“It’s been a while, Jaifa.”
“I don’t know how long it’s been since I last stepped foot on my hometown. “How can I thank you…”
Jaipa, who was saying hello, trailed off. His eyes stayed on the weretiger boy who was being carried by Ronan. Ade Shan squeezed his eyes shut.
“···Aradan?”
“A lot happened.”
Jaifa’s face hardened. Ronan held out Aradan’s body to him.
“receive.”
Jaifa received her son’s body in silence. I thought Aradan was quite big, but when I saw him in Zaifa’s hand, he was just a boy. After being dumbfounded for a while, he opened his mouth.
“…explain.”
“Of course. “Can you come here for a moment?”
It seemed like the two of us needed to talk together. In order to talk about Aradan’s death, there were things that needed to be addressed first. Ronan, who had been rummaging through her pockets, showed her a bundle of letters he had found in Varka’s laboratory.
“that.”
“Is this a familiar letter?”
Jaifa’s eyes widened for a moment. The handwriting visible behind his parchment was his own. After being silent for a moment, he opened his mouth.
“···Does not matter. “Say it here.”
“entire? really?”
“It’s in front of my son. On the contrary, if you leave out even one thing, I will not leave it alone.”
Jaifa growled. He had forgotten for a moment that he was originally this kind of guy. Ronan sighed and took out the letter.
“good. First, I have to talk about a guy named Jager. therefore···.”
The remaining three people’s attention was focused. Ronan explained one by one what had happened since he came to the North. Accompanying the Caravel merchants, meeting Jager and his death, and even a grueling chase with Barka Turgen, a true black man.
“Is that so…has Barca fallen to that extent?”
Zaifa said to himself. He listened to Ronan’s story with unexpected calmness. Of course, the hair on his entire body stood on end as if it was about to pop out at any moment.
Ronan told everything on the spot except for the information about the savior and Elthea. Even extremely dangerous information, such as the fact that Jaipa had been plotting a rebellion until relatively recently, or that Barca was the bishop of Nebula Clazie. Suddenly, with my hand on the hilt of the sword, I opened his mouth.
“So now, you’re definitely not an insider.”
“I’m sure.”
Ronan agreed. But Butterfly Rose wasn’t asking him a question. A fierceness like wildfire was fluttering over her shoulders. Jaifa, who was silent, nodded her head.
“It’s just as it says in the letter.”
“···hmm.”
Only then did Nabirose take his hand off the hilt of the sword. Life subsided in an instant. Ronan and Adeshan, who were now able to breathe normally, breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, anyway, that’s what happened.”
Ronan’s explanation soon ended. A terribly heavy silence fell. Jaifa was silently fiddling with the ears of his dead son.
“······is it.”
Contrary to Ronan’s worries, Jaifar was neither angry nor did he blame himself. Suddenly he turned his back. He was holding Aradan in his arms.
“I will go back and bury my son.”
“you···.”
Nabirose was about to say something but immediately stopped. Although it may have been out of principle, she did not try to stop her Zyfa. Jaifa stopped in her tracks as she trudged along.
“Ronan.”
“hmm?”
Ronan tilted his head. Zaifa said.
“thanks. “Don’t forget.”
Jaipa took a step again. Ronan gritted his teeth, feeling truly dirty. He said no one, so only the sound of the wind and Jaifa’s footsteps walking away were clearly audible. The first to break the silence was Butterfly Rose.
“A lot has happened. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
“Well, that’s right. “How are you, instructor?”
“I went to the South once. Summer in the archipelago is quite lukewarm. “I didn’t know that I would be sent to a freezer like this as soon as I got back.”
For some reason, I felt like my skin was a little more tanned. From then on, the three started having a long conversation.
It was unfortunate what happened to Jaifa, but she couldn’t stay depressed forever. Nabirose, who was asking various questions, suddenly started unbuttoning her coat.
“Whoa…even though it’s Heiran, it’s hot walking like this. “I wore too many layers.”
