C347 - Record (5)
Jump!!
As if her body was propelled by a spring, Valeria quickly got to her feet. Without pausing to reflect or assess the situation, she immediately scanned her surroundings for her staff.
However, realizing that her staff was nowhere to be found, she instantly conjured offensive magic spells in both hands and assumed a defensive posture. All of this happened in less than two seconds.
Hoo, hoo, hoo...!
Valeria was breathing heavily, as if she had just run at full speed. How much time has passed? Where have I ended up? Am I trapped?
She couldn't believe she had lost consciousness. It was the first time since her days with the Gray Owl Mercenaries.
"Oh, you're awake! Sir! My Lord! Ar, no. The guest has awakened... Huh, my friend! Are you aiming those magic spells at me? Hey, put that down. You shouldn't aim at someone who saved your life like that. Geez."
Valeria glared at Jet with red eyes. While most humans might react that way, she had developed an aversion to losing consciousness since the Gray Owl Mercenaries were annihilated.
"Damn it, you Zipple bastard!"
"Eh, eh. I'm not a Zipple; I'm the adorable Jet from Tikan. Calm down a bit."
"I... I'll kill them all. Every single one...!"
Shaaak!
A burst of mana shot out of Valeria's hand. Fortunately, Jet quickly dodged the blast and managed to escape the room.
"Why, why are you acting like this? I'll bring you some cold water!"
Even after Jet left, Valeria still felt unsteady due to the throbbing headache and confusion in her mind, making it difficult to find strength in her body.
"Whimpering like a trapped beast as soon as you wake up. There are no Zipples here or anyone who can harm you. You'd better express your gratitude to those who helped you."
It was Jin. He had gone to get a towel for her forehead.
"Jin. Jin Runcandel...?"
Jin met Valeria's gaze as he placed the towel on her forehead.
"Calm down. Drink this."
Valeria looked at the glass of water Jin was offering for a moment before gently touching her forehead.
"I must have caused a commotion. I'm sorry."
"As long as no one is hurt, I can overlook it."
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Two days. It's quite common in situations like this."
While Valeria took a sip of water, another person entered the room.
"How are you feeling?"
"...Your Majesty, Holy King?"
"You're not a citizen of the Holy Kingdom, so there's no need to address me so formally. Just treat me as Jin's friend. I've heard that you're also his comrade."
It was Lani.
After Valeria's collapse, Jin immediately contacted Lani for help.
Across the world, there was only one person capable of summoning the Holy King of the Holy Kingdom, especially in such circumstances, and that was Jin.
"I'm... fine."
"Thank goodness. Since you two have something to discuss, I'll take my leave. Today, I plan to return to my homeland. If you need further treatment, feel free to request it anytime."
Once Lani left the room, only Jin and Valeria remained. Valeria seemed calmer now, her eyes more serene as she organized her thoughts.
"I had no choice but to call for Lani because the mana reaction was severe. Don't worry, I didn't reveal your identity to him."
As if molten metal had been poured into her chest, Valeria felt her heart warming.
It was an emotion she hadn't felt in a long time: the genuine feeling of sorrow and gratitude towards someone. Since the Gray Owl Mercenaries were annihilated, she had never established true human connections.
So, along with fear, she was also overwhelmed by a sense of vulnerability, like being submerged in water.
She had always believed that getting close to others would only expose her weaknesses.
"If I intended to harm you, I could have done so a thousand times before you fell."
Valeria silently nodded her head.
There was nothing significant in Jin's records that she had checked before losing consciousness. She felt sorry for wasting his time.
"If you think it's a waste, then it's a waste. But it can still be meaningful for building trust. I prefer to see it that way."
Valeria looked at Jin without responding, contemplating the "last record" she had remembered before losing consciousness.
"Within Solderet's record device that Jin Runcandel confirmed, the ancient fairies had the duty of keeping records."
"A thousand years ago, all the ancient fairies remained faithful."
"They had a deep connection with humans bearing the name Histor."
Valeria ran her fingers through her red hair that fell over her shoulder and remembered Lueth's red hair from Jin's records. Everyone born as Histor had that distinctive red hair.
"Is the ancient fairy race related to the Histor clan?"
Since realizing her identity as Histor, Valeria had always fought to reclaim her ancestors' magic and identity.
But not once had she considered the possibility of a connection between the ancient fairies and the Histor clan.
"Those who remained faithful... What does that mean?"
She never expected to uncover such a truth through Jin's records.
And the shocking revelation wasn't the end.
