Chapter 44.2  – Omen

 

[Phillka’s PoV]

Although it’s become cool recently, I still get quite sweaty as soon as I start moving.

I ended up needing to take a break and wipe my body with a moisture-absorbing-towel that I invented a year ago… The tower has an annoying drawback of being a bit too thick though.

Because of the dehydration, my head was heavy and my view was blurry… So, to counter that, I reached out for a cooling box that I had successfully finished miniaturizing and mass producing two years ago.

Inside it, were a mountain of blue potions that Altirea made on her time here. I drank one, and my body’s fluids were supplemented. Now, my breathing finally started stabilizing.

(You’re just carrying me with you, why are you so weak?) Weiss asked me, (There might be some rough times ahead of us once we go to the empire. You cannot be a hindrance.)

His wording was blunt, but it seemed like he was a bit worried for my health… I suppose that, differently from Kajero, not all spirits are direct.

(Do not worry, Weiss, for there are 36 different types of fitness enhancer potions… Prototypes included.

(If I drink those medicines at the appropriate times, I won’t get in anyone’s way.) I replied.

Though if I make a mistake on how to use them, all muscles of my body will melt… But I already developed a remedy to solve that in case it is needed. I’m ready.

(Do you have any idea of what actual training is like…?) Weiss asked.

(Who do you think I am!? I am Phillka Louivas! A genius alchemist! And as would be expected of a genius, I get results that are nothing short of extraordinary!) I replied.

(… I guess the Earl isn’t the only weirdo here.

(I’m now remembering Rastiyu and Marua. Why do people that don’t listen to others keep gathering around me? Even in all my wiseness, I cannot comprehend.) Weiss sighed as he said that.

That was something… I had originally brought Weiss with me to fulfill Altirea’s order of doing research on memory manipulation, as I figured I could use Weiss’ help on the research, as he has this kind of power already.

However… Those words he said just now are not to be ignored. As someone who loves history, I just need to ask for the details.

(Have you actually met princess Rastiyu and queen Marua?) I asked him.

Both of them are said to have had powers related to spirits, so it wouldn’t be strange for them to have some connection to Weiss… Though I couldn’t have predicted the words he’d tell me as his response.

(I mostly watched over Rastiyu, but I was very close with Marua.) Weiss replied.

… And ordinary person might have been stunned by those words, but not a genius like me. I used his words as a clue and started going through my memories to figure out what could have made him close to queen Marua.

One by one, the dots connected inside my head, and the answer was found, (I see, so that’s how it is… About 800 years ago, when lady Marua, who was the second princess of the empire, crossed the sea to avoid a succession dispute, she had a shield with a spirit inside it by her side.

(That shield was Weiss, right?) I asked him.

(As expected of a self-proclaimed genius, you quickly understood it.

(The crest of the royal Malgarea family is a round shield with wings, isn’t it? That’s me.) Weiss replied.

(I see… So we, the people of Malgaroid, have been unknowingly worshipping Weiss? Now that’s quite something.

(Then let me ask you a question… The legends say that the shield worn a dazzling halo that torn through monsters, and that it protected Queen Marua like a veil of pure sunlight.

(… Are you a light spirit then, Weiss? I thought you were an ice spirit.) I asked him.

To this question, Weiss lifted his blade up and down… Was that a shrug?

(I suppose I should first correct your misunderstanding.

(Spiritual attributes are a classification that humans made without our permission. Reality is much more beautiful than those simple separations.

(Light and ice are both me.

(It depends a lot on the name called when making me manifest. ‘Purifying Steel of the Purgatory’ would have made me attuned to fire, and ‘Pure Blue Eyes of the Lake’ would have attuned me to water.

(My current attunement is to ice, but that’s because I was pulled into this world as is, instead of having my name properly called by Alty… if I wasn’t limited to this sword body, I could do more for her.

(Well, there is no use in complaining about it though.

(On that note, the power to read memories is something I’ve always had. Marua had me use it a lot back when I was a shield, though she was good at keeping this fact hidden.) Weiss explained.

(The queen was said to be able to see through people’s hearts… She was said to have a Mystic Eye.

(The reality was quite different though, wasn’t it?) I replied.

(Indeed.

(On another note, let me hear your thoughts on something… Don’t you think Alty was a bit strange today?) Weiss asked me.

I immediately nodded to his question.

I remembered the meeting… That feeling of intimidation that she gave of… As if I was in front of an absolute arbitrator.

I noticed that sweat was running down my forehead during the meeting… It was hard to believe that this girl was the same person that was once my disciple.

(The same happened to Rastiyu and Marua. At some point, they suddenly changed.

(The age-appropriate childishness disappeared, and they became something else… Not necessarily an adult or an elderly, but instead some sort of absolute existence.

(I may be overthinking it, but I do not think this is a good sign.) Weiss told me.

Why isn’t it a good sign?

I do agree with Weiss that Altirea has changed. She now looks much more attractive today than she was before.

Her strong will to dye everything her colors, those noble eyes that glittered more brightly than any jewel…

I can’t help being confused about it… What did Weiss mean with his last statement?

After a small silence, he answered my unvoiced question, (While the legends said that Rastiyu and Marua were assassinated, that is not what actually happened.

(They went crazy… And died from it.

(In the middle of the night, they suddenly started screaming about how much their head hurt. They writhed in pain, and then…

–They were gone.

(If things keep going like this, Alty might meet that same fate.

(You’re a genius, aren’t you, Phillka?

(Then… Can you think about what is it that links Rastiyu and Marua together?

(I may be overworrying, but I don’t want Alty to meet that same end.)

I couldn’t refuse that request. The feeling that Altirea is important to me has not changed.

Also, to suddenly unveil this truth behind the unknown history of such two legendary figures is quite exciting in its own right. I want to do this.

And lastly… I remember it. Right after the meeting ended, Altirea put her hand on her temples and muttered…

–It hurts.