Butterfly Rose was wearing three layers of thick leather clothes, as if she was sensitive to the cold. After grunting, she undid her buttons. As soon as the front buckle loosened, the heat trapped inside her clothes rose up.
“oh.”
Ronan curled his mouth. My sweat-soaked underwear stuck to the curves of my body. The unique volume created by the two lumps was on a level next to the Mother of Fire. She sighed, shaking her collar to cool off her sweat.
“Hehe, it’s better now.”
“Wow…”
Adeshan was also captivated by the magic power of the lump. Suddenly she realized that Ronan was seeing the same thing she was, and she cried out in horror.
“Instructor, instructor!”
Adeshan quickly reached out and buttoned her coat. Perhaps because she was the daughter of a tailor, her handling of clothes was very nimble. With butterflies, I tilted her head.
“What is it, suddenly?”
“Ha, you can’t take it off carelessly. “How cold is it?”
“It’s still hot.”
“Well, that still doesn’t work. “What if someone sees it?”
After saying that, Adeshan glared at Ronan. Ronan, embarrassed by her piercing gaze, avoided her gaze. She was being rude even though she had enjoyed it herself. Butterfly, who was looking at those two people as if they were cute, opened her mouth.
“Adeshan.”
“yes?”
“It was a lot of hard work. “You’ve been through something difficult.”
For a moment, Adeshan’s movements became stiff. Nabirose stroked her head. This was possible because he was bending over to fasten the button.
“Instructor? Why all of a sudden···.”
“Revenge is not an exciting thing. Especially if it resulted in murder. “I know it well too.”
It was a story about Barca. Adeshan stuttered like a broken doll.
“That… that…”
“People should cry when they can. Otherwise, it will break down quickly. “If you have anything accumulated, shake it all off now and go.”
Nabirose spread her arms wordlessly. Adeshan’s eyes began to flutter. The hardships I had experienced in the North and the nightmares that occurred during the Fang Night were passing before my eyes like a flash of light.
How many seconds have passed? She shook her head, breathing heavily.
“no.”
“hmm?”
“are you okay. “Because I’ve already cried enough.”
Adeshan glanced back at Ronan and smiled. As for tears, there were already enough tears shed when Aradan’s body was recovered.
Of course, there was moisture around Adeshan’s eyes as he said that, but you couldn’t call them tears unless they were leaking out of the eyes. Nabi Rose laughed.
“You’ve grown a lot.”
I thought I did a good job of being a teacher once again. It is always a pleasure to watch a student grow.
Ronan, who had been avoiding Adeshan because he knew she would cry, sneaked back. Nabirose patted his head and opened his mouth.
“Okay, where are you going now?”
“Well… we should go to the blacksmith shop first. “Things got bigger, but that was the original destination.”
“smithy? “Are you talking about Aurora Skal in Heiran?”
“that’s right. I think it was that kind of name. “Do you know this place?”
“I guess the old people in Farzan recommended it. Aside from the distance, it’s one of the best blacksmith shops. “Because smelting techniques using polar lights cannot be found anywhere on the continent.”
Nabirose nodded. It seemed like a really nice place for this strict older woman to say this. It was a car just getting ready to leave.
“But, there is a problem.”
“What is it?”
“I heard about the situation in the north on the way here, and I heard that the craftsmen who were released by that guy named Jager set sail for the blacksmith shop. “He’s probably wandering somewhere in the North Sea by now.”
Ronan’s brows narrowed. What about the blacksmith shop? Did I hear something wrong?
“Wait. The blacksmith shop was ‘set sail’. “What does that mean?”
“What, didn’t you know? Aurora Skaar is a blacksmith shop created by remodeling an entire huge glacier. “When collecting polar lights or when faced with a crisis like this, we leave Heiran and head to the sea.”
“What the fuck.”
Ronan laughed as if he was amazed. As she lived and lived, she had no idea that a blacksmith shop more primitive than Cappadocia existed. I never thought she’d come up with such a crazy idea, like modifying a glacier and walking around with it. Nabirose said.