"Jin Runcandel experienced death once."
The magic of Histor's records never lied. What the records conveyed was an absolute truth that nothing could alter.
"He died and came back to life."
Confused, it wasn't too difficult for her to arrive at that conclusion.
Resurrection, a phrase found in countless legends and myths around the world.
It wasn't an event limited to stories alone.
"Did Runcandel have one of Numerus's Tears?"
Numerus, the God of Hope.
He was a God known to have perished in some event before the founding of the Holy Kingdom, Vankela, leaving behind eight teardrops and a hundred drops of blood as his legacy.
The blood was an unparalleled healing agent that could be used to mend any wound, while the tears were the only objects capable of bringing the dead back to life.
Of the eight tears, it was known that four had records of their use, but the whereabouts of the other four remained unknown. Valeria believed one of them had been used for Jin.
"Why? Isn't it a waste to use such a valuable item for Runcandel's twelfth flagbearer?"
If she were Runcandel, she would have used it on someone like Cyron or Luna if they were facing death.
"What are you thinking, Aria Owlheart?"
Aria tilted her head.
"My head is a bit stiff since I just woke up."
"Then let's talk after you eat. If it's uncomfortable to eat together, I'll take it to your room."
"I'd appreciate that."
As Jin left the room, Gilly soon brought Valeria her meal.
"Is this woman Gilly McRolan, Jin's nanny?"
Gilly offered a friendly smile to Valeria without saying much.
The meal consisted of minced meat soup and fresh milk. There was also a slice of strawberry pie for dessert (at that moment, Valeria smiled inadvertently).
While eating, Valeria pondered the kind of profound conversation she should have with Jin.
"Now I understand. He learned about the connection between the ancient fairies and Histor through Solderet's recording devices. It's something independent of Runcandel, personal information he obtained. That's why he needs me. Since Solderet's recording devices are malfunctioning."
Runcandel's or Zipple's purpose in seeking her was entirely different.
They could use her as a bargaining chip or attempt to kill her, but Jin literally "needed" her help.
"The puzzle pieces are falling into place. Seeing Jin repeatedly in my dreams might have been some kind of magic left by the ancient fairies or my ancestors. Since my record magic is still incomplete, it only revealed itself indirectly."
The encounter with Jin could be destiny, she thought. It felt like an old connection, like the legacy left by the ancient fairies and her ancestors.
The main reason she felt this encounter could be her ancestors' legacy was the "future record" left by the Histor clan in the successor temple of Mamit.
A future record that stated that "he who inquires about the whereabouts of Histor" to a bartender in a Mamit tavern in 1795 would return to Mamit around March 1799.
Valeria was stunned when she confirmed it was "Jin," the one from her long-held dream.
'I need Jin Runcandel to tell me everything about the ancient fairies. I shouldn't keep too much from him anymore.'
After finishing her meal, Valeria sought out Jin.
"Has your head calmed down a bit?"
"Thanks to you."
"And you haven't forgotten our promise, have you? You have to cooperate more actively with me from now on."
"Of course. Just as you use me, I also felt I should use you more."
"Good."
"Can I ask you some questions? Jin."
"Sure, go ahead."
"While reviewing your records, I found that the ancient fairies have a deep connection with the Histor Clan. I've only glanced at the records, but you probably know more about it."
Jin's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly concealed his surprise.
"Tell me about it. What is the relationship between the ancient fairies and my clan? If you help me fulfill my mission, I'll genuinely work for you as well."
"Um, Aria. Wait a second. There seems to be a misunderstanding. I've never heard of such a thing."
"What are you talking about? Records never lie. From what I saw, it's evident..."
"If you want, you can check my records again. But honestly, I've never heard of such a story."
Valeria decided not to doubt Jin.
The information about the ancient fairies and their connection to Histor was something that Jin, the human, had learned through Solderet's records. Therefore, it was possible that Jin didn't know about it either.
"However, I do know that the ancient fairies had abilities similar to your record magic. So, I had also considered the possibility of some connection between you and them."
"Abilities similar to record magic...?"
Jin explained to Valeria for a while about the abilities of the fairies.
Although he couldn't recall what the real Lueth had explained, he clearly remembered the information he had seen in the records of the third tomb.
"...Can you tell me where and how you saw the records containing the ancient fairies? It's a matter of great importance to me."
"I saw them in the hiding place of the Cat Tribe. Before you rush over there, I must tell you that I currently don't know their whereabouts either."
"I will find them."
Valeria said with determination.
Tags:
SYS (Novel)