“Looking at you, it doesn’t look like you have a boat. “If you’re unlucky, you might have to search for a while.”
“Right… damn it, should I come back next time?”
“There is no need for that. “I will lend you the gryphon I came with, so ride it and go.”
“yes?”
Suddenly, Nabirose took out a whistle from his pocket and asked. Beep-! A clear, high sound rang out. It wasn’t long before a huge griffon appeared in the sky in the direction she and her Zyfar had been walking.
-Hwiyo!
Ronan and Adeshan’s eyes widened. The griffon turned gently and landed in front of the three. Although it had fine fur and unusual wings, it was definitely not a wild animal. Ronan asked.
“Why is it a griffon?”
“I borrowed it from the imperial army. Thanks to you, I was able to come comfortably. “He’s trained for military use, so he’ll be easy to handle.”
Indeed, on its spacious back was a saddle with the imperial emblem engraved on it. Nabirose handed the whistle to Ronan.
“What should we do, instructor?”
“I will take care of it, don’t worry. “I still wanted to come to the North at least once, and it worked out well.”
Nabi Rose waved her hand as if asking if she was worried about something like that. Ronan was confused, but accepted the whistle.
It was definitely a much faster and more efficient vehicle than a ship. Adeshan, who was looking at the griffon, muttered in a despairing voice.
“It’s the sky again…?”
“Please come back. I will clear out the North with that cat and then go back. “I’ll meet you at Barça after work.”
Nabirose turned his back and walked away. The two people responded to their thanks by gently raising their hands. It was so refreshing that I felt like I would forget about the cold in Heiran. Soon, a griffon carrying two people took off.
“Kyaaaaaak!”
A loud scream rang out. Either way, Ronan pulled on the reins and increased his speed. There was not a single cloud in the sky, so it seemed like the stars would be very visible tonight.
****
“Where on earth are you wandering around? Can you see there?”
“Oh, no. “I can’t see it from here either.”
Adeshan trembled and answered. No matter how much I looked down, there was nothing to see except the black water and drift ice that looked like chaff. Every time the griffon flapped its wings, her bangs were getting tangled mercilessly.
It had already been half a day since I wandered the sky. Complete darkness had descended on the northern sea. As expected, the stars were clearly visible, but the polar lights were not visible like when I was in the Sea of Wraiths.
“It would be nice if the polar lights shined… If you’re having a hard time, let’s talk. “I can sit on the glacier for a while and rest.”
“Thank you. But it’s still okay.”
The two still couldn’t find a blacksmith called Aurora Skal or something. I thought it would be easy to find because there were lights on all over the glacier, but seeing as there wasn’t even a hint of light on the glacier, it seemed like I was wandering quite far away.
Ronan, who was driving the griffon, glanced at Adeshan behind him. She was still burying her face in her back with her eyes tightly shut. A feeling of guilt was creeping up. I ended up putting her through all sorts of hardships, but this person was only brought in to act as a guide.
“I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble. “It’s not easy to go to the blacksmith shop.”
“Oh, no… I’m fine. “Thanks to you, I was able to resolve my past ills, and it was actually really good.”
“her.”
Ronan laughed when he heard that. It was a kindness that was shocking. It was hard to believe that he was the one wielding the most dangerous force in the world.
“If you are that kind, you end up suffering losses later. “To become a general, you have to have a vicious side.”
“Is that so? “But what should I do about it being good?”
“Thank you for saying that. “I also enjoyed going with my senior.”
“···Ahaha.”
Adeshan laughed. Her voice rang out because she had her face buried in his back. Suddenly, the memories of her that had been with her came to mind one by one. Looking back, she was someone she had spent a lot of time with since her second life.
‘He’s a really good person.’
She was kind, pretty, and smart. He even had the tenacity to face hard work without giving in.
Above all, when we were together, I felt comfortable as if I was at home. Have I ever had feelings like this for a woman? I guess it probably wasn’t there.
Ronan was thinking about this and that about her. Suddenly, the darkness above her head suddenly became brighter. Her eyes widened and he called out to Ade Shan.
“senior.”
“huh?”
“Open your eyes and raise your head. hurry.”
“Why all of a sudden? I found it?”
“That’s not true, but quickly. “Don’t be afraid.”
Ronan urged her. It was an inevitable scene. Adeshan raised his head and cried.
“Uuuh…huh?”
Her eyes widened. A swarm of green light reminiscent of the hem of her skirt was wrapped around her. It was the polar lights, a natural phenomenon that can only be seen in the north.
However, the scale was on a different level from what I saw in the Sea of Ghosts last night. If the polar lights at the time I met Elthea were hemp curtains that could only be hung in a cabin, it would not be an exaggeration to say that now they were huge, colorful curtains hanging in the throne room of the imperial palace. An exclamation burst from Adeshan’s mouth.
“Waaaaa…!”
“It’s killing me.”
“Yes, really…!”
She forgot her fear of heights and began to look around. The night sea under the polar lights was more beautiful than any scenery I had ever seen in my life.
Ronan turned his head and looked at Adeshan. The polar lights pouring down from above her head painted her face in dreamy colors. Her hair was beautiful, blowing in the wind.
‘It’s pretty.’
Adeshan was waving his hands around as if he were trying to catch the polar lights. One of his hands was wrapped around his waist. Suddenly, Ronan felt a tingling sensation around her chest.
‘what?’
It was a sensation I had never felt before in my previous life. The feeling of excitement, yet a little pain, was becoming more and more intense.
I was very confused, but I felt like I knew what I had to do now. Because improvisation was his specialty. Ronan, who was looking at the side of Adeshan’s face, opened his mouth.
“Adeshan.”
“huh?”
Adeshan turned his head. At the same time, Ronan reached out for her and grabbed the back of her head, pulling her lightly. Ade Shan’s eyes widened.
“town···!”
It was completely different from when I was doing artificial respiration. I could feel the warmth through our lips touching each other. My dry, cracked, and crunchy lips tasted like blood. Ronan was staring at her, his eyes narrowed.
It only lasted less than three seconds, but to Adeshan it felt like three months. Ronan finally parted his lips and grinned. Adeshan’s time, which had stopped, began to move again.
“Ro, ro, ro, Ronan…what is this now…!”
She covered her mouth with both hands and stuttered. Her body was so weak that her voice could not come out well. There was still warmth from her lower lip where the tip of her index finger touched it.
Adeshan’s face was red as if it was about to burst. Ronan, who was still looking at her, kissed her again.
“Ah… ahhh…”
This surprise attack was fatal. Adeshan, completely relieved of his strength, fell on the Gryphon’s back. The shock was so great that I could no longer control my body.
“I just did it because it was pretty.”
Ronan laughed. The polar lights that curved towards the south seemed like a signpost that showed them the path they should take. The griffon that had been flying silently roared.
-Hwiyooooo!
After that, the two people didn’t say anything for a long time. We were flying for about an hour following the polar lights. A strange object he had never seen before came into Ronan’s field of vision.
“uh?”
The surface of the huge glacier, like a battleship, was shiny with a bluish silver color. It was a lighting using magic, not something that exists in nature. Ronan’s mouth opened quietly.
“found.”
It was clearly Aurora Skaarl. Ronan turned his nose in the direction of the glacier. As I got closer, I noticed that the crown of the glacier had been cut flat. It seemed to be a runway built for flying vehicles. Ronan said.
“We’re going to land, so hold on tight.”
“···huh.”
It was our first conversation after kissing. Adeshan hugged her waist without saying a word. She turned her head to the side, burying her face in his broad back. The polar lights burning the sky caught her eye.
The unrealistically beautiful sight made her confused as to whether she was still dreaming. She touched her lips once and Ade Shan smiled.
“Ahaha.”
It wasn’t a dream. The Griffon, circling slowly, landed on her ice-carved runway. The rhythmic sound of hammering could be vaguely heard from inside the glacier.
